Gene swears. "Let me try that again." He focuses, clenching his fists, and the light from the blue ring flickers - and momentarily sputters out.

His control of the water slips away from him, and he grits his teeth and focuses, and the ring glows again, stronger than before. Then the water dips again, and a globe - a wobbly globe - with Pepper inside rises up from the surface of the sea, hovering about five feet over it.

He hovers closer, trying to get to her.