Besides, we’re observing radio silence now. Hewett confiscated all our cell phones after Tia checked them for tracking chips, and even if the phones weren’t locked in a box in the captain’s quarters, there’s no way anyone could get a signal this far out at sea. We’ve activated sonar and radar blocking and dynamic camouflage. We’ve swept the ship for secret transmitters. No one on board should be able to share our location or our plans with the outside world. At least in theory…

I tell the crew everything. Surprise, I’m descended from Captain Nemo. No, not the cartoon fish. Our zappy guns and other gold-level toys are based on Nemo’s tech. Land Institute and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war over said tech for 150 years. Now that cold war has been turned up to a full boil. The mother lode of alt-tech, including the wreck of Nemo’s sub, is supposedly at a secret HP base three days from our current position. If LI’s sub, the Aronnax, finds us in the meantime, we’re fish food. Oh, and by the way, Dr. Hewett is in a coma in the sick bay and needs immediate treatment.

“The way I see it,” I say, “we have two options. We find this base, warn our people there, and maybe get help against LI. That’s what Hewett wanted. Or we turn back to California, report everything to the authorities, and hope they can handle it. Questions?”

The group shifts uncomfortably. Everybody looks at everybody else, wondering who’s going to speak first.

Kiya Jensen raises her hand. “So, you’re in charge now, Ana?” She glances at Gem. “And we’re okay with that?”

I try not to take this personally. Sharks are trained for command. According to school tradition, Gem should be calling the shots, not me.

I wonder if he will call for a vote on the matter. I imagine he’d win, and honestly, I would be kind of relieved. Gemini Twain is competent and reliable. He’s annoying that way.

He gives Kiya a curt nod. “The professor’s orders were clear: Find this base, no matter what. Ana’s got good intuition, and her Nemo genes let her operate things we can’t touch. I agree with Dr. Hewett. She’s our best shot.”

I face our classmates with what I hope is a calm I totally knew Gem would support me expression.

Rhys Morrow holds up an index finger. “You’re assuming the base even exists. If Hewett was lying, we’ll find ourselves in the middle of the Pacific with no supplies. He worked at LI, right? He could be our spy, sending us to our deaths.”

Always a sunbeam of optimism, that girl. But she raises valid points.

There’s some uneasy murmuring in the group. Nobody looks shocked by Rhys’s allegations. Rumors travel quickly.

“The base is there,” Ester says.

She’s kneeling next to Top, picking bits of crusted sea salt off his furry ears. Ester doesn’t speak loudly, but she gets everyone’s attention.

“You know this?” Franklin asks her.