Cutlass Anne

Cutlass Anne - Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

"Flynn?" I asked, quietly, not looking directly at him.

"Sit." He ordered with a beer stein to his lips.

I slid into the chair opposite him and pulled the stein closer to me. The bitter liquid smelled awful. He raised the glass to his lips and took a long swallow. I followed suit, only a little more tentatively. A shudder ran through my body, and the brew hit my stomach like a sack of rocks. My nose wrinkled, and I put the stein down and off to the side. Flynn laughed and finished his off.

"You may want to get used to that. Beer helps calm the nerves at times." He pulled my beer in front of him. "You'll need calm nerves if we plan on exacting revenge on our fathers."

"We?" I queried, arching my eyebrows at him.

"I'm not letting you do this on your own."

"Why are you dressed like that, Flynn?"

"A captain should look like a captain." A wicked smile crossed his lips.

"A captain?"

"I have a few men who are loyal to me and are not impressed with the way my father has been handling things onboard. They will help me toss off those who still support him, and we can follow to Tortuga."

"What about me?" I looked around the room nervously.

"Stay on board with John Jacks. Once we arrive at the dock we'll rush the ship," he said quietly, looking around the busy pub.

"That won't work."

"How do you know?"

"Because it just won't, Flynn."

"I beg your pardon, but I think I know how my father thinks better than you."

I shook my head and bit my lip. "You plan on going up against bloodthirsty pirates straight away? Do you honestly think they will go down easily? You have to be just as sneaky, manipulative, and deceptive."

"And what do you presume we do?" He folded his hands in front of him.

"I have been thinking about this a great deal. Every night when I would lie on that bed, I would devise ways to get even with John Jacks for the pain he has caused me. Now that I know who he is and that I have been in contact with at least some of his crew, I know how they think. I know how they act. I know what they like."

"Okay?"

"Once we dock, I'm going to split off from the rest of the crew and go into the town. I want you and the rest of the crew to wait on The Gilded Lady. After I finish up, we leave and get Jane."

"After you finish up? Finish up what?" he asked, his voice rising an octave. I could see the fear and concern on his face.

"You do not need to worry about that. Just make sure the ship is set to sail and you take us to wherever Jane is."

"I want to know the plan," he persisted, grasping my hand.

"You don't need to know the plan. Just do what I said; be ready to sail." I stood and quickly left the pub before John Jacks and his pirate crew could see me.

Once outside I kept my head down and walked the cobbled street. Horses clopped by, shop owners closed up their businesses for the night, and someone grabbed me from behind, yanking me into an alley. The individual slammed me up against a wall and pinned my hands at my sides. His rancid breath invaded my senses, and I was eye level with his rotting teeth. I yanked my arms and tried to get away, but he pressed his hard body against mine.

"Ay, I bet yer a bonny lass under all that get up." He breathed into my ear.

"Get off me!" I squealed.

He raised my hands above my head and held them there. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to get his face out of my mind. His free hand traveled down my body and untucked my shirt. His rough, sweaty palm moved around to my back and down to my buttocks. He squeezed hard and began to travel around to the front. I wiggled around, trying to deter his hand from advancing on my private region, but he just stopped. An odd gurgling sound emanated from his throat. I opened my eyes and saw a trail of blood trickling from the corner his mouth and sliding down his chin. His grip loosened on me, and he slid to the ground. Flynn stood behind him with a sword in his hand. The blade was covered in blood, and he had a crazed look in his eyes.

"Are you all right?" he asked, dropping the bloody weapon.

I nodded shakily. He stepped forward and held me tight. His arms and hands shook as we stood there.

"Is he dead?" I asked, staring down at the body.

Flynn nodded his head.

"Good." I watched as the blood began to pool under him.

Flynn took hold of my hand and led me away from the dead man before anyone could see us.

"We're going to need to leave port as soon as possible."

"I know." I glanced around to see if anybody was following us.

"When does my father plan on setting sail?" he questioned, leading me toward the dock.

"I don't know. I am not even sure where The Cutlass is berthed."

"Find out."

"I will." He dropped my hand and quickly walked away.

I was left standing near the bay alone. The Gilded Lady gently rocked in the waves; it danced in the pale moonlight like a lonely maiden. The dock area was quiet. Most of the men were probably in a pub, with a girl, or sleeping on their ships. After the night I had, sleeping sounded like the best option. This ship was quiet. Only the soft creaking of the hull resounded throughout. I went below deck and noticed that a majority of the men were gone. Scully, Cook, and a few others I had not worked with much were snoring away in their hammocks. I tiptoed to my quarters and kicked off my shoes. I pulled the ribbon that held my hair up and let my dark, curly locks hang down. I crawled under the blanket and shut my eyes. The gentle rocking of the ship made falling asleep rather easy.