"What about you and Micah?" I asked.
"We just sort of heard out each argument, then tried to keep the peace."
I cleared my throat. "And Shawn?"
"He never really stuck around for the heated debates." Alex walked over to the large windows. "Um, Captain Carl?"
"Hmm?" The captain flipped switches at the helm.
"Are we leaving already?"
I joined Alex at the window, Bee still on my hip. Most of the open decks were taken up with our convoy of canoes and kayaks, along with our supplies. Someone was lifting the onramps up.
The captain nodded his head. "Gotta keep on schedule."
I sighed. I could've used a few days on land. The buildings, even overgrown with vines as they were, were a welcome site.
The captain tapped one of the steam output gauges. "Barrel two is only at half capacity again. Check it out after we get underway," he told his second in command. "Have you ever considered that mining for Uranium could create just as much damage to the earth as mining for natural gasses and coal?"
Arnold was undeterred, "Solar panel construction consists of no less than a dozen minerals, all mined in various places across the world. Cadmium, copper, titanium dioxide—"
"Well what about radioactive waste?" Carl interrupted.
"Miniscule at best. A soda can's worth of waste over the entire lifetime of each person. Can be buried with insurances of a million years of safe storage."
"Still not worth the risk, in my opinion," mumbled Carl.
They both paused in their work and glanced at me over their shoulders, as if they wanted a final ruling on the issue.
"I'm still on the fence, guys. Sorry." Actually, I was on top of the fence, standing on my tiptoes, searching for Micah. I looked at Alex for support.
"There are advantage and disadvantages for both." Alex was turning out to be quite the diplomat.
The vessel jumped forward and Captain Carl sounded the horn. Bee kicked to be let down, and ran to the captain. "Me, me!"
He laughed and scooped her up. "Wait for it…wait for it…"
I exchanged a confused glance with Alex. Arnold had a smile on his face. Carl continued, "wait for it…and…there! We are officially further than I've ever taken the boat!"
The two men cheered. Bee pulled the horn.
"Oh, man." Alex brought his hand to his face, shaking his head back and forth.
"Seriously?" I asked.
"Yep. Before 2002, we had to move it four feet from port every few months. A state requirement. But after that – no need to sail it unless there was an emergency."
"Like this?"
"Yep," he said, "like this."
"Too bad we couldn't take that boat." Alex pointed out the window. A large battleship-looking boat sat in the water close to shore, the front half almost completely submerged. The number 325 painted white on the bow stood prominent out of the water. The only redeeming quality of the steamship compared to the navy vessel was the fact that is was river-worthy.
The captain's shoulders sagged. "Yes, well. Lots of other people wanted to take that boat somewhere. After all the fighting, turns out what they should've been looking for was a driver." He smiled to himself. "We're lucky the LST was there, though – kept everyone away from good 'ole Spirit of Evansville, here." He patted the instrument panel.
I smiled at the irony as we passed the navy warship. I was charging into yet another battle with Shawn, this time on a gambling steamboat with the potential of exploding on its own.
The captain leaned over and said in a low voice, "Toddler life jackets are in that bin, there." He glanced over his shoulder, motioning with his chin.
"Oh, well in that case…" I walked over to the bin and pulled one out. I glanced at Alex. "Looks like we're staying."
Chapter 14
Thirsty?
"Did you get him?" Shawn asked the guard posted outside the building. Shawn, Clay, and a small contingency of Elementals rolled up to the state capitol building.
"Inside, sir." The guard took their bikes.
"Don't call me sir."
"Yes, S…Shawn."
Clay's short legs had to work twice as hard to match Shawn's pace up the steps and down the length of the building. They were directed underground by various guards posted, and into a small storage room.
"Shut the door," Shawn ordered once everyone squeezed inside. Shawn plus four Elementals, one of each power, hovered over a man tied to a chair in the center of the room. Clay sweated profusely, as did the man in the chair.
Shawn removed the duct tape from the man's mouth. The captive rubbed his cheeks against his shoulder, but didn't speak.