by David Wood
“I’ll be fine,” Bones said loudly.
“I’ll go with him,” Kyle said. “I’ve got a few hours to kill and I know some of the places he hangs out.”
“And the rest of us will get back to work,” Willis announced.
“I don’t need any help,” Bones said hurriedly. “I’m good.”
Kyle reached out and clapped Bones on the shoulder. “It’s cool, Amigo. I’ve been wanting to learn more about our red brothers for a long time now. Like, why do you guys put curry in everything?”
Bones looked to his friends.
“Anybody want to trade jobs? I’ll even say please.”
Everyone just smiled.
13
The Poseidon Resort was a seaside hotel on the island of Andros a short distance from the dock where Sea Foam was tied up. It was painted bright white and shone like a pearl in the morning sun. A statue of the Greek god from which the hotel drew its name guarded the entrance. Poseidon stood on a rock in the middle of a fountain, holding his trident aloft. Bones and Kyle made the short trek, Kyle filling what should have been a quiet walk with inane chatter. Bones let the sound wash over him like white noise. If he stopped listening to the actual words, the sound of the young man’s voice was actually comforting. Kyle feared nothing, worried about nothing, and was curious about everything.
“Yo, Skeleton Man. Did you hear me?”
“What was that?” Bones said, already tired of the clever nickname Kyle had given him.
“Do you think Poseidon was like, a real dude? Not the guy in the cartoon, but the guy from mythology. Do you think he was based on a real person?”
“No idea.” Bones paused at the front door. “Can you wait for me out here?”
Kyle stuck out his thumb and pinky to form the “shaka sign,” commonly known in surfer culture as “hang loose.”
“No problemo. I’m going to sit by the fountain and commune with Poseidon. Or is it Neptune? Which one is which?”
“They’re the same guy,” Bones said over his shoulder as he opened the front door to the resort.
A wave of cold air blasted him as he stepped inside. He was suddenly aware of how much his casual clothing stood out among the business persons milling about in the lobby, but he did not let that deter him. He headed to the concierge desk and flashed his most winning smile at the young woman working there.
“I’m looking for a friend of mine who’s attending a conference here I don’t know the name of the conference, but it’s for corporate recruiters or something like that.” He looked around, then leaned forward and in a stage whisper added, “She left something behind in my hotel room. I think she’ll want it back.” He winked.
The young woman smiled knowingly. “I understand. Luckily, we’re only hosting one conference at the moment. The details are there.” She pointed to a placard on a stand behind him. At the top it read in bold letters, Women in Business Conference. Ballroom C.
He almost skipped as he made his way down the lush, carpeted halls, buoyed as he was by the thought of seeing Thel again. Strangely, he wasn’t thinking of those beautiful eyes, that stunning red hair, or any of her other positive attributes. Instead he was remembering the strange flask and the glorious water inside. His body craved it.
“Get on your game, Bones. There’s a hot chick just down the hallway and you’re thinking about water.”
When he reached the ballroom, the door was standing open. It must have been a break time. Attendees were milling about in small groups, chatting, drinking coffee, and dining on fruit and pastry.
“Can I help you?” The speaker, an attractive brunette in a power suit, made her way over to him. Bones guessed she was about ten years his senior and she moved with a confident grace. Another day and time, he would be trying to get her number, but not today.
“I’m looking for a friend,” he said. “She told me she was attending this conference.”
The woman’s smile flickered. “Oh, I see.” Disappointment rang in her voice. “What’s her name?”
“Thel.” Bones suddenly realized that he not only did not know her last name, but couldn’t remember her actual first name. “It’s short for something Greek. A weird name. I’m drawing a total blank on her last name.”
“Well, I’m the organizer of the conference, and I can tell you we don’t have anyone here by that name, or any name similar to that. It’s a small group. This is everyone.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Do any of them look familiar?”
Bones scanned the crowd again. Thel was not there. He felt his throat clench. He couldn’t summon the words so he merely shook his head.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.” The twinkle in the woman’s eye belied her words. “I’m Lana, by the way.”
“I’m Bones,” he said.
“Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand firmly, then relaxed her grip and covered his big hand in both of hers.
“Oh, don’t look so glum. Do you really expect me to believe you’ve never given a girl a fake name or number?”
He had to laugh at that. “Fair enough. It’s weird that she specifically mentioned the conference here.”
“Maybe she’s a guest here. She saw our sign and used it as a cover story. Maybe if you hang out you’ll bump into her.”
“That’s okay. I can take a hint. It’s weird though. I thought she and I had a pretty good time, but then she got really weird all of a sudden and just left.”
Lana winced. “I hate to say this, but have you considered the possibility that she’s married and she was having a touch of buyer’s remorse? I coordinate events like this all over, and I see it a lot, especially in a remote place like this. You feel like you’re in another world. Then you do something stupid and reality comes crashing down on you.” A brief downcast expression suggested that Lana might be speaking from experience.
Bones had not considered that possibility, but something told him that wasn’t the case. “Maybe,” he said noncommittally.
“Could it have been the girl who disappeared?” someone nearby asked. A short blonde with big teeth and lots of makeup sidled up to them. “I heard that one of the hotel guests went out for an early morning swim and didn’t come back.”
