Diver's Heart

by K. A Knight

  “My thoughts also. They should still be…back at base. We need to move quickly but watch each other. We need to find another exit. We won’t make it until rescue comes.” I sigh.

  “Nope, we only have two more days’ worth of rations,” Riggs says, coming over. “So we need to move now.”

  “It looks like it, especially before we start getting tired and hungry. That would be bad,” I mutter, spinning the map again before trailing my finger along a line. “We take this one, we follow it. We stay quiet. Our suits make noise, but hopefully, the tide and rocks down there cover it. We swim for as long as we can, stopping only when necessary. It’s going to be exhausting.” I look up to see Fin and Kalen have joined us. “But it’s our only way. We’re getting out of here, and we’re doing it now.” I shut the map. “Any objections?”

  “None from me, bossman.” Fin salutes.

  Kalen shakes his head. “Let’s get the fuck out of here, then I want to drink and sleep,” he grumbles.

  “I’ll join you,” Peyton teases and then winks at me.

  “Come on then, baby, let’s suit up.” I lean in and kiss her. Part of it is to prove to them I can, but the other part is that she’s just too fucking cute to resist. Pulling back, I smile at her when we suddenly hear a splash.

  Something is in the dive pool.

  Kalen is instantly there, knife in hand, while the rest of us freeze, staying silent. We wait anxiously as the noise becomes louder. The water bubbles, and I pull Peyton behind me, even as she tries to remain by my side. I throw her a behave look and ignore her simmering anger as Kalen moves closer to the edge, ready to stop them as soon as they surface.

  But the head that pokes through the water isn’t a beast.

  It’s a human’s.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Peyton

  My breath catches as the mask-covered head pops through the water, and in an instant, I know who it is. I fight free of Tyler’s hold and race across the ground, my heart leaping as Michael whips off his mask.

  “Michael!” I scream and rush towards him as he pulls himself over the ledge, coughing and sputtering as I fling myself into his arms. He catches me with a shocked laugh.

  “Hey, Minnow!” he murmurs, embracing me tighter for a moment.

  I feel tears dripping down my face as I look at him. “I thought I’d lost you,” I whisper.

  “Nah, I’m too stubborn to die. Bit like you, kid.” He chuckles.

  I can’t help but grin as I pull back and look him over. “How you doing, old man? What happened?”

  “Let me get out and I’ll tell ya,” he replies. I pull back with a wince, and then I notice the huge gash running the length of his arm.

  “Tyler, first aid kit!” I yell as I prop my arm under Michael’s and help him sit with his back to a stalagmite. His face is pale and his eyes are slightly bloodshot, but other than that, he looks okay. He shouldn’t be diving, but when I press my head to his chest, I don’t hear anything unusual. It was only a short dive, so hopefully, it was all right. I lean back as Tyler and the others surround us. My hands are shaking, so Riggs takes over and begins to clean and dress Michael’s wound.

  “Did anyone else make it?” I ask. His frown tells me everything.

  “No. The fuckers hit us out of nowhere, we didn’t stand a chance.” He grunts. “I tried to save them—”

  “I know.” I squeeze his hand. If there was a way to save them, he would have. Michael isn’t the type to leave anyone behind. I’m just glad he’s alive, even if my heart breaks for all those we lost. They were down here for us, after all.

  “Minnow, we didn’t even see them coming. One second, we were packing up and checking the monitors, and the next, they were there, attacking from the water, from above. There were so many of them, we could barely see. I fought as many as I could, but we were overrun. The others were grabbing gear to dive, and I ran to them, but they were dragged down into the water and it turned red. I knew I had no choice. I grabbed the gear and went under, killing the creatures waiting for me, and slipped into the gear. I waited and poked my head out, but…there was no one alive.” His breath hitches, and I hate the vulnerability I see in his eyes. This man has been through so much, and now this is another horror to add to his list. “I swam right here, hoping you hadn’t left yet.”

  He looks from me to Tyler. “We can’t go back that way, there were too many.”

