Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me.
Two Birds and an Arrow on an Island Part I
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Bruce rubbed a hand over his tired eyes as he walked. He couldn't remember the last time a flight had seemed so long. Dealing with the jetlag would've been enough to make any man want to kick his feet up for a few hours, but as it stood that was the least of his worries.
The day had started fairly well. Alfred had woken him at 4 A.M., made an amazing breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and they'd arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare before their ten-hour flight to Navua, Fiji. They were to depart from gate E28 at 6:30 in the morning.
When Alfred had left, everything seemed to take a downward spiral.
First it was the coffee spilled all over his suit by a teenager too focused on a text to watch where they were going. By the time he got as much as he could cleaned up it was a rush to board before takeoff. A mix up in ticket purchases had resulted in him being seated in coach with a busybody woman with an extreme case of nasal congestion and a terribly fake Jersey accent. Split from his traveling companion, he'd been forced to listen to her rambling complaints, which only grew when the plane had to make a detour to land for some unstated mechanical failure for an hour. In which time, they were not allowed to leave the plane as it would be 'shortly rectified'.
When they'd finally made it to their destination he had breathed a quiet sigh of relief, thinking his troubles were over. So, naturally, when he moved to retrieve the stained suit jacket he had stowed in the overhead bin, someone pulled it down with their own bag and the billionaire tried not to cringe at the ripping noise that followed. Alfred would be reaming him for that one later.
There had then been a brief, worry-inducing separation on the way to the baggage claim; which, as luck would have it, had not one piece baring the Wayne name. And even all of that apparently hadn't been enough. The car that was supposed to be waiting was nowhere to be found and when Bruce had reached for his wallet to get them a cab, he realized he'd accidently packed it in one of his missing bags. All he had was seven dollars and fifteen cents in American currency, making the only option a good thirty-minute walk to the hotel where his room was reserved.
In short, he had ruined a suit; endured incessant rambling; lost his luggage, thus forcing him to continue wearing the stained clothes; a long walk to a place he'd never been, hoping he wouldn't get lost; and he had been torn away not once, but twice from the only thing that could have made the trip in any way pleasant.
Speaking of which…
Bruce looked down to see his ward following close beside him, their hands intertwined. It was after midnight, but Dick seemed much more alert than Bruce could even feign at the moment.
Bruce watched as the boy bopped along, making a game of keeping away from the sidewalk's cracks. His small, colorful suitcase created constant background noise as they walked, and his red and yellow backpack bounced against his back in time with his steps. He hadn't had the misfortune of losing his belongings.
And despite the rottenness of his day, Bruce couldn't help but smile at the happy light dancing in those crystal blue eyes. "So how did you enjoy the flight?" he realized he hadn't had time to ask with everything coming against him.
Dick couldn't possibly have grinned any harder, practically vibrating with excitement. "It was so cool," he shared, "I've never been flying before!"
"Really?" Bruce said curiously, "I thought the circus used to travel the European Circuit as well as America?"
"Yeah," Dick shrugged, "Some of the troupe would fly when we moved, to get everything set up. But we had to bring the larger animals by boat, and my parents and I helped with that part. Zitka, she was our elephant, was awfully picky sometimes. She'd only let Mom or me near her when she got into one of her moods."
Bruce couldn't help but smile at the way Dick could speak so freely about his parents now. There was no pain or regret in his voice, just fondness and love. Bruce wished he could know what that felt like, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever be capable.
"Flying was so neat, though!" the boy continued animatedly, "Yvette, that's the woman I was sitting next to, she let me have the seat by the window. All of the clouds were so fluffy and close and I could see everything! And there were so many stars after the sun set, I haven't seen that many for a long time! Yvette was really nice too. She's coming to Fiji to meet her boyfriend, who lives in America- and, oh, she's French- and they're gonna go snorkeling. That sounds like a lot of fun, I'd like to try it someday! They're supposed to be here a week and she thinks he's gonna propose to her, wouldn't that be awesome? And then she helped me work on some of my French…"
As Dick began rattling off all of the new French he had learned, Bruce felt the tension from the day easing from his shoulders. Seeing Dick happy generally tended to make Bruce happy by extension. And while there would be a few meetings to attend and papers to sort out, they were going to be here for a week, so he would still have plenty of time to spend with his boy in between.
They'd finally made it to the hotel they would be staying at and Bruce pushed through the doors with a relieved sigh. The first thing he saw upon entering was a beautiful tropical plant centered carefully on a dark circular table. The lobby itself was airy and dimly lit in consideration for the time of night. A high, domed ceiling of glass made it feel open and natural. White walls and columns were offset by deep maroon carpets and golden lamps. The check-in desk was just to the left, and Bruce could see the concierge waiting patiently, smile ready.
