Double Odds
Chp 1 Pranks and People.
Marion Moseby stood at the doors of the sports room watching the guests, staff and students that had gathered in the room. He stood there wondering how anyone could get excited over a game of sports full of sweaty people fighting each other, lying, cheating and playing with a ball. But each to his own, he thought. The cheers sounded and drowned out his own side thoughts, he looked to the screen and couldn't make any sense of the game. But he summarised by how the crowd was reacting, their team was losing.
"Ref, come on are you blind." A famillar voice bellowed.
"Actually refs have their eyes checked..." Another voice continued.
"Don't care right now." It was the number one trouble maker Zack Martin. The person he had gone to the sports room to find. Beside the young man was a more sensible, but still a somewhat pain in Moseby's rear, Zack's twin Cody. At least Cody could be sensible. He just seemed to be unfortunate enough to be drawn into his brother's silly games and knack of getting into trouble. He stepped through the cheering and some times cursing crowd and reached the brothers.
"How did I know I would find you here?" Moseby said.
"Because you have found all my usual hiding places." Zack replied. "I am going to have to find some new ones, time to get the scuba gear."
"Well its not exactly hard to find them." Moseby replied.
"What are you doing down here Mr Moseby, I never would have thought you were a basketball fan." Cody summarised.
"I am not, and I am not here for the sport, not that you can call that a sport, I am here for business."
"You said we could watch the game down here tonight, no fun being a party pooper now is there." Zack said.
"No that is not why I am here. I have had a report of the milkshake machines have been tampered with and shooting out salsa sauce, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Mr Moseby asked.
"Why do you automatically ask me when something goes wrong on the ship?" Zack asked.
"I am just going with the odds." Mr Moseby replied, smirking at his own remark. "Your practical joke has caused a mess at the juice bar, a mess you are going to clean."
"Zack clean, never. I am still trying to teach him home to use a vacuum."Cody replied.
"Well he will clean up the mess he no doubt caused otherwise I will be forced to enlist his help in my Friday night Bingo with the over 65's" Moseby said.
"Bingo night, I would rather poke hot pokers in my eyes. Those old ladies can hardly hear the numbers or see their cards, its like leading a bunch of blind people." Zack said.
"Zack, that's not fair. There are some lovely people on this boat." Cody said.
"Stop sucking up Cody." Zack replied.
"Hey I am not the one that should be trying to get on Mr Moseby's good side."
"Wasn't aware he had one." Zack replied. He looked at Mr Moseby who was just glaring at him with his usual 'Zack stop annoying me' look.
"Report at the juice bar in 10 minutes Zack." Moseby said, he didn't say anything else, he turned around and walked away.
"See, a party pooper." Zack said indicating Mr Moseby. "I can't believe he is blaming me for the mess."
"Why not? We all know you did it." Cody said.
"Not that, I can't believe he knew it was me, I need to be more careful in the future."
Cody had walked most of the way to the sky deck with Zack, but as he had arranged to meet Bailey at the reception desk. He left the elevator and noticed Bailey was almost hiding behind a fake plant. She pulled him in before he could step any further.
"Um Bailey, what are you doing behind here?" Cody whispered.
"I didn't want to be seen."
"By who?" Cody asked.
"Them." She said pointing to the group of people at the check in desk with Mr Moseby. Cody looked over to see a small group of people. In the middle was a slightly taller man. Cody could only see the back of his head but their seemed to be something familiar about him.
"So, who are they?" Cody asked.
"The short blond on the side is an old friends older brother, they moved from Kettlecorn years ago, he is now some assistant to some stupid basketball player or something."
"And you are hiding from him because?" Cody asked.
"If he knows I am on board too, he will waste no time in telling me how his spoilt sister is doing, probably had botox and got a stupid little dog in a handbag." Bailey explained. Cody only managed to catch the end of her rant, he was sure he recognised the tall man. He stepped out of the hiding place but Bailey pulled him back in. "Where are you going?" She asked.
"I think that is..." Cody started.
"So once again Mr Bennett, welcome aboard. You and Mr Wells will be staying in your own private suites on our first class deck. The rooms are incredible, even has a popcorn maker in them. So much fun" Mr Moseby said.
"Oh my god it is. Its Bullet." Cody said.
"Bullet?" Bailey asked. But Cody was no longer beside her, he was up and standing behind the group.
"Woah Bullet." He said. The group turned around. Cody was almost speechless as the popular basketball player stood before him, and towering a lot more over him. "I...I...you...you..." Cody stammered. Moseby stepped out from behind the desk and stood between Cody and the group. He pushed Cody away.
"Excuse the stammering boy, he is a bit..." Moseby twirled his fingered around in an attempt to indicate that Cody was slightly crazy. He turned back to Cody. "Now go back to your parents little boy."
"But Mr Moseby, thats...he...is Bullet." He said. Moseby immediately ducked down and put his hands over his head.
"Where!" He screamed like a girl.
"That's me." The man said. "You must be a fan." He said reaching his hand out to Cody.
"Jackson 'Bullet' Bennet. Greatest Basketball player Boston has ever had. I am a big fan, my brother is a big fan too." Cody said.
"Nice to meet you er...er."
"Cody, Cody Martin." He replied. He shook the mans hand but refused to let go.
"You can let the nice man have his hand back Cody." Moseby said. Cody smiled and let go.
"Sorry, I am just such a fan."
"Nice to meet fans." Jackson said.
"Remember Jackson, that is not why you are here." A man said.
"I know, I know, relax, chill, focus." Jackson said.
"Well now you are on board, I shall depart." The man said. Jackson and the blond said goodbye to him and looked back to Cody. The blond man noticed the figure behind the plant.
"Bailey...Bailey Pickett. Is that you?" He asked. She stepped out from behind the plant.
"Hi Travis." She said.
"Of all the places to bump into you." He said.
"Yeah, strange world. Come on Cody." She said pulling Cody away.
"Nice to meet you." Jackson said as Bailey hauled Cody away.
"Yeah...I..." Cody said in the distance.
"Nice kid." Jackson said looking at Mr Moseby.
"You'll see."