“Sorry, Dharma, I have to run. When you find out why I’m here, be sure to let me know.”

Pocketing my dinner pouches, I left the dining hall, hustling to catch up with my former fiancée. “Hey, Andie. I just wanted to thank you for letting me share your bed.”

At that moment, Lara exited her suite, shooting me a nasty look as she walked by.

Like I said—shit storm.

“What’s with the squid lady?”

“She wanted me to share more than her bed.”

“And have you?”

I stopped her from walking. “You know me, Andie. Lust is a primordial urge. I’ve always aspired to something deeper.”

She smiled. “You’re such a dork.”

“Maybe. But I’d never cheat on someone I love.”

Her smile faded. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

I was about to reply when the Russian scientist approached. “You are assigned to me tomorrow morning. Lower level, nuclear reactor. Do not be late.”

I waited for him to disappear around the corridor. “Friendly guy. And you call me antisocial.”

To my surprise, Andria slid her fingers inside my palm. “I checked the duty roster, you’re free on day thirteen. Why don’t you join me aboard my mini-sub, I’ll show you how we intend to hunt sea critters on Europa.”

She kissed me quickly then walked away, the taut backseat of her jumpsuit the only critter I was interested in hunting.

Chapter 14

14

Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.

—JOSEPH STALIN

Day thirteen and somehow it seemed as if I had come full circle; Andria playing the huntress; me once more her faithful companion.

I held on for dear life as she banked the two-man sub away from the seafloor like a teenager with a learner’s permit, the turbulence chasing the eight-foot octopus from out of hiding.

“So? Are you going to marry him?”

“We broke up.” The sub lurched violently as Andria chased after the frightened cephalopod. Adjusting my own eyepiece, feeling my pulse pounding, I focused on the black sea, which now appeared pea-soup green.

“Don’t just sit there and crawl up into your brain—say something, damn it.”

“I thought he was what you wanted?”

“I was wrong.”

Andria aimed her weapon’s laser target over her quarry, her index finger squeezing the pistol-like trigger by her right leg with her index finger. An explosion of compressed air belched out of the end of the submersible’s mechanical arm, blooming into a neon yellow net that engulfed the octopus in the split second it takes a frog’s snapping tongue to feed upon a fly.

I watched the octopus struggling in the net. Andria startled me by entwining the fingers of her right hand in mine.

“Ike, is it too late for us?”

I laid my head back against the leather seat. “What about Europa?”

“Come with us.”