Hello, my wonderful but still extremely quiet readers! Hope you don't hate me for that last chapter. ;)

WinterSky101: you are the loyalest, most awesomistical reviewer ever, but I'm worried that you were pushed over the edge by that last update. Consider getting counselling. :P I'm just kidding. But thanks; you were my only reviewer for the last chapter, and your comments make me smile. *huggles*

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this next part. Don't worry, nobody gets operated on in this one. *grins innocently*

14

Operation: Dolphin

"Oh, look at me, I'm a flippy little dolphin, let me flip for you." – Finding Nemo

As Angel and I were towed through the water by a couple of Hawaiian spinner dolphins (who said they were more than happy to help, according to Angel), I felt my anxiety growing as we approached the island's firing zone. This was it; we were either going to evade detection and take down the island's radar, or we were going to have an unpleasant meeting with the end of a speeding torpedo. We had put a loop at the end of two ropes and put them in the dolphins' mouths so they could tug us, and as we dragged behind on the end of the rope we seemed to be going the right speed. Still, one false move and we could be in very deep water, literally and figuratively.

They say we're close to the island, Max, Angel told me, a nervous but determined expression on her face.

I clenched my jaw and gripped my rope tighter, at the same time trying to make my body glide through the water as smoothly as possible. Look like a dolphin, I told myself, you're not an intruder. You're an innocent, care-free dolphin. Just then I heard giggling in my head. Max, Angel said, you have really funny thoughts sometimes. I rolled my eyes and tried not to look too embarrassed. I just needed to relax and let the dolphins do their jobs.

I could tell almost immediately when we had entered the waters of Isle Invidia's danger zone. It wasn't so much a change of scenery as it was a psychological discomfort that began to build up in the back of my mind. Maybe my internal birdie navigation still remembered that the last time we were here we were shot at. And, by the way she was clutching her rope and squeezing her eyes shut, I could tell that Angel sensed it too. We both glided silently behind our dolphins, not daring to move a muscle, as if the ocean would suddenly realize we were frauds and turn us over to the wrath of the island. The tension was thick enough to cut with an over-used cliché.

After what seemed like an eternity, the fuzzy shape of the island's base came into view; a vast, brown-grey stretch that blocked out the ocean. We were almost there! The dolphins sped up, probably on order from Angel, and we finally came within the safety ring of the shore. It's safe now, Max, Angel told me, we can let go. I slowly unwrapped my stiff fingers from the end of the rope and allowed myself to drift forward towards the island's side.

I lifted my head and stared up towards the surface, amazed by how tall the island seemed from down here. It was like standing at the bottom of a cliff and staring up at whatever sat on the top—in this case, the Invidia complex. And we weren't even that deep, relative to the height of the island's base. I wondered for a moment how long it would take to swim down to the very bottom of the base.

However, setting my curiosity aside for the time being, I motioned to Angel to start swimming upward.