📚 my island in the sun Part 2 of 8
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SCIENCE FICTION FANTASY

My Island In The Sun Ch 02

My Island In The Sun Ch 02

by jalan
19 min read
4.57 (3100 views)
adultfiction

My island in the sun Ch 02

A man finds his Greek roots and his dream island

This is part 2 of a series. You'll need to read Chapter 1, for the story to make sense. There will be no sex in this chapter, so scroll past if that's not what you're looking for. I would greatly appreciate honest feedback to help me improve my writing style.

This is self edited, so any mistakes are exactly where I want them to be!

As the plane swooped down over the bay on its final approach, the sea appeared a mere arms length away from the belly of the aircraft. AJ could see throngs of tourists gathered around the end of the runway watching as he waited in anticipation as the flaps opened as touchdown beckoned. Moments later, the wheels hit the ground and unlike many runways, the aircraft was suddenly travelling uphill as the spoilers and brakes slowed their speed more abruptly than AJ could have anticipated. Several hundred yards later the plane slowed and started to turn left and taxied towards the terminal where it was guided onto its' stand.

His fellow travellers were up and out of their seats as soon as the seatbelt lights went out. All of them, eager holidaymakers, heads swivelling like Meerkats on drugs, buzzing with excitement, then rushing like ants to disembark, collect all their luggage and race headlong into the adventures that awaited them.

AJ was not in a rush, he was here, not for a holiday, but had come to start a new chapter in the story of his life, in a new place, but with people he knew and had missed for the last year or two.

As he stepped out of the doorway onto the mobile stairs, the hot air hit him, instantly memories of Afghanistan rose unbidden into his mind. Where scorching heat, the burden of coping with a 50 pound Bergen along with upper body armour, all the while concentrating on your surroundings and surveiling the horizon for threats made sweat envelop your whole body, this resulted in dehydration being as big an enemy as the Taliban, what made it worse is the balance between carrying enough water, versus the exertion of any extra weight. When you're reduced to drinking your own dehydrated urine just to stay alive, it isn't exactly fine dining at the Ritz.

As they say on TV, "don't try this at home".

As he descended the steps, a feeling of calm descended over him, for the first time in a long while AJ felt at peace with himself. He slung his carry on over his shoulder, but as his left foot touched the tarmac, what felt like an electric shock coursed through his body, his knees buckled as he stumbled forward, confused at what was happening to him he barely managed to remain upright. Just as soon as the feeling had shot through him, it quickly dissipated, his equilibrium returning to normal. As he looked around it appeared that no-one had even noticed the incident, making him suddenly question his sanity, he decided it must have been a simple reaction to the temperature or the bright sunlight, what other explanation could there be!

AJ was soon in the baggage hall, having passed through passport control, bypassing non-EU citizens with his Greek passport, which he had applied for and received before leaving the UK. As he had waited until all the other passengers had alighted, there were no queues to slow his passage through the airport. As he approached the carousel, he could see that his luggage was now alone, slowly circling around, waiting for him to collect it, AJ quickly scooped up his case, making his way through to the arrivals area, and the exit to catch a taxi down to the port area. As he approached the doors to the outside, his uncle Dimitri was coming towards him with another man. It left him wondering how they happened to be there as he arrived, as far as he was aware no-one knew exactly when he was arriving.

"Ajax, I've waited a long time to meet you" exclaimed the stranger. Confused, AJ turned to Dimitri, "Ajax" AJ asked! "Come with us AJ, this is your uncle Kostas, there's a lot to explain and I'm sure you'd rather sit in comfort to do it, rather than loitering outside the airport frying in the afternoon sun."

As they reached the car park Kostas pressed the key fob in his hand and AJ heard a bleep, and then saw the lights flash on a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, a sparkling white soft top. "Nice" whistled AJ, "fishing pays well round here, obviously"

Dimitri chuckled to himself, "Yes, there's a lot to explain".

Kostas drove down towards Chora, the only town in Skiathos, As they reached the edge of the town AJ saw the new port stretching out before them, however they then turned right, away from the port, and AJ was left wondering where they were going as he was expecting to catch a ferry over to Alonissos, where his Greek roots lay.

They pulled up outside of a taverna, (Greek restaurant) Dimitri indicated to a table far over to one side, and called out to the waiter to bring coffees for them.

