Hidden Steel

Chapter 6

SIX

As the sun was setting, the great fiery orange ball looked as if it was melting into the ocean itself. As it sank, it was leaving glowing splinters of itself resting upon the waves. Steel stood outside on the balcony of his room; the cool breeze of the evening air cut through the black golf ball shirt of his tuxedo. He watched the last slither of light disappear into the horizon, leaving a deep purple horizon. Steel smiled at the beauty of it all, then returned to the comfortable climate of his room. Steel walked to the dresser and took out a small contact lens holder and cracked open the lid. Taking them out one by one and slipping them over his eyes to change them to blue. He blinked several times to get used to the feel of them. Usually he wore his unique sunglasses, but he thought it might look a little strange for the evening – he was after all undercover, so he needed to blend in. Steel looked into the mirror at his new light blue eyes.

“That will do,” he thought to himself. Picking up his tuxedo jacket, he finished dressing then headed for the captain’s dining room. Tonight, he would be dining at the captain’s table along with several other guests. As Steel walked the many corridors, he hoped tonight might reveal something, the days were getting shorter, and he was fresh out of ideas.

Steel walked towards the entrance of the impressive dining hall, the carpet was a deep red with gold patterned inlays, the dark wood walls stretched up to the three stories of the dining room, and a magnificent chandelier hung down the centre, illuminating all three levels. He made his way through the crowds of people and found the table in the centre of the room; it was large and sat twelve people. The majority of the tables were round, seating six to eight guests, with white linen tablecloths and wine red linen napkins which were folded into something that resembled a bishop's hat, that had been placed neatly on the crockery plates. Crystal wine and water glasses were placed at a forty-five-degree angle to the placemats, and the shining metal silverware glinted in the light from the enormous chandelier.

The whole room had a turn-of-the-century feel to it rather than a modern-day one. As Steel looked around, he could understand how the captain loved this room. The moment Steel walked into it, it was as if he had been transported back in time. Steel had done his research on the captain before boarding and found he was an old sea dog. The man had been on ships all his life. The captain had been born on one in the early forties. The man’s family’s history was full of sailors dating back to as far as Steel could find.

Captain Tobias Long was a large man with a barrel chest and a white beard anyone would associate with the captains in the galleons and frigates of old. To look at him, he appeared as everyone envisaged a ship’s captain should appear to resemble. Steel made his way to the large table where some of the guests had already taken their places.

Steel observed the name cards as he moved round to shake the hands of his fellow passengers, Steel smiled as he noticed that the names were on both sides of the place cards. Very clever, he thought to himself. A simple but useful way to ensure that nobody would be embarrassed about forgetting anyone’s names when it came to conversation. His introduction was more to get the “Up close and personal” look at the people than it was politeness. Along with Steel and some other single people, there sat three couples who could not have been more different from each other if they tried.

First, there were the Dawsons – Mary Dawson was a large plump woman with a pretty face and a beaming smile, her long black locks had been arranged in an Audrey Hepburn style bob and she was wearing a stunning white dress that complemented her large frame. In fact, at first glance, Steel would have sworn she was an opera singer because of the way she looked and held herself.

Her husband Ronald was of average height, and his large frame was a mix of body fat and muscle - he also had thick dark black hair with streaks of grey on the sides. The man grinned as much as his wife and with good reason, As they talked, Steel found that, after spending twenty-five years running a small shop in Yorkshire, an Aunt of Ronald’s had died and left a small fortune to him.

Next to them sat Susan and Alan Metcalf. She had long, thick, wavy auburn hair that clung around her bare shoulders; she was tall with a slim frame which was complemented by her electric blue dress. Alan was of the same height and build; his side-parted hair was brown and glistened with hair products. They both had a slight tan and had a healthy look about them. Susan was also an heiress – her mother had died when she was quite young, and her father passed around three years ago, leaving her the shipbuilding family business and a fortune in Florida.

The Texas oil king Albert Studebaker and his wife Missy sat to the left of the Metcalfs . He was a massive bulk of a man with shovels for hands – even though he was nearly sixty, he looked fit and strong as an ox. His tanned skin looked leathery and made his white hair and goatee appear whiter than it was. Missy was younger – by around twenty years, but just by looking, anyone could tell she was in it for him and not his money. She was once a supermodel and still retained the figure, even after retiring several years after their marriage. Missy’s hair was blonde, and the sides cut short. The fringe was long and covered part of her face, making her blue eyes to glow in the shadow that the fringe cast upon her perfect facial features. Her silver strapless dress hugged her natural curves like a second skin.

They all chatted for a while as they awaited the others and of course the captain, who was busy on the bridge. As Steel sat, a waitress came to take his drink order. He looked up to see it was the waitress from before, he smiled both curiously and joyfully to see her again.

“Can I get you anything, sir?” she asked her eyes, not leaving his.

