Ghosts of Ophidian Read Free Page A

lives.”
    “Why did they die? I mean, I hope you don’t mind me asking. I was just wondering how you survived and they didn’t,” she said, sitting down on the chair in front of him, “I heard you were a SEAL before.”
    He shook his head, then lifted one of the gemstones from the bed. The light above reflected off a dozen surfaces inside the perfect stone.
    “Being a SEAL isn’t what saved my life. It was pure coincidence. My partners rose to the surface ahead of me while I secured the sunken sub. I’m not sure what you know of diving, but at depths like that, you have to rise to the surface slowly in order to prevent a painful effect we divers call ‘the bends’. I was about twenty feet below them as we took our time rising to the surface.
    “We could see the bottom of another boat up there as we rose, but I didn’t think we had anything to worry about. I was wrong. I saw both of my associates cut down by automatic weapons just as they reached the surface,” he said, shaking his head, “I had no idea who these people were, but I could only assume that they were pirates. I stayed beneath my boat, slithering across the bottom until I reached the bow. I figured that anyone looking for divers would be watching the stern. I was correct.
    “My next goal was to get onto my boat somehow because I had a shotgun and two pistols aboard. The only weapon I currently had in my possession at the time was a six-inch diver’s knife. I wasn’t ready to put much faith in my skills with that, so I watched and waited from my spot in the water near the bow. When I finally thought I had a chance, I swam to the stern ladder and climbed aboard my boat. The enemy, whom I now identified as the People’s Republic of Korea, was busy trying to tie my boat to theirs. I took this opportunity to slip below decks and gather up the shotgun I had in my berthing. I wasn’t going to forfeit my boat without a fight, especially now that I knew they were a bunch of murderers.”
    “Did you kill any of them?” she asked, appearing as anxious as he was for vengeance against those people.
    “No, this isn’t one of those awesome hero stories we love to see on television. As a matter of fact, I never even retrieved my shotgun. I can only assume that one of them came up behind me and knocked me on the head with something heavy. The next time I awoke, I was gagged and tied to a gurney in a basement somewhere.”
    “I wish you could have killed them,” she said , covering her mouth suddenly, “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound bloodthirsty.”
    “I was just grateful when one of my rescuers told me they killed Jungjwa,” he replied, “That was the man I wanted to kill above all.”
    “The commander,” she said.
    “Well, I don’t know what his rank was in their government.”
    “It was commander, Mr. Steele,” she replied, matter of fact, “Jungjwa means commander in Korean.”
    “Really? I thought it was his name,” he replied, “What about Sangjwa?”
    “That’s Captain – one rank higher than Jungjwa,” she said, “Don’t worry, I’m not a traitor. My father is Korean – South Korean.”
    He noticed in that moment that there was a slight Asian shape to her eyes that he hadn’t noticed before, but nevertheless, it was her mother’s features that must have been predominant.
    “He threatened a visit from Sangjwa all the time. That must have been his boss,” he said, “Look, I’m kind of doped up on Vicodin right now and I’m not sure what I might have said against Koreans. Please don’t take anything I said in the wrong way.”
    “My father was a refugee from the Korean War, Mr. Steele. The North Koreans killed his grandfather,” she said, rising from her chair, “He hated the North Ko reans probably more than you do. So no, I take no offense to anything.”
    “Thank you,” he replied, tucking the diamonds into his fist and resting his head down on the bed.
    “You look tired. How about if I turn off the light and