Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

 

Some pirates were singing on the other side of the deck, and playing accordion, while some later joined in dancing, and they created a scene for the others to watch. Captain Casablanca walked out of his cabin, watching them too. As he was watching a thought came into his mind. He spoke to himself, speaking out his thought, ‘could it be a good move?’ He smiled, having got a satisfactory answer within himself. He walked back to the cabin, sitting on the chair, and sat there for some minutes, thinking and then walked out, and called a pirate. The pirates were still playing music. ‘Hey, come here.’ 

‘Yes, Captain.’ 

‘Get me Zealot and Thomas.’

‘Aye, Captain.’ He quickly moved away.

Some minutes later Zealot and Thomas walked down to Captain Casablanca cabin, and entered in.

‘Sit down, comrades. I have a serious matter to discuss with you. You know we have a great weapon at our hand.’ He said with a radiating face. 

‘Weapon? Which type of one?’ Thomas asked with inquisitives.  Captain Casablanca smiled, brushing on his bears.

‘Don’t you know we have a new weapon? I am talking about the wonder beer.’ He finally said. Thomas and Zealot looked each other with amazement.

‘How is that a weapon, Captain?’ Zealot asked, not satisfied by what Captain Casablanca said, wanting him to give further explanation. 

‘We can use the wonder beer to display our notoriety to any ship. Even now that will want to go to Ireland to rob. We need this beer. Don’t you think?’ Thomas and Zealot now fully understood Captain Casablanca. They nodded with understanding.

‘Okay. I got what you mean.’ Zealot affirmed. 

Captain Casablanca further explained on the usefulness of the beer particularly on the mission they would embark on to Ireland. ‘We’re going to the treasure Island. I mean we’re going to the place where treasure of the Irish government is.’ He looked at men, and continued with his discussion. ‘We will need the wonder beer to carry out our mission. The Treasure Island is always guard twenty hours per day all through the year. Comrades we are going for a difficult mission.’ He stopped to hear the comment of the two men, as they heave a sigh. 

‘It’s a difficult mission indeed.’ Thomas agreed.

Captain smiled, he knew he had to speak, knowing they were scared. ‘It’s a very simply mission, though dangerous indeed. That’s when we will need the wonder beer to assist us in carrying out our mission successfully. The security guards would not know of anything, we’ve leave. Are you with me?’ He asked.

‘But since the war just ended, won’t that make them to tighten up the security seriously?’ Thomas asked.

‘Sure, they will tighten their security, but there is no how, will we’ll find our way through, and get what we want. Comrades, be confident in what I’ve said. All we just need is to be extra careful. There is plenty of gold in that cave. It’s an underground cave.’

‘I support you, Captain.’ Zealot said.

‘I too, Captain.’ Thomas said, and Captain Casablanca smiled. 

‘Comrades, let’s have a toast for victory.’ As they were discussing, a storm arouse on the sea, tossing the ship here and there. It was a heavy storm. ‘Men, we have to suspend the toast for now. Let’s meet later. Let’s attend to this wind.’ They all ran outside out of the cabin. There was water already on the deck when they got out of the cabin, and Captain Casablanca ordered some of the pirates to get the water out of the deck. Thomas was also giving orders to his men. 

‘ Row,row!’ The wind was a strong one for them. It titled the ship very dangerously, not minding if it wrecked. After about thirty minutes of serious battle with the wind, it receded. The time was eleven o’clock pm at that moment. Everybody had worn out; the storm had drained out their strength. The water had returned back to its peace calmness, but it was night. Captain Casablanca returned back to his cabin, very tired. He sat on the seat and slept off.

He woke up next day, feeling aches on his head, and walked to a bowl of water at a corner of the cabin, and washed his face. He combed his mustache, and put on his hat, and walked out of the cabin. ‘Good morning, comrades.’ He said to some pirates.

‘Morning, Captain.’ They replied, as he walked down the staircase. 

‘Good morning, Captain.’ Zealot said, and walked with him. ‘Captain, there is a cliff afar off. We’re almost getting to Ireland.’ 

‘Good.’ He collected the binocular from him, and looked into it, and smiled. ‘Tell your men, to lower the flag.’

‘Aye, Captain.’ Zealot ordered a pirate to do so. 

Captain Casablanca said to Zealot, ‘Get me some choice men. I need about twenty of them. Not all the battalion will go for the mission. I need intelligent ones.’

‘Aye.’ He was about turning to go when Captain called him back. 

‘When you’re finished with that, you and Thomas should see me in my cabin.’

‘Aye, Captain.’ He moved away.

