Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XV

SEAN

Music: Intermezzo from Gradius V

After our little ordeal in the mine is over, Mackenzie gets out the teleportation device Dr. Scientist gave us to send Eghosa home. The device is able to work with addresses, so Eghosa enters her address, places the tiny circle down on the ground, and steps on top of it. She smiles at us and waves goodbye to us before slowly fading into nothing. The device returns back a few seconds later. Meanwhile, Sam starts up yet another video call with Dr. Scientist himself.

"Man, you look like you've been through a rough time," is the first thing he says to us, taking notice of some of us panting from all the running we did earlier.

"The mine randomly collapsed on us for no reason," Mia says.

"Mmm. It's getting awfully late over here... are you thinking about calling it a night?"

We all look at Sam, Mackenzie, and Avery. All three shake their heads no. "Nah. Maybe we'll go to one more place, then call it a night," Sam answers.

I quietly groan.

"Well, if you're thinking about going anywhere else, there's a place on the Pacific Ocean right next to where you are. I don't know how you plan on finding them, but-"

Dr. Scientist is interrupted by Sam. "Actually, I can just use the hovercraft's submarine mode."

"The hovercraft can turn into a submarine?" I ask, astounded.

"Yeah. It's a new feature."

"You're kidding." Heath's face is filled with shock.

"Nope. Come on, I'll show you." Sam steps up to the hovercraft's controls, and gestures for the rest of us to join him.

"I swear, this thing gets more and more confusing," Mia whispers to me as the two of us are stepping on.

"Amen to that," I nod.

SHANNA

Music: Yellow Pac-Marine from Pac-Man World 2

Shortly after we take flight, we pass the coastline of Lima and start flying over the Pacific Ocean. It's at this point that Sam presses a blue button on the hovercraft's control panel. Translucent glass walls begin forming around the hovercraft, and we slowly descend into the water below. Once underwater, two propellers pop out of the hovercraft's rear end and begin spinning quickly.

"Hold on. We're not gonna be able to last down here for very long," Elle notes. She's sitting right next to Sam, watching him as he controls us through the ocean.

"Relax. We've got enough oxygen to last us about 24 hours. And we're not going to need that much time," Sam replies.

Mia, Mackenzie, Sean, and I glance outside through the full-length glass windows. While the view isn't crystal clear, it certainly is amazing. Light from the moon reflects off the surface of the water, making the lighting underwater really cool. We occasionally run into groups of fish swimming around, which usually swim out of our way upon spotting us. Corals and small leaves of all colors litter the bottom of the ocean. It's really a sight to see.

"Wow... it's so beautiful..." I marvel, placing my hands on the glass.

Across the hovercraft from us, Heath, Luke, and Skylar are doing the same thing we're doing. I hear Heath mutter to himself, "Man... sea life really is impressive to watch up close."

Avery's taking in all the sights from the back of the hovercraft. She turns around and asks Sam, "Have you found anything yet?"

"Not really, but then again, it's kinda hard to get a good view. It's kinda blurry up here," Sam yells back.