An explosion erupted in Scarlett's ears, jolting her out of a deep sleep. For a moment, she felt disoriented but as the ship shook and moaned violently, she realized it wasn't just a horrible dream. She froze in fear, grasping the blankets around her as she sat up in the Captain's cot. Immediately, shouts could be heard from outside the cabin and boots pounded on the deck. Signs of life awakening on the ship urged Scarlett to jump to her feet as well. She had to find her brother.

Dressed in only her undergarments, she threw open the cabin door. Chaos had ensued on the ship as men scrambled to find their positions, staggering wearily from their drunken slumber though frightened all the same. Scarlett emerged into the crowd, meandering through to find her way underdeck. She reached the hatch and climbed down the stairs. The gun room was busier than above deck, as pirates rushed about to load the cannon balls, pour in the gunpowder and roll the cannons into their positions in the sides of the ship's hull. All they needed was the Quartermaster's command to fire and they waited for their chance with bated breath.

Scarlett pushed past the men and their cannons all the way to the crew's sleeping quarters but they were all abandoned. Panic settled in as she approached each cot and hammock, ducking to check underneath in the darkness of the room.

“William!” she screamed but her voice was no match for the shouting of the men readying the guns. “William!”

Finding her search to be futile, Scarlett ran back the way she had come. Above deck, it had settled down a little as men were preparing themselves for whatever battle they faced. That's when she was able to spot her brother, who had already made his way above deck and stood leaning over the portside bulwark, craning his neck towards the bow. And that's when she saw the damage. The bow had splintered into thousands of tiny pieces, the forecastle deck left with a gaping hole in the floor and the bowsprit hanging loose, held only by the foresails hoisted above.

“Scarlett!” came the Captain’s voice behind her.

She turned around to see him rushing out of the cabin, relief sweeping over his face but only for a second. He ran up to her and William, who had approached as well, and grabbed both of them by the arms.

“You shouldn't be out here,” he said, dragging them roughly to his cabin and throwing them inside. “Find somewhere to hide--the wardrobe, underneath the bed, something!”

“Alex, is it Blackbeard?” Scarlett said, the panic on his face causing her nerves to unravel.

“I'm certain of it. Their ship came out of nowhere and my man in the crow's nest had only seconds to sound the warning before their blow. Now stay here and whatever you do, don't open this door!” Then the Captain hurried out, slamming the door behind him.

William stumbled backwards to the middle of the room, his breath coming out in quick, heavy pants. He wiped the sweat from his brow and spun around, looking for a place to hide. Scarlett, however, stayed by the cabin door as if frozen in place.

“This is madness,” he said. “We are absolutely mad to be here. I knew this was a bad idea!”

“William, hush!”

“Don't hush me. Did you see the bow? One more blow and we are in a dire situation.”

“But why aren't they firing anymore?” Scarlett said, placing her ear against the crack of the doorframe.

William remained silent as he pondered her question. “And why isn't Captain Jones ordering his men to fight?” he added.

“He's trying to avoid it--to talk with the attacker and make amends before any more damage is done.”

“This isn't your first time, is it?” William asked, annoyance in his voice.

Scarlett shook her head, a smirk creeping onto her face. “No, it isn't.”

She placed her ear against the door again, straining to hear the sound of voices on the other side. But the ship had grown silent and only the creaking of its hull with the rolling of the waves could be heard. Scarlett's nerves tensed with the absence of life outside, the cannon shot still ringing in her ears. Without a second thought, she grasped the handle of the door and cracked it open.

“Scarlett,” William exclaimed in a whisper. “What are you doing?”

She placed a finger to her lips and peered outside. The Captain and his crew stood on the deck to face their visitor, hands resting cautiously on their weapons. The ships nestled side by side and a plank was placed in between for crossing over. Suddenly, a man walked across and boarded the Captain's ship, followed by a few of his men. He was adorned in a fine, heavy coat, lace peeking through at his neck and sleeves, and stationed himself fashionably before his victim. He peered down his nose at the Captain's cutlass with a nonchalant air as if he were invincible to any harm. The Captain, however, removed his hand hesitantly from the hilt on his hip, generating a haughty smirk on his opponent's face.

“Good day, gentlemen,” he said, removing his tricorn with a swoop of his arm and bowing. “Or should I say, good morning?”

“What do you want?” Alexander said.

“I came to deliver a message from Bastian De Leon.”

Scarlett gasped but quickly covered her mouth with her hand, listening to the scene before her with fearful anticipation.

“What is it?” William said, peering over her shoulder to catch a glimpse.

“Bastian De Leon is unhappy with you,” the man continued. “One of the girls you brought met quite an unfortunate end.”

