125 Red Russian (1/2)
Clouds were gathering overhead by the time they entered the long, narrow bay formed by the mouth of a river flowing from the interior of the peninsula. Cambridge was located on the southern shore of that bay, a few kilometers away, but the old man was determined to dock at the first wharf they came to.
”The weather's set to change,” he told them. ”I don't want to get caught in a thunderstorm on my way back. You got bicycles and it won't take you long to get to that hotel. You can't miss it, if you just keep going east and through the town. It'a big complex with a golf course and its own marina and lots of other stuff that rich folks get to enjoy.”
”As long as no one shoots us before we get there,” said Olga.
The old man laughed, and said:
”Well yeah, there's that. Makes you wonder if things wouldn't have been better if all private gun ownership was illegal, except for hunters. Anyways, you don't have anything to worry about. I been to Cambridge several times in the last few weeks and it's real peaceful there. John Hardin is a good mayor. He's governor now too, for this whole chunk of the peninsula. You guys are going for that New World stuff? You want to go and start something over there?”
”We hope to,” said Jake. The old man smiled.
”Well, you're gonna need a whole lot of luck, that's for sure,” he said.
”What do you mean?”
”Come on. From what I heard you arrive there buck naked, without a thing to call your own. You'll need plenty of luck, for sure.”
They didn't talk for the remainder of the journey. It didn't last long; about an hour later, just after three in the afternoon, they docked at the first pier they came to. The old man told them it belonged to a nearby college specializing in environmental science.
”It's practically deserted right now,” he said. ”None of the students and almost none of the staff got back from Christmas break. I figure they'll be going out of business, soon.”
”I can see some staff are definitely around,” said Jake. They all looked where he was pointing, and saw two men stepping onto the pier. They wore dark blue outdoor jackets and pants that seemed to be a uniform of some sorts. They had rifles slung from their soldiers and official-looking baseball caps.
”Security guards,” said the old man. ”I know those boys. Yeah, they stuck around. Hey, boy, stop messing with that sail. I appreciate your good intentions, but I'll be raising it again in a couple of minutes. Better help me with that line.”
The security guards reached them just as they'd finished securing the boat, and were beginning to unload their possessions onto the pier.
”Hey,” said one of the guards. ”Who told you you can dump your stuff here? You students?”
”Relax, Stan,” said the old man. ”Those kids are on their way to Cambridge. I gave them a lift across the bay.”
”Okay, fine,” said the old man. ”I won't. But let them through, will you? There's a storm coming and if I take them all the way to Cambridge, it's gonna hit me on the way back. I mean hell, how long are they gonna stay on your grounds? They got bicycles and they'll be gone in under five minutes.”
The guards looked at each other. Then Stan said:
”All right. Just this once. But remember, from now onward you dock in Cambridge. I know it's a longer trip, but then you can charge your passengers more.” He grinned slyly.
”Good point,” said the old man. ”Thank you.”
Li Yang, Jake, and Olga wasted no time unloading their possessions from the boat. They put their backpacks on and wheeled the bicycles off the pier, escorted by the two security guards. As they were mounting them, Jake looked at Li Yang and said:
”You heard that, right? Our guy there is running a regular ferry service.”
”Don't be such a smartass,” Stan said immediately. ”He's helping people. The Chesapeake Bay bridge is a long way off without a car. He's helped you, right?”
”Right,” said Jake.
”So shut up and move on.” Stan helpfully extended a finger to indicate the direction of their desired movement.
They obeyed. They cycled down a nearby road. It turned right sharply after a while, and led them past some buildings that looked like they belonged to the college. They had no map, but knew that they have to keep going east.
The road ran through a small forest and emerged onto a golf course and for a moment they thought they'd already reached the hotel. But there was no sign of an hotel anywhere, or of its marina. So they cycled on, and almost right away ran into a couple of women riding their bikes in the other direction.
”Excuse me, is this the way to Cambridge?” Jake called out, as soon as they'd drawn close enough.
”Yes! Keep going, you can't miss it!” one of the women called back.
A few minutes later, the road joined a small highway and simultaneously, they saw houses in the distance. They turned out to belong to a small housing estate. There were people pottering around in their back yards here and there: it was such a calm and peaceful scene that Li Yang felt his throat tighten.
Olga sped up until they were riding side by side, and said:
”You see? Anyone with any brains is starting a vegetable garden.”
”You're going to start a vegetable garden?”
”Of course! The moment I settle in one place.”
”You think they'll let you grow vegetables at the hotel?”
”They're already doing that,” Olga said triumphantly. ”Irina's boss, the hotel manager, is a very smart man. All the staff that stayed got new duties.”
”What about the guests?”
”There are very few guests at the hotel.”
”Do you think they'll let us stay?”
”Maybe for a night or two, no longer than that,” said Olga. ”But they'll help us find a place, for sure.”