But another figure to their right, heading for the stairs, caught his attention a little quicker. After all, the reason they were here was because he had partnered on this project with…
"Oliver!" Dick dropped his hand and ran to tackle the man with a hug.
Oliver Queen let out an exaggerated huff as Dick's arms squeezed his waist, "Hey there, squirt. Aren't you up a little past your bed time?"
"Our plane just landed half an hour ago," Bruce was the one to answer as he joined them, "Circumstances forced us to walk."
Oliver raised an eyebrow, a teasing light in his eyes, "I just assumed you were trying to get out of work. Figured shaking a few hands was too much social interaction for you."
Bruce rolled his eyes at the jest. A year ago, this area of Fiji had been hit by a devastating cyclone. Relief support had poured in from all corners of the globe, but some things weren't so easily fixed with donations. The local hospital had been completely decimated with no funds to rebuild anything halfway suitable. Queen Industries and Wayne Tech had agreed to sponsor a new building; all brand-new equipment, extra floors, and a staff paid out of their companies' pockets so that healthcare could be more affordable to the people in need.
A few meetings with the heads of construction and the medical boards, and by the end of the week the doors would finally be open for business.
Dick pulled back and looked around eagerly, "Where are Dinah and Roy? I can't wait to meet him; do you think we'll have fun?"
Oliver hadn't journeyed alone either. In fact, the only reason Bruce had agreed to bring Dick was because he knew Dinah Lance would be coming along as well. Bruce wasn't about to leave Dick with just anybody to watch over him during their meetings; but Dinah was a trusted friend and a fierce protector of the innocent. Not to mention she adored Dick and wouldn't dream of letting anything happen to him.
Roy Harper, however, Bruce had never met before. Oliver had mentioned several months ago, before Robin had even been born and the league introduced to him, that he had been mentoring a young archer that he'd met at a competition. An enormous fan of Green Arrow he'd said, with great potential.
Five weeks ago, he'd come to Bruce, outside of the league, to ask for advice. Apparently, the boy's guardian had recently passed away and Oliver was considering taking him in but wasn't sure if he'd be up to the task. Bruce understood the feeling. He had been vastly unprepared for the realities of raising a child; especially one grieving lost loved ones. But despite the difficulties he had faced in taking Dick in, it had been worth it.
Those were the words of wisdom he had passed along to his friend, and now Oliver was the legal guardian of a fifteen-year-old boy.
Bruce noticed the hesitation on Oliver's face at the question, but he didn't think Dick had seen it. "They've already headed up to bed, kid, I was just about to join them. But," he held up a finger, "I do have it on good authority that you are going to have so much fun tomorrow, you won't know what to do with yourself."
"What are we gonna do?" Dick wheedled, but Oliver merely clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Sorry, I've been sworn to secrecy; crossed my heart and everything. Guess you'll just have to wait until tomorrow." Dick pouted as Oliver checked his watch and backed toward the stairs. "Well, I have to get some shut eye and you still have to check in, so let's not hold each other up any longer, shall we?" With a wink and a wave, he turned and called back, "See you at breakfast, Brucie!"
Bruce scowled at the nickname while Dick smothered a laugh with his hand. He narrowed his eyes at the boy and received an innocent expression in return. Finally making his way over to the counter, he apologized for making the man wait, "It's been a long night."
"That's quite all right, Mr. Wayne," the man said genially. At Bruce's raised eyebrow he informed, "The hotel received a call that your plane had been delayed and wouldn't arrive until ten minutes ago. We sent a car, but unfortunately our information was off. We did, however, have a man come by to drop off your luggage? It's been sent up to your suite."
Bruce breathed in relief; at least he didn't have to bum pajamas off of Oliver now. The man slid over a paper for him to sign, checked his passport, and then handed him their key. "Room number 102, up the stairs and to the right. It has two beds, a spacious bathroom, a forty-inch flat screen television, and a balcony looking over the ocean. We do offer a complimentary breakfast, though there is a charge on the dinner menu as it is a fine-dining experience. And, of course, a charge for any beverages you wish to sample. Room service is available 24 hours. And for activities; the hotel offers a pool and mini-bar, spa treatments by reservation, and a four-hour flat-bottomed boating tour to view Fiji's exotic marine life. The boat leaves our docks here and lets off near our partnered restaurant, The Pacific, which offers a more traditional local flavor."
Bruce nodded as though he had heard all of that and thanked the man for his assistance before leading the way to their room. Once inside, he had to admit the hospital investors had really outdone themselves in booking this place. Unlike the typical cramped style of standard hotels, there was plenty of room to move around. Different shades of white and gray gave the room a cozy feel, with just a splash of color in the paintings and wooden furniture. Dick pushed his suitcase beside Bruce's, ready and waiting as promised, dropped his backpack, and made a beeline for the balcony doors.
