The final chapter! A frantic schedule prevented any earlier 'publishing' date.

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"Meiying!" Rigas sprinted up to her in relief with the droves of survivors from the sundeck. She paused with a raised brow. "What-"

"I had to save the dog." Meiying straightened from the lukewarm water, stroking the soggy terrier. With sand-filled shoes, she finally left the swallows for dry beach. Her eyes spied the spot where Montes had shot down the old man, stalling the relief. He's gone. He's dead.

The same was true of the one he'd killed. Meiying was happy when a grateful woman ran up to take the dog. She had to smile then and Rigas patted her shoulder. "When we couldn't find you-"

"DJ!" Meiying's heart jumped, gripping Rigas who pointed toward the tower. "I got the bleeding under control. We just have to wait until the good guys get here."

Even with these expectations, they stiffened at the approaching sound of a helicopter. It was felt along the entire beach, the people pausing to see what happened next. Rigas shielded her eyes and pointed out the CCG logo that relaxed their whole bodies. Meiying glanced out, initially to spot more, and instead eyeing the rest of their party swimming to shore. She dashed from Rigas, hiking up her knees to battle the waves to get to Mom and Jonas. Tears hit the sun first as she spread her arms, smiling wholeheartedly they squeezed from both sides. Her chest unwound and breath came easily... alerting her to weak, tired muscles.

"Watch it." Jonas seethed, easing her hand from his back.

"Are you alright?" Mom kissed her hair, all stumbling onto the beach.

"Heeeyyy!" Mac broke into the reunion. With their attention called back, he held a bottle, triumphantly sparkling in the sun. "Look what I found!"

Uncle laughed, yelling at Rigas to find them some glasses. Meiying waited for Jonas to retort. At his silence, she looked up; starting at how pale he was. Even more so when he fell forward, barely catching himself on the sand. Mom hovered immediately, worried. "Jonas?"

"What's wrong?" Meiying hesitated over him. Uncle Jiuming eased them both aside, still weighed down in his suit. Jonas about kicked him back. "Just... exhaustion..."

"Understandable." Uncle looked around at the growing crowd, all staring at his and Mac's get ups. Try seeing them at 20,000 feet.

"Ràngkāi!" a shout came from the jungle trees. "Ràngkai!"

"Zhèlǐ!" Mom demanded, kneeling beside Jonas. Meiying edged back as more and more CCG swarmed the beach. She quickly pushed in with Mom as two; convinced Jonas onto a stretcher.

"I don't need this fuss." He fought it, only to be shoved down by Mom. "Listen to someone else for once."

Everything blurred as tents went up, tourists handing their wounded to the CCG. Monitors beeped as emotions were allowed to play out. Rigas and Mac helped turn pavilions into a makeshift hospital. Jonas surrendered to unconsciousness by the time they laid him in the farthest one. Mom gave Jonas a kiss before they shooed her out. Leaving them to stop and face the desperate repairs on the beach below. It ranged from wrapping gauze around open gashes, to consoling sobbing shoulders.

Mom's own shoulders sagged as she unzipped her dive suit. "Yòulái le."

Meiying backed away until she felt the bench and wilted onto it. It occurred to her that her clothes had begun to dry, and... that nothing was actually over.

"Quite the day." Uncle came off the path with a towel over his shoulders. Meiying looked up at him, having to squint. "What to rewind it?"

Uncle's lips pursed against any deep reaction. "What would we learn from that?"

"Be more sympathetic." Mom scolded him with barely a glance off the beach. Uncle paused alongside her, another adult look passed between them. A heavy one attesting to the tasks ahead. Meiying swallowed and straightened as discernment reminded her. "I- I'm sorry."

Mom turned from the beach, as though unable to recall why the words were needed. Meiying held her gaze to go on. "I wasn't supposed to be down there. And, I was angry when I shouldn't have been-"

Mom tucked her hair back, kneeling before Meiying earnestly. "First, everyone is safe. Second... I've been angry with myself as well. Perhaps taking it out on you-"

"No." Meiying insisted. "Anger... would be nice. Anything, other than sadness."

"That's not fair." Uncle's brow furrowed at her. Mom waved him off, eyes torn to agree with him. All of their family's sadness felt unfair. She drew a thoughtful breath. "And you'd do anything not to feel it."

Meiying's eyes widened, but she also nodded. Mom's face fell. "I'm sorry I wasn't- couldn't help you. I've ignored you in a very awful way."

It's fine. Meiying thought to say, but the words didn't feel true enough. Mom was moving on anyway. Will we come back to it?

"Everything else, Meiying... why didn't you trust us?" Mom asked and Meiying's back stiffened for courage. It was easy to explain that diving was what she wanted; but no, she needed to dig deeper than that. "Everyone says I am the future. It's tiring, waiting for a future that's... all on me."

Mom held the sides of her face tenderly. "14, Meiying. A long way from worrying about any of it. And you can choose something other than this. I don't care if it's the ocean or the jungle."

"Or some boring office." Uncle interjected, coaxing grins from both. Meiying held Mom's hand. "I want to make you proud."

"You have." Mom spoke assuredly. And Meiying was happy to hear it.

