Pirates of the Storm (Stranded In Time Book 1)

by Fletcher Best

  “Did I miss something?” Jeff asked.

  “I want to go to the gambling parlor. I don’t want to go back to the hotel yet!” Jenny exclaimed.

  “Oh,” Jeff replied, “That’s what you meant by get lucky! I thought you were talking about… something else.”

  “Like what?” Jenny asked.

  “Well, in my time, the expression ‘getting lucky’ means having sex.”

  “Mr. Greene! Is that all you think about?!” she exclaimed, pretending to be shocked.

  “Well, yeah,” Jeff admitted, “But in this case, I just misunderstood. In any event, gambling it is!”

  Jenny led Jeff down a side street. As they approached the gambling parlor, sounds of music and rowdy people greeted them. They stepped inside the smoke-filled room and Jeff squinted in the dim light to take in the scene. There were seven round tables at which each had at least 4 or 5 men seated around them. At two of the tables there was some type of card game going on and the other tables were all playing a dice game he had not seen before that at first glance looked like craps. A dozen or so women circulated through the room. Some were obviously bar maids while others appeared to be prostitutes waiting to service the lucky winners. Jenny turned to Jeff and said, “I want to play hazard,” she said as she walked toward a table in the back that had empty seats.

  “Hazard?” Jeff asked as he followed her.

  “The dice game,” she explained.

  But before they could take their seats, a loud argument broke out at one of the card games. “Ye be nothin’ but a filthy rook!” a large, angry man bellowed as he stood up and upended the table, sending cards and money flying through the air. An even larger man slowly rose from his chair and swatted the heavy table aside with one hand as he stepped forward toward his accuser.

  “Do not be callin’ me a rook! I ha’ no need o’ cheatin’ when I be playin’ one as STUPID as ye!”

  Jeff leaned over to Jenny, “Perhaps we should find another gambling parlor.”

  “A sound thought,” she nodded in agreement.

  But before they could make their way to the door, the fists had already started flying and in a moment the entire parlor erupted into one big brawl. Jeff and Jenny tried to stay outside the fray as they inched toward the door, but it was not to be. A rough looking man stepped up to Jeff and took a swing at his head. Fortunately, Jeff saw it coming and was able to block the punch before sending his attacker flying backward with a kick to his chest. Jenny was not so lucky and she was blindsided by an errant punch meant for someone else that sent her stumbling backward before landing flat on her butt. She was more surprised than hurt as Jeff helped her to her feet.

  By now bottles were flying through the air and several groups of combatants had blocked the path to the door. “Let’s circle back around the other way,” Jeff suggested as he led Jenny toward the back of the room. Bottles shattered against the wall as they made their way around the outer edges of the fighting. As they neared the front window, the two men who had initiated the fight crashed through it onto the street. Jeff grabbed a broken table leg and cleared away some of the broken glass around the window’s edges before he and Jenny made their exit through it. The two big men were rolling around on the street smeared in their own blood flowing from the cuts from the window glass - still cursing each other and exchanging punches as Jeff and Jenny headed for more peaceful surroundings.

  “Do you know of another gambling house?” Jeff asked once they were well clear of the fight.

  “Yes, but perhaps it would be best to go back to the hotel. I’m still a bit dizzy from that punch,” she replied.

  Other than the now familiar propositions from the prostitutes, the walk back to the hotel was uneventful. They walked in the door of the hotel and the obese man from earlier was now passed out at the front desk. They made their way upstairs. The hallway was now lit with several dim kerosene lamps that were hung on the doors. Jeff grabbed the lamp and brought it into the room before turning up the flame to inspect Jenny’s face. “Nice black eye!” he exclaimed, “From the swelling, it looks like you took a pretty good punch.”

  “I’ve had much worse,” Jenny assured him.

  “Anything I can do to make it better?” Jeff asked.

  “You can start with a massage on my shoulders and I’ll see what else I can think of,” she replied seductively.

