Pirate AU
Ezra followed the second in command from the galleys to the upper deck, wondering why the Captain would want to have a word with him. He had done nothing to justify any punishment; in fact, his month aboard the 'Courage' had been surprisingly better than he had anticipated. He had a few more scars on his back, but other than that...The second in command knocked on the captain's door. After hearing the shouted 'Enter', he moved aside to let Ezra enter, then closed the door silently, leaving him alone with Captain Perry.
"Captain?" He left the question unvoiced.
Captain Perry smiled up at him from his desk. "Sit down, Mr. Standish."
He obeyed, remaining silent as he waited to hear why he had been summoned. It was the second time he stood face to face with the commander of the ship, the first being during his arrival. Perry was an old man, probably in his late sixties, tall and slim, with snow-white hair, and warm brown eyes.
"You must be wondering why I sent for you."
"Yes, Sir."
"I'm an old man, Mr. Standish. I should have retired from this game a long time ago. But the sea..." he took a deep breath, then smiled gently. "The sea is my mistress. I find I cannot leave her alone. I'm also old enough to allow myself some extravagances. As you may know, Mr. Chamberlain, my cabin boy, died when we were attacked last week by that Spaniard ship. Well, I'm in need of a new cabin boy and I decided it will be you." Ezra cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Please don't get me wrong, Captain, but besides being too old for a cabin boy, I am a prisoner. You could come to serious problems over this. I wouldn't put it past my uncle to have you court-martialed."
The captain chuckled. "I am aware of the fact, Mr. Standish. Going back to your first point, and although I understand it's a somewhat demeaning title, you wouldn't have much to do. I simply need someone to help me in and out of these wretched uniforms and who won't mind spending some time listening to an old man reminisce about the good old days. I'm sure that's a major improvement from your current position in this ship. As for your uncle, I know perfectly well who he is. I also know what you, Mr. Standish, have done to get you here."
"Don't tell me you concur with my association with pirates!" Ezra smiled, relaxing under the other man's easy-going manner.
Captain Perry grinned. "From what I've heard, Larabee is much more than a common pirate. Plus, I don't agree with the way your uncle runs Jamaica. I already made it known to England, and so have others. We have been waiting for news from the Queen herself. One should not use one's position for personal gain, which is exactly what your uncle is doing. From now on you will be my cabin boy and will remain so until we conclude our journey. I highly doubt someone will tell him, and even if it happens, there's little he can do to me. So, what say you?"
"When you put it that way... Yes!" Ezra replied with a grin, still unable to account for his good luck.
"Good. Come with me, I'll show you to your cabin. You can change into the proper attire there."
The captain took him to his new quarters and showed him where everything was to be found. Soon he was freshly bathed and dressed, feeling the sea breeze caress his body for the first time in a month. He strolled quietly through the main deck, nodding to the seamen. He couldn't help but grin as he saw a young man by the bow, scanning the horizon with a thoroughly enthralled expression on his face.
"First time?" Ezra asked as he joined him.
The young man reddened slightly, but grinned back. "Easy to tell, uh? Yeah. We've been out here for a month and still..." He took a deep breath. "It's beautiful. I'll never get over it, how big and beautiful and cruel it is." He held his hand out to Ezra. "JD Dunne, the cook's helper."
"Ezra Standish, former galley prisoner, now cabin boy." Ezra replied, shaking the offered hand with a smile.
JD nodded. "We've all heard about you. I'm glad the captain saw fit to set you free, you didn't belong in the galleys." He seemed to hesitate, then, "Did you really meet 'The Phantom', Captain Larabee?"
"Yes."
"What is he like?" JD asked eagerly.
Ezra remained silent for a moment, remembering the wonderful days spent by the other man's side. "Larger than life." He finally whispered, sadness tingeing his voice.
"You miss him, uh?" He started at the young man's insight, but JD shrugged. "I could tell by the way you spoke. I wish I could've met him." He told Ezra sullenly. "I joined this crew so I could be a sailor, have an exciting adventure on the vast ocean. Instead I spend most of the time locked below, scrubbing pots."
His forlorn expression made Ezra chuckle. "Don't be so hasty, Mr. Dunne. I have always heard that good things come to those who wait. Your time will come, you will see."
