Page 55 of Shinji Takahashi: Into the Heart of the Storm

parent at Tinker. “He’s going to help a lot with all the security we’re going to run into at Hightower. At least with all the electronic things.”

“That’s awesome,” Shinji said. He paused a moment, staring at his phone, then took a breath. “I’m sorry I told you to go back to Hightower,” he said quickly. “I didn’t mean it. And I should’ve listened to you when you said we should tell the others. I just…I felt I needed to free the Storm Boar, to prove I was a good guardian. I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. But I was just fooling myself, and I made things even worse. So…yeah. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Lucy replied softly. “I get it. My dad always made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough. That I had to do more with my talents. I’d work harder, I would try to do better, but I felt like I was always disappointing him.” She, too, paused a moment, as if gathering her thoughts, then added, “Shinji, you know I’m never going back, right? No matter what they offer me. Hightower has money and power and the latest technology and fancy toys, but when I’m with you and the Society, I feel like I’m doing something that matters. Helping people and preserving life. The important stuff. That’s worth more than any magic or new tech Hightower can offer. That’s why I’m staying with SEA.”

“Yeah.” Shinji nodded. “I get it. Besides, we’re a team.”

“We’re a team,” Lucy agreed with a smile. “You, me, and all of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.”

“Aw,” said a new voice as Roux slipped into the room like some kind of ragged ghost. “What about me? Can I be part of the super-special team, too?”

Lucy rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “Don’t be stupid,” she said. “I thought you were part already.”

Roux, shockingly, blushed—clearly surprised. He looked like he was about to respond, but at that moment, Phoebe appeared.

“Ah, there you three are,” she said, pausing at the door. She had changed out of her normal sea-green coat and was now dressed in black from head to toe. “We are about two hours from Los Angeles, which means only an hour from the drop-off point at Hightower Campus. Oliver and Mano want us on the bridge to go over the plan one last time. And then Operation Stop the Hurricane will really kick into high gear!” She punched the air as she said this, then looked back at them with an eager smile. “This is so exciting! Is everyone ready?”

“Does not throwing up from nerves count?” Shinji asked. One hour. Now that it was finally time, things felt much more real than before. “I wish I hadn’t eaten that last chicken wing.”

“Oh, you’ll do great,” Phoebe assured him. As if this was a basketball game or a presentation he had to make for school. Not a daring heist that involved sneaking past Hightower security, breaking into their warehouse, and stealing a magical artifact that would stop an angry guardian

from destroying a city. “We have a foolproof plan, and I have complete faith in everyone’s unique talents. What could possibly go wrong?”

Roux visibly winced. “Famous last words,” he muttered. “Why does everyone here like to tempt fate?”

Oliver appeared in the doorway, looking serious for once. He still wore his long coat but, like Phoebe, had changed into darker pants and a black shirt. The golden head of his parrot cane glimmered brightly in the crook of his arm as he gave them all a somber look.

“We have a problem.”

Shinji and the others walked into the captain’s quarters, where Mano was glowering at the map spread out on the table before them.

“Of all the bad luck,” he grumbled as they entered. “I don’t know how you’re going to pull this one off, Ocean.”

“What’s going on?” Shinji asked.

“We were going to bring theSeas the Dayin as close as we could to Hightower Campus,” Mano replied, tapping the map with a thick finger. “And then you five were going to take a Zodiac the rest of the way to the beach. Unfortunately, we ran into a hiccup. I just got word that two of Hightower’s

ships have anchored in the cove behind the property. TheSea Plundererbeing one of them.”

“Oh no,” Lucy said. “That means we won’t be able to get very close without alerting Hightower that we’re coming.”

Mano nodded gravely. “Even the Zodiac might be spotted if you try to take it in with those ships sitting there,” he said. “It’s small and fast, but it’s not invisible. And it makes a lot of noise.”

“We’re going to have to risk it,” Oliver said. “We don’t have a choice. That hurricane is coming. We have to get that statue from Hightower, one way or another, and we have to do it tonight.”

Invisible. Shinji jerked up. “Wait,” he exclaimed. “Invisible. What if we used theSeabeetle? It can walk along the ocean floor and travel beneath the Hightower ships.”

“That…might actually work,” Oliver said. “With the storm coming, Hightower certainly wouldn’t be paying attention to anything going onbelowthem. We’ll just sneak past, nice and quiet, and they’ll never know.” He gave Shinji an approving nod. “Good thinking, kid. We’ll make a pirate of you yet.”

Moments later, cold spray was blasting Shinji’s face as he climbed into the hatch of the waitingSeabeetle, gritting his teeth as the ship bobbed wildly beneath him. Lucy, Phoebe, and Roux were already inside, pressed against the seats as

the sub swayed in the rising wind. Just outside the hatch, Oliver turned to face Mano.

“This is where I leave you, Ocean,” the big man said. “I would come along, but if that hurricane hits us, it’ll be a disaster for everyone on this ship. I’m taking her farther up the coast to try to outrun the storm. I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you, but I’ll knock on every wooden surface I can and throw a whole canister of salt over my shoulders for your good luck.”

Oliver nodded. “It was great catching up, Mano. We’ll have to do this again sometime.”

Mano snorted. “You mean getting lost, nearly sinking, running for our lives from an erupting volcano, and trying not to get smashed into a reef? Just like old times.”

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