Before You
folder
Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
57
Views:
20,081
Reviews:
556
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Original - Misc › -Slash - Male/Male
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
57
Views:
20,081
Reviews:
556
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Chapter Fifty-five
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
The two other ships trimmed sail and fired up fuel engines. Dark smoke billowed up at once, a herald of trouble on the beautiful horizon.
Their vessel, the Queen, had no propulsion aside of wind. Roth studied the other crafts through an old-fashioned glass.
Men armed with automatic weapons stood on steel and wood decks. Hands onboard appeared a mix of nationalities: Asian, Latino, Caucasian American, Negro, European and perhaps Nordic. Fortified iron mounts fore and aft clearly told the tale of routine ramming. These waters had long hosted pirates. Firstly, the sort with a code. More recently, the type to kill without compunction, making their living via an ugly existence. The news read wildly of cruise and tanker ships taken hostage, smaller private vessels found adrift, blood-soaked with occupants’ bodies never recovered. Life seemed to hold little significance to these animals.
His brother, Ridge, had faced their ilk years ago and wore the scar to show with telling the story.
Roth’s turn.
He assessed the situation, used his cell to dial the guard patrols from the island and FBI agents, before shutting off the phone. “We’ll have help here in less than twenty minutes. Pirates in these waters show their ass in a hurry.” He gripped the rigging and stepped up to stand on the rail. “Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
Adam gripped a rope, put his foot on the rail, hauled himself up beside and asked, “What do you think?”
On the deck, Nathan pulled Joseph close as he added his two cents. “They look like hitters. Smash and grab hitters.”
“I agree,” Roth and Adam responded in unison.
Roth knew hoping for the best rarely saved lives. “We have to prepare for an attack while looking oblivious.” He gave orders to the few staff members. “Keep full sail. BeBe, slip below deck and bring up those firearms, please. Just hand them up.”
She nodded and calmly melted away to do as he requested.
Joseph, in an oddly innocent statement, said, “We don’t have anything they could want besides the boat.”
Nathan laughed mirthlessly. “Roth and Adam are worth their weight in gold in the slave trade. It’s a king’s ransom score to get them. Let alone me, for some underground fighting ring somewhere as a forced gladiator. Then, there’s you as a quick sell to some brothel.”
Roth dropped to stand on the deck, followed closely by his fiancé. “We have to hold them off until help arrives.” Roth adopted a far less observant pose.
BeBe’s hand appeared repeatedly up through the hatch leading below decks, providing weapons. A consummate pro in these waters, she knew how to operate. “Dr. Garrett,” she said evenly, “I’ve activated the mayday beacon and GPS signal.”
“Thank you, BeBe.” Roth walked to the helm. One of the resorts pros, Kelly, an ex British navy and long-time sailor manned it. “We need to trim sail a little and let them bypass us to buy time.”
“Aye, Dr. Garrett. I’ll steer a bit into them to make them adjust course and turn.”
Roth clapped his hand over the man’s shoulder. “Ready for a scrap?”
“Always, sir. Been a civilian too long. I’m hungry.”
In the face of much danger, Roth saw the humor. “Good man.” He returned to his lover and friends. “We should break up this party to give the appearance of not knowing we’re under attack.”
Joseph asked, “How’re we supposed to fight so many?”
Roth and Nathan both chuckled. The latter replying, “Believe me, boy, they’ll have a surprise.”
Then, Nathan murmured, “Go below, pretty boy. Leave this to us.”
“No,” he began. “That’s unfair.”
Adam walked him to the hatch for descent. “No unfairness. We’ll see you soon.”
Roth handed the glass off to Nathan. “They steaming by or turning around?”
Nathan palmed the vintage bit of intel gathering. Using it swift and brief, he answered, “They bypassed. But, they are turning to meet us.”
Adam spoke calmly. “This will be a fight, sweetheart.”
Nodding, Roth made his final announcement. “Those willing to throw down despite risks, remain above. Everyone else, get below.”
The two other ships trimmed sail and fired up fuel engines. Dark smoke billowed up at once, a herald of trouble on the beautiful horizon.
Their vessel, the Queen, had no propulsion aside of wind. Roth studied the other crafts through an old-fashioned glass.
Men armed with automatic weapons stood on steel and wood decks. Hands onboard appeared a mix of nationalities: Asian, Latino, Caucasian American, Negro, European and perhaps Nordic. Fortified iron mounts fore and aft clearly told the tale of routine ramming. These waters had long hosted pirates. Firstly, the sort with a code. More recently, the type to kill without compunction, making their living via an ugly existence. The news read wildly of cruise and tanker ships taken hostage, smaller private vessels found adrift, blood-soaked with occupants’ bodies never recovered. Life seemed to hold little significance to these animals.
His brother, Ridge, had faced their ilk years ago and wore the scar to show with telling the story.
Roth’s turn.
He assessed the situation, used his cell to dial the guard patrols from the island and FBI agents, before shutting off the phone. “We’ll have help here in less than twenty minutes. Pirates in these waters show their ass in a hurry.” He gripped the rigging and stepped up to stand on the rail. “Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
Adam gripped a rope, put his foot on the rail, hauled himself up beside and asked, “What do you think?”
On the deck, Nathan pulled Joseph close as he added his two cents. “They look like hitters. Smash and grab hitters.”
“I agree,” Roth and Adam responded in unison.
Roth knew hoping for the best rarely saved lives. “We have to prepare for an attack while looking oblivious.” He gave orders to the few staff members. “Keep full sail. BeBe, slip below deck and bring up those firearms, please. Just hand them up.”
She nodded and calmly melted away to do as he requested.
Joseph, in an oddly innocent statement, said, “We don’t have anything they could want besides the boat.”
Nathan laughed mirthlessly. “Roth and Adam are worth their weight in gold in the slave trade. It’s a king’s ransom score to get them. Let alone me, for some underground fighting ring somewhere as a forced gladiator. Then, there’s you as a quick sell to some brothel.”
Roth dropped to stand on the deck, followed closely by his fiancé. “We have to hold them off until help arrives.” Roth adopted a far less observant pose.
BeBe’s hand appeared repeatedly up through the hatch leading below decks, providing weapons. A consummate pro in these waters, she knew how to operate. “Dr. Garrett,” she said evenly, “I’ve activated the mayday beacon and GPS signal.”
“Thank you, BeBe.” Roth walked to the helm. One of the resorts pros, Kelly, an ex British navy and long-time sailor manned it. “We need to trim sail a little and let them bypass us to buy time.”
“Aye, Dr. Garrett. I’ll steer a bit into them to make them adjust course and turn.”
Roth clapped his hand over the man’s shoulder. “Ready for a scrap?”
“Always, sir. Been a civilian too long. I’m hungry.”
In the face of much danger, Roth saw the humor. “Good man.” He returned to his lover and friends. “We should break up this party to give the appearance of not knowing we’re under attack.”
Joseph asked, “How’re we supposed to fight so many?”
Roth and Nathan both chuckled. The latter replying, “Believe me, boy, they’ll have a surprise.”
Then, Nathan murmured, “Go below, pretty boy. Leave this to us.”
“No,” he began. “That’s unfair.”
Adam walked him to the hatch for descent. “No unfairness. We’ll see you soon.”
Roth handed the glass off to Nathan. “They steaming by or turning around?”
Nathan palmed the vintage bit of intel gathering. Using it swift and brief, he answered, “They bypassed. But, they are turning to meet us.”
Adam spoke calmly. “This will be a fight, sweetheart.”
Nodding, Roth made his final announcement. “Those willing to throw down despite risks, remain above. Everyone else, get below.”