Chapter Two

A week after the meeting in the Driscolls' apartment, the Venture was prepared to set sail for the North Atlantic, in search of a sea monster Clytie had dubbed "Leviathan."

David Seaborne stood off a bit from the others as they began loading equipment and luggage onto the ship. He was rather excited by the prospect of yet another adventure, but… He was going to miss the bride search, particularly because of a pretty young woman named…

"Vanessa! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed as the girl walked up to him.

Vanessa Madison smiled brightly at him, tossing her long, thick dark hair over her shoulder. "What does it look like, you idiot? I'm coming with you!" Still grinning, she held up a suitcase. "So… why don't you introduce me to everyone?"

David frowned. "You can't come, Vanessa. You don't even know what we're doing!"

"Yes I do," she protested. "We're going to look for a sea monster." Her dark blue eyes sparkled. "Sounds like fun!"

"How do you--?"

"Your sister told me." Vanessa turned around to wave at Clytie, who was carrying Ann's bags up the gangplank.

David slapped a hand to his forehead.

"She said I could come along," Vanessa explained cheerfully. "She asked her husband, of course, since he's the captain and all."

David sighed. He tried to look pained, but was actually kind of excited that Vanessa was coming along. "Oh, all right. I guess you're coming along then."

(LINE)

"Ann, this is Vanessa--Vanessa Star. She's a friend of David's, and she's going to be joining us on this… mission," Clytie explained to her friend as the three women stood on the deck of the Venture. "Vanessa, this is Ann Driscoll."

Vanessa gave a little nod, smiling at Ann. "Yes. I know. You used to be Ann Darrow, didn't you? And you married Jack Driscoll, right?"

Ann nodded. "That's right."

"Glad to meet you," said Vanessa.

"Likewise," said Ann.

Vanessa was grinning broadly, her dark, twinkling blue eyes becoming half-circles. "This is going to be fun, isn't it?"

Ann sighed, suddenly frowning. "I hope so. The last two voyages on this ship turned out to be rather… dangerous." She shuddered, then smiled again. "But I wasn't going to let Jack go without me. Someone has to look out for him, you know."

"I heard about the other two trips," Vanessa said. "King Kong and all that."

"Yes. And all that," Ann muttered.

"And then when Clytie rescued David!" Vanessa exclaimed. "What an adventure story! He told me all about it. Your lives have been like--like movies!"

Clytie smiled wryly. "I suppose so."

"Clytie!"

She turned around with a smile for her husband. "What is it, Eric?" she called to where he stood outside the bridge.

"Come up here. I need your help with some maps," he called to her.

"All right!" She waved at Ann and Vanessa, then hurried off to join the captain on the bridge.

"Her face just lit up when she heard his voice!" Vanessa exclaimed.

"Yes. They really love each other." Ann sighed. "It was all very romantic, the way they came to realize their love. You'll have to ask Clytie about it sometime."

"You and Jack have a rather romantic story as well," the other girl commented.

Ann smiled. "Yes. We do."

(LINE)

Laughter from the galley drifted up to the bridge. Clytie smiled. So far, this trip was turning out to be a much more light-hearted affair than the last one. This time, no one's life was in danger, and Skull Island was not involved. This was a simple scientific mission to study an anomaly, a sea creature, her area of expertise.

A cloud passed over the afternoon sun, and Clytie shivered. Who am I kidding? None of us on board this ship can get involved in anything without it turning into some dangerous adventure. She tightened her hands on the wheel of the ship, suddenly worried.

"Clytie… Are you all right?" Eric asked, coming up behind her.

She flashed him a tight smile. "I suppose I am… just…" She sighed. "I hope this little adventure ends well."

"So do I." His brilliant blue eyes were serious. "But we can't turn back now."

"I don't really want to, Eric. I'm just a bit nervous, that's all." She looked back to the horizon. "Can I lock the wheel for awhile?"

"Yes. We don't have to turn for quite a few knots now."

As soon as Clytie turned from the wheel, Eric pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "We'll be all right, my love," he said quietly. "We'll take care of each other, just like we have before."

Clytie nodded into his strong shoulder.

"Ahem."

The Englehorns turned to see Darby Galyon, the First Mate, standing in the bridge's doorway, and they quickly pulled apart.

"Never mind me," Darby said, spreading his hands in front of him. "I understand. Newlyweds and all." He winked.

The captain cleared his throat. "Mr. Galyon, the bridge is yours for now."

"Yes, sir." Darby nodded. "I'll take care of things."

Clytie and Eric walked hand in hand down to the galley to join their friends. They quietly slipped in the door.

"I'll see you later, Clytie," Eric said, giving his wife a kiss on the forehead. "I need to go check on the engines."

