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I pulled up the holo of the map of the lab, doing as Thorsten instructed, which was to not show the entire layout. And sure enough, there was a docking bay leading inside.
Thorsten began. “The tunnel we found is an extended docking hatch used to connect two rooms. There’s a good chance the bay could be free of water considering each section of the station was like a small island of its own. The builders sealed the station’s individual compartments, encase one section was compromised.”
“If it is, then make sure the area is secure before shutting down your oxygen,” I instructed. “Just because I’m sending down fresh tanks don’t give you license to squander what you have. Treat every tank as if it is the only one you have.”
“Question.” Raze raised his hand.
“Shoot.”
“Can we break tether once we’re inside the station? It’s going to be very difficult loading up my crate if I’m stuck to everyone.”
“Inside the station and only if it is free of water. If it isn’t, then manage.” I said prepared to explain the game plan. “If the large scaffolding is removed, you should be able to bypass Lala’s body and enter the tunnel. Hopefully it leads directly to the station. To keep from suffering the same tragedy as before, I don’t want you wearing tanks inside the tunnel. Only use them while you’re being lowered into the first level of the abyss and while Thorsten and Jaxon are moving the scaffolding. You will then remove the tanks and place them on the float crate I’ll send down with you. That should make them easy to transport through the tunnel. Take puffs of air only when you need to.” Float crates were crates we attached floatation devices to so we could inflate and deflate at will. It made it easier to transporting heavy equipment and get it to the surface without issues.
“There’s a chance a sealed hatch into the station is waiting for us. I want Dean in charge of cutting it open.” Thorsten added.
“If it goes over ten minutes, leave the tunnels and come back to the platform and I’ll raise you up and we can try a plan B.”
Everyone seemed ready and eager for the dive as the crane carrying the platform with all of them onboard hovered above the water. I ordered Gio to lower the large loot crates the divers would use to load the goods onto during their mission. Seven for every member of the crew: Thorsten, Raze, Dean, Jaxon, Jon, Shani, and myself. The crew would toss the loot into the crates which would remain underwater below the ship and will be the last to leave the water before we depart.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
KAL
I watched Thorsten as he disappeared into the water; I knew this would be harder on him than anyone, but I also knew that none of them wanted this as much as he did or was as determined.
I saw everything through his eyes…technically. The murky water, the trash that floated by, everything. Gio lowered the crew down until they stopped just above what used to be a tall building under the sea. This was only slightly lower than before. “Do you see that scaffolding inside of that building?”
“Yeah, it’s tough as shit to see, but we got a visual.” Jaxon replied.
“Good.” I said, hoping they wouldn’t need to go any lower.
I listened as Thorsten and Jaxon planned the way they would lift and bend the metal before they went to work. I could hear the metal on the radio twisting and giving way.
“Seems as if you are in your element.” Gio stood a little too close for comfort.
“Yeah, I guess,” I said, shifting away while keeping my eyes on the action. So far everything was going according to plan, but one hiccup could be fatal on a job like this. Thankfully, we found this shortcut or it would have taken months of planning a floor walk to find it. A floor walk is as it says, where the dive team is weighted and sent to the actual underwater streets and have to trek or float to get around. I turned off the radio though I could still hear them, I didn’t want to disturb the crew as they worked but I was ready to hop on at any moment.
“Do you really think he will unshackle you?” He paused for a split second. “The walls aren’t that thick.”
“Is that what you do? Stand around eavesdropping on us?” I asked, disgusted.
“I’m merely protecting my investments, knowing what I’m getting and what my assets are when it’s all said and done.”
“You don’t care about him at all, do you? You’re just a parasite salivating at your host.”
“He knows what our arrangement is. I worked hard to make sure this house remained in power for my ascension and now it is facing near shambles because my host couldn’t control his cock. Now he thinks he can just run off to some desert paradise with what essentially should be my property.”
I turned to him, surprised. “You eavesdrop everywhere, I see.”
“He’s lying to you, to make you feel better. He’s wanted to go home for too long to just give it up. And you, you think you are suffering from one of your dwarven viruses. How wrong you are. Being with him is making you sick.”
“Like a coward, you talk crap once he’s gone. Say all that when he gets up here.” I spat, not wanting to hear him try to weasel his way into my head and fill it with doubts.
“Considering how weak he will be once he gets back, I think I will.” He chuckled, delighting in annoying me. “It doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t have to die with him.”
“Let me guess, you will say I can work with you to hurt Thorsten and then you kill me and laugh in my dying face.”
“I will need to build my own legacy and it must rival his, which wouldn’t take much. Thorsten acquired vast amounts of wealth, of course. But a few straggling servants and one scarred up thrall is hardly a difficult legacy to surpass. Technically, you aren’t even official, so killing you is pointless. You have skill and you’re doing an okay job of leading a team. You can live on the second level as my diver, you put together your team and do what you do best. I will even give you your own shop to run, I will still care for your father. You will have your dream job and everything you want without the shackles.”
