"The point is, I know more than you think, and I certainly didn't have a good life.
"When my father left, at first I kept wondering why he left, why he didn't return, why, why, why. Then I was angry at him, so angry I wished he was dead like everyone thought. But he's still my father and I love him. If and when I see him again, I'll be able to ask him why, and then his answer will dictate what I do afterwards.
"But I'm not a fool, he may be dead and I might never be able to ask him why. You still have a chance, Sam. Don't let this opportunity go because you're afraid of the answer."
Sam still held the pistol with a trembling hand. He was on the brink.
Alston stepped between Edward and Sam. "Everything will be alright." She stepped closer to Sam. Her caring eyes told a story in themselves, and Sam couldn't look away. "Whatever happens, you will never lose your true family. They will be beside you until the end." Alston stepped closer once more, and embraced Sam.
Sam was paralysed. Frozen from this stranger's action. Sam appeared as if he would crack like glass with the slightest movement. Edward took the pistol from him, lifting him from his catatonic state. Sam collapsed into Alston's arms, but she held him up and carried him away to the lower decks.
Edward stood on the quarterdeck, staring at the pistol. The tension was lifted, but the blow to the crew's morale lingered. The men were concerned for Sam's wellbeing, and likely questioned their next move. If Freedom set sail, the crew may be forced to face Sam's father figure in battle.
Edward could understand the general mood aboard the ship, as their feelings were being mimicked in himself. "Set sail, men!" he commanded. "Do not worry for Sam; we will find the truth and set him free," Edward recited, channelling the Pirate Priest Bartholomew Roberts.
The crew accepted Edward's words and returned to work, releasing the rigging and pushing the Freedom from the beach and away from the Devil's Island once and for all.
"Where are we heading, Captain?" Herbert asked.
"Back to the origin of the fog, where we first shot the cannons into the night sky. Are you able to return us there without Benjamin's paper?"
"Of course. Without the fog wreaking havoc on us, it will be child's play," Herbert replied with confidence.
Edward chuckled. "Sorry I ever doubted you," he said, patting Herbert on the shoulder.
"Edward?" Anne said, stepping up beside Edward. "Are you well?"
"Yes, I'm well. I can appreciate why Sam did what he did," Edward said, gazing off to the horizon.
"But you feel that Dominique is our enemy now?"
"I hope beyond hope I was correct about the man from the start and he is our ally, but I fear I misjudged."
"I fear we all did," Anne replied.
Edward shook his head. "Not all. Henry saw through the lies, but I chose not to listen." Edward pointed to Henry, hard at work with his fellow crewmates in preparing the ship to leave port.
"And I am sure that will not happen again?"
"Not likely. He and I are destined to butt heads until we die, I'm afraid." Edward chuckled.
Anne grinned at Edward's jest. "Here, let me take the pistol back to storage," she offered, hand extended.
Edward was taken aback as he'd nearly forgotten he still carried the pistol. He handed it to Anne and she walked away, but stopped after a few steps. She inspected the pistol and turned around.
"This is empty, Edward."
"I know," he replied. Anne smiled and left.
Alston returned from the bowels of the ship and rejoined Edward on the quarterdeck. At the same time the sails were lowered and the ship was leaving the island.
"The gentleman has much to think about, but he will be right as a trivet soon, I wager."
"You have my thanks. That was a delicate situation, and I don't think I could have handled it as you did."
"I have seen far worse." Alston peered at the horizon as the ship chopped up and down with the waves. "Young men on the battlefield for the first time panic easily. Seeing their friends and family die, losing limbs, shock is common. Your mate has been through a lot himself. In the fog we…"
Edward held up his hand to stop Alston from continuing. "We all seem to have seen something personal and intimate in that fog. If Sam doesn't want to share what happened, I do not wish to know."
Alston was slightly taken aback, but recovered. "Yes, I should not be so insensitive. I am sorry."
"That is quite alright. Now, could you tell me what your job was in the war if not a spy?"
