The Devil's Tide

by Tomerlin, Matt

  "Whose crew was it that turned to murderous mutiny?" Kate said, glancing at the ceiling for the answer. She looked at him pointedly. "Oh, wait, I just remembered. It was yours."

  "That's very funny," he replied stolidly.

  Kate unlocked the cell, and Hornigold's men spilled out, one after the other. Harrow, Bastion, Dumaka, Laurent, Clemens, Elegy, Fat Farley, Billie, and finally Avery. Of the nine, Avery was the only one who didn't thank Kate. "You're welcome," she told him anyway. He grunted.

  "Let's waste no more time," Dillahunt said. They started down the long, winding passage. Kate took point, insisting she remembered the way. Dillahunt was secretly glad for that, because he had no idea which forks they had taken on the way into the dungeon. These tunnels all looked the same. Everything looked familiar and unfamiliar. It gave him a headache to think about it.

  "Have you seen Calloway?" he finally asked Kate. He had been terrified she would have an answer, but he had to know.

  Kate glanced over her shoulder as they passed a sconce, and the light of the flame lined her grim expression. "I don't think she's alive, Guy."

  He nodded. They didn't speak of Calloway again.

  The journey through the tunnel seemed longer than before, and Dillahunt started to get nervous. He glanced at Kate, but she betrayed no signs of uncertainty, so he didn't question her. The loud blasts had ceased, with only an occasional crack of gunfire.

  Harrow and Laurent started to bicker about whether or not they were ever going to find an exit. Dillahunt hushed them.

  They came to a fork in the tunnel, heard a bloodcurdling shriek from one passage, and quickly took the opposite. Finally, light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Dillahunt stopped, and he felt Hornigold's men crowding at his flank.

  "Right then," said Harrow. "Why did we stop?"

  "I pause to assess the situation," Dillahunt murmured.

  Clemens looked puzzled. "What's his ass got to do with the situation?"

  Dillahunt progressed cautiously, the light growing larger and brighter. When they came to the end, Dillahunt brushed past Kate to move in front. She smirked at him. He emerged into the post dawn light, stepping onto a slim walkway. A dead pirate with a slit throat was slumped over the walkway, the lower half of his body resting in the water. Dillahunt nudged the corpse with the tip of his boot and watched it slide into the water. He motioned for the others to follow, and they made their way to the eastern dock. Bodies were scattered everywhere. Thin trails of smoke wafted from several discarded pistols. Dillahunt picked up a sword, and everyone else followed suit, including Kate. Like she knows how to use that, Dillahunt inwardly scoffed.

  Crusader remained at the dock, waiting to be claimed. The schooner across the way had been burned, and only its charred mast and upward tilted bow jutted from the water.

  Beyond the schooner, hanging ten feet above the western dock, was the naked, mutilated body of a woman with long black hair. Her arms were stretched over her head, wrists bound together by a rusty chain that was nailed to the cliff face eight feet above. Her limbs were awkwardly tilted, and a jagged white bone jutted from her right shin. Her left foot was tilted inward, the ankle twisting around like a spiral of rope. Pieces of wood stuck out of her belly. Her contorted face was caked in blood, cheeks split open, jaw angled sideways. She stared blankly down at the dock through glassy, red eyes. A thick pool of blood had formed below her, but she had long since stopped leaking.

  A shudder ran through Dillahunt. The body was so pulverized beyond recognition that for a terrible moment he thought it might have been Calloway, until Kate's impassive, raspy voice relieved his horror. "Annabelle," she said.

  He sighed in relief, but that didn't make the sight any less gruesome. He pulled his eyes from the corpse. "Charles Vane is a monster."

  Kate was chewing on her lip, and Dillahunt realized she was wrestling against a smile.

  "Shame," Clemens chimed in. "Waste of a fine pair of teats." Everyone stared at him, and he shrugged innocently. "You're all thinkin' it."

  Dillahunt returned his gaze to the eastern dock. Vane's brigantine was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Ranger?"

  Kate shrugged and looked away. "Looks like Vane escaped."

  "The dog is surely dead by now," Dillahunt snorted.

  Kate smirked wistfully. "Something tells me he's not."

  A few men moved about Crusader's deck. Their swords were bloody, their expressions sadistic. Teach's men were always easy to spot. "Only three," Dillahunt whispered to the others.

