Chapter 7: Turning Tides

Luca makes a dangerous discovery about what might have happened to Alberto, who at the aquarium is getting closer every day to finally get back home.

Pa-chink! Pa-chink!

Luca lowered the stapler. That was the last of this batch of posters. He had scrawled out less detailed ones to replace the ones that were getting tattered. It had become routine; he would go around town, either asking people questions or putting up fresh posters, and Guilia would stay at home waiting by the phone. She preferred it to be the other way around, considering the fact the townspeople were quite wary of Luca at the moment, but he refused to be passive.

While Luca liked Guilia's mother, realizing she was the one calling just to check up on them put quite a dent in his optimism. He didn't want to be disappointed by another false alarm, even when a few days had passed.

The sounds of Portorosso had dimmed quite some time ago, Luca now hearing only the gentle pull of the coast. He was in a less traveled part of town. The brick road was cracked and uneven with weeds growing up. Only the most committed of hikers came this far. But Luca didn't believe he could over dedicate himself to find his best friend.

He glanced over at the sunset. It was the perfect sort of evening to settle down on the beach and watch the stars come out. He wondered if Alberto had the same view, wherever he was. He closed his eyes. For a second, he could have believed Alberto was next to him. It was the end of another day building their Vespa, and they were relaxing on the shore, enjoying the sand in their toes and the light breeze in their hair, counting the fish in the sky as they revealed themselves one by one…

Those days felt like a lifetime ago. Luca watched the sun until it dipped under the sea. With the dying light came a wind that sent goosebumps up his skin. He tucked his hands under his armpits. The sensation of being cold was quite foreign to him. Soon would be his first winter on the surface. Guilia had told him stories of snow, though it didn't always snow in Portorosso, at least not as much as it did in the big city of Genova. Luca hoped that if the fluffy white flakes he'd only seen in picture books ever did fall, he would be able to experience it with Alberto.

"You have to come back before then," Luca said to the horizon, without really knowing he was talking aloud. "Please come back."

Only the waves answered his quiet plea. Luca stood shivering on the side of the broken road. The sky was darkening. Nothing motivated him to head back to the Pescheria, not even the thought of the warm walls blocking out the wind. But Guilia and Massimo would be waiting, and he didn't want to unnecessarily add to their worries. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to turn his back on the sea.

"Luca?"

The call was unmistakable. Luca froze, straining his ears.

"Luca!"

He knew that voice. Luca whirled around, seeing his mother hurrying up a beaten part of the beach with his father not far behind. The last time he had seen them, he swam out of the water den in anger because they wanted him to give up looking for Alberto. Now, emotion welled in Luca at their presence and he met them halfway, throwing himself into Daniela's arms.

"Luca– oh, Luca!" Daniela kissed his head probably ten times. She then pulled him at arm's length, studying him up and down and poking and prodding him in rapid succession. "Where have you been! We've been worried sick looking for you!"

Vaguely, Luca found this to be confusing. Surely she knew where he was this whole time? "I'm fine, mom," he mumbled. "I was staying with Guilia and Segnor Marcovaldo."

"Massimo?" Daniela repeated abruptly. A growl rose in her throat. "Massimo."

Luca watched her warily. "Mom?"

Daniela didn't appear to have heard him. "After all this time– that sneaking, good for nothing–"

"Mom," Luca's guard was coming up. "Why are you upset with Segnor Marcovaldo?"

Lorenzo touched Daniela's hand to get her attention. Daniela flinched and looked sharply at her husband. Lorenzo sent a pointed look in their son's direction, and Daniela took a deep breath. "Nevermind– it's grown up stuff. Luca, what are you doing way out here at this time of night? Have I taught you nothing about the dangers of being alone, on the surface no less?"

"Mom, I'm okay," Luca interjected, not appreciating the way she emphasized 'the surface.' In an effort to win their favor, he pointed out the wooden post by the worn road. "And I was out here putting up posters– come on, I'll show you!"

He hurried back to the poster where he waited for his parents to catch up. Daniela and Lorenzo followed him with puzzled expressions until they saw exactly what the poster was for. Lorenzo coughed and shifted uncomfortably. Daniela just stared at it, almost uncomprehendingly.

"Guilia and I spent the last few days putting these all over town to help find Alberto," Luca said, feeling the need to explain as fast as possible. "We put Segnor Marcovaldo's phone number on them in case somebody knows something. Guilia's there waiting by the phone right now." Luca hoped to make it sound as sensible as possible to his parent's ears, to convince them it was a good idea and that he wasn't wasting his time.

