Death Can Wait

Chapter 1

He stood at the helm of the small cargo ship staring into the darkness, ever vigilante for trouble. The ocean was calm and the sky clear, though it was not a storm he was worried about. The waters around his native country of Santa Divino were dangerous. Not due to currents or shallow waters. The danger emanated from a large island several miles from their shores. The inhabitants of the island were not to be trifled with.

Alejandro, the captain of the cargo vessel, had heard many stories about Isla de Lobos. He could not be sure how much was truth and what was a myth. He was only sure that many ships, and their crews, had gone missing over the years. It was much safer to travel at night. The risk of attack lower, though not altogether impossible.

His small vessel was easy to navigate through the shallow parts of the ocean. The trip from Santa Divino to Bahia, Brazil was a rather short one. Brazil sat directly south of the small country. Though, Bahia was closer to the southern port of Brazil. Alejandro figured their risk of attack was lower while traveling through the ocean’s shallows.

The cargo aboard his ship was almost always different. He exported goods to other countries in exchange for theirs. Bahia was known for its chemicals and fuel. Currently, his ship was loaded with crops that only grew in Santa Divino’s climate year round. Alejandro planned to sell his goods to the vendors in Bahia and return with exported chemicals. Once home he would be able to sell the chemicals to local corporations and even the government. The chemicals would range from insecticide to sterilization chemicals for hospitals. It was something Santa Divino was always in the market for.

Santa Divino was a relatively new country, as well as small. The surrounding countries like Brazil and Venezuela trumped it. Santa Divino barely had its own military. In the past few years, the government had slowly increased, but not as quickly as everyone had hoped for. The quicker it grew the safer they would all feel. There were rumors the president was working on creating a Navy, but there was no real evidence. Until then cargo ships, such as Alejandro’s, were on their own.

Despite Alejandro’s best efforts to dissuade her, his wife, Edita, had come along. The journey was perilous, he could not bear to have something happen to her. Edita would not let the issue die. The trip would have him away from home for several weeks. Besides, she had always dreamed of visiting Brazil.

All of her life she had lived in Santa Divino, never having ventured beyond the border. A chance to travel had stared her right in the face, she would be damned if she would let it pass her by. Eventually, Alejandro had caved and told her to pack her things. The look of excitement in her eyes had been wonderful, but he could not shake the terrible feeling of harm befalling her. He prayed to God to look over him, his crew, and his wife. All he wanted was safe passage to Bahia. He hoped God saw fit to answer in his favor.

Now, Edita slept peacefully below deck. Alejandro knew sleep would not come to him this night, not until they were far from the waters near Santa Divino. Those who lived on Isla de Lobos were known as pirates. They preyed upon ships leaving the country and took whatever resources onboard. Some said any women on board were captured and enslaved on the island. There they would either become the sexual slave of the inhabitants or sold into slavery elsewhere. Whatever the truth about the island, Alejandro hoped he would never know for sure. One day Santa Divino would have a navy. When that day finally came, they would be able to sail with confidence.

Captain, a sailor jogged to the helm. His eyes were wide, hands slightly shaky. Alejandro’s heart pounded. Captain Blancas. The lookout believes he has spotted something.

Spotted what?

He is not sure, but it may be small boats.

Small boats? Why is this important?

Power boats, captain. It looks to be a small fleet of them.

"Lobos?"

Could be sir.

Which direction are they heading?

Ours, captain.

Alejandro placed his head in his hands and tried to think. It was extremely unlikely to see small power boats this close to Santa Divino. Hardly a single person in the country owned a recreational vessel. Small sports boats were the common form of transportation for the inhabitants of Isla de Lobos. They carried enough fuel to get them from their island and into the path of the cargo ships such as Alejandro’s. They were harder to spot and allowed them to surround their victims.

Alejandro was not a rich man. He could not afford the best defensive weapons and neither could his crew. There were only three handguns onboard the ship. They would be no match for the arsenal the pirates would be carrying.

Much like the pirates near Somalia, the inhabitants of Isla de Lobos preferred modern automatic weapons and RPGs. They were well organized and used technological equipment one would not associate with pirates. They were smart and ruthless. Not the sort of men Alejandro wanted to come across with only three handguns.  

Increase our speed and let’s hope they are not from the island. Inform the men to be at the ready. If they continue their course toward us we will have to find an inlet to hide in while they pass by. Our vessel does not have much to offer, so we may be safe.

Aye, captain. The man headed off to prepare himself and the rest of the crew.  

God please watch over us, Alejandro thought as he increased speed. He would never forgive himself for letting Edita come with them. He should have known it would bring them nothing but trouble. It would have been safer for her to stay home. If they survived the night he would never allow her to come with him again.