"Once we have our coffees brought over, we'll explain everything to you. I know you have questions, but please wait till I've finished as you may have your answers to a lot of your questions by then".

Another waiter approached the front of the taverna and put a stand with a sign on it, saying the restaurant was closed. "Won't we have to leave if they're closing?" Kostas answered AJ "they're closing so we won't be disturbed, we, or I should say you, own this taverna". AJ just had more questions bubble up into his head with this last statement. However, Dimitri and Kostas were going to blow his mind with all the information they would divulge in the next hour or two.

As they sat and drank coffee, the last remaining customers left the taverna, and the waiter came to deliver a further order of drinks, which included a bottle of Plomari Ouzo, an aniseed aperitif, along with a bucket of ice, and one of still water, which Kostas explained was a required accompaniment with all important Greek discussions, Dimitri popped ice into three glasses and topped them up with Ouzo from the bottle.

"You wondered how we knew you had arrived in Skiathos didn't you Ajax", AJ did, but interrupted, "why do you call me Ajax, Kostas" "That's your real name" Kostas stated, as if it was the most obvious answer. "Let us explain everything before you start slowing things down, with further interruptions" he chuckled.

"We are not your true Family AJ, Kostas and I have been your sworn protectors from the day you were born. Your father Leander, was a Lion of a man, he was not only strong and brave, he was also descended from the Demi-god Perseus, the son of the God Zeus and a mortal woman Danae"

Dimitri continued the explanation at this point, "Zeus had kept his eye on the descendants of Perseus, at the urging of Athena, after Megapenthes who was the son of Proteus King of Argos, killed Perseus in revenge for the death of his father, for which he lay the blame squarely on Perseus' shoulders.

"Leander, had inherited strength through the bloodline from Perseus, but had limited powers as every generation is diluted slightly more"

They all had some more Ouzo, sipping it gently whilst the conversation continued.

Kostas interjected at this point. "We know Polydectes, the king of Seriphus, was most envious of Perseus, who sent him on the dangerous mission to slay Medusa. It didn't turn out as Polydectes had hoped when Perseus returned with medusas' head and used it to turn Polydectes to stone eliminating the threats to him, once and for all"

"Whilst other gods didn't actively seek to harm Perseus or his descendants, Athena the Goddess of wisdom and warfare, saw it as her duty to protect the male line, Athena created the triumvirate, who are specifically, three guardians appointed for millennia as watchdogs of the dynasty, your Dynasty Ajax"

"So, do I now call myself Ajax, or what" AJ questioned" Dimitri laughed hysterically "out of all we've told you so far that's what you take from it"

"Well, no but why have I been called AJ all my life to now find out my name's Ajax"

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"Well the reason for that takes us back to how we knew you had arrived here today" said Kostas. "I am the fisherman of the Triumvirate, your family for the want of an easier explanation, I don't fish on the water as you have been led to believe, more accurately, I trawl for information"

"Your identity papers are manufactured to disguise your identity, from a young age you were taken by me and your Aunt Larissa away from Greece, as your Father had been killed by descendants of Polydectes using poisonous Gorgon blood, which is fatal to mortals and gods alike this was one of their final acts as Athena had the whole family wiped from the face of the earth, ending their bloodline" explained Dimitri.

"At this point, we felt that we could offer more protection while you were still of a young age by moving you to another country, and I agreed that as your personal bodyguard, together with the risk management expert of the Triumvirate, who was your Aunt Larissa, that England would be the ideal environment for you, hiding you away in the sleepy countryside"

"So, unlike Kostas, everyone else including me will continue to call you AJ, that way we will keep you under the radar, so to speak"

"I'll get Kostas to get used to calling you AJ, don't you worry about that"

"Kostas, through his consulate contacts could keep a track on your movements as you grew into a young man, and your choice of a military career, provided even further protection. With you being in a zone protected from outside threats, outside of hostile enemy action anyway" laughed Dimitri.

"Your natural abilities were emerging at an exponential rate, faster that has been seen before in primogeniture, and with covert oversight by Kostas we could allow you a certain freedom to develop naturally, to be what you have now become"

"As soon as you received your passport my contact at the Greek consulate in London tipped me off, and I set my computer programs to scan all movements of your passport. That's how we were there to meet you at the airport this morning" added Kostas.

