We Have All the Time in The World-Chapter Four

     It didn’t take Li long to rise up to the surface and make it towards the gondola nor did he waste any time needing help to get into it. In fact he just preferred to play it cool like this was something he was used to. (In fact this was not too much like something he did years ago) Instead he took a deep breath and assessed the situation around him. There was no sign of any one following them, at least for the moment. For the moment he could rest a little easier rather than be on his guard for some other enemy trying to attack him.
 
     He kept his face down towards the bottom of the boat since he knew that Lyric’s eyes were glaring straight at him. The sensation reminded him of another involving a woman named Mariko Tomochika. He wondered what she would have done to him in this situation and immediately his thoughts flashed back to an incident where he jumped off another bridge in another life or death situation back in his old life. Of that young woman and what he would do to protect her.
 
    Quietly, he shoved those thoughts back into the recesses of his mind and kept it to the situation at hand. He knew that she was still looking at him and that he should face her. Slowly, he lifted his left hand towards the wet lump of hair that covered his eyes before raising his head to see her brown eyes full of anger and the expression on her face was that almost made her seem like a caricature of her usual self. She was not too pleased with what she had just witnessed. She stayed quiet for a moment until she raised her hand and slapped Li across the face. He did not move an inch as he looked at her putting her hand down, her eyes watery; almost on the verge of tears with what she had just seen.
 
     “Are you really that stupid to risk your life on such a gamble?” Lyric screamed while swinging her arms at him, trying her best to land a few hits on him, “What would have happened if you miscalculated the jump and ended up drowning?”
 
     Li kept his focus away from her. “I knew exactly what I was doing.”
 
     “I swear sometimes you men just love to do so many stupid things!!” Lyric answered; “It’s like you’re all still children!”
 
     “We got out of there didn’t we?” Li asked coolly, still looking straight ahead, “I didn’t see you suggesting much while you were sitting down drinking Bollinger.”   
 
     “That was also your idea, remember?!” Lyric laughed lightly and hid her frustration.
 
     The gondola continued past the turn and continued its way towards San Lucia Station. In the distance were the sounds of the people in the city enjoying their day or if you were lucky to make it out, a person might see some starry eyed lovers kissing while enjoying a romantic ride. Li, on the other hand was trying to think about their next step. That was more important to him than what was going on with the rest of the world. He didn’t want to look back towards his companion, not right now. So many things were racing through his mind from the whole encounter at the plaza to the Yakuzas involvement. Something did not feel right about this at all and it was just more questions that he needed answers to.
 
     Lyric just watched him not even move a muscle after her retort, she didn’t know if he was upset wanting to throw a tantrum for her comment or anything. He just sat there almost like he was somewhere else, some place that she could not even follow no matter how much she tried. For a second Li’s face turned towards her and that was when she noticed something that she had never really seen before, his vulnerability. He did not have the calm and cool look that she had come to see on him when things got tough. He looked very human and that surprised her.  She watched him slouch down like the gravity of it all weighed heavily on him. She had gotten to know him for a while now and could tell that something was bothering him. For the moment, she knew that was neither the time nor the place to press the matter and let him be. 
 
     “We’re alive, aren’t we?” said Li softly, “That’s the only thing that matters right now, isn’t it?”
 
     “You don’t have to be an ass about it.” said Lyric while rolling her eyes at him.
 
     “Look, we are trying to survive your crazy ex boyfriend who seems to have certain crime families wanting to get to us.” answered Li, “Unless you are so willing to go back to a man who pretty much felt like he owned you. Be my guest because I can think of a million things I would rather be doing than getting attacked by Yakuza and Triads.”
 
            Lyric demurred when she heard Li say those things, they were the truth but he did not have to be so blunt about it with her. In fact she wanted to punch him for the comment, but she had to remind herself that he just put himself on the line for her.
 
     “Li.,” Lyric said while she gazed gratefully at the young man in front of her, “Thank you.”
 
     “I am just doing what I have done my whole life. Help people when they need it.”
 
     Lyric noticed the pained look on her protector’s face and noticed that he felt a little pained by her comment. It wasn’t how she said it, it was something else, almost like Li went to another time where those words had a different meaning.  She watched him slouch down like the gravity of it all weighed heavily on him. She had gotten to know him for a while now and could tell that something was bothering him. For the moment, she knew that was neither the time nor the place to press the matter and let him have his moment. 
 
     “Tommy.. I.” She said slowly returning her eyes to meet his; the silence was all that was needed between them.
 
     “Don’t worry about it.” Li answered.