Limiting Liabilities: Book Two - The Martinique Files

by Colette Alaine

  “Thank goodness.” Tawny is happy to know it is going to be an intimate setting this year. “I don’t know about the memories but it would be so nice to not have to entertain everybody else on every single holiday. I feel like I’m the party committee and I’m so ready for them to leave.”

  “You’re not the only one who’s glad. It seems like the whole family is tired of the big dinners.” Gloria’s expression shows she is still a bit sad that the neighbors will not be joining them. She thrives on the full family unit eating together.

  “I still want the big dinner and I’ll help cook. I just don’t want to have to share the day with everybody in town.” Tawny makes sure her mother knows they do not want any skimping on the food.

  “Oh you’ll be cooking and so will your sister.”

  “Where is Lydia?”

  “With Dean.” Brad enters the dining room and announces his younger sister’s whereabouts.

  “Who’s Dean? And why haven’t I heard about him before now?” Tawny is really missing out.

  “She met him in June but didn’t tell us until August. He’s Bobby Joe’s nephew and he’s from Minnesota. Even though Wilma left town to marry that deadbeat her son knows where home is. He’s living with his aunt and uncle, learning how to be a farmer. Boy’s got a good head on his shoulders. He and Lydia are inseparable.” Brad is full of information. Sometimes he sounds like a gossiping girl.

  “Why didn’t she tell me?” Tawny is visibly upset.

  “Because Billy had been such a jerk to you. She didn’t want to make you feel bad,” Gloria chimes in to explain.

  “So are they the same age? Is he going to take over Bobby Joe’s farm since Teddy got hurt?” Tawny wants to get caught up fast.

  “That’s the plan. Dean’s all for it,” Brad responds.

  “Is he coming over tonight?” Tawny wants to meet this man that has captured her sister’s heart.

  “He’s here every night so yeah, probably so,” Brad complains.

  “You’re just jealous that you’re youngest sister is beating you to the altar.” Gloria gives away some valuable information.

  “She’s getting married?” Tawny is really shocked now.

  “Not officially yet. But if those two don’t tie the knot, none of my children will.”

  “Tawny, we are such a big disappointment to our mother.” Brad gives his mom a hard time.

  “I’m sorry, Mom, but Brad’s the oldest so he’s got to be more of a disappointment than I am.” Tawny blames her brother.

  “You’re so much better looking than I am. You should’ve been down the aisle at least once by now,” Brad teases back.

  “Only once, Bradley Martinique. Only once for all my children.” Gloria makes her point.

  “Choose well, Brad,” Tawny reminds her brother.

  “Maybe that’s why we’re all still single, Mom. There’s so much pressure to get it right the first time.”

  “Yes, there is. I’d rather you stay single longer than marry the wrong person. We all know I want all of you to be happy so wait until you find the right one. Just don’t wait too long.” Gloria wants to plan the wedding as badly as she wants to be a grandmother.

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Brad and Tawny say together and then laugh.

  As Tawny snacks, her other brother, Tom, joins them and they discuss Dean and Lydia. Tawny cannot wait to talk to her younger sister. Lydia is graduating high school in May and, if Dean is the guy, she will be getting married as soon as she can plan a wedding suitable for Gloria Martinique’s daughter.

  Lydia has no other desire in life than to get married and have children. She is the miniature Gloria that her mother waited so long to have. Eight years younger than Tawny, Gloria tried so hard to make Tawny like her. But Tawny had her own ideas and following in her mother’s footsteps was not one of them. When Lydia was born, Tawny got a break and Lydia fell into her place. It was heavenly for all three of them. Finally, they all identified exactly where they belong.

  “Yooo hooo! Where’s my big sister?” Lydia flies into the room and hugs Tawny. Tawny hugs her back then gently pushes her away.

  “I’m mad at you.”

  “They weren’t supposed to tell you! It was my surprise. None of you can keep a secret.” She pouts as she learns she cannot zing her sister with her news.

