CHAPTER NINETEEN - Ben
Sworn Oath
“We’re calling it sonic charges.”
Reeves stuffed his hands in his pockets, hoping the plan wasn’t as ominous as it sounded. Miller’s voice was muffled by the activity in the warehouse, full of gear, artillery, parts, and a dozen trainees. A high, rhythmic whirr sounded somewhere near the amphibian plane as the mechanics worked.
“You know how those environmentalist types have been saying ship noise is harmful to marine animals and all that crap?”
“Yeah,” said Reeves, frowning.
“Well, this gave us an idea for two potential paths to victory. First, we can take out the merman and all the other sea demons with a high-powered blast of sound. Burst their eardrums, drive them insane, whatever it is the noise does. Second, maybe that serpent’s indestructible, but that’s not to say we can’t incapacitate it. You get a high-intensity, low-frequency noise, and even a blue whale would rather beach itself than endure it.”
Reeves stared, not knowing what to say. He was saved by a faint buzzing sound. Miller took his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. He typed something and put it back.
“I gotta go. Sensors picking up seismic activity. Might be related. Don’t know what they want me to do about it. A tremor’s a tremor. Not like we haven’t been expecting the Big One to—”
“Sir, what about everything we talked about?”
Miller leaned back, giving Reeves a once-over with narrowed eyes. Reeves ran a hand over his mouth, aware of how his face had tightened in horror.
Lowering his voice, he said, “How control is passed, sir. Targeting the merman?”
“I’ve spoken to the Secretary of State about this. We have official orders to go forward.”
“Did you tell him everything I told you?”
“Of course I did. But we discussed it in detail and we agree we can’t get to the merman without being attacked by the serpent. We need something to incapacitate one or both of them.”
A battle raged inside Reeves’ head. Half of him wanted to shout at Officer Miller for ignoring the facts he’d pulled straight from the only historical document ever recorded on the serpent. The other half of him knew his place.
“Sir, the serpent is indestructible. This won’t—”
“If the legend is true—” Miller paused, letting Reeves know that he did not, in fact, believe the legend was true. “—we’ll still get the merman with this. If power is passed as you say, then that’s not a bad thing, is it?”
Miller clapped Reeves on the back, a grin on his face that plainly suggested Reeves needed to take a vacation for his mental health.
A group of trainees passed by, heading to dinner. They acknowledged Miller and Reeves on the way, forcing Reeves to keep his rising panic in check.
He waited until they left the warehouse before continuing.
“Can’t you take out the merman with something that won’t hurt or kill everything within a several-mile radius?”
Miller gave Reeves a long, searching look. “You’re concerned about the environment?”
“Aren’t you?”
“I’m more concerned about what’ll happen to humanity if we don’t stop this.”
How could he convince Miller that mermaids could be talked to and negotiated with? These insane tactics could be avoided.
“Sir, we need to protect the innocent. The mermaids who are no more than victims of—”
He wished he hadn’t said it as soon as the words were out.
Miller crossed his arms. “Protect?”
Reeves tried to think of a way to explain. He needed Miller to know some mermaids could be trusted—but his every instinct was telling him to zip it.
“Bagh,” said Miller, not raising the volume of his voice.
Across the warehouse, a clanking noise stopped. Bagh appeared from behind an amphibian plane.
“Sir?”
“Bagh, tell Reeves what you told me the other day.”
“About what, sir?”
“What you heard about Reeves’ mission last year.”
Bagh glanced between them, forehead wrinkled. “They passed a pod of mermaids, sir.”
“And?”
Bagh looked down and mumbled something inaudible.
“What’s that?”
“They opted not to attack, sir.”
Miller turned back to Reeves. “You told your team to spare the mermaids. Tell me, does this sound like the kind of behaviour I’d expect from you, chief?”
Anger battled with the hot shame filling his gut. Who did Bagh think he was, telling Miller something like this?
“No, sir. I was trying to keep my team focused on the task at hand.”
“I hope so. Because I would hate to have to relieve you of command.”
There was a heavy silence. Reeves nodded stiffly. Miller pushed past him and walked away. Before leaving the warehouse, he turned.
“Go help the boys clear the beach. The tide is supposed to rise higher than usual tomorrow, and I don’t want to lose anything.”
The door slammed with echoing volume.
Reeves stood facing the friend who’d betrayed him. His heart hammered. Sweat dampened his palms.
Relieve you of command.
The words rang in his head. He would never let that happen. He would not let everything he had dedicated his entire life to be discarded so easily.
“Man, I didn’t think—” said Bagh, but Reeves turned away.
Bagh grabbed his elbow. “Look, I’m sorry!”
“What did you hope to accomplish by telling him that? Trying to tattle on me like a little kid?”
“No! It was about the mermaids, not … I didn’t think Miller would care.”
“Of course he’s going to care!”
Reeves tried to pull away but Bagh gripped his arm tighter.
“We’re done, here,” shouted Reeves. It was with enormous effort that he did not hit Bagh. An apology would not erase the fact that Bagh had treaded on his career—his life.
“I said I’m sorry!”
“I don’t want to hear it!” The anger burst from him, ricocheting through the warehouse.
Bagh stepped back. Recovering, he set his jaw and nodded.
“Fine. See you around, chief.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
Reeves stormed outside, fists clenched. He had not worked this hard to be demoted because of Bagh’s careless words.
But what was he supposed to do? Just let these sonic charges happen? It was Operation Perseus all over again.
He stood at the edge of the beach, facing the water, and crossed his arms. The tide swished against the rocks. The glistening head of a seal poked out of the waves, bobbing slowly. This beach was so pure, so alive. What would happen to it in a few days’ time?
The man he’d sworn to be would accept Officer Miller’s decision. Reeves knew his order to spare the mermaids had been a betrayal—and that was why Miller had cared so deeply. As Team Chief, it was Reeves’ duty to obey, to protect his country. He had to do whatever it took to stop this outside force from harming the American people. Sometimes, harsh actions had to be taken, and this was one of those times.
But he could also make a choice.
When he’d become a Navy SEAL, he’d sworn to never quit, to never drop out of a fight. This fight was no different—the one defending what he knew was right. He knew in his gut that mermaids had meaningful lives, families, and emotions not unlike his own. It wasn’t their fault they were forced to serve this merman king. They were victims. They were innocent civilians worth fighting for.
Being a soldier was supposed to mean fighting for the value of life. Maybe that oath was not intended to include mermaids—but the technicality didn’t matter to Reeves. He wanted to be the kind of man who valued and fought for all life equally. He had a choice to make, and looking out over the water, the scent of ocean air carrying on the breeze, he realised he had already made it.