Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter eighteen of "Ride the Wind II: Justice Unbound." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. This chapter has the show featuring Lilli, Jane, and Izzy. It also features more hinting that Lilli and Isabella are one in the same. It is possible that one or two people in the group investigating Glen and Annie's claim will introduce themselves to Brenda during an encounter somewhere and tell her about what is going on in the next few chapters. It is true that many business owner will do anything to make money. That includes resorting to illegal means. It is likely Dial tried to acquire an orca for his park before he decided to get Willy illegally. Owners turned him down, even when he offered them a bunch of money for their orcas. Willy's old tank was designed for dolphins, not orcas. Some people could say it was nothing more than a concrete fishbowl. Because the water was too warm and contained artificial seawater, he developed lesions around his flippers and tail. There is no doubt they caused him some discomfort, though they didn't hinder his ability to swim. The lesions healed completely in the months following his leap to freedom. It was thanks to real seawater. Stay tuned for chapter nineteen.
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Chapter 18: Watching the Show
The aquatic theater was packed with people ten minutes later. Andros and Ashley chatted to each other. Jesse, Nadine, Randolph, Elvis, Zhane, and Karone kept their eyes on the tank. Lilli, Jane, and Izzy handed their toys to Brenda, who set them next to her. Brenda slipped on a headset. Andros and Ashley looked toward the tank. They and their friends listened to the excited chatter of people around them.
"People are eager for the show to start," Jesse whispered with a roll of his eyes.
"They aren't going to learn anything about the orca or bottlenose dolphin," Nadine added seriously. "It is just entertainment."
"Unfortunately," Randolph agreed solemnly.
"Some people might recognize the behaviors that these dolphin species do," Zhane said, cupping his chin in his hand.
"That doesn't mean anything to them," Karone hissed and shook her head in disbelief.
"Shh!" Andros said in a low yet firm voice.
"Be quiet, guys," Ashley commented with a huff. "The show is about to start."
Everyone focused his or her attention on Brenda, who clapped three times. She adjusted her headset. Jesse, Elvis, and Randolph got out their IPhones. They turned them on and swiped the screens. They set them to camera. The speaker crackled with static.
"Now, Northwest Adventure Park presents the orca and dolphin show!" the speaker announced.
"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the orca and dolphin show at Northwest Adventure Park," Brenda announced. "We have a fun show in store for you today."
The audience cheered and clapped. Lilli, Jane, and Izzy bowed in the middle of the tank. Jesse snapped a picture of them with his IPhone. Randolph and Elvis followed suit with theirs. The orca and dolphins approached the stage. Brenda gave each of them a fish.
"The name of our orca is Lilli. Jane and Izzy are the names of our bottlenose dolphins. Lilli is ten years old. She measures seventeen feet long and weighs four thousand three hundred fifty-four pounds. She joined us from the Brighton Aquarium in Colorado ten months ago," Brenda explained. "Lilli is going to perform a barrel roll and show off her flippers."
Brenda focused her attention on Lilli. She twirled her arm around and watched her go underwater. Lilli surfaced on the tank's right side. She did rolls while swimming around it. The audience applauded her. Lilli returned to the stage and was fed a bit of fish. She wiggled her tongue before folding it.
"Wonderful job, Lilli," Brenda said and touched the orca's nose. "Now, she is going to perform her famous back bow. You ready for that, girl?"
Lilli squeaked in happiness. Brenda laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. She pointed her finger to the right. Lilli darted underwater, her tail swinging upward. She leapt backward on the right side while arching her back. Jesse, Randolph, and Elvis took pictures of her. She went into the water with a big splash. The audience cheered while applauding. She swam to the stage and was rewarded with fish.
"Nice work, Lilli. Jane is twenty-eight years old. She measures eight feet long and weighs four hundred pounds. She came from the Maple Hill Aquarium in New Hampshire along with Izzy, Odin, and Hopper nineteen years ago," Brenda said. "Lilli began making dolphin sounds like her and Izzy three months after her arrival. Jane is going to bow across the tank. Then she will do a breach. I must warn you. Some of you will get wet."
