Chapter 14 The boys sat at the bow of the boat with their legs dangling over the side; their arms resting on the wire safety railing, and a light spray of the ocean coming over the bow was a welcome relief from the humid day. Bae pointed at the island to the east. “That’s Maliki over there, and that one to the west is Taliki. They’re only thirty miles apart and called the twin islands.” “We need to stock up on ice while we’re on Taliki,” said Massi. “We’re using ice faster than the ice maker can make it.” Captain Dan shouted for ‘jibbing over’ in preparation for the next tacking into the wind. The boys grabbed the nearest stanchion to steady themselves for the maneuver. The next command shouted was ‘boom coming across’. Rin had learned the hard way to duck when he heard that command. All he could remember from the experience was seeing stars for ten minutes and everyone kneeling over him. The boat shifted and keeled over to its new position, and now Rin was closest to the water and got most of the spray coming over the bow. The sea around Taliki Island was dotted with sailboats and ships; Taliki was much larger than Altain Island, and had more water traffic. Rin hadn’t yet puzzled out what all the buoys meant yet, but he did know they were traffic markers that kept all the boats in certain lanes, or channels, and kept everyone from running into each other. The rules of sailing seemed, to Rin, almost mystical. Massi nudged Bae with his elbow and motioned with his head at a nearby sailboat with three girls about the same age as them. Bae grinned and waved at the girls – the girls waved back. “Do you know them?” asked Rin. “No, I’m just making friends,” said Bae. “But they’re girls,” said Rin. “That’s the point,” said Massi. “You guys are gross,” said Rin, and putting the thought of girls out of his head as fast as he could shouted, “Hey, look, dolphins.” A pod of dolphins had come alongside the yacht and were leaping out of the water as they raced alongside the boat. “Now that’s way cooler than any girl,” said Rin. “Yeah, that’s pretty cool,” said Bae. “Why are they following us?” asked Rin. “Probably because they’ve learned humans mean food,” said Bae. “They eat us?” asked Rin scrunching his face up. Bae laughed. “No, people throw them fish.” Rin’s eyes lit up. “I’ve got a bucket of bait fish, do you think if I threw them some fish they’d come closer?” “Maybe,” said Bae. “I’m going to the stern,” said Rin getting up. Bae waved at the girls again. “Watch the boom, we’re going to tack again soon.” Rin checked that his safety harness was attached to the jackline and started back across the foredeck. Captain Dan shouted out the warning command. Rin didn’t wait for the next command and flattened on the deck. He rolled over onto his back and kept his eyes firmly fixed on the boom. “Boom crossing over,” shouted Captain Dan. The boom passed over Rin, but he didn’t get up, he knew something could go wrong and the boom might come back suddenly. He waited until the yacht was on its new course before getting up. “Good job, Rin,” shouted Captain Dan. “You’re learning.” “I don’t want to get knocked out again,” said Rin, hurrying past the danger area of the boom. Rin stationed himself at the stern and threw bait fish at the dolphins. The dolphins jumped out of the water and caught the fish in mid-air. Rin continued until the bucket was empty. The dolphins realized there would be no more fish from this boat and moved off to find another boat to coax lunch from. Rin made his way to the helm station and sat on the cushioned bench to watch Captain Dan maneuvering the yacht into the harbor. Just before the yacht reached the seawall that protected the harbor, Captain Dan called for the sail to be lowered. Rin felt the vibration of the engine starting as the boat glided into the harbor. Rin watched intently as Captain Dan maneuvered the big yacht towards a dock with at least a hundred other sailboats already there. The bow thrusters slowly turned the boat around before backing into a slip. Rin doubted it was as easy as Captain Dan was making it look. Tath jumped onto the dock with the stern line as the yacht gently made contact. Massi jumped off next and Bae threw him the bow line. The boat was secured to the moorings as Bae passed an electrical cable over the side to a man in an orange vest with the words, Taliki Harbor Dock Master. The man made a note on a clipboard before plugging the cable into an electrical box, then came aboard to speak with Captain Dan. Captain Dan grabbed the waterproof case everyone’s passports were stored in and let the man inspect each passport. The man in the orange vest nodded and launched into a quick briefing, then shook hands and left the boat. “Well, boys, are you ready to go?” asked Captain Dan, looking at the three boys nearly fidgeting out of their skin to be set free. “We’re ready,” said Rin. “Alright, Chief and I have talked