by S. D. BROWN
"Where are you taking me?" I asked.
"We have to finish what Dad started."
28: J.T.
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
Yal-Ku
Yucatan Peninsula
We were speeding down Highway 307, when I spotted the sign for Yal-Ku with an arrow to the left. I slowed, flipped on the blinker and turned onto the narrow two-lane road. It was super early in the morning and the sky had just started to turn from night to day.
Serena had been asleep for almost an hour and so I'd had a lot of time to think. And whether or not I should tell her the whole truth about our mission. I mean, that the scientists we were about to rescue were her parents.
She had a right to know.
But then again maybe it was better not to give her false hope. Especially if it turned out bad. Either way, I'd have to deal with the fallout and I knew that even if they were okay, she'd be mad at me.
Plus, I was afraid it'd take way too long to convince her they were still alive. Not when she believed they had died years earlier. Santana's brainwashing techniques must be mind-blowing advanced.
I glanced over at her.
Dad had hidden the scientists over a week ago. It was a super-duper hiding place. Somewhere Santana's men would never ever think to look. The plan was stellar. They'd hole up until he could make arrangements to transport them to the States.
Only for a few hours.
One night at most.
So secret. So hidden. So secure that they couldn't leave without Dad's help.
The problem? Santana had snatched Dad before he could make the arrangements. No one else knew where her parents were. It was supposed be just temporary and he'd only left them with enough food and water for a day.
That was seven days ago.
Could they have survived for seven days without food and water? The lump in my stomach had reached epic proportions.
Maybe Rena should wait at the car. Or go snorkeling.
A large mosaic sign with red letters over an underwater scenemarked the parking lot.
I parked near the sign marking the trail.
Rena whimpered like a puppy disturbed in its sleep and snuggled under my Diamondback hoody.
I hopped out and popped the trunk. All around, birds greeted the morning light. A tweet here. A tweet there. Tweets everywhere.
A local man in a rumpled shirt and shorts appeared just as I started to lift out the four sets of scuba gear Raul had managed to get for me in the middle of the night. That and a waterproof dry bag with a supply of energy bars.
The man yawned and rubbed sleep from his eyes while looking at his watch. "Aye, carramba."
"What?"
"It's too early," he said in English. "The fish still sleep."
I laughed. Fish didn't sleep. Not like Rena in the passenger seat. They rest, but aren't totally unconscious or clueless about what's happening all around them.
I pulled out my wallet. "How much to park and take an early morning swim?"
"Five dollars to park. Ten dollars to swim. Twenty dollars for morning."
I did the math and gave him two Andrew Jackson bills.
"I don't have change," he said.
"That's okay. Keep it."
He shoved the money in his pocket and his sleep-glazed look morphed into a big grin. He pulled out a parking pass, scribbled on it and moved to the front of the car. I followed. Rena was still asleep.
He pulled the windshield wiper from the window, slipped the pass under it and let go. SNAP.
The sound worked like an alarm clock. Rena sat bolt upright.
"You want me to watch your car for thieves?" he asked.
"Sure," I said and gave him another twenty. No way I wanted to risk coming back and finding the car gone. Not with the precious cargo I'd be transporting. I might need to get them to a hospital or something.
The man went to a little shed, went in and came out with a red-and-green folding beach chair. He settled in it near the entrance, but in full view of the car.
Wide bands of red, orange and pink streaked into the electric blue sky. Even though it was morning, it looked a lot like a sunset back home.
Rena brushed hair from her face and kept wiping her mouth and chin with her fingers. "I must have fallen asleep," she said.
"Don't worry," I said. "You didn't drool."
Her skin reddened to match the sunrise. She dropped her hands and gave me a look that said I was totally uncool to even think such a thing.
"Sorry, I didn't mean. . ." I said, but it was too late.
"Where are we?" she asked using her very proper British voice. Spotting the mosaic sign, she answered her own question. "Yal-Ku."
I removed the rest of the scuba gear and slammed the trunk.
"Why are we here?" she asked, sounding totally impatient. "What's our mission? And why do we need four sets of gear?"
I handed her a mask, weight belt, an oxygen tank with a regulator and an underwater flashlight.
"We're here to rescue the scientists my father helped escape," I said like it was no big deal, slipped one of the tanks onto my back and reached for the other two. I'd decided to take her along, but I wouldn't forewarn her of what we might find. "You do scuba?"
She didn't bother to answer. Instead she grabbed a second tank and huffed like my mom does when she's especially annoyed with me. I got the message. Rena wasn't into stimulating conversation first thing in the morning. That's okay. We'd be underwater soon and not able to talk anyway.
I led her down a sand-packed trail that twisted around rocks and bushes. It was a short walk to the water.
"Whoa, check it out," I said.
We'd reacheda miniature freshwater lagoon, like we’d been dropped into a Disneyland movie set. The crooked limestone shoreline couldn't have been any cooler. Huge rocks squatted in the water like magical islands.
"It's stunning," Rena said.
Up ahead, wooden handrails flanked a set of inviting steps leading down into the water.
"Look, there's a fish," I said. "Let's suit up."
"I thought we were going to rescue the missing scientists."
