Mutiny (M.E.R. Series)

by Jacqueline Gardner

  “You need us to . . .” Davis also looked a little hesitant.

  “No!” Frankie interrupted. “Just look away.” I looked down at the ground and Lou turned his back towards the metal machine. I could hear Frankie gulp. The metal blade rhythmically slammed against a flat surface. I listened as the blade’s rhythm fell off beat. At the same time I heard Frankie screech. There was a swift gushing noise and I instantly knew the ground was moist. Frankie thudded towards us. I looked up, seeing his pale face and watery eyes. He tightly gripped the stump where his right arm used to be. Anchovy had a disgusted look on his face and Lou covered his mouth, turning away.

  “You okay?” I asked, walking slowly towards Frankie’s bloody torso. He nodded and took slow breaths.

  “This better work,” Frankie murmured under his breath. His color was already coming back and the dark colored blood that crowded his shoulder was starting to bubble. Skin lifted from his shoulder and started to engulf his regenerating bones and muscle tissue.

  “Look,” Anchovy said in a shaky voice. He pointed to the pool of blood swirling underneath the machine. It moved on its own along the cracked floor. The five of us watched cautiously as the blood swirled and separated all on its own forming some kind of picture. Lou’s eyes were open so wide, I thought they might fall out of his skull. He dropped his bag and searched inside.

  I took a step closer and Lou followed with a notebook and pencil. He went to work sketching an exact copy of the symbols in the ground. I studied the image. There were three distinct symbols each on top of each other – the letter ‘y’, an arrow pointing down, and a weird looking helmet.

  “No way!” Davis gasped. He took a knee, memorizing each symbol. To me, none of them made sense. But Davis’s expertise might come in handy.

  “What does it mean?” I asked. Frankie was still a few steps away grabbing his shoulder. Davis shrugged and looked up at Lou.

  “I got it,” Lou said. My insides jumped. We were closer to finding Atlantis.

  “Where is it?” I asked anxiously.

  “I mean, I’m finished with my sketch,” Lou replied. “I have no idea what it means.” I sighed, rolling my eyes.

  “What do we do now?” I tapped my foot impatiently. I wanted to find the Triton before the Commander left the country. I wanted to see the look on his face when he realized he couldn’t push us around anymore.

  “First, we should get out of here,” Davis stated. He ran his fingers through long hair that hadn’t been shaved in a while. It was weird to see him in regular clothes with a pair of new Nikes on.

  Skin rose up and down all over Frankie’s arm and Lou watched in awe. His arm was growing back and Frankie didn’t seem to mind the pain anymore.

  “What?” Frankie said rudely. “Haven’t you people ever seen an arm re-grow before?” I grinned and Lou repeatedly blinked his eyes.

  “He’s fine guys,” I laughed. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Lou put away his sketch book and the five of us turned towards the darkened doorway. I was expecting to see a gleam of sunlight from outside but all I saw was a wide shadow blocking my view. A distinct scent passed through the air and I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. I’m really down on my game today!

  “I thought we lost this loser?” Frankie muttered. He turned to his side and tried to hide his regenerating limb. A surge of adrenaline rushed through my veins and I clenched my fists and waited for Clark to make his first move.

  Clark looked overly pleased with himself as he stood in the door with a M16. The two remaining members of his team stood behind him and pointed there guns in different directions. I eyed the pool of Frankie’s blood through the corner of my eye. The blood started to run towards the cracks in the floor. The symbols were disappearing and I was relieved.

  “You’re a little late, Clark,” I chuckled. Lou, Anchovy and Davis backed behind Frankie and me as I spoke.

  “Hey! Keep still or else, one of Clark’s team members yelled. Clark laughed. His shiny head had streams of running sweat. Frankie grabbed his arm at the elbow. His arm was halfway finished with the regenerative process.

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Clark replied in a deep voice. I scanned the room and tried to come up with a plan before Clark walked any closer. At this point, we could run for a window and be perfectly fine. All we had to do was cover Lou. The rest of us could take the bullets. I inched closer to Frankie.