  “We agree, we have to push forward. As soon as you have rested and—” Tyler starts.

  “Fuck rest, I’m fine. We need to move before they come for us.” His narrowed eyes move to me. “I may be old, but I can keep up. We need to swim quickly and beat those bastards to an exit.”

  “Old man,” I begin, but he narrows his eyes further, giving me that don’t mess with me look.

  “I’m not dying down here, if I’m gonna die, it’s going to be with fucking vodka in my hand at my family’s grave. And you’re not dying down here either, Minnow, so stop worrying about me, okay?” He squeezes my hand. “Ya forget why ya hired me? I’m a fucking machine. Let’s get going so we can get away from those winged fuckers and back to the surface.”

  I run my eyes over his face. I feel the others staring, knowing this is my decision. “Okay, if you say you’re fine, but you will tell me if or when you need breaks, or I’ll force them, got it?” I snap in my bossy voice.

  “Got it,” he agrees.

  I look up at Tyler. “Then let’s get moving and get the fuck out of this place.”

  He nods and glances to the others. “Get suited up, we’re leaving.”

  I gaze back at Michael, and we share a look that only those who have spent a lot of time together can. I’m silently asking if he’s okay, and he’s replying that he is, all without words. “Okay then.” I squeeze his hand and stand. “Let’s see if those swim records you boast about are real.”

  “You’re on, Minnow. I’ll show you kids how to really dive,” he teases as he gets to his feet with my help.

  I smile, even as nerves fill me. He shouldn’t be diving, but we don’t have much of a choice. Hopefully, the exit isn’t too far. We’ll find it, we’ll get out of here.

  We won’t lose anyone else.

  We are the fucking apex divers, not those bastards.

  Bring it.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Fin

  We waste no time getting in the water. If Michael says he’s okay, then we have to believe him. As a diver, he knows the importance of being honest, even if it’s not good news. Every diver understands the significance of telling the truth and knowing their body’s limits, so if he says he can, we have to trust that.

  We suit up quickly, buddying up to check each other’s equipment. Before Peyton puts her mask on, I steal a quick kiss, which makes her grin. Michael glares at me. Laughing, I back up with my hands held out, winking at the old man. I like him. He’s protective of her, and I want him to like me too. He’s important to her, that’s for sure.

  He’s family, like we are.

  Once we are all ready, we form a circle at the pool as Tyler gives out orders. “I’ll go first, with Kalen bringing up the rear. After me, it’s Fin, Riggs, then Michael and Peyton, understood?”

  I almost balk at him putting Peyton near the back, but it makes sense. She’s the fastest and strongest swimmer, so if anything goes wrong, her and Kalen will be okay. We know that, and he’s showing he trusts her.

  Tyler goes in first, and we wait, staying silent, not wanting to draw the attention of those creatures. As bad as it sounds, they may be resting after…feasting. Even that word nearly makes me gag, but breaking down and getting worked up won’t change what happened to our team, and right now, I need a clear head. I push it aside, ready to deal with it when we aren’t in a life-or-death situation.

  When we are all in the water, we clip ourselves to the guide wire and start to swim. We sweep our torches around, each holding a knife in our hands. The water is murky now and it makes it hard to see, so w
e have to go slow. Tyler heads to the tunnel we chose, the only one we haven’t explored. It’s risky, but we know where the others go, not this one.

  We have one shot, I just hope he’s right.

  The tunnel starts out wide and then tightens. He places a rope as we go for the others to clip onto, and we keep each other aware of our position by tugging on it, not wanting to speak in case we draw their attention. Our regulators make enough noise as it is, but without them, we would die, so we don’t have much choice.

  We swim for what feels like hours but must only be about forty or fifty minutes. We manoeuvre around twists and turns, pikes where we can almost stand, and tight tunnels we have to take our equipment off to move through, staying silent the entire time.

  Ready, prepared.

  We won’t lose another member of our team. We are getting out of here, and when we do, we’ll be a family again and make Peyton ours forever.