"We are." I started hooking up my gear. "You do know that this area is honeycombed with subterranean rivers," I said, pleased that I could sound just as smart as she did. "Dad hid them in a cave up an underground river. We can access it from here."
"Ingenious," she said. "But wouldn't they be wondering why he left them for so long? They may have become tired waiting for him and swam out days ago."
I shook my head. "Not without scuba gear."
"You mean your father abandoned them with no means of escape?"
"They were being chased. They only had one tank. They had to buddy-breath between the three of them. He barely had enough oxygen to get out."
"That was seven days ago?" Her voice was almost a whisper. "You don't think. . ."
"I hope not," I said, answering the question she hadn't been able to put into words.
Did I think they were still alive?
They had to be. Or she'd hate me forever and ever and ever.
"You ready?" I asked and gave her a thumbs-up. "Let's go hit a home run."
We slipped on swim fins and eased into the water. It was like diving into a huge nature-made aquarium. Everything grew silent except for the sound of my own breathing.
I took the lead, following Dad's directions. We skimmed along the bottom past a series of underwater limestone caves. It was amazing how much speed you could get out of a pair of rubber fins.
All sorts of brightly colored fish hovered in the rocks. Electric blue. Turquoise and orange. Neon yellow. Striped and spotted. They all looked exotic except for the huge silver-white sea bass.
I motioned for Rena to stop and pointed to narrow six-foot hole at the back of the eighth little grotto. It had to be the entrance Dad had described.
A school of silver fish with bright yellow tails swarmed us
as we hung in the water and I pantomimed us swimming into the narrow tunnel.
Rena made the shape of a small circle with her hands and cocked her head to the side as if to ask. "Isn't it a bit small?"
I nodded. Then I put my hands on the back of hers and slowly made her circle bigger and bigger until they were stretched out as far as she could reach.
Her eyes seemed to smile behind her mask.
I let go of her hands, gave her an A-okay sign and swam for the little tunnel. Hopefully Dad's memory had been good and the narrow section wasn't too long before it widened into the cave.
29: Serena
Truth is not something outside to be discovered, it is something inside to be realized.
Unknown
Yal-Ku
Yucatan Peninsula
J.T. swam into the gaping hole at the back of the underwater grotto. That left me with no other choice, but to follow.
Why hadn't I demanded more details from him before we'd submerged? If I'd known we'd have to traverse a close tunnel of limestone, I might have reconsidered. Plus I couldn't shrug the feeling that he'd rushed me into the water to avoid being questioned about the true nature of the mission.
His flippers churned up a wake of imitation soapsuds as he disappeared into the passage.
Hesitating, I switched on my waterproof high-beam torch. The space looked tiny. I swam against the slight current of the escaping underwater river and followed. Once encapsulated in the narrowing channel, bubbles from J.T.'s regulator blinded me.
Claustrophobic vibes slammed my senses.
I fought against the panic. Closed my eyes. Slowed my breathing. Willed myself to relax. Let the distance increase between us.
Using my hands, I tried to reorient myself. Felt the rough stone on all four sides. Heard the scraping sounds of my tank graze against the ceiling. It was loud. Freaky loud.
Had the tank been punctured?
I quickly checked the gages to see if it leaked oxygen at an unnatural rate.
Everything seemed normal, except me.
Inching forward, I blindly felt the watery path in front. Urging myself to be brave. If J.T. could do this, so could I.
I was the trained operative.
He was just an accidental covert spy boy. I had to admit. He was good. Maybe his skills came natural. Or maybe I'd let myself be talked into a fool's errand.
Desperate, I started counting off seconds. One-one-thousand. Two-one-thousand. Breathe in. Breathe out. How far had I come?
J.T. had said the narrows lasted about fifteen feet and then the tube opened into a wide underground cave. Surely I'd swum twice that far already. Maybe he'd made a mistake and this was the wrong access point. And even if it was the correct spot, I feared what we'd find.
After seven days, the scientists were probably already dead.
It was insane to risk our lives on a mission doomed before the start.
Why couldn't I have met J.T. under different circumstances? Then again if I hadn't met him, I wouldn't be in this situation.
The beam of the torch caught what looked like a curtain of long light brownish-blond hair floating on the current.
Creepy crawlies clamored as they raced up my esophagus.
Had the scientists tried to swim out without scuba gear?
A silent moan escaped my lips. The last thing I wanted to see was their expired bodies. I tried to back pedal, but couldn't convince my limbs to cooperate. It was like I'd received a high voltage electrical shock treatment in an insane asylum, leaving me paralyzed.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't panic.
An eternity passed.
A hand pushed through the veil hair-like tendrils. J.T.'s hand. It made a series of silent snaps and then jerkily motioned for me to follow.
Even though I hadn't heard the snaps, I felt their impatience. Like he was ordering an underling to hurry it up. Or demanding a canine to sit. Now.
To borrow a phrase from his vocabulary . . . not cool. Not cool in the least.
I gave a vicious kick with my feet and shot through what I now realized were the deep roots of a tree above ground.
The limestone hole gave way to open water. Above me and slightly to the right, J.T.'s torch glowed. I swam upward and popped onto the water's surface.
