Free Pirates of the Storm (Stranded In Time Book 1) by Fletcher Best Page A

capsizing
ourselves and could not lend assistance. When the storm passed, we
found a drowned man in strange clothing floating in the water. My
son pulled him into our boat and we took him to be buried on Utila.
He was wearing this strange bracelet…” Gibson pulled a
non-functioning digital wristwatch from his pocket and handed it to
Jeff.
    “Yes, this is something from my time,”
Jeff said excitedly. “This was just a few years ago you
said?”
    “Yes,” Mr. Gibson nodded.
    Jeff returned the watch to the elderly
man as the Captain turned to the last man and said, “Mr.
Thomas?”
    “Yes,” Mr. Thomas began, “I too have
seen the same odd storm only one other time. It was at least 20
years ago, when I was still serving on the crew of Captain
Morgan.”
    “Morgan!” snorted Coxen, “That pompous
arse! Do you know he had the nerve to issue a writ for my arrest
for doing the very things he used to do himself?” The Captain
paused as he noticed Mr. Thomas glaring at him. “My apologies, Mr.
Thomas. I know you are still loyal to Captain Morgan and I am
speaking out of turn. Please continue.”
    “Yes, well, as I was saying, I was
sailing with Captain Morgan. We had been raiding Spanish outposts
here in the Bay of Honduras. One night, the warm summer breeze
suddenly blew cold and the odd-colored lightning buzzed overhead.
The clouds formed what looked like a cave around us and the walls
were closing in. I could feel the electricity causing the hairs on
my neck to stand up and as the clouds squeezed closer, everything
went black. I passed in and out of consciousness for what seemed
like several minutes and when I would open my eyes, I looked to the
shoreline and I did not recognize it. There were many lights I had
never seen before, including some red, blinking ones that looked
like dragon’s eyes that appeared to be attached to tall, thin
structures that went high into the sky. When I fully regained my
wits, the clouds were starting to break up, but then suddenly
closed in again. When we finally came through the storm, the
shoreline was dark once again and the strange lights were
gone.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Thomas,” Jeff said,
“It sounds like you may have gone through time like I did, just the
other direction and just for a short time.”
    “Aye. Perhaps,” the old man
nodded.
    “Thank you all, gentlemen,” the
Captain spoke up. “Do you have any more questions for them, Mr.
Greene?”
    “No, I don’t know what else to ask at
this point, Captain. And yes, thank you very much for sharing your
stories, gentlemen,” Jeff responded.
    “Very good then. Now, shall we share
some food and drink?” the Captain asked. Everyone nodded in
agreement. “Wench! Bring us a pitcher of rum, a pitcher of ale, and
a pot of whatever that is that I smell cooking in the
kitchen!”
    “Aye,” the tired-looking woman
acknowledged as she headed off to the kitchen.
    Jeff watched her depart and noticed an
angry-looking man bump into her as she made her way through the
crowd. He seemed to have fixed his stare on Captain Coxen and was
slowly approaching the table. Something about the man put Jeff on
edge and he wanted to be prepared in case there was trouble.
“Please excuse me,” Jeff said as he stood up from the table, and
casually walked toward the man. As Jeff passed by him, he could see
the man’s hand on the handle of a large knife contained in a sheath
that hung from his belt. Jeff quickly turned and followed close
behind him. The man walked up behind the Captain and drew his
knife.
    “Captain!” Crabtree yelled as he
spotted the man, but he and the rest of the crew were out of
position to lend any assistance. But Jeff was ready. Before the man
could attack, Jeff grabbed his arm and brought it swiftly down onto
his knee, knocking the knife from the man’s hand. Jeff immediately
followed with a ridge-hand chop to the man’s throat. He staggered
backwards and crashed to the floor on his back as Coxen and the
crew