Read Skyjackers: Episode 1: A Proper Nuisance (Skyjackers: Season One) for Free Online Page B

with the Caines and
any other such customers you may have. I’m working hard to bring the Caine
family to justice.”
    Hill gave him a curious look. “You aren’t awfully familiar
with the Caines, are you?”
    “Well enough to know they ought to be stopped.”
    “Then I wish you all the luck in the world. I reckon you’ll
need every ounce of it.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Not a reassurance,” Hill muttered.
    Jonathan glanced around. “Well… I’ll take my leave then. Good
day.”
    “Door’s that way.”
    “Yes. Right.”
    As soon as Jonathan was gone, Gilbert Hill went to the parlor
and picked up the receiver on his bluewave radio.
    ***
    Vivian returned to the Caine mansion to find a band of
pirates tromping home from the jungle. They were carrying bags, chests, and
small cages stuffed with familiar cats. Lily and Poleax emerged from the jungle
last, bringing up the rear of the column. Junior and Benedict came bursting
through a side door in the house and rushed out to meet them.
    “What’s all this about?” Benedict asked.
    Lily shuffled past the others and ran to her father’s arms,
sobbing incoherently.
    Benedict was puzzled. “Have you broken my child, Poleax?
Explain yourself.”
    Lily broke in before Poleax could respond. “He tried to make
me run away, Daddy.”
    “Why I—I did nothing of the sort,” Poleax stammered.
    “Yes you did. You said running away was the only thing to
do.”
    “That was because you told me you didn’t want to be a
pirate.”
    Benedict bristled. “I’ve never heard such a load of
balderdash in all my life. Have I not treated you as a friend, Poleax? Have I
not given you a prestigious command in my fleet?”
    “You have, Ben. I was only trying to—”
    “Then perhaps you ought to treat this family with a little
more respect. It’s one thing for you to shun my dinner invitations. Poisoning
my daughter against me is quite another. Come, Lily-Billy. Let’s take you
inside and get you all cleaned up.” Benedict turned to Lily’s crew. “As for you
lot, get this all back where it belongs. When you’ve done with that, swab the Swan’s
Sorrow to a spit-shine and await my further beratement.”
     Benedict took Lily inside while her crew grunted their loads
toward Mandrake Hollow, the massive canyon system where the Caines hid their
airships between voyages. Cork Buffner came to stand beside Vivian, laden with
the sack of gold chips from Mr. Hill.
    Junior eyed the sack and raised an eyebrow. “Is that all you
got for the crown jewels?”
    “This is quite a few chips, thank you very much.”
    Junior waggled his head, unconvinced. He turned to Poleax,
who was still standing there, dumbfounded. “Say, Uncle. You busy tonight?”
    “Well, I was going to—”
    “Right. That settles it, then. Dad wants you to smuggle a
herd of stallions from Bixbury.”
    “A what? From where?”
    “Have the Hummingbird ready to lift off by sunset. I
dare say you can’t afford to disappoint him again.” Junior followed his father
and sister into the house.
    Mr. Buffner grunted, shifting the sack in his hands. “Where
shall I set these down, Captain?”
    Vivian gave a disgusted sigh. “Clearly Father doesn’t care.
Just dump them in the treasury.”

Chapter 5
    Jonathan stood in the Dower village square beside a
tall copper statue. He waited until his legs grew tired. When he saw no sign of
ship or crew, he sat with his back to the statue’s stone pedestal, placed the
bag holding the crown jewels between his legs, and watched the sun as it melted
into the rooftops. A woman carrying a basket of bread stopped on her way home
to offer him half a loaf. He ate it plain, down to the end, and tossed the
crust to the birds crowding in the dusky trees.
    The stars were in full bloom by the time Jonathan heard heavy
boots crunching over gravel behind him. He turned to see the silhouettes of
Dean Manchester and Luke Bigsby, his quartermaster, approaching. Bigsby was a
thick-bearded man, his