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discussing the anomalies the centuries had wrought was aware of his adeptness at capturing vessels even in the waters… and times… he now found himself sailing.   The pirates had become used to changes with each trip, but their natural ferocity had always managed to surprise the unsuspecting travelers they had come across.   Of course, knowing that unlike their prey they could not be permanently sent to the depths of Davy Jones’ Locker, certainly added to their courage.
     
    “Untether the lines, and push off.   I want to set some distance between our ship and any support that returns when they see the smoke.”   Deegan knew he and his crew could not be permanently dispatched, but he was not sure of the women’s situation and he was not willing to take the chance of losing Clarette once again.
     
    The crew hastily set sail and left their stolen commodities on deck.   They did not bother to place anything below in the hold, because when the ship returned to the island there would be precious little time to unload their plunder.   On more than one occasion they had been forced to quickly toss their stolen goods over the side rail so they did not disappear with the vessel.
     
    Several of the crew cornered the Quartermaster with whispers of ‘Clarette’, and were giving quick, nervous glances in Monique’s direction.   Johnny finally agreed to approach Deegan, as he was also anxious about the young woman.   “Captain, the crew… I mean, well, me and the crew… we was wondering about the girl.   Some of them… I mean, me too… think we should discuss removing her from the schooner.”   Deegan’s face remained impassive, and Johnny missed the tell-tail sign of his clenching jaw.   “Perhaps it would have been a good idea to just leave her behind to sink with the other vessel?”
     
    Johnny shrunk back when he saw the quietly contained seething anger in his Captain’s eyes.   Deegan would not argue the girl’s identity, as he certainly recognized her as the sea witch who had cursed them.   “Why do you suppose she has returned, Johnny?   Perhaps it is to remove the curse and set us free.   At the very least, I intend to express my displeasure with her actions.   She will not get the light hand I offered to her last time, and she will be kneeling by my side within the month.”
     
    Johnny remembered Deegan’s reaction the last time the girl had been taken from him.   After weeks of their futile search for Tortuga, they eventually ended up on their island of exile.   As soon as the routine of their existence took hold, the Captain had sunk into a foul despair, refusing to allow the crew to even mention the French coquette’s name in their curses as they carved out their new lives.
     
    The Quartermaster returned to the crew and gave them the Captain’s decision on the matter.   He was surprised when most of them seemed pleased by his words.   The thought of the curse being lifted, or their sadistic Captain plying his sexual proclivities on the young woman, seemed to appease them.
     
    “Take the women below deck and contain them while we distance ourselves from the vessel,” Deegan ordered.
     
    Johnny and Felix pulled the women to their feet and corralled them to the hatch leading below deck.   There was a loud explosion, and Hannah turned to see part of the hull from the expensive yacht blown out as the flames reached either the fuel or the engine.   It was already sinking by the time she followed Marsha into the bowels of the ship.
     
    Patti was at the front and whimpering as her bare feet slid on the algae covered floorboards.   The narrow companionway was dark, and the ship reeked of putrid decay that caused her to gag.   Johnny finally grabbed her wrist to encourage her progress past the cabins.   The path opened up to a larger room, lit by a single open porthole set high in the side of the hull inside an old cell.   The heavy metal bars were pitted and rusted, though