Bonded by the Sea

by Victoria Mercier

  Chapter 25

  Doctor Dukas

  The Government warship called at the port in Merkas. Doctor Dukas didn’t need to send the troops to say that captain Pembroke’s brig was here. He could see it among the towering warships. What an audacity! If Agent X really botched the job and left the cursed marine alive, then Lord Red will want to have their skins. Doctor feared that his mind-raping ability might not be enough to save his ass. Especially, after the trio of the most prominent scientists the Government employed – Mab Quark, Pronisium and the most enigmatic of all Dinas Affaron – had been able to figure out how his ability worked. Clearly, the Government has been trying to get rid of its special agents. The simple fact that doctor Dukas remained alive meant that either they haven’t made much progress since, or their priorities have changed. Doctor knew that Mab Quark was here in King’s Valley overseeing presumably the Ouroboros project. Where the remaining two were, was the top-secret that doctor possessed no clearance to know.

  Doctor grabbed the railing as the ship neared the bank. Agent X appeared next to him. In the background, two hundred marines bustled about the main deck. It was overkill to man the warship with so many people. The warships of this generation possessed powerful petrol engines and could achieve insane speed. Some in the Navy called them battleships.

  “Doctor Dukas,” Agent X said with a partial amusement. Puzzled, doctor glanced the agent’s way. There was no reason to be in a good mood. Their lives balanced on the edge of the sword. “I’ve received a confirmation that Songless pirates are incarcerated in Merkas. Funny, but captain of this Navy base warned me that this Parime is very dangerous and they plan to execute her in an hour.”

  “What?!” Doctor screeched, then he fixed his posture. “Did you stop them?”

  “I didn’t need to. Though, I entertained a suggestion to spit roast that dirty pirate. Anyway, the base is now under your command. They’ll not make a move unless the order comes from you.”

  “What about Pembroke and his crew.”

  Agent X pursed his mouth. He hesitated for some reason. Something important was on his mind.

  “Speak up, man!” doctor’s nerves were taunted to the very edge. He had a bad feeling about this. Pembroke couldn’t get himself killed that easily. The reports from Blackport came; Pembroke’s and that other marine’s bodies weren’t found. Dukas was more than sure that the second recipient of the Soul Entanglement lived. His death would make her insane. Almost as the reading of her mind left doctor on the verge of sanity.

  “I came to believe that we’d been played here,” Agent X snorted. “You’d planned to lure them to King’s Valley, whereas they lured us here. Why?”

  Doctor’s gaze broke away from the port city laying at the feet of the massive green hill. Agent X’s comment was dangerous. If Pembroke had survived and lured them here, then he must have come up with a plan to beat them. But it’d be a suicide. Attacking the representant of the Government of doctor’s or Agent X’s rank would put a massive bounty on their heads. Not even that pesky admiral could stop it. How could it be that this crew hasn’t been outlawed was beyond doctor’s understanding? They’ve interfered with the Government’s business so many times. It should end with the death of Carbon at Moonfall.

  “No matter if our presence here is because they devised a plan or not. We won’t leave this backwater island unless Pembroke’s crew is in chains. Also, we need that boy.”

  Agent X smiled.

  “I’ll dispatch my agents at once.”

  Doctor didn’t watch him go. That easy-going attitude made him sick. Agent X should possess at least a measure of dignity. The image of the Government must be preserved. No matter if they’d dispose of him because they’ve grown too dependent on doctor Dukas’ power. The Government was the axis of this world. Without it, islands would revert to their short-sighted feuds. Pirates once more would take in possession the seven seas and the age of wonders and discovery would cease. Obviously, doctor wanted to live, but he also understood the crucial role of his employer.

  The engines roared for the last time and the ship with a jolt came to a soft stop. They docked. In a couple of minutes, the agents would enter the city. Interrogations would begin.

  “Sir,” lieutenant Siber approached doctor. “How many marines would you like to take with you to the Navy base?”

  The Navy marines and the Government marines shared similar duties, but the latter answered directly to special agents, not the Navy admiral or captains. And of course, their uniforms were sharper, made of tougher materials and gray in color.

