by Tonia Brown
“The hair again?” Rose asked. Atom nodded. He opened his mouth to explain, but Rose held her hand up to stop him. “I’d rather not know,” she said.
“So you break cage apart?” Jax asked. “I can do that without sound.” She shoved a finger at Atom’s arm. “Why should that matter?”
Rose doubted that even Jax could get them out of this cage without raising the attention of their captors. “Because it puts us on even footing. If we can’t slip away unnoticed then at least we can go down with a fair fight. Isn’t that right, Mr. Loquacious?”
Atom looked unsure. “Captain, might I have a word?”
“Go ahead,” Rose said.
Atom glanced around at the crew before he added, “Alone?”
Rose sighed. She took Atom by the arm, his real one, and walked him to the far corner of the cage, waving the others away. They huddled across the cage with dejected looks.
“What’s the trouble, son?” she asked.
He traced the edge of his arm-cannon with a shaking finger. “I...I’ve never actually used this before.” He looked back at Gabriella and sighed.
“You seem to have the hang of it,” Rose encouraged him.
“No,” Atom snapped. He turned back to her. “I mean...I mean as a weapon.”
Rose grasped the underlying current. “Ahh.” She clapped Atom on his shoulder. Pulling him in close, she whispered, “You’ve never had to protect yourself?”
Atom shook his head. His eyes asked the question she was sure his throat couldn’t.
“No, I’ve never killed a man before,” she said. Her mind added, not officially at least.
“I don’t know what to do. I want to help.” He paused and eyed Gabriella again before he continued, “I want to help everyone, but I can’t bring myself to hurt anybody. The very idea of it makes me nauseated.”
Rose didn’t expect the young lab assistant to act any other way. “Jax might be the best person to talk to about this.”
“You mean she’s...” Atom asked in a half question.
“She’s had to. Jax has lived a hard life. The village she grew up in was a regular spot for raiders. She was raised with a sword in one hand and the head of her enemy in the other. Killing is in her blood.”
Atom turned green at the idea.
“You don’t have to hurt anyone,” Rose said.
“Do you think?” he asked.
“I would never ask someone to do anything that I wouldn’t do.”
This explanation seemed to please the young man. “That’s very wise of you, Captain.”
“Just get us out of here, and if need be, cause enough of a distraction to let us get away.”
“That I can do.” Atom turned back to the crowd. Rose caught him by the arm again and tugged him back.
“Atom,” she said. “Please take your time with Gabriella.”
“Take my time?”
“She’s kind of...sheltered. I know the impression that most men have of my crew, because of our unconventional lifestyle, and perhaps part of it is our own fault. After all we aren’t the simple mothers and homemakers women are expected to be. In this case... Guppy...she’s young. Inexperienced. Just take your time with whatever it is you’re thinking about.”
Atom paused for a moment, his brow furrowed as if he was confused by Rose’s words. Slowly, his face twisted into a mask of revulsion. He glanced at Gabriella, then back at Rose. “Captain!” He motioned to the young lady in question. “I would never...take such liberties with...do such a thing...never!”
“Calm down.”
“I admit, I’m quite fond of the young lady.”
“And she’s taken with you.”
Atom seemed not to hear her. “But there is a certain propriety to these things. One doesn’t just assume that a lady acts in a certain manner based upon the company she keeps.”
Rose wondered at the veiled insult.
“It just isn’t done,” he continued. “I mean there is a well worn route that one must take when courting a young...” He stopped mid-lecture to stare open mouthed at Rose. “Wait a moment? What did you just say?”
Rose smiled wide. She wondered how long it would take for the assurance that Gabriella was interested in him to work its way past his brain and into his heart. “She likes you too, Atom. I do believe she does.”
In an instant, the look of disgust slipped away under wave of tenderness, which included a goofy, but adorable grin. “Do you think so?”
