CHAPTER THREE: Dreams

A young man and woman sat down, leaning against a white picket fence and under shade from a tree about five feet away. They were both in their early twenties, in college. Seeing a president in a parade for the first time seemed very exciting to them.

As the motorcade came around the corner, the car seemed to slow down as everyone was waving. As the young couple began to wave to the limousine, the woman in the front seat told something to the young president in back, and all the sudden a shot rang out, and then another. A final shot rang just behind the young couple, the man holding the woman down, laying on the ground for cover.

Five minutes past as the crowds split apart and cops were everywhere. One came out from behind the fence and asked the young couple if they had seen anything unusual. The man said no, the young woman tearfully agreeing. Later that night they met friends in a restaurant down the block, and the same cop came to the table as they were leaving.

Asking for information and getting nothing in return, the cop got angry. A fight ensued, the young man giving the young woman a chance to run away to safety. Soon, shots rang out as the girl ran down the street. The young man then stepped of the curb into the street, and as the sun rose, his eyes sparkled and you could see his blond spiked hair, his face in a motion of hoping the girl had gotten to safety...

Judson awoke, remembering.

Mac was in the doorway. "Are you alright? You were shaking pretty bad."

"Yeah. Must be just too tired from all the diving last night."

"Alright. Well, we have breakfast ready, so come on up."

"We didn't come up with anything last night. Gabe, anything on the sonar this morning?"

"Nothing, Judson. Tiny specs though, it's a little hard to make out. It could be something, or nothing."

"We'll just have to check it out." Mac said, ready for the next dive.

"Check what out?" Claudia said, entering the kitchen.

"Spots on the sonar, we don't know what they are. Sleep well?" Judson asked.

"Contently, I didn't know sleeping on a boat was that easy. You?"

"Not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Mac said, eyes sparkling. "Judson, you were shaking and your face was all sweaty, but alright."

"Really?" Gabe replied, feeling Judson's forehead in a mother-like way. "Judson, you okay?"

"Fine. I didn't sleep the best, but it was fine."

"Tanks checked?"

"Checked. Ready for dive."

"Alright. Kennedy, we'll see you when we come back up. Gabe stays up on deck for sonar read, and Mac and I go down."

A splash of water, and then they are under.

"So, Claudia," Gabe said, motioning to chairs near the monitor on deck. "Have a seat."

Long seconds followed as the two watched the monitor for progress.

"Do you mind if I ask you about yourselves?"

"No, not at all. I suppose you'd want to know more about the two of us more than Judson though." Gabe replied, a little surprised at the question.

"Did Judson ever talk about me before I came?"

"Not really, I can't remember. I don't think so."

"Are Mac and Judson close?"

"Whoa?aren't we jumping ship a little early here?"

"Sorry for the question so quickly."

"That's alright. I did notice you have been looking a little worried lately."

"Yes. I am?a little."

"You shouldn't be. At least, I don't think much of it. They've always been like that since a couple months after they met I suppose. I wasn't with the team when Judson first hired Mac, but they get along."

"Flirtingly."

"Yes, but even Mac flirts with me some times." Gabe thought it over for a second, a smile coming to his cheekbones. "It's like this. Mac gives me crap and expects me to give her crap back. It's all in fun, just like it is with Judson and Mac's flirting."

"Has it ever been more than?emotional?"

"Like physical? Well, no?at least I don't think so. Never seen it, although we've joked about it. Judson just blushes."

"That's a sign."

"A sign of what?"

"That he likes her, he'll protect her."

"Right. Go to the ends of the earth for her. Well, he'd do that for me to ? and me right back to the two of them. Did he do that for you?"

"Yes, once upon a time."

"He still would, you know."

"So are you okay?"

"From earlier? Yeah, just a bad dream ? sort of."

"Glad you're alright. Can't have my hero stuck in a rut."

"Ha ha, Mac. Funny."

"Judson."

"Yeah, Mac."

"Look!"

A small wood piece, about 5 inches long, stood out in a piece of coral, waiting to be found. Many wood slivers were around this area, covering about 5 feet or more.

"Mac, I think we just got closer."