by Allie Burton
“Yes.”
“Can I have a real kiss now?” In other words, he wasn’t asking for my underwater-breathing-breath. He wanted a kiss from me. An emotional connection to show all was forgiven.
I wanted that connection, too. Chase was the one person I’d had a bond with. The one person I believed in. The one person I trusted.
His slight lapse was over. He wouldn’t betray me again.
My heart pulsed in anticipation. I wanted to show him all was forgiven. I wanted to feel that closeness and electricity. I parted my mouth. His lips descended onto mine. Our mouths, the perfect fit.
His firm lips tasted salty and sweet. His light touch sent tremors through my body and shivers across my skin. Heat spread through my veins. The varying temperatures mixed and mingled like lava from an underwater volcano pouring into cool water.
He ran a finger across my cheek. “I swear I will not tell a soul.”
“Thanks.” I felt our closeness in my heart.
We both scanned the ocean, catching our breath at our near miss.
“The experience was one I’ll never forget.” Chase spoke gently like treading on quicksand. He recounted some of the special things he’d seen that deep, putting names to sea life I didn’t have a clue about.
While I might have underwater skills, he could be my tour guide. “How do you know so much about the ocean?”
“I’ve lived in Mermaid Beach my entire life.”
“Where?” I didn’t know much about Chase beside the fact that he’d worked at the Boardwalk for years and was going to college in the fall.
He continued to stare straight ahead. “I live with my aunt in an apartment near the Boardwalk.”
“Where are your parents?”
“My parents died when I was eight.” He fisted his hand in the sand. His brows knitted together in a frown. His body stiffened beside me. “That’s when I went to live with my aunt.”
“I’m sorry.” I nestled closer to him.
We sat for awhile in silence, our hands entwined, both in our own melancholy thoughts. The seagulls squawked and the waves lapped at the shore. Until recently I thought I had parents, not very good ones, but parents all the same.
“What are you thinking about?” He placed his arm around my shoulders and tucked me against his solid body.
I nestled closer, appreciating his strength and support. “My parents.” I spat the last word out.
“You said they abused your skills.” His flat tone told me he believed me, but wanted details.
Details I didn’t know if I was ready to share. “Yes.” The memory refreshed the pain, the hurt, the betrayal.
“How?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I didn’t want Chase knowing about the circus or my past life. Too embarrassing. “They weren’t my real parents anyhow. I recently discovered I was adopted.”
Not legally.
“Are you going to search for your biological parents?”
I steadied my gaze, my eyes moist. The questions I’d asked last night hadn’t helped. Even Finn didn’t want to help. He’d shut up tighter than the clams stored with the information.
If only I could find where the Royalists lived. I bet they kept detailed records. I could find my history. Find relatives. Maybe even find my parents.
“I wouldn’t have a clue where to start.”
Unless I could find the Atlantean castle.
Chapter Fourteen
Security Snafu
Later at work as I was changing garbage bags around the Boardwalk, I was paged to one of the rides for an emergency clean-up. The line wound out the front entrance of the log ride and around the building. Chase was feeding rope through stanchions to keep the crowd under control. He waved and my day got a little brighter.
The ride manager showed me the tunnel where the jam occurred. “We’re holding all the logs until we get this fixed so don’t worry about getting splashed.” He pointed out the narrow metal ledge I should walk on.
I entered the tunnel. Multi-colored lights lit the inside. The ride was supposed to be scary, but it was brighter than the caverns the Free Atlanteans called home. I edged around the corner, scanning for the spot where the slow-down happened.
Water flowed about three-fourths deep in the blue painted flume. Two metal rails, or tracks, dissected the bottom. Wrapped around one of the rails was a large, black, plastic trash bag. The bag was partially full.
I pinched at the garbage bag with my pick-up tool trying to wrestle it lose. The pincher slipped off the bag and I fell backward. My back scraped against the rock-like tunnel.
Ouch.
Shaking off my pain, I glanced around. No one could see my feeble attempts at unclogging the flume. The tunnel blocked any questioning eyes. I was tired and had too many other tasks to finish before clocking out.
I peered around a second time before sitting on the edge of the ledge. I took off my shoes and then slipped inside the flume.
The flow came to my waist. I placed the net downstream to catch any garbage that came loose. Bending at the knees, I reached down taking hold of the bag and tugged.
The bag ripped.
With my hands I fished out plastic water bottles, an old baseball cap, even a shoe. I grabbed both ends and tossed the bag onto the ledge. That’s when I noticed the metal chain wrapped around one of the glides.
With a slow twist of my head, I again scanned the area. No one could see. Not the manager, not the people in line, not even Chase below. My shift was almost over and I wanted to go home. I needed a nap. I didn’t need more questions.
Pushing doubt aside, I gripped the metal chain and using my powers yanked with one sharp pull. The chain split in two. I took the pieces and shoved them into the bottom of a new garbage bag. Then, I took the old garbage bag and whatever trash had leaked out and covered the chain. Grabbing my shoes, I dripped my way over to the log ride manager to let him know the job was done.
I made my way to the large dumpster near the side of the office with still dripping clothes. I lifted the heavy lid and let go of the bag. It hit the bottom with a clunk.
