Chapter 27
GRAY GULPED DOWN THE LAST OF THE ALBACORE. He could
have caught more but wasn't in the mood. This was one of the rare times he
remembered not having an appetite. He swam farther out than normal to
hunt, wanting to get away from the feverish preparations Goblin was
making for the Tuna Run. They Tuna Rolled constantly, even in the dark of
a moonless night, which made it much harder, but Gray was proud to catch
more than his share.
After one game where he landed three wahoo in a single heat from the
back half position, Wisko gave him such a joyous slap of celebration that he
almost ate her in self-defense. Wahoo were strange fish. For some reason
his conversations with Velenka and Takiza kept bumping around in his
head, mixing together. Since the day Gray was banished from Coral Shiver,
he'd felt adrift, cut off from family and home. What would he do with his
life? What kind of shark would he become? That was the question that
would be answered by his time in the open waters, in the wild Big Blue.
The current Velenka was asking him to swim seemed to be a dark one.
There was something hidden in the mako's black eyes, and Gray couldn't
figure out just what it was. But Velenka was a shivermate and the same
couldn't be said of Takiza. Did Gray really owe the odd little betta
anything? Takiza seemingly swam the Big Blue with no ties to anyone. No
loyalty to any fin or dweller but himself. How could that be swimming a
good current? Yet, the little fish fought a tiger shark to protect a family of
turtles. Who else would do that? Gray grew hot with shame when he
realized he wasn't sure he would have stopped Thrash. He'd tried to guide
the situation, but there was no way he would have thrown away his
relationship with a fellow shiver shark over a bunch of turtles.
"Did you do it?"
Gray turned around as the troubling thoughts thankfully slipped from
his mind and Striiker slid into view around a patch of waving greenie.
For some reason Gray's heart leapt. It was Striiker! "Hi! Where's
everyone else?" he asked.
"Like you don't know!" the great white seethed. "What did Goblin give
you to betray us?"
Same old Striiker. Gray was in the mood to fight, but he realized it was
his own thoughts and deeds that made him angry, not Striiker being his
usual abrasive self. Gray wasn't going to compound the situation by doing
something else to regret. He shook his head and swam away. "I don't have
time for this. Say hi to everyone."
Luckily Gray didn't let Striiker out of his sight.
"Make time!" the great white yelled and charged straight at him!
Gray's training kicked in and he performed a halfcircle dive, easily
avoiding the rush. "Look, Striiker, I've got a lot of things on my mind! You
don't want to make me angry!" If his goal was to calm the great white by
saying this, Gray failed spectacularly.
"Oh, I don't want you to get angry, huh?" Striiker came after him even
harder.
But Gray was bigger, faster, and better trained now. And he did want to
fight. "Let's dance!" Gray had learned that the landsharks called single
combat dancing, which was also a thing they did when they were happy and
to attract mates. He liked the term, and Ripper and Streak, in particular,
would always show their teeth in a wicked, toothy smile and say, "Let's
dance," before single combat drills. It sent chills down your spine. Gray had
started doing it too because he thought it was cool.
Gray rammed Striiker right in the gills with his snout. That'd teach him!
Striiker slowed, wheezing, and hovered in a defensive position. "Why did
you betray them?" he asked, gasping a bit. "They were your friends!"
"What are you talking about, jelly-brain?" Gray shouted. "You came out
of the greenie and attacked me for no reason! Where's everyone else?
Where's Barkley? And Mari? Answer before I make you my lunch!" The
last words leapt out of Gray's mouth before he realized it. He would never
eat another shark.
Would he?
In any case, an uncomfortable silence descended. Striiker was definitely
freaked out and seemed to grow less sure of himself. "They were ambushed
coming to see you."
"WHAT?"
"A lionfish told Barkley that you wanted to come back to Rogue
Shiver," Striiker said.
Gray shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know any lionfish! Are they
okay?" The questions came out in a rush. Striiker told him the entire story.
He even seemed a little ashamed that he hadn't gone with the group. He felt
guilty that they had been ambushed, but not about not helping Gray. He
went out of his way to make that clear. Same old Striiker.
Striiker told Gray about how he had searched for days and finally saw
Streak going out from the homewaters alone. He followed the blue shark
and found where the group was being held. "It's usually one from the Line
and a couple of shiver sharks guarding the cage," he explained.
Gray was dazed. His shivermates were holding his friends captive.
Could this be happening? "Maybe Goblin doesn't know?" Gray asked.
"Oh, grow up!" Striiker yelled angrily, "Of course he knows!"
"But he gave his word!"
"His word means nothing! All he wants is power!" Striiker swished his
tail furiously. "And he doesn't care who he has to hurt. Believe me. That's
why Mari and I left in the first place."
"This can't be happening…" Gray whispered as his insides grew cold.
"I can't get them out of there alone," Striiker told him. The great white
was absolutely pained by what he forced himself to say next: "Will you help
me?"
"Of course!"
Striiker winced from his bruised gills but got in Gray's face. "But don't
think this means we're best fins or anything. After we get them, we're
going to the Sific. That's my plan. You do whatever you want. Like
always."
Gray whirled and gave Striiker a tremendous tail slap to the face. Gray
actually felt it all the way up his spine. "Keep running your mouth and see
what happens, Striiker. And here's my plan: You show me where they are
right now, or I'll beat the chowder out of you again."
The great white was shocked. Then slowly, he started swimming.
Though he didn't feel proud of it, Gray had finally gotten the last word
with Striiker.