His gaze is sadder than Top’s when he begs for dog biscuits. ‘We will have that conversation soon, my dear. I promise.’
Caleb snorts. ‘You aren’t really stupid enough to believe Hewett’s promises, are you? He promised us a bunch of stuff, too, when he was at LI.’
Hewett’s knuckles whiten as he clenches his fists. ‘That’s enough, Mr South.’
‘Professor, how about you tell them what you were working on for LI back when I was a freshman?’ Caleb suggests. ‘Before you lost your nerve. Tell them who had the idea for the Aronnax.’
He might as well have thrown another flash-bang grenade. My skull rings like a struck bell.
Gem takes a sharp breath. ‘Professor, what is he talking about?’
Hewett looks more annoyed than ashamed. ‘I did many things I wasn’t proud of at LI, Prefect Twain, before I knew what they were capable of.’ He returns his glare to our prisoner. ‘And today, Mr South, Land Institute proved why they can never be trusted with advanced technology. You destroyed a noble institution.’
‘Noble institution? You were protecting the legacy of an outlaw.’ Caleb squirms in his pink-ducky inner tube. ‘If you’re going to kill me, go ahead and do it. This thing is uncomfortable.’
Dru and Kiya stare coldly at Dr Hewett. Even Linzi looks shaken. Maybe, like me, they didn’t know before today that Hewett once worked at Land Institute. But it’s worse than that. Dr Hewett had the idea for the Aronnax. He helped create the weapon that destroyed our school and killed my brother.
‘We don’t execute prisoners,’ Hewett announces. ‘Dru, Kiya, throw him overboard.’
Caleb’s arrogant expression crumbles. ‘Hold on –’
‘Sir,’ Linzi protests.
‘He’ll be fine,’ Hewett assures her. ‘He has his buoyancy-control vest, his wetsuit, his water wings. Guards, proceed.’
Dru and Kiya look like they’re tempted to dump the professor instead, but, after a glance at Gemini Twain, the Sharks follow orders. They untie Caleb from his chair, then drag him thrashing and cursing to the port side and chuck him into the sea.
My last glimpse of my ex-abductor is his blond head bobbing up and down in our wake, spluttering and yelling unkind things about Harding-Pencroft. I imagine he’ll be picked up by someone soon enough. He’s loud. Also, his pink-ducky floaties make him easily the most colourful thing off the San Alejandro coast.
‘Miss Huang,’ Hewett says, ‘report to the bridge. Maintain our course due west at maximum speed.’
Linzi stirs. ‘Sir, we deserve –’
‘You’ll get your explanations,’ Hewett promises. ‘But first things first. Double-check the camouflage projectors and pulse-dispersion unit. Have the Orcas sweep the ship for any tracking devices. We must get away from the Aronnax.’ He turns towards me. ‘As for you, Ana Dakkar, you’re coming with me. I think it’s about time you gave us a course heading.’
On the way, I grab Nelinha and drag her along.
I need a friend at my side, even if she has to coexist with Gem for a while. I’m still reeling from … well, everything. I didn’t like Caleb’s warnings. I don’t understand why Dr Hewett thinks I’m the one who should decide our course heading. Why does he keep singling me out like this? He’s the one with all the secrets. And I’m still not sure I trust Gemini Twain to have my back.
At the end of the corridor, Hewett opens the door to the captain’s cabin. I’ve never been inside before. The place is massive: a full-size bed against the port wall, windows overlooking the bow, a big conference table, and on the starboard side …
I gasp. ‘Socrates!’
The entire starboard side of the room is an open saltwater tank. The Plexiglas wall is maybe twelve feet long, five feet high, curved inwards at the top to prevent the water from sloshing out when the ship moves. The tank isn’t big enough for the dolphin to live in, but there’s enough room for him to splash around, turn and float comfortably. On either side is an underwater metal flap that reminds me of a giant pet door. I don’t quite understand how the tank was engineered, but the chutes must connect to the open sea, allowing Socrates to come and go as he pleases.
Socrates pokes his head over the lip of the Plexiglas. This puts him at eye level with me. He chatters happily. I give him a hug and kiss him right on the beak. I realize I’m smiling for the first time since the school’s destruction.