Ch. 1 A Message
"Hey, you're up." Lenora got out of the bed and saw Adam sitting in a chair by the window. "What time is it?"
"Almost ten," Adam replied, "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a long time." Lenora leaned over Adam's left shoulder and kissed him. The swashbuckler looked outside and saw three pirates walking up the steps to Adam's house. "Seems like you've got some visitors. I'll get out of your hair for a bit."
"You don't have to go, Lenora." Adam didn't want her to feel excluded.
"It's alright. I need some exercise anyway." Lenora started to leave before the pirates entered the building. "Mary?!" Adam turned and was shocked to see his former best friend, and love interest, in chains with two pirates.
"What are you doing here?" Mary struggled out of the two pirates grips.
"Get off of me," Mary demanded, "I'm not here to cause trouble." The witchdoctor turned to Lenora. "I stopped my sister from killing you; you should know that I can be trusted."
"Take off her restraints," Lenora ordered. The two pirates obeyed and Mary rubbed her wrists in pain. "You've got five minutes to explain why you're here."
"I can do that in less time." Mary handed Adam a data chip. "Blaze is alive."
"Impossible, I killed him."
"That personality matrix of his, Tauros, he told Hannah to use a fragment of dark yum on his body. Blaze was revived. He realized what he'd done, but Tauros took control of his body."
"Sagittarius, is that even possible?" Sagittarius appeared over Adam's right shoulder.
"It shouldn't be. Tauros is powerful, but he's not that powerful. Unless…"
"Unless what?" Adam asked.
"Unless he's not a fragment. The only way he could do that is if he's a full matrix."
"He built a golden arm for his body," Mary continued, "and a small squadron of golden clockworks. I tracked him to Dragonspyre, but it doesn't seem like he's in charge anymore. Someone named Dark Flint is calling the shots. They had three prisoners, but I couldn't see their faces without getting caught. I got out of there and headed straight here. Unfortunately, two pirates blew my ship out of the sky and I was forced to jump onto theirs." Mary scowled at the privateer and witchdoctor that had taken her prisoner. Adam paced around the room as he tried to process the new information. "Also, this Flint guy, he said he was going to kill you personally." Adam stopped pacing and quickly walked until he was right in Mary's face.
"Say I believe you, when are they arriving?"
"Flint gave the order for his people to get their ships ready right before I left. They could be here in a few days or in a few hours. I don't know, but he's coming."
"Lenora," Adam turned to his girlfriend, "Go get Autumn, Ryan, and Will." Lenora nodded and exited the building to fetch them. "You two," Adam spoke to the two pirates, "What are your names?" The privateer spoke first.
"Clever Peyton Kenner," the young lady stated, "I've been a pirate for about five years."
"Mine is Cole Strong." The black haired witchdoctor declared.
"Are either of you interested in a position on my crew?"
"Are you serious?" Peyton asked excitedly. "You'd take a pirate without powers on your crew?"
"We didn't always have powers," Adam reminded her, "Besides, you seem quite capable if you can beat Mary in a fight."
"Yes. Yes!" Peyton shouted.
"I think I'll pass." Cole stated, "It's a huge honor, but I still have a crew to take care of." Adam nodded.
"I understand," Adam responded, "Well, accept this as a gesture of appreciation." Adam picked up a sack of gold and tossed it to Cole. "That is a pound of El Dorado gold; it should keep you and your crew well supplied for a few months."
"Thank you, Captain Silver." Cole exited the building as Lenora and the others walked in.
"Ryan, Will," Adam ordered, "I need you to keep an eye on Mary. Autumn, I want you to take a ship out and see if there's any trouble coming."
"Alone?" Ryan asked. He looked at his wife with his one good eye. "I don't like that. Someone should go with her."
"Ryan, I'll be fine." Autumn was a bit annoyed by her husband. "I'm taking the Bronze Pegasus; you got into clockwork territory with it. I can easily get anywhere." She turned back to Adam. "I'll leave immediately."
"I'll go with you," Will declared, "There's safety in numbers. The new girl can help out and it'll give her a chance to get to know everyone."
"Alright, Will and Autumn will go scouting. Peyton, you and Ryan will keep an eye on Mary. I'll send someone to take your place later. Just make sure that she doesn't cause trouble."
"I understand why you're doing this, Adam, but it's not necessary. I could feel the energy that Flint was emitting; it was dark. Whoever he is, he may be just as strong as you." Mary walked away with Ryan and Peyton on either side of her. "If it's alright with you two, I'd like to get some combat practice in the sparring chamber." The trio walked out and Lenora looked out the window.
"You think I'm making a mistake trusting her?" Adam asked. Lenora pushed herself away from the transparent glass.
"No," the fiery pirate responded, "I think you're making a mistake by not trusting her."
"Her sister tried to kill you. I can't just let that slide."
"So don't, but don't judge her for something Hannah tried to do." Lenora let out a long sigh. "If she's telling the truth and an attack is coming, we need to be ready." Adam kissed his girlfriend.
"In a little while." Lenora laughed and kissed him back.