Their first night at sea was spent completely in the dark. The boat's lights were cut off to reduce the chance of them being seen, whether by pirates or any other unsavory characters that might have been searching for them that night. They had a single flashlight that was kept on in the cabin while they ate MREs Hayes had stashed away in a small pantry. They talked very little throughout the night, and Jenn and Vitus quickly fell asleep beside each other on the cabin floor beside a stack of discarded foil-covered trays.
The next morning, they awoke to the sight of more MREs on the floor beside them. When they emerged from the cabin, they saw nothing but open sky and water around them. Vitus hoped they were still on schedule.
"Morning, kids," said Hayes. He and Philip both sat at the picnic table, eating packaged meals of their own.
"Well, we survived the night," said Jenn. "How long until we reach California?"
Hayes shrugged. He legitimately had no idea. What Hayes had failed to tell the rest of the crew was that he had nothing but old maps and the ship's built-in compass by which to lead them. He felt it was best not to worry them.
"Have either of you ever fired a gun?" Philip asked.
They shook their heads. "We have something for you." Philip led them back into the cabin, trashing the remnants of his breakfast along the way, and pulled a cache from within an old chest. Inside was every type of gun they could imagine, all thrown haphazardly together in a single duffel bag.
"Pick one you like, " said Philip. "Hayes will show you how to use it, if you like."
Vitus dove in first. Neither he nor Jenn particularly wanted to carry a weapon, but they had both seen what just brandishing one could accomplish and knew that they might be useful if such a situation presented itself again. Vitus had grown particularly attached to Philip's pistol, so he chose one with a similar look. He had no idea what make it was, of course, but the black metal of it was somewhat attractive. Besides, it looked powerful enough to do some damage if it came down to it. Jenn immediately picked the largest, most intimidating gun she saw, which happened to be the rifle Hayes had wielded during the first encounter with the Russians.
Back on the deck, Hayes waved Vitus over. "Hell of a gun you got there," said Hayes. "Good choice. Now let me show you how to use it." Hayes drew a handgun of his own that had been tucked away under his belt. Vitus flinched, both at the sudden appearance of the gun and at the heavy smell of whiskey in the air.
"Okay, so what do I do?" Vitus asked.
"Hold 'er out like so," said Hayes. He demonstrated, and Vitus duplicated. They both stood at the edge of the deck, extending their guns over the water.
"Is this where I pretend it's an extension of my arm, or whatever?" asked Vitus.
"What? Hell, no. It's a goddamn gun. Now you just pull the trigger 'til the guy in front of you has more holes in him than you do."
"Right."
"See? Like this," said Hayes as he fired his gun at nothing over the water. At that point, Vitus was ready to swim the rest of the way to California.
"Anything else?"
"That's about it. Oh, except for this," said Hayes, remembering to show Vitus how to load his new weapon, which was unfortunately followed by more shots out across the water. "Any questions?"
"I think I got it."
Jenn wandered over at that moment with her rifle slung over her shoulder.
"Ah hell, is that my favorite rifle?" Hayes asked. "Never mind. It's yours, kiddo. Know how to use it?"
Jenn smiled. She swung the gun upright, took aim across the water, and fired a shot off into the distance before reloading in one smooth motion. Vitus and Hayes stared at her.
"Dad was a hunter," she said.
"Class dismissed," said Hayes. "I'll be in the cabin."
"We still need to talk," Vitus said to Jenn as they ate lunch in the floor of the cabin. Hayes lay still on an old cot against the far wall.
"About what?"
"About that kiss. About us," said Vitus. Jenn took his hand.
Hayes, meanwhile, had had enough. He'd pulled his hat over his eyes and tried to sleep, but it wouldn't take, and with Vitus and Jenn's constant chatter, he was feeling especially annoyed. He shuffled back onto deck, muttering on his way. Philip stood at the bow, still dressed in his dark sweater and slacks, and kept watch.
"The lovebirds are at it again. I think all this will-they-won't-they crap is drivin' me crazy," said Hayes.
Philip said nothing. Instead, he continued staring out at the horizon.
"What's wrong?" Hayes asked.
