I Met a Drifter Who Walked out of the Darien Gap - [Part 6]

Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5

Cassara had made a bee-line from the cemetery towards the shore without so much as looking back once, marching forward as if she were driven by some unseen force.

Between her long strides and my own panic, it was difficult to catch up with her.

“Cass!” I shouted as I grabbed her shoulder.

I don’t exactly recall the events right before the sky filled my vision, but the pain on my cheek and ringing in my ears informed me that I had certainly received a right hook of some kind.

Cassara stood over me, an unnatural look of regret, concern, and fear mixed on her face. “Fuck! David, I’m sorry.”

Cassara knelt down and sat me up, brushing off my back and checking my jaw to see if she had done more than leave a mark.

I was dazed, to say the least, “I just…” I stammered, trying to regain the train of thought that had just been derailed by Cassara’s fist, “Worried.” I managed to spit out.

It sounded like it made sense at the time.

Cassara sighed, hoisting me to my feet, “I just saw some chick get ground into flour, okay? I’m a bit… fucked up at the moment.”

“Masa,” I corrected.

“The fuck you say?” Cassara said, narrowing her eyes on me.

“Corn meal,” I said, likely still out of my wits, “You know, the corn-”

“Corn flour, maize, whatever!” Cassara snapped, “She got ground up into dust, does it matter what kind of dust?! We got visited by a friggin’ spirit of death, a spirit that wanted to eat me, and some crazy bitch who made a deal with said spirit and had no issues feeding the both of us to that thing!” Cassara shouted in an absolute panic, “So pardon me if I want to put as much fucking distance between myself and this fucking rock as possible!”

“Okay,” I said, slowly getting steady as we walked, “I get it, that was fucked up.”

Cassara walked alongside me for a few more minutes, carrying me along with her before she turned to me, “You good?”

I nodded, rubbing my jaw as the pain began to radiate, “Yeah.”

“Thanks, by the way,” Cassara said as we had finally reached the port.

“For what?” I asked.

“For stopping that spirit, and turning it on Savannah,” Cassara explained, “I think it would have gotten me otherwise,” Cassara cursed under her breath, “So stupid.”

“She promised you something you really wanted, I don’t think anyone could blame you for falling for it,” I assured her.

Cassara was silent while heading back to Junior’s ship, as we did I spotted Kayode and Kendis smoking on the deck, giving Cassara a curious look as she brushed past them.

I sighed, heaving up the ramp as Kayode got my attention with a quick nod of his head.

“What’s up wit Cass?” Kayode asked.

“Just…” I paused to consider the situation. I decided that maybe the truth would work best, “Had a brief run-in with Baron Samedi.”

Kendis turned to me, “Don’t joke ‘bout that around Junior. He’ll take your fuckin’ head man.”

I frowned, “Who said I was joking, and why would Junior be pissed about it?”

“Who yah do yah think Junior thanks fer all our fair voyages on this hunk or junk? Why yah tink he calls this ship ‘The Baron’?” Kayode said with a chuckle, “Man praises da Loa of Death fer not takin’ him yet.”

I gave a nod, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Break’s over!” I heard Junior shouting from the bridge, “Ey, David! What the fuck yah doin’ back on me ship? Dis was supposed tah be me dropppin’ yah ‘ere and movin’ on wit me route!”

That was the original plan, but all things considered, I wasn’t keen on remaining in Haiti for any longer than I wanted to be.

“How’s about I tag along for a little longer, and get off at the next port?” I asked.

Junior laughed heartily, “I’m thinkin’ yah not gonna wanna be gettin’ off at the next port-o-call dere brotha!”

“Why’s that?” I shouted, heading towards the bridge.

Junior moved to the railing near the bridge, looking down at me on the deck, “Because we be shippin’ down tah Cuba…” Junior paused, a smile on his face, “But… Maybe I could use a missionary fella like you, just in case we ‘ave a run-in with the blockade.”

I frowned, “The ‘Blockade’?” I turned to Kayode and Kendis, who both shook their heads at me as they extinguished their joints and headed towards the mooring lines of the ship.

“No one talks about it state-side,” Kendis said with a chuckle, “But there’s more than just sanctions between the US and Cuba.”

Kayode placed his hand on my shoulder, grinning, “Ain’t been stopped in months. I’m sure we’re gonna be fine.”

“Is Cass onboard?” Junior shouted.

Kendis shouted back, “Yeah, she’s down below!”

“Den we shippin’ out! Ain’t letting dis food rot, an I’m sure yah all want yah payday! Now lets get movin’!” Junior shouted, looking to me, “David! Make yourself useful, and get Cass up ‘ere so she can help da boys get us ‘eadin’ out!”

