Dani counted the paces all the way up to 312 at the front of the line, where Freakshow was holding her shoulder just in case she tried to escape. They stopped in front of some sort of cave entrance. The entire entrance was covered by thick vines and all the pirates were really starting to get nervous.
"Wh…what if Box Ghost is right? What if this place is cursed?" Youngblood asked, his fear showing.
Skulker glared and merely activated his blade as he said, "I'll show you what I think of your so called curse! You puny little, soft-hearted, lily-livered ghost kid!"
He cut away the vines and revealed the entrance and they entered one by one. Dani looked at the map, showing they were now in front of the spot where the treasure was buried as she said, "It's right here."
They all looked and found that there were several large boxes in the large hole that seemed to have been already dug up. All the pirates looked at the boxes in excitement and Really Old Ghostie said, "Hey! We don't even have to dig it up."
Skulker however, was not smiling as he was thinking that something wasn't right. Youngblood however said, "Come on! The booty is ours!"
They all cheered and jumped down into the hole, leaving Dani with Skulker. However, when they opened the boxes expecting to find treasure, they were empty. There was not one single gold doubloon, not one piece of jewellery, not one piece of gold or gems. All of the chests were empty and there was nothing but dust and cobwebs.
As soon as Skulker noticed this, he began to slowly activate his blasters. The crew looked up at Skulker with murderous glares as Youngblood sneered, "There's no treasure Skulker! You've bought us here for nothing! And now thanks to you and your so-called plan, we'll be trialled for mutiny and murder!"
"Well I say, we should kill Skulker instead! And then we'll kill the halfa girl's family and friends!" Freakshow roared and all the pirates agreed as they bought out their weapons.
Skulker fully activated his blasters and aimed both of them at the crew as he shouted at Dani, "Run lass! Save yourself!"
Dani began to run, but then stopped as she asked confused by his actions, "Why are you doing this for me?"
"Because despite what you think, I do like you whelp. I wasn't lying about that." Skulker answered. "NOW GO! I'll hold them off for as long as I can!"
Dani wasted no more time and ran as fast as she could, while the pirates began to charge at Skulker. The sound of Skulker firing his blasters could be heard as Dani continued to run from the cave and hopefully, find a way to save her family and her friends.
Danny finally woke up on the stake. Jazz then commented, "Who would've guess that we would meet Sam again here? And looks like she's still mad at you little brother."
Danny chuckled nervously and agreed, "Yeah….next thing you know, she might hit me with her boot next and let me tell you something, they hurt."
Their conversation was interrupted as Undergrowth returned with two other tribal ghosts and stood in front of them. He then ordered the ghosts, "Take the halfa away. The others will remain here, but no harm is to come to them."
The tribal ghosts released Danny from the stake, but kept his hands tied with the ecto-rope and began dragging him away.
"Wait! Where are you taking him?" Jazz asked, but they ignored her and continued on.
In a makeshift kitchen, a female ghost named Lunch Lady was cooking some sort of stew with all kinds of meat and vegetables.
"Well….how else did you guys think the author was gonna fit her into this story?" One of the vegetables joked and laughed until Lunch Lady whacked them on the head with a soup spoon.
Tucker groaned and said, "I tell ya Jazz, I wish we were back at your aunt's place, eating her home cooked meals."
Jazz laughed nervously and said, "The way Sam's mad at Danny, I think we're about to become a home cooked meal."
"Well this is terrible! This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me and I…." Tucker began to rant, and move? He stopped as soon as he saw he was now untied and free from the stake. "Hey! I've been cut loose!"
"Hey guys!" Dani whispered as she revealed it was her that set Tucker free.
They both yelped at first, but then calmed down when they saw it was Dani. She then began to use a pocket knife to cut the ropes off Jazz.
Once she was free, she immediately pulled Dani into a tight hug and said in relief, "Oh Dani! Thank goodness you're alright!"
"Bad news Dani, they took Danny and we don't know where." Tucker said.
"I know. We'll have to go back to the ship and get some help from the others. Do you have a boat? I'd fly us to the ship, but my powers won't be back for another three hours?" Dani asked.
