Chapter 6

Skyler watched Bragg sail off into the sunset back towards the Atlantic Sea and Captain Anna towards the Pacific Sea. There weren't many threats to pirates this time of year as the navy prowlers were all in ports avoiding the tropic storms.  Skyler smiled, military men never did have sea legs.  She stood remembering the time when Bragg, Anna, Jason and herself had encountered a maelstrom; they came back in tattered pieces and had to trade with a native clan on the coast of Cuba. Most of their weapon supply was taken in trade for new rigging and wood. After that they had to raid ten navy ships to get their weapon supply back up.  Of course that was back when they all belonged to the same crew on one ship.  No one had been the Captain in those days; all four of them had made decisions together. Skyler rubbed the timber of The Skyrunner; things had seemed so much simpler in those days. She remembered how Jason used to say that the greatest joy in life was to stand atop a mainsail mast and give the order to hoist the colors, to show your enemy that you were not just any ship but a pirate ship.  Skyler grimaced; just thinking about Jason made her angry.  She gave the order to heave way and as The Skyrunner began to pick up speed she slowly walked down the steps to the brig.

            The Skyrunner’s brig held ten cells, five on each side.  Skyler hated the brig it was always to stuffy and it reminded her of a time she’d rather forget but this had to happen.  A young boy no older than sixteen walked out of the very back cell carrying some loose medical supplies.

            “Ah! Mister Ezra!” Skyler said, “I hope you didn’t have to cut off his head.”

Ezra shook his head, “Nay, Cap’n.  Though I wish I had an excuse to.”

Skyler smiled, she had always thought of Ezra as a little brother.  He was only two years younger than she was but he was the best carpenter and surgeon The Skyrunner had.  Not many pirate ships had surgeons but Skyler thought it was a necessity as last season one of the young riggers took a fall and died because not one person knew how to set a broken bone.

Skyler walked to the back cell and stood at the door peering inside.  Jason sat on the wooden floor, his arms shackled to the wall and a bloody bandage wrapped around his head.

“Where is it, Jason?” she asked, coldly.

There was no answer. 

            “Jason, you can’t play this game forever, just tell me where the treasure is.”

Silence.

Skyler groaned and started to walk away when she heard a voice.

            “Perhaps, if you came into the cell, and not stand outside it as if I were some wild untamed beast, we might come to a mutual agreement that would suit both our fancies.”

Skyler couldn’t stop a smile from playing on her lips.  Jason had always spoke as if he were some proper English gentleman.  That’s why, at one time, she’d liked him.  Skyler grabbed the keys off a peg on the wall, opened the cell door and walked inside.  She stood in front of the door with her hand on her pistol to be sure Jason didn’t run.

            “Alright, Jason, what is you agreement?”

When Jason spoke he kept his head down, “I will tell you where your treasure is if you give me back my ship and my crew.”

Skyler laughed, “I think you have lost your privilege with your ship and crew. After all you betrayed The Breaker, Jason.”

Suddenly Jason was on his feet and only about twelve inches from Skyler’s face.  His shackles kept him from going any further.

            “You think I betrayed The Breaker?” he said, his bright green eyes that Skyler remembered all to well started furiously at her. “I did nothing wrong!”

            “You killed Braggs mother and father, Jason!” Skyler said, pulling out her pistol, “That is what you did wrong!”

            “I was trying to get my ship!  I did not know his father and mother kept the port, therefore I did not know it was them who I killed!”

            “You stole our treasure, Jason.”

            “Because you stole mine!” Jason yelled, “We are pirates, Skyler. An eye for an eye, a treasure for a treasure!  You stole mine, I steal yours and without my help you will never find it!”

Skyler looked at Jason, “We never stole your treasure, Jason, what are you talking about?”

Jason laughed, “Oh, he didn’t tell you then?”

            “Who didn’t tell we what?” Skyler asked.

Jason sat down on the wooden floor and smiled, “Why don’t you ask Cap’n Bragg?”

 

Author's Note

ignore grammar