The Phantom

by Wayne Mansfield

  Bird was another who didn’t have to help with the diving equipment. He disappeared to have a quick shower before getting started on dinner. Toby certainly didn’t mind. His stomach was growling at him to be fed.

  Sandy disappeared just before the work was entirely finished but that meant when Toby, Pete and Zeke were finished they could all have a shower without any of them having to wait.

  Toby stripped off his bathers and T-shirt and left them in a small pile on the damp floor of the bathroom. He stepped under the middle nozzle and turned on the taps. When he had the water at exactly the right temperature, he rested against the wall and let the warm water cascade down his naked body. He heard Pete get under, mentioning something about how tired he was, and then Zeke letting rip a fart next to him, but for the most part he was oblivious to everything except for the sensation of the water on his naked flesh.

  “Hey Toby.” He felt a hand on his shoulder. “Toby.”

  Toby slowly opened his eyes to find Pete’s smiling face inches away from his own.

  “Ya were fallin’ asleep,” said Pete. “Never seen anyone fall asleep under a shower before. Ya must be bloody tired.”

  Toby smiled. “You could say that.”

  Pete smacked him on the bum. “How about I give ya hair a wash? Just relax.”

  Pete reached down for the shampoo and while Zeke carried on washing himself beside them, Pete squeezed some shampoo into his hand and began massaging it into Toby’s hair.

  “That feels good,” said Toby, once more closing his eyes and leaning back against Pete’s sturdy frame.

  But Pete’s fingers firmly massaging his scalp wasn’t the only thing he felt. He could also feel Pete’s cock brushing against the back of his legs as Pete shampooed his hair, and when he felt the head of Pete’s throbbing cock poke its way between his butt cheeks it was surprising how wide awake he felt.

  “How’s that feel?” asked Pete, teasingly.

  “Pete, I’m really tired.”

  Pete nuzzled his soapy ear. “Too tired for this?” He thrust his cock in a little harder. It hit the puckers of Toby’s arsehole then slid up the crack.

  Toby made a small whining sound, but Pete’s insistence was incredibly persuasive. It seemed he had no option but to give in to his lover’s advances. He thrust his arse back and was rewarded with the head of Pete’s cock almost penetrating his anal sphincter.

  “Should I push it all the way in?” Pete whispered.

  “Yes,” replied Toby.

  He braced himself against the wall as Pete slowly drove the length of his shaft into Toby.

  “You two should get a room,” said Zeke, although Toby noticed that Zeke was hard and his hand looked as though it might be about the grab hold of his engorged cock.

  “Hey, I’m just shampooing the lad’s hair,” replied Pete.

  “Yeah, his anal hair by the looks of it,” quipped Zeke.

  Pete began thrusting and Toby’s hand went to his own erection. He felt Pete’s hands grip his hips. As Pete started ramming his cock in faster and deeper, Toby heard the slap, slap, slap of Pete’s balls against the flesh between his legs.

  “It’s not gonna take me long to blow, Tobe,” said Pete.

  Toby didn’t reply. Instead he concentrated on the warm, pulsing sensation at his sphincter, a sensation that was spreading throughout his entire body. His hand was managing two strokes for every thrust from Pete. He was nearing climax. He began to moan, letting his head fall back against Pete’s shoulder.

  Pete moved closer so that their bodies were pressed together. He reached around and held Toby tightly around the waist.

  Toby could feel his lover’s hot breath coming in sharp bursts, exploding against the sensitive skin of his ear and sending tingles up and down the length of his spine.

  A loud grunt from beside him told him that Zeke had blown his load. The shower was turned off and without looking Toby knew that he and Pete were alone under the showers.

  “I wanna fill your hole,” Pete whispered, his hand clawing at the skin on Toby’s side, drawing their bodies just a fraction closer. “I want ya to go to bed with my seed inside ya. Promise me you’ll do that for me.”

  Toby nodded. “I will. I will,” he replied, though his mind was on what was happening inside—the contractions of his abdominal muscles around Pete’s cock, the growing warmth flooding his veins and the feeling of something building towards a crescendo in his groin.

