Chapter 11

The moon was rising and the air was brisk as the girls arrived at the islands that were marked on Remi's map. Laura stood at the bow of the ship, her arms wrapped around herself to keep warm. She was deep in thought, wondering if the navigator was safe and how they could rescue him. A soft breeze blew by and she inhaled the salty scent of the sea. It was a comforting smell but did little to ease her worries.

"I'm not seeing any signs of Remi or that giant bird," Elsie commented from the helm as she peered through a set of binoculars.

Akali had been resting against the railing, but she perked up at Elsie's words. "Let me have a look."

Elsie passed her device over and watched as the martial artist scouted the landscape. Akali was quiet, but her furrowed brows indicated that she hadn't seen anything significant yet. After a few minutes of investigating though she eventually noticed something unusual.

"Hey, there's a ship over there," Akali informed, pointing towards the area where it was located.

Laura hurried over to see what Akali was referring to. Sure enough, there was a Marine vessel docked near the shore of the largest island. It was not easy to make out its details, but the silhouette was unmistakable.

"That's not good," Elsie remarked, her tone filled with concern. "This must be one of the drop-off points for the West Blue."

"What do you mean?" Laura asked as her attention went to the sniper.

"The Marines don't have a base on every island so they'll create drop-off points," Elsie explained in a matter-of-fact tone, "Most of them are temporary posts that are used to move supplies or wanted criminals. I've seen plenty of them in the South Blue."

"Well that means the Marines finally tracked him down," Laura replied as she realized the severity of the situation.

"So, he has a bounty?" Elsie mused aloud to herself. "His capture makes sense now."

"Sorry we didn't tell you," Akali apologized, feeling somewhat guilty. "I guess it slipped our minds."

Elsie let out a laugh and grinned, "It's no big deal! That's the life of a pirate for you!"

"We should hurry and search the island before they set sail," Laura suggested, eager to find Remi. "Akali and I will go ashore and you can watch the ship, Elsie."

Akali and Elsie nodded, both agreeing with Laura's plan. While Elsie was a great shooter, their attempt at a rescue would require stealth, and Akali was better suited for the operation. However, Elsie's skills would be useful in guarding the ship in case it was detected since she would be able to attack from afar.

"Be careful, you two," Elsie advised as she brought the ship closer to the shore.

"Right!" Laura and Akali responded in unison.

Elsie continued guiding the ship until the other girls could safely jump overboard. The ship came to a stop on the shore and they quickly disembarked before taking off across the sand. Laura had a feeling that they were on the right track and she hoped her instincts were correct.

Remi was seated in his dimly lit cell, his arm draped over a leg as he stared at the bars in front of him. He was surprised that Shona hadn't questioned him more, but he assumed she was probably waiting to return to the 80th Branch to conduct a formal hearing. Part of him wanted to give up and accept his fate, but another part of him wanted to remain optimistic. Suddenly, a faint noise caught his attention and he looked towards the end of the dark hall.

"Hello?" He called out, unsure if his ears were playing tricks on him.

"Relax, it's me."

The sound of footsteps became apparent until a figure appeared in front of his cell. It was Alicia Foxglove, the woman who had managed to capture him. Her face was stern although she didn't appear angry or annoyed.

"What are you doing here?" Remi asked, curious that she was visiting him in the middle of the night.

"I have some questions," Alicia answered as she crossed her arms, "I want to know why you deserted the Marines."

"If you're looking for a confession then you're wasting your time," Remi scoffed, not bothering to humor her.

"I'm not here to interrogate you," Alicia replied, her gaze unwavering, "I saw how you reacted after speaking with Commodore Shona. There must be a reason behind your disdain."

"I don't expect you to understand," Remi finally responded, his tone low and frustrated, "It's complicated."

Alicia stepped closer to the bars, her expression softening slightly, "Try me, Deniz."

Remi took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. He didn't trust Alicia and yet he felt the urge to confide in her. Perhaps it was because there were some things he needed to get off his chest and she seemed willing to listen.

"When I first joined the Marines, I was young and ambitious. It was a way for me to do what I loved while being part of something positive. But as time went by, I began to see the corruption that had infected the organization. Those with power would do anything to ensure their status, even if it meant sacrificing others."

"There are rotten apples in every group," Alicia acknowledged while wrinkling her nose, "You simply discard them and move forward. You can't judge an entire system based on the actions of a few."