"Bruce, look at the ocean," he pressed his face to the glass, "It's so pretty, the way the moon's shining on it!"
"It certainly is," Bruce humored, "Why don't we take a closer look tomorrow, huh? Right now, I think we should put on our pjs and get some sleep. We can freshen up in the morning."
"Okay," Dick sighed slumping over to dig through his case. Bruce tried not to grimace at the dark blue pajama bottoms speckled with Superman's symbol. Stepping out of the ruined suit was more of a relief than he would've thought, and he was quick in getting changed.
"You know, there's only one thing that could make this trip better," Dick voiced, sounding muffled. Bruce turned to see uncoordinated limbs struggling to find the shirt's holes and shook his head fondly as he moved to help.
"What's that, Bud?"
"If Alfred were here with us," he said as though it were obvious.
Bruce chuckled, "I think Alfred's getting more of a vacation home alone than he would be if he were here." The shirt finally angled in the right direction to slide down and reveal a bemused face.
"Why's that?" the boy's head tilted in confusion.
"Because," Bruce smirked, ruffling a mess of raven hair, "If he were here he would spend the whole trip taking care of us." Dick's mouth twisted in consideration before he nodded.
"I guess you're right," he said thoughtfully, climbing under the covers of the bed closest to the door, "But I bet I could've gotten him to have a little fun anyway."
Bruce followed his lead and smiled as he melted into the mattress, relieved this day was finally over. "Tell you what," he reached over to turn out the light, "Next time we plan a trip, we'll include Alfred… and we'll make him choose where we're going. He has to pick somewhere he'd enjoy, right?"
"Deal," was the sleepy response.
Bruce closed his eyes and breathed. Maybe this trip had gotten off to a rough start, but hopefully now it would be nothing but smooth sailing.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
The next morning, Dick practically bounced down the steps to lobby. He had never been on an actual vacation like this before. Sure, he'd visited loads of places with the circus; but technically that was still work and they never really had time to see the sights.
Plus, he was really excited to meet Roy. Bruce said the other boy was about five years older, but Dick was sure they would still have plenty of fun. Of course, Roy couldn't know everything they had in common yet. Being trained by famous heroes would be a pretty significant conversation piece, though; maybe someday they would be taking bad guys down together.
Bruce and Dick had been the first to arrive and Dick spent the wait fidgeting restlessly. Fortunately, it was less than five minutes before a familiar voice drew his attention. "Looks like we made it just in time," Dinah teased as Dick's head turned to meet her icy blue gaze. She considered him thoughtfully, hands on her hips, "One more minute and this one might've combusted and taken out the hotel and everyone in it."
Dick grinned and ran to throw his arms around her neck as she crouched to catch him, "Dinah!" he squeezed her tight for a minute, before pulling back with an eager gaze, "So what are we doing today?"
Dinah laughed with a shake of her head, "Straight to the point as usual, I see." Before she could answer Oliver walked forward to kiss her cheek.
"Well, much as I wish we could join you on your adventures today," he sighed, "I have to make sure this guy actually does some work for a change, so…" he jerked a thumb at Bruce who turned his eyes skyward as though looking for strength.
"Yes, you're hilarious, Queen," he deadpanned. Bruce apparently ignored Oliver's smug expression and turned to Dick. "Have fun today, Dick," he smiled, resting a hand briefly on his shoulder, "We'll meet up tonight for dinner in the hotel."
"Okay, Bruce," Dick agreed easily. And knowing how Bruce tended to worry, added, "We'll be careful."
This appeared to satisfy his guardian. Oliver twisted to look over his shoulder; a boy with reddish hair and darker blue eyes had joined them and Dick bounced a bit on his heels as Oliver spoke, "Try to have some fun today, kid."
The only response was a noncommittal grunt, and then the two men were headed for the door. Dick hurried forward and thrust out his hand, "Hi, are you Roy? My name is Dick, it's really nice to meet you!"
The older boy's brow raised, and his expression remained neutral, but he did return the handshake. "Yeah, sure," he sounded slightly put upon and Dick's smile dimmed.
The sound of hands clapping together pulled his attention away before he had time to dwell on it, though. Dinah had pulled her hair back into a loose bun and her eyes were dancing. "Alright, boys," her excitement pulled Dick's smile back to full power, "The three of us are about to hop on a bus to Suva to experience The Curio Handicraft Centre. Handmade pieces of Fijian culture, bartering, crowds, we're talking full-on immersion here. Think you can handle it?"
"Definitely!" Dick pumped a fist. He pretty much thrived in chaotic crowds. Roy shrugged unenthusiastically, but Dick decided not to let it affect him. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, they were loaded onto the hotel's shuttle and heading for the market. Dick turned to start a conversation with the older boy but found that he had brought along earbuds and was effectively tuning everything out. He and Dinah instead spent the trip- some forty-five minutes- playing word games and I-spy.
