Chapter 13: Windshift - Main Man of the Mainland

"WHAT?!?" he exploded ... well, not really. That would have been too messy.

Besides, he knew the idiot was going to do something stupid ... he knew his sons all too well. It wasn't necessary that 'dead' was included in 'stupid' but, evidently ... it fit in like slot 'B' was the receptacle for tab 'A' ... sometimes stupid was unrepairable.

Maybe ... if he didn't like big titted blonds with vacant eyes and deep throats ... just maybe, he'd have smarter sons.

"He's dead..."

"You said that."

The boss had this vein in his forehead, just above his right eye. Whenever he got upset, it bulged a little. The vein pulsed.

Mr. reporter did think the boss could show a little grief ... he did have 22 sons, now 21 and there were definitely 'spares' ... but still...

"The report said 'Accidental' but the circumstances were a little weird." He began to read, only to have the paperwork snatched out of his hand.

Pulse, pulse, pulse. Fascinating ... the vein.

"Give me that!" 'Missed his step boarding ... hull crushed skull between wharf and boat ... body unrecovered ... Huh?' "It says unrecovered."

"Yes sir."

"Why not?"

"They didn't want to dive for it before the storm, the harbor was polluted." There were 'other' circumstances involved but it wasn't a really good idea to be the bearer of information detrimental to the deliverers health ... and it was just gossip, anyway.

"So ... my son died in shit?"

Pulse, pulse, pulse.

"Yes sir." 'uhoh.' "There's more." 'I don't want to be the reporter of this.' (did you notice the cringe? The Boss did.)

"And?"

Pulse, pulse, pulse.

"A vessel was recovered ... more or less intact ... with the remainder of the crew alive ... that's just the beginning..." 'Jesus ... he's going to have a stroke.' He took a step back ... and another one.

"ALIVE!!!!???"

Pulse, pulse, pulse.

"Yes sir."

"DEEP SHIT AND FALL BACK IN IT!!"

The vein was really pulsing now. He could see the blood moving under the skin ... SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede.

"WHAT ELSE!?!"

SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede ... SWELL ... recede. The swells were coming faster ... the shrinking was a little slower. It was very difficult to look the boss in the eye ... that vein ... Pulse, pulse, pulse.

"During the last storm ... ah ... it seems 'someone' has been sinking 'evidence of piracy' off the coast of that same island." He finished in a rush, "sevenmissingboatscameashorewiththeirdead."

POP! went the vein...

SPRAY! went the blood ... all over the messenger.

"EWW!" said the wives just coming in the door.

The reporter fainted.

SPRAY