The Silent Thief

II

II

                "I have a new employer for ya', mate," Jake said.

"Are you sure? The last guy you told me about ended up being a pain in my back side," I complained recalling the scrawny old pirate.

"Aye, he's English. He'll be waiting for ya' at Tim's Bar, if ya' oblige of course," Jake said folding his hands behind his head. Jake had been my friend for a long time, yet even he did not know my secret.

"Age?"

"Late forties I reckon. So what do ya' think, Ace? Ya' up for a new challenge?"

To everyone else, I was called Ace. "Depends on the reward. What's he offering?"

"Twice what ya' got paid last time. Now you can't pass up an offer like that, lad," Jake said leaning over the table. "And remember, I get twenty percent of it too."

"Aye, I know," I said still thinking of the offer. "Here's your twenty percent from that lazy lord of Transville." I laid a small amount of gold on the table and Jake immediately put it in his pocket. "I'll be there," I said finally making up my mind to take the job.

"Alright, that's my lad," Jake clapped me on the back and called a boy no older than ten to the table. He scribbled something down on a cloth. "Go see the man standing beside the big white ship at the docks. Give him this slip," Jake said putting the cloth in the boy's hand. "And if you do it within the hour, I'll give ya' two copper coins." The boy ran off as fast as he could. Jake stood up into a stream of sunlight making his blonde hair look gold. Jake was five years older than me making him twenty-five. All the old men at the bar always told him to marry a fine lady and stop being a thief. It was good advice. Jake was young, handsome, and fairly wealthy; but, he tells the people that he hasn't met the right one yet.

"I'll see you soon Jake," I said standing up too and nodding my head.

"Ace, be careful."

"I haven't been caught yet," I replied with a smirk on my face. Of course he couldn't see it because of my mask.

"Eight years, mate, eight years." With that, Jake left and I climbed out of the window nearest me. I didn't like being noticed. I made my way to Tim's bar.

*******

        I stood behind a pole on the balcony of the second floor in Tim's bar. Spanish women and slaves were sold on this floor. A horrible thing indeed; Spain didn't get its title of the greatest slave empire for nothing. Every once and a while a woman would come up offering herself to me. I refused every time and thought to myself, If only she knew I was a girl.

Fifteen minutes had passed since I arrived, and finally, the man fitting Jake's description walked in. He looked around the room slowly, then walked to the bar and sat down. I went down the stairs and sat beside him without making a noise. I had a hood covering my head and my mask on.

"Good afternoon, sir," I said only loud enough for the man to hear.

"'Tis a fine morning isn't it?" He said back to me.

"But the afternoon will be coming soon, right after the rainy ones," I said the line that I had to remember. He understood what I was here for and now whispered. His drink arrived and he paused for a moment, taking a sip, and then went back to telling me my instructions.

"-the British ship with at least fifty men. The package you are to find is in the captain's room in the back of the ship. Return it as soon as possible lad, and you won't regret it," the man finished telling me. I stood up and started to leave, when the man grabbed my arm. "Oh, and mate, you might need this," he said handing me a small pistol. I tucked it into my coat and walked out the back door. He must've thought the British sailors could be a threat to me.

'At least fifty men', he had said. Bah, stop worrying yourself Grace. You will not get caught, and no fifty British men could even stop you, I thought to myself.

*******

        "Ah, so this is the fine ship eh? Not bad indeed," I mumbled to myself. I was crouching down on the roof of the building nearest it. Poor sailors loaded the ship with heavy cargo while a few British men surveyed. Some were playing cards, while others were getting the ship ready for departure. I must hurry then, if they are to leave soon, I thought. I crawled out of sight if anyone were to look at the building. Reaching the edge, I put my legs over the side and slid down a laundry line, all the way hoping it would not snap.

I snuck behind carriages, barrels, and even some well fed people, making my way closer and closer to the ship. Finally, I reached it and saw a couple of sailors rolling two wine barrels on a cart. I quickly grabbed a rock and threw it toward the sailors. "I'm so very sorry," I whispered when the rock hit the shorter sailor in the head. He turned a full circle, obviously very angry. He was too busy searching for the person who threw the rock that he didn't notice me squeeze between the two barrels. I was fairly hidden from anyone. I heard an English man yell at the sailors to move along.

The cart moved and I heard one of the sailors complain in Spanish, "¿Es esto más pesado?" Meaning, "Is this heavier?" I was a little offended since I didn't weigh that much.

We were onboard the ship now and the sailors were rolling me toward the cargo storage room. I peeked out from behind the barrels and spotted the captain's room. Suddenly, I fell forward hitting my head on the barrel   in front of me. We were going down a ramp into the cargo room. My heartbeat raced as it always did when I was on a mission.

So that means the Captain's room is directly above the cargo. That's good, for me at least, I thought, rubbing my forehead in the process. I slipped out from behind the barrels and hid myself in a dark corner, waiting for the sailors to leave, then tip-toeing quietly to the ramp. Right then, the ship lurched forward and I fell on my face, again.

"No. No, no, no! This can't be happening!" I hurried over to a window and saw the ship pulling away from the dock. I had two options now: I could make a run for it, avoid being shot, jump into the water, escape, and probably get killed for not getting my employer's money. Or I could stay aboard this ship, try my best to stay hidden, steal the package, try to get back to Spain, and maybe not get killed for being late by my employer. Either way was very, very bad. I cursed under my breath. Jake would be laughing at me now, saying 'Eight years mate, eight years!', if he saw me in this situation. I had a pretty high chance of getting caught and hanged if I was not shot first.

Finally, I made up my mind to stay, seeing now that I was too far away to go with my first option.

"Well, I better get used to my new home," I said to myself looking around the dark room. I was now happy that I left the diamonds with Auntie Rosa before leaving. She would need it to take care of the homeless children. Now, she would have food for them for a while. Thinking of food, I grabbed a loaf of bread from a case, and started eating.

*******

A picture of what Grace's city looks like above.