Chapter 31
“Why did I pack so much?” Kyle stared at his five suitcases.
Murphy grunted from her cart.
“You thought you’d be here a long time,” Harper said from the bench beside him. The dock workers were loading crates of flash-frozen fish onboard. Then they’d be back for Kyle’s many bags.
“Is this it?” Kyle asked, his face, again, very young, his voice breaking just a bit.
“I have no idea,” Harper said in a voice she hoped was soothing.
“We all talked about this. BSI and Okeanos had weird feelings about this expedition. And the New Brunswick team had their problems too. I think this is an expensive face-saving measure for them so they can say they tried. So as far as the institute is involved, it might be it.” She patted his knee.
“Harper, what are you going to do if more of those things appear?” Kyle asked as a crewman grabbed Kyle’s bulky bags as though they weighed no more than a sack of groceries.
“I don’t know. I’m not sure they mean harm.
Shuri saw them. I’ve seen them too. You weren’t making it up.
” Kyle’s face became stricken. Harper grabbed his hands in hers.
“Look, we’re biologists, right? We know more than anyone that there are more things in heaven and earth when it comes to animals, and insects, and plants, and things that creep around in the night. Right?”
“I suppose,” Kyle said warily.
“So I would encourage you to put whatever that thing is you saw last night in that box, and not in any others.” Harper looked up to see Einar regarding them from the gangway.
“You ready?” he called.
Harper nodded. “You have the water samples?”
Kyle nodded, patting his backpack. “You’re going to the manor?”
Harper nodded.
“Take notes, you owe me details. I left you a button-up.” Kyle stood.
Harper pulled him in for a hug, an action that she never would have done in her previous life, the spontaneity of it making her feel like she was out of body for a moment. “Thanks for always looking out for me.”
With a wave, Kyle climbed aboard the ferry. Harper hadn’t been honest with him. She knew this was it. She would never see Kyle again or Shuri. Part of her wondered if she would ever step foot on the ferry again, or if she was finally home.