Cheng Li frowned. "And you know this how?"
There was no time to waste. Connor reached out his hand and dropped the envelope on Cheng Li's desk. "Stukeley came to see me," he said. "He brought me this invitation."
Cheng Li unfolded the letter and slipped on her reading glasses. Her brow furrowed as she read Sidorio's words. Then she set the letter down, locked her hands together, and rested her chin on them. "It appears we have a situation," she said.
Connor nodded. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."
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"When did Stukeley deliver this?"
"The night before last. At Bart and Cate's send-off at the Full Moon Saloon. I went out the back to get some air, and he was waiting for me there on that scuzzy beach."
Cheng Li frowned.
"I know I should have told you right away," Connor said. "I'm really sorry."
Cheng Li gazed at him. "You're right, Connor. You should have. But doubtless you had good reason not to. I'm just grateful that I found out before my next encounter with that stuffed shirt, Ahab Black."
Connor was amazed how well she was taking the news. Their mission, which had been so meticulously planned, and for which praise had been heaped so lavishly upon both Cheng Li and her crew, was now revealed to be a failure. Connor frowned. His own actions had deprived Cheng Li of twenty-four hours of valuable thinking time.
Suddenly she stood up and reached for her satchel. Was that it? Was she leaving already?
"I'm really sorry," he repeated.
"Do stop apologizing," Cheng Li said, lifting her satchel over her shoulder. "And wipe that sad look off your face. The nature of this mission is constant flux, Connor. This was inevitable. We are not dealing with any regular enemy."
Connor was puzzled by her balanced reaction. "What will you tell them?" he asked.
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"I don't know," Cheng Li said, pushing open the cabin door. "You can help me work that out on the way."
Suddenly, the penny dropped. "You want me to come with you to your meeting?"
"Try eating fish for breakfast, Connor," said Cheng Li. "It should make you sharper in the mornings. Come on, we're now officially ten minutes late. This taxi sailor had better be on top of his navigation."
As the taxi boat skimmed the ocean, Connor found himself calmed by the small craft's smooth and rapid motion and its proximity to the water. It was a warm morning, and the ocean spray was refreshing on his face and arms. He and Cheng Li were sitting at the opposite end of the vessel to the driver, where they could talk further without being overheard. Nevertheless, for the first part of the journey, both passengers were silent, as if they had all the time in the world simply to enjoy the scenery and mull over their private thoughts.
"So"--Cheng Li broke the silence--"this invitation from Sidorio and Lady Lola. Are you thinking of accepting it? Is that why you kept it to yourself?"
Connor shook his head. "No," he said honestly. "No, it's the last place I want to go, and they're the very last people I want to spend time with."
Cheng Li lifted her sunglasses for a moment. "Don't be
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too hasty, Connor. There are no rights or wrongs here. After what we discovered about your parentage, I'd say that both of us, but you especially, are sailing in uncharted waters."
Connor frowned. She could have picked another time to be so uncharacteristically understanding. What he needed from her now was the typical Cheng Li response, full of certainties--do this, don't do this--not this new, hippy-dippy laissez-faire attitude. If anything made him feel he was in uncharted waters, it was this.
"I know Sidorio is my blood father," Connor said. "And I know that that makes me different. I'm not happy about it--far from it--but I'll work through it. Whatever--and however long--it takes. I'm so grateful for your support. I don't want to enter into their world. I want to be here. Surrounded by my friends and comrades, in the world I know."
"Hmm." Cheng Li slipped down her shades and considered his words. "The thing is, Connor, you really are between Scylla and Charybdis. I hear what you are saying about your friends and comrades, but the fact is we are on a mission to destroy the Vampirates--at least the renegade Vampirates, including Sidorio, Lola, and Stukeley. You have to think through whether you can still be part of that mission, when your loyalties may be divided and your effectiveness compromised."
Connor felt his blood rise. "My loyalties aren't divided," he said angrily. "Not one bit. They mean nothing to me.
