Chapter IV: Circles at the Mediterranean

It was 12 and the couples were in deep sleep, when someone yelled 'Swim for your lives!!!' The two of them woke up at the same time.

'Ron, what was that?'

'I dunno'

Kim and Ron dressed up and went out. The lobby was jam-packed with people some were panicking and some were discussing. The hallways were filled with people coming out from their cabins. Some of the crew and guests went up the deck. The couple followed them.

'What's happening?!', she asked

'The boat has hit some kind of barrier and cannot bypass it', one of the guests answered.

Kim and Ron went to the side of the boat and became terrified at the sight. Three red circles made of what seems to be solid light were there. One was where the boat was and the other two were at its side. The one with the boat was with no doubt the largest amongst the three and the other two seemed to be smaller but with the same size.

'What are those', Kim asked the captain.

'I have no idea, but whatever it is the boat can't seem to get through it'

'Have you radioed someone?' she continued.

'Yes, but can't seem to reach the main port, those things might be interfering with the signal or something'

'How did this happen?' Ron asked.

The captain began to speak. 'I was in the controls you see, you know driving and such. It was around 9 when we first saw these things. They appeared to be lights, so we ignored them. I thought they were simply Auroras. At 11 the ship bumped at these lights, we went outside to investigate except for some who balanced the ship. We saw the three circles and were quite amazed. Some of the late night guest in the dance room panicked. This, of course, acted as the catalyst for the entire ship to wake up. I have already sent some of the officers down at the lobby and they're calming the passengers as we speak. I have already balanced the boat but we must keep ourselves away from the circle's edge, another bump like that might cause the boat to sink. As of now we are stuck here in the center.'

'How wide do you think the circle is', Ron asked

'5000 to 6000 feet in diameter for the big one and 2000-3000 for the small ones', the captain replied

'I'll go down to see how are the guests, would you like to come?'

'No thanks were fine here. We'll just hang in here a little later', Ron told the captain

Kim looked at the captain as he went down heading to the lobby.

'This is unusual…Ron', she then turned to her husband.

'I know that Kim…those are not your everyday auroras'

'I wonder who is responsible for this'

'It can't be some we know. I mean come on Kim. Do you really think that Drakken, Shego, Duff, Dementor or our other enemies would do this? After what happened three years ago?'

'You got a point there, but who can create these light walls. Our former enemies are the ones I know that can do that'

'It can't be. Drakken and Dementor is at Global Justice, Duff is now at the weapon control system of Canada. And it can't be team go's foe since Shego became a part of the team again… I'd bet they won't do anything hasty with the Team Go back on the scene.'

'True… ah… but who wants to do this'

'That I don't know'

Kim and Ron were now the only ones in the deck, most of the people were below discussing. The couples are now thinking of ways to get off the circle. Kim looked up as though looking for signs. She saw a beautiful night sky; the moon was blocked by clouds. Moments later the clouds parted and Kim saw a bright shining quarter moon which distracted her thoughts from their problem.

'Kim', Ron interrupted her view 'look at the edge of the circle, there's something wrong'

Kim looked at the edge. There was really something missing, there was a gap.

'Ron…that could be the way out' she said happily.

But as Kim said this, the gap was once again filled with light. 'What?!', she muttered. Kim looked again at the sky and the moon was once again covered with clouds. Then an idea came to her 'could it be possible', she thought. Persistent she waited for the clouds to pass. Minutes later and the moon was visible again its moonlight one again shone to the circle at the Mediterranean. Kim returned her eyes fixed on the circle, there was another gap.

'Ron, look at that'

Ron looked at the circle. Both of them were amazed on what they saw the circle seems to go on and off depending whether the moonlight hit them.

'Ron, do you think?'

'Yeah', he finished her sentence 'I think… but we must assure it first'

'We'd better take the speedboat then', she said as they rushed to the captain's office.

Kim and Ron began explaining things. The captain who badly wants to get off the circles agreed. They took the speedboat and raced through the circles edge. They waited patiently for the clouds to pass. Moments later, the wind finally came to their favor and removed the clouds from the sky. Kim reached out her hand and Ron forwarded the boat, just in time too, the moon became blocked again. Kim tried to reach out her hand but this time it didn't pass through the red light. Kim and Ron again waited for the clouds to part and headed back to the ship. The two headed directly to the captain.

'So what happened?', the captain asked out of curiosity.

'The lights can really be turned off', Ron said

'Okay, what do we need to do?'

'We need moonlight, something to produce or amplify it', Kim replied.

'Moonlight?' The captain gave a puzzled look. 'We can't produce that but we can amplify it'

'So were good'

'No' the captain told Kim 'to amplify it we must use huge amount of energy. This ship can only last online for 3 minutes then we must wait for the next sunrise'

'How close can you bring this boat to the circle's edge?'