Brenda focused her attention on Jane. She pointed her finger to the right. Jane squeaked and went underwater. She slapped her tail on the surface. She bowed four times around the tank before disappearing. The audience waited for her anxiously. All of a sudden, she leapt upward and turned on her side. She sent water into the audience, causing some members to scream in delight. Jesse, Nadine, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, Karone, Randolph, and Elvis didn't get hit by any of it.
"Unlike Willy, Lilli seems to be eager to perform," Andros said truthfully and scratched his nose.
"Yep," Karone agreed.
"She didn't even hesitate to perform the behavior asked of her," Ashley yelled in amazement.
Jesse shook his head. "That doesn't mean anything. I honestly believe Lilli is Isabella."
Nadine sighed heavily. "We won't know for sure until we get a blood sample from her."
"If Brenda agrees to give us one," Randolph commented and licked his lips.
"I believe she will because she wants to prove us wrong," Elvis murmured in thoughtfulness.
Zhane snorted. "Probably."
Jane swam back to the stage and received a fish from Brenda. She kept her mouth open. Brenda laughed and tossed another fish into her mouth. Jane did a spyhop, squeaking playfully. She wiggled her flippers, making the audience laugh.
"Jane is quite the showoff, isn't she?" Brenda said, rubbing her hands together. "Izzy is twenty-nine years old. She measures eight feet long and weighs four hundred twenty pounds. She is going to perform a belly flop in the middle of the tank."
Brenda threw her arm upward. Izzy squeaked joyfully and dove underwater. She slapped her tail on the surface. The audience waited for her nervously. Suddenly, she launched herself into the air. She landed on her stomach with two big splashes. The audience applauded her.
"Now, I'm going to perform some waterworks with all three girls," Brenda said in eagerness. "Yes, I am."
Brenda took off her headset and jumped into the water. She swam to the middle of the tank with Lilli, Jane, and Izzy right behind her. Jesse, Randolph, and Elvis snapped pictures of the trio. She turned around to make eye contact with them. She made circular motions with her hands. The trio nodded at her. She went on her back while holding her breath. They followed her lead with theirs. The audience gave them a loud clap.
Brenda stayed motionless for a minute before taking a breath and returned to the vertical position. Lilli, Jane, and Izzy rolled right side up, looking her in the eye. She raised her hands above her head to wave them. They put more of their bodies above the surface. They wiggled their flippers. They received a big applause from the audience.
The trio went back down to their trainer's eye level. They got pats on their melons from her. She circled her fingers in the air. They let out a series of squeaks, clicks, whistles, and cries. They received tongue rubs from their trainer after they opened their mouths. They followed her back to the stage. She climbed out of the water to give them three fish each. She put her headset back on and stood up.
"Nice job, girls," Brenda commented. "Lilli is going to demonstrate her echolocation with a ring I will toss in the water. First, we have to cover her eyes."
Brenda got on her knees and clapped twice. Lilli swam up beside her with a squeak. She stayed still as her trainer put two white plastic discs over her eyes. Brenda tossed a light green metal ring into the water after standing up. She put her whistle in her mouth to blow it. Lilli went underwater in a quick manner. The audience turned anxious when she didn't surface after a minute. Andros and Zhane grabbed their IPhones. They turned them on and swiped the screens. They set them to camera.
Suddenly, Lilli surfaced with the ring in her mouth. Andros and Zhane snapped pictures of her. She approached the stage, allowing Brenda to take it. Brenda waved it in the air, and the audience broke into a wild cheer. She removed the discs from her eyes and put a handful of fish in her mouth. Lilli nudged her arm affectionately. She stuck her tongue out of her mouth. She received a kiss from her trainer on it. She pulled it back into her mouth.
"Great job, Lilli," Brenda said in happiness. "All right now. Lilli is going to perform a belly flop."
