Dicclaimer:I do not own anything Pirates of the Caribbean.
I do however own Percy. She's from my head, or maybe she's my alter ego. You guess!
"We were able to look up a relative of his, he goes by the name of Raymond Sparrow. He's 28 years old, married at 21 and divorced at 23." I cringed as Cheryl read the information out to me. But this guy could be our link to the treasure of Useppa, something I'd been searching for since I was 18 and learned about it in World Histories. Now, at 27, I could finally get my hands dirty. If only I had the map, and hopefully, this Raymond had it.
"Where's he at right now?" I asked the blonde at the desk in front of me. Cheryl Mercer had been working with me as a treasure hunter since we both graduated college. But the job wasn't a high paying thing; in fact often you didn't get paid. So Cheryl took up working as a receptionist at Allure magazine in Miami, while I took a simpler job as a crewmember on board a fishing charter and a sail boat charter.
I grew up in Key West with my Dad and two brothers, so I new my way around all sorts of boats. Also, I knew my way around the reefs, especially the sunkenpirate ships. But the treasure of Useppa was something different altogether. $30 million dollars was waiting somewhere to be found, and it was worth most of my energy.
Cheryl had called me up on my day off to tell me she got the information I was looking for. I came in immediately to see her, and she didn't let me down. For years, we'd been searching random names, and people who had led us to dead ends. The trick with this business is, you can't just say, "We're looking for the $30 million dollars that disappeared 200 years ago." People want some of that money then, and money makes people do all sorts of funny things.
"Well, according to this, after his divorce, he moved from his hometown in Berlin, Maryland to…. as our luck would have South Beach. He's an instructor for doubles, stunt doubles. He teaches all our favorite movie stars how to swordfight, dropkick, back flip…oh," She said, sounding suddenly interested, "and how to make crème Brule." I gave her a funny look. "Well, I guess if you're going to be making movies, you'll be having dinner parties…" She sort of shrugged.
"Do you have the contact information?"
"Only of the business he works for. I can get you an appointment with him, you could learn how to swordfight or be a sharpshooter. Oh, this sounds like fun. I'll go with you. If it's a bust, at least we'll be on our way in a career as stunt doubles." Laughed, and agreed. "When's your next day off?"
"I'm on a tourist charter on the ship 'Liberty' but its an early morning thing, they want to go snorkeling on the reef so we have to be back by one. I think after that I'm free for the rest of the day tomorrow. After that, I'm free after 8 everyday."
When they asked what movies we were working on, we made some up, "Oh, you know, the new movie 'Fight and Shoot'" Cheryl told them. We decided that we'd take two weeks worth of lessons, and then drop our bomb on this Sparrow fellow. After all, if we make friends with him, he might be more eager to share with us. We pulled up to the gate Thursday morning at 7 am, scheduled to work an hour on swordplay and an hour on sharp shooter, as usual. But after the lesson, we were going to have our talk.
We walked down the familiar hall to the gym where he would be waiting for us. He had short brownish blond hair, and brown eyes. His attitude was extremely cocky, and I recall thinking that I'd never met someone as cocky as him. It was gratifying to get better at this, and take it out on him all the same.
"Well, look at you two! Cheryl, Todd will be out in a few minutes to start with you. But are you prepared, Percy Hart?" He turned to me. And I said that I was, as usual.
My name was Persephone Josephine Hart, and my parents loved Greek mythology. I had naturally midnight black hair, and gray eyes, but my attitude was what most people commented on. I usually said what no one else would. Often, without thinking.
"So, Mr. Sparrow, can you help my dear friend Cheryl and I with something?" I asked, as we were about to say our goodbyes. He nodded, and took a sip of water from his cup. "What's your relation to a Mr. Jack Sparrow?"
Cheryl looked at me funny, considering we both already new about his relation to him.
"Some uncle or grandfather of mine, not sure. I don't know much about him, except that he was a Captain in the late 1700s, oh, and a pirate." I rolled my eyes and looked at Cheryl.
"So, then you know all about pirates hiding gold. Pirates finding gold, and pirates loosing it, correct? What do you know about the treasure of Useppa?"
His smile got bigger, "You believe in that junk? That there really is treasure from my uncle? How old are you anyways?" He laughed. Joke was on him.
"Look, " He said, getting serious, "I got an attic full of junk that belonged to my grandmother. Old books, notes, whatever, they might help you. If you're really interested, I'll let you see them, you know, maybe after our date tonight Percy."
"You have a date with him, and didn't tell me?" Cheryl flipped her hair over her shoulder, and put her hands on her hips.
"I don't have a date with him, Cheryl. I think this is his subtle proposition. If I go out with him, I'll get to look at the books and stuff. But I don't know if It'll be worth it."
"Did I mention there's maps, and some old jewelry too?" He studied me, knowing he caught me, "So, what'll it be? I'm done here at 6 tonight, so if you're free, I could pick you up at 7 and we could head out." He winked.
" Never." I spat, hating his blackmail, hating him, hating his cocky grin. I grabbed Cheryl's arm, and we walked out of there.
"What are you doing? We've been looking for this stuff for forever! How could you turn him down!" Marley Jones, one of the guys on our treasure hunting crew, exclaimed as Cheryl explained it to him later on that day.
"It's a matter of pride, Marley! That jerk has been putting me through hell the past two weeks, and if he thinks he's just going to blackmail me into-"
"Let go of your pride for one night!" Marley begged.
"$30 MILLION DOLLARS!" was Cheryl's plea.
"HIS HOUSE!" Was my cry.
