The Brothers

'I Want In'

Vargas shoved me and Nathan through the tunnel, the sunlight enticing and vibrant in comparison to the dim and slimy tunnel we just came out of. The blue skies dotted with pale clouds rested on top of the crumbling stone masonry of the old prison. The overgrown ivy is one of the main things maintaining its structure, whilst also adding a visual enrichment to the age of the building. "Here we are."

"Woahh" Slipped through my dry lip as my eyes gazed over the sight. Vargas ruined it as he stood in front of me and Nathan. His sweaty and shall we say well-rounded figure was not the most pleasant sight or smell. Nathan stood in awe with me as we were where many pirates and other infamous criminals stayed their last night. I was enraptured in the atmosphere as the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks, that's till I got pulled out of that awe by Nathan speaking.

"Okay then are you gonna take these cuffs off or what?" I shook my hands and so did Nathan, Vargas rolled his eyes and reluctantly clicked both our cuffs off putting them in his pocket. Rubbing my wrists as they were red and raw from the cuffs I felt them sting letting me know they still had circulation but not bleeding. Nathan gave a large grin as he admired the tower that stood in front of us.

"I want in" vargas bluntly stated, he scoweled at us as we stood there, his arms crossed and chest puffed out."In?" Almost in perfect unison I and Nathan raised our voices after Vargas said that. My mind went into a flurry as Vargas continued to run his mouth."Whatever you find up there... I want in." We shared a worried look, the treasure was rumoured to be $400,000 and the cut was settled at $100,000 each between Sam, Nate, Rafe and me. I shot a look at Nate and he just shrugged his shoulders and opened his hands. So I decided I would speak.

"Vargas pal, the deal was just in and out, nothing more nothing less" i put my hand out to him, placing my hand on his shoulder. 

"Just! I am sticking my neck out for you gringos" Vargas threw his hands up in the air and shook his finger as he spoke, smacking my hand away from him. I dropped my shoulders and tilted my head back in annoyance at this man. Nate saw this and took over.

"Yes you are and Rafe is paying you a lot of money for your troubles is he not?"Damn Nathan can turn into a negotiator if he wants to, his face serious eyes rested but narrowed and his voice to the point."Si... Si, but not nearly enough" That's when he pulls out an envelope, the envelope. My heart drops as he takes out the piece of paper contained in the envelope."You were told not to open that..." I sighed as Vargas begins to unfold the small, darkened paper withered with age."Yes, I was also told not to take bribes, nor bring anyone here or beat on inmates. Yet here we are." I groaned in protest to Vargas and he just scoffed and manhandled the paper I felt the need to confiscate that paper from him cause of how brutally he was treating the paper. Nathan had the same look.

"Careful careful please that paper is over 300 years old... no respect" Nate murmured the last bit as he leaned in towards my ear. I gave a narrow smile and nodded. Seeing Vargas with his slimy hands over that priceless treasure in itself made me anxious and angry all in the same breath. He glances off to the side as he whips out a pair of glasses placing them on his greasy face, holding the paper low and coughing just as he is about to read."I was a member of Captain Henry Avery's crew... You know who that is?" I mentally facepalmed and shook my head. I never knew how dumb one man can be."He was a pirate" i stated my tone flat."who pulled off the gunsway heist also known as the greatest heist in history and got away with it as well""Lemme guess you looked him up." Vargas and Nate relayed, I grew tired of this whole play and let out a loud dramatic groan.

"That's great Vargas well done, can we—""Over 400 million dollars in gold and jewels, from one singular ship.""VARGAS we are all familiar with the story can you please get to the point" My mind snapped, I had enough of this man rattling on about something we know about. He shot me a look as I took a deep breath as Nathan placed his hand on my shoulder. Vargas took several steps toward me, however, Nathan stepped in front of me. He scoffed and walked away turning his back to us as he spoke, Nathan looked at me with a wide smile and stepped back next to me. I shifted my weight onto my other leg and crossed my arms.

"Uh huh, the highest cell in the Spaniard's prison... ah here... I hope someday you will find your way into this infernal place, bear my cross and discover the riches of paradise" Vargas pointed at the tower that stood in front of us and then took his glasses off and waved them between us two. He finally stopped talking and just looked at us."What is it, what is it that you want?" Nate questioned Vargas, he scoffed and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone that would make anyone look like a prick."The riches of paradise"I laughed at him.

 "Vargas that's a metaphor, Christ."  still disregarding the paper he held it up and shook his finger. "No no no no no, you and your friends did not pay into this 'infernal place in search of a metaphor"

He continued that tone with us and wave his hands about as if he belonged in there, my stomach knotted as the paper was being thrown about, and Vargas made direct eye contact with me, then Nathan."I want in" Nathan stood there clearly perplexed by this man, however, he was doing a good job at hiding it from him, but not me cause his eyes were doing that thing they do when he's trying to understand someone's bullshit."All right, ill tell you what, if you let us go up there check out the cell. If there still is something up there after three hundred years... you can take this up with Rafe." Acting, Nathan was a bloody good actor. I nodded in agreement as Vargas looked between us. I can tell Nathan doesn't like Rafe as he drew out the last part of the dialogue as if to say I hate this man. Pouting Vargas moved his head and nodded.

We were about to make our way up to the tower as said but then Nathan stopped and turned to face Vargas. His hand outstretched towards Vargas as he held the aged parchment with both hands. "Letter. Por favour." My lips pulled upwards as Vargas handed the paper to Nathan, finally. We turned our backs fully to him and walked towards the cool breeze of the ocean.