Treasure Tides

Chapter TWELVE

As the unlikely friends made plans, Joanna’s thoughts drifted to her team mates. Sean would have contacted Royce when she didn’t show for dinner. Royce would be all puffed-up in big-brother mode alternating between worry and rage about now. The team was most likely out looking for her. Checking to be sure the coin was safely contained in its protective pouch; she tucked it a little further down in her bra.

It was time to make contact with her team. Joanna still had her cell phone, but the dungeon walls were blocking the signal. She began to imagine each of their faces as she mentally initiated a communication link. Normally, Royce was the easiest to link with telepathically because they shared such a strong bond.

#

Watching the clip for what seemed like the hundredth time, Royce swore, “Why in hell can’t we get a visual on whatever was happening in the harbor? She is looking at something out there. I want to know what it is.”

“Royce, I’ve looked. There is nothing out there, or if it is, it’s beyond the view of the city surveillance cameras,” Sean said, equally as frustrated as his boss.

Tammy, who had been strangely silent since the first clip had been displayed, sought her husband’s gaze. “Something feels very strange when she is watching the woman and little girl,” she spoke softly in Aaron’s head.

Aaron raised one eyebrow indicating that he wanted further explanation.

“I don’t know any more than that,” Tammy said as she continued to speak only in her husband’s head. “I can’t explain the feeling, but I keep thinking I should know that woman. Joanna had such a stricken look in her eyes. She hasn’t had that look since-- well, since then. Royce doesn’t know, Aaron. He was missing during the time of her breakdown.”

Aaron closed his eyes in mutual agony. When he looked back at his beautiful wife, she had tears in her eyes. Aaron nodded toward Royce. Without words he asked if Tammy intended to fill Royce in on all that he had missed when he disappeared.

Tammy blinked rapidly, forcing the tears from her eyes. “Not right now, Aaron. He has enough to deal with. It won’t help the situation to dump that on him right now.”

Aaron nodded in agreement.

“Is this a private conversation, or can anyone join in?” Royce asked sarcastically.

Tammy ignored Royce’s bad manners completely. “Sean, show me the clip of the harbor.”

“Tammy, I promise you I have scoured every bit of that clip. There is nothing out there,” Sean said. He didn’t want to waste time looking at something that could not possibly help them find Joanna.

“Sean, dear, have I ever told you that I’m a Witch?” Tammy asked sweetly.

Shit! Was this a precursor to her turning him into a toad…or worse?

Knowing when to fold, Sean answered promptly, “Yes, Ma’am, I’m loading the clip now.”

“Thank you, Sean. You are a good man,” Tammy praised, “And, darling, you know I would never turn you into a toad. I love you too much,” she continued with a sparkle in her eye.

Sean laughed. Of course she would read his mind when some stupid thought was churning through it. He knew Tammy would never hurt him; he was like family. Like all families, they got on each other’s nerves from time to time.

As the clip flashed onto the big screen, Tammy gasped, “Oh, my God!”

Aaron knew that whatever Tammy had seen on that TV screen was not visible to any of the others. He also knew it had shocked her deeply, which was disconcerting because Tammy was not easily shocked.

A low growl sounded from nearby drawing everyone’s attention.

“What in the fu-- uh- hell was she thinking?” Landon bit out furiously, remembering mid-sentence that there was a lady present.

“I don’t know,” Tammy said hollowly with her eyes glued to the screen in front of her.

“Uh-- some help here you two. We aren’t all blessed with supernatural talent,” Royce complained.

Ignoring him, Landon moved closer to Tammy, “Is that what I think it is?”

“I’m afraid so,” Tammy whispered. “What are they doing here?”

Aaron had been kept in suspense long enough. While they might ignore his son, they would not ignore him.

“Tammy,” he said harshly, bringing her attention to him. “Kindly explain to us what you are seeing,” he asked in a milder tone.

“I’m sorry,” Tammy apologized immediately. “I-- it-- well--” she struggled to put together words to explain that which was inexplainable.

“What she is trying to say,” Landon butted in, “is that Queen Anne’s Revenge is anchored just off Castle Pinckney, and in that clip…Joanna just boarded her.”

“Are you telling me there is a ship out there that we can’t see?” Royce asked incredulously. “And that my sister has been taken on board?”

“She wasn’t exactly taken on board, Royce,” Tammy said drearily.

“That’s right, buddy,” Landon said, seeming to grow angrier each time he watched the video. “Your sister just voluntarily boarded a damn pirate ship.”

“If Queen Anne’s Revenge is out there son, you’ve got more than just an invisible ship. That ship belonged to Blackbeard, who died in the seventeen hundreds,” Aaron said with dread.

