The Pirate Raiders Page 16

  The other men around the table remained deadly quiet and I kept my gaze steady on Andrea as Robert told his story. She remained in her trance-like state and listened intensely. When Robert had finished speaking, she took a deep breath, rested her elbows on the table, and then dropped her head into her palms.

  "I was there," she said. "I was there that day…I remember your father."

  "What?" Gordon said, stunned. "You were there…you remember Robert's father?"

  "Yes," she replied, still resting her face in her palms. "I remember the name Nicholas Lynch…I remember the fishing boat…I remember it all."

  I let another long moment of silence pass before I spoke again. I felt that I'd made my point. "Do you understand what I mean now?" I asked Andrea.

  "Yes," she answered, and finally raised her head up again. I expected to see tears in her eyes but they weren't there. She was visibly shaken though. "There have been far too many nightmares left in my father's wake. It seems everyone knows someone he has affected. He must die…and he will."

  "Now that all of you have been reminded of the importance of hunting down and killing Captain Winston Trimble, I feel it's time I also share something else. Something I've kept from you." I then glanced at Gordon and Langley. "Something I fear I've kept from all of you."

  "Very well," Gordon said. "Let's hear it then."

  Oliver Langley leaned forward and waited anxiously.

  "Governor Winter's chose us to hunt down Trimble for a very specific reason. It seems that Andrea's father has taken possession of a ring that the governor claims has a great deal of power."

  "Power?" Hale Woodrow whispered.

  "What sort of power Cap'n?" Langley asked.

  I opened my mouth and then hesitated. I was unsure on how they were going to react to what I was about to say. I wondered again if it was even worth trying to explain.

  "Are any of you familiar with the signet ring of King Solomon?" I asked.

  "Of course," Gordon said. "It's supposedly been guarded by the crown for years, but I've always thought it to be an old wives tale. I've heard a lot of nonsense about the ring giving its bearer the power to speak to demons and control animals…" He paused a moment. "Wait, are you going to tell us that Captain Trimble now has the signet ring of King Solomon?"

  "That's exactly what I'm telling you, mate" I replied.

  Gordon began laughing; it was obvious he thought I was a fool for believing such a story. Jolly Jack joined him and even Langley shook his head in disbelief.

  "Look, I do not care if you believe the story or not," I said. "I'm just telling you what the governor told me--and trust me when I tell you that he is very much a believer. He claims that Trimble is using the ring to control the kraken which in turn makes him unbeatable at sea. I wanted the men in this room to know the full story before we meet up with Trimble."

  I noticed Hale Woodrow shudder at the very mention of the kraken. Gordon continued to laugh and pretty much dismiss everything I was saying as rubbish.

  "What Redd is saying is the truth," Andrea said suddenly. "I've seen the ring. I've also seen what it can do." She glared at Gordon. "This is not a matter to take lightly."

  I was completely taken off guard with what Andrea had confessed. It was the first time she'd acknowledged that she knew of the ring's existence. Suddenly, I was just as intrigued as everyone else in the room. Gordon's laughter stopped immediately, and his smug expression was replaced by shock and disbelief.

  "And just what have you seen it do?" Robert asked.

  "I've seen my father call the kraken from the deepest depths of the sea and command it to destroy an entire ship. I've seen the kraken wrap its long tentacles around a ship's waist, and mast and then turn the whole bloody thing into kindling. I've heard men scream horrific howls of terror that I've never heard before and I've watched the sea around the ship boil red with the blood of its crew. The power my father possesses is very real and very dangerous. The sooner you all accept that fact, the better the odds are that you can actually do something about it."

  The gentle giant Hale Woodrow was no longer shuddering…he was full blown shivering now. I feared the large man would begin to cry and I found myself wondering why I'd even invited the simpleton into such an important meeting. The other men sat still and stone-faced. It seemed everyone in the room (including me) believed that the stories of King Solomon's ring were true now.

