The small boat cut through the sea quietly before dawn.The engine was running at its lowest speed, and the water parted in front of it with almost no sound.
Yuki was asleep at the front, her head slightly tilted, her body stiff from exhaustion.Jack was lying nearby, his eyes closed, but his fist was still tight, as if he had not left his state of readiness even in sleep.
At the back, Jaro sat behind the wheel.He did not look at them much. His focus was only forward, watching the sea and the fog that was slowly beginning to thin.
After several minutes... a large shape appeared on the horizon.
Jaro slowed down even more and turned off the lights completely.The ship was clear now… a large fishing vessel, almost stopped, moving slowly with the current.
He woke Yuki first, then Jack by shaking his shoulder.They got up without asking anything.
Jaro whispered:"Now listen carefully."
He explained the plan quickly and in a low voice:
"We will approach the ship from the lower side, where the light does not reach.We will stop directly under the hull.One of the men on the ship will throw rope ladders.Climbing will be one by one, no talking."Yuki:"Do you know them?""A friend of mine is there… but not everyone."The boat moved very slowly, until the shadow of the ship covered them completely.Jaro fixed the boat by tying it with a rope to a piece of metal sticking out from the side, and signaled them to wait.Heavy seconds passed.Then the rope fell.Jaro moved first, grabbed the ladder, and climbed steadily.Jack followed him, then Yuki, who hesitated for a moment before grabbing the rope and climbing.When Jaro reached the deck, a man appeared from the shadows.He said in a low voice:"I thought you retired!"Jaro replied without looking at him:"Keep me silent."The man quickly pointed them toward the stairs going down, then led them through a narrow corridor, then opened a metal door....The engine room.The heat was high, and the noise covered any other sound.He closed the door behind them.After hours, exhaustion was stronger than worry.They slept on the floor, without dreams.When they woke up, everything was still.The same man returned and signaled them to go out.They moved behind him in silence, through narrow corridors, their steps careful.Crewmen passed in front of them...The man whispered: "Stop!"Breaths held.No one turned around.They continued walking until they reached the side of the ship.They went down one by one, and their feet finally touched the ground.
— Russia —
They moved along the coast for a short distance, until they found an old warehouse.They entered it and closed the door behind them.Silence spread.They sat down to rest.After about an hour, Jaro spoke:"My role ends here."He looked at the two of them:"As Taz said… you continue on your own."Yuki did not wait for a reply.Jaro left the cabin quietly, without looking back.Yuki remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly raised her head.She remembered Taz's voice:"You will reach the coast.Walk straight from the start of a street called… Ovkato… or Ofakto, I think.Bikes or on foot, it does not matter.Continue until the road ends.After that, you will come across a forest… pass through it.And look for a large cabin… standing alone."Yuki raised her eyes toward Jack."Let's continue..."