  “We’ve been quiet for three months. That’s a record around here,” Brad protests. “Where is he? You didn’t break up did you?”

  “No. He’s outside. I was going to spring him on Tawny after telling her about him. You have to meet him. He’s so wonderful.” Lydia cannot help but gush. This is her moment and she wants to make certain all the attention is on her.

  “Alright, alright. I’ve heard so much about this guy I’ve got to meet him. Bring him in.” Lydia can barely wait for Tawny to meet Dean. Running outside she grabs his hand and pulls him inside.

  “Hi.” He is definitely shy around all this attention.

  “Hi.” Tawny can see immediately why everyone is thrilled. He is clean cut, timid in front of them but behind all that is the strength of knowing who he is. It is amazing how much of an open book he is standing in front of them. “So you’re Dean.”

  “Yeah. And you’re the lawyer.”

  “That’s how they refer to me?” Tawny crosses her arms in front of her as she learns something about her family.

  “All the time. It’s ‘Tawny, the lawyer, is coming home. Tawny, the lawyer, called today.’ It goes on and on.” Dean seems to have a sense of humor as well.

  “That’s terrible. I can’t believe you’ve labeled me like that. Well, Dean, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m glad you’ve found my baby sister. She’s the best ever.”

  “Listen to Tawny, Dean. She’s a lawyer.” The entire family laughs at Lydia’s response. The group spends the rest of the evening telling embarrassing stories about each other. Dean even provides a few stories about himself and his mom and uncle. By the time they decide to turn into bed Tawny is convinced that Dean is the perfect man for her little sister.

  CHAPTER 18

  L oko is left running the family farm to feed his siblings and himself. With his mother dead and his older brother Nwankwo returning to his pirating activity, Loko must take over the parenting and rearing of his four younger siblings. There is no time for education so all of them are forced to work in the field. Protecting them is his full time obligation now.

  Nwankwo assures Loko that he will return home soon but that he must report to his mothership or risk retaliation. Loko pleads with his older brother to stay. Nwankwo is torn between staying to help his family or to report to his pirate captain but he has seen the wretched way others have been treated and he cannot expose his siblings.

  His father and mother worked hard every day to provide for all of them. Nwankwo would do them an injustice if he reacted in a way that would put them in danger. He cannot allow them to be hurt, much less killed.

  Nwankwo convinces Loko that he can handle the farm and the family until Nwankwo is able to rejoin them. Their two youngest brothers are ten and seven and can be put to work. Chinyere is sixteen and baby Chioma is three. Chinyere will take care of Chioma full time but she will also be in the field watching out for the child as she tries to cultivate crops.

  Nwankwo knows it will take all of Loko’s energy to protect their young siblings but as long as they have food to eat they will be okay. Loko can sell any surplus and use it for other necessities. They will have to maintain until he can rescue them.

  Returning to the mothership, Okonko slaps Nwankwo on the back to let him know that he made the right decision. Nwankwo greets his fellow sea bandits who are also glad to see him. He is fast becoming a leader among them. He has proven himself resourceful in precarious situations and he survived.

  He follows orders well and does not question authority. He does ask questions pertaining to procedure and by doing this, he shows he is a thinker. He analyzes his actions instead of jumping into the midst of th
e danger. Younger pirates are beginning to follow him, seeing his success and wanting the same for themselves.

  Nwankwo’s methodical actions make him a special pirate for his captain. It is why Okonko allowed him to return home. It is a tricky situation for him. The boy is obviously smart so the captain wants him on his team but his family is in trouble. His family is his only reason to fight so in an attempt to appease Nwankwo, he lets him go home to help with his dying mother. Scaring him into returning is risky. Threatening his family is the only way to rein him back to the mothership and it works.

  As his fellow pirates see Nwankwo appear their respect for him increases. Okonko does not miss this immediate reverie toward the young ex-fisherman. It is a cautious moment for him. He has to utilize Nwankwo’s skills to capture tankers but make certain that he remains loyal to him. He decides to play the only card he has.

