My Island in the Sun

My Island in the Sun Ch 03

A man finds his Greek roots and his dream island

This is part of a series. If you haven't already done so, I would suggest reading the previous chapters so this one will make sense. There is no sex in this chapter, so if that's what you're looking for, just scroll past.

It is assumed that Greek is being spoken throughout this chapter. I have written it in English mainly because I am not fluent in Greek, and I want to reach the widest audience with my story.

I would like to thank Moe789 for his help editing this chapter, it wouldn't be here without his assistance.

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AJ woke just as dawn was breaking, the brilliant rays of sun shone through the porthole into the guest cabin where he had spent his first night on board his motor yacht, a vessel he didn't even know he owned the previous day, his first day back on Greek soil since he was taken to England when he was 4 years old.

He found some running shorts and a top to wear, then searched through the footlocker and found his running shoes. AJ was determined to maintain his fitness, as he felt it gave him a mental edge when his body was as sharp as his mind.

He pulled his deck shoes on, ready to change into his runners when he got topside. As he ascended the stairs up to the saloon, he was surprised to see Nikos and Lykos already there.

"Yassas, Kalimera" (hello, good morning). I'm going to go for a run to get my miles in before breakfast. Can either of you suggest a route that might challenge me, get my heart pumping, and start my day off well?

"I'll do better than that," replied Lykos. "I'll join you if you'd like some company".

"It would be great to have a running partner; then I won't have to worry about getting lost," he chuckled.

"I'll go and get my trainers while you change from your deck shoes, AJ".

"Do you have any preferences for breakfast?" asked Nikos. "I usually do the prep work, ready for Mara when she gets up in about an hours' time".

"Fruit and yoghurt would be fantastic if that works; I don't know what everyone else has."

"We usually have all that, as well as a selection of meats and cheeses, along with bread and preserves."

"Well, I'll just stick with fruit and yoghurt. I'm easily pleased."

Just then, Lykos returned, ready to head out, so they said they'd see Nikos in a while, and off they went. They walked a couple of hundred metres along the port and then stopped to do some stretches to warm and ready their muscles for the run.

"How far did you want to run?" inquired Lykos.

"Until I get used to the surroundings and terrain, it thought it best to keep it short, say 20km?"

Lykos gasped in surprise. "I'll try to keep up, and if I'm going to do that, I'll take a flat route as far as possible."

Lykos took off at a steady pace, and AJ settled in beside him. As they ran, AJ asked Lykos how long he had been a part of the crew on the boat.

"I was in the Greek Navy up until about a year ago, however, when my service ended an uncle of mine asked around, to see if anyone was hiring", a couple of days later Kostas said they needed someone that could Pilot small craft and would be willing to pitch in with other duties. My uncle told me I should come and see Kostas, and when he explained what the job would entail, I was immediately interested, especially when he told me how much I would be earning.

"You seem to fit in really well; everyone on board seems part of a team and get on with each other really well."

"We are like one big family, and we look out for one another. it's also great to have a job that doesn't only run from May to October, when the tourists are here."

"I have to get my head around everything Lykos, but I like what I see so far. I don't see any reason to change anything."

AJ didn't know it, but hearing that eased Lykos' mind no end. he knew AJ told everyone that he wouldn't act like the boss, but he was a believer that actions always spoke louder than words.

Before long, they reached a point where Lykos said it would be a good time to head east; otherwise, they would complete a lap of the entire island and miss breakfast.

"Lead on, Macduff," said AJ Lykos started to laugh while trying to keep running at the same time.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, I may be Greek, but you just misquoted Shakespeare, it's a mistake a lot of people make, Macbeths actual words were "Lay on Macduff- and damned be him who first cries 'Hold, enough' and the actual meaning translates to "bring it on Macduff, let's fight to the death".

"The funny thing about it is, I'm nearly dying here just running this distance, but at least it will all be downhill shortly".

"I'm just amazed that we have a crewman that can quote Shakespeare amongst us," chuckled AJ.

AJ was not being even slightly pushed by the pace that Lykos had set, but he was glad just to be out getting to know part of the family, as he now saw them all onboard.

