"I just booked first-class seats for all of us! The journey is expected to take seven months to Hina seaport. They're undergoing maintenance, so we're scheduled to depart at dusk, according to the reception desk. Don't worry about the costs or audits—I've got you covered. The real problem is the inspection sections. The navy controls everything here since they border the port closely. We're on the government's wanted list, so let's just hope everything goes smoothly!" Tiffy explained as they all settled in the waiting bay, admiring the sea view.
Suddenly, a ship horn blared.
"Isn't it beautiful just to chill here? The seagulls, the gale, the waves, the ships—everything's just epic!" Jasmine said with admiration.
"What could possibly go wrong? Jasmine's right. Instead of stressing about the future, we could just relax like leopards and enjoy the moment. Maybe get some natural inspiration!" Mikal added.
"Speaking of which, what about the diving? Would you dare go underwater, Mikal, considering your frail condition?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.
"I'm healed now! The one we should worry about is Tiffy—she's fresh out of surgery. We'll all need to be involved in the underwater search and rescue, unless something happens," Mikal replied.
"Mikal's right! The maps don't specify exact underwater locations. Jenny's mice can't swim—they're already feeling stranded!" Tiffy added.
"Unless there's an underwater basement for the secret society. Maybe mermaids, or octopuses that suck blood!" Nick joked.
"You might be onto something, Nick! Remember, during the Nissani missions, we came across an octopus hybrid," Jenny recalled.
"So now we're searching for an underwater secret basement, not just lost relics?" Elizabeth echoed skeptically.
"The puzzle book never gave further details, just mapped the Hina sea zones. Don't you think that's mysterious?" Nick asked curiously.
"Maybe it's testing our faith—seeing how resilient and versatile we've become after the last mission. Maybe it's alive, reading our situation," William suggested.
"That could be true, since it magically self-updates! It knows how tight things are—government on our backs, secret societies after relics. We need to toughen up, guys. This is a do-or-die mission. The puzzle book's left us hanging. We don't know if whales or sharks await us, but if we motivate each other like on campus, we might come out victorious!" Jenny encouraged.
"The situation is precarious. We can inspire ourselves, but we can't ignore the dangers. We have to stick together," Tiffy said firmly.
"We have Kabaka village backups and Luca's pack. That should give us hope," Elizabeth added.
"Betting over the seas tonight? That sounds painful! But we'll get through it as long as we board without getting caught," Tiffy said hopefully.
A long silence followed as they admired the scenery and snacked. Dusk arrived. The announcer's voice came through the speakers, calling passengers to their ships. The vessels were set to leave simultaneously for various ports, with the last stop being Hina.
"Free like a bird! At last, we thought wrong before—I felt enslaved by the fear of getting caught," Tiffy said as they passed security and took their first-class seats.
"Recalling all the mess I caused with Nick—being promiscuous—I hope I don't end up aborting this child somehow," she added quietly.
"This place feels like utopia. Such freedom everywhere!" Nick marveled as they settled in. A waitress soon arrived with drinks. The section had washrooms, private berths for sleeping day or night, a library with many books, study desks, and more.
"Ooh Tiffy, you mentioned abortion earlier. This place feels safe—don't be so pessimistic!" Nick urged, sipping his wine.
"I'm not pessimistic! I'm just haunted by the thought of Jenny giving birth to Billie in prison by luck. You guys just escaped a death sentence!" Tiffy explained.
"You're getting timid. Afraid of the unexpected—or maybe just too afraid to disappoint me with the pregnancy," Nick teased.
"Either way, I want us all to make it out alive. It's not just about the pregnancy!" Tiffy replied.
"This last mission is our greatest test. If we hesitate at the start, we'll lose focus. But if we keep motivating each other, we'll get the relics and unlock the magic for everyone's betterment," Nick said passionately.
"I hear you, Nick. It's hard to balance sensitivities. Elizabeth's a candidate for the kiss, Jenny has a kid, we all have friends and families. If we give false hopes, who's to blame? Or are we all in this together?"
