Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 66. Trying to Make Sense

Trying to Make Sense

We spent what was left of the morning and most of the afternoon searching the black hull. It wasn't a deep dive. We were just a few feet underwater. If it was more you had to consider the pressure of the air in your lungs. An inflated balloon lowered in the water would seem to lose air. It didn't. The pressure around the balloon makes it shrink. Go back to the surface and it will return to what it was.

The opposite was true about filling that balloon up to what looks full underwater. Rise up and the balloon will pop as the air expands. Your lungs are the balloons here...oh, never mind. No lectures. We weren't that deep. There were these devices...what looks like a floating tire with a hose sticking straight up. There was a long tube with the other end in your mouth and technically you could remain indefinitely. That was possible until your body got so waterlogged you had to go to the surface. Dehydration was a problem. Surrounded by water and yet you have an adverse reaction because you lose water!? Yep. Remember how wrinkled your fingers after a while? That’s a sign of you losing water. I liked the idea of doing that, but I had to see more about it first. You were still restricted by air. You have an unlimited supply but only as far as the tube will let you. I could see dangers in that tube getting tangled or blocked. No underwater cave diving. I did that as often I would river dive. Remember what I said about that? (Yes, sarcasm again. I’m not sorry.) I didn’t do it.

Yuri was in sight and seemed to be doing fine. He watched the close behaviors of the agents with each other, the crew of the Duchess, Peter and me. Even the casual regard they gave Boris. Doing that with Yuri would take more time. It took a few months to get comfortable with me and even Peter.

That was Peter's problem, too. Yuri didn't push for a close relationship with Peter and Peter didn't expect one.

What Yuri only told me a little of...I knew he was a complicated man. The truth told we all are complex. Again, the love that dare not speak its name played a huge role in Yuri's life. The psychological pressures are so intense and at that critical time in Yuri's life. There was often there in many other lives, but no doubt that Yuri believed what he saw was exactly what happened. I considered this man's look and character was enhanced by the number of years that passed. The unknown man reached levels of a martyr in Yuri's young mind. No one could convince Yuri it wasn't true. I could see a different man there. He could have just been a horny guy that smiled at the approach of a handsome young man, hardly more than a boy. What Yuri saw could have been a man who knew he would "get some" that night. That really was way less important than what Yuri witnessed there. He watched a man get killed and it wasn't an accident. That was an event that shaped who Yuri would become.

The second one he spoke of Yuri was a young man. For two years he pined for love from Daiki, his older partner with the police who sacrificed himself to save Yuri.

Yuri also said those two events were what he thought of the most, but said there were others.

What was I just looking at? I jerked my attention back on what I was supposed to be doing.

That’s the other problem. Letting your mind wander could be dangerous. Or more precisely, I let my own mind wander. I had a lot on my mind!

Peter was raised in a culture that didn't add those psychological pressures that made him see himself as abnormal. They really didn't seem to be in Greece either.

Russia did have those pressures. The USSR ceased to be. You know that. Yuri had been a child. There were confused people there and a lot of predators. Rights for homosexuals? Russia had bigger fires to put out.

Yuri and I took an air break. Understand? A break...for air? Not applying air to stop.

Peter was there with bottles of this sports drink created specifically for dehydration. Pro-lyte. It was a lightly fruit-flavored water with electrolytes.

Gretchen and Earl surfaced and Earl held something up.

“Gretchen found this,” Earl said holding that something up for Yuri.

Yuri took this little...rectangular box just a tiny bit larger than a domino. He looked at it nodding. "It's a GPS Tracker."

It was solid black. "How do you know?" It could be, but he had no doubt.

Yuri smiled as he showed me one side of the thing. "It says so right here." A finger tapped near some letters. GPS, PWR, and CEL.

I gave him a smirk back. "Oh, you really enjoyed that." I groused.

He began nodding and chuckling. "Yes. I did." Yuri said turning the tracker in his fingers. "The first letters tell us what it is. The second one is power and the third you connect with a cellphone." He looked up. "Now, here what's not labeled out on this. It's an Interloc GL300W." He shook the tracker as he spoke. "It's barely transmitting."

Peter frowned. "That's good, isn't it?"

Yuri nodded. "For you. Not for them." He thought to himself a moment and he looked at Gretchen. "You found this below the level of the water?”

Gretchen shook her head. "No, just above it.” She sought words to explain in English. She spoke English, but terms, tools, and technical English was a whole other skill. “Around the Duchess, there is a...” she struggled, “slight separation of the hulls. Where the lower hull meets the higher hull? Where the lower hull gets an extra covering for rougher seas?" She showed using her hands. "There is a narrow...space?" She pointed at GPS. "It just fit in there."

Yuri nodded. "The problem is," he sighed. "It doesn't fit with the Consortium."

My face and the others were very confused.

“Then who?” Peter almost demanded.

Yuri's hand was raised to stop further questioning. "What I'm saying is this,” he held the tracker. “isn't the work of Consortium. That doesn't mean they aren't involved." And again did the hand-raise to stop them. "Peter, you and Eric have seen them work. You know their patterns and how they operate." He held the tracker up. "This is using a battery that's almost dead."

