Chapter 10: FANG
I didn't really expect anything less of Max, but it was still a relief when she didn't look at me like I was a piece of gunk on her shoe. She didn't try and treat me like expensive china either, which Nudge had done when she found out. I was still Fang to her and I was glad that didn't seem to change.
The current plan was to clean up the ship as much as we could before docking.
Yes, we were setting down. But it wasn't on any land that would turn me in. It was some place even Dylan didn't know about – at least, he shouldn't. It was an island called Outlaws Cove, and while the name was cliché, it was apt. Everyone there was an outlaw in some sense – a pirate, a thief, or a freak of nature. I had several friends there, in fact, and there was a decent place to stay overnight. We needed to stock up on supplies anyway, and Outlaw Cove was the perfect spot.
As we pulled the sails in and laid anchor, I scanned the beach. It wasn't a big island, just large enough for a modest-sized forest and fresh-water spring. Two of my friends from my time at sea had started a tavern there, and it was one of the most popular places for pirates and mutants to go.
A bunch of palm-trees on the edge closest to my boat parted and I saw who I was looking for. Whenever I arrived, they always seemed to know.
"Yo, Fang!" Ratchet yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Howzit going, ma man!"
"Ratchet!" I jumped off the front of the ship and snapped out my wings, flying a few meters before coming to land in front of the other guy. He was giving me a crooked smile and we fist-bumped.
"Always know when to show," I said. He laughed.
"I could hear you coming a mile away," he replied. Then he looked over my shoulder and whistled before leaning in and saying, "Who's the hottie, Ride?"
I glanced to where he was gesturing to see Max land on the beach with the same grace as a swan. Her hair floated down around her as her wings whooshed back into her shirt.
"That's um… Max," I said, feeling a little self-conscious. Ratchet's eyes went wide.
"Fang, I heard about you kidnapping Maximum Martinez from the wedding, but I didn't think this." He gestured to her as she approached. "What the flip, man?"
"She wanted to join." I shrugged. "Hates Gunther-Hagen with a fury."
Ratchet ducked around me and held out his arms to Max.
"Welcome to the club, Max!" he said loudly. "For cool freaks only."
Max looked at me like, 'The hell is this guy?' I put a hand on Ratchet's shoulder.
"Max, this is Ratchet; he runs the tavern with his colleague, Holden." I pointed to a scrawny-looking guy who was beside Ratchet. He gave a nervous smile.
"Nice to meet you," Max said, holding out her hand. Holden took it.
"Ratchet has super-senses," I explained as my two friends led the flock towards the tavern in the jungle. Ratchet, who was ahead of us by a fair few meters and logically shouldn't be able to hear me, sent a wink over his shoulder. "Hearing, seeing; stuff like that. Holden's a regenerate: he had heal himself and regrow limbs if necessary."
Holden was talking to the Gasman and Iggy. Max studied him for a moment.
"People call him Starfish."
She snorted.
"It suits," she commented. I smirked.
Inside the tavern was full. It was a popular place, after all. Ratchet and Holden wormed their way through their customers, sharing banter and taking glasses to refill them.
Everyone seemed to turn towards the flock and I as we walked in, staring at us unabashedly. Gazzy gave a cheeky wave.
"Alright, alright people!" Ratchet called, waving his arms. "Yes, it's Fang Ride. Now give the guy some space."
The curious eyes slowly turned away from us and I smiled to myself as we followed Ratchet to the back room. I caught the look of one man though, and his gaze sent shivers up my spine. I couldn't quite place it, but there was danger here. He looked too… clean.
"Attention hog, you," Ratchet told me when we were all assembled. I shrugged, unrepentant.
"I'm a snappy dresser," I replied. Max laughed and Ratchet grinned widely.
"Totally," Iggy said, scratching his eyebrow.
"Anyway!" Ratchet crossed his arms. "What d'ya need, Ride?"
"We're planning on stayed here a couple of days," I explained. "We need somewhere to work on the ship without being at sea."
"And Fang needs to heal," Nudge added. "His wings were broken."
Holden looked like he wanted to ask, but Ratchet held his hand out and sighed.
"As an outlaw, I say it's your business, Fang. But as a friend-" he narrowed his eyes. "-I want to know."
I let out a sigh and quietly said, "Ari."
The response was immediate. Ratchet's face drained of colour and Holden started shaking all over. Ratchet tucked his arms closer and gave a nudge to his colleague.
"I see," he said softly. "Did they follow you here?"
I shook my head.
"No. But they'll be on our trail before long."
Ratchet leaned against the wooden wall. It creaked under him.
"You're a big catch, Fang," he said seriously. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were Eraser spies hidden all over the country-side waiting for you to turn up." He rubbed his forehead. "Definitely stay here a while. You'll need all the supplies you can get before they show up."
Ratchet showed us to an empty room. It wasn't anything fancy – just a wooden apartment in the top of the building with a large window and three single beds. There was a separate area with several buckets of warmed up water for a rinse. Ratchet handed me a golden key and jerked his head at the door. There was a lock on it. I sent him a thankful look before turning to the flock.
"Okay, guys." I pointed to the Gasman and Iggy. "You two wash yourselves first. Then Angel, Total and Nudge. Max will go after them I'll go last."
They all nodded. We weren't incredibly shy around each other since we'd been together for so long. There was a bamboo screen you could use to divide the wash room in half anyway. Not like they cared.
Iggy dumped his shoes on the floor near the door and headed to the wash room, Gazzy in tow.
"Make sure to wash your clothes too, guys!" Nudge called after them. "After all those experiments, you both stink of gunpowder."
Iggy saluted, not turning around.
While they were getting clean, Max and I were making sleeping arrangements.
"Fang's taking one of the beds," she said immediately. "He needs to heal."
I started to argue when Max shot me a say-anything-and-you-won't-live-to-see-tomorrow look. I closed my mouth and sighed. Angel smiled kindly at me.
"Yeah, Fang," she agreed. "You need your wings to get better."
Max nodded in approval before designating the remainder of the beds. Angel and Gazzy could sleep on the same one since they were small enough, and then Nudge could have the last. Iggy and Max would sleep on the floor. Luckily we brought travelling bags they could use as pillows.
By the time it was my turn to shower, pretty much everyone was asleep. Max had just settled down when I closed the wash room door. Letting out a quiet sigh, I started getting ready. Peeling off my tunic, socks and bandana, I rolled up my leggings and sat down on the stone floor in them, pulling one of the last buckets over to me. I filled up the large stone basin, watching steam curl above the water for a moment before lowering myself into it.
It was still hot enough to bite my skin, but I sank into the water anyway, wetting my hair and arms before grabbing my tunic and dunking it under, letting it soak. After I brought it out I started rubbing it across my chest, using it to get all the dirt off.
My thoughts drifted to what Ratchet said earlier about how Dylan might have spies situated all through the land, looking for me. It might sound ridiculous now, but I wouldn't put it past him. I started thinking about what might happen next time we came face to face.
Goading a reaction out of me is what Dylan aimed for last time, I thought. Maybe next time I'll give him what he wants – but not how he expects.
I'm so sorry this is so crap I have writers block and no real plot here so yeah. I'm making this up as I go. At least now I have a rough outline of what I want to happen.
Everyone remember Ratchet and Holden? Yes? No? Whups
Jasmine Out!