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13

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"What are we going to do?" Jack asked for the hundredth time, pacing back and forth along the floor of his cabin as Erik sat in a chair watching him.

"Find out who killed the man?" Erik replied.

"Aye. But where to start first? We have no sense of who could have done this whatsoever. And who knows... they could be after us as well. What are we going to do?"

"Maybe it was those... uh... what did he say they were called? The Blackguard Brutes? Burglarizing Bullies? Bold Belittlers? B..."

"Blackmail Bandits! Yes, that could be a start. We'll definitely have to look into that. Do you know where they reside?"

Erik looked at Jack, aghast. "Do I know where they reside? I've never even heard of them before! What on earth would make you think that I have any idea of where a bandit group can be found?"

Jack crossed his arms over his chest disappointedly. "I only asked because you've been in Paris your whole life and should know better than me..." Jack muttered.

Erik nodded, considering the idea. "Well, yes. But I don't know anything about them so it's useless to rely on me."

"Yes, yes," Jack agreed, stroking his beard and not really paying much attention. "We'll have to go out, then. Ask around, you know, things like that."

Erik didn't feel in the mood for going out again. He wanted to hide away in the darkness of his new lair. He cringed at the thought of walking around on the streets in broad daylight, people looking at him with their cold, unfeeling stares.

"Let's get on with it, then," Jack said, standing up straight and heading to the door. Erik groaned and lifted from the chair, passing by the mirror to inspect his horrid look once more. He frowned and removed the silly bandanna, tri-cornered hat and eyepatch, dropping them onto the floor, then left to follow Jack. They left the ship and wandered down the Parisian roads, eyes open for anyone who even remotely looked like they'd know something about the strange Blackmail Bandits group. Jack knew they'd have to be careful about who they approached with the matter, though, because if they asked the wrong person, they could end up in serious trouble.

After realizing that they were hungry, they went to a small French diner, empty of people, to have something to eat. They sat at a small round table for two in the corner, eating some fancy sandwiches that they had ordered from a young French man at the front counter. Jack took a bite from his meal and glanced over his shoulder at the counter. He observed the man who had served them turn into a back door opening and disappear. An much older man, most likely the diner's owner, came from the door several seconds following, Jack noting that he didn't look that much like the people he'd seen in Paris in his time there. This man looked more like a pirate than a French diner owner, especially with the clearly visible eyepatch over his right socket.

Jack turned back to Erik, chewing his food. He nudged his head over in the direction of the diner man. "Bloke looks like he'd know a thing or two about those Blackmail Bandits," Jack said in a low tone, as to not be heard by the man.

Erik looked up from his food to watch the man who was bent over the counter, scrubbing it with a wet rag. He shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't look anything special to me."

"I say we ask him if he knows anything."

"Do you want trouble? Because, clearly, I think that you're just wishing to get killed."

"I don't see much harm in it. I mean, we've been out for several hours now and we've gotten nowhere, asked no one. We're no better off than when we started. So I really think we should get it going now by asking this fellow. What if he does know something and we don't ask him? Then we've gone and wasted a valuable aide all for nothing."

Erik sighed. "Fine. But you're asking him, then. Even if he speaks French. I've got enough problems of my own without getting this guy on my case."

Jack wiped off his mouth. "Fine," he agreed. "I will. You just watch me." He stood up and pushed his chair in, making his way over to the counter. Erik watched nervously as Jack's mouth moved in the formation of words to the man with the eyepatch across the counter. He could not hear what was being exchanged from the distance which he sat, but he felt uneasy about whatever it could be.

Jack looked around the empty diner joylessly. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward to the man with the eyepatch who was now busy using the rag he'd used to wash the counter to dry off a glass. "Excuse me," Jack said, trying to gain the man's attention.

The man turned around, looking as though he were bothered. He looked Jack over suspiciously with his one eye. "Ya."

Jack furrowed his brow. "English? You speak english?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes. What is it that you want?" He asked in a old, weathered, sandpapery voice. The tone of a pirate almost indefinitely.

The corners of Jack's mouth lifted in a small smile. "I was... uh... wondering you'd be able to provide my friend and I with a little piece of info," Jack said, pointing off to Erik.

Erik saw Jack pointing in his direction and immediately stopped chewing. He looked at him with a frazzled look, almost as if to say, 'Why did you have to go and drag me into this? You just had to, didn't you?'

