Alex & Lang - 8. A & L Ch 8

“That would be because, one group of Islands included in the proposal, is the Montebello Islands, and because of their close proximity to…” Lewis said, “To Barrow Island, yes, I get it now,” I said finishing off his sentence, and Lewis smiled and nodded his head.

“So how many islands and reefs are we talking about here?” Lang asked, speaking up for the first time, which made me smile. “Well, the Montebello Islands consists of 174 islands, and is at the most southern point of the group for this proposal, then there is Cunningham and Bedwell Islands located north of Port Hedland.

Then there is Adele Island, Browse Island, Scott Reef, Cartier Island and finally Ashmore Reef which are all north of Derby. West Island on Ashmore is the most northern of the group for this proposal, so just over 180 islands and reefs in total,” Lewis replied.

“Who is going to be in charge of managing all of this new and very remote territory?” I asked, and both Lewis and Sebastian smiled broadly. “That would be the Devonport Investments Co, with the quiet support of Wagner International,” Sebastian announced, and my mouth dropped open in surprise.

“For the past 18 months, we have been working with the Federal Government on getting this project operational, including giving it the National Marine Park status,” Lewis added. “What is our operational budget and equipment list for this new Marine Park?” I asked, “Good question, we have decided that your Airlie Beach would be the most ideal base for the new Marine Park, since the lodge has been solidly built, you have a solid jetty and can accommodate additional people when needed.

We are investing in three - 38 metre patrol boats that will be based at Airlie Island, and our base in Exmouth, and are being built as we speak down at the Henderson Shipping Company.

The patrol boats will be jointly operated by the Australian Department of Fisheries, plus Customs & Border Force, with us providing the base services for the patrol boats and its 11 crew each,” Sebastian announced.

“I’m sorry Sebastian, but I am not interested in a large project like this. You set up, so I suggest that you manage it, and if you are going to use Airlie Island as the base for this operation, then I would like some compensation for totally ruining my plans to live on a remote island in peace and quiet.

I will honour your request for host Kyle and family, but that is it, no more joint projects with Wagner International, do you understand Sebastian?” I said to my former guardian, who looked at me in shock, and his mouth was half open and not sure what to say.

“We heard you Alexander, but maybe you should reconsider this decision, maybe think about it overnight, and get back to us in the morning?” Lewis said calmly, and I smiled. “Always the diplomat I see Lewis. No, I am sorry, my mind has been made up, and I will not be backing down from this, now if you will excuse me, I have some other matters to deal with,” I responded before turning and heading out of the lounge.

I was pleased to see that Lang followed me, and when Wyatt saw me storming out of the lounge he was also following, as we headed to my office, and I indicated for the door to be closed. “Right, I have made a decision, we are going to leave the yacht here, and the three of us are going on a short trip.

Firstly Wyatt, can you call the airline, that usually stops here to refuel and ask them if they have three seats on tomorrows flight to Cocos Keeling Islands, and tell them that we will pay full airfares for the one-way flight, as long as we can be collected from here while the plane is being refuelled.

Then we will need to arrange accommodation, which I know may be a bit difficult at short notice but see what you can get. Once that is confirmed, we will quietly pack and wait until tomorrow for our flight,” I announced to Wyatt and a very shocked Langley.

“As you wish sir, I will get right on it,” Wyatt replied, “Good, and while you are doing that, Langley and I are going for a bit of a walk,” I added, and after Wyatt left the office, we headed downstairs and onto the jetty, and we headed into town.

“Hello Mr Devonport, it is good to see you again,” a voice called out as Lang and I were walking along Town Beach, near the golf course, just north of the marina. “Hello, do I know you, sorry if I don’t recognise you at all, as I meet so many people from all over the world,” I replied.

“That is fine Mr Devonport, I would not have expected you to remember. My name is Jonas, senior deckhand onboard the Sailing Catamaran Windquest, we met during a Canal Transit two years ago,” the young man said to me. “Ah yes, I remember the yacht, but the crew I am afraid is a bit hazy. Is the Windquest here in Exmouth?” I asked, just as my mobile rang.

