Conspiracy Unleashed

by L. Danvers

  “That thing dropped the Stellix into the water,” Flynn said. “Don’t you get it? It’s not stuck anymore. We can leave.”

  “Assuming,” Britt said, pausing to decide whether to finish her thought.

  “Assuming the ship survived the drop,” Commander Ahmadi said.

  The five of them bobbed up and down while they double-checked to make sure their helmets were secure. Together, they swam into the unknown.

  Chapter Twenty

  The lights from their helmets shined brighter the further they descended, but the deeper they swam, the colder the waters became. Even with the suit, goosebumps erupted across Cal’s arms and legs. But when she came face to face with the strange and wonderful creatures that filled these waters, she forgot the shocking cold. She was too busy marveling at the wondrous sights.

  There were what Britt dubbed the “bubble fish.” They were a translucent green color and the size of golf balls. They traveled in three rows, making the shape of a triangle. When Flynn stuck his finger out to try to touch one of them, they darted out of sight in opposite directions.

  Then there were what Cal named the “starlings.” Making up names was a fun way to pass the time, and it helped them forget about the chance they were stranded. The person who spotted them first got to name them, which gave them an incentive to keep alert and stop stressing over whether the Stellix was destroyed. These particular fish reminded Cal of butterflies. Their wing-like fins flapped underwater and created sparkling ripples that shimmered like the stars.

  Sam was most fascinated by what he called the “flypaper.” It was a flapping sheet—they didn’t know if it was alive or not—about a foot in both width and length that would trap creatures brave enough to swim in close proximity to it. The sheet was black and would have been impossible to spot if it weren’t for the large number of lifeforms stuck to its surface.

  As they swam closer to the bottom of the waters, a new world appeared in front of them. Life was abundant here. There were underwater trees. They had thick green trunks with red, fern-like leaves the size of cars. And there were floating wriggly lines that emitted a dull, yellow light.

  Cal made mental notes of the amazing sights as she blinked to photograph the various species with her computerized lenses. But photographs could never capture how magical these sights were. She tried to remember every detail so that she could later record her observations—how they looked, how they swam, how they interacted with one another—into the daily log.

  The crew had been quiet for a while. There was so much to take in, so much to see. It was hard for them to direct their attention, but Flynn broke the silence. “I’ve lost track of which direction it was that the Stellix crashed.”

  “This way,” Commander Ahmadi said, pointing to the right. “You make a good point, O’Boyle. We have lost focus. Our first objective should be to locate the ship. We can worry about further exploration later.”

  It was a solid plan. As fun as it was to observe this alien world, they needed to find the Stellix and make sure they had a way to return to Earth.

  Commander Ahmadi led the way, and the rest of them followed. They swam between the underwater trees. They cut through the tangled vines that acted like they had a mind of their own. They had a knack for wrapping around the crew’s feet. They dodged a school of underwater creatures that shot wiry coils at them.

  They came upon a rocky structure that looked a lot like the underwater simulation they had done on their first day of training. They swam through a dark, winding tunnel. Cal was glad not to come across any tentacled beasts along the way.

  Their surroundings were different on the other side of the tunnel. There were no signs of life. No underwater trees. No funny creatures fluttering about. No sources of light. Only lots of water and sand.

  “Look,” Sam said, pointing ahead. “Over there. That’s it, isn’t it? That’s the Stellix.”

  Cal squinted her eyes. She hoped he was correct, but she only saw a shadowy blob.

  The five of them propelled themselves forward. After ten minutes of swimming, they reached what was, in fact, their ship.

  “Thank God,” Cal said.

  “Good eye, Decker,” Commander Ahmadi added. He approached the side of the hatch door and pulled down his sleeve, revealing his credittat. Once scanned, the door to the Stellix opened. The bright lights shining from inside the ship illuminated the barren waters around them. The ship flooded with water. Commander Ahmadi assured them not to worry. Protocols for this scenario had been put in place.

  The five of them swam into their ship, down the winding hallway and through the gold screen projection that led to the main cabin. Commander Ahmadi and Flynn swam to their respective positions. The commander activated the cube, which looked more magical underwater, while Flynn typed something into his control panel. It took a while, but in time, the water level lowered and drained into the sea that surrounded them. Once the bulk of the water was gone, the crewmembers unsealed their helmets.

  The men hovered around the cube while Cal and Britt stood at the main window with their hands cupped around their eyes. Cal squinted.

  Was that? No. No way. Wait a second.

  “Commander!” Cal screamed. She turned to look at him. “Commander, we need to get out of here now.”

  He drew his bushy eyebrows together.

  “What is it, Cal?” Flynn asked.

  Britt raised her hand to cover her mouth and let out a muffled shriek.

  The floor shook. A black tail speckled with luminescent blue scales swam past the window.

  They watched in horror as the tail reared back. It flung toward them with impressive speed. Cal’s feet fell out from under her, and her left forearm caught her fall.

  On Commander Ahmadi’s orders, she and the rest of the crew scrambled to their seats and fastened their belts.

  Cal’s hands were shaking, and despite trying to calm herself down by deep breathing, her breaths remained quick and shallow.

