Dr. Anne Reeder, on her path to a pharmaceutical PhD, along with oil jock Mike and diver Hans discover the origins of the human race when fracking damages an underwater city.

SYNOPSIS:

The story begins 10 years into the future where residents reap the benefits of a disease-free life. During the holiday of this discovery the announcer speaks of Anne Reeder who was lost after the eruption of the Pascal oil rig.

the story returns to 10 years ago when Anne's father's oil rig ruptured the walls of an underwater city. When Anne, Mike and Hans go below to investigate, they are captured and brought to the Al-Meen ("middle ones",) who tell them that the Ud-Meen ("first ones") live further below and intend to attack the Hu-Meen ("lost ones") who left the water and never returned.

During Anne's medical investigations, she discovers a serum in the Al-Meen hunting tools that cure all know human ailments. This is later discovered after both Mike and Hans are stuck by barbs of Al-Meen hunting spears.

An environmental terrorist group attacks the oil rig and are repelled by the Ud-Meen and Al-Meen who stop the attack but the rig ultimately explodes. Mike and Hans, both infected by the serum end up transforming into a slightly different version of the Al-Meen. They escape the explosion and go below the surface while Anne dives from the rig with her medical notes and gear.

Anne Reeder finds herself on a small canoe where she downloads all of the medical findings to all known medical labs in the world. Anne then injects herself with the serum and transforms. She is met in the water by Mike, Hans and Fa-Laku, the matriarchal leader of the species. Anne mutters an Al-Meen word meaning "unity", which is also the end of the announcer's speech. We return to the present where Anne, now a full Al-Meen watches the land dwellers from a distance before she returns to the sea.

"Under"