Several minutes later the man returned to the helm. This time, the look of worry had become one of sheer panic. The look in his eyes told Alejandro everything he needed to know. The boats were hostile.

Is there time to hide? Alejandro said staring into the man’s eyes, desperate for a positive response. The man looked down and shook his head slowly.

They are heading straight for us.

"Mierda. Tell the men to report to their stations. We will do our best to maintain distance from them. God shall protect us. Sound the alarm."

Aye, the man yelled as he bolted out of the helm. Moments later a large, red light blinked across the deck, followed by a loud, obnoxious alarm. It wailed loudly across the calm ocean. There was no doubt the pirates could hear it.

As the men scrambled about the deck the captain tried to remain calm. He noticed his hands were shaking when his wife burst into the helm. Her eyes were wide with fear, bottom lip quivering. Her dark black hair was matted across her face from where she had been sleeping. The alarm had startled her awake. Alejandro hated the look on her face. It was because of him she was afraid.

Alejandro, what’s happening? Why is the alarm going off?

Edita, please go back below deck.

Not until you tell me what is going on.

Please, Edita, it’s too dangerous for you up here.

Dangerous? Why? What’s going on? Please, Alejandro, I’m scared.

Edita, sweetheart, there’s no time to explain.

"It’s lobos isn’t it? The pirates?"

Yes, Edita. Now please go below deck. I don’t want you hurt.

She stood still, staring at Alejandro. He could not tell if she was frozen in fear or merely refusing to do as he asked. Please, leave here.

What are we going to do?

I don’t know. They are catching up to us. The best we can do is try to out run them. They are using speedboats, their range will not be far. They may turn back to refuel.

Are you sure that will work?

It’s our only option.

What about weapons? Can the men fight?

We do not have enough weapons to fight them. They have more men and more weapons, now please, my love, go below deck. You will be safe I promise. His words tasted like lies.

Edita turned and stormed out of the helm. Alejandro took in a deep breath and tried to control his shaking. He had to be strong for his crew and he had to be strong for his wife. He could not allow her to see him as he was. She needed to have faith he could get them through this. Though he did his best to stay calm, he knew there was no escaping their fate.

Now, he could hear the powerful motors surrounding the ship. The pirates cried out and fired several warning shots across the deck. Alejandro did not slow. He kept moving on the same path hoping to get away. Short bursts of gunfire broke through the still night. Several crew members dropped dead to the deck. Alejandro let out a terrified cry.

The men began to panic and ran from their posts. The three men with the handguns stood firm and opened fire at their attackers. Two pirates were struck and toppled into the ocean. The other attackers returned fire. Two of the defenders were struck in the head the third was shot in the throat. He dropped to his knees, choking on blood.

In the panic on the deck, the handguns were kicked around and lost. More bullets erupted across the deck killing two more crew members. They were dropping like flies. Alejandro was in a fierce panic. They would soon board and all would be lost, everyone on board would be killed. His wife would be captured and sold away. She would be forced to live a life of pain and misery, it was all his fault. He had to do something. Fleeing was no longer an option. He gripped the small orange flare gun strapped behind the ship’s wheel.

A voice boomed through a loudspeaker and crackled through the still air. Slow your engines and allow us to board and we will let you live. In a panic, Alejandro let go of the wheel and abandoned the helm. He sprinted across the deck and spotted the boat carrying the man with the loudspeaker.

Go to hell, he screamed as he fired the flare gun. A blinding red light exploded in the darkness, Alejandro shielded his eyes. The flare landed square in the center of the speed boat and the driver burst into flames. He let out a blood-curdling scream as he dove overboard. The boat began to drift and the man with the loudspeaker gripped the wheel. He corrected the course before the boat could crash into another. He let out a yell that Alejandro could not hear. A second later the attackers opened fire again.

The speed boats surrounded their port and starboard sides. They would not be able to escape them now. It was all over. He knew their time had come. He would have no choice but to stop the ship. Maybe they would spare the rest of his crew and Edita.

Edita burst back onto the deck screaming for Alejandro, tears streaming down his face. He turned to look at her. He was about to run to her side when suddenly he remembered the helm. It had been left unattended for too long. He spun on his heel and dashed in its direction, but it was too late. The ship collided with a large section of coral which jutted several inches out of the water. A hole tore open in the hull and the entire crew flew forward across the deck. Two crew members fell overboard, breaking bones on the railings and walls. Edita was thrown across the deck and slid to a stop next to Alejandro, who immediately threw his arms around her.

The ships engines continued to roar to no effect. The ship had run aground. The speed boats slowed and surrounded the ship completely. They hollered and cheered as they cut the power to their engines. Alejandro watched in horror as hooks were tossed against the banisters and the attackers began to board.