  “Hands up!” I couldn’t help but chuckle again as I put my hands in the air. I glanced back at the ground. The symbols were gone and all that was left was drying blood mixed with dirt.

  “What do you want now?” I asked. I coughed and quickly moved my hand behind my back. I pointed towards a dirty window in the corner before putting my hand back in the air. Davis and Anchovy stayed in front of Lou and started moving slowly.

  “I think you already know the answer to that,” Clark said with a mischievous smirk on his face.

  “Like we said before,” Frankie interrupted. “We don’t know anything about your stupid Triton.” Clark laughed, reaching for a bag that was tucked under his belt. I jerked my head back and gave Davis the cue to leave. The three of them bolted towards the window as Frankie and I blocked the possible paths of gunfire. Frankie’s arm was regenerated up to his wrist. He lunged back, bracing himself.

  The two men on Clark’s team stepped forward and didn’t hesitate to fire. Each gunshot made a booming noise so loud, my eardrums felt like they were melting. I heard breaking glass behind me and it made me even more excited.

  Frankie and I maneuvered around bullets as best we could but we couldn’t avoid them all. I felt bullets hit my chest and it took every ounce of strength I had to stay standing upright. Each bullet had bursting power that nearly knocked me over. The bullets came so fast that I didn’t have time to feel the burning pain caused by each hit. My wounds were already healing and I focused on the tingling feeling of the regenerative process.

  I heard Davis yell. The three of them had broken through the window and were waiting outside. I pushed Frankie behind me. He leapt for the window. Clark was standing over the pool of sticky, dried blood holding up a hand.

  I was next to the window getting ready to jump when the firing stopped. It caught me by surprise and I looked up. My eyes went wide when I finally recognized what Clark was holding.

  Clark dropped Frankie’s lifeless hand on the floor and laughed. I was shocked. Immediately the dried blood swirled around the floor and formed the same symbols Lou had drawn in his notebook. Clark looked up.

  “I got what I came for,” he said in a chilling voice. “It’s a race now.”

  MARIELLA

  14

  The Deal

  I looked around at the dark, an empty room in front of me. I was chained to a tacky, wood table that had carvings of sharks, whales and coral. It was the ugliest table I’d ever seen.

  “At least chain me to something that isn’t hideous!” I shouted. My voice filled the room. There was no sign of movement anywhere. I could barely make out a set of black leather sofas in the corner. I stared for a minute at a gigantic painting on the wall. It had a deep blue wave that tossed around a breaking ship. That’s ugly too.

  The table in front of me was set with silver utensils and delicate porcelain plates. There was another place setting opposite mine. I didn’t know what to expect. All I remembered was being dragged and smacked in the face. After that everything went black. Eric was nowhere in sight, but I wasn’t too worried. He was tough – way tougher than me. And the regenerator thing put me at ease. Whatever torturous methods Eric was being put through, he would survive.

  My mind kept going back to my traumatic experience in the smelly shack outside the city. William wasn’t just a cold hearted jerk – he was a criminal. Why would he hire people to track down Eric’s team? He would have to know they existed. I felt more distant from William than ever. It wasn’t enough that he was never around, and married to a demon named Cynthia. He had to
be a liar too.

  My eyes went a little blurry. I blinked rapidly to prevent a tear from falling down my cheek. A dark rain cloud was on my shoulder, probably making the stay permanent. I didn’t know who to trust now. The only person who had been real with me from the beginning was Eric. He’d saved my life in the submarine, and he’d come back when I was kidnapped.

  The sound of a door opening made my heart leap. My head jerked towards the sound. I was expecting a big, buff, uniformed guy to wheel in a torture device, but I was surprised. That’s not what I saw.

