Two ghosts - Lo'ak

Chapter 20

Pandora Reef

Metkayina Clan

"Brother", Lo'ak yelled, trying to grab Payakan's attention. Li'teya told her ilu to go faster as Lo'ak slowly slipped from her view. She saw Payakan float on his left side, his right fin above the water line.

"Oh god," she whispered to herself as Lo'ak approached Payakan.

"Shit" he shouted, jumping onto his fin and inspecting the red tracker in his skin. Teya caught up to her boyfriend, staring at the mark of death.

"Shit, shit, shit", he repeated, trying to figure out what to do.

Teya stood next to Lo'ak. "What are you doing here, Te? It's not safe."

"I wasn't going to let you go alone."

"Te", he started, but the rest of his friends neared, seeing the danger the tulkun was in

The rest of the group tried to prey the tracker out of his fin, but it was useless. Teya pressed her foot onto the tulken's back giving her some leverage, but she slipped falling off his fin.

"It's stuck!" Neteyam shouted, his head turning to the ocean as a ship filled with sky people approached.

"Oh fuck", Teya cursed, pulling the tracker harder.

"Call it in", Neteyam stressed. "Call dad." Lo'ak looked to Teya, who nodded.

"We need something to pull it out," Rotxo said as he slipped from pulling the tracker too hard.

"Rope", Teya mumbled" I have rope in my satchel" She called her ilu, who swam up against her thigh. She grabbed the rope from her bag, throwing it to Neteyam, who tied his end around the tracker while Teya attached it to her ilu saddle.

"Go, boy," she said, gently patting the ilu.

The ilu began to swim away, pulling the tracker, but it wasn't moving. The teenagers all began pulling the tracker harder as the human ships approached faster and faster.

"Pull harder", Tsireya called out. The group groaned as they tumbled into the water as the tracker dislodged from Payakan's fin.

"We need to get this tracker as far away as possible," Ao'nung said as he held it. Neteyam swam forward, taking the tracker in his hand. "I've got it; get out of here."

"No, Teyem, you've got t get your siblings out of here", she argued, taking the tracker.

"Teya", he warned. "Give me the tracker."

Li'teya shook her head. "I'm sorry", Lilak arrived beside her, dragging her away from the scene with the tracker in hand. Teya avoided the machines trying to seize her as she sped through the water. With the tracker still securely in her hand, she instructed Lilak to hide behind some seaweed.

She thought, "I've got to get rid of this." Teya spotted an oncoming submarine with two people aboard. She emerged from the seaweed and threw the tracker into the submarine's glass like a javelin. The glass broke, letting water flow in and drowning the people inside. She grinned at her achievement, but the smile was fleeting as a gigantic contraption with arms landed in front of her.

One of the metallic arms went forward and grabbed her leg despite her instructions to her ilu to leave. Teya panicked as she became aware of the limited oxygen in her lungs. She closed her eyes, remembering what Tsireya had been teaching her for almost 6 months.

The way of water has no beginning and no end. The sea is around you and in you. The sea is your home before your birth and after your death. Our hearts beat in the womb of the world.

Teya focused her breathing, her heart rate decreasing as she was pulled closer to the surface; she opened her eyes, catching a quick glimpse of her brother hiding in an air pocket.

He shook his head rapidly, refusing to believe his sister had been captured. Tsu'tey began to swim towards Li'teya, but Neteyam held him back.

"It's ok", she signed as the machine took her above the surface. She gasped for the air her body had been missing. Teya tried to escape the tight hold but only succeeded in bruising herself.

She screamed as she fell onto the deck of the main ship, Teya looked about, trying to find a way out, but before she could even consider moving, a big hand grabbed the top of her neck.

She screamed, struggling against the Avatar's tight hold, "Get off of me."

"Stop talking. As the Colonel approached Teya, he said, "Boss, I've got the one from the jungle."

Teya's heart froze at the sight of him, and she visibly trembled as she thought about what he had done to her family. "Yes, I remember you, missy, smart ass," he said, his American accent clearly audible. He grinned at the girl, which made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

The Avatar behind Teya pulled her queue because she wouldn't speak. Her gaze shifted from Quaritch to a tiny person standing behind him. The youngster appeared malnourished and weak, and his body was covered in bruises and wounds.

Teya said fiercely, "What did you do to him?"

Quaritch cocked his head toward the Spider, staring at one of his closest friends. Spider had a guilty expression on his face.

Spider pleaded, "Let her go," but the soldiers immediately stopped him.

"Spider!" Teya fought back against the Avatar teya. She exhaled, "You're a monster," and continued to look at the Colonel. In a fit of rage, the Colonel hit Teya with his palm. A drop of blood ran down her cheek as her head violently jerked to the side.

Spider shouted, "NO!

The intensity of the smack left Teya's head dizzy. She was unable to pay attention to her surroundings and could only vaguely recall feeling as though she was being pulled from Spider and onto the ship's loading dock.

"What did you do to her, you son of a bitch?" Lo'ak shouted

When Lo'ak noticed a limp Teya being dragged, his eyes filled with panic. He called, "Teya," hoping to wake her up.

Lo'ak was approached by Quaritch. "Apparently, you two have become closer since our previous encounter. Is she your little girlfriend? ".Teya was restrained to the railing between him and Tuk, and he responded, "I will kill you for touching her."

After being dissatisfied with his response, he unfastened his gun and laid it on Lo'ak's back.

Teya murmured feebly, "No lo'ak." Lo'ak's com was pulled off of his neck by Quaritch, who then put the earpiece in his.

"Sully, I'm sure you can hear me. You'd better get here soon if you want your kids back, especially Evans' daughter. My willingness to wait is waning."

Teya was slouched against the railing as Lo'ak shuffled over to her. His voice was filled with worry, "Love, are you ok?"

Teya gave a nod. "Are you hurt, ma'lo'ak?"

"No, Te, I'm fine. Please hold on for me." Lo'ak put on a brave face for Teya, Tuk and Tsireya. His job was to protect them, and he owed them that much.

a/n

im so sorry for the next few chapters of this book