Capítulo Dos

                          “¡Pelea como un pirata o muere como un cobarde!"

                                 -Fight like a pyrate or die like a coward!-

                                                                               - Assassin's Creed

          As the lifeless corpse of the nobleman lay in front of me, I baffled at how lucky I was. There was nothing more refreshing and relieving than venting out on a brawl – there was more scum out there, of course – scum that thought they were better than everyone and everything else in this undiscovered, cruel world. The damn Navy crossed my mind. Those bastards were the worst of them all. Every time I was at sea, they would manage to sabotage my plans, but they could never catch me. I smirked. They need to be the taught the lesson of a lifetime – and who was better at doing that than me?

          The thought had me grinning like an idiot, but the sound of the door stopped me in my trance. 

          I felt something grab a hold of my ankle. I stilled, gripped the handle of my sword, but it was the poor man. His fingers were gripping me in an odd fashion. That husband did not show any mercy when he smashed his fingers. A strange pity welled within me – here lay a man who only wanted to vent as I did; he got beat and his fingers broken as a result, but the way he desperately clung to me … That’s it, I thought. I want him in my crew!

          I beamed, but the brawl wasn’t over. 

          It had escalated during my internal rubbish – I was missing out on the fun! I pouted. No fair.

          The little man yelled out a warning that stilled me to my boots: “¡Oye, Señorita! ¡La Navy, La Navy están aqui!”

          Perfect timing; now the real fun begins. Just as suddenly, the bang of the door resonated throughout the room. The Navy came forth in the intimidating single file formation I knew all too well. Their methods never got old, nor did they ever work. They surrounded the walls of La Cuerva, blocking any means of escape. I rolled my eyes. Oh, boy, more people were going to die tonight. Not my problem, time for this matador to make her exit. 

          As the Navy men settled down in their rehearsed spots, the brawl died down. People stopped punching and started cleaning everything up, making it look presentable for our new guests. The Navy controlled the citizens of the town – most of which had previously participated in the brawl. If people did not adhere to the Navy’s iron fist, there would be fines charged and executions held the next morning. 

          My appetite for their blood had died down. I sighed. I might as well go back to my ship and see what my mates found in their own little raid while I was here doing my own thing, I thought. They were being tested.

          I saw an opening near the bar table. I tiptoed, almost out the door when suddenly a knife landed on the wooden exterior. I grabbed the handle of it, it was in deep – whoever had thrown it had the intent to kill.

          I turned around, glaring at my next prey. His form stood out from all the rest. A pair of green eyes met my dark ones. His hair was in elegant dark curls matting around his cap. I smirked. Years of Navy training had done him well, I thought.

          “Give it up, Zea, you won’t be getting out of here, alive, that is.” His voice resonated around the room.

          If I was a pansy, I would have bowed down to the scum that it belonged to. I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand, and was a little surprised to see blood. The knife must have grazed my cheek as it zoomed by. I looked up at the Navy man. He may be big and intimidating, but that didn’t frighten me. Nunca. Never in his lifetime.

          My glare softened into a smirk, eventually into a smile.       

          “Gabriel Slaymaker, ¿Cómo estás? Good, I hope? I see you’re doing all the work, like always.” I slowly walked up and patted the Navy man’s shoulder. “It’s perfectly fine to be a pansy cowering behind your superiors. It’s not a lifestyle, but a choice.” I gave him the thumbs up. 

          He did not like that, at all. His stoic face turned grim. “Imelda Alvidez, you’re under arrest for piracy of the Sea, namely all the Spanish ports in the Caribbean." He brought out a fancy looking paper from his regal uniform, adjusting his thick glasses that framed his face. He was careful, making sure to not get his new Navy Lieutenant uniform dirty. I see someone got a promotion, I thought as I inspected his stark uniform.

          “You raided the Spanish colonies of Cartagena, Havana, Santiago de Cuba, San Juan, Panama City, Maracaibo, and Santo Domingo. You and your crew murdered up to hundreds, if not thousands of innocents along the way in your pathetic voyages. You are ruthless, barbaric, and have a death wish of a million souls. Need I go on?” One of his eyebrows shot up in boredom.

          “Oh, yeah! Good times, good times. Though, you forgot Tortuga, wonderful place by the way. The area is fun land itself. You can drink all the rum and ale you want. You can bed many voluptuous woman, doesn’t that sound like a good time, Mr. Sailor? With all these rumors around about the Navy, you can finally prove them wrong by getting laid.” I whistled. “Slaymake-“

          He wasn’t humored. “That’s the last time you call me that, Zea!” He snarled. “It’s Lieutenant Slaymaker to you; I won’t have you disrespecting me in front of my men. You’re going too far, and you’re supposed to be a lady.” He scoffed. “All I see is a lass who doesn’t have anything better to do than defile her glorious father’s name. I am disgusted with you.” He spat.

          My face turned expressionless, eyeing his every move for an attack. He was right where I wanted him to be, on the defensive. From the looks of it, they were carrying guns. The time it took to prepare those things was long enough for me to make a run for it. I couldn’t even have a civilized conversation with this moron.

