Tiger's Voyage

  Mr. Kadam looked back to check on us. “Is everything alright, Miss Kelsey?”

  “Sure. Did you happen to bring breakfast to go?”

  “I have the Golden Fruit in my bag,” Kishan said. “Wish for whatever you like.”

  I made a blueberry smoothie for myself. Ren looked at my smoothie, interested.

  “No way, Tiger. Last time was a sticky, tiger-saliva mess. Is there something else you’d like?”

  He huffed and lowered his head again.

  “Fine. If you get hungry later, let me know.”

  Mr. Kadam, Kishan, and I talked about the prophecy the entire way, and I was so engrossed in the conversation, I was surprised when we merged into Mumbai traffic. Ren softly purred and slept on my lap. It was nice to be able to touch him even if it was just his tiger half. I stroked his head and buried my fingers in the soft fur at his neck, massaging lightly, which put him into a kind of tiger trance.

  I rolled down my window and smelled the ocean and the spicy scent of Mumbai. Mr. Kadam navigated his way through a fisherman’s market, and I rolled up the window quickly as several vendors started making their way to our slow-moving vehicle.

  “Keep your head down, Ren.”

  His reply rumbled through his chest and into my thigh. We drove through the market to the dock, passing pier after pier and several large boats. I asked Mr. Kadam which one was ours.

  “None of them, Miss Kelsey. Ours is farther out.”

  “Oh.”

  The boats got bigger and bigger the farther we went. Surely we’d come to ours soon. We were running out of dock.

  Finally, Mr. Kadam slowed near a gated area, so Kishan could flash a card at the security box. The gate swung open, and we drove past a sleek building with uniformed workers tending the extensive grounds.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “It’s a yacht club. Our boat isn’t too far now.”

  We followed the circular drive around the building toward the ocean and onto a road built on the water. It was designed like a cul-de-sac and branched off into radiating docks, each with its own huge ship.

  My mouth dropped. “You own a cruise ship?”

  Mr. Kadam laughed. “Technically, it’s called a mega yacht.”

  “You mean it’s bigger than the average yacht?”

  “Yes. Yachts are classified by size. The general consensus among boaters is that a yacht is defined as any boat needing a crew. Super yachts are roughly seventy-five to one hundred fifty feet, mega yachts are one-fifty to two-fifteen, and giga yachts are two-fifteen to three hundred feet. It’s rare for anything bigger to be owned by an individual.”

  I blinked and teased. “Mr. Kadam! I’m shocked that you don’t own a giga yacht.”

  “I thought about it, but giga yachts are too large for our purposes. This one is close in size to the smallest giga yacht. I feel that this boat will be sufficient.”

  “You think?”

  He nodded soberly and said, “I believe so, yes,” missing my sarcasm completely.

  Mr. Kadam turned left onto the third dock, and we drove the length of the ship while I gaped out the window. The mega yacht was glossy and gorgeous. The top half was white, full of windows, and looked to be about three decks with a short white tower at the top. The bottom half was black, and had smaller windows. I guessed there were maybe one or two more decks under the waterline.

  As we passed the stern, I looked up and saw the boat’s name written in Hindi.

  “What’s she called, Mr. Kadam?”

  “She’s called the Deschen.”

  Mr. Kadam navigated the Jeep up a sturdy ramp attached to the side of the massive vessel and stopped the car in what was essentially the boat’s garage. Ren changed to a man again, winked at me, and we all scrambled out.

  Mr. Kadam immediately took charge. “Ren? Kishan? If you two don’t mind, would you haul our gear up to our rooms and let the captain know we are on board and will be ready to leave as soon as he gives the word? I’d like to give Miss Kelsey a tour, if she doesn’t mind.”

  I nodded mutely and handed my backpack to Kishan, who squeezed my arm briefly before following Ren up the stairs. Two men had come down to remove the ramp. As they secured the boat’s outer doors, I inspected the well-lit garage. Another car could have easily fit inside. Tarps covered some items along the back wall. Other than that, we could have been standing in a very clean garage in any home. Blinking, I still couldn’t quite believe we had driven directly onto the biggest boat I had ever seen.