“Miss Seidon.” I jumped at the use of my fake name and dropped the dumpster lid. The lid fell with an echoing thud.
“I need to speak with you,” Mrs. Fowler called from the front office window.
“Me?” My bones ached with exhaustion from work, from the anxiety over my discussion with Chase, from my all-night underwater traveling.
“Yes, you.” Her firm voice didn’t brook argument.
I dragged myself into her private office all the while muttering to myself. She closed the door with a slam. Standing in front of the wooden desk, I shuffled my feet back and forth.
Mrs. Fowler examined me with a curious expression. I avoided her gaze and stared at the mountain of paperwork on her desk which had grown since my last visit.
“How did you do that?” Her voice sounded disbelieving, incredulous.
“Do what?” She’d seen me throw garbage bags in the dumpster before.
She moved forward, toward me. “You broke a metal chain with your bare hands.”
My heart thudded like the dumpster lid. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw you on the security camera.” She waved her hand at a television monitor, right next to a large portrait of a much younger Mrs. Fowler and a boy.
“What security camera?” Mentally slapping my forehead because I’d been so concerned about a person seeing me, I never thought to skim for a hidden camera.
“I was working on the accounts in my office when I heard the log ride was shut down and decided to take a look.” She patted her bun which wasn’t as neat as usual. “We’ve got cameras in all the hidden nooks and crannies and tunnels to make sure no one on the ride is goofing around.” She lasered into me. “I zoomed on you in the flume. I saw you break the chain with your bare hands.”
A flash seared my lungs and panic burned. I had to think of something, anything to save my secret. “It’s
not what you think.”
“I’m flabbergasted. I don’t know what to think.”
“The chain was…the chain was…” Rusted? Corroded? Unlinked? “Plastic. The chain wasn’t metal. It was a toy. Like from a Halloween costume. And it already had a cut in it, so, it was pretty easy to snap in two. Anyone could’ve done it.”
Mrs. Fowler’s eyebrows rose high enough to touch her hairline. “Plastic, huh?”
* * *
Hurrying to the time clock, I thought about the last glare Mrs. Fowler had given me. She didn’t seem to buy my explanation of a plastic chain, yet she’d let my leave her office. Nigglings of doubt crawled over my too-tired body. I was too exhausted to think about it.
Chase met me at the end of my shift. After giving me a quick kiss, he asked, “Any plans for tonight?”
“Sleeping.”
He rubbed my temple with a gentle thumb. “Where did you go last night that you’re so tired?”
Between the kiss, the mini-massage, and my mushy brain, I wasn’t thinking clearly. “Free Atlantis.”
“What?” Both his brows rose, similar to Mrs. Fowler’s surprised expression earlier.
Oops. I’d promised Finn to keep Free Atlantis a secret. But the Atlanteans knew about Chase. Threatened him. He needed to be told.
A new burst of purpose and adrenaline poured through me like I’d drunk a gallon of coffee. I glanced around to confirm no one could overhear our conversation. “Are you off now?”
“Yes.”
Weird how we always worked the same shift. “Walk me back to the campground and I’ll explain.”
Decision made. I trusted Chase. I was going to tell him about last night.
With a nod, Chase took my bag and slung it over his shoulder. We started walking. “Explain away.”
“This is super secret confidential.” I peered around to be sure no one could hear. Walking on my toes, I couldn’t contain the news. “I met someone last night.”
His body tensed next to mine. “Who?”
“His name is Finn and he’s…like me.” I tried to whisper, but I couldn’t douse my excitement. “There are other people like me, Chase. Ones who can breathe underwater. In fact, they live underwater and I met some of them. Finn took me there.” My voice rose higher with each word.
Chase stumbled to a stop. “A strange guy took you to an underwater city?”
“Not a city, exactly. It’s more of a base.”
“What kind of base?” His I-can’t-believe-what-you’re-telling-me tone raised in a question.
I rushed to explain. “You see there’s this battle going on under the Pacific, which could be the reason for the unexplained phenomena that the rest of the world doesn’t even know about.” I filled him in on the Free Atlanteans versus the evil Royalists.
His unbelieving expression changed to an incredulous look highlighted by his arched brows and wide eyes. “Where is this base located?”
“Somewhere off of Mexico at the bottom of the ocean.”
Chase snorted. “You’re saying you swam all the way to an underwater military base off the coast of Mexico last night?”
With his disbelief in full-force, now probably wasn’t the time to tell him about my super speed. “Yes.”
“Describe it.” His demand put me on edge.
Nerves swam in my veins like Olympians in a race, pulsing back and forth and back and forth doing laps of indecision. Of course he didn’t want details for an article. He was just worried about me.
“Well, it was a mountainous area. The depths so deep there were sea creatures I’d never seen before.” I debated how much detail to give. The more details given the more dangerous the trip sounded. “Thermal vents shot heat and stuff.”
He turned to face me, his gaze shooting accusations of lies. “Don’t you think a military base would’ve been discovered by the Mexican government or the U.S. government or any of the marine biologists or scientists studying the ocean?” He spoke like I was a complete moron.
