ONE WEEK LATER
“…And in other news, one of the more devastating events to ever happen in Cayman Island history, and possibly even world history took place in the Grand Cayman Islands. In the late hours last week, officials say that a power plant went critical. As a result, the plant unleashed enormous amounts of radiation and then exploded. Inside that plant were approximately five hundred gallons of intoxicated water that flooded the entire island. Authorities were able to evacuation about eighty residents of the island, but the death and missing toll, including two missing women; Sydney and Laura Bristow, continue to grow. Stay tune and we will soon have all the full details as the investigation and search continues…”
The TV clicked off. The room suddenly went dark once more, only a crack of light seeping through the closed blinds of the window as the man sitting in the chair across from the television set sighed deeply and ran his hand threw his somewhat curly dark hair. His hand stretched across to the table next to him and found the newspaper. He brought it to his lap to read the headline story; ‘Power Plant in Cayman Islands; Kills hundreds. Island now claimed, unlivable.’
He threw the paper down and picked up the phone sitting to the right of him. He dialed a number and waited. After the ringing, the other person picked up. “Yes?”
The man paused, rethinking his decision. He licked his lips, and spoke. “Get me Will Tippin.”
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Will’s head was buried in his hands listening to Francie rant on. His head was racing so fast, he couldn’t think straight. First, they were kidnapped; they learned about the CIA and that Sydney was working for them after working for an enemy; Then to have your best friend go on some mission to the Cayman Islands, and never return? It was a bit much for him to handle.
Obviously annoyed at being ignored, Francie threw down the paper and made Will jump up, his tired eyes looking at her sad and red eyes.
“Will!” Francie exclaimed.
Will threw up his hands. “What?”
“Are you even listening to what I am saying?”
“What do you want me to say, Francie?”
“I want you to say that Sydney is okay, and will make it back here.”
Will paused for a second, staring down at the table. After a brief pause, he looked back up at her. “I can’t do that.”
Francie looked like she was about to cry again. “Will…”
“They would have found her by now,” Will added.
Francie slowly sank into the closest chair to her. “I don’t want to have a funeral for my best friend,” she sighed.
Will nodded and grabbed Francie’s hand, squeezing it for moral support. “I know, Fran,” he said. “I know.”
At the sound of a ring, Will slightly jumped. Realizing it was his phone; he sighed and shook his head, reaching for it. “Yeah?” Will listened for bit, then his eyes widened. “What?” Francie looked at him curiously. “Yeah, yeah sure. I will.”
Will closed his phone and stared at it for a while before the suspense killed Francie. “Will!”
At the mention of his name, he looked up at her, still in a slight daze. “What was that?” she asked.
Will just slowly shook his head. “You won’t believe it.”
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He was hot, he was tired, he was bored…he was were he didn’t want to be. He tugged on the collar of his protected suit and sighed deeply. He turned to his partner who was walking around the scene examining things and taking tubes and samples of the water at their feet. Now it was about ankle deep, not even that. A week ago, you had to swim in the stuff. He looked around what he assumed was once a lab. The news and some authorities had told the public that a power plant had gone critical, but they weren’t in a power plant. They were in a regular building where the explosion had taken place. They had no idea were all the toxic water had come from, but the readings they got from it suggested that it was the water that killed so many people. After they had landed in the Cayman Islands, they had counted a hundred dead; just laying there in the street…dead.
After a week of analyzing data and finding no survivors, he was done. He wanted nothing more to do with this place. “Paul!” he called out. His partner stopped what he was doing and looked over at him.
“What, Tomas?” Paul asked.
“Let’s get the frack outta here,” Thomas replied. “This place gives me the creeps.”
From underneath his mask, Paul smirked and walked over to Tomas. “All right, I could eat.”
Thomas looked at Paul and laughed. “You can always eat!” he joked.
Paul stopped suddenly and walked over to one of the glass framed doors. “Holy felgercarb, look at this.”
Thomas looked as well with amazement. In front of them was a room, surrounded and closed off by the glass. A room completely filled with brown colored water. “It didn’t bust open,” Thomas noted. “The room held all the water in.”
Paul’s eyes looked into the room with such awe; he held his breath as a piece of metal came floating by them. “Hey, what do you suppose that was?”
Thomas shrugged in his suit. “I dunno.” He sighed and looked at his partner. “Well…I thought you were hungry?”
Paul nodded. “You’re right. There ain’t nuthin’ here.” Thomas grinned and followed Paul back outside.
From inside the water filled room, another metal piece came floating across, touching the glass, but not breaking it open. Then suddenly, from out of nowhere, a hand hit the glass, echoing. A human hand, one that carried a ring on its finger; a gold ring with a green stone inside.
THE END