Title: Pissing off Mr. Walruses
Author: Chad
Disclaimer: In no way do the characters of Roswell belong to me. They are the property of whomever it is that holds the copyrights. No infringements intended.
Category/Rating: AU/ AU/Do to the circumstances of the fic I’m going to say Mature.
Summary: Summer Writing Challenge. Read to find out
A/N: This was my submission for the summer writing challenge over at Memories, and what do ya know, I won! I lost the post with the original challenge so this is from memory.
Rating: I think it was CHILD to MATURE
Couples: CC or UC, Dreamer, candy, stargazer, crossover, it didn’t matter.
Category: AU, CC, XO, I don’t think it mattered.
Length: Not specified.
Setting: On a cruse ship, somewhere in the ocean
Quotes: “I’m not from around here.” “The only time I ever stuck my neck out to save anything and it all went to hell." “I wanted us to slow down, not screech to a halt.”
Items: Suntan lotion, sunglasses, flip-flop sandals, an umbrella, and a pool table. (I think that was all of them.)
It’s only one chapter, but it was fifteen pages on microsoft word so, it’s not that short.
Pissing off Mr. Walruses.
Max Evans stood outside of the billiards room of the Vida looking in on four particular gentlemen that were inside enjoying a friendly game of pool. The small circular window that decorated the door supplied him with a clear view of all four men.
Alex Whitman, he noted, was located on the far side of the room sitting in one of the leather chairs that decorated it. Unwearyingly, he sat smoking on a finely made Burmese cheroot. Having taken his turn at the table, he was waiting patiently with his pool stick draped indolently across his chair. Kyle Valenti was standing on the right side of the table leaning tolerantly on his own stick. Every so often he would take a sip of brandy from his brandy snifter, then swish the amber liquid around in his glass a few times. Jesse Ramirez was leaning over the table concentrating on making a particularly tricky shot. But these men were of little concern to Max.
Off the four men that were enjoying a smoke, a drink, or just a friendly game of pool the one that captured and held his attention above all the others was the man that remained slightly away from the group of three, neither joining, nor keeping an offensive distance. Kivar Kingly was one of the most powerful men that Max had ever had the pleasure, or more aptly, displeasure of knowing. Kivar had gotten his wealth by the same means that all powerful men did. Through lies, deception, and a hardy dose of disregard for the well being of others. He was not in the least bit afraid to use others for the sake of his own personal gain. More so than just being a class a son-of-a-bitch, Kivar was also a very dangerous man, as powerful men tended to be.
Although Max could see the four men’s every move, the soundproof window prevented him from hearing what it was that the men were discussing amongst each other. Whatever their conversation was, it was of little consequence to Max. The men were completely alone; witch meant that now was the perfect time to set his plan into motion. Just as he thought it would be. The situation was now or never. At last he could finally lie out the plan he had been working on for the past year. His revenge against Kivar.
Turning away from the window, Max reached inside of his pocket, picked up a small radio, and turned it on.
“Are they in there?” The sound of Liz’s voice resonated through the radio before Max was given the chance to speak.
“All four,” he answered with a satisfied smile. If he could see Liz he knew she too would be wearing a contented smirk.
“You two know what to do?” he asked.
“Exactly. Maria and I are in position. We were just waiting for the word,” She answered.
“And Michael?” Max questioned.
“He just left the cock pit and should be joining you momentarily,”
Max nodded even though he was aware of the fact that he could not be seen. “Alright then. See you in a bit?”
“You know it. Be careful.”
He smiled at her concern; even after almost ten years she still managed to be apprehensive. He just loved that about her. “I always am.” He answered as he always had.
“I love you.” She said. Her words were followed by a kissing sound being made into the radio.
“Love you too.” He answered back, and then clicked his radio off.
“I love you three Maxi!”
Max didn’t even have to look up at the sound of the high-pitched derisive tone to know that Michael had joined him.
“Ha-ha, aren’t you just full of laughs,” Max said, just as derisively. Michael came towards him totting with him a large black duffle bag.
“They ready?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders and ignoring Max’s sarcasm.
“Yep, we were just waiting for you.”
“Well wait no longer, I have arrived.” Michael said sardonically.
Everything was exactly as it should have been. That meant that it was finally show time. Max smiled impenitently. He had no regrets. Kivar was about to get everything that was coming to him and then some, and it was about time. Max pulled his mask over his head, and then looked at Michael to see that he had done the same with his own mask.
