Sharkbait

The rest of the week was a blur. Amy and I both called the University and dropped half our classes, going to part-time status. I needed the extra time because I was only getting a few hours of sleep a night with everything on my plate.

By Thursday morning, Linda and I were back in New Iberia. Steve met my group, which included Doctor Holliday, electronics whiz Kim Sturgeon, Captain Lynette Dauntless, and her choice for Engineer, Patty Holmes. We spent all day on the Sea Scout, now out of the water at the Diamond ‘B’ Shipyard.

We gathered in a back corner of the break room, chowing down on poboys and seafood platters from Bon Creole that I’d purchased for everyone working today. “What’s the verdict,” I asked when I’d slowed down enough to talk.

Lynette was the first to start. “Steve’s plans to upgrade the marine electronics and overhaul the engines are aggressive, in that the engines have time left on them, but I’m sure that’s part of their tax deduction. The living facility upgrades are mostly cosmetic.”

Patty agreed. “Mechanically, we’re in good shape for a vessel this old. I found a few sections of hull starting to show signs of fatigue cracking, so we’ll get those ground out and rewelded.”

“How is it from the audio/visual standpoint, Linda?”

“I’ve got sketches now with the equipment I need and where it will go, so Kim can start ordering and installing in the survey room and running cables. There are spare penetrations and conduit, and plenty of power. Most of our computer gear is more compact and efficient than ship’s design anticipated, even though it has far more processing capacity and storage.”

Kim nodded at this. “We’ll put the primary server and equipment in the existing computer room, and the backup server on the main deck in a closet that used to hold signal processing equipment for the towed sonar. I’ll also install remote-operated cameras in the common crew spaces, on and above the deck working areas, and over the sides. Anything we do will have at least two cameras showing it, plus any portables. We can monitor and control them all from the survey room. What I’m most excited about is the moon pool.” In the center of the ship was a two-by-two foot opening, with a retractable post designed to mount sonars and other equipment on that could be lowered below keel depth. “I can put a high-quality underwater camera on that with a remote operator, and it will have a perfect shot of anything coming up to the boat.”

I looked over at Doc, who was drinking milk while he tried to wash out the hot spices from his mouth. “Where do we sit for shark research equipment?”

“You’ve got a great base of support equipment in the A-frames and crane, and plenty of deck space. Honestly, I wish I was the one using it!” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Here’s a list of the gear I would purchase and either install or store onboard.”

I looked at the list. At the top were shark cages, two of them, one bigger than the other. “Why two?”

“You have two rigs that can deploy them at the same time. That allows cameras in one, and researchers in the other.”

That made sense. There were three remote-operated underwater vehicles listed, and they weren’t cheap. “We’re getting the ROPOS donated, why not use that?” The ROPOS was 2016 technology; it had powerful thrusters, a long deployment cable, cameras, and mounts for gripper arms or scientific instruments.

“It’s a capable platform, but much more than you need for shark research. We rarely go more than three hundred meters down,” John said. “If you were targeting six-gill sharks at extreme depths, it would be all right, but the ROV is the size of a small car. The support equipment takes up a short container. It would use up a ton of deck space, so I’d ask to leave it here until there is a mission need.”

“These you listed are better?”

Doc nodded as he pulled up one of them on his phone. “Much smaller and easier to use. You can pilot them with a phone or tablet, and the cameras are excellent. The big one is good to 300 meters, the small one down to a hundred meters. I prefer ROV’s to fixed cameras as I can move them around, and they can stay down for hours. The small one gets power from topside, so it can stay down as long as you want.”

“Why two of the smaller ones?”

“They get the most use, and I’ve seen Great Whites try to eat them,” he said. I saw two large drones with cameras. “Get someone training to fly the drones and pilot the ROV’s; they have simulation programs you can use. The drones work great for finding sharks in shallow water, and you can lower small cameras into the water and look around. I like this style because of its range and payload capacity.”

ROV pilot seemed like the perfect task to give to Amy; her vision still hampered her diving, but focusing on a screen would be fine. I could ask the twins to learn how to fly the drones. I figured I'd get one of the small ROVs and the drones sent to San Diego so we could practice with them off my boat.

We got back to work and had our plans set before we left. I left the list of gear and a credit card with Lynette, who would ensure everything got ordered and installed. Our target completion date was December 15th. She and Patty had signed their employment contracts, making them the first full-time Sharkbait Foundation employees.

Friday, we all caught up on our work, wanting to have the weekend free for when the guys showed up. They were tired and beat up, and the girls took them to bed early.

The next morning, Captain Lynette and her Mom, Loretta, were arriving and preparing for our day cruise while the couples were still asleep. Hammer, Susan, and Emily came on board soon after. Emily stayed with me while the other two went upstairs to enjoy the view. It was a good thing I’d warned everyone that a Master Vampire was coming because even knowing it was happening, they still froze when she came close. “Thank you for coming, Emily,” I said.

“I’m glad to help, and I wanted to talk to Master Caroline before the summit in New Orleans,” she replied. For those who thought vampires were pale creatures afraid of the sun, her tanned skin and athletic figure were a shock.