JD grinned. "Hope so. I have to go back; the cook's probably threatening to skin me alive by now. See ya around, Ez!"
"Goodbye, Mr. Dunne."
He stayed leaning on the rail for the longest time, watching the sun reflected on the ocean like a mirror and wondering about his life. Would he ever see Chris Larabee again? Did he want to? And where was the other man at that moment? Was he safe? Was he even alive?
He closed his eyes, allowing the soft breeze to brush over him with a lover's touch, then sighed gently. Time to go about his duties. Anything to keep his mind busy and away from impossible dreams.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Ezra sat up suddenly, peering into the darkness, trying to place the sound that had awoken him. He lay still, looking up at the starred sky, but the beach was quiet except for the sentries patrolling the shoreline.
He had finished his second week as a cabin boy when suspicious smoke had been seen coming from one of the smaller islands spreading throughout the Caribbean Sea. The captain had ordered a small group to go ashore and investigate, but they had yet to find anything.
Desperate to feel solid ground beneath his feet at least for a few hours, he had asked the captain if he could spend the night on the island. His request had been granted and JD had joined him at the last minute. The cook would remain on the ship, but the group going to the island would need someone to provide them with meals.
He looked at the sleeping men gathered around the dying fire, and realized JD was nowhere to be found. He pushed off his blankets, knowing something was wrong. He pulled on his boots, then climbed to his knees and very slowly made his way to the tropical forest surrounding the beach.
Wishing for a torch, but knowing it would be unwise to advertise his position to possible miscreants, he squinted at the soft ground, spotting the footsteps easily. He looked up in the direction of the prints and saw a flash of movement in the darkness. Drawing his gun, he stepped toward the woods. The last vestiges of sleep left him as he moved silently forward, his heart speeding at the thought of the danger lurking before him.
He heard what sounded like a whisper off to his right, a man's voice. A second voice and a muffled cry; he was getting closer. He kept moving, faster now, certain that JD was in some kind of trouble. The voices were coming clearer now.
"You really are somethin', boy." One of the men said roughly. "Tender meat, that's what you are."
"Yeah. Going to show us a good time, ain't ya?" The second voice chuckled. "Bet you're a little virgin, ain't ya, boy?"
"Oh, Lord," Ezra whispered, shuddering violently as he realized what the men had in mind for his young friend.
He rushed in the direction the voices were coming from and suddenly he could see the frail light coming from a lantern. The scene that greeted him made his blood turn cold. JD was kneeling in the middle of a clearing, gagged and blindfolded, his hands tied behind his back. One of the men had him securely by the hair, yanking his head back in what could only be an extremely painful position.
He didn't recognize either man; they were probably pirates or bandits, and unquestionably the ones responsible for the smoke the sentry had seen that afternoon from the ship.
He moved forward carefully, not wanting to make a sound until he was standing close enough to act. When he reached the edge of the clearing, he aimed his pistol at the two men. "Let him go. Now!" He ordered, relieved when his voice didn't betray his uneasiness.
One of the men grinned. "Well, well, well, looky here! Another sailor boy to join the party. And nice looking too! We made it big, Jack!"
"Yeah." The other man nodded. "You better drop that gun, lad, or my friend standing behind you will be forced to hurt you... before time, that is."
Ezra narrowed his eyes, feeling the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. Could the man be telling the truth? Could there be a third man behind him? It would have been easy to miss him in the darkness, but it could also be a bluff from the two men to try and overtake him.
Before he could make a move, a hand hit him on the shoulder forcing him to stumble forward, the pistol dropping from his hand and disappearing somewhere in the bushes. He was turned around, a fist catching him hard in the stomach, and he fell to his knees gasping for breath.
Filled with a sudden rage, he growled angrily, throwing a punch at the man towering over him, grinning madly when he felt his knuckles connect with the other man's groin. The man howled in pain, falling to the ground and curling up into a ball as he whimpered pitifully.
Ezra rose to his feet, but failed to see one of the other men approaching. Another fist struck him on the chest driving him back against a tree trunk, a second punch slamming hard against his face. He hit his head on the tree, his vision blurring as he felt blood trickle into his mouth from a split lip.
"What the hell is going on here?" A new voice boomed and everyone froze.