“Are you ready Mr. Platypus?” Max asked, as he finished pulling his mask into place.
“As I’ll ever be,” Michael responded.
Without further questioning, Michael picked up the black duffle and slung it over his shoulder. With his guns gripped firmly in his left hand he signaled to Max that he was ready. Max turned around to face the door once again and mentally prepared himself for what it was they were about to do. No more waiting, the time was now. Slowly, and somewhat sacredly, he placed his hand on the latch to the door, and then opened it.
“Good evening gentlemen!” Max said loudly, making his and Michael’s presence known. He also made sure that the four men were equally aware of the four 9mm berettas he and Michael had collectively trained on them.
“Allow me to introduce us.” He said, not giving them time to recover from his and Michael’s intrusion. “I’m Mr. Walruses. This is Mr. Platypus, and we’ll be hijacking this ship today.”
******************
Kivar Kingly was about to make the biggest deal of his career, and the best thing about it was that he would be a richer man for it. The three men that he had invited to go out on his boat with him were leaders of three of the biggest corporations in the known world. Alex Whitman, Kyle Valenti, and Jesse Ramirez were just the men he needed to make his own corporation inclusive. There would be nothing that he couldn’t do. All possibilities would be within his grasp, and he would never have to think about being what he once was ever again.
Just as Kivar was about to propose a toast to his future business partners, the door crashed open with a solid bang against the wall. Kivar, and all of the other men in the room looked up at the startling noise, and were further surprised to see two men wearing strange masks enter the room. But they were not just two strange men. They were two strange men that were armed.
“Good evening gentlemen!” One of them said loudly in an unnaturally strange voice. “Allow me to introduce us. I’m Mr. Walruses. This is Mr. Platypus, and we’ll be hijacking this ship today.”
Alex spit out his cheroot, Kyle dropped his drink on the floor, shattering the glass, and Jesse completely missed his shot.
“Damn, what a waist of a good drink.” Michael said looking at Max with a scathing smile. Max smiled back and nodded his head in agreement. Then he returned his attention to the other four men in the room.
“Now, gentlemen, If you would all be so kind, I would like for you to make a single file line, so we could go about getting this over with as quickly as possible.”
Michael stifled a laugh at the polite tone that Max used to issue his orders to their hostages. He delivered his demand with all the civility of one inviting another to tea.
“And afterwards, would you ever so graciously take out your wallets and hand out whatever cash you may be holding on your person.” Michael said, using a mock affable intonation. Max looked over at his partner, and would have rolled his eyes if he thought that Michael could clearly see them through the narrow slits that were in his mask.
“That’s not what we are here for Mr. Platypus. Are do you not remember the plan.”
“I remember the plan Mr. Walruses. But As long as we’re here I don’t see why we can’t make a little pocket change.” Max gave Michael a warning glare before turning back to address their detainees.
“You’ll have to excuse my partner, Mr. Platypus. He’s a tad overzealous.”
“Oh is that what they’re calling it these days?” Kyle whispered over to Alex.
Alex didn’t respond to Kyle’s quip, nor did he think it was all that funny. He was too busy focusing on the careless way the two men who were holding them hostage flung their guns around. He was not scared of the weapons, precisely. It was just that they unsettled and demoralized him.
The two men weren’t dressed in the usual stealth outfit of the common cat burglar. One wore long loose fitting black pants that were obviously thin and appeared to be made for sailing. The other had on a pair of baggy black shorts that stopped a little past his knees. They didn’t have on actual shirts, but instead, both wore black wife beaters, and on their feet they wore completely black aqua socks. But of all these things the strangest thing about their attire were the masks that the two men wore over their faces. One was that of a walrus’s head, while the other was the head of a platypus. Alex would have thought it funny, if it wasn’t so serious. He made sure to keep a wide breath of space between the two men that called themselves Mr. Walruses, and Mr. Platypus, and himself. Especially Mr. Platypus. Of the two he seemed more unstable than the other one.
Kyle too was not all that afraid, so much as in shock. He was a man that believed that things such as this did not happen to normal people, least off all him. He eyed the two men with the guns as if to say “How dare you corrupt my perfect vision of the world.” The very thought that he, Kyle Jim Valenti, was being held hostage by a couple of ruffians wearing ocean creature masks was unconceivable.