  An hour or so later - after the shoulder massage and everything else Jenny was able to think of, the two fell asleep on the floor, still finding it more comfortable than the bed. Just before dawn they were awakened by a distant rooster crowing. “We need to get back to the ships,” Jenny said as Jeff stood up stiffly and tried to work out the kinks. They dressed quickly and Jenny walked down first to drop off the key. Jeff exited the hotel while the clerk was occupied with her and waited for her on the hotel’s porch.

  The sky was just getting light when they arrived back at the docks. Most of the crew had not yet made it back and the few that had were still stinking drunk. Captain Jamison appeared on the deck of The Crow and called down to them, “Good morning, gentlemen. Come aboard and eat while we wait for the others. We shall be leaving the Grand Booty here with a few men until the repairs can be completed and we shall resume our business without her for the time being. We set sail in an hour, so come and fill your bellies and prepare to get to work!” Jeff and Jenny quickly made their way onboard The Crow, while the others gradually dragged themselves to their feet and stumbled their way onto the deck. As they ate, other hung over members of the crew staggered aboard here and there. By the time Jeff and Jenny were finished eating, everyone was back on the ship and Captain Jamison gave the order to cast off.

  After a short sail out of the harbor, they met up with the Wandering Wench. Captain Jamison and a few of his men joined the members of Coxen’s crew in the longboat over to the Wench. While the Captains planned their next raid, Jeff checked up on his patients and Jenny went to work attending to the galley. While finishing up in the infirmary, Jeff could hear preparations on deck to make sail. Curious as to their destination, he made his way on deck. Captain Jamison had already boarded a longboat back to The Crow and Captain Coxen was standing on the navigation deck overseeing the preparations to sail.

  Jeff climbed the steps to the navigation deck and Coxen greeted him warmly, “Ah, Mr. Greene, good to see you! Since we will need to return soon to Port Royal to retrieve the Grand Booty, we have decided to make a short sail to Cuba to raid a few villages on the Eastern Coast. The Spanish have their hands full with the French incursions into Hispaniola and have left Eastern Cuba relatively undefended. The villages are poor, but their governors live in relative luxury, so there is profit to be had with little risk.”

  Jeff nodded, “Sounds like a good plan. Perhaps I can even join the raiding party this time?” Jeff asked hopefully.

  “Perhaps. Getting a bit restless are you, Mr. Greene?” the Captain said with a knowing smile.

  “A bit, yes, Captain. It’s just that I always seem to be stuck on the ship waiting to tend to any injuries. Just for a change, I’d like to get closer to the action.” “It is not a good policy to have the ship’s surgeon placed at risk, but I do see your point. I am not promising anything, but I will consider having you join us on at least one of the raids.”

  “Thank you Captain.”

  “Now, please excuse me Mr. Greene, it is time to get underway.

  Chapter 14: Into The Storm

  The Wandering Wench and The Crow set out for Cuba and the ships were within sight of land just as the sun started to sink in the sky. After checking his charts and positioning and some signaling back and forth with Captain Jamison, the ships set a course for their first intended target, a village called Pueblo Carcel. Jeff had just finished cleaning the infirmary again for lack of anything better to do when Mr. Graves came for him, “The Captain sent me to fetch ye, Mr. Greene.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Graves.” Jeff headed out on deck with growing excitement, hoping that th
e Captain was going to include him in the raid.

  As he stepped onto the navigation deck, the Captain was standing at the wheel and waved him over. “Mr. Greene, I have considered your interest in joining the raid, and I think I can accommodate you – on one condition.”

  “Yes, Captain, what’s your condition?”

  “You must promise me that you will not get yourself hurt or killed.”

  Jeff smiled, “I will do my best, Captain.”

  “Very well then, Mr. Greene. We shall be anchoring soon. Be sure to eat a good supper and then prepare yourself for the raid. See Mr. Harrison about a pistol and the necessary ammunition and be sure your sword is sharp.”

  “Yes Captain, and thank you!”

  “You are welcome Mr. Greene, but remember, if you get yourself killed, the punishment will be most severe!”

  “Yes, Captain, I will keep that in mind!”

  Jeff found Mr. Harrison who supplied him with a pistol and a supply of powder and ammunition. The two men then joined the rest of the crew in line for dinner in the galley. As Jenny served him a plate, she noticed the pistol stuck in his belt. “Are you to join the raiding party, Mr. Greene?”

