Breaking Point

The stuffy air in the cell pressed on Ray's bent down neck. He gulped, the sound uncomfortably loud in the overwhelming silence. The first words were important. The Vulcan should be assured that he would agree to any conditions as soon as they let Koi out.

"I am guilty. I'll confess publicly to all the wrongdoings, implicate anyone, endorse any script you give me. All I ask is. Please, release the woman you captured alongside me. She got mixed up with me, without knowing about the sabotage. She can't provide the information you seek."

"What in abyss you're going on about?"

Ray stiffened at the sound of a familiar voice and raised his head. Right before him stood Marlin with crossed arms, inside the cell, inside the prison. His heart sank.

"I'm so sorry. They caught you too," he squinted his eyes.

"A simple 'sorry'? You aren't getting off the hook with words! For even considering that those cross-wired sparkers could catch me, a genius thief. You know what I demand," his smile shone smugly. "My pancakes!"

"You weren't? Then how?" Ray's head spun. "You broke in? Marlin, that's too dangerous!"

"Way to ruin the mood. A hero comes to your rescue. And you nag him?" the boy puffed out his cheeks. "I'm super helping here. Now thank me!"

Ray's lips twitched and broke into a tired smile, before he threw his head back and laughed. Futilely trying to bottle up the chuckles, he shook uncontrollably, until hiccups overcame him.

"Yuk! You haven't been in here that long. Yet you've already lost it," Marlin grimaced.

"Thank you for coming to get me," he let out a slow, long breath to ground himself. "Truly, thank you. You're indeed not only the least trouble, but actually the most reliable part of our crew."

"Right. Don't you dare forget it," he tugged his muffler up to cover the rising blush.

"I truly regret that I can't make you pancakes right this moment. So let's try not to waste time and get to that point faster. How did you know where to find me? I doubt Vulcan announced their catch."

"The commotion at their place is the hottest topic. At the higher levels, people talk of an armed robbery, several dozen masked looters. In the slums, they say that Vulcan captured a couple of seasoned criminals."

"Recognizing me from such a broad description. Should I be flattered?"

"That they've been hunting them for a while. A guy that works with animals. And his sister."

"Coral," Ray's jaw tightened. "Well, good to get another confirmation they don't have her yet."

Forcing his drained brain to wake up, he rubbed his eyes. Thanks to Marlin's recklessness, he was given another chance. Although now there was one more person he had to keep out of harm's way no matter what. He had caused them enough grief as it was.

Ray cracked his neck. "Alright, it's time for the plan. How long will it take you to open the door again?"

"Who cares about the door?" Marlin mumbled.

"I do! We should get out of here before someone comes in and sees you," Ray pinched his nose

"Relax, old man. You won't walk far through those hallways. Security is tough here. Even for me," the boy pouted. "But I got the better of them!"

"I will relax after I get everyone out of here," he shook his head. "Can you tell from the outside who's in the cell?"

"Nope. There's only a number posted on each door. Most of the room are unoccupied, though."

"So, how did you find me?"

"Saw a stiff big-head with a horde of sparkers come out of here."

"Can't rely on such great luck again," Ray hummed in thought. "First, I need you to unlock the door. Then, while I create a distraction, you search the other cells for Koi. We should come up with some kind of signal: to let me know the two of you reunited."

"Stop! I don't want to hear this," Marlin glared. "We don't need her. Let's just run on our own. I came for you, not for her."

Ray smiled softly. "It makes me happy you'd go so far for me. But we can't simply abandon Koi."

"She'd never risk her life for us. So we do the same."

"I put her in this situation."

"She insisted on coming to this stupid scrap dump."

"It's a bit more complicated," he rubbed his temples.

"Who do you choose, me or her?" Marlin demanded and stumped his foot.

"Is it that bad that I want both of you to live?" Ray stretched out his arm, tousling the boy's hair.

He stared at the floor with a pained expression. "Not bad. It's just not happening. I can't tug both of you to the ship."

"Marlin, look at me. Why would you need to tug anyone?"

"You know what I am. And I have some ideas on how to get you out," he didn't meet Ray's eyes.

"Another dangerous scheme of yours? Are you sure it's going to work?"

"It depends," Marlin was scraping the floor with the toe of his foot. "I know you aren't gonna like it."

"Let's stick to the plan. We need something that will work for sure."

"There is no sure!" he balled up his fists. "I'm done. Talking is dumb! Close your eyes."

Ray put up his hands. "We shouldn't be too hasty."

"I'll give you a chance to look for the mechanic. But we're doing it my way," the boy stuck his chest out. "Now quit gaping at me and close the eyes."

"Please, Marlin, this is serious," he searched for more words, better words, but he found himself lost instead. His breathing was ragged, his thoughts erratic. The weight of responsibility, or was it fear, pulling him down, sinking him deeper, drowning him in a dark chasm with no bottom.

"Don't you trust me at all? Not even this tiny bit?"

Ray glanced down at his hands. They were shaking. Looked up at his friend. Marlin's sullen eyes were on the verge of spilling the tears out. He carefully exhaled all the thoughts out.

"I'll close my eyes, but first, come here," he beckoned the boy.

Marlin squinted. "What for? Bet you're planning a nasty trick."

"I see how it is, you don't trust me at all," Ray whimpered and batted his eyelashes at him, pretending to cry.

"Liar! I don't sound like this," he snorted, but stepped closer. "It better be worth it."

With a wistful smile, Ray slipped the pendant off his neck and put it around Marlin's. The boy twirled the bright, yellow crescent-shaped stone between his fingers. He frowned and looked up.

"Why? We aren't done. There's so much left. Your sister. And this escape. And," Marlin glanced around the cell. "And pancakes, and cool adventure!"

Ray nodded. "I'm looking forward to all of it."

Then he closed his eyes.

The silence was punctuated by an occasional rustling. Marlin snickered. A louder crinkling sound. A dry crack. Ray was thrown against the metal wall, his teeth cutting into his lip on impact. His eardrums stung from a blaring roar, his right side itched from an unpleasant hotness.

A muffled whoosh surfaced over the ringing in his ears. A coldness spread through his feet.

Ray forced his stinging eyes open and assessed the situation.

"What in abyss, Marlin?! We were planning an escape, not a double suicide by bombs and drowning. And I thought I confiscated those," he steadied himself against the wall, the water was lapping around his thighs. A huge crack spiderwebbed across the glass, welcoming the ocean in at an alarming rate.

"I'll go steal a ship and drive it here. If you can't find Koi by that time," Marlin shrugged, took the muffler off, exposing his gills, and stuffed it in his pocket. "I'm a fast swimmer, so don't you dare die in the meantime."

"Why did you make me close my eyes? I could have prepared... at least mentally," Ray focused on the breathing as the water reached his shoulders.

"Sharkbutt! You'd have tried to stop me. And here. For when you find our mechanic," Marlin thrust the remaining grenade at him.

"I should teach you some non-destructive methods later."

"It's almost ready. Follow me."

The last pocket of air was swallowed by the greedy ocean. With lungs filled to their full capacity, Ray dove after the gracefully gliding Marlin. They squeezed out through the crack, careful not to touch the pointy edges.

The boy turned around, pulled out his palm-sized box, and fidgeted with it. Fighting against a great pressure, the door shook and slid aside for just an inch. Ray winced as he watched the water rush inside the facility. He mentally tallied another point to the list of his legitimate crimes.

Grinning, Marlin backflipped in the water with a thumbs-up and darted away.

It was finally time to rescue Koi.