Some minutes later, Thomas and Zealot walked to meet him in his cabins. ‘Sit down. As I earlier told said, that this mission is a dangerous one. It’s quite different from the mission we have been having previously.’ 

The two men were listening to him, attentively. He continued, ‘That’s the more reason we can’t afford to fail. Failure is death. The wonder beer the scientist made, do work wonder for about ten minutes before elapsed, so, whatever we must do, must be within the speculated time.’ The two men nodded, as Captain Casablanca continued, ‘I have discovered where the gold bar and other jewels are kept.’

‘Hum!’ Thomas surprised.

‘The gold is at the basement. It is about fifty deep into the earth. The basement is seriously guard by heavy security men. I really can’t say about how many they are.’

‘But, Captain. How do you know about all this?’ Zealot asked.

Captain Casablanca laughed. ‘I was part of the gorilla soldiers that fought against the Irish government. I was of one of the machineries; I got to know about this from one of the citizens of the land who worked there. I have tried many times to see how I can break into the place by myself, but I found it very difficult. But now it is as simple as anything.’

‘Will you join us in this mission, Captain?’ Thomas said, looking at his face.

‘Sure. I will lead it.’ 

‘About how many men do you need for this mission, Captain?’ Thomas asked again.

‘We need about twenty.’ Captain Casablanca answered, and turned to Zealot, ‘How many of them have you gotten now?’

‘About ten.’ 

‘We need more ten. Work on them immediately, you leave.’ Captain Casablanca ordered.

‘Aye, Captain.’

‘I know I’m among the twenty, Captain?’ Thomas asked, looking at him.

‘No, Thomas.’ Captain Casablanca said.

‘Why, Captain?’ He was not happy with the response he got from the Captain. He looked at Zealot, wanting to know if he knows about the reason why he can’t join them.

‘You wouldn’t  join for a good reason.’

‘But I want to be part of the mission.’ Thomas insisted.

‘The three of us can’t leave the ship at the same time. Who will be the captain when I and Zealot is not around? Do you want me to give order of leadership to Jack, the Dwarf or who?’ he tapped Thomas on the shoulder. ‘Just reason with me, Thomas; there is no one of them who have the knowledge of the ship than you.’ He stood up from his seat walked up and down. ‘Can you now see the reason why? In case after we have gone, and you waited for us, till sunset, and we don’t show up. You have to sail away. Then you’ll resume to the leadership officer, as the next captain of the ship.’ He walked to Thomas, holding him on the shoulder, looking at him. ‘Just be strong, Thomas.  The moment we get to Ireland, the mission begins. Now, to the two of you, none of you must relate about the secret of this mission to any other pirates. Okay.’

‘Aye, Captain!’ The two men responded. 

‘Zealot, get me the scientist. He has to prepare the beer in excess for us, for the sake of the mission. Do not allow any other member of the crew to drink it, even after we have gone.’ He turned to Thomas.  ‘The two of you can now leave.’

‘Aye, Captain.’ They left together to get the scientist. 

Some minutes later, Zealot walked in with the scientist to meet, Captain and he left. The man was looking round the whole artifacts in the cabin, so impressed with them, not recognizing presence of Captain Casablanca. Then Captain coughed, to get the attention of the man. 

‘I called you. Please sit down.’

‘Thank you.’ The man said with appreciation, and sat down.

‘I called you for any important reason.’ The scientist was still looking round. ‘Are you listening to me?’ Captain Casablanca said to get his divided attention. 

‘I’m hearing you.’

‘We want to take your beer for an exhibition to Ireland, and I think it will be good if you can produce it in large qualities. Can you produce it that much?’ He lied.

The man was silent, not responding, when Captain said again, ‘Can you produce it in large quantities?’

‘Yes. But on one condition.’ The Scientist replied, looking at Captain Casablanca.

‘And what’s that condition?’

‘I want my part of my share when you come back, and I want to be set free. I don’t want to be a pirate.’ He frowned.

‘H’m!’ Captain Casablanca thought for awhile, and then answered. ‘I agreed.’ The Scientist was happy. 

‘I am happy to go to Ireland too.’ The Scientist said.

‘Okay.’ Captain looked at him mischievously. and smiled, too. ‘Now, when will you get us the beer in large quantities?’

‘I’m ready now.’

‘What would you need?’

‘I will need fresh water in large quantities as part of the compositions for the beer. I don’t know if you have that very much?’

‘There’s no problem about that. My men will fetch you that.’ Captain Casablanca said with excitement. ‘When you get out of my cabin, get in touch with Thomas. He will give you all you need. You can go.’ The man left the cabin, and Captain was brushing on his mustache, smiling.