To Ocean's End (8 page)

“So you can survive,” I said. “That’s one half the battle. Care to demonstrate your fighting skills?”

“On each other?” Ed said, looking eager to prove himself.

“Nah. Put your stuff down. Swords too.” I crossed to the weapon box sitting up against my wheelhouse and drew out two wood practice swords. “Sauna, go get Sam and Jessie.”

Sauna ran to the stern and shouted for Sam, then waved Jessie over, who was hovering near Sam.

I held out a sword. “I don’t care who goes first. Sam’s of average skill. If you can put up a good fight against him, then you’ll be competent enough to have a long life on my ship.”

“Fair enough,” Ted said, taking the wooden blade.

“You are one of the most successful captains out there,” Ed said. “You have a lot of people who’d love to see your ship at the bottom of the ocean.”

“Do you share that view?” I asked earnestly. It was a fair question, but it was fun to catch people off guard. It made both men flinch. Their reaction made it obvious it hadn’t crossed their minds to hate me, but I’d let them speak for themselves.

“Course not!” Ed said. “We don’t wish harm on anyone. We fight only when we have to.”

“We’re mechanics; not killers,” Ted said.

“Good to hear.” I believed them both. I’d hire them if they passed the last two tests.

Sauna jogged over with Sam and Jessie right behind him. Sam was somewhere around forty, his sandy hair still free of grey, and his skin was tanned, hardened, and wrinkled from a life of working under the sun.

“Men, this is Sam,” I said, gesturing to my cargo pusher. “Sam, this is Ed and Ted, our prospective techies.” The men greeted each other. I held out a sword to Sam, who took it and marched over to some open space on the deck. Ted joined him and they formally crossed swords. Jessie stood in my peripheral, looking quite confused.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Job interview.”

Ted went on the attack, testing Sam’s defenses for weak spots. Sam had solid defense, but was a bit stronger guarding his left. After thirty seconds of Ted going purely on the attack, he seemed to have figured that out, too. He kept circling Sam, but my cargo pusher used well-practiced footwork to keep Ted where he wanted him. Ted began frowning as he concentrated, trying to get inside Sam’s defenses. They tangled up a couple of times, but they both pushed each other away each time.

After the third tangle and push, Ted ran back in with an overhead flourish. Sam raised his sword, opening himself for the kick that followed. He reflexively doubled over. Ted pretended to decapitate him, then patted him on the shoulder. “You alright, Sam?”

Sam straightened up and nodded. “Yeah. Lemme catch my breath real quick.”

Ted handed his sword off to Ed. Great start so far. Both men had made each other work. This would be interesting to see how much faster Ed could move with less muscle to throw around.

Ed stood with his sword ready and his free hand behind his back, his feet defensively close but ready to spring to action. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

Sam popped him a glare to cover his injured pride. He lunged, sword leading the way.

I thought Sam had him, but Ed sidestepped the frontal assault, spun in place, and horizontally mock-slashed Sam across his back. A real blow would’ve severed anyone’s spine.

Sam heaved a sigh. “Well that was embarrassingly quick.” He turned around, switched sword hands, and exchanged a handshake with both interviewees. “Will that be all, Captain?”

“Yes. Go finish helping load the boat.”

Sam collected Ed’s sword and stowed both weapons in the crate, then walked off while rubbing his stomach.

I looked at Ed and Ted, who both wore confident smiles. “I have one last question for both of you. Do you have reservations against being on a ship with a woman on board?”

They both gave me looks that said they thought I was an idiot for asking that, then they faced Jessie and bowed.

“Not at all,” Ted said.

Ed drew closer and held out a hand. Jessie hesitated. Fear played across her face, wiping Ed’s smile away. “What’s wrong, hun?”

She studied him a moment, then realization played across her face. She visibly relaxed. “Nothing. I’m Jessie.” She offered her hand.

“Ed.” He took her hand in both of his and kissed it.

“And I’m Ted.” He took a turn kissing her hand as well. She didn’t flinch or start flailing. Good. Maybe they’d straighten out Sauna
and
make Jessie feel safer and more welcome.