I'll let you in on a little secret – I lost that fight. At 7 that night, I was picked up by Raymond, and taken on the date from hell. I wore black pants, and black Timberland boots, along with my white blouse and black vest. I didn't want to dress up, but I had to make it look like an effort.
He wasn't so-so bad, but it was bad enough. The whole night, I just kept reminding myself of what was in his attic. Unlike his thoughts of what we were going to do in his attic. When we finally arrived back at his house, I was worried I was going to have to slap him or something, but he became very gentlemanly, and led me upstairs to the attic.
"This is it." He said, opening a door, "Ladies first."
Inside was a staircase that leads to the real attic, and I began to climb, but he grabbed my arm. "You wait, just one second, ok?" I turned, surprised.
"Whatever you find up there, you're going to run by me first, you understand?"
"No. That wasn't part of the deal, I went on your little date, and now I'm getting my treasure." Yes, I said it like that.
"Oh, really? You think you're just going to go find some map and then waltz right out of here?"
"You said you didn't believe in this!"
"Yeah, well you do. I'm not about to let you walk out of my house with my map, and make all the money."
"I'll do whatever it takes to do just that!"
With my final statement he shoved me inside the attic, and slammed the door. I heard a click, and ran to it. I pulled on it hard, but it wasn't like those old fashioned to do things, where you can just pick it.. Either way, the hinges were on the other side, so there goes that.
"Well, in your face! I've got my cell phone!" I snapped. Then I remembered putting my purse down on the coffee table when I walked in. What was my problem?
"No worries," I whispered to myself, as I ran up the stairs. Most attics have windows, don't they? Well, not Raymond's. I was one lucky gem, wasn't I?
I decided to look for the maps anyways, and if need be, punch a hole through the door. But if I left now, I'd be empty handed, and I'd have lost my top lead. Finally, after finding a box full of playboys and another full of Halloween costumes, I found a long wooden chest along one of the walls.
There was a lock, but it was open. Inside, I a box of old hats, old dresses, and even an old photo of a couple I didn't recognize. It wasn't until I found the box within the box, that I hit gold. Well, not literally, not yet anyways.
Excited, I started going through things. I found letters from a Samantha to a schoolmate of hers named Elizabeth. The yellowed paper was a bit hard to read, but it was legible enough. Then I found a notebook, perhaps a diary, of someone named Emily. I saw a leather sack and opened it. Inside was a map, and perhaps the map I was looking for. But instead of islands and bodies of water, it had one nameless island, with writing all over it. Some in Spanish, but most in English, simple passages with hidden meanings.
"The bugs will bite, but not too much, only when they fight, have you had enough." I read aloud, totally confused. Another one said something like, "The whitecaps are not clear just yet, but when they are, you should get wet."
Confused, I put it back in the back, and reached in. I pulled out something wrapped in velvet, and unwrapped it. There was a smaller piece of paper, and a necklack with a crystal hanging on it. I read the words written down aloud. "I write these words with a heavy heart, knowing I'll have to both hide and loose what is near and dear to me. I hope whoever comes to find it will tell my sweet Emily I love her, and will wear the necklace with pride. She made it for me, to keep me well, but in my haste I left it in my pocket. It did me no good there, and now I've failed her. I hope you, the reader, will not follow in my footsteps. I wish you luck, and in the name of Opi Lex Morger take freedom. Simply, David."
I sighed, and decided what the heck? Might as well go with it, and put on the necklace. I felt bad for this David fellow, but even worse for Emily. How could she make him such a neat necklace, and he not even wear it? Well, now you're dead.
I searched for a bit more, and gave up, but then I found my hope when I closed the lid. Behind the chest was a vent on the wall! I could punch throw it, and maybe climb out!
Kicking my foot through the wooden panel, I broke through the wood. I stuck my head out, and looked down to see a roof not to far below. Taking the leather sack, and adding the diary of Emily, I did my best to crawl through the tight squeeze.
I landed with a thump on the roof, only to look in on Raymond sitting at a computer, staring at me. "You little-"
"Watch your mouth Raymond!" I cried, as I jumped from the roof onto his hot tub cover. I took off, down the street, just in time to turn and see him storming out the back door.
"My purse...!" I thought to myself, but then I realized I might have all I need in my little sack. I ran until I felt my lungs would explode, then finally stopped to rest on a bench, once I was sure he wasn't following me. Ignoring everything around me, I closed my eyes, and for some reason, Idrifted off then and there, and fell asleep.
Except, the thing about running and passing out is this – try to remember where you passed out. Or else you might end up like me, in a totally different time zone. When I finally woke up, I was sleeping in an alley behind some random building. I got up and looked around, and realized I was completely lost.
I walked out of the alley, and found a sleeping town. What time was it? Wait, let me rephrase, what time zone? A man and a woman, stumbling into each others arms walked by. I knew asking them anything was pointless, so I decided to walk down the streets.
The whole town was deserted, as far as I could tell. Finally, I reached a harbor with some ships in it, and felt comforted. So long as I could see the sea, I always felt a little better.
A man walked by, mumbling to himself, so I decided to try him. "Excuse me," I called, but he didn't answer, "Hey, yo! You there!" Still nothing. I thought maybe he didn't speak English, looking at his interesting clothes. Well, I had to be sure, so I called out, "I'll sleep with you for free!" He turned, glared at me, and spat. Then continued walking away.
"Why, I never!" Was all I could say. I turned to walk in search of someone else, when I slammed into someone. "Watch-" I stopped and looked up at him. Perhaps my previous sentence wasn't worth it….