The Selfless Gene

Chapter 24

Thame looks out across the featureless horizon as the tanker cuts smoothly through the gentle sea. The vibrancy of the blues had drained the closer they got to the UK. In just half an hour the South Coast would appear. The Captain had agreed to take a detour, allowing Thame to go ashore before they dock.

He has his things prepared; the Intel on paper, keys, and phone not yet switched on. Over a year's worth of emails and WhatsApp would attack him once he turned it on. He'd had a full battery when he left for his meeting in Turin. He'd do it on the train once he'd changed his euros and got a ticket.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, thanks Frederico."

"Always Freddy!" He jokes, and gives him a well-meaning but overly hard pat on the back. Since Jonas had intercepted his vessel and Thame came to the rescue, Freddy has embraced him like a long-lost son. Thame didn't just get fully fed and a bed; he was treated like a special crew member with free booze and a spot on the card table at night. They didn't dare go into the detail of what happened, sensing it better not to pry. Pirates! Everyone bemoaned whenever it came up. There was an unspoken bond between the men, never to be shared outside of the group.

"Two of the boys, Alberto and Luca, will take you closer in one of the lifeboats, and then you can swim the rest. Here's your waterproof bag. We've had a whip round - 100 Euros to change to get you home."

Thame gives Freddy a sincere look of gratitude and they hug.

"Ten minutes over there, land will show itself. There's a towel on board to make yourself dry after. We'll lower you down."

"Got it. Thank you again, Freddy."

"No problem. And thank you again. Pirates!" He shakes his head and goes with some of his crew to prepare the exit.

Thame places his things in the bag before studying the intelligence Paimona had given him. It wasn't clear why she shared this particular list and what her agenda was, but all the same, it didn't matter. It was exactly what he wanted. He was at war, with multiple battles in play, and he had to take one at a time.

First on the list was the name of the research facility and an address: Lohikaarme's army. The second was a posh West End address normally reserved for dignitaries. The third was a date and the symbol of the Order. He knew that one immediately: the bi-annual get together. The same one where he'd previously lost his mind when fighting Ormr. The same one that still made him feel guilty about his treatment of Abigail, Seymour's daughter. The last note was a date and a random location he didn't recognise. It looked like it would be in the docks somewhere, or near the old warehouses that are only frequented by squatters and the homeless, desperate to get out of the cold.

Thame pondered why it was written like a personal assistant's To-Do note. Certainly Paimona had her own agenda, but at least he was safe with it. The Order needed to be disbanded and his brother stopped. She would have to come last.

Freddy whistles, breaking Thame's train of thought, and waves his arm for him to come over. Thame folds the paper into his pocket with the Euros, and clutches the waterproof bag holding his phone and keys in the other. Alberto and Luca prepare the lifeboat and lower it to the sea. 

They don't speak English, just occasionally smile at him to show everything is going as planned. It takes about forty-five minutes before the small motorised lifeboat gets them within a few miles of shore. Thame gestures for them to stop and strips off his clothing. The men shake their heads 'no', trying to go in further, but Thame stops them.

Making sure everything is secure in the waterproof bag, he ties it tightly against his ankle. It would be allowed to bob freely, helping him kick more quickly. Thame stands out on the side of the boat, his still-translucent skin from a year of darkness on show, exposed to the elements. He wonders how the hell he's got to this point.

Thame shakes hands with Luca and waves to Alberto. "Grazi."

Diving into the sea completely naked, the water is bitterly cold and bracing to the extreme. His head absorbs the initial shock and shoots ice through his bones as he submerges. He kicks for a few moments and comes back up to the surface as if reborn. The cold has cleared his mind and he knows what he has to do. His eyes shine proudly Beast as he kicks again toward shore. Behind him, the boat turns and heads back to meet the army of Fiats. 

Thame no longer feels the cold, relishing the freedom of the swim. It's a fight between him and the ocean, currents pulling him like tentacles of a sea monster as he dashes in between with quick kicks, his powerful arms cutting through the waves.

The coast is quiet as he comes up a mile or so down from the beaches and developments. He feels the ground rising beneath him as he reaches some flats and a well-trodden bridleway. Pulling himself and his bag up to to dry land, he moves off the bridleway into some long grass. 

The towel was a true a gift, Thame quickly and vigorously wiping the salty sea water away. His hair damp but dry to his knees, he begins dressing, finishes off drying and packs his towel into his bag. He's headed to the small coastal town. First would be a cheap but warm jumper from Primark, and then a train home. Home, where he knew the entire world was waiting for him to arrive.