Shallow Breath (27 page)
K
ate catches up with Jackson in the corridor, grabbing his arm. ‘I’m disappointed in you, Jackson.’
He presses the button to call the elevator. ‘Kate, the whole lot of you are crazy. Your entire plan is way beyond risky. You don’t have to do this.’
As the lift arrives with a cheerful ding, he steps in, but Kate holds the door. ‘On the contrary, we all have to do this,’ she shoots back. ‘We all have to stand up and be counted. None of us can hide any more. The world is spinning too fast now, Jackson. Every day we wait, we lose more than we can ever replace.’ She hesitates. ‘I saw you in the room just then, when Maya was speaking. You barely glanced at those photos she was showing you. You had your eyes to the ceiling or the window, or wherever. While Desi was staring at them, you weren’t even paying attention. Perhaps it’s time you took a proper look at what’s going on around you, Jackson. Perhaps we’re the ones seeing clearly, while you’re missing the whole point. In order to
save them, first you have to care. Here.’ She thrusts a piece of paper at him and releases the door, glaring at him until it closes.
He glances down to find he’s staring at a leaflet for Osaka Aquarium. ‘Ocean, you meet whale shark’, it says on the front, above a picture of a whale shark with a drooping dorsal fin. He opens it up to another picture, the blurb underneath describing how the whale shark swims comfortably in its nine-metre-deep tank.
He stares at it. He knows all too well that, in the wild, whale sharks dive to well over nine hundred metres. That they traverse entire oceans, hidden and harmless in those vast cerulean depths.
Angry and deflated, he stuffs the leaflet into his pocket and concentrates on the lights flashing through the numbers as the lift descends to the lobby. The doors open onto a brightly lit melee of people. He walks distractedly over to a shop and begins to browse random items, with no interest in what they are. All the time, Kate’s voice is buzzing in his head.
He moves from one shop to another, until he is drawn to a restaurant in the far corner. A group of men sit in front of the bar, joking and laughing loudly, downing shots. He takes a stool near them, hands over his money and points towards a bottle that looks like whisky. The bartender pours it and pushes it across.
When he takes a slug, he finds it’s not whisky at all, but something foul and bitter. Nevertheless, he brings it to his mouth again, about to knock it back and ask for another one.
Then he stops and puts the drink down.
He stares into it, hearing Kate’s furious voice.
You’re missing the whole point
.
He bangs his hand on the countertop hard enough to make the men turn around in surprise. He ignores them, pushing the
glass away and retracing his steps to the elevators. Kate is right. It is time to put himself on the line. Time to stand up for what he believes in, and be counted.
T
he call comes while Rebecca is strolling on the beach with her family.
‘Am I speaking to Rick Carlisle’s daughter?’
She sighs. ‘Yes.’
‘Mr Carlisle has been brought in this morning – he’s done something strange with his tablets, and taken too many of the wrong ones before he realised. I’m afraid he was ranting about being poisoned, so we’ve had to sedate him.’
Theo is looking at her, his expression concerned. Rebecca pulls a frustrated face at him as she watches Caitlin running ahead, racing in and out of the surging water.
Suddenly she cannot look away. To her delight, she realises there’s no sign of her daughter’s limp.
‘Mrs Bell? Are you still there? I have you here as his next of kin – is that right?’
As Rebecca listens, she stares off beyond Caitlin towards the ocean. It is tranquil and so pretty today, just one lacework line
of breakers flickering delicately a long way offshore.
‘I’m afraid we’re not on speaking terms any more,’ she says. ‘Tell him to find somebody else.’ And she hangs up.
Theo puts his arm around her and pulls her in to kiss her forehead. ‘Well done, sweetheart,’ he murmurs into her hair. ‘Well done.’
K
ate is stunned to discover that a new plan has emerged in the five minutes she’s been gone. But the more they discuss it, the more they decide it might work.
‘It only takes about ten minutes to drive to Taiji,’ Carl says. ‘I could drop you on one of the quieter roads near the harbour at about midnight, and be back in plenty of time for our raid on Dolphin Resort.’ He points to a small road close to the water, half-hidden by trees. ‘But you’ll be completely alone. You’ll have to make your own way to the pens, and wait in the dark for a few hours until it’s time. Are you okay with that?’
‘Of course,’ Desi replies.
‘Mum’s a really strong swimmer,’ Maya adds. ‘When she’s finished cutting the ropes, where should she aim for?’
Carl thinks for a moment. ‘I’m not sure – let me study the map for a while and I’ll see if I can figure something out.’