I nodded, “Sure,” I said as I headed below deck to see where Cassara had gone off to.

I made my way down the narrow stairwell and hallways, finally coming to Cassara’s bunk and giving a knock on the door-frame before poking my head in, “Hey, Cass, you okay?”

Cassara sat with her hands on her head, her fingers having run through her hair and just stopped there, staring at the floor as she sat on her cot, “Not now, please? Just give me a fucking second to process this shit.”

I sighed, “That’s all well and good, and I’d love to give you the time, but Junior’s asking for you, wants you to help Kendis and Kayode get the ship ready to leave.”

Cassara paused for a second, straightened herself and pulled her hands from her long black hair before shaking them off, “Fine. Some manual labor will take my mind off things, and the sooner we leave the better.”

Cassara rushed past me, bumping me out of the way as we passed in the narrow hallway.

I sighed, not expecting her to give me an apology, but not taking it personally either.

As I made my way up to the deck, Cassara headed towards Kendis and Kayode.

I figured I would help, but as I got to the deck I felt Junior’s strong hand on my shoulder, his breath hot in my ear as he spoke softly enough for only me to hear.

“Savannah nere’ came back tah wish me farewell, an Cass be lookin’ spooked and you lookin’ far more confident den I expect from yah,” Junior said sternly, “Yah gots some explaining tah do to me lata, an only me, yah ‘ere?”

I turned to Junior, concerned as his yellowed eyes fixed firmly on me.

He patted my shoulder firmly, walking past me, “Least yah can do fer day extra trip.”

…

It was only a day’s travel, according to Kendis. It wasn’t that Cuba and Haiti were far, hell they were neighboring islands, it was just heading from Port au Prince to Antilla that was the issue.

Junior might not have been the most scrupulous sort, but he wasn’t about to choose a port that wasn’t well monitored to sell his goods, though his talk of ‘the blockade’ felt off.

“So, I didn’t think it was a military blockade like back in the Cold War,” I said to Kendis as I did my best to help him in the galley of the small ship.

Peeling and de-veining shrimp for tonight’s gumbo was the least I could do as Junior allowed me another day on the ship, plus it kept me from having to explain Cass and I’s tribulations in Haiti.

Kendis chuckled as he began chopping up chilies and onions, “You normally live in the States, yeah?”

I gave him a nod, “Yes, though my mother is Honduran.”

“Means you don’t know shit about ‘the blockade’, it’s not just some laws and fines and shit,” Kendis said as he slammed his knife down on the cutting board, “The US military don’t even bother dirtying their hands with this shit, on the off chance something goes wrong. They got a mercenary navy that handles it.”

I frowned, “Mercenary Navy?”

Kendis nodded, “And you don’t want to run into them, even if you’re legal and legit. They’re bored, got power, and they have nothing better to do than grab some poor bastards and toss them into Gitmo, never to be heard from again.”

I felt a chill up my spine at the mention of the infamous Guantanamo Bay Prison, “That can’t be legal… Like, internationally.”

Kendis laughed, “Oh yeah! Whole world will roll right up to the US Navy and point their finger at them and say ‘Shame!’,” Kendis shook his head, “Wouldn’t do shit, man. They do whatever they want, and no one notices or cares,” He tossed the finely chopped up vegetables in a pot, and glanced at the small pile of shrimp I had skinned, “Yah better speed up man. Pretty sure the only reason Junior keeps me is my Gumbo, so don’t fuck it up for me.”

I nodded, speeding up my food preparation.

That’s when I heard a woman’s voice blaring through some kind of megaphone: “Unidentified Vessel, cut your engines and prepare to be boarded!”

I glanced up, concerned, “Shit, are there pirates out here?”

Kendis glared, slamming his knife down into the cutting board and pulling his smock off, hanging it near the door, “I wish it were pirates. Kayode would cut them down in a second,” he turned to me, “blockade, remember?”

I winced, “We aren’t carrying anything illegal, are we?”

Kendis turned to me, “As far as I know, nope! How bout you?”

I shook my head.

“Then do what you do best, Mr.Missionary, and pray,” Kendis said as I turned off the stove and left my half-peeled shrimp in the bowl with the rest.

Cassara ran past us in the stairwell, stopping Kendis and I, “I’m not here. You don’t know me, never heard of me, got it?!” Cassara shouted as she ran past us.

Kendis frowned, “What’s wrong?”

Cassara looked Kendis over, “You know where I’m from, right?”

Kendis gave a nod, not saying a word.

“Well… They want me back,” Cassara said, more agitated than frantic.

