Page 11 of Oceansong
He knew her?
“Yeah. And you?” Angie removed her ear protection and flipped the safety on her Glock, pointed it downrange, and straightened up.
A coltish, redheaded teenage boy approached her, bright-eyed and energetic. He gathered his ammo boxes, moved to the shooting stall next to her, and held out his hand, his wide grin lifting her spirits. “Luke. Just started at your dad’s docks last week. It’s great there.”
“Oh! My dad mentioned you. You’re a big deal around here. The mayor’s son, right?”
“Yeah, I mean, it’s not that big of a deal.” Blushing, he ran a hand through his hair and looked at his sneakers. “Didn’t think I’d see anyone else here. Actually, wait, hold on.” Luke jogged downrange to set up his targets, scattered colored circles with numbers on them, and then ran back up range to stand beside her. “I like it here. Nice village you all live in.”
“It’s homey. Where are you from?” Angie aimed the Glock at her target and turned the safety off.
“I was working at the port in Unalaska.”
Angie lowered her gun, flipping the safety back on. “How come you were out there when your parents are here? Do you have family there too?”
“When I finished school, I thought about going to stay with my big brother in Tacoma for a while, work there. But then my aunt and uncle offered for me to stay with them for the summer in the Aleutians, and I love it there. So I couldn’t say no.” Luke’s eyes danced with excitement as he spoke.
“Your brother’s in Tacoma?” Angie perked up. “I went to school in Seattle.”
“What for?” Luke stepped closer.
“Got my marine biology bachelor’s. I’ll be going back in the fall for my PhD.”
“Right on.” Luke gave her a buck-toothed grin. Angie turned back to her gun, about to pick it up, but Luke lingered. Clearly, he wasn’t ready toend the conversation. “So I guess you know what happened there, and a few other ports.”
“A little bit. What happened?” She was enraptured and gave him her full attention.
“Fish gone missing, so they shut the place down while they have, like, the military and government investigating. Heard it’s similar in even bigger ports like Anchorage.” He lowered his voice, even though Angie didn’t see anyone around who could possibly overhear them.
The fish problem stretched all the way to Anchorage? Tingles danced over her skin.
Luke spoke again. “Are you going to work later?”
“Not until twelve. You?”
“Well, I have to go to the docks in an hour. And then I’m heading out with some of the guys and girls on theMV Castawaytonight.Hopefully, we can bring back some fish.”
Luke returned to his stall and laid out his ammo boxes in a neat line in front of him. “Then I’ll get some time off once we return, so I can start getting my things ready for college. I’m headed to Anchorage in the fall.”
“Congratulations! You must be so excited.” A flush of happiness washed over Angie, and she faced him. She just met this boy, and she liked him already. “They have you working the cargo ships, huh?”
“I am! Steward’s department.” Luke shifted his weight and slipped on his protective eyewear. “And thanks a lot, Angie.” Angie couldn’t mistake the light in his eyes as they turned back to their targets and resumed practice.
Fueled by the thought of her fellow villagers starving and the anxiety of what the deep-sea cameras might pick up, she pointed the Glock at her zombie target’s bullseye, hitting two in a row.
She pointed her eyes heavenward, grinning to herself. Now, she’d be a quicker, more accurate shot in the event she’d have to defend herself, whether she held her Glock, or a speargun.
After going through one more ammo box, she waved goodbye to Luke.
“Luke, be safe, alright? I’ll see you at the docks. Heading home for a bit.”
He said goodbye, and Angie packed up, heading home to drop her things off before work.
“Today’s catch was a quarter of the usual.” Bàba looked deflated.“Tamade.” He muttered the curse under his breath. Angie bowed her head, balancing her clipboard in one arm, rising from the waveguard she was leaning against. The clipped papers with cargo inventories fluttered in the incoming breeze.
Days had passed with no mer sightings since she, Stefan, and the rest of their diving group had placed the cameras. Angie took a deep breath before asking her next question. “What kind of fish were in the catch?”
Bàba furrowed his brow. “Mostly tuna. Green and white sturgeons. A few king salmon, arctic char, and cod. Enough to feed a few families.” He stiffened.
