“I think…” I began, but I had no reasonable retort for Dylan.
“That’s why we need to figure out what to do,” mused Dr. Wilcox.
“Like what, what can we do that would stop your people’s vile mayor from coming after me?” I glared over at Dr. Wilcox and Dylan, crossing my arms and drawing my knees up to my chest to keep warm.
“We could expose them.”
“What?” I turned to Dylan with wide eyes.
Dylan leaned against the rocky wall of the cave, one leg straight, the other bent with his arm resting on it. By his posture and his eyes being closed, I could tell he was tired and just throwing out an idea. He wasn’t really thinking it through.
“Dylan, that could only make things worse. How would anything get better if we exposed Mayor Aldridge to the people of Oceania? It would cause anarchy. It would mean widespread distrust and maybe even rioting in the streets.”
Dylan lazily shook his head from side to side, although it appeared more like his head was lolling from sleepiness. “No, that’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then what?” Dr. Wilcox and I pressed.
Dylan lolled his head in our direction and opened his eyes. “I’m talking about exposing Oceania to the outside world…your world, Allie.”
Chapter 25
Both Dr. Wilcox and I simply stared at Dylan. Suddenly, we both started rambling at the same time, trying to reason with him that what he’d stated made absolutely no sense and why he was insane for suggesting it.
Dylan calmly watched us with an apathetic face, waiting for us to finish.
Finally, I ended my tirade with, “Dylan, I just don’t understand how it gives us protection from Mayor Aldridge.”
“Allie, if they know that you exist and what you’re trying to achieve, not only will the people of Oceania be willing to protect you, but your people will as well. If you go missing, they will have to investigate your claims. When they do, they will find out that what you’ve been saying is true. They’ll know there is a city down here called Oceania. And if your government is as meticulous at recording things like it’s supposed to be, then somewhere in the archives there will be evidence of Oceania and they’ll be able to confirm it exists.”
I contemplated Dylan’s words. In a twisted way, it did make sense. If both of our worlds knew about the other, then any action taken against either Dylan or me would enrage the other. This wasn’t a time to think about politics. This was a time to think about exposing the truth and letting what may happen, happen.
“How do you propose going about that, Dylan? Just waltz up to the Land Dwellers and tell them you’re from an underwater city called Oceania with more advanced technology than their own world?”
Dylan tilted his head at Dr. Wilcox and spoke in words dripped with sarcasm. “No, I’m going to hack their video network and tell everyone I’m the king of the sea.”
I tried to hold back a laugh, but a little giggle escaped instead. I composed myself and stretched out my legs so they wouldn’t fall asleep. “No, really, Dylan, how?”
“I don’t know how yet, but we’ve got time to figure it out.” Dylan gestured with both arms to our surroundings.
Due to the lack of a clock hanging on the wall, I didn’t know exactly how many hours passed in our small refuge, but I knew it must have been several hours. Each of us had come up with a scenario on how to inform each “world” of the other and at least one of us shot the idea down. Eventually, our stress and ideas gave way to fatigue and we fell sound asleep.
A large gasp and splashing awoke me first as I saw Max grinning while treading water. “You guys haven’t gone cannibalistic yet?”
“Max,” I shook my head with my eyes closed, “that’s not a funny joke.”
“Well, it’s been almost twenty hours without food or water. I figured you guys would be famished by now.” Max removed a sack tied to his waist and placed it on the edge of the small pool. “I brought you some food and fresh water. I hope you like it. Have you ever eaten our food before?”
“Yes, I have. I can tell some of your foods are an acquired taste, though, especially those weird snacks at the party yesterday.”
Max laughed. “Well, I like them well enough. The SeaSnax have always been my favorite.”
I unzipped the sack. Inside were sealed watertight containers of food and several tin bottles of water. I was shocked he was able to obtain so much. There was more in the bag, but I ignored it as my parched mouth caused me to make googly eyes at the water bottle. I snatched one out of the sack, unscrewed the cap and allowed the luxurious fluid to run down my throat. I wasn’t satisfied until I had drunk the entire bottle within less than a minute. Then my stomach grumbled in protest at being left out, making me focus on the food next. When I opened the food containers, I heard Dylan and Dr. Wilcox stirring behind me.
“Oh, hello, Max. Did you bring us something to eat?” wondered Dr. Wilcox.
“I certainly did. Max’s signature Grab-n-Go snack pack has plenty enough for even the hungriest of individuals to be satisfied.” Chuckling, Max pulled off his drysuit and got more comfortable in his swim trunks, lying flat on his back in the small cave.
The three of us set to eating right away. Most of the time, when I had eaten the food in Oceania, it had always tasted odd to my Land Dweller palate. Now, the food tasted so delicious I wondered why I’d never savored the
