Jackson moved through the shallow waves, the water cool against his skin, grounding him in a way the surface world never could. He kept his eyes on the horizon, alert, measuring every shadow and ripple, ready for whatever threat might come. Even after years of training and missions, the weight of responsibility never eased; he carried it quietly, like a second skin. Still, beneath the calm, there was always that pull—the part of him that wanted to laugh, to relax, to let someone in. But he didn’t. Not yet. Not here.

A flicker of movement at the edge of his vision made him freeze, muscles coiling instinctively. His heartbeat quickened as every sense sharpened, alert to whatever had just crossed his path.