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Less than nothing. I want them destroyed every bit as much as you do. Probably more." He stared Cheng Li directly in the eyes. "I'm ready to see the destruction of every last Vampirate and to play my part in it. You have to believe me."
"I do believe you," Cheng Li said, reaching out her hand to his shoulder, and lowering her voice. "But you need to be clear about this. Even if our mission is successful and we take out every last one of them, that won't change your genetic makeup, Connor. You will still be a dhampir--as will Grace--and Sidorio will still be your father." Her tone was soft, sympathetic even, but her words stabbed at him like a freshly sharpened sword.
"I'll deal with that," he said. "First, let's destroy them. Then I'll have all the time in the world to work through my identity crisis."
"All right," Cheng Li said. "If you're sure. But make no mistake, if you're on my side in this mission, then I expect you to do everything I ask of you. I can't make any exceptions for you on account of our secret."
"I don't want any special treatment," Connor said. "I'm one hundred percent committed to the mission. All I'm asking is that you keep my secret from the others. Until I'm ready to tell them." He dropped his head. "If that day ever comes."
Cheng Li extended her hand. "You have a deal," she said.
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Connor took her hand and shook it. He was trembling with emotion, but he felt her firm hand enclose his and squeeze it tightly. It steadied him, and he felt his heart rate beginning to slow down at last.
A shout came from the other end of the boat. "Look, boss! There's the Pirate Academy arch. I got you here with a good twenty minutes to spare." The sailor opened his mouth and grinned a toothless grin. "I hope you're a generous tipper, Captain Li."
As Cheng Li and Connor stepped out onto the familiar landing at Pirate Academy, Connor sighed deeply, letting go of some of the stress he'd been carrying since Stukeley's visit. He felt better for his talk with Cheng Li. She was there for him, just as she had always been since the night she had rescued him from the raging ocean.
"Come on," she said, striding ahead up the hill. "Let's not keep Black waiting." She waved to the diminutive figure of Lisabeth Quivers, who was standing on the terrace at the top of the hill. Quivers was one of the former pirate captains who now played a key role both within the academy faculty and in the Pirate Federation. Connor had little love for the majority of the teachers here, but he felt a certain warmth toward Quivers, who seemed to have a more fully developed human side than her colleagues.
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Connor increased his pace to catch up with Cheng Li. "Have you worked out what you're going to tell Commodore Black and the Federation?" he asked.
"Just about," she said with a nod. "I'm sure the rest will come to me once we're in the room. Just remember what you agreed to before, Connor. To do everything I ask of you."
Connor nodded soberly. "I remember, Captain. I won't let you down."
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13 AN AUDIENCE WITH THE FEDERATION
Cheng Li knocked briskly on the paneled door of the headmaster's study.
" Entrez! " called a familiar voice. The door opened and Captain René Grammont ushered them inside.
"Cheng Li and Mister Tempest. Bienvenue! Welcome back to your old stomping ground." Captain Grammont kissed Cheng Li on each cheek. "And one more for luck, n'est-ce pas? "
Then he extended his hand and gave Connor an eye-wateringly firm handshake. There was something reassuringly old-fash
ioned about René Grammont, from his ruddy, immaculately shaven cheeks to the soft smell of pipe tobacco that mingled with his lime cologne.
"Congratulations on succeeding John as headmaster,"
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Cheng Li said, stepping deeper into the study. "I know it's what he would have wanted."
" Merci ," Captain Grammont said, smiling with pride. "It is a great honor for me to build on all the incroyable work John put in here."
"You were with him every step of the way," Cheng Li said. "I'm sure it will be the most seamless of transitions."
"You're too kind!" René Grammont's blue eyes twinkled. "How well you look. And of course, you are doing such great things with your young crew. Everyone at the academy, and in the Federation too, is very much in awe of your recent exploits."
