2

As soon as Jace reached Auradon, he went looking for Uma. He found her in the dorm, in the girl's lounge. Evie, Mal, Ben, Jay and Carlos were there too. They all jumped halfway out of their chairs when Jace angrily shoved the lounge doors open so hard that he nearly knocked them off their hinges. Jace stalked over to where Uma was.

"Uma," he said looking down his nose at her, "Tell me you had nothing to do with it!"

"Nothing to do with what?" asked Uma

"Are you trying to tell me that your pirates kidnapped Dizzy without you knowing about it?!" snapped Jace

"Dizzy's been kidnapped?!" cried Evie jumping up from the couch that she was stretched out on.

Jace nodded.

"When I went to pick Dizzy up for our date tonight, I found the Curl up and Dye ransacked and Dizzy gone," he explained, "According to the message that was scrawled on the wall, in red fingernail polish, if I ever want to see her alive again, I have to follow instructions I'm to get at midnight."

"Well, what makes you so sure that it was pirates who did this?" said Uma

"Three things," said Jace, "First, as soon as I discovered the kidnapping and the message, I went and spoke to Hades. He tells me that some of the pirates have been whispering behind your back that you've gone soft and are no longer worthy to lead the Pirate guild on the Isle. Second, the message said I have to go to the back room of your restaurant, which only you and your pirates have access to, to get further instructions to save Dizzy. And third, Hades also tells me that two of your pirates by the names of Rourke and Tobias were seen hanging around the Curl up and Dye right before Dizzy disappeared!"

Jace paused and leveled a glare at Uma.

"Uma," he said, "I came to you because I'm going to need your help to rescue Dizzy, but I promise you that if I find out that you had anything to with this, I'll make you regret the day you ever met me!"

"Now you listen to me," said Uma getting angry, "I don't know anything about this, Dizzy is my friend, my pirates are under strict orders not to lay a hand on her! If Rourke and Tobias really did a skunky thing like this, I'll personally wring both of their necks!"

With that Uma stormed toward the doorway. Jace and the others followed behind her. they went straight back across the bridge to the Isle.

When they were almost to Uma's restaurant, Jace put a hand on her shoulder.

"Uma," he said, "I know this is your restaurant, but remember we don't know which pirates are still loyal to you and which ones are in league with Rourke and Tobias."

"You think there are other pirates besides those two you mentioned that are mixed up in this?" asked Evie

"It would make sense," said Uma, "Considering the talk that Hades says has been going around."

"Yeah," said Mal, "and if Tobias and Rourke have even a little sense, they'll have an informant keeping an eye on things at the restaurant."

"Okay," said Uma, "Here's what we'll do, Jace, you, Evie, and I are going in there, the rest of you surround the building and keep your eyes open if anyone tries to sneak away, or otherwise leave, stop them!"

"Got it," said Mal, "We'll whistle when we're in position."

She Jay and Carlos started off around the building to get into position. A minute or two later Jace, Uma, and Evie heard the whistles they were waiting for.

As soon as they heard the signals they turned and walked straight in the front door and every pirate in the room looked up when they did.

"What're you all staring at?!" snapped Uma. The pirates immediately went back to what they were doing.

The trio made a bee-line for the back room. when they got there, they found a table in the middle of the room and on the table was a box with the name Jace on it.

Jace opened the box. When he saw what was in it, he groaned.

"Not this again!"

"What?" asked Uma

Jace emptied the contents of the box on the table so everyone could see it. inside the box was a transfusion needle, a plastic tube and several long glass test tubes.

"Now I know what Rourke and Tobias are after." Said Jace shaking his head

"Well would you care to enlighten us?" said Uma

"They want my blood." Jace stated simply.

"Your blood?!" exclaimed Uma a little grossed out.

Jace nodded.

"Yeah, there's an old myth going around that anyone who gets an injection of an Olympian's blood will gain their abilities. In this case they probably believe that if they inject themselves with mine, they'll get my strength. It's complete baloney, but every so often, my family and I come across one or two people dumb enough to believe that old bunch of hogwash might be true."

"So that's it." said Uma nodding, "Those to skunks kidnapped Dizzy to force you to hand over your blood because they think it will give them the power to get rid of me and take over the guild."

"Yeah," said Jace, "That's got to be their plan."

Just then there was a loud knocking on the back door. Evie walked over and looked out the window.

"It's Mal," she said

Uma unlocked the door and let her in. she came in dragging a skinny, curly-haired pirate by the scruff of the neck.

"This guy and one other came running out a few seconds after you guys went into the back room. I got him and Jay and Carlos went after the other one!" she said

"I'm not telling you anything!" he snapped defiantly

Uma shoved the pirate against the wall and put her cutlass right in his face.

"Jocko," she said, "you have exactly five seconds to tell us everything that you know."

Uma began counting backwards from five and Jocko's knobby knees began to shake.

"5…4…3…"

To Be Continued…Please Review