Thanks for sticking around to see what's happening to Mike, Bella, and Edward on their way to the new world.

Mike Newton Chapter 9 – The Plan

EPOV

We had been on the ship for days; I wasn't sure how many anymore. I stayed with Bella as she stayed with me. We were all trapped below decks in a mostly empty space. There were some barrels of water and trunks with some questionable food in it. Everyone was still shackled together in a long chain, which has made privacy and comfort non-existent. Bella and I were on a separate chain and Angela was not with us. Between the storms, the fright, and the seasickness, many of the passengers had died. On the second or third day Victoria, as we heard Captain James call her, came down, removed the bodies, and left without a word.

Bella and I did the best we could to tend to everyone and give comfort where any was possible. Her father prayed continuously and I held a constant vigil for any sign of weakness on the ship that I could exploit to find a way to bring everyone to safety. In the many hours that we spent in stunned contemplation I continuously thought back to Michael Newton, what was he? I knew this; he had sacrificed himself so that I could be with Bella, and I would never forget that. However long my life had left I would honor that memory. I often found myself holding Bella while she cried, and losing track of how long we had been in that state.

On the fifth day or fifteenth, I didn't know anymore, I decided it was time to take fate into my own hands and force a decision; life or death, it didn't matter. I pulled Bella up with me and went over to Charles Swan.

"Dear Father, Your prayers have been unceasing and as yet there has been no answer."

"The Lord answers in His way, on His schedule." He muttered back to me.

"Perhaps the Lord would like us to answer our own prayers then. We are many and they are only two. It is time to work out our own salvation!" Mr. Swan looked up at me then with the most clarity I had seen in him since this nightmare began.

"Yes, these chains and shackles are old. We should be able to find a way out of them."

"Once we are out, we need to have a plan, we can't just walk up onto the deck." Just then I heard the pirates talking on deck and Bella and I scrambled under the ladder so we could better hear them. I could feel her trembling in my arms. I also felt complete trust from her, her life was in my hands.

"Oh James, please, I want to have a little fun and entertainment. It's so boring out here and it will be at least 2 days before we get to the Isle of Devils."

"You know they call it Bermuda now." He said with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

"I don't care what it's called, one of those islands is mine! It's just so much more fun to let them run around on an island for a while before we dispose of them all. I need a few years on land anyways; I'm getting sick of what the sea air has done to my hair. And I will have dancing and singing done for me from now until we get there!" With that the hatch flew open and they both descended. Bella and I backed into the shadows as much as we could without making a sound.

James stood in the middle of the room and looked around at everyone very slowly. With a wry little smile he spoke very softly and slowly, particularly looking each woman in the eye. "It's such a shame to have all of you tied up down here, the sun is so beautiful, but not as beautiful as each of you." They were all staring right back at him, as though they were enchanted.

Victoria crouched low and slowly walked around, being very coy and gently touched each man on the face. They were also enchanted and everyone looked on, riveted by them. "Wouldn't it be so nice James for everyone to join us on deck for some drink and dancing?"

"I think it would, but I doubt these lovely ladies and strong gentleman would want to join us."

I was shocked by how complacent everyone was. I saw James pull a key from his belt and unlock the chain. He pulled it out of the rings holding all of the shackles to it and everyone just stood there. I wanted to shout charge, but I could see it would make no difference. I also knew that we would not go undetected much longer. I looked at Bella and pleaded with my eyes for her to understand me. I mouthed at her to not look them in the eyes. It seemed as though the moment they looked into someone's eyes, that person fell under some kind of spell. She nodded and I gently rattled our chain so that we would also get some attention.

James snapped around to face me so fast I audibly gasped. Then he looked right at Bella and she was staring right back into his eyes.

BPOV

At first I couldn't help but stare, his eyes were so beautiful and fierce. I could understand the spell that everyone was under. But I knew that I was still in control of my wits and that he could not know that.

"What is your name my little trouble maker?"

"Isabella Swan, please, call me Bella."

"Wouldn't you like to come upstairs with me?"

"Yes, I most certainly would."

"Than you most certainly shall."

Victoria laughed and as she was climbing the ladder like the pied piper with all of the men and women following her.

"I think it's best we leave your friend down here, don't you?" He said it so slowly and calmly. I immediately panicked in my heart, I didn't want to be separated from Edward, but I didn't want him near this monster. I knew I had to agree so James would continue to think I was under his spell. James again pulled the key off his belt and with one hand he had Edward pinned against the wall and with the other he undid the chain, pulled my shackle out, wrapped it around a post, and locked it again. I could see the rage in Edwards face and it was all he could do to hold back. James began to climb the ladder and I followed him. I tried to throw Edward a little look so that he would understand I wasn't affected, but I didn't know if that was clear to him.