  “Yes, the Captain is permitting me to go along on this one.”

  “Good for you! Do try to not get yourself killed,” she said with a slight smile.

  “As I told the Captain, I will do my best!” he replied.

  Jeff and several of the other men ate quickly on deck by the fading light of sunset. When he finished eating, Jeff set about sharpening his sword and anxiously awaited the raid. Shortly after darkness fell, the ships reached Pueblo Carcel and dropped anchor. Jeff was already waiting at the rail when the Captain gathered the rest of the raiding party and placed Crabtree in command of the ship. Coxen, Jeff, and several other men loaded into the longboats. They met up with the longboats from The Crow before heading toward the village. Although the distance to shore was not that far, a strong headwind had come up from out of the North which stirred up the waves and made for a slow, rough, wet row to the beach.

  The longboats finally made it to shore and Jeff and the others jumped out and pulled them up onto the sand. So far, it seemed as though they had not been detected and the men quietly assembled before Captains Coxen and Jamison led them up a narrow path toward the faint lights visible through the trees. Coxen took the lead and after a short walk, he held up his hand to signal the others to stop. The trail had ended in a clearing where there were several small huts with the flickering glow of firelight emanating from within. A small group of men could be seen sitting around a ground fire, but otherwise the village was quiet.

  Captain Coxen pointed at Harrison and the two Stevens and motioned for them to advance on the group while the rest of the raiding party remained cloaked in the shadows. Jeff watched as the three men silently crept up on the group around the fire. Their presence was only noticed when Harrison stepped forward into the firelight and cocked his pistol. The villagers immediately raised their hands and all started talking at once. Jeff couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he guessed it was probably Spanish for “Don’t shoot!” Harrison and the two Stevens were holding their guns on them but also appeared to be trying to settle the men down.

  Harrison waved to the Captain and the rest of the raiding party advanced. As they approached, Jeff heard one of the villagers say, “…en la Colina.”

  Harrison spoke, “Captain, I do not think the villagers be givin’ us any trouble. They not be havin’ much fondness fer the governor. They say the governor’s house and the barracks for the Spanish soldiers be up the trail atop the hill.”

  “Cuantas soldadas?” Coxen asked of the men.

  “Seis,” one spoke up.

  “Good, only six soldiers. Hopefully this shall be as easy as it would seem. Captain Jamison, what say you to leaving a few men here to keep an eye on the villagers and the rest of us can take the governor’s house?”

  Jamison agreed, “Aye, Captain Coxen, it shall be done. Scarborough, Givens, Wesley, and Smith, you men shall stay here and make sure the villagers do not interfere. And Smith, if there are any women about, you stay away from them!”

  “But Captain…” Smith began.

  “That’s an order Mr. Smith!”

  “Aye, Captain,” Smith replied dejectedly.

  Jamison continued, “Mr. Scarborough, let these men know that as long as the villagers cooperate, they and their possessions will be left untouched.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Scarborough acknowledged before relaying the Captain’s words to the men.

  Captain Coxen took the lead and the rest of the raiding party moved quickly up the path. As they approached the top of the hill, Coxen slowed their advance. Ahead Jeff could see a dim light shining through a second-floor window in what he guessed to be the governor’s house. The light colored stone wall around it stood out from the surrounding darkness and there was a large wooden gate in the center.

  Coxen instructed Harrison and the two Stevens to take to the trees and advance to the far side of the gate, while Jamison sent his men around to take positions on the near side and back wall. Coxen, Jeff and the remaining members of the raiding party cautiously moved toward the gate. The soldiers were apparently not watching the perimeter as the raiding party walked right up to the gate without any noise from within nor any other sign that they had been spotted. Coxen pushed against the gate, and to his surprise, it swung open, but in so doing, let out a loud creaking noise. From somewhere within the compound, muffled voices could be heard. The raiding party quickly moved through the gate and spread out to hide in the shadows. Jeff was at Captain Coxen’s side when light poured out from an opening door on an outbuilding near the gate and a Spanish soldier walked out with a pistol in his hand.

