Part 19
Weaving through the crowd Michael glanced in askance at his long lasting best friend. They've been through this many times, yet he always questioned the captain as to their orders. It was his mission after all. A quest to find someone. A man. An italian man to be exact. Disomano.
That was italian for 'inhuman', and that was what he was known as. It described him perfectly. For six months they have sailed the seas, raided the ships of italians and questioned every part of the continent. Disomano was known for his ruthless ways. His reputation not so wide, yet enough to satisfy their curious questions.
It was said that no one dared face him. Well...Michael looked again at his friend's grimly determined face. There was one man who was not afraid of death at his hands. For he would not be the one pierced in the heart. Max had every intention of returning to his true home the victor, and his revenge complete.
Max...or indeed, Maxwell was in truth a gentlman. An honourable and fair man. Respected by men and adored by women. It was devestating to witness the dramatic changes to a man of smiles and laughter into a man of cynical views and deep, hidden pain. All because of two women. Loved and lost. Sister and once upon a time love of his life. Both ruthlessly taken away by one man. Disomano.
"Where do we begin?" Michael asked, his expert eyes roving over the crowd. When no answer came he turned toward Max to find him standing still, staring aimlessly at a point beyond Michael's shoulder. He turned and glimpsed long golden tresses glinting through the crowd. Just like Isabel's. But not Isabel. He whirled back quickly enough to see the deep sorrow that lay within his friend's eyes.
"Hey Max" he walked toward him and gave him a gentle shake.
Max's gaze moved abruptly to him and he was cold determination once again.
"Direct the men to investigat every inn in and near this port. They have already memorized the shape and form, and name of the object under investigation. There can be no mistakes. I want sailors, captains and whores questioned. If they have anaswers, make it worth their while," he paused to throw a sack that jiggled when it landed in Michael's palm, "try the magistrate too. Wherever Disomano goes there is always trouble." He stopped to take a deep breath.
He had done this so many times before. So many questions with no answers. Countless faceless interrogations. Everytime they sailed from a port with no further success, the heart that he so feared turned to stone, constricted with rage and pain. His hope dwindled, yet he never allowed it to affect him. He would search till his dying breath. He would see his revenge completed. He would never give up.
A comforting hand rested on his shoulder, snapping him from his reverie.
"Are you alright?" Michael asked. Michael...his best friend. His only friend. He did not know what he would have done if it were not for him. Wild Michael and Level-headed Max. That was how they were once known. Now they have both changed. After that fatefull night, Michael realized what it meant to stick around and care, and Max burned with rage and madness. They both began to face the real horrible world.
"No Michael," he looked at him squarely, "but when this is finished, i will be." and with that he preceded to get lost in the crowd. A lost soul, among many souls.
"I hope so my friend." he whispered to the disappearing figure.
Liz sat in the cot for half an hour before she jumped up with a frustrated breath, feeling as if she would explode. It was simple. She was bored. He she was kidnapped, imprisoned and full of conflicting emotions towards her captor...and she was bored.
Actually what was more amazing was that she hasn't tried to escape yet. She did not know if it was Max's warning, he sudden reluctance to see the last of him or the fact that hse did not have a plan. But, she thought to keep her mind sane and blame it on hte 'no plan' part.
She looked towards the door. 'Oh sure i can just open that door and walk out, no one will stop me, no one at all.' The porthole was too small. Perhaps walking out isn't such a bad idea. She could plead the need to use the uh...neccessary. No..she disregarded that. There was a perfectly useful chamberpot under the bed. She could plead sick. But they maight panick and send for a doctor. She could simply ask for fresh air. Hell, they probably won't risk it and tell her to stick her head out the hole.
She could plead hunger, but they'll only send some to her room. She could scream hyterically that there is a rat under the bed, but they'd barge in with swords, knives and pistols, only to find herself. Liz sighed in exasperation.
"Why is this happening to me?" she fairly yelled as she looked beseechingly at the ceiling and spread her hands. "I didn't do anything wrong. I'm a good girl. I love my parent and respect them, and i'm religious. I was never bad!" there she paused and her face scrunched up in annoyance and resignation..."Well...okay so there was that incident with the tree, but pawing nobleman deserved it." she declared, then paused again, putting her hands down.
"Ok so there was also the bucket incident, but how was i to know his head would be exactly the right size? and plus that was an accident," she raised her hands again, and paused yet again, "and so was the horse incident, the tavern incident and the fork incident.." she corssed her hands over her chest and look down in rememberance " i should have aimed it somewhere more efficient..there was a repeat and i almost choked him with my petticoats."
She looked up again "He deserved it too. And anyway i was only a child then, well onto puberty but still a child. I was energetic." she offered, then sighed deeply and told herself to stop acting like a nincompoop. What was done was done and now she had to deal with 'now'. What had she to lose?
With a sudden sprout of spirit and courage she gathered herself and marched determindly to the door. Heaven help her she would crack if that door was locked. Preparing herself for the battle of her freedom she grabbed hold of the latch and pulled.
The door swung open and before the shock could wear off at that easy almost-escape, she screamed at what it held on the other side.
No, not a guard or a killer or a theif or even a rescuier.
"Shhh geez Liz will you tone it down. You nearly gave me and everyone else on board an apoplexy" Maria declared, her hands covering her ears.
Liz looked at her, "You're too young to be facing that possibility Maria" she then said.
"Well i'm flattered but i say you're never too young to have a heart attack from a woman's scream, or atleast that's what the men say" she said with some amusement.
Liz smiled grimply. "Whatt's going on? What are you doing here?"
Maria gave her a full blown smile " I'm here to keep you company chica. We can brush each other's hair, change dresses, talk about how men are idiot, share fantasies. The whole shabang" she declared as she strode in hands in the air.
Liz defeatedly shut the door. "You're here to watch me" she smiled weakly. Maria's smile never faltered.
"You're a precious gem" she laughed, Then " so what on the agenda?"
'Escape' Liz thought but aloud she said "I am open to suggestions."