Brenda blew her whistle and motioned to the left. Lilli spouted air from her blowhole before speeding underwater. She leapt upward and landed on her stomach in the middle of the tank, creating a huge splash. She swam upside down toward the back of it. She hit her tail against the water three times, splashing the audience. She headed back to the stage. Brenda fed her a good amount of fish.
"Lilli is a big goofball, isn't she?" Brenda said with a giggle. "Izzy is going to wave her tail, so she can show it off."
Brenda gazed at Izzy and moved her hand from side to side. Izzy nodded at her and went underwater. She stuck her tail out of the water to wave it. She came back up and was fed a bit of fish by Brenda. She kept her mouth open while squeaking eagerly. Brenda smiled and gave her two more fish. She patted her melon.
"Good girl," Brenda whispered sweetly. "Here comes Izzy's alien!"
Brenda glanced at Izzy and threw her hands into the air. Izzy squealed gleefully and sped underwater. She leapt into the air on the tank's left side and spit water from her mouth before going back in. She repeated her actions with the right. She returned to the stage, receiving fish from Brenda.
"Phenomenal work, Izzy," Brenda shouted proudly. "Now, here is some more waterworks with the girls."
Betty removed her headset and dove into the water. She swam a good distance before stopping. She slapped their hands on the surface. Lilli, Jane, and Izzy went over to them. They opened their mouths, looking very eager. Brenda rubbed Lilli and Jane's tongues. She followed suit with Izzy's. She petted each of their melons. She looked at Lilli and waved toward herself.
Lilli swam under her trainer and got her on her back in front of her dorsal. Brenda moved to her knees as the orca swam around the tank. She scratched her back before giving it a gentle pat. Jesse and Randolph took pictures of the duo. So did Elvis, Andros, and Zhane. The audience applauded as Lilli completed her swam around the tank. She returned to the dolphins. Brenda got off her back and came to Jane and Izzy.
Brenda made waving motions with her hands. Jane and Izzy clicked and disappeared underwater. She turned sideways before rubbing her hands together. Just then, they leapt over her as she held her arms up. They hit the water. They and Lilli returned with their trainer to the stage. She climbed out and gave them fish. They twirled around, squeaking happily. The audience laughed at them.
"I hate to say it, but Lilli, Jane, and Izzy look kind of cute together," Elvis admitted while tensing a bit.
"Yeah," Karone agreed.
"All of us were expecting Lilli not to behave like she usually did during a show because she seemed to recognize us," Jesse grumbled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I understand you are a little frustrated, Jesse, but there is still a chance she will swim up to us when we go to the tank to see her," Randolph pointed out.
Nadine nodded in agreement. "That is very true, Uncle Randolph."
Andros held up his IPhone. "Let's not forget we've been taking pictures of Lilli."
"We should continue taking them," Zhane said and spoke gibberish.
"Yep," Ashley agreed.
Jesse looked at his watch. "The show shouldn't last too much longer."
Without warning, Lilli leapt into the air. She turned on her side, hitting the water and sending a wall of it into the audience. Many people were soaked. Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone got a little wet. Lilli went to Brenda, who fed her a handful of fish.
"Great work, Lilli. Let's play a little football!" Brenda shouted joyfully and formed a fist. She picked up the football. "Here comes the bomb!"
Lilli swam underwater at high speed as Brenda threw the football very hard. She jumped upward near the back of the tank, catching it in her mouth. She reentered the water. The audience broke into a wild cheer. She went to the slideout to hand the football to Brenda, who gave her three fish. Brenda petted the orca's back lightly. She breathed deeply as the show continued.
00000
The audience clapped in a rhythmic fashion as Lilli, Jane, and Izzy twirled around in front of the stage fifteen minutes later. The show was near its end. The orca and dolphins slipped beneath the surface. They leapt backward while arching their backs close to the back of the tank. They swam to the right side and turned on their sides. They swam around as they swung their tails, sending water into the audience. Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone were among those hit.