Jesse was the least affected of them all. Of Alex, Kyle, and himself he had know Kivar the longest and he knew what sort of things the man dabbled in after office hours. They were things that tended to end up with the destruction of other people. Things that afforded him a lot of enemies. Jesse gathered form the man that called himself Mr. Walruses’ words that whatever the two of them were intending, it was not just to take their money. How could it be? They were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean; even if they were robbed there was no way that they would be able to escape. So they must have had other plans for them, or at least for Kivar.
Jesse looked over at Kivar. He seemed to be irritated but not overly distressed about the situation. It was yet another sign that if robbery could not have been intention of the two men. If it would be almost impossible for the two of them to escape. He was pretty sure that it was something that involved Kivar directly.
Kivar did not try to form a line of any sort. He gestured for the other men not to move from their spots either. “If you think to rob us you’d best think again. This entire vessel is full of armed guards. There is a zero percent chance of you succeeding in whatever it is that you’re trying to do.” Kivar paused and gave a short condescending laugh. “Unless of course you gentlemen are trying to get yourselves killed. If you are, then I would be happy to oblige, but if you’re not… I suggest you just put the guns down and give up quietly. Then maybe I’ll consider letting the authorities deal with you instead of dealing with you on a more…personal level.”
Max stepped forward until he was standing directly in front of Kivar with his two guns placed square in the middle of the other man’s chest. He cocked his head to the left and then to the right all the while holding the guns trained on Kivar’s chest.
“That’s funny. Guards huh? Mr. Platypus do you think those were who those uniformed men with the guns that we stranded a few miles back were?” Max asked not taking his attention off of Kivar.
Michael tapped the barrel of his gun gently against the chin of his mask as if he were in mid contemplation. “Yep, Mr. Walruses, that sounds about right.” Max didn’t have to have x-ray vision to know that Michael was grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary beneath his mask. His amusement was more than evident in the cadence of his voice. Kivar however, did not look amused at this new revelation.
“That’s right Kevie. You’re sailing solo on this one. Let’s see how well you can go at it alone.” Max was not able to hide the odium from showing in his words. “Now, like I said before, why don’t you gentlemen form a single file line?”
******************
Liz and Maria looked at the two beautiful blonde women sunbathing on the deck of the Vida. Liz watched as the one with the short hair rubbed a heaping glob of Jergans suntan lotion on her already bronze shoulder.
Maria peered over Liz’s shoulder to get a better look at the bottle. “Oh my god is that Jergans? Banana Boat is soooo much better.”
“Maria we’re not here to critique their sun block. We have a job to do here remember?”
“I know, I know. I was just saying.”
Liz smiled at her friend before she looked back over at the two women. She wondered if they had even the slightest idea as to what was going on below deck in the billiards room. She wondered if they had any clue that at that very moment their husbands, Alex Whitman, and Kyle Valenti were being held at gunpoint by Max and Michael. Of course, she knew that the two women could not possibly know what was going on. Surely they would be turbulent. There was no way that they could have had any inkling. For all they knew, they and their husbands were the only people on board Kivar’s lavish and luxurious ship.
“Do you think they have any idea?” Maria asked, voicing Liz’s own thoughts.
Liz watched as the two women rubbed even more suntan lotion on their already perfectly tanning skin as they listened to the soft relaxing hum of the classical music that resonated form the radio that sat between the two of them.
“No clue.” Liz said, and then turned away from the two women. It was a shame really, that innocent people had to be involved it what was about to go down. But if everything went the way that it was supposed to then none of them would be hurt. However, that was only if everything went the way it was supposed to. There was always room for error.
“Did you get the word from Max?” Maria asked.
Liz nodded her head. It was now or never. She checked her gun to make sure it was fully loaded. The two women pulled their masks snug over their faces and then proceeded to walk up behind the two women that were laying on the lounge chairs.
“I bet the one with the shot blond hair screams,” Maria whispered over her shoulder to Liz.
“I’ll take that bet,” Liz answered.
******************
The men stood lined up against the wall like good little hostages as Max sat reclined on top of the pool table. His gun was still trained on the four of them. But it would not have been wise for any of them to take his casual position as slacking. He was more than prepared to fire at any of them if the situation arose.
