The nine remaining teams had raced in small hovercraft down the sound, around a scenically rocky headland, over a marshy peninsula to get to the nearest city. Planes, seemingly flown by stark staring mad bush pilots, took them to Fairbanks, where they had to catch a flight to Okinawa. There they had followed clues to a fishing community and Nathan had snorkeled to recover a ‘treasure’ chest to complete the water challenge, she had juggled flaming torches to complete the fire challenge, they had both sky-dived to complete the air challenge, and then had come what was supposed to be the earth challenge.
They had entered a huge hall with a long, narrow table down the center and the strong odor of tea. There were hundreds, no, thousands of cups laid out in military ranks. The challenge had been for one of them to sample a cup of tea, and then find an identical tea in the mass of cups.
Nathan had looked at her and grinned as he reached up to help her take off her backpack. “So, are yea gonna make yerself comfortable?”
His grin had broadened. “We won’t be here long enough. I don’t know anyone who can wax as rhapsodic about teas as you.”
Under pressure of the scrutiny of their video team’s camera and Nathan’s grin, she had gravely accepted the cup of tea from the Buddhist monk, inhaled its aroma, sipped it, and returned the cup. She had walked slowly down the table, pausing occasionally to lift a cup and smell it. In less than two minutes, she was certain, and she took the cup back to the monk – who smiled, bowed, and handed her an envelope. She had bowed in return and trotted back to Nathan.
Nathan had applauded, accentuating his beaming smile. Playing to the cameras, she had curtsied, allowed him to help her on with her pack, and they had opened the envelope together. Nathan had announced he knew where they were going, and they had taken off, followed by the glares of two other teams mired in the challenge.
They had arrived at the world headquarters of Okinawan Karate to be told one of them would have to break twelve boards and a concrete block to receive the last clue for this leg..
They had looked at each other and Nathan had grinned and she had gone to sit down. She didn’t have any desire to go through the rest of the tour with her hands in casts, and was glad of the chance to rest. Nathan had donned the robe, waved off the attendant’s martial arts explanation, and had walked down the line of boards, shattering each one with a different blow. He had grabbed a towel, tied it around his forehead, and, stepping forward with a whip-like lash of his neck, and had cracked the block with his forehead.
He had looked absurdly pleased with himself as he came back and bowed to her, grinning ear-to-ear.
“Don tell me; let me guess – black belt?”
“Yes. Though I am a tad out of practice.”
“Ya didna gi me much o a rest.
“We can rest at the pit stop.”
They had gotten their clue and were leaving just as Garrett and Jeremy were entering. Jeremy had puffed an excited ‘Hi!’ as he went by, but Garrett had glowered and said something under his breath that, while Ariana couldn’t quite hear it, she was sure it would give either the editors or censors fits. “I hope he tries his haid on tha block, an the block wins,” she muttered to Nathan, immediately regretting it as she was sure it was recorded.
They had climbed the cliffs to a war memorial, and been proclaimed…
“Team number one! Oh, Ariana, three times in a row. That’s fantastric!” exclaimed Cassie.
“O course it is, tis tha Fantastic Race!” Linnae chimed in.
The troupe was ecstatic, and if she had accepted all of the drinks offered, would have died of acute alcohol poisoning on the spot.
As soon as she could, she slipped out, up a side stair, past security, and to her own room. After the luxury of a long, hot shower, she climbed into bed and got out her laptop, secure in the knowledge Marie wouldn’t be up for at least another hour.
The e-mail from Nathan was chatty, non-committal, and said not a thing about not hearing from her at all. As she read the missive, her resolve wavered dangerously, and she almost called him, just to say hello, just to hear his voice. Finally she put the phone away, firmly deciding she couldn’t afford to slip and say that she missed him. She debated opening the attached chapter, but finally archived it, shut off the laptop, and turned out the light.
[French singer and son last team to arrive, but non-elimination leg.]
CHAPTER 6 [Fourth Leg (Okinawa to Australia) — Nine teams remaining]
Their engagement in Cincinnati had been a great success, and the troupe had bowed off the stage to a thunderous standing ovation. Normally they would have done a second curtain call, but the cast and crew had streamed out the back stage door and onto the waiting, idling buses with not a backward glance — Daniel had announced that box dinners were waiting on the busses, and the TVs were loaded with the brand new Fantastic Race episode.