The Stolen Star

by Halyna Franko

moment a large group of waiters made their way on to the deck with trays of cocktails and various other drinks. Having served the drinks, instead of leaving, the waiters positioned themselves along either side of the deck like a guard of honour.

  Totally failing to understand what was going on, Natalie and Sophia decided to put on their glasses in order to get a better view of the situation. No sooner had they made themselves visible than they were immediately grabbed and bundled away below deck. It was their good friend the boss. He controlled himself with great difficulty:

  “What are you doing here?! Get down to my cabin at once and stay there!”

  “What’s the matter?” said Natalie defensively, “there are a whole load of people relaxing there. Or are we expecting a storm?”

  “You will see soon enough but now it is extremely dangerous. I am extremely busy at the moment but to be absolutely certain I will take you to the cabin myself.” And with that he really did see them to the doors of his room and then ran off in a different direction. The sisters went into the cabin and after a few minutes heard gunshots and a lot of running about.

  “Come on, let’s go and see what’s going on up there," suggested Sophia.

  “I still think we should wait for a little while. We are unlikely to be any great help, especially as there seems to be a gunfight going on. And look! Look at all those black arrows around the doors. Oh my goodness! Even at the door!”

  Natalie and Sophia both rushed to examine more closely what was going on with the black arrows. The black arrows continued to run around the doors for another hour but as soon as they disappeared, the sisters put their glasses on and headed outside to find out what was going on. Although the shooting had stopped, everyone was still very much in a state of alarm. Members of the ship’s crew came running past with one hand hidden in their pockets and there wasn't a single passenger to be seen although at this time the decks were usually full of people out for a walk. There was no-one in the ship's lounge although all the alcoves in the conservatory were occupied and a little way from them stood some other people who were evidently keeping watch because their heads were alertly looking this way and that. The sisters sneaked up to one of the alcoves. And right in the nick of time! For there in the middle of a group of ten to fifteen people they saw the bodyguard. He was seriously frightened and getting a bit closer the sisters heard his desperate excuses.

  “I wasn’t with them, I am just a partner in the casino with the ringleader I had no idea there was going to be an attack many people will back me up on this."

  And a lot of those around him squawked in agreement.

  “He isn't guilty... he had nothing to do with it, it's the general who's to blame..."

  In the second and third alcove were seated various other people from the lower ranks of the ship's crew. They were all saying the same thing, they either hadn’t been involved or they weren’t to blame. On their way out of the conservatory they saw one of the General’s close sidekicks - the man who had earlier disguised himself as a priest. He seemed to be in a rush to get somewhere so the sisters decided to follow him. He went into the office of the Ship’s security services. Before he closed the door the sisters also slipped in. Many of the ship's high ranking security officers were there.

  “I haven’t seen anyone anywhere,” he reported to a member of the ship's team.

  “Yes,” said the senior security officer, “the surveillance cameras showed that all is clear at all the main collection points.”

  At that moment Natalie raised her voice, confident that she wouldn’t be noticed in the crowd, and said:

  “All the lower ranking members of the ship's crew are sitting in the alcoves in the conservatory.”

  “Quickly go and check,” the order rang out.

  Within a minute the entire room had emptied along with the sisters who quickly made their way to the boss's cabin. Turning the door handle Sophia noticed that it was unlocked. Quickly putting their glasses back on their foreheads, the sisters went in. The boss was already waiting for them impatiently drumming his fingers on the table.

  “Where have you been?”

  “We just went out for a minute to get a few things after everything had quietened down.” said the girls in order to explain their new outfits.

  “Please tell us what has been going on,” asked Sophia.

  “There was an attempt to take the ship hostage, an airborne raid had been planned. But the Captain’s security assistant was able to warn the appropriate authorities in time. The helicopters with the attackers were intercepted and the ship's security personnel were able to catch the chief conspirator and his accomplices on board the boat. The rest less important conspirators have all gone to ground. The ship’s security people are looking for them now as we speak."

  “Who was their leader? And why did he need the ship? And why was there so much surveillance on us? And in general what did this group bandits want from us?” said Natalie firing one question after another.

  “I will answer all your questions," said their friend with a smile, "the leader was the general, although he might be protecting somebody. And this fantastically luxurious ship would bring in a lot of money; they could have easily raised the prices to holiday on board. And they would have made a killing on the extras like the excursions and other things like that. But it remains a mystery as to why they were interested in you. Therefore you need to remain on your guard. It‘s evident that you are a nuisance to one of them or that you have something that they need.”

  “We saw a lot of the lower ranking personnel and your bodyguard in the alcoves in the conservatory,” Sophia announced.

  The boss immediately grabbed his phone but Sophia stopped him:

  “We have already informed security and they've already sent people down there.”

  He stretched his arms out and said:

  “I still have to run. I really need to know what role my employee was playing in all this. I already know a thing or two about his little affairs. I have the distinct impression that he takes great pleasure in doing the most horrible things to people. I’m sure we will bump into each other a bit later but now I must rush.”

  The moment he had gone Natalie said:

  “Now it’s time to get our glasses on and have a look round the ship.”

  And with that Natalie and Sophia put their glasses on and left the cabin.