Rose nodded and clapped him on the back again. “Just do right by her. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Of course,” Atom said. “Absolutely. This kind of thing takes planning. And effort. And preparation. And research.” He degenerated into a series of mumbles about the hours of the day and the days of the week.
Rose hoped she hadn’t gummed up the works too much.
“For crying out loud, you nitwit!” Jayne shouted.
“Sounds like the troops are back to the arguing,” Rose said. She looked back at Atom, wondering if it was a mistake to put everyone’s lives in the hands of a man who seemed so unsure of himself. In the end, she supposed she had to go with her gut, and her gut trusted the kid. She only hoped her little talk had given him enough courage to trust himself. “Shall we get to it then?”
“Get to what?” Atom asked, his mind elsewhere, most likely somewhere about Gabriella’s skirts.
“The part where we all get the hell out of here.” Rose gave him a wide smile.
Atom smiled in return. “Of course, Captain.”
* * * *
“Atom can break cage, then I can break heads,” Jax said. She cupped one fist in the other open palm.
Gabriella looked over her shoulder at Atom. He was arm in arm with the captain, whispering furiously about heaven knew what.
“That’s your plan?” Jayne asked.
“Better than staying around here,” Click said. He still hung on to himself in the most inappropriate manner.
Gabriella couldn’t blame him. Besides, she was growing immune to such scenes of vulgarity. Her prim etiquette slipped away little by little with each boorish display she witnessed. Would Atom think poorly of her because of it? The thought depressed her. How could he not? She was covered in filth, hadn’t had a proper bath in ages, and was sure she smelled as bad as she looked. Atom had been polite from the moment they’d met, yet Gabriella was sure that was just his way. She eyed the whispering pair again just in time to see Atom look at her, then away, but it was too late, she had seen the look of disgust on his face and the way he motioned at her.
Somehow, she knew they were talking about her. Atom must hate her. After thinking about this for a moment, Gabriella decided not to care. He was the weirdo with the fake arm. Not her. Then there was the fact that he had lied to her twice already. Granted, he did lie for a good reason. He just didn’t want Gabriella to think ill of him. It was kind of sweet. Why did he have to be so sweet?
“You thinking about him?” Magpie whispered.
Gabriella, shaken from her thoughts, realized that Magpie was talking to her.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Gabriella said under the ongoing argument of the rest of the crew.
“Sure you are,” Magpie said. “You got that look in your eye.”
“No, I don’t,” Gabriella whispered. She folded her arms across her chest and tried hard not to look like she was pouting. Even though she was.
“That boy is sweet on you,” Magpie said.
Gabriella lost the pout. She looked up at Magpie. “You think so?”
“Sure,” Magpie said.
“I don’t know—” Gabriella started.
“Oh, for crying out loud, you nitwit!” Jayne shouted.
Everyone jumped at the sound of her voice.
“He’s obviously infatuated with you,” Jayne said.
Gabriella blushed and ducked her head in shame. She hadn’t realized the others were listening.
“Yah,” Jax said. “He see
ms to like you very much.”
Gabriella’s face was hot enough, yet Jax’s words pushed the heat higher.
“I think he’s in love with you,” Click said.
Gabriella bordered on a whole new, previously undiscovered, shade of red.
“There,” Magpie said. “For once we all agree on something.”
Everyone was laughing when the captain and Atom rejoined them. Even Jayne.
“What’s so funny?” the captain asked.
“Guppy here—” Jayne said.
“Nothing,” Jax snapped, shutting Jayne up. “Nothing needs explaining.”
The captain raised an eyebrow at the women, then smiled when her gaze settled on Gabriella and her scarlet cheeks. The captain looked to her cabin boy for a possible answer, which came in the form of a knowing wink. Gabriella suspected she and Atom would be the topic of the pair’s pillow talk later that night. That was, if they made it out of here alive.
“Mr. Loquacious,” the captain said. “In your own time, please.”
“Yes, Captain,” he said.
Gabriella watched while Atom and his strange arm began to take the cage apart.