  A man entered the room. Alone. He wasn’t escorted by soldiers with guns and he didn’t have a weapon to place on the table in front of me. He strolled in casually, wearing a tailored suit. The collared shirt underneath his dinner jacket was unbuttoned just enough for me to see a charm dangling from his neck. The man sat down across from me and I eyed the necklace he was wearing. It was silver and it looked a lot like a coin with a huge swirling wave on it. The man caught me staring and looked down at his chest.

  “It’s a tidal wave,” he said. His voice sounded calm but serious and his face remained expressionless. A businessman. “It represents the enormous amount of power something so simple can possess.”

  “Fancy,” I muttered. The door swung open again and two waiters in blue suit coats rushed in with silver trays. They placed a bed of greens in front of me along with a full wine glass.

  “I realize you’re only sixteen but you’ll have to excuse me. I’d be a fool to think that a teenager such as yourself hasn’t tasted spirits before.” The man put his napkin on his lap and picked up a fork.

  “Uh,” I replied. The man looked up. “I don’t have the magical ability to make food float, so you’ll excuse me if I don’t eat.” The man looked amused and almost smiled.

  “They were right about you. You do have quite a mouth.” He waved a hand and a waiter was next to me minutes later with a key. He unlocked the restraints around my wrists, asking the man if he needed anything else. “That will be all.”

  “Wow, very considerate of you.” I picked up a fork and picked at my salad. My stomach felt too nauseated to eat. I glanced up at the man in front of me. He chomped on his salad and took small sips of his wine. His shoulder length hair looked greasy in the dim light. His thin framed glasses were silver and almost invisible on his face. At least I knew one thing. This guy wasn’t a regenerator – he couldn’t be. Not unless the glasses were only for show. All the M.E.R. soldiers I’d seen so far had perfect eyesight and scar-free skin.

  “I suppose you’re wondering why you are here,” the man said. I sighed, staring at my food. I’d always hated small talk.

  “Actually I’m just happy you let me join you for a delicious meal.” The man in front of me paused and looked like he was about to smile again, but he resisted. “Who are you anyway?”

  “My employees refer to me as Poseidon.” The man took another sip of wine and sat back in his chair. He waved his hand and a waiter came rushing in again. He cleared my untouched salad and put another plate of food in its place.

  “Gross,” I said. “I hate shellfish.” I ignored my food, glancing around the room again. This was starting to get uncomfortable. The silence was wildly awkward and I was running out of things to stare at.

  “I invited you here to propose a deal, Mariella.” Poseidon dabbed his mouth with a napkin.

  “It’s Elle actually.”

  “The deal is simple. You get me something I want, and I give you something you want.”

  “What’s the catch?” I asked rudely.

  “No catch,” Poseidon replied. “It’s nothing but a business deal.”

  “Where’s Eric?” The sound of his name made my eyes well up.

  “Never mind him. He’s otherwise engaged. Tonight I want to focus on your father, William.”

  “It’s no secret that he’s a liar and lousy dad. What else do you want to know? If you’re after ransom, you might as well kill me now cuz he won’t give it to you.” Poseidon looked like he wanted to smile again. His face stayed expressionless, but his voice became a little friendlier.

  “You’re very wise, Elle. You see your father’s company is one of my biggest rivals. William has stolen my research time and time again. All I want you to do is simply take back what already belongs to me. William possesses some information that could destroy my entire operation.”

  “And here I thought you were going to pester me about that Triton thing.” Poseidon raised his eyebrows when I mentioned the Triton. It was obvious he knew exactly what I was talking about but he didn’t ask me any questions.

  “Don’t you worry about that. I know you aren’t aware of its location. All I want from you is a few files – very easy.”

  “And what do I get in return?” I wasn’t sold on his offer, although stealing from William wasn’t an issue. If I was going to go back to New York, I had to have a good reason.

  “Anything you want – money, a car, a house of your own across the country.” Poseidon watched me with a confused look as I laughed.

  “I can guilt William into that stuff myself. Not interested.”

  “What about your stepmom?” Poseidon replied. “We can have her taken care of?” I laughed again.