On the deck I could see that Victoria had arranged everyone into two groups, those who could play instruments, and those who would dance. Awkwardly they played and danced. She laughed hysterically while everyone moved around her. "Come James, it's French. Laurent would have loved it; dance this minuet with me."

"No, I believe I will dance this one with Miss Swan." He grasped me tightly, like a child clutching a rag doll. As we spun around I could see that Victoria was looking at me with so much hate and fire in her eyes I felt like my petticoats would burst into flames.

The dancing and music went on for hours and hours; everyone was exhausted but unable or unwilling to stop. When it became clear to Victoria that James would only dance with me I could she would have no more.

"Enough!" She roared to everyone. They all looked back at her in shock and fear. "I am already tired of your pathetic dancing, and there is no culture on earth that would call that music. All of you back, NOW!" The men first, then the women, slowly turned and walked right back down the ladder below deck. James led me over as well.

I looked right into his eyes, "Please don't make me leave you." He smiled, quite pleased with himself and his seeming ability to control me. "Perhaps I will keep you around the longest." Then he whispered into my ear, "Or permanently if you are lucky." I just batted my eyelids and wrapped my arms around his waist.

Victoria rushed over and pulled me by the hair yanking me off of him and tossing me to the hatch. "Really Victoria, she is just a play thing, an appetizer; no need for jealousy."

"If you look at her again, I will drain her before she has time to call your name."

I felt my insides turn over and my legs were about to give out but I had to be strong, I had to be. James followed everyone down again and restrung the chain locking everyone in. When he pulled me over to where Edward was locked, I was afraid to look in those intense green eyes I'd come to rely on. He was standing by the post with a darkness on his face that scared me. When James came close Edward reached out and tried to grab James by the throat. I screamed, and in a movement so fast I barely noticed it, James had kicked Edward in his bad knee and sent him sprawling to the floor. James looked at me again, skeptical of my scream. I quickly threw myself to his chest.

"Did Edward hurt your delicate and beautiful throat?" I said using the last of my energy to force the words out. He just laughed and feeling quite proud of himself, he locked me right back into Edward's chain.

As James turned to walk away I saw Edward curled on the floor holding his thigh, trying to stabilize his leg. I turned and once more wrapped my arms around James' waist.

"Don't leave me, please, don't leave me!" I begged as I squeezed my arms around tighter and tighter. Victoria came screaming across the room. James held her back with one hand and with the other peeled me off of him and they both went above deck.

I immediately flew to Edwards side. Please God, let him be alright.

"Is it broken, how is your leg?" He turned and looked at me, so full of hurt and confusion.

"How could you? I said don't look."

"I didn't mean to, how is your leg?"

"It will be fine, it was just the initial shock. What power did he have over you?"

Around the room everyone seemed to be waking form some horrible nightmare, curled up, shivering, and confused.

"He had no power over me." I said and looked directly into his clear green eyes, deeper than the ocean. I wanted the truth of what I was saying to hit the bottom of that ocean so there would be no doubt.

"If he had no power, then you chose to be with him like that?"

"I did." The agony burning across his face was more than I could bare for a minute longer.

"Why?"

With that one final question I lifted my hand and showed him the key I had taken from James' belt.

EPOV

The relief and amazement I felt when I saw that key took the breath from my very soul. How incredible was this woman before me? I had spent hours by myself contemplating every possible way I could save her and what I could do, without ever once considering what she was capable of doing. Any doubt I had in my mind about Bella was washed away and I was, in that moment, eternally devoted to this woman, whether it was on this earth or in the next life.

I spent the next few hours questioning her about everything she saw above. Everyone else was asleep and I could see that she was beyond exhausted, but I knew we didn't have much time and I needed to devise a plan before they realized we had the key, or reached their Isle of Devils. We might be able to escape two, but if there were more, I knew it would be our end. I held Bella in my arms and let her sleep.

I had seen as our ship went down that they were afraid of the fire. I knew they had cannons on the ship, which meant there was also gunpowder and flint. I quickly surveyed the room and there were 12 men and 9 women and hopefully Angela was still somewhere on board the ship. As daylight began to creep through the crack around the hatch I knew what we needed to do if we had any hope at all. I knew that most likely we wouldn't all make it out alive, but if I could at least get Bella to safety, I was willing to sacrifice everything.

Thanks to Melolabel who does a great job Beta reading for me! I hope you guys like it and I'm so sorry for the delay. Remember that the best encouragement is reviews, reviews, reviews. If we are ever going to see what happens to Mike and Bella and Edward, I need a little motivation!

Check out "The Marksman" on my favorite stories list.