  "That we can see," Avery replied.

  "More in the hold, maybe," said Dumaka.

  Dillahunt grunted. "Then kill these three fast, and set upon anyone that comes out of that hold."

  "Yes, captain," Harrow replied with a vigorous gleam in his eye. "Haven't killed anything in quite some time."

  Dillahunt led the charge up the ramp to the main deck. The first of the three came at him and then skidded to a halt when he saw the other men teeming behind Dillahunt. He tried to run, but Dillahunt raked his sword across his back, splitting him open. The man slumped, groaning. Harrow moved around Dillahunt and thrust his blade into the downed man's back, growling viciously.

  Laurent, Elegy, and Clemens charged for the next man. He barely had time to raise his sword before three blades simultaneously entered his abdomen. They pulled their swords out of him, and he crumpled.

  The third man ran for the stairs to the hold, screaming, "Get up here! We're under attack!" A crack sounded, and something whizzed past Dillahunt's ear. The man's head jerked sideways, a crimson mist scattering from his skull, and his momentum carried him several feet across the deck. Dillahunt turned. Kate Lindsay stood behind him, smoking gun in hand, which she must have lifted off of one of the dead men.

  Hornigold's men gathered around the entrance to the hold, waiting. A huge black man with a red bandana emerged, aiming a gun. He got off a shot before he was skewered by four swords. Laurent's blade went through one of his eye sockets and came out the back of his head. He collapsed onto the stairs below.

  Billie Dowling fell onto his back, blood pouring out of a hole in his cheek. Avery Dowling howled, dropping to his little brother's side. Billie twitched in his arms. Avery covered Billie's cheek, but blood spurted between his fingers. Billie's eyes rolled back in his head, body convulsing violently. Half a minute later, he was dead.

  Avery sobbed over his brother while everyone traded uncomfortable glances. Bastion set a hand on Avery's shoulder, and Avery shrugged it away, eyes red with tears and fury. "Don't touch me!" he spat. Bastion nodded and pulled away.

  Dillahunt looked at the masts. The wind was blowing toward the exit of the canyon. That was a stroke of luck. "Time to leave," he said.

  "Aye," Harrow replied. He snapped his fingers at Elegy, Bastion, and Clemens, and the three of them went to work on the sails.

  Dillahunt looked at the large man. "Farley, is it?"

  Farley nodded. "Yes, captain."

  "I'm appointing you quartermaster."

  "Me, sir?"

  "Yes, you. When they're done with the sails, have them ready the guns."

  Farley's rosy cheeks went pale. "Are we going into battle, captain?"

  "Best to be prepared. We don't know what waits for us out there. Snap to it."

  "Aye, sir."

  "We need a helmsman," Dillahunt called.

  "I can do that," Dumaka volunteered, stepping forward.

  Dillahunt had never seen a black man steer a ship. He wasn't even sure such a thing was possible. "Beggars can't be choosers," he muttered.

  "What's that, captain?" Dumaka challenged, glaring fiercely. "I don't think I heard you."

  "Nothing. Get to work. You have my utmost confidence." Dillahunt smiled reassuringly. He'll probably run my ship into a canyon wall.

  "Guy," Kate said, tugging on his sleeve. She pointed. He set his hands on the starboard rail and looked down. Nearly forty men emerged from the caves, like ants fleeing an anthill, flooding
the dock below in a panic. "Those are Vane's men," she said.

  Teach's men followed, thrusting their swords and firing weapons. Dillahunt had no idea how many more were on the way. He turned. "Avery, help me with the ramp!"

  "Fuck you," Avery said, still hunched over his brother.

  Dillahunt looked at Kate. She smirked. "I think I can lift a bloody ramp," she said. The two of them ran to the ramp and crouched before it, but Vane's men were already storming up it, desperate looks on their faces. Two men stumbled and fell into the water below. Dillahunt and Kate grasped the bottom of the ramp, but it barely lifted under the weight of the approaching men. Kate squeezed Dillahunt's wrist. "I might have a better idea."

  "Yes?"

  "We take them on."

  "No!" Dillahunt protested. "No more bloody pirates! I'll not have it!"

  "Prefer to die? We don't know what's out there. If Blackbeard is waiting, we'll need all the men we can get. Vane abandoned them."

