Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 6

"I want you to wait outside. She hates you because of the, uh... nose jar," Oluwande said.

Stede was still in a sort of dream-like state. Black Pete glanced between Oluwande and Stede.

Oluwande leaned closer to Stede. "Wait out here with him."

Black Pete groaned. "But I want to go in. She might know where Lucius is."

Oluwande crossed his arms. "Just wait outside.

Oluwande stepped into the dimly lit tavern. Spanish Jackie was at the bar. She looked up when the door opened and then screamed, pointing at Oluwande. He frowned and then looked over his shoulder. Stede had followed him in.

"I told you-"

"You see him too?" Jackie screamed.

Oluwande turned to face her with a frown. "What?"

"You see the ghost of Stede Bonnet too?" Jackie screamed.

Oluwande blinked at her. "Ghost? He's not... oh, no. He faked his death."

Jackie narrowed her eyes. "Huh."

Oluwande headed toward her. "How'd you know about that?"

"Oh, everyone knows," Spanish Jackie said. "It was the talk of the town. Everyone was talking about how the Gentleman Pirate died so stupidly."

"What do you mean everyone knows?" Oluwande said suddenly.

"Where have you all been? You weren't with Izzy when he came in the other day," Jackie said, ignoring Oluwande's question.

"Jackie, do they think Stede's dead?" Oluwande asked lowly.

Jackie raised a brow. "I told Izzy that he was dead a few days ago. Because as far as I knew, he was dead."

Oluwande glanced over at Stede. Stede still looked like he was barely there.

"Are you sure he isn't dead? He looks dead," Jackie said. "Did you prop him up and drag him in or something?"

"He's not dead," Oluwande replied. "Jackie, we need a favor."

Jackie raised a brow. "Why would I do anything for you guys?"

Oluwande shrugged. "You made up with Jim."

Jackie nodded slightly. "True. What would you need from me?"

Oluwande scratched the back of his head. "A ship, any info about Jim or Blackbeard, or the location of the Revenge."

Jackie laughed. "Yeah, right. What do you really need?"

Oluwande grimaced. "It's a long story, but Blackbeard took Captain's ship. He kept a few of our crew for spite."

Jackie stared at him curiously. "You know what, I do have something for you."

Oluwande stared at her warily. "What?"

"I have a ship for you," Jackie replied with a small, sly smile.

Oluwande frowned. "What's the catch?"

Jackie grinned. "You're a smart cookie. I'll need the full story. And you'll owe me a favor."

"Why do you need the full story? Just-"

"What's the point of gossiping if you can't tell anybody? I shouldn't have even told you that stuff about Izzy. That should've been included in the favor," Jackie said firmly.

Oluwande sighed. "So what's the deal with the ship, then?"

Jackie sat back, crossing her arms. "It may or may not be a British Royal Navy ship that I have to get off my hands before they come sniffing around for it."

Oluwande's eyes widened. "Nothing else? Nothing less insane?"

"The real insane ones are you. Why are you chasing after fucking Blackbeard? You're outnumbered and none of you can fight," Jackie said.

"I can," Black Pete said.

"Whatever," Jackie replied, staring at him for a while. "Blackbeard hasn't been sitting there braiding flowers into his hair and twiddling his fingers. He's been burning down every ship they cross."

Stede's eyes flicked up to hers. "He has?"

"Yeah. A few pirates washed up a few nights ago. They'd swam from their ship because Blackbeard had burned it down," Jackie said.

Stede frowned. "He wouldn't do that, surely. Maybe Izzy was making him do it?"

Jackie raised a brow and didn't speak for a moment. "One of them saw him tossing flaming bottles of rum onto their ship from the top of the Revenge."

Stede frowned deeply, retreating back into his thoughts. Oluwande rolled his eyes.

"Stede, I'm going to tell her what happened, okay? I want to get back to the others," Oluwande said.

Jackie stood up. "Go on."

Oluwande began to repeat Stede's story from after they'd gotten captured. A few times, Stede quietly corrected him. In particular, he quoted Chauncey's bit about ruining everything. Jackie brought them drinks. Stede took his and drank it quickly. Jackie glanced at him with a smirk.

"So you're telling me Blackbeard confessed his love for this guy?" Jackie asked, pointing at Stede with her wooden hand, her other hand clasped around her glass.

"Evidently," Oluwande replied.

"And that's what sent him on a warpath?"

"Yup," Black Pete said.

Jackie began to laugh harshly. "Nice little tale. You couldn't make up anything more believable?"

Oluwande sighed. "It's true, I think. I mean, I wasn't there, but as soon as Blackbeard got back he was... not right. He was all mopey and sad."

"He was pathetic," Black Pete replied.

Jackie narrowed her eyes. "I guess that does match up with what Izzy said."

Oluwande raised a brow. "Why'd you bother asking us, then?"

Jackie shrugged. "I mean, I'd heard Blackbeard was on the Revenge, I just figured it was a hump and dump the body in the ocean kind of thing."

Stede's face went pale. Oluwande cleared his throat. Black Pete chuckled.

"It was supposed to be like that. Lucius told me that," Black Pete said.

Oluwande suddenly sat forward. "When Izzy came here, did you see any of the others? Like Jim, Lucius, or Frenchie?"

Jackie shook her head. "Izzy was alone."

Oluwande sank slightly. "Okay. Thanks."

Jackie nodded. "So you're still remembering our deal, right? I give you the ship and you'll still owe me a favor."

Oluwande rolled his eyes. "Fine. Sure. Whatever. We just need to go get the others."

Jackie grinned. "Well, head down to the docks. They'll be a British ship with a man lurking outside. Tell him I sent you."

A little while later, Oluwande and Black Pete stepped onto the new ship. Stede looked more haunted than usual. Oluwande grabbed him by the collar and dragged him onto the ship.

Black Pete looked around the beast. "It's big."

Oluwande huffed. "Yeah. Way too big. Alright, Captain, how do we do this?"

Stede didn't answer. His face was frozen in a mix of horror and despair. Oluwande glanced at Black Pete.

"Any ideas?" Oluwande asked.

Black Pete shrugged. "We'll figure it out."