Lilli, Jane, and Izzy squeaked excitedly and downward. They turned upside down as they headed for the surface. They threw their tails upward in which they stuck half of their bodies out of the water close to the stage. They brought them downward, hitting them against it. They disappeared underwater. All of a sudden, they leapt out of the water in the middle of the tank. They turned on their sides, landing in the water. They sent a wall of water into the audience. They performed rolls while going across the tank. They did six bows around it. They launched themselves into the air in the middle. They reentered the water with small splashes.
The orca and dolphins returned to the surface, letting out soft clicks. They headed underwater once more. All of a sudden, Lilli came up onto the stage and held her tail high. Jane and Izzy performed bows at the back of the tank. Brenda dropped to one knee and put her arms out to the sides. The audience whooped and clapped loudly. Jesse snapped a picture of Brenda and Lilli on the stage. Lilli went back into the water as Jane and Izzy came to the stage. Brenda gave them two fish each and patted their backs.
"That concludes the orca and dolphin show!" Brenda announced. "We hope you all enjoyed it. The sea lion show will start in an hour."
Much of the audience stood up and filed out of the theater. Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone came down to the tank. They laid their hands on the edge of it. The men slipped their IPhones in their pockets after turning them off. They and the women observed Brenda speaking baby talk to Jane and Izzy. They could see Lilli swimming underwater.
"Not once did Lilli behave abnormally during the show," Ashley said in amazement. "It is obvious she enjoys performing for the public."
"Even if she had refused to perform, that wouldn't have proved she was Isabella," Andros added honestly.
"In some aquariums, cetaceans are deprived of food if they don't perform correctly. That results in frustrated animals," Randolph commented.
"According to former Sealand of the Pacific trainers, the head trainer used food deprivation toward Tillikum, Haida 2, and Nootka 4 by very often. If one orca didn't do a desired behavior correctly, then all three orcas would be punished. Haida and Nootka became very frustrated. They would rake Tillikum badly," Jesse explained, sadness lining his voice. "How could anyone do that to such sensitive creatures?"
"It would take a sick person to deprive an animal of food," Elvis whispered and clenched his teeth.
"When Keltie Byrne fell into the tank in 1991, the three orcas ganged up on her. They dunked her many times until she drowned. They had never been trained to have people in the water with them. They saw her as a toy. It is not known who grabbed her first, but it is suspected Haida was the instigator," Randolph commented honestly.
"Extreme anti-caps say that Tillikum was the one who grabbed Keltie while Haida and Nootka were just circling around," Ashley said and huffed irritatingly. "Female orcas are the dominant ones, not males. Why would Haida and Nootka stay out of the attack and let him have a grab at her?"
"It doesn't make sense at all," Elvis said, rolling his eyes.
"You never know what crazy claims extreme anti-caps will come up with next," Zhane said, crossing his arms.
"I want to slap the extreme anti-caps silly before putting feet up their asses," Jesse said in determination.
"You want me to help you with that, bro?" Elvis wondered.
"Be my guest, Elvis," Jesse said, a big smile forming on his face.
The entire group saw Brenda pet Jane and Izzy on their melons. The dolphins emitted pleasurable squeaks. Lilli surfaced on the tank's right side. She went back underwater, her tail hitting the surface. She came up not far from Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone. She caught sight of them in the corner of her eye.
Lilli squeaked happily and slipped underwater again. She spyhopped in front of the group. She wiggled her flippers and let out a series of excited whistles. She came down up to her head. She opened her mouth and wiggled her tongue. She folded it as more excited clicks came out of her blowhole. Jesse breathed heavily before swallowing hard.
"She's acting like she did before the show. I know it is Isabella. I just know it," Jesse whispered hopefully.
"I am still not sure, Jesse," Andros said as he cupped his chin in his hand.
"I am with Andros," Karone agreed. "Many orcas like to interact with people. Lilli appears to be no different from the rest of them."
"Let's not forget that orcas may not remember people's names, but they do remember their faces," Zhane said.
"Lilli has never seen us before, but she seems to recognize us very well," Nadine said, waving her hand in the air.