I didn’t like it. I’d told him and showed him fantastical things. Why didn’t he believe this one?
“It’s well hidden,” I forced contempt into my voice.
“I’ll rent a boat and you can show me.” Not only didn’t he believe me, he dared me.
“A boat would never work.” I wanted to show him I’d told the truth, wanted to breathe into him right this second and swim to the base to prove I wasn’t making anything up. But…
“I don’t know if I can find it again, without Finn.” My stomach spasmed knowing what he’d want to know next, not sure how to explain.
“Why not?”
I huffed out a defensive breath and tried to make is sound unimportant. “He blindfolded me.”
It sounded stupid now, but at the time I was driven by my curiosity, by my need to meet others like me, and by my anger at Chase.
Chase let my backpack drop off his shoulder and it hit the ground. Green flashed in his eyes. “You let some strange guy blindfold you? And then let him take you to who-knows-where?” He reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, holding me in place. “You don’t know what his intentions were.”
The weight of his hand was like a judge’s mallet, deciding right and wrong. I shook off his patronizing hand and shoved down my fears from last night. “He’s like me.”
That should explain it all.
“You trusted him, without any doubts?” Unlike me, he seemed to leave out.
“I had doubts.” Lots of them, but the need to know won out.
Chase’s lips smirked into an ugly line. “Even if he is like you that doesn’t mean he’s a good guy. You said yourself there’s a war going on. What if he’s on the wrong side?”
“He isn’t.” I remembered my unease at the base, how the captain had examined me. Still, Chase didn’t know what he was talking about. He hadn’t met Finn, couldn’t judge him sight unseen.
Kind of like how Finn judged all air-breathers.
I reached out and touched Chase’s arm. “There’s something else.”
“What?” The word shot out of his mouth like a bullet. “You’re leaving with this guy, who probably has superpowers like you, to live under the ocean?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I forced a slight laugh because the option had definitely been presented.
“Then, what?”
I had to warn him. “They know about you, Chase.”
His casual shrug appeared stiff. “So these, Atlanteans,” he said the name in a sarcastic-way, “know I exist. I assume they know about the world above the ocean.”
Frowning, I didn’t like how he made fun of what I’d told him. He wasn’t taking it seriously. “They know that you know. About me.”
“So?” His voice challenged.
“I, um…” Here came the tough part. “I sort of told them you planned to write an article about me and they weren’t happy.”
“What’re they going to do? Come out and drag me under the ocean?” He blew the entire thing off.
Another huff. This one frizzled with frustration. “I told them I’d talk to you. Convince you not to write the story.”
His gaze narrowed as if he’d come to the wrong conclusion about my motivation. “And. You. Did.” He crossed his arms. “Is that what this morning was all about? You wanted to guarantee I didn’t write the story. Is that why you kissed me?”
“Yes. I mean, no.” He was confusing me. “I did need to convince you not to write the story, for my sake, and for your sake, too.”
“Have you ever heard of freedom of the press? Do they not have that in Free Atlantis?”
“I don’t know. The point is, you’re not going to write the article. They won’t come after you. And everything is fine between us, right?”
His phone shrilled an interruption. Chase glanced at the number. “I have to take this.” Uncertainty still showed on his face. I don’t know if he didn’t believe me or didn’t understand why I’d gone with Finn.
My shoulder
s slumped. Would I have to prove everything to him?
He shoved his phone in his pocket. “Mrs. Fowler has an emergency she needs me to take care of.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“What about us?”
He shook his head staring at the ground. “What about us?”
Now he was being obtuse.
“Are we okay?”
“Sure, we’re okay.” But he sounded like he was anything but okay. “You go off on a stupid excursion all night long with a strange guy. What’s not to be okay about?” He turned and started to walk away.
“Chase.” My voice broke. My eyes burned with a telling sensation. I didn’t want him to see me cry.
If he wanted to walk away from this discussion—fine. If he thinks I acted rashly—too bad. If he thinks I betrayed him—well that’s nothing compared to how he almost betrayed me with the article.
I picked up my backpack and walked away, heading toward the campsite. I refused to glance back. Refused to see if Chase looked back at me. Refused to be hurt more because if he didn’t look back I’d be crushed.
Sniffling, I sucked down the damp ocean air. Chase didn’t understand. He hadn’t seen Free Atlantis, how those people lived and struggled. Sure, the captain was creepy, but according to Finn he led the revolt. The man had a lot of responsibility.
Yes, it had been stupid of me to go with Finn, but everything turned out okay. Except for with Chase.
I shouldn’t have told Finn about Chase writing the article either, but it was done.
I passed the barbecue grills by the campground. Mr. Plankson lectured someone inside his office, his angry but non-understandable words carrying through the open window. Tears streamed down my face. Brushing them aside, I climbed into my tent. I didn’t want anyone to witness my hurt.
Chase didn’t believe me. Or if he did believe me, he thought I’d acted recklessly. And maybe I had.
But he hadn’t seen how the inhabitants of Free Atlantis had welcomed me like one of their own, given me a gift.
I reached deep into my pillowcase and took out the present the old woman had given me. Maybe I should’ve brought the clam to show Chase. Then, he would’ve believed me.
