Interning on the Aronnax

Wires Crossed

A/N: I'm ridiculously proud of this chapter's title. XD

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"What now?" Ant groaned, slumping into Fontaine's chair.

Kaiko pulled up a few things on her console. Her eyebrows shot up.

"Mum?" Fontaine peered over Kaiko's shoulder. "What does that mean?"

"Whatever started up our air before I replaced the bulb has intercepted my controls," Kaiko said.

Ant leaned back. "Huh?"

"The air working wasn't a malfunction or luck, somebody rerouted power in the hold somehow."

"Who? None of us have gone to the hold," Will said.

"Could be a fluke," Kaiko admitted. "Some wiring got crossed when the whales hit us, and the controls were disconnected is all."

The consoles chirped. Kaiko's brows rose higher. She nudged the controls, and the Aronnax responded this time. Kaiko released the controls and stood.

"I need to check the hold," Kaiko said, standing.

"The hold is probably a mess now. I'll go with you," Will offered.

"I'm in!" Ant said.

"I'm curious, too," Fontaine said, wanting more to see their faces when they saw their savior than anything else.

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Will had been right in his prediction. Many of the hold restraints were electric, and had thus come undone when the Aronnax lost power. Crates and their contents were scattered around the huge room.

While Will and Ant started gathering the supplies, Fontaine followed Kaiko to the back of the hold. They rounded a tall crate, then Kaiko stopped short. Fontaine grinned, then peeked past her mom. She frowned.

The old generator had slid against the wall, breaking a few wall panels. Wires, a few twisted and barely connected, were exposed. A length of extra wiring lay on the floor, only slightly out of place in the trashed hold.

No Finn. No real sign he'd done anything.

"That's weird," Fontaine said.

"Talk about luck," Kaiko said, misunderstanding Fontaine. "The generator must have hit the wall just right to jolt the wires for the air scrubbers against the outlet."

"Very lucky," Fontaine said quietly, resisting the urge to scream. "Mum, I'll be right back. I just have to go grab something."

"Alright," Kaiko said distractedly while she prodded the wires into place. "Just be careful. I haven't been able to run a full diagnostic."

"I'll be careful," Fontaine promised.

Fontaine ran from the room. She sighed in relief when no one asked where she was going or followed. She had to find Finn.

Fontaine highly doubted that the air had come back on by pure accident. Maybe if she didn't know about a certain former pirate, she could believe it. Stranger things had happened to her family.

But, no, it had to have been Finn. But why did he remove his work once Kaiko fixed the bulb/Aronnax issue? And why did he leave again? Even if her parents were the sort of people to reject offers of help, Finn revealing himself after saving their lives would be Finn's best chance.

Fontaine shook her head. "Boys."

Fontaine walked into her room and closed the door. She then hopped into the ducts and crawled the familiar path to the hideout.

"I know you're in there, Finn," Fontaine called out in warning. When she didn't get a response, she sighed and pushed the cover aside. "Really, Finn, why'd you run-"

Finn was in the hideout like Fontaine had guessed. But he was sprawled on the floor on his stomach, like he'd fallen while climbing down. He didn't move or react to Fontaine.

"-away?" Fontaine scrambled to the floor. "Finn? Finn, what's wrong?"

Fontaine shook Finn's shoulder. When this still didn't get a reaction, she shoved Finn onto his back.

Finn's eyes were closed. He was unconscious.

"Finn?!"

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A/N: I'm pretty sure that what's going on with Finn is a thing. Google is being incredibly unhelpful.

But, I'm proud to say that I have four extra chapters, so that means a chapter a day for at least four more days!