Labor Day:Mandarin Moana

Hats Off

Let’s say I had one best of the worst day. I mean it ain’t that bad. Shut up, Ashlin! What were you supposed to type? About Christmas Eve. Okay, now you’d think, it was April Fool’s Day a couple of chapters before. Now it’s Christmas Eve. Two questions, you’re supposed to get in your head and ask me-Where did Labor Day go? and How did Christmas Eve come so soon? If you don’t get these questions walking around your mind, you’re crazy, and you’ve gone nuts. If you get one of these, you’re okay. At least not being prescribed as ‘dumb-headed’ or ‘Anxiety Equipped’ or something worse. I’m not a doctor, though. And if you get both those questions, making your nut vexed, then you’re a genius!...That means I’m one too!...Hold on, I’m the one writing the book! How am I supposed declare myself a genius?! Quit arguing. Not to you, dear reader. It was me.
I was saying something. Yeah, yeah, uh…about Christmas Eve and the lunatics.
It was Christmas Eve, obviously. We were having a one of a kind party. Dance, music, laughter, smiles, elegance, beauty, lights, wine, cheese and one romantic evening was a thing to say. I was dressed in my best, with those little jingles and carols. I knew I was truly destined for those azure moanas. I stared at them, as to say, we were made for each other. Isabelle was on board too.
“Come on, Ashy. It’s not so early for the reunion. Let’s go!”
“Coming, Isy. I just need Sophia to come here.” I said.
“Okay.” She was simple enough.
Sophia arrived like the wind. “Sophy, I think something’s wrong with radiators. I have to go check. It may be a compact defect. You just need to represent for today’s comparing.” I said.
“But I’ve never done that.” She was innocent.
“You could take an experience for a lifetime.” I tried to give her hope.
“Maybe. But I’ll see.” She was confident to go? That was good. Or great.
I tip-toed down to the boiler room. I saw six men trying to steal something out of the boiler. I tried to get a closer look. They took some kind of bolts out of there. I took on the scenario, as their backs were faced to us. I went up.
There was some kind of song playing. I took the mike and shouted, “Attention everyone! There may be some problem in today’s party. I’m sorry to announce, but we are not able to take today’s celebration. You may return to your rooms. Thank you.”
There was some kind of awkward atmosphere of discussion, confusion and curiosity.
“What happened?” Sophia asked.
I took out my smart phone and showed her some secret pictures I took of those men. “I found these pack of men stealing some bolts from the boilers.”
“That’s not normal”, She said swiping the photographs. “Why would someone steal some nuts and bolts? There has to something.”
We showed the pictures to Mr. Tipple, Captain, Robin, Arjun, Eddie, Ashwin, Akshay and Neeta. “So kids, we’re gonna be on this mission together. Mission In-charge!” announced the old skipper. “Any questions?”
“Me!” said Akshay.
“Yes!”
“Is it necessary for the name of the mission to be so serious?” asked little Akshay.
“Never mind, little scout. One day, you’ll be a commander, just like me.” He replied with a smile. “Now, let’s go!”
Captain divided us into two groups. Guess there names. Not A and B, not 1 and 2, not Alpha and Beta, either. It was different. It was Cheese and Sprinkles. My favorite. Have you ever eaten them together? I love them.
I was the commander of Cheese. All we had to do was follow and track those men. Me, Robin and Arjun were on full duty.
“Take positions.” I whispered.
“Assume position!” Robin passed on.
Robin stood with a smart phone, Arjun slept, and I was with a laptop. The men happened to pass through there. “Excuse me, miss.” Said one of the hijackers. “Do you know who’s Sophia Roberts?” I quickly took a hockey stick behind my chair, and hit him hard in the head. He fell without a sound. The other one was captured by Robin.
“Sprinkles, two of them were captured.” I told, over my walkie-talkie.
“Three here.” Said Ashwin, who was in the swimming pool.
“One’s suspected.” Said Eddie. “He’s headed for the railings….I can see another ship. It says Friday Queen.”
“One of them was asking for Sophia….Wait a second where is she?” I asked.
“I saw that guy too, Eddie. He’s got Sophia!” said Akshay.
“What’s the scene?” I asked.
“Sophia is trying to say something, but she’s muffled….Hold on, they’re injecting something to her!”
“We gotta get there quick!” I went.
So, we did. But it was too late, maybe. The guy threw on board Friday Queen and left himself too.
“Who’s a good swimmer?” asked Arjun.
“I am. I need someone to come with me.” I said.
“Oh, sister! I’ll come.” Said Akshay.
“Come on, little fella! Let’s go.” I said, shaking the little guy’s hand.
I dived into the water and so did the little one. Friday Queen was a few meters ahead. I caught on to the anchor string, and with support, headed to the base hatch of the ship. I could hardly see much in the water, but little Akshay could. He showed me where the hatch was. The hatch was hard to open. I had to pull it hard downward, then turn the handle right, and then at last, give it one last pull. I put my head through the hatch, slowly, to see if there was any kind of danger. I saw two men heading down the alley, and then coming towards me to attack. I quickly pulled up, kicked one, by sleeping down to the ground, and punched the other hard in the face. I dragged both of them backwards, in a room, by Akshay’s help, and then put on one of their suit. “How do I look?” asked Akshay, trying to put one on himself. “I think you’ll need something else.”
I took Akshay to a costume room, (probably for parties), and found a nice dress for Akshay.
“I don’t think that suits me.” He said, trying to see what he was wearing. He was wearing a laced, red frock. To top that, I put him some lipstick and everything needed for makeup.
“You have to adjust.” I thought, maybe before leaving, I should give him his usual look, or else his brother would kill me.
I went up dressed as a sergeant, where an old woman was addressing Sophia.
“I, being your stepmother, pose you to be owned by me. I have these papers, which you are supposed to sign. My men have taken the bolts, from the boilers of your ship. I found them with the drugs I wanted. Gutler had placed them in the bolts. Now, you have to sign this overseas contract for transporting these drugs. Simple and clear?” the woman was seriously so old; I thought she was great granny.

