CHAPTER FOUR
Right around midnight three darkly clad shapes made their way through the town of Port Royal. If anyone was to pay close attention they would have noticed that one of the shapes was smaller in statue, almost like a boy.
It was decided that Rose, James and Green were going to conduct the rescue. Bill Green and McNeal were close friends and he insisted on being involved in his rescue. "He wouldn't leave me and I won't leave him," he stated. He also pointed out that he could watch Rose and Johnson's backs. So with the hand drawn map safely tucked away in her shirt Rose and the others quietly and with a great deal of stealth, made their way to the prison.
Upon reaching the prison gates they stood in the shadows and closely watched the coming and going of the guards. There was an open area that they would have to go across before they could actually get into the prison proper and timing was everything. At just the right moment they quickly ran across the clearing and entered the prison.
Slowly and carefully they started making their way into the lower levels of the prison. Cautiously following the map drawn up by George and hoping it will lead them to where McNeal was being held.
They started hearing voices ahead in the corridor. The hallway took a right so Rose motioned for James and Bill to wait and she slowly moved to the bend and took a quick peek around the corner. What she saw were two soldiers lounging around on a bench and drinking rum. She could tell there were cells on the opposite wall but she wasn't at the right angle to see if one of them held McNeal.
Rose quietly walked back to James and Bill and told them what she saw. She also told them that she was going to distract the soldiers and they were to come in and kill them, quietly. She quickly removed her swords and gun then she took off the vest she was wearing and then loosened the lacing holding the neckline of her shirt together. The effect was that the shirt, by not being held together, gapped open to the middle of her chest exposing a lot of cleavage. She then reached up and took her hair out of its braid and shook it out to where it hung down her back in waves. James raised his eyebrows in appreciation and Bill had a big grin on his face.
Rose looked at the two of them in exasperation. "Just keep your eyes in your head and remember why we are here." She turned picked up one of her knives and stuck it in the waistband of her breeches at the small of her back.
Rose walked away from them turned the corner and disappeared. James hurried over and peeked around the corner, Bill wasn't far behind. What they saw astounded them, because they had never seen their Captain do what she was doing at that moment, she was flirting! Their no nonsense captain was flirting and she was good at it!
When Rose rounded the corner the two soldiers hollered halt, but instead of halting Rose hurried closer to them. "Oh, thank heavens I found you," she gushed. As she got closer to where the soldiers were standing there was more light and they were able to see her better.
"I was supposed to meet with my man, but I got lost," she said with a pout and flutter of eyelashes. "Is there anyway that you gentlemen could help me?"
"You aren't supposed to be here," replied one of the soldiers.
"Oh dear, I seem to always be getting lost and creating problems. Is there anyway possible that one of you could show me the way out?"
The soldiers looked at each other and then at her. All at once they both started speaking at the same time. "A bonny lass….."
"We could…."
Then they stopped and looked at each other. "After you," the one said.
"No after you."
"No I insist."
Rose stood there and rolled her eyes, it would figure that she would come across two idiots.
While the two were deciding on whom was going to speak Rose slowly maneuvered around so that when they noticed her they would have their backs to her men. She also noticed that there were four cells being occupied by men and some of them weren't moving what with the commotion and all they should have been.
"Gentlemen, if you would just show me the way out, I wouldn't want to take either one of you away from your duties." That's when they noticed where she was and turned towards her. She leaned over to scratch a place on her knee which made her shirt gape open even more giving the soldiers a better view of her assets and totally distracting them.
It was then that James and Bill rushed forward. As they were placing their knives against their throats Rose said, "Nay, just knock them out and tie them up." She then turned towards the men being held in the cells.
The men, who could, were up against the cell doors pleading to be released. But none of them seemed to be NcNeal. James handed Rose the keys to the cells but before she would open them they had to make a decision. One: Listen to her and her men and follow their orders and directions; two: Stay in the cell. She couldn't take the chance of them running off and alerting other guards that there was something amiss.
Of course with the choices offered to them they chose the first one, who wouldn't. After releasing the men who could move under their own power, they were able to tell them where their man was. When they opened the cell they found him curled in a tight ball in the far corner of the cell, bloody and tattered. Rose rushed into the cell calling his name.
Upon reaching his side he slowly turned his head and looked at her. "Captain, you came!"
"Of course I came. I wouldn't leave you here" she replied, gently.
Upon closer inspection she was sick to find the extent of his injuries. He had been beat and then whipped. If they hadn't been unable to rescue him there is no telling how much longer he would have lived.
"Do you think that you can walk?" Rose asked McNeal.
"I will try, captain," he replied. As she was helping him up he let out a loud gasp.
"I think you might have some broken ribs. Let me see if we can find anything to bind them up quickly." She left him leaning against the wall and went into the corridor looking for some cloth. The only thing she could find was the clothing the soldiers wore so she promptly took what she needed from their prone bodies. Then she saw the rum bottle, they were drinking from when they spotted her, and grabbed it also.
James was with McNeal when she brought everything into the cell and they had already taken what was left of his shirt off. Rose handed the bottle of rum to him. "Here drink some of this it might help with the pain."
Rose then told James, "Help me wrap his ribs; we have to get out of here."
James and Rose wrapped him as carefully as possible but with having to do it quickly it still caused him a lot of pain. They each then took one of his arms and put them over their shoulders.
