Chapter Fifteen
Cordelia Marin
E very muscle in my body is tense, every sense on high alert. This is it. No room for error. The dark, cold waters press in from all sides, a constant reminder of the depths we’re navigating. The faint glow of bioluminescent algae provides enough light to guide us through the murk. I glance back at the team, their sleek forms cutting through the water with practiced ease. Basil struggles to keep up on the enhanced scuba scooter, his movements awkward compared to our fluid grace.
“Stay close. We’re almost there.” My voice carries over the bio monitor’s comms, calm and steady, belying the storm of thoughts raging inside me.
“I’m right behind you.” Basil’s voice crackles back, tinged with effort.
We use the natural underwater features for cover as we approach the lab’s unguarded entrance. Jagged rocks and swaying kelp provide temporary concealment, but the pressure of the water and the adrenaline coursing through me make every second feel like an eternity.
A flicker of movement catches my eye. A school of fish darts past, their scales shimmering briefly before they disappear into the darkness. It’s a reminder of how alive this place is, how much is at stake if we fail.
An entrance to the underwater lab looms ahead, a dark maw against the rock face. We need to get in and out without attracting attention. We are at the trench drop off and swimming up the wall to take positions still under cover of the left-over construction tailings.
I signal to Hal, and he moves forward, the dark coloration of his walrus form blending with the shadows as he assesses the entrance.
“Zara, any signs of security?” She and her team moved ahead, away from this entrance and deeper into the trench.
“None that I see.” Her voice is confident, but cautious. “We are clear for now.”
The cold bite of the water seeps through my body, making me acutely aware of every movement, every breath. If I feel it as a dolphin, how must it be for Basil?
I motion for Basil and BabyDoc to stay close as we move forward. Basil’s breathing is heavy through the comms, but he keeps pace.
“This is as far as we go under cover, Chief Engineer. Are we a go?” Hal hangs in the water before me, his eyes, even in his walrus form, I recognize. He shifts his bulky body, adjusting the combination backpack and utility harness we each wear, customized to fit either human or marine form.
I nod, matching the determined look in his eyes. “Ready. Team C and H, we are a go. Move fast, shifters. Team Z, keep us posted.”
We slip through the marine entrance one by one, careful not to disturb anything that might give away our presence. The interior is tunnel-like and darker than outside, but my eyes adjust quickly. The muted sounds of marine life are replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by our breathing and the hum of distant machinery.
I glance at Basil again. He’s out of his element here, but there’s a resolve in his expression that surprises me.
“We stick to the plan. In and out.”
“Got it.” Basil responds tersely.
We move deeper into the underwater sections of the lab, navigating through corridors and avoiding traps or alarms. My mind races with thoughts of the shifters we’ve come to rescue. I clamp down my mind’s questions about their wellbeing, refusing to accept anything less than each crewman returned to us unharmed.
We finally reach a door with no branching tunnels. This is the entrance to the underground lab.
“Hal. Basil. BabyDoc. You’re up.” I float off to the side, allowing them to approach the ornate door.
Hal moves ahead to work on bypassing the mundane security measures. Basil stands close by, his eyes scanning our surroundings with an intensity that makes me uneasy but also grateful for his vigilance.
“Almost there.” Hal whispers after a few tense moments.
I nod and turn my attention to Basil. “Ready?”
He meets my gaze with an intensity that would heat my face were I in human form right now. “Ready.”
Basil’s breathing echoes through the comms, his nerves palpable even through the digital connection. The team assembles at the entrance to the underwater lab, each of us attuned to the unspoken urgency of our mission. BabyDoc floats next to Basil, his focus intense.
“Concentrate on the lock. Feel its energy and push through it.” BabyDoc delivers instructions in a steady voice. “You have the power. Now control it. Bend it to your will.”
Basil nods, though I see the tension in his jaw. Then he smiles, visible around his breather. “Bend it to my will. I know all about that.”
He extends his hand toward the psychic lock, eyes narrowing in concentration. I feel a flicker of doubt—what if he can’t do it? But I shove that thought aside. Come on, Basil. You can do this.
The feel of the water here is different—denser somehow, tinged with an unsettling energy that prickles against my skin. The facility feels alive in a way that’s hard to describe, like it’s watching us with unseen eyes.