None of the men had uttered a word since Max had issued a no-taking policy. He could see that Kivar didn’t take too kindly to that. He was not a man that liked to have orders dished out to him. He was most definitely always the one giving the orders. But Max knew Kivar like that back of his hand, and he knew that there was no way that he was going to be able to stand by in silence wile he and his guest were being held hostage by someone that to him, was only a man in a walrus mask. After a few more minutes of superfluous silence, just as Max had anticipated, Kivar snapped.
“Alright, enough of this!” He said stepping out of the line and away from the other men. “Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want?”
Max looked over at Michael and smiled
“Who am I? Ah, we’ll get to that a little later. For now, let’s just say I’m not from around here. And as far as what do I want? You and these upstanding gentlemen here will find out soon enough.” Kivar let out a low growl, but said nothing. It was a smart move on his part.
“Mr. Platypus, why don’t you take Mr. Whitman, Mr. Valenti, and Mr. Ramirez to the deck. I’m sure the gentlemen will want to check on their wives.” Max saw that Alex and Kyle tensed at the mention of their significant others. He could see that they had completely forgotten about them until he had made mention of them. He knew that they would be more interested in finding out if their wives were okay, then listening to see if what business he and Max had. Max looked at Kivar. “We need to have a little private chat.”
Kivar looked back at him as if he appeared to be trying to see through the mask to the person underneath, but there was no chance of that happening. “Whatever it is you need to say to me you can say right here right now.” Kivar said, not losing his air of seemliness.
Max laughed acerbically. “I don’t know Kevie. Our affairs are a bit clandestine. I’m not too sure you want your socialite friends to hear.”
Kivar stiffened, but didn’t respond.
“Didn’t think so.” Max said, then he turned and nodded to Michael.
“You heard him ladies, the four of us are going on a little field trip.” Michael ushered the other men out of the room and Kivar and Max were left alone.
“Go on Kivar. Take a wild guess.” Max said baiting the other man. “But then again, you’ve screwed so many people over there’s probably a list from hundreds of men that I could possibly be isn’t there?”
“So this is a revenge thing, is it?” Kivar asked. Max smiled. Kivar was trying to get him to revile more about his intentions. Max wasn’t that stupid.
“You know I’m a very powerful man…Mr. Walruses. And very ric-”
Max’s staid laugher interrupted Kivar before he had the chance to finish his sentence. “Oh, Kevie, Kevie, Kevie. You slay me, you know that? You really do. This isn’t about money or power. If it were, you and all your tycoons would be floating back to shore on a water raft wile my people and I sailed off into the sunset in this immoderate ship you’ve got here. Not to mention we’d have all of the money I know you have stashed in the cigar box in your room. Not to mention all the fine jewelry you and your guest are so fond of wearing.”
Kivar frowned. “How do you know about the money in the cigar box?” he asked.
“Baby steps, Kivar.” Max said waving one of his guns in a tsking manner. “First, I want to talk about you. You’re a big time moneyman huh? A big shark I believe it’s called. Bet it took you a lot of time to build such a big fortune.”
Kivar didn’t answer. There was something about this Mr. Walruses that seemed extremely familiar. Whoever he was, he was obviously disguising his voice. But there was something in his mannerism, the way he leaned against the pool table, the way he said the things he said. Kivar just didn’t know what it was. If he could just get him talking some more, to revile more about himself, then he could find out who he was. After that, he could destroy him.
******************
As Michael walked Alex, Kyle, and Jesse to the top deck he tried to see if he could determine which one of them would try to be a hero. He had done thorough background checks on all three of the men in preparation for the plan, so he had a pretty extensive idea of what they were all made of. It was all a matter of which one of them was more likely to try it. The situation was always the same. He’d seen it enough times to know. There was always that one person that thought that they could try to muscle the gun away from the bad guy and save the day.
Michael looked at Alex first. He was a little on the lanky side, and he didn’t look like the type to try something. Besides, Alex Whitman was the sole inventor of the Whit-man 3000: a highly elaborate computer that would easily in a few years put Bill Gates and his Windows out of the running. In short, Alex wasn’t stupid. Nah, it wasn’t going to be him.
