Unearthly Power

by R. K.

  The waiter arrived to take their orders as soon as Dee sat at the table. He started with the women. After he finished with them he looked at Alex and then at Sean. Sean was the only one who didn’t order alcohol.

  Tori reached over and placed her hand on his, “You can’t let us drink alone. Order something or it’ll make me feel uncomfortable,” she pleaded with him.

  It was rare indeed when he refused a drink. It was impossible to recall a time when he turned one down after being solicited in such a way by a lovely lady. He ordered a Mt. Gay and cola.

  Alex and Dee talked about the trip and what she could do to assist them. Tori listened in as Sean watched the band prepare for their set. By the time their salad came he had finished his drink. The girls still had plenty of wine in their glasses and Alex had half of his beer left. If he had taken a moment to think about it, he probably would have waited until his food came before he ordered another and instead rehydrate himself with some water. That didn’t happen. The day had been enjoyable, the company was nice, and the scenery was perfect. They ate their meals at a leisurely pace, talking as they did. By the time they finished their dinner, the stars had slowly started to appear in the sky. It was a luminous evening as the waxing moon reflected its light off the surface of the ocean.

  Dee asked Alex to dance. He agreed and they went to the small dance floor as the band played a rhythmic Latin song. One of the ironies about Alex was that although he was generally antisocial, he was in fact a good dancer. Dee had been watching her brother all day. He was his normal self, but he was also acting a bit strangely. By dinnertime, she had seen enough of the cryptic smiles and subtle actions being exchanged by Tori and her brother to know something was happening between them, even if he didn’t. In time, they too made their way onto the floor. Now Dee knew she was right as Sean never danced. Sean was thinking the same thing himself when he accepted her invitation. By then he knew he had had too much to drink. That was the only time he ever sang or danced; both were acceptable as long as he had no recollection of either after the fact.

  He held her at a comfortable distance as they danced slowly. She closed that gap almost immediately and moved along with the motions of his body. The physical contact between them elicited an excitement through him. It was a feeling of almost weightlessness as he closed his eyes and thought of nothing but her. She seemed to be reacting the same way he was. Nature had a way of pairing healthy and attractive young people together, Sean reasoned, even though he didn’t think of himself as being young anymore. When the song was finished, the band took a break and those who had been on the dance floor now returned to their seats. Tori reached down and took Sean’s hand as they walked back to the table. It was an innocent yet somewhat intimate act of being connected through the touch of a hand. Dee smiled knowingly at her brother as they approached the table. He blushed in response; mostly because he knew he was not controlling the situation and she was there to witness that fact.

  “Well, I think we should probably get back to the boat. We can find out if there is any further information on the ROV and make sure your father knows you are okay.” Sean explained.

  “I think you’re right. We have been gone all day. He won’t say anything about it, but I know he’ll worry.” Tori agreed.

  They finished their drinks and left a nice tip for the waiter along with their payment for the bill. It was as enjoyable a day as any of them had had in quite some time. Even Alex relaxed enough to be at ease in a setting unfamiliar to him. He was generally more at home in the presence of machines, or away from crowds of people, even the small ones they had encountered today. He was oblivious to what was developing between his partner and the member of their charter who had accompanied them onshore. He had been around Sean long enough that any interaction between him and a pretty woman was nothing new or unusual. For Sean it was somehow different this time. Because he had had more to drink than he should have, he knew he had to be careful. He wouldn’t ruin the charter because he couldn’t control himself. When they stepped outside the hotel on their way back to the boat, Tori automatically slipped her hand into his and he acted as if he was walking his grandmother to the store. It was a long way to keep that same thought in his mind.

  Word came on the following day that the submersible would arrive later that evening. Preparations were made to make an easy transfer and to test the winch to ensure it was functioning properly. Everything was ready. Sean talked with Tori and Finley about how they would approach the dive. Those three would be the only ones going into the water. They both seemed to be competent as far as Sean could tell in talking with them, and Tori’s skills were necessary as she was the expert with the ROV. Their first dive would be under their own power.

  When everyone had done everything they could think of to prepare for what was coming, it was still late in the morning with hours of down-time ahead of them. The professor said he needed to continue reviewing the information he had about the wreck, assuming it was the same as what Sean had discovered previously, and retired to his room. His appearance was a cross between excitement and anxiety, though he no longer looked like the ‘typical’ educator. He was now wearing a set of pleated shorts that were most likely rolled up and kept at the bottom of his luggage, as evidenced by the many wrinkles. He also wore a button down shirt which showed the same care in keeping. The only item he wore that was in presentable condition was his brown sandals.

  His daughter was similarly dressed, though her clothing represented the attention one puts forth when a person cares about their appearance. Also, her taste in clothing was much more colorful than the drab appearance of her father’s attire.

