BlackJack burst from the tent, and grabbed one of the
guards at the entrance. Speaking in a low growl, he addressed his
captive. “Ye’ve ten seconds to tell me who brought this injured man to
Melina, afore I slit yer throat. The men responsible should have stayed
to help her, and I want to know who they are, and where they are. NOW!”
The man in BlackJack’s grip, seeing the fire in his eyes, spoke
quickly.
“I
think they were two new crewmen we picked up in Lisbon, Captain, I
swear I’ve never seen them afore! They said they were goin ta find you,
so I didn’t think anything of it!”
BlackJack
released him, and turned to find Aerak standing there. The men locked
eyes, and Aerak spoke. “I will find them, and bring them to you.
Something doesn’t smell right here. Melina says the wound is
consistent with the story she was given, but with this new information,
there could be a problem.”
BlackJack
sighed, and nodded in agreement. “Aye lad. Ye’ve got two hours, then I
am pullin everyone off this cursed beach and back to the ship, so that
we can get to the bottom of this. I’m off to make arrangements. You
find them, I will be in my cabin, waiting.” BlackJack walked back to
where the jollyboat was, and Aerak began questioning the guards in front
of the tents.
BlackJack
arrived on the ship, and found Mr. Thomas. Pulling him aside, out of
earshot, he spoke quickly and quietly. “We appear to have picked up
some trouble in Lisbon. Two men seem to have attacked one of Mr.
Golden’s gunners. Melina saved his life, but it was a close thing. I
need to know who these men are, and what is going on. Aerak is on
shore, trying to locate them. If he’s not back in two hours from now, I
want the muster sounded, and every man back on this ship. IF any are
missing, we put out to sea immediately. I don’t know who they are
working for, or if it was just a coincidence. You know as well as I
that I don’t believe in coincidences, so I am going to assume that if we
got men on board Drake’s ship, there is a good chance that he got some
on ours. Didn’t think Drake played that way, but we will soon know. If
Aerak was trained by Magnus, and sent by Magnus, then as far as I am
concerned, he IS Magnus. I’ll be in my cabin waiting for Aerak, begin
departure preparations.” Mr. Thomas nodded, turned away, and began
bellowing orders to the crew lazing about on deck.
The
crewmen on board immediately snapped to work, knowing their captain was
not of a capricious nature. If things were suddenly changing, then
there was some issue at hand. As they worked, they started whispering
among themselves, until Mr. Miller, Bosun on watch, shouted at them.
“Shut yer gobs, yer not a bunch of gossipmongering fishwives! Get to
work!” The men quickly, quietly, and efficiently, did just that.
BlackJack
stormed into his cabin, drawing and throwing a dagger into a target as
he entered. Standing there in the door, he immediately threw two more
after the first. Anger temporarily sated, he saw that his grouping was a
little low, and made a mental note to get some more practice in. He
walked over and retrieved his blades, sheathed them in their proper
places, and sat at his desk. He then poured himself a drink, and sat
back, waiting.
He
didn’t have to wait long before the door to his cabin opened without a
knock. He stood, hand on a hilt when he saw Aerak half carrying, half
dragging a semi-conscious body. Aerak dumped the man in a chair, and
spoke. “He’s alive, but his partner chose to not cooperate with me.
He’s feeding the sharks on the other side of the island now. We need
to leave, and I have already passed that word. Everyone’s breaking down
now, and your officers are plotting a course. We should be underway
within the hour, Mr. Thomas asked me to relay to you. These men worked
for Drake, and I suggested to the others that we leave now, as a
precaution. I didn’t know what their watch schedules were, and so I
don’t know if our plans have been leaked or not.”
BlackJack
nodded in agreement with Aerak’s line of thought. Before he could
speak, the man in the chair started to groan. Both turned to their
prisoner as he slowly became aware of his surroundings. Fear came
across his face as he saw the vicious grins looking down on him. “I’ll
tell ye whatever ye want to know, just don’t kill me like you did
Johnathan!”
BlackJack
grabbed the man by the throat, and spoke, quietly. “You don’t seem to
understand the gravity of this situation. You have turned Judas to this
ship, and will be treated accordingly. First, you will tell us what
you have passed to Drake, how you were getting information to him, and
why you felt you had to attempt to kill one of my gunners.”
The
prisoner nodded, and began to speak. “We’d been unable to get word out
yet as to where we are. We’ve been under constant watch by one officer
or another since we came on board in Lisbon. Drake knew you were going
to Lisbon, and we were watching for you. Not having seen the ship, I
knew you on sight. Many have heard descriptions of the “great BlackJack
Flint”. So when I saw you head to the inn from the docks, I got
Johnathan, and we presented ourselves as in need of work. Your
quartermaster had us swear to the ship’s articles, which we did. We
didn’t think anything of lying to everyone because Drake said the Queen
would free us of all crimes committed in capturing you. We were trying
to set up some kind of signal fire when your man came on us. Johnathan
stabbed him in the fight, and we knew if we left him, there would be
questions. So we made up the story and took him to the surgeon. Didn’t
think a woman surgeon would be any use to him. That’s all I know, I
swear it. Just please, don’t give me to him!” The last was a pitiful
cry as he looked at Aerak as if at the devil himself. Aerak just stood
there, grinning. The way the man stood in the shadow, even BlackJack
shuddered slightly. Standing there next to Aerak, with the way the
shadows in the cabin lay, it was like he was standing next to a
disembodied head, quietly watching the scene.
Shaking
his head to clear the image, he still found it difficult to see Aerak’s
form in the shadow, almost as if he were made from them. Clearing his
throat, he spoke. “No, ye’re ta be turned over to Aerak for further
questioning. At least, I won’t let him kill you.” BlackJack grinned
evilly. “First the crew will know that you have played Judas, and they
will decide what to do with you. I suggest you make your peace with
your maker, because you will be dead when we are done with you. That is
a solemn vow. I stated when we left Lisbon that I tolerate no one
causing issue with me, my crew, or my ship. You have now jeopardized
all three, because I am not 100% certain I believe you. While we are
getting out of here, Aerak has leave to question you down in the brig,
to be certain we know everything you have to say. I will inform the
crew what is going on, and the details of your final moments will be
decided. Then, those will be carried out, and your corpse will be left
for Drake as a warning that he’s next.” BlackJack nodded, and Aerak
grabbed the prisoner, dragging him out, while the man screamed all the
way. Finishing his drink, he grabbed his weapon belt, put it on, and
headed up to the deck to talk to the crew.