  "So what chance do we have against power like that?" Gordon asked, and now he suddenly sounded angry. "It won't be a fair fight at all if he's got that sort of power!"

  "Well, that leads us to our current heading," I replied. "We're going to an island that has an item we can use to bargain with Captain Trimble."

  "What sort of item?" Robert asked.

  "Frankly, I don't know," I answered with a sigh.

  Gordon slapped the table with both hands and then began laughing like a mad man again. "Oh, of course you don't know," he snapped. "Let me guess, she told you about this mysterious item that will give us a chance against her father," he said, pointing at Andrea.

  "I'm not lying, it's why we stopped at New Providence," Andrea explained. "I visited my uncle so that I could get this." She retrieved the map and placed it on the table for everyone to see. "This map will show us where to find my father's chest."

  "And if we have the chest, Trimble will not destroy the ship that it is on," I added.

  "The chest that's contents you are unaware of," Gordon quipped. "Don't forget that part."

  "You must trust me," Andrea pleaded. "I'm telling the truth. We have to get this chest before we go after my father. It's our only chance!"

  "It's bloody madness, that’s what it is," he snapped back.

  "It's all we've got!" I shouted, pounding a fist into the table.

  There was a long silence, and all of the men were looking at me. They seemed somewhat surprised at my demeanor. It wasn't often that I shouted at a member of the crew…even Gordon. I rubbed my face with both hands for a moment, trying to calm myself.

  "Look," I said. "I can't do this without you blokes. I need you all."

  "Well I'm not going anywhere, captain," Robert said assuringly. "Not until Captain Trimble is dead."

  The other men began muttering similar allegiances, even Hale Woodrow managed a nod that indicated to me he was on my side. Gordon, on the other hand, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He seemed to stare at some imaginary point on the wall opposite him in deep thought. Finally, he allowed his chair to fall forward and then immediately looked my direction. "I've followed you on every other ridiculous cause you've ever embarked upon, why should this be any different? What’s our heading?”

  “Andrea has learned that the chest we seek is buried on a tiny island between here and Small Hope Bay. We’ve learned that Small Hope Bay is where we will have the best chance of intercepting Captain Trimble,” I said. I was really hoping I could avoid telling them the name of the island. However, I knew it was a futile attempt.

  “Well the sooner we find this chest, the better Cap’n,” Langley exclaimed proudly. “So just tell me the name of the island and I’ll get this girl in the wind.”

  “The name of the island…” I said timidly. “It’s the Isle of Blood.”

  Hale Woodrow turned white as soon as I spoke the words. All of the men seemed troubled by the news except for Joe, who I could only assume had never heard of the island.

  “Captain, you’ve heard the stories about that island…right?” Robert asked.

  “Yes, of course I have, but I’m not concerned,” I scoffed. “The only time to be afraid is during the night. We are going to find the chest during the day. All will be well, trust me.”

  “Captain, what happens during the night?” Joe asked. His eyes were wide and worried.

  “Rumor has it the island is inhabited by a bloodthirsty tribe of cannibals,” I said. “It seems that they are not an active lot during the day, and that is what will keep us safe.”

&
nbsp; Joe nodded, but his eyes remained worried.

  “Gentlemen, I don’t want the entire crew knowing everything I’ve just shared with you. We will tell them what they need to know, and nothing more. I need their confidence to remain high if we’re going to achieve victory. Can I count on you all?”

  All of the men nodded and muttered agreements. Langley was the first to rise from the table. He grabbed a bottle of rum as he headed out the door and went straight to the helm. It would be a short trip to the Isle of Blood.

  Chapter 14 :

  We arrived at the Isle of Blood sometime during the middle of the night. I awakened the next morning and got my first look at the mysterious island when I stepped on deck. I peered through my scope and scanned the entire beach for any signs of life. When none was found, I then began scanning over the thick jungle that seemed to rise up abruptly beyond the tiny beach like a wall. The dense vegetation was impossible to see through. That fact made me somewhat nervous…the island just seemed too quiet. Andrea, Gordon, and Langley all conversed while taking another look at the map. After they all agreed that we were on the correct side of the island, it was time to get the long boat ready.

