The Thief and the Pot of Gold

The Thief and the Pot of Gold - 5

Nip Smith was wondering. 'I didn't have a cellphone! How the hell did I get here?'

The burly man at the x-ray machine seemed to recognize Nip Smith. He nodded his head after he saw what was inside the long bag.

He glanced at Theo Vincent, who was surprisingly also bald and clean-shaven.

'Theo Vincent is a cool customer. He didn't blink when he saw the falling bags!' Nip noted pensively.

When they were aboard the yacht, Nip chose the second cabin. He wanted to be next to Theo.

"Where's my cellphone?" Nip demanded to the guard assigned to him.

"You have no cellphone?"

"None."

The guard turned away and got out. When he came back, he had the burly man with him.

"Here is your cellphone! Do not lose it--again!" The burly man had put emphasis on the 'again!'

"Right!" Nip nodded abruptly. He was bewildered by the man's attitude.

When the large man had gone, a waiter went in the cabin. He carried a menu book.

"I'll come back to take your order," he said.

Nip turned the glossy pages. He was just curious how good were the foods here.

'Hmm... expensive! They're really serious on pampering us! Or it seemed they are fattening us!' he thought when he reached the end of the thick menu book. 'If we want to be snack by the sharks!' he sneered tauntingly. He was not very concerned on the idea of dying!

"Write down your order here!" The guard gave her a notepad and a pen.

Nip wrote down his usual dinner: four bottles of beer and a large pizza.

"Is that all?" The guard was puzzled.

"Oh, and a big bottle of water!" Nip wrote the addition with a flourish.

"You could order steak or roasted chicken!" The guard scratched his head. "We have five-star chefs here on the yacht!"

"I'm sure, the chef can make a delicious large pizza! I'd like to use the bathroom. Can I?"

"Of course! But put the chaku and your bag away," the guard instructed. "Give me the dirty clothes. They shall be cleaned after an hour!"

"Okay!" Nip divested his vest and his black clothes. "Here!" He threw them outside the bathroom's door.

He took a shower quickly. It was dark inside because he did not turn on the light. He suspected that the bathroom had hidden cameras!

There was a robe hanging at the back of the door. Nip used it while thinking about he would take a shower during the day...

"Would you like to join me?" Nip was shocked by the size of the pizza. It was thin-crusted and thick with toppings! The round single table practically groaned by its weight.

The guard shook his head. "Eat! I'll be outside if you need me!"

Nip frowned slightly but shrugged while she smelled the delicious scent wafting from the hot pizza. He opened the bottle of beer and drank from it.

'I will eat tonight,' he told himself. 'I will be ready for tomorrow in this mysterious yacht!'

Nip was not frightened. He was excited. His assignment was to follow Theo Vincent anywhere. He did not expect that he would discover the reason why there were so many missing people in the city!

His only problem would be--how could he communicate to his director!

'I will find a solution! For now, I'll enjoy this pizza!' he chomped and munched while he watched the moonless night.

Nip saw movement outside the porthole. Men in dark suit. He recognized the lean figure of Theo Vincent.

'What's he doing outside?' he asked himself curiously. He opened the porthole. His very slim body had fit to the round window. He could see clearer.

When a large man was pushed off the yacht, Nip could imagine the sharks having him as a snack!

'What kind of men are these? Animals?' Nip closed the porthole hurriedly. 'They killed even their own people!'

He lost his appetite.

The door of the cabin opened after a brief knock. The guard carried his clothes on one arm.

"Why are you not eating?" The guard swallowed when the mouthwatering aroma reached his nose.

"I don't want it anymore. Please, take it away." Nip took the vest, the turtleneck, and the elastic pants. "I'd like to sleep now!"

The guard pressed a button on the wall. Two waiters came immediately.

Nip held the clothes against his chest while watching the men dismantle the table.

"Where will you take the pizza?" Nip remembered to ask.

"Why--we will throw away to the sea. It will be food for the sharks!" one waiter replied seriously.

When they were out of the cabin, Nip stalked to the bathroom. He puked all of the pizza that she had eaten!

Nip hated the sight of blood but he worked as a secret agent almost all his life. He entered the service when he was awakened. He did not know why he chose this kind of life...

Dangerous. Alone. Rootless.

He had seen blood. He had killed people. He killed them with good reason. He shot bad people.

And yet... 'These people take the lives of other people in cold blood!'

Nip was feeling nauseous. He forced himself to wear his vest and his clothes.

He breathed deeply. Inhale. Exhale. He opened the bottle of water and drank from the container.

The cellphone beeped. He walked unsteadily to where he left it.

'Welcome aboard, 001! Take a rest for tonight. Tomorrow will be full of surprises!' A message was seen on the bright screen.

Nip was stunned. 'How the hell did they know my alias!'

Zero-zero-one was a code name given to him by the director!

Someone in the service was a mole. Or moles! They were agents of the service as well as members of the organization!

Nip noticed that something was blended with the air being blown out by the air-conditioning unit.

But it was too late. He had breathed the substance!

His eyes went heavy. He was drowsy.

'I hope I will wake up again tomorrow!' was his last solemn thought.