Chapter III: Calm before the Storm

RMS Titanic

400 nautical miles from Newfoundland, Canada

April 14, 1912 11:15 p.m.

Maya felt the imbalance movement of the wood floor under her feet like a swing. She grabbed the near steel handlebar of the door after the three of them respawned. Kroeger immediately checked on their third mate, who is as wiggly as Maya. He alternately looked at them and his teeth showed in a low lighted room, insulting.

"You'll get used to it, Fish", as he taps Akira's back who is now kneeling, with his right hand in his mouth. He then turns to Maya. "Ooh… damn Lindsay knows what's best for you!"

"Cut it out!' Maya fired back in a low whisper before her comrade continues the mocking. Everyone knows that she is seasick. She exhaled deep and white snow breathe came out. Despite the overcoat they wear, the below-freezing weather is penetrating.

The small room they respawned is deserted. It was full of oil cans, rusty mechanical tools, and frozen paintbrushes. In the side of the door where Maya still anchored are white and brown papers, rolled and piled. Light from outside gets through the small glass window, and it illuminated their shadows.

Maya slowly peeks into the opening and surveyed the deck. She looks to her left. She heard a glassy sound of a violin playing afar. But no one is patrolling. She turns her eyes to the right as much as she could. She saw a glowing light coming out in a room.

She turned back to her company. Kroeger is already installing to his hand their issued Taser. Akira on other hand looks at them, still puzzled.

"The right leads to the wheel room. This is Titanic's Bridge," she said. Kroeger gave him a nod and look at his waterproof watch which was simulated to the Titanic's timeline.

"OK. This is it. We have only 15 minutes to get that portable compass," relayed Kroeger. He spun his face to Akira, "You keep an eye at our back, Fish. You walk as fluffy as a cloud, you got me?"

Akira startled to answer. "Yes. I will. I will." He rushed to collect himself and replicated the two mentors who are checking their equipment one more time.

Three shadows discreetly walk and pass the quiet cabins of the Bridge. Sounds of metal chains overlay on the music in the distance, followed by loud cheers from the passengers. The southern breeze made the auctioneers hold to their tasers even more. The eerie, quiet night with stars dappled sky cannot put any qualm to the passengers of this ill-fated 'unsinkable' cruise line. Down the deck, a banquet hosted by the ship captain is held. There were no signs of what's coming, as the jubilation is orchestrated by the playing string band.

Kroeger ganders at the slightly opened oak door. He saw the wheel of the ship, unattended in the middle of four bronze telemotors. One of the three telephones hanging on the aft wall is left hanging and swinging as the ship moves. The warmer, yellow shade of the single open lightbulb hasn't shown the room's glamour. Titanic's wheelhouse is ahead of her time, and many captains kill just to touch her majesty.

Kroeger tip-toed into the room. He stepped on a seeming truffle skirt lying on the floor. He took a closer look and found more garments of a woman laying like a trail.

He waved his left hand, and Maya and Akira followed through. They all kneeled in unison when they heard a moan coming from the right corner of the room. When their eyes adjusted in the dark, two silhouettes appeared, clinging to each other.

The soft moans began to grow louder. The woman's fingernails buried on the sailor's name, as she leans her long white neck where his lover's lips navigate. She was filled with ecstatic nerves, and with every touch, her body shivers like an earthworm sprinkled with salt. She swayed even more, as the sailor sits her at a wobbly navigation table. The maps, binoculars, and other miscellaneous fell on the floor, but the two were too earthly to care for. Beside the half-naked paramours, Maya spotted the team's agenda: Titanic's portable compass with Captain Edward Smith's inscription.

For the first time they arrived, Akira spoke his mind and murmurs in his low voice.

"I thought Jack and Rose did it in the 1912 Renault?" he seriously inquired. The two looked straight dead to him with jaw's opened in disbelief.

"You asshole you smokin' weed all day?" Kroeger interjected. "You watch too much Netflix!"

Maya grabs Akira by the collar and her temper flared. "We only have seven minutes, you genius, so pick it up! Now, get your tasers and cut the crap now!" She hoisted Akira, and pushed him hard, causing him to stumble awkwardly in front of the couple.

