Warning: Rated for language, violence and adult behavior.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
This story also uses characters from the graphic novel 'Sin City' by Frank Miller. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
This story also uses characters from the movie 'Wasabi', directed by Luc Besson. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
References to 'The Goon' in this story do not refer to the character of 'The Goon' by Eric Powell.
Marv stood on the bridge of the Pride of Roarke. He looked at the captain, shackled in the Captain's Chair, glaring back at him.
"Any last words?" the big man asked.
"Why are you doing this?" the captain replied, "my men and I had nothing to do with what went on down there."
"But you knew it was happening," Marv said, "you knew it and you allowed it. A Captain is responsible for everything that happens on his ship, isn't that right? Well, that makes you responsible for the raping, too. Just consider yourself lucky you aren't getting what the slavers got. I was two levels down and still heard their screaming."
Marv turned and walked away. When he got to the door, he turned back and said, "a Captain should go down with his ship, so I'll let you do just that. Goodbye."
Gail had taken a head count on the Electra, and accounted for everyone except Marv. She was just about to send Miho out after the big lug when he stepped onto the deck from the Roarke.
"Everybody on board?" he asked.
"Yeah, now that you're here," Gail replied, smiling in relief.
"Good, let's get the hell out of here."
Gail turned and shouted at someone, and they heard the engines start. As the yacht pulled away from the freighter, loud explosions sounded from within her. The Pride of Roarke listed and started sinking in the water.
Moments after the explosions occurred, people started pouring out of the ship, the party guests. They jumped into the water, then flailed about, trying to make distance from the doomed vessel. A small number was able to make it well away from the Roarke before she sank and sucked the rest down with her. Voices called out into the night, pleading for rescue, offering any amount of money for salvation.
The Electra sailed away into the night.
Bart Winslow swam as fast as his arms and legs could propel him. He knew if he stayed too close the the freighter, it would pull him down with it when it sank. He churned through the sea like an Olympic swimmer racing for the gold medal, the prize in this case being his life.
As he swam, he felt the suction of the Pride of Roarke's dying. He pulled harder, thinking he hadn't swam far enough, but he had. the suction eased as the Roarke slipped into oblivion, leaving him safe.
He stopped to catch his breath and get his bearings. In the distance, he saw his ship, the Electra, pull away from the disaster. He waived and he hollered, threatening terrible vengeance, promising fabulous rewards, if they would only turn around and get him. Other voices joined him in his pleas.
The ship never stopped. Soon, it disappeared over the horizon.
He stared at where the Electra had disappeared as he tread water. He heard nothing but waves and the wailing of the other survivors. He looked around him, trying to see if there was any indication of land. All he saw was water, water everywhere.
He startled when he felt something rough brush against his leg. He turned about, trying to see what it was, when he saw the distinctive triangle shape of a shark's fin cutting the water close to him.
The Landlords had come for their rent.
Panicked, he turned and swam for his life. He saw more fins, and saw them gnashing and tearing at the bodies that were floating on the surface, attacking the other survivors bobbing in the water. He heard their screams as they were attacked, torn apart and eaten. He swam on, knowing full well he couldn't out run them, that he was only drawing them toward him.
He screamed when one of the predators clamped down on his entire abdomen, sinking its razor sharp teeth into his flesh, then lifting him out of the water and thrashing its head about, sawing his body in two.
The last sight Bart Winslow's mind registered was another shark engulfing his head and clamping down on his upper chest.
Now that the ordeal had passed, the kidnapped girls began to process what had happened to them, and what they had done. More than a few vomited, all of them cried. Gail and the other girls comforted them as best they could, telling them that what was done was done, and there would be healing and closure to all of this.
The young girls were faring better. Other than being kidnapped and poked and prodded, nothing traumatic happened to them. The girls kept telling the little ones that they would see their parents real soon, and that Hubert was a police officer that came all the way from Paris to make sure they got back safe. After that, the girls settled down, and the only thing the adults had to worry about was one of them getting hurt on the yacht.
Aelita sat with Jeremie, crying her grief out. He held her close, the smell of gasoline and burnt meat wafting from her, and told her everything would be okay. He stroked her hair, and kissed the top of her head and hugged her tighter, as if that would squeeze the pain out of her faster.
Yumi sat with Ulrich and Miho, both holding the Japanese girl as she cried out her pain and anguish. She buried her face in Ulrich's bare chest and held him tight, and he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. Miho held them both, a reassuring presence.
