Unearthly Power by R. K. Read Free Book Online Page A

Sean.
    “No sir. I’ve ‘put in’ here before. If you’ve made arrangements for fuel, it’ll be taken care of. Other than that, we’re ready to go as soon as you are.”
    “Okay.” Professor Kirby said as if everything that was being discussed had originated with his presence, “As long as the submersible gets here in two days we can leave immediately after we get it onboard. Other than that, feel free to use your time as you will.”
    There were smiles all around. The four of them practically ran out of the room before anything could be said to change that declaration. They continued to walk quickly down the well-traveled wooden dock until they instinctively knew they were out of range to hear anything that might be shouted from their boat. When they came to the end of the pier they stepped around a hanging chain which blocked the single access road to the docking area itself.
    “Okay, where to?” Sean asked.
    “Clothing store.” Dee said.
    When Sean and Alex looked at her with disappointment she continued, “I seemed to have forgotten to bring any extra clothes for this trip. Sorry if that disrupts your plans but I need clothes.”
    “That sounds like fun. And,” Tori said as she turned to look at their escorts with a smile on her face, “we need someone to look after us.”
    Before Alex could object Sean said, “All right. It’s early. The sooner we get you outfitted the sooner we can enjoy our time here. Let’s go get it over with.” He thought that as long as Tori was able to negotiate some shore-leave with her father, she might as well be given preference for how they spent it. Alex wouldn’t be thinking the same way, but he would be able to have that talk with him when the girls were busy playing ‘dress-up.’ As long as they had each other to serve as approving judges, Sean was sure he and Alex could find a nearby water-hole to occupy their time.
                 
    Unexpectedly, the girls finished their shopping rather quickly. They both showed them what they had purchased, and in turn, the guys acted as if they were impressed. Sean, of course, was more genuine in his attention than was Alex, but that was because of his growing interest in Tori.
    The day was pleasant with a mild breeze blowing in from the ocean and a few white clouds dotting the sky. The buildings were tall enough to provide a measure of shade which made conditions for walking nearly perfect. It was getting close to dinner time as they meandered aimlessly through the busy streets. When they reached a part of town Sean remembered from a previous visit, he suggested a place to eat. They all agreed as he led the way.
    He found that time and again Tori had placed herself near him as they went along. Their conversations remained casual, but he was trying to decide if what he was experiencing was a product of his own emotional fantasies, or if it in fact was reality. In most cases, his flirting, accompanied by his audacious manner, was enough to chase away the average woman. He always believed that the only woman for him would be the one who could handle anything he could throw at her. And, after numerous experiences, every one of them had run away at some point. He thought of it as more of a game than anything. He saw no point in changing who he was now. But this one was not showing any signs of running. If anything, the more risqué he behaved, whether toward those he was with or strangers they met on the street, the more she was attentive to him. It was probably just the fact that they had to work together for the next several days and nothing more , he thought.
    Deidra was impressed when they walked through the broad entryway of a luxurious hotel. She figured her brother’s taste would lead them to nothing more than a hot dog stand in a dark alley. They followed him as he confidently made his way through the lobby and past an indoor garden. On the opposite side of the entry they found a section of elevators. He pressed