The surrounding water vibrates with psychic energy as Basil channels his focus into the lock. I see the strands of energy weaving together, a complex dance of will and power. BabyDoc guides him with murmured instructions, each word a thread pulling Basil deeper into concentration.
The seconds stretch out, each one a heartbeat in this silent underwater world. I watch Basil’s face, noting the lines of strain but also the determination etched there. He’s out of his element, but he’s giving it everything he has.
“Got it. The lock’s open.” Basil’s voice is tight with effort but victorious.
A sense of relief floods me as the psychic barrier dissolves, revealing the dark entrance beyond. “Good job.”
We slip inside silently, our movements deliberate and synchronized. The interior is eerie. Only the distant hum of machinery breaks the stillness. We fill the room quickly. My senses are on high alert, every shadow and flicker catching my attention.
Hal comes in last and punches a button with his tusk, closing the door behind us. It is claustrophobic, but as the water drains out, we each, all but one, turn our focus to shifting back to human form and donning the coveralls carried in our backpacks.
The wait is agonizing and terrifying. This is the moment we are most vulnerable. If we swam into a trap, this is where it gets sprung. Once the water starts draining, we have no way out but forward.
Finally, the slowest two minutes ever pass and Hal, this time in human form, pushes yet another button. The audible click as the door at the opposite side of this chamber unlatches is overshadowed by the resounding sighs of relief.
Hal takes point, his bulky form surprisingly agile in this confined space as he consults his second, who is reading the bio monitor’s output. He motions for BabyDoc to join them and catches my eye.
“You know where they are?” I move closer to keep my voice low.
“Yes. We have their position pinpointed. I don’t like leaving you two alone. Cordelia. You sure you want BabyDoc to come with us?”
“We stick to the plan. Get our people out and back to the ship, Hal. Do not wait for us. Do not wait for Zara’s team. Your number one priority is to get our people home.”
His face is furrowed and grizzled, much like his walrus self, and he’s not any happier about this part of the plan than he was when we originally discussed it. “Aye, Skipper. We will get them home.” His voice is gruff as he grasps both of my arms, knocking his head against mine gently. “You make sure you get yourself home, too. I hate breaking in new officers.”
He spins and trots away, motioning for his team to follow. As they walk away, the air shimmers and they disappear. I smile and nod my head. “Good work, BabyDoc.” I am the last to leave the psychic lock chamber and toggle the door shut. No need to leave evidence for someone to stumble upon. “Zara. Report?”
“In position, Skipper. No evidence yet that we’ve been detected.”
Basil stays close to me. His eyes scan our surroundings constantly, a mix of curiosity and wariness. I catch his gaze briefly and offer a small nod of reassurance. His expression is hard to read, but for all his bluster and bravado, he’s stepping up when it counts.
“Stick to the plan.” I remind everyone through the comms as we move out toward the center of the underground building.
Stepping into the central chamber of the lab is like stepping into a different world. The oppressive atmosphere is suffocating, the hum of machinery fills the air with a constant, low vibration. My every muscle is tense and ready.
Basil is beside me, his presence a solid anchor in this sea of uncertainty. The marine shifter team fans out behind us, their movements silent and deliberate.
Victor Ardan is waiting. His dark eyes gleam with cold amusement as he steps forward. “You really think you can stop me? This lab is my domain.”
He’s underestimating us. That’s his first mistake. I square my shoulders, refusing to let his arrogance intimidate me. “Your domain is about to be dismantled, Ardan.”
He laughs, a chilling sound that echoes through the chamber. “Brave words from someone so out of her depth.”
Ardan’s gaze shifts to Basil, his smile fading into something more dangerous. “And Mr. Jenks. The ruthless billionaire playing hero. How quaint.”
The air between us crackles with energy as we face off against Ardan. My mind races, calculating our next move, but there’s no room for hesitation now. I toggle the com, mentally praising Zara’s brilliant mind for creating a com that translates thoughts, and alert the rest of the team.
“Zara. In two minutes exactly. Launch the distraction. Then get the hell out of there. Hal. Report. We are facing down Arden himself.”
“We are cycling through the lock now with all crew. Repeat. All crew. Only your team remains inside.”
“Roger. Teams Z and H, return to the ship. Team C will follow as soon as we get clear.”
