Darkness Depths

“Here, let me get that for you.” The woman wrapped gauze around Juliet’s waist, despite the young girl’s protesting. “I’m Jess, by the way. Jess Drew.”
“Juliet Stonebridge, ow.” Juliet introduced.
“Stop moving so much. It won’t hurt then!”
“It’s a cut, it’s going to hurt regardless.”
“I’m detecting trace amounts of sass.”
“There is some sass, yes.”
“Thought so. There, all done!”
Jess stood up once she was finished patching up Juliet. The woman shook the soot and ash out of her long, black hair and dusted it from her shoulders. Jess was tall, even without the black leather strap boots. She was slim, yet muscular. Her face was opposite of Juliet’s, but similar to Ms. Wilson. Juliet looked and a jovial smile. Jess, on the other hand, looked more adult. Her eyes were thinner than Juliet’s. The color was darker, almost completely violet and truly alluring. Juliet’s lips were soft and inviting, while Jess’s were seductive and fascinating. Juliet’s eyes wandered to Jess’s slim yet strong arms, and then to her wrist gauntlets.
“Did you make those?” Juliet inquired.
“Yep, indeed I did. Pretty cool, huh? Also made my own aircycle. But I’m really proud of these. If I want it to be an accessory, all I have to do is press this button.” Jess explained enthusiastically as she pushed a button on her right gauntlet. The device suddenly started transforming from a full arm weapon to a forearm covering decoration, so intricately designed.
“Wow…what’s it made out of?”
“I made it with silver, gold for the bells and whistles. The plating’s made out of some durable steel I’ve found.”
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“That’s the beauty of the design. I have this secret process where I can make metal as light as possible. In all, these gauntlets weight less than 15 pounds. That includes the blasters.”
“Wow that sounds, really complicated. Do you use steam?”
“Believe it or not,” Jess started, “I didn’t use any steam. We rely far too much on steam-power. And a lot of my inventions use steam. But these babies use electricity. Runs on electricity but still have that steam-powered look.”
At that moment, the large man from before walked to the two females. His tuxedo jacket was torn in multiple spots, but he kept it on anyway.
“You were right, ma’am. That Connor boy was annoying.” He complained, obviously overcome with annoyance. “Wouldn’t stop talking ‘bout how he wanted to get in your pants once we got out of the building. Boy doesn’t have any respect or priorities.”
“Figured he wasn’t much. But yeah, who are you?” Juliet asked, as Jess helped her to her feet.
“I’m Abioye Okoro. I come from Eastern African royalty. Was raised on the surface, but I moved here when I was only a young man. I had to get medical attention, for my arm.” Abioye enlightened.
“Nice to see you again, Abioye.” Jess greeted sincerely. “How’s the arm doing?”
“Doing quite well, I’d have to say.” Abioye took off his coat and pulled up his tarnished shirt sleeve. Abioye revealed a mechanical arm, covered with different gauges and meters. There were holes to let out any excess smoke or steam, and dials for who knows what.
“I take it you made that, Jess?” Juliet looked to the black-haired inventor, with wonder in her eyes.
“Of course! Who else could make something like that? Even though it’s due for an upgrade. I made it years ago, back when I met Abioye. I was just a teenager myself.” Jess chuckled in reminiscence.
“Aye, after I got my arm amputated here. I spent a whole year down in the Grey Quarter, working with just one arm. I met Jess while I was working on the city’s propellers. We had to do some maintenance, and she was working on upgrading all of them. She saw that I was missing my arm, and one thing came to another, and she made me a new arm! It’s a beaut, I tell ya’. I can do more than twice the heavy lifting, and don’t get me started on the fights.” Abioye went on, happily.
“Ol’ ‘Iron Fist’ Abioye! That’s what the boys down at the bar used to call him. Good times, why did they ever stop?” Jess contemplated.
“You let your feelings for a girl get in the way, Jess! Oi, how did that work out anyway?”
“I got a better job, so there’s that. Better lab too! But with the girl? Well obviously it didn’t work out. Too clingy for my tastes. We’ve been broken up for almost seven years.”
“What a shame, I liked her. Almost as good looking as you are!”
“She wasn’t all that great, Abioye. Trust me on that one.”
Juliet looked away from the two and spotted one of Ms. Wilson’s servants walking in the group’s direction.
“Ms. Wilson would like to talk to you all. You can meet her in her in limousine over there. She would also like me to inform you all that your respective modes of transportation are perfectly fine.” The servant bowed, and walked away.
“Leave it to the rich to have a limo ready, even when the house burns down.” Juliet rolled her eyes as she walked to the flying limousine, the other two following close behind.
