The Neptune Challenge Read online

  “I don’t understand. Why would they want Robry and Bria? Why do they want more of us to go after them?”

  “We have some ideas about that,” my father says soberly, “but I can’t go into them with you now.”

  I swallow my rising frustration. As he heads for the ladder bolted into the cave wall, I dart in front of him. “Dad, wait. There’s something else. I know we just got here, and none of us is officially a Sea Ranger yet, but my friends and I need to go on this mission.”

  My father opens his mouth to speak, but Tobin cuts him off. “Sir, it’s going to take trust and teamwork to get Bria and Robry safely away from Kuron and his people. We work well together and we proved during our journey here that we can handle ourselves in tough situations.”

  “You said the rescue mission probably wouldn’t launch for a few more days,” I argue. “Couldn’t someone find the time to give us the Sea Ranger test?”

  “We could be Bria and Robry’s best chance of getting back here alive,” Tobin adds.

  “Please, Dad,” I say, holding his gaze for a long moment.

  He sighs and places an arm around my shoulder. “Sweetling, the last thing I want is for you to be involved in this. I just got you and James back. But I know I’d feel the same way if I were you. I’ll speak to Vival about it.”

  He drops his arm from my shoulder and swims for the ladder. “I’ll make sure you get tested,” he says as he slips off his dive fins, “but I can’t promise Vival’s going to pass you or make you Sea Rangers.”

  “Thanks,” I say, letting go of a long breath.

  “You can thank me by not getting hurt.” My father sends me a stern look. “Vival’s trials are hardly a picnic.”

  Janni swims over to our group at dinner. :Well, you got what you wanted,: she tells us all, but she’s looking at me. :We’ll be testing you tomorrow. Make sure you only bring equipment we specify for patrols. You can find the list on the computers in the dorm caves.:

  I blink at the resentment I hear in her tone. :I thought you wanted us to join your Sea Rangers.:

  :Yeah, but not right now. There are a million more important things my Rangers and I should be doing tomorrow besides testing you guys.: Janni turns and swims away before I can think of a retort.

  :Whoa, that wasn’t like Janni,: Kalli says, looking after her curiously. :Usually she’s really chill. I wonder what’s bugging her?:

  I don’t really care what’s bugging Janni. I’m too busy worrying about Robry and Bria and our tests tomorrow. My stomach’s coiled so tightly, I can hardly eat, and I’m not the only one. Tobin’s barely touched his food. Thom, however, shovels down his portions of halibut and seaweed like a machine. He even gets seconds.

  :You guys gotta eat if you wanna do well tomorrow,: he scolds us, and I force myself to swallow several more bites.

  After dinner, I’m glad to see Thom and Penn stay close to Tobin as he swims off to the boys’ dorm cave, and I’m grateful for Lena’s, Kalli’s, and Ree’s company as we head for ours. We look up the list of gear we’re allowed to take on our Sea Ranger tests and pack our equipment carefully.

  After I tug off my seasuit, I tie myself into my hammock. As I stare up at the dark rock overhead, I’m achingly aware of Bria’s empty hammock next to mine.

  :I hope our niña isn’t too scared tonight,: Ree says softly. She had a little sister of her own who died in the last famine.

  :I hope she’s isn’t, either.: And I hope Robry isn’t too frightened.

  After a long, restless night, my friends and I report to Janni and Vival promptly at 0800 hours the next morning. Vival carries herself like a soldier even when she’s swimming in scuba gear.

  “Good morning, Nere,” Vival greets me coolly. “Are your team members ready for their Sea Ranger test?”

  I hope so, ma’am, I key into my com-pad.

  She looks irritated by my reply. I bite my lip. She was probably expecting a “Yes, ma’am” answer instead of an honest one.

  “I’m going to be straight with your group,” Vival says. “I have serious reservations about any of you going on this rescue because of your lack of formal training. The Sea Rangers we’re currently considering have been preparing for a mission like this for months.”

  Don’t we get any credit for having survived six weeks in the ocean on our own? Fighting back an angry reply, I try to focus on her words.

  “I wasn’t impressed during your training drills this past week,” Vival is saying. “I hope you people do better today.”