about it and we’re going to let you walk to the Tikimart on your own. Bae, you’ve been here before, so you know where it is. Do you have your bank cards?” The boys pulled their cards out and showed Captain Dan. “Okay, buy what you came here for, have some lunch at that burger stand this island is famous for, and be at the Video Arcade before three O’clock. We’ll pick you up there.” The boys shot off like thoroughbreds at a horse race. Massi and Bae turned right at the end of the dock while Rin turned left towards the exit of the harbor marina. Rin stopped and turned around with a confused look on his face. “Where are you guys going?” Rin trotted along after the two older boys, then realized where they were going. Rin sat down on a bench and glared at them. Massi and Bae stopped at an empty slip with a sailboat just pulling in. It was the sailboat with the girls. The girls threw their bow and stern lines to the boys. Massi and Bae tied the boat off and rushed to where the gangplank would be lowered. The man at the helm shutdown the engines and came to push the gangplank out. Massi secured the gangplank for him, then the man stood at the top of the gangplank, blocking the girls from getting off the boat. “Thank you for your assistance, boys, I think I can handle it from here,” said the man. Bae waved at the girls. “We’ll be at the video arcade later,” said Bae, not realizing he’d just told the girl’s father where not to let them go. Rin got up as Bae and Massi approached. “You guys have issues.” Massi laughed. “I like the one in the purple bikini,” said Massi. “Naw, the one in the pink bikini is cuter,” said Bae. Rin rolled his eyes and wondered if hitting them on the head with a stick would help. The boys exited the gate of the marina and walked into the harbor town. The town was full of tourists shopping or eating at the various outdoor cafés. The hypnotic sound of video games intended for the sole purpose of drawing in crowds of kids to spend their quarters also drew the attention of the boys. They stopped and looked in the window at the crowds of kids gathered around the flashing lights of arcade games; it was like a dream come to life. “Look, there’s Space Intruders, and Dragon Dungeon,” said Rin. “There’s Sea Commando,” said Bae. “I want to play that one.” “I want to play that one!” said Massi. Bae looked to where Massi was pointing. “Oh, I heard about that game. It has motion controls. You stand on the platform and kung fu fight the characters, but look how many kids are waiting to play it.” A voice bellowed out. “Hey, watch it, shrimp.” Bae and Massi turned to see a large boy standing over Rin. “I’m sorry, I was just trying to see inside, I didn’t mean to bump into you,” said Rin. “That’s a fast way to get yourself hurt,” said the larger boy. Bae thought the boy looked the same age as him and Massi, but had hit a growth spurt and was a half-head taller than Massi. Massi was at Rin’s side in two steps. He held his hands up to chest level with his palms outward. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience, it was an accident. Come on Rin,” said Massi. Bae knew when Massi raised his hands up like that he was actually putting them into a position to strike, or defend. “What are you, his babysitter?” The boy’s tone was hostile. “We’re not looking for any trouble. He apologized for bumping into you,” said Massi with a pleasant smile. Massi dropped one hand down to Rin’s shoulder and gently pulled him back and behind him. “We’ll leave, I’m sorry we’ve upset you,” added Massi. “Yeah, well you found trouble,” said the boy. “And I don’t like your tone.” Massi’s tone was nothing but pleasant. Bae took a step forward and took Rin by the collar and pulled him back away from the two boys. If Bae knew Massi, this was about to become physical if the boy didn’t back down. Massi was trying to diffuse the situation, but if the boy crossed that invisible line where he became a threat, Massi would end this confrontation quickly. The boy took a step forward until his face was only inches from Massi. “What are you going to do?” Bae pulled Rin back another step, now it was impossible for Massi to disengage without violence. Massi held his hands out to his side and only smiled. “What’s going on out here, break it up,” shouted a man coming out of the arcade and wearing a shirt with SECURITY printed across the chest. Massi used the distraction to take a step back, but kept his hands out to the sides. The security officer walked past the larger boy and went to Massi. “I haven’t seen you around here before, what’s your name?” “You don’t need to know that,” replied Massi. The man glanced past Massi at Bae and Rin, then back at Massi. “It’s a hot day out here, all the other kids are in t-shirts, but you’re wearing an IPS issued jacket. I know IPS when I see one, they always wear that jacket to hide their firearm, but you’re only a trainee, where’s your