That was odd. I nodded. "A new fresh one wasn't put in."

"No," Yuri said. "The...plan was altered a few times and they hastily put this together. The pirates did."

"They aren't the Consortium?" Peter asked to confirm.

"They spend millions to make billions." Yuri pointed out.

"They would ask for the ransom?" Peter asked again to confirm.

Yuri shrugged. "I'm putting together possibilities based on what I see. There is a possibility of several things, including taking you and asking them for ransom."

I waned to be sure myself. "They would ask the Consortium, professional extortionists, for ransom before the Consortium asks for ransom from Makarovia? Extorting the extortionists?”

Yuri held that hand up again. "It is possible. The Consortium has means to do it, but better. They would have used a fresh battery." He sighed. "I'm following evidence to piece things together using what we know with that evidence and history. "It's barely transmitting." He pointed to a green light that burned next to the letters GPS.

“It should be a constant and steady green.” The light now was dull and faded to black slowly. "The battery is not common and may be hard to get where she’s from. The United States, Great Britain and most of Europe isn't difficult to find, but you have to go to certain stores there. Getting online would take time.”

“They aren't the Consortium?" Peter stated to confirm he was understanding.

“And no just slapping some triple A’s in?” Earl asked.

“They willingly spend millions to make billions." Yuri pointed out.

“They'd ask for the ransom?" Peter asked again to confirm.

Yuri shrugged. "I'm putting together possibilities based on what I see. There is a possibility of several things, including taking you and asking them for ransom."

Even my face showed surprise hearing that. "They would ask the Consortium, a group of professional extortionists, for ransom before the Consortium asks for ransom from Makarovia for us? Extorting the extortionists?"

Yuri held that hand up again. "It is possible. The Consortium has means to do it better. They would have used a fresh battery." He sighed. "I'm following evidence to piece things together."

“The Consortium isn't going to allow that to happen!" Peter said. "That would be suicide!!"

I nodded. "A criminal organization commits a crime on another." I shrugged. “Why not?”

“Or!” Yuri said loud. "This is the most likely. They want to join the Consortium and this would show the Consortium they're worthy."

Peter gave a loud grunt. “This is oburlyyy!”

I knew what Peter was saying. There was a pair of eyes that hadn't understood. "He means ridiculous or outrageous.” I grinned at their almost choreographed nod of understanding.

Peter frowned even more. "We should destroy it."

Yuri looked up quickly. “What!?” He pulled the tracker back to protect it. "No! If we do, that will tell them we found it.”

"They know now if they're watching us," Peter said.

Yuri looked at Earl. "Does the Duchess say there are other ships out there?"

Earl shook his head. "Not for several miles."

“There no other areas of land they can watch from?" Yuri pressed.

“No.”

Yuri held the tracker up. "We'll let this continue." He shook his head in frustration. "All this is speculation. Until there is evidence that's all it will be."

"And this is the only scenario that fits?" Earl asked.

"So far. Unless think of others," Yuri pointed out. "That pirate didn't use her full crew." He waved the tracker. "This is not how the Consortium operates, so I feel very certain it isn't them." He looked at the GPS.

I shook my head as I thought about it. "They had plenty of time between Antikythera and Malta. We weren't on the recommended course. There were some deep waters between the Ionian and Mediterranean Seas.”

Yuri nodded and gave a slight shrug. "Not taking the route you should have taken and the GPS that wasn't sending a good signal. They couldn't locate you."

Earl nodded. "The Duchess was going pretty fast." He said smugly. He looked around and then looked at Yuri curiously. "Where's Boris? Peter's here with his husband. Where's yours?"

Yuri gave an award-winning, disappointed sigh. "He left me for another man."

Earl was shocked for a second and then shook his head. “Nah, man. I don't know either of you," he said. "He ran off with someone? From here?"

"But he did!" Yuri insisted. "He's off cooking up something now with that French guy."

I chuckled. "I saw Henri and Boris in a conversation earlier."

Yuri laughed and said. "I would not want to be in that kitchen.”

"Galley," Peter said grinning. "Not kitchen."

“Where they cook things," Yuri grumbled. "Okay?"

“I'm not complaining," I began. "Why are we the target to show someone else they should be included? Those people they want to impress would do it if it could be done."

Yuri shrugged. "This is a new situation Makarovia is in. We've been unwanted for centuries and now we have something the world wants, but we've asked for help getting it and help to keep it from those who took from us without even asking." Yuri grimaced. "I speculate after knowing facts that can not be denied. Makarovia is a small country and new with the kind of attention we've got now." He looked at Peter and me. "You two are not the first to be targeted and that dates fit back a few years. They tried to get King Olek to fall in love with someone working for them. When that didn't work, they tried to get King Olek to father a child. They failed every attempt." He began to sort of think out loud. "The element that includes Boris and me, Peter and Eric isn't really important but can be used. Fact, the Consortium attacked the house in Boston and many of their men were killed. They had to be shone threats will not be easily done." He looked at the tracker. "Just as those in Makarovia did with the car bomb a year ago. This would prove they were up to the task.”