“Seems like we’ve been chosen.” Jess smirked, confident of her assumption.
“Looks like we’ve got a job on our hands. You excited for this, little girl?” Abioye patted Juliet on the back as they neared the limo.
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe how excited I am. And you can call me Juliet. Juliet Stonebridge. Not little girl.” The young lady gave Abioye a teasing smirk as she opened the limousine door.
“Alright, Stonebridge. I’m just as ready as you are.”

. . .

Ms. Wilson sat across from the three, cigarette in hand. She was in different clothing, no longer wearing the stunning dress from before. She was wearing an embroidered long coat , buttons unfastened. She bore a leather bustier, and a layered half skirt. She crossed her legs, which were covered by leather thigh high boots. Her hair was disheveled, but she still managed to make it look marvelous.
“I’m sure you all know why you’re in this vehicle.” Ms. Wilson stated after she took a puff of her cigarette.
“Yeah, we figured. But where exactly are we going?” Juliet spoke up, attempting to hide the eagerness in her voice.
“To my actual home. I’ll debrief you all on everything once we meet with the other three I have chosen.”
“Actual home? Was the one that just burned down not your actual home?” Jess pointed out, suspicious.
“It was not! I told Juliet, before the explosion that it was, in fact, a rival of mine’s home. You’ve heard of the Alabasters?” Ms. Wilson retorted, still casually taking puffs of her cigarette.
“I’ve heard of them. I’ve actually worked for them once or twice. Unsavory lot, I’d say. Good job burning their house down, then.” Jess congratulated as she nestled into her seat. “How come you never said anything, Juliet?”
“I actually forgot…” Juliet answered, slightly ashamed.
“Who else has been picked, lady?” Abioye questioned, leaning forward.
“Aside from you three, I’ve picked a driver. She can drive anything she can get her hands on. It’s definitely a sight to see. Give her ten seconds or less to learn, and she can maneuver it like no one else. Also an excellent mechanic. Her name is Clairette Montgomery. I’ve also got a historian, who’s also a scientist. He can help us decipher this or decode that along the way. His name is Jacob Lincoln. There’s also…a mercenary. But I can see the excitement in your eyes!” Ms. Wilson attempted to distract the three from the last person she mentioned.
“Wait, a mercenary? Why on Earth would we need a mercenary?” Jess questioned, uneasiness and slight anger rising inside her.
“As a demolition’s expert, as well as a weapon’s expert. Never know what we’ll find in our little journey.” Ms. Wilson explained, almost reassuringly.
“Well what do you need me for? I figured I was the strength of the group!” Abioye grilled, seeking answers.
“You’re more than capable of offering medical advice. You’ve spent time as a doctor, correct?”
“You were a doctor, Abioye?” Jess was dumbfounded, as she looked at Abioye.
“Remember after you left? I decided to take on medical jobs. I learned the trade, that I did. I never went to school, though. Too expensive. I was a modest doctor. Made a living in the poorer parts of the Grey Quarter.” Abioye explained fondly.
“I wouldn’t call him ‘modest’. This man saved hundreds of people. He even saved people that other doctors had no hope of saving.” Ms. Wilson went on.
“How’d you know about that?”
“I kept tabs on you. I kept tabs on all of you. I even know about your shady dealings. Like how Jess killed several scientists because they stole her technology. Or how Abioye stole supplies and burned down several buildings. It seems Juliet is the only one who has a relatively spotless record.”
“Listen, sweetheart. None of those things matter now. I’m sure you’ve done much worse, based on the burning of the house alone. Whatever you’re trying to do, it’s not going to work. If you’re going to hold those things against them, you can count us out.” Juliet defied Ms. Wilson, standing up for the two strangers.
“Who says I was going to hold it against them? I like your tenacity, and how protective you are. I can see you being a good leader. But I only brought those things up to inform them that I can wipe their slates clean. As part of a reward for completing our escapade.” Ms. Wilson explained with confidence.
At that moment, the limousine lowered, and came to a complete stop.
“We’re here, milady.” The driver stated.
“Ah, at last, we’re here. Follow me. My meeting house is out back.”
. . .

“You brought HIM?! If you knew everything about us, you would have known there was going to be problems between me and him!” Abioye roared at the sight of the mercenary, being held back by Jess, Juliet, and Clairette with much struggle.
“I should kill you right now, and get the reward from one of the Alabasters right now!” The mercenary threatened, as he’s being held back by Jacob and Ms. Wilson.
“I’d like to see you try, you bloody bastard! I’ll do to you again what I did five years ago!”
“Go ahead and try, you piece of shit! I’ll kill you right here, right now!”