A deep frown remained upon Daniela. She dropped to one knee, apparently searching for words. "Luca, I understand you've been having a tough time." She said at last. "I know you miss your friend. But it's been well over a week now, and you've discovered nothing."

Luca stared at the sand, swallowing back the lump in his throat. Daniela sighed. "Come on– you need to get some rest."

When he didn't move, Daniela put her hand on his cheek. "Hey… look me in the eyes. You know I'm only doing what's best for you." She tried getting him to look at her to no avail. Gently she said, "I just don't want you to get your hopes up."

The hand was supposed to be comforting. Luca suddenly despised it. An intense fire rose in his stomach. "You don't know Alberto."

All gentleness vanished from Daniela. She got to her feet. "I know you. And I don't want you to get hurt in all this."

"Stop worrying about me, I'm fine!" Luca burst out. "You should be worried about Alberto! Why don't you care about him?"

For the first time, Luca's words seemed to have an effect on her. Daniela flinched as if she had been struck. "Wh– I do care–"

"No you don't," Luca snapped. "Otherwise you'd be helping me. Why are you so against him?" He paused, taking a deep breath. "I can't go home… not until I find Alberto. Not until I know he's safe."

"Now, Luca, try to be considerate to your mother," Lorenzo attempted, but Luca had already turned around and was walking back to town.

Daniela was amazed. Luca had never disregarded them so quickly before. Her boy, her little guppy, her good kid– she felt like she didn't even know him anymore. The very idea overwhelmed her.

"Don't you walk away from us!" Lorenzo shouted. "Luca! Luca, get back here at once!"

Luca didn't slow down. Daniela considered chasing him, but he could outrun them. In any case, they knew where to find him.

"That boy is going to be in some serious trouble," Lorenzo grumbled. Daniela said nothing, her thoughts going impossibly fast, yet she was strangely calm. As scary as it was how unpredictable Luca was becoming, she believed she was beginning to understand why. This new behavior on Luca was unrecognizable, but seemed very fitting on someone else.

"I don't understand." Lorenzo continued, voicing his wife's thoughts. "He's never acted like this before. What made him turn against us so quickly?"

"Lorenzo," Daniela said, almost mechanically. "What was different for Luca this summer compared to all the others?"

Lorenzo blinked, clearly not following. "Uh… he came to the surface world?"

A dark feeling was growing in Daniela. It wasn't the first time she had these thoughts. She didn't like it– or, she wasn't used to it, but she understood how necessary it was becoming. She would do whatever it took to protect her son, even if it meant turning against him. Even if it meant he would hate her for it.

She faced her husband. "He became friends with Alberto Scorfano."

Luca kicked the sand as hard as he could. The spray showered over some dozing seagulls who took off with indignant shrills. He fumed silently over his parents, feeling an anger so hot towards them it hurt. The last time he had run away from them, he had been frightened of the consequences. Now, they could threaten to send him to the deep to live with his Uncle Ugo and he wouldn't care.

Luca kicked the sand again, and losing his balance, he fell on his knees. He stayed there, dropping his head in his hands.

Within time, he became aware that he didn't recognize his surroundings. It wasn't a very wide beach, and certainly not one that was used often. The brick path wasn't far, but if one had stayed on the path, they could have easily walked on by without noticing the small bank.

Luca tipped his head up. The stars were coming out. Massimo and Guilia would start asking questions if he wasn't back soon. Getting on shaky legs, he started for the Pescheria.

Someone's voice was carrying over. Not too far away, Luca noticed a fishing vessel beside an old dock, where two people stood together. Late night fishermen. They sounded like they were having a disagreement over something. Luca intended to walk on by.

"If someone were to find out–"

"No one's going to find out."

Luca stopped walking.

"You don't know that," one of the men argued. "This could be dangerous, Flavio. I think we should leave town while we still can."

Luca dove behind a rock cluster. He hadn't been in plain sight, but he didn't want to take any chances.

The other man, Flavio, waved dismissively. "Leave? Right when we're finally starting to make a profit? Sei pazzo, Federico."

"Yes," Federico said. "Maybe I am crazy. But there's not much point in being rich if you're locked up."

Flavio snorted. "Federico- it's over. We did the transaction; it's done. No one could possibly find out about it, unless you feel like confessing. Now are you going to help me or not?"

