Read Online The DeCadia Code (The DeCadia Series Book 1) by Apryl Baker, Jonathan Yanez - Free Book Online

your weapons and surrender. You won’t be injured. You’ll be taken back to the capital for trail.”
    Past the barrels of pistols and rifles, the laughs came. Harsh and steady, every pirate on board the merchant ship let Stephen know exactly how he felt.
    While they were enjoying themselves, Stephen took the time to count the captives on board. The pirates were quick. Ten or more of the merchant ship’s crew were kneeling on the remains of the ship’s deck. Bound hand and foot, they were bloodied and beaten. The ship itself was in no better shape.
    Finally, the cacophony of laughs died to silence. The same pirate who had addressed him before took a step forward. “I don’t think we shall, pretty boy. Instead, I’m going to put a bullet in your eye.” He lifted a tattooed arm holding a rusted pistol and pointed the weapon at Stephen.
    “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Stephen said.
    “No?”
    “No,” Stephen said, a smile flirting with his lips. “Right now your men are surrounded by two platoons of soldiers lead by the best shot in the Royal Navy. They have each been designated a target. The first volley will kill two thirds of you. The next volley will see you all dead.”
    Nervous eyes from all except a few of the pirates rotated around the jungle. The rogue addressing him laughed again. “Oh, I’m sure. And there’s more I suspect?”
    “Well, yes. My sharpshooter is equipped with the latest design of a long-range firearm. He’ll be able to get off five shots before reloading.”
    The ease in which Stephen spoke was enough to rattle the pirates. Each word was more fact than threat. Pistols were now shifting away from Stephen and toward the jungle.
    The pirate with the beard spat a murky, brown substance on the ship’s deck. “Enough with the words, boy. Now you die.”
    Well, Amil, I hope you had enough time to get into position , Stephen thought. Here we go.
    The pirate raised his gun toward Stephen’s chest. A shot rang through the still air. For a moment it looked as though the pirate had sprouted a third eye in his forehead. Blood dripped down his forehead before he fell, then chaos ripped across the scene.
    Lead tore through the air from every direction in the jungle. Stephen reached behind his back for his own weapons. Their grip felt good in his hands and comforted him as he drew the guns and ran forward. Arms extended, shots rang in his ears, bullets whizzed by his head.
    Pirates dropped faster than he could choose a target for aim. Stephen was grateful that most of the pirates who didn’t die in the first volley chose to send their bullets into the jungle rather than at his advancing form.
    Yet as he ran, the pirates on board readjusted their mark. All except Amil’s rifle would need to be reloaded, the pirates’ included. Stephen had seconds to cross the distance to the ship. The random bullet still left its owner’s pistol or rifle but the weight of the guns had already been spent. Stephen ran like his life depended on it.
    He was too slow. The distance was too great. The blare of pistols reignited the air as Stephen leapt on board. He caught a pirate in the chest with the pistol in his right hand and another in the face with the gun in his left.
    He was out of ammunition. Motion to his right caught his eye too late. A pirate with a mess of crooked teeth raised his pistol and shot Stephen in the left shoulder. The bullet grazed the precise edge of his shoulder, taking a chunk of meat with it. Adrenaline filled Stephen’s body as he drew his sword and charged.
    The few pirates who were still left and willing to fight raised weapons in Stephen’s direction. One after the other they fell to the sound of a booming rifle. The distinct sound of Amil’s firearm took them in the head one by one. Stephen never lost track of his target. The pirate with the crooked teeth fumbled for his own sword, eyes wide with horror. Stephen was on top of him with his own blade to his throat before the