“But what if they kill her?”
“Didn’t she kind of bring that on herself? You said you warned her multiple times.”
“I know, and I did. It’s just . . .” Frankie took a deep breath and started laughing.
“He’s turning soft!” Frankie laughed. He pointed at me and looked at Anchovy. “I think he might actually like this girl!” I quickly protested. Just because I didn’t want to feel forever guilty, that didn’t mean I automatically had feelings for her! Mariella came from a completely different world than I did. Besides that, she didn’t listen to anything I said.
“Shut up, Frankie! You got it all wrong.”
“Then tell me from a logical standpoint, why should we go back?”
I took a minute to process my thoughts. I had to come up with a reason Frankie would agree with. The fact that I felt responsible for Mariella wasn’t enough. There had to be an advantage for us. Otherwise, Frankie wouldn’t agree to it.
“Don’t you want to know who those guys are?” I asked.
“We already figured it out,” Anchovy replied. “They are looking for something called the Triton? They think we know where it is.”
“What?”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Frankie responded. “They’re all from crazy town.”
“But you’re aware they know about the M.E.R. program right?”
“Huh?” Frankie looked confused.
“Those guys know about regenerators, Frankie.”
“They have no proof,” Frankie replied. “And who would believe them anyway. I say we find the Pugio and report those guys to the Commander. He’ll send someone to take care of them.”
“And when he finds Mariella?” I added. “He’ll figure out we’ve been hiding her.” Frankie shrugged. He knew as well I did that Commander Z would take her life too, especially if he found out what she knew.
“That won’t be our problem anymore.”
“Frankie,” I began, clearing my throat. “This goes a lot deeper than that. Those guys, the ones that attacked us, they were hired by . . . Mariella’s father. The Commander will figure it out and find a way to eliminate her entire family. You want to be responsible for that?” Frankie was quiet and the smile was wiped from his face.
“Admit it Frankie,” Anchovy said. “She’s one of us now. We can’t leave her behind.” I walked over and rubbed Anchovy’s head. He was doing a great job on his first mission, considering all the unexpected delays.
“Fine,” Frankie admitted after a few seconds of silence. “Get your guns ready guys. It’s time to teach those mobsters a lesson!”
* * *
I put my hand on the thin, wooden wall of the country shack. Leafy trees hid it from the road. Voices were arguing inside. Mariella was in there. Her fruity perfume mixed in with the smell of manure. I looked at Frankie and Anchovy. They nodded, circling the perimeter. Our plan was to surround the shack and create a distraction.
The front door was locked, but that wasn’t a problem. Frankie and Anchovy both disappeared as I waited, listening for my cue. Hearing Clark’s voice got my adrenaline pumping. The second Brian had made a scene at the market, Clark knew something wasn’t right. He didn’t hesitate before shooting, and then he knew right away that we were regenerators.
Clark had messed up our entire mission. Things would have been a lot different if it weren’t for him. For one, Mariella would probably be on her way home. And we would have already completed step one of our assignment.
I wasn’t startled when I heard gunfire from inside. That was my cue. I kicked down the wooden door and saw Clark crouched behind a table with his gun drawn. His short, tattooed teammate was lying stiff on the ground.
Mariella was standing against the wall with her head down. Her wrists were wrapped tight with rope and she looked sick. Frankie and Anchovy kept up the gunfire from both corners of the room. I ran towards Mariella and placed a hand on her shoulder. She was warm and sweaty and she cautiously looked up.
“Mariella, it’s me.” As soon as I spoke she looked relieved.
“Where have you been?” she asked. I avoided rolling my eyes as I nudged her towards the front door.
“Next time I say run . . .”
“Yeah, yeah,” Mariella interrupted. We ran for the front door without looking back. Frankie had stolen a getaway car. It was the quickest way to get away from Clark’s team.
“I got her!” I yelled. The gunfire ceased and I knew we didn’t have much time before Clark came after us again. I ran towards our car, hoping that Frankie and Anchovy would soon follow.