They were heading downhill now, just as Lykos had told him, with about another 4 kilometres to run. All of a sudden, AJ felt Aella call out within him. He was momentarily stunned, having just gotten used to an inner presence within him, and he could now feel a connection with Aella.

He quickly dismissed that thought and tried to speak out within his mind. "Aella he called out, is that you?" There was a quiet silence, although he was beginning to doubt his sanity for the second time in as many days.

"AJ, you can hear me?" It was definitely Aella.

"I can now, and I could only feel you."

"Where are you, AJ?" to AJ sounded more like a plea than a question.

"I'm with Lykos, and we are about 3k from the boat now", as all through this weird interaction, they had not stopped running, Lykos completely unaware of what was going on within AJ's mind.

Andreas got annoyed when I wouldn't agree to go to Skopelos with him this morning. he has forced me onto his boat in Patitri (the main port of Alonissos) and is just waiting for a crew member to arrive at the port; then, he plans to leave with me on board. I'm not quite sure what has brought about this behaviour; he has been nothing but a gentleman up to this point".

"What is the name of his boat, Aella?"

"It's called the Galazio Nero" Aella confirmed.

"Just keep your mind open so we can keep communicating. You are a part of my reason for living, Aella. Don't worry; I will be with you soon, and believe me, I promise Andreas will pay dearly for his imbecilic actions!"

"I'll never worry when you are near me AJ, I trust you more than anyone else alive, and I'll be waiting."

With that, he closed the link for the time being and turned to Lykos, telling him they needed to return to the yacht quickly, as Aella was in danger. Lykos turned to AJ with a look of puzzlement; however, with no time to lose, AJ told him to climb on Piggy's back as they had to move a lot quicker than their current pace, and he knew Lykos was tiring rapidly at this point.

"Whatever you say, boss," although he felt rather foolish accepting a piggyback from another man.

As soon as he had Lykos safely on his back, AJ took off at a blistering pace. Although he had never been to Alonissos before, he ran the route at a blistering pace, as instincts he didn't know he had kicked in, just 9 minutes later they arrived back at the port, and made their way to the boat.

Lykos thanked the gods that it was still early and that there was no one around to witness the embarrassment of the mode of his arrival. He was still a bit shaken over how fast AJ had covered the remaining distance after they had already run 17k.

"Lykos, is the Targa ready to go? We need to get to Patitri straight away. We have no time to waste, I'll answer any questions on the way."

"I always keep it fuelled and ready to go, as we never know what will crop up."

AJ Found Dimitri sitting in the Saloon. He told him they needed to get to Patitri straight away, as Aella had contacted him, and she needed his help. He also asked what weaponry they had available.

Dimitri went straight to the bar cabinet and pulled a hidden latch behind one of the optics. The front of the cabinet swung forward, revealing an array of handguns, a couple of rifles and two L115A3.338 sniper rifles, the exact type that AJ had used while in the Royal Marines.

AJ's eyes lit up when he spied four Vlad Pistol crossbows. Pistol crossbows were his stealth weapon of choice, although not standard Commando issue. his preference for them was because they are devastatingly accurate and lethal in their use in most stealth operations.

"Lykos will pilot, I will take two pistols, a sniper rifle and a Vlad crossbow with ammunition and bolts for the crossbow. We will be boarding a boat either in port or out on the open water, so get what you want, Dimitri.

We leave in two minutes." Dimitri also picked a pistol and a UK forces standard issue rifle, the L85A3, bringing enough ammunition on belts, for himself. Additionally, he chose the same for Lykos, along with another Vlad crossbow equipped with a clip of bolts.

They made their way off the swimming platform onto the dock and moved over to the Targa, stowing all the weaponry out of sight under the berths in the cockpit for the time being.

AJ then reached out to Aella again. "Are you still in Patitri? We are setting of now"

"Oh AJ, they are making ready to set off any time now, the captain has told Andreas that it will take about 4 hours to get to Glossa, apparently Andreas doesn't want to dock in Skopelos town itself, for some reason, as it will be too conspicuous."

"We're on the Targa, so just let me know when you set off, and if needed, we'll intercept you along the way."

AJ quickly explained to both Dimitri and Lykos the reason behind his behaviour and the need for absolute urgency.

