The Island With No Parallel

Raided (part 1)

Lucia took all of them to a small house off the bay. Behind them, the waves swayed and passed under the docks. It almost made it seem like a calm night. The house was more a run down shack than a home, and the shadows that casted all over the home made it someplace Manuel definitely didn't want to be at this time of night. Lucia approached the door and knocked on it with energy. At this hour, this Youssef might not even be awake.

A few moments passed and Lucia was just about to knock again when the door swung open by a dark Moroccan man with the frown on his face causing his thick black eyebrows to almost cover his eyes. He had an intimidating presence, standing almost a head taller than Lucia, with a thick frame and big crossed arms, his black beard almost reaching his chest. When he realized it was Lucia as his door, his expression quickly changed. "Lucia? What are you doing here?" he asked in Spanish.

Lucia switched to English. "There's a problem. Please, can we come in?"

The Moroccan man's eyes narrowed at the three he didn't know. "Who are they?" he asked.

"Don't worry, they can be trusted. I need you to look after them. I sent you a letter, but we couldn't wait for it to arrive."

Youssef didn't change his untrusting expression, but moved aside so they could pass. Once they were all inside, his eyes didn't move from the three as he asked, "What's going on, Lucia?"

"Put on your seeing powder and you'll begin to understand."

Youssef sized them all up again before going deeper into the house and coming out with a handful of the powder in his hand, wiping it over his eyes and blinking rapidly until the stinging passed. Once he realized who Yunara and Kailu were, he said, "Oh, I see." he looked to Manuel. "And who is he?"

"Manuel Suarez's son. Manuel V."

Youssef nodded slowly in understanding, rubbing his beard. "Ah... now I see the resemblance. I thought he looked familiar." he chuckled. "Brings back memories."

"Unfortunately, we do not have time to remember the old days," Lucia said urgently. "They need your help, and I need to leave. They are on a task from the Ancient Ones themselves to find someone you might have encountered before. Does the name Luca Valentini ring a bell?"

Youssef raised one of his thick eyebrows. "Of course I know him. I do all I can everyday I go out onto the water to avoid ever having an encounter with him. Do you know what he'd love to do with the expensive shipments I always make from Morocco? What business do the Ancient Ones have with him, if I may ask?"

"They've chosen him for an important task along with them."

Youssef displayed complete confusion on his face, then shrugged in resignation. "I know how to find him. Finding him is not the problem. I can't even imagine how you plan to convince him to help you. He's a scantless pirate that will raid anyone and everyone, especially those that trespass on the waters he's made his territory. And you do realize that to find him, we ourselves will be raided?"

Manuel wondered how sad it must have been that at this point it seemed normalcy to go looking for a scantless pirate in hopes of convincing him to be on their side. "We know," Manuel said. "But we have no other choice."

Youssef shrugged again. "Very well. We can leave in the morning as soon as the sun comes up. But why aren't you coming, Lucia?"

"Because I need to warn Manuel Suarez's old contacts. Carlos Ruiz is dead, and tonight a group of Aracs organized themselves at my very own party to try to kill me. The Unseeables believe it's a pattern. If so, everyone is in danger, including yourself. If you don't already use the seeing powder every day, I would suggest you start. If a Dark One approaches you, you need to be able to see it."