Chapter 10
No Freedom without Sacrifice
In which we make a break for it, but at what cost?
They were almost home free.
Gabriella could smell the salt of the ocean, could nearly feel the sand crunch under her boots. The canopy of jungle had thinned out, blessing them with a few slivers of precious light by which they ran. The natives had discovered the crew’s disappearing act and were in hot pursuit. Wild screams filled the air while the crew pushed themselves harder to escape unscathed. The beach was close, with the ship not much further...
Something clipped her blouse at the shoulder before it zipped past her into the darkness beyond.
“Everyone down!” Jax shouted.
The crew obeyed the barked command by dropping to the ground. Gabriella landed flat on her belly with a face full of leaves, mold, dirt, and something else she’d rather not think about. Spears whizzed overhead like great black bees.
“Jax!” the captain yelled over the pounding of the drums and the screams of the wild men. “You and Atom help me hold them off! The rest of you keep low until you reach the shore, and then run for it!”
“I’m not leaving you, my captain!” Click yelled.
“If you don’t go,” the captain shouted, “I’ll hang you up by your unmentionables myself! Help Jayne and Guppy back aboard. If we don’t follow on your heels, you are to push off. That’s an order!”
Gabriella didn’t want to do as ordered. She wanted to stay here with Atom. It was then that she realized she was willing to follow him anywhere, despite the short time she had known him.
“Come on, girly!” Jayne yelled over Gabriella’s inner monologue. She pushed Gabriella from behind, encouraging her to crawl away from the battle, from the danger, from Atom.
“I don’t want to go!” she screamed.
Jayne slipped past her and crawled after Click toward freedom.
“Gabriella!” Atom yelled. “Get out while you can! Now!”
She had to leave. Through the haze of burning tears, Gabriella shot one last desperate look at Atom. In the thin moonlight he smiled at her for the briefest of moments, and she pressed that smile to her heart where she knew it would remain always. Crawling to safety, she silently prayed that her friends would escape.
Gabriella crawled on for what seemed like eons. Hand over hand, knee over knee, she scooted and scurried through the underbrush like some kind of wild animal. All the while she thought of poor Atom and how brave he was for risking his life. She also thought about how handsome he was. How clever he was. How wonderful his smile was. How she could see eternity in his beautiful copper eyes. With her mind on Atom, she was knee deep in sand long before she knew it.
“Come on, Guppy,” Jayne snapped. She dragged Gabriella to her feet. “Get your mind on the moment or you’ll end up with a back full of spear.”
Gabriella stood to face the second most beautiful thing she had seen that day—the vision of the Merry Widow awaiting their return. She never thought she would be so happy to see the old ship.
“No one seems to be following,” Click said. “Let’s go!” He took each of their hands and the three ran full tilt for the ship. It didn’t take long for them to reach her. Click pushed Gabriella toward the rope ladder first.
Gabriella scaled the ladder quicker than she’d thought possible, even with the addition of two more bodies rocking the ladder beneath her while she climbed. The moment she crested the side of the railing, Dot greeted her.
“What on earth kept you guys?” Dot asked.
“Not now, Dot!” Jayne snapped when she scrambled onto the deck behind Gabriella.
“Don’t you ‘not now’ me,” Dot said. “Where are you going?”
The young tinker didn’t stop. She kept on running until she disappeared into the bowels of the ship. Click pulled himself onto the deck with a loud grunt.
“Well, how do you like that?” Dot asked. She helped Gabriella to her feet before she wrinkled her nose. “You guys look horrible. What happened?”
Gabriella was too out of breath to answer. She didn’t know where Jayne got her stamina, because even Click was winded despite being in excellent shape.
Dot eyed the ladder expectantly, then looked back to Click. “Where’s the captain? And Jax?”
Click bent double, clutching his knees while he tried to catch his breath. He spoke in short bursts between gasps. “Behind...natives...danger.”
Dot’s eyes widened. “No!”