"Did you have a reaction of some sort when you stepped off the aircraft?" asked Dimitri.

"As I stepped foot on the ground, what I thought was an electric shock coursed through me, and I was disorientated for a split second"

"That was the full emergence of your powers, your Greek connections rejoining your body. That makes us more confident you were right to return to your homeland now Ajax, a confirmation that you will not need to depend on us as much moving forward" Kostas explained.

"Part of your continuing legacy passed down directly from Perseus is that you will feel the inherent need to protect the vulnerable when you come across injustices, you will not fail to do the right thing, and it is one integral part of your whole"

Dimitri added "that's not to say you can't lead your own life, you will walk your own pathway and build your future in your own way"

"The first thing I need to do is find a job and somewhere to live, I'll think about everything else after that"

"Did you not listen" Kostas seemed a bit annoyed. "This Taverna belongs to you, it is part of your birthright, your inheritance, and you own many businesses across the Aegean. They are managed on your behalf, and have been since your father died, when you were but a baby"

"You also have many choices on where you want to live"

AJ would also find out in the next few days that along with being the owner of many businesses across the Aegean He had Millions of Euros in stocks and shares of the three wealthiest companies in Greece, Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation, National Bank of Greece and Eurobank Ergasias Services and holdings. The latter having a major presence across Europe, including the UK. Their history in the Greek banking sector dated back to 1924, when his predecessors first invested in a big way, which was the foundation of the fortune built ever since. AJ had a light bulb moment, his bank account was with Eurobank, and had been since he was sixteen years old!

"Hang on a minute, you said Larissa was the risk management expert, now she's gone, what's happening there"

Dimitri sighed, "We had a premonition sent to Kostas by Athena, somehow in a way we can't understand, and she sends messages to him, through the surveillance systems that we use, that Larissa was not long for this world. That was the real reason Aella returned to Greece. She has undertaken the training and responsibilities from her mother, and is now your risk management expert" she assesses risks in business, but also on any possible risk to your life and personal threats.

AJ began laughing hysterically, "really, the stubborn Whirlwind herself is undertaking risk management, isn't that a contradiction in itself"

"You will see for yourself how much Aella has changed, she can still be that fiery girl but she has a determination that belies the wildness of her nature, I should know, I am her father after all"

"We better go and get underway to Alonissos, and Aella await you AJ" said Kostas, smiling away.

"What ferry are we catching, I'm looking forward to getting back on the sea"

"No ferry, AJ, from now on you travel in style, it could not only be dangerous but rather unseemly to be seen getting on a ferry"

"Whatever you say Uncle Dimitri, I can still call you Uncle, can't I, it's as natural as breathing, and I can't stop doing that either"

"You're the boss" said Dimitri, "your rules, your choice, and it's a great cover story. Remember, we're here to make sure you remain safe, so you can keep paying us in the manner to which we have become accustomed. Not that you knew you were paying us".

AJ laughed at that as they made their way from the taverna. As he walked towards the Jeep AJ saw someone sitting in the driver seat. Kostas introduced him, "AJ, this is my Son Giorgos (pronounced yaw-gos) obviously you need no introducing to Giorgos" he laughed!

"Giorgos, manages the Taverna and the other rental properties on Skiathos for you, and gets to have the use of the Rubicon, unless you need it. But you have other choices of motor vehicle to use"

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AJ was starting to feel slightly overwhelmed with the information overload and all that had been revealed to him today. However, deep inside him he could feel what seemed like another person. An inner voice calmed him and told him that he was in control of his destiny and he felt far more settled, in a way he never had.

They drove the two minutes around to the old port, it took that long as it was slow going with people wandering around, not aware or caring about traffic. "That's how you can tell who the holidaymakers are" Laughed Giorgos.

They pulled up at the end of the port, by what AJ would describe as a motor launch. His luggage was handed over to the crewman onboard, who was introduced to AJ as Lykos, apparently, Lykos was the pilot for the launch but apparently, also a crew member of another watercraft over in Alonissos. As they all got aboard he was quickly shown around as Lykos cast of the lines and got underway and as soon as they were far enough away from port they reached a cruising speed of 32 MPH. Lykos explained the craft was in fact a Protector Targa 38 ft RIB with twin outboard motors, it had a sports layout and could be used for many different Leisure pursuits including water skiing, and it was ideal for exploring the hidden coves and beaches only accessible by sea. It even had two berths and a head. It also boasted an impressive entertainment hub, wet bar, grill and a large sun lounge area towards the bow at the forward of the cockpit.

