Water running interference on its own behalf

 Water Disturbed

Chapter 1

Still in a rage Aqus glared through the glass prison, assessing the world beyond. “Damned Humans! It’s bloody freezing in here!”

Not that he really cared. Temperature like this didn’t affect him much, just made his waters sluggish. He’d kill them for his freedom if he could figure a way to get to them. There were three standing together across the sparse room that appeared to be as much of a prison for the humans as the tank he was in.

Floating another assessing circuit of the enclosure gave him the same view. It pissed him off that they hadn’t equipped a filter for the saltwater in this oversized aquarium they had him in. Probably feared he’d slip away through it, and he would, too. At least they saw fit to oxygenate his environment, though the pure bubbling quality of it was making him dizzy with a mild headache. Atmospheric headache, now there was a human condition he’d never suffered from before. Hydrolinks didn’t get headaches; well, at least he’d never had one before. He had to get out of here, and fast.

The humans in white coats stopped focusing on the small screen before them and without a word between them moved to stand and stare at the tank. Two females and a male. He’d make a face at them, but they wouldn’t see it, just water. After all, that’s what he was, water.

“The funding for this project is limited. You’re certain, Doctor Wilson, that you have a lifeform trapped within the water in this tank?” The muffled female voice came through to Aqus in clipped tones.

“Positive, Doctor Platt.” The man nodded before consulting the board in his hand, then looked back towards the tank. “Even though it seems farfetched. I’m told the attack on the nuclear waste plant was perpetrated by a being in the suit. They hit the neoprene with tasers on full.”

“Tasers, so they used electricity on the suit?” The younger woman’s hand was beneath her chin in concentration.

“Yes. It halted whatever was inside it, before the suit was dumped into this tank. No device was found to operate the suit, therefore whatever was in the water was setting explosives and attacking the security people at the plant.”

He’d been doing that all right, Aqus agreed, he’d succeeded in disabling the pollutants pouring into the ocean, when something had rendered him unconscious. That something, was electricity. His father and the human that befriended them, could figure this electrocution thing out if anyone could. The suit wasn’t any good for him to move on land if humans could take him down that easily. He’d have to consult with Lync and see if Shannon knew a way to counter the effects. If and when he got out of here.

“Since the suit was electrocuted, how do you know the lifeform didn’t die?” Both serious elders gazed to the younger woman. That’s when Aqus noted her white coat fit her, displaying slender curves, and her hair wasn’t short but pulled away from attractive feminine features hiding behind glasses.

The man frowned at her. “Then it will be your job to recover the body.”

The younger woman smiled, and Aqus halted his motion around the tank. “I don’t think my undergraduate studies in palaeontology qualify me for water forensics, but I’m up for the challenge.”

“That, my dear, is what I like about you.” A smile touched the man’s face. “Always prepared to meet a challenge.” He turned to the other doctor. “You see? The matter is in good hands and in no time and within budget the mystery of what was in that water will be solved.”

Giving a nod, Doctor Platt turned and began to walk away towards a closed door. “See that it is. If it’s a hoax I’m fully expecting proof to that effect.”

With that she left and Aqus turned his attention to the pair still standing before the tank.

The female with glasses looked up from the chart in her hands. “I’ll need that suit.”

“You’ll get it.” The man hesitated a mere moment regarding the tank before following the direction the other woman had taken to leave the room. “Let me know what you find, Alison.”

“Yes, sir.”

His smile was back in place as, now that they were alone in the room, Aqus watched Alison approach the glass and entreated her. “Come a little closer.”

Alison stopped a pace away from the tank. After a long pause she removed her glasses and tilted her head. “I just wonder if anyone is home?”

“Put your hand in the tank and I’ll show you,” Aqus answered, knowing she wouldn’t hear him, but then her attractive tropical green eyes were studying a gauge on the side of the tank not him.

“Let’s see what happens when we warm you up a little.”

Great, he could handle a little tropical, as long as she didn’t boil him they’d get along just fine.

“And, I don’t think you need all this oxygen.”

Now she was making him downright happy. Aqus watched as she moved back to the small screen and started typing. The bubbling above him slowed. Now this woman he liked, and he watched her as she once more came to stand before the tank where he could study her. Two out of three wasn’t bad, but he was going for the whole hat trick. And this sexy thing was going to give it to him, and maybe he’d take more of her while he was at it.

With a visible shiver, she took a step back and rubbed her hands briefly over her white sleeves. “Stop staring at me!”

“Well, hell!” She’d picked up on that little communiqué.

She shook her head. “Imagination.”

“Not yours, sweet thing, mine.” Not as vivacious as his Teri had been, but then he didn’t really want her, he wanted her to grant him his third wish. Freedom.