Despite Mulder's desire to talk with Soledad and Yelena, even if he hadn't been pressganged onto Halcón's ship, events that were about to transpire would have prevented it anyway.

As Mulder was being dragged towards the docks, Soledad and Yelena were making their way up the hill through the town, weaving through the thick crowds of Tortuganites.

As they walked, Soledad looked over her shoulder,

"You don't think that Halcón's officers could've followed us from the bar, do you?"

"No pienso así. [I don't think so Who the hell was that guy Jack picked up in the bar?" Yelena queried, changing the subject.

"Ninguna idea [No idea" Soledad replied. "Although you know the kind of random people Jack manages to scrape out of the gutter. Who knows where he came from."

"Still, he's kinda cute though, and that is a novelty where Jack's acquaintances are concerned."

Soledad looked incredulous, "En serio[Seriously?"

Yelena simply nodded, looking slightly sheepish. Soledad shook her head, "I don't believe you!"

Yelena was saved from any more of Soledad's mocking reproaches as a drunk man staggered toward them and barged into Yelena. Mumbling something that may of been an apology, he continued on his merry way, which took him straight through the open doors of the nearest tavern.

After they had walked a little way further Yelena began to smirk.

"Qué te pasa[What's up with you?" Yelena remained silent, though grinned even more as she held out her hand and opened it, allowing a solid gold pocket watch to fall and dangle on its chain, swinging in mid-air.

Soledad mirrored the grin. "Nicely done, amiga mía."

"Gracias," she replied, stooping slightly to bow mid-stride.

"That should bring us in some more money at Gore's."

The buildings trailed off as they left the town behind them and continued up the hillside, down a dirt path through the undergrowth. Mackenzie Gore ran a pawn shop above Tortuga, close enough the the town to be accessable but far enough away to protect it from the usual hoards of drunken people that swamped the town proper. The uphill climb would deter anyone not sober enough to do business. Soledad and Yelena were regular customers, having no home to speak of where they could store their swag, and so usually selling it.

As they rounded a bend in the path, the building appeared trough the trees. It was more of a hut than a building, balanced unsteadily on stilts driven into the ground and constructed from unevenly painted planks, many of which had obviously been salvaged from shipwrecks. Gore was standing on the porch, polishing a brass jug. He looked up as they approached and smiled at two of his best customers.

"Good afternoon ladies," he greeted them. He peered behind them to the west where the sun was beginning to lower itself towards the horizon. "Or should I say good evening. I wasn't expecting to see you for another couple of weeks."

"Yea well, Jack's having a bit of a crew crisis so he's come here on the scrounge," Soledad explained.

"I suppose you've seen the Adversary around. Halcón not made any advances yet?"

"No thankfully," Yelena replied. "We saw some of his officers in The Gin and Turtle but I don't think they saw us."

"No let's hope not."

Soledad reached into her pocket, moving the conversation along to their original purpose. "We've got some good jewellery for you. I hope you've got some money!"

Gore beamed and pushed the door open, moving to one side to allow Soledad and Yelena to enter. "Step into my office!" Soledad took the lead and entered the building first. Just as Yelena moved to step over the threshold, the sound of a twig snapping behind her caused her to whirl round and look out into the undergrowth. Scanning the trees she could see nothing, but her gut told her there was something not quite right. Her musings were disrupted by Gore's les than subtle cough before he nodded towards the still open door. Shaking her head, she passed through the open door, Gore following close behind and shutting it with a gentle click.

The golden sunlight was beginning to touch the roof of Gore's shop as a cautious hand moved aside a palm frond to get a better look.

"See anything?" came a whisper from a yard further behind. Gillpoyo craned his neck.

"No, but I'm sure it was them. I'd know those two anywhere."

"I hope you're right, because if we bring Halcón the wrong girls, you know what'll happen."

The first officer looked over his shoulder.

"Yes thank you, I was aware of that."

Suddenly their attention was drawn back to the building by the sound of the door being opened. Yelena and Soledad could be seen stepping out onto the porch, Soledad engaged in conversation with Gore. Yelena seemed to be glancing around nervously. They bid their farewells to Gore, who retreated back into his shop as the pair stepped down onto the pathway. Gillpoyo saw Yelena look back to check that the door was shut before turning to Soledad and saying quietly,

"Tenemos cuidado [Let's be careful I thought I heard a noise out here earlier. I might be imagining things but it won't do any harm to be on our guard."

"Sí, estoy de acuerdo [Yea I agree."

As they both began to look around, Gillpoyo shrank back into the foliage, but gave a subtle hand signal aimed at another group of officers. As he continued to watch them something must have caught Soledad's eye and she put her hand on Yelena's elbow,

"Viste eso[Did you see that?"

She peered into the trees, and Gillpoyo repeated the hand signal as Soledad's eyes met with his. She opened her mouth to scream but a large hand was clamped over it before she had the chance. The two officers who had been in the trees on the other side of the path were upon them in an instant, trying to tackle them to the ground - though with some difficulty, it has to be said.

Gillpoyo led the remaining officers out of the undergrowth to assist as Soledad and Yelena fought back against their captors. Soledad had somehow grabbed the knife from her boot and as Gillpoyo ran towards her managed to reach back and slice across the top of her assailant's leg; he hissed and let up his grip for a second, just long enough for her to spin round and deliver a powerful kick to his stomach. Fortunately for Gillpoyo, he was able to leap on her from behind and lock his arms around her before she could deal him the same treatment.

Meanwhile Yelena's attackers were having no easier a time; her first move had been to throw her head back, catching the officer in the chin and forcing him to bite his tongue. He released one of her arms in an automatic attempt to stem the blood flowing from his mouth, allowing her to reach round and grab his cojones, giving her wrist a sharp flick and causing him to drop to his knees and howl out in pain. A brief smirk passed across her face before a second officer administered a blow to her abdomen, sending her sprawling winded across the ground. In her line of sight she could see Soledad pinned to the ground. As she watched Soledad reached up a cat-like hand and made a vicious clawing movement at Gillpoyo's eyes. He cried out and fell back onto his haunches, but before she could see any more a third officer took a rough hold on her hair and used the butt of his pistol to knock her unconscious.
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What happens next? Will Soledad and Yelena be ok? And where the hell is Scully?????
All these questions and more will be answered in the next exciting enstallment of 'Los Enemigos'!!!! But only if people are nice and review lol

Lily
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