Captain Savage: The Fortress pt.7



The pirates make their way back as fast as possible.
Jane walks backwards rolling out the fuse while Sally covers them with one of the muskets
they took from the guards. She does not intend to shoot it unless there is no other way. With
its butt on one side and the bayonet on the other it can be used really effective in close
combat, too.
Not far away from the guardroom the fuse finally gets used up. With her hands occupied no
more Jane takes her own captured musket from the back. Released from the burden of
preparing the blast the women move faster now.
When they approach another corridor to Jane###s astonishment Sally turns right.
###No, we have to move the other way.### She whispers urgently.
###Trust me, love!### Sally smiles at her and hurries into the corridor.
Jane follows her without further questions, knowing Sally must have a reason for this detour.
The Irish leads them right into a dark pipe. After a short walk Jane notices something on the
ground.
Sally brought her to the place where she ambushed the two redcoats after descending from the
watchtower. The bodies still lay where she left them, eyes wide open, one with a morbidly
twisted head.
###They still have their weapons.### Sally says as she takes one of them by the shroud of his
uniform.
###Clever girl!### Jane grins appreciative.
The pirates do not bother to collect the arms. Instead they heave the bodies with them, the
soldiers### bootheels polishing the floor. They seem to outweigh two hundredweights each, but
at least they will not be detected by any of their comrades coming around now. Soon the
women start to sweat again despite the chilly air inside the catacombs.
Soon they arrive at the guardroom. Cain is already waiting with the rest of the crew and about
two dozen prisoners. They have shared the available weapons as good as possible. The
captain deals out the ones she brought with Sally to the yet unarmed escapees.
Chang, a stringy Chinese and member of the crew, denies the offer. He is a master of the
martial arts and possibly the best fighter among the pirates. Surely one of the others has more
need of a weapon.
After the arms have all been dealt out, Jane stands up in front of the group.
###You all know who I am, don###t you?### She asks the unknown faces among the small crowd,
receiving an affirmative murmur of voices.
###I offer y###all to escape out of this prison and become part of my crew. You###ll be free amongst
free women and men, unbound from despotic kings and their greedy lackeys.###
###How will you get right out of this fortress? The garrison is severely guarded and full of
soldiers.### One of the men asks sceptical.
Jane takes Sally by the arm and present her to the crowd. ###Do you see this woman? She
infiltrated this fortress, killed all the guards standing in her way and found us all by herself.
Together we will easily overwhelm the rest of the guards and escape without being noticed.###
The prisoners look at the blonde pirate in unbelieving amazement. Sally looks back at them
with firm attitude and full of self-esteem.
###Supposed you are right and we get out of here, how will we escape? You have lost your ship
in the storm last night, didn###t you?### The sceptical man asks again. Obviously he is kind of a
leader to the men.
This time Sally answers. ###There is a ship in the harbour. We seize it and sail away.###
###Under the guns of the fortress? Even if we get rid of the sentries someone will notice us
leaving the harbour in the middle of the night. Their gunners will blow us out of the water
before we even leave the bay.###
###By now we have prepared a fuse to blow up the powder magazine. The explosion will not
just cause enough damage to the fortress, but also confusion outside. No-one will know why
we are leaving port, no-one will care. They will be busy and occupied with their own
business. When they get an idea of what happened we will be gone long ago.### Jane picks up
the header.
The man slowly nods. ###Sounds like a plan to me.###
###But what will happen to our families?### Suddenly another man intervenes.
Jane looks at him reassuringly. ###They will be safe as long as the dungeon is blocked up. We
will return with more ships to take them with us as soon as possible. I promise you, we will
not leave them behind!###
###And now we###ve all got to be on our toes before the change of guards! Hurry up or die in this
rotten cave!### Sally impatiently urges them all to leave.
As the prisoners arrive at the corridor towards the watchtower they stop for one last time.
Sally tells them how many guards she has seen in the fortress and where they are to be found.
Referring to her observations there is one sentry on each of the three remaining watchtowers
and a group of four guarding the gate.
Being the captain Jane decides that it would be best to strike simultaneously. As she does not
know the skills of the other prisoners she chooses her crew members exclusively to finish the
guards. Promptly she considers how to split up.
Of course she is going to lead the attack against the sentries at the gate. To crush down the
guards upon the watchtowers she picks out her most silent killers. First she chooses Juan, a
shifty Latino who masterly handles to garrotte guards, and then Chang, who kills quickly with
his bare hands. Finally she chooses Sally, although she would have liked to have her favourite
by her side. Simply there is no other one among the crew to match her in stealth and
deadliness.
The women kiss deeply once more before Jane lights the fuse with a lamp. Some of the
prisoners watch them in surprise and disgust, never having seen two women French kissing
before. Only the threatening looks of the pirates prevent them from saying something they
would surely rue for the short rest of their lives.
The burning fuse allows the prisoners about twenty minutes time to escape. They hurry
through the corridor and head for their destinations. Jane watches Sally, Juan and Chang
disappear like phantoms in the darkness around.
On top of the rest the captain climbs up the stairs of the watchtower. On ground level there is
a round arch leading into the bailey. She carefully watches inside the inner ward, holding back
the rest of the group. She can see the gate and all of the watchtowers. The guards down at the
gate seem to be bored with their duties. They stand around a small fireplace, being illuminated
by the flames, carelessly shooting the breeze.
They are easy targets, but Jane cannot put them down as long as the guards on the
watchtowers are still alive. Without a doubt any attack would be detected in the light of the
fire. The only thing is trying to put herself into position without being noticed.
She tells the men to aim their muskets at the soldiers and wait. In case one of the guards raises
an alarm they shall shoot down everyone wearing a red coat.
Jane is annoyed with herself not to think about dressing some of her men in British uniforms
as a disguise. It might be easier to approach the guards this way, but it is obsolete to think
about it now. The fuse still burns and they have to be quick or they are all dead.
The captain gives a sign to Cain, Malik and a wicked looking man called Jethro to follow her.
They sneak along the walls and buildings on soft feet, using the deep black shadows as
disguise.
When they pass the first watchtower Jane hears a silent death rattle from above. Obviously
Juan was able to surprise the first guard. Jane smiles relieved. One less to contend with.
Obliviously the group advances. The ground is still warm from the heat of the day. The
pleasant feeling beneath her soles pretty suits Jane after the cold, wet and greasy dungeon
floor.
They stop just around the corner of the gate.
When Jane lifts her head to the other watchtowers she spots the small silhouette of Chang
approaching behind the guard. Quick as a flash he breaks the soldier###s neck with a ruthless
chop of his hand###s edge.
The very same moment Sally creeps towards the other soldier. Seconds later she raises her
gory blade to show her success.
Without hesitation Jane###s group attack the guards. The soldiers hardly sense the pirates until
they are over them. Jane###s fast access brings the guards to the ground almost without
resistance. It is a horrid sight as the pirates stab, slash and choke the surprised soldiers to
death without remorse, but they have to kill for their lives. When the short carnage is over
Jane extricates her sabre from the sergeant###s corpse highly satisfied. She has captured the gate
completely unnoticed!