Jeff the Accountant Escapes the Wretched Burning Depths of Hades

His Better Half

Cinna and his companions were given a wide berth as they walked through Wilson's Ale
House looking for an open table.

"Sit" Cinna said to a nervous patron who got up, saying "Take my place, I was just leaving" although his tankard was full. He sat back down, shaking, looking around, hoping there were allies in the bar who would come to his aid if there was any trouble.

Cinna's reputation was growing, evolving, mutating. His glance alone could stupefy a man if he wanted it to, his orders could summon up demons to do his bidding. He never robbed a ship of everything, never killed crews unnecessarily, because he wanted them alive to spread the tales of his expert swordsmanship, his perfect aim with a pistol.

Knowing that he could not set the stories straight, as well as realizing that that would be a foolish thing to do, Cinna continued to do what it took to live up to the rumors.

He worked at speaking with a gruff voice. Trained at swordplay with the men and Cat. Used bottles that Wee John tossed into the air for target practice, missing very few times.

In the back of the bar there was an empty table. Kirk and Cat and their captain sat down and ordered tankards of ale. Kirk and Cat were recognized. But it took awhile for anyone to approach them.

Once the first brave soul took that chance, though, he was invited to have a seat. An old friend of Kirkland's, he began with heaping praise on his longtime mates.

"First Blackbeard and now Cinna? You're a bloody legend, Kirk! Cat, you look great! Pirate life agreeing with you?"

"Beats just about anything I could be doing here!" Cat answered.

"And having her alongside me makes it all the better" Kirkland added.

Some of the others in the bar scoffed, some nodded, saying "Aye, good job, that. Having your better half with you at sea."

For a brief moment Cinna remembered being derided by Mary. "I don't want to live on a boat, Stede." "I hate the ocean..."

But he'd made peace with it. Mary had her life with Doug, contentedly living out their days as artists, members of a welcoming community.

His future was with Ed. ...he just had to find him.

"Kirk, do you think you could ask your friend the thing we're here to talk to these fine people about?", just enough menace in Cinna's words to command attention.

"Right, Captain. Of course" "Listen up, you lot. We're looking for..." and he went on to describe the missing crew members. Cinna added that there was a strong likelihood that they were with Blackbeard, on a ship called The Revenge.

The stop at The Republic of Pirates bore fruit. More than a few people they talked to had been in conversations with the pirates Kirk described. Ivan and Fang were well known, and the descriptions of Jim and Frenchie made it easy to agree that they were the lesser known sailors that were tagging along with them recently. No one saw Blackbeard, but they did see the ship.

Cinna was anxious to get back to the rest of his crew with the news. It took great effort for him not to say "bye, all" as his little group took their leave.