Kendis gave an understanding nod, “Kayode’s quarters, there’s a wall panel behind his bed that’s loose. Nothing in there now, good place to put contraband.”

Cassara nodded and rushed down the hall without another word.

I frowned, “Wait, why would Cassara’s people be here?”

Kendis shook his head, “Just keep praying,” he sighed, “Gonna need those prayers if we want to get out of this.”

Once on deck, I saw the sun was setting, and the sea was fairly calm. The slow roll of the boat was something I had gotten used to.

What I wasn’t used to was seeing a small battleship pulling up alongside us.

I say ‘Small’ relative to a battleship.

The vessel dwarfed the small rusty ‘Baron’, and I saw the battleship had several rotating cannons proudly displayed on the foredeck.

The ship itself was the standard military gray, though the only markings I saw on the bow was a single stylized eye, as well as lettering that looked similar to the ones Cassara’s ID had.

Kayode was already on deck, looking as calm as possible.

I looked at Kayode, “What’s going on?”

“Inspection,” Kayode said, glancing at me, “If you have contraband, toss it.”

I shook my head, “Nothing illegal on me.”

The large patrol ship was lowering a smaller boat into the water, three figures on it. I lost sight of it as it got close enough to our own vessel.

Junior came down the steps clearly pissed, “Of all the fuckin’ days I git dis shit!” He turned to me, “You’re a noose ‘round me neck, blan!”

“I’m not a-” I was cut-off by Junior’s finger in my face.

“Not a damn word outta yah, yah got it? Yah shut it! Dey ask you yer name, yah give it. You don’t lie, unless it’s to back me up, got it? I talk, you,” he points to Kayode and Kendis, “All o’ you, shut it!”

Kayode looked around, “What about Cass?”

Junior turned to Kayode, glaring, “Who?”

Kayode froze, and nodded quickly.

“Dat’s right,” Junior hissed as he moved to the starboard side of the ship, pushing a rail open as three large women in blue and white uniforms climbed up and onto the deck.

“Junior, nice to see you on this lovely day,” the first woman up, and clearly the commanding officer, commented. She was a massive woman, far taller than I was used to.

Yes, Cassara included.

Cassara was tall for a woman, at about 188 cm, but this woman stood another half head taller. The two other officers were about 10 cm shorter than her.

Her hair was tied in a long blond braid, her eyes were amber. Her uniform certainly indicated a higher rank.

The two next to her wore their hair far shorter, one clearly had her blue hair partially shaved. The one on the right’s hair was jet black, and cut to a short bob. Her dark eyes scanned over the deck, and us, coldly.

The other sailor just stood there, awaiting some kind of orders or instructions. Standing at attention, almost like a doll or a robot. Her brown eyes fixed ahead, her blue hair that wasn’t shaved tied to the side in a shorter braid.

The uniforms they wore seemed to echo American naval uniforms, but the flags and symbols were all wrong.

The crest on the shoulder wasn’t a US flag, but rather a blue one with a black Omega symbol on it, with three red arrows piercing it, all pointed downwards and meeting at its center.

“An’ what a day at sea it is, Sigrid,” Junior began, overly saccharine in his tone, “But I must ask why yah holdin’ me up! Yah know I got business in Antilla!”

“I’m well aware of the business you have in Antilla, Junior,” Sigrid, the commanding officer, said as she scanned the deck, “And yet I cannot help but notice you have more than your usual crew today. Business doing so well you had to take on some new members? I didn’t realize charity was so profitable these days.”

“What can I say? I am suffering from success! I had tah hire a new deckhand just recently to keep up!” Junior chuckled, “Good problems to have, yah?”

Sigrid nodded, turning to the black haired sailor to her right, “Frida, check the cargo, would you?”

Frida, the dark eyed woman, gave a nod and headed to the large crates held down with straps and netting. “Hey, someone unstrap this pile of shit!”

Kayode walked over to Frida, working towards the cargo netting and undoing straps where he could.

Kendis looked around nervously before the blue-haired sailor snapped into action, rushing towards him.

“You, don’t move unless instructed,” she barked.

Kendis held up his hands, looking eye to eye with her, “Okay lady, s’okay.”

“Calm yourself, Thea,” Sigrid said with a grin, “These boys are simply nervous under the gun. Let the little worm go.”

Thea narrowed her eyes on Kendis before returning to her post next to Sigrid.

“Sigrid,” Junior began, clasping his hands together, “I understand yah missed me, but I’m on dah clock, yah know? I gotta shipment to move!”

Sigrid gave a nod as she eyed Junior suspiciously, “You know I can see through your lies, Haitian, right?”

