Hatched

Chapter Seventeen

June 30th, 2021

2200 hours

Ominous clouds still hung heavy and foreboding in the sky, obscuring the line between water and space, both merging into a whirl of chaotic, tumultuous existence. Rain pinged as it fell unapologetically onto the steel platform, the drops quick and sharp, stinging Robyn's skin.

She shivered, the storm bringing in a chill on the breeze, since the wind had picked up considerably. Her hair whipped unpleasantly around her face, and she scowled, quickly pulling it into a messy bun. She couldn't afford any distraction now, though the raging tempest was easily distracting. She almost forgot where she was and her mission.

She snorted, peeved with how easy it was for Quinn to have her do his bidding. She wondered, had he not threatened to prosecute her for stealing the samples, if she would even be involved in the investigation. On one hand, she would be working on her thesis, and quite content to continue where she left off. However, the deepening mystery of what was happening would be hard to ignore, and being incredibly inquisitive, she would be unable to resist.

An uneasiness plagued her mind: her interaction with Vince was unusual, to say the least. While the drawing he'd produced instilled in her a vague confusion, it also elicited a daunting, preemptory apprehension she couldn't shake.

The low, constant hum of a boat motor reached her ears, and she leaned over the railing, relieved to see Garcia's boat illuminated in the lights of the rig. He edged the dinghy slowly toward the rails, tying it off with a grunt as he leaned forward, off balance from his ample stomach.

"Finally," Robyn grumbled, scowling reproachfully "you took forever. Gordon brought me back from the mainland hours ago."

"Why are we doing this in the dark?" Garcia grunted lowly, eyes darting around warily. It was well past sunset, and the deck was empty, the last of the workers having retired to the mess hall.

"It would be far too conspicuous during the day, don't you think?" Quinn replied coolly, heaving an oxygen tank up from the small motorboat.

Robyn stared at Quinn. He was climbing the ladder with one arm and hoisting the tanks up with the other. He managed to keep his suit impeccable the entire way, which was the least impressive thing about the situation. She wished he wasn't so damn attractive: it would be a lot easier to remain objective. Garcia struggled up the ladder behind him, wheezing, the bags of gear weighing on his back.

"Here." Quinn sat a tank down in front of Robyn and she struggled to form words.

"Robyn, it's time to get suited up." He quirked a brow at her hesitation, folding his arms across his chest expectantly. His biceps flexed perceptibly beneath his Armani jacket, and she gulped, unable to tear her gaze away.

"You are not backing out of this." He warned, sighing in agitation, beginning to shrug out of his suit. She kept mutely staring, up until he kicked off his shoes and began unbuttoning his slacks, at which point she let out a yelp and shielded her eyes.

"God, Quinn! A little warning would be nice!"

His low, pleasant chuckle greeted her ears like a liquid libido. She hated that he had that effect on her, wishing they could be at each other's throats all the time. Awareness of his beauty elicited unwelcome emotions inside of her, and she resented him for it.

"I have bike shorts on underneath, Robyn."

Her name slid off his tongue like a forbidden fruit and she inhaled sharply. "Good," was all she could manage.

"You can remove your hands now."

She slowly brought down her arms, his form filling her vision slowly, and she could see his toned stomach before he pulled up the suit. "Right, I'll get ready too. Just turn around, would you?" Her voice trembled, though she wasn't sure why. She'd dived many times before, but this time she would be with an FBI agent, investigating a murder that she had no business being involved with. It wracked her nerves beyond a comfortable level, and she was struggling to stay perceptive. A cool, even head was necessary when diving, and she couldn't afford to lose it under the water.