Bonded by the Sea

by Victoria Mercier

  “Cap, the call.”

  Pembroke took the sphere but didn’t yet touch it. He waited until Pace came within twenty yards of the ship. Pembroke had jumped into the water and then easily pulled the young marine up. Ten yards from them Riss’ pink head broke the surface. She spat the water.

  “I think we gained the attention of a cobalt crab, cap.”

  It isn’t the same, but a cobalt crab is a cobalt crab.

  When Riss’ hands had touched the rope ladder, the ship jerked into motion. Sails unfurled and Kinson yelled commands.

  “Why, captain?”

  “Couldn’t watch a drowning boy.”

  “I wasn’t drowning,” Pace protested while gasping for the air.

  “Like hell you weren’t,” Mist commented altogether with Riss.

  The captain glanced that wet cloth in his hand. The sphere warmed it enough to start the first tendrils of steam. He wasn’t in the mood for the conversations. Especially, with admiral. The first detailed report must have reached admiral. According to the Government, Pembroke should be dead. The best moment for the new plan. Unfortunately, admiral would never agree to this one.

  Chapter 22

  Ines

  Her new cell at least had a bed and a thin blanket. The floor, ceiling and all the walls except one, which was clear glass, were white. It made the room very bright. She supposed they wanted to disrupt her day-night cycle for some reason. People who came to watch her, with their notes and fancy pens hasn’t uttered a single word.

  Food appeared always when she fell asleep. Not faked sleep. They somehow had a way to detect if she slept. Most of the time her meals consisted of nutritious broth and sweetened water.

  She thanked whoever designed this prison for the lack of the pattern on the floor. Ines wouldn’t be able to stand that destructive drainage. None the less, boredom began catching with her. Maybe the pattern wasn’t even needed here.

  At the worst point, her thoughts returned to the events in that small coastal village – Small Port, where captain Pembroke fought the powerful Government agent. They were so strong. Asaif wasn’t at their level, but he defeated Karu with such ease. Where these people got their strength from? She slept with this question and wondered if there was a way to learn how to be strong. Dying here wasn’t her plan. Not before she put her hands on Pace and… let her imagination go wild.

  A man appeared on the other side of the window. At first, she took him for just another staff member, then she recognized the familiar facial features. His name was Kimberlton.

  “Kimberlton,” she said his name with deliberation. He flinched hearing it spoken by her. His eyes narrowed as looked at his notes. She added. “My name is Ines.”

  Ines sensed an emotional turmoil within the man. He was deeply shaken by her words. How could anyone not know that she was a person? Or maybe Kimberlton’s peculiar appearance meant that he, too, lived in the isolation?

  “No!” Kimberlton finally hissed. His expression lay bare his feelings. He struggled with something paramount. “Your specification is subject zero. You don’t possess a name, do you understand?”

  Behind him, she saw an empty featureless room. They didn’t reveal the reason why this place existed. All she knew was that they wanted to experiment on her. Whatever that meant, but the word itself sent a cold ominous shiver down her spine.

  “Let’s talk about the Soul Entanglement.”

  “Sure. Fuck off.”

  Kimberlton noted something.

  “I’ve done nothing to be locked up here,” Ines’ fist hit the window, but it didn’t even twitch. “I want to speak to someone who has balls!”

  Something stirred in Kimberlton’s posture. He tucked the notes into an inner pocket and straightened.

  “The test subject zero manifests signs of intelligence,” he muttered as if he wasn’t sure of his own mind.

  “You’re delusional Kimberlton. Like everyone here. You can’t treat other people as if they were test subjects. We have names, lives… we have fucking dreams.”

  He started. Kimberlton didn’t like her words. They were too close to the truth he didn’t want to see. He corrected a collar of his white lab coat. Ines saw nervousness in the way his fingers gripped the buttons. She didn’t possess any experience in psychology, but she’d remembered how people had reacted in her presence. Intimidated, nervous, excited. Aroused.