With one big hop, Dick was the first one off the bus, staring in wonder at the people bustling around noisily. He turned to see Dinah speaking softly to Roy, hand on his shoulder and looking a bit concerned. After a moment the teenager gave a reluctant nod and stuffed his earbuds into the pocket of his shorts. They joined Dick where he was impatiently waiting, and Dinah gave them both a blinding smile.
"And the adventure begins!"
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It wasn't that Roy didn't find Fiji interesting. He'd never really been anywhere outside of the Rez and Oliver's penthouse. This was a completely new experience for him, and even he couldn't deny it was pretty amazing.
But he knew the whole reason Ollie had brought him along was to 'make some friends'. Right, like he had anything in common with an excitable little munchkin that was practically still a baby. The kid was trying, honestly, but Roy was perfectly capable of forming his own relationships with people that weren't handpicked for him.
Maybe he was feeling just a little resentful.
Roy watched as Dinah and the kid stopped at yet another stand, selling decorative bowls of some kind. Clearly hand-carved and intricately made, they reminded Roy heavily of Brave Bow. His previous guardian, and the only father figure he had ever known, had loved to carve in his spare time. Birds had been his specialty.
He had been fading for a long time leading up to his death, liver cancer was no picnic to fight through. So, the teen hadn't been all too shocked when that last week in the hospital had ended in a funeral rather than a recovery room.
It didn't make the ache in his chest any lighter.
Roy was pulled out of his thoughts by Dick's- and really, who even chose to use that name anymore?- awed voice. "Woah look at this!" In his hands he was holding a dark wooden bowl, fashioned after a turtle. The 'shell' was the part they'd hollowed out, but the outer rim and turtle's features were expertly crafted and detailed.
"It's beautiful," Dinah admired, hands resting on her knees as she leaned over the boy's shoulder. "You thinking about getting it as a souvenir?"
"Do you think Alfred would like it?" Dick asked with wide eyes. Roy frowned as Dinah's expression softened in fondness; he loved when she gave him that look, but he'd never seen her give it to anyone else. Even Oliver received more of an 'I chose this idiot' adoration.
"I think he would love it," she answered, "It's nice of you to think of him, Dick." Roy felt like he was out of some kind of loop, and annoyance sprouted because of that… not because he was jealous or anything.
"Who the heck is Alfred?" he spoke for the first time without prompting.
Dick looked at him in a hopeful sort of surprise and readily responded, "Alfred's our butler! He didn't come with us cause he said he wanted to keep a watch over things around the house." He looked thoughtful for a minute, "Maybe he just doesn't like tropical climates."
"Well he is a Brit, through and through," Dinah smirked, "Maybe he just prefers damp, foggy places to bright sunshine."
Dick brightened, "Hey, maybe that can be where we take him for his vacation! I bet he'd love to see his home again!"
Roy rolled his eyes; guess he shouldn't be surprised that the rich kid had a butler to wait on him hand and foot. Dick had turned to the old woman running the stall to ask the price.
"Ah, traditional kava bowl," she said happily, "My husband make. Good choice."
Dick tilted his head curiously, "A kava bowl? What's it for?"
The woman was obviously pleased to share her culture with an inquisitive mind and grinned broadly. "Kava is Fijian pepper. We make powder and mix with water. Bitter taste," she admitted, "but very happy after, and restful. Bowl is 215FJ$, please."
Roy wasn't surprised when the kid handed it over, no problem. He thanked the woman for the information with a bright smile and then he and Dinah were dragging Roy to the next stall down the line.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
"And I got Alfred this really neat bowl at one of the stands," Dick had yet to stop going on about the fun they'd had while out today. And Bruce had yet to stop smiling because of it.
The meetings had run more smoothly than pretty much any he'd taken part of before. And the way they were going, after tomorrow's they would be completely free until the Grand Opening at the end of the week. It looked like they'd have plenty of time to spend enjoying themselves and relaxing, a nice change he'd have to say. Maybe he should do more business with Oliver in the future.
"Did you find anything for yourself while out?" he asked, but Dick just shook his head.
"No, the bowl cost 215FJ$, I didn't want to spend any more than that."
More like, couldn't spend any more than that. But Bruce wasn't surprised that the boy had spent nearly all his allowance for the trip on someone else. He turned to glance at Roy, who had seemingly finished eating, and was toying with the remaining greens on his plate.
"What about you, Roy?" he tried to include the teen in the conversation once again, "Find anything interesting?". As with every time before when one of them had attempted the same, the response was noncommittal and brief.
