1 comment

Adventure Fiction Urban Fantasy

Summer Waters

Port Royal Jamaica

After several missions over the last year Mack McCauley, Dr. Samantha Fox, David Berchoff and Maria Moyer rented a catamaran to explore the coastal waters of Port Royal, Jamaica. Finishing up his second degree in Maritime History, Mack has been bugging his close friends to help him with his degree in maritime history based on Pirate Legends in the Caribbean.

The catamaran was a gift from Admiral Ambassador and though tight can hold up to 6 people. Flying the UK Flag to passing vessels. Mack and Gauge continue to train their lady friends how to pilot such a vessel in hope their training will help out in future missions. Just about 15 miles from the coastal town The Plum Nest pulls above a noted SCUBA site where they hope to find anything of maritime history.

About 500 yards away sits a yacht about 210 feet. It has a scarlet red in color as a helicopter touches down on its deck Gauge and Mack spot the yacht as they get dressed up in their SCUBA gear. “Looks like we have some competition over yonder, Gauge.”

“That's a beauty of a vessel. Hey Opal you want to tell us what the name of the vessel is?”

Raising her binoculars while sunbathing in a monokini . “Its name the Scarlet Avignon. Must be some rich dude who like Scarlet.” replies Opal

“What are you doing planning on buying her guys.” comments Sam in monokini as well as she places her strawberry blonde hair in a ponytail and wearing a baseball cap. .

“Maybe if we win the multi-million lottery. This catamaran is fine by me.” Comments Mack about the yacht. “You are set to go Gauge.”

“I'm looking forward to test my new sea salvage tools if we find anything Sam is the communication life monitoring console ready for us.”

“Yes I double checked it twice and the life monitor is working good. Especially since I stab you both with a hidden tracker in your thighs.”

“You are always playing with medical tools, Doc.” Smirks Gauge “Ready to go Mack.”

Giving the thumbs up Mack and Gauge drop over the side to explore this region of Port Royal

Ocean.

Scarlet Avignon

A French-Spanish woman dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and wearing a scarlet blouse joins an older man in his late 50's who is reviewing some charts. The older Caucasian man with French and Spanish blood in him has a walrus handlebar mustache as he wears a scarlet polo shirt and dark trousers. The man is Jean Pierre Rem y but many people know him as the Scarlet Musketeer. He is joined by his daughter Gabrielle who joins him on the deck.

“”Padre, I have the latest reports concerning Blackbeard's treasure.”

“Gracias Hija. I was just preparing our team. Any problems at the biblioteca.”

“No however there are some Americans surveying the area as well.”

“Well if these Americans get in my way our team knows what to do.”

“Izano, a moment of your time.” orders the Scarlet Musketeer

“Si Commandant.” A tall lanky man in Scarlet wet-suit who looks like a soccer star approaches the smaller man.

“We may have intrusas, use ROE if need be depending on the situation.”

“I will make sure we have a pair of Flechette weapons with us., Commandant.”

Excelente, we have three hours before night sets. Find me something down there proving Blackbeard's treasure. Hija.”

“Si Padre.”

“You will go with team two once Izano finds anything of value.”

“Si Padre, I will get my wet-suit on why Izano is down there.”

“Excelente, all is going well.”

Below deep

Working below the surface, Mack and Gauge use a modified shovel vacuum device that brushes away the sand on the bottom of the bay.

VOOM Thrush

Mack looks over to gauge who is using the device and talks to him via underwater mask communications. “ Having any luck over there Gauge?”

VOOM THUSH STOP

“Found a barrel of a cannon but I assume you wanted something more, Mack.”

“Its a start, Gauge.” Mack comments and spots three divers in scarlet SCUBA wet-suits using a .vacuum like hose. “ I see we have company. Hey start up the shovel-vac over there something is shimmering over there.”

Starting up the shovel-vac up again VOOM THRUSH. Gauge blows away some wet sand and reveals a brass harpoon head. “Take a look Mack I think we found something.”