"Nurse, but in the middle of battle the title can mean many jobs. As I stated earlier, the ship I was on carried medicine for American troops, some of which I would have personally delivered to the frontlines. Now, because of Dominique, many could lose their lives from rot and disease." Alston's gaze moved to the waist.
Edward felt hot with anger. This was his mistake, his blunder. Edward would ensure Dominique would be caught and pay for what he did.
"You were told my name, but I never received yours, sir."
Edward laughed. "My name is Edward Thatch, and I am no sir. Truly, you may think no better of us than Dominique. We are also pirates. People have taken to calling me Blackbeard these days, for obvious reasons."
At the last name, Alston's eyes widened.
"What?" Edward asked. "You know me… from the future?"
Alston nodded, her eyes soft again. "Your cognomen is well known. Truth be told, you were known to be an evil man who inspired fear in many."
Edward chuckled. "And what do you think?"
Alston considered Edward for a moment. "I believe your enemies would fear you greatly, but in your eyes I see you care deeply for your men, and they you. William is a testament to your character. You are not evil."
"Thank you."
"Would you enjoy hearing of some of your exploits?"
Edward laughed. "Perhaps it is better I don't. None should know their future. It removes a level of choice to the affair."
"True. And the ability to choose is Freedom, after all," Alston said with a smile.
Edward returned the smile, then focused his attention on guiding the ship again. "Ten points to starboard. Close-haul those sails, men, we've a ship to catch!" he yelled.
As the hours passed and approached the fated time of one o'clock, fortune seemed to favour the Freedom and its crew. The wind pushed them faster than ever, and from Herbert's approximation it had only started after Le Pandore had already arrived at their destination.
Herbert, hands on the ship's wheel, glancing to Edward and across the bow, spoke with confidence. "If Dominique's goal is to return to his time, then Le Pandore has been waiting in the same spot for one o'clock. The advantage they had in speed and the headstart are meaningless now."
Just as one o'clock approached, the crew of the Freedom could see Le Pandore on the horizon. Edward watched through a spyglass as the Freedom approached. He could see smoke erupt from the side of the ship, then after a few seconds the sound of cannons rushed to his ears.
Edward watched for fog, but none came. Either by a mistake on the crew of Le Pandore's part, or by providence, Dominique was stuck in this time.
Freedom quickly approached the enemy ship, and Le Pandore turned around to let loose its cannons again, this time aiming for Freedom.
Edward took a moment to appreciate his mistake. Alston had been telling the truth. Edward eyed Sam, who held a defeated expression on his face.
Edward felt Sam was unable to fight, having grown up with the people they were about to fight against.
Edward approached him. "Sam, go to the crew cabin. You aren't fit to fight."
Sam was ready to object, but Edward's eyes silenced any questions.
"Herbert, bring us next to Le Pandore. I don't want her escaping."
"Aye, Captain," Herbert replied.
"Prepare to board, men. It's time to fight!"
As if reading Edward's mind, Le Pandore opened her sails in an attempt to leave. Before she was able to
move an inch, the Freedom caught up and sent grappling lines over. The crew of the Freedom tied the lines down, securing the two ships together.
"Attack!" Edward yelled as he jumped the gap between the two ships.
Edward landed on the waist, with his crew joining him after. One of Dominique's men attacked Edward with a knife aimed at his face. Edward swayed to the left and punched the man hard. The man fell to the deck, the back of his head hitting dead-on, knocking him unconscious.
Unequalled rage filled Edward. Edward was back to his old form, his broken arm now healed, muscles taut, and well-fed, he was a force to be reckoned with once more. Edward had placed smoking wick in his beard before the battle, and the light of the moon reflected on the smoke, making him appear otherworldly.
Edward rushed after Dominique, cutting down foes on his way to the Frenchman. A shot here, a stab there. The crew of Le Pandore tried to defend their captain, but each fire was a miss, and each cut was deflected.
Dominique, seeing Edward advancing on him, descended into the lower regions of the ship. "Come back here, Dominique!" Edward yelled as he followed the man into the depths.
