ened, revealing just how soaked she was-water pooled beneath her feet, and faint patches of glowing blue shimme
pping short. What was he doing? What if she wasn't human? What if t
like a threat. She looked l
dy. He checked her pulse-it was there, faint and irregular, but real. Every instinct in his scientific mind s
e chair, staring at her,
u here?" he
er, her eyeli
gaze sharpened-eyes locking on h
an f
ame tumbling out like a secre
arted. "Yo
esonant, like a tide lapping against a shorelin
he trench," he said.
ly, trembling.
"How the hell are you br
e offered.
" he fi
head. "I'm none
"This isn't happening. You should
, voice soft, "you
didn't. I saw a ghost in the water, and now that
ly. "You felt it before you even wen
at scientists do. We don't fo
ta led you st
him. Becaus
s-his father's voice whispering beneath the waves. Ever since then, the readings had only grow
he asked, barely
e the sea shimmered faintly in the moonlight. Her fingers brushed
. "What they tried to bury, what they forgot. I'm a
went dry. "Wak
at your ki
, heart pounding. "
something like sadness
ck shattere
an f
d. "Hide me," she
umbled, still weak, but followed. He guided her into the utility closet just
e again. Loud
is pants, straightened his
re, arms cross
e in or make me talk in
heart still racing. "D
dive footage. There are gaps-corruption in the video feed, audio dropouts.
d her what we found. Rock formati
ran. You and I may not be together anymore
"What are you
you saw something. Or someone. A
"That's a hell o
sation," she said
tiff
on all personal quarters. Power surges, encrypted comm logs, pressure fluctu
eyes. "Would
ust for a breath.
aid. "But if whatever yo
t," Kiera
linked
is breath. "You d
, stepping forward.
dn't
d came from
head sharply.
k her. "You can't-pl
already pus
he closet, Nyra was standing-unsteady but composed. The two women stare
pped. "What the
ieran. "She's not a sold
I? Because right now, I'm not
Nyra said quietly. "But so
em. "We need to keep her
hed, rubbing her temples. "God, Kieran. T
's the right
h something more complex in her eyes-fea
. "A daughter of the