"Not really," he shrugged without raising his eyes. Dinah shot him a concerned look that Roy wouldn't have noticed, not paying attention to anything around him. Bruce could see that Dick was growing disconcerted with the lack of interest from the older boy. And Oliver just seemed to be at a loss for what to do.
The silence was interrupted as their server returned to the table. "Your check, sir," she said pleasantly, "And two complementary after dinner cigars. Please enjoy the rest of your evening, as well as your stay at the Resort."
"Thank you," Bruce accepted the bill and quickly paid in cash, being sure to leave a hefty tip. The woman smiled and bowed away from their table with thanks. Bruce turned to Dinah, "Well, it's been a pretty long day. Would you mind taking Dick back to our room? I'd like to have a word with Oliver."
Dinah looked relieved, she could probably see the strain in her boyfriend's expression as well. "Of course," she scooted her chair back and stood. Tugging twice at a strand of raven hair from the boy next to her, she said, "Come on, kiddo, I think someone needs a shower before bed."
Dick gave her a sly grin. "Yep, you sure do!" he informed brightly, dodging as she swatted at him in indignation.
"When I get my hands on you, brat…" she muttered as his laughter trailed him to the stairs, "Come on, Roy. Let's grab some beauty sleep."
The redhead followed without a word and Bruce gestured toward the terrace once they were out of sight. Oliver joined him, elbows leaning on the rail, with a troubled look on his face. He fiddled with the cigar in his hands and Bruce raised an eyebrow at it skeptically, wondering why he'd grabbed it considering neither of them smoked.
Finally, the other man sighed, shoulders slumping. "I just don't know what to do, Bruce," he admitted, "Before Brave Bow died, Roy and I had a great relationship. He just knew me as the Green Arrow at the time, but there was still so much we had to talk about. Now… getting two words from him is like pulling teeth. I've tried everything I can think of to connect with him again. Talking about it, giving him space, suggesting a therapist- that one went over about as well as you'd imagine," He straightened suddenly and swept one arm out expansively, "I even picked up a book on helping people dealing with loss… but that was a flop too."
He looked at Bruce then with a helplessness that didn't come often to the confident archer. "What do I do, man?" he pleaded, "How can I help him if he won't let me?"
Bruce looked out over the water, calmly lapping at the shore, as he considered his answer.
"When I first took Dick in," he said, allowing himself more vulnerability than he ever had in a team member's presence, "I had no idea what I was doing. It seemed every time I was ready to try and have a meaningful conversation… I just froze. I spent most of my time in his early days with us searching for the man who had killed his parents. I guess I convinced myself he needed justice to heal. Honestly," he confided, "Alfred did more to help him that first week than I did. Then there was an… incident, the second week he was with us. That night… I saw a fire in him, something that had taken me years to find after my parents' deaths." Bruce's gaze was distant, lost in thought, "Maybe I had a bit of an advantage in shared experience. We didn't really connect until I told him about my own parents. In the end, I just treated him the way I had always wanted to be treated in the aftermath… Like I wasn't broken."
Bruce gave Oliver a hard, searching look. "Since Roy has been with you full time, have you mentored him at all?" he asked, not unkindly.
The other man looked down. "Not really," he said sadly, "I was afraid that it would hurt him… thinking about the man who'd originally taught him."
Bruce rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, "But archery is what started your bond with him, Oliver. I think he needs that to help him move on. It may be that he feels as though he's lost some use to you now that you're no longer training. That you're afraid he can't be helpful… that he'll shatter under pressure."
"It's not that all!" Oliver protested desperately. He sighed and scrubbed a hand though his hair, "I've really made a mess of this whole parenting thing, haven't I?"
Bruce gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "Hey, I don't pretend to be an expert either. But you can fix it," he promised. Oliver nodded with a grateful smile and they turned to watch the waves for a little longer.
There quiet moment was interrupted as a beanpole of a man who looked like he spent his days hunched over a computer screen joined them on the terrace. He smelled strongly of nicotine, even from six feet away, and Bruce clocked him as a likely chain-smoker. Sure enough, he pulled a packet from his pocket and shook a cigarette into his palm, muttering under his breath. Bruce and Oliver shared a commiserating look and readied to leave when Oliver paused, considering the cigar in his hand. He studied it for a moment before calling, "Hey, Buddy!"
The man jumped and shot his eyes nervously to the pair. Oliver offered the cigar, "These things disagree with my health. Want it?"
Relaxing marginally, the guy accepted and sniffed it appreciatively. "Nice," he commented with a little quirk of his lips before sliding it into the inside pocket of the raggedy tan jacket he was wearing. Bruce off-handedly wondered how a man of simpler means could afford a place like this but let the thought slip past. "I'll be savin' that for tomorrow," he said with a twinkle in his eyes, "Thanks, man."