  Sean saw Tori talking with Alex near the stern where the winch was located. She seemed to be questioning him on its capabilities and operation. Evidently satisfied, she turned to walk in his direction. He was appreciating her long, muscular yet feminine legs as she approached. Most guys were especially drawn to individual parts of the female body: their backside, their legs, their stomach, their face, and to a lesser extent their eyes, their hair, and other smaller features. Sean was pretty much an equal opportunity admirer; he acknowledged each individually, but was even more appreciative when they all came together in one package. Tori had scored high marks on all of them.

  “It seems everything is ‘ship shape’ as they say.” She told him in a cheerful voice.

  “Yep, all we have to do now is wait.”

  She stood there looking at him as if deciding on whether or not to ask him a question. After one look into his deep green eyes she worked up the courage to say, “Would you be willing to take me into town again? Your sister and Alex both said they wanted to stay onboard to take care of some things.”

  “I don’t see why not. We have several hours to kill before we can do anything.”

  “Great. I saw something I wanted yesterday, but I didn’t get it then.” She said with a smile. “Let me get my bag.”

  While he was waiting, he thought about the other passengers. Her father had obvious reason to be here, but the three other men were something else. If they were supposed to provide security they didn’t seem to be doing a very good job. They rarely made an appearance unless it was dinnertime. Sean wasn’t quite sure what to make of them yet. Before he gave it another thought, Tori had returned.

  “Let’s go.” She said before she turned and walked up the wooden plank and onto the pier.

  This time Tori didn’t take his hand while they walked along the same streets they did the previous day. She talked non-stop almost as if she was nervous. At the same time, she appeared to be upbeat. He dismissed her behavior as normal and they continued on.

  They eventually returned to the steps of the hotel where they had dinner. He followed her through the front entryway.

  “Why don’t you get us a table for lunch? I’ll be up after I visit the ladies room,” she said.

  Although he was sure they had restrooms in or near the restaurant, he shrugged his shoulders and did as
she said. He rode alone in the elevator until it came to a stop on the top floor. He asked for the same table they had the night before and ordered a round of mojito’s. During the day-time they had a retractable roof covering that kept the diners out of direct sunlight. It was another pleasant day in paradise and he was determined to enjoy it.

  When she finally arrived, she saw him from the doorway and walked over to join him. She took a sip of her drink without inquiring about it. He was sure she knew what it was, but was curious about the casualness in which she accepted it. She placed the order for both of them. He would have rather ordered for himself, as he preferred heavier fare, but decided he would indulge her. When they were finished with their meal of local fresh fruits and salad, they paid their bill. He could always get something on the way back to the boat that would make a longer lasting impact on his hunger, he decided.

  As they walked toward the elevator she stopped and faced him. “I know this could be really awkward for us both if you say no, but if I don’t ask now there will be no other opportunity to do so in the next several days.” She looked at him with a sincere but expressionless face as she held out the room key.

  Not one to be startled easily, Sean was taken by surprise. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded her head slowly but didn’t say anything more.

  She gave him the key. He looked at the number and then grabbed her hand as they walked to their room. Their hearts raced from the excitement of the moment. Sean released her hand and opened the door. They walked inside silently and she placed her bag on a chair just inside the door. He locked the door, turned and found her looking into his eyes no more than a few inches from his face. They immediately embraced. At first it seemed a little forceful; almost as if she was compelling herself to go through with it. He returned her kiss with his own passion, but decided to give her time to let her make sure this was what she wanted. It wasn’t long before she pulled him toward her as she moved them to the bed. She stopped him, broke away from their embrace, and removed his shirt. He helped her, and then again with hers. She kicked off her sandals and then lay on the bed. He removed his own shoes with a little more effort, and joined her. Exactly how the remaining pieces of clothing made it to the floor, neither of them could remember. Their passion moved as the waves of the sea. At first it was frantic, and then again calm, only to change repeatedly as they spent themselves emotionally and physically in an effort to satisfy each other’s needs. They dozed off for ten minutes or so after they had finished. When they awoke, they looked into each other’s eyes and smiled. Sean was glad he came ashore.

  “Did you ever find that restroom?” he asked.

  She shook her head.

  “And the food? You wanted to make sure I stayed away from the onions, garlic, and other unpleasant things.” He said realizing how far she had thought ahead.

  She nodded her head yes, while a slight blush was evident on her face.

  He smiled and laid his head on his interlaced hands as he took in a deep breath. He released it in a sigh of satisfaction and contentment. She moved nearer to him and laid her head on his chest while tracing a finger over invisible lines on his stomach. They remained in quiet consideration of their actions. When he was evidently through thinking about their encounter, he looked at the clock and said, “We have about an hour before we need to head back. As long as we have the room we might as well make the most of it,” he suggested. She rolled over on top of him and stared down into his eyes, “Sometimes you come up with good ideas yourself. I guess that’s why you’re in charge.”

  “That and my virtue, innocence, natural abilities, honesty, and above all else, humility,” he replied in mock sincerity, which was immediately followed by her pinching one of his nipples. He yelped and grabbed her at the same time as he rolled her over and pinned her to the bed. She stared up at him without any resistance and looked once again into those mesmerizing eyes. The playful smile vanished from his face as he leaned over and placed his lips onto hers. Once again they were in the throes of passion, dispelling all thoughts of time, circumstance and reason.

