Arresting Atlantis

It didn’t matter that it was in the middle of winter, not this close to the equator. Doctor Roberts sat on a bench overlooking the deep blue Atlantic Ocean with her gear spread out next to her. Pages of notes separated by her fingers rustled back and forth as she quickly scanned them. She wasn’t looking for anything in particular, it was just one of her brainstorming quirks, sometimes two unrelated words would jump off the page and spark a bit of inspiration.

Nearby, seagulls squawk at the sudden gust of wind, it set both her notes and sunhat a flutter and forced her to choose between the two. She clamped her notes down on her lap having made her choice, her sunhat was set free. Her eyes shut, she turned to avoid the last of the gust. She’d mourn the loss of her completed ensemble, but it was just a hat.

Footsteps crunched in the sand and grew louder. “I couldn’t bear to see such a beautiful hat separated from such a beautiful lady. Here you go.”

She opened her eyes to see her hat being held out before her. Ensuring her notes were firmly in place with one hand she grabbed the hat with the other. Her gaze traveled from that hat to the hand that held it and up the arm to the owner. Suddenly her sundress didn’t feel like it was enough, or maybe too much. Her confused brain couldn’t figure it out.

He wore a tropical-inspired button-up shirt with none of the buttons in use. Short dirty blonde hair was perfectly done up in a strategic mess that glowed in the sun, but it was the rich blue eyes that rivaled the ocean. He smiled, and her heart skipped.

“Oh, thank you.” She held the flopping hat awkwardly.

“Ah, it seems you saved your notes over your hat. That actually makes perfect sense. Oh, what’s this, ocean currents?”

“Uh, yes, it’s a compilation of this month’s current readings,” she covered the notes with her hat.

“Oh, my bad. I wasn’t trying to snoop,” he stood up waving his hands to ward off any incurred suspicion.

“No, it’s just I don’t usually show my research to other people.”

Now that he’d taken a step back, she was able to make out more of the man from his defined chest, chiseled abs, and navy blue swim trunks. She studied his face and thought he looked a bit familiar.

“Right, you know, I figured you were some kind of scientist. You had quite a load of luggage on the charter flight to Bermuda. And you were lost in thought with your notebook on the ferry to the outer Bahama islands.”

“Stalker?” She quirked an eyebrow up.

“No! No, no I just happened to be going in the same direction as you apparently,” he tried to shift the conversation. “So, are you a marine biologist or an oceanographer?”

“Technically, I’m both.”

“Technically?”

She didn’t want to explain her degrees in marine biology, oceanography, meteorology, geology, and geography. Each one was a stepping stone that just happened while she reached for her life’s goal.

“So, what’s a hun— I mean, what’s a guy like you doing all the way out on Anguilla?”

“A guy like me?”

“Someone who recognizes notes on ocean currents from a quick glance.”

“Oh, lately I’ve been researching ocean currents as well.”

“A fellow scientist?”

“No, more like a necessary evil for my job.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Indeed? Well, in any case, thank you for rescuing my hat. I’m Doctor Roberts.”

“Doctor Roberts? No first name?”

“I’d rather not say.”

“It can’t be that bad, it’s not something like Julia?”

She remained quiet.

“No.” He drew the word out. “Really?”

“It’s Julie.” She whispered.

“Well Julie, I’m Maximus. Maximus Powers, but you can call me Max.”

“Max Powers?”

“See, turns out my parents were meaner. Besides, and I’m not calling you old, Julia Roberts probably wasn’t even famous when you were born, so it’s not like your parents knew. Right?”

She genuinely laughed. For Max, it was the enticing melodic singing of the sirens that seafarers wrote about in old journals his father owned. Often calling it the most beautiful thing they had ever heard, and he had no other way to describe her laugh.

“If you’d be willing, Julie, I’d love to take you to lunch and we can discuss ocean currents. Or something else.”

“That sounds fascinating, but I was waiting for the excursion boat.”