“I think we’ll get along like peas in a pod,” Ed said merrily. “So will you take us, Captain?”

I pretended to consider the question, just a subtle reminder of who was in control of the situation. Things had to happen at my pace; not anyone else’s. It was a trick I learned back in my youth while training to become a skipper. “Yes you are. We’ll take care of the paperwork on land. Do you have any questions before I take care of other business?”

A loud metallic crash and snapping of wood shot through the salty air, followed by men crying out. I looked for the decrepit crane, which was nowhere in sight. My stomach dropped. The five of us rushed to starboard side. Rammus and Mido were pulling up shards of planks that used to be the dock. Jacobi’s screams came from beneath the mess. I clenched my teeth at the amount of pain carried in his cries for help.

Heedless of my safety, along with who was watching, I vaulted over the side of my ship and hit the broken deck at a roll and popped to my feet. The landing hurt, but all my injuries would be erased in a few days. Now, if only my curse gave me super strength, I’d  be all set.

I ran to the mess of wood and metal and helped clear debris. “Jacobi, where are you?” My right ankle felt sprained but whatever. The pain was nothing compared to my cargo pusher’s plight. How the heck was he even alive and yelling?

“I’m right here! Get the damn crane off me!”

“Sauna, go find Cancer and bring him here!” The Dominican disappeared.

The crane had crashed right through a small crate and the dock holding it up. The dock surrounding the impact site formed a hazardous crater. I spied a patch of bloody flesh near the middle and yelled for everyone’s attention and pointed. Seven of us gathered around the top half of the broken crane and wedged our hands under it. Together we heaved the crane up a few inches. An eighth person slid down and grabbed Jacobi, then pulled him out from under everything. He screamed and swore at his rescuer. We let go of the crane, which made the dock sink more on impact. I helped the dock worker carry Jacobi out of the mess and set him on his back on stable dock space.

Jacobi was drenched in bloody seawater and his right thigh was kinked at an unnatural angle. My insides squirmed. Blood I could handle. Unnatural skeletal compositions? Not so much. He was bleeding from his head and shoulder, but everything was attached and his voice sounded devoid of fluid.

Cancer arrived with a medical bag in one hand. I ordered my cargo pushers to salvage what they could from the shattered crate, which had been full of fuel pellets for the engine. They were compacted wood soaked in a chemical that made them burn nice and hot, and not too fast. Rammus and Mido began collecting the dryer pellets in mesh sacks but kept glancing at Jacobi. Sauna, Ed, Ted, and Jessie watched from the railing.

Cancer checked Jacobi’s vitals, then tended to his cuts and assed the other injuries. He relieved us all with new that he had no concussion and had gotten away with just bruised ribs. The cuts weren’t deep enough for sutures. His leg would need to be set and bound.

Jacobi said, “It’s that bitch. Get her off the ship. She’s bad luck! First Jersey and Mike, then Scully, and now me. She doesn’t belong with us!”

I looked up in time to see Jessie run off. Ed and Ted ran off, hopefully to chase after her. Sauna hesitated before chasing after the rest. I knelt over Jacobi. “I would punch you right now if you weren’t terribly injured.” I wanted to tell him the real reason she was on my ship, but the truth would only make matters worse. We were already reeling from the loss of our two techies. They didn’t need my curse thrown in with it. I spoke in a deadly calm voice. “You will show her more respect or I will fire you right now.”

“That would be more of a threat if you’d get rid of a particular weapon you’re carrying.”

He almost had me there. “And your threat would carry more weight if you didn’t have a broken leg.” I rapped his swelling leg with a knuckle. He cried out and reached for his leg. “Right now she’s far more useful than you, which puts you in no position to bargain until you’ve healed. Chances are she’ll be back home before you’re walking again. So shut up and put up.”

His grey eyes watered with hurt. I’d just sucker-punched his pride. “Yes, Captain,” he said submissively.

I turned my glare on Cancer. Right before my three-hour rest, Rammus, who’d been informed by Mido, had warned me about the doc’s dislike of having a woman aboard. Cancer met my gaze, then looked down. I was almost disappointed he didn’t try to put up a verbal fight. I felt in the mood for a fight, even though it would accomplish nothing.

