Chapter 12: Laments

Jim was lying next to Scarlet pressing each other bodies close. He was listening to her breathing for the last two hours. She was sleeping night next to him. He then brushed her hair behind her ear. She opened her eyes and blinked few times to clear the picture.

"Sorry… I woke you up." He whispered. Scarlet closed her eyes and smiled getting closer.

"Never mind." She whispered. "This will get us into troubles, right?"
"No one has to know."

"Eventually everyone finds out."

"Why is that bothering you so much?"
"How will you feel when I'll stand under the gallows while everyone will know you had something to do with a pirate?"

This hanging thing was bothering Jim more than Scarlet, probably. Imagining now losing her made him shiver.

"But that," she said and sat on top of him. "Doesn't really matter now."

Jim became a bit excited and found it hard to control himself. Scarlet kissed his neck around slowly. "Promise me something Jim." She said quietly with a seductive voice. She kissed him again, this time on the other side.

"Anything." He stuttered controlling himself.

"No offence."

After that he felt something in his neck, like a sting with a needle. He pulled the needle out and started to feel dizzy. He pushed Scarlet off but in stead standing up he stumbled and fell on the ground. Scarlet kneeled to him and pat his cheek.

"I told ye; no offence."

"Scar… don't…"

After that he fell asleep. Scarlet sighed, stood up and started dressing back in her clothes. She was looking down on Jim shaking her head. "It's funny how men would do anything when they're about to come." She took the sheet of the bed and covered him. "It's so easy to manipulate you. I feel sorry for you. I liked you. You were different. But now I have to do what Flint sent me to get a while ago. So if you don't mind…" she said and reached for his jacket and pulled out the map looking at it. "I'll take care of this."

She put it in her pocket, took her blade and dagger and headed to the doors. She stopped and looked back down on him. It was hard to admit to her but her hart was ripping apart when she was leaving him. But it was the best for both of them. She'll avoid the gallows and end this war.

But first she had to find a way getting out safe without anyone seeing her. The opiate will hold Jim for few hours so he won't be able to follow her. Hours passed since she left the meeting so everyone should be or a sleep or still there busy with plans that won't work. She went down on the launch pad for longboats and took one flying in the empty space towards her destination.

…

Amelia wasn't sleeping. That was bothering Doppler because she was sitting there for hours. He sat next to her just to talk to her.

"There's something bothering you." He said.

She sighed. "I thought I was doing right. I promised her freedom, second chance. She'll never see it."

Doppler placed his hand around her shoulders to comfort her. "You're doing the best you can. But Scarlet did some things you can't really excuse her. She has to take the responsibility for what she has done."

"You're right. But… I think there's something about her that's attracting Jim."

Doppler smiled. "Obviously."

"That shouldn't happen. No attachment to the enemy."

"It's hard to tell what she is. Enemy? Ally?"

He looked back at her worried sad face. "Is there something else bothering you?"

"Many more… I thought my adventure days are finally over. I hope I was about to settle down. This thing brought us more troubles than benefit."

"You went because you knew what's right."

"I just did everything wrong I guess. This seems… It just all seems like it won't work. We lost the war before we even started."

…

Cooper walked down the corridor to Scarlet's room and knocked.

"March. We need you out. Please open the door?" he said. He got no answer so he knocked again. "March!"

Still nothing. He tried the door and it was unlocked. He walked in and saw a weird scene; Jim on the floor covered with a sheet with his clothes everywhere. It was pretty obvious what happened here. Cooper saw a small arrow with blue feather on the floor. He knew it was used for making people unconscious.

"Hawkins!" he said and rapidly kneeled to him shaking his shoulder. This opiate keeps you asleep for few hours so it just might happen he won't wake up that soon. Cooper started digging trough Jim's jacket pockets to find the map but it wasn't there. He ran out to Jim's room and dug trough all the drawers, but he didn't found anything. The next thing he realized was Scarlet wasn't there. It was obvious.

"Alert!" He yelled running down the corridor. "The prisoner has escaped!"

He eventually came to Amelia's and Delbert's room. They heard him and quickly went out. "Mr. Cooper? What's the meaning of this?" Amelia asked.

"Scarlet. She's gone." He said. Her eyes widened.

"She's what?"

"You heard me captain. Now get out and look for her!"

Amelia turned around and leaned on the wall. She yelled in anger.

"What?" Delbert asked.