He'd pushed his mask onto his head. "What took you so long? You stop for a pedicure?"
I gave him a stink glare.
"You're not amusing." I couldn't believe he was making jokes when only minutes earlier I'd thought I'd been about to die. Plus I was still afraid the scientists might be. If they still breathed, why hadn't they called out when J.T. emerged in the pool?
My gaze followed the bounce of his torch scanning the huge fairyland cavern. It was the size of ballroom and nothing like anything I'd ever imagined could possibly exist. Creamy white stalactites hung over the water. Tips of stalagmites plunged out of the water into the air. In several instances the two geological formations met to form majestic columns.
"Any sign of the scientists?" I pointed my torch in the opposite direction of his. It was hard to see into the far reaches. Massive limestone stalactites blocked my beam and cast eerie shadows.
Sounding like a forever-optimist he said, "Not yet. Haven't really explored. I was waiting for you. Seriously, what was the hold up?"
Despite my racing heart, I tried to sound nonplussed. "You lied about the length of the swim-in."
"Didn't want you to chicken out. Max said you were a little funny about tight squeezes."
I was about to give him a full blast of anger when I heard a sound like a cough.
"Hello?" I said.
"Serena?" whispered a ghostly voice from across the gloom.
The muscles in my throat grew taut. My imagination must have played me a cruel trick, for I recognized the voice. I knew it well. Tears welled in my eyes.
Dad?
What was I thinking?
It was totally implausible. I must be hallucinating. Dad died seven years ago.
"Who's there? Stop playing tricks."
"It's okay," J.T. said and reached for my arm. "Mr. and Mrs. Vandermer?" His shout echoed in the enclosed chamber. "I have your daughter. We've come to get you out of here."
I couldn't move. Tingles erupted on my neck and spread. It felt like I was trapped in a surrealistic vacuum of time and space. Past and present reality blurred into an emotional haze of hope and dread.
"Can you see our lights?" J.T. yelled. His voice echoed.
"You haven't hurt her?" My father's voice sounded stronger this time. Almost angry. "If you harm one hair on her head, you'll regret it. As will Santana and his entire organization."
"She's fine. James Chapman's my dad. He had an accident and sent us."
"Thank God," came Mum's voice.
My tingles exploded, giving me a power surge of adrenalin. "Mum? Da? Is it really you?"
"Over here." They called in unison.
How could I express the elation I felt? I couldn't. It was impossible.
I shot J.T. an accusing look. "You knew and didn't tell me?"
Human shadows waved behind a rather large stalactite toward the back of the cave.
"I see you." I started swimming toward them.
J.T. swam after me. "I couldn't. I wasn't sure what we'd find."
"So you say."
"Truth is, I didn't know what else to do. That is the truth."
"Fine." I plunged into a racing crawl on a direct path toward my resurrected parents.
Soon it became evident that a direct course was impossible and I was forced to take a meandering route as I dodged both low hanging stalactites and submerged stalagmites.
J.T. caught up and we reached my parents simultaneously.
Mum and Da waited, feet dangling in the crystal clear water sitting on a large rock ledge. It appeared they'd spent every spare ounce of energy to put on brave faces. It must have been a grueling seven days down here in the pitch black with no food. It was shocking to see them to
tally wiped. Thank God they were triathlon athletes. Their superb conditioning must have helped keep them alive. Otherwise they may not have survived. This was all too much.
I couldn't believe I was seeing their weary faces.
"Neither of you look a day older than . . . " My voice trailed off. I couldn't say the words. Your death.
"What has Santana done to you?" Mum said, reaching down to touch my cheek. It felt like a kiss.
That's when I knew they were real and alive. And I didn't care that it didn't make sense.
J. T. heaved himself and the extra gear onto the ledge. I followed and grabbed Mum and Da at the same time in what the Americans call a group hug.
J.T. opened the dry bag and handed them each a packet sealed in aluminum foil. "Dad sent these power packed energizer bars that will have you buzzing in no time. He said it'll take twenty minutes to absorb the nutrients, but then you should be ready to make the swim out."
"Thanks," Mum said. Her hands shook so bad, I opened it for her and she proceeded to nibble on the square.
Da didn't need help. He tore open the foil and popped the whole bar into his mouth in a single bite.
J.T. handed out bottles of water. "How did you manage to last seven days without drinking water? I thought that was impossible."
Da's eyes crinkled and he laughed. "I'd say there's plenty of water available down here."
"Yeah, but it's not filtered."
"Haven't you noticed how exceptionally clear this pool is? The pure limestone overhead acts as a superior filter for the rainwater. Better in fact that most of the sanitation systems used in the resorts around here."
"Mr. Vandermer, do you mind if I ask you a question?" J. T. said. "You're a scientist. How did Santana convince Rena that you were dead for like, the last seven years? Could he really hypnotize her to believe that? She has such a strong personality."
"First, call me Martin. Mr. Vandermer was my father."
"And I'm Marlena," Mum said. "It's wonderful, in spite of the circumstances to be reunited with our daughter. Thank you, J.T."
She hugged me again.
