"I can't believe you did that to the diner."
"Me? They're the ones that didn't have enough food."
"Okay kid, like I said, we're going to the beach, but it's no vacation."
"We're looking for a guy named Rist. He's supposed to be a lifeguard at Sailors Coop Beach."
"Sailors coop? Why do they call it that?
"See for yourself."
Maro was right. It was something I had to see for myself; the beach was nothing but an entrance; beyond that shore was an intricate system of docks and walkways that stretched far out into the sea, and at a couple of the intersecting pathways there were small vendor huts of every kind, a bar, music booths, bait and fishing equipment, and even a couple seafood stands.
Maro's scooter was annoyingly reliable again as we used it to ride all the way up to the shore and then onto the pathways. They were wide enough that we could ride along them without interfering with those walking by and strong enough to dock the large boats that encircled us.
"Like I said, this is no vacation; we gotta get to this guy first. I'm going to go park this; you stay around here, look for the lifeguards, and please don't make a scene."
"Aye-aye, captain."
I still have one of Rain's rings; I wonder if I can use that power again if need be. I noticed that there was barely anyone swimming, so I thought it would be rare to see a lifeguard on duty, but the thing is, there were many lifeguard posts.
"You looking a little lost, kid."
I turned around to see this tall, dark-skinned man. He wore a red, sleeveless vest and matching swimming trunks. What was odd was the two rescue cans he had hanging off either side of his waist, but before I could finish inspecting him, a group of men flew off a boat beside us, masks covering half their faces and full backpacks; they were clearly thieves. The owner of the boat stumbled down between us pleading for help. I thought of it, but I remembered what Maro said. Just then the tall vest-wearing man I was talking to set chase.
His long strides almost made it look like he was floating; he caught up to them in no time, then, using the two rescue canisters on his waist like some sort of flail, he knocked them out. He held the ropes in hand, and the can itself swung at high speed before being released with concussive force. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before, but before I got a chance to congratulate the guy, he jumped on me, taking me to the ground.
"You thought you could distract me so your little friends could get away, did you? Well, let me tell you this: nothing gets past me. I am First Lieutenant Ramsey of the Sailors Coop Lifeguards, and I will not allow any hooliganism.
"There are lieutenants in the lifeguards!? Second of all, you've got the wrong guy. I'm actually looking for the lifeguards, someone named Rist."
"Rist Faux?You know him? I heard he's a lifeguard.
"Do not speak of that dishonored Colonel!"
"Goddammit, again!"
"Ohhh Maro, It's not what you think this time; I think I found someone who knows where Rist is."
….
"I apologize; here I'll treat you both to some of the finest seaweed cocktails. Follow me."
"Did you say cocktails? It must be my lucky day.
"Yeah, sorry, none for him; he's underage."
"Ah haha, they serve the virgin ones as well."
"So what business do you folks have with the lifeguards and that man?"
"I'll have you know that we are a platoon of elite guards responsible for protecting this coop and its locals as well as enforcing its laws. It is without a doubt that we have immense pride in our service; there is no room for malformity and disloyalty."
"Ramsey, was it? The names Maro I cannot divulge the details, but I am from a certain organization that has had its eyes on Rist for a while now."
"We believe he may be of help to us."
"Help? Don't make me laugh; that man would be nothing of the sort."
"I caught a part of what you said before; explain what you meant by 'dishonored."
"The major general assigned Rist as leader of a squad whose sole purpose was to infiltrate and seize a vessel suspected to be carrying 10 million tokets from a previous heist."
"He then committed the worst crime within the guards; he betrayed his former squad and left them to die, then disappeared with the spoils of the mission, not before calling us and telling us exactly what he'd do!"
"Ohhh nooo, Marooo, this guy sounds like baaaaad news. Are you sure about this?"
"What the hell, I thought you said those things were virgin!"
"They are; I mean, they're supposed to be."
"Hey bartender, that's enough; no more for him. We're leaving, Donni."
"aWww BoOo"
"Pull yourself together, Gramps; you have no idea how you look with the state you're in right now, not to mention that drunken limp of yours is hilarious."
"Shut up, you… Man Bun… man"
"That lieutenant guy gave me the names of a couple of places where Rist might be holed up; we gotta check them out."
"Are they all here at this Sailors Coop place?"
"Yeah, they are, so shut up and drink that water. I can't have you causing another scene."
….
The dizziness I felt soon began to fade. Maro and I made it quite a way into the coop; we were well in the middle of the sea, but the surroundings did not change at all except that there was no one swimming in the areas of water between pathways; they now used small boats. I couldn't stop thinking about how far out this would go.
"We're here, first place on the list, his home."
Maro starts to take slow, cautious steps toward the door; the house was not that big, and it was fairly quiet, so the creaking of the wooden panels beneath our feet was easily discernible. He kicked open the door in swift motion, but just as swiftly an odor washed over us, one that I immediately remembered, the smell of death.