“Hopefully, we won’t need your powers,” I told her. I’d called her a few days earlier, explaining my dilemma. She offered to come personally, telling me that vampires below Master status might struggle to remove memories without causing more damage. I didn’t want that, and I didn’t trust any other vampire the way I did her. “Master Cyprian sends his regards.”

I waved her to a couch where we could talk in private. I’d been thinking for a week about my relationship with the two Master Vampires. Adrienne told me that “vampires never do anything out of friendship or charity; they want something in exchange.” I had helped rid Boston of Master Alexander, with Cyprian’s help and to Emily’s benefit. In return, she made me a rich woman by offloading millions in art and antiques. Now, they were making a multi-million-dollar donation to my Foundation and coming to my aid with the mate situation. “Emily, are we friends?”

“I would hope so,” she said.

“I’ve been told that doesn’t happen with vampires.”

She just nodded at that. “Centuries of conflict don’t go away in a year, Vicki. Master Cyprian is patient; he takes a long view of things, thinking in generational terms.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think the Werewolf Council would say if our Council approached them about increased cooperation?”

I just snorted. “The Council wouldn’t trust you.”

“Exactly. To build trust and cooperation, we have to start with a generation not yet poisoned against us. You are the one we believe we can build that relationship with over the years, and your actions thus far have proven the wisdom of that choice.”

“Me?”

“You’re the future, Vicki. Young, powerful, and a bridge between the species. Just look at who is here today! It was unthinkable to have humans, werewolves, mermaids, and vampires in the same vicinity, and you’ve got them all working together on a boat!”

I wanted to talk more, but I felt the engines start. Hammer and Susan came up the stairs. “We’re going up, care to join us,” I asked them. “This is Emily; she’s my friend from Boston.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Hammer said as he shook her hand. “Cold?”

“I’ll warm up in the sun,” Emily said as I led them up the stairs. The guys joined us, all of us enjoying the cruise towards Catalina Island. At full speed on the open ocean, the cool ocean breezes pushed us down into the salon, which still had all of the curtains drawn. The couples sat together on the couches, while Emily and I took the chairs. I ducked into the bathroom, removing my clothes and wrapping a sheet around me before coming back to the center of the room.

“I asked you all to be here today because there is something you need to know,” I said. We’d agreed on this plan, thinking it best the girls stay in contact with their mates. “The girls and I are different; we are more than you think we are.”

“You’re right, and we love it,” Manuel said as he pulled a smiling Noelani into his side.

“It’s easier to show you. Don’t be frightened; I won’t hurt you,” I said. With that, I let go of the sheet at the same time I shifted. In a second, my human body became that of a big grey-over-white wolf.

“DA FUCK,” Ricardo said as he pulled Makani behind him, standing to protect her.

“SHIT,” Manuel said as he dove over the back of the love seat, pulling Noelani after him.

“It’s about time you trusted me enough to tell me you were all werewolves,” Hammer said quietly. Susan looked at him in shock, and he pulled her close and kissed her. “Cold nose!”

Susan and the twins started to laugh. I moved over to Hammer and put my jaw on his leg; he started scratching my neck and ears. “So beautiful,” he said. “Show me your wolf, my love.”

Susan stood and pulled her dress off, shifting into her slightly smaller wolf. She crawled back onto the couch, laying across his legs as he petted her chest and rubbed her stomach, making her tail whap against the cushion.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, you know them both,” Makani said as she hugged Ricardo from behind. “Sit down and let her come to you.”

“You’re one of them too?”

“My whole life. I’m like you, but with the ability to change into a wolf at will. And like a wolf, I have a mate.”

Noelani had gotten Manuel back on the love seat by now. “And my mate is you, Manuel,” she said.

“And Ricardo, you are MY mate,” Makani said as she snuggled in. I walked over to the pairs, letting the guys touch me and convince themselves I was real. When they had calmed down, Emily held up the sheet so I could shift back behind it. I walked to the bathroom to get my clothes back on.

When I came back out, all of the girls were in their wolf forms. “How did you know, Hammer?”

“Your eyes. When you get emotional, they flare just a little. I’d seen it years ago, and I recognized it. After that, it was the little things that gave it away.”

“Like what?”

“Like how you were communicating without talking, and how your hearing and smell was so much better. Ian told me about what he could do when we were on a joint patrol with the Aussie Special Air Squadron lads.”

“When was this?”

“Summer of 2021, during an operation in the Sudanese Desert. We were pinned down in the desert by hundreds of rebels, and a haboob kept us from getting air support. I thought I was dead when I was down to my last magazine,” Hammer said. “Two of my men had already died, and Carl and I were both injured. Ian was the last of his unit still fighting. He tossed me his last magazine, shifted, and sprinted into their lines. I could hear their screams as they fired wildly, tracking his progress as he tore them apart. The rebels fled, and we survived.”

“What happened to Ian?”

“He stumbled back to us, naked and bleeding. He had four gunshot wounds and multiple shrapnel wounds; he looked like a horror movie. I talked to him as we waited for the medevac. He was medically retired after being awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery.”

It was a hell of a story. “None of you said anything?”

“Half of us were dead, and the rest of us were only alive because he’d wolfed out. He asked us to keep his secret, and we did.”

It was a hell of a story.

And as far as the Council knew, no werewolves lived in Australia.