Cheng Li bowed her head modestly. Connor couldn't help but wonder if the powers that be would be quite so awed when Cheng Li revealed that Operation Black Heart had not, after all, been one of the most successful campaigns in Federation history. Hopefully, they would take the news in their stride, as Cheng Li had done. But although René Grammont might very well be sympathetic and supportive, it was anyone's guess how the enigmatic Commodore Ahab Black, his senior officer in the Pirate Federation, would react.
Captain Grammont glanced at his highly polished fob watch. " Alors, much as I'd like to sit and have a chin-wag with you both, I suppose we really should get a move on."
"Indeed," Cheng Li said. "Where are we meeting Commodore Black?"
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Grammont raised an eyebrow. "In the vaults," he said.
"The vaults?" Cheng Li didn't mask her surprise.
"He's stepped up security to level six," Captain Grammont explained. "Come on; I'll lead the way."
Connor and Cheng Li had previously accessed the academy vaults through a secret door in the floor of the Rotunda. They had made the journey down there to visit the Federation's secret study filled with research materials and artifacts relating to the Vampirates. This time, a more direct route was revealed as Captain Grammont leaned forward to a silver globe and spun it three times on its axis. As he did so, behind the globe, one of the leather wall panels swung open, revealing a dimly lit spiral staircase.
Captain Grammont held open the wall panel, allowing the others to enter first. "I do hope neither of you has dust allergies," he said, brushing a cobweb out of his perfectly groomed hair.
The spiral staircase led down to a familiar subterranean corridor with a number of identical doors on either side. Connor glanced at the door numbered 8. Behind it lay the cache where they had slaved long and hard in their mission to research the Vampirates' vulnerabilities. They had emerged with what they had hoped was a foolproof plan. Events had unfortunately proved otherwise.
Now, though, Captain Grammont led them past this door and on to room 13. He knocked to signal their presence, waited a moment, and then pushed open the door.
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He crossed the threshold first, signaling Cheng Li and Connor to follow. As they entered the dark room, Captain Grammont formally announced them: "Captain Li and Mister Tempest of The Tiger ." The door swung closed behind them with a snap.
Room 13 was, like the other rooms in the vaults, poorly lit. The air felt thicker down here, colder, too, as if you were underwater. Dust mites floated in front of Connor's eyes. He looked beyond them to the long table that extended along the length of the room. It was covered with papers, as well as carafes of water and bowls of fruit. Commodore Black was at the far end. He stood up to welcome the new arrivals, the most minimal of smiles forming under his trim mustache. Connor gazed at Black's one visible eye, which shone more violet than ever in the gloom. His other eye was, as usual, shielded by a patch.
Connor had been under the impression that Cheng Li was expecting a one-on-one meeting with Commodore Black. Evidently, this was not the case. Ranged along both sides of the table were all the other members of staff at Pirate Academy, each serving a dual role as high-ranking officers within the Federation. Connor followed Cheng Li toward the table, casting his eyes over the familiar faces. On the left side of the table sat Pavel Platonov, Shivaji Singh, Francisco Moscardo, and Apostolos Solomos. On the opposite side sat Floris van Amstel, Kirsten Larsen, Wilfred Avery, and Lisabeth Quivers, who had evidently made a swift descent from the academy
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terrace. The captains all greeted Cheng Li and Connor. Clearly, Connor's presence at the meeting had not been expected, but no one seemed perturbed that he was there. Indeed, Captain Platonov himself sprang to his feet and drew forward an extra chair. Thinking back to his first encounter with arch-disciplinarian Captain Platonov, Connor realized just how far his stock within the Federation, and the pirate world as a whole, had risen.
Connor sat down next to Cheng Li at the near end of the long table. Captain Grammont went to join Commodore Black at the other end. As Grammont moved, Connor noticed four more high-ranking pirates sitting close to Ahab Black. He could tell from Cheng Li's sudden change of posture that she too had clocked the additional personnel. Before they could comment, Ahab Black called the meeting to order.
