Circumnavigation 99: Revelation

[C James]

So, after pausing my read at chapter 77, I caught up to chapter 98 a few days ago. My only regret is that I didn't wait a few extra days for my catch up.

 

CJ, your writing is spectacular and I really enjoyed my 20+ chapter read, I've said it before, I'll say it again, your stories are great, but they are even better in "book" form.

 

Specifically, this chapter was the chapter I was looking to read and was unable to get drip tortured in week to week dribbles to get to. In fact, despite guessing, even back at chapter 77 that either the Mrs. Fowler or Mrs. Blake was mommy and that the 17th was merely a statute of limitations issue, I had NOT guessed that the Ares was rechristened. I can see now that you laid out may a hint over the course of your writing that Ares was in fact the Kook, I mean, how else did mommy get to Oz. Sigh, hindsight. I'll need to re-read the story after the book is locked down but I will say, I'll endure the week to week dribble torture till then, I just don't have the restraint to pull off another multi-month (I hope) break from reading this amazing story.

 

Thank you for all your hard work!!

 

Thanks!

Hiding what Ares had become wasn't easy. I could not have done it without expert advice from RedA, who is an expert on boats. I picked the Lagoon 55 for Atlantis and Ares so that this could occur; I couldn't find any other big catamaran series where the change between models was almost entirely confined to the bows, as it is for the 55s to the 57's/. I then had to be certain that the change could be made.

 

I chose catamarans over monohulls, because Trevor needed a catamaran's abilities and hull form to survie the Indian Ocean. You couldn't jury rig a monohull that way and make those kinds of speeds, plus he needed somewhere to hide after swimming back to Atlantis after the pirates tried to make him one with the sea.

 

Only one thing comes to mind:

 

Whao ....

 

What a story!

 

I look forward to read more.

 

Thanks!!

 

The next chapter should post on schedule (unless I get knocked off the internet for two days again, like I was last week due to an internet outage).

 

Gosh! What a chapter - almost all the loose ends tied up. Of course, Basingstoke still wants to kill Trevor and still has a bug on board the Kookaburra, but those are just minor details...

 

Just one quick question - Shane was offered a job on the farm for the time after Kookaburra's gone. Where's she going to? Surely Trevor will now hang around Australia at least as long as it takes to fix Atlantis. In fact, he might even stay permanently - he can get an Australian passport via his mum. His dad can get one because of being married to Rachel. Jim can get one by dint of his relationship with Dirk. Only Lisa and Joel would be left in Florida and they've got each other. Even if Trevor does go back to the US, won't he go on Atlantis?

 

Where is Kookoburra going? As Rachel said, she's not hers to sell. Will Trevor wait for Atlanits? I can't say, but I think we all know how he feels about Atlantis.

 

I think what Rachael offered Shane was an option, he still has a place to call home if he wants it. I think she could see the love Shane has for Trevor just from the way he was taking care of him during this meeting.

 

Martin has seen them together enough to see that they've formed a bond and has probably mentioned it to Rachael.

 

I think Shane will go where Trevor goes. He's already made that commitment.

 

Yep!! Rachel was letting Shane know that he had an option, and wasn't going to just toss him out even if he wasn't going. And Shane had indeed already commited to Trevor, but now he's also letting Rachel know that he's going with Trevor.

 

 

The original plan was to borrow Kookaburra and use it instead of Atlantis to look for Ares. Trevor no longer needs to search for Ares.

 

I'm thinking that if Trevor is to complete his circumnavigation, he'll complete it on Atlantis, the boat he started out on.

 

As far as Trev is concerned, he may own Kookaburra/Ares, but he considers it his mothers boat.

 

Trev may stay in Australia for a while, but at some point he may need to return to Florida to take care of some things. He does after all own and operate a business. Atlantis won't be ready until April. But then again, he could always fly back.

 

Ah, but we don't know for sure that Trevor no longer will be searching for Ares... it's just that now his search is vastly easier, and far more localized.

You sure tied up a lot of loose ends with chapter 99. I'm not ready to let this story end, just so you know.

Thanks for the good read.

Terry

 

Thanks!!!

The story does have a few more chapters left.

CJ: This chapter was well worth waiting for weeks and weeks of cliffhangers and Shark's Bay meanderings. While many issues are now out in the open, not all is well understood. I feel like I just received a short course in tax and federal law.

