Project Far Reach

Chapter 15 - Part 2

Chapter 15 - Part 2

It was a cool day in the forested hills of Soro Island. Tall water oaks blocked out the harsh sun and made the hike a pleasurable experience. Mike Jaros and his son Peter felt lucky to get away and just spend some quality time together. The past weeks had been hard work, and it was turning out to be the best whaling season in twenty years.

Soro was one of three major islands forming the remote chain known as the Delta Islands. They were called that because the ocean that separated them formed a natural salt-water delta between them. Fishing had been good to and it was thought that the island's plentiful stock of marine life was what had been attracting all the whales.

Mike was a whale foreman. His job was simple: to round up the men and organize when ever whales approached the islands. Once his men were in position they would heard the whales into the delta and close off all three entrances. It was an effective killing strategy.

The pay was not to complain about either, especially since there were few other opportunities on the islands. As they made their way along the path Mike's mind was elsewhere. Despite his best efforts to relax, he couldn't get his mind off work. It was really only one thing that was bothering him, and normally it wouldn't have done so.

A couple of days prior Mike had received a phone call; it was threatening. Mostly, he was used to it. He and just about everyone else on the islands knew that the whale runs where extremely taboo in the outside world. At least twice a month during season he and other whalers would get hostile phone calls damming them to hell and everything else, but somehow this one was different.

Something about the tone in the man's voice. He was so calm, so serious. 'Listen carefully 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. This is your last chance to abandon madness and heed reason, for if you do not change your evil ways you will surely die.'

At first the call had made him laugh, but something about the tone in his voice was frightening to the core. Mike had thought the guy was crazy, but after a couple of days of thinking, Mike decided he hoped the caller wasn't. He shook his head trying to get the thoughts out of his head.

“Are you alright papa?”

Mike looked down at his son and forced a smile, “I'm fine son, just trying to get my mind off work, that's all. I want this to be just our time.”

“Papa, why do you have to work so much?”

Mike laughed, “I don't work that much son. It just seems that way because it's whaling season. You know I have to work as hard as I can while I can. That way I get to spend the rest of the year with you and Momma.” He patted the boy on the head as they strolled along the trail. It sure was beautiful out here.

“What's a whale, Papa?”

“You sure do have a lot of questions today don't you, Peter?” He figured he just wasn't used to being around enough to get aggravated by all the questions. He sighed, “Well son, do you remember when we spent the weekend at Uncle Junior's ranch last year?”

“Yea.”

“Well remember the day we got up early with Uncle and helped with chores, and you got to milk the momma cows?”

“O, yea I remember. Those cows were enormous!”

“Well, the whales are sort of like those cows, except for they live in the water.”

“Can I go with you and milk the whales Papa?”

He smiled at his son, he would make a fine Jaros someday, perhaps even take over the family businesses. “Well we don't actually milk the whales Peter, but perhaps when your older you can go with me.”

“Promise Papa?”

“Promise.”

The pair made there way down the rest of the path to the park entrance they started at.

“Papa! Can we go for ice cream before we go home?”

Buzz! Buzz!

Mike looked down at his belt pager, 9-1-1. It was the signal that whales had been spotted. He grabbed his son's hand and urged him faster to the car, “Sure son, we'll just make it quick alright.”

When they made it to the car Mike helped his son in and made sure he was buckled up. He had a lot of people to call in. Being a foreman meant you were responsible for getting enough men rallied to herd the whales into the Delta. He hopped in the driver's seat and pulled out of the park. It seemed there was more work to be done, even if this season's catch was already turning out to be a record.