Jack smiled at Erik and turned back to the man, awaiting an answer. The man squinted at him with his uncovered eye. "And what would that be?"

Jack sighed and leaned his head to the man's ear, lowering his tone to that of a whisper. "I need to know anything you can offer about the Blackmail Bandits," he said, then pulled away from the man to his previous position.

The man drew in a gasp, his eye becoming wide with fright. He grabbed Jack by the arm and pulled him around to the back of the counter. Jack felt himself being pulled and his mouth and eyes bulged in horror. What was the man going to do to him?

Erik saw the man pull Jack and he quickly raised from his chair, such force emitted that the chair fell onto the floor behind him with a bang. He moved forward, forgetting that he had told Jack that he didn't want to get involved, but by the time he reached the counter, the man had pushed Jack into the doorway which led to the back. It slammed in front of Erik when he got to it. He grabbed onto the handle quickly to open it, but it had locked behind them. He stomped his foot against the floor in annoyance and placed his hands flat on the door, his ear against the wood next to them, trying to perceive whatever he could. He could hear nothing, however, and began wondering what would happen to Jack.

The man pushed Jack through a set of beads that divided the room, and then down into a wooden chair. Jack tried to get up but the man pushed him down again. Jack's eyes moved all around, observing the strange back room. The walls were formed of planks of wood and all along these planks were mounted animal heads. Deer, wolves, bears, moose, fish and other animals stared lifelessly back at Jack in an eerie manner. Jack turned his eyes to the rest of the room, seeing boxes of junk and papers and knickknacks spread and piled all around. A very disorderly room, indeed. The young French man who had disappeared through the door was nowhere to be found. Jack decided that either he was in another compartment of the back area, or had exited to the outside through a door somewhere else. Jack turned his eyes back on the strange pirate man as he sat down next to Jack in another chair.

"W-What are you gonna do to me?" Jack fumbled nervously. He looked at the man's arms. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbow, revealing several tattoos along the skin. Jack did not recognize any of the tattoos as those of any pirate groups he knew of but there where so many different pirates in the world that it was impossible to know all.

"Shhh," The man ordered quietly, raising his finger to his lips. "What are you, a dunce? You should know better than to speak of the Blackmail Bandits out there in public!" He whispered. "I'm not going to do anything to you, even though I should. I'll tell you what I know of that miserable group, that's all."

Jack felt his heartbeat slow down in his chest. Success! He had chosen the right man to confront, afterall. "Oh, that's great. Thank you, sir," Jack said, nodding. His eyes wandered and a crocodile's head sneered at him with its glassy-eyed stare. He turned back to the old man. "I need to know their leader. You wouldn't happen to know that, would you?"

The man shook his head sadly. "Naw. Only few people know that piece of info, boy, and they are sworn to secrecy upon death," He explained, gulping. "I can tell you, though, where their top-secret headquarters is located."

Jack's eyes opened upon this statement. He focused intently on the man. "Yes, that would be wonderful!" He exclaimed. "How did you find out?"

"Well, it's a strange tale that unfolded long ago. Back when I was a young man and I was fishing off on Maple Cay... I remember that day well because that's when I had caught ol' Bessie," He said, pointing behind Jack. He turned around to see a large mounted fish with the word 'Bessie' carved into a plaque beneath. He looked back at the old man, waiting for him to continue. "an' all 'o a sudden a large wave came crashing over the bank where I was sittin'. It knocked me over flat on my backside. When I'd gathered meself up and got to m'feet I saw this large ship a few hundred yards in front 'o me. It was the strangest thing I even seen! The sands of the cay began swirlin' all crazy-like, I had to shield my eyes with my hand like this so I wouldn't get blinded," He said, placing his hands over his face to show him how it had been. "Then when I peeked through between my fingers I saw the entire ship just go down through the sands an' disappear! Just like that, it was gone! I couldn't believe my eyes. I rushed through the swirling sands to where the ship had disappeared. And as I was runnin' a big rock came an' landed right in me eye. That's how I came to wear this," he said, pointing to the patch on his eye. Jack cringed. "The sands were all flyin' aroun', they were angry. I saw a gaping hole and for whatever reason, I jumped in! I landed shortly in this dark place. I didn't even know what I was doing. I never would've done it today but back then I was young and naive. So with only me one eye workin' now, I saw some men wearin' these fancy black robes pass by real close. I knew I had to get out of their way because God knows what they'd do if they saw me. I hid behind a large rock that was juttin' out of the earth an' peered behind, observin' the lot. I saw some nasty sights while hidin' behind there: men tuggin' carts filled with jewelry an' riches-- most likely stolen, some men pullin' men an' women along through there-- hostages and kidnapped ones. It was a sad thing to see when I saw them draggin' children through, even. It took all me might not to jump from me hidin' place to kick 'em a new one. They carried big, strange weapons-- kinds I've never laid me eye upon before. So as I watched, with me hand over me eye, while these uniformed men did their dealings, I was frightened, horrified and astonished all at the same time. I knew I had to get out of there now. So I waited till I saw no men passing through, then I climbed up on the rock which I had hid behind, tryin' to find the opening which I'd come through. But it was gone, closed up behind me probably. I went frantic and began digging at the ceiling, trying to uncover the hole, all the while tryin' to be careful because those awful guys would be sure to come back soon. Finally when I was diggin' I struck me hand upon something hard. It smarted bad and I cursed under my breath, then I uncovered the sand from it and saw that it was a lever. I pushed it down an' the openin' began to show up again. I was so relieved and I climbed through it and got out of that terrible place. An' now even as I get older an' older with each year passing, I know I'll never forget how scary it was to see these men draggin' their stolen things into their passage."