  The man in front slipped and fell flat on his face on the ramp, and the others struggled to crawl over him. "Let us on!" one of them cried. "Yeah, you've got the room! Don't leave!"

  "We need them," Kate insisted.

  "And what about after? They'll take this ship for themselves."

  "Not if you pardon them."

  "Pardons for everyone, is that it?" Dillahunt said, shaking his head in disgust. "These men have no loyalty to anyone!"

  "That's the beauty about pirates," Kate replied. She stood, bellowing to the men below, "KINGLY PARDONS FOR ALL WHO JOIN AND FIGHT FOR CAPTAIN GUY DILLAHUNT!"

  Kate stepped aside, and Dillahunt followed suit, and Vane's men came filing up the ramp, sweeping onto the main deck. At least thirty of them made it onboard, while the rest remained below to fight the onslaught of Blackbeard's men, pouring from the caves. Vane's men gathered round Dillahunt, awaiting orders, swords at the ready.

  Dillahunt glanced at Kate. She muttered, "I think it worked," under her breath.

  "You're an impudent woman," he muttered right back.

  She beamed. "Thank you, captain."

  Dillahunt faced his new recruits. "Cast off that ramp!"

  "Aye, captain," they said nearly in unison, and two of them lifted the ramp and tossed it into the water.

  "Weapons are in the hold," Dillahunt told them. "Assuming you haven't removed them per Vane's instruction."

  "No, Captain Dillahunt, sir," said a tall man in black with long blonde hair. "We only took the treasure."

  "The treasure," Kate moaned, slapping her forehead. "Perfect."

  "Do you think Rogers would have let us keep it?" Dillahunt asked. "The question is rhetorical."

  She stared at him, suddenly nervous. He knew what she was thinking. "Don't worry," he reassured her. "If we survive this, I will not turn you in. I owe you one."

  "Yes," she said. "You do."

  The sails rolled down, billowing instantly. Crusader pulled away from the dock as Vane's remaining men were overwhelmed by Blackbeard's forces. Crusader made a wide turn, from eastern wall to the west, bow scraping the opposite dock and hull grinding over the blackened ruin of the schooner as she curved back around. Soon she was facing the exit, with the wind urging her forward. From the eastern dock, rifles and pistols trained on Crusader. Shots rang out, and bullets padded her hull and pierced her sails. One of Dillahunt's new recruits was struck in the throat and gurgled blood as he sank to his knees.

  The canyon walls moved faster and faster, and soon Crusader was speeding for the exit. Dillahunt gazed up between the slit in the canyon to the brightening sapphire sky. They were almost free.

  Calloway isn't.

  He shook his head. There would be plenty of time to mourn her later. In fact, there would be nothing but time when they had escaped to open sea. He couldn't afford to distract himself with whatever ghastly fate had befallen her. Not right now.

  They rounded the canyon bend until they saw the exit, but it was blocked by two ships just outside, running parallel and trading cannon fire. Both were sloops. The sloop on the right was listing terribly. It was flying Vane's flag. The sloop on the left stood tall, bombarding its prey, and Blackbeard's colors flapped in the wind.

  "Adventure," Dillahunt muttered gravely. He called to Avery Dowling, who was still cradling his brother. "Mr. Dowling, if you're quite through, it's time to make your brother proud!"

  Avery looked up, his face red and smeared with dirt and tears. He looked absolutely pitiful. Slowly, an angry scowl formed. "And how do you expect me to do that?"

  "I would sever Adventure's mast so she cannot give chase after we've sailed past her. In my hold, I've concocted a very special chainshot for an occasion such as this. It consists of two cannonballs bound by an eight foot chain. You will need to fire it from two cannons at the very same moment, with the chain stretched between them, understand?"

  Avery nodded slowly. "I think so."

  "It will require precise timing. Find someone knowledgeable with cannons to help you prepare and fire it."

  Avery lowered his head, giving his brother's corpse a final mournful regard. He slowly stood, wiped his face, and hurried off.

  Kate moved close to Dillahunt, so no one else would hear, and said, "Have you ever tried this before?"

  He smiled. "Never. But I'm certain that if it works, it will work very well."

  "And if it doesn't?"

  "They will take this ship, rape you to death, and probably gag me with my own cock before hanging me from their bowsprit." For the first time he glimpsed fear in those pretty eyes. "I suggest you keep a pistol for yourself."