"Don't mention it," Oliver shrugged turning back to his friend, "I'll see you in the morning, Bruce. And…" he smiled softly, "thanks."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Well, this is the last meeting we have to take care of and then we're home free till the ceremony!" Oliver seemed a lot more relaxed than he had at dinner last night, and Dick was glad. He had a great smile, he'd told Dick so himself.
"We should be finished up a little after noon," Bruce added, to give them a time frame, "Then we can meet up for lunch and spend the rest of the day sightseeing."
"That sounds like the perfect plan," Dinah agreed. She'd pulled her long hair back into a tight braid today and Dick was impressed with how straight and even she had gotten it all by herself. She threw an arm over Roy's shoulders, who was standing next to her. "And I know exactly what the three of us can do to pass the time," she grinned, "Why don't you two meet us at The Pacific after you're finished? I believe that's where the tour boat docks to let its passengers out."
"Really?!" Dick gasped excitedly. He had been on boats before, but never one with a glass bottom. That sounded so cool, they would be able to see everything.
Bruce's face scrunched a bit in concern but in the end all he said was, "Make sure you have a life jacket," before he and Oliver left.
Soon Dinah, Roy, and Dick were heading for the docks. They were each decked out in sandals, tank tops, and shorts; ready for a day on the water in the hot sun. Dinah had been sure to coat them with a liberal amount of sunscreen, task made more difficult by Dick practically dancing in anticipation. The blonde just seemed to find it amusing, but Dick thought he saw a tightening of Roy's features in annoyance. He wished he knew how to get through to the older boy. He'd like to be friends.
When they arrived, they were greeted by a young man. Maybe in his late teens or early twenties he introduced himself as their Captain, though dressed much the same as they were, and invited them aboard. The boat itself was rather small, maybe fit for ten passengers at a time, with long benches on either side of a metal railing that bordered the thick cut of the viewing glass. An outboard motor sat on the end and a dark blue cloth stretched between a few poles to block out the heavy sunlight as they would move across the water. Paradise Palm was stamped on the side.
There were only two other passengers at the moment. One was a woman around Dinah's age, with dark brown hair and a hard-backed art case strapped across her shoulders. The other was a really thin man, with pale skin, that looked like he didn't get out much. He stood out more to Dick because of the light brown suit jacket he was wearing that looked as though it had seen better days. Not really dressed for a morning on the ocean.
"We are waiting on two more passengers before we leave the dock," the Captain informed them in a lightly accented voice, must be a local. "Please make sure your life-vests are securely strapped before we start out."
As he finished speaking, one of the people they must have been waiting for came running up, slightly out of breath. Her hair was a dishwater blonde color and styled in a shorter bob cut, with a bandana wrapped around it. She was also rather plump and already decked out in a vest; neon pink and monogrammed with a fancy JS. Dick saw Roy roll his eyes.
"Sorry I'm late," the woman apologized in an airy voice, "My husband cancelled at the last minute for some business calls, but he insisted I should still come." She studied the boat a bit uncertainly, but the Captain assured her everything was fine and helped her aboard.
Soon they were heading out, following the small line of the GPS strapped to the railing. Dick was super excited to see all of the fish, and turtles, and coral. Yvette, from the plane, had said that Fiji had some of the most amazing marine life. So far they hadn't seen anything of note, so Dick turned to their Captain, directly to his left.
"So how long have you been doing this?" he inquired, "It must be so neat, being out on the water every day."
The Captain chuckled with a sheepish look, "Believe it or not, you are actually only my second group so far."
The pink lady looked over nervously, "Your second?"
"Do not worry, Miss, my boating license is very recently certified, and we are set on a specific course," he reassured. The woman still looked queasy though.
"Have you always lived here?" Dick decided the best way to ease the woman would probably be through distracting conversation. The Captain was happy to oblige as he turned back to the boy.
"Up until I was fourteen, yes," he said with a smile, "My parents sent me to live with my uncle in America for a year. I learned much in the states, including my English. But in my heart, I knew I belonged to Fiji. I've worked in the hotel since I was seventeen, three years now, giving the guided tours around the city. Sharing my home and its culture with everyone that comes to experience the magic." He shrugged, "And two weeks ago I was offered the Palm. Quite a bit of training to get through. Last night was my first trip out." He tilted his head and gave his rapt listener a considering look. "And what about you?" he asked, "Who are you, little man?"
"My name is Dick!" he said enthusiastically. The suited man chortled, and Dick frowned; he got that reaction a lot when he introduced himself.
The Captain ignored the man and just nodded thoughtfully, "I have learned the slang for that name when I was with my uncle. You choose to use it?"
"It's short for Richard," he informed, "But my parents always called me Dick."
"Well at least it is a choice," the Captain grinned, "I am afraid I am quite stuck with mine."
