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Chatting with Zane

Joining the news team? Why would that have interested Lance? If it was not Zane trying to get him to join the film club and Abby trying to get him to join the news team then what else should he have expected?

Sighing, Lance looked out to sea, his imagination running free. As much as he wished that he might see a sea monster like the one the crew of the HMS Daedalus had spotted back in 1848, the fact was there was little chance of that. No chance of seeing a sea monster, no chance of seeing a ghost ship… There just was not anything to see. Even that monster of Dolphin City Bay had proved to be nothing more than a hoax… But what about the moment of the Dolphin City Triangle? What about the cases involving balls of water? Surely there had to be something to see… Unless it just did not happen on command… When did such things ever happen on command?

"Hey, Lance!" Rolling his eyes, Lance turned to see Zane coming up behind him. What did he want?

"Hey, Zane." Lance replied, more dully than he would have with anyone else. "Have you come to try and convince me to join the film club?"

"Well, yeah, but I thought I'd see you with Rikki." Zane answered. "Where is she anyway?"

"She said she had an interview and that she'd say what the job was if she got it." Lance looked once more out to sea and immediately images of Captain Nemo's submarine the Nautilus filled his head. Thus, did he turn to Zane and ask: "So, if I were to join this film club, would I have a right to suggest movies we could watch and discuss?"

"Of course, I have been suggesting the old version of 'Frankenstein', you know the one from the thirties, but no one wants to watch or discuss it."

Lance did not blame the rest of the club for not wanting to watch James Whale's adaptation of "Frankenstein." He hated that movie and the way it butchered the Mary Shelley novel. He would not want to watch that movie, he would not even want to discuss it.

"Have you invited Rikki?" asked Lance.

"No, I mean we saw a movie together once, but that isn't really a reason to invite someone to film club." Zane replied. "I didn't even ask Miriam when me and her were dating."

Lance was flabbergasted. Wide-eyed, he stared at Zane with his mouth hanging open. Finally finding his voice, he incredulously inquired: "You and Miriam? Why were you and her dating? Did you have an extra-long fever or something?"

More than a little offended, Zane asked: "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't imagine someone actually wanting to be romantically involved with her unless there was something wrong with them!" Lance exclaimed, running a hand through his hair once he was finished.

"She isn't that bad." Zane said assuredly.

Lance was not entirely assured, but she at least seemed to have some good in her, at least according to Cynthia. He just wished there was a little bit more in her than there was… Well, what seemed like her basic nature to Lance.

Of course, he barely knew her, so what did he know?

Shaking his head, Lance uttered: "Yeah, sure… So, what happened between the two of you?"

"I started to show interest in Rikki, she started showing interest in Byron, we just lost interest in each other that way."

Lance had one or two comments, but he kept them to himself. Still, he did find something to say, thus, did he ask: "Have you considered giving it another try with Miriam?"

"Once for a second." Zane answered. "Why? You interested in Rikki?"

With a shrug, Lance said: "I am not sure, maybe. Do you think of me as a rival for saying that?"

"I would think of you as a rival if you had given a better answer than 'maybe.'" Zane answered. "So, what movie would you suggest for the film club to watch and discuss, Lance?"

"I do not know. Maybe '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', you know, the one with James Mason from the fifties, and the version of 'Mysterious Island' from the sixties.'"

"Are they good?" Zane asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah, they are. I particularly like Harryhausen's work with the with creatures in 'Mysterious Island.' The giant ammonite is cool." Thinking for a moment, Lance asked: "Zane, has the film club ever tried making a movie?"

"We passed around some ideas, but no one has been in agreement." Zane answered.

"If I were to write something, would you have my back?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Could I direct?"

"Its your movie, Lance."

"Could I star?"

Zane burst out laughing. "With your eyes? Are you kidding?"

And with that, Lance walked off. He had had quite enough of Zane for the moment.