trainer?” asked the man. “You don’t need to know that either,” said Massi. “Yeah, I see what’s going on,” said the man. “You’re trainer has you out here cutting your teeth. He’s probably watching, isn’t he?” The man glanced up and down the street. “If you cause any more trouble, I’m calling the police.” The man turned around and went back to the other boy. “You’re way out of your league here, Marcus, stay away from him.” “I’ll smash his face in,” said Marcus. “You’re damn lucky you’re not on the way to the hospital right now, and I mean it, stay away from him,” warned the man. Massi took three steps backward before turning around and shepherding Bae and Rin away from the arcade. “I love to watch you when you’re working,” said Bae. “No offense, but it was a little crude,” said Rin. “You need to work on your de-escalation skills.” “Aren’t you the critic,” said Massi. “But yeah, I know I lose my temper too quick.” Bae laughed. “That was you losing your temper? Sheesh, you were like the ice man.” “Hey, Bae, I need to ask you a serious question,” said Massi. Bae squinted an eye at Massi. “Yeah?” Massi turned his head away. “Do you have any money?” “You don’t have enough for the metal detector, do you?” said Bae. Massi shrugged. “Tath gave me seventy-five dollars, but I don’t know if that’s enough.” Bae shook his head. “It’s not even close.” “It’s okay if you don’t have any money, but I guess we don’t need to go to the Tikimart.” “You should check your account balance more often.” “What?” Bae turned around and walked backwards so he could see Massi’s face. “All your back-pay was deposited a couple days ago.” Bae shrugged. “Everyone’s was.” “How? Where did you get that kind of money?” asked Massi. “I sold the hospital.” “What! We need the hospital.” “The hospital isn’t going anywhere, I just sold the property. Rin’s dad has been helping Captain Sal sort out the finances. Apparently the Hospital Board has been trying to buy the property from Governor Baestar for years, but he wouldn’t sell because he was born there when it was the Governor’s Manor.” “Oh, it was sentimental,” said Massi. “Yeah, but it’s not to me. We were born in the new manor a year after it was built. Lord Lothan says I own too many properties and it’s dragging me down. He says I need to downsize or I’ll go bankrupt.” “How much did I get?” “Your back pay came out to twelve-thousand.” Massi stopped and bent over choking and coughing. “Swallowed..wrong,” he stuttered and pounded on his chest. “Did you…say…twelve-thousand?” “You should invest the money,” said Rin. Massi stood and coughed a few more times to clear his throat. “I want to buy a metal detector.” “You can do that, and give the rest to my dad to invest for you,” explained Rin. “I think it’s a good idea, he’s pretty much running our finances now, and for the first time ever I’ve got all my bills paid,” said Bae. “Hey, there’s the Tikimart.” Massi spent the next hour looking at every metal detector the store had. The selection was larger than Bae had expected. Massi ended up buying the same model as Bae’s new metal detector, and a case, and all the little extras. Bae bought a new case, since Rin had his old one, and a pick to replace the one he’d lost the night of the tsunami. Rin bought a bunch of stuff Bae thought was unnecessary, especially the gold pans; there wasn’t too many places on the islands to go gold panning. Massi was grinning from ear to ear when they left the store with all their new gear. Bae felt guilty for not realizing earlier that he had been leaving Massi out of his treasure hunting expeditions for years. They were halfway across the parking lot when they saw a large group of boys coming towards them with the boy from the arcade leading. “I count fifteen,” said Massi. “That’s too many even for me. I’ll slow them down, you guys run back to the store.” “Naw, I’m tired of that guy,” said Bae. “Let’s do this.” “I’m responsible for your safety, run,” said Massi. “When have you ever known a Tares to run?” Bae dropped his bags, clenched his fists, and walked towards the oncoming boys. Massi turned to Rin. “Run now, get back…” “Not going to happen, a Lothan don’t run,” Rin interrupted and dropped his stuff in the pile with Bae’s. “There’s some boys my size, I’ll take them.” Massi ground his teeth together. “Alright, I’ll take the big ones. Bae, you take those boys on the left, and Rin, try not to get pummeled.” Massi dropped the boy from the arcade first and left him on the ground groaning with one quick punch to the gut. Bae took a few punches to the chin, and so did Rin, but neither dropped. Ten minutes later the police had to pull Rin off a boy at least two years older than him. Twenty minutes later they were sitting in a holding cell at the police station. “You three are in a lot of trouble for starting a fight,” the Police Chief told them through the bars of the cell. “I get a phone call,” said Bae. Bae made