  “Shall we?”

  Mr. Kadam indicated I should go first, so I headed up the stairs.

  “The only thing I know about boats is that the bow is the front and the stern is the back. I can never remember the other two.”

  “Starboard and port. Starboard is on your right. A way for you to remember is to think about Peter Pan.”

  “Peter Pan?”

  “Yes. Neverland is the second star to the right—star on the right. Then you’ll know port is to your left. The body of the vessel is called the hull, and the upper edge all around is the gunwale, which you can remember easily because in warships that’s where the guns are mounted. Through here, Miss Kelsey.”

  I followed him toward the center of the ship, and we came upon a circular, glass-sided elevator. I spun around. “You have an elevator? On a yacht?”

  Mr. Kadam chuckled. “It came with the ship. It’s very convenient. Shall we start with the wheelhouse?”

  “What’s that?”

  “The bridge of the ship. You can meet the captain.”

  We stepped into the Deschen’s Willy-Wonka-style elevator. It had a lever like old-fashioned, bellboy-operated hotel elevators. We were apparently on the fifth of six levels. Mr. Kadam pushed the lever all the way to the top, and we began to rise. We passed a lounge area, a library, a gym, and stopped at a sundeck. We stepped out, climbed another set of stairs, and entered the bridge.

  Mr. Kadam explained, “The wheelhouse doesn’t technically have a wheel in it anymore, and most call it a bridge now. I’m old-fashioned enough to still use the old name. The captain’s cabin is aft of the wheelhouse, and he has a nice office just around the corner.”

  “How many crewmembers are on board?”

  “The captain, his assistant, three crewmen, a chef, two maids, and, eventually, our diving instructor.”

  “Isn’t that, you know, a lot of people around? Can’t you drive the boat yourself? We are doing top secret stuff, remember? Why do we need a chef when we have the Golden Fruit?”

  “Trust me, Miss Kelsey. These people have been in my employ for quite some time. Nilima has thoroughly checked their backgrounds, and they have proven themselves loyal, trustworthy, and well trained. The only newcomer is the diving instructor, but his background has also been checked, and I believe him to be aboveboard. We need a chef because the staff needs to eat as well, and they might be alarmed if food was produced without us taking on any supplies.”

  I whispered, “But what if we face dragons or something? Won’t they freak out? What if they all run away, and we have to drive this giant ship ourselves?”

  Mr. Kadam laughed. “If something like that happens and our crew mutinies, then Nilima and I are fully capable of getting our ship back to shore. Don’t over-worry, Miss Kelsey. These people will not shirk in the face of danger. Come. Let us meet the captain and put some of your fears to rest.”

  We stepped onto the bridge, which was a pristine gleaming window box of white and stainless steel, and found a man staring out the window with binoculars.

  “Miss Kelsey, allow me to introduce Captain Diondre Dixon.”

  The man lowered his binoculars, turned, and smiled. “Ah! Kadam, my friend. Is dis de young lady you been tellin’ me so much aboot, den?” He stepped closer and clapped Mr. Kadam on the back. He wore loose white pants and a green Hawaiian shirt. I recognized his accent immediately.

  “You’re from Jamaica?”

  “Dis is true, Miss Kelsey
. De lovely island of Jamaica is de place I call home, but de sea, she is my wooman, eh?” He laughed, and I immediately liked him. I guessed he was about sixty-five. He was slightly plump, his skin was light brown, and his cheeks and forehead were darkened with freckles. He had a white beard and mustache, and his thick white hair was combed away from a receding hairline.

  I shook his hand warmly and said, “It’s very nice to meet you.” I took a quick peek out the window. “How far up are we?”

  Captain Dixon joined me. “I believe we be currently aboot fifty feet aboove de water line. Come. Let me show you de wheelhouse.”

  Two large leather captain’s chairs sat on a dais in the middle of the room, overlooking a long console full of buttons and knobs. On top of that, at an angle, rested a row of monitors showing various readings. One was set to weather, another showed the depth of the water, and another displayed measurements that I couldn’t identify. The wall behind us had two large panels of instruments encased in glass.

