BEYOND THE SEA. JAMES "MAC" MACKREIDES (THE MEG 2018)

ANASTASIA KATZ, ASSISTANT AND MAID (APPARENTLY).

NORMALLY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE A FEAR OF THE OCEAN AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS, RIGHT?

Probably, but not for Anastasia Katz, she worked in the middle of the ocean.

Her fear wasn't so much the thought of a Tsunami, but instead the view below the water. No one knew exactly what was below the surface and the potential creatures swimming around.

She loves sea life, sharks being her favorite, but no way in hell would she get into the water with a shark.

She worked at Mana One off the Chinese coast as an Assistant for Doctor Minway Zhang, and she loved her job, despite working in the ocean far, far, away from land.

She stood next to Doctor Zhang on the platform below the stairs, a crew member next to him, and one crouched on the stairs, waiting for the helicopter to touch down.

She saw Doctor Zhang wave at the man in the helicopter and Anastasia sent him a smile, squinting her eyes slightly to see him, she really needed to update her contact prescription.

The two workers sprung into action once the helicopter was on the pad, one of them went to open the door, revealing a very excited-looking Morris, who was also dressed like a 12-year-old boy.

"Are we living the dream here or what?" He yelled out, rudely sticking his bag out to the worker who walked past him to assist the other. Morris laughed as he got closer to the two.

"Welcome to Mana One, Mr. Morris." Zhang stuck his hand out for Morris, "Get that thing away from me," Ana widened her eyes slightly as she stood behind them.

"What are you doing?" He didn't give any warning before he brought the Doctor into a bone-crushing hug. "Come on, bring it in. There we go."

"Good to see you again, Mr. Morris. This way please," He gestured to the lower level.

"Hey, you always smell so nice. What is that? Sandalwood?" Anastasia had to bite her lip to stop letting out a laugh at Doctor Zhang's surprised facial expression. Once the two passed her, with no greeting from Morris, she hurried up the steps and grabbed Morris' bag from where it was dropped.

After the three met with Suyin and Meiying, two of Ana's favorite people on Earth, who Morris tried to speak Mandarin to in greeting, the group (minus Meiying) made their way to the elevator. "Your granddaughter's a pistol," Morris spoke, patting Doctor Zhang on the back as the four stepped into the elevator.

"Okay," Morris looked around the run-down-looking elevator. "What have we here?" The other three silently watched Morris judge the elevator, "This is, um, really...ugly." Anastasia had to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"You know, I realize that we're under construction and everything, but I really think that a world-class research institute deserves a world-class entrance."

Oh boy, if only he knew.

"Yeah, I couldn't agree more." The slight smile on Doctor Zhang's face after he spoke confused Morris, he made a gesture with his hands as if he were saying, okay so why is it this ugly?

The elevator doors opened revealing the O-Level, and that world-class entrance Morris was speaking about. "Whoa!" Morris whispered in shock. Suyin gave Anastasia a smug smile at Morris's shock, Ana returned it.

"Welcome to the O-Level."

Morris chuckled, "Nice." Anastasia stood back, "Mr. Morris, would you like me to place your bag where you'll be staying?"

"Oh, no, you can hold onto it." He threw a hand back to her in dismissal and Ana nodded, even though he didn't spare her a glance.

The four quickly explored the O-Level, Doctor Zhang gave Morris a tour, and he and Suyin explained everything. Anastasia had been on the level many times before, taking the same walk, but the view never ceased to amaze her, and she loved listening to Doctor Zhang and Suyin speak so proudly about the institute.

The view used to freak her out, being underwater and not able to see that far out and all, but she got over it with the help of Meiying.

"Dive control level."

"Here we are. Follow me quickly. I hope we are on time."

Anastasia followed behind Morris until he abruptly turned around, "What's your name again?"

"Anastasia." She smiled sweetly, perhaps too sweetly.

"Right. My bag can go up to my room now. I like my pillows fluffed, make sure they are." Ana nodded, "Of course, Mr. Morris. Anything else I can do for you?" She added the last part more so as a joke, she didn't expect him to need anything else but she should've known better.

"Make life easier for me and unpack my bag, I trust you not to steal my things." He turned around and walked ahead of Doctor Zhang and Suyin, the two gave Ana smiles in apology before catching up to Morris.

Anastasia walked back into the elevator and clicked the level that Doctor Zhang told her Morris would be staying on.

She knew it was her job for the week to make sure Morris had a pleasant stay at Mana One, and that he felt taken care of, but she couldn't help but feel bummed she wasn't able to watch Lori, Toshi, and The Wall's dive.

If Doctor Zhang was correct in his hypothesis and the Mariana Trench was indeed deeper than imagined, that was something she wouldn't want to particularly miss, but it seems she would be.

She made the walk to Morris' room, threw his bag onto the bed as she stood in the doorway, missed the bed by a landslide, then hurried over to the bag and placed it nicely on the bed, also making sure his pillows were fluffed.

It was quite outrageous for someone to want a stranger to unpack their belongings, and Ana hoped Morris didn't pack anything she'd be disgusted to see.

Surprisingly he packed relatively normal things, his underwear was the only thing that made her grimace as she put them away.

After shutting the last drawer and hanging his bag up on the coat rack, she washed her hands in the bathroom, being a bit grossed out from having to touch his undies, and left the room.

She took the elevator to the dive control level and was met with Mac. Her eyes widened slightly, not expecting to run into him, feeling a bit nervous.

"Hey, I was just about to get you," He walked into the elevator and clicked one of the buttons, "We're going to Thailand." Anastasia furrowed her eyebrows, "Thailand? For what?"

"The Origin has gone offline, it's a long story, I'll tell you on the way there." The elevator opened to the top level, where she had met Morris earlier.

"I still don't get what that has to do with Thailand."

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