As they started around the corner of the corridor Bill took over the job from Rose and between him and James they were able to half carry McNeal. As all of the other prisoners, that were left alive, hurried by Rose picked up the weapons she had left when she went to distract the guards, and again laced up her shirt.
It took that slight moment of falling behind that was her down fall. When the extra prisoners, that they released, went across the most vulnerable stage of this whole expedition, the open area, one of them fell down and two others stopped to help him. They attracted one of the guards who came running towards them yelling halt. Rose ran to the three men and yelled for them to hurry while she turned, drew one of her swords and started engaging the soldier.
With a quick forward thrust she ran her sword through him. As she turned to start running to the main gates she saw, out of the corner of her eye, three more guards running towards her.
"Oh, shit," she mumbled, "this isn't going to be fun."
With one sword already in hand she unsheathed her second sword. With a sword in each hand she attacked the three soldiers. Hearing the sounds of battle, and not seeing Rose, James knew she was in trouble. He took McNeal's arm from around his shoulders and gave Bill orders to get back to the ship. Without a backwards glance he went to help his captain and what he saw was Rose engaged in fighting three men at once and more running towards her.
James worked his way to Roses' side, slashing and stabbing, by this time there were even more soldiers running to join in the battle. "What are you doing here," Rose said between slashes.
"What does it look like I am doing? Helping you!" replied James.
"I didn't need your help," replied Rose. They ran to one of the massive columns holding up the gallery above them, and put their backs against it.
"Aye, I could tell," James said as he slashed a soldier across the throat.
They got separated for a minute and then came back together with their backs towards each other. Rose could tell that they wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
"James?" This was the first time she actually used his first name and it really got his attention. "I want you to go and get my ship out of here."
"I am not leaving without you," he replied with a grunt as he lunged with his sword.
Rose took a moment and looked him in the eye. "That's an order, James. You are the only one that I would want to have the Spanish Rose. There is no way we are both getting out of here. Now go and take good care of her. Now go!" she yelled, and without a backwards glance Rose turned and jumped right in the middle of a large group of soldiers slashing with both swords.
James also knew that they didn't stand a chance and as he turned to follow orders he yelled, "I will come back for you." He didn't know if she actually heard him or not, but he hoped so. Feeling like a traitor he took off through the main gates at a dead run.
Rose held the soldiers off as long as possible but they ended up cornering her against a wall and she had nowhere to go. They had learned first hand how deadly her swords were. She had a shallow slash across her left forearm and one on her right thigh but otherwise was untouched. Considering how many she had killed or wounded she had done quit well.
When one of the soldiers put a pistol to her head she froze. "Drop your swords now!" he ordered.
Without turning her head Rose slowly turned her eyes and looked at him and immediately dropped her swords. Before she could move Rose was swarmed and pushed to the ground onto her stomach and relieved of her pistol and knives. From somewhere someone yelled for some irons. A soldier came running up and they put irons not only on her hands but also on her feet.
The soldiers pulled Rose to her feet and pushed her forward. When she stumbled two of them grabbed her arms, one on each side, and half dragged half walked her through the prison. After a few moments they came to two large wooden doors. One of the soldier's knocked on the door and a muffled enter was heard.
As the doors were opened Rose was dragged and shoved across the room. Being shackled the way she was made her stumble and fall down. To keep her dignity she immediately rose to her feet and stood with defiance in her eye. Rose watched while one of the soldiers spoke with the occupant of the room. The man was obviously someone of importance because of the way the men followed his orders.
After a few moments the man approached her. He stood before her and said, "It seems, my lady and I use that term loosely, you have done considerable damage to my ranks of men. Would you be so kind to tell me who you are?"
Rose immediately disliked this pompous man, who dressed in frills, and hid his hair with a wig. She knew he definitely couldn't be trusted; there was cunning and cruelty in his eyes that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
When Rose didn't say anything in answer to his question he turned and acted like he was walking away. He immediately turned back and grabbed her by the throat and lightly squeezed. "It would be a lot better for you if you cooperate with me and answer my questions." When she still didn't answer him he squeezed harder on her throat until she started seeing stars. He immediately released her and she bent over clutching her knees gasping for air. "I would advise you to learn this lesson quickly or things will infinitely be worse for you. Now what is your name?" he yelled.
Rose stood up to her full height from her bent over position, looked him straight in the eye rubbed her throat and said, "Go to hell you pompous ass!"
He reached back and slapped her hard enough to split her lip and snap her head to the side. "You will always address me correctly. That is as 'My Lord' or 'Lord Beckett', do you understand me?" He grabbed her chin and put his face right up to hers but she refused to address him. Without breaking eye contact he ordered her to be taken away. She was grabbed by the arms and dragged from the room.
When leaving the room they took a right and went two doors down. The soldiers opened the door and dragged Rose over to a chair sitting next to a window and forced her to sit. They unlocked one of her wrist shackles and put it around the arm of the chair. The soldiers then strode across the room and walked out of the door without saying a word. Rose then clearly heard them bolt the door from the outside.
As soon as they were gone Rose jumped up and shook the shackle that was on the arm of the chair. She then tried to see if she could free her legs to no avail. Rose sat back in the chair with a sigh contemplating on what to do. That's when she noticed what the view was outside the window, the gallows. "Just what I need a reminder of what the end will be," she mumbled to herself.