“A large Lagavulin if you have one,” he smiled, as she turned slowly and walked away, her head still trained upon him till the last moment.

“God damn boy, what aftershave you wearin'?” Albert laughed out loud. Steel turned to the large Texan and shrugged innocently as they all laughed.

“So, I guess this is all of us then?” Missy looked around as she spoke, “Or not” she corrected herself on seeing the approach of what appeared to be two couples. Steel stood up and pulled the chair out for the gorgeous long brown-haired woman who was to be at the place setting next to him – her red one strap dress hugged her hourglass figure, and her dark eyes sparkled, reflecting the surrounding lights.

“Thank you, kind sir,” her voice was soft but had a roughness to it. As she spoke, Steel could feel the hairs on the back of his neck tingle with excitement. After everyone had reintroduced themselves, Steel learnt that the woman to his right was called Tia May and that she worked at a small art gallery in New York. She had gone on to tell how she was born in Hawaii, her father had been in the Navy, and her mother was a local girl. After college, she got an art degree and found work in the gallery.

Retaking his seat, Steel noticed the others, the pair who had taken the places to his front were called the Stewarts , Steel’s interest grew at the sight of their nameplate, could it be? He thought to himself, No, too easy; he shook the thought. Bob and Jane Stewart were both in their forties and somehow dressed similarly, almost as though she was the female version of him. They both had short blonde hair and pale complexions; Steel could not help but think Body snatchers or Village of the damned. This brought a small smile to his face, the Stewarts came from Long Island and worked as accountants for a large firm there; as odd as they seemed, the Stewarts smiled and told amusing stories about their work. Then Steel laid eyes on the twelfth guest – it was the man from the bar, he seemed different from before, calmer and he also smiled and joined in the jovial conversion, his name card said he name was Jonathan Grant, he was in property in LA and was here to celebrate a massive deal he had just closed. Steel’s eyes searched the group, and he found it strange, the array of different backgrounds at the table, sure it made for brilliant conversation but Steel, being Steel, read more into it. Nothing happens by chance he thought.

As the captain entered, the room stood in respect. He casually waved a fond greeting, and as he sat, so did the guests. No sooner had they taken their seats, when two waiters came around, each carrying a bottle of red and white wine. The captain asked them all what they thought of the ship and the facilities. As expected, the response was a pleasant one. The conversation then turned to the guests; who they were and what they did for a living. The captain showed massive interest in their stories.

“So, Mr Black, you have been quiet all evening,” Albert bellowed, Steel could tell that the giant American was about to start a “friendly” interrogation.

“What exactly is it that you do?” his tone was as Steel expected, distrustful and insinuative. Jonathan Grant looked up instantly - his fork full of the prawn cocktail starter poised, waiting for Steel’s reply. Steel put down his fork and dabbed the side of his mouth with the linen napkin. Then he took a mouth full of the water to wash down his food.

“A bit of this and a bit of that really. I spent some time in the Army and found, after a while, I needed a carrier change,” he watched their eyes as he spoke of some tale to satisfy their lust for knowledge. “As for now I don’t really do much. My parents passed on a while back and left me some money, so I pretty much travel around and pay attention in people, who knows, I may write a book one day,” Steel took another mouthful of water. “My life is quite boring really, not like yours of course.” The large American sat back and grinned at the compliment.

As the evening wore on, Steel spent most of it examining the room, trying to catch a glimpse of someone suspicious, but so far, the only odd people were the ones right in front of him. Jonathan Grant was also observing the room, but most of the time, his gaze was fixed on the characters at the table, especially Steel.

Steel, after some lengthy banter, and listening to each of the couples play, which was worth more, he had concluded that most – if not all - the people were not who they said they were or had a hidden agenda for being there. Either way, he was at the table of lies.

All through the night, the captain told stories of his days in the Navy, and aboard fishing vessels before that. He held his audience captive as he told a good tale, Steel could not make out how much was true but all the same, it did not matter. Steel also noticed something was bothering him; now and then, he would stare into nothingness, his look vacant and lost. Steel’s appetite was getting aroused – he was looking for something or someone on the ship, for what he did not know, the people in front of him all had big secrets that they were running away from. Steel could not be happier; the only thing missing was a dead body, he thought.

The band snapped Steel back to reality as they started to play a slow dance, with that Steel stood up after dabbing his mouth with the napkin and turned to Tia.

“May I have the pleasure of this dance?” Tia grinned as though she had been waiting all night for him to ask. He pulled out her chair slightly, and he got a waft of her perfume as she rose.

As they danced close and slow, Steel couldn't help but notice how intoxicating her perfume was, he felt almost drunk as he breathed in her sweet scent, but that is precisely what he needed – a reboot. Steel’s brain had been subjected to hours of mystery after mystery, and this little getaway was all he needed.

The dance ended and he returned Tia May to her seat. While they were gone, Steel had found the conversation had continued as the captain told another one of his fantastic tales.

