Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 12

"The Luzon Strait."
[ADAM STAMFORD]

The weather was particularly bad.

Maybe not for the crew but then Adam Stamford had never been to sea before.

He watched as Captain Rossi, fair haired and of stout build, moved effortlessly towards him. Here was a man used to a life away from dry land. Divorced, or single, as he liked to call himself Rossi had spent nearly forty five years on the ocean waves and he was probably one of only a handful of men who had circumnavigated the world four times over.

"The first few days at sea are always the hardest."  He had said before they had left.

Well they were already into day four and the sensation of wanting to be sick every five minutes was a keen now as it had been on day one.

'Coffee?'

Adam shook his head. Yesterday he had managed to eat a little bread but he was still a far cry away from even thinking about taking on any hot drinks. Even the smell made him want to vomit.

Rossi turned to make his brew totally at ease as a wave struck the forecastle sending a wall of water against the bridge windows. The ship lurched to one side before pitching forward throwing Adam against the chart table catching his hip. He winced in pain.

He tried again to distract himself by thinking back to his last meeting with the yard manager.

It had been good news. Everything was going according to plan. The second ship of the Jupiter class was on schedule and she would be ready within the next six months bringing the pain and humiliation of losing his father's precious paddle steamer to an end. Even in his state of distress it was hard not to be excited at the prospect of putting his name back alongside his father at the head of the company.

Another wave sent a shudder along the deck reverberating all the way back to the wheelhouse causing Adam to grip the chart table; his knuckles turning as white as his face.

He looked quickly around for his bucket. It was by the forward radar. He thought about going to collect it but felt safer where he was and so opted to swallow the little bile caught in his throat. It was all he could do.

As if reading Stamford's thought the Captain came over and thumped the corner of the chart table.

'Japanese built,' he said. 'Made to last these are and I haven't brought a ship back from one of their yards that wasn't sturdy. Mind you,' he chuckled, 'I haven't brought one back as small as this for a very long time.'

The engine laboured again as it found another wave. It was a regular occurrence. As each one arrived so the ship would meet it head on, half disappearing into the jaws of sea and foam, the engine labouring as it fought against the oncoming mass of water and then the ship would be free and the stern would rise up increasing the engine revolutions as the propeller met clear air.

For a while she would settle riding the more gentle waves and it was those precious moments of peace that Adam Stamford long for only within a blink of an eye the cycle would start again and the bow would dip and the ship would roll.

He thought again as to why he was on board. After all, he didn't need to be here; he could think of many places he would rather be right now, on a beach in the Caribbean perhaps or on the family's yacht even in the south of France, only it was suggested that he should be here and that the company needed someone to be on board and so here he was, the project leader; the most logical choice.

Only good deeds never pay well.

His mind strayed back to the day of departure. The sea had been more calm and despite his sea sickness his reports back to the office were full of enthusiasm for this new fleet of cargo ships but now, with a deep low pressure system sending the barometer plummeting, any vigour he had had rapidly disappeared and all he could think of now was spending the rest of the voyage in bed.

Until Singapore.

Until he could step on dry land and fly home.

He tried to wedge his body against one of the front windows and tried to stare again out into the gloom. It was something he had been told. If you could look at the horizon you would be spared the motion of the vessel and while this worked a little in the daylight, at night when all you can focus on was the bow moving up and down it wasn't so easy.

He tried shifting his gaze higher into the dull night sky but that lasted only a few minutes.

He sighed.

He had never imagined how isolated working at sea could make you feel.

Even the chart seemed to mock him. Laid out on the table; when he looked at it back at the yard the journey to Singapore from Japan looked to have been a short one, after all the two countries didn't look that far apart; but then when you started the journey and you only travelled a few miles an hour the pencil marks stayed depressingly so close together it was as if you hadn't moved at all.

Less than a third of the chart had been used. There was so much more to go.

Lights could be seen every now and then. That fact fascinated him to know that there were other people out on the ocean somewhere suffering a similar fate. What were they doing, he wondered. Sailing to exotic ports or even fishing perhaps? How many were seasick like he was, he mused.

None probably.

A few minutes later and the engine struggled again only this time it didn't recover. This time it came to a grinding halt.

They had broken down.

The ship gradually started to twist away from the seas. The rolling increased as with each roll they were pushed slowly around until they were beam onto the waves. It was the worst kind of fate. To be stranded helplessly at the mercy of the seas.

The ship started to roll even further and Adam tried with all his strength to hold onto his stomach.

Captain Rossi shrugged.

'It's more than likely to be a fuel blockage than anything else,' he said before heading towards the bridge door. 'I wouldn't worry about it. These things happen on a new ship. Teething problems. Nothing more. We'll be away in no time.'

Adam Stamford was about to smile back when from out of nowhere he was caught in a blinding light.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Well.

At least Adam braved it by going to sea, that much we now know and the fact that the Jupiter started on her voyage.

Why she didn't arrive is still a mystery.

Thanks again for all your lovely support and comments. Keep them coming. I love every one of them  :)

Take care.

JU x