Michael looked at Kyle next. Kyle Valenti stemmed from a long line of heroes. Policemen, that is. His entire paternal line had a long history of enforcers of the law, keepers of the piece, or as Michael fondly dubbed them: The Enemy. But Kyle himself didn’t fit into that category. Unlike his father and grandfather, and great grandfather, etcetera, etcetera, he was not a cop. Further more; he had never undergone any extensive police training. Kyle Valenti was a businessman. Businessmen didn’t get their suits wrinkled in heroics. No, it wouldn’t be Kyle either.
Michael looked the last man over once, trying to assess his character. There wasn’t much known about Jesse Ramirez. Rumor had it that he had a shady background, but Michael hadn’t been able to find out much about that. Honestly, he hadn’t been able to find much of anything about Mr. Ramirez. All that was known about him was that he was a lawyer that was prone to having an enormous attitude problem in the courtroom. Michael also knew that Jesse had been acquainted with Kivar longer than the others. How long, he didn’t know, but he definitely knew that Jesse was someone he would have to watch out for.
As Michael led Alex, Kyle, and Jesse on to the top deck he almost laughed out loud at the scene that was waiting for him. Like Max and him, Liz and Maria wore masks over their faces. Liz wore the head of a seal, while Maria wore one of a manatee. Both girls sat lounging in beach chairs as if they had not a care in the world while two women, who he could only assume to be Mrs. Whitman, and Mrs. Valenti sat before them on the hard planks of the deck with their wrists handcuffed to a beach umbrella that was mounted on the deck. One of the ladies had what appeared to be something duck taped in her mouth. With a closer look Michael could see that they were a pair of sunglasses. Michael smiled to himself. That had to be Maria’s touch.
“Oh my god, Tess, what did they do to you?” Kyle asked running over to kneel in front of his wife.
“Not so fast Richey-rich.” Maria said pointing her gun at Kyle and stopping him in his tracks. “Your wife screams louder than an Irish banshee, so I had to gag her. If you think you can keep her quiet then you can take it off, but if she starts screeching again, next time it’ll be a bullet shutting her up instead of a pair of sunglasses.”
Kyle frowned at Maria’s no holds barred mannerism. He hadn’t been aware that there were more of these cretins on Kivar’s ship, and the fact that someone who was obviously a woman was holding him at gunpoint did little to please him either. Kyle was interrupted from his disheartening thoughts when his wife made a demanding sound from beneath her gag, letting him know that she fully expected him to take the gag off of her.
“Isabel!” Alex said as he leaned down to make sure that his wife was okay. “Are you alright?”
“Of course she’s alright. They’re just handcuffs, jeeze.” Michael said with a role of his eyes. “You rich men sure are prissy. Oh, that reminds me.” Michael gave his guns to Liz and Maria to hold while he rummaged through the duffle. He pulled out more handcuffs and turned to the two men that were sitting beside their wives on the ground.
“I’m going to have to cuff you gentlemen, so do yourselves a favor and hold still. This will only take a second.” After cuffing Alex and Kyle to the umbrella with their wives, Michael turned to Jesse.
“You’re next girly. Umbrella or beach chair?” Michael took a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure that Liz and Maria had their guns held on Jesse. He knew that if Jesse tried anything he could properly defend himself, but Max said he wanted to avoid anyone innocent getting hurt at all cost. He would rather not have to open up a can on Jesse’s ass. However, if the situation arose where any of the hostages had to be taken down, he, Maria, or Liz, would not hesitate to do so.
Jesse looked at the two women that had now joined the hijacking party. They were dressed in small black bikini tops, black cut offs, and black flip-flop sandals. They too wore marine animal masks. “Does it really matter?” he asked the man in the platypus mask. There were four guns trained on him, and he would rather not find out what led tasted like.
Michael shrugged in answer. “Not really.” He said, and then cuffed Jesse to the beach chair.
“Well, sorry to leave the party early, but I’ve got somewhere to be.” Michael started. “These two lovely ladies here will see to all of your accommodations. You can just call them Lady Seal,” he pointed to Liz, who gave a slight tilt of her head. “And Madam Manatee.” Maria gave a mock salute with her 9mm.
“What do you want with us?” Isabel asked them. “Is this some kind of prank by Kivar?”
Michael, Liz, and Maria looked at each other and laughed. Then Michael answered her question.
“No princess, I can honestly say that is the farthest thing from what it is. But if you just stay calm then this will all be over soon and we will try to get you back to your fancy lifestyle with as little scratches as possible.”