Moving closer in his wet-suit. He reaches down and pulls up a brass harpoon head from the dirt bottom. Examining it closer Mack spots the insignia of Blackbeard engraved in the brass harpoon head. “ Good ole Edmund Ketch was here alright check o0ut the insignia being a horned skeleton with an hourglass and heart Lets take it up to polish it up and give to the Port Royal museum.”

“There is no bad MOJO with that thing is there Mack? Questions Gauge as he takes up the

shovel-vac.

“Not that I am aware of but we can always call Dr. jinn he could look it up on his research log.”

“Okay but keep that bad MOJO away from me.”

Mack places the harpoon head in a sealed water bucket for collecting and preserving underwater archaeological finds. “ You worry to much, gauge it does not have a curse on it.”

“Tell me that about that time in Iraq where we fought a female daemon.”

“That was just coincidental but it did start our career in fight the shadows in our closets.

“See Bad MOJO”

The two men swim up the bay and stop at designated sites to prevent the bends. Climbing aboard Sam and opal look at their men surface from the water. Sam asks “What did you guys

find down there? It seems our Scarlet yacht has caught their interest.”

“Nothing much but a harpoon head by Blackbeard. I was hoping we could clean it up and give it to the Kingston museum.”

“That's great. I will make a few calls.' Comments opal as she pulls out her cellphone to her Jamaican contacts.

In the distance the Musketeer uses a modified spyglass and looks at the catamaran. “ Mon Amie what did you find down there Americans?” he spots opal on her cellphone talking to

someone.

Two days later

Kingston Museum, Jamaica

A small group of scholars and business people wearing dress suits and dresses are joined by Mack who wears a polo shirt and khaki pants along with a sports jacket is joined by Sam who wears a teal party dress. The two are joined by gauge who wears a fishermen sweater and trousers and Opal who wears a dark party dress. The two couples join Dr. Milton McGhie who looks like a museum curator and wears a dark suit for a scholar businessman who stands behind a podium.

“I like to thank Commander McCauley and Petty Officer Berchoff for their amazing find a brass harpoon engraved with Blackbeard insignia. It just proves that Edward ketch or as Blackbeard in the history books that his legendary treasure is nearby.”

“Thanks to these gentlemen and a generous donation from Amberst Enterprises we have come one step closer to finding the legendary treasure of Blackbeard. Now that we have thanked them we shall commence further exhibits of the legendary pirate in the galley.”

Moments later

A small group of art thieves enter the galley wearing red camouflage BDUS armed with muskets and assault rifles storm the museum. The Scarlet Musketeer in traditional garb steps forward armed with Calvary sword and Flintlock pistols. “Greets Dr. McGhie, I am the Scarlet Musketeer and I would like to take the brass harpoon of Blackbeard for my collection. Please do not resist for I abhor bloodshed.”

“Scarlet musketeer are you mad. That harpoon is priceless”

“ I am as straight minded as you good Medikue. The harpoon will be a fine edition for my art smuggling ring.”

“i refuse to give you this priceless artifact.”

“Mon Amie, how I abhor violence. Izano.” Izano steps forward and hits the good doctor with his musket rifle. Dr. McGhie falls to the ground retching in pain. Mack and the others look at the small art thief commandos in camouflage gear and taking a number in their eyes. The other party goers grasp in disbelief. “Now where is that American who found the harpoon for me.”

“What do you want Musketeer?” Comments Mack as he steps forward ready to fight the older man.

“I have a proposal for you American. If you help me find more clues to the lost treasure of Bizagorri and we will leave in peace. If you disagree our competition shall move forward. What do you say Yank?”

'I'm actually a Johnny Rebel, Musketeer but my answer will be no.”

“Than let our games begin. Izano.” On those words Izano drops a flash grenade to shake up the party goers.