his phone call and it wasn’t even twenty minutes before a young man about Tath’s age came in with the Police Chief and looked through the bars at the three boys. “Well, Bae, aren’t you a sight,” said the young man. “Hi, Mara,” Bae greeted his second oldest brother. “Is that Master Rinathian?” asked Mara. Bae nodded. “Rinathian, stop poking the drunk, they tend to wake up in foul moods.” Rin looked up at Mara. “He smells like he peed his pants.” Lord Mara of Taliki Island glared at the Police Chief. “You put my little brother in a cell with a drunk that’s pissed all over himself?” The Police Chief turned pale as he realized he’d arrested Lord Mara’s kid brother. Mara waved at the bars. “Release them, now.” “Sir, they started a riot and attacked a group of our local boys,” protested the Police Chief. “No, they didn’t,” said Lord Mara. “And I’m done with you protecting your nephew and his little gang of thugs. I want Marcus arrested and charged this time. If you can’t handle that, I’ll find someone that can.” The Police Chief fumbled with the keys and opened the cell. “We haven’t processed them yet.” Lord Mara smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile. “And you’re not going to, you’re lucky I didn’t find them with ink on their fingers. There better not be one word of this incident written in a report anywhere, if there is, you find it and burn it.” “They took our stuff,” said Bae. Mara’s eyes locked on the Police Chief again. “Get their stuff and put it in the trunk of my car. Okay, come on boys, let’s go.” Bae, Massi, and Rin followed Mara out of the police station and to Mara’s car; they had to wait several minutes while the police brought their stuff out to the car. “I can’t believe you have a limo,” said Bae. Mara poured a glass of something from a crystal bottle. “Do you boys want a drink?” “We’re not allowed to drink,” said Bae. Mara shrugged. “Hmm…probably a good idea, open that little door, you’ll find some apple juice.” Rin pulled the little door open in front of him. “There’s a refrigerator in your brother’s car! I don’t want Mrs. Hansson’s truck anymore, I want this car.” Mara smiled. “You’ll have one someday. So, Bae, I saw you have Governor Baestar’s yacht now. Where did you find our old flag from?” “It was in his office,” said Bae. “He has all kinds of stuff hidden in there.” “I’ll bet he does,” said Mara. “So, Massi, I’m told you did very well in that fight, five of those boys are at the hospital having their broken noses set. Would you like to make some money fighting?” “You mean street fights? Heck yes, but Tath won’t let me,” replied Massi. “Tath and I go way back, I’ll talk to him,” said Mara. “What about you, Bae?” Bae grinned. “Yeah, but Captain Sal won’t let me do that.” Mara took a sip from his glass. “It’s not up to Captain Sal. I’ll talk to Father, there’s a lot of people that would like to see the Baestar in the ring again.” “Again?” asked Bae. “Governor Baestar was a hellcat in his day,” said Mara. “It’s in your blood, you’re a Tares. So, where do you boys want to go?” “We’re supposed to meet Tath, Chief Woods, and Captain Dan at the arcade,” said Bae. Mara picked a phone up. “Arcade.” The car pulled out of the police station parking lot. “Oh my gosh, that is so cool,” said Rin. “Can I see the phone?” Mara handed the phone to Rin. “Hello, driver, go really fast.” The driver revved the engine and Rin giggled with delight. Mara smiled. “I see now why you made friends with him, he’s fun, and I’m told he did pretty well in the fight also.” “I got punched in the face, see, I got a loose tooth now.” Rin opened his mouth and wiggled a tooth with his finger for Mara. “A baby tooth, no harm done,” said Mara. The car pulled to a stop in front of the arcade and the boys piled out just as Tath, Chief Woods, and Captain Dan were walking up. “What in the blazes happened to you three?” asked Chief Woods. “You look like you ran into a truck.” Rin happily volunteered the information. “We got arrested and sent to jail and there was a guy that smelled like pee there.” “Go easy on them, they didn’t start it, but they did finish it,” said Mara. Mara slipped a hundred dollar bill into Bae’s hand and winked. Tath was glaring at Mara. “Hey Tath, you still owe me a rematch, that was a lucky punch.” “Did you try to recruit them?” hissed Tath between his teeth. Mara raised his glass to Tath. “Stop treating them like babies. They were attacked, they stuck together and had each other’s backs. Why don’t you guys come to the Manor this evening for dinner, I’d like to spend some time with my little brother.” “We’ll think about it,” said Tath. Mara smiled. “It wasn’t a request. I’ll see you this evening, Bae, have fun, and I’ll drop your stuff off at your yacht.” The car pulled away and Chief Woods stared at the three boys; there wasn’t a lick of remorse in any of their bruised faces. “Alright, start from the beginning, what happened?