They set the sail and began to carve a long groove into the deep blue Gulf towards the coast of Somalia.

Ava loved the transformation that took place when the engine was shut down and they were under sail; nothing but the sound of the wind and the plashing wake remained. She watched as Aden sank beneath the horizon behind them.

When the sight of land finally disappeared, she turned forward, extending her legs along the cockpit bench seat, ankles crossed. She linked her hands behind her head, closed her eyes and let the rising sun bathe her... a body of relaxation. Though, she tried in vain to achieve the equivalent in her mind.

Adam and Ava had not spoken since hoisting canvas. Adam appeared pensive. They were avoiding eye contact. Ava tried to concentrate on the comforting scend of the sea, the soothing wind and sun and the wonderful sounds of Vendetta under sail. But she couldn't. And she presumed Adam was also wrestling with confounding thoughts. Thoughts about the thick wedge that was driven between them, namely: Adam's association with al-Qaeda. Despite appearances, this outing today was not a pleasant day-cruise to Catalina. They were on their way to engage in another clandestine operation with drug dealers or terrorists. And they were each painfully aware something had to give.

"How 'bout some breakfast, Slim?" Adam mercifully broke the silence. "I can set the self-steering and whip up something for us."

"No, that's okay, let me do it." Ava rose to her feet and placed a hand on his forearm. "You stay put."

"All right. But grab the wheel a mo while I replace the propane tank in the galley."

Adam circled her waist with his arms and kissed her neck quickly while she settled in at the helm.

How come he always smells so frickin' terrific? Ava wondered as she watched him lug the tank below.

Later, when Ava came topside with their breakfast on a tray, the change in conditions was alarming.

Giant, elephant-grey clouds were lumbering out of the heavens, shouldering aside the infinite blue. Ava had grown accustomed to the ubiquitous clear skies. This was the first major change in weather she had experienced since arriving in Yemen. The air was still hot but she had a sense that some kind of eerie chill had enveloped them. She said, "What happened?"

"You mean the clouds? Meh, just a small front moving through. As they say: We may experience minor turbulence. But it'll blow over before you can say, Abandon ship!" He snickered.

"Adam, are we in trouble?"

"Oh we're in trouble all right, Slim. But not from any puny squall."

Aha, her presumption had been correct. Adam had also been preoccupied thinking about the al-Qaeda 'troubles' between them. And though Ava had tacitly agreed to not broach the topic, she felt urgently compelled to get it on the table before Adam bulled his way into real trouble. Maybe Inspector Guma could ignore a certain level of smuggling activity, but once Adam cranked it up to homicide, all bets would be off.

"In that case I'll trust you... for now," she said with emphasis on the qualifier. "Here, have a fried-egg sandwich. I added a touch of ground pepper and ketchup. Hope that's okay."

"You're a daisy, Slim. Thanks." Adam began munching heartily while he worked the wheel with one hand. He added, "We better put the companionway washboard in place, just in case. We don't want a flood down below. Can you handle that?"

"Huh? Oh, sure," Ava answered absently then sat down. "I have juice and coffee also; just say when."

She took her sandwich in hand, taking small bites and chewing thoughtfully. Adam was in a good mood. Ava judged this was her best opportunity to get into a discussion about a clean exit strategy, for both of them. They'd sailed too far now for him to take her back to Aden, and she guessed they still had a ways to go before meeting... well, whomever. But she couldn't confront Adam directly on this issue... he'd freak-out, and that would be that. No, subtle was the way to go.

But before she could go there, Adam took Ava on the opposite tack, saying, "Ava. A few days back you said there was nobody at home you needed to contact?"

"Um, yes. Yes, that's true."

"How so? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

"No, no worries. I lost my Mom several years ago, breast cancer. And my Dad passed away four years back, heart. I was a late but very great surprise in their lives, an only child. Now I'm a just a poor orphan, I suppose."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay. I do miss them. But I believe there's something else waiting for them, for us all. And I'm hopeful it's something even better than what we've been blessed with here."

Adam's expression registered surprise. He said, "Well, well, Miss Blair. Who'd'a thunk it? Here's me thinking you're a no-nonsense, just-the-facts-ma'am kinda gal. I knew you had spirit, but I never figured you for spiritual."

Ava opined in a deliberately cryptic tone, "I think we all have surprising aspects that aren't immediately, or maybe ever, exposed." 

Adam finished the last bite of his sandwich and retrieved his tumbler of juice from the tray. He said, "Ain't it the truth." He took a long drink of juice, replaced the tumbler, fidgeted with the wheel, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, pivoted with, "And how 'bout boyfriends? You must have a whole battalion of suitors standing at attention back home, huh?"

"Mmm, in my dreams." Now it was Ava's turn to pause for a drink of juice before continuing with, "It's a very sad, and very short story. I can sum it up in one sentence: I've tried my darnedest, but failed to discover 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light'."

"Oh. Well, excuse me for saying: I'm not sorry to hear that." He smiled like a Cheshire on high-quality catnip.

Ava couldn't tell if Adam was pleased by the message, or amused by the delivery. So, she decided to throw him a curve ball, "I'll excuse you, mister. But speaking of 'just-the-facts', how come you haven't asked me about the story I'm working on. Aren't you interested in that aspect of my life?"

"C'mon, Slim. That's about as subtle as a hand-grenade. You know I'm interested. But let's not go there. We both know that's a path strewn with land mines, as far as our relationship is concerned."

"Our 'relationship'? Now that is interesting. Do we have a relationship, Adam?"

This topic had not been broached. And Ava was astounded that it was Adam who'd now gone there. Had he cornered himself into admitting she was his latest girl-in-every-port? And come to think of it... was she hoping for anything more than that? Hmm.

He said, "Well, sure. I'm glad you're here. I'll presume you're glad to be here. I'd call that a relationship."

Not exactly a love sonnet, Ava reflected sardonically, but still interesting.

She rotated her gaze, thinking. She peered under the boom into the south-east off the port bow. The sea was dark. In the distance, white-capped waves looked like a herd of wild horses bearing down on them. She asked, "What about tomorrow? And the day after? And three months from now? I believe any relationship needs to have some sort of expectancy of a future. Do you think this 'relationship' has any?"

Adam sucked a splotch of ketchup from his finger and pointed at the breakfast tray with his chin. Ava stretched to pass him his juice. He tightened his one-handed grip on the wheel. As he polished off the OJ in one gulp, it was apparent he was engaged in serious contemplation. He passed the empty tumbler back to her. A solid gust of wind blew the errant shock of hair straight back from his forehead. He said, "I know squat about the future, Ava. But I'll tell you this for free: If I have one, I'd count myself double lucky if it includes you. If I don't, or if it doesn't, then no surprise either way." He fastened her eyes with the earnest intensity of his own.

Ava felt her heart swell. Her breath balled up in her throat and the tears welling in her eyes stung in that beautiful way. She jerked her face into the wind. Her heavy black hair whipped straight back and her tears dried before they had a chance to find their way to her burning cheeks.

She steeled herself. She had to remain objective. She couldn't allow a silly, puerile attraction to Adam blind her to the grim truth and frightful reality. Both Ava and Adam knew he was on a course to no future at all. Ava knew she was the only one that had any chance of stopping him.

She raised her voice to be heard over the buffeting wind, "I'm aware nobody can predict the future, Adam. But if you follow through on your plan, you'll completely destroy any future you may have. I know who you are, I know what you're planning, and I'm going to do my level best to stop you."