Mullen steered the boat slowly along the coast, looking for a convenient inlet to drop anchor and get ashore. He smiled to himself, thinking about this exact same procedure with his old Captain, Terry Hollick, when they sneaked into Hispaniola and Terry went to the Governor's mansion. The smile faded, this was more serious, Alicia had given herself up to the lion's den with no guarantees.

"Mister Mullen, there, just beyond that small stand of trees."

Mullen looked to where Terry was pointing and nodded agreement. The sail was furled and the men rowed the longboat slowly into the narrow cut.

"Good eye, Terry." Mullen smiled at the boy and thought how furious Alicia was going to be when she saw that he had joined the rescue team. Keeping the lad below decks had been an impossibility. Terry had managed to squirm out a forward hatch just in time to see his mother land on Jack Bloode's deck.

The arguments and threats that followed ended with Mullen agreeing to taking Terry with them. They were both in for a scalding from Alicia.

"Alright, lads. All we think we know is that Mel is being held in the military prison. We don't know where the captain is yet. What we need to do is find out about this Lieutenant Downs, where he stays, what he does."

"How much time do you think we have?"

"Little or none. They've been back for four hours or so ahead of us. At least it won't be long before we have the cover of darkness." Of the five that came, three went to the town to dig out what information they could while Mullen kept Terry with him. They agreed to meet at the spot every harbour shared, the customs office.

"What are we going to do?" Terry asked.

"You and I are going to take a stroll through the military base."

"But they'll stop us!"

"That's fine, nobody knows us here, we'll just say we was sight-seeing." Terry looked sceptical.

They made their way into the town and past the harbour, noting the Black Dog sitting at anchor. Just as in Hispaniola, the military barracks and compound was adjacent to the harbour and up on a shallow rise. The flag twitched complacently in the stuttering breeze and the guards stood sour-faced at their posts, waiting for their shift to end. As Mullen and Terry strolled near, the first guard brought his musket to port arms.

"State your business."

"None, sir. Just strollin'"

"This is a military base, civilians are not allowed without permission."

Mullen smiled and his eyes twinkled. "Well could you give us yours, we're just doin' a bit of sight-seein'."

"At night? Get away the both of you or you'll be sight-seeing inside a cell."

"That was quite an alliteration." Terry grinned, showing off some of the education his mother had drilled into him.

The guard frowned and looked at his mate. "You know what he said?"

"Nope, but it can't have been good."

"That's it then. March!" The musket came down and levelled at them in a prodding motion.

"Hold on, we were just having some sport." Mullen pulled at Terry's arm, feeling the young man tense.

"You'll have sport all right. Move!"

******

"So, you thought by just surrendering yourself to me that you would achieve the release of Mel Teacher, eh? Well sorry to disappoint, madam, but she was a member of your husband's pirate haven and therefore equally culpable in his unlawful activities."

"She was but a child, families of the crew that stayed with their men."

"Exactly, and all are equally guilty."

Alicia shifted to one leg and held her shackled hands down in front. "What do you intend to do then Mister Downs?"

"Lieutenant Downs, madam. Lieutenant. And I plan on enjoying a measure of revenge for this." He drew a finger slowly across the scar on his face.

There was a sharp wrap at the door and Downs shouted for whoever it was to enter.

"Sir, we have a pair of suspicious men outside, sir. They claimed they was just sight-seein' but they tried to get into the base."

"And why does this interest me? Take them to the cells." He waved the guard out, but a moment later he called him back. "Bring them in, I think I can find a use for a couple of interlopers."

Alicia's eyes widened as Mullen and her son were ushered into the room. To his credit, Terry never let on any familiarity.

"Put them in those chairs and secure them."

"Hold on now, gov," Mullen spoke up. "No need to be doin' us this way. We was just out strollin', your men were the ones-" The slap stung and brought water to his eyes and Mullen heard Alicia gasp. Terry began to struggle but the guards slammed him down onto the chair and bound him tight.

Downs sneered at Mullen as he was also bound to the chair. "Perhaps your mouth did the strolling . . . too much."

He turned to Alicia and smiled. "Now, madam, let's see, how can we make the best use of these two. Suppose I tell you we will bring your friend up here and the two of you will perform for us . . or I will begin with the young one. Say an ear? A finger?"

She stared at Terry and felt her heart pound in her chest. Somehow, some way, she had to get control of their situation.

"And if we do?" She glanced at Terry and saw his expression freeze.

"Then maybe I won't bother the boy, depends."

"Right. I want to talk to Mel first."

"You don't make the rules here, Pirate Queen." Downs gave an evil chuckle.

"You want things to go smoothly, I need to talk to her."

He stared at Alicia, trying to compose a comeback but in the end he just shrugged. "Sure. Why not." He called the guard in and told him to take Alicia to the cell with the other woman and stay with them. They could have ten minutes then he was to bring them both back.

******

Mel heard the clinks of the lock and the squeal of the door followed by footsteps down the corridor toward her cell. She stood from the cot and moved to the shadows, the small piece of wire she had managed to snap off the spring frame, clutched in the fold of her dress at her side. The guard appeared and behind him she saw Alicia. her mouth dropped and excitement filled her head as the door opened and Alicia walked in, moving directly to take her in her arms.

"Mel, oh Mel. It's been so long."

"What's happening here, how did you-"

She sat them both down on the cot and explained what had happened in a quick, brief recounting. Her eyes held Mel's as she whispered the action she planned to take. She told her about the knife inside her boot and was pleased to hear about the wire. The guard came into the cell and ordered them to get up, their time was over.