  Ree’s eyes flash, and I’m afraid she’s about to lose it. I contact her on a private send. :Ice it, chica. Don’t give Vival a chance to fail you before you even get started. We need you on this mission.:

  Ree takes a deep breath. :Okay, boss,: she says after a long moment.

  “Since the time we have to test you is limited,” Vival announces, “we’re not giving you our usual skills tests. Instead, you are about to participate in an SPC, or Simulated Patrol Challenge. Our observers will evaluate your sea skills, and you will also be judged on how well you function as a team while following our protocols as you work through an emergency scenario. If you pass, you will be considered as candidates for the rescue mission.”

  As soon as she finishes speaking, four Sea Rangers arrive with tows. After we’re blindfolded, I find myself holding on to the tow grips so tightly that my hands hurt. We just have to pass this challenge, for Bria’s and Robry’s sakes.

  Lon, the Sea Ranger piloting my tow, drives us in so many circles, I totally lose my sense of direction. After he removes my blindfold, I look around and see we’re floating on the edge of a large forest of greenish brown kelp.

  I reach out to Mariah and the rest of the pod, who followed behind the tows.

  :Mariah, where are we?:

  :they’ve taken you to an inlet a mile north of the home caves.:

  Vival motions us to gather around her again. “Here’s your scenario: a Marine Guard boat found your patrol on sonar. Their divers have shot two of you. Rohan here is losing blood fast from a spear-dart wound in his thigh.”

  I’m glad Rohan’s part of our test, but I’m guessing he’ll be a tough judge of our performances.

  “Dav is also too hurt to swim on his own.” Dav is a young blond British scientist who helps with undersea technology. Most of the older girls in the colony have huge crushes on him.

  “Dav has a deep cut along his right arm and will run out of oxygen in thirty minutes. You can’t let him surface, though, because he’ll get the bends unless he decompresses properly.”

  My team and I exchange worried looks. This challenge is getting complicated.

  “Two Marine Guard vessels are anchored at the mouth of this inlet. If their sonar operators detect someone trying to pass beneath their boats, they will launch a simulated depth charge. Our computers can register your location thanks to the sensors the Rangers will give you. Those sensors will start blinking yellow if you are close enough to the explosion to be seriously injured, and red if you’re dead.”

  At her nod, Sea Rangers come around and clip sensors on our wrists.

  “In ten minutes,” she continues, “the boats will launch a dozen charges. When those charges hit the water, anyone still left in this inlet will be considered a fatality. Dav is a telepath, by the way, so he’ll be able to listen in on your discussion.”

  Vival nods to Janni, who looks me in the eye as she speaks. :Your goal is to bring as many of you home safely as possible. Time begins now. Good luck.:

  I TAKE A DEEP breath and try to concentrate as Janni and Vival swim away. How can we possibly get ourselves and Dav and Rohan past the mock Marine Guard boats and their sonar in ten minutes?

  :Everyone, mark the time,: I say. :Tobin and Lena, check our wounded and try to keep them stable. Anyone got an idea?:

  Tobin meets my gaze, his expression worried. :It’s an impossible challenge. The dolphins might be able to tow our healthy swimmers under the boats fast enough to avoid
sonar detection, but the boat crews are going to sense us when we have to transport our wounded. Vival wants to see if we have the guts to sacrifice Rohan and Dav to save the rest of us.:

  :In a real situation, we might, but we’d try to find other options first. So let’s find some fast.:

  :Their boats have to be close by,: Lena says, glancing up from Dav. :Maybe you could scan the crew’s thoughts and see if they’re worried about how we might get out of this inlet.:

  :Since this is an emergency, I’m willing to listen in on what they’re thinking,: I say. Dav looks startled, but he makes no objections.

