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“Is daddy really going to be alright?” Honey, still crying, whispers in my ear. She seems to have regressed mentally and sounds like a frightened eight-year-old, the same way she used to before her swim meets when she was a kid. This is the same defense mechanism she used then. She'll be back to her old self once this is over. I have to believe that, or else I may not get through this myself. If Artyom’s plan went off without a hitch, then our dad will be okay. Josef, though, was that faked too?
“He’s going to be fine, Honey,” I whisper back to my sister, doing my best to sound like I believe what I'm saying to her. There are just so many things that could go wrong with the plan Artyom explained to us when he brought Dad over to say goodbye to us. Dad has S.C.U.B.A. diving certifications, so that should help. I know Dad doesn’t have experience being shot in the chest, but Artyom pointed out that Dad, Uncle, and Honey were all given vests like the one Ghost gave me, and Josef knows what he’s doing. But Josef wasn’t wearing a vest as far as I know. I take a deep breath. “We’ll see Dad again soon, Honey.”
“Artyom,” Uncle Suki says, “I'm taking the girls back down to the cabin below. That's the safest place for them to be, and there's no reason to stay up here with that bitch's goons aiming their guns at us.”
I want to ask Artyom what the plan was to keep Josef alive. I can’t ask him out here. There had to be a plan for him too. Josef and Dad will be alright. I have to believe that.
“Go with them. Guard the Yumikos,” Katana orders one of his men before adding, “Guard themagainstbeing harmed. Understand?”
The large, dark-haired man nods, showing he understands he is here to protect us. I feel a small amount of relief, but I know I won't feel okay again until I'm sure Dad and Josef are safe.
“Let’s go,” Artyom says to Katana when two men in military fatigues come to escort the both of them to Sonomi’s boat. We part ways as Uncle Suki, Honey, me, and Katana’s guard make our way down the stairway and back into the lower cabin.
“Are you girls alright?” Uncle Suki asks as we reach the bottom of the stairs.
“Are we alright? Are we alright?” Honey shouts. “What the hell do you think, Uncle Suki? Do you think we are alright?”
“Whoa, Honey,” Uncle says while trying to calm her with another hug.
“No! You tell me! After watching I don't even know how many people get killed just a few feet away from us, and after watching our dad being taken away after being ordered to be killed by the most evil woman on the planet, tell me if you think we're alright. Look in my eyes and ask me again if we are alright!” Honey moves away from Uncle Suki. Her hands are shaking just as badly as her voice, and her face is bright red.
“We are alright,” I say, taking hold of Honey by the shoulders and locking eyes with her.
“How can you say that, Mari? We are probably never going to see Daddy again! We'll be o-o-orph...” Honey stutters and trails off before collapsing into me, sobbing and wailing. I squeeze her tight enough to make my arms ache, but only for a second or two. I pull back and catch her gaze once again.
“We are alright,” I repeat. “Daddy is going to be alright like I said. He’s smart and strong, and Josef will be alright too. He’s strong and….” I shut my eyes tight. I can’t start breaking down. Now is not the time. I open them back up.
“Josef? I don’t care about him unless he’s in the water helping Daddy,” Honey cries out. The notion gives me hope before trying to help her the way I used to.
“Come on. Breathe with me. Just like before the meets,” I remember what I used to do to help her. I exaggerate a deep inhale through my nose to get Honey engaged with me. This isn't the first time I've had to talk her down from a full-blown panic attack. Well, 'had to' isn't exactly the right phrasing. I've always just kind of done it. Honey has always had a more difficult time with performance anxiety before a swim meet, and it always felt natural to try and calm her. It felt right, and I was good at it. And when Sven suggested my sister and I have sex with him at the same time, and then I beat the ever-loving crap out of him, it felt natural to talk her down from her panic attack then too. I can still hear her frantic, desperate voice in my head as she repeated her apology over and over saying it was all her fault. That made me hate Sven even more.
“And out,” I exhale through my mouth, staring into my sister's weeping, bloodshot eyes. Her pupils gradually restrict, letting me know the breathing is doing its job.
Uncle Suki comes up beside us and enfolds us in a solid embrace. We stand there holding one another for several bittersweet moments before the silence is finally broken.
“You know what?” Uncle Suki says. “I'll bet, before we know it, all four of us will be home laughing about all of this.”
“What?” Honey grunts out, still somewhat dazed from the come-down of her panic attack.
“Really?” I say, unable to keep the skepticism out of my voice. “You think someday we'll actually find all this funny?”
“Well, we may be laughing about it to a shrink while tied up in straight jackets. But, yes, absolutely!” Uncle Suki says.
I see Honey begin to heave again, her eyes shut, and I'm certain she's about to escalate again. She opens her eyes, and a smile grows across her face. I'm shocked and a little worried as she starts to giggle. Then I feel my body begin to heave as well, and I'm unable to keep Honey's contagious smile from spreading across my own face. I feel unhinged. I'm sure we must seem deranged to the guard Katana sent with us, but what else can we do? We just stand there, the three of us, laughing and clinging to one another for as long as we can.
24
JOSEF
I look at the Siren’s boat. Fortunately, it has a diving platform like the Splash. She must have bought stuff from the same movie prop master that I did. I climb up onto it and breathe a bit. There’s chatter above. There’s also some kind of buzz out in the water. It’s getting closer.
A zodiac raft is coming towards me. If it’s more of the Siren’s people, I have to give her credit for having so much territory covered. They’ll be able to take me out unless I get lucky. I’m about to get back in the frigid water to give myself a chance. Whoever it is, just cut the engine, and the momentum is bringing them closer. I can make out a suit, the same suit Mr. Yumiko was wearing.
“Ghost, what the hell?” I recognize both men now.
“What?”
“Why did you bring Mr. Yumiko back here?”