“Hello Wyatt, how did you go with getting that information for me?” I said when I saw that it was my Personal Assistant calling me, “Not good I am afraid on both accounts, but I may have an alternative idea, do you remember the Catamaran Windquest on a canal transit, from a couple of years back?” Wyatt replied, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the coincidence of the situation.

“I happen to be standing next to one of the crew members from that yacht as we speak. Yes, go for it, see if we can do that instead, we will head back shortly. Bye,” I said before ending the call. The look on Jonas’s face was a mixture of confusion and intrigue, and I smiled to him before looking at my boyfriend.

“If all goes to plan, we may be going on a sailing trip instead of flying out,” I said to Lang, before facing Jonas again. “Young man, do you know what the plans are for your yacht after leaving Exmouth?” I asked, “Yes sir, Captain Leah and Ms Andrea are taking the yacht to Wyndham, as they want to start doing tours, including all of the gorges in the area,” Jonas replied.

“Excellent news, come with me please, we have to make a call to your yacht as soon as possible,” I responded, as we turned around and headed back towards the marina, and instead of going around to the other side where our base is located, we headed for northern side of the marina, where we soon saw the Windquest, with a lot of activity happening on the deck.

As we arrived, Captain Leah and my PA Wyatt appeared from inside, both smiling, which I saw as a good indication that we would be sailing on the catamaran tonight. “Hello Mr Devonport… Alexander, it is wonderful to see you again,” Leah said to me as we boarded the catamaran.

“Hello Captain, thankyou for taking this charter at such short notice,” I replied, as I shook her hand. “It is a pleasure to have you onboard, and we look forward to taking you on this charter, let us refresh you on what we have available,” Leah replied, as her partner Andrea appeared, with a tray of drinks.

“Hello Alexander, welcome onboard, please help yourselves to a drink,” Andrea said to us. “May I introduce my boyfriend, Langley Atkins, who is also West Australian, but I found him in Italy a few weeks ago,” I said making the introductions. “I was wondering who this handsome young man is attached to your side,” Leah said and I chuckled at this comment, as Jonas and three other crew members appeared dressed in their dress uniforms.

“Jonas our Senior Deckie you already know, this is Martha our chef, Julia our Steward, and Damon our Bosun, and my lovely here is our Chief Steward,” Leah said making the introductions of her crew, and wrapping her arm around Andrea’s waist.

“Thankyou all for dealing with a new charter at a rush, I just need a break away from family pressures, so you have appeared at the perfect time,” I responded. “Alexander, we have put you and Langley in the master suite, lower deck forward, and Wyatt, we have put you in the aft portside guest cabin, so once we have all of your luggage onboard a bit later, we will set off soon after,” Leah said to us.

“That will be wonderful thanks ladies, we estimate that we will be back at around 2200 hours, packed and ready to go,” Wyatt said on our behalf, since he had arranged it all for us. A few hours later as the family gathered for dinner onboard my yacht, there was a lot of tension in the air, as we ate mostly in silence.

Only three of us on the yacht knew what was about to happen a little later, and as we were eating deserts, Sebastian broke the silence. “Have you reconsidered your position on the new project?” he asked me, and I noticed the look of surprise on Lewis’s face.

“No Cousin, I am still refusing to be part of your new project, as far as I am concerned my staff, including my boyfriend, my yacht and I will have no part of it,” I replied sternly. “You know I could quite easily cut you off from your father’s trust fund,” Sebastian responded, “Err, I caution you most strongly on taking such action,” Lewis interjected.

“Why, there isn’t much he can’t do without that money, especially with running an expensive yacht with a large crew,” Sebastian said, “You do that cousin, and I will never speak to you ever again, and I will see you in court,” I said angrily, as I stood up and stormed off, heading up to my suite on the next level up.

A knock on the door a few minutes after I had slammed it shut, and hearing it open slightly, I sighed, “Come in Lang and Wyatt,” I said as I continued to stare out the window.