  “This boat is so huge! It’s amazing you can maneuver something so large using just a few buttons. It’s beautiful up here!”

  “Yes. It’s a nice view. Hav’ you been on de cruise before, Miss Kelsey?”

  “No. It’s my first one.”

  “Ah, den I will try ta make your first cruise as comfortable as possible.”

  Mr. Kadam interrupted, “Come, Miss Kelsey. The captain has many things to do to prepare for our departure, and we have a tour to complete.”

  Captain Dixon smiled. “It’s good ta meet ya. I hope you enjoy de journey. Anytime you want ta visit, please stop by. Maybe we let her drive de boat aways. What you tink, Kadam?” he teased.

  “I believe Miss Kelsey can do anything she sets her mind to. I’ll be back to visit you again soon, Dixon.”

  “Wonderful! Until we meet again, Miss Kelsey.” He dipped his head and turned back to the window.

  We left Captain Dixon behind, as Mr. Kadam took me back down the steps to show me the rest of the deck. As we walked, he told me more about the ship.

  “Her length is 210 feet, 3 inches, with a beam, or width, of 41 feet, 10 inches, and a draft of 12 feet, 5 inches. She can hold approximately 30,500 gallons of fuel and 7,500 gallons of water and she has two 3,516 horsepower diesel inboard engines. She can make twenty knots, but usually cruises at sixteen.”

  I was just about to tell Mr. Kadam all those figures were lost on me when he said something I finally did understand.

  “This is called the sundeck,” he said and guided me to the even more impressive front of the ship where I spotted an exterior observation seating area and a sunken lounge.

  The lounge was extraordinary. It looked like a fancy living room sitting right on top of a boat. A sofa and two love seats were set back against the wall. A hatch opened on either side leading back into the interior of the boat, while across from the sofa, there was a semicircle of cushioned seating in cream and black with a small oval dining table in the center. It was the perfect setting for a romantic dinner under the stars.

  We entered the hatch and moved on. The sundeck had an interior lounge as well, where we could watch movies. Mr. Kadam said we also had a satellite dish that could get any channel in the world. The sundeck aft featured al fresco dining for up to twelve people and had a bar and buffet. Mr. Kadam told me we’d most likely breakfast there.

  The next level down was called the observation deck. A stunning lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the ocean. In the stern was an enormous onyx-and-marble pool complete with a fountain. A spacious, professionally equipped gym and exercise area, a changing room with showers and restroom, and a juice bar completed the deck. We skipped the next deck and headed to the lower deck.

  “This is where the crew cabins are located,” Mr. Kadam explained. “All of them stay here except the captain. No one is allowed on the Main Deck where our rooms are without Nilima’s permission. We can’t have them catching a glimpse of our tigers, now, can we?”

  The crew quarters were set around a central lobby. Each cabin had a bathroom, which Mr. Kadam called a head, including a shower.

  “There are a few nice guest rooms down here as well. Our diving instructor will be staying in one of them. The laundry room and kitchen, or galley, are also located here.”

  Mr. Kadam guided me toward the fully stocked galley. There was enough food to feed a small army for a month. It had a huge walk-in pantry, two dining tables for the staff, and a serving counter.

  He showed me one of the service walkways that ran throughout the ship, and we went down to the next level. “This is the well deck where we’ll find the dry garage. The Jeep is through that door, and over here,” he stepped through a hatch, “is our wet garage.”

  “Why is it called a well deck?”

  “In some ships this area can be flooded like a well filling with water to allow other craft to dock inside. We don’t really flood this area, but we do use it for similar purposes.”

  I ducked my head and found myself in a nautical wonderland. One wall held fishing equipment, towing rings, and windsurfers. The other wall held a variety of sizes of mounted water skis. Four wave runners sat against one wall covered with tarps, and two fast-looking watercraft rested on what looked like a ramp.

  “You have boats in the boat?”

  “They’re Boston Whalers. One’s a twenty-two footer and the other one’s an eighteen footer.”