On the waist of the Freedom, William defended against counter-boarders. One man jumped over, standing precariously on top of the railing. William upended his legs. The man fell, hitting his head on the side of the ship before landing in the water. Several others made an attempt to cross, only to be stopped by William.
John showed his normal prowess in battle on the Freedom's poop deck. John noticed an enemy heading towards Anne. He shot his musket at the enemy's back, killing him before he could even get close to Anne. In front of John another man touched down, ready to fire a blunderbuss. John grabbed onto the blunderbuss and the two fought for control of the weapon. John kicked the enemy in the nether regions, causing him to loosen his grip. John took the weapon, and shot point blank into the man's face. The man died instantly, his head a red mess, blood pooling beneath him where he fell.
Pukuh took the fight onto the enemy ship. One man aimed a pistol at him, but Pukuh threw a knife into the barrel. The man fired and the pistol exploded, useless. Pukuh kneed the man in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. A second charged with a sword. Pukuh kicked the man's sword into the air, then stabbed him with his spear.
Henry and Anne, in a rare display of camaraderie, fought back to back. Anne fought with her martial arts, and Henry with his fists. Men attacked the two left and right on the bow of Le Pandore.
On the left, a man attacked Henry with a sword while another struck with a kick. Anne grabbed the first man's sword arm, holding him. Henry stopped the second man's kick and punched him in the face. Anne struggled with the first man's sword. Henry turned and punched the man with the sword in the chest causing him to double over. Anne took the loose sword and stabbed the man who'd tried to kick Henry in the chest.
Christina was only suited to use knives at her current level of strength. She stayed on the Freedom repelling invaders. Anne had taught Christina several weak points on the human body, and to apply her weight to her strikes. Men jumped over to the Freedom and she swiftly cut their Achilles tendons or the backs of their knees while other crew members finished them off. Christina's anger seethed as she fought, allowing her temporary reprieve from the blood and gore around her.
Edward, now in the bowels of Le Pandore, couldn't see two inches in front of his face. The darkness of night combined with the dark interior of the ship caught Edward off guard. His eyes were trying to adjust to the dark, with little success.
My only hope is that Dominique is at the same disadvantage.
A flash of moonlight reflected into Edward's eyes. He ducked down as a blade passed over his head and lodged into the wood of the ship. The owner didn't bother retrieving the blade and ran.
Edward advanced slowly, his sword poised in front of him. He could hear the sounds of battle above, and cannons firing nearby. To his right, he could see sparks flying from the gunpowder as the gunners fired their muskets at the Freedom. With each musket blast Edward caught a glimpse of the surroundings. Bullets from the Freedom broke through Le Pandore, letting in some pale light, but not enough to see by.
With each flash of light, Edward thought he could see the shadow of Dominique moving through the ship. Edward's eyes were slowly adjusting and he could see better with each passing second, but not well enough.
Someone attacked him with a sword. Edward deflected the blow and countered, but missed. The enemy blade flashed forward, nicking Edward in the stomach. He swiped his blade across, cutting the person's arms. The blade dropped as the man screamed, but the sound was drowned out by the surrounding din. Edward thrust his blade in the direction of the screams, hitting something solid.
He examined the body. Not Dominique.
To starboard Edward could see the faint light of a lantern. It was of little use in this darkness, but Edward picked it up regardless and an idea sparked. He tossed the lantern to the ground and the oil leaked out, starting a blaze which would soon threaten the whole ship. Edward ran forward to another lantern affixed to the main mast in the middle of the gun deck. He once more threw the lantern to the ground, starting another fire. Edward kept doing this until a good portion of the deck was ablaze.
Now able to see clearly, Edward searched for the Captain of Le Pandore. He could see men abandoning their stations to stop the fires. The sounds of fighting still filled the area, now mixed with the crackling of the fire. Edward noticed a door at the stern, which, he surmised, led to the captain's cabin.
