States, where even discounted heavily, the goods would still mean high profits for store owners.
Having emptied her holds in Los Angeles, however, the Kage Maru’s powerful two-stroke diesel engines steamed her ahead bearing only its 28-man crew as cargo. And as of one hour earlier, that crew number increased by two.
“I think it’s okay now,” said Vanessa. She stood outside the bridge high above the deck far below.
Behind her, Jimmy stood looking at the amazing number of intricate navigational instruments filling the panels on the bridge. The Captain and his first officer had barely nodded at Jimmy and Vanessa when they’d come aboard. The reception was less than warm.
Behind them, the first rays of sun poked up from the Los Angeles skyline, warming the early morning air. Jimmy left the bridge behind and stepped outside with Vanessa.
Even this high up, he could still feel the slight spray of salt water on his face and he grinned in spite of himself. He was embarking on an adventure that he might have only dared imagine days ago. And yet, here he was, chased across the country, leaving a false trail behind him, and now bound for Japan.
“How long will we be at sea?”
Vanessa turned and smiled. “Almost two weeks, I’d expect. Obviously, these ships aren’t built so much for speed as they are their carrying capacity. Still, they do tend to make good time. If we were doing a round-trip then I’d tell you to expect to be at sea for a month or more.”
“We’re not returning on the boat?”
Vanessa shook her head. “Oh no. We’ll probably fly back if things work out the way I expect them to.”
“Cool.” Jimmy looked at the four cranes poking out of the deck like lonely trees.
“It’s good,” said Vanessa. “You did remarkably well back there, you know.”
“Where? At the harbor?”
“Everywhere,” said Vanessa. “You’ve got excellent instincts. I thought you might, given your background.”
Jimmy frowned. “I don’t really have a background.”
“That you know of,” said Vanessa. “But trust me, that will start becoming more evident as our journey progresses.”
Jimmy let a yawn slip out of him and his eyes watered as he clamped his mouth shut. “Sorry, didn’t mean to yawn quite that loudly.”
“I’m surprised you’re even still able to keep your eyes open after everything you’ve been through.” Vanessa put a hand on his shoulder. “You should get some sleep. You’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“Work?”
“Absolutely. We’re going to take advantage of this trip to get you trained up to snuff on a number of things.”
“More fighting?”
Vanessa grinned. “More than you’ll probably want. But there’s no point starting when you can’t even see straight. We’ll start later on today, once you’ve woken up. That sound all right?”
“I guess.” He frowned.
Vanessa nudged him. “Something bothering you?”
Jimmy thought about the voice he’d heard back at the orphanage and how it hadn’t spoken to him since they were on the airplane. Had it disappeared forever? Or was there some reason why he wasn’t hearing it any longer?
“Jimmy?”
He looked up at Vanessa. “Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something.”
“What?”
Jimmy smirked. “It’s nothing.”
“Come on, what is it?”
“You’ll think I’m crazy.”
Vanessa eyed him. “Will I now?”
“Yeah, it sounds pretty strange.” Jimmy shrugged. “Besides, it’s not really all that important.”
Vanessa shrugged. “If you say so.” She pointed at the door leading back inside the super structure. “You know your way to your cabin?”
“Yeah, downstairs. Down a lot of stairs.”
She smiled. “Elevators are a luxury most cargo ships don’t have, Jimmy. You’ll get used to it. Besides, it’s good exercise for you. Don’t forget that you’ll be training a lot, okay?
Having emptied her holds in Los Angeles, however, the Kage Maru’s powerful two-stroke diesel engines steamed her ahead bearing only its 28-man crew as cargo. And as of one hour earlier, that crew number increased by two.
“I think it’s okay now,” said Vanessa. She stood outside the bridge high above the deck far below.
Behind her, Jimmy stood looking at the amazing number of intricate navigational instruments filling the panels on the bridge. The Captain and his first officer had barely nodded at Jimmy and Vanessa when they’d come aboard. The reception was less than warm.
Behind them, the first rays of sun poked up from the Los Angeles skyline, warming the early morning air. Jimmy left the bridge behind and stepped outside with Vanessa.
Even this high up, he could still feel the slight spray of salt water on his face and he grinned in spite of himself. He was embarking on an adventure that he might have only dared imagine days ago. And yet, here he was, chased across the country, leaving a false trail behind him, and now bound for Japan.
“How long will we be at sea?”
Vanessa turned and smiled. “Almost two weeks, I’d expect. Obviously, these ships aren’t built so much for speed as they are their carrying capacity. Still, they do tend to make good time. If we were doing a round-trip then I’d tell you to expect to be at sea for a month or more.”
“We’re not returning on the boat?”
Vanessa shook her head. “Oh no. We’ll probably fly back if things work out the way I expect them to.”
“Cool.” Jimmy looked at the four cranes poking out of the deck like lonely trees.
“It’s good,” said Vanessa. “You did remarkably well back there, you know.”
“Where? At the harbor?”
“Everywhere,” said Vanessa. “You’ve got excellent instincts. I thought you might, given your background.”
Jimmy frowned. “I don’t really have a background.”
“That you know of,” said Vanessa. “But trust me, that will start becoming more evident as our journey progresses.”
Jimmy let a yawn slip out of him and his eyes watered as he clamped his mouth shut. “Sorry, didn’t mean to yawn quite that loudly.”
“I’m surprised you’re even still able to keep your eyes open after everything you’ve been through.” Vanessa put a hand on his shoulder. “You should get some sleep. You’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“Work?”
“Absolutely. We’re going to take advantage of this trip to get you trained up to snuff on a number of things.”
“More fighting?”
Vanessa grinned. “More than you’ll probably want. But there’s no point starting when you can’t even see straight. We’ll start later on today, once you’ve woken up. That sound all right?”
“I guess.” He frowned.
Vanessa nudged him. “Something bothering you?”
Jimmy thought about the voice he’d heard back at the orphanage and how it hadn’t spoken to him since they were on the airplane. Had it disappeared forever? Or was there some reason why he wasn’t hearing it any longer?
“Jimmy?”
He looked up at Vanessa. “Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something.”
“What?”
Jimmy smirked. “It’s nothing.”
“Come on, what is it?”
“You’ll think I’m crazy.”
Vanessa eyed him. “Will I now?”
“Yeah, it sounds pretty strange.” Jimmy shrugged. “Besides, it’s not really all that important.”
Vanessa shrugged. “If you say so.” She pointed at the door leading back inside the super structure. “You know your way to your cabin?”
“Yeah, downstairs. Down a lot of stairs.”
She smiled. “Elevators are a luxury most cargo ships don’t have, Jimmy. You’ll get used to it. Besides, it’s good exercise for you. Don’t forget that you’ll be training a lot, okay?
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