Chapter 14- The Doctor- Crazy Captain Jack

I didn't think it was possible to be ignored on such a small island, but Jack had managed. She told the crew they would be staying on the island for the night and ordered them to unpack the overnight gear. Before I knew it, a city of tents sprouted up surrounding a large bonfire. By nightfall, the whole crew seemed to be sitting around it. One man was softly strumming a guitar while a few others had rigged pots over the fire. Most were laughing and drinking beer. Jack was sitting by herself on the other side of the flames looking out at the water. You could see every direction from the top of the caves where it flattened out into a pasture. I'd even noticed you could see Jamaica during the daylight. Every time I'd tried to make eye contact with Jack, she turned away and faced another patch of water.

After a while, she stood and turned to her crew. They all stopped talking or eating and looked at her, almost like they had been waiting all night for Jack to stop contemplating the water and explain why they were there. "I'm going to be honest with all of you," she said took a long sip of the bottle of alcohol she'd had in her hand. She set it back into her folding chair and turned back to them. "Most of you probably know by now we've found the Oracle of Delphi thanks to the book."

A few of the crew members nodded but she went on, "the reason I followed her here is Sir William," there were a few groans and Jack smiled. "He wants her for his collection. Mainly, he wants to control the future."

She let that sink in with the guys. "I'm not asking any of you to risk your lives," she said and looked at them. "I don't want you to risk your lives, but I have to protect her. Sir William should be here sometime tomorrow coming from that way," she pointed to the eastern part of the island where she had parked her boat. "In case something bad happens to me tomorrow, I want you all to get your things off the ship tonight." She bowed slightly to her crew and went into her tent and didn't come back out until the morning.

I woke up the next day to the sound of shouts. The sun was already out and blazing down on top of the make-shift city. They all seemed to be rushing about from the tents to the boat so I followed a few of them down the side of the island to a small dock the Oracle, which I still didn't like calling her that, had told them about.

"What are they doing?" I asked Joey once I was standing in the middle of the deck.

"Preparing the ship to sail," he said shortly.

"Sailing?" I asked. "Sailing to where?"

"Nowhere," Joey frowned and walked off towards Jack's cabin. I followed just because I didn't know what else to do.

"Captain?" Joey greeted Jack. She was sitting on the edge of her bed. Her hair was brushed and curling around her shoulders, her fingernails had been painted a deep red, and she was wearing make-up, a gray color around her eyes and soft pink lipstick. She wore a navy sundress that went down to her calves.

"Ready to sail?" She asked him. He gave her a quick nod. "Good, when it's done, get everyone off the ship. Take the radio with you to call for help if I go," she struggled to finish her sentence.

Joey stepped forward and took her hand. "You don't have to go down with the ship," he said softly. "Your dad wouldn't this to be your end."

Jack smiled brightly at him like she had shook herself awake on the inside. "I have to because I'm the only one who can help." He was still looking at her with glassy eyes. "I'll be fine," she assured him. "If I have to go out, I'd rather it be this way."

Joey leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Please come back little one."

"Take care of yourself," Jack grinned and pushed him a little. He'd turned to the door when we found we were looking at the usual daytime watchman.

"Sir William, out of the east," he said heaving for breath. "Three big boats and six speed boats."

"Well, that's my cue," Jack smiled. "Get everyone off the boat now." Joey and the watchmen scrambled leaving her staring at me. "Means you too." She picked a holster up off her desk and slid it on, two guns on each side. She picked up a rifle and slung it over her back before grabbing a shot gun in her hands. She didn't say anything to me but walked out and went down a floor past all the crew members running around.

I followed her as she went into a room I'd never seen, the armory. She set the shotgun down and set about loading two of the six cannons. "You don't have to do this." I told her.

"I do," Jack said without really looking at me. "Will your blue box survive being sunk?"

"I don't know," I admitted and ran a hand through my hair. "It should."

"Okay," she went over to the wall and flipped a switch, red light flooded the room. "Joey will find a way to get your box back to the surface." She said confident in her own demise.

"Jack," I started but she brushed past me again and I found myself trailing her back up the stairs. The crew was gone including Joey.

"Please save your talking and don't take offense to this but," she stopped and looked at me. "Get off my ship."

She turned her back to me and went to the wheel. I knew she would be pulling away from the dock at any moment so I watched her in that simple blue dress of hers and wondered if it would be the last time I would see her again.

I found the rest of the crew back at the tents looking out at the water. Jack her pulled the Sunset Ambrosia out into the open water, heading right for Sir William's boats. "Aren't any of you going to do anything?" I yelled at them.

"Nothing we can do son," Joey said and clapped a hand on my shoulder. I wanted to yell more at them, say they were cowards for letting her do their work or at least tell Joey I was far older than him but I was stopped.

The Oracle stood next to me. She was dressed in a long, white dress they blew in tendrils in the wind. I hadn't noticed her before but then again, she was a little outside my field of vision. "They won't understand your affection for her," she said wisely. "To them Jack is masculine and capable of taking care of herself. You, you see her for what she really is, delicate and caring." I looked at her wondering if we were still talking about the same Jack. "Even if you don't completely see that yet."

"She's going to die," I gritted my teeth. I couldn't be the only one outraged by that thought.

"Not if I can help it," The Oracle said in the most human voice I'd heard her say. She turned to the water and cupped a hand to her mouth. She blew into her hand as hard as she could and a fierce wind blew past us rustling the trees behind us. Massive waves began to churn and toss white sprays up into the air and crashing into the boats. Two of the speed boats turned sideways and their engines cut out. Four kept coming but it gave Jack a chance. She set off her cannons and four loud booms ripped through the air. She got three of the speed boats and hit one of the bigger ones.

I looked back at the Oracle who seemed to be deep in thought. "That wasn't enough."

She turned to me and her eyes turned a deep gray. A spark of light went through them and the sky above us thickened up, deep black clouds rolling in. "I told you a storm was brewing." The clouds seemed to roll over each other and thunder rocked the island. "I see fire," she said suddenly.

"What?" I asked. Her hand pointed out to the Sunset Ambrosia and in one moment, I saw the fire she was speaking of before it happened. One of the big boats sent a rocket headed straight for Jack. She didn't have enough time to move and the boat took a hit on the side. Flames erupted and Jack set off the last two of the cannons taking down another speed boat and the big boat she'd hit before.

"Jack!" I felt myself yell but it didn't seem real. I thought I would fly off the edge of the island trying to get to her but the Oracle held out one hand.

"There," she said and pointed to Sir William's yacht.

I sat down in the thick grass and wondered if this was my punishment for all the death and destruction I'd caused. I had to watch Jack die and be trapped on the planet with the man who had killed her.