Read Online The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke - Free Book Online Page B

over our heads.
    Suddenly, Densil and his older sister, Halia, are on either side of me.
:grab hold,:
Densil orders, and for a change I obey him. Mariah and Ricca tow Lena, and Kona and Nika pull Robry.
    As soon as I have a firm grip on their dorsal fins, Densil and Halia surge forward, their powerful tails thrusting against the water. It’s a good thing that I’ve got a strong hold on them. Here beneath the waves, the force of the water pushing against me is much stronger than when a dolphin team pulls me at the surface.
    We race forward and the deep bass rumble of the cutter’s engines grows louder and louder. Now we are so close I squint against the brightness of the divers’ lights. I can barely make out the dark shapes of the divers holding them. One jerks the light around to shine it on me. They’ve spotted us!
    :Faster, Densil, Halia!:
I urge them. The dolphins sprint forward, aiming for the largest gap between the divers. I feel the rush of spear darts and hear their high-pitched whine as they slice through the water all around us. Please, don’t let the dolphins get hit.
    All at once we are past the divers. The dark hull of the cutter looms overhead, its propellers slicing through the water, and then we slip under it as well. Our dolphin teams race on toward the black waters beyond the cove. A few more spear darts hiss after us, but we’re already out of range.
    I glance back. Some of the divers are following us, and the tows they’re using are faster than any I’ve seen before!
    My shoulders and arms begin to burn from the strain of being pulled through the water by Halia and Densil, and my fingers cramp from holding on to their dorsals. The rumble of the cutter’s engines grows louder and louder until it seems to fill the water all around us. The boat catches up and then keeps pace over our heads. Someone aboard must be tracking us with sonar. I keep seeing odd flashes of light along its black hull.
    :They’re firing solar rifles into the water, hoping to hit us,:
Robry informs me grimly.
:But I don’t think their solar fire can reach us at this depth. If we split up in the kelp, there’s a chance we can lose them.:
    :But the dolphins have to breathe soon,:
I remind him.
    :I know. I think we’re almost there.:
    I glance back. I can tell by the brighter glow from their torches that the divers are getting closer.
    :We made it!:
Robry shouts.
    Within moments, we’re surrounded by tall, swaying stems. I’ve never been so happy to see a kelp forest in my life.
    :Leave us here, and go breathe,:
I tell Densil and Mariah,
:but be careful to surface far from that boat.:
    Seconds later, the dolphins are gone.
    :Come on, we’ve got to work our way deeper into this kelp,:
Robry tells Lena and me.
    We follow him down into the forest, swimming as fast as we can. I’m amazed at how well I can see my way through the dense plants. In the daytime, kelp forests shut out much of the light, and at night they are incredibly dark.
    :Stay clear of the fronds,:
I warn Lena.
:You can’t let your seapack get tangled.:
    :We need to find a cave or an overhang along the bottom where we can hide from their sonar,:
Robry says as he swims swiftly along.
    I look back and see a faint glow through the dense kelp fronds. The divers have reached the edge of the forest.
    Robry follows my glance.
:At least they can’t use their tows in here. Their props would get jammed with kelp fronds in no time.:
    :Let’s split up. They’re less apt to detect our body masses that way. Swim north and try to find a good hiding place,:
I tell the others.
    We head off in three slightly different directions, swimming fast. I head deeper into the forest until I’m skimming along between the holdfasts that anchor the towering kelp stems to the sea floor. After checking the compass on my dive watch, I head due north. Crabs scuttle away from me, startled by my presence.
    It’s eerie