"All I did, everything I promised to her. It was for nothing! She was against us all this time!"

Cooper came back. "I was right all the time Amelia. You should've listen to me before was too late. Now she's gone. And the map too."

This was the boiling point. Amelia walked to her wardrobe and took out the gun loading it.

"I want that lady dead." She said.

"Didn't you said-"

"I changed my mind Delbert."

Meanwhile Jim was slowly waking up. His head hurt and the picture wasn't clear. He tried to remind on the last events but everything was blurry. His limbs were too heavy to stand up. He remained lying on the ground clearing his head. Amelia walked by the room and saw him. Her eyes popped out. Jim's eyes rapidly widened and sat up.

"We… We'll talk about this later." She said and went on. He was confused. What was going on? Cooper then walked in and threw him his jacket.

"Get out the map if you can you idiot." He said. Jim stared at him confused for some time and then slowly put his hand in one of the pockets. It was empty. He tried the other but it was empty too so he shook the whole jacket. Nothing was in.

"W-where is it?" he asked confused and then looked around a bit and reminded what happened. "Oh no…"

"'Oh no' indeed Hawkins! You've been seduced by her! Tell me now," he said and took a step closer. "Was this a bribe? Did she done this to get the map? Or you made her to sleep with you and offered her the map as a payment?"

"No! I would never do that."
"Then explain me why the map and Scarlet are gone!"

Jim looked down and covered his eyes. "Oh no…" he sobbed. He remembered what happened. He actually thought they have something. But she left taking the map, the most important thing for them. Flint will win. What will happen to the universe after that? But right now the idea she left him without any feelings for him brought Jim down. How could she? Maybe she's not that far away. Jim quickly put on his trousers and boots and sprinted out on the deck looking around. They were pulling down extra sails to be faster. Few longboats flew out.

"She must've left around half an hour ago!" someone said. That was when the guards exchanged. She couldn't be that far.

"Great job Casanova." Ben said with his hands crossed with Morph on his side. "Look what you've done!" he said desperate in the next moment. "We're doomed Jimmy!"

"It wasn't my fault!"

"You've lost the map Hawkins!" Amelia yelled angrily from the quarterdeck. Then she walked down to him. "I thought we're not in advantage at last and that we'll lose. But this, this! This is an impossible situation! How are we resolving it? We have no idea."

Jim wasn't able to think. He was too sad because of what happened. How Scarlet left him really brought him down. He wasn't really thinking straight. How could she just leave him? That was the only thing on his mind.

"Search around the ship damn it!" Cooper said and woke him up from his thoughts pushing a gun into his hands. Would he ever use it on Scarlet?

…

Scarlet was leaning against the fence on the deck looking up in the dark space realizing what she's done. She took out the map from her pocket and looked at it. Was all that worth for this golden sphere? She had freedom, Flint's trust and this war will end. But there was something else she will probably get. She was now deciding if she would walk in Flint's cabin or stay here for some more time. She left the longboat and sneaked on her home, Flint's ship Revegna. (SOAD much I know…)

"So, you came back. From the dead." A familiar voice said. Mitch climbed down the stairs from the mast and jumped down on the deck making few steps towards her. Scarlet smirked and stood up. "I knew you were alive." He then said.

"What did you expected? Never seeing me again? Don't worry, you won't get rid of me that easily."

"I don't want to get rid of you. I never said that."

"Well, good then. Because I'm not leaving that ship soon."

Mitch laughed. "You still think Flint will leave Revenga to you?"

That was the other thing she hoped she'll get. Flint won't live forever. When he'll get the map he'll live in peace and when he'll get older he'll leave a ship to someone from the crew he trusts. He doesn't have a first mate so it could be anyone. Candidates were Scarlet, Mitch and another guy. For what she did, Scarlet was probably the best candidate.

"I hope on that. But after I'll show him this…" she said and showed him the map. "I have way more chances than you."

Mitch's face turned to serious when he saw the map. "I never thought you would make it."

"Well, I did. And now you'll finally stop doubting in me."

"Why do you want this so much?"

"Want what?"

"Revenga. Being a captain. Girls don't become captains. You should settle down, start schooling. Grow up and have a family."

"I prefer not. Adventure, stealing and simply being a pirate it's a life for me." She said and headed towards Flint's room. "Yo, ho, yo, ho a pirate's life's for me… see you Mitch. Good luck with the new captain."