  I decided it would be best if only those of us that had met the previous afternoon in my cabin conducted the search for the chest. The eight of us made landfall during mid-morning. While Joe, Jolly Jack, and Hale pulled the longboat ashore Andrea immediately jumped into the surf and made her way to the sandy white beach. She then unfolded the map and began walking up the beach. Gordon, Langley, and I followed, each of us with a shovel slung over our shoulders. The three of us said nothing, as it seemed that Andrea knew exactly where she was going. The breeze that rolled off the sea was fierce and nearly constant, and there were a few times I had to hold my hat on my head to keep it from blowing away. Andrea nearly lost the map a time or two as well, but she was careful and held it tightly with both hands. We walked what I estimated to be nearly two hundred paces when she suddenly stopped. Andrea then took her foot and began dragging it through the sand, eventually forming a wide circle. The circle was probably fifteen feet across.

  "I believe it's somewhere within this circle," she said, her golden hair blew wildly across her face.

  "Alright, how deep do you think we will have to go?" Gordon asked.

  Andrea shrugged. "Sorry, I have no idea. The map says nothing about the depth we will have to dig and I unfortunately did not think to ask my uncle."

  "Well that's just bloody perfect," I said, dejected. "Well, let's get started then." I shoved the blade of my shovel into the ground right where I stood. As I began digging, I made sure to throw each shovel full of sand outside of the circle Andrea had drawn; however, I had my doubts about whether or not her circle was entirely accurate.

  Moments later, Joe, Hale and Jolly Jack joined us and began digging with shovels of their own. The only one not digging was Andrea, and I was fine with that. Although she was definitely a pirate, she was still a lady and I wouldn't dare think of asking her to dig. I glanced over at her a few times and noticed her watching the jungle intensely. She had not shown a lot of fear or concern when we'd discussed the legends regarding the cannibalistic tribe, but now that we were on the island it seemed to be at the forefront of her mind.

  The progress of our digging seemed to go much faster than I expected. Before long each of us had dug seven holes, each one nearing ten feet in depth. This wasn't my first time to dig for treasure and I was careful to dig myself a slope so that I could get out with ease. I clambered out of the hole and noted that the sun was directly overhead now, bearing down with intense heat. It was already midday and so far there was no sign of any chest. I wiped the sweat from my brow and looked around at the other six holes.

  "Alright men, let's take a break…everyone out of the holes!"

  All of them climbed from the earth, covered in sand and sweat, exhaustion evident in their slow movements. Jolly Jack was the eldest member of the lot and the old sea cook immediately collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. I knelt down over him and poured a stream of cool water from my canteen over his face. This seemed to breathe new life into him and he thanked me. I handed the canteen to the old pirate and he drank his fill. I looked to the others, and they were panting and drinking as well. Langley held the opening of a canvas water bag up over his head and poured water (no doubt laced with rum) into his gaping mouth.

  "If we haven't hit anything after digging all this time, I think it's time to move to another spot," I told them as they rested.

  "Why are you so sure the chest is in this circle?" Gordon asked Andrea.

  She held the map up. "Well, we all agreed that this is the side of the island the map says the chest is on. The text mentions a crop of bamboo near the center of the beach, and I noticed it as soon as we arrived on the island. It then says to walk two hundred paces west and dig fifty paces from the surf. That is precisely where we are digging. Just move to another spot within the circle…it's here, trust me."

  "How old is that map?" I asked her.

  She looked at the tattered fabric as she thought. "From what I understand, my father made it when he was much younger…it would've been after his encounter with the Dawnbreaker that scarred him so badly." She took a deep breath and moved strands of wind-blown hair out of her face. "It has to be at least twenty years old."

  "A lot can change in twenty years," Gordon said, which was exactly what I was thinking.