“I heed your wishes, Captain.” He injected local anesthesia into Jacobi’s leg. I stormed off before the sight of watching a bone get reset could make me vomit. I headed for the dock house, a squat wood hut with a huge solar panel on top, and slammed the door open.

A man sitting at a desk looked up from his paperwork.

I paused, taken aback by this mousy man’s obliviousness to the ruckus outside. “Did you not just hear that crash? I need to speak to the person in charge. Your crane almost killed one of my crew.”

Cremation would have to wait until the dust from this mess settled.

Chapter 8

Adopted

Jessie balled herself up as small as she could in the bunk she’d claimed last night. First Cancer, and now that guy who’d nearly been crushed to death. How long before they beat and raped her? She’d seen hungry looks in Sauna, the Dominican. He wouldn’t stay away from her forever.

She didn’t feel like crying; just getting away. But Port Chesapeake was way too rich and far from home to meet her needs. Her best bet was to hide out on Dyne’s ship until Morocco. Bodyguard was definitely out of the question. Why should she guard men who hated and disrespected her? But... if she didn’t do that, then what else did Dyne have in mind to work off her new attire?

For a whole second she thought of giving everything back, but that’d leave her naked. So no, really bad idea there. She’d keep everything, even her boots. There was no way she was dumpster diving back the clothes she’d been freed from.

Footsteps thumped down a flight of stairs and drew closer, but more muffled once they hit the thin carpeting.

“Jessie!” Ted’s deeper voice called out.

“Hun, where are you?” Ed yelled.

It was unmistakably them. No one else had their girly-sounding voices.

“She probably went this way,” Sauna’s accented voice said.

Jessie scrunched up further. She should’ve picked a better hiding spot. Her heart began pounding as three sets of boots stopped outside her cabin room. She held her breath and scolded herself for not having at least buried herself under the blankets. That might have made it possible for them to overlook her.

No one moved or said anything. It was dead quiet and the boat dead still. Jessie was almost certain they could hear her heart pounding against her ribcage.

“I’m not going in there, amigos. She hits hard. You saw the captain’s face, no?”

“That was her?” Ed said.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, my. What did he do to deserve that?”

“He just touched her. Mido got beat up too. She don’t like being touched. She was with some real bad men before us. She’s pretty, but I’m leaving her alone like Captain said.”

“We’ll take over from here then,” Ted said.

“Yeah. By the way, where are our bunks?”

Sauna laughed nervously. “This room. Take good care of them. Jersey and Mike were good people and techies.”

Jessie’s heart leapt out of her chest and she began feeling lightheaded. How stupid of her to assume she’d have three bunks to herself all the way home.

“Okay, thanks,” Ed said weakly. “We’ll grab our stuff off the main deck once we get her calmed down.”

“Bueno suerte.” One pair of boots ran off, then all fell dead silent again.

Jessie started sweating all over from anticipation. Even though she knew Ed and Ted were gay, they were still men, still had the same equipment. But...

“So what do we do?” Ed asked.

“There a stick or something anywhere? I don’t wanna get punched.”

“Lemme look.”

Feet shuffled away and objects got moved around. With the silent grace of a cat, Jessie snuck to the foot of the bed and curled up into a ball against the storage cabinet wall blocking the bottom third of each bunk. She wedged her head away from the curtain draped across the other two thirds. She pulled the top blanket over her legs and torso and hoped it’d be enough to keep her in the shadows. The wood framing pressed against her elbow and shoulder, and her legs started cramping.

“This’ll work,” Ed said from one cabin over.

“Oh, nice.”

“You want the honors?”

“No, thanks.”

Ed huffed. Footsteps trudged back into Jessie’s cabin. She heard a loud click, then saw a line of light lance into her hiding place between the cabinet and curtain. A second line of light shined on the unkempt pillow and illuminated the head of the bed. Good thing she’d moved.

“Maybe she’s not even in here,” Ed said. “She could’ve gone anywhere on the ship.”