Lana rolled her eyes. “Well that’s just a wonderful thought, Tammy.”
Tammy shrugged. “I’m just saying. It’s not like I hope that’s what happened. Actually, I heard talk at the front desk. Apparently there were a few disappearances last night.”
The words were like a dagger to Bones’ heart. He hadn’t wanted Thel to walk home by herself, but he’d let his anger get the better of him. Why had he just let her go like that?
“One man drowned,” Tammy continued. “He was out for a night swim. His friends were sitting on the dock, watching him, and he just disappeared. They said it was like something just yanked him under the water. One moment he was there, and the next...” She held out her hands, palms up.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest alcohol might have been involved,” Lana said.
Tammy shrugged.
“Listen, I’ve got to go,” Bones said. “Thanks for your time.” Heart sinking, each step seemingly heavier than the one before, he made his way out into the hall.
“Bones, wait.” Lana caught up with him just outside the door and grabbed him by the arm. “Listen, I hope I’m not out of line, but if you don’t find your friend, I’ll be in the hotel bar after six.”
Bones thanked her but said he could make no promises.
“Well, I hope you can work me into your schedule.” She gave his biceps a quick squeeze then returned to her conference.
Despite his disappointment, Bones couldn’t help but watch as she walked away. He loved her confident stride along with several other things about her.
“That,” he said to himself, “is one hell of a woman.”
14
Nassau, Bahamas
The Pirates of Nassau Museum was a wax museum on New Providence near Nassau’s Str
aw Market. Its convenient location made it a popular destination for tourists, especially cruise ship passengers. Maddock and Rae navigated crowds of sunburned families in flip flops and air brushed t-shirts as they browsed the exhibits.
The Quay Side was a model shanty town where museum visitors explored the lamp-lit dockside at twilight. The smells of tar and salt water mingled in the humid air. Throughout the exhibit were signs sharing details about the pirate’s life.
“You almost feel like you’re really there,” Rae said.
They explored a model of the pirate ship Revenge and exhibits devoted to some of the most notorious pirates of the region, including Ann Bonny, Mary Read, and Blackbeard himself, Edward Teach. Maddock couldn’t help but let his mind drift at the sight of the pirate. He could tell these people a few things about Blackbeard’s fate, and the fate of his treasure, but no one would believe him.
Rae glanced at him. “Earth to Maddock.”
“Sorry. Just admiring the wax figure.”
“Come on. Riddick Blackwood is this way, and the guy we’re looking for should be around here somewhere.”
Riddick Blackwood’s wax figure was striking, tall with dark hair and intense brown eyes. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, the corners of his mouth twisted into a permanent smirk.
“He was cute,” Rae said.
“That’s one way to describe a guy who was the scourge of the Caribbean for years.”
Rae shrugged. “I’m just saying.”
The sign that accompanied the exhibit offered no information they didn’t already know. Blackwood hadn’t only preyed upon European ships, but on the native populations. He robbed, kidnapped, murdered, and enslaved the locals for years until his death.
“Excuse me, but are you interested in Blackwood?” A tall, thin man with leathery brown skin and short, almost white hair approached. He wore a three-piece suit and a name tag that read OLIVER LAWSON. This was the person they were looking for.
According to Rae, Lawson was born and raised in the islands and was considered a local expert on pirates and associated legends. She had never met him but knew him by reputation. They hoped he could help them understand the find Maddock and his crew had made.
“We are,” Rae said. She introduced herself as a local professor and learned that she and Lawson had a few mutual acquaintances. They chatted amiably for a few minutes before getting down to the subject at hand. “Do you know much about Blackwood?”
Lawson shrugged. “I suppose I’m considered a local expert. Is there anything specific you’d like to know?”
Maddock really wanted to ask him about the ouroboros and the egg, but thought they should build up to it. A ship and an artifact that appeared to hail from the ancient world lying in the waters off of Andros seemed so improbable that he felt he should ease into the subject by asking about something more commonplace, less controversial. Besides, he still hadn’t given up hope of finding Blackwood’s treasure.
“I’ve done a lot of research about Blackwood, but are there any local legends about him that we might not find anywhere else?” Maddock had done a lot of digging but had found it difficult to find much beyond the stories everyone knew. Even his friend Jimmy Letson, a journalist and hacker, had not been able to find much. Blackwood was an enigma.
Lawson smiled. “This was Blackwood’s old stomping grounds. Well, Cat Island was his home base, but the locals who know the old stories could tell you plenty. You’ll hear all sorts of crazy stories, each one more a little more farfetched than the others.”
“The crazier the better,” Maddock said. If he could guide Lawson into the realms of the absurd, he’d find it easier to bring the discussion around to the actual reason for their visit.
“I guess the craziest one would be that Blackwood is still alive.”
“That would be crazy,” Rae said.
