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“Irvine installed a radioactive power source meant to last for hundreds of years,” said Cael.
I didn’t understand what that meant, but I still had questions. “Why did he keep this from the people? We could’ve been benefiting from these tools all this time. Light without fire, travel without wind, text without paper.” I pointed at the flat rectangle Cael had touched.
“Because of what happened before,” said Cael. “The world destroyed themselves by allowing this kind of power into the hands of the masses.”
“Then why do you think you should wield it?” asked Graham. “Will you not destroy yourself as they did?”
“I’m not the masses,” Cael said sharply.
I scoffed at his arrogance.
He looked back at me. “I will wield it carefully, with the wisdom Irvine intended.”
“Carefully?” I asked. “Do you really consider the violence you inflicted upon those men on the boat careful?”
“Absolutely,” said Cael, “because of the violence they first inflicted with the misuse of this technology.” Cael leveled his gaze at me, his eyes darkening. “They deserved their fate.”
I saw the familiar pain that resurfaced whenever he spoke of Fiona Merrick. He seemed to feel no remorse over what he’d done to the outlaws—all because of what they’d done to the woman he loved.
“You were willing to kill me, too,” I said. “Do you also attribute that to careful wisdom?”
“He would’ve done no such thing,” said my father. “Now let’s get a move on. Show us our vessel, Cael.”
“You weren’t there,” I countered, furious that my father actually believed that Cael wouldn’t have killed me. “You don’t know what Cael is capable of.”
I ignored him and stepped closer to the device Cael was touching. Images passed over the flat surface with descriptions beside them, most of them words I didn’t recognize, but a fewthat I did. I read the names of each as he searched—solar flashlights, machine guns, satellite radios. The satellite radios appeared to be the ones we’d been using. He next swiped through a variety of weapons that sent a chill down my spine. Then, eventually, an image of a familiar white boat with a sharp bow appeared.Remote Control Speedboat With Torpedo System, it said.
Torpedo. That must’ve been the weapon Cael had used to blow up the boat.
He swiped over the image to the next, a black boat with a similar shape to the white one.Remote Control Speedboat, the name beside it read. No torpedos on this one, thankfully.
Cael placed his entire hand over the image of the boat. Spinning green circles appeared under each of his fingertips and the text above readAuthenticating. A few seconds later, the entire surface flashed green and a low hum filled the cavern.
A loud clunk followed, leading to a chaotic whirring that joined in with the hum. Far above, the ceiling opened and a silver machine, like an arm with a giant metal claw, descended. It lowered into the center of the cavern, the pitch rising as it approached.
When it reached the lowest level of doors, just above the water, it paused with a whoosh. A set of wide metal doors in front of the claw slid open, revealing the exact boat I’d seen in the image moments before.
“Beautiful,” my father said, his eyes shining.
Graham met my eye and I moved closer to him, unsure if the look on his face was awe or terror—probably some of both.
Once the doors had completely opened, the silver arm hummed and clicked once more, its gears and parts twisting and interlocking in perfect synchrony as the claw split open and moved forward under the hull of the boat.
Then, once it seemed to have its target, it moved in reverse, carrying the full weight of the boat with it. The arm pulled the black boat completely out of its compartment, then descended toward the water, depositing it into the bright blue pool, hardly making a splash.
Once the boat sat on the water, the claw released it, moving smoothly upward until it retreated into the opening in the ceiling, which then closed in on itself, hiding the arm from view.
“She’s all ours.” My father’s voice sounded almost reverent as he approached the boat.
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
I hung back,staying beside Graham. I didn’t want to leave him, but I also couldn’t ignore the urgent desire to finally get out of here.
“Come, Mara!” My father shouted from where he stood at the side of the boat.
It didn’t seem I had much choice. I was still cuffed, and my father always knew how to get his way. I hardly stood a chance against him.
