Keys to Paradise: A Tropical Island Adventure Gone Wrong

Keys

The world of Keys was a tropical paradise, ninety percent water with hundreds of thousands of islands. One of the better things to happen here was the accidental release of Tuna. Unlike on old earth they thrived and grew. They grew much larger than anywhere else in fact. A full grown Tuna could weight over three thousand pounds.

Keys was not a commercial world though, it was one of recreation. Tourist would flock here to swim in the temperate ocean or sport fish for the huge Tuna. We did export most of the tuna caught and even had specialists that prepared and mounted the fish caught.

Most people lived on a group of islands known as Kila. There were a few underwater cities that lived off underwater farms or special fisheries and there was even one floating city that grew altered sharks.

I smiled back at Jennifer as we closed with the dock and then turned to throw the line I held across to the dock worker. The King’s Tear was a one hundred and ten foot trihull sport fisher. I tied off the mooring line and moved to the back to secure the second one as Jen shut the engines off. I turned as our ten guests came out of the lounge carrying bags. The dock worker pushed the boarding ramp across and I secured it.

I smiled and shook hands as they filed off the ship headed for their resorts. Now the work could begin, I headed for the port hatch to help Jen as she lifted it and threw it back. She grinned, “It was a good week. Ten customers, five tuna each and only two wanted the flesh.”

I grinned as I reached her and bent to shut the stasis off and drop into the hold, “enough to relax for a couple of months on that fancy boat of yours?”

She laughed as she lowered the dock boom, “If we can get another run like this week, yeah.”

I pulled a net off the hold wall and worked it around one of the tuna before nodding up to her. Three hours later we moved the King’s Tear out and moored her. We tossed our small bags in the inflated skiff and Jen grinned as she accelerated away.

She had lived with me for three years now and I was actually thinking of making it permanent. She was a college graduate with a degree in marine biology and a zest for life. We moved quickly across the water headed towards a distance island.

I relaxed and turned to watch as it approached. My eyes picked out the two men trying to seem like natives. A single glance told me they were something else. We were almost to the beach behind my house when I spotted two more men. The fifth man stood as we approached the dock.

I did not even think, I spun and dove, my arm sweeping out to grab Jen as I went over the side. There was a searing flash and explosion as we hit the water. I dove, pulling Jen after me. I swam under the dock and then up for a quick breath of air. The water had a tint of red and Jen was gasping. One look told me she had been hit in the chest and had broken some ribs and a punctured lung.

I nodded and dove pulling her after me as I swam straight down. I knew those men would be closing in to finish us. I swam to a large screen and yanked it back before reaching in and grabbing a breather mask. I pulled Jen close and pushed the mask over her mouth and nose. She grabbed it hesitantly and I reached down to grab the pull rope while keeping a tight hold on her.

One yank and we were suddenly being pulled down and into the three foot tunnel. It seemed like forever before we were suddenly in a small lighted enclosure with a plastic composite door. I spun the wheel and opened the door before pulling Jen in. I closed the door as my air began running out. I hit the red fist sized button and the water around us quickly began to disappear.

I surface and took a huge breath of air before turning to Jen. She was in bad shape from the blood she kept spitting out. I waited until the water was down to our knees before hitting the release on the inner door. The water flooded out and spilled down through a grate on the other side of the door. I helped Jen out and pulled her down the narrow hall.

I had not been down here for over a year but everything was working as it should. The room we came to was ten feet long and twelve wide. I laid Jen down on her side. I had to see to her first. I pulled a large bag from a wall cabinet and set it down beside her. The med scanner was a little older but it was one of the best models available.

I looked at the scanner and pulled the tissue tractor out. I used both to pull the rib fragments out of her lungs and set them. I sat back thinking and shook my head, I did not have a choice. I stood and opened another cabinet and pulled the large bag out of the med stasis unit. I slipped an IV into Jen’s arm and plugged the bag into the IV set.

I opened it wide and caressed her face, “Stay here and stay still.”

She was still gasping but nodded. I stood and moved to another wall, one push and it split and slid aside. I stripped and reached for the black clothing folded on the shelf. Next was the harness and the belt with my pistol. I slung the stubby barreled assault rifle over my right shoulder and under my left arm. I check Jen once more and turned to push on the opposite wall from the way we came in.

A narrow tunnel appeared as the wall dropped into the floor. I crawled onto the flat tray and reached up to press the green button. The tray I was lying on was suddenly moving. I counted to myself until the tray stopped and then reached up blindly to find the switch.

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THE END