Odd stood on the railing watching the sea go by. Aelita had told him that Samantha had been one of the girl's taken, and then about her murder. It hit the boy harder than he expected. Even though they broke up a year ago, he still had a place in his heart for her, a place that was now permanently void. As he looked out on the sea, he cried for her, cried that she was gone, that they couldn't even exchange insults. He cried because he realized he still loved her.
Hubert had Momo set course for Seattle. They would contact the French Consulate there and get the girls home as quick as they could. They would also contact the Coast Guard and tell them of the loss of the Roarke. Fiorentini was certain that matters could be smoothed over in the spirit of international cooperation.
The public went wild when the news of the rescue was published. According to the press, French police, working in conjunction with 'unamed US Law Enforcement personnel' swooped down on the Pride of Roarke and recovered all of the victims still surviving. The ensuing gun battle claimed the life of every slaver on board, as well as the crew and the ship.
Hubert Fiorentini was extensively interviewed as the lead investigator of the French contingent. He said nothing to disabuse the press of what had happened, saying 'no comment' to specific questions as to who all was involved.
Before they were sent home, the press had managed to interview some of the children who had been kidnapped. They told a story of how they were taken and locked in the ship, and how tarnished angels swept down from Heaven and rescued them, punishing the bad men in the process. The reporters tried to tell the kids that the police were the ones who rescued them, but one girl said no, it was angels, she had asked and one said they were tarnished angels. The reporters just scratched their heads.
Some of the reporters found out that the ship was destined for Basin City, and contacted the police department for a statement. Commissioner Lebowitz made a statement that, yes, he had spoken to Detective Fiorentini on the matter, but he couldn't comment any further. The press took that to mean that the Basin City Police Department had played a major role in the affair, but had to keep their involvement quiet.
In later months, Lebowitz would reveal that they indeed had been involved in the raid, and painted a lurid picture of how he, personally, confronted and killed the head of the gang, shooting in self-defense, of course.
When word got back to Hubert and the rest, they laughed.
Working through the French Consulate, in cooperation with the United States State Department, all of the kidnap victims, except for Aelita, Yumi, Milly and Tamiya, were transported home. The celebration when they arrived at the airport in Paris was televised world wide.
Aelita, Yumi, Milly and Tamiya returned home with Detective Fiorentini and the boys. They all returned to Sin City quietly, so as not to raise any notice. They stayed at Kadie's for a few days, healing in the company of friends and loved ones.
Then the parting came.
They drove out to Sacred Oaks and made to board the plane Hubert chartered. Hubert said goodbye to Momo, who was returning to Tokyo, and promised the man he and his daughter Yumi would visit in the autumn.
Yumi Ishiyama hugged and kissed her friend Miho. The look on the young woman's face told Yumi what she couldn't say, I'll miss you. As they turned to board, Miho stopped Ulrich. He turned to her and she handed him two swords, a long sword and short sword. His eyes widened at the gift, then solemnly took them and bowed to her. He then turned and boarded the jet.
Milly and Tamiya were in tears because Marv wasn't going with them.
"But you can stay in the cabin, just like you were!" Milly said through her tears, "don't you like us anymore?"
"Of course I do," he replied, trying to hold back his own tears, "I love you both. But this is my home, and these are my friends too. I left because of a misunderstanding, and now that's been cleared up. And you can't wait to see your parents again, can you? Well, my mom lives here, and I can't just leave her all alone, can I?"
"No," Milly said, "but could you come see us one day? Bring your mom?"
"Sure, kid," he said, "I could do that."
The two girls, satisfied with that, gave Marv one last hug and joined the others on the plane. Marv wiped a tear from his eye then turned to Aelita, standing next to Jeremie.
"So, Pinkie, I guess this is it. I guess if anything good came out of this, it's you got past your boyfriend problems."
Aelita laughed as she blushed. "I guess you could say that. Will we ever see you again, Marv?"
"Well, you just can never tell," he replied, "I never thought I'd leave this place once I got out of the military and look what happened. But there's no law that says you can't come back and visit some day, if you've a mind to."
"For you, anything," she replied. She then reached up and pulled him down and kissed him. When she finished, she told him, "take care of them, Marv, and let them take care of you. You aren't as ugly and evil as you think you are."
The pink haired girl then turned, slipping her arm around her love, and boarded the plane for home.