  “I’m not going to the base yet. The pirates must wait. We’ll head to Pembroke’s ship. I want the ship searched. Dismantled if necessary.”

  “Yes, sir,” lieutenant hesitated. “But how many marines should I ready?”

  Doctor considered diving into lieutenant’s mind. Ripping it apart, then leave the message, but the pleasant thoughts evaporated with the return of Agent X.

  “A hundred.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Lieutenant hastily walked away.

  “I thought you’ll join your agents in the search.”

  Agent X tipped the black hat that gave him an idiotic cowboy look, then he had jumped high in the air, causing the wood snap under pressure, then he flew away with his phantom wings. But… no. That idiot flies to the ship.

  Doctor let go of the metal railing. Two imprints of his palms remained. Doctor, oblivious to the effect of his own strength, ran down to the port. Agent X would botch everything again. This issue required a sophisticated hand.

  Lieutenant was in process of forming rows of the marines when doctor jumped on the flagstone. The city officials hurried toward him, but he waved to lieutenant to take care of them. He needed to get to the ship.

  Chapter 26

  Pace

  “He lied.” That much Pace expected from his captain, but he had lied to him. This made Pace’s temper going wild.

  The argument has been going for days. On captain’s birthday, Pembroke told Pace that he’d sorted the deadly disease a long time ago and all that talk about promoting Pace to captain’s position had been a joke.

  “Be quiet, kid,” doctor More warned him. “Captain gave me permission to use my nastiest salves on you. If you won’t stop blathering, I’ll use them. Understood?” He already inquired about the vial he had given to Pace. It still lay tucked on the shelf. Pace didn’t trust this old geezer. Mist told him some disturbing stories.

  “Like hell, I will.”

  “You must work on your mannerism.”

  Suddenly, the old geezer’s face changed. From being annoyed, he switched to being more annoyed. Whatever happened it has nothing to do with Pace.

  “They’re here.” Another liar. Doctor said he didn’t believe in the Soul Release. There was no way to know—.

  “PEMBROKE!” Never mind. A shout that made Pace’s skin turn into gooseflesh. He remembered this voice. It belonged to the man in the black from Blackport. The man who took Ines. Without regard for the pain and the doctor’s screams of terror who had almost come in contact with Pace’s uncovered hand, Pace shot to his feet, then barged through the door and ran to the main deck.

  She isn’t here. She’s away. Alive, but away. But he took her. This fucker.

  In the middle of the ship stood the same man who had taken her. When their eyes met, the man offered him an arrogant smile.

  “So, you survived, boy. We can safely assume that Pembroke did as well. Wasn’t he the one who rescued you? Of course, he was.”

  The man in the black made a step toward Pace. At first, Pace had flinched then his courage returned, drenched in rage. This man took her from him. He’d pay for this.

  “Fight me, fucker.”

  Pace made a step toward him.

  “Go on! Are you afraid of me?”

  The man’s mouth pursued, and his smile disappeared. He looked around slightly confused. Then cursed. He didn’t like this. Yes, he sensed a trap
.

  When the hollow steps sounded to Pace’s right, for a second he’d thought that captain and commander returned. But the man in the sunglasses and expensive-looking black suit was a total stranger to him.

  “Agent X, what the hell have you been thinking?”

  Agent X? Oh, yes. Now, Pace remembered. They were talking about this man. He’s been chasing captain for years. Who was the other one?

  “Relax, doctor,” Agent X said regaining his careless attitude. “That’s the brat we’re after.” He pointed at Pace.

  They were after him? Why? Ah, of course. The Soul Entanglement. They wanted both. Him and Ines. Pace’s instincts screamed to run. He didn’t move an inch. On the entire ship only remained him, crazy doctor and Purp who was a very hard man to track down, when needed.

  “That must be a mistake,” Pace said playing a dumb waving his hands around. “I think, I’m on the wrong ship.” He rushed toward the stairs to the lower deck, but a hand fell on his shoulder and spun him around at the same time.