“Your experiments end here.” I pick up the conversation, hoping Arden did not notice my distraction. Teams H and Z are not fully in the clear yet. We must keep Arden and his security too busy to realize we have a three-sided assault.
Ardan sneers, taking a step closer. “The power at my fingertips will reshape the world.”
Basil steps forward, his posture aggressive and unyielding. “That power belongs to these waters and its creatures, not you.”
Ardan’s eyes narrow as he assesses Basil’s resolve. “And what makes you think you can stop me?”
“I already have stopped you, Ardan. Checked in with your offices lately?”
For a moment, there’s silence. Then Zara’s distraction kicks in with a bang. Literally. The entire facility shakes as carefully positioned explosives move boulders into places Ardan does not want underwater.
The room erupts into chaos as shifters clash with Ardan’s guards. I focus on keeping Ardan off balance, using every trick and maneuver I know.
“You can’t win.” Ardan words are hollow, a snarl of desperation.
Basil meets his gaze head-on. “We already have stopped you, Ardan. Seriously. Call your headquarters.”
Basil closes in on Ardan from one side while I approach from the other, our movements synchronized and precise.
Together we face down Victor Ardan knowing victory or defeat hinges on these moments.
“We need to finish this now!” Basil growls through gritted teeth. He spots a tablet, and leaving me to hold Ardan, grabs it.
Alarms continue to blare, cutting through the tense silence like a knife. Red lights flash, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Victor Ardan stands in the center of the chamber, his smug expression replaced by one of irritation. “Your little excursion ends here.” He sneers, but there’s a flicker of doubt in his eyes.
I step forward, my voice cold and steady. “You’re wrong, Ardan. This facility is no longer under your control.” I take a breath, grounding myself in the truth I’m about to reveal. “This island is owned by a shifter clan. They’ve claimed this illegally built lab.”
Ardan’s eyes widen slightly before narrowing in suspicion. “You’re bluffing.”
“I’m not. You’ve been tried and found guilty in our court system. Your death sentence is on hold only as long as you agree to never experiment on or interact with shifters again.” My gaze locks onto him, daring him to challenge me.
His face pales, and for the first time, I see real fear there.
Basil steps up beside me, holding out a tablet that displays real-time updates from his team. “And while you’re worrying about your life, your empire is crumbling.”
Ardan snatches the tablet from Basil’s hands and stares at the screen. His expression shifts from confusion to horror as he reads through the data.
Basil’s voice is like steel. “Your assets are being frozen as we speak. Your corporate stronghold is under attack from every angle.”
I see Ardan’s hands tremble slightly as he processes what this means to him.
“Go home, Ardan. Salvage what you can.” Basil suggests in a mocking tone. “Because I won’t stop until you’re ruined financially and behind bars.”
Ardan’s eyes flicker with desperation as he realizes the full extent of his predicament.
A sudden crash from behind us makes me turn sharply. The security systems have activated mechanical barriers, cutting off any potential escape routes.
I turn back to Ardan one last time. “Remember what I said. You cross us; there will be no reprieve. Now, open those gates. We are leaving.”
Ardan looks defeated but doesn’t respond.
Basil and I exchange a glance as Zara’s voice crackles over my comms unit. “We’re clear outside and moving fast.”
“Good.” I switch channels to address everyone else. “Teams Z and H are in transit back to the ship.”
“Cor, it’s shifter central out here. There’s an entire cadre of shifters waiting to come inside and clear out the humans.” I smile hearing the joyful laughter in her voice.
As I watch the security gates lift, leaving the way clear for us to leave, I signal my shifter team to move out, then turn to Ardan one last time.
“I hope to never see your face after this moment, Ardan. But know this. I will be watching. As will every shifter. You are a marked man until the day you die.”
He sneers and I see the wheels spinning as he searches for a way out of the trap we’ve sprung.
“At this moment, our soldiers are waiting to enter. I suggest you put aside your thoughts of trickery and get the hell out while you still can.”
Basil stays close beside me, his focus unwavering despite everything happening around us. “They don’t like you and… accidents happen.”
We turn our back on Ardan and his fleeing security guards to follow our own security team back to the welcoming embrace of the ocean waterways.
As we swim back toward our ship alongside those who came out victorious today, I realize how deeply intertwined our fates have become now: mine with Basil’s... and how our shared mission is far from over.