บท 25: Phase 24
David's Perspective
Early in the morning, mister hologram informed me that I was being summoned to the main area. After preparing myself, I went straight to the said area and found myself inside their office, where San is also present. I waited for him to announce the reason for our meeting but didn't hear anything from him.
We gazed in front of the room when a figure through the hologram started to appear. "This will be a short announcement as I have other meetings to attend to. The reason you are being summoned here is that this afternoon you are scheduled to leave this station for a public activity on the surface." It was Étienne.
I confusedly looked at San for clarification, but he only shrugged his shoulders. We are unaware of the reason behind this public activity, we parted ways to prepare for our journey back to the surface. We are required to follow orders, so even though things are not clear, we have no choice but to prepare to leave.
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The cramped interior of the deep-sea vehicle was alive with the hum of machinery, and we sat in tense silence. Our eyes flicked to the control panel, the muted glow illuminating our concerned expressions.
"Did you notice the captain's been acting weird lately?" I muttered, my voice low as I adjusted my grip on a metal handrail.
San glanced at me, nodding subtly. "Yeah, it's like he's hiding something. But we can't jump to conclusions without evidence."
Mandryx leaned forward, he, by the way, appeared suddenly when we were departing the station, peering out of the small window at the abyssal darkness beyond. "We're already dealing with suspicious activity at the lab. Let's not add baseless accusations to the mix."
San frowned, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his thigh. "I agree. We've got enough on our plate as it is."
My lips twitched into a wry smile. "True, but that doesn't mean we should completely ignore our gut feelings."
As the vehicle continued its ascent, the tension in the air grew palpable. The flickering lights cast eerie shadows on our faces, emphasizing the unease that had settled among the team.
"Captain's been altering our course subtly," San observed, his voice tense. "We're not heading directly to the surface."
My jaw tightened. "He's avoiding any communication with us too. Something's definitely up."
Mandryx's grip on the handrail tightened as the vehicle shuddered slightly. "Stay alert, but don't confront him until we're certain."
Our gazes shifted to the captain, who was hunched over the controls, his back tense and face obscured by the dim light. A disconcerting silence hung in the air, broken only by the creaking of the vessel and the distant echoes of the abyss.
Mandryx cleared his throat. "We're close to the surface now. Let's be prepared."
As the vehicle breached the surface, blinding sunlight flooded the interior. We shielded our eyes before lowering our hands to scan the horizon. It was only then that the captain's strange behavior became glaringly evident.
"He's signaling a ship in the distance," Mandryx noted, his voice edged with suspicion.
As we strained our eyes to see the approaching ship, a mixture of relief and skepticism washed over us. The vessel was marked with the emblem of an organization known for its humanitarian efforts in remote areas. The fact that they were here gave us a glimmer of confusion, yet the situation was still shrouded in uncertainty.
Mandryx's expression remained guarded. "Could this be a coincidence, or did the captain arrange for this?"
San's fingers twitched at his side, and his voice was low. "We can't rule out anything at this point. Let's prepare for any scenario."
I chimed in, my tone resolute. "I'll discreetly try to establish communication with the rescue ship. We need to verify their intentions."
As I attempted to establish a secure communication link, the ship drew closer. Its radio crackled to life, and a voice echoed through the cabin. "This is the S.S. Samaritan. We received an anonymous distress signal. Are you in need of assistance?"
Mandryx exchanged a glance with us, his suspicion still lingering. "Anonymous distress signal? That's curious."
San's brow furrowed. "Could someone from the station have sent it? Or is this part of a larger setup?"
Before we could speculate further, the captain's voice boomed over the intercom. "Everyone, remain calm. The situation has escalated beyond what I anticipated. The company intends to ambush you on the surface, but I've taken measures to ensure your safety. The S.S. Samaritan is here to rescue you."
A surge of emotions washed over us—a mix of surprise, gratitude, and confusion. It seemed the captain had been looking out for us all along, taking a stand against the company's ulterior motives. I smiled as clarification came crashing to me, remembering the image of the captain on the files that we retrieved from Mister Lex. The reason he was on the target list was because he surely knew something, and he also knew about our secret knowledge regarding the matter.