          My jaw ticked. Fine, uncivilized Imelda it is.

           I smiled. “That’s good and all.” I unsheathed my sword. The men around me took out their guns from behind their backs, but with Slaymaker’s command they dropped their act. Wait for the opportune moment. New method, I liked it.

          “I’m all for respect.” I swung the sword around. “But, what if the other person who demands respect, doesn’t reciprocate?” Slaymaker was baffled.

          “¿Gato te comió la lengua? You know, my father always taught me a motto to go by. ‘Give a penny, take a penny.’ And, as daddy’s little girl, I must obey him, right? So, before I kill you slowly, I would like to say this.” I coughed, clearing my throat. “You’re a bitches’ man.”

          I changed my stance on the ready, crouching and alert to kill anyone who stood in my way.

          “Who’s first?” I hissed. “You want respect? Well, this is me giving it to you. I’ll be merciful and send you to hell in one slice!”

          My scowl turned mischievous as I heard wheels forcibly turning from a distance, the object they were carrying was too heavy for them to handle. I steadied myself, drawing back my sword, ready for what was to come.

          My Calvary had arrived. 

          “Actually, gentlemen, this is where I take my leave. Looks like you all got lucky not to face my wrath.” I smirked, putting on my hood and bowed. “See you around!” I put my hands on my ears. Everyone looked at me like I had gone mad. Mad enough to know how to escape these goons, that’s for sure.

           A crash coursed through the farthest wall of the bar. Smoke enveloped the space.  Everyone started to panic, exaggerating their blindness. The citizens ran around like a hive of bees. A few of them ran into Slaymaker and caught him off guard. His eyes were searching for me through the smoke.

          Better now than later, I took this opportunity and followed the sounds of canon bombs breaking the walls. I had to time it right or I’d become minced meat. 

          Another canon shot again, smoke forming with the debris.

          Uno…

          Dos…

          Tres!

          The canon balls stopped their firing and I made my escape through the damage it made, running through the gaping hole, my arms shieding my face. I disappeared into the smoke. Another set broke out and this time it was hitting everyone in the bar. Good thing, I was already out of there.

          I ran right to the docks – right where I needed to be. I smiled. My ship visible through the mist of the Caribbean Sea.

          “Not so fast! We have unfinished business, perra.” From the smoke, I could picture Slaymaker’s form. He followed me out here. “Stop being a little sneak and come with me for your trial. You are charged for these things and you must pay the ultimate price!”

          I giggled. “Thanks, but no thanks!” I turned away from him, about to run when I heard him coming.

          It was too late. I felt the earth shift, my face hitting the ground. I gritted my teeth. He had me at a disadvantage. I was under his bulky form. How much did he even weigh?

          “Get off me!” I growled, struggling under him.

          “No, you’re coming with me, once and for all. Then, I’ll be promoted to Captain instead of him.” It felt like he was talking to himself. No, he was talking to himself. For a moment, he had a crazed look in his eye.

          “I see all those times you failed to catch me made you a little loco.” I stopped struggling. It was no use anyway. I just had to think fast and increase my strenght training when I got out of this mess. Wait until I get my hands on him.

          I will kill him. The thought amused me, but it didn’t get this buffoon off me.   

          “Don’t smile!” he struck my cheek. I felt a welt forming beneath the graze from earlier, but I offered him the other one.

          “Go ahead. Do it again, I dare you. It’ll be the last move you’ll ever make.” I spat, maneuvering to get my sword ready. If he struck me again, I wouldn’t hesitate. It would give me the leverage to get him off me, my weapon itching to get a glance of his internal organs.

          I heard rustling from the trees. I looked up and saw her feet hanging on a branch like a ninja. She was hanging upside down, arms folded with grace and her light hair cascading the air like a brown mist. She looked at my wounded cheek, her hazel eyes turning serious. She nodded, waiting for my command. I winked at her.

          She brought a dagger out and hit Slaymaker right on his pressure point. No matter how many times I told  this lass to kill her prey, she just goes for the location where she can knock them out. And, she does it every time. Fe Luna, you amaze me with your mercy, I internally shook my head.

          Slaymaker was getting ready to take me up on my offer, but his body grew rigid and a sudden grunt came from his lips. He landed on top me. Well, this wasn’t supposed to happen. I squirmed under him, and rolled until I got on top of him. I shot up and dusted myself off.

          “Thanks for the help, Fe.” I said. “You can come down now.” She did as she was told.

          “I thought you’d be in trouble, Captain. Perdón for ruining your fun.” She slumped and averted her gaze to anywhere, but mine.

          I grabbed her by the shoulders.  “There is no apology needed, muchacha. You made the escape easier.”

          Her mouth grew into a tiny line, her way of a smile. I sighed. “We’ll work on that” I motioned to her mouth.

          She set it into a bored expression, again.

          I’ve known her for many years, yet she won’t show me a real smile. Then, again, we are Pyrates – smiles were rarer than the greenest of emeralds.

          I smiled anyway, because I escaped, again.

          I nodded at Fe and said,  “Now that that’s done, let’s go! Let’s see what my crew got for their Captain while she was out wrecking havoc.”