The following silence is deafening. I try to wrap my head around this information.

Nathan frowns. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve been staring at that thing for the last two days.” Sophie swallows. “I’m sure.”

“Christ. Aren’t they extinct?” Xander runs his fingers through his hair. “How are they in the sixteenth century?”

Eddie clears his throat, and I start, not realizing he followed us to the lab. “Maybe a wormhole brought it from the past, like the one before transported us here from the future?”

My brain swims, and I sit back in my chair. “I guess it’s good we missed that storm.”

Nathan barks a laugh. “Funny, Emily.”

“I try.” I give a tight-lipped smile.

Sophie shrugs a shoulder. “It makes sense.”

“But didn’t you say this one was different?” Xander frowns.

Eddie dips his chin. “Only there in the last twenty minutes. Which could have been when the creature came through. I’m not sure. I’m still studying the readings from other super-storms.”

“Wait. Doesn’t this mean there’s a chance of more wormholes from the past and future?” Sophie’s eyes narrow into slits.

Nathan blinks. “Yeah, Soph. We’ve established this already.”

“That’s not what I’m getting at.” Sophie shakes her head. “There could be others that were transported through them, human and not.”

I suck in a breath. I didn’t think of that. “You’re right. We probably aren’t the first ones.”

“They don’t call it the Bermuda Triangle for nothing.” Xander deadpans.

Sophie’s lips purse. “Fair point. But I never put much stock into any of that nonsense.”

“I always thought it was aliens.” I pout.

Nathan scowls at me. “You sound disappointed.”

My cheeks heat. I did not want to open this can of worms. “Maybe.”

“She’s wanted to meet an alien since she was thirteen.” Sophie rolls her eyes. “Don’t ask why. She hasn’t even told me.”

I shrink in my seat as my face flushes further.

Xander quirks a brow. He looks like he wants to ask more, but doesn’t push. I squeeze his hand, relief warming my chest.

“Anyway, what are we going to do about the Livyatan?” Eddie glances between Xander and Nathan.

Xander scratches the scruff on his jaw. “What do you mean?”

“We can’t just let a dinosaur roam these seas.” Eddie rubs a hand across his thigh.

Xander blinks. “Why not? Like Sophie said, it happens. It is the Bermuda Triangle.”

“Besides, have you seen that thing? We can’t risk the Griffin’s safety,” Nathan adds.

My eyebrows pull together. “But what about the people of this century?”

“They’ve got guns and cannons.” Xander reasons.

I scoff. “Yeah, but these people don’t even know what a Livyatan is. They’d never be prepared to take on such a creature.”

“We, at least, do,” Sophie adds.

Nathan huffs. “With what weapons? You guys realize this is a research ship, right? The pirates of this age are better equipped than we are.”

“Not necessarily, Nathan.” Xander clicks his tongue.

Nathan glances at him. “What?”

“We don’t have a whole armory, but we have a limited selection of artillery.” Xander offers, a little sheepish. “You know, for defensive purposes.”

Nathan tries to hide a smile but fails. “I see.”

“I wanted to be prepared for everything.” Xander shrugs a shoulder. “Though I didn’t expect to deal with a prehistoric monster.”

“So, we’re going hunting?” Sophie questions.

Xander blows out a breath. “I suppose so.”

“I want to see these weapons first,” Nathan grumbles.

Eddie fidgets in his seat. “I’m with Nathan. We should prepare before we go, all guns blazing.”

I nod. My mind flashes briefly to our shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean, but I force the image down. Now that we know what may happen, we can work to prevent it.

“Absolutely.” Xander stands, offering me his hand. “Let’s head to the Hangar, then.”

Editor: Lucy Cafiero