“Actually sir, it is me,” came the voice of Xavier, “Hey mate, come in, I won’t bite your head off. Mind you I can’t say the same for my so-called cousin,” I said to my cousin’s PA.

A moment later, Xavier was standing right beside me. “My brother, myself and Langley are 100% behind you sir, and the others are just outside. I think that it is very wrong what Mr Sebastian is trying to do to you,” Xavier said to me, and I sighed again.

“Thankyou, that is very much appreciated, and I am not sure what I will do if that does actually happen, but I do know that I have finances not linked to the corporation that I can survive on, and still keep the yacht running with a full crew, but that is for your ears only and is not to be repeated to Sebastian or Sir Lewis,” I replied.

“Understood, and I am guessing that you already have plans to go away for a while, and with what I observed earlier I think it may be a catamaran cruise with some old friends of yours? If that is the case, I would like to make a request to join you,” Xavier said to me, and I chuckled at this “You and your brother are so much alike, I should have expected that you would have worked it out, and you are most welcome to join us,” I said to Xavier.

“Woohoo Party time,” Wyatt said from the doorway as he entered, with Langley following, and I just laughed, “You better let Captain Leah know that she will have one more guest onboard, and help your brother to pack, as we leave in just over an hour,” I said to my PA.

“Yes sir,” Wyatt and Xavier chorused as they headed out the door and down stairs. “Time to tell the Captain of our plans,” I said to Langley, and we headed up to the bridge, where we found Captain Anton and 1^st Officer Marshall chatting.

“As you may have been informed, the situation with my cousin has just got worse. As a result of that, Langley, Wyatt, Xavier and myself are leaving this yacht shortly to spend a little time on our own, and we would like you to meet us in Broome, which is 535 nautical miles from here, and should take you about 4 days on eight-hour sailing days. You can leave in four days’ time, to allow yourselves and the crew to have some time off.

We would appreciate that you or any of the crew, do not communicate with Sebastian about our whereabouts,” I asked Captain Anton. “Certainly Mr Devonport, we will be happy to assist in any way,” the Captain replied.

A short while later, Lang and I stepped onto the Catamaran to start our short holiday, where we were met by Leah and Andrea. “You suite is now ready for you, if you care to get settled in,” Andrea informed us. “Yes, thank you, the lads will be bringing our luggage over soon, then we can get going,” I replied, before Lang and I headed to our allocated cabin.

About two hours after we had left Exmouth, I found Wyatt and Wavier in what I thought was the vacant cabin, next to ours, where they were talking, and on the bench under the window, was a lap top computer, printer and a briefcase, plus a number of boxes and two extra suitcases, that looked awfully like mine.

“Care to explain?” I asked the lads as Langley came up behind to see what I was doing, “Hey boss, we are sorry, but we both had this very weird feeing that we should bring all of your most important stuff with us, as well as some more of your clothes and belongings,” Wyatt started.

“We can’t explain it, but we just have this bad feeling that something bad is about to happen to the yacht,” Xavier added. “Did you report this feeling to the Captain?” I asked, “Yes sir, and to the 1^st Officer, both of them thought that it was too crazy, but as a precaution, ordered all crew to pack all of their luggage and to spent the next three days on land, while the scheduled maintenance is happening, and they have put the arriving guest at the nearby resort,” Wyatt replied.

“Hmmm, well lets just hope that nothing does happen to the yacht and that we will see it again soon in Broome,” I said, before exiting the doorway and heading up to the main deck. Two days later as we arrived in Broome and was anchored in the centre of the bay, where we would not be affected by the huge amount of tide differences, Lang and I were relaxing on Sky deck when Leah arrived in a rush

“Sorry to disturb you sir, but there is some urgent news from Exmouth, it appears that the Cooper twins have predicted correctly. There was a fire on your yacht, caused by an accident by one of the maintenance workers, and although he only received minor injuries, there was extensive damage to the yacht,” Leah informed me.