sometimes. We have a long history and it’s complicated.”
A door behind them on the opposite side was flung open and Ben stepped back onto the bridge.
“What? How the hell?” he glared at Nick. “Did MC Escher design this stupid boat?”
“Maybe. And it’s a yacht.” Nick smiled. “Come on, dude. Let’s have that drink and then I’ll show you how to get back to your cabin. You can tell everything to Maggie and see what she thinks. If she agrees that I’m a son of a bitch and that you two should go home then I’ll have Captain Staggs turn this baby around and that’s what will happen. You will go home. But just hear me out, alright?”
“Why, Nick?” Ben asked, some of his anger gone. He looked more exhausted than enraged. “From the second I saw you today this has all been wrong. I could feel it in my gut before I got out of the car.”
“Minivan,” Nick said and smirked. “And if you hear me out and decide to stay then you won’t be driving a minivan anymore. You’ll be driving any damn car you want. Maggie won’t have to work as a teacher and be treated like crap all day. Your kids will be set for life.”
“My kids already are set for life,” Ben said. “Thanks to Bobbi’s parents.”
“But what about yours and Maggie’s kids, man?” Nick asked. “She’s only thirty. You’re only thirty-five. Those are baby-making years nowadays. You think Maggie doesn’t want one of her own? Or a couple of her own? How the hell will you afford them on her salary and the crap money you make from your blog?”
“I don’t make crap money,” Ben said.
“Really?” Nick asked.
“Shut up,” Ben said. He looked at Captain Staggs. “What do you think?”
“Huh? What?” Captain Staggs asked. “No offense, Mr. Clow, but I don’t know you well enough to offer advice.”
“Yeah, but you’re a captain,” Ben said. “You make life-saving decisions all the time. I write a blog on professional poker. What the hell do I know?”
“The first step is admitting it, dude,” Nick said then held up his hands. “Sorry. Too soon.”
“The ship is worth approximately sixty-five million,” Captain Staggs said. “I will be getting five percent of that, as Mr. Sheeran has promised, and I believe he mentioned that you would be getting thirty percent. So you have to ask yourself if thirty percent of sixty-five million is worth the trouble, Mr. Clow.”
“But worth the trouble of what?” Ben asked, turning his attention back on Nick. “What are you up to?”
“Drinks,” Nick said, slowly, cautiously putting his arm around Ben’s shoulders. “Let’s calm your grrrr down then I explain the plan. Cool?”
“Not cool,” Ben said. “Way not cool. But I am going to let you explain. Then I’m going to let you explain to Maggie. You have to sell her, not me.”
“Benny Boy, dude, the only thing I hope that gets sold is this damn money pit,” Nick said. “Honestly. That is what this is all about. Now, come on, I’ll show you how to get to the bar. Or one of them. There are a few. That is important information to have. Trust me.”
11.
Dr. Glouster looked at the two men in front of him. He glanced past them at the vault door and nodded.
“Are you clear on the exact plans?” Dr. Glouster asked the men. “To deviate would mean great risk to yourselves and this ship. As soon as this vault opens, I will open the tank’s hatch and you will lure the creature out. It will suspect a trap which is why we will keep this vault door open. It cannot resist the urge to escape.”
“Seems like a stupid risk,” one of the men said. “What happens if the thing gets out?”
“The same thing that happened to your comrades,” Dr. Glouster said. “Only ship wide.” Dr. Glouster looked up and down the passageway at the dozens of men in each direction. “It is why these men are in place. If you fail at containing the creature then they will be forced to do your job for you.”
“If we
A door behind them on the opposite side was flung open and Ben stepped back onto the bridge.
“What? How the hell?” he glared at Nick. “Did MC Escher design this stupid boat?”
“Maybe. And it’s a yacht.” Nick smiled. “Come on, dude. Let’s have that drink and then I’ll show you how to get back to your cabin. You can tell everything to Maggie and see what she thinks. If she agrees that I’m a son of a bitch and that you two should go home then I’ll have Captain Staggs turn this baby around and that’s what will happen. You will go home. But just hear me out, alright?”
“Why, Nick?” Ben asked, some of his anger gone. He looked more exhausted than enraged. “From the second I saw you today this has all been wrong. I could feel it in my gut before I got out of the car.”
“Minivan,” Nick said and smirked. “And if you hear me out and decide to stay then you won’t be driving a minivan anymore. You’ll be driving any damn car you want. Maggie won’t have to work as a teacher and be treated like crap all day. Your kids will be set for life.”
“My kids already are set for life,” Ben said. “Thanks to Bobbi’s parents.”
“But what about yours and Maggie’s kids, man?” Nick asked. “She’s only thirty. You’re only thirty-five. Those are baby-making years nowadays. You think Maggie doesn’t want one of her own? Or a couple of her own? How the hell will you afford them on her salary and the crap money you make from your blog?”
“I don’t make crap money,” Ben said.
“Really?” Nick asked.
“Shut up,” Ben said. He looked at Captain Staggs. “What do you think?”
“Huh? What?” Captain Staggs asked. “No offense, Mr. Clow, but I don’t know you well enough to offer advice.”
“Yeah, but you’re a captain,” Ben said. “You make life-saving decisions all the time. I write a blog on professional poker. What the hell do I know?”
“The first step is admitting it, dude,” Nick said then held up his hands. “Sorry. Too soon.”
“The ship is worth approximately sixty-five million,” Captain Staggs said. “I will be getting five percent of that, as Mr. Sheeran has promised, and I believe he mentioned that you would be getting thirty percent. So you have to ask yourself if thirty percent of sixty-five million is worth the trouble, Mr. Clow.”
“But worth the trouble of what?” Ben asked, turning his attention back on Nick. “What are you up to?”
“Drinks,” Nick said, slowly, cautiously putting his arm around Ben’s shoulders. “Let’s calm your grrrr down then I explain the plan. Cool?”
“Not cool,” Ben said. “Way not cool. But I am going to let you explain. Then I’m going to let you explain to Maggie. You have to sell her, not me.”
“Benny Boy, dude, the only thing I hope that gets sold is this damn money pit,” Nick said. “Honestly. That is what this is all about. Now, come on, I’ll show you how to get to the bar. Or one of them. There are a few. That is important information to have. Trust me.”
11.
Dr. Glouster looked at the two men in front of him. He glanced past them at the vault door and nodded.
“Are you clear on the exact plans?” Dr. Glouster asked the men. “To deviate would mean great risk to yourselves and this ship. As soon as this vault opens, I will open the tank’s hatch and you will lure the creature out. It will suspect a trap which is why we will keep this vault door open. It cannot resist the urge to escape.”
“Seems like a stupid risk,” one of the men said. “What happens if the thing gets out?”
“The same thing that happened to your comrades,” Dr. Glouster said. “Only ship wide.” Dr. Glouster looked up and down the passageway at the dozens of men in each direction. “It is why these men are in place. If you fail at containing the creature then they will be forced to do your job for you.”
“If we
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