  Kimberlton behaved in a similar manner. Could he be attracted to her? They allowed to cover her body with a loose tunic. Maybe it was time to make an adjustment. Oh, she wasn’t blind to her uncommon beauty and its influence.

  “What bothers you Kimberlton? You don’t like hearing that people who are locked here are the same as you? Or there is something else? Do you like my face? My body?” She pulled the end of the tunic higher showing him a pale smooth thigh. Pace won’t mind that.

  He squeezed his eyes shut but didn’t retreat.

  “The subject zero manifests cunning behavior.”

  “Are you fucking deaf? That is not who I am!” she yelled at him. “You must see it. You must understand.”

  Still squeezing his eyes, Kimberlton was about to respond something, but the appearance of half a dozen men in lab coats and the interrogator from the ship halted him. He opened his eyes.

  “Lord Red is concerned with the result, Kimberlton,” the interrogator said with dark satisfaction.

  Ines sensed growing anger within Kimberlton. She didn’t need to read his face to conclude that.

  “Are you lord’s messenger now, Dukas?”

  The comment hadn’t hit the target because Dukas shrugged off without the slightest emotional spike that Ines could sense. Then he produced a paper with a red stamp on it. He handed it to Kimberlton.

  Kamberlton had snatched the paper then he glanced at the content.

  Ines was tremendously curious about what these men wanted to do with her. The beginning of the conversation didn’t sound very optimistic. And that letter. Kimberlton shook with exasperation.

  “What exactly Lord expects me to do in a week? Drain all her blood?”

  The interrogator’s eyes flashed from behind the circular sunglasses. He was a bad person. Rotten to the core. He must have seen the same struggle in Kimberlton and decided to tease him.

  “You may ask him yourself for all I care,” Dukas admitted. “But now we need results. I must know where Pembroke is. I need to know why she repels Pestilence’s power. Squeeze from here everything about the Soul Entanglement, Kimberlton.” Ines noticed that Dukas hadn’t referred to her as the test subject but her. Curious, but without meanings. Dukas didn’t care if she lived.

  “We’ve never had access to someone with the Soul Entanglement. We must be careful how we approach it, or we’ll squander our only chance to understand this phenomenon. Dukas, I need time to accomplish everything Lord Red demands. It can be done, but—”

  “You had a week to get the results, instead you take fucking notes,” Dukas cut it, he contained his anger; his expression remained composed, but beneath it, surged waves temper.

  “It’s called scientific work!” Kimberlton shouted back at Dukas. Everyone in the room stepped back. Ines started to see the first threads of manipulation. Dukas wanted Kimberlton to explode like this. He was trying to undermine his position.

  Kimberlton needed help.

  “Hey, asshole,” Ines called Dukas. “I thought you had torn everything you needed to know from my mind, hadn’t you?”

  His black sunglasses reflected bright light. He looked at Ines with indifference, but behind the mask raged cold wrath.

  “You left the communication channel open, Kimberlton? Are you lost your mind?”

  “Yes.”

  “Which question are you answering?”

  Kimberlton finally collected his wits. He had glanced at Ines, then faced bastard in the sunglasses.

  “Apart from delivering this letter, there is no place for you here, Dukas. You aren’t a scientist, despite doctor’s titl
e. You’re nothing but a mere tourist in my domain. Now, get your ass out here.”

  Ines knew that Dukas struggled with control. It struck her how different this man had been the first time she encountered him. This one here lost his cool. But why?

  “I will learn all I need. If I must cut you into pieces, so be it,” Dukas said ignoring Kimberlton. “I can make you beg me for another mind-reading session, what about it?”

  Ines used her entire strength and some of Pace’s to evoke a wide grin.

  “All I know is that Kimberlton asked you to get the fuck out of here. So, get lost.”

  Dukas sharply stepped to the window, until his nose was an inch away from the glass.

  “She will suffer until the last second of her miserable life.” Dukas had dropped idiotic ‘test subject’ stuff and showed his true face.

  Ines had turned around flipping him a bird, then she took a place at her bed. She watched with satisfaction how guards escort him out. All the people who had come with him filed out right after Dukas. Only Kimberlton remained.