Mitch walked towards her and blocked her way. Scarlet rolled her eyes.

"Since when are we so competitive?" she asked and put the map away. "I thought we're buddies. Come on, maybe you'll finally become a first mate."

"Don't you 'buddy' to me Scar. Since the day you came here you knew Flint chose me as the next captain. You owe me for saving you. That's the least you can do."

"I found the map. Does it make any difference if you bring the map to him? No! Because I found it." she said pushed him aside. She walked in Flint's room and saw him sitting at his table. He was surely surprised she's still here. She was supposed to be dead. He blinked few times and then stood up.

"Scar?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, sir. It's me." She said humbly. He walked closer to her and held her shoulders looking at her better.

"You're alive." He said still surprised. She never saw him this surprised. Then he smiled and laughed a bit. He walked around being all happy. "Scarlet, you are amazing me. How did you make it? Tell me your secret? And don't tell me it was time travel."

"Hospital treatment, captain." She said and they both laughed.

"So, Scar. What made you to come back to me?"

Scarlet smiled and pulled out the golden sphere rolling it down the table towards Flint. He stretched his hand and grabbed the sphere slowly lifting it up towards his face. He started smiling and then laughing.

"Finally! I have it back. It's a wonder…" he said looking at the map. "Scar… I think I owe you a lot more than few bags of gold."

Scarlet smiled. "I think so captain. I went trough some shit to get it. Annoying British accents, troubled teenagers, bounty hunters, extreme boredom."

"It's clear by now what you deserve."

Scarlet smiled. She knew.

"Captain, you can't give Revenga to her-"

"Shut up Mitch! No one asked you anything. I make the orders here." He said and pulled out his knife. "Do I need to refresh your memory?"

Mitch took a step back and Flint put away the knife. "Congratulations Scar. When I'll go to the eternal hunting grounds, again, you'll have Revenga."

Scarlet couldn't believe it. She achieved her goal. Her future is brighter now. Right now she didn't care about Mitch. Sometimes she could be really selfish and greedy.

"So, this is over now?" she then asked.

"Over? What?"

"This war. It's done now that you have the map captain."

Flint smiled. "I don't think so. You may leave."

Scarlet was surprised. What did he say? It wasn't over yet? "But captain. You have the map. What do you need more?"

"Don't ask Scar! You have the Revenga assured, be happy. And don't make me change my mind because of your dumb questions. Leave. Both of you."

What the hell was he planning? Mitch pushed Scarlet towards the doors and out on the deck where he looked at her with hands crossed. He was angry, sad and disappointed.

"Thanks. A lot!" he said angrily. He walked to her and pushed to the fence over the edge of the deck. Scarlet yelled waving with her hands looking for a grip to hold on. She was sure he'll push her over. "You took Revenga from me!"

"I deserved it Mitch! Let me go now! Are you crazy?"

"Deserve it? Are you even listening to yourself? You don't deserve it! It was supposed to belong to me."

"Why? So you could kill Flint before and become the captain?"

"How…"

"Oh don't worry Mitch, I know."

He grabbed her around the collar and threw on the ground pulling his knife out. Scarlet crawled back avoiding it. "What the hell? Mitch, stop!"

"You did it on purpose!"

"I want the ship as much as you do!"

Mitch wasn't listening to her anymore. He threw the knife towards her missing her for inches. It the wall behind her. Then Mitch grabbed her and pushed her up the wall, leaning down so he was staring at her eyes. She tried to remain calm not showing any fear.

"Don't think I don't know how you got the map. You couldn't just simply steal it because it's impossible. Tell me Scar, who was it? Was that boy? Did you bribe him? Of course you did…"

"You don't know anything!"

"Why was he still alive? He was supposed to be dead."
"There was no reason for any victims."
"Oh really? Maybe you have feelings for him and you can't kill him. Is that true?"

"No." she lied.

"I don't think so." He said and let her go. "Traitor." He said and left below the deck. Scarlet was still there calming herself down. Mitch was never like this. He really wanted Revenga for himself. But so much to threat her? He was the one who saved her and took care of her all this years. They were like a brother and sister. But Mitch sometimes tried something more with her, but she never left him close. Was he getting her back for everything from earlier now? That made her realize she's not safe anywhere.

…

Soooooo sorry for the wait guys. I was away for the last week and there was no time to write or post anything. So here you go. chapter 13 will be on sooner than you think