CHAPTER 24
Operation FIFO (First In First Out) was panning out to be a huge success. People eventually learned to stop arguing with Bob as both the Fuglies and the Wolves agreed utilizing Operation FIFO would be a win-win situation for both parties. Bob Miller's Fine Underlings Giving Love Year round were getting extremely homesick to the point that not only did they miss their mommies they were missing their pets as well. And as for the Tenacious Wolves? They were still in the mood for one big party. Some of the Attorneys that were In The Know about underground volcanoes assured the rest of the Wolves that this alleged catastrophe was nothing really close to an imminent threat and they could party on until Bob would return for them. But what the Wolves didn't know was that the impending volcano would be the least of their worries. Dirty Bird had a great big plan for them.
Pterodactyl sailed the ocean blue more smoothly than a Caribbean cruise. Most of the Fuglies were still worn out from the basketball game the night before and were opting to play Bingo to elude any potential sea sickness. Alice had taken charge of the game and was basking in all the attention she was receiving as a bingo caller. Things on the ship were very peaceful and so was the weather.
Screw Tooth Bill had Bob right where he wanted for a one-on- one conversation about the X-Files. They were together alone in the wheelhouse sipping sugar-free ginger ales. Bill's of course was spiked with Grey Goose vodka. He couldn't help but notice Bob Miller had just Oooohhh so much on his mind. It appeared quite evident that Dirty Bird was gloating on his own thoughts as he took control of the helm.
Bill took a step closer to Bob. "You have no plans of coming back for those ignorant assholes do you Bob? I can see it in your eyes."
The gears in Bob's mind stirred at the speed of a clock. "Oh I DO intend to come back for them eventually....right after each and everyone of them confess on live television."
Bill took another but larger sip. "Confess? About what? This got something to do with them X-Files you keep talking about?"
Bob shook his head yes.
Bill pushed. "Those know it alls will deem you a terrorist to some degree. America doesn't negotiate with terrorists. As a former veteran you should know that Bird Man. I'm concerned about you and don't want to see you in jail."
Bob's smiled showed no looks of concern. He patted Bill on the shoulder. "I appreciate your concern Bill but lemme tell you something I once read....Know it alls have the most to learn...I didn't kidnap those Wolves they kidnapped themselves....they constantly criticize lazy people looking for handouts but look how excited they got about my free all expense paid vacation....oh...and just one other thing Bill....America doesn't negotiate with terrorists? Yeah I already know that but guess what? We're not exactly in America right now....this is the Devil's Triangle my friend."
With that statement Bill couldn't help but down the rest of his alcoholic drink. Although Dirty Bird and him were now friends he had learned earlier on that it took a few drinks to reason with him. It led to Bill's next question as he took notice the compass spinning around wildly as if broken.
"You've been meticulously plotting this for years haven't you? That compass couldn't give us a proper reading if you stuck a steak dinner in front of it....why do I have a feeling that GPS doesn't do any good out here either?"
Bob Miller just laughed. "Over 500,000 square miles of confusion out here Bill. The NAVY fears these waters like you wouldn't believe. For centuries ships even planes go missing out here. GPS devices and compasses don't do no good out here. You have to know your way around to make it out here." Screw Tooth Bill was still confounded. "So how do you know how to get to Miller Island without getting lost Bird Man?"
Bob grinned and pointed up towards the skies. "Old school baby...the stars and the sun...been reading those Astronomy magazines for years...Google doesn't know EVERYTHING ya know."
The thought had never occurred to Bill. He couldn't help but wonder just how old school Bob really was. Using the sun and the stars for navigation? Did he know morse code too? Before Bill could pry a little more Bob fixed himself another icy cold sugar-free ginger ale and changed the subject. Any minute his private Attorney Evan Rogers would be barging into the bridge room to bring him up to speed on current events with how operation FIFO was coming along.
Bob crunched on an ice cube while wiping down some fly guts stuck to the helm's windshield. "Hey Bill.... That cute red headed girl that always takes great pleasure in interrupting me....what's her deal?"
Bill snorted then showed off the glimmer in his eyes feeling content that he knew something that Dirty Bird didn't know.
"Ha you mean Amber? The smart ass chick with the freckles?"
"Ha...I guess that be her...Amber did you say? I guess her name fits well with that fire pit on her head."
Bill chuckled. "She's known you since you were only 19."
"Huh? How so?"
Bill was still chuckling. "A friend of a friend I guess. Says in your younger days she witnessed you piss ass drunk doing your supermans on top of your buddy's beat up station wagon hanging on for dear life leaving a bar on a rainy day."
It took Bob a while to regress but he finally recalled the event.
He would have only been 19 years old but perhaps there was more than just alcohol thrown into the equation. Bob was still curious about Amber. "So how did she manage to sneak onto my ship? I get nervous around her cuz every time she looks at me there's always a look on her face that she knows a million of my secrets and is prepared to blab it to the world."
"That's probably because she does Bob. The girl thinks you're hysterical. You never took notice to her at the gym?"
That's when more pieces of the puzzle were getting put together. Gym time at the fitness club was exactly what it was meant to be...gym time. Dirty Bird never had any time in between reps to befriend any one in their at the club nor did he ever take notice to observe any others workouts. But Amber?
He did recall her giving him many a funny looks as if recognizing him from something. So how did she find out about Miller Island? What was it that she wanted? Did she know about the X-Files?
"Ya know Bill I do now remember her staring at me on the treadmill one day...a few times as a matter-of-fact. She always gave me this strange kind of look as if she was expecting something really, really big some day...and I never even knew her name."
Bill chuckled. "Been shadowing you eh?"
"Dunno Bill...It's just strange...maybe we should confront her now...maybe we should get all this off our chests."
"Your chest." Corrected Bill.
"Yes...my chest...where is she? I want you to bring her in here."
Screw Tooth Bill could only frown at the floor. "Amber is not on this ship Bob...you said it once before she's borderline of being fugly....she's having too much fun back at the Island....she wanted to stay back and party with the wolves."
A pang of trepidation raced across Dirty Bird's chest.
Amber....a girl he knew nothing about but yet allegedly knew EVERYTHING about himself....And now she was left behind to continue partying with the Wolves?