 

And who knew that Trevor was being so closely watched and protected by family members. I can imagine all the whispered talking going on behind his back. Those sneaky and loving Aussies.

 

And as others have pointed out, there's still Bridget, George and Blasingstokes. Now it will be fun to see the various spools unravel.

 

Like "flashpoint 2008". I too look forward to a point when I can re-read the story right through - probably all night and a day.

 

As Trevor said a while back, he loves being in Australia, because the locals have treated him like family.

Researching the law took a lot of doing. MartyS pointed out a goof I'd made which allowed me to fill one glaring hole; originally, I was unaware that when you go on the run for any offence, it stops the clock on the statute of limitations for all offences, even unrelated ones. That's why there had to be the agreement for Dirk and Jim that was signed a few weeks back.

 

But, um, cliffhangers? What cliffhangers? There are no cliffhangers in Circumnavigation! (Low flyer told me that I don't say that often enough in the forum, a shortcoming I ain to correct!!).

 

Wow, I am just so....I dont know how to describe the feeling. One part of me is so happy that this chapter is finally here, because I get to gloat over my much earlier guess that Rachel was still alive however I did get the deal about the documents actually being on Atlantis but oh well, you cant win them all. The other part of me sees this as being so very close to the big finish and I have gotten so used over the last 2 years to getting regular new chapters that I dont know what I will do when it finally does end. I know there is a lot left to happen but still, you cant help but feel it coming. And by the way, did I mention that we are in the presence of the master? I have cursed each cliff hanger but then actually that is every chapter so I guess I have cursed a lot, but I would not change a thing so far. I do hope, some really good and explosive back fire happens with the drugs when Joel and LIsa fly out. Maybe Basingstoke will grow a consience at least for this one time or maybe a quirky lightening strike will just knock that tracking device out after they sail from Perth. I am so looking forward to the next chapter but at the same time dont want it to come too fast and have the story end that much sooner. Thanks for this. Maybe someday some intelegent movie director will see this and make a great movie out of it. There is not enough sex to make that a problem and any thing else is just really hinted at. Anyway, thanks again.

 

Thanks!!!

After Circumnavigation wraps, there should be a new story by me underway. It might be a few weeks after the end of Circumnavigation (I have another novel for GA's premium section I need to get finished up first) but it won't be long after.

 

I'll miss Circumnavigation too; it's been a huge part of my life for these last two years.

 

And, um, cliffhangers? But but but... I never, ever use cliffhangers....

[C James]

...............Trevor's long search for the Ares is finally over, now he needs to find the secret compartment aboard the Ares to nail Bridget for Gonzales. The phone calls to Joel and Lisa are going to be another shock in Florida, hopefully the pair won't be in Bridget's guest house when Trevor calls. If Bridget gets hears that Rachel is alive her plans are foiled against Dirk, and if Sanchez gets word, what will he think? George already seems to making plans of his own, who is he meeting out at sea? I wonder if Sanchez will call off the hit, can he save face for doing so? Or will he his pride prevent him from doing that. Has George already planted the coke on Joel and Lisa and will Joel notice the extra pound in each suitcase or will Henry search it for them? I think Trevor's book written with Shane will be a bestseller and make the boys rich. Too much left in this story for it to end abruptly, after all we still need to see Trevor and Shane ride into the sunrise.

 

Benji, do you remember FTL, and the hero riding off into the sunset?

 

So, hrmm, well, if Trevor calls Lisa and Joel to tell them the news, and Bridget gets wind of it (that Ares is still afloat, and is Kookoburra,) things could get... intertesting.

 

Trouble is it's not the kinda movie you could shoot on handheld videocams for a few hundred grand. You'd be talking mega money to do the story justice AND we haven't yet got to the special effects budget needed for all the blood and gore when Mr B moves in for the kill

 

Blood and gore? But but but... nothing bad ever happens in one of my stories.

 

And special effects? It could be shot without them, it'd just be a bit risky. Just get a Lagoon 55 and head on out, cameras rolling, to circumnavigate. For the storm scenes in the southern ocean, just go there, you'll find one.

 

What a great chapter like many of the other chapters in this story.Somehow i think no matter what Bridget will survive and George will take the fall for her. If trev's mum said when the kookburra is gone Shane could have a job at the farm, does that mean Bridget will get Ares back and call off on the contract to kill Trevor?

