Cyberlink Cove

Chapter 17

CYBERLINK COVE-2078

(Dedicated to le_beautiful_monster for the cover on the right!) 

“We can always get Glenn to fix up some of the speedboats-I’m telling you, some of this stuff people are shipping in is worth more than one of us could hope to honestly earn in a lifetime,” Eli stated forcefully.

 

Francie was mildly surprised at how fiercely Eli was insisting they raid a freighter due to arrive at Reef next week. Usually he was painfully indifferent when potential operations were suggested. She brooded over this while flipping through the packet Eli had given her earlier.

 

“Eli, seriously. We need more info before we consider it,” Chrissy snapped shortly over the comm link.

 

About a dozen pirates were having a heated debate over various comm units, almost like a conference call. The local slang had dubbed these conversations “comm cons”.

 

“I’d be willing to do that,” Glenn responded in a neutral tone of voice, trying to dispel the sparks flying between the two hotheads. He sat down on a wooden stool and squinted under the glaring noonday sun, watching the typical hustle and bustle of the broad boardwalks on Coral Atoll. The calls of fishermen filled his ears as Glenn turned his attention to the argument.

 

On Haven, Isla rolled her eyes to the vivid baby blue heavens as Chrissy and Eli continued to exchange barbs. The two had never gotten along. Eli was a tight-lipped, moody man, while Chrissy gave took life’s challenges in a stride, adding her own special flair to anything she encountered. Naturally, Chrissy’s more flamboyant sense of humor rubbed off the wrong way on Eli. Isla sent an amused glance towards Danny, who looked irritated.

 

“Cut it out, you two,” Ella ordered.

 

“Why should we?” Eli fired back snippily. He was very easily annoyed.

 

“You’d think that the pair of you were opponents from the way you’re acting,” Ella retorted. That sobered both of them up.

 

“Thank you, Ella,” Francie jutted in coolly. “I actually do think what Eli has proposed is a good idea, though we will have to plan it carefully,” she told them. Eli sent a smug look in Ella’s direction, who proceeded to make an extremely rude gesture towards him with one of her fingers. Eli smirked in triumph.

 

As if she could sense what he was thinking, Francie continued. “Eli, don’t get too full of yourself. We’re going to have to do a lot of tweaking to the first plan that you proposed.” He let out a noncommittal grunt and refrained from speaking.

 

“Question: how are we gonna get rods to board ‘em freighters?” Mina asked curiously. “Bamboo’s nice and malleable, but you don’t find any of that around here. What else have we got?”

 

“We could always use thin PVC piping, or some flexible plastic,” Philip suggested. “Put some sort of metal hook on the top to grab onto the railing.”