A little over 17 minutes after leaving Skiathos Lykos told AJ they would be docking in Steni Vali on Alonissos in a couple of minutes. "Patitri is the main port of the island, but to keep a lower profile we prefer to use Steni Vali" Dimitri explained to AJ. "Everyone knows us here, and will not hesitate to let us know if something out of the ordinary is going on, that they feel we should be aware off".

As they approached the port, AJ saw a massive motor yacht, and he could see someone waving from the stern area. They docked next to the behemoth, where AJ looked up and immediately recognised Aella. His day was suddenly catapulted from bewildered wonderment to an explosion of unadulterated joy and he jumped the 6 foot gap of the stern of the Targa and sped around and leapt on to the swim deck of the other craft.

"AJ", screamed Aella, as he scooped her up into his arms and swung her around and around. Aella was howling with laughter, "put me down so I can take a good look at you, how I've missed you over the last few years".

"You've missed me, I've travelled over 1400 miles just to see you" AJ said with tears in his eyes"

"I hope those are happy tears AJ"

AJ replied with "Fysika', chal'romai pou el'mai xana' me ton kaly'tero' mou filo" (of course, I am just so happy to be with my best friend again)

"When did you learn to speak Greek" said Aella, smiling at him!

"About 1 minute ago, it would seem" it is a part of the new inner me it would seem, today just brings more surprises at every turn.

Bemused but not overly so Aella simply turned, "well, do you want to take a look around your domain of the sea"?

"This is mine, as well as the Targa"?

"Everything you see is yours' apart from me of course" Ella snickered.

"Where do I sleep then? I presume I have been given a bunk somewhere" AJ cackled.

"Follow me, I'll take you to the owners cabin" AJ was overjoyed to follow Ella again, it evoked memories of childhood days, when they spent endless days rambling the local countryside.

They went down a staircase from the saloon, and along a corridor, until they entered a large cabin with a spacious double bed, with nightstands each side, as AJ looked around, he found a walk in wardrobe that was filled with womens' clothing. "Don't worry they'll be moved out to another cabin for me"

"THEY'RE YOURS, well, I'm not pushing you out of your cabin, to take it over Aella, just find me somewhere else, and I'm used to sleeping almost anywhere"

"Well, you can use the guest cabin tonight, it has a Pullman bunk so it's quite comfortable, we'll see how the land lies tomorrow, eh!"

AJ had a quick look in the bathroom before leaving the cabin, and was most impressed with the ceiling shower in the shower area, air conditioning and the white onyx marble flooring.

He asked for his cases to be stowed in the guest cabin, and Aella said she'd get a crew member to see to it soon.

They went back up the staircase, AJ behind Aella, as they entered back into the saloon a raised voice exclaimed "where have you been Aella, and who the hell is this, I've only been gone a day, and I come back to find you with a stranger on the boat"

AJ immediately rose up to his full intimidating six feet 5 inches and snarled back "And just who in the hell are you, coming onto this vessel without an invitation, from me!"

Andreas was momentarily silenced, who was this man, and why was he suddenly acting like he was the master of the vessel, where he had had free reign over the last two months.

Dimitri and Kostas appeared coming down from the sky lounge, having heard the commotion. They had spent the last few months in Skiathos attending to the businesses and ensuring that AJ was not under surveillance or any other dangers that they needed to keep on top of.

"Andreas, this is AJ, he is the owner of this boat, but has been out of the country for some time, but has now returned with my father and uncle. Let me introduce you"

"AJ this is Andreas Papadopoulos, Andreas, AJ, My father Dimitri and my Uncle Kostas".

Andreas shook hands with Kostas and Dimitri, as he took AJs' hand, AJ felt the inner voice within him snarl, as if with disapproval of this man. Although he was not used to this voices sudden appearance deep inside his being, he instinctively knew he could trust the spontaneous response it evoked.

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