“How are we all going to fit?” Mariella looked astonished. “That looks like a mini clown car!”
“Now is not the time to be picky!” I pointed my gun at Clark’s van and didn’t even wince when I shot at the tire. Mariella opened the passenger door and jumped in. I got in next to her, starting the engine. Frankie and Anchovy came sprinting from the side of the house. They both had bloodied shirts and grimaced as they ran. “You might want to look down again.”
“What?” Mariella stared at the bloody trail dripping behind Frankie. She nodded and looked down at the floor. I started driving before the guys jumped in. They opened the door and hopped into the backseat just as I gained speed.
Clark rushed outside after us. I could see him stamp the ground through the rear view mirror. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I hope I never see that guy again,” I muttered. Mariella was quiet as we drove along the bumpy road.
“Frankie,” I said, looking towards the backseat. “Her ropes?” Frankie pulled out a pocket knife and started sawing off the thick ropes around Mariella’s wrists.
“Bout time,” she sighed. “My hands feel like they’re going to fall off.”
“Trust me,” Frankie replied. “You’re far from that.” He chuckled. Mariella looked away, closing her eyes. Seeing all that blood had made her turn pale.
The car bounced up and down as we drove farther towards town. It would be morning soon. We’d have to work fast before other soldiers found us.
“So what happens now?” Anchovy looked out the window and rubbed his eyes.
“We go back to our original plan. Get Mariella a phone and a flight out of here.”
“About that,” Mariella interrupted. “I’m not sure I want to do that anymore.” Again, I tried to avoid rolling my eyes. Why did she have to complicate things?
“You don’t really have a choice here,” I replied. “There is no way we’re sneaking you back onto the sub.”
“Yeah, you can forget that.” Frankie leaned forward poking his head into our conversation. “You’re lucky to be alive.”
“I don’t want to go back, okay? I have my reasons!” Mariella’s cheeks went red as she pursed her lips together.
“What do you want us to do then? Leave you in the street somewhere?” I was frustrated. Something was bothering her but she was refusing to say what it was. And yet within an hour of meeting me, she’d scolded me for not being truthful.
The busy noise of the city was getting closer. I looked up at the tall buildings in the distance. They were almost right next to us.
“I don’t know,” Mariella muttered. “I need some time to think.”
“You got about ten seconds,” Frankie said firmly as he pointed ahead of us. A group of bulky soldiers stood in the middle of the street. I slammed on my brakes and pushed her head to the floor. An older M.E.R. soldier stared straight at me with a strange look on his face.
I was mortified, and quickly tried to think of a clever lie. I could hear Mariella’s breathing start to pick up speed.
“Calm down,” I whispered. A tall and muscular M.E.R. soldier advanced towards the car. “Don’t speak to anyone. And when I let you out . . . leave!” I rolled down my window. The soldier laughed when he saw Mariella sitting in the front seat.
“What’s this all about?” he asked casually. He looked Mariella up and down. Her long hair was tangled and shiny, an
d her ripped, black t-shirt had dirt stains.
“Just a civilian hostage,” I replied.
“Gotcha.” The soldier looked in the backseat at Frankie and Anchovy. “You’re missing one.” I shrugged, expecting him to let us through anyway. Instead he insisted on questioning Mariella. He knocked on her window and started yelling in Portuguese.
He was simply asking her to roll down her window, but she gave him a blank stare. The soldier stopped talking and laughed again. I didn’t know what to do. If I floored it, we would all look guilty and the Commander would be sure to hear about it.
“He knows,” Frankie whispered.
“Get out! All of you!” the soldier shouted.
“Just do it, man,” Frankie whispered again. “His entire team is here. We wouldn’t stand a chance.” I opened my door and Mariella grabbed my hand. I looked into her watery eyes. She knew what was happening. It wouldn’t be long before both our worlds fell apart.