Ezra blinked at the sudden light of the lanterns and looked up to find two sentries from the camp and three of the seamen standing in front of them. Spotting his pistol in the extra clarity, he reached for it and aimed at the three men, one of which was still moaning on the ground.
"These... 'gentlemen' were trying to kidnap our Mr. Dunne, probably to try and extract information about our small party." He lied smoothly. He knew how embarrassed JD would be if the others knew the truth. He was certain the miscreants wouldn't dare contradict him. "I stumbled into the attempt and was doing a dreadful job at rescue." He added with a rueful grin.
"What do we do with them?" One of the seamen asked.
"Take them back to camp, chain them up. Question them to see if there are any more of their friends around. If yes, search for them. If not, take them to the captain in the morning. He will decide what to do with them." Ezra suggested firmly. "I will see to Mr. Dunne." He said, already pulling the gag from the young man's mouth and getting rid of the blindfold.
He might have been the cabin boy, but none of the others thought twice about questioning his judgment. The three men were taken to camp immediately, leaving the two friends alone in the woods.
He cut the ties binding JD's wrists, watching him closely to gauge how he was fairing. JD coughed violently, staggering to his feet with some difficulty.
Ezra put a gentle hand on his shoulder to steady him. "How are you doing?" He asked softly.
JD coughed some more, then rasped out, "You arrived just in time, Ezra. Thank you."
Hearing the quiver in his voice and feeling the trembling in the young man's frame, Ezra guided him slowly back to the beach. Instead of taking him to camp, he led his friend to a small stream they had discovered upon arriving.
They knelt by the water's edge and Ezra used the gag to tenderly clean JD's face. Once the dirt had been washed away, it became clear the young man had put up quite a fight; he had a black eye, a bruised cheek, a few scrapes and cuts, and a split lip to match his own.
"My, aren't we the pair," he quipped, knowing his torso would also be badly bruised. He was relieved when JD gave him a weak, but genuine smile. "You will be fine, my friend."
Gently, he wrapped his arms around JD, and the other man leaned forward, resting his head on his shoulder. He felt JD snuggle up against him, his whole body beginning to shake as realization of what might have happened hit.
Ezra embraced him tightly, crooning softly as the young man wept and trembled silently in his arms. "Shhh. That's it, let it out. Let it all out, JD. Everything is fine now."
"I just... I wanted... to go for a walk," JD whispered brokenly against his chest, hiccups rocking his frame.
"It's over, JD." Ezra promised, rubbing his back gently. "They won't hurt you again, they will never hurt anyone again. I will see to it tomorrow. You will be all right."
They remained by the stream for most of the night, JD eventually drifting off into a restless sleep. As he watched his friend fighting the demons in his dreams, Ezra hoped that night's events had not deprived the world of JD's most precious possession -- his innocence.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Ezra woke up to the feeling of being watched. He opened his eyes to find himself under the warm hazel gaze of his young friend. Somehow during the night they had stretched out on the sand, still in each other's arms. He was lying on his back with JD's head resting comfortably on his chest.
"Feel better?" He asked gently, making no attempt to move.
"Yes. Thank you, Ez. For saving me and... and for last night."
Ezra smiled. "You are most welcome, Mr. Dunne. Now, what do you say we go back to camp? The others must be worried."
The young man nodded and they rose from their makeshift bed. He had begun to walk back to the other side of the beach, when JD's voice stopped him.
"Ez?"
He turned to face the other man. "Yes, Mr. Dunne?"
JD stepped close and pulled Ezra into a brief but hard hug. "Thank you." He whispered into Ezra's ear, then ran off to camp, leaving Ezra far behind.
Ezra found himself chuckling at his friend's antics. JD was going to be fine, they both were. Now it was time to join his crewmembers and see to his captain; leave day was over.
CHAPTER V - The Battle
A good wind was blowing from the southwest, the sea was calm, and 'The Flying Horse' advanced without facing the slightest bit of resistance.Everything was ready for the upcoming battle. The cannons and the firelocks were loaded with the greatest of care. Large quantities of cannonballs were piled onto the deck; rifles, axes and cutlasses were laid out and the grappling hooks were placed on the bulwarks, ready to be hurled at the enemy vessel.
All preparations complete, they began scanning the sea for yet another day, some from the ratlines, some from the bulwarks, all anxious to spot the 'Courage'. It seemed that Chris' anxiety and restlessness had spread throughout the ship.