There’s a knock on the door, and Kate jumps up to open it, finding Jackson waiting. ‘Okay,’ he says when he sees her. ‘I still
think this is madness, but I’m in. What can I do?’
‘Perfect timing!’ she says, kissing him on the cheek, noticing his smile as he joins the others.
They tell him about Desi’s plan. ‘Right,’ he says. ‘I’ll join you, Desi. We can drive there ourselves.’
‘No, it would still be better if Carl comes with you,’ Kate interrupts. ‘He knows the roads – and there’s plenty of time for him to get there and back before he’s needed in the boat. The last thing you want to do is get lost and run into the police. But you’ll need a car to have a chance of escaping.’
‘It’s going to be difficult,’ Carl agrees. ‘I wouldn’t try climbing out on the harbour side – there’s too great a risk that someone will spot you. Your best bet is to head out past the landing pier, circle those rocks and come in somewhere along this small beach here. There’s a road close by that’s hidden from view on the satellite map, beneath the trees. If we could leave a car around there, you might be able to reach it.’ He jumps up. ‘I’ll have to go and find Isamu, see if he can get hold of a vehicle or any equipment.’
‘I’ll wait until the surveillance van moves before I go in,’ Desi suggests. ‘Although if I think it’s getting too light, and the police stay put, I might jump in anyway and see how far I get.’
Kate leans against the wall, thinking. ‘Our biggest hurdle is keeping you hidden. If they find you too early, our whole plan could get blown. They’ll increase surveillance on all the pens.’
‘What exactly do they have in the pens at the harbour?’ Maya asks.
Kate goes to sit in front of her laptop. She clicks through a series of links and says, ‘Two pantropical spotted dolphins, three Pacific white-sided dolphins, two Risso’s dolphins and three false killer whales.’ She swings round in her chair and
looks hard at Desi. ‘Those poor creatures. You’re right. If there’s a chance, we have to try. Only four pens are in use at the moment, which will make it a lot easier for you.’
‘I’m sure it’ll work,’ Desi says, eyes still on the map. ‘And if I go in soon after you, perhaps the ones I release will latch on to the sounds Isamu plays as he leads the others out. I can’t bear to think of them hearing it, with no way of escape.’
It is Jackson’s turn to study the plans. ‘I’m sorry to be the one putting a damper on things,’ he says eventually, ‘but you do realise those fishermen will go out tomorrow and do exactly the same thing? They might even recapture the ones you release. Are you sure it’s worth it?’
Kate folds her arms. ‘I thought you said you were in?’
‘I’m simply playing devil’s advocate.’
‘Well, I understand what you’re saying, but right now we’re not in the business of sinking boats. We want to give those dolphins a fighting chance. Even if that’s all we can do, it’s worth it. Until the law changes, those fishermen will go out tomorrow whether we do this or not. We need change on a number of levels, big and small. The greater change will have to come later. For now, let’s focus on what we can do tonight. Besides, it’s getting towards the end of the season – perhaps they won’t have time to recoup all their losses.’
As Kate and Jackson stare at one another in the silence that follows, Maya jumps up. ‘I think I might go for a walk and stretch my legs a bit.’
Kate spots Maya raising her eyebrows at Desi, who gets quickly to her feet. ‘I’ll come with you.’
As soon as the door closes, Jackson walks over to Kate and sits on the bed near her.
‘So, do you forgive me?’
She does her best to keep her reply businesslike, while
Jackson attempts to disarm her with a hangdog expression and a hopeful smile.
‘We’ll see.’
‘So, have I finally got to the bottom of all your secrets?’ he asks. ‘Or is there anything else I need to know?’
She weighs him up carefully as he holds her gaze. ‘Actually,’ she says, ‘there is just one more thing.’
‘I
t’s time.’
Kate is shaking Maya out of her slumber. She comes to with a surge of adrenaline and gets up with purpose, pulling on her swimsuit and a rashie, then struggling into her wetsuit. Her mask and snorkel wait by her bed. That’s all she needs – the rest of the equipment will be in the boat. She rolls up the legs of the wetsuit, and puts one of the hotel dressing gowns over the top, rumpling her hair so she appears less suspicious.
Carl has returned from dropping Desi off, and has gone ahead to the boat. By the time Maya has finished, Kate is identically dressed, and waiting with one hand on the door handle. Maya glances briefly around the room. She’s not leaving much behind, just a few clothes, and yet it is surprisingly hard to walk out of here. Once over the threshold, she relinquishes this final place of safety. The dim corridor leads only to danger.
‘Ready?’ Kate whispers.
Maya nods and steps outside.