  :We have to fool their sonar somehow,: Kalli says quickly. :Remember the way Mariah got the wild dolphins to confuse those smugglers chasing us back in San Francisco? Ask Sokya if any of the Safety Harbor pod is hunting near here.:

  :That’s a great idea,: I say and reach out to Sokya. :She says many dolphins hunt near here, and she’s asking them to come help.:

  Penn holds up a device that looks like a small radio. :We could try this. It’s a sonar disrupter.:

  :Tell us fast. What’s this thing do?:

  :Robry and I designed it to break up the sonar signature of Neptune kids and make us look like a school of fish. The small battery I brought should power it for maybe two minutes.:

  :That’s perfect.:

  :But what if they think we’re cheating?: Thom asks. :That’s not on our official list of Sea Ranger equipment.:

  We glance at our monitors, but Dav just acts like he’s in pain, and Rohan pretends to be unconscious.

  :It’s a resource we have,: I decide, :and if this were a real emergency, we’d use it. But this could get us into serious trouble. Everyone okay with trying Penn’s gadget?:

  :I’d rather bend the rules than leave two of our people behind to die,: Tobin says, and the rest nod.

  I glance at my watch. Only seven minutes left.

  :Everyone, pair up with your dolphins and get ready to sprint out of here. I’m going to try to pick up something useful from those boat crews.:

  I close my eyes and reach out with my senses. There are two helpers topside sitting in the two pretend Marine Guard vessels. I scan their minds, searching for any information that could help us. One of the sonar operators is fretting over her scope. As I listen to her thoughts, I realize her main concern is something we can exploit.

  :Listen up,: I tell my group. :Topside, they’re worried about a deep, narrow channel where there may be a blind spot in their sonar coverage, and they don’t want us to find it.:

  Penn frowns. :We can’t risk searching for that channel. They’ll sense us if we get too close to their boats, but Mariah can look for it when the other dolphins arrive.:

  :Good idea. On my signal, Ree, Thom, and Kalli, sprint through that channel one at a time as fast as your dolphins can swim. When you’re three hundred yards beyond the boats, hold up. We’ll need everyone’s help to get our wounded back to Safety Harbor.:

  I reach out to Mariah and explain about the channel that might help us escape detection. :we will look for it when the other dolphins come,: she promises me.

  I turn to Tobin. :Is Rohan stable enough to travel?:

  :Not really, but he’s dead if he stays here,: he replies. :We need to get him back to sickbay as fast as possible. Same goes for Dav.:

  :’Kay. Lena, you and Penn and your dolphins tow Dav out of here right after the others leave. Tobin and I’ll follow you carrying Rohan. Penn, use your disrupter when it’ll help the most.:

  :Here come the dolphins!: Kalli cries as the first Safety Harbor dolphins arrive. They swim excitedly all around us.

  :Sokya, ask them to circle under the boats.: I hope the helpers won’t toss a depth charge the moment they see dozens of dolphins on their scopes. We’re gambling that they’ll think a wild pod just entered the inlet.

  :Mariah, can you find that channel?:

  :we have already found the deep way under the boats.:

  :Show it to the others. Please tell them we must swim through it fast.:

  :I will. this is fun!:

  :All right, Ree and Halia, go. Kalli, you and Mona head out. Thom, you and Kona, go now.: I wave the teams off and check my watch. Blood thunders in my ears. Only four minutes until the boat crews lob their charges.

  I swim quickly to Tobin to help him with Rohan. Mali is already waiting beside him, and Sokya speeds straight to my side to give me a tow. Penn and Lena and their dolphin partners are already pulling Dav toward the channel.

  :We’ve gotta stay close together if this disrupter is going to hide us,: Penn warns me.

  Our dolphins tow us down into the old stream channel. It’s so narrow, deep, and twisting, I can see why the helpers were worried about their sonar coverage. But we’re moving too slowly. I’m still scared they’ll detect us topside.

  :All right, we should be in sonar range,: Penn declares. :I’m turning on the disrupter…now.:

  I glance at my watch. Only two minutes left.

  :Swim faster,: I urge everyone.

  As we pick up speed, Dav starts muttering that his arm hurts, but we ignore him. I glance at my sensor. If it lights up, I’m dead. One minute passes like a lifetime, and still my wrist sensor stays dark. We startle several wolf eels with bristling teeth hiding in the rocks as we flash past.

  :How you doing there, Dav?: I ask him.

  :My arm’s killing me, and my air is running low,: he says shortly.

  :You’ll be back at Safety Harbor soon,: Tobin says. If we don’t get blown up in the next thirty seconds.