"All right, Eric." She smiled at him, then released his hand and walked further into the galley, seating herself beside Ann.

Eric watched her for a while, which was something he never got tired of, then walked out of the galley, putting on a serious face for his duties as captain.

That night, Clytie, Vanessa, and Ann all stood on the bow deck, talking and laughing, discussing life, adventure, and, naturally, the men in their lives. As Clytie and Vanessa were talking about some of David's adventures, Ann wandered over to the railing, looking ahead at the star-spangled horizon. It was a beautiful night, so peaceful and calm…

"Captain! There's another ship behind us!" Jimmy's call drifted down from the crow's nest, shattering the peace.

Clytie and Ann looked at each other, both struck by a sudden memory. On their previous voyage, Carl Denham, who was now in jail, had followed the Venture, eventually catching up and boarding it. His presence on the mission, along with that of Joe Wilson, a vengeful sailor, had caused much mayhem--and the near death of Eric Englehorn.

Clytie swallowed quickly. "I think--I think I'm going to join Eric on the bridge."

Ann nodded, understanding her friend's need to be near the man she loved. "All right. I think Vanessa and I are going to join Jack and the others in the galley."

"What's going on?" Vanessa asked, squinting her dark blue eyes at her two friends. "There are lots of ships on the sea. What's wrong with coming across another one?"

The other young women were quiet for a moment.

"Last time this happened…" Clytie started. She sighed. "On our last voyage, we were followed--"

"By Carl Denham and your godfather, Jake Atkins. Yes, I remember David telling me that," Vanessa finished. "Bad memories, then, huh?"

Clytie nodded tightly.

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Ann suggested suddenly, smiling at her friends reassuringly. "This talk of bad memories can't be good for us. I say we see what Jack is doing. Or Preston. Or David. Or somebody."

Clytie nodded quickly. "Good idea, Ann."

And the three young women walked into the galley.

(LINE)

Fabrice Rousseau knew an opportunity when he saw one. And this (he smiled and tossed his dark mane)… This was quite the opportunity.

"Rousseau!" came a shout from the Venture.

Fabrice smiled. Ah yes. Englehorn. "Captain Englehorn," he called across the waves. "How very good to see you again."

"What is your business, Rousseau?" Englehorn asked shortly. From his stance under the lights of his ship--feet spread, hands on hips, chin tilted upward--he was a bit annoyed at having his little mission interrupted by the arrival of Fabrice's ship, the Delphine.

"The same as usual, monsieur," the French captain replied. "And the same as yours, I expect." He smiled at that. True, he and Englehorn were involved in the same sort of work, but… Farbrice glanced at his ship, which was larger, sleeker, less rusty… Fabrice considered himself a cut above.

"What did you want to say to me?" asked Englehorn.

Fabrice managed to contain his sudden impulse to roll his eyes. Good old Englehorn, always to the point. "I wanted to let you know that you should have taken that last job offer. It lined my purse quite well." He shook his head, laughing. "I hear you turned it down to get married."

A woman suddenly walked out of the bridge to stand beside the German captain. She was tall, with long reddish-blonde hair and a subtle, but deliciously feminine figure. She looked like a fairy creature, standing there in the light of one of the ship's lanterns. Fabrice raised his dark eyebrows. "I heartily approve of your decision, monsieur," he called, brown eyes twinkling. "What a lovely young woman. I wonder what she sees in you."

"Is that all you have to say, Rousseau?" Englehorn snapped. "I have work to do."

"I know," Fabrice called. "That's what I really wanted to say--that I know what you've been hired to do, and I intend to get there first." He bowed mockingly toward the Venture and her captain, then turned and walked onto the bridge of his ship.

(LINE)

Eric Englehorn gritted his teeth as he watched Fabrice Rousseau walk confidently out of sight. That man had always annoyed him, constantly trying to get in the way, to get the better of anyone he considered competition.

"I gather the two of you have some sort of history," Clytie said quietly, resting her head against his shoulder. "Would you like to tell me about it?"

Eric took her hand and led her back onto the bridge. "He and I have been… rivals, I suppose, for years. He thinks that with that fancy ship and his 'charm,' he is better than I am." He flashed his wife a quick smile. "But if he took a quick look at the facts, he would find that I have captured more animals than he has." He frowned again. "And he never captured anything like Kong."

Clytie kissed his cheek. "Don't worry, Eric. We'll get there before he does. We're better equipped, I'm sure. And look at our team!"

Eric smiled again, his blue eyes intense. "And I have one incredible asset he will never have."

Clytie raised her eyebrows. "What's that?"

He lifted her hand to his lips. "You."

(A/N: So what do you think? I thought I'd add a little competition for our friends. After all, conflict breeds a good story. Review, please! A good review never hurt anyone! And a little encouragement goes a long way.)