  Then his whole body spasmed. He thrust his hips forward and sprayed the wet tiles with a thick coating of cock cream, then another and another. The first dribble of cum had almost reached the floor by the time Toby finished shooting.

  Pete’s hands dug in tight at Toby’s hips, yanking Toby back as he launched himself forwards. With no more than an immense burst of breath, Pete made good on his word to fill Toby full of cream.

  They both collapsed against the wall, the water from the shower beating down on their heads and shoulders. Toby wished he could just stay there, joined with Pete, and fall into a deep, deep sleep.

  “Tobe, do ya want any dinner?” Pete asked after a while.

  “Not really,” said Toby, slapping at the tap to turn it off. “You?”

  “Nope,” said Pete. “I just wanna get dried off and go to bed.”

  They used their beach towels to dry themselves since Toby couldn’t be bothered padding to the crew’s quarters to get their bath towels. And Pete seemed just as happy to use his beach towel.

  “Come on, Tobe. Let’s go to bed.”

  It was an effort for Toby to place one foot in front of the other, yet somehow he made it back to his bunk. He kissed Pete good night and was about to climb up to his bunk when he stopped.

  “Pete.”

  Pete was shuffling across the room to his bunk.

  “What?”

  “You want to sleep with me tonight?”

  Pete stopped and turned around. His eyes scanned the empty bunks around the edge of the cabin. Toby felt a small sinking feeling in his gut, but was too tired to do anything about it. He climbed into bed and closed his eyes. Just before sleep came to carry him off, he felt another body climbing over his and settling in behind him. He smiled.

  “Thanks, Pete,” he said. His voice was barely audible.

  Chapter 11

  Nobody was in any hurry to wake up the following morning and by the time Toby and Pete had climbed out of bed after a brief and furtive lovemaking session, the sun was high in a clear blue sky.

  They showered before dressing. Pete pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, but Toby was happy just to wear his Speedos.

  “I hope there’s some breakfast left,” said Toby, who felt a void where his stomach had once been.

  “Course there will,” said Pete. “And if there isn’t, I’ve got somethin’ ya can eat.”

  Toby laughed as Pete grabbed his crotch.

  “Not leftovers again,” moaned Toby jokingly.

  The playful retort left Pete speechless and Toby took the opportunity to head for the galley.

  On the way he heard voices coming from the upper deck and footsteps; too many for them to belong to the crew. He turned and looked quizzically at Pete.

  Pete looked from Toby to the direction of the sound and headed for the nearest hatch. Toby, having developed the habit of never being left behind, followed closely behind.

  “What’s going on?” Pete asked Chad, who was hovering near the hatch.

  “It’s the Greek Coast Guard,” said Chad. “They want to know what we’ve been doing here for the past couple of days.”

  A short, squat man with more hair on his top lip than on his head was talking to the Captain. Another uniformed man was leaving the Captain’s cabin and heading straight for them.

  “There’s a couple more checking the hold,” Chad explained.

  “What are they looking for?” asked Toby.

  “As far as I can make out they’re just having a look around. Not sure they’re actually looking
for anything.” The uniformed officer swept past them towards the crew’s quarters. “Wouldn’t matter if they were. We’ve got nothing to hide.”

  “That’s true,” said Toby, “but we do have something that we should hide. I just hope the Captain hasn’t told them about Atlantis.”

  “What if he has?” said Chad, shrugging his shoulders matter-of-factly.

  Toby felt a flash of anger. “You weren’t there,” he said, his brow heavy over his eyes. “You don’t understand how important it is that we preserve what’s left of their world.”

  “Okay, okay,” said Chad, backing away. “I’m not going to say anything.”

  Toby watched Chad climb the steps to the bridge and turned to Pete, who seemed preoccupied with the Captain.

  “What do ya reckon he’s doin’?” said Pete.

  Toby saw the Captain pointing across the sea to the area where they had found Atlantis. His hand was circling and the Greek Coast Guard seemed to be very interested in whatever it was the Captain was saying.

  “He wouldn’t dare, would he?” asked Toby.

  “I dunno,” said Pete. “He needs to finance this trip somehow and since he missed out on the treasure, I wouldn’t put anythin’ past him.”