  Mr. Kadam was practically giddy with glee as he pointed out the sleek water toys. I hadn’t realized the businessman’s affinity for expensive vehicles included watercraft, but it was clear this boat and everything in it brought as much pleasure to him as his McLaren.

  Continuing the tour, Mr. Kadam showed me a wooden bench area with lockers. “This is our diving prep area. We’ve got snorkeling gear, scuba tanks, wet suits, BCs, and regulators. I have no idea how all the equipment is used, as I’ve never been diving before. I plan to learn rudimentary skills with the rest of you.”

  I groaned. “That’s not something I’m looking forward to.”

  “As for me, I am extremely enthusiastic about exploring the ruins of the City of the Seven Pagodas, and the only way to do that is underwater.”

  I nodded. “If it was just going to be ruins, I might like it too, but so far my experience with hunting magical objects is that big bad things like to chase me.”

  “Then we’d better make sure you can use your lightning power underwater. Shall we finish with the Main Deck? I think you’ll like your room.”

  We took the elevator, and Mr. Kadam led me into a beautiful lounge area in forest green and burgundy with deep soft chairs and a polished cherrywood library stacked high with books. Large curtained windows overlooked the sea, and the carpet was so thick I couldn’t hear our footsteps. We stopped at the first room, which was Kishan’s. He emerged and showed me around briefly. He had his own private bath and a large bed.

  “Can you show Miss Kelsey the rest of this deck, Kishan? I’d like to get us under way.”

  “Sure. So what do you think of our floating home?”

  “The ship is amazing! You’ve been here before?”

  “Once. Kadam, Ren, and I came out to see the boat a couple of weeks after you left. We didn’t head out to sea, but we did sleep here overnight.” Pointing the way, Kishan continued, “I’m here, and this is Kadam’s room. Nilima’s is here. Then Ren’s. Yours is down here.”

  Kishan opened the door to my cabin which was so big I could have easily fit Li’s entire wushu studio inside.

  I gasped. “It’s much bigger than all of yours.”

  “We gave you the master suite.” He wrapped his arms around me from behind, hugged me, and said softly, “Our girl deserves the best.”

  I thought briefly about Ren’s wish. I want to give her the best of everything. I squeezed Kishan’s hand. “I already have the best. I have all of you.”

  Kishan let me go, and we stepped into my room—which was palatial. A familiar tune was quietly playing
overhead. The huge bed resting against one wall was covered with a cream-and-gold bedspread and pillows, and faced a panoramic floor-to-ceiling set of windows. My grandma’s old quilt lay folded at its foot.

  “This is the stern, right?”

  He nodded and headed for the bathroom. I passed under a vent and felt a cool brush from the air conditioner. I had my own personal giant screen plasma television and a walk-in closet already full of my clothes. The impressive bathroom had a sunken Jacuzzi tub and a shower. Stacks of cream-colored towels rested in polished cherrywood cabinets. We moved back into the bedroom, and I found my laptop sitting on the desk, a new iPad, and a few of my research books.

  “Do we get the Internet here?”

  “Yes. Internet, e-mail, fax, you name it.”

  “Is it hard to get that?”

  “Not when you own a satellite.”

  “You own a satellite? A space one?”

  “Yes. You hungry?”

  My stomach growled when he said the word.

  “Apparently you are. Want to raid the kitchen?”

  I laughed at the cavalier attitude Kishan displayed regarding his wealth, and said, “Won’t that bother the staff?”

  “Nah. I’m sure we can scrounge something up. Let’s go.”

  8

  Goa

  We got under way soon after our snack. Kishan and I went up to the sundeck to watch the boat leave the dock and head to open water. The ship rumbled briefly as the engines cut on. The breeze hit my face as the ship started to move, and I peered down into the sea as we carved through the blue-green water. Eventually, Ren joined us. He gave me one of his special smiles and squeezed my shoulder before he too leaned over to look at the churning water below.

  “Kadam says we should be in Goa by tomorrow morning,” Ren commented. “It’s only around three hundred and fifty miles from here. The diving instructor will come on board in the late afternoon. We can show Kelsey the town and maybe do some shopping.”