"Welcome, Captain Li and Mister Tempest. As you can see, we gather here today with the full staff of Pirate Academy. We are also joined by four celebrated pirates who will be well known to you--Barbarro Wrathe and his wife, Trofie, captain and deputy of The Typhon . And Molucco Wrathe and Cate Morgan, captain and deputy of The Diablo ."
At his words, Cate smiled and raised her hand at her former comrades. The three Wrathes also turned toward Cheng Li and Connor. Surprisingly, they too were smiling.
"Perhaps I should explain," Commodore Black said.
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"That would be useful," Cheng Li said, her voice measured.
Black went on. "I need hardly tell you that the world of piracy is changing fast, Captain Li. As such, we need to strengthen the alliances within the Federation. That means reaching out to talented pirates who have, for one reason or another, parted company with us in recent years." Black glanced at Molucco. "Earlier today, we finalized a deal welcoming Molucco Wrathe back into the fold." Molucco nodded and grinned, running his fingers through his rainbow-colored dreadlocks. As he did so, Scrimshaw, the captain's pet snake, emerged and coiled himself about the captain's arm. Across the table, there was a corresponding ripple in Barbarro Wrathe's dark locks and his own pet snake, Scrimshaw's brother, Skirmish, emerged, slinking down the captain's velvet sleeve.
Ahab Black paused only momentarily at the distraction. "The loss of our colleague John Kuo left a significant gap in the hierarchy of the Federation--a gap that I feel cannot be filled by one person alone. That is why I am delighted to tell you that, as of today, Commodore Barbarro Wrathe and Commodore Molucco Wrathe will be jointly sharing John's former Federation duties. Meet your new commanders, Captain Li."
Cheng Li was speechless. She couldn't seem to take her eyes off Molucco. He was stroking Scrimshaw contempla
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tively but now looked up and smiled at her. "Good to have you working for me, again, Cheng Li."
The still, stale room was filled with an uneasy silence. Finally, Cate spoke. "I think you mean that it's great to have Captain Li working with you again," she said.
"Do I?" responded Molucco, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Barbarro Wrathe took up the baton. "Captain Li, I know my brother and I have had our differences with you in the past. But we're ready to bury the hatchet and come together for the common good. You impressed us all enormously with your work on Operation Black Heart. Not that it was anything less than we expected of you." He shuddered and placed his hand on Trofie's shoulder. "My wife and I had a particularly nasty encounter with that Vampirate monster, Lola Lockwood."
Trofie Wrathe brought her golden hand up to her cheek, the ruby fingernails glinting.
"Your encounter was not quite so tragic as John Kuo's," observed Cheng Li.
"Granted," acknowledged Barbarro. "We w
ere lucky to escape with our lives, but we are deeply appreciative of your work"-- his eyes turned to Connor--"and that of your crew, in ridding our oceans of this vile plague. Now the mission continues. As you know, Molucco and I had a brother, Porfirio. Our dear baby brother. A pirate captain with the brightest, most glorious of futures ahead of him.
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Porfirio was slaughtered by the Vampirates, by this Sidorio, with whom you have previously tangled. Now that you have dispatched the she-devil, we must turn our attention to Sidorio himself. This will be your next mission."
Connor was struck dumb. Things were moving so fast. He thought of his conversation with Cheng Li on the voyage that morning. She had seemed bullish, then. Now, he wondered how on earth she was going to respond.
All eyes were on Cheng Li as she began speaking. "I had anticipated that today's meeting would be a private audience with you, Commodore Black," she said, "but it is always good to see my old teachers, comrades, and friends. Indeed, it is opportune to have you all here today as I have important news, both bad and good, to bring you up to speed on."
Cheng Li's confident tone had captured everyone's attention. Not least of all Connor's. He was still unsure how she was going to play the difficult hand she had been dealt.
"I shall begin with news that I know will be a bitter blow to you all," Cheng Li said. "Lola Lockwood has not been eliminated." There was an immediate chorus of gasps from around the table.
Cheng Li nodded. "I'm afraid it's true. Operation Black Heart was not, as we initially thought, one hundred percent successful."
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