"What's yours?" Dick was surprised when Roy joined the conversation.
"Karasi."
Dick watched confusion twist the teen's face. "It sounds pretty cool to me," he shrugged, "What's wrong with it? Named after an obnoxious relative or something?"
Karasi chuckled in amusement, "Names are given a bit differently here in Fiji. For instance, we do not have familial last names as most American's I met do. If we need a second name to identify by, we will sometimes use our father's names or choose one for our own. Christian biblical names have become very common in the past few decades, but a lot of people still follow old traditions; naming a child after something important to them or nearby when they get the news. My father happened to be very anxious the day of my birth and… in an attempt to calm himself," he paused here for affect seeing his two youngest passengers caught up in the story, "he was taking a long draw on a joint of marijuana. And that is the meaning of my name."
Dick clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing, considering Karasi had been good enough not to laugh at his. Roy however didn't try to hide it and Dick stared as this was the first time he'd shown interest in anything since they'd met.
The next two and a half hours were spent learning about the world under Fiji's waves. Roy actually seemed to be really enjoying himself. Dinah was sitting across from Dick on Karasi's left and asked about certain things she saw on occasion, but for the most part she left the inquiries to Dick. Even the pink lady was starting to relax.
The thin man seemed like he didn't care one way or another about anything going on around him, and Dick had to wonder why he'd even wanted to take the tour. The artist never said a word but seemed to be watching the suited man as though waiting for something. Dick happened to glance over at just the right time to see her interest perk when the man started patting his pants pockets.
Everyone looked over when he cursed, and Dinah scowled. Dick had heard worse on patrol, but he could understand the sentiment behind not cursing in front of children. "… cigarettes," they could hear him muttering, "I know I had them when I got on this stupid cruise."
"I can spare one." Dick jerked when the artist spoke up. Her voice was low and husky as though she didn't use it very much. And her gaze was strangely intense as she pulled a pack from her back pocket to offer him. It didn't look like she'd smoked any of them, even though the case had obviously been opened.
The man, however, had already brightened before this and was pulling a cigar out of his suit's inside pocket. "Oh yeah," he bit off the end and pulled out a lighter, "I forgot all about this." He spared a glance for the artist and grunted, "Thanks for the offer though; might have to take you up on it before we get back."
The woman huffed quietly looking unreasonably annoyed, but before Dick could think on it too much he realized they were slowing down. He looked at Karasi, who had stopped paying attention to the goings on of his passengers and was frowning intently at the GPS.
"What is it?" Dinah had noticed too and looked concerned.
Karasi shook his head and looked to the starboard side of the boat. Dick followed his gaze and saw an island growing larger in the distance. "I do not recognize this island," Karasi sounded troubled, "We passed by nothing like it on our tour last night, and as I mentioned before this is a set route. I think something may be wrong with our system."
"Wrong?!" the pink lady's voice cracked a little, "How wrong?! Are we lost at sea?!"
"Calm down please, Miss," Karasi patted the air, "I know the coordinates for the restaurant's dock. I simply need to stop for a moment to input them and then we can head back." As he spoke he eased up on the motor and they soon slowed till they were simply floating gently on the tides.
For about a minute, everything was quiet as the Captain began entering the coordinates for their return. But suddenly Dinah straightened with a look of alarm, making everyone jump. "Do you hear that?" she demanded. Absolute silence descended as the others held their breaths… and then they heard it too.
Beep-beep-beep. Coming from the motor.
Dinah scrambled over Karasi to lift the lid before anyone could react. Then, "Everybody out right now!" she hollered as she moved to where Dick and Roy were frozen to their seats. "We have two minutes before this boat blows!" She wrapped her arms around Dick, lifting him up, and without warning tossing him over the side.
Dick was disoriented for a moment, thankfully his life-jacket pulled him up for air before he could wonder which direction the surface was. As he came up, coughing up water, he heard the tell-tale splashes of the others jumping in behind him. He immediately began paddling away.
Someone had put a bomb on that boat… and they now had less than two minutes to get clear.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Roy had no idea how he had gotten so far away from the boat, he honestly thought he may have blacked out for a second in the panic of it all after Dinah shoved him over the side. The explosion sounded as a concussive force that pushed him even farther through the waves, and he glanced back just in time to duck a piece of metal whizzing for his head.
A cry of pain had him looking for his companions in this sudden nightmare. It must have been Karasi that shouted, he was clutching at his arm, staying afloat only thanks to his vest. Roy could see Dinah making her way over to help him, so at least she was safe. Now where's the ki-
"Help! Some… elp.. me!" a voice cut in and out between gurgles. Roy swung around and saw the woman who'd come on-board last-minute thrashing about in the water. Her life-vest nowhere to be seen.
