Fathom L. Standage (books for 8th graders .TXT) 📖

“I made some calls, and I found a connection at the high-end aquarium store providing Linnaeus with a water tank.”

“How did you find the store he was going to use?” Calder asked.

“Linnaeus is too predictable,” Walter replied. “I simply called the most expensive places. Took a few calls, but I found the right one. I told them I was Linnaeus’s personal marine biologist and they told me everything I needed to know. Linnaeus has led him to believe he is using the tank for decoration with tropical fish. They’re also letting me come in to add my own ‘modifications’ and final check before it is sent to the hotel. There’s going to be an air tank hidden in some of the artificial plant life.”

“But I’ve never used a scuba tank before.”

“We’ll let you practice. It’s not hard. Every time you need a breath, you just find the mouthpiece and breathe.”

“That could go seriously wrong,” said Calder. “What if they see it, or what if she can’t find it?”

“Then she’ll just swim to the top of the tank and take a breath. It’s only going to be about seven feet deep. Remember, according to the invitation, it looks as though Linnaeus plans to ‘unveil’ you, Olivia. If you can’t get the tank to work, it should only be about a minute or so before you’ll make your change and escape.”

“I guess I could hold my breath for a minute.”

“I’ll teach you some tricks,” said Walter. “You’ll be able to hold your breath for at least two minutes by tomorrow night. The air tank is only a precaution in case you have to stay under the water to be more convincing. The water tank won’t be full to the top and it won’t be encased.”

Calder leaned back on the chair and rubbed his face.

“Okay,” I said, my nerve endings popping like fireworks. Uther spoke next.

“After the unveiling, we just need everyone to see you for about thirty seconds, so swim around a bit before removing the tail. Once the tail is removed, Cordelia and Seidon will break the glass so you can run to safety.”

“Uh…how, exactly?”

“We can break glass with our voices,” said Cordelia. “I’d demonstrate, but—well, needless to say, this establishment wouldn’t be happy with us.”

“No glass broke when I heard the songs in the vessel,” I said.

“That’s because it was a recording and not intended to break glass.”

I waved aside the astounding fact that merpeople could shatter glass with their underwater songs and expressed my other, more pressing worries.

“What about the hundreds of gallons of water I’ll be swimming in? And the broken glass? I won’t have any shoes on. It’ll cut up my feet.”

“Maybe you could include a pair of sneakers in the plant life,” said Natasha with a teasing elbow to Walter’s side.

“Or maybe you could just climb out instead,” said Seidon. “Do we have to break the glass?”

“The pressure of the water should wash the glass away,” said Walter.

Eamon snapped his fingers. “Got it. We’ll lift her from the tank with a rope and pulley.”

“A little conspicuous in a conference hall, don’t you think?” said Calder.

“Not if we hide it in the ceiling. Historic hotels like the US Grant have been renovated many times over the years. We’ll find a way.”

“Uther, can you hack into the hotel’s website?” Walter asked. “Can you check which room he’s using?”

“Not even a please or a thank you,” he said as he whirled around to face his laptop.

“I’ll google the hotel on the other computer,” said Calder, sitting in front of another laptop. He brought up the website on the screen. He clicked through several pictures. I recognized the opulent lobby of the hotel where my kidnappers had taken me. Even Linnaeus’s hotel room, called The Presidential Suite, was included in the website’s photo gallery. We scanned the pictures of various ballrooms and conference halls. Each room boasted intricate décor fit for any occasion of the rich and famous.

“No, too small. Too small,” said Eamon as we clicked through each picture. “Wait, stop. Go back.” Calder went back to a picture of a large conference hall with a blue arched ceiling called The Celestial Ballroom.

“He won’t use that one,” said Calder, pointing to some square, wood-paneled pillars lining the hall. “Those pillars block the view.”

“I’ve got it,” said Uther. “He’s reserved The Presidential Ballroom.”

“There.” Eamon pointed to the screen. This room, labeled The Presidential Ballroom, was even larger than the Celestial one. It made sense. Presidential Suite, Presidential ballroom.

“Linnaeus is definitely a ‘go big or go home’ kind of guy,” I said.

“Look at the chandelier,” said Calder. “There are skylights around it.”

“Perfect,” said Eamon. “We can set up the pulley system here.”

“We’ll need to make sure the tank is beneath the skylight,” said Walter. “I’ll go undercover and help with the tank’s setup.”

“Won’t Linnaeus recognize you?” I asked.

“Never met him,” Walter replied. “And even if I had, he’s the type of man who won’t take any notice of the help.”

I sighed. This plan was getting more complicated by the second.

“When we’re ready,” Eamon continued, “we’ll drop a weighted rope into the tank—you’ll have to mind your head, Olivia—then we can pull you up and away from danger. It’s an easier escape and no one has to swim through broken glass.”

“What if the rope does land on my head?”

Calder shook his head. “It won’t. Whatever you’ve seen in the movies, not even a bullet can penetrate more than a few feet through water.”

“That’s right,” said Eamon. “A rope won’t be a problem. Just grab a deep breath and swim to the bottom until the rope lands in the water.”

“We’ll watch from overhead,” said Uther. “And don’t worry, I have excellent aim.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Eamon. “And breaking the glass after she’s lifted would create a nice diversion. We don’t want anyone trying to come after her once the costume is off.”

“Good point,” said Walter. He looked at Cordelia. “Can we do it?”

“Yes.”

“Gut,” Uther said