“That felt very strange,” Finn said.
“It grows on you. I like it a lot.”
“I’ve never done anything like that.”
“So? What about the lifeboats?”
“You were right,” he said. He told her about the encounter with the hyenas, about stowing away on the lifeboats and following the sailors up to the massage cabanas. He told her he’d heard voices muttering but not the specific conversation, and he left out the part about Tia Dalma. Not everyone could handle the world of the Keepers and Overtakers. You had to ease them into it or they might form an opinion of you that was irreversible.
Certainly she knew about the Overtakers but hyenas on board the Dream had clearly stretched her level of credulity; Finn didn’t want to push her too far too fast.
So he thought of a way to phrase his next question. “What kinds of religions are on board? In the crew, I mean?”
“You name it, we have it.”
“How about the more obscure ones, like voodoo?”
“Not that I know of.”
“People who believe in that sort of thing?”
“Cast Members or guests? Because when it comes to guests, my sense is, you name it, we see it.”
Finn hadn’t considered that the lifeboats had been sent to bring Tia Dalma aboard for the entertainment of the guests.
Seeing no way around the truth, he said, “The lifeboats were sent to pick up Tia Dalma. She refused. Said to send ‘them’ here. I don’t know who she meant by ‘them.’”
“That might explain it,” Storey said softly to her-self.
“Explain what?”
“I hear we’re staying in port until later tonight, not leaving at five as scheduled.”
“Here on the island?”
“Yes.”
“Is that such a big deal?”
“Only that it’s never happened before.”
“Never?”
“Correct. Never. But tonight there’s going to be a Beach Blanket Barbecue. Music. Dancing. Fireworks from the ship.”
Finn got the impression Storey Ming heard things she wasn’t supposed to hear.
“I don’t love it when plans change,” he said. It reeked of the Overtakers.
“You and me both.”
“Who makes such decisions?”
“Can’t happen without the captain. The director of entertainment, Christian, would have to bring it to the captain.”
“That’s high up.”
“As high as it gets.”
“Who could convince the director of entertainment to make that kind of switch?”
“Don’t know. I’m not nearly a high enough rank to know.”
A certain green fairy? Finn wondered.
“So we’ve delayed our departure. We’re staying for a beach party that’ll put all the guests off the ship and on the beach.”
“Most of them. Yes. And nearly all the Cast Members and crew.”
“The ship will be empty.”
“It’s never empty. It’ll be lightly staffed. Most everyone in the crew will be onshore helping out. Some galley chefs and waiters will stay behind. The crew that manages the kids’ clubs. You won’t notice it if you’re on board, but nearly all of the entertainment will be ashore.”
“Making it easier to sneak people off and back aboard.”
“That doesn’t happen,” she said. “Trust me. Security on this ship is the best there is. Period. Nothing gets past Uncle Bob.”
“My friends and I did last night.”
“You were holograms,” she said. “Holograms don’t present a real big threat, last time I checked.”
“Okay,” Finn said, “so if the change in plans is not because of that, then maybe it’s to give Cast Members or crew a chance to meet secretly on the island.”
“It could be a million things,” she said. “Could be nothing.”
Finn tried to connect the schedule change to Tia Dalma. The sailor crew had come to fetch her; she had refused, telling them to bring “them” to her. But whom did she mean? And why? And what, if anything, might it have to do with the stolen journal? As much as Wayne wanted him focused on getting back the journal and destroying the OT server—if it even existed—Finn knew from previous encounters with the Overtakers that he had to see the whole picture. Maleficent was crafty, wicked, and brilliant. There was no underestimating her.
“Thank you,” Finn said.
“You and your friends are in danger,” Storey Ming said bluntly.
“We have something we need to do. There are those opposed to the idea. I’m sure it will work out.”
“There must be more that I can do for you. More than just listening for rumors.”