18 Floors Above the Apocalypse



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.

Blue Blue was temperamental but manageable. If it wanted a scratch, so be it, as long as it posed no threat.

A real tussle with the beast would likely leave both parties bruised and battered.

Once Blue Blue had its fill of barnacle-scratching and didn't seem intent on attacking 2688, Hans and his team breathed a sigh of relief. After the whale departed, 2688 emerged from the water. 1926 surfaced a bit earlier, and a dozen folks were either sunbathing or pumping iron. Hans grabbed a megaphone and called out, "What are your plans moving forward?"

Stella's throat was sore from the previous day's shouting, so she picked up a bullhorn and responded, "No plans for now. We go where the currents take us."

Hans wanted to extend an invitation for 2688 to join forces. Companionship would ease the loneliness, and they could look out for each other. He was about to make the offer when a lookout spotted something on the horizon, "Captain, there's a fishing boat."

A fishing boat? Out here? Impossible.

Rosie spotted it too and quickly alerted her brother and sister-in-law.

Stella used her binoculars and confirmed it was indeed a fishing vessel, a civilian craft not too large, with a functioning motor heading their way. There seemed to be fishermen on board, waving in their direction, their faces distinctively Eastern.

Worn by time, sun-baked skin, and the trials of a world turned upside down by colossal tsunamis and relentless storms, the boat was surprisingly intact and operational.

Both subs went on high alert, with Hans cautioning, "Watch for a trick."

If it were just 2688, Stella would've dived back into Arcadia, but with 1926 right there, they couldn't play their hand unless it was do-or-die.

Jasper told Rosie to head back inside the sub while he and Stella discreetly armed themselves.

Rosie was worried, "Brother, sister-in-law, please be careful."

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

1926 was geared up too, bulletproof vests worn as a second skin.

Hans, a seasoned navy man, focused intently on the fishing boat, gauging its speed and draft.

As the vessel drew near, three figures emerged from the cabin, sporting wide-brimmed hats and sunproof scarves.

The waving fisherman hollered their way, "Thailand."

Stella nearly choked.

Seeing the baffled expressions, disappointment flickered across the man's face, but he kept yelling, "Thailand, Thailand."

With Stella unresponsive, Hans tried to reply, albeit awkwardly, "Thailand."

The man's face lit up, thinking Hans understood, and started to babble excitedly.

Hans furrowed his brow, shaking his head in resignation, "Sorry, I don't understand."

As 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 their life.

Hans and his people weren't medics, but Ember Initiative members were well-versed in a wide array of skills, handling common ailments and injuries. He gestured to ask how many were sick aboard.

The fisherman held up three fingers.novelbin

Hans did a headcount and asked if there were seven people in total on the boat.

The man nodded vigorously.

Hans then inquired about the nature of the illness.

This proved trickier; after much gesticulating, they were still at an impasse.

Hans pondered for a moment, then gestured towards Stella, "I'll take a look aboard." The wind picked up, and he rubbed his eyes against the grit.

Stella didn't object, "Stay safe."

Hans was cautious; he didn't bring all his mates aboard, leaving five to guard the sub.

He had the fishing boat turn broadside, aligning the boarding point towards them.

The boat complied, and once parallel, Hans fetched an inflatable raft from the sub, medical kit in tow, and set off with his team towards the fishing vessel.

All eyes were either on the raft or the figures on the boat, as the wind made the approach a challenge.

The fishermen lowered a rope ladder, pulling the group aboard...

As the last soldier climbed onto the deck, something silently breached the water beside the submarine.

Stella kept her eyes on the fishing boat while Jasper reached for her waist. His other hand whipped out a gun from his pocket, aiming at the water and pulling the trigger...

A silencer was fitted; between the wind and the sea, no sound escaped.

The ambushing creature, gun aimed at its head, toppled into the water motionless. Jasper fired several shots, and as blood diffused into the sea, bodies began to surface.

Simultaneously, Stella acted, but her target was 1926. One by one, she took them down.

In 1926, the remaining five were by no means pushovers. They gripped their concealed harpoons with seasoned hands and thrust them fiercely into the churning waters below.

Up and down they went, the air punctuated by gut-wrenching screams.....