Take A Dive [AquagirlxAqualad]

~5~

They swam together through seas of unconscious Atlantean soldiers and Manta Troopers alike, leading them to the science center. Kaldur, the champion of Atlantis, had identified a hidden doorway when Lorena heard something approaching. She struggled to keep from shouting a war cry that would both incite her, and intimidate her adversary as her hand shot out to hit whatever was hiding in the seaweed.

"Ow!" a familiar voice shouted daintily.

"Garth?" Lorena asked.

"Chill, Lorena, it's just us!" La'gaan proclaimed indignantly, pulling Garth from the weeds. Garth was bent over, nurturing his gut, which had just been precisely hit by Lorena in a very delicate spot.

"Impressive strength, Lorena, I would say it's tripled since we last sparred."

Lorena lifted her chin smugly, but Kaldur glared at Garth, disregarding La'gaan  and Lorena completely.

"You should be with Tula,"  He grumbled.

"The queen watches over Tula, and sent us after you!" Garth implored.

Lorena placed a hand on Kaldur's shoulder. "Hey," She said gently, "We're gonna need all we can spare if we want to stop Manta.

Kaldur conceded, and opened the gate with the security access code as the Manta sub loomed overhead, trying to break into the tower. Manta probably had his men already inside.

They swam silently through the halls, watched over by Atlantean Scientists and Sorcerers of old, many of whom Lorena recognized had made the technology that allowed her to live now.

"It's too quiet," She hissed.

"Do you have a plan?" Garth asked.

"Kaldur?" La'gaan squeaked. They looked around. Kaldur had disappeared.

"Kaldur?" Lorena echoed. As she spun around to look for him, three Manta Troopers appeared in the hall in front of them. Before they could aim their guns, Kaldur dropped down from the ceiling, knocking them out with his maces.

Garth's jaw dropped.

"I too have my studies," Kaldur assured him, replacing his water-bearers in his pack.

Lorena grinned as Kaldur turned on his heel, dragging one of the unconscious troopers to a hidden closet to hide their disappearance.

"That was the hottest thing I've ever seen."

"We heard you the first time, Lorena," La'gaan sighed.

Sticking out her tongue at La'gaan, Lorena took the last two troopers to where Kaldur was waiting.

"Wait a moment!" Garth stood next to one of the troopers in their suits. "I think I might have an idea."

~~~~~~~

"This is completely stupid," La'gaan grunted.

"You're just jealous because you don't look as fab as we do," Lorena struck a pose in her newly-acquired Manta suit, the latest summer trend from Atlantis. She ignored the roll in Garth's eyes. It was his idea, after all.

"Just wait for the signal, and then join us in the lab," Garth told La'gaan, struggling to tuck his long, dark tresses inside the helmet.

"Very well, what is the signal, pray tell?" La'gaan asked, arms folded.

"Just wait until you hear the lasers firing," Kaldur told him simply, all but slamming the opaque helmet onto his head.

La'gaan turned to Lorena, who shrugged. "Sounds legit to me." 

In a fleeting moment, she was tempted to chop off all her hair for this disguise, but Kaldur helped her hold her hair back and fit inside the helmet. Thankfully, the previous owner had a much bigger head. So even if some of her hair fell in front of her eyes, she could still see, and she could still slip into Manta's ranks undetected.