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shocked they remained intact. They passed the previous lowest trio of subs by ten feet, by twenty feet. The instrumentation detected nothing. They passed fifty feet, and still—
    “Sir! A crack!”
    The shout awakened the bridge, and everyone scrambled. Each man aboard had been screened to ensure sufficient Energy for long-range teleportation, and each teleported instantly to the Chameleon . Athos’ pulse rate skyrocketed, and he took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself as the sweat poured from his brow. He shivered.
    Scott moved to Athos, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are you okay, sir?”
    Athos nodded. “Report?”
    Scott glanced around at the men. “You left just in time, sir. Our sensors show that the Tacitus has suffered a complete hull breach and the craft has ruptured. It will sink to the sea floor.”
    Athos frowned and wiped his brow, and then nodded. “I’ll need a moment at the comm station.”
    “Of course, sir.”
    “Alone.”
    “Of course, sir.”
    They made their way through the now-crowded bridge. The man handling communications with the other submarines moved aside. He handed the headset to Athos and stepped away. Athos sat in the chair. “Connect me with Headquarters, please.”
    Moments later, the voice of the Leader came online. “Report, Athos.”
    Athos glanced at the comms man, who looked to his captain for guidance. Scott nodded his head away from the comm station. Both men moved away, giving Athos some privacy.
    “Sir, we scanned the depths of the ocean at the coordinates provided by Porthos. There is no sign in that area of an Alliance base of operations. In the process, I took my own vessel deeper than any other, to a depth the submarines weren’t meant to reach in order to ensure our findings. In addition to confirming what I’ve just reported, we suffered a complete structural failure of the Tacitus . All the men aboard teleported to safety. We are down to eleven submarines, sir.”
    “I see.” There was a pause. Athos wondered about the Leader’s tone, uncertain if the Leader had heard a word he’d said. “Are you the only one able to hear me, Athos?”
    “Affirmative, sir.” Athos could hear the tension in the Leader’s voice.
    “I must relay the news I just received, Athos. The doctors… they just contacted me… and… Athos, we’ve lost Aramis. He’s gone. I… just… just find the base of the Alliance, Athos, no matter the cost. They need to pay. They must pay.” The Leader disconnected.
    Athos couldn’t be certain, but it had sounded like the Leader was near tears.
    He disconnected his own link, removed the headset, and stood, dazed. His Hunting partner of five centuries was dead, killed due to the actions of the Alliance. He felt his anger stoked anew, pulsing to levels he’d never reached before.
    He walked to the bridge and faced the men, motioning for their attention. He looked at the comms man. “Open an audio channel to the rest of the submarines and have the captains ensure all of the men are able to hear me.”
    “I’m not sure how—”
    “Do it!” Athos shouted.
    The man scurried about, and moments later, he let Athos know that the microphone in his hand would transmit his words to the entire crew.
    Athos spoke. “We’re not leaving, gentlemen. We will find the enemy. We will enter their homes. And we will slaughter every single living soul we encounter within.”
    A cheer rose.
    Athos remembered the shark. He’d stoke his team of sharks into a feeding frenzy.
    Now he just needed to find the minnows.

V
    The flying sphere descended into the trees outside the human settlement on the northeast portion of Aliomenti Headquarters Island, silent and invisible to human perception and all manner of technology sensors. Hope deployed the Energy eating device, feeling the depletion in the form of a drop of several degrees in the cabin. After ensuring no hint of Energy remained, she surrounded herself in an exoskeleton of nanos. She tapped