Boom Pow

Everyone including Mack and his team are blinded and deafened by the flash grenade. Their eyes blinded and ears ringing.

Moments later

Mack and Gauge start to regain their senses and start to chase after the Scarlet musketeer and his men to retrieve the stolen harpoon head. Pushing their way through a few security guards who lie unconscious Mack and Gauge coming rushing out of the museum and spot the musketeer and his men boarding a hummer truck scarlet in color.

Gabrielle sits behind the steering wheel and takes off once her father and his men board the rear of the Hummer truck. Gabrielle looks in the back window and sees the Americans chasing after them. “Padre we have empresa.”

“My the games have started early my Hija.' Pushing back the window of the truck the Scarlet

Musketeer looks back at Izano. “Izano my com-padre Slow them down.”

“Yes Commandant.” On those words Izano grabs an assault rifle from one of his guards and releases a series of shots at Mack and Gauge

RAT TAT TAT.

“Duck Gauge.” Mack and Gauge dive behind a series of cars. As the shots pierce the sedan shell. Mack and Gauge jump into their jeep and begin to pursue the musketeer and his goons. “Gauge Drive on the Left Side!” orders Mack

“Left or Right Who cares.” As the jeep picks up speed along the highway as it swerves in and out of traffic. Mack reaches into the glove compartment and releases a hidden location for a SIG SAUER pistol and picks it up and takes aim at the fleeing thieves.

Bang Bang Bang

In the distances the wails of police and rescue vehicles echo through the streets of Kingston.

Looking back the Musketeer spots the chasing jeep as it swerves in and out of traffic. “These Americans are good. Izano slow them down with Plan B.”

Izano signals to one of his cohorts to drop a spiked chain on the pursing jeep. The two through the highway spiked chain behind them as Gabrielle picks up speed on the hummer truck.

Clank Rattle Clank

Minutes later the jeep crosses over the spiked chain. “Look Out Gauge” The jeep rushes over the spiked chain as the jeep comes to halt followed by several other cars. As it turns out to be a three car accident.

Crash Clank Snap

Mack and Gauge brake to a stop as they watch the fleeing Hummer continue on the Kingston highway. “Damn, there goes another travel benefit with the Colonel.” Gauge steps hard on a beer can as he shows anger as well in his eyes.

“What are you going to say this time Mack?”

“I'm working on it.” As two police cars pull up behind the accident victims.

“Freaking Bad MOJO, Man.”

Epilogue

Scarlet Avignon, two nights later

The Musketeer wakes up screaming in the night hours. Hearing her father screams Gabrielle checks in on him. “What happened Padre?”

“Just a bad dream, my Hija.”

“What was it about?”

“It involved Blackbeard and his return. We must be prepared if Blackbeard returns perhaps he will lead us to his loss treasure.”

“Padre you are Loco, Blackbeard will not return.”

“I don't care I want his arts he collected. We must find it for our collection.”

“Whatever Padre?”

A series of dark clouds storm outside the Scarlet Avignon. In the misty and stormy clouds a war galley surfaces from the waters below. As the Queen Anne Revenge plows through the Caribbean Waters. Standing aboard with his Undead crew the most famous pirate in history looks through the darkened storm clouds. Blackbeard full of barnacles around his beard as he looks down to his crew

“All your bloody scabs we have an opportunity for destiny. But first I must retrieve my harpoon head.” As he holds a black wooden staff in his hands.

The End? .  

June 21, 2021 23:50

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

1 comment

18:55 Jul 02, 2021

Hi, Christian, This seems to be part of a larger work, so perhaps some of my comments will reflect that. In the first paragraph, you introduce four characters and then seem to change two of their names immediately. If "Opal" and "Gauge" are nicknames, it will make your readers' lives easier if you can just call them that at the beginning. There is a lot of information here that tells me you have done your research! (I have no idea if that is really "Blackbeard's" name, but I will take your word for it.) You might need to explain a bit more...

Reply

Show 0 replies

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.