The sailor was caught between climax and Akira's presence and loses her arms' strength upon seeing the stumbling figure in front of him. He voluntarily let go of the woman's butt and fell hard on the floor. She screamed in pain.

And she screams even more upon seeing another man in the room. She quickly collected her garments and covered her bare breast and ran behind the sailor.

The sailor's naked body is well carved, despite the low light in the room. Akira was lost for words to say and stammered between babbles. Suddenly, the naked sailor jolted and reached for his handgun in the nearby wooden chair.

"Tase him now!" Kroeger shouted to the greenhorn. Akira clicks the left button of the taser's handle. An electric, rectangular blade sprung out of the handlebar. He jumped and targets the sailor's exposed neck, stunning him in just a minute, and fell like a vegetable on the floor.

The terrified woman cried piercingly. Maya went to her and quickly put her to sleep. The woman's pearl necklace disengaged and rolled all over the place as she hit the floor.

As planned, Maya secured the portable compass. She opens the lid and it displayed an old solid brass with a silver needle encased in glass. The Cardinal points, the cruise line's logo, and the name of the captain is engraved into it, enough for authentication.

Kroeger laughs at the weeping Akira, who still staring at the man he has tased a while ago. His conscience is kicking him in the gut, and now self-defending himself in a monologue.

"It was self-defense. I don't mean it. He will ki---"

"Nothing personal," Maya interrupted. "We all been there. Besides he's not dead. Well --- technically – he's already dead.

Kroeger jumps into the wagon and perpetually sermon the newbie Akira.

"And before you do self-questioning, may I remind you, you just tased him and ---"

An echoing sound cut the conversation and it reverberated inside the room. Akira felt a warm liquid has just come out of his right shoulder. Then he felt a shooting pain as he touched it with his left hand. Suddenly, his vision blurred and he collapsed, face first on the hard deck floor.

It was Captain Edward Smith at the door, pulled the trigger of a semi-automatic Colt M1911. The two quickly jumped for cover. Kroeger pushed the navigator's table and duck on it.

"Shit! Damn fish forgot his bulletproof vest?" he cursed loudly. Maya was able to cover under the wheel's handle. Her vision is locked on to the old captain who was closing into Kroeger. He fired again. Two bullets penetrating the table, missing a hairline to Croeger's foot.

"Shit! Shit! Damn it!"

Maya noticed that Smith was not aware of her presence, and thought it Kroeger was the only one left.

The Titanic's captain reached the lying Akira. He checked him with his right foot. Akira is heavily breathing but still motionless. This was the moment Maya waiting for. She cast her taser blade and jumped into the unsuspected assailant.

Captain Smith was caught surprised of a flashing light fast approaching. His body reacted and try to dodge it by crouching under it. But Maya's right knee squarely hit his jawline, and a hard-hit force knocks down Smith. He perpendicularly fell to Akira.

Maya full-mounted him with her knees and he instructed the hiding Kroeger. "Kroeger, open the portal and get Akira. Now!"

Kroeger frantically pushed a button on his chest. A circular flash appeared in thin air and rapidly grew larger and larger. He hopped on the wrecked table and pulled Akira.

"Hurry-up Maya! We have only 3 minutes left!" he relayed. He has no problem on putting the 175-pound Akira to his broad shoulder and quickly jumped into the portal which is starting to close in

Smith is trying to move his shocking head. He felt the weight of Maya on her chest and shoulders, pinning him to the ground. He tried to open his blurry eyes and saw the white face of a brunette woman. "Who… are you?" he struggled to voice out.

"You know what captain, it's not important who we were", said Maya as she draws the taser, humming with an electrical discharge. She then mimicked one of the lookout's famous line and whispered to the captain's ear. "Iceberg, right ahead."

Before Smith can even process what he heard from the mysterious woman, he jerked in pain as a volt of electricity jacked inside him. His sweats speckled like a garden fountain, and he passed out in a snap.

Maya stood up and shut down the taser. She walked towards the compass and put it in her coat's pocket. She stared at the captain for the last time, like a matador who victoriously wrestled an angry bull.

As she went through the portal, she felt a little guilt. But it was geared toward the innocent lives, unaware of their last ride aboard.

Nothing personal.