  Tyler tugs twice rapidly to indicate we’re reaching the end of the tunnel. I slow to give him room if he needs to retreat or turn, my torch shining on his back and ass as he keeps swimming. Light is beginning to filter in… Is that an exit? It can be tricky down here, so I don’t get my hopes up as he reaches the end and sticks his head out. A moment later, he turns and gestures for me to stay. I give him the ‘okay’ symbol, and he starts to swim. All I can see is water as he floats up, and we all wait nervously for his return. Minutes pass, and I start to become worried, even though I haven’t heard anything. Suddenly, his face pops into the exit and he gestures for us to follow.

  I do, and once I’m in the open water, he points upward, telling me it’s okay. I swim up, glancing back to see him ensuring everyone gets out safely. The light grows stronger and stronger, and when I break the surface, I pull off my mask and look around.

  Holy fuck.

  We might have found a way out, but it’s going to be fucking difficult to use it.

  Why is nothing in this cave system easy?

  Chapter Forty-Three

  PEYTON

  I break the surface, floating next to the others, and whistle. Fucking hell. Before us, stretching up to the top of the cave, is a fucking towering wall, and with no other exit, it looks like we’re going up. The rock glitters, and I almost grin.

  This is what I’m good at, what I excel at. I can do this. Fuck monsters, fuck cave ins, we’re getting out of here, and it starts by climbing that.

  There’s a sloping bit of land leading from the water to the rock, so we swim there and quickly get out. Noiselessly, we all begin to lose the gear we don’t need, putting it away and switching over to our climbing equipment. I hook on my crampons, rope, and picks before putting on my hat, gloves, and harness. We won’t have time to fully secure everything, so it’s going to be a risky climb, but we are professionals.

  We’ve got this.

  Tyler comes over and presses his head to mine, his bright eyes locked on me, speaking a million things, even though his mouth doesn’t move. He’s telling me to be safe, to be smart, to follow, listen, and know my limits. He’s telling me he loves me.

  I smile and kiss him.

  “Minnow, really?” Michael coughs, and when I pull back with a soft laugh and look over, I freeze when I see him. He’s pale, really pale, and he’s trembling. I rush over, and he tries to bat me away. “I’m fine,” he wheezes, even as he tries to suppress his coughs, which seem to echo around the cavern. The guys circle us, their knives drawn in case it attracts the monsters, but I’m focused on him.

  He’s too pale and sweaty, and his coughs rattle. They sound deep, like his lungs are in trouble. I push his hands away and press my ear to his chest, trying to listen. There’s a definite crackle. I pull back to speak, but he turns away and coughs so hard that blood splatters across the rocks.

  Bright, fresh red blood.

  “Michael,” I whisper. He shouldn’t have been diving, I knew it. Why did I let him? We should have found another way out.

  “I’m fine,” he rasps, wiping his mouth and smiling weakly. “Nothing a good climb can’t fix.”

  It’s a lie. He knows that. I know that. He’s dying. His lips are tinted blue, there is a rash on his hands, and his body is quivering from exhaustion. How long was he hiding this? I knew the risk, so why did I let him? He suffered pulmonary barotrauma years ago and should have never dived again.

  Fuck!

  “We need to get him on some oxygen,” I almost yell.

  “Minnow.” Michael sighs, grabs my hand, and squeezes. His eyes are dim, but he smiles. “It won’t help, we know that. Give me some water and five minutes and then let’s get going.”

  “But—”

  “The best way to help me is to get out of here,” he reasons. I know what he’s doing, but he’s right. I understand that, even as my heart pounds and bile rises in my throat at the thought of leaving him to suffer.

  I sit with him, helping him sip water as he gets his breathing under control. The others prepare everything, but a few minutes later, Kalen lays his hand on my shoulder. “Fin wants your help looking for the best route up. I’ll stay with him, baby.”

  I swallow hard, smiling feebly at Michael, and stand. I throw Kalen a look, and he nods, letting me know he’ll get me if anything changes. I relax a little at that and head over to Fin, who’s waiting with Riggs, staring up at the wall.