"I am beginning to think she is Isabella," Ashley said matter-of-factly.
"Me too," Zhane agreed.
Elvis emitted a long yawn. "Me three."
Nadine raised her hand. "Me four."
Lilli closed her mouth and rolled on her side. She waved at the entire group. She blew bubbles in which she squeaked in much pleasure as they hit the skin around her blowhole. She rolled right side up and blew air from her blowhole.
"Lilli is quite sweet, isn't she?" a female voice asked.
Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone were startled. They turned to see Brenda coming their way. She stopped close to them before clasping her hands together. Lilli pulled her tongue back into her mouth and swam over to her, getting a pat on her melon.
"You are right that Lilli is quite sweet," Jesse said warmly.
"Does she swim up to people a lot?" Andros wondered.
Brenda nodded. "Oh, yes. She loves interacting with people, especially when they are where you all are standing right now."
"Oh," Nadine said, looking at the concrete. She turned back to Brenda, who raised her eyebrows. "Was Lilli nervous when she first met you and your fellow trainers?"
"Oh, definitely," Brenda admitted in gentleness. "It was a new home for her, so who could blame her? Her befriending Jane and Izzy helped her become comfortable here. After that, she began trusting us."
"Has Lilli ever refused to perform?" Karone asked very curiously. "What about Jane and Izzy?"
"Oh, they have refused to perform many times," Brenda commented and tilted her head a bit. She suppressed a yawn. She tried again with another, but she couldn't help herself. "Sometimes, they perform the wrong behavior on purpose just to get a reaction from us."
"That is very interesting," Ashley whispered in awe.
Elvis scratched his ear. "It sure is."
Randolph rubbed his face. "Everyone knows you as Brenda Taylor, Lilli's main trainer."
"That's right," Brenda responded with much pride. "I am proud of being her trainer. I even managed to get in the water with her only six months after she arrived here." She formed a big smile on her face.
"Most orca trainers don't start swimming with orcas until they've been working with them for three years," Karone pointed out.
"That is very true," Brenda said, nodding in a slow manner. "Each orca has a different personality. You have to know its likes and dislikes. Lilli loves playing around and doing behaviors. She doesn't like being alone for very long."
Ashley raised her eyebrows. "Wow."
Brenda looked at her watch. She let out a long whistle before turning back to the group. Lilli spouted air from her blowhole. She ducked her head, resurfacing very quickly.
"I have to go. I need to help Lindsay get the sea lions ready for their show," Brenda said regretfully.
"We understand," Jesse said sympathetically.
"It was nice talking to you," Randolph said in a warm voice.
"You too," Brenda responded, giving the group a wink. "I hope you enjoy the rest of the park."
Brenda walked away while rubbing her hands together. Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone watched her go out of sight. They looked at each other.
"I say we should get to my parents' house and look at those pictures," Jesse said in seriousness.
"That is a good idea, Jesse," Andros agreed with a contented sigh. "Annie did say she was fixing chili for lunch."
"I love Mom's chili," Elvis commented in excitement. "It is out of this world."
"I know Nancy will be happy to see her parents," Randolph added, eyeing Jesse and Nadine.
"She sure will," Nadine agreed with a delighted squeak. "I bet Jesse will eat more chili than the rest of us will. He is known to be a big eater."
"Elvis has the biggest mouth in the family," Jesse said while gesturing toward his brother.
"I don't think so," Elvis said, shaking his head rapidly.
"I do think so," Jesse responded, nodding just as fast.
"Okay. That is enough," Zhane called as he waved his hands in the air.
"Zhane's right," Karone agreed. "Come on. Let's get to Glen and Annie's."
Jesse, Nadine, Elvis, Randolph, Andros, Ashley, Zhane, and Karone headed upward toward the exit. Lilli squeaked in disappointment. She went underwater in which she spyhopped on the tank's right side to get a glimpse of them. She went back down. She returned to the surface, another disappointed squeak leaving her blowhole. She proceeded to swim around the tank.