He walked nervously from bow to stern, continually scanning the vast stretch of water, gripping the golden hilt of his sword tightly, ignoring his friends' amused glances. They had been searching for the 'Courage' for two weeks and had yet to sight the British cruiser.
He couldn't stop thinking about Ezra; how the younger man would be faring after a month and a half at the galleys. He wanted to storm the seas, board the 'Courage' and rescue the other man, but until they actually saw the cruiser there was nothing he could do. And helplessness was not a feeling he was accustomed with.
Then suddenly, a few minutes after midday, a voice shouted from atop the mainmast.
"Ship to leeward!"
Chris stopped pacing, a maddening grin lighting up his face. "Battle stations!" he commanded, watching all the seamen that had been hanging from the mast take cover and go to their assigned stations. "Buck," he shouted, turning to the man stationed on the mainmast. "What do you see?"
"A sail, Captain." Buck replied from above.
"Is it our target?"
"It's the sail of a cruiser, but I can't see the name yet. We need to get closer." Buck told him.
"Damn... Where the hell is that ship?" he muttered with a frown. "Very well. Vin, move us closer. Even if it's not the 'Courage', we can always use the practice."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Vin replied with a grin.
Half an hour passed, during which their ship gained five knots on their prey, then Buck's voice was heard once more, the excitement clear in his tone. "Captain, it's the 'Courage'!" he shouted. "They have seen us and are trying to get away."
"Ah, finally!" Chris leered. "Vin, give them chase, don't let them escape."
"Consider it done, Captain." Vin assured, capable hands steering the helm.
Another forty-five minutes and they were close enough to see the frenzy on the enemy vessel's decks. They were obviously preparing for battle as well, each sailor going about their posts.
Chris narrowed his eyes, then looked down at his faithful crew. "Men, remember! Aim high, I don't want the galleys to be destroyed by a loose cannonball. And no more bloodshed than necessary, take as many prisoners as possible. Now... Attack!"
A wild cry arose from the crew of the pirate ship at the shouted command. Nathan and Josiah rushed to the cannons on the bow, while the others aimed their rifles and armed their carbines.
Suddenly a shot rang out from the cruiser, and a small caliber cannonball whistled through their ship's sails. Chris gla
ed at the British vessel. "Well, well, well, the mouse wants to play... Josiah, show them how it's done."
"Aye, Captain."
Josiah bent over his cannon and fired. The effect was immediate; the cruiser's mainmast, split at its base, oscillated violently back and forth then crashed down onto the deck, dragging down sails and rigging. They watched as men ran chaotically along the bulwarks of the vessel, trying to escape the wreckage.
"Good shot, my friend." Chris praised. "Let's teach these sailorboys how to fight!"
They resumed their attack, showering the cruiser with cannonballs, destroying its foremast, smashing its bulwarks and frame. Deadly projectiles sliced through its rigging, killing a few of the sailors that were desperately trying to defend the ship with nothing but their rifles.
They continued to advance until they were side by side with the cruiser, flanking it on the left side. They hurled the grappling hooks at the enemy vessel, bonding the two ships together with an iron grip.
"Attack!" Chris shouted again, following his friends as they sprung on board the 'Courage', guns held high and aimed at the many seamen still trying to resist.
Ten or twelve pirates, who had been hanging from the riggings like monkeys, jumped over the bulwarks and landed on deck, surrounding the remaining crew of the cruiser.
"Surrender!" Chris shouted at the few rebellious fighters.
The men that were still brawling with the pirates, faced with the prospect of fending off a second attack, threw down their arms.
"Who's the captain?" Chris asked.
"I am," replied a voice from his right, and Chris watched as a man in his sixties, standing tall and proud approached him, sword laid down in both his hands. He handed it over to Chris. "The 'Courage' is yours, sir."
"Thank you, Captain, but there's only one thing I need from you."
"Yes, and did you really have to cause such massive destruction to get it?" A new voice asked, and the men turned to see Ezra walking up to them, a slight smile grazing his lips. "Captain Larabee," he greeted, bowing slightly.
To Chris' surprise, the captain of the British cruiser chuckled softly. "My good man, had you told me who you were and what you came for, we could have saved all this melodrama. I'm perfectly content to release my cabin boy to you."