  “Your papa is proud of you today.” The pirate captain slides his hand across Nwankwo’s shoulders.

  “If he vas here I vouldn’t ve vith you,” Nwankwo states the obvious.

  “He fought for you and your siblings. Your moder.”

  Nwankwo shifts in his chair as he thinks about his dead mother. She would not approve of his actions. His father’s attitude changed when he lost his livelihood. She did not understand how he could become so cold. She would not understand how her sweet boy could attack large cargo ships, hunt people down on them at gunpoint and hold them for ransom while stealing whatever is on board.

  He knows why Okonko is praising him. He feels the same respect from these pirates that he felt from Loko. He is older than his nineteen years. He has aged greatly since joining his father in fighting for some dignity. Now he has gained respect. He has an obligation to lead, to save as many of his countrymen as possible.

  The pirate captain understands Nwankwo’s new position as a leader. His loyalty to them is evident and they will follow him. He is one of them. He is young. He lost his father and he lost his future. He only has his siblings and these men around him. He is a force to be reckoned with.

  “Now I fight for dem,” Nwankwo responds with defiance.

  “Yes, yes, you vill fight for dem by fighting for me. Ve vill vin vhat ve can for our people,” Okonko reassures him.

  “Vhere is the captured man?” Nwankwo did not forget about the captured ship’s captain being held for ransom.

  “Ah, he is safe. Ve’s feed him and keeps him warm.”

  “Any money yet?” Nwankwo knows that the ransom is being demanded. He wants his share of it once it comes in. It will help Loko and his siblings. They have so little and live from hand to mouth. Any money that Nwankwo can get and does not need for his own survival, he wants to go to his family.

  “No. Dese tings takes time, Nwankwo. Ve vill vait a long time for de money. But ve vill not vait to attack. Ve must prepare for our next mission. You must be ready. Are you ready?” Okonko eyes him up.

  “I am ready,” Nwankwo assures his pirate captain of his desire to continue attacking ships hauling precious cargo for capture and sale.

  Okonko leaves his young leader. The more time Nwankwo spends by himself or with his followers the more he will find his courage and lose any tenderness in his heart.

  Nwankwo did not want to be a pirate when he discovered his father had become one. He revered his dad in every way a young man can and he would not disappoint his role model. He hoped the piracy would end but he was in it all the way as long as his father led him.

  That was his hope. Now that hope is gone. He is a pirate for a competitor of his father. While fishing, these two men worked to out fish each other. They were both excellent fishermen and wanted to do their best for their own egos and for their families. Then they realize they have a common enemy. The foreign trawlers threatened their livelihood and together they fought to keep them away. Then they fought to keep the toxic dumping from destroying their marine life but no one would listen. No one would help.

  So they became pirates. Not on the same mothership though. They now are fighting for survival in a different way and again they are competitors. This time it is for cargo, not for fish. It is still for survival but it is for money to pay for food instead of for the food itself.

  Nwankwo is a pirate fighting in place of his father; fighting with his father’s competitor since his own father died in an ambush. Life is unfair. Life is hard but life is real and he must do his duty.

  Over the next few days Nwankwo, the pirate captain and all the sea bandits plan their next attack. They only want to grab the cargo for selling this time. They do not have the facilities to capture another victim. They hope to soon find a bigger mothership to hold many crew members captive but until that day, they will use the one they have.

  It is early in the morning and Nwankwo is the first to jump into the skiff. Moments later his band of thugs follows him. Some wear masks but not Nwankwo. He will face these monsters eye to eye. In his mind, they are depleting the resources of his country and he will make certain they know who he is.

  Silently gliding across the water the two skiffs come up to the stern of the tanker. It is quiet on board as the gangly men greedily move from their small boats to the large one. Nwankwo immediately commands them to disperse throughout the ship with weapons ready to open fire. He does not want any bloodshed but he will guard each and every one of these men as carefully as he protects himself.