  “We aren’t making mistakes like this,” Agent X said lifting Pace up. It was his chance. Pace faked a struggle, then smashed his fist into the man’s face. The force of the punch would down a bull. But that wasn’t the plan. Pace still carried the disease and Agent X looked way older than twenty-one.

  “That one is for you!”

  The force of the hit threw Agent X away. Cracks appeared on the deck. The man with mustaches covered his face with his hands. Doctor lowered his sunglasses; he couldn’t comprehend what just happened. A little marine just defeated a powerful agent of the Government, how? Think about this old man. Pace smiled at doctor hoping to scare him off.

  “Get out of the ship, if you want one as well,” Pace said waving his fist. Doctor’s brows knitted together. He put the sunglasses back.

  “I see,” doctor said.

  Strange, but the older man didn’t seem scared. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that Agent X was still breathing. Shouldn’t he drop dead?

  “Where is Ines, old man?” Pace asked though he knew the answer. He just couldn’t stop himself.

  Doctor flinched being called an old man.

  “Soon, you’ll join her,” he noted with satisfaction. “Unless she’ll die before.”

  Dead before? Pace’s heart stopped from the terror of that vision. The spark of rage exploded into a firestorm inside him.

  She. Won’t. Be. Killed.

  Pace rushed toward the old man, and even when something smashed into him, he didn’t wince. The force sent him flying. He crushed against the wooden wall. Planks snapped and Pace found himself inside captain’s quarter. Now left deserted. Sorry, cap. Pain surged, but the rage still burned bright inside him. He banished the agony and stood up. The wound in his chest opened and began bleeding. It didn’t matter. He had a man who had taken her.

  Pace stepped outside again.

  It was a shock to see Agent X standing straight and alive. So, he used the Soul Release as well. This was going to be tough.

  “I guess, doctor More did his job healing it. Pestilence’s virus still resides in your body, but it’s weak. I destroyed it before it could kill me. That was smart on your part, but the game is over.”

  “I’m a member of the Navy. You have no power here.”

  “Yes. I remember. You said something similar. Something like she was under the Navy protection… and where is the Navy, now?” He mocked him.

  A sound of running and shouts had reached them, and they turned their heads to find the rows of marines in the gray uniforms. The man with lieutenant’s insignia came onboard, and Pace decided to use diplomacy for once. He was screwed anyway.

  “Lieutenant, what is this? We’re the Navy here…”

  Lieutenant’s gaze didn’t linger longer than a second on Pace. He approached doctor and gave him a quick report.

  “Where is the rest of the crew?”

  “Do you really think, I’ll tell you?”

  “Search the ship,” doctor commanded.

  The pain had finally caught up and defeated his defenses wreaking havoc inside his body. Pace leaned on the part of the remaining wall.

  When two dozen of the marines disappeared beneath the deck, doctor strode to Pace.

  “You’ll tell me where Pembroke and the rest are. I presumed, that your captain came up with a cunning plan, but he didn’t foresee me here.”

  For the last time Pace had gathered all the strengths he possessed and jumped toward doctor. He didn’t see the fist that knocked him out.

  Chapter 27

  Pembroke

  The same day, somewhere in the hill overseeing Merkas

  Captain finished the large piece of meat. The wild boar’s taste was unsurpassed. On his right slept Mist, though it was just afternoon. His head clung to a wooden block. On the other side of the fire sat Riss, embracing her legs. She watched the dancing flames. Farther away, between trees stood Kinson. Commander hasn’t spoken to captain since he’d revealed his plan to use Parime to lure her brother to King’s Valley. Kinson had threatened to inform admiral about this insane idea, but Pembroke hid the Call Sphere. If admiral learned about this, Pembroke would end up in chains.

  Ed and John should be already back from their escapade into the city. Pembroke could see the Government warship from their vantage point. He saw Agent X flying to his ship. He assumed that Pace and doctor More were already in the hands of the Government. Both of them knew the false plan where Pembroke and the rest of the crew hoped to steal a ship and sail to King’s Valley before their return. On his way back he’d break out Pace and doctor. But the agenda was unrealistic. Agent X or not, the defenses of King’s Valley would require going all out, anyway.

  A rustle. Captain’s head snapped in the direction and he found Purp strolling toward them casually.