  Toby felt his body tense. Without another word he marched over to the Captain.

  “What’s going on?” he asked as casually as he was able.

  The guard looked at him blankly and then at the Captain.

  “Mr. Papadakis here just wanted to see if everything was all right,” replied the Captain. “Nothing to worry about so you can go back to whatever it was you were doing.”

  Of course the Captain had every right to tell him what to do, but there was something about the way he said it that made Toby feel uneasy.

  “Wait,” said Mr. Papadakis as Toby turned to leave. “What do you do?”

  “Me? I’m just a deckhand.”

  “Where you from?”

  “Australia,” Toby replied.

  The Captain’s eyes lit up. “Australia. I have been there many times. I have family in Melbourne.”

  Toby nodded.

  Then Mr. Papadakis’ smile disappeared.

  “What are you doing here? In the Mediterranean? You and your Captain?”

  Toby glanced at the Captain who was twisting the hair on one of his sideburns. Toby swallowed hard. The guard was expecting an answer. He glanced at the Captain again.

  “You can tell him,” said Captain Bartlett with a nervous laugh. “We’ve stopped for a couple of days’ R and R before picking up some cargo.”

  Toby breathed a sigh of relief.

  “It was a good opportunity to get some diving practice in,” he said. “Always good to dive somewhere new.”

  Mr. Papadakis nodded thoughtfully. “Any reason you choose this particular area?”

  “No, not really…” began Toby.

  “Look Mr. Papadakis I’m gonna be up front with you. We didn’t choose this place…”

  “It chose us,” interrupted Toby.

  “Shut up!” snapped Captain Bartlett. “We came here looking for Atlantis.”

  “Atlantis?” Mr. Papadakis looked less than impressed. “I hope you not wasting my time, Captain Bartlett.”

  The Captain shook his head. “Absolutely not, Sir. We came here looking for Atlantis. I had a very reliable map and every reason to believe I’d find enough relics and gold to make all of us rich men.”

  Mr. Papadakis’ frown grew deeper. “That is very serious crime you are talking about.”

  “I know,” replied the Captain. “But you don’t have to worry because we didn’t find anything. Your men will prove that when they’ve finished their search. There’s something else I’d like to talk to you about, though.”

  Toby felt his muscles tense. He had never claimed to be psychic but he knew without a shred of doubt what the Captain was about to reveal to Mr. Papadakis.

  His protest was on the tip of his tongue when a slight movement in the water caught his eye.

  “Hey look, dolphins,” he said pointing and feeling every bit the child, especially when both the Captain and Mr. Papadakis looked at him as if he had just broken wind. “Sorry, but they never cease to amaze me. Such gentle creatures. Wouldn’t hurt a soul.” He was addressing every word to the Captain. “I’ve heard they even help humans when they get into trouble in the water. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to harm one. In any way.”

  “Harm one?” asked Mr. Papadakis.

  Toby’s mind raced for an explanation. “Ah, yeah, like the Japanese. Clubbing them to death for food.” He returned his attention to the Captain. “Apparently they’re just as intelligent as we are, with their own language. It’s almost like we’re related and you’d have to be pretty heartless to hurt a relative, wouldn’t you?”

  “Quite,” said Mr. Papadakis. “Now Captain Bartlett, you were about to say something.”

  Toby noticed the Captain’s Adam’s apple rise and fall as he shot Toby a dark look.

  “Was I?” he said. “Must have forgotten.”

  “Something about no finding treasure but having something more to talk to me about.”

  “Ah yeah,” said the Captain. “I was going to ask…if…you knew of anyone who needed something taken back to Australia.”

  “Didn’t you say you were already picking up some cargo,” said Mr. Papadakis with suspicion coating every word.

  “That’s true, but we’re going to have a bit of room left over and I am in the business of making money, Mr. Papadakis. I thought with you being in the Coast Guard you must meet a lot of people.”

  Mr. Papadakis looked the Captain up and down. “But I don’t know nobody with cargo.”