“There’s another ship approaching…the Ranger. Who’s ship is that, Aaron? They are boarding Queen Anne’s Revenge,” Tammy said urgently. “Aaron, they’re shooting crew members!”

“The Ranger belonged to Charles Vane,” Aaron said, giving Royce a hard stare…the kind that meant big trouble.

Not one to let anything get by her, Tammy arched her eyebrow at her husband prompting, “The ship belonged to Charles Vane…and?”

“He was famous for his cruelty,” Kurt said softly, watching Landon’s every move.

Tammy’s eyes suddenly widened as she caught her breath.

Aaron was beside her in an instant. “What do you see?” he asked quietly.

“They are carrying her. She is unconscious. God, Aaron. I have to go.” Tammy turned tear-filled eyes to her husband, “She has blood all over her head.”

Landon clinched his fists and struggled to contain his Were. “Castle Pinckney,” he growled.

Landon’s eyes had already turned yellow. His canines began to drop… and then he threw back his head and howled.

“Oh, that’s not good,” Kurt said, as he ran topside. “Hold onto something,” he called firing up the boat. Soon they were moving toward Castle Pinckney at top speed.

Royce muttered, “What did he mean…that’s not good?” He looked at his father saying, “This day just keeps getting better.”

Tammy, who had previously been watching Landon with caution, responded to Royce, “He called in the Pack,” she said gratefully.

“Oh, that is indeed…not good,” Royce seconded.

#

Closing her eyes, Joanna mentally scanned the area. She would start in a small circle and work her way out until she was able to make the connection. The process was tedious and exhausting, but she knew Grace and the others would help if needed.

“Dear, I can save you some time,” Grace offered with a mischievous smile.

Joanna wrinkled her brow in questioning frown.

“Try your mother first,” Grace advised.

“My mother is--”

“Very close,” Grace assured her.

“Oh, great,” Joanna groaned.

“Lass, does your mother look like you do?” Blackbeard asked

waggling his eyebrows and pulling on his beard.

Joanna laughed. “She’s very beautiful. But, you would have to fight my dad for her.”

The door to the dungeon swung open, and Joanna turned with a smile anticipating Blackbeard’s reaction to her mother.

The pirate standing in the doorway held absolutely no resemblance to her mother whatsoever.

“It’s time,” Vane announced.

All eyes turned toward him in confusion. Blackbeard spoke aloud the words they were all thinking. “Uh-- it may have slipped your mind, but you don’t have the coin.”

Vane smiled evilly, “I have everything I need right here.” Pinning Joanna with his gaze, he continued, “Don’t I, Witch?”

They knew she had the coin. The blood drained from Joanna’s face.

“Let’s move.” Vane indicated with a wave of his pistol that she should precede him up the dark musty stairway.

“It will be ok. Just do as he says,” Joanna felt Grace’s feathery touch and heard her voice.

Joanna moved toward the stair case. As they entered the main gathering hall, Joanna saw that it had filled with pirates. Torches flickered illuminating moss covered walls. The eyes of long dead men followed every step she took; they leered at her in anticipation.

“We ain’t tak’en no chances this time,” one of the pirates said. He grabbed her shoulder and shoved her roughly toward the front of the hall. As she stumbled closer to the makeshift altar, she noticed the chains and shackles mounted securely to the slab of stone.

They were going to chain her up! Joanna felt panic choke her as one of the pirates unsheathed his knife and begin to stalk toward her with lust and glee in his eyes.

“We are here, Child. You are not alone,” she heard Grace’s soothing words inside her head. “We’ve had an unexpected… development,” she continued.

“What development?” Joanna projected, struggling to remain calm as the pirate’s blade drew ever closer.

“We can’t get out,” Lucy blurted.

They couldn’t help her. She was all alone! Joanna felt bile rising in her throat; she began to shake as panic spread through her mind and body.

“We have had a temporary setback,” Grace insisted forcefully. “Joanna, I told you that your mother was close by. She will be here shortly to help me. Just remain calm and believe that we will get out of this,” Grace urged.

Joanna forced herself to take a calming breath, pushing the panic away. Relief lasted but a moment as she felt the pirate’s knife cut through her shirt and bra as if they were butter.

Joanna screamed as her shirt and bra fell open, exposing her soft white skin to the lustful eyes of pirates long-dead. The coin dropped from its hiding spot to the floor at her feet.

Vane grabbed the coin almost the instant it landed. “Ahhh, yes! Just like we planned. Right, Mateys?” he asked turning to speak to the crowd of pirates who were now cheering.

Heavy wooden doors guarding the entrance to hall suddenly crashed to the floor. A dozen Vampires glided into the room. Pirates drew their swords and pistols, all training their weapons on the newcomers.