Philip looked at him as if he'd appeared from thin air. "Nothing," he said. "I just haven't heard from Mister Jacobi in awhile. I've tried calling, but there's no answer at the manor."
"Ah, don't worry about it," said Hayes. "The old man's probably just out buying the Holy Grail or something."
"Maybe, but I have a bad feeling about this. I contacted Big Mike. He never even knew about the rendezvous in Anchorage. I think it was a set up."
"How's that possible?" asked Hayes. "Jacobi had it arranged himself, didn't he?"
"I thought so, but if it wasn't him, it was someone else in his employ--someone who knew what that cargo would be," said Philip.
"Well, hell, you know what that means, don't ya?"
Philip nodded. "We have a mole. Someone at the manor is a spy."
"That's a lot of trouble for an old bench. Makes me wonder, do you believe it, Phil? You believe this thing can do what Jacobi says it can?"
"I don't know," said Philip. "I hope not, but I've seen more than my share of odd things while working for Mister Jacobi."
"I know what ya mean," said Hayes. "You ever see that book he says can drive a man mad if he reads it?"
"Yeah."
"I read the first chapter one day when I had nothing better to do. Seemed pretty normal to me, though," said Hayes. He took a sip from his flask.
"Do you have an estimate for me?" Philip asked.
"If by that you mean wild, out-of-my-nether-regions guess, sure. The way we've been goin', I'd say we'll hit shore early tomorrow. Bess is faster than most folks give her credit for," said Hayes. "How's the view?"
"We're clear," said Philip. "Not a speck in sight. We should be careful tonight, though. Just because we're close doesn't mean we should let our guard down."
"Loud and clear, boss. I'll take the first shift."
Philip nodded and watched the horizon for any sign of trouble. Nothing was there.
"I see them," said the man called Hemingway. He put aside his spotting scope and replaced his thin wire-framed glasses. "No, they don't know I'm here. I'll catch up with them once it's dark. Yes, I know where the rendezvous point is. Yes, I will be there on time. If you want this done, do not call this number again."
The man called Hemingway cursed as he threw his phone into his attache case. He was a professional--not the sort of man who needed to be told anything twice. He picked up the oars and began paddling his small boat along. For now, he needed to keep his distance, but when the time was right, he would strike.
As he propelled his tiny craft across the surface of the ocean, he began whistling "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." He found himself quite unable to get the song out of his head.
The next morning, they awoke to the sight of more MREs on the floor beside them. When they emerged from the cabin, they saw nothing but open sky and water around them. Vitus hoped they were still on schedule.
"Morning, kids," said Hayes. He and Philip both sat at the picnic table, eating packaged meals of their own.
"Well, we survived the night," said Jenn. "How long until we reach California?"
Hayes shrugged. He legitimately had no idea. What Hayes had failed to tell the rest of the crew was that he had nothing but old maps and the ship's built-in compass by which to lead them. He felt it was best not to worry them.
"Have either of you ever fired a gun?" Philip asked.
They shook their heads. "We have something for you." Philip led them back into the cabin, trashing the remnants of his breakfast along the way, and pulled a cache from within an old chest. Inside was every type of gun they could imagine, all thrown haphazardly together in a single duffel bag.
"Pick one you like, " said Philip. "Hayes will show you how to use it, if you like."
Vitus dove in first. Neither he nor Jenn particularly wanted to carry a weapon, but they had both seen what just brandishing one could accomplish and knew that they might be useful if such a situation presented itself again. Vitus had grown particularly attached to Philip's pistol, so he chose one with a similar look. He had no idea what make it was, of course, but the black metal of it was somewhat attractive. Besides, it looked powerful enough to do some damage if it came down to it. Jenn immediately picked the largest, most intimidating gun she saw, which happened to be the rifle Hayes had wielded during the first encounter with the Russians.
Back on the deck, Hayes waved Vitus over. "Hell of a gun you got there," said Hayes. "Good choice. Now let me show you how to use it." Hayes drew a handgun of his own that had been tucked away under his belt. Vitus flinched, both at the sudden appearance of the gun and at the heavy smell of whiskey in the air.
"Okay, so what do I do?" Vitus asked.
"Hold 'er out like so," said Hayes. He demonstrated, and Vitus duplicated. They both stood at the edge of the deck, extending their guns over the water.
