A View to a Hijacking (Action Movie Rip Off)

"Ok, so... partner, huh?" I asked, taking Maria's and Nikki's arms and beginning to walk towards the glass door which led to the balcony.

"I was improvising. When's the last time you watched CHIPS?" Maria shrugged. "Just follow my lead."

"Whatever you say, Ponch."

"Where?"

"Where what?"

"Where would you like me to ponch you after that terrible joke?" Maria pulled open the glass door and let in a blast of the chill air from outside. I looked back at my forlorn sweater, sitting on the chair where I left it, before I decided to brave the cold. George, my more immediate concern, hadn't even glanced back at the door opening. When I gave a questioning glance at Nikki, she merely rolled both her head and eyes in response, indicating that this was a typical response.

"Hey, uh..." I tried the standard opening gambit, and was startled to see George stiffen angrily at the sound of my voice, and whip his head around to stare at the three of us.

"Oh, you can't have an argument without pig backup, huh?" George's words were directed at Nikki, who gave no immediate response.

"Ok, that's two. Last warning here. Knock off the insults, especially uncreative ones." Maria admonished George again, releasing my arm.

George seemed ready to retort, but thought better of it at the steely look in Maria's gaze.

"Now, you want to tell us what that was about?" Maria asked plainly.

George began to engage in a lengthy explanation that I had a hard time keeping track of. It ranged all over the place, starting with how awesome his new ideas were, and how he just needed a little start up, and how his uncle owed him. Honestly, I tuned out, and looked out on the ocean.

It was a clear night, and I could easily see up and down the coast. While it was a bit darker than I normally would expect, my eyes were drawn to the ship anchored off the coast a short distance. It was a lot closer than ships usually came to the shore around here, and normally ships didn't even come down this far. Ever since the entire area had been declared a marine sanctuary. It was lit up proudly, and I could see what looked like a party going on on the rear deck.

It wasn't quite the size of a cruise ship, but it was a big damn boat. Looked to be a catamaran from what I could tell from the two hulls that dipped into the ocean, with the lights from the portholes higher up showing that it was very occupied. When I noticed the third hull set into the center, I was a bit more surprised, but took it in stride. The prow of the ship was considerably higher than the rest of the boat, and it sloped back into a large bridge that almost looked military in its profile. The rear deck was lit up, on both levels. The thing even had a Helipad, occupied by what looked like a vintage helicopter from the Vietnam era.

"Now that's a gorgeous ship." I commented to Nikki, completely ignoring George's fifth self compliment. I knew I was changing the subject, but I was sick of listening to the excuses that seemed to be extremely convoluted at this point and involved at least three people, none of which were actually at the party or having the conversation.

"Uncle Gus' boat? Never been on it." Nikki remarked, leaning against the railing herself and ignoring her husband. "I get seasick."

"Your uncle has a boat?" Maria asked, also tuning out from George's blather. I don't think he'd even really noticed we'd stopped paying attention.

"His company has boats but it's like the limo. Once you've been in it once it's REALLY boring. I mean, getting drunk in a car just leads to motion sickness for me." Nikki laughed.

"You're a lot... wealthier than you let on." I commented dryly.

Nikki shrugged and turned her attention back to her husband who seemed to be wrapping up his long convoluted explanation. Maria had done the nodding for us, but seemed to be at the end of her patience.

He stopped in mid sentence his eyes out on the ocean.

I followed his gaze towards a small flotilla of small boats that seemed to be pulling around the peninsula to the north.

"Your Uncle got something planned tonight?" I asked, noting that the boats seemed to be on a direct course for the rear loading ramp of the ship.

"Damn it, he didn't listen to me... I told him, but he wouldn't listen to me!" George hissed, turning to take several quick steps towards the glass doors.

"What the hell is he..." My words were cut off as I heard the first echoing sound of a gunshot across the water.