IF - Chapter 5

Immortal Fish Index

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The old stone stairwell curved into a polished, steel-plated corridor, the shift so sudden it might as well have been a page turn in a book. They’d reached sea level. A metallic hum buzzed softly in the background now—a subtle, continuous thrum that spoke of wires, machines, and power. Not stone. Not lilac-glowing veins. Man-made. Controlled.

The modern facility opened up like the gut of a metal whale, its segmented walls lined with honeycomb-shaped glass panes that filtered soft, amber light into the room. Each pane framed the outside world like a moving diorama.

Isla stopped at the edge of the hall, eyes narrowing as she gazed out at the water beyond the glass. Her breath slowed. She stood at the edge of the world.

The ocean was endless. A boundless expanse of still, blue-black water. She couldn’t see the sun, but it was bright somehow—enough to give everything that strange underwater glow. From her vantage point, she could see the lower tiers of the site, the sloping, ancient geometry blending into the modern metal outposts AEGIS had bolted onto it like barnacles on a ship.

Below it all was the heart of the abyss. No land. No seabed. Just the slow, smooth descent of a single, obsidian-black pillar of stone driving down into the dark. It pulled at her. Like gravity. And after further study of the rock as they circled around it, she realized something critical.

It’s not like any pillar or material I’ve seen… Not rock, not metal, but…something else. It’s different than the ancient translucent stone, like the Precursors tacked their facility onto it just like we’ve done to theirs. Whatever this is… It’s perfect… Smoother than the most polished glass or the finest silk.

Her gut turned cold as she felt the gentle vibes pulsing from it—drawing, lulling her to remain attached. Suddenly, Evelyn’s voice floated through the void, snapping her back to reality.

“You like it?” Her hand pressed against it next to hers, the others doing the same. Yet, Evelyn’s gray eyes were solely directed at her. “They say you never forget your first view of the Endless Sea. At least, the ancient poets in China spoke of such a place they saw in dreams… Coincidence? Hmm. Who can say?”

“Yeah,” Isla replied, eyes locked on the black spike as she felt her whole body vibrating with it. “First view of what? No. This—what is this thing?”

“The Foundation.” Evelyn’s eyes flicked to it, her fingers spreading out. “Like a spine sending pulses of life deep into the void, it stands as a testament against whatever darkness lurks below…or, it is a nicely honeyed trap to lure in unsuspecting insects,” she mused, causing shivers to run down all of their spines.

Isla had played her creepy word games long before her introduction to this organization, though. “Spines support things, Evelyn,” Isla muttered, her eyes tracing its descent into darkness from the glass platform that surrounded it, providing a clear view to the top as it climbed at least a hundred meters above the current base design. “What’s it holding up?”

“Us,” Evelyn gently replied, stepping past her. “Now isn’t that poetic? Come along, Doctor Reyes. The others are getting antsy.”

Isla’s gaze lingered on the abyss a moment longer. Then she turned.

Her boots clicked softly against the metal floor as she entered the hallway, eyes scanning the modern lab’s layout. Her brow furrowed as she scanned the empty corridors. The reinforced walls bore a modular design—hexagonal paneling, recessed lighting, and reinforced bulkheads. Each section had a clearly visible identifier stenciled in blocky white letters. R&D-WING 3. BIO-RESEARCH HALL-8.

Overhead lights dimmed with low power, connected to a solar grid and batteries that seemed to be connected individually rather than in groups. Curious, solar devices, but no sun? I guess if this place is new, they’re still working out the details. Her sharp eyes darted to the carefully bundled wires. The wattage was clearly being rationed and segregated from each other, no system louder than a whisper.

She caught sight of a boat beyond the glass walls to the outside upon entering the outer circle. It was moored to a small, metallic dock suspended on the water’s surface—a sleek, semi-enclosed vessel with black alloy plates and an array of solar panels along its roof. Compact. Fast. No doubt equipped with submersible capacity with everything she’d seen so far from AEGIS’ funding.

Beautiful thing. Expensive too.

“Like it?” Evelyn smiled faintly, following her gaze. “We call it Dark Chaser. Custom-built for stealth entry. Can submerge if needed, but fast enough to outrun most things, I’m told.”

“Most things—what things? All you’ve shown me is an Immortal Fish.” Isla raised a brow.

“Tsk-tsk,” Evelyn sighed, vision shifting to the others as curiosity spiked in their gaze. She shifted her focus to the distant waterline, her face turning just a fraction colder. “Try not to spoil or divulge any secrets we discuss in private, Isla. Just know that it is best to be vigilant and watchful when beyond these mostly safe walls.”

She turned to the team, her smile sliding back into place. “The rest of you—boat duty. Get it running while I talk with my dear old friend. You leave in thirty.”

Kael gave a lazy salute. “Well, sea monsters sound interesting to me. Aye, aye, Captain Hart.”

Evelyn arched a brow, gray eyes narrowing. “Do you see a captain’s hat on my head, Mr. Moore?”

“Not yet, Director.” He winked and walked off. “Catch you soon, Captain Isla. We’ll get the ship ready. I hear you’re a Marine Biologist of some kind. Can’t wait to hear what you have to say about whatever we find out there.”

Evelyn exhaled, rolling her eyes but Isla gave him a silent stare, watching the others go. Is he saying he expects me to die soon and Evelyn will need to take my spot? Things are getting weirder by the minute.

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