"They have a plan, mom," Jacky said. "They always have a plan."
"Plans go wrong."
The audio was bad, but Jacky could hear her mother, still. The visual picture on the monitor was clearer, though, and Jacky was grateful for that.
"Not this one," Jacky told her.
"That's what you said about this mission. And look where it got you. How can they allow this to happen?"
"I knew the risk. I wanted to do it. There were a hundred other people ready to take my place. I was the one they chose."
"Your father is so worried he wouldn't even come. Why would you do that to him?"
"I'm sorry," Jacky mumbled, looking down. "No sense in—"
"I can't hear you, what is that infernal noise?"
That was the alarm. But that was alright. Jacky knew they couldn't do anything about it at the moment— not until rescue came— and there was no sense in worrying over something they couldn't fix right now. Or worrying over something they didn't even know would actually arrive. One thing at a time. At least the pressure was stable. She wouldn't want eighty-thousand pounds of water pressing down onto her.
"I said," Jacky articulated clearly: "I'm here because I want to be." Her mother's sad brown eyes looked at her from the pixelated feed. "Just— try not to think of it."
Her mother sighed. "How did I end up here? I'm just a jurist. How did my daughter end up on the bottom of the ocean?"
Jacky shrugged.
Her mother was focusing on a point outside the camera's range. "It was great. Scientifically minded, more imagination than I ever had. A good student. You were every mother's dream."
Bile rose in Jacky's throat. "Please don't talk about me in the past tense."
"But then you decide to board a submersible for 'groundbreaking scientific research'— you know… I could handle it when it— it were weekends in the Caymans or Celebes or even Dammam. But— but to go and accompany that arrogant woman who dragged you into this disaster with tales of adventure—!"
"Mom—"
"Oh— but it's all for science. What kind of hermit crabs did you discover down there that made it all worth it?"
"Technically, we're not looking for crabs."
"Oh— Much better!"
"Mom, I'll be alright. Tell papa I'll be alright."
"What good will that do? You're making promises you can't keep. They told me the numbers, Jacky. They told me. There's a thirty percent succes rate. Thirty percent chance they get to you in twenty-four hours. Otherwise the four of you'll be stuck there for months."
"I know," Jacky mumbled. "But…"
"What? But what?"
"I won't die. I really won't. Even if the rescue doesn't make it. Even if everything goes wrong."
"What? What do you mean?"
Jacky furrowed her brow. "Just tell papa I won't die."
"How Jacky—!? I don't understand!"
"I don't want to get into the how."
"Look," she said, leaning into the camera, "I've always respected your independence. Your privacy. Your freedom. I never tried to pry myself into your life, never tried to control you. I've been good about that, wouldn't you agree?"
"Yeah."
"So in exchange for that, allow me this one time: what are you not telling me, Jacky?"
Jacky fell silent for several minutes. She could hear Commander Ammal talking to her wife and children over the video-feed in the next compartment. But the alarm was loud and she couldn't be sure. "I told you. They have a plan."
"Who?"
"She always had."
"What plan?"
"They picked me to survive. I'm youngest. I have the skills necessary to keep basics running. And I'm smallest and need the least food."
"What happens if the rescue fails, Jacky?"
"Everyone will die but me," she said. "There's the medical supply. There's morphine. They'll do it right away so they don't use up any food. Commander Ammal picked me to be the survivor. She told me yesterday. They've been fasting since yesterday, already, though I don't think they know I picked up on it. But anyway— all goes well, they'll eat within the next twenty-four hours. Otherwise, it won't matter anyway."
"…and the remaining supplies would last you until they can come get you?"
"No," Jacky said. "We have enough food to feed four people for a week. I could stretch it but it'll be several weeks more before they could get me."
"So how would you survive?"
"The supplies wouldn't be the only source of food," Jacky said.
Her mother's eyes widened, "𝘰𝘩… 𝘰𝘩 𝘨𝘰𝘥."
"Just tell papa I'll be alright, okay?"