"Cabin boy?" Nathan echoed, blinking in surprise.
"Long story." Ezra replied. "Suffice to say, Captain Perry decided I didn't belong in the galleys."
"What now?" Perry asked. "The 'Courage' is obviously beyond salvation."
"Well, uh, we could take you and your men back to Jamaica, drop you off close to Port Royal. It's the least I could do." Chris offered, looking slightly shamefaced.
Perry chuckled again. "Don't look so forlorn, Captain. As one of the Queen's men I am under sworn duty to fight all piracy. Even knowing who you were and what you wanted, battle was inevitable. However, I do accept your kind offer." He turned to his second in command. "Mr. Gallagher, see to it that all the prisoners in the galleys are released and taken to Captain Larabee's vessel. The rest of you, follow the captain's men back to his ship."
"Aye, Captain."
Half an hour later, having abandoned the now dismasted and battered cruiser, they sailed back to Jamaica. The seamen and former prisoners from the galleys were being moved to the lower deck, while a cabin was provided for Captain Perry for the remainder of the journey.
Ezra smiled at the five men standing in front of him. "So we meet again." He drawled softly.
"So it seems. I'm Josiah Sanchez, by the way. Last time we were in too much of a hurry for formal presentations. This is Vin Tanner and Buck Wilmington."
"Nice to meet you, gentlemen. Nathan, how are you?" Ezra asked, turning his attention to the healer.
"Fine, thanks to you. We heard what happened on the plantation." Nathan told him, grimly.
The green eyes darkened with rage. "Yes. Well, maybe one day someone will take over and rebuild it." Ezra replied, taking a deep breath, then looking around.
"Looking for someone?" Vin asked.
"Yes. One of the men... Ah! Mr. Dunne!" he called, and a young man rushed to join him.
"Ezra! Are you all right? I lost sight of you during the shooting!"
"I'm fine, Mr. Dunne. And yourself?"
The young man grinned. "I'm fine, Ez."
"Good. Gentlemen, this is young JD Dunne." Ezra introduced. "Would it be possible for him to join us?" He asked, turning to Chris.
Chris grinned. "He seems a little young, Ezra. Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Ezra assured him.
"In that case, welcome aboard, JD." Chris said, shaking the young man's hand.
Ezra grinned. "Mr. Dunne, your exciting adventure on the vast ocean is about to begin. The gentleman you just shook hands with is none other than Captain Larabee himself."
JD gasped, blinking rapidly, his mouth opening and closing without a word being said. He took a step back, two steps, a third, proceeding to trip over a large coil of rope, tumbling over it and falling to the floor. The others chuckled at his antics, then taking pity of the sullen young man, Buck helped him up.
"Come on, lad, let me show you around the ship. The Captain needs to have a quiet word with Ezra."
The men walked away, leaving Chris and Ezra alone, standing face to face on the bridge. After an awkward moment in which they simply regarded each other silently, Chris finally took the lead.
"Did I do that?" He asked, touching Ezra's bruised cheek and split lip gently.
"You?" Ezra frowned in confusion.
"The attack." Chris said as a way of explanation.
"Ah. No, I was not harmed during the attack. Mr. Dunne and I had an... unwelcome encounter with some miscreants last night while ashore on a small island. They managed to do some damage before they were caught."
"What happened to them?" Chris growled angrily.
"They were taken to the 'Courage' this morning before we set sail. Unfortunately, they were close to the mast when you first fired. They met their demise at your hands, Captain Larabee."
Chris grinned wolfishly. "Good." He cleared his throat hesitantly. "When you asked if JD could join us... Does that mean you're staying?"
"If that is your wish." Ezra replied enigmatically.
"I want you to stay by my side, yes. But what do you want, Ezra?"
Ezra looked into the stormy green eyes he had thought of so often during the last months and smiled. "I want to stay as well."
Chris smiled back. "I'm glad. Come, I'll take you to your quarters. I have asked Josiah to prepare the cabin next to mine. He should also have supplied some clothes. There's not much choice, I'm afraid, but I'm sure he'll find something that fits."
Ezra nodded. "That will be fine, thank you."
"Come."
Chris showed him to his cabin, a surprisingly large room on the stern of the ship. Most of the back wall was surrounded by windows, presenting him with a marvelous view of the calm sea. There was a large bed, a square table with a couple of chairs, a bookshelf and a huge chest for his garments.