They tiptoe along the linoleum. A green and red stripe runs centrally down the maze of passageways, and she finds herself fixated on it as they hurry along. With each step, her anxiety increases. A babble of voices comes from a nearby corridor, and they slide into the shadows for a moment until it fades. They rush through a long, empty stretch of arcade games, all unplugged, an assortment of teddy bears staring sightlessly at them, waiting to belong to someone.
Finally, they reach the lift that will take them to the uppermost floors of the hotel, at the top of the cliff. Although they are a long way from the central lobby, it is well lit here, increasing their edginess. The ping that announces the lift’s arrival makes Maya jump, and she resists the urge to dry-retch as they hurtle upwards. They come out near some conference rooms on the top floor. Kate runs to a nearby door with Maya following, and finally they have reached fresh air.
The moon is a sliver in the sky, and mostly hidden behind clouds. Maya can only see the broad outlines of what’s around her. A walkway slopes downwards towards the bright lights of a party still going on in one of the upper function rooms, music and laughter intermingling. The view to their right reveals scattered lights glowing along the harbour towards town. The open ocean is on their left, but it is lost to the darkness.
They hurry away along a concrete path that leads towards the woods, past an array of feature gardens and statues. On another occasion, it would be calming and peaceful to stroll here. Right now, as the formless shadows of the trees loom closer and closer, Maya’s galloping heartbeat invades her head, making her giddy.
Kate grabs hold of Maya’s hand as they turn towards the ocean and make their way down. Maya struggles to keep her balance and move quickly, stepping on stones and branches,
and occasionally slipping on patches of mud. As they get nearer to the bottom of the cliff, she hears the sea crashing against the rocks. Her eyes have adjusted more to the gloom, and she can make out the prow of a boat through gaps in the trees.
A dark figure steps out in front of them. Maya manages to stifle her shriek as Carl says, ‘It’s okay, it’s me.’
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Kate hisses. ‘Do you want to make us scream? Great start that would be.’
‘Sorry, but I’ll have to help you down the next section – there are a few steep drops, and the rocks are sharp. I’ll take Maya first and come back for you.’
Carl grabs Maya’s hand and guides her carefully around tangles of branches. For a moment she is with Luke again, hurrying through the dark. Back then she had been even more frightened than she is now, which doesn’t seem right, considering.
She wonders when she will next see Luke, and shakes off a surge of sadness. Although Luke says so little, she’s sure he would approve of what she’s doing.
Carl jumps down a steep drop and turns back to help her. ‘Wait there,’ he says, once she’s joined him, and he scrambles up again to get Kate.
She crouches in the shadows of the trees and her thoughts turn to Desi, waiting somewhere beyond those distant cliffs. She has never felt as close to her mother as right now. Only a few hours ago, they had found a seat in a quiet corner, by a window that overlooked the harbour.
Desi had put her arm around Maya as they took in the view. ‘You know that even when I can’t be with you, I’m always with you.’
‘I know.’ Maya hesitates. ‘Tell me how you got through when you were in prison?’
‘Maya, don’t think like that.’ Desi pauses. ‘But if you must know, I pictured myself where I wanted to be, rather than where I was.’
‘And where was that?’
‘On the verandah of the shack. Swimming in the ocean. With Pete. With you.’
Maya closes her eyes as she remembers her mother’s voice, and imagines dolphins swimming through holes in the netting, streaking away across the open water. When she opens her eyes, Kate and Carl are beside her.
‘This is it,’ Kate says to them both. ‘Once we’re in the boat, we can’t talk. Kit up quickly, and follow my lead.’ She hugs them both in turn. ‘Good luck. Let’s save as many as we can. Remember, every rope we cut makes a difference.
Everything
we’re about to do makes a difference.’ She squeezes Maya’s arm. ‘Stay strong, little sister. And thank you. Don’t forget, once you’ve finished, even if you can’t see us, swim north-east as fast as you can.’
Maya hasn’t met Isamu before, but had pictured a wizened old fisherman. To her surprise, the man waiting for them is no more than thirty. He acts as though they are invisible as they board, his eyes on the water the whole time, while they quickly kit up.
As soon as they are ready, he sets off. The night is still so dark that Maya cannot discern where sea becomes sky. Isamu uses the engine while crossing Kii-Katsuura’s harbour mouth and heading inland, but as they get closer to their destination he turns it off and throws Carl one of the paddles.
The dark rocks of the promontory leer over them as they silently skirt around the edge of the peninsula, as near as they can to land. Maya can make out lights in the distance, but nothing reaches them. For now, they are absorbed in the invisible cloak
of night, but there are only ninety minutes before dawn.
Finally, Isamu stops rowing.
It is time to go.