******************
“Kivar, I’ve got to say, you’re pretty paranoid. All I asked is one little question. It doesn’t matter if you tell me or not, by the way, I already know every dirty little secrete you have.”
Max and Kivar were still in the same position they had been in before Michael and the others had left. Kivar was proving to be a tough egg to crack. He was unnaturally good at avoiding answering questions. It was a good trait for someone who didn’t want to revile something he shouldn’t. But Max was ever an importunate man, and he would not give up easily.
“This is ludicrous. If you are not planning to rob me then why are you wasting my time?” Kivar said. Max could tell he was finally becoming disconcerted.
Max shrugged in the manner of which he had been doing in order to further annoy Kivar. “I’m just a taxing person. Maybe if you answer a question we could move on to something else.”
“Fine, you want to know how I got my millions? Through strength of mind, intensely hard work, and perseverance, that’s how.” Kivar said letting his practiced answer spill from his lips. “Determination, hard work and fortitude is what got me where I am today, and no one is going to besmirch that.”
Max smiled, and then clapped his palm against the gun slowly. “Well said Kivar well said. Why, that speech almost had me in tears. And since you reveled so much about yourself, let me revile a little something about me. Don’t worry; I think you’ll find this story extremely fascinating.
“When I was six years old my mother and father died in a car accident. Leaving my older brother and me in the wonderful hands of the New Mexico foster care system. After three years of living in a rundown foster home, my brother and I decided to screw the state, and the witches that ran the place. We ran away. We lived on the street for a year stealing whatever it was we needed to survive. Food, clothes, whatever. We were so good at what we did that no one could catch us. But we made a pact to each other that no matter what became of us we would always have each other’s back.
“Then, one day some con-artist named Roger sees me and my brother in the act and says he liked what he saw, and that he knows a guy that would be interested in our services. So he takes us to this house. Biggest freakin’ mansion I’d ever seen in my entire life. I’m talkin’ acres. So Roger takes me and my brother to his office to meet him, and you wanna know what that guys name was?”
Kivar didn’t answer, but he didn’t have to. Recognition was written all over his face. Still, Max wanted to hear him say it.
“Come on Kivar, you’re a smart guy, surely you know the name.”
Kivar still remained mute.
Climbing off the table, Max walked over to the wall where Kivar was sitting and shoved the gun against his chin, “Say the god damn name!” he didn’t shout his words but there was plenty of venom in them.
Kivar didn’t seem to notice the gun that was pointed into his chin; he just stared at Max with haunted eyes as he answered.
“Kivar.”
******************
“What’s taking so long?” Maria whined to Liz.”
“Patience Madam Manatee,” Liz just answered calmly.
“I’ve been patient, but this is taking longer than a regular job and we’re not even stealing anything”
Maria was Liz’s best friend and a hell of a good thief, but she was seriously starting to work Liz’s nerves.
“Can I please steal something?” Maria all but begged.
“No, you know what Mr. Walruses said, no stealing.” Liz answered.
“But this is soooo boring. Look at them.” She pointed to their hostages. “I bet they have something really good in their rooms.
“You had better not go anywhere near my room.”
Liz and Maria looked up at the shout that came from the taller female hostage that had not been gagged earlier, and as of yet had not said a word.
“You are definitely not in any position to be issuing orders to anyone, now shut up or you’ll find yourself eating that lotion.”
“You can’t talk to my wife like that.” Alex interjected.
“I just did, what are you going to do about it?” Maria taunted.
Liz sighed jadedly. “Madame Manatee, stop threatening the hostages. That’s not why we’re hear remember.”
“Whatever.” Maria mumbled. Liz sighed again, she hoped Max hurried before Maria got the inclination to shoot one of the hostages.
******************
As Michael exited the cockpit of the ship he sighed. They had sailed out far enough now and phase two of Max’s plan for revenge was in effect. Personally he didn’t see what the big deal was, or why Max was so set in this whole vengeance thing. But he and Max had been friends for going on five years, and he had learned not to ask questions a long time ago. Michael reached inside of his pocket and turned on his radio.
“Lady Seal, this is Mr. Platypus. We just stopped and I’m ready to start phase three.” He said into his radio then waited for Liz’s response.
“Good job Mr. Platypus, but don’t move on to the next phase. We’re still waiting on Mr. Walruses.”
