Ocean Blue (Sea Lab Book 1)

EPILOGUE

ISLAND IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC — A WEEK LATER

Jake scissor kicked toward a school of bright yellow fish. Fins darted here and there, avoiding his outstretched hand. Regrouping, they whipped around to his blind side to inspect the strange creature investigating their coral community.

A few days into its return trip to Hawaii, the Atlantis laid anchor offshore of the first tropical island it encountered. Captain Jack Oliver had pointed out the location on a map. It was hand drawn on the paper in the middle of the ocean. Much to everyone's surprise, the coconut tree oasis was not supposed to be there, but it was.

The dive excursion was recreational. Everyone needed to release some pent up energy. After almost a month of being driven to the brink, Sea Lab's newly assembled but thoroughly tested team was ready for something a little less adventuresome. It seemed like Paradise Island all over again, minus the rogue group of assassins, and Tahiti less one very determined hitman.

The azure blue water held a coral reef that encircled the island. Even more pleasant to see was the abundant variety of marine life swishing through the water, oblivious to the dangers that would have threatened them if one of Zanderthal's mutated barracudas broke loose in their sanctuary.

Jake peered up at the stern of the Atlantis floating above. Its long keel cast a shadow across the sandy bottom. Halfway up to the dive platform, Sarah used graceful dolphin kicks to propel her through the depths. Rachel had surfaced ten minutes before.

A few feet away, Tony glided over a colorful array of coral in the open sun. Jake sliced through the water and caught up with him, bubbles trickling from his breathing regulator.

"See anything you like here?"

"Everything," Tony said. "This is heaven on Earth."

"As close as you can get to it in this life. Look." He pointed ahead.

A five-foot barracuda knifed through the aquatic environment. Its elongated snout zeroed in on a shiny fish with blue tipped fins. In a blur, the predator snatched it up with its powerful jaws and cut a trail for the deep. 

Local fishermen hunted down most of the monster barracudas in The Bahamas and Tahiti. Each boat collected a bountiful reward from Sea Lab International. As for the creature trapped in the wreckage of the Hercules Australis, they could only hope it wouldn't escape its prison. But the most promising revelation was that they determined all the fish to be sterile, unable to reproduce. They learned that after the Australian authorities raided Zanderthal's office headquarters in Sydney. 

In time, they were certain the areas targeted by Ocean Blue's mad scheme would return to vitality. The world's oceans held a delicate balance, but life could be resilient when pushed to the breaking point.

Jake signaled to the surface and began his ascent. They were out of the water and on the research vessel's deck before Sarah had removed her wet suit. She used a towel to dry her hair.

"That's more like it," Jake said to Tony. Both of them plopped down on a bench that was bolted down on the ship's deck. "I was tired of running into the Goliath version of the barracuda."

"I'm with you there, bro."

Sarah sat next to Jake. "Are you okay with the decision we made last night?"