"No," Federico replied curtly. "This town is different. Haven't you heard the locals? If I'd known about their peace with sea monsters beforehand…" He shook his head. "I'm done."

He left Flavio at the dock. Flavio grumbled, "Fine. Good riddance," to which his partner pretended not to hear.

Federico's footsteps carried him right past Luca's hiding spot. Luca barely stifled a gasp and ducked in the shadows, pressing his back against the rocks as far as possible.

Federico hesitated. Luca's heart skipped a beat. He heard him! The man looked over his shoulder and all around. If he glanced down, he would be staring directly at Luca, and it would all be over. Luca wasn't in his sea monster form, but he was sure the man wouldn't appreciate his eavesdropping on what seemed like a very serious conversation.

Shrugging, Federico continued down the path. It wasn't until the fisherman was out of sight that Luca crumpled in relief. He peered around the rock pile where Flavio prepared his boat. He started the motor and rode out in the blackening waves. Luca waited until he was a good distance out before making a break for it.

Thankfully, Federico had taken a different direction to Portorroso. They must have been staying in one of the inns on the far side. Luca ran as fast as his legs could take him, coming to a hard stop when he finally made it to the Pescheria. Gasping for air, he flung himself inside, practically giving Guilia a heart attack. Machiavelli in particular jumped to the ceiling, knocked into a pan, and darted away, causing a great clanging noise.

"I need to talk to you!" Luca exclaimed before Guilia could bombard him with questions. The girl put her hand on her chest.

"Santa Mozzarella, Luca, you've got to stop doing that." Her brows were creased with intense worry. "Luca, where have you been? And why are you acting so jumpy?"

Luca took in the empty space. "Where's your dad?"

"He went looking for you." Guilia seemed miffed that her questions were ignored. "Do you have any idea how late it is? When you didn't come back after an hour, papá assumed something bad happened to you!"

"Sorry," Luca said offhandedly. "But there's something very important I have to tell you both! I was at a small beach and there were these fisherman–"

"A small beach?" Guilia echoed.

"Yes," Luca affirmed distractedly. "The men were arguing, and I overheard some of what they said. Guilia–" he grabbed her by the shoulders, a significant expression on his face. "They said they were hunting sea monsters!"

At first, Guilia didn't react. Then her face went red. At once, she was in full interrogation mode. "Oh, no, they aren't! Did you recognize them? What were their names? Oh, we'll find them, and we'll put a stop to them and their crimes!"

"I don't think they're from around here," Luca mused, remembering the way Federico referred to the townspeople. "One of them said they were finally making a profit, but his partner thought it was getting too dangerous. His partner left and the other one went out to sea."

Guilia paced back and forth, still on a tirade with this new discovery. "Everyone should know sea monster hunting has been banned here! Who would be stupid enough to try it? I'll bet Ercole has something to do with this. No one hates sea monsters more than he does. Why doesn't this town make 'no sea monster hunting' an official law? They deserve just as many rights as we do! Oh, next time I see Ercole I'm going to…"

Guilia slowed down when she noticed Luca was unresponsive. Where he had been pulsing with energy only minutes ago, now he looked utterly defeated. Almost timidly, Guilia prompted, "Luca?"

"They were hunting sea monsters," Luca stated as if in a trance. Slowly he met Guilia's gaze. "Alberto's missing."

Luca shuddered and dropped into a chair. Understanding dawned over Guilia's features. She too sat down, hesitantly.

"That– that could mean anything," Guilia reasoned. "It could be a coincidence."

She knew it was a stretch to assume that, and by Luca's silence, he did as well. Guilia sought a positive outcome. "You said they were making a profit, right? Well– well, that's how all fishermen make money in this town, by selling their fish. They might have been talking about just selling fish…"

Luca finally looked at her. "How can you be sure?"

Guilia looked back at Luca's red-rimmed eyes. She found herself with nothing to say. For a short while, they were both quiet, lost in the many implications of the situation.

"Or," Guilia began, slowly gaining confidence as she spoke. "Maybe they did try selling Alberto." She rose in her chair, her eyes widening. "Luca– not all sea monster hunters hunt just to hunt. Sometimes, they only hunt to capture. I'm willing to bet sea monsters are worth a lot of soldi alive."

Hope sparked in Luca's chest. "You mean– Alberto could still be–"

"Yes," Guilia confirmed, and in her excitement she stood on her chair. "Yes, that has to be it! Luca, it all makes sense! Alberto didn't run away– he was captured!"

