David would have the Smith & Wesson leveled upon him as we both attempted to jolt his spirit out of the body, at which point I would rush in. Timing was crucial. He would be feeling the danger of the sunlight, and knowing that he could not possibly remain in the vampiric body; but he must not have sufficient opportunity to harm either of us.
If the first assault failed, and an argument did ensue, we would make plain to him the vulnerability of his position. If he tried to destroy either of us, our inevitable shouts or screams would bring help at once. And any dead body would be left lying in James's stateroom. Where at the eleventh hour was James to go himself? It was very doubtful he knew how long he could remain conscious as the sun was rising. Indeed, I was sure he had never pushed it to the limit, as I had done many a time. Surely given his confusion, a second assault upon him would be successful. And then as David held the large revolver on the mortal body of James, I would dart with preternatural swiftness down the corridor of the Signal Deck, down the interior stairway to the deck below, then run the length of it, passing out of the narrow corridor and into a wider one behind the Queens Grill Restaurant, where I would find the top of Stairway A, and then drop eight floors to Five Deck, rush down the corridor, and enter the small inside cabin and bolt the door. The trunk would then be shoved between bed and door, and I would climb inside it, bringing down the lid.
Even if I encountered a horde of sluggish mortals in my path it would take me no more than a few seconds, and almost all of that time I should be safe within the interior of the ship, insulated from the sun's light.
James-back in this mortal body and no doubt furious- would have no clue as to where I'd gone. Even if he overpowered David, he could not conceivably locate my cabin without an exhaustive search which would be quite beyond his ability to undertake. And David would be rousing security against him, accusing him of all sorts of sordid crimes.
Of course David had no intention of being overpowered. He would keep the powerful Smith & Wesson trained on James until the ship docked in Barbados, at which time he would escort the man to the gangway and invite him to go ashore. David would then take up his watch to see that James did not return. At sunset I would rise from the trunk and meet David, and we would enjoy the night's voyage to the next port.
David sat back in the pale green armchair, drinking the remainder of his gin and tonic, and obviously pondering the plan.
"You realize of course that I cannot execute the little devil," he said. "Gun or no gun." "Well, you can't do it on board, that's for certain," I said. "The shot would be heard." 'AAnd what if he realizes it? What if he goes for the weapon?"
"Then he finds himself in the same predicament. Surely he's smart enough to know that."
"I'll shoot him if I have to. That's the thought he can read from me with all his psychic skill. I will do it if I have to. Then I'll make the appropriate accusations. He was trying to rob your cabin. I was waiting for you when he came in."
"Look, suppose we make this switch soon enough before sunrise for me to hurl him over the side."
"No good. There are officers and passengers everywhere. He's sure to be seen by someone and it will be 'Man overboard' and mayhem all around."
"Of course I could crush his skull."
"Then I would have to conceal the body. No, let's hope the little monster realizes his good luck and cheerfully goes ashore. I don't want to have to ... I don't like the thought of. . ."
"I know, I know, but you could simply shove him into that trunk. Nobody would find him."
"Lestat, I don't want to frighten you, but there are excellent reasons why we mustn't try to kill him! He told you those reasons himself. Don't you recall? Threaten that body and he'll rise out of it and make another assault. In fact, we'd be giving him no choice. And we'd be prolonging the psychic battle at the worst possible moment. It isn't inconceivable that he could follow you on your path to Five Deck, and try to get in again. Of course he'd be foolish to do it with no hiding place. But suppose he does have an alternative hiding place. Think on that."
"You're probably right on that."
"And we don't know the extent of his psychic power," he said. "And we must remember that this is his specialty- switching and possession! No. Don't try to drown him or crush him. Let him climb back into that mortal body. I'll keep the gun on him until you've had time to vanish from the scene altogether, and he and I shall have a round of conversation about what lies ahead."
"I see your point."
"Then if I do have to shoot him, very well. I'll do it. I'll put him into the trunk, and hope the sound of the shot goes unnoticed. Who knows? It might."
"God, I'm leaving you with this monster, you realize it? David, why don't we move on him as soon as the sun sets."
"No. Absolutely not. That means an all-out psychic battle! And he can hold the body sufficiently to take fright and simply leave us on board this ship, which will be at sea for the entire night. Lestat, I've thought all this through. Every part of the plan is crucial. We want him at his weakest, just before dawn, with the ship about to dock so that once he is in his mortal body, he can cheerfully and gratefully disembark. Now, you must trust that I'll handle this fellow. You don't know how much I despise him! If you did, perhaps you wouldn't worry at all."
"Be assured I shall kill him when I find him."
"All the more reason for him to willingly go ashore. He'll want a head start, and I shall advise him to be quick."
"The Big-Game Hunt. I shall love it. I'll find him-even if he hides in another body. What a lovely game it will be."
David fell quiet for a moment.
"Lestat, there is one other possibility, of course . . ."
"What? I don't understand you."
He looked away as if he were trying to choose just the right words. Then he looked directly at me. "We could destroy that thing, you know."
"David, are you mad to even . . . ?"
"Lestat, the two of us could do it. There are ways. Before sunset, we could destroy that thing, and you would be . . ."
"Say no more!" I was angry. But when I saw the sadness in his face, the concern, the obvious moral confusion, I sighed and sat back and took a softer tone. "David," I said, "I'm the Vampire Lestat. That's my body. We're going to get it back for me."
For a moment he didn't respond, and then he nodded rather emphatically and said in a half whisper, "Yes. Correct."
A pause fell between us, during which time I began to go over each and every step of the plan.
When I looked at him again, he seemed similarly thoughtful, in fact rather deeply engaged.
"You know I think it will go smoothly," he said. "Especially when I remember your descriptions of him in that body. Awkward, uncomfortable. And of course we must remember what sort of human he is-his true age, his old modus operandi, so to speak. Hmmm. He isn't going to get that gun away from me. Yes, I think it's all going to work as planned."
"So do I," I said.
"And all things considered," he added, "well, it's the only chance we've got!"
TWENTY-TWO
FOR the next two hours we went exploring the ship. It was imperative that we be able to hide in it during the nighttime hours when James might be roaming the various decks.
For this, we had to know it, and I must confess that my curiosity about the vessel was extreme.
We wandered out of the quiet and narrow Queens Grill Lounge, and back into the main body of the vessel, past many cabin doors before we reached the circular mezzanine with its village of fancy shops. Then down a large circular stairway we went and across a vast polished dance floor through the main lounge, and off to other darkened bars and lounges, each with its own great spread of dizzying carpet and throbbing electronic music, and then past an indoor pool around which hundreds lunched at large circular tables, and then outside to yet another pool in the open, where countless passengers sunned themselves in beach chairs, snoozing or reading their folded papers or little paperback books.