AT THE MLRD HEADQUARTERS
Oceanus's mind raced as he locked eyes with a strange woman. Who was she? Where was he? The room, the strange machinery—nothing made sense. But then, like a crashing wave, it all came flooding back to him in a dizzying rush of memories.
He remembered the frantic search and how he was apprehended. He remembered Oceana fleeing and being unable to locate her. He called out to her, but she was nowhere to be found. His heart pounded as he remembered the terror, the sight of the pile of fish on the ship, and the net he had attempted to reach before a searing pain shot through him.
It was like fire—a burning heat that seared through his body, making his muscles seize and his vision blur. He had fought against it, trying to reach the net, and he knew deep in his soul t