  “You are a test subject…” his voice sounded raw and wounded. Did he finally lose faith in his own doctrine?

  *

  Lord Red

  The same day in the Chambre Royale of Valoux, Lord Red occupied the largest seat in the room. Valoux had a verve to build make his chamber larger than any ballroom Lord Red has seen. The blue marbled floor represented the map of this boring sea. So many useless islands here. This region brought almost no value to the Government. Even their research facilities weren’t on an adequate level. Something needed to be done about this place.

  But not yet.

  A knocking sounded.

  “Let him in,” Lord Red said as he heaved his leg over the seat’s arm. Doctor Dukas looked distressed. The lowborn wasn’t accustomed to this level of opulence. Golden pillars ran alongside the walls. Behind the seat, a fountain sent gleaming water in the air.

  Valoux Water.

  It has been sourced at the deepest point of this island in the chambers built by unknown dwellers long before Valoux appeared here. Lord Red’s scientists confirmed that the substance had a range of applications. Yet another fairy thing. The New Frontier has already caused them a host of issues. First, admirals, those insolent bastards hiding behind their immunity, and now another problem appeared.

  The Soul Entanglement.

  Blackport was nothing in comparison to this.

  Doctor Dukas stopped ten feet from the seat and went to his knee. Lord Red waved him to stand up. Doctor rose.

  “My Lord, how can I be of assistance?”

  “I heard about your fallout with Kimberlton.”

  “My Lord, but this man is not fitted for the role of the lead scientist. I requested a meeting with doctor Mab Quark.”

  Lord Red frowned at the mention of the Head Scientist of King’s Valley. That eccentric and clearly insane man has been rarely seen outside his office in the Lowest Caves. Apparently, he worked on the new application of the Valoux water. Lord Red should demand a report, but somehow, he didn’t feel an urge to meet the man. It was smoother to deal with Kimberlton and professor Gidd.

  There was something in doctor’s eyes. A hidden depth. One wasn’t a Lord because the population voted so. Only the fittest could survive in the Government. Lord Red quickly learned to recognize signs in others. This lowborn was hiding. Ah, so the pressure finally settled in his mind. One week passed and Kimberlton presented no results. I don’t think that my letter will change much. It is fear. Good. I’ll mold that. But I feel I’m missing something here. What is that?

  Lord Red chose to keep Mab Quark out of this conversation. It was troubling that he could make any admiral hesitate, while this feeble man filled him with unease. Something needed to be done about him as well. Not yet, the Government needed him too much. As much as they required admirals’ compliance.

  “I’m more interested in your sudden change of mind, doctor,” Lord Red started his game.

  “My Lord?”

  Clearly, doctor wasn’t aware of the shift in his attitude toward the subject zero. Standing straight doctor looked at Lord Red’s high boots made from the red crocodile’s skin. Staring into Lord’s eyes would be considered vulgar. Dukas was many things, but he understood protocols.

  “A week ago, you advised me to keep the subject zero in this facility, reasoning that the captain Pembroke is alive, and the second subject of the Soul Entanglement will eventually bring them here. Now, you want her dead.”

  Lord Red saw how doctor’s brain switched into a higher gear. Lord held that man’s life in his hands. He could throw him into a dungeon or send to a backwater Government’s facility like the one in Karu. It was a terrible, but terrific power to judge people’s lives came with the title of Lord. Only the elevated individuals like him were worthy to carry the function. Lowborn didn’t understand the divinity of Lord’s duty.

  “It might be, I erred thinking that Pembroke is alive.”

  So, this is your gamble, Dukas. Suddenly, you backpedal on your words. Let us see where this comes from, liar.

  “What changed your mind?”

  “I received a report this morning that two days ago Pembroke’s crew got into a fight with pirates near Thousand Lakes island.”

  Lord Red’s fingers snapped.

  A servant appeared.

  “Bring me the report Dukas speaks of.”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  The servant retreated hastily.

  “And what made you think that Pembroke is dead.”

  “He didn’t appear to the pirates or the Navy, which arrived a short time after his crew had defeated the pirates.”

