Hi guys, thanks for all the favorites, follows and reviews. I hope you enjoy this next chapter also I'm going back to school in a week or so, so updates are going to be less frequent since I'll have school, homework and hopefully friends. Thanks for reading, Pirate Out :)
I inspected the demo coin Ant had made with a magnifying glass. The fools gold was perfect and so was the design along with the fake moss I had suggested, there was only one problem- it looked too perfect. The design was bold although it should have worn down if it was under water for awhile, plus the shininess was a bit bright.
"Well? Jeffrey likes it," Ant asked as I inspected every inch of the coin.
"Just because a fish likes it doesn't make it right. The coin is good but should be more faded and worn down," I advised. I tossed the pouting Ant the coin. "You want to see Jess again don't you?" I asked and he instantly got back to work. I smirked at his reaction and gave a silent chuckle as I moved on to Dad's station.
"Hey Fontaine, I have 3 locations ready. A shipwreck, a barred treasure that got submerged over time and sunken sub," Dad explained as he pointed to 3 locations on the computer screen in front of him. I checked it over and nodded.
"Those look perfect and Hammerhead isn't going to care about about the historical value of the treasure and ship so it wouldn't be hard to trick him with some different era pieces. We don't have time to get facts about the trip so all we need is some older stuff to make it realistic. Oh for another what if we just move the Minerva and fill it with different treasures," I suggested.
"On it, I know the paintings and art got saved although I don't think they ever rescued the ship. And here just cheek over these map designs, we can tear the edges after we print them and and soak them in a super saturated salt water to quickly age them and smear the ink," Dad explained as he pulled up 3 map designs.
"Those are perfect, I'll go make the salt water and you print and tear them," I instructed. Dad hit the print button and the printer buzzed to life. I raced to the kitchen the timer on my communicator ticking down rapidly. I grabbed a large casserole dish and filled it with water before dumping a large box of salt in. I emptied the salt shaker into it to and dipped my hand in, the water was thick and stuck to my hand, perfect. I washer the salty paste off before grabbing the dish and hurrying back to Dad who had the maps ready to be soaked.
While he continued his work I checked on how mom was doing. She was surrounded by computer and tablet screens and was on the phone with multiple people. She pointed to a tablet and I checked it so far she had bought 2 old wooden row boats from a junk yard which could be torn into shipwreck pieces and she had rented some back-up chest props from some sea life and ocean history museums. I gave her a thumbs up as she frantically talked to someone over the phone. She returned the gester and I went through the circle again and again till everything was in place. Now all I had to do was switch the maps and stall Hammerhead a few days so the treasure could be planted.
Morning arrived and I changed into a pink and green t-shirt and simple jeans. The Nekton's wet suit not the best choice for a "pirate". I packed a simple bag with the maps, 2 back up communicators (since mine was most likely going overboard as soon as I was on the Dark Orca) and a few outfits along with toothbrush and toothpaste and the rest of that stuff. I made sure the maps weren't visible before putting my bag aside and joining my family for a silent and rushed breakfast. The silence spoke more than words can say, the tension and fear that was unexplainable through words, the tension of time slipping away before- it gave her shivers to think about it. The fear that she would get caught and she and their friends plus Dolos would be thrown over board. The words that no one wanted to say but that this could very well be their last breakfast together for a long time, until their friends (and Dolos) were found.
The time came before anyone was ready and the Dark Orca was surfaced at a small island where she was going to her "new life" at least until, no don't get your hopes up just yet, her brain reminded her. Hammerhead still had to fall for it. I turned back to my family, not wanting to go yet knowing this was the only choice plus I had volunteered to do this, no force and this was the right thing to do. She had to save everyone, Jess her best friend and the only person who truly understood her- both of them being the same age and living on the sea. Charlie the young girl who had totally fan-girled when she had visited the Aronnax before, she couldn't let her down ever, she had tried so hard for her bird calls and all and I was to return the favor. And all the others who had helped them along the way who didn't deserve this, well except maybe Dolos. I turned to my parents and they hugged me tight and I clinged to them before releasing the hug knowing how impatient Hammerhead was. Before I could step onto the rocky beach though Ant hugged me, I froze in surprised and he let go the hug quick yet needed. I slung my bag over my shoulder and waved as I stepped onto the pebbles. My family stayed still- mom already gotten directions from Hammerhead in the mist of the preparation- as 2 pirates escorted me to the Dark Orca. I waved one last time before stepping into the dark metal tube before me.
"Ah ahoy Feared Fontaine, welcome t' me ship," was definitely not what she expected Hammerhead to say when he greeted her in the hallway as the sub slowly submerged itself.
"Whh-aat," I stuttered feeling completely out of place on the black, silver and duck tape sub.
"Yer pirate name, Feared Fontaine," Hammerhead explained dismissively as he turned on his heel and headed somewhere. "Finn, get out here me lad 'n show our newest crew hand t' her cabin."
I didn't know what to expect but I didn't think that Hammerhead was just going to instantly accept me as pirate, although I had a feeling Mad Madeline wasn't gonna do the same. Finn raced out of corridor and his expression turned shocked when he saw me.