Kate is instantly over, slipping silently into the water. Maya follows, the freezing water rushing to claim every part of her. It steals her breath as she descends, and makes her teeth chatter, but she ignores it. Once she starts to swim, she’ll be okay. She sees two brief strobes of pen lights in the water, and is relieved that the others are close. Now and again they flash the torches against their hands as they travel, to keep one another nearby. Maya checks her gauge and sees they are moving south-west, as they are meant to.
Their preparations have been thorough. Maya is ready for most things – the cold, the awkwardness of knives strapped to her legs and a bolt-cutter pressed inside her inflatable jacket. However, no one had talked about the noise. Despite the loud echo of her breathing, even before she locates the pens she hears the incessant clicks and squeals and whistles of the dolphins, a few calls that rise sharply before plummeting down from the high notes. They seem to intensify as she gets closer.
They must know we’re here
, she thinks,
and after everything they’ve been through they’ll be terrified
.
Robbed of clear sight, she’s unaware they have found the outer ropes of the pen until she swims straight into them. The jolt almost knocks the regulator out of her mouth, but she quickly recovers. Kate is right next to her and flicks the torch on briefly, so that Maya gets the briefest impression of her determined eyes before she gets to work. The plan is for them to cut the net while moving in opposite directions, until they have gone all the way around the four pens. Meanwhile, Carl will swim to the farther side and attempt the two pens there.
The rope netting is not as thick as the ones they have been
practising with, but the squares are narrow. It is too difficult to wield the bolt-cutters with proper force underwater, and eventually Maya gives up and uses the biggest of her knives, sawing with all her strength. After a few goes, she takes off her neoprene gloves, pushing them into her jacket. Her fingers work more easily once they are free, even though it is sometimes difficult to keep good hold of the slimy rope. As the first ropes break, excitement makes her hyperventilate, and she forces herself to go a little slower. She continues to work, now aware of large, slick bodies brushing close by, their calls and clicking loud in her ears. She winces as the knife slips and digs into her finger, but there is no time to think about it. She is only just beneath the surface. Mapping the holding pens in her mind, she is able to flick the torch on briefly when she thinks she has reached the wooden walkway of the large central pen. She is right. At that point, she stops cutting.
So far, her vision has been stolen by the night, but now the very first rays of dawn are beginning to penetrate the water. She makes her way back along the outside of the netting, trying to check the holes she has made. It’s too shadowy to see much, but she can make out vague shapes. To her dismay, she realises the dolphins are still inside. In desperation, she is debating whether to swim into the pens to help when a shadow glides through one of the gaps.
She stares in jubilation, willing her eyes to focus more clearly, to confirm what she is seeing.
Another sleek body streaks past her, and is gone.
She swims the circumference of the pens, praying she is right. She can still hear a few squeaks and calls, but they could be from those in the central pen. She can’t find any in the outer ones.
And then she hears the sound of a boat engine, coming
closer. Her nerves resurge at once, paralysing her. There was no mention that Isamu would get this close. It must be another boat. She imagines it beginning to round up the dolphins, before they’ve had a chance to go anywhere. She turns in circles, but the light is too dim, and there is no sign of either Kate or Carl.
She is alone.
The realisation is terrifying. Her breathing quickens, and she becomes dizzy. Her fingers are so cold she can barely feel them. She struggles to regain control of herself, checking her compass and turning to face north-east. Once ready, she kicks as hard as she can.
Far sooner than she expected she can make out the rocky bottom getting shallower. She unbuckles her fins and takes them off, struggling to her feet, trying to grab hold of the slippery stone. As soon as her footing is sure, she unclips the tank and pulls it off, setting it down. She looks around her. She is completely alone, standing out on the perimeter of the rocks, and the light is increasing by the second. She glimpses a distant thicket of trees and begins to run towards them, dodging small pools full of water, trying to keep her footing, desperate to find cover, to feel safer. As she runs, she wonders where the hell Kate and Carl have gone.
Only when she is lost in a swathe of shadowy trees does she turn and look towards the pens. Beyond them, she can make out two figures on the opposite shore, their arms waving triumphantly in the air. They are staring out to sea. She follows their gazes to the little vessel speeding towards the horizon. But not until she sees a pair of dorsal fins surface briefly behind the boat does she let out a sob.
Relief takes out her legs, and she collapses on the rocks. The distant sound of a siren makes her look across to the shoreline again. The two people she’d seen standing there have gone.
The boat is now little more than a dot in the distance, and her tired eyes cannot pick out fins against the restless peaks of water. She is trying to decide what to do next when, without warning, a hand clamps over her nose and mouth.