  With a nod the guard bid them good afternoon and turned his back to them. He took his two-way radio from the clip on his belt and shouted something in Greek which soon had his men hurrying up from below deck. After a quick discussion, each of the men from the Coast Guard disappeared over the side of the ship to their boat which had been tethered to The Phantom.

  “I ought to wring your bleedin’ neck,” said the Captain after Mr. Papadakis and his men were out of earshot.

  The Captain’s nostrils were flaring and his face had turned a shade of puce, yet Toby found he didn’t care. Even when the Captain’s face was just inches from his own, neck tense and top lip curled, he didn’t budge an inch.

  “We owe them,” said Toby.

  “We owe them nothing!”

  “We trespassed into their world, tried to steal their things. The least we can do is help protect them.”

  The Captain started nodding. “Oh yeah, well that’s all peachy keen,” he said dousing the last two words in sarcasm, “but how the hell am I supposed make any money from that!!”

  Like a phantom Pete materialised beside him.

  “Listen James, there’s no need to take it out on the lad. Just…”

  “Then tell your boyfriend here to keep his nose out of things that don’t concern him!” he snapped. “How the hell am I supposed to pay you the rest of what I owe you without any money?”

  “What about doing what you told that Greek guy?” suggested Toby. “Why not pull into the nearest port and go scouting for business.”

  The Captain sighed, exasperated.

  “Seems to me the lad has got a good idea there, James,” said Pete. “If we need money that badly then we’ve got an empty hold we can fill with cargo.”

  “I’ll think about it,” he said with a snort before turning and walking in the direction of his cabin.

  “He’s not a very nice man,” said Toby. “Not a nice man at all.”

  Pete threw his arm around Toby and they leant on the side of the ship to watch the Coast Guard speed away towards the mainland.

  “He’s just not very good at handlin’ pressure. And money pressures are the worst.”

  Toby couldn’t argue with that. If the Captain didn’t find the money to pay them, he’d have a few money pressures of his own.r />
  * * * *

  That evening after a dinner of fresh fish and a salad consisting of over ripe tomatoes and limp lettuce doused with dressing to make it halfway edible, Toby and Pete went up on deck. Sandy was smoking by himself. Chad and Lennie were lying in the hammocks drinking whisky and chatting in low voices.

  “We have to talk,” said Pete.

  “I’ve been waiting for this.”

  “It’s time to make some decisions.”

  They continued walking along the starboard side of the ship towards the bow. The moon was full in the sky and casting a powdery light over the ship and upon the calm waters of the Mediterranean.

  “I love ya, Tobe. Ya know that.”

  “And I love you.”

  “That’s a good start,” said Pete, taking hold of Toby’s shoulders and kissing him on the lips. “So what are we gonna do about it?”

  Toby shrugged his shoulders. “I guess it depends on what happens when we reach port tomorrow. I’d like to go home and see how my mother is, but I also want to be with you. What are your plans?”

  They found a place to sit and spent the next few minutes in a tight embrace, kissing.

  “My plans are to get the Captain a job so he can pay us and get rid of that bloody black cloud he’s been walkin’ around beneath, and then we’ll see what happens after that.”

  “Sounds like a good plan, but like I’ve said before, I don’t like the Captain much. I think he’d sell his own cock if he thought he could get a high enough price for it. You can’t trust a person like that. I’ll go back to Fremantle with the ship but after that it’s anyone’s guess.” Pete was nodding, which Toby took as a good sign. “We could find another ship together. Maybe even get our own boat.”

  “If we win the lottery.”

  “We could pay it off. Most couples have a house they have to pay off. We could get a boat instead. Doesn’t have to be a big one.”

  Pete pulled Toby into an embrace.

  “Somethin’ to think about.”

  Chapter 12

  For the first time in almost three days The Phantom set sail. The Captain had decided to sail to Greece and put the men to work looking for jobs. They sailed into the Ionian Sea and arrived in the port of Katakolan in Western Greece. Almost immediately they realised that scouting for jobs in such a small, picturesque place amidst the large ocean liners full of tourists from God-knows-where would be a waste of time. So instead they set sail for the Port of Patras, which was further around on the northern coast of Peloponnesus.