Page 82 of Surface Pressure

“I’m not sure I understand.” Even asking that question could get her into trouble. If he expected her to know what was going on, then she really should play into that for survival’s sake.

“Now, now.” Chalmers shook his head. “No need for that. Let’s not waste time with more lies. I must say whoever trained you did a great job. We were all convinced you were just here to be a pain in our ass.”

Autumn’s heart sunk.

They really did all hate her.

She hadn’t just been overthinking or making that up.

The stares, the annoyed looks, the jibes—it had all been real.

Autumn wanted to question him again but thought better of it. She had no idea what he was going on about, but he seemed to want to talk. Which would be a first for him and her. And that set off loud warning bells. She’d let him talk and hope she could work out what the hell had happened while she roamed the corridors of the tech wing in a daze.

“But all this time you had your own mission. Infiltrating the monsters from the water. It’s genius. No doubt you’ve been able to get information about their technology.” He put his hand out in front of him, like he wanted her to take over the conversation and explain something.

“Technology.” Autumn said it like a statement, hoping the pause would propel him to say more. She wished she had been able to keep her mouth shut, but her head ached and nothing seemed quite real. Not the weight of her own body or the feeling of the hard wooden slats beneath the too thin padding on the chair she sat on.

“Ah, of course.” Chalmers nodded, an unnerving glint in his eyes. “Need to know basis. I respect that. Though I would have been able to give you more freedoms if I’d known what your mission here had actually been.”

“Sir,” Marshall interrupted before Autumn could work out what to say. The acid in her stomach burned and made its way up the back of her throat. “I’m on duty in the mess.”

Chalmers barked a laugh. “You’ll stay where you are until we’re finished.”

“Yes, sir,” Marshall said. To anyone else it might seem as though he spoke calmly, or at best indifferently, but Autumn had known him long enough to see his jaw muscles pulse beneath his skin.

“Who knows about the mermaids?” Autumn asked. She had gleaned enough from his conversation to figure out what he had been assuming. She took her chance, hoping she was correct. What did she have to lose? Her life? She had already expected to be executed.

“Oh, you needn’t worry about that. I was the only one privy to that information when we first arrived.”

“But Marshall knows.” Autumn pointed at her comrade.

“Marshall encountered them in the water and asked about them.” Chalmers looked at her suspiciously.

“You told me I’d been mistaken,” Marshall’s voice burst into the room, anger laced in every word.

“Of course, I did. You were being an idiot. Wanting us to abandon our mission for those disgusting slimy aliens.” Chalmers sneered.

“What?” Autumn stared at Marshall, mouth dropping open.

“What do you want me to do now, sir?” Though it didn’t sound like a question. It sounded like Marshall was being handed his execution orders at the same time as Autumn. That cold feeling she’d gotten used to since Soulara had shown up reared its ugly head again. Autumn was about to jump in, but Chalmers beat her to it.

“You and Walton have a new mission. We need more information about the mermaids.” Chalmers stood and turned his back to them.

Autumn looked directly at Marshall, trying to gauge his reaction. She hadn’t meant to get Marshall in trouble. She hadn’t meant to pull him into this drama and make him commit treason with her. Looking back at Chalmers, something settled in Autumn’s heart.

“That’s not my mission, sir.” Autumn stammered.

“It is now.” Chalmers turned back to them, and Autumn recognized the cold hard stare he gave her. The amused man who had chuckled was no longer present anywhere in his face. “I don’t appreciate spies in my ranks. No matter if the mission is for the greater good. I don’t care what you’ve reported back to whoever trained you and planted you in my team. You’ll collect the information I need. And you won’t be reporting it back to your other leaders.”

Autumn flinched.

“And before you think about going against my orders, Marshall.” He narrowed his eyes on Marshall. “Don’t forget how unfortunate Tripp was.”

Autumn turned to look at Marshall, but his eyes remained fixed ahead of him. From his profile, she could see that his face hadn’t gone white so much as a dusty gray.

“Yes, sir.” Marshall’s voice had no emotion in it.

“You’re dismissed.”

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