The Billionaire's Possession (Voted Best Reads for Cats)

Chapter 27/All at sea

A/N - sorry for delay - moving house today. .. :-( 

It was two days since I had lost Alexander to a mild case of kidnapping by the department for homeland defence. You could say I was just sort of freaked and vengeful, you could also describe an apple as soft of a fruit and Taylor swift as sort of a singer.

I was looking at the ships captain. A middle aged man who seemed to have been hired more for his ability to look the part than his actual ability as a seaman.

"So just to summarise" I said at the end of a long conversation. "When I said over ride the programming and take us to Boston so I can get back on dry land and find Alexander and my parents, what you actually did was to give the sat-nav a very harsh looking at."

"Well I press buttons" said the Captain.

"I noticed the satellite TV come one." I said. This was a genuinely surprising event. I thought all the satellites in orbit had ground to gather to form the junk grave yard people lovingly referred to as 'they sky'. Unfortunately it only had programs in French and replays of Who wants to be a Millionaire in English.

"You said we were going to Boston." Is said flatly. Hoping my lack of any emotion in my voice would convey my deep disregard for his lack of ability as a mariner.

"Well that's were debate divides . We are going to Boston. Just as soon as the ship has finished going to to Paris" said the Captain.

"So we are going to Boston - via Paris" I said.

"That's right" said The Captain.

I considered stranglinging him but I doubt I could or would want to move the body. I also considered trying to confuse him to death, but realised for him I could create a equally fatal encounter with a pice of paper, a sponge and a slice of millionaire shortbread.

" If you want me I''be in the main cabin" I said. Realising the futility of this conversation. I said and Left.

*****

I returned to the In the main cabin. I had a choice between watching something in French which I wasn't even sure the French can speak or watching 'Who wants to be a millionaire' in English. It always struck me as one of those incredibly irrelevant titles. Like he doesn't want to be a millionaire? It's a bit like having a TV program called who wants to carry on breathing? Title aside I watched as a little old woman from Wisconsin half of whose family had died after being hit by the virus then lost the remainder when are falling satellite hit her relocation camp, was being tested. Talk about bum deal. Anyway, Nice smile and silver hair have got all but one question to go.

"I'm about to ask you the final question, Mary. The question which if you answer correctly would make you a millionaire. Are you ready?" Ask the presenter.

"Is that the question? Am I ready? Have I won?" said Mary.

"No, I haven't asked you that question. I'm just enquiring about your readiness?"

"but that was a question?" said

"yes I know that was question but not *theeee* question,"

"Oh," said Mary little disappointed like a dog who's bone had been rapidly taken away. 

"The actual question which if you correctly answer will get you 1 million dollars is .... what is the color of this ball?"

The camera flicked to show a picture of the red children's ball.

"Red," I said.

"I'm not sure, " said Mary.

"Red," I said.

"Would you like to phone a friend ?" said the presenter.

"Still Red," I said.

With great elaboration, a friend was phoned. Mary's friend was called John. John's answer was "I don't think it's blue, I had a Pontiac it wasn't that color and it was blue."

"Red," I said.

"So it's not blue," said the presenter. "that leaves a lot of colors. Do you want to hear your choices again?"

"Yes please." said Mary.

"The choices are BLACK, ... WHITE... GREEN and RED," said the presenter.

"Red," I said.

"Oh," said Mary pausing on the TV. That was it this was passing beyond the limits of what even someone infected by the virus would do. "is it yellow?" She added.

The audience collectively took a deep breath.

"****Red****" I said.

"I'm sorry that's not on the card and it's not one of the answers we gave you." Said the presenter.

"Red," I said.

"Oh It's one of those Christmasy colors" said Mary looking at the ball.

"Red," I said.

"I am going to have to hurry you now." The presenter said.

"Red,its" I said.

"Is it.it'sit... GREEN?" She said.

"Excuse" me I said walking  on to the deck "IT WAS Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

I took a deep breath.

"eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeD!"

I came in and shut the glass doors behind me. I tinkled slightly as they shut behind me.

"thank you," I said coming in. "I feel better".

A few days later I went out to see the cost of what the Captain swore was Boston. I saw old stones houses, the slate tile roofs, the high spired churches. For some reason, I stood there looking out to a landscape which seemed surprisingly similar to that of France. It might have been the words 'Bienvenue à Calais'. on a large sign on the beach that really sold it to me.

**********

A/N - Well we made it. Moved house and still released the chapter! Billionaire's possession reached #29 in the SciFi hot charts with 4,000 odd votes which feel like a huge achievement.