  She closed her eyes, tuning out the voices of the rest of the crew. She thought of home. She thought of family dinners with her parents. She thought of Quinn. She grabbed hold of her locket, and she was able to breathe again.

  Flynn confirmed the systems on the Stellix were operational. Commander Ahmadi hovered his hands around the cube, and the ship rose from the sea floor.

  The commander was struggling to maneuver the Stellix, and there was no question as to why.

  The monster, visible through the main cabin window, thrashed its tail, sending powerful ripples throughout the surrounding waters. The ship rocked. Cal thought she was going to be sick.

  For a fleeting moment between strikes, the waters stilled. Thanks to the commander’s quick action, the ship thrust upward, heading for the surface.

  Cal felt a sense of relief, however unfounded it was. For all she knew, the mountain-like bird was waiting for them.

  The underwater creature’s face again appeared in the window. It resembled that of a dragon, with a long, curved snout, two flared nostrils, pupil-less milky white eyes and scissor-like fangs.

  It gnashed its teeth, and while Commander Ahmadi worked to steer the ship, the monster scratched the surface of the glass. The screech stung Cal’s ears. She was sure her eardrums were going to rupture. She braced for the main cabin window to break, but it stayed intact. Again, she made a note to thank Agent Hendrix for his clever design. If she got out of this alive.

  “Decker, look up the coordinates for our next destination and call them out to O’Boyle,” Commander Ahmadi said. “The second we get to safety, we are getting the hell off Prixine and—”

  The ship was sent tumbling through the water before he could finish his orders. The monster had struck again. The Stellix landed upside down. Blood rushed to Cal’s head, making her feel woozy. She gulped down the acid that was bubbling up her throat. She was worried, and by the look of it, Britt was, too.

  With great effort, Commander Ahmadi was able to turn the ship right side
up. The monster’s eyeball flashed at the crew as it swam past.

  Cal couldn’t hold it in any longer. “How much longer, Commander?” she shouted.

  “Getting close.”

  “We’ll be okay, Cal,” Flynn assured her. “Take a deep breath.”

  She gripped her fingers around her chair’s armrests. Before she knew it, the Stellix rose. She was thrust against the chair as the ship picked up speed.

  It shot up through the surface of the water. There was a magnificent splash as the underwater monster lunged up in one final failed attempt to snatch the ship.

  Water shot into the sky as it crashed into the sea.

  Meanwhile, the mountainous bird was soaring across the hazy pink horizon. Sure enough, it had spotted them, and it was making its way toward the Stellix.

  “The coordinates,” Commander Ahmadi ordered again.

  Sam called out a series of numbers, which Flynn entered into his keypad on the control panel.

  There was no countdown. There wasn’t time for such luxuries. They needed to escape Prixine.

  The ship rattled. The crewmembers again were thrust against their chairs. The magical colors of Prixine and the stark white of the main cabin oozed and blended together.

  Snap!

  They reached a sweet stretch of space that was empty, aside from the splatter of twinkling stars.

  “Before we venture on, I think it is imperative that we rest,” Commander Ahmadi said between harsh breaths. There was a heaviness in his voice, which Cal knew to be present whenever he thought of his family. “I suggest you each go to your quarters and get some much needed sleep. I will stay here and man the ship. And call my girls.”

  “Don’t you need sleep, too?” Flynn asked.

  “I will switch out with Decker later.”

  The others nodded and made their way out of the main cabin and back to their respective living quarters.

  Once inside her room, Cal undressed and slipped into the shower. She waited for it to get warm. She stepped inside and pulled the door closed behind her. The steaming water pounded against her tired, achy muscles, bringing her relief. She lathered up her hair, shaved her lean, muscular legs and covered her body in soapy suds.

  She let out a deep breath as she let the shower beat against her back. She rinsed herself, turned the knob and grabbed the white towel that was hanging outside the door. She patted herself dry and slipped on a pink silk robe that was hanging in her closet. The robe and pajamas were the only other items in there aside from her uniforms and gear. There was a knock at the doorframe. She tied her robe around her waist.

  “May I come in?” Sam asked through the projection. His voice was muffled by the sound-proof screen.

  She told him he could enter, and he greeted her with a soft kiss and warm embrace. He pulled her in close, and she melted as he wrapped his hands around the small of her back

  “That was quite the adventure,” he chuckled. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay.”

  Sam swept a lock of Cal’s damp hair out of her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her again. He scooped his arms around her and lifted her, kissing her as he carried her to her bed. He rested her head against the pillow, and he climbed on top of her. He went for another kiss, but Cal turned her head away.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “You turned away from me when I tried to kiss you,” he said. “I think that’s something.”

  Cal did her best to avoid the gaze of his deep brown eyes as they studied her, trying to read her. He flashed a half-smile at her, that same one countless girls must have fallen victim to, but not her. Not in this particular moment.

  She had no idea why she’d turned her head. It had been a gut reaction, out of her own control. But something buried deep within her told her to listen to her instincts.

  “What?” he said. “Don’t you want to—”

  “It’s not that,” Cal said. “I’m... I’m tired.” It wasn’t a lie, at least not technically. They were lucky to have escaped Prixine with their lives. She was exhausted. He was, too. But something told her he could tell that wasn’t the real reason she’d pulled away.