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The air smelled good. Not like death and rotting flesh. Bringing Jonas' senses back in a fragile hope that he was waking up from a long, tofu-induced dream. Then his pain was fully realized when he tried to lift himself. Ugh... too much for me to be dead.

"You gonna stay awake this time?" DJ's voice snarked, netting his attention. The techie occupied the massage bed across from him, shirtless with gauze wrapped down his torso. Jonas guessed he lounged on a table that mirrored his. "Ho-How long?"

"A few hours." DJ shrugged, shifting with much effort.

A few days wouldn't be enough. Jonas braced and felt his bandages, stretched and sticky across his shoulders and back. Best to remain on his stomach, but he pushed up on his elbows anyway. His eyes collected their surroundings of disturbing tranquility. "Where's-"

"Suyin's trading info with the CCG." DJ waved at the open-aired walls of their hut. "Jiuming's assessing the damage at the Institute. Haiqi... well, it's noticeable."

Jonas kinked his neck, getting a panorama of the gradual slope of the island, leading back to the beach. People sat in chairs or on the ground- with varying degrees of bandaged wounds- explaining to one suit of the other. Ones that would come for them eventually. Then waste hours deciding what action to take.

"They send someone to Mana One?" Jonas blinked hard at his initial nausea. Even so, he sensed DJ's attitude somber. "It's under control."

Jonas forced eye contact. "Jaxx?"

DJ didn't answer, only removed his glasses. Jonas let the silence build a minute. Then knocked his pillow to the ground. Which granted him pain, sinking his forehead to the warm wood. DJ cleared his throat. "Don't, Jonas. Don't make yourself the guy who's gotta save everybody."

"Yeah, he's fond of that." Mac suddenly stepped into the hut, grinning. Jonas growled "Hero worship's always been your thing."

Mac flaunted his face, chest puffing up. "When blessed with a god-like chin, use it."

Jonas raised a brow, along with his head. He appreciated the banter; code for everyone was alright. I'm sure not wasting that feeling here.

"Where's the liquor?"

Mac held up 3 glasses with the bottle from earlier- nearly half empty. "Literally, on the rocks."

DJ reached desperately for his. "First one's to Jaxx."

Amen. Jonas located his resolve and sat up. He grabbed his glass and downed it, standing as he considered the taste. "Good year."

"Where're you-"

"Check on Meiying." Jonas stated. He spied some built-in shelves and helped himself to a button-down shirt over his smelly pants. Nothing he could do about the face. DJ rolled his eyes. "Man, you see yourself right now?"

He certainly felt it. Sitting however, meant thinking. Jonas wasn't up for that. Mac, knowing better, eased off the doorway. "Need a refill?"

DJ let it go, lifting his glass. "You happen to spot a Thai goddess in orange, send her my way. She'll wanna thank me for saving her life."

"I'll be on the lookout." Jonas gave a sarcastic promise, squinting and gauging the shoreline beyond the spare tree line. The resort had used the terrain wisely. He took the steps gingerly toward the beach, first spying the collected debris from the meg-chomped deck. His gazed shifted the sands for Meying's bright shirt. Spotting his wife first- speaking with the CCG- he realized they'd changed clothes. But who was Meiying talking to?

"You're up!" Suyin exclaimed, stepping away from her conversation. "Should you be up?"

"Doctor said it was fine." Jonas lied, waving as Meiying sprinted up from the foam. Suyin glared, turning his shoulder. "You never listen to doctors."

Jonas changed the subject, jutting his chin at the teenage boy following Meiying. "Who's-"

"You're okay." Meiying smiled up at him.

"You were on the jet ski!" the boy's jaw hung open. "Man, you just-" he moved his hands like a crazed seagull. "I mean- whoa!"

"Gavin and his family were on vacation." Meiying winced, but kept her smile. "They're okay, though."

Gavin nudged Meiying's shoulder with a stupid, crooked grin. "Only thanks to you. She was incredible, Mr. Taylor, going after one of those lizards."

"I believe it." Jonas pulled Meiying in for a hug. "We're proud of her."

Curly-haired Gavin continued grinning. "Hope I can return the favor."

"No you don't."

The kid stiffened at the bite in Jonas' voice. Good. Gavin side-stepped them, eyeing up the beach. "I... maybe I'll see you at breakfast."

"Okay." Meiying happily blushed, waving as he left. Suyin leaned in with a sly smile. "She got his number."

"Burn it." Jonas zeroed in on the scrap of note paper between Meiying's fingers. Her eyes popped. "What'd you mean?"

"I mean no."

To which, Meiying blinked. "What're you talking about?"

"No." Jonas stated definitely, thumbing at Gavin scurrying up the sand path. "I'm not dealin' with that on top of everything else."

"How is it a problem for you?" Meiying held the paper up. "And it's just a phone num-"

"Can't use phones when you're grounded." Jonas redirected; Meiying's face began its angry pinch. "Mooom-"

"A month." Suyin found a spot on Jonas' back to rest her hand. After a moment's glance, Meiying's face and stance unclenched. "Fine."

Jonas looked between them, surprised at the lack of a fight. "I miss something?"

