Chapter 3:

Light from the sun shone in through the cracks in the hut. The air was hot and sticky-not unusual for Tulum. James climbed out of bed with a splitting headache-he had a hangover. After their brief reunion on the beach; James, Edward and Anne all had a nice little bonfire and had plenty to drink. James wasn't sure how well Edward and Anne were off, but he was pretty sure they were no better than he was. James slowly and mechanically slipped into a pair of trousers, a shirt, his robes and a pair of boots before exiting the hut. He jumped down onto the hard packed earth and looked around him. Already assassins were moving about, doing their business. James rubbed at his forehead. It was one of the things he didn't like about the assassins. They were workaholics.

James inhaled deeply, taking in the thick scent of the ocean. He loved the smell of the sea-salt, loved the sound of the waves lapping against the sandy shore. Edward put his hands on his back and stretched, groaning as it popped loudly. He twisted his torso a little to the left...then a little to the right. Once he was finished, he began for the Mayan ruins, where he was sure he would meet Ah Tabai. Sure enough, the mentor of the brotherhood was there, pacing a small area of ground in front of the ruins. James watched him with an intense gaze, wondering what it was that was bothering the mentor so much.

"Ah Tabai!" James called, strolling carefully across the ground, closing the gap between them. "Hello James Kenway." Ah Tabai said in that monotone voice of his. James nodded to him. "I just thought that you should know, George Teach, he is dead." Ah Tabai nodded his head. "I doubted you would return without your mission being successful." James nodded.

"I would have reported sooner but-"

"Edward Kenway is here." James nodded. "Yes, Edward is here." Without saying another word to him, Ah Tabai walked off. James watched him. There is just something not right with that man, James thought to himself. He looked back up at the Mayan ruins once more, unable to not bask in it's glory, even for only a moment, before moving off to find his brother. And maybe Anne Bonny as well, he was still considering making an attempt to woo her into his bed.

James found Edward below deck of the Jackdaw, checking stock on his sugar and rum. "Leaving so soon?" Edward looked behind him at James and shook his head. "No, I just want to know how much I have a reasonable amount of cargo to sell once I set out to sea again, it is a long trip back to London." James nodded his head. He fiddled with his fingers for just a moment. "I...I suspect you know that I didn't call you here just for business." Edward nodded his head. "I suspect it has something to do with Woods Rogers. I did promise to return and help with that affair once I had things sorted out back home." James nodded his head.

"You would be correct in your suspicions. I caught word, on my last trip to Havana that Governor Woods Rogers was planning to return there. I was unable to learn more however." Edward was standing, scratching absentmindedly at his beard. He didn't say anything, just stayed lost in thought. James watched him, wondering what exactly he could be thinking about. He was just about to open his mouth to ask this, when the sound of approaching feet was heard and Anne Bonny came into view. "Ah, you're both here. Excellent." She clapped her hands together before grabbing each Kenway by one of their shoulders and leading them out from below deck to the helm.

"What is it Anne?" Edward asked, yanking his shoulder from her grasp. James did so as well and placed his hands on his hips. They both watched her. She cleared her throat. "Adéwalé has just returned from Principe. On his return trip, he intercepted a letter-a list of supplies a fleet would need to attack Tulum. He suspects the templars are on their way." Edward and James' eyes both grew to the size of quarters at this news.

"Templars on their way to Tulum right now?" Anne nodded her head. "That is what he believes." Edward and James looked at each other. James spoke first.

"If there's an entire fleet on it's way, it would be best to take the Storm." Edward opened his mouth to object. "We might not have time Edward. You can bring Anne along if you want to, but we need to hurry." Then he turned, ran and leaped from the edge of the Jackdaw and was swimming towards his frigate. Edward shook his head. "Devil curse 'im. Anne, come on." He strode to the edge of the Jackdaw and leaped from it's side. Anne followed.

The Storm-James' frigate-sailed smoothly through the waters. James stood at the helm, his hood drawn back, his hands wrapped around the wheel. On his left was Edward, standing with their spyglass. He peered out over the ocean, trying to catch sight of anything that would show them the supposed templar fleet was on it's way. "Curse him. This is nothing but a waste of time!" James said, turning the wheel to the left, turning the ship. "We can not risk to have our guard down." Anne said in return. James sent her a look, but kept the ship sailing on the route they'd decided to patrol. He just didn't feel like arguing at the moment.

"If we don't see anythin' suspicious in the next hour, I will turn this ship around." Anne grinned and nodded her head. "You won't have to wait too long." Edward said suddenly. He was looking through the spyglass, staring to the right of the Storm.