Once on deck, they wasted no time executing crew members. Only a handful was pulled to their feet and forced to the center of the deck, including Alejandro and Edita. They were all forced to their knees. Many of the crew members sobbed and begged for their lives. These men were shot in the back of the head and tossed overboard as if they were trash.

The man who seemed to be in charge stepped forward, looking at the remaining crew members. For nearly a minute, he stared, his eyes locked on Edita and stepped towards her. Tears rolled down her cheek as he wrapped his fingers around her throat. As she began to choke Alejandro cried for him to stop. The man ignored his outburst and his men restrained him.

He pushed her head from side to side as if inspecting her. He smiled and loosened his grip. She took in a gulp of air and coughed. She will do nicely, he said stepping back. Mateo will be very pleased. He motioned to his men. They grabbed her under her arms and hauled her across the deck. Alejandro lunged forward but was quickly restrained.

Let her go. Take whatever you want, but leave her alone.

Wait, the leader yelled. The two men dragging her stood still. You must be the captain of this vessel.

Please, let her go.

The man stood silent for a moment, glancing at the remaining crew members. They cowered in fear. Finally, the leader looked at his other men. Kill the others. Leave the captain alive. Alejandro did not have time to protest. The remainder of his crew were executed in front of his eyes. You are no longer the captain and you give no orders. He waved for the men to continue dragging Edita away. She kicked and screamed, but they held firm. Again Alejandro tried to run towards her, but the barrel of a gun was jammed against his spine and he was held back.

The leader approached and pulled him to his feet, the gun still in his back. The leader slid a large machete from his belt. He pressed it firmly against Alejandro’s neck and led him to the banister. He then spun him around and pushed his head forward. Alejandro now stared at the dark waves beneath the ship. He could see the moon reflecting off the ocean and smelled the familiar salty smell. At any other time in his life, it would have brought him comfort. Now he was only petrified. Edita, he yelled. Please let her go. I will give you whatever you want.

Alejandro felt the machete dig deeper into his throat. We will be taking whatever cargo you have onboard with us. A vessel like this one has a safe onboard to pay for port fees in other countries. You will tell us the combination.

Let Edita go and I will give you the combination.

The leader laughed. If you give me the combination I give you my word I will let her go.

Through gritted teeth, Alejandro gave up the combination. He explained what cargo they were carrying and the exact location of the safe. Thank you, the leader said.

Now let her go. You gave me your word. He said with his head still hung over the banister.

That is true, the leader said. I did tell you I would let her go. He leaned forward and whispered in his ear, Let her go with us.

Alejandro screamed as the leader slid the blade sideways with great ferocity. He watched as his blood poured over the edge of the ship, a cloud of red in the dark ocean below. He felt his knees start to give way. The last thing Alejandro ever saw was the reflection of the moon shimmering in the crimson pool of his own blood upon the calm sea.       

Chapter 2

She plunged her feet into the soft, balmy beach sand with closed eyes. The air around her was hot, but the cool ocean breeze kept her comfortable. All around people talked and moved about. The beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were popular. Unfortunately, it also meant theft was abundant. Renee Walker had read all about scam artists in the tourist areas of Brazil. In order to not become a victim, she had followed every instruction she had read. As she sunbathed, her bag was tied around the leg of her beach chair and she had it firmly against her body. And with her husband, Luke, sitting next to her she was a lot less worried.

Nothing about their trip had been suspicious. Everyone was kind and the city was gorgeous. Renee had found it hard to believe the stories after spending a few days in the wonderful city. Brazil had its crime just like every other country in the world. She was all too familiar with misconceptions. She and Luke lived in a luxury apartment in New York City. Most people pictured the city as dirty and scary, gangs meandering the streets at all hours of the day and night, but it simply was not the case.

Renee and Luke had flown down from New York to Rio de Janeiro for her twenty-ninth birthday. It had always been a city she wanted to see, the beaches were said to be spectacular. Renee knew it would be a wonderful time. Loving the idea, Luke went to work planning an amazing trip and it had been wonderful. Now their week was coming to end, neither of them was ready to go back home.

The day after they arrived they had met up with their friends Keith and Hailey. They had also decided to take a trip to Brazil to celebrate Renee’s birthday. Unlike Renee and Luke, they did not fly. Instead, they took their forty-six-foot yacht from Florida and sailed down. Hailey Thompson had been sailing all of her life, she was excellent at it. For some time, Hailey wanted to set off on a sailing adventure around the world, alone. She was confident her abilities were strong enough to complete the long journey and return home safe and sound.