"But it didn't work," I said.

“But it might have,” Yuri countered my statement. “Showing them they could do what the Consortium failed to would prove that. That Beauty and Beast pirate did get you to stop. She is known for being blood-thirsty. However, she didn't use the forces she commanded. That is also a fact."

I nodded. "And you are come up with plausible scenarios."

Yuri shrugged. "It's what I do." He smiled. "To predict what someone is going to do, you need a pattern to follow."

Peter's mind was working as I often saw him do. He looked at Yuri. "What happened with that guy? The one that had a relationship with Penelope Baldwin, Carter wasn’t it?”

Yuri looked a bit puzzled. “He and that Baldwin woman were turned over the authority of Great Britain.”

"Isn't he a member of the Consortium?" Peter asked.

"A junior member," Yuri said.

I hadn't thought of them. "Doesn't he have contacts with the others?" I asked. "I assume he's been questioned."

Yuri just stared. “We turned him and Baldwin over and let them handle it.”

“Is it possible to ask him?" I asked him. “Maybe interrogate him?”

Yuri wasn't used to having other countries that would cooperate. In this case, they were more than willing.

Yuri gave a hesitant nod. "We'll just have to ask." He smiled at us. "Boris and I have to get our luggage from the house." He held the GPS thing. He looked at Earl. "The Duchess tells you what's under the water. That's how you knew there was more than she wanted you to see.”

Earl nodded. "That's right."

“Even now?” Yuri asked.

Earl gave a not so convincing nod. "The island will be registering on the sonar." He used his hand to show the island in front of him. He was the Duchess. "The island shows up, but the signals go out and around the island." He had his hands do a sweeping motion around where he said the island was placed, but his hands touched again on the other side. He grinned. "That and our satellite feed will tell us what's where. Even underwater."

"Even a wooden ship with no satellite link?" Yuri asked.

Earl frowned. "We can tell about are the surrounding wildlife." He reluctantly admitted. "Individual fish and turtles don't, but if they are in a big grouping, a school of fish will show up. An individual rowboat won't..."

"I understand," Yuri said and gave a grudging nod. "Our agents will keep watch to see if any rowboats approach." He looked at Earl and Gretchen. "Thank you for being such a huge help."

Gretchen smiled. "It was no imposition." She smiled. "When the Countess asked for me especially, how could I refuse? I was a little concerned when I realized Nita and I would be the only females." She shook her head. "You've all been nothing but respectful gentlemen starting the first day. It's been good the entire trip. We like you. This I wanted to part of. We want you to come back."

Earl grinned and was nodding as Gretchen spoke. “Yeah.” He stated and jerked his head in Gretchen's direction. "What she said."

Peter and I walked back to our quarters. I needed to shower and clean up. Peter had calmed down after he saw I was fine and really enjoy it.

"What is like down there?" He asked.

I glanced at him. "You've swum underwater."

Peter nodded. "But you have been much deeper."

I nodded. “Certainly.” I grinned remembering some of my past dives. "It feels..." I tried to think of a word. "It's a sense of freedom I can't describe." We entered our quarters. "I entertained the thought you would want to try it."

Peter looked uncertain. "Is it hard to learn?"

I gave him a look that asked if he was kidding. "There are things to know and commit to memory and take action, not react. I was nervous on my first dive." I smiled. "From that moment until today, I felt that sense of freedom. There are only a few things more beautiful."

“Does it take long to learn?”

"There are some that do it in a day." I groused. "A week perhaps if done every day.”

“A week.” He repeated. "We go back to Makarovia soon and then back to Northeastern."

I nodded. "It's summer. There can be time." I smiled. "I'd like to share something with you."

"I'm willing to share hockey!"

I was nodding. "That's so nice of you, but there is that problem again. I can't stand on ice skates." I threw my arms out in futility. "I can't skate on ice!"

Peter laughed pulling me close. "I love the suit you're wearing." He put his arms around me. "It's kind of formfitting."

I smiled. “It's neoprene and spandex. It will be.”

Peter chuckled. “Oh, that explains it.” He kissed me gently. "I love that we're still discovering things about each other."

“I think in a couple of decades we can say we know each other.”

Peter pulled me closer as if being pressed together wasn't enough. "I really love you."

I smiled wrapping my arms over him in a familiarity having done it so often. "I know. I really love you."

His hands went over me. It was nice, but I knew what he was doing.

He pushed me back and scowled. "How do you get in and out of the damned suit?"

I chuckled. "You sort of have to peel me out of it."

"Fine," Peter waved his hand at me. "There goes the romantic moment I hoped for!"

“I guess we'll just have to call it quits.”

Peter's head was shaking and even a finger on his right hand shook. “Oh, no. We've worked too hard to get here. No one calls it quits!" He looked closer at my wet-suit. "No zipper or louse fabric to untuck."

"I'm sure we can get the romantic feeling back."