Page 75 of Through Uncharted Space

Dakota watched as the other craft zoomed off and was swallowed by the darkness. She could tell Dare was worried. She scanned the water all around them, but she didn’t see anything that looked like a starship wreck.

The sub’s bright light illuminated a rocky bottom with patches of sand in places. She saw a whole lot of wildlife scurry off and disappear back into the shadows.

No one had been joking. The Abyss was a scary place.

“We’ll move in a search grid across your coordinates,” Olok told them. “Don’t expect to find anything, though.”

They moved in long, sweeping lines back and forth.

Finally, Olok drew them to a stop. “Nothing here,” he said. “Told you.”

Dakota bit her lip. It had to be here. Somewhere.

Dare touched his earpiece. “Rynan? Justyn? You guys found anything?”

There was no reply to his questions.

Dare tried again. Still nothing.

“Happens down here.” Olok smacked the console. “It’ll probably come back soon.”

She could tell Dare was very unhappy to be out of contact with his brothers.

“Circle around again,” she told Olok. “Keep looking.”

They did a few more sweeps.

“Nothing here.” Olok wiped his arm across his brow.

She frowned at him. The man was sweating profusely, even though the sub was cool. She was a master at reading people, and something about the seafarer was off.

She narrowed her gaze. “Dare, check the coordinates on the comp.”

He shot her a look and moved out of his chair. He tapped the comp screen.

Then, he straightened and shot a scathing look at Olok. “We’re not in the right place. You’ve been purposely searching the wrong coordinates.”

“What? You’re accusing me of⁠—?”

Dare’s hand snapped out, circling the man’s throat. Olok’s eyes bugged out.

“What game are you playing?” Dare asked in a low, silky voice.

“Nothing. Nothing. I must have just gotten it wrong.”

Dare released the man. “Get to the correct coordinates. I’m watching.”

Olok did as asked and the sub swung around. They continued on, working on the new search pattern.

Dakota could still sense the nerves wafting off Olok. She had the impression that normally nothing made the grumpy man nervous. So what was he so worried about?

Then she grabbed Dare’s arm. “Oh, my stars. Dare, look.”

He turned his head and froze.

Ahead, spikes of twisted metal speared up out of the sand.

As they got closer, she knew there was no doubt this was the Southwind. She could make out the engines and lots of hull paneling.