 

That is a very good point; if Bridget got what she wanted off Ares, she'd no longer have a reason to want Trevor, Lisa, and Joel dead.

Sanchez, on the other hand, whould be a bit different; he would lose face if the contract isn't fulfilled.

You know I think we can quickly wrap it all up in the next chapter. None of the good guys have to die CJ. It's really not necessary. Please!

 

There is one way I could wrap it up in one chapter... the only way I can think of, actually.... It's jump to next christmass, showing Bridget, George, and Sanchez, raising a toast to the mantlepeice, on which resides the mumified severed heads of Shane, Joel,, Lisa, and Trevor. They'd be shipped east, thus completing the circumnavigation. ../..//public/style_emoticons/default/innocent.gif

Now the good question is will Bridget make the mistake by attacking Joel n Lisa ... the wheels are turning ... Trevor is being hunted ... and Bridget can not stop it ... and if the world says Bridget if any thing happens to Trevor ... you and George better run.

 

Its seems that CJames let too much out of the bag ... so it seems the story will not be having prolong ... twists and turns into another book lol.

Ok, only gonzalez and trevor n shane know ... but soon enough Lisa n Joel when or if they get there ... but by then everyone will be running and someone will be hunting and killing ... drama we will be exposed to ... the wall of the eye of the storm approaches ... the calm is over.

 

Will Trevor, Shane, Mama will live? Will the bad guys get whats coming? Will CJames keep all the good guys alive or allow acceptable losses?

It does show ... Dirk n Rachel will not be together ... their own divorce has been set ... no talk of Dirk BI being talk with Trev

 

I couldn't split it into book one and book 2 (and it's way too late now). So, it'll be one book.

 

Hrmmm, Trevor isn't worried too much about being hunted; he doesn't know about Basingstoke, so he's not worried.

 

I agree on the fact that there are way too many things left to happen to end it in the next chapter. After all the goat told us it is called Circumnavigation not halfnavigation. However, you could sort call the fact that Trev and his mother are together as coming home so to speak. Also I dont think that the Austrailian govt would be able to seize Ares/Kookabur but they may fine Rachel for the illegal registration. If I remember correctly, the boat is owned by Trevor just like Atlantis. Seems to me since they were very carefull not to break any hardcore laws about the insurance and death, the boat ownership has not changed. I could easily see a major fine but not sure seizure would be appropriate. I am closing my closet door now for a while.

 

It is indeed called Circumnavigation, so IMHO, there has to be a circumnavigation. But... it could be completed in many ways. One way is if Basingstoke takes Trevor's head and ships it back to Sanchez in the Bahamas; that'd complete the circumnavigation.

 

Yes, there are more chapters to come.

 

True, there are. But, I also promised to keep this story under 100 chapters, and I will!

The next chapter should be posting on time, BTW.

Well, my head is spinning from all the legal stuff plus all the twists and turns in the explanations, so I'll just have to believe everything being said is factual and leave it at that!

 

I had always figured Rachel would show up sooner or later, but I didn't realize that Greg Fowler was Trevor's uncle, I had missed that for sure. I should have guessed something like that, because he was so helpful to Trevor, probably more so than a Customs Officer would normally be. It seems Trevor had a lot more help than he ever suspected!

 

I also suspected the Kookaburra was in fact the Aries, but the difference in lengths of the boats threw me off some.

 

What a chapter!! I think the endgame may be in sight!!!

 

Good Job CJ!! And no cliffhangers...hooray!!

 

Thanks!!!!

And yep, the endgame is coming.,

 

And of course, no cliffhangers! There never are any in my stories.

 

[C James]

I'm a bit slow, but has anyone noticed Zombie's signature at the bottom of his post? Ironical, isn't it CJ

 

Thank you so very much for the chapter CJ. One thing about you that I really appreciate is the fact that you did promise that many of the answers were in the prologue, and you delivered. Even though you are not complete, you should take small bow for how you managed to cram 98 chapters in between and still maintain the story from the prologue.

 

I'm not sure, will have to go back, but I do believe I was onboard of Nate rebuilding the Ares into a '57 when Rachel brought it to Australia back when the Kook was first introduced, but I may be wrong. I'm sure we all are now looking back and saying 'I called that one'

 

Could it be that Sanchez somehow learns about what the list is and maybe he calls off the hit, and then invites George and Bridget for a party much like his last one? Would be a neat and tidy way to wrap the story up

 

Just guessing

 

Thanks!! The plot hasn't changed in any significant way since the story began posting, but I never, ever thoguht it could end up being this many chapters! At one point, after thrice adjusting my esimated number of chapters upwards, I told Graeme, "If I go over 75 chapters, just shoot me!" Fortunatly for me, he hasn't - yet.

