"Beneath the Surface"

commander’s had the station locked down. Security was doubled,” she admitted.

“And what about Jane?”

“I got Shepherd to hold off interrogating her any further. I think she was about to crack and give him her name,” admitted Susan.

“Then we’ve got very little time,” said the soldier.

“Listen, Preacher, she was going to spill her guts about where she was from, and I stopped it from happening. How about filling me in?”

“Doc, do you like the payments you’ve been getting?”

She nodded.

“Do you want to keep getting them, even after this is over?”

Susan nodded again. “Of course I do.”

“Then don’t ask questions. Just do what we’re paying you for, and get me close to the Oceanic,” he ordered.

Susan told Preacher they were going to have to move quickly since she was sure that by now her insubordination had been discovered. She knew Max wasn’t overly patient and the timing wasn’t perfect. Seeing him at her desk, he no doubt had questions about her bank ledger. She wasn’t telling Preacher she’d screwed up. She’d take the heat with the commander. The worst he’d do is lose faith in her and toss her off the Oceanic; she hoped that would be figurative.

“These should allow you to attach to the launch. The diving equipment is fully aired and it’s not that long of a boat ride, even going slower for you being below. But there’s still a lot of risk,” she admitted. “Do you think you can do it?”

“I’ve done worse,” he said, slinging a duffel over his shoulder.

“Alright,” said Susan. “If you’re ready.”

Preacher climbed into the water and attached himself to the side of the launch while putting one of the magnetic handbars on the belly of the small craft. He gave Susan the nod, and she fired up the twin outboards. She’d have to keep the speed down compared to normal, but that was alright. Susan needed time to calm down. What she was about to do was serious, and by now, she feared Max had figured things out. She knew she was about tcommander’s had the station locked down. Security was doubled,” she admitted.
“And what about Jane?”
“I got Shepherd to hold off interrogating her any further. I think she was about to crack and give him her name,” admitted Susan.
“Then we’ve got very little time,” said the soldier.
“Listen, Preacher, she was going to spill her guts about where she was from, and I stopped it from happening. How about filling me in?”
“Doc, do you like the payments you’ve been getting?”
She nodded.
“Do you want to keep getting them, even after this is over?”
Susan nodded again. “Of course I do.”
“Then don’t ask questions. Just do what we’re paying you for, and get me close to the Oceanic,” he ordered.
Susan told Preacher they were going to have to move quickly since she was sure that by now her insubordination had been discovered. She knew Max wasn’t overly patient and the timing wasn’t perfect. Seeing him at her desk, he no doubt had questions about her bank ledger. She wasn’t telling Preacher she’d screwed up. She’d take the heat with the commander. The worst he’d do is lose faith in her and toss her off the Oceanic; she hoped that would be figurative.
“These should allow you to attach to the launch. The diving equipment is fully aired and it’s not that long of a boat ride, even going slower for you being below. But there’s still a lot of risk,” she admitted. “Do you think you can do it?”
“I’ve done worse,” he said, slinging a duffel over his shoulder.
“Alright,” said Susan. “If you’re ready.”
Preacher climbed into the water and attached himself to the side of the launch while putting one of the magnetic handbars on the belly of the small craft. He gave Susan the nod, and she fired up the twin outboards. She’d have to keep the speed down compared to normal, but that was alright. Susan needed time to calm down. What she was about to do was serious, and by now, she feared Max had figured things out. She knew she was about to be detainedo be detained