"As you can see, there are some clothes on the bed. We should reach Jamaica by tomorrow night, we can get you something then." Chris told him. "I'll leave you to change. Join me on the bridge when you're done."
"I will," Ezra promised, shedding his shirt and trembling slightly as he felt the other man's hungry gaze traveling over his body.
Chris practically rushed out of the cabin, closing the door on temptation. The circumstances conspiring to bring him and Ezra together had been queer to say the least, without having to add his confused emotions to the mixture. It was best to let the sleeping demons lie.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
The next night, as promised, Chris allowed Captain Perry and his crew to go free. They disembarked on the beach close to Port Royal, under the darkness provided by a moonless sky. It took several trips to take every man ashore, Captain Perry being the last one to set foot on solid ground.
"Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure," Perry told Chris and Ezra, who had accompanied him to the island. "It's a shame we had to meet under such terrible conditions, but I look forward to our next meeting. And Mr. Standish, remember; your uncle won't be able to stay on his self-appointed throne for much longer. One day you and your friends will be able to claim your right to freedom and avenge the injustices that have fallen upon you."
Ezra shook the man's hand. "I shall look forward to that day, Captain. And to seeing you again. Please take care; my uncle will be furious when he finds out I escaped and have joined his greatest enemy."
Perry chuckled. "In that case, I'll take great pleasure in telling him myself. It will be a memory to treasure once I retire. Well, time to go, we have a lot of ground to cover. Gentlemen, farewell."
The two men watched him venture into the night, guiding his men towards civilization. "He's a remarkable man." Ezra whispered. "I owe him so very much, I don't know if I will ever be able to repay him."
"If you owe him, then so do I. If he ever needs help in any way, he will have me and my men to stand by his side." Chris vowed. "Come, we better head back before a patrol finds us."
Ezra glanced back one last time, hoping he would get the chance to see Captain Perry again. His life seemed to be turning into a whirlpool of unforeseeable events, which he was powerless to control. Any help he could gather in the future was more than welcome.
CHAPTER VI - Captain Death
The next morning they set anchor in Tortuga, away from the few ships swaying in the harbor. Ezra watched the buzzing town from the ship's bridge, wondering if Captain Perry had arrived safely at Port Royal."He will be fine," a voice assured from behind him, and he turned to face Chris. "By this time he has spoken to your uncle and is safely back home. He's probably enjoying his precious memory of a furious Governor Standish as we speak." Both men chuckled at that. "Ezra?"
Ezra narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his demure tone. "Yes, Captain Larabee?"
"I want you to stay aboard the ship."
"What?" Ezra exclaimed. "But --"
"Ezra, please." Chris interjected softly. "It's too dangerous for you to be seen in town at the moment. Tortuga is full of your uncle's spies, not to mention dozens of cutthroat bastards who would sell you out for a few gold coins. You'll be safer here."
They remained silent for a long moment, eyes locked in a battle of will, until finally Ezra exhaled sharply. "I don't like it, Chris." He said. "But I understand. Very well, I will stay. But don't expect me to be so agreeable to your wishes next time." He added with a grin.
Chris chuckled. "I won't. I promise we won't take long. We will meet with Jasper, buy the map, and return. I allowed most of the crew to go ashore; they deserve a little free time after yesterday's battle. But I'm leaving five men behind to watch over the ship. If you need anything, they will see to it."
Ezra nodded. "I doubt they will be needed, but thank you. I will go back to my cabin and read while I wait for your return. Be careful?" He pleaded in a low tone.
Chris brushed a hand over his face gently. "Always. We won't be long; two hours at most."
"Just be sure to bring that treasure map with you, I promised Mr. Dunne an adventure." Ezra quipped.
"And he shall have it. See you in a few hours, Ezra."
"Safe journey, Captain."
Ezra stood on the deck, watching the six men lower one of the cutters and row towards the quay. He waited until they were but a small dot in the water before going to his quarters. Surely there was a book there to help him pass the time.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
A little over half an hour later, and while enjoying a book about ancient civilizations, Ezra suddenly heard a loud thud coming from the upper deck. He sat up on the bed, alert to any possible danger, but when no further sound was heard he went back to his book.
Only to hear the same noise again.