  Passing from one room to another the sisters kept changing their appearance so that they would remain unnoticed. The passengers were all getting ready to relax, the night was in full swing, there was practically no-one going anywhere although around the Captain's cabin and other high ranking officers' offices there was a big crowd of people. Through their glasses the sisters could see that many of them were shrouded in a black mist. Some of them gave off a strange grey mist but there were no good people among them at all. Natalie and Sophia turned their glasses to invisible mode so that they definitely wouldn’t be noticed. They began to listen to what these people were saying. Again they were all expressing amazement that they were under suspicion. It also seemed that many of them were armed. The sisters quickly stepped to one side and phoned the boss warning him that many of the people in this part of the ship were armed. Their friend’s reaction was instantaneous: the ship’s security officers arrived within minutes formed everyone into a circle and asked them to hand over their weapons. As a result the security officers soon had a pile of pistols and even a couple of small machine pistols and grenades. After a little while all the suspects were sent onshore by helicopter. The sisters and the rest of the passengers on board breathed a big sigh of relief.

  The next day the dining hall was full again. Natalie and Sophia had put on their best dresses and had brought their glasses just in case, having fixed them into their hair just before entering the breakfast hall. Just imagine their amazement when they got to their table and found it with its
full complement. There was the boss’s bodyguard sitting happy as Larry. He got up and even managed a smile, (albeit a rather forced one), when he saw the sisters.

  “Very glad to see you both on such good form,” he said through gritted teeth as he took each of them by the arm and sat them down at the table.

  “We are also very glad to see that you weren't among those that were arrested," said Sophia pointedly.

  ”Me! What are you saying! On the contrary I was one of the victims.”

  “Really?” asked Natalie innocently, “it seemed to me that you were a very close friend of the general’s.”

  “Yes, I was very nearly let down by my good nature and willingness to do other people favours. We used to work together and out of habit I carried out a couple of small errands and requests for him,” said the bodyguard desperately trying to justify himself.

  “What wonderful glasses you girls have. You simply look like Princesses in them, shining like tiaras on your heads. May I have a look?”

  “They wouldn't fit you; let us show you how they look on us instead," said Natalie in a bit of a fluster.

  And with that the sisters put their glasses on over their eyes. Natalie and Sophia’s expressions changed completely, the smiles vanished from their faces, their eyes flashed with fear and they had difficulty keeping themselves composed.

  “It would appear that our eyes haven’t quite got used to the sun,” Sophia eventually managed to force out.

  The boss sensed that something was wrong and promptly changed the conversation:

  “Let’s celebrate our wonderful holiday, although I and my bodyguard are strictly speaking on business, and raise our glasses in a toast. I have some wonderful wine here.” said he flourishing a very special bottle.

  After their breakfast the boss accompanied the sisters to the swimming pool.

  “Do your sunglasses have x-ray qualities? What did you really see? Do tell me, he is, after all, my employee.”

  “He is a snake, do you understand, a real snake, be very careful of him," said the girls letting the boss in on their secret.

  The boss was very taken aback by this discovery.

  “I’ll think of something and dispose of his services. I have been aware of his little tricks for a long time, but he has a very particular interest in you. We will be leaving the ship soon. It will be a pity to say goodbye.”

  “And if you don’t mind we would rather not have to go back to our cabin,” asked Natalie.

  “Tell me could there possibly be anything in your cabin that isn’t to your satisfaction?” said the boss drawn with strain.

  Sophia smiled sweetly:

  “Well, how about listening devices, hidden cameras and some poison or other in the drinks. I’ll also give you another piece of advice – you’d be best off keeping your own counsel in the cabin, not bringing young girls back and stick to slaking your thirst at the ship’s bars rather than the mini-bar,” Sophia joked.

  Now their friend’s face changed in surprise.

  “Well bless my days! I’ve got a feeling I should be taking lessons from you. I will be waiting for you at any time in my cabin.”

  And with that the boss set off on his business rounds leaving the sisters by the pool. The time soon arrived for the sisters to leave for the island. Before their departure Natalie and Sophia went back to their cabin for one last time. Everything there was as they had left it. The second surveillance camera still had the headscarf obscuring it. Therefore the screen above the porthole immediately lit up when they came in:

  “Don’t be in a rush to get into the dinghy. The frightening things that will appear before you will be nothing more than that – apparitions – you have nothing to be afraid of. When you get to the island, hand the glasses over to the Angels.”

  The sisters exclaimed in unison: “How?!”

  “Put them in your palm and they will fly away themselves. You have completed your task here on the ship with distinction and have dealt with all the difficulties encountered remarkably well. All the energy has now been liberated.”

  The sisters thanked the ship with a deep bow and perhaps because of this the ship seemed to bow in response causing the whole cabin to list slightly.

  Early the next morning at sunrise the sisters approached the side of the ship where the dinghy was to be lowered. They were accompanied by their remarkable friend and three sailors from the ship’s crew. They were going to accompany them in the boat right up to the shore of the island. As instructed the girls had brought their glasses. And this time they were going to need them much sooner than they expected. Out of nowhere the bodyguard appeared, with a false expression of goodwill on his face, he offered the sisters his hand in farewell.

