CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Panama to Australia

[Job]

12:45 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Katie's and Camille's Cabin


At that moment, Professor Moore appears in the doorway and says, "I have good news. Captain Vredenburgh has agreed to allow a few key expedition members to accompany James or myself as we investigate the ship. If you are caught wandering around on your own, then you will be escorted back to your cabin by any guard who sees you, but this does allow us to split into two groups. Where should we start?"

"I'll go find Vittorio," says Commander Starkweather as he turns and heads down the hall.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"I'll come with you, Commander," says Katie, following Starkweather. "We'd best start in the hold after we rustle up Vittorio and a boathook. If there is something dangerous down there, we'd better take care of it right away before another disaster strikes. Besides, we could find evidence there that will be useful when we question the prisoners."

[Anatomist]

"I'll come with you, Commander," says Katie, following Starkweather. "We'd best start in the hold after we rustle up Vittorio and a boathook. If there is something dangerous down there, we'd better take care of it right away before another disaster strikes. Besides, we could find evidence there that will be useful when we question the prisoners."

George tails Katie.

Spoiler:

sudo katie tail -f

[Job]

12:50 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Vittorio's and George's Cabin

"I'll go find Vittorio," says Commander Starkweather as he turns and heads down the hall.

"I'll come with you, Commander," says Katie, following Starkweather. "We'd best start in the hold after we rustle up Vittorio and a boathook. If there is something dangerous down there, we'd better take care of it right away before another disaster strikes. Besides, we could find evidence there that will be useful when we question the prisoners."

George tails Katie.

Starkweather and his team collects Vittorio from his cabin and also a boathook from the storage area adjacent to the Ship's Mess, then they exit out into the starlight to walk across the main deck. "It is in the lower hold numéro deux, um, two," says Camille.

After unlocking the hatch to hold number two, they climb down the ladder through the tweendeck containing their large, wingless Boeing aircraft, and descend into the dark, lower hold that reeks of fuel. The group climbs off the ladder onto wooden planking atop layers of drums of gasoline. The Fairchild monoplane is perched on the drums with its wings folded back, held down by heavy cables, hooks, chains, and ropes. Camille shines her electric torch down below the top layer of boards to reveal small bundle of cloth that is thrust between two fuel drums below. "It is there", whispers Camille.

At that moment, Professor Moore appears in the doorway and says, "I have good news. Captain Vredenburgh has agreed to allow a few key expedition members to accompany James or myself as we investigate the ship. If you are caught wandering around on your own, then you will be escorted back to your cabin by any guard who sees you, but this does allow us to split into two groups. Where should we start?"

Professor Moore looks around, sees no one, and mutters, "Hmpff, I guess that I'll be searching on my own..."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"I should be able to pull it out with the boathook easily enough," says Katie, "but is it safe to do so? Vittorio, what do you think?"

[Job]

Vittorio lies prone to peer below, between two boards. "I canna see what is there. It looks-a like just a rag," he says, sitting up to shrug and tell Katie and Starkweather in his thick Italian accent, "It may be nothing."

"Miss Wright," instructs the Captain, "please use the boathook to pull it up. Let's see if this is the work of a careless stevedore, or perhaps something more..."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, Captain," says Katie, taking up the boathook. Relying on her tremendous agility and strength, she slides the hook between the boards and tries to snag the bundle and bring it out carefully.

[Job]

"Yes, Captain," says Katie, taking up the boathook. Relying on her tremendous agility and strength, she slides the hook between the boards and tries to snag the bundle and bring it out carefully.

Katie successfully hooks the cloth bundle and carefully lifts it up and through the dunnage boards to gently place it on the decking between the team members.

Vittorio kneels down and teases the cloth wrappings apart until suddenly he stops, audibly sucking his breath in, then exhales the words, "Mio Dio." Peeking from beneath the cloth can be seen the edge of a coil of thin, dark-grey rope. Vito looks up at everyone and quietly says, "Per favore. Everyone. Get back."


Starkweather sternly asks, "What is it? Tell us, man!"


"It is fuse, Senior. You should all-a leave and-a let me work."

"No," responds the Captain. "If this is a bomb, and if it explodes, then leaving won't help us. These drums of gasoline that we're standing on will destroy the entire ship. And everyone aboard."

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"That's what I was afraid it was," says Katie, stepping back. "You're right, we need to get it up on deck and away from all this fuel. The fuse isn't lit, which is a relief, but we still need to be careful with it. Once we get it up there, we can just fling it into the sea. Of course, then we'd lose whatever evidence it on it, but it would be the safest course of action. One thing is clear: whoever planted it obviously didn't care for his own life."

[Anatomist]

George quickly climbs the stairs, saying nothing.

[Job]

Vittorio gently pulls a corner of the cloth to reveal a number of slim, metal tubes, each attached to a fuse.


"Questo è male," he mutters, then begins rewrapping the deadly package.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"I can bring it up to the deck," says Katie. "I have the steadiest hands." While she doesn't like being near the explosives, she realizes that it doesn't matter how close she is to them if they go off.

[Job]

Blasting cap info provided by Vittorio...

[Job]

"I can bring it up to the deck," says Katie. "I have the steadiest hands." While she doesn't like being near the explosives, she realizes that it doesn't matter how close she is to them if they go off.

"Signorita Wright," says Vittorio softly, "I could not-a live with myself if I let you carry this. I will do this. It is my professione. My responsabilità."

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Job. (The tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says Katie, allowing Vittorio to take the explosives. She doesn't really mind not having to carry them herself.

[Anatomist]

"I can bring it up to the deck," says Katie. "I have the steadiest hands." While she doesn't like being near the explosives, she realizes that it doesn't matter how close she is to them if they go off.

"Signorita Wright," says Vittorio softly, "I could not-a live with myself if I let you carry this. I will do this. It is my professione. My responsabilità."

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Job. (The tortured one)

'Vittorio you are a true gentleman' George exlaims 'Please lett me know if i can carry something of the less dangerous parts up on deck'

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, I can do that as well," says Katie, smiling. "You've shown true courage. I owe you one."

[Job]

1:10 a.m. (ship time) – Tuesday 26th September, 1933
Lower Hold #2

"Yes, I can do that as well," says Katie, smiling. "You've shown true courage. I owe you one."

'Vittorio you are a true gentleman' George exlaims 'Please let me know if i can carry something of the less dangerous parts up on deck'

Vittorio smiles weakly, nods, then slowly and methodically rearranges all of the caps side-by-side on the cloth. There are eight caps in total. He leaves the fuses attached to the blasting caps, but with great care he lifts and straightens each and lays it trailing off the edge of the cloth. Beads of sweat crawl down his forehead. He next folds the cloth over the caps a number of times, gently wrapping them into a snug package, and finally gathers and rolls the fuses into a coil.

He exhales loudly, stands and takes a long look at each member of the team. "We go now." Vittorio then picks up the package with care, positions it flat against his chest, securing it with one arm, then slowly walks to the ladder and begins climbing.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie follows Vittorio up the ladder, prepared to assist him in case he needs help.

[Job]

One slow, excruciating step after another, Vittorio climbs up the ladder onto the main deck and then turns to James Starkweather, Katie, and George to ask, "Should I throw a-this overboard?


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Job.