Michael sighed. He had figured as much. He knew that Max was going to have a hard time dealing with Kivar by himself. Even though he didn’t know what it was that Kivar had done to betray Max. But he knew that Max was passionate about whatever it was that he done. He had better go and see what Max was up to.
******************
“Bingo!” Max said enthusiastically as he pulled the walrus mask off of his face. The look on Kivar’s face when Max reviled his own to him was almost worth all of the hurt that he had caused him. Almost, but not quite.
“Max.” Kivar stated. It was almost as if saying the name made the reality a little bit more real. It was a reality he would rather not be living.
“I’m glad you remember me Kivar. King Kivar. Remember, that’s what we called him. He taught us everything we know didn’t he? Made class-A thieves out of us didn’t he. But then something happened to Kivar didn’t it. Umm this part of the story is a little fuzzy to me, why don’t you refresh my memory” Max whispered venomously in Kivar’s ear.
“He died.” Kivar said quietly.
“That’s right he died! It was so unexpected too. One minute we’re living in the lap of luxury with a man that’s like a father to us, and the next, BAM!” Max shouted into Kivar’s ear. Kivar jumped a little but otherwise stood stock-still.
“And then, THEN! What do we discover…oh yes, Kivar had named you and me sole heirs to all that he owned. But you knew that already didn’t you?” Max asked. Again Kivar said nothing.
“You knew when you killed him, and you knew it when you framed me for his murder. Didn’t you brother? Didn’t you!”
All resemblance of calm was gone from Max. His voice was thick with unleashed emotions. And his gun was pressed firmly into Kivar’s chin.
Max laughed a humorless laugh. “I remember the night it happened. You were supposed to go with Kivar on that mission, but you told me that you didn’t want to. That you were tired of the business. You begged me to go instead. And, I being your gullible little brother, agreed. Even though you knew I didn’t want to go more than you didn’t. But you were my brother. It was a lock-picking job and I knew that you weren’t that skilled at lock picking. I remember thinking that if you got caught it would all be my fault for not agreeing to take your place. So I went.”
Max laughed again. The sound was hollow, and mirthless. “The only time I ever stuck my neck out to save anything and it all went to hell.”
Kivar could hear the anger in his brother’s voice. He thought that Max was long dead. His little brother was obviously more resourceful than he thought. “Fine I admit it. I set Kivar’s car up that night. I intended for you to be in that car and I set it up to make it look like you set the bomb when I learned you weren’t in the car that night. What do you want me to say little brother? That I’m sorry? Okay I’m sorry. Now what? Are you going to kill me?” Kivar’s voice was firm and unmoving.
Max let a smile quirk his lips. “Oh no Kivar. I’m not going to kill you. That would be too easy. I’m going to destroy you. The same way that you destroyed me. You think I wanted this? That I wanted to be a thief for the rest of my life? I wanted a family! I hated our lives! I hated it! But you made sure that that was my only choice didn’t you? And while I suffered for years, years! You made the name Kivar know again. You took his name, his millions, and the life that should have been mine, and you climbed the corporal latter of life. ‘Determination, hard work and fortitude?’ How about betrayal and conniving tactics.”
There was a solemn silence as neither of the two brothers spoke. It took all of Max’s strength to keep from pulling the trigger right then. Then the door to the Billiards room swung open, and Michael stepped in. Max was not sure if he would have been able to resist from pulling the trigger if Michael had not have come.
“Uhh, Mr. Walruses?” Michael asked looking at Max’s mask that was on the floor.
“It’s alright Mr. Platypus. He knows who I am anyway. Don’t you Markus?”
Kivar stiffened. He hadn’t gone by that name, since he had killed Kivar. It was like the reopening of an old wound.
“Max we’re ready…let’s go.” Michael said grudgingly.
Max stood still for a moment longer before he shoved Markus in Michael’s direction, and the three of them made their way up to the deck. Liz, Maria, and their weary hostages looked up as they were joined on the deck by Max, who was now again wearing his mask, Michael, and the man formally known as Kivar.
“Finally,” Maria said. “What took so long?”
Max shrugged. “Kivar and I were catching up on old times.” Max said drably.
“Old times?” Alex asked confusedly. “You know this…man?”
