Page 22 of The Entire Team

Amari was an interpreter by trade. She was hired by the gas company to help speed up communication. She looked like an executive walking in her white suit in the dark; everything seemingly highlighting her presence.

“Are you alright, man?” Stitch asked beside him.

“Fine,” Tech answered.

“Shit,” Stitch and Tech muttered together.

Amari wasthe first one brought in to talk with the pirates. “What you do?”

“You speak Portuguese or Spanish?”

The remainder of their conversation was in Portuguese.

“I’m an interpreter.”

“So, you will help us with all the rest of the people?”

Amari shrugged. “If you’d like help. What are you looking for? Are you aware who’s here?”

“Why are you being helpful?” One of the men asked suspiciously.

“I assume the faster you get what you want the faster you leave.”

Outside the teamcontinued their mission quietly. The five separated hostages were led to the boat platform by Stitch, Rave, and Tech. The remainder of the team handled the pirates. As they brought Amari out onto a deck, Genie spartan kicked one pirate off the platform. The pirate walking closest to Amari bugged out, choosing to willingly jump in the hopes of surviving.

Stitch,Rave and Tech were prepping the pirates’ boat to leave the rig as Amari joined with the rest of their team. Tech watched Amari rejoin the oil executives in the cabin of the boat before he was snapped out of his reverie; literally, as Genie snapped his fingers in front of him.

“Can we get everything accounted for and get out of here?”

“Sure,” Tech hesitated as he turned toward the pile of thermals and drones while Stitch counted up fins and goggles.

“Besides Red’s goggles I think we’re good,” Stitch finished.

Flash was looking over the boat’s controls prepping to captain them out of there back to the mainland.

“Let’s go,” Genie directed as he headed down into the cabin to talk to the executives. Tech followed him once he’d secured the equipment.

The executives were crampedin the small cabin waiting. Genie looked at all the faces, “We’re okay in English?” They nodded. “We’re with the US Navy. My team’s job is to get you back to the States. When we get back to the mainland, we’ll be given instructions to get you all back. Any questions that I can help with?” Everyone was quiet. Genie watched the group, not missing the multiple times Amari and Tech’s eyes caught each other.

28

TECH

When the boat arrived back on the mainland of Brazil the team paired up one on one with the group of civilians. Luckily the group of executives stayed mostly together so the guys could take turns. Tech was following Amari, who didn’t stick with the group as well. As an interpreter she was a free lance employee and did her own thing. While the group was waiting for travel arrangements Tech had the opportunity to get to know Amari while she shopped for clothes and they tasted local cuisines.

“Why an interpreter?”

Amari looked at him across the table. He was sensibly drinking water and an appetizer had just been placed between them. Playing with the fruit in her cachaca, “I’m good at languages. I wanted out of my small town.” She motioned up and down herself, “I’m not normal, it made it hard growing up.”

“I think you’re gorgeous,” Tech blurted out. His eyes widened as he realized what he’d said. “I’m sorry.”

Amari half laughed, “You’re cute.” She looked back down at her drink. “You’re a fan of Diandra Forrest too?” she raised her eyes to watch his expression.

Tech looked up from his moqueca, “I don’t know who that is.”

“I remember seeing her hit the scene in 2013, it was amazing. She’s an African American albino model. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to run the show.”

“She sounds fierce. It doesn’t seem you’re far off.”

---