  “Are they taken?”

  “Yes.”

  “But there is a complication.”

  Riss’ head turned toward him.

  “What complication?”

  “I couldn’t check on him, but Agent X called him ‘doctor’. I can only assume who it was.”

  “Dukas,” Riss hissed. “That old bastard.” Her fists clenched.

  The history between these two was long and dark. Dukas had used his Forbidden Gift to interrogate her father presumably causing the heart attack that killed him the next day. It was vice admiral’s will to the Government lock him up and ask questions about Helios. A place already wiped from the cards of history. Since then she’s clashed with the special agent many times. She only managed to scar his eye. Riss was the reason he wore sunglasses now. If he was here, she…

  Pembroke looked around. Riss’s seat was empty. She left already.

  “Wake up Mist!” Pembroke shouted. “Why didn’t you stop her Purp?”

  Purp expression morphed into a state of shock. He didn’t see her go. This girl, though older than Pembroke, was way more reckless.

  “I didn’t see her go, cap. You know she’s too swift.”

  Mist groaned; his words unintelligible.

  “Mist! Wake up!”

  Commander stepped into the circle of their temporary camp. He scowled in his typical manner. After bombarding Purp with stern looks, he glared at Pembroke.

  “Why are you going to do? She’ll ruin your plan.”

  “Oh, don’t be like this, Kinson. Mist, wake up!” Captain had stood up and kicked the lieutenant.

  Mist groaned smashing his head against a tree, snapping it in half.

  “Ouch.”

  “Purp, go after Riss and try to stop her. But don’t let her kill you.”

  He shook his head in astonishment. Captain knew it was rather impossible, but someone needed to slow her down. If Riss reached the special agent… she’d try to kill him. They’d destroy half of the city in the process. We won’t get a chance to put a step in King’s Valley, unless in chains.

  “Purp, why are you still here?” commander asked when Purp lingered around. Kinson�
��s walking stick rapped the ground. The marine understood the cue perfectly. He turned and was gone from sight. He shared the strange talent with Riss, but she was many times stronger than him

  “What happened?” Mist asked stretching his muscles. “One moment I dreamed of Virgin Islands packed with virgins, the next I woke up kissing a tree.”

  “Dukas is in the city.”

  “Quiet, cap, Riss might… where is she by the way?”

  “On her way to kill him,” commander explained fixing the walking stick back to the belt. “With every second we waste here, we’re farther away from the plan. I say we call admiral before we move against the Government.”

  “Kinson,” captain waved him away. “You’re always full of dramatic choices. If we call admiral, then I’d have to disobey him once more. I can’t do it. There is a limit on how many times I can break rules and not end up in chains. I’m not Carbon.”

  “You don’t have guts to be him,” commander grunted. “And don’t smirk at me. Admiral explicitly told you to not interfere with the Government this time, he agreed to an investigation without any sort of contact.”

  “Oh, he doesn’t need to know everything.” Pembroke raised his hands and made a stupid face. The one, he always has made when someone found him guilty. He understood how close to the edge of being outlawed they walked. The dark legacy left by vice admiral followed them all over the Seven Seas. There hasn’t been a man or a woman who hated and loved Carbon to some degree. This particular vice admiral openly stood up against the Government and other admirals. He fought the Devils of the Sea when had been commanded not to; had saved thousands of lives when the Navy and the Government didn’t care. Pembroke wished, he’d been there from the beginning to see all the feats done by the man who had saved and adopted him.

  It seemed the time has come to continue the legacy of the hero. Captain faced Kinson and without a trace of amusement said, “I may not be vice admiral, but even Carbon wasn’t always vice admiral. We have our own legacy to build. I won’t stand idle when people die because of the Government shady business and the Navy's fear of being disavowed. They might own our pockets, but they don’t own our souls. Haven’t you remained with the crew Kinson because you’ve believed that I’ll carry vice admiral’s will? And you Mist? Hasn’t this been your goal? To fight those who hurt innocent people, without regard if they’re pirates, the Government or even the Navy. We’ve sworn to uphold vice admiral legacy by building our own.”