  :Mariah, are we past the boats yet?: I ask.

  :you are beneath them now.:

  I check my watch. One minute left.

  :Sokya, we’ve got to sprint for it!: I tighten my grip on Sokya’s dorsal. Our dolphins surge forward, and Dav starts moaning.

  :we need to breathe soon,: Sokya warns me.

  :I think we’re almost clear.:

  At last I see Kalli, Thom, and Ree ahead of us, and they’re all grinning. I glance at my watch. Ten and a half minutes have passed. My sensor is still dark. They must have tossed the virtual depth charges, but we were out of range when they hit the water.

  :Thanks, Sokya. Go breathe, and then we’ve got to race back to Safety Harbor.:

  :We did it!: my group starts cheering.

  :Hey, we still have to get our two wounded back to Safety Harbor as fast as possible,: Tobin reminds us.

  :And we have to get Dav oxygen while he decompresses,: Lena adds.

  I send Mariah and Nika out to search for a current to speed our trip back. We carry Dav and Rohan as smoothly and quickly as we can, changing dolphins frequently so they can breathe and rest.

  A half mile into our journey, Mariah finds a current that doubles our speed. I reach out and contact Roni and ask her to make sure medical help is waiting for us.

  A group of Sea Ranger medics meets us at the bubble wall with a stretcher for Rohan and oxygen for Dav. Janni is with them.

  :I don’t know how you all got out in one piece,: she says ruefully, :but congratulations.:

  I only nod in reply because we’re still making sure Dav gets a regulator attached to a fresh oxygen tank as Rohan is transferred onto the stretcher.

  When they are set, I let go a sigh of relief. :Nice work, everyone,: I say, meeting the gaze of each of my friends, and I mean it. :Mariah, you and your family were amazing, as always.:

  :did you do well on your test?:

  :I think so.:

  :I am glad.: Mariah brushes against me in farewell, and I see the rest of my team rubbing their dolphins before our friends rush off to feed and play.

  My stomach tightens when I see Vival and my father swimming toward us. Are they going to give us our official test results right now?

  “How did your entire group get past our boats?” Vival asks me. I blink at the coolness of her tone.

  I choose my words carefully before I start keying them into my com-pad. I read your sonar operators’ minds an
d found out about the deep channel. Our healthy patrol members took that route under your boats with their dolphins. When we were moving our wounded, Penn used a sonar disrupter to make us look like a school of fish. Safety Harbor dolphins also helped to disrupt our sonar signature.

  “That disrupter wasn’t on the list of your specified equipment,” Vival points out. “And none of our other Rangers possesses your powerful telepathy or the ability to communicate with dolphins so specifically. Your team used resources unavailable to most Sea Rangers and broke the SPC rules.”

  “I disagree,” Dav speaks up. “I thought Nere’s team was bloody brilliant. These kids demonstrated terrific teamwork under pressure and remarkable ingenuity. Penn, I want to see that sonar disrupter you designed ASAP.”

  “The point of the drill wasn’t for everyone to survive,” Vival declares. “This was actually a test to see if this untrained group could follow our basic protocols, and in my opinion this patrol completely failed that aspect of the challenge.”

  My cheeks start to burn. I can feel my team’s disbelief and anger building behind me. Before Ree can say anything that would get us into more trouble, I squeeze her arm. Then I swim forward from the others and square my shoulders.

  It was my decision to use my telepathy to help us, and it was my decision to use Penn’s disrupter. I’m responsible for how our SPC turned out.

  Vival nods. “So noted. I also understand that my observers were impressed with your sea skills and your overall performance. We will discuss your results and inform you tomorrow at breakfast if you get to go on the mission. Nere, you and your team are dismissed.”

  I glance at my father. His gaze is sympathetic, but he doesn’t say a word in our defense. I can’t believe he’s not going to stand up for us.

  Gulping down my disappointment, I lead my friends away.

  MY GROUP DOESN’T TALK much at dinner, since we feel like Vival hit us with a dozen depth charges. And after our difficult debriefing with her, I’m surprised when we’re joined by Rohan and some of her Rangers who tested us today.