“Dat’s why I don’t lie to yah,” Junior emphasized, opening his arms in a grand gesture, “It’d never come to my mind, not wit you.”

Sigrid moved closer to Junior, with a smirk, “Because you don’t want a repeat of when we brought you to Gitmo, right?”

For once I saw Junior’s facade crack.

“Mmm,” Sigrid snickered as she scanned the deck, “New crew member. Where did you pick up the runt?” Sigrid asked as she pointed to me.

“I wouldn’t say dah new crew member is a runt,” Junior said, clearing his throat, “Got ‘em in Panama.”

“You don’t say?” Sigrid walked towards me, “That true?”

I swallowed hard, “Yes. That’s true. I was picked up in Panama.”

Sigrid’s eyes were glaring into mine with a withering gaze, I swear I could feel an actual heat on my face as her eyes seared into mine.

After this standoff, she relented, turning to Junior, “So… How many crew members are on the ship now?”

“Four,” Junior said simply.

Sigrid nodded, “A fugitive escaped Penthesil recently. She narrowly escaped one of our officers on land.”

“Ah, I see,” Junior answered, “Well, she must be in some trouble, yah?”

“She’s an asset, more than anything else. A liability, some might say,” Sigrid said as she walked along the deck.

Frida returned with Kayode, “Just food and medicine, all listed on the manifest.”

Sigrid’s eyes moved to Frida, her face still turned to Junior, “Check the crew quarters.”

“Do yah not trust me?” Junior said, aghast in mock shock.

“Trust you? Absolutely. You’d not lie to me for fear of me tossing you on the rack for an hour or three,” Sigrid grinned.

Again I watched Junior’s resolve shudder.

“But hiding the truth, skirting it? Oh, that’s still in you,” Sigrid chuckled, “Of course if you still had that much left in you, Junior, I’d have to set you for another session.”

Junior took a step back, “You’re just looking for a reason to take me in tah Gitmo, ain’t yah?”

Sigrid’s expression grew cold and as it did my stomach dropped, “Oh Junior, if I wanted to, and had the time, we’d already be on the way. Trust me: I love dragging you sniveling bastards there. It’s my personal playground. No one gives a fuck about the trash locked away in there. They make for wonderful playthings, but fresh meat, Junior, is so enticing,” Sigrid’s expression softened as she placed her hand on Junior’s shoulder, “But you’re not fresh, not anymore, Junior,” she gave him a shove, causing him to step back.

I wondered deeply about what all this implied. Had she taken Junior to the prison in Cuba? Has she tortured him before?

Sigrid’s head turned to me in an instant, “But there’s fresh meat here now, and I’m starting to get hungry.”

I swallowed hard, again.

Sigrid’s cold expression returned as she moved towards me, looming over me, “Oh you do look ever so fresh,” she leaned over me, taking a deep inhale, her hand slipping onto my shoulder, “Oh, you seem so…” she shivered as she said the next word, her hand gripping my shoulder tightly, “innocent.”

Sigrid let the words slip through her lips as if the thought was arousing.

“T-Then arresting an innocent man and jailing him would be wrong, would it not?” I offered, pleading to Sigrid.

Sigrid’s grip tightened as she took a deep inhale, as if sniffing me, “It would be such a terrible thing, a terrible injustice, if someone were to do that to an innocent person…”

I winced as her grip tightened on my shoulder before Frida popped out of the stairwell leading to the crew quarters, “All clear.”

Sigrid’s hand whipped away from my shoulder, “Well, I suppose I ought to let you fine gentlemen go on with your voyage.”

Junior’s relief was visible, “Thank you, Sigrid.”

Sigrid scoffed, heading towards the rails, “Just be happy I have no reason to drag you or your crew off this rusting bucket kicking and screaming…” Sigrid paused, turning to the four of us, her eyes narrowing for a moment, “...Four Crew.”

Junior nodded.

Sigrid grinned wickedly, “Oh, Junior… you sly ballsy little fox.”

Junior’s face went pale as Sigrid rushed towards him, grabbing him by the shirt and tugging him off his feet.

“I almost forgot that a Captain never counts himself as Crew!” Sigrid shouted, a madness in her eyes as she pointed to me, “And you’re so proud to call yourself ‘Captain’, aren’t you, Junior?! Secure the crew members and tear this ship apart!” her gaze landed on me once more.

Thea roughly grabbed me, tugging my arms behind my back before tying them.

Sigrid’s eyes were wild now, “get my kit from the ship!” She ordered, “It seems there’s another crew member hiding someplace, and if no one is willing to talk, then it’s time for…” Sigrid paused, as if letting an aroused groan escape her lips, “Interrogation.”