A laugh tore out of Luca's throat. He didn't find any of this to be amusing; he was just so torn between beliefs. Maybe it was a stretch. Maybe he would be clinging on to something impossible. But it was a chance, and he had to take it.

If it were the other way around, he knew in his heart Alberto wouldn't give up. So neither would Luca.

Dear Luca,

Hey there! I know, you're probably wondering why I haven't been writing to you. Sorry about that, but I've had the craziest week of my life! I'll tell you all about it when we see each other, I promise.

Basically, I was taken away from home. It's a long story, but I was able to escape, except now I don't know which way Portorosso is. Don't worry, though; I made some new friends who are helping me get enough money for a train ticket. I would try to swim back, but– that's another long story.

Anyway, I've been staying at this place called an aquarium. It's where they keep sea animals to take care of them and teach the public about them. You'd love it. Maybe when I get back, we can visit it sometime.

I've been helping the owner get more business, and in return he's going to help me get back to Portorosso. It shouldn't be long now. I've been here for a few days, and Bianca said she's never seen the aquarium so crowded! I'm sure I'll be back before you come for a visit from school. You won't even have noticed that I was gone.

More letters on the way! Ciao!

–Alberto

Alberto studied the letter until he had it memorized. Pleased with how it turned out, he stuffed the pages into an envelope. He was used to writing only one page letters, but he figured he owed Luca a more detailed explanation for his absence.

He had written a letter to Massimo the evening before. The idea to write to Massimo occurred to him the day he arrived at the aquarium, but something held him back from proceeding with it. It wasn't until Matteo found him lost in his thoughts that prompted any sort of action.

"Tutto bene?" Matteo had asked him last night. Alberto was startled, having believed he was alone. Back in the employee's only room, Bianca, Alessio, and the rest of the employees had been celebrating the revival of their business. Alberto was the honored guest, but he didn't feel much like celebrating. While he was glad to finally be on his way to get back home, there was a lot on his mind.

"Yeah," Alberto had replied, and he wiped any foreloneness off his face. "I'm just a little sore after today's performance. Figured I should rest before tomorrow!"

That wasn't an entire lie. Since Alberto's exhibit became such a hit, Alessio had come up with many new ideas for him to rouse the crowd even more. So, even when the aquarium wasn't open, Alberto was constantly leaping through hoops, balancing plastic balls on his nose, juggling with his tail, and racing through obstacle courses. It was hard work and would leave him exhausted, but he did enjoy it. Hearing the crowd's laughter and cheering always left a glow in his chest.

That evening though, Alberto really reflected on what he was missing out on. How much time had gone by? It was nearing a week since he came to the aquarium, but between the multiple trips and sleeping darts, he had no idea how many days it was since he was last in Portorosso. Would Massimo still be looking for him? Or would he have given up hope? He struggled to think about what Massimo might be feeling. He hoped the fisherman didn't think poorly of him for being gone. What if he was mad, thinking he ran away again? Worse, what if he was secretly relieved that he didn't have him as a burden anymore?

It was doubts like this that kept Alberto from writing to him.

The roguish smirk he wore then had zero traces of his inward conflict. Matteo nodded, apparently accepting his excuse. "Sì, sì. You definitely deserve a good long rest, but then who would the crowds come to see?"

The man laughed. It was clear he meant it as a joke. Alberto pretended to laugh. He didn't understand Matteo's sense of humor, but it felt like the right reaction. Matteo was always pleased when he did. This time though, Matteo saw through his mask.

Matteo elbowed Alberto lightly. "Alright, capo. What's on your mind?"

"What?" Alberto asked innocently. Matteo leaned back in his chair.

"I think you know what," he said shrewdly, and he crossed his arms comfortably across his chest. "Come on– out with it! We're amici now, remember? You can tell me anything."

Alberto held his breath. Then he exhaled. "Well, I was just thinking… I know I'll be on my way back soon, but I should probably let my friends know where I am. I wouldn't want them to worry."

Matteo broke into a grin. "Is that all? Ah, ragazzo, why didn't you say so sooner? You should write to them! Maybe even invite them to come see one of your performances! Wouldn't that be an idea?"

Alberto considered Massimo and Luca seeing his day to day life at the aquarium. For some reason it wasn't enticing. With a pang, he realized he had no problem playing 'keepy uppy' for strangers to applaud, but the thought of his friends watching him? It didn't feel right. He made a noncommittal shrug. Matteo scooted his chair a bit closer.

