After two days, Lucas was now looking for directions, walking on the streets of Ushuaia.
It was a small place in South America in the southern cone, in the eighth largest country in the world that had more than 2.7 millions square kilometers of land, Argentina, with a population of only 82 615 inhabitants. It was located in a wide bay on the southern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego or Land of Fire, bounded on the north by Martial mountain range and on the south by Beagle channel.
If he didn't have a sword of Damocles hurrying him along, Lucas would have liked to appreciate the charm of this place fed by tourism.
Unfortunately, while for his bet for the location of the second baptism it would have been better for him the more to the south he could go by plane since it was faster and more direct that way, Ushuaia was the southernmost place with an international airport that made it simpler for him to travel to.
And, thanks to Roberto who was from Argentina, he was introduced to another pilot when they stopped in Cape Town in South Africa. The latter was stopping in Ushuaia on his way to his destination so, with Roberto's recommendation, he made a new deal and was taken to this place.
It did cost him a little but the money came to him easily and everyone was happy so, he didn't feel any pinch.
Looking around, he appreciated the lack of snow in this first trimester of the year since for him, the later he had to swim within the better and the later he would develop disgust for it. Or he would start craving it just as he was now missing the desert.
With his light steps brought by his improved agility and balance, he approached a beautiful Latina woman with long hair, a body hugging sweater above, what should be a dark colored with pink accent yoga pant below and seeming to be in her thirties that was passing by while lamenting at the impossibly of a fling at the moment.
With the best magnetic voice he could while throwing any thought of disguising it to the northern wind:
"Hola, señorita. ¿Cómo estás?"
"Muy bien, y tú?"
"I was doing fine but thanks to your beauty illuminating my day, I'm doing even better now."
He was rewarded with one of those throaty sensual laughs as she raised her right hand to hide her smile.
'So, she is right handed. Should not have any weapon and no obvious sign of training.'
Having left his fake beard in some previous trash can, his handsome features were on display, unsuppressed by his skinny appearance. He only kept a cap and a pair of neutral glasses on, lending a certain softness to his features.
After discussing (flirting) for a moment, he got to his reason for stopping her:
"So, Christina, I am looking for captain Matteo. He owns a boat and I was told that he lives around here. Do you by any chance know where he lives?"
"I don't know the address you were told, but there is only one famous boat captain that I know that lives in that corner, in the last house on the left."
Lucas looked at the scribbled address with a map in his hand before confirming that it was indeed his destination. Raising his head, he said with a smile:
"It is the right place. Thanks for your help, Christina. I'm in a hurry but how about I buy you a drink in a few days when I'm done. I will show you my gratitude and you will show me around here?"
"Alright, Lucas."
"It's a deal then."
He took her number then watched her leave after she waved at him. After looking at her bouncing behind that she might or might not have emphasized for one reason or another, he followed the corner she showed him and arrived at a house not too different from the others.
It was painted ocean blue, maybe to show the owner's love for the sea. It was built with woods, had one floor above and most probably an attic too. He observed it and its vicinity for a moment before he rang the bell.
A few minutes later, without any answer, he rang the bell once again before starting to knock on the door.
This time he got an answer. An old man with more white hair than black on his sparse head opened the door while grumbling. He was but a few steps away from a shining head like a certain hero after one hundred push-ups, one hundred squats, one hundred sit-ups and a few kilometers of running.
He must have been sleeping, judging from his sleepy eyes and the traces on his face. He had one of those old captain beer belly, was about 6 ft and had worn a simple sleep tank top and a short with a flip flop.
When he saw a stranger on the wrong continent before his house, his eyes widened at the anger of having his rest disturbed by someone he didn't even know and he looked like he was about to start shooting expletives in the local language.
Lucas, feeling where this would go and not even speaking Spanish, hurriedly took control of the of the exchange, not wanting to waste time:
"Hello, sir. Sorry for the bother. Are you captain Matteo? I came to talk to you. I wonder if you speak English."
Thankfully, tourism made English a popular language here. The man took a deep breath:
"I speak. Who are you? What do you want? Who showed you my house?"
"For your first question sir, I am just a traveler touring the world. As for the second, the next leg of my journey will be over the ocean so, after asking around in the port, I was told that your boat was the best for where I'm going so I came to make a deal with you since from your third question you are the owner of this place.
The old sailor frowned and asked again:
"Who sent you?"
"Does it really matter?"
"No. I don't know you so, no deal."
After he finished, he was about to close the door but felt a big resistance. Raising his head, he saw a gloved hand pressing against the door.
Lucas continued:
"Sir, money is not a problem and I'm sure you will be satisfied but I'm kind of in a hurry so I would appreciate it if you could be considerate. What do you say?"
Matteo still shook his head stubbornly and made a bigger effort to close the door.
"Sigh..."
After Lucas let out his frustrations, he took off his backpack and brought it in front while using his left foot to block the door. He opened his bag wide enough to show Matteo its contents while keeping it discreet even with the street empty.
With one glance, Matteo froze and you could almost see the gear turning in his head to look for the path of survival.
Within the bag were banknotes of different colors that would make greed germinate in the heart of anyone still looking for financial freedom. But, above those temptations was what could make any man burn with the fire of wisdom and steady his heart to be unswayed by any devil whisper: a gleaming compact 9 mm handgun. It was equipped with a suppressor meaning, according to Matteo, that it could off him with nobody knowing.
With his heart suddenly rising above worldly possessions, Matteo asked calmly with a strained smile trying to appear natural:
"So, what was the deal you were talking about, Mr...?"
"Ghost, call me Ghost."
Suppressing the chill he felt at that name, he replied:
"Alright, Mr. Ghost."
"Why don't we talk inside?" Asked Lucas with a harmless smile.
Matteo started sweating and looking around the street frantically, making Lucas immediately know what he was thinking.
"Don't worry. I need your help so just cooperate with me. I won't shortchange you."
With a tone of resignation, seeing the street still empty, Matteo made way:
"Please come in, Mr. Ghost."