Chapter 30

Ardia stood on the dock, the converted touring bus behind her. She stared out into the Mediterranean, her gaze both pensive and hopeful. The sun was blazing in the clear blue sky, its Turkish heat casting a shimmering haze over the water. The warmth enveloped her and seemed to reach even deeper, as if to remind her of the possibilities that lay ahead.

The salty spray from the waves crashing against the dock tickled her nose, filling the air with a perpetual freshness. Seagulls called to each other in a cacophony of raspy caws, punctuating the soothing sounds of the water and adding to the scene's lively nature. There was a palpable energy in the air that could only be found near bodies of water, an undercurrent of the emotions and memories that swirl around them.

Ardia's hair danced in the gentle breeze, the wisps of stray curls framing her face and accentuating her eyes, which never seemed to tire of searching the horizon. Her gaze appeared to be looking for something just beyond her reach, a goal or revelation waiting to be discovered. Her expression revealed her determination, a quiet kind of ferocity that suggested she was willing to do whatever it took to find what she sought.

Nearby, Father O'Conner leaned against the railing, his gaze also directed towards the distant horizon, though it seemed to be clouded by a different kind of contemplation. A hand-rolled cigarette dangled loosely between his fingers, the smoke mingling with the scent of the sea, adding another layer to the rich tapestry of sensations.

Though he and Ardia did not speak, the silence between them was comfortable.

Razmik strolled up between the two, still wearing his turtleneck, oblivious to the heat, and patted her shoulder. "You're deep in thought," he observed. She nodded, still lost in her reverie.

O'Conner smiled, his eyes still focused on the ocean. "It's an important moment, this. The last few months have been a whirlwind. It's hard to imagine I didn't know you both just a few months ago. Ardia, you were just some Armenian pen pal I would write to regarding your mother's diary. What came after was so much and so fast – Prague, Berlin, The Golem, Zeus, what we've learned. For a time, it was like a roller coaster, one revelation after another. After Homer was so badly hurt by Zeus, and Stryker by Werner's goons, we had to stop. But that period at your splendid home, Razmik, it stretched on for some time. I think Ardia here is finding her feet again, back on the hunt."

Ardia nodded, hearing but not turning her gaze from the sea. "Out there might be the next step to finding my mother's killer, or to finding a way to hurt that monster who killed those poor people in Chad or hurt Homer so badly," she said with determination. "It's exciting, like I'm opening a book I hadn't finished reading but put down for a long time."

The bus groaned as Homer stepped out, his gigantic form shaking the vehicle as he emerged. He looked ridiculous, hundreds of pounds of human-ape hybrid disguised in a t-shirt, shorts, baseball cap, and sunglasses. Ardia looked at his dark skin and mused, "Should he be wearing sunscreen? His skin is so dark, but if we hadn't shaved him, it would be covered."

Razmik shrugged. O'Conner said, "We'd probably best not take the chance. Can you imagine living in the bus with him if he was suffering from sunburn?"

Ardia grimaced, not without affection, imagining the drama that would be involved in tending a sunburned Homer

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Ardia asked, "How do we get out there?"

Razmik said, "Tonight, under cover of darkness, I've arranged a boat."

Ardia said, "I'm surprised the Aikman wasn't here waiting for us."

Homer, having reached them, said, "What's an Aikman?"

Ardia went to him, wanting to touch him but feeling uncomfortable with so many eyes around. She brushed his gigantic arm gently and said, "It's just Raz's obnoxious yacht."

Razmik started, defending his prized possession. "It's not obnoxious! It's a vital part of my operation, a very practical asset."

Ardia snorted, not convinced. "Oh, please. It was the mega-yacht party boat of some oligarch you had killed, wasn't it? What was it called before you renamed it, the S.S. Boozehound or something?"

Razmik said, "The Player, actually. And you were the one who killed its previous owner if I recall correctly."

Homer frowned, still confused. "And what is an Aikman?"

Ardia groaned, knowing what was coming, as Razmik burst with speech, his excitement barely contained.

Razmik's eyes lit up and he grinned, excited to share his knowledge with Homer. "Ah, you see, my friend, the Aikman is named after Troy Aikman, the legendary American football player. He was a quarterback, the leader and orchestrator of the game on the field. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, wearing the number 8 jersey, making his debut in 1989."

Pausing briefly to catch his breath, Razmik continued, his enthusiasm unrelenting. "Troy Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in just four years, from 1992 to 1995. The man was practically unstoppable, much like our dear Ardia here," he said, giving her a playful nudge.

"But what really set Aikman apart from others," he went on, "was how well he could read the game, his intelligence, and his poise under pressure. He was never the flashiest or most athletic quarterback, but his mind was his greatest weapon. In fact, his career touchdown passes, 165, and passing yards, over 32,000, are still up there to this day, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006."

Razmik concluded his passionate speech, a proud smile stretching across his face. "So you see, my yacht is named after an incredible and accomplished individual, which is why it is such a fitting name for a vessel that has been such an important part ofmy journey."

Ardia rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile at Razmik's enthusiasm for his Americanophilic interests.

Homer said, "But what's a touchdown? The Cowboys are a sports team, yes?"

Raz prepared to launch into another torrent of information, filling his lungs before he could start. Ardia interrupted him, waving her hands frantically, "Raz, we're still absorbing the data and numbers from your last lecture, please, not more. Homer, you know better, don't give him openings like that."

O'Conner chuckled quietly in the background, clearly amused by the banter between the three of them. Ardia shot him a playful glare.

Homer looked out to the sea, puzzled. "I don't see it. Where is it?"

Razmik reassured him, "The platform is too far out to see from here, but it's not really that far. You'll see it tonight, Homer."

Ardia's excitement truly began to build, her emotions coming alive. This time, she did press herself against him, her hand touching his face tenderly. "Tonight, Homer. We get back after it, back after all of them. Anything could happen."

The four of them turned their eyes back to the sea, each lost in their own thoughts and the weight of the mission that lay ahead. Meanwhile, the fifth, standing at the door of the bus, stared darkly at the mismatched couple – the beautiful, oil painting perfection of the blonde goddess, and the unnatural, bestial hybrid.