Markus said nothing. Max continued to stare at his brother awaiting his response. When Kivar still refused to answer Max just smiled sadly. “No, we know nothing about each other.” Max answered for him.
There was a long pause, and everyone could sense the tension between the two men.
“Can we go now?” Maria asked finally breaking the silence.
“Yes.” Max said, and there was finality in his tone.
“How?” The previously gagged girl asked. “We’re completely surrounded by water.”
Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria smiled at one another. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Valenti. I believe your host has supplied us with apt transportation.” Max looked over at Michael for confirmation.
“The two jet skis are in the bottom of the ship, just like you said.” Michael affirmed.
“Good.” Max said and then nodded. Michael and Liz nodded and then headed off as Max handcuffed Kivar to the same chair that Jesse was cuffed to.
“So that’s it?” Tess asked. “Now you’re just going to leave, after putting us through all of this?”
Maria shrugged. “But wasn’t it fun though?” she said sarcastically.
“You vile people. How dare you? How dare you play with our lives like this? You wont get away with it! You wont!”
“Oh put a sock in it.” Maria said.
Max and Maria stood on the side of the boat looking over as they waited for Liz and Michael to drive by with the jet skis.
Markus just looked at his brother and one of the women that he could only guess was one of the persons he had referred to as his “people”.
“What do you want from me? What do you plan to do?” he asked. Max just smiled, but didn’t answer.
“You’ll find out real soon Kivar. Real soon.”
Just as the words left his mouth, Max heard the hum of the jet skies rounding the boat. “We’re ready.” The words came from his radio. “We’re right beneath you.”
Maria smiled. “Finally.” She said. Then she looked at Max. “Say goodbye Mr. Walruses. It’s time to go.” Then Maria hopped over the side of the boat into the water.
“Alright.” Max said. He looked at his older brother one last time and then pushed one leg over the side of the boat. This would not be the last time they met.
“What’s that phrase people say to each other before they set sail? Oh yeah. Bon voyage.” Then Max let himself tip over the side of the boat and into the water beneath him.
******************
As Max and Liz pulled up to the shore on their jet ski Max turned around and looked out on the water to where they had left the Vida, and felt a since of calm wash over him. It was the first time he had felt this way in a long time.
Liz walked over to him and wrapped her arm around his waist. “You feel good?” she asked him.
“Yeah,” he answered. “I do feel good. It’s like a burden has been lifted from my-”
“Michael slow down!” Max’s words were cut off as the sound of Maria’s loud screech flew past them followed by Michael and Maria on their jet ski.
“What’s the matter Maria, don’t you like it?” Michael shouted back to her as they zoomed past Max and Liz once again.
“No, I don’t like it! You’re going way too fast, now slow dowahhh!”
Suddenly Michael and Maria’s jet ski stopped, sending them both flying from their seats and into the water.
Max and Liz could barely stifle their laughter as they watched their two friends wade in the water. When they reached the shore Maria took her one black flip-flop that she had managed to save and began pummeling Michael with it.
“You idiot! Slow down! I wanted us to slow down, not screech to a halt!”
“Oh, jeeze, would you stop that,” Michael said yanking the shoe from her hand.
“You guys, you guys, that’s enough.” Liz said laughing. "Are you two in one piece?"
“Yes. No thanks to him.” Maria said giving Michael the evil eye.”
Michael just ignored him and instead looked at Max. “So, did you get what you needed?” he asked.
Max smiled and nodded. Then reached in his pocket and pulled out the waterproof tape recorder.
“Everything I need is right here.”
Liz looked up at Max with a worried glance. “You know you can’t take that to the courts. It incriminates you too.”
Max nodded. “I know, and I don’t plan to. But I bet Kivar is going to be willing to do a lot for this tape. And I plan to squeeze every penny out of him that I can. I think a vacation might be in order.” Max smiled at the three of them.
“You should have just shot him. It would have made everything a lot simpler.”
“Maybe, but by the time I’m done with him he’s going to wish he was dead.”
Michael nodded. "Sounds like my kind of plan. Count me in. So where to next?”
Max looked around him at the three people that had proven to him time and time again that they were his real family and smiled.
“To go get my life back.”
Mr. Walruses, Mr. Platypus, Lady Seal, and Madam Manatee threw their Masks into the water, and walked away. But one thing was for sure. Next time, Kivar Kingly would think twice before pissing off Mr. Walruses.
The End
