A Hard Rain: Book Two Of The Shift Trilogy

Chapter 8

Annapolis, Maryland

The Abercrombies

December 2012

Jean Paul Nguyen walked briskly, enduring the northerly wind speckled with ice crystals. For the first time in his life, he understood why the Navy issued pea coats as the one he wore kept his torso and arms comfortable despite the frigid wet wind outside. He just wished they came up with a hood and facemask to go with it. The nasty weather gave a plausible excuse for his hurried pace. The locals here seemed not to care for the Nor'easter any more than he, so there was nothing out of place with his clipped aggressive strides. He didn't want to appear to be scurrying off, which he and his ship most certainly were. The Abercrombie sentries would get suspicious if Jean Paul tiptoed his way around the docks. In his experience, if you acted agitated as you went about your business for the world to see, nobody questioned you. He hoped that rule of thumb held true with wackos like the Abercrombies here, because he was in essence making a getaway.

"Captain."

"Jesus!" Jean Paul jumped. He immediately crossed himself and muttered a corresponding prayer so as to not have taken the Lord's name in vain.

"Cody, dude, you scared the living shit out of me." He forced himself not to whisper, which was the natural response when one was trying to avoid drawing attention, but whispering caused the opposite, in fact.

"Sorry, Skipper, the girls always said I was a sneaky son of a bitch," Cody said with a sense of pride. "The XO says that we're ready to push off."

"And our stowaway?" Jean Paul asked trying to keep up with the unnecessarily tall passenger whom he had come to incorporate into his crew.

"Yeah, he's safely tucked in."

"Good. Let's get the hell out of here."

"Why all the rush, Captain? Aren't you enjoyin' the Abercrombies' hospitality?"

Jean Paul turned to face Cody just to be sure he was indeed being facetious, because his tone almost sounded sincere, and he didn't know Cody Robacheaux well enough to judge his character yet. Besides, he sported a handle bar mustache, which his people called a "porn star." And he tended to be wary of dudes with those. Likewise, he did not know the rest of Cody's companions Jean Paul and his ship was ferrying back home. It was a wonder Cody and his companions survived the journey that stranded them in Newfoundland where Jean Paul picked them up. Fortunately, Cody's smile suggested he had no love for the Abercrombies any more than he himself did.

"I just want to get out of here and back to somewhere sane. Home."

"I heard that."

Jean Paul winced. "Of course. Sorry, man." Jean Paul knew that however much he missed home, having been at sea for months now, Cody and his buddies had been away for years.

The Jean Lafitte undulated gently with the choppy waves slapping against Annapolis Harbor, her bow seeming to defy the rough currents beneath her steel hull. Seamen worked diligently out in the elements making final preparations, tightening seals, stowing the remaining equipment for departure, securing the ammo crates and most importantly hoisting the mast of the main sail. The massive golden emblem, which was likewise emblazoned on every crew member's coat and shirt, contrasted against the black fabric of the sail. The towering golden fleur de lis waved proudly with the wind, letting the world know who they were, and that, yes indeed, the Saints were coming.