  Immediately one of the sailors stepped between him and the sisters:

  “You shouldn’t shake hands it’s considered bad luck.”

  “Oh that’s a pity because I have this lovely little present for these two dear little ladies.”

  He glanced to one side and the two young lads that Natalie and Sophia had seen loitering around their cabin appeared. They were holding a scuba mask each with long tube hanging from each.

  “You never know when these might come in handy.”

  The boss quickly whispered to the two of them:

  “Whatever you do, don’t take them.”

  “I think they’re a bit too big for us and they're really more suitable for deep sea diving." said Natalie.

  Almost unconsciously both sisters put on their glasses. Black mist wreathed out of the tubes. The dinghy was lowered without any particular mishap. But both Natalie and Sophia remembered not to get in to the boat straight away. Therefore Sophia asked:

  “Could you just wait a minute I need to go back and get myself a drink.”

  The dinghy was lowered into the water and the three sailors took their seats waiting for Sophia. But she was standing to one side unnoticed, observing all that was going on. Black arrows flashed into the dinghy and a second later a snapping sound was heard and the dinghy began to fill up with water. The three experienced sailors nimbly jumped clear of the boar before it sank an instant later. The sailors climbed back on board up the rope ladder and went off to get changed. The bodyguard quickly disappeared along with the young lads and the suspicious looking masks.

  The boss darkly muttered:

  “This is all the work of that scoundrel.”

  And with that he immediately rang the head of the ship’s security to tell him what had happened. The ship’s security soon had the runaways detained. The bodyguard was arrested but the young lads were set free and the masks and snorkels were taken for analysis.

  A little later the Deputy Chief Security Officer arrived and said:

  “I will personally take charge of seeing you safely to the shore.”

  A few minutes later he was phoned and informed that the criminal had been caught and that as he was being led away by two guards he had brushed his hands against their faces causing them to fall down unconscious there and then.

  “He had been able to do this,” the deputy explained, “because he somehow managed to persuade the guards to undo the ropes that had been tying his hands behind his back.”

  “That was why he was so keen to say goodbye and shake hands with both of you,” said the boss.

  “And we had thought that all the terrorists had been dealt with.”

  The Deputy Head of Security led the sisters to the ship’s security headquarters, while they continued to hunt for the bodyguard. For a long time they could not find him and the sisters offered to help.

  The deputy replied:

  “Under no circumstances are you to go near him.”

  “Let me go,” suggested the boss, “only I have just one request.”

  And he moved close to the sisters and whispered:

  “Lend me your glasses; I guessed a long time ago tha
t they have magic powers."

  However, out loud for the benefit of the rest of the company he said: “I need them because my eyes are bothering me,” and held his hand out for the glasses. Natalie gave him her glasses, and Sophia gave him a big grin. She had noted a while ago that they had a bit of a soft spot for each other.

  Having put the glasses on, the boss literally jumped with surprise:

  “My goodness, what sort of wonder is this!” and immediately rushed off to search for his former employee. Barely half an hour passed before the odious bodyguard was caught.

  As he was brought past in handcuffs he literally hissed at the sisters in spite:

  “I wouldn’t be so happy if I were you. There are a couple more surprises waiting for you before you get to the island. There are going to be things out there that are a hundred times worse than anything I did…” But at that moment his vile tirade was cut short. The boss had heard quite enough and had aimed a well-deserved blow on the coward’s chin, which soon put an end to his attempts to frighten the sisters.

  Soon they were sitting in the dinghy and on their way to the island, having said a fond farewell to the ship’s crew and, of course, their dear friend – the boss. He thanked Natalie particularly warmly for the use of her glasses, gave both sisters a big hug and a telephone each with all his contact details so that they could keep in touch. Natalie and Sophia lowered themselves into the boat and three strong sailors accompanied them to the island.

  “It’s going to be difficult to find somewhere to land,” said one of the sailors anxiously, “as far as I remember, the island is surrounded by cliffs.”

  The sea was very calm and the waves lapped softly on the side of the boat. Evening was drawing in. Suddenly, from out of nowhere dark rain clouds came scurrying in.

  Then the helmsman shouted:

  “There's a whole school of sharks ahead!”

  The huge aggressive fish jumped out of the water right in front of the boat. One of them even leaped right over the dinghy flashing its enormous jaws as it flew past. Everybody shuddered, even the sailors.

  Sophia shouted to Natalie:

  "Where are our glasses?”

  They fished their shades out of their bags, and as they suspected, this was exactly what they had needed to do. Once they had them on all their fears evaporated. It turned out that the school of sharks were nothing more than dense black spirals of mist that writhed and twisted in all directions.

  “That’s an illusion and a half if ever I saw one,” said Natalie.

  And no sooner had the words left her lips than the sharks and dark clouds disappeared in to thin air and the sea became calm again.

  The sailors looked at each other in amazement:

  “What happened back there?”

  Sophia laughed:

  "They are just demonic visions that have been sent to frighten us."

  There were yet more unpleasant surprises: A huge snake seemed to appear from nowhere in the bottom of the boat,