"Ah… feeling homesick?" Matteo guessed. He took Alberto's silence as assent and he hummed. "I see…"

A quiet fell, and then Matteo clapped his hands, startling Alberto. "Cheer up! You'll be home before you know it. You'll see. Until then–" he crossed the room to dig in a desk drawer, then returned with paper and a pencil. "–write to your family. Tell them what you've been up to." He seemed to be able to interpret Alberto's hesitance. Very sincerely, Matteo murmured, "I know that if I were your family, I would want to know that you were safe. Hmm?"

A picture of Massimo searching day and night for him came to Alberto's mind. While he struggled with whether or not Massimo was still looking, he hated the idea of being responsible for not putting him at ease. With that being enough to convince him, Alberto accepted the materials and got to work.

Massimo's letter was a lot shorter than the one he wrote later for Luca. Alberto realized for the first time how difficult it was to come up with the right words. They definitely had a hard time with communication in the past, and it was apparently no different on paper. Nonetheless, he was able to write something brief yet informative, with the promise that he would be back to Portorosso soon. He even wrote the name of the aquarium he was staying at.

Now, Alberto had both letters ready to be sent. He walked out in the aquarium yard. The past week had been nothing but sunshine, but the sky was gray that morning. It was a few hours before opening time, so he had time to spare. He figured he'd start by finding the nearest mailbox.

"Morning, dormiglione!" Matteo's voice rang out, and he was coming up to meet Alberto. "Where are you off to this early?"

Alberto was a bit surprised to see Matteo already. He didn't usually arrive at the aquarium until later in the day, trusting his employees to open up and take care of things. Matteo noticed the letters in his hand.

"Oh, you've written your letters!" He said delightedly.

"Yeah," Alberto confirmed, pushing his anxiety aside. This was a good thing! He would finally be able to reach out to Massimo and Luca on where he was. A thought came to him and he was suddenly glad he ran into Matteo now. "Actually, could you tell me what the address is here? I want my friends to be able to write back to me."

"Certainly!" Matteo exclaimed, and he offered his hand. "Let me take care of that for you. In fact, I was going to step out for a moment, so I'll just take these straight to the mailbox."

He winked. Alberto appreciated it, but he didn't think he would be able to relax unless he saw it done personally. "Thanks, but I kind of wanted to do it myself." Realizing he might have offended Mattoe, he added, "If that's okay."

Matteo waved a hand. "Of course! Though, it's a bit of a trip to the nearest mailbox. I'm afraid you won't be back in time for the aquarium to open, and it'd be best to send it out now so it gets to your friends sooner."

He spoke apologetically, knowing how much this meant to Alberto. Alberto was disappointed, but he figured that in the end, it didn't matter who sent the letters so long as they were on the way. "You promise these will be sent directly to Luca and Massimo?" He asked anyway, not enjoying being parted from them.

"From the bottom of my heart," Matteo affirmed, and gave a chuckle. "I might even send a letter to Massimo! We can catch up on old times."

Very reluctantly, Alberto gave the letters to Matteo. Matteo handled them gently and he smiled. "Don't worry," he said encouragingly. "I'll take good care of them. You'll get letters back from your family and friends in no time."

Alberto tried mirroring the man's smile. It felt more like a grimace. Cheerfully, Matteo ruffled Alberto's hair. "Now, go on! Enjoy your free time before opening!"

The smile becoming more genuine, Alberto turned and headed back to the aquarium. Matteo was right; he had nothing to worry about. Sure, the aquarium owner's humor was a bit odd sometimes, and his behavior wasn't all that pleasant when he and Alberto had first met, but ever since Alberto started working for him, Matteo had been nothing but kind. And he used to be friends with Massimo! Alberto felt like he had a good connection with him, not quite like what he had with Massimo, but it was definitely a start. His steps feeling a bit lighter, he ran to enjoy himself looking at the fish exhibits.

Back at the entrance, Matteo's grin went flat. He read the addresses on the envelopes. He opened them and read the letters. He stood there, chewing on his lip. Then, glancing all around the empty yard, he stuffed the letters in his pocket and locked himself in his private office.

A/N: :O *gasp* O_O

At least, I hope those were your reactions! Why is Matteo acting suspiciously? He better not have something up his sleeve! And what is Daniela planning for Luca? Not to mention, Ercole is still rallying the townspeople to go against the sea monsters... there's so many subplots I don't even know what's happening!

Hope you enjoyed! Also, completely unrelated side note: I love getting reviews :D