Tiffy stretched out her hand, motivating. The others hesitated, then joined their hands in a united gesture.
"We're in this together!" they exclaimed.
"Okay, it's like we've signed a contract—no one's to blame, no matter what!" Tiffy said before everyone nodded in agreement.
Later, the conversation turned more practical.
"If no one's to blame, does that mean leadership should be shared? How do we follow a leader?" Elizabeth asked.
"I was wrong to criticize Nick's leadership. At this stage, democracy is key. We should take votes on critical decisions—blindly following one leader won't work. We have judgment abilities," Tiffy said thoughtfully.
"Okay, I get it. So what do we do now?" Elizabeth asked.
"Play board games, perhaps?" John suggested.
The games came out, and they began playing with a gambling twist.
"Five dollars to whoever wins each round!" Tiffy proposed. "That means you have to guess your opponents' moves to win!"
"When you move, I move!" Nick joked.
"Nick's hopeful because I have most of the cash! I'll send it to your mobile accounts at the end of the day. Don't worry!" Tiffy said.
"Gambling menace! Okay, I'll try my luck!" John chimed in.
The gambling continued late into the night, and the guys won most rounds than the ladies.
As midnight approached, lightning and thunder roared outside. Torrential rain began pouring.
Looking out the window, the group saw the waves swell and crash hard against the ship. The ship rocked violently. Passengers panicked as the flickering lights soon went out—power cut by the storm.
Cargo fell into the ocean one by one, loosened by the violent movement. Tiffy grabbed torches from her backpack and handed them out.
"Guys! The ship is leaking. We have to act as soldiers to prevent it from sinking. Some cargo is lost forever," she ordered.
"You go ahead. William and I will stay with Billy—he's crying in this chaos," Jenny offered.
The group grabbed chains and tools, heading toward the affected lower decks. Water was rushing in rapidly, causing passengers to panic.
Showing their soldier IDs, they gained access to the luggage sections.
At the upper chambers, Tiffy coordinated.
"The waves caused cracks. We need to seal them, but we must be careful not to get swept away!" she warned as thunder boomed.
"The thunder is frightening! The gale is getting stronger. We have to hold on to each other!" Nick said nervously.
The ship rocked violently, tossed by waves like a toy. They clung to a nearby pole to stay grounded.
"I don't think I can hold much longer," Tiffy admitted.
"We need to move to the other end and stop the leaks there, but how if the storm doesn't ease?" Nick shouted.
"We have to think fast. We can't just wait for the storm to push us off!" John urged.
"Maybe we wait for it to calm a little. No way to fix this while it's raging," Tiffy suggested.
"What if it gets worse?" Nick asked.
"Then we swim. We time the waves and swim fast between peaks," Tiffy said.
They all studied the waves carefully. Then, together, they dived into the ocean, swimming to the other end before climbing the ladder. Another violent wave hit as they grabbed the ladder, and they screamed, holding on for their lives.
"It's like the end! Mommy help!" Nick cried out. The others laughed nervously.
"Guys, it's not a joke! These waves are terrifying!" Nick said.
"So it's true—you're a mama's boy after all!" Tiffy teased.
After climbing, they found shelter near a sturdy pole.
"We made it. Who volunteers to fix the cracks? We have chains ready," Tiffy asked.
"Shouldn't we time the waves before working?" Nick pointed out.
"How about two tall guys work while the rest hold their feet? We chain their feet so they don't get swept away!" Tiffy proposed.
"Good plan! Elizabeth and I will work—we're experienced basketball captains," Nick said.
"Experienced basketball captains, huh? Fine, chain their feet then!" Tiffy ordered.
Elizabeth and Nick got chained and started fixing the cracked bolts. They passed chains through the holes, tightened, and padlocked them before being safely pulled back by their team.
"That should hold the leaks for now. Tomorrow the engineers will check it thoroughly," Nick said hopefully.
The team timed the waves again and safely swam back to the other end, where William and Jenny waited.
Soaked, they decided to first change clothes in their rooms. William and Jenny soon joined them, unaware of the storm battle Tiffy's team had just fought.