“I guess they missed you then. The excursion had to be canceled on account of the boat sinking.”

“Huh.”

“Yep.”

“Then, why are you here?”

“I had a hunch. Figured that there would be an equipment-hauling scientist waiting out here.”

“Really?” She looked up and down the shoreline. “I don’t see anyone, maybe they got the message?”

“For someone with two science degrees, you’re not too quick on the uptake.”

She didn’t correct him, she’d learned that guys didn’t like being corrected and she wanted to enjoy his company a bit longer.

“You mean me, don’t you?” He nodded. “Do you generally go on lunch dates with people you insult?”

“Not generally, I find they don’t like it.”

“Imagine that.”

He laughed, and not just a laugh it was a big belly laugh. She noticed the contractions of his abs. Her cheeks flushed in his presence, she’d never had a conversation this long with someone like him.

Max enjoyed her smile. She wasn’t the kind of girl he typically fell for, but then again he didn’t often get to mingle with intelligent people in his line of work. It was refreshing to have a simple conversation that wasn’t filled with one-sided steamy innuendo.

“The hotel receptionist recommended a place to eat since the excursion was canceled, we can get out of the wind and sun there. Plus you can drop off your gear at the hotel since it’s on the way.”

“That sounds like a plan. Did the boat really sink?”

“That’s what they told me.”

It was a pleasant walk back to the hotel. Julie noted it was much easier this time around since Max had offered to carry some of the gear. They kept it to light conversation touching on the scenery and atmosphere of the island.

Over lunch and into dinner they talked about their previous adventures on the other islands their journey didn’t overlap. She explained her potential insight into ocean currents and the effects of geothermal activity. It caught Max off guard since he’d been operating on the principle that ocean currents were directly affected by the air currents and surface temperature.

“That kind of makes sense,” he said.

“I knew about the air currents, but didn’t really think they could affect deep ocean currents.”

“What do you suppose has more control over the middle layer? Not quite touched by the geothermal vents, but deep enough to see no effects of sunlight.”

“Hmm, that’s a good question. I haven’t really thought about it. Most of my research is on the ocean floor really.”

“Is that so? What on the ocean floor are you interested in?”

“I’d rather not say, you’ll laugh. Why are you studying ocean currents if it’s not for science?”

“It’s not something I want to share, people treat me differently when they find out.”

His sudden vulnerability caught her off guard. She pursed her lips. “Fine, I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

“I’m not so sur—”

“I’m looking for the lost city of Atlantis,” she blurted out.

“Bwhaa?”

“See, crazy. It’s why I don’t have a research team or anything. I’m the crazy degree-wielding scientist with the crazy notion of finding a mythical lost city.”

“Yeah, no. I mean no. It’s not crazy. My father would read me stories and journals from famous explorers and their search for the great mysteries of the world. People like Ponce de Leon and the fountain of youth or Sir Walter Raleigh and the search for El Dorado. You’re an explorer just like them.”

“That’s a first. I’ve never been compared to explorers of the past.”

“It’s very admirable. I envy you actually.” Max sighed as he came to a decision. “It’s a more respectable reason than mine. I’m an international bounty hunter looking for a thief that made his way to Bermuda and snuck off in a submersible.”

“And you learned that much about ocean currents and liquid thermodynamics just to track down a fugitive?”

“Well, I’ve been looking for them for the last three years. I’ve had some time.”

“Wow, a bounty hunter. Really?”

Max nodded with no further explanation.

“Must be quite the bounty if you’ve been at it for three years.”

He couldn’t tell her it was his older brother. There were just some secrets that couldn’t be shared over lunch.

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?”

“I’ve decided. I’m going to help you,” Julie said confidently.

“I wasn’t asking for help.”

“I know, but think about it. If we travel together we can save money.” She didn’t share that her funding was running out. Actually, it had run out.

“I do dangerous things.”

“And while you do that, I can do my science things.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“What’s there to say? At the end of this trip will either find the world’s greatest bounty or the world’s greatest lost treasure.”