Andee the Aquanaut in Guardian of the Great Seas

Chapter Thirteen THE GREAT ESCAPE

"The jellyfish!" He smacked his fist into his palm. They must be watching out for me, just as the queen jellyfish said she would!

I need to make these boats head in a different direction, away from the dolphins! But how? While Andee thought hard, his thoughts turned into colored bubbles appearing from the top of his shark-fin head. Like a fine rainbow mist, they drifted across the sea.  

 The jellyfish had been listening to every word Andee had thought since he came into trouble.

What if the jellyfish can help? Maybe they can control the ships and make them steer in another direction? If we can force them to crash into each other—that would save the dolphins!'

"That's not difficult!" Andee heard a voice strike into his mind. "We jellyfish can use our unique vibrations to confuse the navigation signals on the boats. It'll be easy!"

Andee smiled while listening.

The jellyfish continued, "But even if we can change the direction of the boats, the fishermen will find a way to come around again. The dolphins would still be in trouble."

Andee understood what the jellyfish meant. "Yes ... but if we can make them crash into each other ... they'll be stopped for good!" Andee frowned in determination. "This might work! Can I have your help, jellyfish? We need to act fast!"

Effervescence—seafoam—drifted across the ocean as Andee communicated with the jellyfish, telling them his plan. Once the tactics were agreed on, he raced toward the dolphins.

The pod was now close to the dead-end reef. The fishermen shouted, sounding their horns, horridly excited about their catch. The dolphins were running scared, screeching loudly in distress.

Andee propelled himself in front of them, hollering at the top of his lungs, "Listen, all of you. You must follow me. I'm here to help you. A dead-end reef is up ahead. You'll come to great harm if you go any farther!" You must change direction ... NOW!"

Although stricken with panic, the dolphins slowed down. Andee continued, "I'm Andee, Andee the Aquanaut. I have come to protect you."

The dolphins stared in puzzlement.

"It's true!" whistled Dad dolphin who'd kept Andee in his sights. "Listen to the boy. He has come to help. You must listen. There's no time to lose!"

Tingo and Tango also chased along with the pod calling them to heed.

"Okay," the dolphins cried, "we'll trust you." They had no other choice.

"Quick, Andee!" The dolphins have your faith!" Dad dolphin bleated.

With that, Andee dove to the bottom of the reef. Flicking on his lights, he noticed a narrow gap between the rocks.

"Tingo, Tango," he instructed, "I want you to lead all the dolphins through this gap in single-file. Got it?"

"Okay, Andee," replied Tingo and Tango, as they followed his lead.

"This way," Tingo shouted, urging them all forward.

One by one, in an orderly fashion, the dolphins followed Andee's instructions, diving deep below, passing through the narrow gap between the reefs. Meanwhile, back on the surface, the trawlers were catching up, shadowing over the pod, ready to cast their nets!

A burst of light struck the ocean, igniting over the boats! It had been sent by the jellyfish! All three ships instantly lost control of their wheels. Instead of crashing over the dolphins, they veered sharply to port, heading straight for each other. SMASH!

The boats collided! The fishermen didn't know what had hit them; They hollered out to one another "Get out of the way!" But it was too late. Twisted together in a mangled mess, all three ships headed straight for the rocks!

Under the water, the last of the dolphins managed to swim through the narrow gap as Andee followed close behind.

The boats met the reef seconds afterwards, crashing onto the rocks as wood ripped bursting into flames.

The school of dolphins was saved! Swimming through to the other side, they made it out to the open sea.

"Wooohooo!" they cried.

"You did it, Andee," clicked Tango, being the first to congratulate him with a firm pat on the back with his fin.

"You are the best brother ever!" clicked Tingo, smiling.

"We are so proud of you," whistled Dad and Mom dolphin as they nudged their noses against Andee's chest.

Andee's family swam over to the other dolphins to comfort them by rubbing noses while whistling and clicking. Mom and Dad dolphin introduced Andee to the pod. "This is our boy, Andee the Aquanaut. We're proud to have him as a member of our family!"

A young dolphin swam up close to Andee. He rubbed his nose on Andee's arm as he bleated, "Thank you, Andee. You will always be our best friend and a good brother to us all!"

Andee puffed his chest and replied modestly, "In fact, this is not only my personal doing ..."

He really wanted to tell the dolphins about how the jellyfish had helped—that they too should be thanked. But he heard the jellyfish queen in his thoughts. Do not tell anyone our role. We want to protect our kind and our powers, Andee.

Andee breathed back in and said, "Without the help of Tingo, Tango, and Mom and Dad, we'd never have made it! Thank you, my family."

They led the rescued bottle-nosed dolphins far out to sea leaping from the waves, racing toward the horizon. How amazing ... to be a part of all this, thought Andee as they faded into the setting sun.