Page 62 of Daughter of the Deep

I find him in the sickbay, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, staring at Dr Hewett’s unconscious form. Franklin Couch putters around, checking the professor’s monitors and fluid levels, but, when he sees the serious expression on my face, he says, ‘If you two will watch my patient for a sec, I’m going to grab some lunch.’

He beats a hasty retreat.

‘I’m sorry, Gem,’ I say. ‘I should’ve waited for you this morning. I’ll make sure you’re in the loop from now on.’

The frown lines around his eyes soften a bit. ‘I’d appreciate that. I don’t know, Ana … Something doesn’t feel right. We shouldn’t relax.’

I wish I could brush off his concerns as easily as Nelinha does, but I feel unsettled, too, as though I’ve missed an important warning – like the significance of the security grid flickering the morning Harding-Pencroft was destroyed.

I study Dr Hewett’s face … He still looks too pale, his skin almost translucent, but some of the jaundiced yellow seems to have faded around his neck and cheekbones. His hair has been washed and combed so it looks almost majestic – like the mane of an ancient lion.

‘He was my advisor,’ Gem murmurs. ‘Also the closest person I ever had to a father.’

I feel as if we’ve stepped out onto opposite sides of a quivering tightrope. Gem’s voice is full of pain. I never would have considered Dr Hewett a surrogate father figure – for Gem, or for Dev – but apparently he’d tried to guide them both. Hewett’s condition must be worrying Gem much more than he’s let on.

I’m not sure how to ask my next question. I’m not sure I should ask it at all, but Gem seems to be inviting me to take the risk. ‘Did you know your dad?’

He exhales – a humourless laugh. ‘My mom and dad are alive and well. Last I heard, they were living in Oregon.’

My first thought isOh, that’s not so far from HP, but the way Gem saysOregon, he might as well be talking about Saturn.

‘They weren’t in your life,’ I guess.

He unfolds his spindly arms, then clasps his hands behind his back as if he’s not sure what to do with them. As usual, he’s wearing no-nonsense commando black: jeans and T-shirt, even his belt and gun holsters – a cowboy on his way to a funeral.

‘Do you know how I got the name Gemini?’

‘Because of your twin guns, right? I heard your real name is James – Jim – so Gemini …’

He shakes his head. ‘I didn’t make up that story, but I don’t correct people when they tell it. My legal name is Gemini Twain. My parents are … modern-day hippies, I guess you’d call them. They’re into horoscopes, crystals, tarot cards, all that. What they weren’t into was being parents. When I was little, they left my brother and me with our grandmother in Provo. Gran raised us, brought us into the church. My brother is six years older than me. When he left for his missionary work in Brazil …’

He watches the blips on Dr Hewett’s heart monitor. ‘I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t have many connections. So the ones Idohave are important. I’ve apologized to Nelinha several times about embarrassing her that day in the cafeteria. I was just … I was missing my brother, and looking to make new friends. But I get why she hates me.’

The air in my lungs feels raw, as if I’m breathing from a contaminated tank. Nelinha is my bestie. When she hurts, I hurt. But it’s terrible that I never considered Gem’s side of the story. And I had no idea he’d apologized to her about thescholarship kidincident.

‘Hatemay be a little strong,’ I offer. ‘Nelinha has agreed with you twice just this week. Miracles can happen.’

Gem shrugs. ‘I suppose. It’s just … Ineedthis team to stay together, Ana. I need HP. Dr Hewett told me … he believed the school could rise from the ashes. He gave me the job of protecting you because you’re the only one who can make that happen.’

My heart feels as delicate as one of Jupiter’s soufflés. ‘Gem … I know we’re in an emergency situation, but just because I’m a Dakkar doesn’t mean I’m a full-time leader.’

He stares at me. ‘You’re kidding, right? Ana, I was on the bridge of theVarunawhen you cracked that code. You focused your team, got results. I watched you manage the crew for three days. You organized us, deployed everyone’s talents, kept us from killing one another. You gave us a purpose when we were falling apart. That’s not about your DNA. That’s aboutyou. I’m glad you’re in charge.’

I imagine my ears are as bright red as Lee-Ann’s, and it’s not because I’m about to tell a lie. I have trouble taking compliments. I tend to assume the other person is just trying to be nice or sparing my feelings. But Gem isn’t like that. He’s a straight shooter. And he’s just hit my body centre mass with some praise I never expected. ‘Well … thank you.’

In the doorway, Franklin coughs. ‘Didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Gemini is right. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to change my patient’s catheter, unless you two want to stay and help.’

Franklin knows how to clear a room. I head back to the dining hall with Gem right behind me, and for the first time I’m glad to have him at my shoulder.

That afternoon, we take the entire crew aboard theNautilusfor the first time.

I’m worried about the submarine’s reaction. The sounds of power tools, vacuums and kids yelling back and forth is probably the most noise this sub has heard since before Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India. The Sharks form a bucket brigade to remove goop, along with ruined furniture and mouldy artwork. After a few hours, the pile of gross stuff on the pier looks like a garage sale barfed up from the belly of a whale.

Despite all the noise and activity, Ester assures me that theNautilusis content.

‘She likes having a crew again,’ Ester tells me. ‘She likes being cared for.’

I’m glad for that. I don’t want to put my friends in any more danger. On the other hand, I struggle to contain my resentment and worry. Do we reallywantto care for this submarine? Do I trust her after what she did to my parents? I wonder what Nemo would tell me. Did he die aboard his ship because he loved it so much, or because it became his personal prison?

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