snarled.
"As you hold a gun on me, it would be the request of a condemned man. If that's not enough, then simply why not? You've nothing to gain or lose by answering one question."
RiBeld considered that a moment then slowly, painfully slowly, shifted to kneel on one knee. A smug, superior smile slowly crept over his face. "For a condemned man, I would grant your request. I am willing to allow you at least that in your last few moments."
Hunter's jaw clenched slightly. "You're too kind. My question is simple. Why my crew? Why were we so important in all this?"
RiBeld shrugged. "Two reasons. First, you did come highly recommended as both reliable merchant marines and privateers. Von Patterson felt you and your lot could locate the children among these forsaken mountains. Once their bodies were returned, there would be an outcry. Inquiries would be made. The Royal Navy is not stupid, as you well know, Sirrah. So a villain would be needed. Someone the Royal Navy would have little trouble in suspecting of ill-doing. Who better than one who was once one of their own. Namely you."
Hunter clenched and unclenched his fists slowly. "They would not accept that."
"With bodies they quite likely would. Namely those of the children and your crew. Though while some of the dead bodies of your crew would be produced and paraded about, you were to be barely alive. After all, they'd need someone to hang while Von Patterson expressed his deepest sorrow."
Hunter's face turned a light crimson, his fists clenched so tight that the skin stretched over his knuckles turned white. He rushed forward, intent to knock the gun from RiBeld's hand then beat the man into submission. However, Hunter only managed a few steps. RiBeld raised the pistol and cocked the hammer as he carefully got to his feet. "Ah, now that would be foolish. Though, I tire of Von Patterson's games. He'll have to make do with your body, as well. I've learned, to my dismay, that you and your crew are far too dangerous to leave alive. It has been quite an adventure Captain Anthony Hunter. Farewell, Sirrah."
RiBeld squeezed the trigger. The hammer fell sharply but there was no smoke, no thunderous sound. Worse yet for RiBeld, Hunter did not fall to the ground. The gun had jammed.
"Curse you and your thrice-damned luck!" RiBeld threw the pistol and raced for the safety of the gap between buildings.
Hunter lunged for the pistol near him. He hit the ground in a roll, and came up to one knee, as he aimed at RiBeld's retreating back. Just when he made to pull the trigger, a shrill yell rang out to the captain's right that shattered his concentration.
"Captain!" Miles yelled, while looking around in terror yet clutching the opti-telegraphic. "I got it ta work! I can hear somethin' over it!"
Hunter glanced at the boy, then at RiBeld who was tensed to run at the child. Sensing Hunter's uncertainty, RiBeld ran at the boy and jerked him from his feet. Miles screamed in terror. Hunter aimed, but stayed his hand at pulling the trigger. Using the boy as a shield, RiBeld backed away slowly.
"You won't fire Hunter, I know you too well. You won't risk the boy's life!"
Steady, despite his wounds, Hunter leveled the pistol with his right hand at just below Miles' leg. Right in the area of RiBeld's left leg. "Indeed, Sirrah. I might not." He replied. "Unless I was certain of my shot."
Before he could squeeze the trigger, a flash of pain and lights exploded around Hunter's eyes. RiBeld's first mate, Johanssen, tossed aside the broken timber he had just clubbed Hunter with. Captain Hunter collapsed into the dirt, dazed.
RiBeld nodded and handed the screaming Miles to Johanssen. "Good man. Take this. It's time we left."
"Ja. Und de other one?"
"We only need the body of one child. We can let these primitives and nature finish his sister off."
"Ja, Captain."
With Miles screaming like a siren, the two men raced off between the buildings. From around another corner Moira and Angela
"As you hold a gun on me, it would be the request of a condemned man. If that's not enough, then simply why not? You've nothing to gain or lose by answering one question."
RiBeld considered that a moment then slowly, painfully slowly, shifted to kneel on one knee. A smug, superior smile slowly crept over his face. "For a condemned man, I would grant your request. I am willing to allow you at least that in your last few moments."
Hunter's jaw clenched slightly. "You're too kind. My question is simple. Why my crew? Why were we so important in all this?"
RiBeld shrugged. "Two reasons. First, you did come highly recommended as both reliable merchant marines and privateers. Von Patterson felt you and your lot could locate the children among these forsaken mountains. Once their bodies were returned, there would be an outcry. Inquiries would be made. The Royal Navy is not stupid, as you well know, Sirrah. So a villain would be needed. Someone the Royal Navy would have little trouble in suspecting of ill-doing. Who better than one who was once one of their own. Namely you."
Hunter clenched and unclenched his fists slowly. "They would not accept that."
"With bodies they quite likely would. Namely those of the children and your crew. Though while some of the dead bodies of your crew would be produced and paraded about, you were to be barely alive. After all, they'd need someone to hang while Von Patterson expressed his deepest sorrow."
Hunter's face turned a light crimson, his fists clenched so tight that the skin stretched over his knuckles turned white. He rushed forward, intent to knock the gun from RiBeld's hand then beat the man into submission. However, Hunter only managed a few steps. RiBeld raised the pistol and cocked the hammer as he carefully got to his feet. "Ah, now that would be foolish. Though, I tire of Von Patterson's games. He'll have to make do with your body, as well. I've learned, to my dismay, that you and your crew are far too dangerous to leave alive. It has been quite an adventure Captain Anthony Hunter. Farewell, Sirrah."
RiBeld squeezed the trigger. The hammer fell sharply but there was no smoke, no thunderous sound. Worse yet for RiBeld, Hunter did not fall to the ground. The gun had jammed.
"Curse you and your thrice-damned luck!" RiBeld threw the pistol and raced for the safety of the gap between buildings.
Hunter lunged for the pistol near him. He hit the ground in a roll, and came up to one knee, as he aimed at RiBeld's retreating back. Just when he made to pull the trigger, a shrill yell rang out to the captain's right that shattered his concentration.
"Captain!" Miles yelled, while looking around in terror yet clutching the opti-telegraphic. "I got it ta work! I can hear somethin' over it!"
Hunter glanced at the boy, then at RiBeld who was tensed to run at the child. Sensing Hunter's uncertainty, RiBeld ran at the boy and jerked him from his feet. Miles screamed in terror. Hunter aimed, but stayed his hand at pulling the trigger. Using the boy as a shield, RiBeld backed away slowly.
"You won't fire Hunter, I know you too well. You won't risk the boy's life!"
Steady, despite his wounds, Hunter leveled the pistol with his right hand at just below Miles' leg. Right in the area of RiBeld's left leg. "Indeed, Sirrah. I might not." He replied. "Unless I was certain of my shot."
Before he could squeeze the trigger, a flash of pain and lights exploded around Hunter's eyes. RiBeld's first mate, Johanssen, tossed aside the broken timber he had just clubbed Hunter with. Captain Hunter collapsed into the dirt, dazed.
RiBeld nodded and handed the screaming Miles to Johanssen. "Good man. Take this. It's time we left."
"Ja. Und de other one?"
"We only need the body of one child. We can let these primitives and nature finish his sister off."
"Ja, Captain."
With Miles screaming like a siren, the two men raced off between the buildings. From around another corner Moira and Angela
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