Unearthly Power Read Free Page A

hadn’t mentioned anything to him about the conversation and was not planning to until he had more to go on than a semi-anonymous phone call.
    If he returned empty handed, Alex was sure to throw a fit about being left alone to do all the work. The least he could do was put some lunch together to take back as a damper for that episode. Before he went to see what they had in the refrigerator that was still edible, he powered up and logged onto his computer. As he waited, his thoughts went back to the call and he was beginning to think he was wasting his time—it sounded too good to be true. When the screen indicated that it had finished going through its start-up, Sean clicked on the link to his bank and typed in his password. He then looked at the numbers in his checking account: ten-thousand, two-hundred and fifty-nine dollars; exactly ten thousand more than he had earlier that day. Now other things started to go through his mind: Who was this guy and what was this about? Did he understand that even with the use of a submersible they may not be able to effectively dive the site?
    Sean shrugged his shoulders and decided that if they had that kind of money to spend it probably meant a lot less to them than it did to him at the moment. He finished his drink and turned off the computer. He returned to the Cantankerous II ready to begin the necessary transformation, forgetting about the lunch he originally had in mind for his partner.
     
    “There’s no way we can dive that wreck!” Alex said. “The currents are too strong.”
    “I know,” Sean said agreeably.
    “Then why in the hell are we doing all this?” he asked while pointing to the mess on the deck.
    “Because we took a job and we are getting paid for it.”
    “It’s still a waste of time,” Alex grumbled a little less enthusiastically before kicking an empty water bottle across the deck.
    “Maybe so, but it is our time and their money. We go, do our best, and then get paid. It’s as simple as that. Besides,” he said waiting until he had his full attention, “now you get to overhaul the engines.”
    Alex smiled for the first time since the conversation began. The boat was his baby. If anything failed to work on it to his expectations, he took it as a personal insult.
    Alex was the easier of the two he needed to deal with. His sister would have to be handled differently. Fortunately, Dee only came by the boat, or the apartment, about once a week. She spent most of her time as a part-time teacher in Miami and the remaining free time doing research for her doctoral thesis. Sean decided to take care of the necessities before she became involved. After the modifications, engine work, and license renewal, they had nearly five-thousand dollars left for food, fuel, and personal items. The only other bill he paid in full was to the old man who ran the store where they purchased their diving supplies. Sean liked him and hated to run up too much on credit. Thirty-eight hundred was more than he anticipated paying, but if anyone made out on the venture it should be him. Sean got a free bottle of pop out of the transaction and a smile.
    What the hell? he thought. It was more than he got from the bank.
    Dee was going to be pissed. Probably about as much as Mr. Zybinski, but he’d just have to wait until they got back. Now all he had to do was keep her away from the boat for the next two weeks, and remain unavailable for any calls from South Atlantic Bank & Trust. That should be easy, he thought, admitting to himself that he had no idea how he would accomplish both.
     
                 
     
     
     
     
     
     

~ Two ~
     
    T he bank called Sean. Sean forwarded the calls to voicemail. The bank then called Deidra who in turn called Sean who replied that he was taking care of it. It was all working out fine. The bank was excited, Dee was excited, and Sean was excited. The only difference was the focus of the excitement.
    Ducking the bank was easy; Dee was