Jazz and Tucker nodded and began to lead the way back to the life boat they used to get to the island.
Meanwhile the pirates had Skulker handcuffed to a tree in ghost-proof chains. Lydia held the remains of Fully Dead Ghostie and cried, "No! Oh Fully Dead Ghostie if dead! Skulker shot him!"
Nocturne looked at Lydia with a strange look and reminded her, "But Fully Dead Ghostie was already fully dead. That's why he's called Fully Dead Ghostie."
Lydia then stopped crying and remembered. She then shrugged and threw away the remains of Fully Dead Ghostie. Youngblood then ordered Box Ghost, "Alright Box Ghost. Give it to him."
Box Ghost looked at Skulker and said in confusion, "But….it's not even his birthday."
Youngblood immediately slapped him across the head and said, "No! The paper! The paper!"
Box Ghost immediately handed the piece of paper with the Black Spot on it in Skulker's hands. He looked at the Black Spot and was appalled to see it was drawn on a page from the Bible!
"The Black Spot? You dare give me the Black Spot? And not only that, you ripped a page from the Bible and drew on it?!" Skulker roared in anger and was appalled by this, which all the pirates immediately looked at Freakshow who held the Bible in his hand.
He suddenly looked fearful and hid the Bible in his jacket. But now, all the pirates began to get nervous as Skulker continued, "The Gates of Hell are creeping open! You have done a grave deed to the Holy Scriptures and now Satin is hating the likes of you!"
Since pirates have been known to be very superstitious, they immediately began to whimper and shake with fear of what they did. Skulker then roared once more, "Fall down to your knees and beg for forgiveness and deliverance from your damnation!"
They all immediately bowed down and bgean saying all at once, "We're sorry! / Please forgive us! / Forgive us!"
Skulker nodded and said, "Very good. You're forgiven."
The pirates all let out breaths of relief and stood back up. Skulker then ordered, "Now release me!"
Youngblood immediately unlocked the locks and Skulker then said which made them cheer in excitement, "Now, let's go find that treasure!"
Box Ghost was immediately grovelling at Skulker's feet and kept saying compliments, "Oh Captain Skulker! You're a kind ghost! A very kind ghost! You're precious and…..and beautiful!"
The sun began to rise as Dani, Jazz and Tucker made it back to the lifeboat, but their hopes were lost as they found that it had been destroyed thanks to Undergrowth's vines.
"We might have to swim to the ship." Dani said.
"Uh Dani? Swimming to a boat that's filled with killer pirates isn't a good plan." Tucker pointed out.
Dani then noticed someone coming. They were all surprised to see it was Valerie! Alive and well!
"Valerie! It's us Danielle, Jazz and Tucker!" Dani called out to her.
Valerie turned around in the life boat and smiled at the sight of them. She immediately steered the boat towards them and began to row it at top speed. Once she was close enough, she climbed out and gave them all a hug.
"Thank goodness! I've been out at sea for two days! I thought I'd never find any of you guys!" Valerie said with relief.
Jazz then said, "We thought you were dead!"
Valerie shook her head and said, "It was Skulker. He tricked me into testing the life boat to make sure it was safe and when I returned back to where we were last sailing, the ship was gone. After two days of floating around, I saw this island and thought there might be someone here who could help me and now I find you guys."
"A lot has happened in just two days Val." Dani said.
"Okay, what's the situation? Where's Danny?" Valerie asked.
"Skulker and the pirates have taken over the ship, kidnapped Dani and made her lead them to the treasure, but the treasure was gone and Dani escaped but still can't use her powers for another hour. Technus, Ghostwriter and your dad have been taken prisoner on the ship, Jazz, Danny and I were captured by a tribe led by Danny's ex-girlfriend Sam Manson who is really mad at Danny, Danny has now been taken away by the tribal ghosts somewhere and we don't know where and now we have to re-gain control of the ship and save Danny." Tucker said everything in one sentence.
"Okay…." Valerie said slowly and then said, "Well, let's get back to the ship then. We're gonna need all the help we can get."