  Sliding into their positions each pirate knows his role. Nwankwo and Okonko spent hours first talking through the plan attack and then playacting it to make certain everyone knows his place. Not a single one of these men will fail to bind their prisoner. That mistake led to Nwankwo’s father’s death and it is one that Nwankwo himself will punish.

  The ship remains quiet. This is unusual because someone should be alerted by now that they have been hijacked. The longer they wait the more convinced Nwankwo is that professionals are manning this tanker and will soon be trying to ward off the men invading their ship but the pirates are prepared if they encounter armed guards. It has all been foreseen and as long as they follow their instructions, they will conquer in the end.

  Time continues to pass without any appearance. The pirates want to take the cargo but they must first capture the captain and the crew. Since they are not making themselves known to the pirates the pirates must invade the cabin below.

  Four of the twenty-two pirates descend into the cabin below. Two more will follow shortly thereafter whether or not they hear gunfire. Two more will follow. If these eight survive then the rest will stay and seize the cargo, petroleum this time. If only a few survive or if all the pirates are killed, the remaining fourteen will return to the skiffs.

  Nwankwo is originally scheduled to be among the four going into the cabin to assess the situation but the pirate in charge decides it is not wise to risk his life. Nwankwo will now descend after the initial four go down. If there is gunfire he will be aware of it instead of being caught. At first Nwankwo resists but the leader insists. Once again the young pirates respect him for his tenacity but adhere to the captain’s demands.

  Carefully, the four cascade into the lower bunker. There is no noise. No gunfire. Nwankwo and his partner wait the required two minutes and then the partner begins to move. Nwankwo pulls on his sleeve and waives his head ‘no’. His partner’s questionable expression shows his confusion but he follows his lead.

  Another two minutes pass and Nwankwo still has not signaled the go-ahead. Something is terribly wrong. There is no gunfire; there is no noise at all. He believes his fellow pirates have been captured and silenced. Instead of going down into the cabin, he motions for his partner and the other two to head toward the operational bay. If the captain is at the helm, they will take him and use him to negotiate for their brother pirates.

  Nwankwo sneaks around the outside and is able to see the guard’s presence inside. He realizes that all of his men are at risk. The captain and his guards have a clear view of most of the pirates on deck. Surely, the four
below are trapped and it is up to Nwankwo and the three with him to save as many as they can.

  Nwankwo is as quick as he is smart. Sending his partner in as a decoy, one guard immediately turns his attention in his direction, leaving Nwankwo and the two others to take control of the other two guards and the captain moments later.

  Now they have hostages. As Nwankwo and his three mates bind their captives, the other hidden guards appear and each have a pirate in sight. Nwankwo knows this is a precarious situation. Only four of the pirates have the advantage while twenty guards have the advantage. The key is the captain though and Nwankwo has him.

  “Bring up our four broders from below,” Nwankwo cries out as he holds the gun to the captain’s head.

  There is no answer so Nwankwo shoots a round at the feet of the three guards the pirates are holding.

  “Wait!” He hears the response and knows that the guards will do as he says.

  The four captured pirates from the bunkers below are brought up to the deck. They are not bound but their weapons have been taken from them. This is good for the pirates. A gun is pointed into the back of each of them.

  “Ve do not vant any bloodshed,” Nwankwo announces. “All of de sea bandits vill head toward the skiffs and get into dem. You vill let us leave. Ve vill take one hostage with us and vhen ve are far enough away ve vill leave him in de water in a life jacket for you to pick him up. No one needs to get hurt.”

  Nwankwo believes this will work. At first there is some grumbling from the guards but eventually the pirates move toward the skiffs and no one shoots. As the pirates on deck begin to board the skiffs, the four that are being held move toward the small boats as well. The guards allow them to do so. Nwankwo has the captain and follows the others. As the four captured pirates make their way into the skiffs, their guards ease their stance.

  Nwankwo’s partner and the other two with him release their prisoners so that it is only Nwankwo that has the captain held captive.