He frowned. It sounded suspiciously like a body hitting the hard wooden floor. But there hadn't been any other sounds; no shouts, no cries for help, no typical noises originating from a fight.
Ezra put the book aside and rose from the bed, exiting quietly from the cabin and moving to the upper deck. His first glance showed the ship to be deserted; not even the five sentries Chris had left behind could be seen. But something told him he was not alone.
Reaching for his pistol, he walked to the bridge to get a better view of the vessel. And his blood froze in his veins. He could clearly see the bodies of his shipmates lying dead or unconscious, hidden behind the cannons. And spread throughout the deck was a group of five or six men he had never seen before, all of them aiming their guns at him.
One of the men left his cover and walked over to the middle of the deck, looking up at Ezra. He was tall and well built, probably in his mid-fifties. His long brown hair flowed past his shoulders, while his dark eyes seemed to see straight through Ezra. A gruesome-looking scar crossed his left cheek from the eye to the lips. He was dressed all in black, from the shirt to the tight pants and knee-high boots, to the feathered hat.
"Mr. Standish, I presume?" He asked. "Please, be so kind as to place your pistol on the floor."
Ezra obeyed, his eyes never straying from the man, obviously the leader of the small group of intruders. "Who are you?"
"Me? I... I am Captain Death. And you, Mr. Standish, are my prisoner."
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Chris glared at Vin. "Well?"
"I can't find Jasper anywhere, Chris. I searched the whole town and nothing." Vin answered. "I don't understand. He said he would wait for us!"
"Think he sold the map to Death?" Nathan asked.
Chris shook his head. "It doesn't make sense. He told us the map was ours and he wouldn't go back on his word. He even told Vin we could pay him only fifteen gold coins instead of the twenty I offered."
"Maybe he is hiding." Buck suggested.
"From what?" Josiah asked. "He said he would stall Death until we got back. There would be no reason for him to go into hiding until the map was sold."
"Unless Death got tired of waiting for Jasper to make up his mind. Especially if he knew I was the other possible buyer. He has lost quite a few ships to us." Chris remarked.
"So, now what?" JD asked with a frown.
"Let's go to the tavern, have a word with the owner. He's a friend of Jasper's, maybe he knows something."
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
"How do you know my name?" Ezra asked, as was he taken to Chris' cabin and pushed into a chair by two of Death's thugs.
"Through a... Let's call it a mutual friend." Death replied with a smile.
Ezra frowned. "I don't understand."
"Well, allow me to explain. About three weeks ago I got word someone named Jasper was looking for me in Tortuga. I sent my second in command to meet with him and was informed about a certain map. I'm sure you are aware of all this?" He half-questioned. When Ezra nodded, he proceeded. "I was perfectly happy to wait until Mr. Jasper decided if he should sell the map to me, when, to my surprise I began to hear rumors of a second buyer. And none other than Chris Larabee, a man who has cost me more than you can imagine."
"And I'm sure if Jasper had decided to not sell the map to you, you would have let him be." Ezra drawled sarcastically.
Death laughed. "Actually, no. I intended to get that map one way or another, but as long as he wouldn't try to sell it to anyone else... He told my second in command the map was well hidden and would take some time to retrieve. He never mentioned anything about a second buyer. So last week I had my men search for him, torture him until he told them where to find the map, then kill him. Slowly."
"I still don't see what this has got to do with me." Ezra scowled.
"I'm getting around to that, Mr. Standish, patience. So, Mr. Jasper had suffered a somewhat painful demise, but now I had the map. So I went to meet with my associate, the mutual friend I mentioned earlier. We have been working together for years; he gives me information about certain ships carrying valuables, I attack the vessels, we split the loot. There's nothing more beautiful than a relationship based on greed," he added with a laugh. "But where was I? Oh, yes. I showed him the map, when to our surprise, we realized its instructions were in French. But not all was lost. My associate knew you spoke French and where to find you."
"So you were going to attack the 'Courage'." Ezra realized, relieved that Chris had been the one to do it. Perry and all his crew would have perished at the hands of this madman. "But how does your... associate know I speak French?"
Death chuckled. "Because, my dear boy, my associate is your Uncle Rupert." He laughed outright as Ezra gasped, turning as pale as a ghost. "Now imagine our surprise when last night Captain Perry and his crewmen showed up in Port Royal, on foot, and told Rupert you had joined forces with Larabee. I thought your uncle would explode, so furious he became."