"What's she doing aboard Dad?" He asked but the look in his eyes clearly asked What have you done?
"She be our newest crimp me son," Hammerhead answered like it was the most natural thing in the world while Finn's jaw dropped not knowing if this was some kind of joke or if the whole world had gone Topsy Turvy. "Well show her t' her cabin already." Finn nodded and grabbed my wrist and dragged me down a hallway.
"What on earth happened?!" He quietly screamed.
"He somehow got the idea into his head that I would make a good pirate and threatened to drop friends overboard if I well didn't come," I sighed glaring at him but Finn seamed to be going through his own trauma as his face turned red and his confused smirk turned into a scoul.
"He promised to stop reading my diary," He pouted.
"Pirate Boy has a diary?" I teased.
"Oh stop it, umm Pirate Girl?" He more questioned then fought back. I laughed at the nick name as he turned redder and sheepishly put his hand behind his neck while staring at his feet.
"So whatca write in this diary of yours," I asked tauntingly enough so he wouldn't know that I was actually interested.
"Nothen' 'portant," He awkwardly replied. "Here," he said pointing to a closet sized room before running off. I defiantly was gonna repay him for giving Hammerhead the idea to have me aboard but for now seeing him so awkward and embarrassed was enough. But if he was defiantly getting a dead fish in his bed tonight.
I sighed and headed into my room or "cabin" for the meantime and found it was just as big as it had looked from the outside. The small room had a mattress hanging a foot or so above the ground on a metal sheet that could be folded up to the wall. A wooden crate hung beside the bed although it was about a foot higher up. 3 cubby holes had been carved into the wall and there were 2 drains in the floor. I place my bag on the mattress that was damp and had a spring poking out of it. I tossed my clothes into the crate and put my random assortment of stuff into the cubbies. I tucked my communicators into the hole the spring was poking out of after making sure that the ringers and lights were turned off so a surprise communication wouldn't be caught.
Now to the most important mission, the maps. I layered a shirt over them and left the room as calmly as I could although I was actually super nervous. I followed the hallway down to the vault that we had taken back stolen treasure from before. It looked the same, little treasure and a few maps scattered across a table top. I switched the maps as quickly as I could and snuck out before anyone could notice. With the real maps hidden away in my water proof bag, I began looking for an exit.
"Well well well, what's going on here?" Finn asked as he walked into the room. I froze and spun around on my ankle to face him.
"I - accidentally packed my Nekton wet suit and am trying to find away to toss it overboard before you dad sees it," I lied, silently pleading that he would fall for it. He looked suspicious for a minute but excepted it pointing to a hatch in the wall with a disappointed look.
"Once you ditch that da- caption Hammerhead wants to see you on the bridge," Finn replied.
"OK?" I questioned, tossing the bag out the hatch and sending a quick message over my communicator, BMD. (Bag of Maps Dropped). Finn lead the way to the bridge although I already knew the path. With a cheeky grin he did a fancy bow and pointed to the door. "Thanks Pirate Boy," I laughed as I entered.
"Ahoy Feared Fontaine," Hammerhead grinned. "How's th' Dark Orca servin' ye so far?"
"Umm, good?" I replied surprised that Hammerhead actually cared. Did he seriously want me to be a pirate?
"Perfect me girly, now we be goin' shoppin' fer some pirate gear fer ye. But first a Dark Orca communicator, Finn get rid o' th' ole one," Hammerhead replied handing me a clunky piece of metal on a wrist strap. I slowly replaced my communicator with the clunky bracelet. Finn took the other one while I puzzled what "pirate gear" was. Well I'd find out soon enough. Danny Boy turned the wheel and we headed for where ever our destination was. "Ye be dismissed t' yer cabin," Hammerhead told me when he realized I was still standing there unsure what I was suppose to do.
I headed out of the bridge and back through the hallways to my room when I tripped over Finn's legs.
"Gah!" I squawked startled as I fell forwards my arms spiraling like a pinwheel. Finn caught me and I glared at him.
"Agh sorry," he sighed, standing up. One of his hands was clenched in a tight fist and he tried to move it behind his back with out me noticing but I saw it easily, Ant had tried the same thing millions of times before and I knew how to deal with it. I grabbed Finn's wrist and twisted it so the back of his hand was down, I pressed on a pressure point on a nerve and his hand sprang open revealing my old communicator. He stared in shock and I grabbed the comm from his outstretched palm and started to walk away when he grabbed my wrist.
"What," I asked annoyed as I spun on my heel to face him.
"How- did you- do that?" He stammered surprised.
"Practice, I have a little brother you know, that's why it's password protected," I answered with a chuckle as he turned red again. He honestly should have been call Blushin' Finn instead of Smilen' Finn. I once again hit the pressure point and he released me. I walked away with a chuckle. I stopped once again though when I ran head on to Mad Madeline. She froze, shocked at me casually walking around the sub but I continued on to my room wanting to relax and think of a plan. I didn't give her a chance to do anything before I locked my door be hind me. I sent her sly smirk as she ran the direction I came from probably to complain or ask what on earth was happening to Hammerhead.
Next Chapter, Fontaine's pirate look, a bit of revenge, and a confused Mad Madeline