Chapter 17
After a thorough search for a new vessel, Remi had finally stumbled upon a fenced shipyard. Although the place appeared to be abandoned, he was certain he had heard a sound coming from beyond the gates. As he approached them, he saw that they were slightly ajar, allowing him to squeeze through the opening. Once Remi had entered the lot, he noticed a variety of ships, each unique in their own way, and some still in the process of being constructed. They were all beautifully crafted, but one in particular stood out from the rest as he laid his eyes on it: a golden oak ship with two masts, one with a crow's nest and white sail, the other with smaller sail that was a vibrant orange. The hull had been painted dark brown while the figurehead, a sea horse, was bright blue and sparkled in the sun due to the material it had been carved from. There were cannons as well, one under both the bow and stern, and two on the port and starboard sides. It was exactly what they needed to replace their old ship, but before Remi could examine it further, he sensed someone behind him.
"Don't tell me I didn't lock the gate back properly."
Remi turned to see an androgynous woman with short, violet hair, black eyes, and cream skin staring at him. She was dressed in butler attire and a black whip was coiled against her hip. She stood with her hands clasped behind her back and there was a demure expression on her face.
"Uh, hello, sorry for barging in," He apologized while a few of his fingers played with one of his earrings, "I was looking to purchase a ship."
"A ship? We haven't had a buyer in a very long time. You'll have to speak with my master."
She began to walk past the piers and motioned for Remi to follow her. When they arrived at the back of the lot, she stopped in front of a large warehouse and knocked on its door. The person inside didn't respond and she sighed, knocking again with a little more force.
"Master, someone is here to see you!"
There was a shuffling noise before the door opened to reveal a boy, surprising Remi with his youth. He had mocha skin, green eyes, and curly hair that was a dark shade of toffee. His clothes were formal, consisting of a navy blue suit that was held up by suspenders and matching shoes.
"What is it, Cindy?" The boy's voice was abnormally deep for his age and his tone was unamused.
"Master, this man wishes to buy a ship from you," Cindy replied while curtseying, "Would you care to speak with him?"
The boy glanced over at Remi who suddenly felt uneasy. He had a hard time believing that the child was in charge of the shipyard. However, the boy seemed to have authority over the woman, Cindy.
"You're ex-military, aren't you?" He abruptly questioned, still taking in Remi's appearance, "You've got a marine's stance, but you don't have that stupid gleam in your eyes."
"I..." Remi couldn't think of anything to say and he became even more nervous under the boy's gaze.
"Relax, I don't care about your past, or whatever reason you have for leaving them," He stated with a wave of his hand, "I just wanted to confirm it. I'm going to be straight with you: I don't sell my ships to just anyone, but I'm a business guy so maybe we can work out some sort of deal."
"A deal?" Remi repeated, relieved that the boy had dropped the subject.
"Yes, you see, I have a bit of an issue with the family that controls this island. The Arvos, if you haven't already heard of them."
Remi nodded slowly, recalling what he knew about the Mafia and the Five Families of the West. The Arvos were smugglers and their illegal activities fueled their wealth. Their influence on the Underworld had increased as they began to get involved with pirates, who did their bidding.
"I'm not fond of how they choose to conduct their business," The boy continued as he leaned against the doorframe, "Their trafficking ring has become one of the most lucrative out there, and dismantling it would be a nice thorn in their side. If you were to help me in crippling their organization, I wouldn't mind parting with one of my ships. Does my proposal sound fair enough to you?"
Remi took his time to consider the boy's offer and rationalized that accepting the terms would be beneficial for him and his companions. They would be stuck on the island otherwise and it wasn't like they would be working against good people. Assisting in the downfall of a criminal syndicate seemed like an excellent cause to fight for. Still, he had his own suspicions about the boy and how else he was associated with the Mafia.
"It's tempting, but who are you?" Remi asked, realizing he never caught the boy's name, "I have a feeling you're not just a regular kid."
"West Endiya Faust," The boy extended a hand and when Remi shook it he morphed into an older man with different physical features, "How nice to make your acquaintance."
Meanwhile...
Elsie's mind was currently set on buying extra ammunition for her arsenal. She had used a considerable amount of bullets and powder since her last restock, and she didn't want to miss the opportunity to replenish her supply. It didn't take long to find an appropriate stall and she purchased two large bags of the merchandise she needed. As the sniper walked away with a smile, it vanished once she caught sight of a man who looked familiar. Her blood began to boil as she marched towards him, ready to confront the man from several years ago. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and spun him around, only to find that she was glaring at a complete stranger.
"What are you doing?!" The man exclaimed as he tried to escape her grip.
Bystanders watched in confusion and she immediately released him, her face reddening in embarrassment, "I'm so sorry! I mistook you for someone else."
Her victim straightened his clothing before storming off and she groaned, burying her face in her hands, wanting to disappear. After what seemed like minutes, she felt weight on her shoulder and she lifted her head to see Remi standing beside her. His look of concern was evident as he searched her face for an explanation.
"Hey, Elsie, you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," She reassured, although she couldn't tell if he had witnessed her humiliating mistake.
"Did something happen?" He questioned, clearly unconvinced, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"It's nothing," She responded, desperate to change the subject, "Where have you been? I thought you might have gotten lost."
"Me?" He would have chuckled if it weren't for remembering how the girls had taken off without a word, "I could ask you the same thing. But to answer your question, I was getting us a new ship."
"You found a ship already?" Elsie inquired, impressed that he had completed the task so quickly. "Do the others know?"
"No, not yet. You're the only one I've run into. I also need to explain to everyone what the Mafia here have been up to."
"Well, I'm sure we'll stumble upon them eventually," She said while glancing around the marketplace for the missing two, "They couldn't have gone far."
Meanwhile...
A man on the street in a tux had his back rested against a wall as he watched Laura leave Carmela's Clothing Emporium, observing her curiously. She was heading in the direction of his location and although he didn't have a particular interest in women's fashion, he noticed how her attire contrasted with the locals. When she stopped to look at a shop window he took a step forward to approach, but a hand on his arm caused him to freeze. Turning, he found a curly haired woman in a red dress clinging onto his body.
"Don't even think about it, Lusadanté," She warned, her nails digging into his suit, "We have more important matters to attend to."
"What did I do to deserve such harsh treatment from you, Emelina?" He asked, feigning innocency for a moment, "And what's with the claws? You're gonna tear through my jacket."
"Good, maybe then you'll start listening to me!" She snapped back in response.
"Aren't you the one who's supposed to be listening to me?" He questioned as he pried her fingers off him, "I'm your boss, remember?"
"Just because you're the head of the Arvo family doesn't mean I'm going to slack on my duties," Emelina stated with a disapproving scowl, "Or did you forget that your father entrusted me to advise you?"
Lusadanté scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Advising isn't the same as ordering me around."
"Stop complaining and let's go," She started to walk away, but kept her attention trained on him, "We don't want to miss the meeting, do we?"
He could admit that she was a valuable asset to the Mafia, but sometimes she could be a buzzkill.
"Also, the animal we collected is already on its way to being sold," Emelina informed him as they moved out of the area, "You should probably mention that to your guests."
"Sure, as long as I get to drink, the meeting will be bearable," Lusadanté commented with a smirk, "You won't have a problem with that, will you?"
"The last thing we need is for you to get drunk during our conference. Why is being presentable such a difficult concept for you?"
"Because Emelina," He paused to spin her by her waist, the tips of their noses barely touching, "Rules were made to be broken."
A/N: I created a poll to determine the name of the ship. Please visit my page to vote, and thanks for reading!