  Calculating the best route, no doubt.

  I look upward, propping my hands on my hips as I try to get my head back into the game. I can’t afford to be distracted. All it would take is one mistake, and we could all die. They are relying on me, Michael too. I hear him cough again and flinch. Closing my eyes for a moment, I breathe and ground myself, and when I open them again, I’m back in the zone. Fin and Riggs are watching me worriedly, but I smile and scan the wall.

  “There,” I murmur. “See how it zigzags? It’s not too solid to get the pick through and hard enough we can rope into it. We go one at a time. I’ll go first and set the rope.”

  “You sure?” Riggs asks, looking concerned. I lean closer and kiss his lips.

  “I’ve got this.”

  “Hell yes you do, baby cakes!” Fin calls and spanks me. “Show that wall who’s boss.”

  I pull away, grinning, but his eyes twinkle, and I know he did it for that reason. “All right then, let’s get going.”

  I was right—it’s the best route. I manage to get my pick into the rock and pull myself up. Finding a crack, I reach down, grab a cam, wedge it in, and tug to make sure it’s secure. Once I’m certain it is, I keep going at a fast but safe pace. The others are below me, tied to the rope and working their way up. Michael is below me to ensure they can keep an eye on him, but I hear him coughing and look down mid-climb to see his face pressed against the wall, his hands gripping the rock as he coughs.

  He’s choking on the fluid and lack of air.

  I wait until he lifts his head and gives me the ‘okay’ symbol before I start to climb again, moving faster now. I need to get him out of here. I lift, pull, and place, over and over, making my way up the eighty-foot wall. I put a nice lead between the guys and me, giving them rope to climb with and ensuring the way is safe.

  About three-quarters of the way up, I encounter a problem. The rock isn’t secure, and I can’t place the cams here. Climbing it would mean suicide. It would crumble and we would fall. I glance to the left and right, knowing we need to move diagonally now to reach the top. The left seems too soft as well, but I test it by reaching out, and the rock breaks under my touch, so I swing back to my position.

  Right it is, I guess.

  Looking down, I whistle and point right, and they nod in understanding. Riggs checks it over from below before giving me the okay, which means he thinks it’s possible. That’s always good, since I trust his judgement more than my own.

  I begin moving right, slowly dragging across the rock face. I slip and lose my footing, but my fingers catch the sharp edges, making me hiss as I dangle before I pull myself up and keep
going. I place some more lines, focused on the next moment, the next movement…but then I stop. There, tilted inwards so we would have never seen it from the ground, is a crevice.

  Not just a crevice, a fucking chasm, running all the way up. It’s at least ten feet to the opposite wall. Fuck. I look upward, and though I’m not sure the rock will hold, I reach and pull, digging my pick in, but it jams and the wall crumbles around it. I try to pull it free, wiggling and yanking, but it’s caught on something.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  I know better than to panic. My heart rate actually slows and my mind hyper focuses like it does in these situations as I analyse and think about my next move. I could finish the climb without an axe, I could use my body as leverage to pull it out—

  A screech sounds.

  My heart stops as I gaze out across the open cavern, just as the monsters start to fly out of the water. Fuck! I look down and press my finger to my lips. Everyone flattens themselves against the wall silently.

  We can’t hang here forever. Even now, my fingers and arms ache, and my legs are quaking slightly from the fatigue of the dive, but we have no choice. If I try to move and make a noise, it will mean our deaths.

  The minutes tick by as they circle the cavern, screeching and attacking each other. The sounds grate my ears like nails on a chalkboard as they crash mid-air and fight. Just then, I hear a muffled noise, and I glance down to see Michael’s panicked face pressing against the wall, his body shaking as he tries to stop the cough.

  Time freezes as it bursts free from him, stopping all the screeches. I look up to see them all turn mid-flight and start to soar towards us, ready to attack, drawn by the noise. Michael looks at me, his eyes wide, and in his gaze I see acceptance. He knows they are coming for him. His lips tilt in a slight smile as he reaches for his hook on the rope.