'30 feet'

'30 feet? That's near enough for us. Captain tell the people not to use any energy we'll need it and bring this ship close to those lights'

Moments later, the captain was on the microphone:

"To all passengers, we have figured a way to get us out of these circles, please stay calm and return to your cabins. The main power will be cut off for all cabins and will be operational again at 7 or 9 in later this morning. Turbulences will be common, so please stay calm inside your cabins, and do not attempt to open any appliances… thank you…this is Captain Marlin"

The plan was set and the captain drove the ship 30 feet close to the edge. Kim and Ron waited for the clouds to pass. Ron opened the shaft at the mirrors took up moonlight. Kim was at her post and opened the boat's side lights. The moon's rays was, as planned, absorbed and amplified. The energy consumption was however beyond the theoretical consumption, the ship didn't move. Kim and Ron hurried to the ships back, took the speedboats and tied a rope between the two boats and the ship. Then slowly very slowly the ship moved. The captain was worried 'the remaining time was only 2 minutes' out of panic he shouted 'We'll never make it'. 'No we will', Kim and Ron shouted back/ One minute left, Kim and Ron now driving with all their might half-of them in confidence, the other in doubt. 30 seconds the ship was almost out. The captain was looking at the ship's situation it's gonna make it, he thought of happily. Ten…nine…eight…seven but the power was cut off a curious crew member opened some lights. The end part of the ship was torn. The impact was so much that ship almost tumbled if the crew members hadn't been so quick. The enormous force from the red lights in the circle was enough to cut pure metal off the ship's end. Kim and Ron panicked and hurried off to the ship's back. True enough the end part was cut-off but the damage seems to be not that severe. 'YOU IDIOT, the captain yelled with a voice so high that Ron could have sworn a window developed a crack. 'DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DONE?!?!?!?!'….'WE LOST HALF OF THE SOLAR CELLS YOU DOLT!'…'WHY DID YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE LIGHTS?!'…'YOU MORON!'…'NOW HOW ARE WE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH POWER ON SUNRISE?!'

Kim and Ron took some time outside before returning to the ship, they fear that about the captain's temper.

'What was that all about?', Kim asked the captain as they arrive back on the ship

'Sorry 'bout that apparently one of my crew members got a little curious and opened the lights'

'What time is it?' Ron asked as he took a towel.

'Bout 3 or 3:30 we'll gonna have sunrise in a couple of hours or so'

'How long would it take for the ship to be back on full power?'

'With half of the solar cells, I'm gonna say 4 to 5 hours before this thing starts to move…If my calculation are correct we're gonna dock at Italy in about 12 or 1 in the afternoon. I suggest you to get back to your cabins. You two deserve a rest. Some of the guests here are quite unsatisfied….Oh….I don't want to hear what the company's gonna say to this event'

'The part that was torn off does it really contains only solar cells or does it contain something more?'

'Just the solar cells and nothing more'

'Well, Sir Kim and I we'll be going to the food court for breakfast. We can't rest just yet after what has happened'

'Suit yourself… I'll be in my office if you need me I'm gonna get myself a nap, I'll be awake at around 5 or 6 to power up the ship'

Kim and Ron went to the food court. Most of the people were at their cabins. There were a few people there, they we're discussing the recent events that took place. The two found themselves a table near the Bueno Nacho chain. Bueno Nacho seemed to be still serving hot foods; they were one of the shops that had a back-up gas stove. Kim got to the counter and ordered a grande chicken chimuritto while Ron ordered 2 platters of Nachos and a Grande size Taco. Both of them settled for soft drink in cans.

'This is surprising', Kim told Ron

'Huh...What oh yeah I can't believe that the ship…'

'Not that… I'm surprised that you ordered Tacos and Nachos rather than a Naco'

'Oh, just remembering the good old days when I first invented the stuff… Yah know when we had our first job'

'You mean the one with the cheese building?'

'The same…by the way do you want some I ordered two platters'

'Yeah… a little cheese and beef would be nice after what happened earlier' she said as Ron handed her his second platter.

Kim and Ron went up the deck. There was a beautiful sunshine, next to the three red circles. They were about only a hundred feet away from it. Kim then told Ron.

'I wish we will only have a simple life'

'same here, Kim, same here'

It was five and everything went online, but the ship still didn't move. Kim and Ron went back to their cabin where they started to pack because they know they will soon arrive at Italy. It was lunch time, and the visitor began going to the restaurants. There were a lot people chatting about what happened and how are they going to tell it to the manager.

Moments later, the ship docked at Italy. The personnel started to hear the almost infinite tantrums coming from the guests. An employee went towards Kim and Ron and handed them a letter.

"Dear Stoppables

We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for the safe return of our crew, Please stay in Italian Groove for a while; a cab will arrive shortly. You may give us a call anytime you'd want to cancel your trip and we'll guarantee that half of the price of payment made will be refunded. You may stay up to two days in the hotel, please inform us of your choice. You may also change the location of your trip. Again, thank you for your assistance, have a happy day.

Marilee Andante

Italian Groove Administrator and Cruise manager"

'Well at least they didn't forget us', Kim said upon reading the letter.

Moments later a cab arrived and picked them up. And latter arrived at the Italian Grove – Italy's finest hotel.