Sophia was taped on her mouth, but was trying to say something. “Talk, little lady!” said the woman ripping the tape off her mouth.
“You can't take me like this!” Sophia screamed at the top of her voice. “And tell me what you've injected to me!”
“White Angels.” Replied the old woman. “A type of drug that would change you completely. Change your thinking, your brainpower. Everything that is your strength.”
“Lemme go!”
Well, at least I got that there was no time. But who was Gutler? That was a big mystery to solve.
I crept out of my hiding place, with Akshay. “Good morning Ma'am.” I hoped my voice could startle her.
“Who are you, young man?” She asked. I knew she was going to suspect me.
“I am...” I looked at the name tag. “... Vincent?!”
I thought I was going to be killed. But I wasn’t.
“Didn’t we have a Vincent?” she was in utter confusion. No one spoke anything.
“Are you new? Did Gutler hire you?” she asked. She was probably trying to cope up with the ‘gap’ of confusion, that occurred just then.
“Yes.” I replied.
“And who is she?” she looked at Akshay.
“My daughter…I mean my sister.”
“You don’t look like a father, do you? More like a brother…or I doubt that.”
“I AM her brother!” I said, quite disappointed.
“Why does she have so short hair?”
“She…uh…suffers from nervous breakdown.”
‘Shut up. First thing I’m bleak to live. Secondly, you make me a mad person.’ I think that’s what Akshay thought. I guess his brother would kill me, hearing this.
“How do you talk to her, so?”
“I…uh…action talk to her…I mean talk with actions?”
My weird behavior, made her suspicious.
“Why are you so uncomfortable?”
“I want to go home. I’m seasick.” I tried to convince her.
“Okay…but you are in charge of Sophia.” She gave me a hard look.
One look, and Sophia got it was me. She winked and I looked at her. Probably, she thought the little girl was Isabelle.
Some other guards accompanied me to the ‘safe prison’s (according to the brat who captured Sophy), and then I was left alone. There were CCTV cameras everywhere, there was no reason to escape.
Some guards held flare guns, and the other some kind of ‘Star-War type' thingies. Not the swords, but guns of course. Most of them looked like miniature cannons.
I was scared, then confused, then happy and at the last had a heroic feeling. I was going to save the dog that bit my hand. And I’m going to tame another one. But I respected that first dog, who was my comrade during fear. She helped me to get to be a Sub-Navigator. And be that hero in the eyes of so many.
I saved her once. I’ll save her again. I’ll keep my loyalty to her, till I say die. Till I don’t lose that potency.
I looked over to see, if there was anyone watching me. There ‘apparently’ was no one. I had to be brisk enough, to dart off from the site.
“Sophy, I want you to flee from here right into the roller. No being a scaredy-cat.” I warned her.
“Can I ask you something?” she whispered.
“Go on.”
“Does…Isabelle know to swim?” she expected a ‘yes’.
“Yeah. So what?”
“Can she come with me?”
“That, my friend, is Akshay.” I had that wide grin, when I saw Caesar and Rancho pour into a big bowl of Dorito chips.
I was still looking at the wall. “Ashlin?”
“Huh?...yeah, oh…uh…what?...umm, I mean you’re supposed to escape?”
“If you open me.”  
I took the key and opened her up. Maybe I was supposed to see a guard with a grumpy face.
“We’re not playing Star Wars.” He said.
“Oh, I am.”
I gripped Sophia and Akshay by the hand, and sprinted like a cheetah. The guard summoned a bunch of others, but I think they were no match for me.
“Get her!!!” I really thought I was playing star wars.
I headed for the kitchen. The pan was the ray gun, hit one of ‘em right on the spot. The knife went like the lightsaber, but it didn’t kill anyone. It only cut the guy’s pant from his knickers, precisely. I was suddenly turned into Peter Quill, with his headphones and Hadron Enforcers. Yup, music.
I’ve been in the wor…..ld,
And I got a gir…l,
And make me believe fo…r,
I’m in this world!!!
Quite like that. I was walkin’ on air. And dancing in the seas. Running from the witches, and outwitting the dark. Two little sentences from second grade storybook. I remember that bleak. I think it was, Madison’s Witch Bus? You probably didn’t hear of it. It’s not the part of the main stream. Nor am I.
I thought I just saw the old woman, stepping down. She raised with a rifle.
“Halt Sergeant!!!” she ordered. “Come on, Vincent!”
The ‘Vincent’ went a way too sarcastic. She dragged me like I was a little kiddie’s teddy bear. I took the chance kicked her foot. She fell to the ground. I picked up the rifle. “Guys.” I made a sign. The others were in position.
“Who is Gutler? And from when do you smuggle?” I was keen.
“Gutler…he’s my assistant.” She fumbled.
“What kind of?” Akshay tried to be the villain.
“Spit out, bitch!” said Sophia.
“My…my…my trade assistant…but what do you want?” her cracked voice added spice to it.
“Little old lady”, addressed Sophia, in the way she was. “We, Ashlin Radcliffe and Sophia Roberts, and of course Akshay Khandelwaal, draw a warrant on you, for life.”
At least the petty ol’ lady was put behind the bars. Gutler wasn’t found, though. I wasn’t disappointed. Hats off to Akshay.