18 Floors Above the Apocalypse



Jasper was still reeling from Blue Blue's astonishing behavior. "Maybe," he muttered, half to himself.

Blue Blue, the Queen of the Ocean, knew these waters like the back of her fluke. Blue whales were not just massive; they were brilliant too, with memories that rivaled the best of us. And this one? She could hold a grudge like no other. The scars she bore were likely from a solo showdown with some thugs.

She wasn't just after revenge for her calf; she remembered the exact aircraft that had attacked her. That's why she rammed it to smithereens. Capturing a blue whale wasn't something a couple of scrawny boats could pull off.

So, Blue Blue's vengeance quest had only just begun.

True to form, as the submarine tailed her, Blue Blue didn't glance back but moved forward at an unhurried pace.

Stella couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "It saw us fighting those thugs yesterday. Is it coming to us today for an alliance?"

Jasper pondered. "If Blue Blue can really find their hideout, an alliance is definitely on the table."

Marine life never failed to amaze.

Sub 2688 trailed Blue Blue for hours. Stella noticed the currents shifting. Perhaps the unusual underwater terrain was causing the water to slow down. Soon, the sub's alarm system beeped, warning of the seabed getting shallower and the risk of running aground.

No wonder the current slowed; a submarine mountain was redirecting the flow.

Blue Blue surfaced to breathe, showing no desire to go further. Had they arrived?

Stella and the crew observed from the ocean floor but saw no sign of the thugs' aircraft or human activity. She activated the periscope, quietly scanning the surface. The feedback was quick, and she zoomed in on the footage of the sea.

Far in the distance, dark dots resolved into a massive cargo ship. Nearby were two fishing boats, not particularly large but ominously occupied. The thugs, armed and covered in unsightly lumps, were crawling all over the deck. Was this their hideout, or were they hijacking another ship? "Big sis, that's one of our ships," Rosie exclaimed, pointing at the lettering on the cargo vessel.

Stella zoomed in, confirming Rosie's observation. No wonder Blue Blue had slowed down; they had stumbled upon a crime in progress.

With the target locked, the periscope relayed the clearest image possible. The cargo ship held people with Eastern faces, all gaunt and emaciated. The thugs were herding everyone onto the deck, cursing and yelling. One person tried to negotiate but was met with violence.

Their faces twisted and grotesque, the thugs looked like demons from hell.

Jasper watched the screen, his expression growing darker. "They're our people, unarmed survivors," he said after a long pause. He was good at reading lips and could roughly understand the captives' pleas.

They must have come from an official base to have a cargo ship and so many survivors.

Stella thought of the Thai fishing boat. After the thugs caught them, the fishermen either became appetizers or pawns, used as bait to rob other ships. Their fate was sealed.

For a moment, the three of them and the dog fell silent.

The sub shook gently. Blue Blue was nudging them again.

Stella thought for a second. "How many thugs are there?"

Jasper's memory was impeccable. "From what we can see, there are 23 on the two fishing boats and the cargo ship. There might be more off- camera; I'd estimate around 50."

Just 50 thugs to hijack a cargo ship? Survival was indeed cruel.

Stella's face hardened. "How many people are on that cargo ship?"

The ship was large, capable of carrying thousands, but with the tectonic disasters, their numbers had dwindled.

Jasper paused. "There should be a few hundred left."

A few hundred people? If they were taken to the thugs' lair, their fate was grim. They must have known, which was why the ship was moving slowly, probably looking for a chance to save themselves.

Stella turned off the periscope. "What do you think? Should we take them all out at once or pick them off one by one?"

Jasper considered. "If we let them return to their den, they'd grow stronger and might use the people to threaten us."

Even in a world ravaged by disaster, with land submerged, there was still a sense of belonging. Internal conflicts should be resolved internally. Birds of a feather flock together. When the disaster is external, there's no need to sacrifice one's people.

Surviving to this day hadn't been easy for anyone.

Stella thought of many people-Mark, Collin, Dr. Garcia, Daniel, and the countless others who had sacrificed to keep survivors alive. And now, were they to be devoured by thugs?

Even if Stella was cold-hearted, she couldn't stand by in the face of such a conflict.

"The sun is about to set," Stella said, looking through the observatory window. "Shall we make our move under the cover of darkness?"

Jasper began to formulate a battle plan.

Stella retrieved weapons from Arcadia's arsenal-explosives, incendiary bombs, assault rifles, and more.

Rosie continued her vigil. "Brother, sister-in-law, they aren't moving."

Spending the night at sea? They must be far from their den.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, darkness fell quickly. Aside from the whooshing sea breeze, visibility was practically nil. Sub 2688 quietly surfaced, and Stella pulled out two sets of diving gear. Rosie, eager to join the fight, looked on with yearning.

"You watch over the sub and protect Cooper," Jasper reassured her. "We're entrusting you with this crucial task. Can you handle it?" Rosie felt a pang of disappointment but knew that guarding the home was equally important. "Brother, sister-in-law, I promise to complete the mission!"

The hatch opened, and Jasper and Stella slipped silently into the sea. The ocean depths were fraught with danger, so the pair held hands as they swam toward the fishing boats, ready to dart back into Arcadia at the first sign of a threat.

Fortunately, their journey was uneventful. The thugs were accustomed to survival at sea, always vigilant, even in their sleep, leaving half their number to keep watch.

But the night brought strong sea breezes, and the boats, rocked by the waves, lulled the thugs into drowsiness.

Stella surfaced quietly, reaching out toward the fishing boat. The fishing boat was hauled onto the Arcadia, and whether they were deep in slumber or daydreaming on watch, everyone was unceremoniously booted out in an instant.

Splash! Splash! The crew of the Iran scattered into the sea.

"Son of a—" Before a curse could fully escape their lips, the icy waters rushed in, frenzied and unforgiving.

Help! Save us!

Instinctively, they flailed, their guns slipping from their grasp and sinking into the abyss.

After a few moments of panic, they realized that they could, in fact, swim. Talk about a facepalm moment.

So, one by one, they bobbed to the surface, gasping for air and shouting for help...Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.