Dawn's Dusk on the High Seas
Chapter 4

The three ships passed into Santa Ana within days. Approaching the fort, The Jackal docked in silence before a line of red coated soldiers with muskets lined up in rows aside the gangplank.

“Men! It’s been an honor pillaging with you. Never let it be said that I was evil. I had mercy. I had reason. I leave command of my ship to Captain Daybreak should this be my last farewell,” Jack shouted, turning to his crew.

The crew looked in solemn remembrance at him before he descended to the dock.

“Hamil! I’m here! Where is my wife and children?! Where are they?!” he barked to the soldiers.

Several shifted uneasily before a man in a brown and dark gold suit with a well kept powdered wig walked out from behind a stack of barrels and crates with a woman and two children bound in ropes behind him. The woman had messy brown hair that passed over her shoulders and several small lines over her face and arms. The tattered rags she wore kept more hidden. Her face was gaunt and had fear engraved within the usually gorgeous peach colored skin and thin lips. The small boy and girl also wore rags that were covered in dirt, but more scars littered their arms and hands. The girl was crying. Jack’s face was set into a mixture of pity and insurmountable rage.

“You made the deal. I’m here. Now let them go. Let them board my ship and let it sail away. I will accept my fate if you release them into my custody,” Jack pleaded.

Ben Hamil shoved Alice forward towards Jack and she fell onto her knees in front of him. The two children ran up next to her. Jack knelt down and embraced them.

“Alice. Vivian. Christopher. Thank the gods you’re alive. Now when you get on my ship and leave, don’t look back. I love you,” he whispered before kissing Alice’s lips and his childrens’ foreheads.

Vivian and Christopher had tears streaming down their cheeks as they hugged him with all their strength before he stood and Alice herded the two onto the ship. The crew looked sullen as they escorted them to their captain’s cabin and began to raise anchor. Jack watched the ship go as soldiers shackled him and checked him for weapons. He had none. Once The Jackal was miles away, the troops marched him up into the fort to his holding cell.

After he’d entered the cell, Ben ordered to be left alone with Jack after they’d put a locked door between Jack and Ben.

“Do you remember me?” Ben started quietly.

“No,” Jack snarled.

“Well you should! You sacked my father’s ship not that long ago! He gave his life for that gold!” Ben hissed.

“Ahh. Him. I respect that captain. He fell to my blades, but I have respect. He was loyal to the end. And a good swordsman. I remembered his dying breath should I ever come across his relatives. It was, ‘My body may be broken, but my spirit is forever whole.’ A true gentleman. Never once tried to pull a dirty trick in the time we fought. But, like all good things, they must end eventually. If you wish for my condolences, I am sorry. I left a lifeboat of men too wounded to fight and a boy with their provisions before telling them North. Your father would not lay down his sword until he took his last,” Jack replied.

“You filthy pirate! You spit on a good man’s grave,” Ben roared.

“I do no such thing! At least I didn’t resort to threatening my enemy family’s life! Your father was a good man, but you are nowhere near as good as him,” Jack retorted, moving to the bench in his cell.

Ben tried to reply but bit on his own words before unlocking the door and tossing his sword to the ground before raising his fists and stalking in, rage burning in his eyes. Swinging straight for Jack’s teeth, Ben leered. But, the leer soon became a gasp as Jack lifted the chain between his shackles up on his wrist and twisted so that he threw Ben over his shoulder into the bars.

Ben spat blood and whispered, “You won’t kill me. You consider yourself a gentleman. You can’t do it.”

“You kidnapped, tortured, and ransomed my family. I do the world a favor. Say hello to your father for me,” Jack grinned, putting a foot on Ben’s throat.

Whipping out a knife, Ben moved to drive it through Jack’s ankle but it was stopped short by a kick from Jack’s foot. It clattered on the stone. With a final thrust that crushed Ben’s windpipe into his spine, Ben let out his deathrattle before Jack picked up the dagger and slit Ben’s throat and wrists to make sure. Summoning up some shadows, they unlocked the shackles before silently resting them on the floor. Then, Jack picked up Ben’s sword too and started down a corridor.