The Atlantis Expedition

Chapter Twelve: Dust and Shadows

It had been quite a trick to get Business to leave the other room, nearly ending with Metalbeard physically hauling him out. He'd insisted on them letting him at least finish taking pictures first- the walls were covered with texts carved or painted onto them, and he was eager to translate them. "Why don't ye give that brain of yers a rest?" the captain suggested, looking rather concerned.

"You seriously expect me to be able to sleep when I have something this fascinating to study??" Business protested. "What if there's clues in here on the temple? I didn't find much at the last one, you know."

"...Ye've got two hours," Metalbeard allowed.

"Would you mind doing it in the captain's cabin?" Emmet asked. "I'm ready to crash." He emphasized it with a yawn and a stretch.

"Sure," Business agreed easily, and practically ran back onto the ship to get started.

"I'll keep watch with you," Bad Cop told the pirate.

"Ye sure about that, lad?"

"Wouldn't be the first time I've gone forty-eight hours or longer without sleep. I'm pretty well used to it. Besides, I don't think I can sleep either, not with the threat of those sky pirates out there."

Metalbeard waited until the rest of their friends had retreated to their cabins for the night before speaking again. "Avoidin' sleep ain't the way to go about fixin' yer nightmare problem."

"That's not it," Bad Cop sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind tonight. I promise."

"Well, alright then..." Metalbeard didn't speak again, picking up on his introspective mood, and decided to leave him be.

The dizzy spells were increasing in frequency, but with them were coming back vague bits and pieces of memories, so old he wasn't certain of the reality of them, but something about his current situation just felt familiar. Like when he and Alastar were just toddlers, still trying to figure out how to switch out with each other. Dizziness had been common then, back when they hadn't been quite strong enough mentally yet to manage it.

It was unnerving. Good Cop was still gone, he could feel his twin's absence clearly. So why did it feel like... he might have someone to share headspace with again...?

It was a terrifying, reckless, and stupid idea, but he did it anyway. He closed his eyes and 'reached' back into his own mind, searching. Hello? Alastar, please tell me if that's you...

...hI.

He sucked in a sharp breath, going rigid. It was a good thing Metalbeard had wandered away some time ago; he could not deal with the questions right now, he had too many of his own. Letting out a shaky breath he raked his fingers through his hair, trying to calm his rattled nerves.

He was going to have to speak with Lucy at some point the next day.

~* *~

Even with two of their toughest keeping watch for the night, between the anticipation of an attack and the excitement of exploring the new temple, no one rested easily. Everyone was up bright and early the next morning, even Benny. Business was still poring over the photos at the breakfast table, scribbling down translations as fast as he could decipher them. "What did you find out?" Benny asked, sitting next to him to peer at his notes.

"That machinery you guys repaired last night? That's some pretty heavy-duty stuff- it looks like it might cause the entire temple to shuffle and reform its layout, something like a giant Rubik's cube."

Emmet's eyes went wide. "No way, that's awesome!"

"I also found this." He opened the photo gallery on his tablet and flicked it to a certain image.