  They remained in the room until the last possible moment. During the pleasant walk back to the boat, they were left to contemplate their individual feelings. That they were both happy was beyond doubt. Neither one knew where their relationship might lead. They were both experienced enough to know the realities of life. They agreed that they would wait on time to dictate the next step; although it was an agreement they had yet to share with each other.

  When they finally returned to the boat they saw Alex, Marcel, and the man who Sean didn’t know by name, maneuver the ROV into place on the rear deck. Tori stepped onboard first and gave Deidra a furtive look as she walked past her toward her room. Deidra then turned toward her brother as he came near.

  “Almost done, huh?” He asked her.

  “Yeah,” she answered with an arched eyebrow as she looked at him directly when he stopped by her side. “Were you able to help her find what she was looking for?”

  Sean hesitated a moment before replying. He gave his sister his full attention and managed to say, “Yes.”

  “Good,” she continued, enjoying the opportunity she had. “I mean, if anyone could help her, I was sure you could do it.” She looked at him as if daring him to make one of his wisecracks. When he didn’t reply she went on, “But then again, it must have been a challenge. You were gone all day. I wonder what it was that took you two so long to find.”

  He couldn’t contain his reaction and soon parted his lips in a subtle smile.

  “You know, I don’t think I have ever seen you this quiet before. It must have been some treasure hunt you two went on.” Before she could make him even more uncomfortable, Alex joined them giving Sean an opportunity to evade any further prompting by his sister.

  “It’s all set. Really nice rig. Got some more supplies too. I don’t know how long they expect to be out there, but we’re literally stocked for the winter. Whoever is paying for all of this surely knows how to take care of people,” Alex said in one breath. “And Professor James said he wanted to get started as soon as you were ready.”

  “Sounds good. Let me get my charts out and we’ll be underway.”

  Time alone to think would be a luxury over the course of the next several days. He used what little he had now to ponder the events of the last two days. Soon, all of his attention would be devoted to the job; that included his time underwater with Tori. Being on shore was one thing. When he was underwater, it was all business.

  “What is it?” Alex asked Dee when he saw the odd expression on her face.

  “Wha . . .? Oh, nothing.”

  ~ Five ~

  The calm night waters peeled away before them as the twin diesel engines propelled the bulky vessel at a steady ten knots. Deidra had joined her brother in an attempt to learn more about piloting the boat. Even though the waves were shallow, Sean showed her how to traverse them at an angle to ensure as smooth a ride as possible. When she took the wheel, he pointed to the various electronic components explaining their function and how they were operated. She was an eager and apt student. Her face took on a serious look of concentration as she judged the waves before her and the floating ball of the compass at the same time. The ship was equipped with modern GPS equipment, but he decided he was going to start her off with the basics.

  No word had passed between them about what had happened earlier in the day. Sean was still wearing the casual outfit he had on when he went on shore; Dee was attired in newly purchased khaki pants and a multi-colored long-sleeved shirt. Enjoying the scene of watching his sister take control of the vessel, he took a seat behind her and turned off the main cabin light. The Cantankerous II had an ample view, made possible by two large windows in the front and two smaller windows on each side of the wheelhouse. Of the two doors it contained, Sean generally left the one to the deck open to allow fresh air into the room. The other door led to the galley and the living and storage rooms. Alex steppe
d through the open door.

  “Hey,” he said, taking in the scene of Dee steering the craft as he walked in. “I thought there had to be some reason for the smooth ride.”

  The comment elicited a smile of appreciation from Dee and a look of tolerance from her brother.

  “What’s up?” Sean asked when Alex sat down next to him.

  “Did you know those guys have a satellite phone?” Alex said in reference to what they believed was a three-man security detail.

  “Good. What’s wrong with having a back-up system?” Sean asked.

  “Nothing, I guess. This is one of those high-tech military phones that have burst capability.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I saw it. They were sending a message after we had secured the submersible. When I went back to see if something was wrong, because they were still there, I saw the phone and the miniature satellite antenna. When they saw me they acted as though they were caught in the middle of doing something wrong. When I asked them about it they said they were just making sure their phone worked in case it was needed. Kind of strange if you ask me.”

  Sean thought it over before replying, “Maybe. But like I said, it’s good to have a back-up.”

  The three men had remained almost exclusively onboard. They had caused no problems and mostly kept to themselves. Sean didn’t really know what to think about them. They helped when asked and stayed out of the way the rest of the time. As long as they accepted his direction when it was time to operate, he didn’t think there would be any problems having them along. Either way, they were part of the contract. Alex would just have to deal with his personal suspicions himself.

  After thirty hours into the forty hour trip, the Cantankerous II had yet to live up to its name. Alex attributed this to the quick overhaul they were able to do with the money from their deposit. He acted like a proud parent because of this. Sean was happy because Alex was less peevish than normal for such a long trip.