“Stand down!” Vane shouted to the motley crew. “They are here at my invitation. After we finish with the coin, I have arranged a trade with my pale friends.”

Joanna scanned the crowd of pirates and…Vampires? Why would they be here? What an unorthodox mix. She struggled to figure out what the two had in common. She remembered Grace saying the death-walkers had been closing in on Royce. They would have killed him to get the coin. None of this made any sense! Her thoughts were interrupted as the pirate and his blade went to work on her remaining garments. Suddenly, she stood before the evil mix of unlikely cohorts, as naked as the day she was born. Cheers sounded. Disgustingly perverted suggestions could be heard as they all raked their eyes over Joanna’s now exposed body.

“Joanna, you are doing fine, just a few more minutes. You can do this,” Grace continued to encourage her.

That’s easy for you say. You’re not the one standing buck ass naked in a hall full of long-dead whore mongers! Joanna laughed, but not in a funny ha-ha sort of way.

Iron cuffs were suddenly locked around her wrists and ankles. She felt herself mentally crumbling. She was trying to hang on, trying to do as Grace asked, but it was just too much. She felt the doors beginning to close in her mind. She felt herself crawling into that mental hole where no one would be able to reach her.

Blackbeard and Stede were pushed into the room. They were still in chains.

“Glad you could join the party once again,” Calico Jack welcomed them with sarcasm. “Put ‘em at the altar.”

The crowd jeered as Blackbeard and Stede proudly took their places on either side of Joanna. They crowded in as close to her as possible attempting to shield her nudity.

Stede whispered, “We are sorry you got involved in this, Lass.”

“It’s not your fault. What the hell are Vamps doing here?”

“They too are interested in the powers of the coin,” Blackbeard answered.

“I don’t understand how the coin can help them?” Joanna questioned.

“Perhaps I can help,” suggested a Vane with an eerie smile. “My friends would like to be granted immunity from death.”

“They are already dead!” Joanna informed him.

“Ahh, yes. But they are still susceptible to wooden stakes and such,” Vane clarified.

Joanna’s eyes widened in horror as she realized the implications of what she had been told. If what Vane said was true, the coin would essentially make Vampires unstoppable. There would be no way to kill them. Eventually, they would terrorize the earth; turning all living beings into blood suckers.

Vane laughed as he turned to make his way toward the Vamps. Pirates stowed their weapons and parted as Vane and his pale friends made their way through the crowd, disappearing down a passageway on the East wall of the great room.

“Why do they need you here?” Joanna asked, unconsciously pulling against the iron and chains securing her.

“They’ve promised us to Davy Jones,” Stede said.

“There was something missing from the ceremony last time,” Blackbeard explained. “That is why it didn’t work. Come to find out, it never would have worked.”

“What is it that was missing?” Joanna asked with dread curling in her stomach.

“We aren’t sure,” Blackbeard answered.

“We only know that whatever it is, Vane has agreed to trade us for it,” Stede admitted.

“Us…as in…?” Joanna pressed.

“As in the three of you, to Davy Jones, for eternity,” Calico Jack announced. “After all, we have three more Witches below. We can spare one,” he laughed evilly. “’Tis time to take my leave, the guest of honor will be arrivin’ soon. I shall rejoin ye after ‘is grand entrance.”

“Bastard,” Joanna mumbled as she watched him move from the altar.

“Guard the pris’ners,” Calico Jack called as he followed the path previously taken by Vane and the Vampires. He slammed the wooden door shut behind him with a thud.

Suddenly, it seemed as if a tidal wave hit Castle Pinckney. Water rushed in through what used to be doors and windows. Joanna closed her eyes as saltwater crashed over her head. Cold, swirling water filled the room rising higher and higher. Foam and seaweed wrapped around Joanna’s neck. She was going to drown! She began to struggle against the bonds holding her in place. Stede and Blackbeard grappled with the chains trying to help free her. The water suddenly began to rush in one direction, sucking her feet out from under her. As the force of the water washed past her, she saw that what remained of her garments had become entangled in the chains at Stede’s feet. She struggled to regain her footing as the water receded from the altar. Joanna drew large gulps of oxygen into her lungs. Screams could be heard as several unfortunate pirates were sucked into dark, swirling, liquid death.

The altar where Joanna, Stede, and Blackbeard were standing was somewhat elevated. However, if she had not been securely chained and locked in place, Joanna would have been washed away by the force of the wave. As she opened her eyes, a figure, half skeleton-half pirate, approached the altar. Rotted flesh hanging from bones carried the stench of death. Worms and maggots caused any remaining soft-tissue to move with a life-force of its own. One eye was missing, the other held in place by a-- who-knew-what?

* * * *