'Now that is why the Navy Seals use the XR2,' said Sissi. 'Waterproof. Shock proof. Missile proof. Sends out e-mails at the speed of light. I love that baby.'
'It's away from the ship now,' someone shouted. 'Is there some way to make it louder?'
'Yes, genius,' said Sissi. 'It's a new invention called the volume control. You've all got one on your computers.
'He hit her,' said Mair, shocked, stressed, distraught.
'Only with the barrel, Mair. It would have been a lot worse if he'd used the stock.'
'So, where's her back-up?' asked the shop owner.
'Yeah,' they all echoed. 'Where's her back-up?'
Live Internet feed. 10:02 P.M. Gulf of Thailand
(CAMERA ROCKING AND ROLLING ON THE WAVES. HARD TO WATCH. BOATS PASSING IN AND OUT OF SHOT. BUT THE SOUND QUALITY IS GOOD. ALL OFF-CAMERA)
BOSS: There goes your evidence. Now all we gotta do is get rid of you and your journo pals and maybe we'll finally get a bit of work done around here.
JIMM: We aren't alone out here, you know?
BOSS: Oh, right. It's the 'look behind you' routine. Nice. Kill 'er.
(SOUNDS OF STRUGGLING)
ARNY: You leave her alone or there'll be trouble.
BOSS: I see your Thai's not bad for a Burmese. All right. They all go. This is how we do it. We shoot 'em. All of 'em. The uncle and the nephew too. Tie the bodies to their boat and sink it. We'll be long gone by the time they find it. You know? You newspaper people think you can stick your noses anywhere. Who do you think you are, darling? And look where you are. This is my kingdom out here and I'm God. I give and I take away. But mostly I take away. Here, I'll do the girl.
(ON ONE OF ITS CIRCUITS THE CAMERA SHOWS THE SILHOUETTE OF THE BOSS WALKING THE LENGTH OF THE FERRY BOAT WITH HIS WEAPON RAISED.)
CREW 2: boss, look.
BOSS: What? CREW 2: It's a light.
CREW 1: There's another one over there.
(SILENCE)
BOSS: What? That's it? That's your back-up? (HE LAUGHS UNTIL HE SPITS UP PHLEGM.) Two bitty little boats? Two little mackerels that we can outrun and outshoot and sink without even breaking a sweat? Don't make me laugh. You know? I hate women like you. Arrogant, the word is. I'm doing the world a favor here.
JIMM: I bet you couldn't do it without a gun.
BOSS: What?
JIMM: I bet you couldn't kill me with your bare hands, like a real man.
CREW 2: Listen. Can you hear that?
BOSS: Shut up.
JIMM: Little men like you are all talk.
CREW 1: It's music.
BOSS: Here. Take this gun. The lady wants a beating.
CREW 2: It is music.
BOSS: What the…? Who gives a shit? One of those little boats has got its transistor on. They're trying to soften us up with music. Can I just get this over with?
CREW 1: No, boss. It ain't coming from them two boats. It's like it's…it's all round us.
BOSS: What is it about today? Has everyone gone nuts?
CREW 2: He's right, boss. It is coming from all round.
CREW 1: And it's getting louder.
SONG: Friday nigh and de ligh are low.
BOSS: Don't be stupid. It's just the radio waves bouncing off the sea. It's a trick of the water.
SONG: Lookin ow for a play to go.
CREW 2: No. It ain't a trick, boss.
CREW 1: And it ain't a radio. It's live.
CREW 2: And it's more than one voice.
SONG: Where dey play the righ music,
gettin in de swing.
You cummin to loo for king.
BOSS: Who is it?
CREW 2: It's Abba, boss.
BOSS: No, I mean, where's it coming from?
CREW 2: Sweden.
BOSS: Look, idiot. I-
SONG: Anybody cou be dat guy
Nigh is young and de music high
CREW 1: Look, boss. There's another light over there.
BOSS: So? Three boats. No big deal.
CREW 2: Make that four. Look.
SONG: Wiv a bidda rock music, everytin is fai
You in de moo for dan
CREW 2: They're really terrible.
CREW 1: More lights, boss.
BOSS: My God. They're everywhere.
SONG: And when you get de chan
CREW 1: There must be twenty…thirty of 'em. We're surrounded.
BOSS: Stuff it. All right. Put down your weapons, boys. We'll sort this out tomorrow. Couple of phone calls and we'll be back out here on the next tide.
SONG: You are de dancin guee
Young an swee, only sewentee
Dancin guee, feel de bea
From de tambolee
BOSS: Nothing to worry about.
SONG: Oh yeah
16.
Start Spreading Manures
'But they were arrested?'
'Every last one of them. The ministry police task force was there waiting for them at the dock in Pak Nam. TV crews. Interviews. Helicopter. Media frenzy. They were whisked off to Bangkok.'
'And you think, in spite of all that, they'll get off?'
'I don't want them to, of course. But as hot news, it's relegated to page three by the airport takeover. And public memories are short. In a week it'll all be forgotten.'
I was sitting with Noy and Mamanoy in their simple but comfortable granny flat at the back of Somjit's house.