  "How do you know that crop of bamboo is the same one your father saw twenty years ago?" I asked. "This beach may be vastly different than it was back then."

  "Or it could be almost exactly as it was back then," Andrea replied. "Keep in mind that this is an island people avoid. It's been almost untouched during the past twenty years. I believe that crop of bamboo is exactly the one my father saw. Now, we're wasting valuable daylight. I don't think any of us want to be here after dark. I know that you all are tired, but time is short."

  Gordon scowled and then said, "Yes ma'am…I am sorry and it won't happen again. Let me get back to my digging…just please don't whip us."

  "That's not funny," Joe snapped, and he looked deadly serious. He wasn't wearing a shirt, and when his large hand tightened around the handle of his shovel, it seemed every muscle in his chest, torso, and arms flexed and bulged in unison.

  Gordon turned red from embarrassment and probably fear too. "I'm sorry, Joe," he stammered. "That was a foolish thing to say, and I apologize."

  Joe remained stone-faced for a long moment and then without saying a word he marched straight up to Gordon. The rest of us looked on, unsure of what to do or say. "Mr. Littleton," he growled.

  "Yes," Gordon replied meekly.

  "You are a very gullible man," he said, and after a brief moment, he began roaring with laughter.

  Gordon looked toward me as if he wanted me to give him some sort of explanation. I had none; all I could do was shrug. For a moment I thought maybe the heat was getting to Joe. The big man just continued to laugh.

  "You believe that I'm a thief and you believe I would harm you?" he said, almost crying from laughter.

  Suddenly, I remembered the trick Andrea and I had played on Gordon in an attempt to get him to snap back to his old self. We'd gotten Joe to play along too and apparently the drollery had made an impression on him. I seemed to figure it out about the time Gordon did and the two of us began laughing along with Joe. Hale Woodrow began laughing also, but I think he was doing it because he felt like he should, not because he understood. Andrea, Langley, and Jolly Jack stared at me as if waiting for some sort of explanation but I just shrugged them off and went back to digging. It was nice to see that Joe was beginning to feel comfortable enough with his new shipmates to joke around, no matter how laughable his attempt at humor was.

  ***

  The digging continued for hours. All of us were exhausted and to make matters worse, Jolly Jack was no longer in any condition to help us. He was now seated on an old piece of driftwood rig
ht next to Andrea, too tired to even lift a shovel off the ground. The remaining six of us dug hole after hole until finally it seemed that the entire circle Andrea had drawn in the sand became one giant pit in the beach. All the digging that had been done produced no sign of a chest anywhere. Gordon became more frustrated as the day went on and he began to curse more and more. Langley continued to down his rum-laced water until he was too drunk to even care. His production decreased significantly, but at least he was happy. Joe and Hale, the two biggest and strongest men digging, continued to produce the most. I urged them to take breaks and on more than one occasion they refused. I knew that they were noticing the same thing that I was noticing: the sun was dropping lower and lower to the west and it would not be long before nightfall approached. The daylight was fading fast. I too was becoming frustrated and I fought it off as long as I possibly could. Finally, I couldn't stay silent any longer.

  "There is no chest here," I snapped, throwing my shovel into the sand. "This has been a tremendous waste of time."

  "William, I know this will come as a shock to you," Gordon muttered to me, "but I agree with you. If there was a chest buried here we would have found it by now."

  Andrea rose from where she was sitting and walked over to the pit. She peered down into it as if she were expecting to see a corner of the chest jutting out of the earth somewhere that we'd missed. "I don't understand," she said. "This is exactly where the map said it would be."

  "Nightfall is fast approaching," Langley said, his voice slurring. "Low tide is coming…we'll have to drag the long boat back a ways to get to the water now."

  "He's right," Gordon added. "We should prepare to get off this wretched island before the cannibals come for us."

  I looked toward the surf and noticed the tide was indeed lowering. Suddenly, I was struck by an epiphany.