“So, Captain” Grant spoke with a joyful tone. “The maiden voyage of a new ship must feel bloody marvellous.”

As Steel returned to his seat, he eyed the captain for his reaction. The large man put down his wine glass and smiled proudly and looked around.

“Did you know, Mr Grant, that this ship was designed to be how the Titanic would look if it had been built now instead of in 1912?” the captain said, proudly. Grant shook his head as he took a small mouth full of the creamed dessert. “This ship is 3,800 feet long and weighs over 246,000 tons; it has 30 lifeboats, each designed to carry around three hundred and fifty passengers. The ship itself carries over 7,500 passengers, this Sir, is the largest cruise ship ever designed, so yes it feels bloody marvellous,” the captain grinned from ear to ear. Steel felt a little uneasy at the thought of the ship being referred to as “The Titanic of the modern age.” Steel felt the mood turn sour as everyone had the same idea.

“So, Captain Long, where are we off too next?” Steel asked, knowing the captain would not just stop at a simple explanation but would go into a fully detailed description of the Spanish port, Vigo.

As the night drew on and Steel could feel that the travel and the fullness of the magnificent meal had taken their toll on him, he rose from his seat and excused himself for the evening. As he ventured out onto one of the decks, he looked out onto the vast expanse of water, the cold breeze felt good against his warm skin. He needed fresh air and quiet, so his brain could sort through the events of the evening, who was who? Was anyone at that table honestly who they said they were? Tomorrow he would find out. On checking out the ship, he had noticed it had an internet lounge, would he find the answers there? The night was black except for a half-moon that shone just as brightly as if it had been full, casting light upon the gentle waves below. The view was breath-taking, and the silence more so.

Venturing back to his cabin, Steel reflected on the evening and also the waitress. Maybe it was a coincidence, but something deep down told him otherwise, though he was still none the wiser. What was so special about the ship? Who were the "Stewarts" from the e-mail? A good night's rest would help clear some of the fog, he thought, walking towards his door. Stopping he noticed there was a light on in his cabin, and shadows moved from side to side, giving away signs of a visitor. He thought about inserting the card key slowly, but he knew the “Click” would alert whoever it was, so he decided to play it casually. There was a loud “Click,” as the door lock was released.

He walked in as though he had no idea someone was there. On his bed with only a sheet to cover her, lay Tia May. Steel stood in the doorway for a moment, utterly dumbstruck by what he had stumbled on to – but played it casual and cool. As Steel looked around the room, he saw her dress lying upon a chair in the corner. He looked again at the room number on the door.

“Well one of us is in the wrong room,” His words were playful. As she got up, she glided towards him with the sheet clasped in both hands hiding her nakedness.

“You better shut the door, there’s a draught coming in,” her voice was soft and sensual; closing the door behind him Steel walked towards her, his eyes mapping her perfect body. Her eyes, lustful and longing; her mouth, glistening with red lipstick, was partially open, showing her white teeth.

“Well, Mr Black, whatever shall we do now?” He moved towards her and took her into his powerful arms.

“Yes, what indeed,” as their mouths joined in a passionate kiss, she let the sheet fall to the ground, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Moving slowly towards the bed, he flicked off the lights, stripped off the tuxedo, and as the lights in his cabin dimmed into darkness, the liner effortlessly cruised through the ocean.

The next morning, Steel awoke to find Tia had gone, his eyes still blurred from the long sleep. As he sat up and stretched, he noticed a note on the dresser. Steel Slipped out of the warm, comfortable bed; his muscular naked body swayed with the motion of someone who is not fully awake. He smiled as he read the short, hand-written note. Thank you for a wonderful night. Hope to see you at breakfast. Steel refolded the note and lay it back onto the dresser. As he headed for the bathroom, he stopped as instinct kicked in. Reaching into the front pocket of his suitcase Steel, produced a small torch. Switching it on, the blue light it emitted showed the grease particles on his hand. He closed the shades on the balcony door and searched the room, knowing the key places he would look – he started with the safe.

“Let’s see who's been a naughty girl then, shall we?” Steel said to himself. Knowing that every time he had touched something in the room was of importance, he wiped it clean of his prints. Steel smiled as the buttons on the wall safe lit up, smudges on the raised buttons indicated they knew the numbers, but not the order they were in. Steel punched in the correct code and opened the safe; he checked everything was there. Steel locked it up satisfied everything was in order and punched in a new code. Steel’s suitcases had clip locks – which also lit up, showing smudged prints. Switching on the main light he checked his wardrobe, the clothes remained on the hangers but were out of place as though someone had been through his clothes. It was clear someone had been searching for something, but for what? Had someone figured out who he was? Putting down the torch, he moved to the bathroom to shower and freshen up. Today would be another long day, but he had things to do. The passengers at the table last night had struck a note with him, something didn’t sit right, and he wanted to know what.