As the rescue ship's crew skillfully guided our vehicle alongside their own, we boarded the S.S. Samaritan, greeted by a team of friendly faces and warm blankets. The relief was palpable as we settled into the ship's interior, knowing that we were out of immediate danger.
Mandryx finally turned to the captain, his expression a blend of gratitude and curiosity. "You went out of your way to protect us. Why?"
The captain's gaze was steady, and his voice was tinged with resolve. "I may have my disagreements with the company's methods, but I've always considered the well-being of my nephew's team a priority. I couldn't stand by and let them put your lives in danger."
The three of us exchanged glances. By what he said, the captain chuckled before extending his hand in front of me. "Hi, I'm captain Kylan Jace, Brock. I'm Landon Zane, Brock's younger brother, and your uncle."
I didn't know how to react to this sudden revelation, that is why his name is familiar to me. I hesitantly accepted his hand in front of me. As I observed his bareface, I smiled as he resembled my late father's face, they even have the same mole at the same spot beside their left eye.
After that welcoming handshake, he glanced at Mandryx and San. "Keep being curious, since the day I sent you down there, I knew you would be the one to uncover all these. By the way, I'm the person Mister Lex was trying to find, the one on the footage who sneaked inside his tower. I'm actually the person watching all your secret activities from the moment you set foot on this mission."
"That was you?" It was San who was surprisedly asked, and the captain nodded with a guilty smile.
"I'll meet all of you next week to further talk about all these, for now, go and continue what you're doing. I'll handle everything and try to make excuses regarding this rescue thing."
San nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for having our backs, even when the odds were against us."
We leave that place with less confusion. I can't stop rethinking and digging in my memories about when the last time I saw him was, but it only hurts my head. I'm currently on the deck, and the sun has dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the deck of the ship. Mandryx suddenly appeared and leaned against the railing, his eyes fixed on the distant shoreline as the wind ruffled his salt-and-pepper hair. Beside him, I stood, absently tracing circles on the railing with my finger.
"I never thought I'd see you again, Raiden," Mandryx said, breaking the silence between us.
I glanced at him, a wry smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "Funny how life throws curveballs, isn't it? Who would've guessed our paths would cross on a fake mission of all things?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, well, fate has a twisted sense of humor."
The wind carried our words away, and we stood in companionable silence for a moment, lost in our thoughts. It had been years since we'd last seen each other, since the day we decided to go our separate ways without actually terminating our marriage contract.
"You know," I began, "when I signed up for this mission, I never imagined I'd be sharing a ship with my estranged husband."
He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. "Estranged? We're still technically married, you know."
I rolled my eyes. "Technically, yes. But you're the one who disappeared to the other side of the world without a word."
His expression softened. "Because I had to. The opportunity—it was consuming me."
"Consuming you?" I retorted, my voice tinged with frustration. "You could've at least clarified things with me, called, sent a message, or something, you just left me hanging."
"I know, I know," he said, his voice laced with regret. "I should've."
We fell silent again, the weight of our unspoken words hanging in the air. The rescue ship continued its journey, the waves gently rocking the vessel as if they were trying to ebb away the awkward tension between us.
"Do you remember our honeymoon?" He suddenly asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
My lips twitched into a grin. "How could I forget? That mishap with the rental car in a foreign country—classic."
He laughed, the sound carrying over the wind. "And the attempt at cooking dinner on our last night there? We set off the smoke alarm in the entire hotel!"
I chuckled. "Yeah, but at least the view from our balcony was amazing."
A genuine smile spread across his face. "It was. And you know, despite everything, those memories still make me smile."
I nodded, my gaze softening. "Mine too."
As the rescue ship continued its journey, we found ourselves reminiscing about old times and sharing stories and laughter. The bitterness that had festered over the years began to dissipate, replaced by a renewed sense of camaraderie.
The sun had completely set, and the deck was now bathed in the soft glow of the ship's lights. Mandryx turned to me with a hesitant smile on his face. "Raiden, I know we can't undo the past, but maybe we can start anew from here?"
I met his gaze, a mixture of emotions playing across my features. "Maybe we can and maybe we can't."
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