“Jessie?” Ted called out. “Please let us know where you are. We mean you no harm. We just want to cheer you up.”

“Yeah, don’t listen to that grump and his silly superstition.”

Both fell silent. Jessie held her breath and kept still, every last muscle taught and on the verge of shaking. The arm propping her up on an elbow was afire with strain. She willed them to go away.

Ed calling her name out at the top of his lungs made her jump. She smacked her head and a shoulder on the underside of the bunk above her, let out a yelp, then clamped a hand over her mouth. Both men gasped.

“Which bunk was that?” Ed asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just gonna pick one.” His voice sounded like he didn’t like his own idea.

Feet shuffled closer. Ed let out a fearful whine. The curtain swayed from being poked, Ed let out a strangled whimper, and the curtain fell still. “God, this is so scary.”

They both laughed nervously.

Jessie blinked and let go of the tension in her aching limbs. Them scared of her? And here she was curled up and feeling terrified of them, two big men. Why on Earth would they be frightened of her? She had plenty of reasons to be frightened of them, but them her? She almost laughed aloud.

The curtain swayed from getting poked a second time. Then the rubber tip of a metal rod slipped under the curtain and raised one corner.

“Hello?” Ed called tentatively as more light poured in. His face was blocked from view by the storage cabinet. She could only see the rod shaking and the wall on the far side. The rod rose to the rope holding up the curtain, then slid in a little farther.

It was enough to grab a handful. Jessie snatched and yanked it. Ed let out a girly scream, making Ted scream as well. Ed let go of the rod. A series of thuds followed, and then laughter sounded from the floor.

Jessie had to fight back a smile. Even though she didn’t want anything to do with them, they were still amusing.

“She got us good!” Ed said between breaths.

“She got you; not me.”

“You screamed, too.”

“Because you screamed.”

“Yeah, right!”

“Fine, fine. You win. But you’re still down a stick.”

“I know, but we can’t just leave her.”

“No.”

Ed paused, then said, “Hun, please talk to us.” He sounded emotionally hurt.

“Please?” Ted said in the same heartbreaking tone.

Jessie heaved a resigned sigh, then rolled towards the head of the bed and lifted the curtain. She did her best to wear a neutral expression. As much as she wanted to be left to the safety of solitude, she yearned for some decent friendship. And since these two were more like women with male equipment, they were hardly a threat.

Ed and Ted were sitting in the hall with their legs stretched through the doorway. They beamed at the sight of her.

“Hello, Miss Jessie,” Ted said. “May we come in?”

Jessie sighed again, then stuck her torso out and lowered the rod as far as she could before letting go. It bounced a few times before settling against the bunks. She slunk back into her bunk and pushed aside the curtain.

Both men got to their feet and cautiously drew closer. Ed, who was in front, said, “Promise you won’t hurt us?”

She nodded, gripping the raised edge of the bunk so they could see her hands.

Ed drew within punching range but Jessie felt no need to start swinging. He said, “May I give you a hug?” She thought a moment, then nodded again. He stuck his arms and head inside and pulled her into a tight hug.

The hug felt so good, so... so much like her father’s good night hugs. The same reaching in, the same arm and head placement, and the same love-filled squeeze. But that man and those hugs were gone. Her fond memories got strangled by the memory of watching him die. His love-filled smile morphed into open-mouth shock as he collapsed. A sob escaped her.

“I’m coming in,” Ed said in a tone that brooked no argument. He slid past her and wedged himself between her and the wall, then slipped an arm under and and pulled her back into a hug. She held on tight as he nuzzled his chin on top of her head.

Strangely, she didn’t feel in the least bit threatened.

Ted bent down and planted a kiss on Jessie’s cheek and placed a hand on top of hers. She flinched. “Oh, hun, you can’t let that guy get to you like this. He’s just an arrogant jerk.”

“It wasn’t that.”

“Oh?”

She turned to her cuddler. “Ed or Ted?”

“Ed.”

“You just--” Her throat tightened. The memory was so powerful. “You hug just like my dad used to.” More tears came out. She stifled her sobs as best she could.

“Aw.” Ed squeezed her again. “How long ago and what happened?”

