“What’s the name of the ship, Em?” Sophie asks me for the billionth time, her dark eyes darting from one end of the marina to the other as we make our way among the deckhands.

“The Griffin. Honestly Soph, you need to relax a little. I’ve got all the information right here. We shouldn’t be able to miss it,” I reassure her, though I’m a little nervous myself. Which is far from usual for me. We both slept through our alarms, resulting in a lot of cuss words and thrown clothes. “We’re here now,” I repeat out loud, for her benefit and my own. Taking a deep breath, I wave a manilla envelop in her face.

The same manilla envelope that arrived at our apartment three months ago inviting us on an exclusive excursion to places unknown. I thought it was a scam until our archaeology professor approached us the next day in class. It turns out they hand-picked Sophie and me to aid in an expedition for one of our school’s most generous donors.

The vessel in question is a colossal nine hundred feet. Her sleek decks tower overhead, reaching into the sky. “It looks like a cruise ship.” Sophie’s eyes are wide and mouth agape.

“Sophia, Emily! I was just looking for you two. Glad you made it.”

I turn and watch Professor Daniels stride towards us, his signature brown leather jacket blowing softly in the breeze. When he stops to admire The Griffin with us, he explains. “You know, she used to be a cruise ship. She’s undergone renovations to assist us in our expedition.”

“Recycling! My favorite!” Sophie exclaims.

“Professor D, fancy meeting you here!” I tease, hauling my luggage up the gangway to our new home.

“Please, call me Nathan. We aren’t in the classroom anymore.” He flags down a crewmember to help with our bags. “You guys are bunking on Deck Five. There will be a conference in an hour. It’s on Deck Three in the Meeting Room.”

“And, um, what deck are we on right now?” Sophie inquires a little sheepishly.

Nathan’s green eyes twinkle as his smile broadens. “Deck Six, ma’am.”

She blushes slightly and nods.

“If that’s all, I’ll see you guys at the meeting.”

“See you,” Sophie says as our professor strolls off.

I arch an eyebrow at her. “Ready to go, ma’am?”

She giggles and shoves my shoulder. “Shut up!”

“I think the professor might have a crush.” I declare. When she just rolls her eyes, I laugh. “And maybe our Soph does too?”

She smirks. “I mean, he does kind of remind me of Indiana Jones, but in a geeky way.”

I snort. “You and your Indiana Jones obsession.”

“No better than your mythology obsession!”

“Touche.”

Our room sits at the end of a long corridor. Two queen beds stand on one wall with a flatscreen tv overlooking a miniature sofa on the other.

“Hey! I thought this was a closet, but this is even better,” I say as I reveal our suite’s bathroom.

“I found the closet,” Sophie offers as she slides open a mirrored door on the other side of the room, revealing a hanging rod and some shelves.

“Looks like there’s time to unpack before that meeting.”

“I hope we can find something to eat, too. I’m famished!” Sophie unzips her suitcase and dumps it on her bed.

“Check it out! We have ourselves a tiny kitchen, too.” I point to a large rectangular cabinet beside the entertainment center.

“Oh! That must have been the reason for the questionnaire.”

We peruse the trays full of our favorite snack foods on display and unlatch a door underneath to reveal a mini fridge.

***

“This is a big boat,” I huff, rounding yet another corner to find more passenger cabins.

“Cruise ships,” Sophie and I say, together. We laugh as we pass a housekeeper side-eyeing our exchange. I’m used to it, anymore. We have a lifetime of inside jokes to thank for that.

She bumps my shoulder. “I’m doing ok, Soph.” Which isn’t a total lie. Our everyday banter helps keep the walls from closing in. I laugh and add, “A maze full of rooms is just what I need to face my fears.”

Sophie pats my arm. “I think there’s a sign up ahead. I’ll check it out.” She jogs the few feet to a plaque on the wall. A small marker with an arrow points toward the elevator.

Once inside the enclosed space, my chest constricts a little more, but I push the button for Deck Three. Sophie bites her nails, sending furtive glances in my direction. I lean against the railing, breathing slowly to calm my pounding heart. Who would believe that two small town girls from Kentucky would embark on a mission across the Atlantic Ocean?

We met in middle school and have been inseparable since, even choosing the same career path. Although, while Sophie’s passion is for marine life, she’s always been too scared to follow her dream. When I decided to study Marine Biology as well, it wasn’t a complete sacrifice. Sophie wouldn’t let me do that, knowing my love of history, and we fell down a rabbit hole of career options. Thus, it was decided that a dual major in Marine Biology and Archaeology would be our path.

“Where did you go, Em?” Sophie’s head tilts to the side, reminding me of a golden retriever.

I blush. “Just thinking about how far we’ve come.”

She nods slowly, then beams. “Now we can shove it in your dirty cousin’s face.”

I laugh as the doors slide open. “Sophie!” I scold her but can’t help nodding in agreement.

She grins, “I got you out of that head of yours, though, didn’t I?”

Deck Three opens on a large dining area, much like at the mall. Restaurants line the walls while tables, sofas, and a few buffet stands encompass the rest of the room.

“How rich is the mystery donor?” Sophie asks me under her breath.

The professor chuckles behind us and we jump.

“Shit! I didn’t hear the elevator,” I squeak while Sophie blushes.

Nathan gives a sheepish grin. “Sorry there, ladies. But in answer to your question, Sophie, he is very wealthy.” Pausing, he seems to consider his words. “Actually, you may have heard of him. He’s pretty illustrious in the science community. Alexander Lucas.”

Both of our jaws drop. “Thee Alexander Lucas?” We say in unison.

Nathan laughs. “Yes, that’s the one. Let’s get to this meeting before we’re late. It’s just behind the Caferia.”

“Cafe-what?” I ask.

He points to the dining area. “It’s what they call all this.”

Sophie and I look at each other. We don’t have time to reply as we hurry after the professor.

The meeting room looks like a giant lecture hall. Taking our seats among the hundred or so other people, I look at Sophie, conscious of her social anxiety. “You doing ok?”

She looks green as she gives me a weak smile and raises a shaky thumbs up. Before I can say anymore, a gorgeous man in a very fancy suit consumes my focus. He’s tall with broad shoulders. His piercing blue eyes take in the crowd as he saunters to the podium.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to The Griffin! If you don’t already know who I am, my name is Xander Lucas. I’ve brought you all together today for a once in a lifetime mission to the Puerto Rico Trench. And our goal for this adventure?” He pauses as the lights dim and a projector rolls. Pictures of shipwrecks flash across the screen behind him. “To discover ships lost in time.”

Editor: Michelle Naragon