Chapter 1

"What?!?" I exclaimed.

Inkeri said, "Around the world, dad."

"But-but-but ... WHAT?" They had me going, for sure.

Wendy said, "We have our papers, we have money, we have school for the children..."

"WHAT?" cried the kids.

"Come now," Wendy said. "If we didn't teach you ... you couldn't go. I made a deal with your schools."

"Mom!"

Sure it was Mom ... but when they said it, it was three words ... like Maah-ohm-ah. And don't forget to add the whine. The whine is high pitched and if you have ever had kids you know the sound. Adults use AAARRRGGGHHH! to sound the exasperation ... unless they use one of the four letter groups. But not in front of the children please.

" ... we have leave of absence, from the plant. You resigned ... so we're not going to worry about that. The letter informing the Air Force will be delivered in a week..."

"What?"

"I sent them a letter explaining that we would be mostly out of touch for the next year ... mostly. I haven't mentioned we'll be out of country. Dal won't mail that envelope for three months. By then we should be in Hibbing..."

"MINNESOTA?"

" ... so, why don't you have a drink and settle down?"

The kids were laughing. Together. No yelling.

I have always had a taste for untaxed alcohol made in the birch and pine forests of the lakes. Wendy had three crock jugs of the local corn liquor ... gallon size. One was open and I poured me a slash.

"Wheewhew ... stout!" I panted. In just a few minutes I was calm, cool and collected. Kidnapping isn't so bad after all.

Just before I dozed off I asked Wendy, "You've been up all night, who is going to steer?"

"I got it covered," she said. "I trained the kids and Olav will be doing most of the work ... the kids will be lookout and listeners. If there's a problem they can't handle they'll wake me."

"No ... you kids wake me."

I didn't hear her when she giggled and said, "I doubt it."

I was already asleep ... and stayed that way. Until we approached Malmö. I awoke clear headed, rested and hungry.

"They're talking about a bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö," Art said. Ink nodded.

"What? A bridge from there," I pointed at Malmö, "To there?" I pointed at Copenhagen, "Impossible! It's almost 8 miles! The water is 32 feet deep ... they'll never do it. Think of the cost!"

It dawned on me ... their mother was nowhere in sight.

"Where's your mother?"

"In your stateroom."

"Did she just go to bed?"

"Naw, she went to bed minutes after you fell asleep," Inkeri said. "Daddy? You're a lightweight."

"What?"

"Momma said you couldn't hold your liquor. Well, she did. She's right."