  She jutted her chin defiantly. "I can take care of myself."

  "That is precisely what I'm suggesting," Dillahunt said, "should the need arise."

  Crusader plunged toward Adventure, waiting at the exit of the canyon channel. Vane's sloop was sinking fast. Adventure wasn't even firing on her anymore. She was done. Dammit, thought Dillahunt. If only she had held out a little longer.

  He looked up at his distressingly dark helmsman. "Hold her straight and true!"

  Dumaka frowned. "Captain, if we—"

  "Betwixt the two ships," Dillahunt interjected.

  "Aye, captain," Dumaka said, shaking his head in disbelief.

  Harrow threw up his hands. "Well, we're dead. Who cares? I certainly don't! Never much liked living, anyways!"

  Clemens nodded knowingly. "Downright frustrating at times, it is."

  "Aye!" agreed Harrow. "Here's hoping we go out painfully, with guts spilling out our bellies!"

  Clemens shook his head. "That's a bit much."

  Avery Dowling and Francois Laurent emerged from the hold carrying the modified chainshot, each holding a cannonball. The two cannonballs were connected by a long chain that skittered along the deck. They loaded the cannonballs into two port cannons, with the chain stretching across the barrels.

  Dillahunt approached. "You must fire at the same time," he reminded them. "If you do not, one cannon will act as an anchor, and the fired cannonball will swing back around and wrap you in the chain. That would not be a pretty sight for anyone. As you can see, I've given this tremendous consideration. My mind is not easily silenced once set to task."

  Avery and Laurent exchanged a nervous glance. "Aye, captain," Laurent said. "Fire at the same time."

  Avery nodded. "Fire at the same time."

  The canyon walls spread further apart as they neared the exit. Adventure remained where she was, bow pointed into the canyon, with her crew gathering at the port rail. Vane's sloop continued to sink, aft slanting down into the water. It was too close to the western canyon wall for Crusader to go around it, using it as a shield. Crusader would have to go between the two ships, making her a clear target for Adventure's cannons.

  "Prepare yourselves!" Dillahunt bellowed, and his crew fell to the port side, aiming their guns.

  Dillahunt casually strolled away from Avery and Laurent, who stood ready to fire their cannons. If the timing was off, he did
n't want to be anywhere near them.

  Adventure was close now. She was a smaller ship, but she was much faster and could easily catch up once they zipped past. With a larger crew, Dillahunt would be confident of taking her in a fight, but he had maybe forty men, and Adventure looked to have near a hundred.

  A chase gun sounded from Adventure, and a cannonball glanced off of Crusader's port bow. Gunshots cracked. Dillahunt's men returned fire as Crusader sped closer. Adventure began to tilt toward Crusader. Her captain must have realized Crusader was not going to stop, and they would have to give chase.

  You won't get the chance.

  Crusader plunged through the gap between Adventure and the sinking sloop. A hail of cannonballs and gunfire rained down from Adventure, tearing through Crusader's hull and sails. A cannonball struck Gabriel Elegy in the stomach, flinging him across the deck. When he came to rest, his upper and lower half were barely held together by a few strings of flesh and muscle.

  When the two ships were almost perfectly parallel, running port to port, Dillahunt bellowed, "FIRE!" at Avery and Laurent. The two men wasted no time, firing the twin cannons in perfect sync. The modified chainshot was a beautiful success, sailing toward Adventure without spinning. The chain was pulled tight between the two cannonballs, and sliced off the heads of two men not quick enough to duck as it arced over Adventure's port rail. The chainshot didn't stop until the chain hit the mainmast, both cannonballs wrapping around it. The mast snapped like a twig, careening downward as men scattered to get out of its path. Blood splattered the white cloth as the sails cascaded over the deck with a tremendous crack of wood and bone.

  Crusader sailed past with superficial damage, leaving Adventure crippled, her crew scattering about the deck in chaos.

  They were free of the canyon and sailing into an expanse of ocean surrounded by a huge ring of mountainous islands. "Where are we?" Dillahunt gasped.

  "Worry about that later," Kate replied.

  Dillahunt set a hand on Dumaka's shoulder. "Good sailing, dark sir. I didn't know you had it in you." Dumaka nodded curtly. Dillahunt pointed ahead. "Make for the gap between those two islands."