NEED

Chapter Ten

Intuition was telling him to turn back. What if she was right on his tail? What if…what if they found her if they just turned around? He'd never know if they didn't, so where was the harm? They had no clues…they had no leads at all. Where was the harm, anyway?

Captain John Silver in all his glory, stood before his men and demanded their attention.

"Men! We're turnin' this ship 'round!" The crew frowned, each man with a puzzled look trying to be hidden. What was he thinking this time?

"What's in your head, Cap'n?" asked Silver's first mate. Silver frowned. "She might be back there where we just was. We didn't look hard enough."
"Sir…"

"No questions! Get us back to that last port!"

That being said, the large cyborg turned and headed into his cabin. He just had to be right this time…even a tiny clue would help…

--

Micha slept soundly that night, even if she was terrified. Her captain had been mutinied, the man she was interested in was able to escape his prison…The men were all suspicious…Yet she still managed to sleep. It had taken a fair bit of convincing to get the gruff pirates to allow her become captain. She'd bribed them with promises of wine, women and song at the next port and any port afterwards, just so long as they remained civil and helped her search for Silver. They'd bought her bribe, knowing she'd eventually give up and then the ship would be theirs to argue over. The girl didn't know who had performed the mutiny, and she didn't have to know. It wasn't important.

Micha had moved her few things to Warrick's cabin and had not disturbed his things; instead, she'd kept them and mingled her own things to sit with his. It was like he was still with them.

She had to admit that he had a nicer room than she, and she was enjoying the change. Nonetheless, her captain had been left behind. She just didn't know by whom. She needed to run this ship. She needed…a first mate. She needed Adrian.

---

Silver searched high and low until he could search no more. His heart was heavy. He was hungry, but he didn't let that slow him down. He ate a small snack and went to deposit his garbage in the trash. He leaned against it to rest a moment when he heard a strange grunting sound coming from behind it.

Curiosity got the best of the old cyborg and he peered around the trash bin. Behind it was an old man, tied and gagged.

"By the heavens!" Silver exclaimed and cut the man loose. "Who are ye and how'd ye get back here?" he demanded. The man coughed and spat many times before gathering enough breath to continue.
"My name's…Warrick. I'm…captain of the Hangman. Please help me…they've taken my ship…and…my first officer…I…"

"Ye a pirate, sir?" Silver asked, helping Warrick stand.

"Aye, sir." Warrick was weak, Silver noticed, and had to help the man back to the ship. "How can we help ye?"

"I need to catch up to my ship…they're…all brutes. My first officer's in trouble, I know she is."
Silver frowned. "She your daughter, or something, Mister Warrick?"

Warrick nodded slightly. "In a sense. She's like a daughter to me. Tell me, sir…what is your name?"

Silver extended his flesh hand and grinned. "John Silver, the Captain of this here ship."

Warrick could do nothing but gawk.

--