18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 422

The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting an orange glow that slowly gave way to the impending darkness over the sea.

Stella hollered across to the other side, "So, what's the game plan for you folks?"

After drifting in the ocean's depths for so long, Hans and his crew planned to take a few days to kick back on the waves, soak up some sun, and get a decent dose of vitamin D to get their bodies back in shape. Running into 2688 had rekindled the flames of hope for 1926; they were convinced that if they just kept on cruising, they'd rally more of their kin and comrades.

South Base was gone, but the Ember Initiative wasn't about to fizzle out. They were determined to find a new haven one day.

Stella exchanged a glance with Jasper. If those guys wanted to take a breather, they'd keep a watchful eye on them. There was no harm in putting off the coordinates chat for a couple more days.

It wasn't that they distrusted Hans and his team, but they couldn't help feeling that they might be a bit too... naively kind-hearted.

What if the coordinates fell into their hands and one day they had to contemplate the annihilation of humankind, when every tribe and nation needed to band together to survive calamity?

What if the coordinates got out and attracted a horde of demons?

Dealing with natural disasters was tough enough, but if human folly entered the mix, could Hope Point truly be established?

So, Stella hesitated.

Of course, she might just be overly cautious.

Night fell, and the risks on the sea's surface were mounting. The two submarines began their slow descent, coming to rest quietly in the deep blue.

Seeing the sunlight and exchanging words with their countrymen lifted everyone's spirits; dinner portions grew by half a bowl that evening.

Maybe even Stella hadn't noticed, but she found herself humming a tune while showering.

Jasper, listening from outside, couldn't help but let a smile curl the edges of his lips.

Come morning, the subs didn't rush to surface. Instead, they waited for Blue Blue to finish scratching his itch against their hulls before powering up, to avoid the big lug from popping up in the middle of Shanghai and knocking Stella into the drink. Hans and his group, unaware of the situation, saw the massive blue whale near 2688 and frantically flashed their torches as a warning-danger was afoot.

Jasper signaled back with his light-You'll get used to it.

temperamental but manageable. If it wanted a scratch, so be it, as long as

real tussle with the beast would likely leave both parties

its fill of barnacle-scratching and didn't seem intent on attacking 2688, Hans

a bit earlier, and a dozen folks were

grabbed a megaphone and called out, "What are

from the previous day's shouting, so she picked up a bullhorn

join forces. Companionship would

make the offer when a lookout spotted something on the horizon, "Captain, there's

boat? Out here?

too and quickly alerted her brother and

her binoculars and confirmed it was indeed a fishing vessel, a civilian craft not too large, with a functioning motor heading

be fishermen on board, waving in their direction, their faces

and the trials of a world turned upside down by colossal tsunamis and relentless storms, the boat was surprisingly intact and operational. Both

Arcadia, but with 1926 right there, they couldn't play their hand unless it

told Rosie to head back inside the sub while he and Stella discreetly

was worried, "Brother, sister-in-law, please

instructed her, "Look after Cooper. Don't come up without my

too, bulletproof vests worn

intently on the fishing boat,

from the cabin, sporting wide-brimmed

hollered their

Stella nearly choked.

disappointment flickered across the man's face, but he

unresponsive, Hans tried to reply, albeit awkwardly,

face lit up, thinking Hans understood, and started to

brow, shaking his head in

the fisherman persisted with "Thailand" and resorted to gestures and constant mumbling, Stella, sharing an Eastern heritage and picking up on the elaborate body language, got the gist. Someone was ill on the boat, in desperate need of a doctor to save

Ember Initiative members were well-versed in a wide array

gestured to ask how many were sick

held up three

and asked if there were seven people in

The man nodded vigorously.