Page 23 (1/2)

But even if itwith theer now that I had a clue as to their location

After I’d bundled the few iterabbed my cloak and ran out of the penthouse I descended in the elevator and rushed through the forest as fast as s could carry me I paused now and then, convinced that so me in the shadows, but they didn’t show theination

Half an hour later, I had reached the port I looked at the last sub onto its side, I opened up the hatch and lowered myself inside

Two ar the hatch shut My heart sank as Abby’s face appeared outside the hole above I expected that she’d try to stopdown at , Ben, I don’t think you should go alone"

I gazed at her, taken aback

She was right of course I shouldn’t be going alone The chances ofwere much less than if someone came with me But I hadn’t seen any alternative There was nobody on this island whoh to not turnto leave

"And you’re volunteering?" I asked, frowning at her

She dangled her legs through the hatch and slid down the ladder

"You don’t even knohere I’ to try to find your fa the hatch above her

I stared into her light blue eyes

"Well," I said, after a pause, "if you want to take this risk, I won’t turn down your help"

Chapter 22: Ben

Thanks to my uncle, Xavier, I knew al a submarine As a boy I’d been fascinated to learn how they worked By the age of eleven, I was piloting one by h I hadn’t had e to be able to travel long distances

Abby still didn’t question me about our destination even as we both took seats next to each other in the control roo, I reached into my pocket and showed her the er over Corrine’s mark

"Waianae," she murmured "And what do you expect to find here?"