Roy immediately swam to her and somehow managed to get an arm around her without getting smacked in the face. He spotted a large chunk of boat floating nearby and helped her latch onto it. She hacked up water in between sobs as she tried to get a handle on her breathing and Roy watched in concern. "Are you alright?" he asked, "What happened to your vest?"
"I don't know," she shook her head desperately, tears streaming, "I don't know! I jumped in and it just fell apart! I don't know what happened!"
She was starting to hyperventilate. "Hey, it's okay! We're okay," he needed to calm her down, "Uh- um… My name's Roy. What's yours?"
It was the only thing he could think of, but thankfully it seemed to work. She swallowed and wiped some of the water from her face, "I'm Jamie."
He nodded, unsure about how to continue. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Jamie," he went with. She only gave a shaky snort in response. Suddenly Dinah was there, propping Karasi up with one arm and clinging to their debris with the other.
"He got hit by some wreckage," she explained a bit breathlessly, "I think he might have a broken collarbone."
"I'll be fine," Karasi tried to convince them through gritted teeth. Dinah started looking around, ignoring the load of crap he'd just spewed.
"Where's Dick?"
Oh, right! The kid! Roy swiveled his head around and saw that there was no need to lose his cool. Dick was apparently a strong enough swimmer to give Cigar Man a few pointers. The man looked like he spent very little time outside, so Roy wouldn't be surprised if he'd never been swimming a day in his life. The quiet lady was a little ways behind them, glaring at the still burning wreckage with a mixture of confusion and anger. Roy understood the feeling.
Why the heck had somebody planted a bomb on a tiny tour boat? And who was the intended target?
Dick and Cigar Man finally made it to them and Dinah's eyes locked onto the kid, "You're not hurt are you?"
"I'm okay," Dick reassured, "And so is Mr. Smith."
Roy's eyes darted to… Smith, apparently; he wasn't so sure if he bought the name was accurate, the guy's eyes were pretty shifty. The brunette lady finally joined them, and Smith was the first to speak.
"So what are we supposed to do now? Wait for the sharks to find us?" he asked sarcastically.
Jamie, naturally, started to freak out again, "Oh my god! Are we gonna get eaten by sharks? That is literally my number one phobia on my list of phobias! What are we gonna do?!"
"It's alright, calm down," Dinah made use of that no-nonsense tone that tended to make people stop and listen, "No one is getting eaten. The explosion most likely scared off anything in the area. The only thing we can do right now is head over to that island we saw earlier and figure out our next move once we're on dry ground." She gave them all a hard look, "Got it?"
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thanks to her diver's watch, Dinah could see that it took them nearly an hour to reach shore. Karasi had been trying to keep his moans of pain quiet; having had a broken collarbone herself before, Dinah knew it must be excruciating, especially since he'd had to continue using it.
When their feet hit the sand, she helped him further up the beach and went about removing first her life-vest and then his. It wasn't easy on him, but he didn't complain, and she was quick to confirm that her suspicions were correct.
"The only thing we can really do at the moment is to bind your arm, limit the movement," she apologized.
He grimaced out a smile and attempted a joke, "Good thing I am left-handed then."
Dinah gave his leg a pat in commiseration and looked around for something to use as a sling. The blonde- Jamie was it?- still had her bandana. "Could I use your wrap?" it wasn't really a question and, fortunately, the other woman didn't treat it as such. However upon closer inspection Dinah found that the scrap of cloth wouldn't be long enough for her purposes.
"What's wrong?" Roy asked from beside her shoulder.
"I need something else to make this an effective sling, there's not enough fabric to here."
"Um, Miss?" Dick spoke up from her other side and Dinah turned to see that he was addressing the other woman from their group. Dinah saw what he was hinting at when her eyes took in the art case cradled in the woman's arms… and still attached to the strap slung over her shoulders.
"What's your name?" Dinah realized it was the only one they hadn't yet learned.
"Tilda," she stated in that same quiet manner.
"Do you mind if we us your shoulder-strap, Tilda?"
The woman hesitated for a brief moment as everyone looked at her expectantly, even Smith. Finally, reluctantly, she unhooked the ends from the case and handed the strap over. Dinah made quick work of the sling after that and then sat back on her heels.
Jamie and Smith had seated themselves near the wreckage that had helped them here, all of their vests piled on top. Dick and Roy lingered behind her. She twisted to rake her eyes over them, just to be sure they really were as okay as they'd claimed. Aside from the worry written all over their faces, nothing else seemed amiss and she breathed out in relief.
Roy gazed out at the water where they could still make out the smoke from the Paradise Palm streaming into the sky. He asked the question on all of their minds.
"So what's that next step?"
.
.
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TO BE CONTINUED
The story is completely written, so part two will be uploaded next Monday.