Generation Antihero - Shorts

Connected

Neck tie and suit jacket thrown into the corner, Teddy and Ilus lived their best lifes in the spa. The woman doing Teddy's manicure asked him: "Do you wish for another glass of champagne, Mister Durbin?". Dreamily he sank further into the armchair: "Yes, please...". "You seem to be enjoying yourself", Ilus lightly laughed. "Fantastically, even...", he nooded deeply relaxed. Chef also started to loosen up: "This trip seems to have it's good sides too. Main thing is that you're feeling good". The other woman asked Ilus: "Your company was called Durbin Partner's, correct? What are you doing, exactly?".

Ilus didn't think that anybody would ask, so he helplessly looked over to his boyfriend: "Well...". He immediately started up an idea: "We invent new devices that...". Now he looked back at him, who added guessing: "... are supposed to help with...". "...improving sex between homosexuals", Teddy nodded with false confidence. Wide-eyed Chef looked at his boyfriend, who just shrugged awkwardly. One of the nail designers tilted her head: "And that business is running so well?". Ilus waved off laughing: "Yes, yes of course! It's the latest trend in the USA!".

A call saved them from their uncomfortable situation. Immediately Ilus picked up: "Yes, hello?". Kiki sounded: "Whatever you and Teddy are doing right now, pause it and come to the cantine on deck C". "What gives you the right to order me around now? You did nothing productive all day long, we closed work for today. I'm enjoying quality time with my boyfriend whenever I want", he snarled. "And yet I reached more than all of you combined", she countered feisty, "Deck C, cantine, now!". Grumbling Ilus stood up: "I'm never inviting this woman to a trip again! We've got to go, Teddy".

On their way Ilus mumbled: "Was that just now supposed to be criticism?". Teddy rolled his eyes: "More like flexing 'cause we know how to do it right". Shortly he choked on air, but then put on his poker face.

Together they went to Kiki's location, where they tied the woman from the disco to a chair. Proudly she presented: "Voilá. This dear girl is going to give you several inside-info about this drugdeal. I was partying while I found her, just for your information". "Yeah, fuck you too", Ilus sighed, "Alright, lady. Tell us something about your commerce". "His name is Facino Zettici and he's the CEO of the shipping line. He uses all his cruises to trade cocaine and LSD across all of Europe. He also pays all his employees well so they shut up tight", she didn't hesitate to share her knowledge. "Seems like he didn't pay you enough", Ilus concluded.

She hissed: "He desperately pays me loads. But let's just say that he shouldn't have fucked around with me". "Uhu, your problem", he pulled his phone all bored, "Any interesting adresses or locations?". "He has many warehouses, but I don't know all their locations. Most of them are in city outskirts. Zetticci himself is actually present on this ship, since he celebrates his twenty year anniversary of the company. Basically he celebrates his business on the blackmarket", she explained.

He gave her his phone: "Hopfeully you can type backwards, 'cause I can't speak Italian. Be so kind and write down a few infos about the warehouses and then we're done". "How polite. Are you going to offer me a cocktail afterwards?", ironically she raised an eyebrow, but followed his order. Then he took a look at his screen and smiled: "Very nice. Thanks, Kiki". "Are you giving Jeremy a raise for that?", she asked. Confused Ilus turned around: "He already earns maximum wage". Zigz was just as irritated: "Why me anyway? You did the work". "Because I'm not in his employment and then you'd have more money you could spend on our wedding", Kiki grinned. The engaged one jumped up to Chef: "Am I getting a one-time subsidy?". -"You earn enough!".

~~~

Even at breakfast Ilus kept looking for abnormalities, especially for Facino Zetticci. At that he noticed the way Lucky entered the restaurant, and Koi hugging his back during every step. They joined their table and Koi still didn't let go. Ilus only had to point at him and twist his look for Lucky to tell with a tattered voice: "Primer spoke a bad omen. Last night Koi jumped over the railing. I immediately went after him and was able to catch him mid-air. Now he won't let go of me out of gratefulness". Ilus got wide-eyed: "And you didn't come to me afterwards? Are you two alright?".

"It was damn late. I wanted to let you sleep", he tried to clear his throat. Teddy questioned too: "And why are you sounding so raspy?". "I screamed my lungs out for help, since I was just barely able to grab the railing with one hand - Carrying my own and his weight after an abrupt stop of gravital pull", Lucky poured himself a big glass of water. Startled Teddy sank back into his chair: "So that was that howling sound...". "Thanks for not reacting...", he muttered.

Out of shock the entire table got quiet, everyone being concerned for their otherwise so noisy crackhead. Lucky felt the uneasiness and showed them that everything was alright by now: "But at least this works again". He stole Zigz' cookie from the coffee plate, held it underneath Koi's nose and one was barely able to blink, then the cookie was gone. A quiet crunching sound was audible. Still, Dexter was worried and touched Koi's shoulder: "Do you want to talk ab-?". Interrupting Koi hissed at him shortly, until hiding his face behind Lucky's back again. One last time Ilus checked: "So you're back to normal and overcame your drug-depression?". "Stuff your dick-sucking face with your breakfast, will you?", Koi mumbled growling. The rough choice of words was so familiar to him that he nodded in relief.

So he announced the further steps of his plan: "Now we'll do the following - Our goal's name is Facino Zetticci. We'll keep a spying eye on him. Keep track of where he's going, who he's talking to and if he's talking about any special locations. We have the whole day for that. Obviously it would be stupid to sneak after one man with all of us at once. So we'll take turns in shifts". Dexter asked: "What are those doing who are currently not at shift then?". He threw a look at his cousin and puffed: "Enjoy the leisure offers of this cruise...". Lucky mentioned: "This might be the easiest and most expensive mission we've had so far".

Koi made it even easier by looking up information about the CEO via his phone and slid it over to Ilus across the table. "Perfect, all's working well. See? It is possible to combine work with fun and still be successful", he read through the data. Kiki straightened up enraged: "Excuse me?! Yesterday you were mad at me for saying the same thing!". -"Whoops".

Koi said on a side note: "By the way, I programmed a system with which we can track each other on specific locations across the decks. I can install the program for you if you give me your phones after breakfast". Zigz was curious: "Why can't we download this porgram ourselves?". "Should I just put all of our data out on the internet while I'm already at it?", Koi sarcastically countered, "You're an old man and don't get this shit". Lucky reminded: "I was born just one year after him". Ilus cut the discussion short: "Yes, we'll gladly take your software and value your work without questioning you".

With that, everybody had a task after they finished eating. Koi collected all phones and went on his way to take them to his room. But he didn't let Lucky roam around freely meanwhile, he took him everywhere. The first surveillance-shift started with Zigz voluntarily up-front, to get the work done as quickly as possible. Ilus and Teddy found a room with a ping pong table, where they challenged each other in their elegant suits. On the deck where most activities for children were offered, there was also a bouncy-castle-world. Shark and Dexter took advantage of it. That a trampoline ripped as Shark let himself fall down too hardly, was supposed to be kept a secret from Ilus. Even Vanilla covered her eyes with her paws and pretended as if she didn't saw that. At last, Kiki spent her time off on the highest deck by the swimming pools.

All that while Zigz ambiotiously found their traget and followed him totally focused. But one could be as well hidden and unsuspicious as they wanted - After a while, anyone felt like they were being watched.