Page 20 of Treasure of the Abyss

The uncertainty that filled Jax was foreign to him; he could do nothing but watch her, for a time, with no idea of how toproceed.

“What do you need to make fire, Macy? I will not allow you tostarve.”

“So just let mego.”

“And what will I tell my people, when yours come to huntus?”

“I said I wouldn’t tellanyone!”

Jax moved to the crates. He picked through their contents, unable to keep the history between humans and kraken from the forefront of his mind. It was too dark and bloody to be ignored. “If I gave you my word that no harm will come to you while you are here, would you believeme?”

“You already said you wouldn’t kill me, and you’re going through a lot of effort to keep mealive.”

He looked at her over his shoulder. That shadows were thickening; night would be upon them soon. “That doesn’t answer my question,Macy.

She sighed. “Yes. I believeyou.”

Nodding, he turned back to the human artifacts. “That is more than I expected. For now, let it beenough.”

“It’s not enough for me! I didn’t choose to behere!”

“Tell me what you need to make a fire, and I will obtain it foryou.”

She growled. “Wood —drywood — and something to create a spark. Flint and steel, or one of those little firestarters.”

Jax sorted the Facility’s strange collection of items in his mind. He knew a few pieces of equipment that could start a fire without a doubt, but they were all tied into the buildings themselves; even if he could remove them, he doubted they’d work with that connection severed. But there was anotherpossibility…

“Would heatwork?”

“It’d have to be extremelyhot.”

“I know of something that may help, but I’ll have to leave to obtainit.”

Macy was quiet for a time. When he glanced at her, she was staring at thesky.

“It’s going to be dark,” shesaid.

“Yes.”

“Is it…safehere?”

“Safer than anyplace outthere.”

She nodded and dropped her gaze to herlap.

“I’ll be as fast as I can,Macy.”

He counted his heartbeats; she hadn’t yet replied by fifty. Moving quietly, he picked up her cup and filled it under the waterfall. She watched as he placed it on the ground beside her, but saidnothing.

Her silence followed him into thesea.

The water wasdark as he hurried to the Facility, and he saw no other kraken when he entered. He moved through the halls with more caution than usual; when he set his heart on being away, the place put him in strange moods. There was a tightness in his chest and a restless energy in his tentacles. He itched to moveon.

He found the room he was looking for without encounteringanyone.

The humans had kept many weapons in the Facility — a variety of guns, spears, knives, and harpoons. Though the kraken preferred the simpler tools, they’d always remained mindful of the weapons their old foes had wielded. They’d stand the best chance in using such devices, should the age-old conflict sparkagain.

Jax removed a heat gun from the charging rack. It was relatively small, fitting in one hand, and its case was sleek and glossy, but he knew better than to be fooled by its appearance. This was a dangerous weapon. He checked the charge and made sure its operation was disabled before exiting theFacility.

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