The Abyss Whispers

spidery veins across the thick windows, muting the pale light that filtered through the overcast sky. Evelyn Rourke stood at the center of the cramped space, her eyes

hin yet towering, while walls curved and twisted in ways that defied logic. The sonar sweep revealed details that seemed to shift and ripple, as if the city were

arely audible. She traced the edges of one of the larger structures with her fingertip, as though touching the image

der and weirder," she said, attempting to inject some levity into t

ll flat in the charged atmosphere. Drew, standing off to the side, sh

probably just the way the sonar's bouncing off the structures. Refract

furrow cutting across his brow. "It doesn't want to be found," he

she said sharply. She turned to face Drew, her gaze hard. "We're sc

d once and stepped back, retreating into a corner of the room. Naomi s

s journal. Her eyes scanned the page-a hastily sketched diagram of a city that matched what the sonar was now reve

ides. A sleeping gian

n on her. She could almost hear his voice, low and urgent, warning

ck to the present. "You're

arms folded and jaw set. The older woman's expression was unreada

loor. "Whatever's down there-it's not just stone and coral. It's

We haven't even begun to understand what we're looking at.

ore, Rourke. Not this exact thing, but the arrogance-the belief that nothing can

ome all this way to turn back, Graves. I didn't spend years trying to pi

hen shook her head. "You're not listening

n snapped. "And that's

ring under her breath. Evelyn turned back to the screen, her pulse hammering in her ears. She

"So," she said, forcing a smile. "Anyone else no

owned. "M

ols. "It's faint, but there's definitely something do

Drew mutte

her eyes. "

ickers at the edge of the sonar sweep. They moved quickly, darting in and out of

ugh her voice lacked its usual confidenc

d her otherwise. There was something do

r fingers over the worn leather cover. His words echoe

er was waiting for them in the de

ough the hum of the ship. Evelyn shivered, clutching the