“Two years. Quasi-children.”

Both men sucked in air through their teeth. Ted said, “The world we live in nowadays...”

“Yeah,” Ed said. “I’m sorry to hear.”

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “The hugs are good memories.”

“Well then I’ll hug you plenty,” he said, giving her a gentle shake.

Jessie smiled. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Jessie.”

“Amphitrite. I’m from Cyprus. ‘Jessie’ is just a nickname that’s easier for people to say. I prefer my real name but the captain wants me to go by ‘Jessie’ instead.”

“Did he say why?”

“No, but I’m too scared to disobey him.”

Ted leaned closer. “We can call you Amphitrite when no one else is around.”

“Works for me.”

Mido appeared in the doorway with the new techies’ swords and duffle bags. He looked quite shocked and overburdened. He tried popping a smile but it came off as more of a grimace. “Hi,” he said. “I  heard a commotion and shouting. I...” He paused. “I guess everyone’s okay.” His pale blue eyes found Jessie’s. “Jessie, who are these guys? I thought you--”

Ted popped to his feet. “I’m Ted and that’s my partner Ed.” He pointed to Ed, then shook hands with Mido. “We’re your new techies.”

“Oh.” He set the bags and swords down. His gaze fell on Jessie, then on Ed and he narrowed his eyes a little. “Mido. The ship cook.”

“Oh wonderful!” Ed said. “Lemme know if you ever need any help in the galley. I love cooking.”

Ted turned on him. “Ed, you keep your sooty hands out of everyone’s food! You never taste test when you experiment.”

“Fine, fine.”

Mido said, “And Jessie, you need to stick with your nickname while on this ship.”

“Why?” she asked.

“It’s--” Mido glanced up and down the hall, then took a step into the room. “Your name’s from Greek mythology.”

“I know.”

“It’s... it’s--look, I don’t care but I’m gonna stick with calling you Jessie so I don’t accidentally slip--but your given name is linked to a stupid sailor superstition, so you’re better off doing as the captain says, okay?”

“Okay. I’ve caused enough trouble just by being here.”

Mido took a step closer and put his hands on his knees. “Don’t listen to Jacobi or Cancer. Jacobi’s just a douche bag with some issues of his own, and Cancer is crazy superstitious. Even Dyne makes fun of him for some of the things he does to avoid bad luck.”

Ted said, “Yeah, hun. Listen to Mido. He’s one of the smart ones.”

“And handsome ones,” Ed said. “Mm-mm! You got some nice arms there.”

Mido straightened up, his expression caught between shock and a frown.

Ted waved a hand. “Oh relax. We’re harmless.”

The cook thought a moment, and then realization dawned on him. “Oh, that’s what you meant by ‘partner!’”

“Mhm.”

He started cracking up. “This is gonna be so much fun. Sauna’s gonna have a blast working with you two.”

“Why? He’s straight.”

“Right. And you guys aren’t. He--” Mido backed up and check the hallway again. His grin widened. “The crew and I would be indebted to both of you if you could find a way to make him pick more secluded places to entertain himself. Sorry, Jessie.”

“That’s so gross!” she said, wrinkling her nose.

Mido shrugged. “We’re guys. We spend most of our lives at sea.”

“Oo!” Ted said. “Maybe we should play matchmaker!”

“We should,” Ed said. “Jessie, what do you think of Mido? He’s a handsome gentleman. Needs a new tank but it’s hard to find a pair of arms like his.”

Mido studied Jessie like he was considering the match. He popped a nervous smile and ran a hand through his black hair.

Ted said, “Aw, we made him blush. There you go, Jessie. Give him a whirl!”

Jessie retreated lower in Ed’s arms and stiffened up. She didn’t want to contemplate getting in bed with another man for a long time.

Hurt played across Mido’s face but it was replaced with empathy when he saw her cringe. “Guys, she’s been through a lot lately. I don’t think matchmaking is a good idea.”

Ted said, “I’m sorry. I forgot. Sauna mentioned something but he didn’t stick around to give us details.” He turned to Jessie. “May we asked what happened?”