Primeval Waters by William Burke

Author:William Burke [Burke, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2021-08-03T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

One of the queen’s go-fast boats towed her flagship to a muddy bank where it was tied off. The other remaining go-fast headed out in search of the Americans.

Rooting through the still smoking engine compartment, Queen Caveira concluded that the motor wasn’t salvageable and the boat was taking on water. In a few hours her beloved flagship would be a sunken wreck.

She climbed up onto the deck, wiping her greasy hands on her tattered jacket. The monkey hopped onto her shoulder and rooted through her pocket.

She whispered, “Sorry, little one, there’s nothing left to steal.”

Looking down, she surveyed her remaining crew. All were hollow eyed, their clothes caked with blood.

“Listen to me!”

Even the wounded stopped moaning out of respect.

“I want half of you loading the wounded into the go-fast. The rest root through my ship to pull anything salvageable.”

The pirates set to work loading the wounded men. Queen Caveira knew most would succumb to their injuries before reaching a doctor, but they were her crew, her family.

The sound of an approaching engine sent the men scrambling for their weapons.

Queen Caveira shouted, “It’s just our scout, get back to work!”

The go-fast boat pulled alongside the flagship.

The pilot said, “I saw your inflatable washed up on shore about a klick downriver. It was all torn up.”

“Anyone with it?”

The pirates all clustered around her, listening intently.

“No, but I found three sets of footprints leading into the jungle. A man, another, smaller set, so probably a woman and a kid.”

Queen Caveira thought, The bastard’s still alive, and bellowed, “Umberto!”

A pirate named Javier announced, “He’s dead.”

The queen nodded solemnly. “A good man, and a fine executive officer. He’ll be missed. Javier, you’re now my executive officer.”

Javier snapped to attention, shouting, “Yes, Queen!”

“Take three men to where he found my boat and follow the Americans’ trail from there. They have a child with them, so they can’t be moving very fast.”

Javier asked, “And if we find them?”

“I want the American and the child alive.”

“And the woman?”

“Kill her, but do it quickly.”

Javier nodded, looking disappointed. The queen’s rules against rape had always been a sore point for him.

Queen Caveira continued, “Leave a trail so we can follow you. Once the wounded are away, we’ll join the hunt. Now get moving. The rest of you, back to work!”

Javier and three other men piled into the overloaded boat and set out.

Queen Caveira slipped a hand into her pocket, massaging the pool ball-sized emerald. The jewel would fetch her enough to retire from raiding fishing boats and stealing pigs. Yet, for a fleeting moment, she pondered tossing it in the river. Personal greed had been the sin that wooed her into letting the American live. A mistake that led to Boiúna’s downfall. Now all that mattered was setting things right.

For Boiúna to be resurrected the American and his child must die.

#

Micah, Catalina and Faye trudged through the thick brush. Despite gnawing on the dragon fruit, the inside of Micah’s mouth still felt like a cotton field. He could only imagine how exhausted Faye must be.

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