"What is it?" Edward passed the telescope first to Anne, who (after taking a quick glance herself) handed it to James. He peered through, and swallowed. Two frigates, a man 'o' war and a schooner were sailing in their direction. "I don't like these odds." He said, passing the telescope back to Edward.

"Well, we are definitely in a bit of trouble here. We should have brought more men." Edward replied. James wracked his brain trying to find a way to stop the fleet. He honestly hadn't expected to find it this close to Tulum this soon.

"Okay, I have a plan. It might just be insane enough to work." He looked to Edward.

"You get back to Tulum, find someone you can trust with a ship to steer this back out here. Get plenty of assassins to come with you. Bring the Jackdaw and we'll send these templars to a shallow grave."

"What about you?" James looked at his brother for just a moment. "I'm going to swim out to that man 'o' war and see if I can't...persuade them to give us a hand." Edward stared at James in disbelief. "You're going to try and clear the deck of a man 'o' war? One that is crawling with templars?"

"Did I not say this plan was insane?" The two of them stared at each other.

"I hope you know what you're doing." James nodded his head. "Me too." He moved past Edward jumped onto the railing and dove into the water.

Salt water seemed to have sunk into every one of James' pores by the time he gripped the side of the Man 'o' war. He had been swimming for what felt like hours and his limbs were killing him. He looked up above him, and listened intently. He could hear people moving around up there, and he sighed. It sounded as if there was a lot of them. He still had a lot of work ahead of him.

James reached up and began to climb the side of the gargantuan ship. It was hard work, he was soaked to the bone and with every move he made he made sure he wouldn't slip before he moved again. His wet robes and armor weren't making it any easier for him either. Their weight seemed to have increased ten fold. The hood of his robes were pulled up and James felt as if he had a full grown cat resting on his head.

When he reached the top, he stretched, his head peering over the side. There was a templar standing by, working on the rigging of a lift by one of the masts. He popped his neck, took a deep breath, and went into action. He climbed onto the railing and jumped forward. He flicked his wrist, engaging his hidden blade. He slammed into the templar, knocking him onto his stomach. The steel of James' hidden blade sunk deep into his throat and blood sprayed from the wound.

The templar closest to James stepped back. "Assassin!" Then he drew his sword and charged James. James retracted his hidden blade, stood and moved back in one swift motion. The templar's momentum made him run past James. James drew one of his flintlocks, took aim and pulled the trigger. Blood and gray matter splattered against the deck. By now the other templars had jumped into action. James quickly holstered his flintlock, drew his old Syrian sword and parried an attack.

He kicked the templar in the stomach, sending him tumbling. Another templar, this one wielding a knife swung at him. James caught his wrist and twisted it, making the templar drop the weapon. James let go of his wrist, caught the knife and threw it. It was embedded in the templar's throat. He stumbled back, and fell over the railing and into the water.

James lunged towards the next templar. He ejected his hidden blade, stabbed him in the stomach and cut open his face with the sword. James turned to face His next enemy. He was a brute of a man, standing close to six foot eight. James swung his sword at him, but the brute only blocked the blow with his axe. He slammed his fist into James' face and he stumbled back, feeling blood trickle from his nose.

James es dodged the brute's attack, and with his Syrian sword, sliced his ankle open, and knocking him off his feet. While he was down, James raised his sword and brought it down, blood splashing onto his already soaked robes. Before James could do anything else, there was a loud bang, and James felt a bullet rip through his shoulder. Searing pain filled the wound and James stepped back. It was the ship's captain. For just a moment James held the wound on his shoulder, before removing his hand and staring the captain down.

He lunged forward. The captain blocked the attack with relative ease, and punched James. James stumbled, and caught himself as the captain swung. James parried with the Syrian sword, flicked his wrist and stabbed his hidden blade into the captain's stomach. The captain let out a groan of pain. James raised his right hand, and stabbed his sword through the captain's throat. Blood dripped from his blades, stained crimson. He disengaged his hidden blade and let the captain's lifeless body slide from the sword.

At the sight of their captain's death, the other templars ceased. James found this rather funny. The templars were nothing without a leader. James looked at every one of them. He knew he could take every one of them down if he wanted to. Instead, he said: "If you do not wish to meet the same fate as the pour men I have killed here today, you will do exactly as I say. Do any of you object?" He was met with a satisfying silence.

"Wonderful. Now, we are to set about the task of sinking those two frigates and the schooner as well. Let's to work!" Then he moved to the helm and took hold of the wheel.

AN: So how was it? Should I have Adéwalé make an appearance? Was the fight between James and the templars on that man 'o' war awesome? Is James a kickass fighter? Are you excited to know what happens next? Well let me know what you think by hitting that little review button. Adios.

~Exangelllion