  Lord Red mused the information. Thousand Lakes island lay ten days from here. Was his crew on their way out of this sea? If so, then why fight anyone? Pembroke was known to ignore ordinary pirates. That damned brat has always gone against the Navy orders. He should have been outlawed a long time ago. So many troubles have been caused by him. Lord Red ground his teeth at the thought of captain. Did he truly think he could continue the legacy of his mentor? This would not be. Eventually, even admirals would bend their knees and necks to the Government.

  The servant returned with a folder holding several pages. Lord Red had extended his hand and the servant gently placed the documents on his palm.

  It wasn’t the time to read this but knowing that Lord had the facts beneath his fingertips should load more pressure on Dukas’ head.

  “What pirate crew they encountered?”

  “Songless pirates. Their captain is worth twenty thousand black pearls. Her name is Parime.”

  “Twenty thousand black pearls? That should make her the most wanted pirate in this sea. Parime, you say? I don’t think I’ve ever heard this name. This is a strange Dukas.” Lord Red’s hands itched to check the folder, but first, he wanted to know doctor’s version.

  “Captain of the warship that had responded to the Navy distress call, noted his surprise to find the crew in need for a distress call.”

  “Yes, I find that suspicious. Don’t you, Dukas?”

  Doctor was losing his composed expression. A sudden barrage of questions made this meeting very uncomfortable for me.

  “I do.”

  “So, what about the second subject?”

  “Unknown.”

  It stank of ruse and doctor knew it, and yet he played dumb. Lord Red noticed the change in his attitude shortly after his interrogation with the subject zero. Can it be that he feels aftereffects? It can’t be excluded. She survived the Ouroboros virus and possesses the Soul Entanglement. Maybe, I was too eager to see him punished. The Government still need him.

  “Doctor, I understand your fear of captain and subsequent relief at the fact that Pembroke might not be with us any longer, but I’d sleep better if you take Agent X, and a few trusted officers and leave to find and interrogate his crew. Use the Navy resources if you must.”

  Doctor Dukas straightened to the best of his a
bility. His face showed badly concealed relief. He was close to ending up in the cell.

  You should be glad for a change of my heart, Dukas.

  “I’ll leave immediately, my Lord.”

  Lord Red watched doctor leave the chamber. A chilling breeze brought a smell of salt through the balcony doors. He inhaled the calming scent and reiterated the plan of action once more in his head. He threw the folder with documents on the floor and said.

  “Alert the Squadron Six and book assassination of Agent X. Doctor Dukas must be arrested and transported here. This will happen two weeks from now.”

  Lord Red heard soft footsteps leaving the room in response.

  Chapter 23

  Pace

  Pace groaned.

  The wound that ran from his right shoulder to left hip hurt.

  “Shut your trap, kiddo.”

  “You’re the worst,” Pace murmured. “Remember, one touch and you’re gone.”

  “Pace, please…” Toggy pleaded from the bed. “Don’t get doctor angry.”

  “If you want to go this route, then I have something ideal for you,” doctor More said. He turned away from Pace and opened a small shelve filled with elongated vials. There must be all the colors of the rainbow. Finally, doctor settled with red. It was too bright to be blood.

  “What’s that?” Pace asked hiding a grimace of pain. The slash wasn’t deep.

  “It will teach you a lesson.”

  “Pace…” Toggy’s voice was weaker with every minute. Doctor More was treating the virus for two weeks now and so far, the results weren’t there.

  “I don’t need more lessons than this,” Pace pointed the wound. “I need you to tell me if you can do something about it.”

  “First of all, start using your brain. If you have one, that is.”

  Pace stood up. Doctor grated on his nerves. This old bastard was insufferable.

  “Maybe I could, but Pembroke forbade healing it.”

  “Fucking hell, I know that,” Pace turned toward the door. “But I heard that you don’t follow the rules.”

  “Maybe I don’t, maybe I do,” doctor extended his hand with the vial. “Here. This will speed up healing, but that thing isn’t cheap.”