"And yet the Marines are quick to judge pirates. A bit hypocritical, don't you think?" Remi countered, his eyes narrowing.

"That's different," Alicia argued, her stance shifting slightly, "Pirates are criminals who operate outside the law."

"Just because the Marines work under the guise of justice doesn't mean they are just. The truth is pirates are no worse than the World Government. At least pirates are honest about who they are."

Unbeknownst to Remi, the Marine Captain was analyzing him as he spoke. She could sense his emotions and knew that he believed in what he said. There was something else she could sense and she was sure the news would shock the former Marine.

"Your friends have come to rescue you," Alicia commented, her eyes still fixed on Remi.

He was completely caught off guard by her statement. "What? How-"

"You should warn them." She interrupted as she turned on her heel, "They don't know what they're walking into."

"Why exactly are you telling me this?"

Alicia strode away from him in response without another word. He wondered if he should trust her information or if she was simply giving him false hope. She could have easily alerted her fellow Marines to his allies' presence if they were on the island yet she chose not to. Whatever her reasons were Remi knew that if Shona found out about the girls she would be ruthless in her pursuit of them.

Laura and Akali remained quiet as they searched the island, their movements swift but hushed. They managed to stay hidden as they surveyed the area, taking note of any possible threats that could hinder their mission. As they neared the center of the island, they spotted a building that appeared to be an outpost. A few Marines were on patrol, but there appeared to be no other signs of danger.

"Do you think that's where they could be holding Remi?" Laura whispered to Akali.

"It's possible," Akali responded, her voice barely audible, "I mean why else would it be guarded?"

"They must keep prisoners here until they're ready to set sail," Laura guessed as she observed the structure.

"Well, we won't find out until we get inside. I'll take care of them."

With that, Akali rushed off while Laura watched her approach the three unsuspecting soldiers. She knew that her companion was capable of handling herself, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. Akali crept behind one of the men who was in range and brought the side of her hand down against the back of his head. He let out a groan and then collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

"Did you hear something?" Another soldier asked his comrade, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

"Don't be ridiculous. We're the only ones out here."

While the two men conversed, Akali took the opportunity to strike them down. She landed a kick to the ribs of one of the Marines, knocking him into the other. Both men fell to the ground and she wasted no time in knocking them unconscious with a quick succession of jabs. After ensuring they were immobilized, she motioned that the coast was clear.

"Nice work!" Laura complimented as she exited her hiding spot to join her.

"Thanks. Now let's go check out that building," Akali suggested, nodding towards the structure.

The girls approached the entrance and were relieved to find that it was unlocked. They would need to hurry before the Marines woke up or before their ship was discovered. As they entered the outpost, Laura could see a faint light coming from further down the hallway. She followed it to the room it was coming from, a wave of relief hitting her when she saw the navigator in a cell.

"Remi!" Laura exclaimed, her voice full of joy.

"Laura?!" His expression was none other than shocked as he stood up to look at her. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Akali soon appeared next to Laura, a small smirk on her face when she saw him. "You didn't think we'd leave you behind, did you?"

"I appreciate it, but you girls shouldn't be here," Remi replied, his tone serious as he remembered Alicia's words.

"Nonsense. You're coming with us," Laura stated as she reached out.

"Wait, don't touch the bars!" He warned, causing her arm to recoil. "They're made of Seastone."

"Seastone?" Akali echoed, examining his cell with interest.

"It's a mineral that weakens people like Laura," Remi explained, knowing she would be unfamiliar with it, "If it comes into contact with a Devil Fruit user it completely nullifies their powers."

"Well, we can't just leave you in there," Laura remarked as she looked around the room. "There has to be a way to open the cell."

"The only way is with the key and the Commodore has it," Remi informed, his expression grim. "You two should leave before she finds you."

"Give it a rest already," Akali said to him in a scolding manner, "We came all this way to save you. It would be pathetic if we left empty-handed."

Remi let out a sigh as he realized there was no point in arguing with them. Although he wasn't surprised by their determination, he was touched by their apparent loyalty. They didn't know much about him and yet they were risking everything to set him free.

"Going somewhere?"

The new voice startled the trio and the girls turned to see a woman standing in the doorway. She was alone but she didn't appear threatened by the group. Her presence was intimidating despite her lack of visible weapons and Laura felt a chill run down her spine.

"Shona..." Remi muttered with a scowl.

A/N: I rewrote this chapter a few times, but I hope it was enjoyable! Feedback is always appreciated!