“There’s still hope,” I said. “Stick to the story, got it?” The four of us got out of the car. We stood facing a team of older and more experienced M.E.R. soldiers.
“Where are you from?” the tall soldier asked Mariella. She stayed silent, looking around. “Answer the question, girl!” The soldier sounded like Clark.
“She is from a small village outside the city. And probably shaken up from all the gunfire.” The soldier glared at me. I stepped forward, trying to draw his attention away from Mariella.
“I wasn’t talking to you, soldier.” I clenched my jaw. Frankie walked over and stood behind me.
“Pipe down, son.” A deep voice came from behind the crowd. Commander Z stepped forward with a disappointed look on his face. The Commander wasn’t supposed to be here. Something wasn’t right. Had Brian really turned us all in?
“Commander,” I said. Mariella had panic in her eyes. She looked down at the ground.
“You boys have anything to say?” The Commander took a step closer. I felt the heat radiating from his body. He lunged forward, knocking me to the ground. I fell instantly with no warning. My arms smacked the street and my heart began racing.
“Grab the girl,” Commander Z instructed. A soldier ran over and grabbed Mariella by the arm.
“What’s going on? Let me go!” she screamed. The entire team was amused by her yelling. My chest was starting to swell with rage again.
“That’s right, soldier,” the Commander said in an excited voice. “You made a mistake.”
12
Chained
As the three of us sank farther into the ocean, the murky water restricted our sight. The more I struggled and tried to fight against my chains, the more I realized it was no use. We were sinking and at the same time my insides were burning. This was our punishment and who knew how long we would be stranded at the bottom of the sea.
My muscles started to spasm and the building pressure of the sea made me feel like my head would explode. My ears were buzzing and all I heard in my mind was Commander Z’s voice and Mariella screaming. Did you really think you’d gotten away with it? I’m disappointed in you, soldier. You’ve betrayed your team, you damn softy.
Drowning was something I’d never experienced before. I panicked as my organs twisted around, writhing in pain. It was excruciating, and the first time was the worst. I still felt angry and yelled as loud as I could, creating a cloud of bubbles around my head.
When my lungs started to regenerate and repair, I held onto that feeling. It was the only way I could stay sane. All I could think about was the Commander’s face and the way he had tossed my team aside. I wondered if he made it a habit to use all his soldiers as pawns like he used me. What was wrong with wanting to spare a life? Isn’t that what our missions were all about? Helping people? I was starting to doubt that was even true.
My pain training at Neptune House made the sensation of drowning a little easier to deal with. Looking around, I couldn’t spot the others. I wasn’t worried. Frankie had been through worse than this. Anchovy was in for a surprise but he would get over it. The moment comes for every M.E.R. soldier - the one when you realize there are worse things than death.
We had been taught never to question our assignments, but now that was all I wanted to do. Who was Commander Z looking for? And how was this guy able to escape him? He must have figured out a way to get by on his own.
The sinking anchor around my feet was nothing compared to the sinking feeling in my chest. I had failed. My entire team was paying for it, including Mariella.
My anchor finally reached the ocean floor. The pressure of the water above me felt like a crushing anvil. Everything was dark. I couldn’t see a single sea creature nearby. The sandy ocean floor was lumpy and full of scratchy plants. I had few options, and even if we all got free, the three of us were no match for the Commander.
I knew what Frankie would suggest. He would say this was the perfect opportunity to bail out and start over. But he didn’t get it, we would never be normal. And I would always feel like a coward for giving up. And who knew how long we would last without serum.
My lungs were suffocating again. They sent a surging pain through my entire body and panic set in. I ignored it, focusing this time on being calm. It made drowning a little easier.
I closed my eyes figuring I had a few days to come up with a plan. There was no telling when the Commander would be back. If he came back. Maybe we were all doomed to drown forever at the bottom of the ocean.
A stream of bubbles hit my face. I searched for the source. A hungry shark was something I didn’t need right now. I didn’t want to cope with losing body parts too.