Her boyfriend, Keith Parker, had not been much of a sailor before the two of them met. Born and raised in North Carolina, he had studied law and moved down to Florida, where he owned his own law firm in the Tampa Bay area. He knew the basics about boats, his dad having taken him on long fishing trips as a kid, but long voyages on the sea was not his forte. Luckily he shared Hailey’s passion for adventure, the two of them would sail as often as life would allow. Quickly, Keith fell in love with the open ocean, Hailey had taught him more than he thought possible.  

Keith and Luke had been friends from a young age. Growing up in North Carolina together, they lived next door to one another. They did everything together. In their college years, they even picked the same university. Always inseparable.

It was that way until graduation. Life always had a funny way of changing when you got older. Luke majored in business, Keith in law. After meeting Hailey in college, Keith decided to move with her to Florida, deciding to open his law firm there. Luke stayed in New York to work in the stock market. Separating had been the hardest thing the two of them had ever done, but soon after their hard work paid off. Both men were living comfortably, with the means to plan several trips a year to see each other.

As time went on, though, it became harder for the two of them to keep it up. To maintain their lifestyle both men understood they had to put in a lot of hours at work. Shortly after, work came before play. Their visits receded to once a year. Not long after became once every other year.

When Keith had learned Luke and Renee would be celebrating her twenty-ninth birthday in Rio he decided it was the perfect excuse to get away. Hailey was in love with sailing and never turned down the chance to climb aboard her yacht.

The week had been wonderful. Many nights were spent inside clubs and bars. The same amount of time was spent lounging on the beach, catching up. Now with the last day of their wonderful vacation regrettably upon them, they were doing their best to make the most of every last second.

You enjoy your birthday, sweetheart? Luke asked as he brushed the sand from his arms.

It was incredible! Rio is beautiful. I’m going to miss it here. We’ll have to visit again as soon as we can.

I’ve heard Carnival is awesome.

That would be wonderful. Do you think we could?

I don’t see why not. We should plan on it. Maybe Hailey and Keith would like to sail down again.

Speaking of those two, where’d they go?

I think they said something about prepping the yacht.

Oh?

Could you imagine? Sailing the open ocean from here back to Florida? That has to be one hell of a trip.

"I can only imagine. Would you do it?"

What sail that far? I have no clue how to sail a ship.

No, Luke, I mean would you sail with them if you could?

I don’t know. Would you?

I think if I had the chance I would. It might be a lot of fun.

Luke gave her a smile and climbed to his feet.

We should probably get going. We have to pack our things and make sure we catch our flight. We wouldn’t want to get stuck here for another week would we?

Oh yeah, that would be terrible. She laughed, as Luke helped her to her feet. They spent the next few minutes brushing the sand from their bodies and shaking towels into the wind. When they finally packed up their beach gear, they hiked across the sand and back to the bustling streets of Rio.

Back at the hotel room they showered and packed. Renee got that familiar feeling of disappointment in her gut. It was always terrible leaving a vacation, especially one that had been so much fun. Luke, why can’t we just stay on vacation forever?

Because then it wouldn’t be a vacation, it would just be normal.

She stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout as she stuffed the last of her clothes in the suitcase. With everything ready to go, they took one last look at the hotel room. With a sigh, they switched off the light and headed downstairs to the lobby.

They hailed a cab and directed it towards the marina. They had to meet up with Keith and Hailey one last time before parting ways. Luke and Renee spotted them at the end of the pier, running back and forth across the deck of their yacht. Luke wondered how much work it was to prepare a yacht to sail, especially the incredible distance from Brazil to Florida. It seemed almost impossible.  

Keith, Hailey, whatcha up to? He called out, waving for them to come aboard. There was no argument from Luke and Renee. It was a gorgeous vessel. Though neither of them knew anything about yachts, they were extremely impressed.

Headin’ home? Keith asked, taking a seat on the cushioned chair in front of the ship’s wheel.

Yeah, I guess it’s about that time. Been a hell of a week.

You got that right.

Hailey finished tying a knot on the mast and walked over, sitting next to Keith. Keith motioned for Luke and Renee to sit and they did. The breeze blew across the deck whipping up the familiar salty smell. Renee thought about her question to Luke earlier, now wishing they were joining Keith and Hailey on their return trip. She was not ready to head home, she yearned for the adventure.

Hailey must have recognized the look on her face. Have we given you a tour before?

No, we’ve seen it on Facebook, but not in person, Renee said.

Well, you have to see it then. You have time right?

Renee nodded wildly, almost hurting her neck. Hailey smiled as she stood up. The rest followed her. It’s a Bavaria Vision 46, I know that might not mean much to you guys, but trust me it’s one of the best. Come on, we’ll show you below deck.

Hailey and Keith disappeared below deck. Luke and Renee kept close behind. The short