Page 13 of New Storm Rising
“Correct.”
“Tell me…who exactly is it that is going up against you?”
“No one I cannot handle.”
“And those people you ‘can handle’…they wouldn’t happen to be Spanish, would they?”
Silence.
Sometimes, I really wanted to grab my dear husband and smash his face against a rock. The only reason I did not was that I knew it would be the poor rock that wouldn’t survive.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the distance between our ship and the former slaves’ vessel had slowly but surely started to grow wider. It now looked as if the two ships were merely coincidentally sailing into the harbour at the same time. After all, a massive, elegant Spanish warship, and a simple British merchant ship—why would they have anything to do with one another?
Just then, a bell started ringing. Not a church bell, though. Whoever was ringing this bell, it was clear they were less worried about God than about the hell someone was about to pay. Instantly, small boats flying the stars and stripes rushed out towards the approachingTresoro, the wordsHarbor Authoritiesemblazoned on the bow. One of the reasons they were in such a hurry was probably because of the massive Spanish warships on their heels.
“Seems like things are getting…interesting,” I managed to squeeze out.
“Indeed.”
“Interesting?” The translator, who had been staring in horror at his comrades on the other ship, whirled around, his face aghast. “This terrible! They all catched! They all be in irons again! It terrible!”
“Terrible?” Mr Ambrose cocked his head. “I say it is interesting. Why don’t we make it a littlemoreinteresting?”
Snapping his fingers, he gained the instant attention of his men.
Darn him! Did he already forget that I’m supposed to be the boss here now?
“Aye, Sir?” A sailor came rushing up to him, hurriedly standing at attention.
Apparently he did. And so did everyone else.
Leaning over, Mr Rikkard Ambrose whispered a few simple words to the sailor. Words which, incidentally, were too low for me to hear, the sneaky son of a bachelor!
“Understood, Sir!” Nodding, the sailor dashed off towards the railing and, pulling out two small flags stuck behind his belt, began waving them wildly. Only moments later, someone appeared on the distant harbour pier and also started waving flags. Then, another moment later, someone on one of the harbour authority boats leapt up from his seat as if stung by a whole swarm of bees, and rushed to his captain. The captain screamed something to the rowers, and the boat suddenly sped up, quickly reaching theTresoro.
Ropes and ladders shot up towards the railing. Men leapt up, and started scaling the side of the ship. The translator watched this entire scene with horror. The black-skinned crew was quickly driven back, and only moments later, two finely-dressed Spaniards were led out of the bows of the vessel onto the deck.
“Bastardos! Pendejos!” one hurled at his rescuers. “Finally, you’re getting me out of here! Took you long enough! What sort of miserabletuguriois sis so-called United Estates of America?[5]I shall expect to be compensated for sis lack of action! Lead me to se Spanish ambassador sis instant, or—”
He was interrupted by the click of the handcuffs closing around his wrists.
“Maximo Emilio Reyes Espiridion Victor De La Fuente, you are hereby arrested on the charges of assault, kidnapping, and false imprisonment. You shall be taken to the harbour authorities’ detention cells, before being transferred to a prison by the New York Police Department. Come peacefully. If you resist, we will be compelled to use force.”[6]
“Wha…who… who se hell do you think you are? I am Maximo Emilio Reyes Espiridion Victor De La Fuente, youbastardos! Maximo Emilio Reyes Espiridion Victor De La Fuente, brother of se—”
“We can add resisting arrest to the list of charges, I think.” The officer at the front turned towards his subordinates. “Agreed?”
“Definitely, sergeant!”
“Couldn’t be more right, sergeant!”
“Let’s book’em, sergeant!”
“Impudence!” The other Spaniard leapt forward. “You dare lay your hands on a nobleman of se Spanish Empire? I shall not estand for this! I—”
“Ah, thanks for reminding me.” With a metallic sound, another pair of handcuffs closed around the second man’s wrists. To judge by the expressions on the faces of the ex-slaves standing at the side, they were enjoying the show very, very much. “Francisco Enrico Ronaldo Damian De Ravera, you are hereby arrested on the charges of assault, kidnapping, and false imprisonment. You shall be taken to the harbour authorities’ detention cells, before being transferred to a prison by the New York Police Department. Come peacefully. If you resist, we will be compelled to use force.”
“Cucaracha asquerosa![7]Let go of me! You should arrest sem!” He jabbed his finger at the staring ex-slaves. “You should arrest sosenegros! Sey dared to imprison us! Sey stole our ships! Sey—”