“What are you talking about?” the Captain said.

“The girl was sick,” he spat out, a frown defined clearly on his face. “She grew desperately ill--stark-raving mad from it. After a struggle, in a matter of a few hours, she died.”

The Captain kept a brave facade but Scarlett could see him cracking under the pressure by his demeanor. “I didn't know the girl was sick. Did you try to cure her?”

“Of course we did. We brought in a doctor but the bloodletting didn't help. She was pale when we received her and had boils forming on her legs. She was already far too gone by that point. You would do better to check your product before selling it.”

Alexander looked defeated. “I'll do better next time.”

“Yes, you will. And that wasn't all from Bastian. He also warns you not to steal the slaves of others or this will not be the only damage to your ship.”

“What are you accusing me of?” the Captain said, his anger flaring.

“You heard what I said.”

“If Bastian wants to accuse me of being a thief, then he can come here and tell me himself. The man is a coward.”

Suddenly, the man slapped the back of his hand across the Captain's cheek. The crew shifted uncomfortably upon seeing their captain humiliated and Scarlett gasped aloud again, gripping the door handle tight. The man began to retrieve his cutlass from its sheath and without another thought, Scarlett flew open the door and rushed out.

“Scarlett, no!” William exclaimed.

But he was left standing in the doorway to watch the spectacle before him. It was too late. The man turned his attention to Scarlett, a wide beaming smile stretching across his face. He already held his cutlass to the Captain's throat.

“I told you to stay inside,” the Captain seethed, craning his neck away from the blade.

“Well, look what we have here,” the man said. “Just the girl I wanted to see.”

“You can take me,” Scarlett said, “but please, don't hurt him.”

“Scarlett, are you mad?” Alexander said.

“Oh, how sweet,” the man said in a mocking tone. Then he lowered his cutlass and returned it to its sheath. “Don't worry, my dear. I won't hurt him--not in front of such a fine lady.” He turned back towards the Captain. “I'll make you a deal since I like you so much. I'll give you a fine price for her.”

“She's not for sale.”

A look of realization appeared on the man's face. “Oh, she must be quite special to you. Keeping the good ones for yourself, now, are we? Well, that explains the way she is dressed--or should I say, undressed?” He let out a chuckle. “How about eight hundred pounds?”

“I said she's not for sale.”

“You forget she's already been bought. Consider this a courtesy for your trouble.”

“And you forget the things I know,” the Captain replied, prompting a wary expression from his adversary. “If you take this girl away, I will go straight to Bastian and tell him all about the ones you've been selling on the side and all the money you've taken for your own. I even know some of your buyers’ names. Now, we wouldn't want Bastian to know about that, would we?”

The man frowned again. “And what do you think is stopping me from killing you right here?”

The Captain clicked his tongue. “Now that wouldn't be good for business, would it? I'd wager your crew would get awfully restless seeing one of your best sources of income dying at your very hand, especially if they find out how much money you take for yourself.”

“Shut up,” he spat, shifting his eyes nervously towards his crew. Then he stiffened his posture. “Well, deals don't have to be made now. We'll just have to let Bastian decide about the girl, now, won't we?”

“I think you've overstayed your welcome.”

The man glared at him for a second before turning to his men and clapping his hands. “Hoist the sails!”

Without another word, he stepped up onto the plank and walked back to his ship. His crew broke out into a frenzy to follow their superior's order and detach from the Captain's ship. They drifted apart quickly but the tension in the air did not vanish. Dawn was now fast approaching and the Captain's crew set about quietly and slowly to begin their daily duties and clean up what they could of the bow. Alexander, however, stood frozen on the deck. Scarlett gazed at him as William emerged from the cabin doorway and touched her shoulder. It was as if feeling his touch woke her and the scene around her began to set in.

“Alexander, what is going on?” she said as she rushed up to him. “What was that all about? What are you not telling me?”

The Captain lifted his head and dared to meet her face, sighing as he saw the anger in her eyes.

“We need to talk,” she added.

“And I need to attend to my ship,” he said, raising his eyebrows and stretching to his full height.

Stepping away, he found Leslie who had gathered off to the side with some of the crew awaiting orders. He consulted with him closely for a minute and then they parted. The Captain stood facing his audience, who paused from their work to listen.

“Do not be disheartened, men, by those who threaten us,” he said. “Gather a spare sail and begin fothering. We will be stopping in the nearest port to make repairs to our beloved ship. But have no fear--she will be right as ever in no time.”

“Hansen, Collins, get the sail and begin sewing!” Leslie shouted. “The rest ‘o you, set sail for Southampton!”