Read Online Black Scorpion by Jon Land - Free Book Online Page B

Lucretia Maru even more behind schedule.
    Marmara watched as his crewmembers helped the Coast Command personnel over the rail. He exchanged a salute with Lieutenant Commander Soptir, not bothering to hide his displeasure.
    â€œThis was wholly unnecessary, Commander. You must be new at your job.”
    â€œHow’s that, Captain?”
    Marmara couldn’t help but smirk. “Some things are better left unsaid.”
    Then he spotted the female crewmember sliding up from his right. “Yes, Captain Marmara,” she said, “they are.”
    And that’s when he felt the pistol pressed into his ribs.
    *   *   *
    Rifles unshouldered with the Lucretia Maru now stalled at sea, the five other fake Coast Command personnel rounded up the remainder of the crew, who now sat with arms draped behind their heads on the foredeck. The operation had been carried out with military swiftness and proficiency, not a single shot fired and the ship’s crew knowing better than to resist.
    â€œI believe we’re ready for our tour,” the woman told Captain Marmara, her face still draped in the shadows cast by her oversize cap.
    Stray strands of black hair protruded from the bun contained beneath it. And yet that and the dark blue uniform could not contain her steely sultriness. Her green eyes were empty and ageless, her skin flawless save for a dimple-size scar on her forehead and a larger depression of one that ran diagonally across her right cheek. To the captain of the Lucretia Maru , it looked like residue from a knife wound.
    One of her men jerked Marmara to his feet. “You have no idea what you’re doing,” the captain sneered.
    â€œI’m robbing your ship, Captain,” she told him, “of the copper piping you’re carrying in your holds.”
    Marmara’s sneer became a smirk. “That’s what you think?”
    â€œWhy don’t you show me?”
    â€œAs you wish,” the captain said.
    *   *   *
    Just the woman and one of her men accompanied Marmara three levels down to the cargo holds. Believing he could overpower both, he made a fitful launch for a fire ax hanging from a hull perch only to feel himself twisted around in blinding fashion and slammed against the bulkhead. He felt certain it must’ve been the man who’d overpowered him, but turning he saw it was the woman squeezing his breath off with one hand while the other pressed the pistol against his forehead.
    â€œDon’t test me again, Captain.”
    â€œYou’ve already failed, pirate,” he managed, as they resumed their descent. “Miserably. You just don’t know it yet.”
    Down on the freighter’s cargo level, Marmara stopped just short of a bulkhead door. “Last chance, pirate. Once I open this door, there’s no going back.”
    The woman flashed the pistol again. “Do I need to count to three for you?”
    He smirked again. “Suit yourself.”
    And with that Marmara keyed in the proper code, twisting the hatch wheel when the pad’s light glowed green. “Like I said, there’s no going back now.…”
    He jerked the door open, allowing the dull light of the grated steel passageway to sift through, illuminating the hold’s contents.
    Not copper piping at all, Raven Khan realized immediately, feeling her chest tighten as the stench assaulted her. She took a few steps inside, the horrible sounds every bit a match for the smell, even before her eyes adjusted enough to the darkness to see what lay before her. She focused on one section in particular, blinking to make sure the sight, in all its ugliness, was real.
    Raven doubled over, feeling suddenly sick and sure she was going to vomit until she composed herself with several deep breaths and stood back up. The floor seemed to wobble beneath her, but she clung to her balance and stiffened her spine.
    â€œYou see what I mean?” the captain