Chapter 41

Abbas opened his eyes as the cold wind howled past his ears. Standing alone at the bow of the ship, facing the pitch-black Arctic Ocean beneath the night sky, he watched wave after wave gently lap against the hull. The North Atlantic Drift kept the local port ice-free even in winter, bringing endless catches of fish to the local fishermen. He still remembered learning about the geographical relationship between the North Atlantic Drift and the Port of Murmansk back at Kassel College. He had even stumbled upon a post on the Night Watcher Discussion Board: "You are the North Atlantic Drift, and I am the Port of Murmansk. Because of your arrival, my world became an ice-free port." He had heard it was a line some student quoted when confessing his love to a girl.