“But we have to respond in Marco Polo,” Mischa said.
He nodded. “So you respond, then move. No whispers to each other, no calls of encouragement or warning, no splashing as you move.”
“Swimming is splashing,” Cody said.
“Not if you use breaststroke and keep your strokes under the water.” He demonstrated. “Any time you lift part of your body out of the water, you’re going to splash. Slow and steady is your friend.”
“What if you’re being chased?” Lara asked.
“That depends on if your chaser knows where you are. In Marco Polo, get out of their reach and then go stealthy.”
“And in real life?” She bit her lip.
Arthur stiffened. He’d forgotten she’d been kidnapped, forgotten for a moment the whole family had been terrorised by Stonefish. Perhaps this training would help her. “Same goes. If your attacker knows where you are, you want to run as fast as you can, duck and weave, put obstacles between you so they lose their line of sight. When that’s done, you can hide, or quietly move away.”
“But you found us all when we played hide and seek,” Jordan pointed out. “We suck at hiding.”
It would take a while to teach them everything they wanted to know. “One thing at a time. Hiding or stealth?”
“Hiding,” they chorused.
He scanned the bush beyond the beach. “All right. Let’s get out and I’ll give you some tips.”
It wasn’t until he went to follow them that he remembered he didn’t have both legs. He caught himself in the water and swore. Gritting his teeth, he swam to Brandon. “Can I get a hand out?”
“Sure.” Brandon placed his shoulder under Arthur’s armpit, and they moved up the beach in synch.
“Want to help teach the kids to hide?” Arthur asked.
“All right. Let’s divide into groups.” Brandon smirked. “Bet my group can find yours faster.”
It was always a game, but today Arthur felt like playing. “You’re on.”
By the time they reached the towels, the kids were dry, dressed, and ready for action. Arthur lowered himself to the ground while Brandon explained what they were going to do.
It was a process to dry his stump, check no sand was left on his skin or the sock and then put it all together. When he was done, he found the kids watching him. His face heated, but the usual vulnerability wasn’t there. “Sorry, it takes a while.”
“It’s epic,” Lara said.
Jordan nodded. “It’s so cool that it helps you walk.”
“Cooler if it had a blade or a gun built in,” Cody mumbled.
Arthur laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Brandon helped him to his feet, and he shifted to make sure the limb was settled. “Have we worked out teams?”
“We’re with you,” Jordan said, and he and Cody stepped forward.
“Boys versus girls?” Arthur smirked at Brandon.
“We’ll take you down,” Mischa said, and the three of them moved up the beach so Brandon could teach them.
“Mind if I watch?” Gretchen asked. She was towelling herself dry.
“Not at all,” Arthur said. “This way.”
He took them over the small dunes and into the bush, which would be their playground. He had thirty minutes to turn the boys into stealthy hiding machines.
