Pirate's Tail

Chapter Twenty-two

The stale air was the first thing to greet Ace as he entered the brig. He'd forgotten how stagnant and heavy the air was. He looked over at the cell he'd once been kept in and saw his father leaning against the side of the ship, asleep on the stool.

Ace took the ring of keys and tried to unlock the cell with a large steel key. It went in easy enough, but it wouldn't turn to unlock the door. Ace tried to remove the key, but it was reluctant to leave the lock. After much rattling, the large steel key finally emerged from the lock.

He tried a few more keys and finally found the one that fit the lock. The steel cell door swung forward, and Ace entered the cell. Leaning over his father amidst the snores, he poked him a few times in the chest.

Commodore Gates wearily came to and noticed the pirates standing in the brig.

"They got you too, huh? That damn Alphs is tricky," he said wearily.

"Shhhhh! We're getting you out of here, Walter," Captain Harris whispered to the Commodore.

Commodore Gates rose from his stool, and they left the brig. Ace led the way through underbellies of the Visp, all the while dodging sleeping sailors, back up to the main deck. As they were climbing the stairs to reach the main deck, the hatch above them opened, and a pair of boots began to descend into the ship.

Ace recognized the boots. He handed his tar-covered bag behind him to Captain Harris and ran up the stairs, skipping every other one. He collided with the owner of the boots and pushed Captain Alphs back up the stairs onto the main deck of the Visp. The Captain of the Visp fell on his back and was struggling to return to his feet.

"Mr. Lynx?"

"Aye, Captain," Ace said, staring down at the surprised Captain Alphs.

"What are you doing here?" Captain Alphs said, returning to his feet.

"Taking what's rightfully ours."

"I told you never to return to my ship, boy! And, yet, here you stand. We're going to have to do something about that," Captain Alphs said, straightening his hat and drawing his cutlass.

"And you said 'never set foot.' This time I wear boots, so technically no instructions have been broken," Ace said, activating the lily on his left wrist with a grin.

The rest of the pirates emerged from the hatch and sprinted toward the starboard gunwale. Captain Harris stopped and tried to draw his cutlass and stand next to Ace, but Ace waved him off.

"Stick to the plan. I'll join you shortly," Ace said to Captain Harris while continuing to stare at Captain Alphs.

Captain Harris ran after the other pirates, toward the starboard side of the ship. Ace could hear them talking over the squeaking of the pulleys.

"You'll never leave my ship again, boy! This is the end of the line for you!" Captain Alphs said, lunging at Ace. "There's no place in the world for traitors!"

Ace blocked the Captain's attack and pushed the Captain's blade to the side, forcing the Captain to take a step backwards. "And there's no place in the world for the minions of foolish kings!"

Captain Alphs scowled and brought his blade at Ace's head. Ace parried the strike and countered with one of his own. Ace heard a thud and risked a glance at his comrades to make sure they were safe. Ace found them huddled around a longboat, readying it for the journey back to the Farobi Islands. Ace returned his attention back to Captain Alphs and kicked the Captain in the chest, sending him to the ground again.