  The soldier was still night-blind and squinted against the darkness as he slowly approached their hiding place in the shadows next to a small tree inside the gate. The man’s night vision was developing just as he came face to barrel with Coxen’s gun. “Silencio,” Coxen whispered as he raised a finger to his mouth. Jeff stepped up and relieved the man of his gun. “Si coopera, no matarle. Comprendo?” Coxen said quietly to the soldier, who nodded in agreement. “Regreso,” the Captain said as he motioned for the man to head back to the building.

  The man hesitated for a moment, but with both Coxen and Jeff now holding pistols on him, he decided to comply. As they walked toward the building, Coxen waved for the others inside the gate to follow. As they reached the door to the building, Coxen grabbed the man by the shoulder and whispered, “Alto!” As the other pirates gathered behind them at the door, the Captain whispered to the soldier, “Abierto!” As the man opened the door, Captain Coxen shoved him through it and burst through the door with Jeff, Captain Jamison and several other men right behind him. The three other soldiers in the building were taken completely by surprise and put up no resistance when faced with the multiple pistols aimed at them.

  “Tie them up and gag them, men. There are still two unaccounted for, so look alive,” Jamison ordered.

  Coxen stepped up to the man who they had ambushed by the gate and asked, “Donde los otros?” The man looked over at his comrades who were being bound and gagged before looking up at Coxen with silent defiance. “Blindfold them and we’ll find the others on our own!” the Captain ordered. Once the three other men were blindfolded, Coxen leaned in, and whispered in the man’s ear, “Donde los otros?” he asked again with a menacing tone.

  The man mouthed back the words, “En la casa,” as he gestured with his head toward the main house.

  Captain Coxen stepped back. “Mr. Pike, gag and blindfold this man and remain here on guard.”

  “Aye, Captain!”

  “Captain Jamison, shall we take the house?” Coxen inquired.

  “By all means,” Jamison nodded, “You lead the way, John.” The men quickly filed out of the guard house behind Captain Coxen. The flickering firelight within the main house made it clearly vis
ible through the darkness. On Coxen’s signal, the men fanned out to surround the house and slowly closed in. As they moved closer, a lone sentry illuminated by the moonlight could be seen on the second floor.

  The ground floor was cloaked in shadows, and although they knew there was probably a sentry patrolling there, he could not be seen. In a moment, any doubts about the presence of a guard on the ground floor were eliminated when a voice from out of the darkness shouted, “Alto!” and a muzzle flash briefly revealed the position of the soldier near the front door of the house. There was a brief exchange of gunfire between the pirates and the two guards, but the Spanish soldiers quickly succumbed to the superior numbers and better aim of the raiding party.

  After the men had time to reload their guns, Coxen carefully advanced through the front door of the house with Captain Jamison and Jeff and several other men right behind. They moved quickly through the first floor of the house and found only a maid from the village hiding in terror beneath the dining table. Although she did not appear to be a threat, Coxen ordered her bound to a chair until the raid was complete.

  Just as they had finished securing the first floor, one of Jamison’s men dragged in a shirtless man who was limping badly. “I found me this bloke after ‘e jump out the back window. Think ‘e broke him leg.”

  Jamison walked over and grabbed ahold of the man’s hand and held it to the light to reveal large gold rings on each finger. “Ah, the governor no doubt!” exclaimed Captain Jamison, as he proceeded to yank the rings from the man’s fingers.

  “Aye,” Coxen agreed, “Shall we see if there are any more occupants on the second floor?”

  “Lead on, Captain Coxen,” Jamison said, gesturing toward the stairs. Jeff followed Jamison and Coxen as they crept up the stairs with several men behind them. On the second floor, they fanned out to search the rooms.

  Jeff was first in the door of what turned out to be the bedroom. There, tied spread-eagled on the bed was a naked woman. As he moved closer, Jeff could see the fear in her eyes and he tried to reassure her with what broken Spanish he could remember, “Esta bien. No esta… en peligro. Tranquilo.” When he got next to the bed, he pulled out his knife to cut her loose, and she started screaming. “No, no! Tranquilo! Cuchillo es por la cuello!”