Begin Again

Docks

Rowan made his way through the large hallways unnoticed at midnight. He needed to get back down to the docks without Rylan or Kent, the Professor, breathing down his neck in worry. Taking his motorcycle, Rowan left the country estate in a flash.

Blake jumped up from behind the crates, squinting at
the late night ships coming in. There was a lot of movement despite being nearly two in the morning. Duke sniffed the salty air, wanting to find any traces of the familiar men.

"Okay then," Blake huffed, making her way around the docks unnoticed. "Okay Duke, this sheet is one key to the puzzle, as for the other one."

"Look at what we've got here," a loud man called out. Gasping, thinking that her spot had been compromised, Blake ducked. "Our own little writer!"

Peeking back over the crates, she saw the large sailor holding the back of the man's shirt. He was turned to Blake so she could not get a clear look of him, which frustrated her.

"I heard ye got a pick on our cap'tin," one other man called out. "I think we can settle this?"

"I'd love to think so too," an American called out.

"I've got nothing on any of you," the man called out. "Why? Got anything you'd like to show me? I'd be delighted."

Despite his imminent danger, he still had enough sass to throw around. The first word that popped into Blake's head was idiot. Shaking her head she saw how they shoved him into a crate so fast and so hard that it made her flinch. No sound came from the inside which only meant he was out cold.

This really catching her attention, she saw the word Orion stamped on the side of the crate. Now that the stranger was in danger, she just knew she had to save him somehow. Why? She didn't know, she just got this urge to do what was right. Seeing cars being loaded into the Orion, she knew that there had to be a mechanic, now she had to find him. Raising her head, she saw what looked like a mechanic, staring at them, who had seen the whole thing. The Spaniard man's eyebrows raised up as she pointed to him.

"Martinez," the loading man questioned the woman standing in front of him with her dog. "Where's Martínez?"

"Aw, he came down with the cold," Blake pulled off her best English accent. "He asked me to fill in."

"He doesn't work with-."

"Excuse me," Blake grabbed his shirt in a fistful. "You tellin' me that because I'm a girl, I can't be a mechanic?! You've got a problem with that mate?!"

The man's jaw dropped as he watched the redhead bickering with him, walking away angrily. Standing more confused than ever, the man resumed his work.

Taking her chance, Blake ran down the corridor where they saw the men carrying the crate into one of the rooms in this tanker. Before she could keep going, she heard a man yell at her.

"You the new mechanic," the cook pointed. "Your quarter, that way!"

"R-right," Blake smiled, walking in the way he was pointing. She was lead into the cargo hold where all the cars were at. She was with a younger scrawny man, another rookie mechanic who was minding his own business. He looked oddly familiar. Thanking him for that, Blake knew she didn't have a lot of time to get off this tanker before it left.

The place was a labyrinth, corridors in every way, stairs overhead into the upper floors. Thank goodness for Duke who helped lead the way back down to the smelly men. Stopping, she grabbed Duke before running into the corridor where those three men came walking down in.

"We gotta tell the Captain," The American replied. "We've got the cat in the bag."

Laughing among themselves, Blake could not understand how these men could do something like that to a human being. Well it was a crazy world so who wouldn't? Walking down the corridor, Blake crept to the door, peering inside the small window. It was their food pantry, with that single crate hidden under the tarps.

"Hey! Mind givin' me a hand," the cook asked. Blake turned abruptly, seeing the man carry about two boxes full of food. Nodding, Blake went to help the man move the things into the kitchen. "So, how long you've been working for Martinez?"

"Not long," Blake nodded. "I need to go get back to my cars."

"Call me Will."

"Rusty," Blake raised her eyebrows.

The ship horn blared to declare its departure and Blake shut her eyes in realization that now she was in deep trouble. She had no idea where this boat was going, how long it was going for. The guys were going to kill her!

"Oh great," she mumbled as she whistled for Duke to follow. The cook smiled at the young lady, rushing to get back to her job. There wasn't many young workers who were actually workers, lazy mainly but not workers.

"Okay," Blake whispered, looking at her watch. Most of the sailors were asleep, so this was her time to act. She headed back down into the pantry, opening it with effort before being able to get in herself.

Duke, on his hind legs, jumped on the crate, scratching it earnestly. She knew that he wanted to help the stranger as well and to be honest, she had never seen him act like that with anyone else.

Prying the crate open, Blake peered down at the unconscious man. She needed a plan, and she needed it quick. To the sounds of it, those men wanted this kid for a reason so that put a heavy bargain over his head.

"Oh Blake, what mess did you get yourself in," Blake pulled the man up, hoisting his weight under her grip. Staring over at another bag, Blake smiled at what she could see what was inside.

Pulling the man up, Blake grabbed his wrist firmly, trying to stop him from slipping from her grip. Hoisting her other hand behind his back, gave her some balance.

"Rusty," Will called out. "Oh-."

He ducked a bit trying to get a better look at the man's face but he wore sunglasses and a hat. A strange smile was on his face though, until Blake pulled him and his facial expressions just dropped.

"My friend never stops drinking, I tell him to stop. Does he listen? No," Blake rolled her eyes as she kept pulling him down the corridor with Duke in tail. It didn't take her long to get him down into the cargo hold where that scrawny kid was at. Looking over, the kid shrugged and kept on working. "Oh you're owing me big time for this pal."

She laid him down on the only cot she had as a bed, wondering how much longer this man was going to be out for the count. Slumping against the steel wall, Blake propped one leg up, using it as her elbow rest. She had one long night ahead of her.