They laughed, and Kurt leafed through the brochures, noticing a theme.
Joe handed him an ice-cold Bohemia, just like the one he’d liberated from the captain’s stash on the Argo.
The Trouts sipped the wine.
“What’s going on?” Kurt asked, feeling as if he’d stumbled upon a secret gathering.
“We’re planning a trip,” Joe announced.
“Haven’t we spent enough time together?” Kurt said, kidding, and well aware that he was standing amid family.
“This will be a vacation,” Gamay said. “No running, no shooting, no explosions.”
“Really?” Kurt said, taking a sip of the beer. “Where are we going?”
“Glad you asked,” Joe said. He walked over to the Dry Erase Board on which three names had been written. Each had a single check mark on it.
“We’ve all voted once,” Paul said, “but we have only white smoke to send up the chimney.”
“So I’m the tiebreaker,” Kurt guessed.
“Correcto,” Joe said. “And don’t let all the times I’ve saved your life influence you.”
Kurt stepped closer to the board, cutting a sideways glance at Joe. “Or all the times you’ve caused me trouble.”
He studied the choices.
“Eight-Day Moroccan Camel Safari,” he said, reading choice number one. It had Paul’s name next to it. “Have you ever been on a camel, Paul?”
“No, but . . .”
“Eight minutes might be fun, but eight days . . .” Kurt shook his head.
Paul looked hurt. Gamay and Joe smiled.
“Death Valley Hiking Trip,” he said, looking at the next line. Gamay’s choice. He looked at her. “Death Valley?” he said. “Nope, that’s a little grim, don’t you think?”
“Oh come on,” Gamay protested. “It’s beautiful there.”
“Yes,” Joe said. He raised his arms as if he’d won.
“Hold on there, partner,” Kurt said. “I’m not sure the Gobi Desert even counts as a vacation spot.”
“Sure it does,” Joe said. “I saw a commercial. They even have a slogan. ‘Go be in the Gobi.’”
Kurt laughed. “They might want to keep working on that.”
“It’s dry there,” Joe said. “No chance of drowning or freezing or ruining your best Armani shirt.”
Kurt laughed again. He could just about imagine Joe wearing Armani in the middle of the desert. He sighed, guessing they weren’t really serious, but there was one dry, sunny place he’d always wanted to go.
“I vote for the Australian Outback,” Kurt said. “Ayers Rock, rustlin’ roos, and Foster’s.”
They looked at him for a second, stunned.
“Rustlin’ roos?” Gamay said. And they broke into a cacophony of noes and long-winded reasons why Australia would never work. By the time they were done Paul was flipping the steaks and Kurt had finished his beer.
“Okay,” Paul said. “Let’s try again.”
Joe erased the board and scribbled “Round 2” at the top. Meanwhile, Kurt sat down in the other chaise, grabbed another beer, and gazed out over the peaceful river as the nominations came in.
As the names of various hot and dry places were called out, Kurt couldn’t help but smile. He had a feeling this might go on for a while. And sitting there, surrounded by his friends and soaking up the sun, he kind of hoped it would. In fact, for the moment, he could think of nowhere else he’d rather be.
DIRK PITT® ADVENTURES
BY CLIVE CUSSLER
Crescent Dawn
(with Dirk Cussler)
Arctic Drift
(with Dirk Cussler)
Treasure of Khan
(with Dirk Cussler)
Black Wind
(with Dirk Cussler)
Trojan Odyssey
Valhalla Rising
Atlantis Found
Flood Tide
Shock Wave
Inca Gold
Sahara
Dragon
Treasure
Cyclops
Deep Six
Pacific Vortex!
Night Probe!
Vixen 03
Raise the Titanic!
Iceberg
The Mediterranean Caper
FARGO ADVENTURES
BY CLIVE CUSSLER
WITH GRANT BLACKWOOD
The Kingdom
Lost Empire
Spartan Gold
ISAAC BELL NOVELS BY CLIVE CUSSLER
The Race (with Justin Scott)
The Spy (with Justin Scott)
The Wrecker (with Justin Scott)
The Chase
KURT AUSTIN ADVENTURES
BY CLIVE CUSSLER
WITH PAUL KEMPRECOS
Medusa
White Death
The Navigator
Fire Ice
Polar Shift
Blue Gold
Lost City
Serpent
OREGON FILES ADVENTURES
BY CLIVE CUSSLER
WITH JACK DU BRUL
The Jungle
The Silent Sea
Corsair
Plague Ship
Skeleton Coast
Dark Watch
WITH CRAIG DIRGO
Golden Buddha
Sacred Stone
NONFICTION BY CLIVE CUSSLER
AND CRAIG DIRGO
Built for Adventure
The Sea Hunters II
Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed
The Sea Hunters