As the three moved further away from Steni Vali in the Targa, AJ felt what he could only describe as a spiritual awakening, as the inner person he had felt within him, spoke with a clarity that AJ, knew was not only coming from within him, but was a part of his whole being.

"AJ, your powers are being released. You will now merge with them while you join your mind with mine".

AJ groaned as a bolt of bone-crunching pain struck him square on the chest, the like of which he had never felt, not even in the midst of battle, when he had taken rounds from enemy fire, albeit they had been stopped by his body armour. Within seconds, the pain disappeared as quickly as it came!

"Who are you? I find all this bewildering, but at the same time somewhat oddly intriguing."

"I am your forebear, Perseus. I find this somewhat perplexing myself. I have dwelt within all the male heirs of my line, and they have all felt my presence to a greater or lesser degree. You are the first of my descendants that I have had been able to have direct communication with".

AJ quickly explained what was happening to Dimitri and Lykos. They both accepted his explanation without question, with Dimitri simply stating, "AJ, you are truly being blessed by the Gods. You are a true Greek warrior."

Lykos burst out with "AJ, your eyes have now got a rim of gold around your brown irises!"

Perseus confirmed this with, "You have been blessed by Athena herself AJ, and with the backing of the great Zeus himself no-less, this is a wondrous proclamation and will have great meaning to all true Greeks."

This was all starting to overwhelm AJ. However, Perseus could sense this and used his own powers to release calming dopamine into AJ's internal organs, instantly making AJ more focused and motivated.

"I have more you quickly need to learn," exclaimed Perseus." AJ was quickly coming to terms with Perseus being his inner being, totally at peace with what he would have described as impossibly fantastical mere days ago.

Aella is a descendant of the same line as my beloved wife, Andromeda. You and Aella are linked by the two of us. I need you to clear your mind of all external stimuli and focus solely on finding Aella.

Feeling the utmost urgency and his natural instinct to protect Aella, AJ immediately did as Perseus bade him. He went into an almost meditative state, closing his mind to all but his thoughts of finding his very best friend.

As he did so, he heard Perseus talking once more. "Search your mind for a golden thread. It will be deep in your consciousness; as you have never attempted this before, it may take some time to navigate this first time."

AJ saw himself walking amongst the trees of a magnificent forest with golden trees. As he walked, he searched the ground that stretched out before him. Suddenly, he reached the edge of the trees and gazed upon the highest mountain he had ever seen. The hill appeared otherworldly in its stature; the peak was invisibly hidden amongst the clouds.

Once more, Perseus spurred AJ on. "Reach out with your mind and picture yourself on the peak."

AJ concentrated on trying to picture standing on the peak. However, after what felt like some time, he looked around and found himself still at the edge of the forest.

You must feel with your heart as well as your mind, and this will lead to your enlightenment within the realm of the gods, where your inner mind dwells. This is your destiny upon which you will make your way in both worlds."

Taking a deep breath, and with his mind now relaxed together with the love he felt for Aella within his heart, AJ pictured himself rising up, moving forward to touch the clouds, then refocusing on reaching the mountain peak hidden within.

AJ felt what he could only describe as some sort of out-of-body experience guiding his mortal body, and as he moved nearer, the clouds parted, and he saw the peak, surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of wondrous coloured threads.

"Concentrate on finding the golden thread, then keep it within your mind," Perseus reminded him.

"Move the threads with your mind, using your astral projection; you will know what I mean as you feel your powers flourishing, AJ," encouraged Perseus.

He could see a clear path in his mind, and then cleared multitudes of threads out of his way, now acting on pure instinct which spurred him to react without thought. In moments, he saw the golden thread before him, grasping it with all his being.

"Keep hold of it as you withdraw back, feel your way back into your body, picture yourself back on the boat," Perseus explained to AJ.

With a surge of power, AJ felt himself rejoining his body, and as he opened his eyes, he no longer held the golden thread but saw it stretching out in front of him, far into the distance.

"You seemed to go off into a trance for a moment there, AJ. What happened?"

AJ was stunned. Moments? he thought he had been gone for much longer.

