Dark Water (A Dark Life Fanfiction) [edited]

Chapter 11

"then poof, he's gone?" Ranger Grimes scoffed, with out even looking at me. Ty and Gemma frowned at him. he kept his eyes looking through one of the many telescopes set up around the Observatory. here was the ranger's chance to arrest Shade, yet Grimes seemed like he couldn't care less.

"you have to believe us!" I fumed. I was risking a lot by talking to the ranger, as well as guaranteeing that our parents would hear about this. Grimes just had to use this information. "I was face-to-face with Shade on the Peavey's homestead and the man I saw in the Saloon was Shade."

the Observatory was all glass and only the elevator shaft prevented it from being a non-stop view of ocean and horizon. Ty and Gemma sat on the bench near the elevator looking as if they wanted to leave.

he stood, glaring at me. "tell me what you were doing in the Saloon anyway. and don't tell me that those two are eighteen."

I flinched looking at Ty and Gemma. "I got my new ID card yesterday and they wanted to come with me. I told them to come tell you about seeing Shade. I stayed behind to give them time." I said, standing my ground.

Grimes responded with a derisive snort. "there ain't but one way out of the Saloon, girl. so where did your outlaw go?"

"I told you, his thugs distracted me. I don't know," my skin glowed brightly as humiliation washed over me. I didn't like how he called Shade my outlaw. So I'm a slight romantic, but that doesn't mean anything!

"and besides the man is albino." Grimes scoffed. "everyone he has robbed says so." I blushed silently as he continued. "and I doubt you have ever set eyes on the man."

"look, I know it was him," I fumed, regaining my determination. "he could use zinc paste for all you know!"

"you people really give me the bends." he grunted. he started going on a rant about how the water pressure was pushing on our brains and depriving us of oxygen. after near ten minutes, I joined Ty and Gemma near the elevator. "if we were meant to live underwater, God would have made us fish."

Ty pressed the call button. Gemma went down the stairs. I stepped into the elevator going with Ty. after Ty got into the elevator, I hit the button for the Access Deck. as the doors closed, I slumped against the center column and inhaled deeply. the elevator dropped from the tower, speeding down the cable, past the inner docking-ring, submerging into the ocean.

"I figured you for dead, both of you," said a rumble of a voice.

my heart nearly stopped before it beat faster than it ever has before. Ty whirled around to find Shade, leaning against the elevator's transparent wall, his dark eyes gleaming like a pack of green lantern sharks. the center column hid him from view when we had first entered the elevator. I peeked around the column, seeing him. I stared at him, as he spoke again.

"I left you in the deep sea," Shade's voice was rich. Hypnotic. "without a vehicle, without a weapon." he nodded at Ty, then looked at me, amused. "and you... you didn't have a helmet to begin with." his thickly muscled arms were crossed over his bare chest. "How come you're still alive?" he asked more me than Ty.

Ty looked at me questioningly. I responded to his glance by moving my gaze to the floor guiltily. My fingers intertwined fidgetingly. I, for some reason, felt ashamed.

the water surrounding the elevator gave the inside an eerie glow. Ty stood frozen in place, as if trying to register what was happening. Shade's tattoos covered his head, neck and shoulders like tentacles. he had perfectly, normal brown eyes right now but I felt that they'd change color any moment.

Ty backed away cautiously. "I... we don't know what you're--"

"Don't ink me!" Shade punched a knuckle onto the EMERGENCY STOP button. the elevator jerked to a halt halfway down the cable, dropping Ty to the floor and making me stumble forward. Shade grabbed my hair, pulling it back roughly. "I know when I've been had."