“NO SUCH THING WILL HAPPEN.” Ms. Wilson yelled, letting go of the mercenary and knocking him down. She pulled out a small pistol and put it to the back of the mercenary’s head.
“If either of you do anything other than cooperate with each other, I will kill you both. And Mr. Braddock, I can promise you that once everything is finished, and we find what we’re looking for, you’ll get at least 20 times more than what the Alabasters could ever pay you.”
Anthony Braddock, the mercenary, growled in compliance as he stared down Abioye, who was being calmed down by the young Juliet.
“Good, now everyone gather around the damn table. It’s time to go over what we’ll actually be doing.”
The seven members moved around the large round table, lighted by only one lamp in the center, and took a seat. Before them were bags filled with information and tools each will need during their journey. Juliet looked through the bag and found first aid kits, a rebreather mask, a combat knife, a pistol along with several boxes of ammunition (of varying types), and a communicator device. Juliet pondered why they would need any weaponry, but she brushed it off as precautions.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen. I’ve gathered you all because I truly believe you all to be essential for the expedition ahead of us. First thing’s first, I’d like you all to introduce yourselves. I shall go first. I am Melanie Wilson, the proprietor of this mission.” Ms. Wilson the gestured to Juliet, who was sitting to her right.
“I’m Juliet Stonebridge, age 19. Adventurer.” Juliet spoke confidently.
“Jess Drew, age 25. Inventor, Explorer.” Jess stated apathetically.
“Abioye Okoro. Medical Technician. Age 30.” The big man affirmed.
“Clairette Montgomery. Driver, mechanic, alcohol enthusiast. Age 23.” Clairette declared assertively, sitting overtly casual in her chair.
“Jacob Lincoln. 27 years of age. Scientist, historian, registered genius. Winner of a multiple awards in the field of science and history.” Jacob bragged nonchalantly, looking in Jess’s direction.
“Anthony Braddock. 35. Mercenary, demolitions expert, assassin, weapons expert and consultant.” Anthony said, looking away from the others.
“Very good, now with that out of the way, here’s why you’re all here. As I’ve said before. We’re going on a little adventure…” Ms. Wilson began explaining.
“Where exactly are we going to be ’adventuring’ to, miss?” Clairette asked, already skeptical of the entire endeavor.
“Oh, I was just going to say! We’re going to find the kingdom of Atlantis.” Ms. Wilson smiled slyly.
“You’re kidding! The ‘fabled’ kingdom of Atlantis?” Jess called out in disbelief. “You do realize that it isn’t exactly real, don’t you?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Miss Drew. On one of my most recent journeys, I have found a map and various relics. All trace back to Atlantis. The map, as intricate as it is, tells us how to actually find the underwater city.”
“And how the hell will we get to Atlantis, if it even exists.” Jacob questioned, quite dumbfounded by Ms. Wilson’s words.
“I have had made an underwater adventuring vehicle unlike anyone has ever seen. Large and elegantly made. A submarine, not yet made by any on the surface to this scale. It has the finest weapons and armor available, just in case. Able to withstand the pressures of the oceans, and can supply enough air for thousands of people for over two years.” Ms. Wilson clarified, confidently.
“How many people are we taking?” Abioye asked, as he leaned onto the table.
“Almost 350. We’re the core team. The rest are drillers, cooks, medics, drivers, mechanics, those sort of things. The submarine has bays dedicated for the vehicles we may need. We’ll be more than prepared for anything thrown our way.”
“Who’s driving the submarine?” Clairette asked, eager for the answer.
“Why, you!” Ms. Wilson grinned gently.
“And how are we getting to it? Where’s it located?”
“We’ll take an airship, us seven. It’s at the Southern end of Africa, near the Cape of Good Hope. Clairette, as well as the submarine, will be driving the airship. This trek will take no longer than a week. The actual trip to Atlantis won’t take more than a month, even with complications. Once we discover it, all the wealth will be ours. We’ll even attempt to raise the sunken kingdom, and I’ll be its queen. You all will get paid fortunes beyond your wildest dreams, and given anything you so desire. But I digress. Tell me, who’s in?”
“I’m in.” Jacob chimed.
“Count me in.” Clairette replied with overexcitement.
“Hm.” Anthony grumbled.
“Hell, I wouldn’t mind doing it for free.” Juliet inputted.
“Ah, if the girl’s in, I can’t let her show me up. Sure.” Jess shrugged.
“Fine. I’ll do it.” Abioye reluctantly complied.
“This is wondrous. We’ll begin our little journey tomorrow night.” Ms. Wilson let out a sly smile as she leaned back into the dark.