  “Tired,” he repeated. He backed away, dejected.

  She bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She couldn’t think of anything that would make him feel better, so instead of saying anything, she fiddled with the silk hem at the bottom of her robe.

  He took her hand in his and kissed it. “Maybe another time,” he said. “Look, I’m starting to feel tired myself. I’m going to go.”

  “Yeah.”

  Sam kissed her on the forehead and left the room, the gold screen flickering as he passed through it.

  Cal threw herself against the bed and buried her face in her hands. What was wrong with her? Something was keeping her from getting to close to him. But she couldn’t figure out what.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  She changed into a fresh uniform and made her way to the dining hall. Sam, Flynn and Britt were already there, finishing up their breakfast and sipping coffee. Cal couldn’t wait to have a cup. There was something about a good cup of coffee that was good for the soul.

  She felt awkward around Sam, so she decided to go on as if nothing had happened between them. She did her best to act normal. She sat beside him and made small talk about how well she had slept and how much her muscles ached. He nodded in agreement. It was a small gesture, but it put her at ease. At least he wasn’t ignoring her.

  “I can give you something for that,” Britt offered.

  “Oh, it’s okay,” Cal said. “Thank you, though.”

  “I tell you what—” Sam started, but he was interrupted by a beep. He jumped up from his chair and hurried out of the room as he instructed his xfone to answer the call.

  “Now that he’s gone,” Britt said, checking over her shoulder to make sure he was out of earshot, “I saw him leaving your room before I went to sleep.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Flynn said in frustration

  “So... did you...” Britt prodded.

  “No,” Cal said. She took a long sip of coffee while Flynn and Britt eyed her. “What? I’m telling you, nothing happened. We talked for a while, we got tired and he left to get some sleep. That’s it.”

  “Good,” Flynn said.

  “What’s it to you?” Cal asked.

  “I don’t like the guy.”

  “Why? What has he done to you?”

  “Nothing.” Flynn ran his fingers through his disheveled hair. “I don’t know. Anyway, while we’re talking about him, what’s up with him always leaving to take phone calls? Who is he talking to?”

  Cal shrugged. She’d noticed it, too. She’d asked him about it once, while they were at the estate. He’d told her he was talking to his big brother, though Cal wasn’t convinced. She had decided in that moment, though, not to press further. She remembered what Flynn had told her about not treating relationships like investigative pieces. About how if she felt like she had to snoop, it was time to end the relationship. So she resisted the urge to find out who Sam was talking to, because it was easier that way. She wasn’t ready to lose him.

  “I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s weird,” Flynn said. “Come on. Britt? Back me up here.”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t have a problem with him.”

  Flynn shook his head. He took one last drink from his mug, washed it and left the room. Not long after he left, Commander Ahmadi came in to get a glass of water.

  “Have you had a chance to get any sleep yet?” Britt asked.

  “No, but I am about to. I needed to get something to drink first. I should be up in a few hours. After that, we will head to our next destination.”

  “Did you get a chance to talk with your family?” Cal asked.

  The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. He nodded before leaving the room.

  Britt shifted her focus to Cal and rested her el
bows on the top of the white table as she leaned in close. “So,” she said. “Flynn sure was worried about you and Sam... you know.”

  “Ha. I noticed.”

  “How long has he been in love with you?”

  “Oh, I don’t think Sam’s in love with me. I mean, he likes me. But I wouldn’t say he loves me. That’s way too soon.”

  “Cal, please. You can’t be that dense. I’m talking about Flynn. How long has Flynn been in love with you?”

  “What?” Cal laughed. She drew her hand to her face, and without realizing it, she started chewing her thumbnail. “No, no. No. We’re friends. Good friends. Best friends. He’s looking out for me.”

  “Hmph.” Britt chuckled. “I’ve never looked at my best friends the way he looks at you. And did you see his face drop when I asked about you and Sam? Look, I’m not trying to stress you out. I thought you knew.”

  Cal rinsed her mug out in the sink. There was no way Britt was right. Flynn? In love with her? No, they were friends. They had always been close. For as far back as she remembered. Oh God, had he been in love with her the whole time? No, Britt was getting in her head. She was reading way too much into it. Flynn was looking out for her, like he always did. Like she’d do for him.

  “Cal? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  “It’s fine.”

  But it wasn’t fine.

  She wasn’t in the mood for being social anymore. She told Britt she wanted to get some more rest before they continued their mission, and she headed to her room. She fell on her bed and stared up at the blank ceiling. Her jaw tensed as she thought about what had happened with Sam, Flynn’s concerns about him and Britt’s bombshell.

  It amazed her how complicated things could get in such a short matter of time. She reminded herself of the big picture, of why she was there.

  There were more important things to worry about than Sam and Flynn, like exploring alien planets and finding evidence of intelligent life.

  After hours of Cal tossing, turning and getting lost in her thoughts, Commander Ahmadi’s voice echoed throughout the Stellix over the loudspeaker. “Stellix crew to the main cabin. Stellix crew to the main cabin.”