  “If you killed Cynthia, who would I terrorize?” I paused. There was a thought in the back of my head. One that said Poseidon really would have Cynthia killed. She was a pain but I would never want to be responsible for the murder of anyone. I stopped laughing.

  “I was hoping it didn’t have to come to this,” Poseidon sighed. He waved his hand and a waiter brought him a tan folder. Poseidon opened the folder and slid a photo across the table.

  I studied the man in the picture. He had short dark hair and was wearing a gray jacket that reminded me of Eric's. His eyes were bright and the smile on his face looked familiar. I studied every inch of the photo but still couldn’t figure out why my memory was so fuzzy.

  “Elle,” Poseidon said seriously. “The man in that photo is your father.”

  I had no reason to believe this man and the crazy accusation he’d just made. But deep down, my queasy stomach partly believed it. I’d never felt a connection with William, not even as a little girl. He was always wrapped up in his own world, and I in mine.

  “Where did you get this?” I asked quietly. I stared at the wine glass in front me. Maybe I did need a drink.

  “I have my resources. So, do we have a deal?” Poseidon took a small bite of his meal and wiped his mouth.

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “I know part of you believes me. And once you do me this favor for, I’ll tell you everything you want to know about your father. You can ask him yourself.”

  “No,” I interrupted. “Let Eric free.” I’d seen the empty look in Eric’s eyes every moment we spent together. He yearned for freedom and a normal life away from orders and chores. Why else would he have talked to me that night in William’s office?

  “That is a very strange request, Elle.”

  “That’s what I want,” I stated. “You let Eric go with enough serum to last for as long as he needs, and leave us alone forever.” I almost jumped at the sound of Poseidon’s laugh. It was a loud laugh. Loud and frightening.

  “If that’s what it takes,” Poseidon agreed. I nodded all the while knowing that Poseidon wouldn’t hold up his end of the deal. He didn’t strike me as an honest man. I had to think of a plan of my own. Find my own bargaining chip. Agreeing to Poseidon’s deal was probably the only way I could make it out alive. He would never just let me go.

  “Can I go now?” I asked. I did my best to steady my shaky voice. Poseidon’s cold expressions were starting to make me feel a bit strange. But I couldn’t admit to myself that I was scared. Poseidon reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card.

  “This is how you contact me when you’ve found the files.” I picked up the card, gripping it tight. “My right hand man, Z, will give you all the specifics.”


  “We’ve already met,” I muttered.

  “And Elle,” Poseidon added. “Don’t try to pull anything. Remember, I’ll be watching you.”

  * * *

  A town car drove me from the airport all the way to William’s home in East Hampton. I’d only been gone a few days but it felt like years. My entire flight was torture. Poseidon had let me keep the photo of my supposed father and I couldn’t stop wondering about Eric. I felt like I’d abandoned everyone. But I’d made a deal and there was no getting out of it.

  I slammed the car door, staring at the large brick manor towering over me. Poseidon’s business card burned in my pocket as I walked to the front door. I knocked but no one answered. Cynthia should have been home. Now that she was pregnant, she had an excuse to lounge around the house doing whatever she wanted.

  I turned the door knob and pushed the front doors open. I could hear banging pots and pans in the kitchen. I peeked into the long dining room and saw formal place settings. A huge cake, complete with icing flowers and porcelain babies, sat in the center of the table.

  My stomach started churning. I’d been missing all this time and Cynthia thought it was still okay to throw a baby shower. Disappointed, I ran up the stairs to my room. It felt good to be around my things. The sheets on my bed were wrinkled just like I’d left them.

  I walked to my bathroom and cringed when I looked in the mirror. I looked terrible. My jeans and black t-shirt were ripped and dirty, and my hair was frizzy. I turned the knob to the shower letting the water turn warm.

  My shirt stank like salt water. I pulled it over my head and threw it in the trash. My jeans were smelly too. I quickly took them off and ran my fingers through my tangled hair. There were a lot of things on my mind. I needed to talk to someone. I looked around my room and found myself staring at my bedroom window. The glass had been replaced.