"The realm of the Gods can be travelled in a mere fraction of mortal time, AJ," Perseus reassured him.

AJ saw they were still travelling toward Patitri; he explained to Lykos that he could follow the direction of the Galazio Nero as long as Aella was on board, as it was her he was following.

"We have a trick up our sleeve, AJ," Dimitri chortled as he went to a locker and came back with two magnetic signs. They read, "Greek Coastguard, " Dimitri stuck one on each side of the cockpit and then produced a blue emergency light, which he placed on the roof.

"This will get us close enough to them to give us the element of surprise, but we will need to keep an eye out for bonafide Coastguard vessels. If we're caught like this, it will be a long prison sentence for all of us."

"Lykos, change course to north, northwest." They have changed their heading."

"They're headed to Skopelos, alright!" confirmed Lykos. "They won't be able to outrun the Targa in the Galazio Nero, which has a maximum top speed of 7 to 8 knots."

As they headed towards Skopelos, AJ readied all the weapons, ensuring the working parts on the firearms were functioning optimally, and then loaded them, placing them back in their designated lockers. He kept one of the Vlad crossbows on hand in case it was needed in a hurry, and it also gave him quiet reassurance --a feeling he was familiar with in any tense situation he found himself in.

He always followed the adage "perfect preparation, prevents piss poor performance" adhering to this had saved his and his troops' lives many times on operations, during his time in the Commandos.

"AJ, reach out for Aella, use your mind to connect with hers, and speak to her through your connection, you need to practice this, it will be important as we approach them, you can make sure she gets somewhere safe on her own before they realise what is happening" advised Perseus.

AJ was already getting used to Perseus being a part of him and followed his advice. He decided to try and section off his mind and see if he could separate that part, to maintain what he would come to think of as a radio channel open directly to Aella.

"Aella, can you hear me?" he thought to himself.

"Wow, this is weird, and it's going to take some getting used to. We're underway, have been for about 10 to 15 minutes now."

"We are following you and should catch up in about 20 minutes or so. Just keep yourself safe until we get there. Your dad and Lykos are with me."

"I'll keep in touch with you AJ, as things develop, but I feel much better just having talked with you."

Back on the Galazio Nero, Andreas noticed that Aella seemed distracted, and this annoyed him immensely. He had fought to keep his jealous and volatile nature hidden from her since they met. Andreas had a vicious, paranoid streak, which he had inherited from his grandfather Georgos Papadopoulos, who had masterminded the military coup in the 1960s,

Andreas was prone to lashing out if someone didn't give him the attention he felt he deserved, believing that it was his due just because of his military heritage. Although he had never worn a uniform or fought himself, preferring to leave that to others, he felt that they were beneath him.

Aella, come and sit down to talk with me. I have plans I'd like to share with you.

Aella moved over to sit with Andreas, she knew how important it was, that at this stage of the game she must maintain control of her emotions, even as she sat down next to a man that until now, she had thought a friend and gentleman, but now had a deep pit of revulsion growing in her stomach, slowly reaching a point that verged on vomiting.

"What do you wish to share with me, Andreas? I had other tasks that I should have been doing today.

"Were they as important as us spending time together? I think not, that is why I insisted you accompany me on this little trip. I want to show you the magnificent house where we will live as soon as we get married."

"Marry! Andreas, we have only known each other as friends for the past two months. I do not have any romantic feelings for you," Aella shouted, and as she did so, she thought, Oh, well, so much for staying cool, calm and in control.

Ahh, you are a typical Woman, Aella; you will learn to love me, one way or the other. The route you choose will be up to you, but I would suggest avoiding the painful one. The last girl I had chosen for a wife did not survive the lessons."

Aella saw the need to placate Andreas, at least until AJ arrived

"You will find I can be very amenable, Andreas, as long as I am treated in the manner to which I am accustomed. I can be high-maintenance at times and require my creature comforts."

Andreas was quick with his response, "Any wife of mine would be treated with respect and given every luxury available to me. As long as you remain devoted to me, you will be the woman I desire."

Heavens, how conceited can this man be? Wondered Aella. She kept asking questions, seemingly to fawn over this most objectionable of men, and she had come across a few over the last few years.