Edward entered the cabin. The barrel of a pistol was pointed straight at Edward. Dominique pulled the trigger as Edward's instincts made him drop to the floor. The bullet flew over Edward's head. Dominique ran forward, stamped his feet on each of Edward's arms, and pinned him with a sword in his face.
"You couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" Dominique sneered.
"I need the key, bastard," Edward replied.
"Then consider this all part of the test. You've done well so far, but if you want the key you'll have to kill me first!" Dominique noticed the fires licking at the bow and looked up.
"That can be obliged!" Edward snarled as he kneed Dominique's nether regions. Dominique's power left him, and Edward was able to free his arms. He slashed at the back of Dominique's leg.
Dominique fell. Edward pushed himself back through the doorway and rose from the floor. The fire was filling the area with smoke and crackling sounds as the flames inched closer and closer to the stores of gunpowder.
Dominique stumbled to his feet, and, using his sword like a cane, closed the doors of his cabin. Edward ran and kicked down the door. Dominique had opened a starboard window and was climbing to the outside of the ship. Edward ran and slashed at his feet, but missed by a hair.
Edward sheathed his cutlass and followed the fleeing man through the window. He saw Dominique climbing the stern and quickly followed, using the window edges to prop his feet, and the rigging rope for grip.
When Edward reached the gunwales, a crewman of Dominique's pointed a pistol at Edward. He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him overboard. The man screamed and tried to grab Edward and pull him down, but gripped only air as he plummeted past.
Edward saw Captain Dominique heading down to the waist of his ship, still using his sword as a crutch. The deck was absorbing the fire from below and would soon be ablaze as well.
Edward ran and jumped high in the air, landing both feet on Dominique's back. Dominique fell to the floor with a groan and rolled from the blow. He tried to rise, but he was weak from his injuries.
Edward grabbed Dominique by the coat, dragging him to the port side. Because of the rapidly spreading fire across the ship, many in the crew abandoned fighting, and indeed the ship itself.
"Lay down a gangplank," Edward commanded.
Pukuh covered Edward's back. "Your labour has borne fruit, brother!" he said over his shoulder.
"Aye, this battle is over. Their ship will be
lost to fire soon. Make sure our crew are returned safely."
"You may count on me," Pukuh replied with confidence.
A gangplank was dropped across the two ships, allowing Edward to bring Dominique across to the Freedom. After finishing their respective fights, Freedom's crew returned to their home by jumping over or traversing the gangplank. The crew of Le Pandore were no threat to the Freedom anymore.
In short order, the fire started on the gun deck of Le Pandore reached the waist, and was burning the ship apart. Bowlines burned, the sails caught fire, and the wooden boards broke as they were turned to ash by the blaze. Explosions boomed from the gunpowder on the gun deck, spreading the fire further and blowing apart the wood. Soon the flames would reach the hold, where the bulk of the gunpowder lay, and would blast the keel apart.
Edward threw Dominique to Freedom's deck, then ordered the crew to cut the lines once everyone was safely over. Herbert eased the Freedom over to the Patriot. The remainder of Le Pandore's crew surrendered, having seen the battle on their flagship.
The original crew of the Patriot boarded to man it once more and Le Pandore's crew were tied up. Edward was able to see the medical supplies in the lower deck of the Patriot, once more confirming Alston's story.
Time to finish this.
Edward returned to Dominique, who was on his knees on the waist of the Freedom, his hands tied behind his back. "Where is Sam?" Edward asked, but no one answered. "Someone get Sam." One of the crew went below deck to fetch Sam.
"So, what now?" Dominique asked calmly.
"Well, we'll kill you. I thought that rather obvious. But first…" Edward sauntered over to Dominique and rifled through his pockets until he found what he was searching for: The key to the next part of the Freedom, and the paper holding the old clue.
Dominique smiled crookedly. "Congratulations. The pawn advances once more. Benjamin always knew how to pick them."
Blackbeard's Revenge (Voyages Of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 2) Page 14