 

Now, as for the undead one's siggy, it's just a coincidence, because I really am innocent!!! ../..//public/style_emoticons/default/innocent.gif

 

A short time ago I chanced upon a review of Chapter 99 posted by a reader. I personally believe it addresses something that so far none here in the Forum has voiced an opinion on. I think it should be brought to the attention of all posters and readers of the Forum. It expresses my feelings on this subject, far better than I could.

 

Quoted from the Chapter 99 Reviews. Original quote was posted by, “FALLING INTO THE STORY, on Wednesday November 9^th, 2011.

 

 

 

So the revelation of Trevor's mother leaves me feeling conflicted. Allowing a young boy to think that his mother was dead for 10 years - the grief, the lies, the loss of a parent in a child's formative years - seems to have been an enormous price to pay. And that price was paid primarily by an innocent young boy. In effect, his parents are tax evadors, who yes were swindled by Bridget, but nevertheless seemed to have loved material things more than they loved their own son. Right now they're not ranking too high on my list of favourite human beings.

Thanks for bringing up that comment! I was hoping that someone would.

 

As Dirk himself said in 99; "Frank is wrong in that regard; there is one victim in all this, and that’s my son."

 

And, the title of the chapter is Revelation. Kind of ties in to the biblical quote that was at the end of the last chapter;

 

“The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead.

And all were judged according to their deeds.”

Revelation 20:13, New Living Translation.

 

I'm not trying to give hints here, only pointing to stuff in posted chapters, plus mentioning that Dirk is well aware of what they did to Trevor. As he said several times throughout this story, "When he finds out, he'll hate me, and he'll have every right."

One of my favourite films, Marty, is a low budget movie called "Running On Empty" with River Phoenix playing the son of a couple on the run from the US authorities. If you've not seen it you should. I like to think that in real life (not as we've seen from The Goat's evil mind ) that's what Dirk and Rachel would have done with Trev.

 

I remember that movie! It was a very good one. Here's a link to it at IMDB for anyone wondering about it.

 

I'll also mention that the only reason the Pope family could survive on the run in that movie was due to help from a network of like-minded people, which Dirk and Rachel would not have had.

 

BTW, it's a day early, but I'll mention that the next chapter title is "Death & Taxes".

Edited November 10, 2011 by TalonRider

[C James]

As others have already commented, incredible to see so many threads woven back together from the Prolog onward, but also still more threads still to weave -- thank goodness as I like so many others am thinking about what happens to our weekly plans when "The End" appears.

 

The one thing I will say in disbelief is that Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Trev's grandparents) really did name a daughter Rachel Shelly Smith. Shame on them! They could honor the grandmother with a mass, or a plaque, or even a building, but saddling a kid with a name like that is cruel.

 

PS: Thanks for not leaving us in suspense of what Rachel would think about Trev and Shane's relationship!

 

Lol, that is indeed a cruel thing to do to a kid, but I've seen far worse. Just ask Moon-unit Zappa or Dweezil Zappa, for two that come right to mind (the kids of musician Frank Zappa).

 

[TalonRider]

You can also check out the Bad Names list here.

[Low Flyer]

But, um, cliffhangers? What cliffhangers? There are no cliffhangers in Circumnavigation! (Low flyer told me that I don't say that often enough in the forum, a shortcoming I ain to correct!!).

 

Erm, can I just point out that that remark has been taken grossly out of context...

[TalonRider]

CJ is good at taking what we say and twisting it to fit his needs.

[Zombie]

But he hasn't claimed to be "innocent" recently (heheheh )

[C James]

Erm, can I just point out that that remark has been taken grossly out of context...

 

But... you DID say that I don't say it often enough, and should say it more.... And I agree with you!!

 

CJ is good at taking what we say and twisting it to fit his needs.

 

Who? Me?

But he hasn't claimed to be "innocent" recently (heheheh )

 

But... I am innocent!!

[Albert1434]

Here again another great chapter! Wow, I love how you write and this is a wonderful and great scene Trev  and his mom. I cant wait to read more!