"Is this where I pretend it's an extension of my arm, or whatever?" asked Vitus.
"What? Hell, no. It's a goddamn gun. Now you just pull the trigger 'til the guy in front of you has more holes in him than you do."
"Right."
"See? Like this," said Hayes as he fired his gun at nothing over the water. At that point, Vitus was ready to swim the rest of the way to California.
"Anything else?"
"That's about it. Oh, except for this," said Hayes, remembering to show Vitus how to load his new weapon, which was unfortunately followed by more shots out across the water. "Any questions?"
"I think I got it."
Jenn wandered over at that moment with her rifle slung over her shoulder.
"Ah hell, is that my favorite rifle?" Hayes asked. "Never mind. It's yours, kiddo. Know how to use it?"
Jenn smiled. She swung the gun upright, took aim across the water, and fired a shot off into the distance before reloading in one smooth motion. Vitus and Hayes stared at her.
"Dad was a hunter," she said.
"Class dismissed," said Hayes. "I'll be in the cabin."
***
"We still need to talk," Vitus said to Jenn as they ate lunch in the floor of the cabin. Hayes lay still on an old cot against the far wall.
"About what?"
"About that kiss. About us," said Vitus. Jenn took his hand.
Hayes, meanwhile, had had enough. He'd pulled his hat over his eyes and tried to sleep, but it wouldn't take, and with Vitus and Jenn's constant chatter, he was feeling especially annoyed. He shuffled back onto deck, muttering on his way. Philip stood at the bow, still dressed in his dark sweater and slacks, and kept watch.
"The lovebirds are at it again. I think all this will-they-won't-they crap is drivin' me crazy," said Hayes.
Philip said nothing. Instead, he continued staring out at the horizon.
"What's wrong?" Hayes asked.
Philip looked at him as if he'd appeared from thin air. "Nothing," he said. "I just haven't heard from Mister Jacobi in awhile. I've tried calling, but there's no answer at the manor."
"Ah, don't worry about it," said Hayes. "The old man's probably just out buying the Holy Grail or something."
"Maybe, but I have a bad feeling about this. I contacted Big Mike. He never even knew about the rendezvous in Anchorage. I think it was a set up."
"How's that possible?" asked Hayes. "Jacobi had it arranged himself, didn't he?"
"I thought so, but if it wasn't him, it was someone else in his employ--someone who knew what that cargo would be," said Philip.
"Well, hell, you know what that means, don't ya?"
Philip nodded. "We have a mole. Someone at the manor is a spy."
"That's a lot of trouble for an old bench. Makes me wonder, do you believe it, Phil? You believe this thing can do what Jacobi says it can?"
"I don't know," said Philip. "I hope not, but I've seen more than my share of odd things while working for Mister Jacobi."
"I know what ya mean," said Hayes. "You ever see that book he says can drive a man mad if he reads it?"
"Yeah."
"I read the first chapter one day when I had nothing better to do. Seemed pretty normal to me, though," said Hayes. He took a sip from his flask.
"Do you have an estimate for me?" Philip asked.
"If by that you mean wild, out-of-my-nether-regions guess, sure. The way we've been goin', I'd say we'll hit shore early tomorrow. Bess is faster than most folks give her credit for," said Hayes. "How's the view?"
"We're clear," said Philip. "Not a speck in sight. We should be careful tonight, though. Just because we're close doesn't mean we should let our guard down."
"Loud and clear, boss. I'll take the first shift."
Philip nodded and watched the horizon for any sign of trouble. Nothing was there.
***
"I see them," said the man called Hemingway. He put aside his spotting scope and replaced his thin wire-framed glasses. "No, they don't know I'm here. I'll catch up with them once it's dark. Yes, I know where the rendezvous point is. Yes, I will be there on time. If you want this done, do not call this number again."
The man called Hemingway cursed as he threw his phone into his attache case. He was a professional--not the sort of man who needed to be told anything twice. He picked up the oars and began paddling his small boat along. For now, he needed to keep his distance, but when the time was right, he would strike.
As he propelled his tiny craft across the surface of the ocean, he began whistling "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." He found himself quite unable to get the song out of his head.
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