To Be A Killer

Chapter 47: Submission

I let out an undignified shriek as the three of us get into the cold water. Thankfully it's unheard over the loud splash.

"Next time you want me to jump into the bloody ocean, remind me to wear two wetsuits," Louise says, teeth chattering. "This is freezing."

"Keep moving away from the docks, all of you," Janine orders. "You should adjust to the temperature soon enough if you stay in motion."

"Easy for you to say. I've never seen Five shake so much. If this wasn't for Maxi..."

"Yeah, I don't think any of us would be here if it wasn't for Maxi," Sam says, and Paula nods in agreement.

"And Ed and Caleb and everyone else. We know Comansys is holding them in the Laetitia Greenwald, and we've got the exact coordinates. This is our chance to get them back, and a little cold's not stopping me."

A little? I think to myself. This is not a little cold. It's November, nearing the end of it.

But I'll still push through, for Caleb. Getting him back would be the best birthday present I could ever get.

"If our intelligence is correct, Comansys will almost certainly be searching for foreign vessels. Hopefully they won't be watching the water itself as closely," Janine says.

It's smart thinking. Even though it's dark out, being twelve-thirty in the morning, they still will be looking out for boats. I just wish this water wasn't so stinking cold! Maybe it's because I'm slightly frantic, but I feel as if I might just get hypothermia if I stay in here too long.

"Those weights will carry you to the bottom, where you'll need to move as quickly as possible towards the Comansys vessel, which is around five miles out at sea. If you haven't secured your face masks, I suggest you do so now."

I put the mask on my face, and it covers everything from my chin to my hairline. I don't exactly like the feel of it, but I don't say anything on it. It'll help shield me from a bit of the cold, which is pretty good in my book.

"The masks will leave your mouths free for communication, not to mention keep you from swallowing any stray particles of zombie flesh that may have dissolved into the water."

I hear Sam grimace. "Dissolved flesh?"

"I still don't fully understand how the virus travels through water. Better to not find out today," Paula says with a shrug.

"How many minutes of air do we have in these?" I question.

"You'll have enough air to get out to the ship, but not much more to spare," Janine replies. "You'll need to work smartly and with upmost efficiency once the dive begins. Now, let some of the air out of your buoyancy compensating devices."

Louise raises a pale eyebrow. "Our inflatable jackets, you mean?"

"As the device deflates, you'll start to sink. Are you all ready?"

I nod, and Paula and Louise both give their verbal confirmation. I'm shaking from both nervousness and the cold.

This is it. If we mess this up, the chances of getting our people back are slim to none. It's now or never. This has to be done perfectly-no mistakes.

"Then we'll begin." She pauses. "Oh, and uh, one more thing. With information from the Ministry, we believe it's not just a ship you're traveling to... It's a flotilla."

My eyes widen as my head goes under. A flotilla... not just one ship. That must mean there are hundreds of people guarding Maxine and Caleb, thousands even. How will the three of us manage to get them out unseen? What if we get caught? What if we get captured?