When he'd finished, his body shuddered. Jack stared at him in shock. "Wow, that is quite some story," he said, studying the old man. "So the headquarters is on this Maple Cay?"

"Aye. Maple Cay," The old man agreed. "But you shouldn't think of goin' there ever, it's far too dangerous."

"I have to, though-- We have to, my friend and I. For the sake of all of those people and riches that were stolen, as you've said yourself. And, you see, we were at a mate's wedding yesterday and one of those thieves came right in, trying to steal the wedding ring from under our noses. When we caught him and locked him up, trying to get answers from him, he was just about to divulge his leader's name when he was shot down instantly by this," Jack explained, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small wrapped cloth. He unfolded in at brought out the dart which he had collected from Akhmed's body. Jack handed the dart to the old man to inspect.

"Ahh..." The old man said, turning the dart in his fingers and admiring the fine craftsmanship.

"So, you see... uh... I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"It's James," the man replied.

"Alright. You see, James. We've got to stop them so that their evildoings are all at once put to an end. No one should have to suffer at the hands of these horrible monsters."

James handed him back the dart and Jack folded it back in the cloth, tucking it away into his pocket once again. He sighed. "Well, boy, go if you must. This old man is in no position to be stoppin' you. Just be careful. They're a big group that's been runnin' for a long, long time. They've got some strange happenin's goin' on there. Things you've never heard of or seen before. You an' your friend best watch out," he said, raising to his feet. Jack raised to his feet as well and they walked through the beads and back to the door.

It had been much too long that Jack was in there with that strange man already, Erik decided. He pulled himself away from the door and went back several paces. He would have to break the door down. Taking in a deep breath, he counted, "One... two... three..." And then began with his running start, shoulder facing the door. Just as he was about to crash into the wood, the door opened and Erik fell into Jack, hitting him hard with his shoulder.

"What the bloody hell!" Jack yelled, throwing Erik off of him and rubbing his side. Erik's lower back was forced against the counter. He leaned back, holding on tightly and breathing heavily. He stared at Jack, surprised to see him in once piece, the old man who had taken him captive next to him.

"Jack, you're okay!" Erik said, confused, as he rubbed his own shoulder.

"Of course I am, you fool." He stepped forward, as did James who closed the back door behind them. Jack pulled Erik from the counter and they went to the diner's exit. He threw up a friendly hand toward James. "Thanks for the help, mate. We'll do as you said."

They left the diner and resumed walking down the street. Erik looked over at Jack, still confused greatly. "But... you... you're not dead?"

"No... why would I be?"

Erik shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought..."

"Ahuh. Well, that's nice. Ever heard of Maple Cay?" He asked curiously, changing the subject.

"Yes."

"Oh! Where is it?"

"It's just off where France and England come together. Why?"

"Interesting," Jack said, pondering. "Erik, would you be in the mood for a little trip right now?"

"No. But I don't really think I have a choice, do I?"

Jack smiled. "You sure don't."

Erik sighed. "You're just so very pleasant, you know that?"