“’Fraid...so,” Click panted, his eyes watering as he raised a hand to his chest.
“So that’s what all the drumming was about?” Dot asked.
“What...did... you...think it...was?”
“I don’t know. I just supposed you made friends on the island and didn’t want an old woman like me to interrupt your party.” Dot stamped one foot on the deck. “I told the captain Ruby couldn’t be trusted. That woman is trouble with capital whore.”
Gabriella, still too out of breath to comment, turned around and grabbed the railing. She narrowed her eyes, scanning the sand below, watching the beach for any sign of the other three. All she saw was the trail of her own, hasty retreat.
“We have to go after them,” Jayne said.
Gabriella turned back to see the tinker had reappeared with an armful of homespun weaponry. She dumped the objects on the deck and rooted through them. “All of these are simple to use. Just point and click.”
From exotic guns to bizarre blades to guns that even launched blades, the bevy of weaponry Jayne possessed was strangely seductive. Gabriella hovered over the pile of iron, copper, and wood, overwhelmed by the variety of choices. Not that she could ever wield one of the things herself. She wouldn’t know what to do if she did.
“Go on, Guppy,” Jayne said. “Help yourself.”
“The captain ordered us to stay here,” Click reminded them.
Jayne cocked the handle of something that resembled a gun, yet the barrel of which was twice that of any Gabriella had ever seen before. She leveled it at an imaginary target somewhere off the ship. “Tell me you plan on doing that.”
Click cocked his head at Jayne, his eyes dark and brooding. He bent low to snatch one of the weapons from the deck, a complicated affair with three barrels with just as many triggers. Bringing the weapons to his face for inspection, Gabriella saw that his classic wide smile had returned. “No. But I just wanted to have witnesses that I tried to. Now let’s go and get the rest of our crew back.”
The hollow, triple click of his weapon punctuated his point.
* * * *
While she lay face down in the muck, Rose mulled over her situation, taking stock of her options and decisions.
She was pinned down by wild savages.
She had just, effectively, told her crew to sail away without her.
She had one weapon, and it was attached to a pacifist.
She was insane.
“Captain!” Jax yelled. She scurried to Rose’s side, pushing something into Rose’s palm. “I’ve collected some of their weapons.”
Rose rolled over and looked at the stout spear Jax had placed in her hand. In the weak moon glow, she could just make out the deadly stingray tails bound to the tip. “Good work, Jax.”
“They shouldn’t give them to us if they don’t want us to use them,” Jax said. She offered Rose a few more of the white tipped weapons.
“Atom?” Rose called out. When she rose to a crouch, she felt someone tug her pants leg. Looking back, Rose saw the poor boy cringing behind her in the underbrush. He smiled weakly and waved his cannon-arm, as if reminding her he had it.
“Are you prepared to use that thing?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Even over the snap and whiz of the spears, she heard the hesitation in his voice. She tried to grin at him. “Maybe you won’t have to.”
Rose was amazed when the big woman offered him a spear. Jax seemed to understand his anxiety. Atom nodded in thanks while clutching the weapon to him.
“Now,” Jax said, “on count of three we scream, stand, and give all we have. They won’t expect us to fight back so while they are stunned by this, we run. Clear?”
Rose agreed, while Atom just stared at the blonde.
“You have problem with plan?” Jax asked.
“Oh no,” Atom said. “I’m just honored to be included.”
“Be honored back at ship,” Jax said. “One, two, three!”
Leaping to her feet, Rose hollered. She ignored the projectiles zipping past her, focusing instead on throwing spears in return. Exactly as Jax had predicted the assault on them came to a sudden halt.
“Go! Go! Go!” Jax yelled.
Before Rose could flee, she heard Atom screaming at the top of his lungs.
“Captain! Look out!” he yelled.
Time slowed to a crawl. Her gaze swept around to land on a single, well-placed spear hurtling toward her. The thing was dead centered, no matter which way she twisted, it would strike her. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and waited for the worst.