Suyin moved her hair back with the wind. "We had a chance to talk."

That's good. Jonas gave a gentle smile. Suyin's eyes agreed.

}{}{}{}{

Benjamin Singer finally ended the call with Suyin Taylor. Hiding the strain in her voice, she'd updated him on the situation- on and off of Mana One. The wins and losses in terms of the Institute; thus, his investment. Thorough and empathetic... ever the luscious professional. Bottom line, all of Driscoll's shares in the Institute fell into his control. That wasn't all of her money, but it rounded to a number he could live with.

"The press will be all over this by midnight." he chuckled, glasses off. He lowered them on the desk, half-lit in the anticipation of the next media storm. That, and the glow of a computer screen. Celeste spun from said computer, eyes and lips warm and eager for the next action. Benjamin slinked a hand over her shoulder. "We're one step closer... or deeper, rather."

Her laugh came light as a rose petal. "And Jonas remains alive."

"Don't sound so disappointed." Benjamin smirked. He played with a few keys and brought up the day's stock reports.

"I like the challenge." Celeste rose up, fingers at the ready over her phone. Benjamin grew a full grin this time. "The substation will undergo investigation, make sure we're helming at least part of them team. Hire a new head of security. I'm sure Montes left a little black book somewhere."

"Stock will go down." Celeste motioned to the hearty numbers across the screen. "And Zhang's 'wonder twins' will want to build them back up on their own merit."

Benjamin shrugged. "Let them. History doesn't move forward when it repeats itself."

Celeste snorted, making her wicked eyes snap. "Which embroidered sampler did you pull that from?"

It was important to practice what they'd say to the reporters. And the authorities. Everything would be turned inside out; tested. Luckily, they both enjoyed a challenge. Driscoll's betrayal would make it harder to build trust with Zhang Oceanic. Still, Hillary had served her purpose. Thus, giving them space to complete theirs.

}{}{}{}{

The sun was setting. As though giving everyone permission to finally breathe. Suyin had given the sat phone up to Mac, leaving everything quiet beneath the slow-going fan. He and Rigas were keeping DJ company- with Mac's lucky found bottle- but they'd be pulling out at first light to search for Haiqi... only to put her where?

Jiuming's report from the Institute wasn't promising. Mr. Singer certainly had some ideas... he would want to control the situation- and finances. He was much more hands-on than Hillary had been. But, all of that was for tomorrow. Suyin rose off the couch of their 'room'- a renovated picnic pavillion- checking the blanket over Meiying. With a meal in her stomach, exhaustion had knocked her out. Suyin brushed her daughter's bangs aside, kissing her forehead. "Zhùnǐ hǎomèng."

She followed the breeze outside, first gazing over the spray of colors. The last wink before the ocean frosted over in black glass for the night. Quiet, calming- mysterious and dangerous. Even without Haiqi. She followed the colors until she found a single figure seated along the beach. Jonas. Off alone, as always. Placing himself apart... It can't stay that way.

Suyin noted the cool sand under her feet as she crossed the beach to the warm cluster of orange dots laid in front of Jonas. Dots revealed to become candles. A floating vigil, created by the survivors. There were upwards of 30, each turning Suyin's stomach as they sighed from wave to wave. She imagined what the number was doing to Jonas' mind. Suyin sat beside him, feet stretched to only inches from the water.

"She asleep?"

"Deeply." Suyin spoke in relief, listening to the waves while they glimmered between the candles. "She's not scared."

"Never wanted her to be." Jonas worked a hand up his arm. "Just for her... to be prepared."

Suyin hummed her agreement. "Are we prepared?"

He didn't answer, chin reserved. The look he gave her held as many unknowns as hers. "We'll find out."

The candles brightened as the sun vanished. In faint light, they were only shadows beside each other. Suyin felt and heard Jonas' fatigue. "Come back and rest."

"Paying my respects." he explained curtly. Suyin eyed the candles another moment. Sensing the sadness- and the hope. "Remember all that's possible... what grows from pain."

The swollen half of his face glimpsed at her, surprised. She hadn't said such things in a long time; when others had been lost, leaving her to console the families. Ensuring them, it wasn't in vain.

"How are you?" Jonas whispered over her cheek, their foreheads touching. Suyin kept a long pause, feeling for his hand. "As though... I'm back after a long trip."

He sighed, relieved. "We're glad to have you back."

Suyin sagged her strength against his shoulder. His eyes were faded, but she felt them. "What if... it's temporary?"

"I'll be here." Jonas insisted.

Suyin rested in that, letting the sea speak a few minutes. Grim circumstances loomed, yet she was happy. Something she hadn't been able to admit for some time. Happy to be alive, to have manned a submersible, to speak to her husband like a friend again. Suyin stared wistfully at the floating memorial, drifting out on the tide. A strong metaphor for their own pain. Slowly, but surely giving way to strength.

Not all of it. Suyin felt the tension up Jonas' arm, as well as her own. Even so, she was unconcerned. Tonight, there was just- this. No need for anything else.

}{}{THE END}{}{

Many wonderful thanks to my readers. Enjoy the fall before it slips into winter.