And it would be her fault. All her fault. God, how had her father lived with the guilt? No wonder he'd become an alcoholic. In that moment, she had an understanding of him that she'd never had before. She'd spent so much time blaming him that she hadn't even considered the blame he'd reserved for himself. The gnawing pain of knowing he'd endangered his family and the memory of them dying because of his actions.
I am so sorry. Dad.
If she got out of this and if the others were okay, it was over. She would never jeopardize other people again. This was just a stupid dream that wasn't worth another drop of blood. Another life. Atlantis didn't want to be found.
She was through.
Suddenly Geary realized that the water was getting lighter. Looking up, she could see the sunlight refracting in the waves over her head.
Not much farther... Her joy was tempered by the fear of what she would find there waiting for her. Of what'd happened to the rest of their crew. Horrific images haunted her. Thoughts of Tory and Thia lying facedown in the water. Or disfigured... of them calling out to her for help...
Please, please, please be okay.
Her throat was getting tighter as she neared the top. The pain of having no air in her lungs was oppressive and painful. Her lungs burned like fire as even more panic tore through her. How tragic to die this close to their destination. Just a few feet more and she'd reach the surface.
She began unfastening her helmet as she kicked up. Her limbs felt so heavy. Her heart was pounding from the strain. She wanted to take a breath so badly but knew that she couldn't.
Please....
By the time she reached the top, she had the helmet off. Geary tossed it aside as she finally gulped air.
She was shaking and cold as water rushed into her suit. But it was so good to be breathing freely again that she didn't even care.
She turned a circle in the water trying to get her bearings. The first thing she saw was the smoldering remains of their boat-not that there was much of it left.
Hysterical, she started swimming for it, only to have someone pull at her. She turned to find Arik there.
"They're dead," she sobbed, pulling away from him. "I have to go find them."
"They're not dead."
Anger tore through her and as she opened her mouth to tell him not to patronize her. He pointed in the opposite direction of the boat.
She looked to find the small life raft that held Tory, Justina, Solin, Althea, Thia, Christof and Brian. Relief tore through her with such ferocity that she sank back under the waves.
Arik caught her against him and helped her back to the surface. She was laughing and crying as she wrapped herself around him and kissed him. He'd never seen anything like this. It was like her emotions were completely beyond her control. She smiled at him before she left and headed for the others.
Baffled, he treaded water while Kat and Scott popped up beside him.
"Thank the gods," Kat sat after she'd tossed her helmet aside.
"What the hell happened to the boat?" Scott asked.
Kat gave him a "duh" stare. "It appears to have blown up."
"Yeah, but why?"
She gave Arik a harsh stare. "That's an interesting question, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is."
Scott immediately swam after Megeara while Kat and Arik hung back.
"Do you think Zebulon had a hand in this?" he asked her.
Kat shook her head. "Not his style. He'd have simply crushed all of us and left nothing behind. No, this was a thoughtless act."
"Human then?"
"I don't know, but I will find out."
Arik frowned. There was an odd note in her voice and he had a sneaking suspicion that she knew exactly who was behind this and didn't want to betray them, him or her.
Arik would have blamed this on the Dolophoni, but it wasn't their style, either. Their fight was with him, which meant they'd have come to fight him in the water and not bothered threatening the ones on the surface. Not to mention, the Dolophoni wouldn't have been this sloppy. No, had they been here, he would have known it. For that matter, he'd be bleeding from it.
So then who?
Damn, enemies were falling out of the trees. Lucky them.
LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY, GEARY PULLED HERSELF ONTO the raft and grabbed both Tory and Thia in a giant hug.
"Hey! You're getting me wet!" Thia snapped, shoving at her.
Geary ignored Thia as she held her close. "Thank God you guys are all right."
Tory kissed her cheek. "And so's Kichka." She held up the material in her lap to show a very upset cat, who was hissing at them. "I scooped her up on the way out."
Geary kissed the top of her cat's furry head before she took Kichka from Tory and looked around at the others. Everyone was there and accounted for. "What happened?"
Tory indicated Solin with her thumb. "Solin said he smelled a gas leak. If not for him, we'd all be dead now."
Geary scowled at the explanation. "Gas leak? How? Christof and I are always meticulous about inspecting everything."
Tory shrugged. "I don't know."
They both looked at Solin, who seemed strangely imperious even though his hair was tousled and there were black stains on his immaculate suit. "I merely smelled it and had a bad feeling that something was about to, pardon the pun, blow."
"Uh-huh," Geary said, stroking her cat. "You have these psychic moments often?"
One corner of his mouth lifted into a mocking grin. "You have no idea."
There was such a strange note in his voice that it actually sent a chill down her spine.
Teddy passed a small flask toward her. "For you, Skipper. We're glad all of you made it back in one piece."
Geary thanked him as Arik, Kat, and Scott joined them on the raft. She didn't miss the hostile look Arik passed to Solin before he came to sit beside her.
"You better?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Good." Arik reached to pet Kichka on the head. Kichka hissed and spat at him before she reached out with one paw to pop his hand.
Arik jerked his hand away from her claws.
Geary was stunned. In all the time she'd had her cat, Kichka had never behaved in such a manner.
Arik scowled before he moved out of the cat's reach.
"Kichka," Tory admonished. "What's gotten into you, girl?"
It was Solin who answered. "She's probably just upset over what's happened. It's been a crazy, mad day."
Maybe. But there was something very strange going on here and Geary wanted to know what it was.
Geary turned her head to look at the remnants of the boat as help came. It'd been a close call. Too close. Today they had all been lucky.
But tomorrow...
She didn't want to think about that. God, what if Solin hadn't smelled the leak? What if the others hadn't listened to him? Instead of boat chunks flying by, it would have been her friends and family.
The thought sobered her.
"We have backups of all the data," Tory said, taking Kichka from Geary's hands. "We can redo everything."
"No," Geary said, her tone firm. "We're through with this."
Everyone on the raft with the exception of Solin and Kat gaped at her.
"What are you talking about?"
"How can we quit?"
"Are you insane?"