“According to the most commonly accepted story, the one with which you’re probably already familiar, Blackwood was hunted down by the turncoat Benjamin Hornigold. Hornigold and his men tracked Blackwood and his crew to his lair on Cat Island. Blackwood’s crew surrendered, but the captain would not go quietly. They engaged in an epic duel. Blackwood had been wounded in the leg, which was the only reason Hornigold eventually won the fight. He cut off Blackwood’s head to make sure he was really dead, and brought it to the governor, who displayed it in the streets for all to see.”
Maddock nodded. This was precisely the story Jimmy had turned up, although the detail that the fight had taken place on Cat Island was new.
“Is he walking around like the Headless Horseman?” Rae asked.
“According to the legend, the head belonged to one of Blackwood’s crew,” Lawson said. “Few people actually knew what Blackwood looked like. He was so reviled, even among pirates, that he seldom came into port. Most who saw the man up close didn’t survive to tell the story. So, when Hornigold delivered a head matching Blackwood’s general description, the governor was none the wiser.”
“That part of the story is plausible,” Maddock said, “but how is it that he’s still alive today?”
Lawson grinned. “The legend holds that Riddick Blackwood found the Fountain of Youth.”
“In Florida?” Maddock asked. The Fountain of Youth was a legendary spring that supposedly restored the youth and vigor of anyone who drank its waters. There had been plenty such legends over the years, even appearing as far back as the writings of Herodotus in the fifth century BC, and the Alexander Romance, a mostly fictional story of the life of Alexander the Great, written in the third century AD. The legend gained prominence during the Age of Exploration. The most famous name associated with the Fountain was Juan Ponce de León, the first governor of Puerto Rico.
Lawson shrugged. “Ponce de León never mentions the Fountain of Youth in any of his writings. In fact, the legend of Ponce de León searching for the Fountain in Florida seems to have originated with Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo's Historia General y Natural de las Indias, written 1535. It’s been suggested that Oviedo's account may have been politically inspired to generate favor in the courts.”
“If the Fountain isn’t in Florida, where is it?”
“According to the native islanders, the Fountain of Youth can be found in the land of Bimini, a place of health and wholeness.”
“I assume we aren’t talking about the islands we now know as North, South, and East Bimini?” Maddock asked.
Lawson shook his head. “No, but there is a place in North Bimini called The Healing Hole. It’s a pool that can only be accessed through a network of winding tunnels. Underwater channels pump mineral-laden fresh water into the pool. Because this well was carved out of the limestone rock by ground water thousands of years ago it is especially high in calcium and magnesium, a mineral associated with improved longevity and reproductive health.”
“So, if the mythical Bimini actually existed, it could be anywhere,” Rae said.
Lawson nodded. “One native, an Arawak chief named Sequene, was so obsessed with the legend that he took a crew and sailed off in search of it, never to be seen again. But the general consensus is that Bimini is hidden somewhere among the islands, and that Blackwood now guards it.”
“Guards it against what? Or who?”
“Against whom,” Rae said, giving him a nudge with her elbow to show she was teasing.
“Against anyone foolish enough to try and find it.”
“Like the knight who guarded the Holy Grail in the Indiana Jones film?” Maddock asked. It felt odd to be discussing these legends as if they were true.
“More like Smaug the dragon guarding his treasure trove. Blackwood was a greedy man. He wouldn’t want to share something as priceless as the Fountain of Youth with anyone else. Even if there were water to spare, the idea of him alone possessing it for all eternity would have been intoxicating to one such as him.”
“Any idea as to the source of the legend? How did Blackwood come to be associated with the Fountain?” Maddock asked.
“According to legend, he makes an appearance every few decades, probably to stock up on rum and women. He’s been blamed for many disappearances here. Always a beautiful, young college girl, a tourist. Blackwood charms them and takes them back to his lair where they join his immortal harem. The occasional local girl has even been known to blame her surprise pregnancy on Blackwood.” Lawson’s eyes twinkled.
“An immortal pirate with a constant stream of young, beautiful women? Sounds like a story written by a teenage gamer geek.”
“Are you a gamer?” Rae asked.
“No, I was thinking of my crewmate, Corey. He’s the biggest nerd I know.”
“I know it sounds mad,” Lawson said, “but several years back someone actually captured a photograph of a man they claimed was Riddick Blackwood. This man, whoever he was, was one of the last people seen with a particular missing girl. And I have to admit, it looks a great deal like the old paintings of Blackwood.”
Maddock nodded thoughtfully. Too bad Bones hadn’t come along. He loved this sort of thing. Ancient mysteries, far-out legends, and attractive women.
“You said Blackwood was greedy. Any legends about lost treasure or sunken ships?”
“When it comes to Blackwood’s treasure, there are basically two schools of thought: those who say he spent every penny he ever stole, and those who say he hoarded his treasure, either in a hiding place among the islands, or with him at the fountain.”
“How about the wreck of his ship Maelstrom?”
“Only that it was taken down by a sea monster.”
That was interesting.
“Could it have been a creature with a shark’s head and the tentacles of an octopus?” Rae asked.
Lawson quirked an eyebrow. “You’re talking about the Lusca.” When Maddock and Rae exchanged quizzical glances, he went on. “According to legend, the Lusca is a giant octopus with the head of a shark. It lurks in blue holes and hauls people down to their deaths.”