A small light came closer to my face until I saw a masked swimmer, gliding along the ocean floor. The swimmer had on a wet suit and fins. His goggles made it so I couldn’t see his face. He swam over with a tank of oxygen on his back, stretched out a hand, and grabbed the locks that held my chains in place.
The masked swimmer took a few minutes to pick the lock. All the while I floated without moving, holding on to the regenerating feeling in my lungs. I would deal with the rest later. When my lock finally clicked open, I felt relieved. Mostly because this guy had saved me a few broken bones– how I would have most likely freed myself.
I swam for the surface. The water got lighter towards the top until I could finally see the rising sun. I shot above the water with a giant gasp. I coughed for air, looking around at the quiet coastline. Two more heads were bobbing towards the beach. I gave myself a minute before kicking my legs. Waves crashed over my face and pushed me closer to the beach. The swimmer who had freed me was nowhere in sight.
I moved my arms and kicked my legs while spitting up salt water. I couldn’t wait to lie on the shore. I could see Frankie trying to calm down Anchovy. Anchovy leaned over, puking all over the sand. Frankie got him to sit down and look at the sky. He spotted me and waved.
When I could finally stand, my insides rejoiced. Suffocating, regenerating, then re-suffocating wasn’t something I wanted to go through a second time. I shook my head and enjoyed the feeling of mushy sand against the bottoms of my feet. Anchovy sat up with a huge smile. My presence made him breathe easier.
“We made it again,” Frankie said quietly. I nodded and collapsed next to Anchovy.
“So I guess you . . .”
“Scuba guy?” he interrupted, searching the beach. “Yeah, we saw him. Any idea who he is?” I shook my head. The masked swimmer had gotten involved in something he shouldn’t have. He had just picked a fight with Commander Z, a man who knew no forgiveness.
“Why was he so mad?” Anchovy asked. He was having trouble understanding the Commander’s choice of punishment.
“I broke the rules and screwed us all,” I replied. “But you know what? I’m not sorry. The Commander doesn’t care about us so why should we listen to him?”
“Loyalty,” Frankie murmured. “The Commander could care less. What are you suggesting?”
“Well, Mariella . . .”
“N
ot again,” Frankie sighed, rolling his eyes. “You’re not responsible for her anymore.”
“Look,” I replied. “I promised I would get her home.”
“How are we even going to find her?” Anchovy asked. He rubbed at his throat, gulping down air. “It’s impossible to find the Pugio once it starts moving.”
“She’s not on the submarine,” I replied confidently. “The Commander will pay a visit to her father first. He’s got money.”
“Commander Z doesn’t care about money,” Frankie muttered.
“But he cares about people knowing his business. He’ll find out how far this goes before he takes everyone out. He can’t just murder a wealthy man’s daughter without anyone knowing.” Frankie nodded still looking annoyed.
“Then what?” he complained. “Say we break her out, then what? We’ll spend the rest of our lives being hunted by regenerators until we eventually drop dead.” I thought about the man with the flame symbol around his neck. Commander Z wouldn’t be the only thing hunting us either.
“Look!” Anchovy yelled. A man emerged from the sea. He unstrapped the oxygen tank around his back and tore off his fins. He threw his stuff in the sand and pulled off his goggles. Frankie I looked at each other. We weren’t sure whether to thank him or to run.
The man unzipped part of his wet suit while walking towards us. A charm dangled from his neck. I’d seen it before. I grabbed Frankie’s arm.
“It’s him,” I whispered. “He’s the guy . . .” The man held up his hands.
“Please!” he yelled. “Don’t run! We need to talk.” Anchovy looked for Frankie’s approval. I cleared my throat.
“No offense but we can’t answer your questions. Just leave us alone.” The man smiled. His face was sun burnt and worn with scars all over his skin.
“What about his questions?” The man waved towards the street and a boy stepped out of a parked car. My jaw dropped and Frankie’s eyes actually went watery.
Mutiny (M.E.R. Series) Page 10
