Page 20 of Rupture

Yeah.That’s what was churning his gut up right now.Her safety.

Get your head in the game. This is no time for distraction.

Jackknifing his body, Finn kicked down, the high-powered flashlight strapped to his wrist illuminating the jagged contours of the cave walls and the otherworldly formations that loomed out of the shadows. Deeper down, spots of yellow light showed the positions of his teammates, Ethan, Duke and Liev, taking the lead toward the Io habitat.

Finn glanced to his right, where Luca swam paired with Harris, the two men moving in perfect synchronization. Satisfied that they were on track, Finn checked his left. Rose matched his pace several feet away, her slim form cuttingthrough the water with grace. The warm light from her face mask cast a soft glow that highlighted the taper of her fins and the lithe muscles of her legs.

Hot damn.Were scientists supposed to have legs that fine?

“Rose, you’re doing fantastic. Can you hear me okay? Over.”

“Great, thanks.” She made the standard hand signal for ‘okay’.

He smiled, even though she couldn’t see it. He hadn’t missed the stress etched in lines at the corner of her eyes, the telltale signs of the immense pressure she was under. Yet, despite that, here she was, pushing forward with a determination that surprised him. There was so much more to this woman than met the eye, a core of steel beneath her slight frame. And even though the Wolves had built their reputation on achieving the impossible, on this mission, she was going to need it.

“Cade, Nik. This is Ethan. Comms about to go dark.” His deep voice rumbled in Finn’s headset. “Will re-establish once we gain access to the Io habitat.”

“Copy that, Ethan.” The comms clicked with Cade’s reply. “Stay safe, ladies.”

“Sure thing, Cade.” Luca’s voice was unmistakable. “We’ll be sure to send a postcard. Stay cozy up there. Luca out.”

“Copy that, Luca. Base going dark.”

With a final click, comms fell silent.

As they continued their descent, Finn focused on keeping his movements slow and controlled, each kick of his fins measured. In this hostile environment, the smallest mistake could prove fatal—the labyrinthine nature of the Dragon’s Breath had claimed more than one life in the past.Silt puffed in the beam of his flashlight as he sank deeper, the particles billowing in the water like ghostly apparitions as he tracked the guideline Liev had pinioned to the cave walls marking the beginning of their route to the Io.

The water temperature plummeted as his depth increased, the cold nipping at his skin despite the protection of his dry suit and layers of insulating garments. All natural light had now winked out, replaced by swathes of liquid black velvet.

The weight of the water bore down on him, a comfort and an omnipresent threat. Nature tapping on his shoulder, reminding him he was here only by her grace and that if she wished, things would change in an instant.

I hear you, lady. I know who’s in charge down here.

Bubbles suddenly spiraled past him in a torrent, silver clusters ricocheting off each other as they fought for passage to the surface. He slowed his kicks.

Fuck, that was fast. Another burst, larger this time.

Skin tightened across his neck.

What the fuck was going on?

Bubbles could be a sign of trouble, a sign that something had gone wrong with a diver’s equipment or that they were ascending too quickly. But this was different, the sheer volume of escaped air suggesting something far more serious.

“Liev? This is Finn. Sitrep, over,” Finn called out over the comms, his voice tight with tension.

A crackle of static filled his ear, followed by Liev’s steady voice. “Copy Finn. All clear here.”

Curtains of air rippled past.Shit.

“Liev. This is Finn. I am seeing lots of escaped air. I repeat, shitloads of air. Over.”

“Fuck.” Liev’s voice was clipped. “Luca. Sitrep. Over.”

More air streamed past. Finn scanned the surrounding water. No sign of Luca or Harris.Shit.Rosehad caught up with him now, her eyes wide with concern. “Everything okay?”

Finn held up a hand, signaling for her to wait. “Finn to Luca. Radio check. Over.”

He waited, his breathing a steady rasp in his ears. Inhale. Exhale. In and out, one breath at a time, because that was how you stayed alive even in the shittiest of times.

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