"So you decided to attack Larabee's ship?"
"Not really, no. When we realized you two were together, we knew Larabee would be coming to Tortuga for the map. So I set sail immediately and arrived just a little behind you. I had no real plan to capture you; maybe wait until you went to town, ambush you when you went searching for Mr. Jasper... Larabee saved me the trouble when he sent his whole crew ashore and left you behind with only five men to watch over you. They're dead, by the way."
"Now what?"
"Now I'm going to leave you alone to translate the map. And I advise you to do it; there are a lot of things more painful than death. And I know every single one." He placed the map, a sheet of paper, ink and a pen on the table. "You can start right away. I'll be back in half an hour to see how you are doing. It shouldn't take you long, it's only a couple of lines."
Ezra watched Death and his men leave the cabin, heard a key rattling on the door and realized they were locking him inside. He looked down at the map. Death was right; the French was easy to translate. A few minutes would be enough for him to write everything down.
Not that he was going to do it; he had every intention of escaping.
He folded the map and placed it inside of his shirt, taking care it wouldn't fall out. If his plan worked the map would get wet, but since it was drawn on some kind of animal skin, he didn't foresee it getting too damaged.
Going to the door, he looked through the keyhole. The key was not there and there was no one guarding his temporary prison that he could see.
He grinned wolfishly. "Amateurs," he muttered.
Pulling off a boot, he turned it upside down and shook it until a small piece of wire fell out. During his many years accompanying his mother through her escapes in Europe, such a small piece of equipment had come in handy. Especially if they happened to get caught during one of his mother's schemes. There was no lock he couldn't pick, given enough time.
Pulling his boot on again, he turned his attention to the door, tackling the lock with gusto. It took him a while; the wire was too thin and the lock was obviously new, but he finally did it. There would be nothing stopping him now.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
"What do you mean, Jasper's dead?" Chris growled at the tavern owner.
The man cowered behind the counter, nodding frantically. "It's true, I swear. I went to his house last week and found him. He was tortured to death. The place was completely wrecked."
"Any idea who did it?" JD asked.
The man looked around nervously. "Not for certain, no. But there are rumors. I heard it was Captain Death."
"Damnit!" Chris snapped. "He has the map for sure."
"What map?" The man asked curiously.
"Never you mind. Come on, let's go back to the ship. We've been gone long enough."
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
He reached the upper deck easily. Looking around, he could see only two of Death's men; the others were probably somewhere in the lower decks with the Captain. No doubt looking for something they could take with them when they left.
He was about to jump overboard when a sudden shout startled him. "You there! Stop!"
He did not obey this time. Rushing to the side of the ship closest to the quay he jumped over the rail, his whole body shuddering as he impacted with the freezing water. He surfaced gasping for air, taking enough deep breaths to regain his balance, then began to swim as rapidly as he could.
He heard Death cursing him from up above, but did not stop, not even when the shooting started and the bullets began to fly around him. A bullet hit him in the right arm with enough force to drag him under the water, but he came back up fighting and kept going. Death would not win. His uncle would not defeat him yet again.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
They were boarding the cutter when the sound of guns firing reached their ears. Momentarily confused, the six men suddenly realized where the noise was coming from.
"It's coming from the 'Horse'!" Josiah shouted, practically dropping into his seat and grabbing the oars.
"Let's go!" Chris ordered and they began to row with all their might.
"Someone's in the water!" Vin yelled. "It's Ezra! He's coming our way!"
They kept going until they were close to the other man, who having seen them was coming straight for them. Nathan and Chris helped him climb into the cutter.
"You're hurt," Chris whispered worriedly, allowing Ezra's soaked frame to lean back against his chest.
"Not... serious," Ezra panted, letting Nathan tie a piece of cloth on the still bleeding wound.
"Who is that, Ezra?" Buck asked.
"Death..." Ezra huffed, still out of breath.
The others exchanged a worried glance.
"Captain Death?" Vin asked for confirmation.
"Yes..."
"What did he want?" Chris growled angrily.
"Me." Ezra replied softly, his forehead resting against Chris' throat, his whole weight resting exhaustingly against the other man.
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