Living Legends

15) Trapped

Jack awoke to the murmuring of voices.  He slowly pushed himself up with one arm and blinked rapidly in the hazy morning glow.  For a moment he wondered what had made the ground in his cave suddenly so soft, but then he remembered.

            “Look who’s awake,” a deep voice said.  Three pairs of eyes immediately turned to Jack, who frowned and sat up in his bed.

            Clyde, who was seated in in between lackeys, smiled mischievously.  “Did you get a good rest, Sleeping Beauty?”

            “Best I’ve had in a while,” Jack muttered.

            Suddenly, all three men lunged forward.  Before Jack even knew what was happening, his arms were pinned to the wall behind him and Clyde had shoved his hands up against Jack’s chest.  “So, Nau,” he spat, “enlighten us.  Now that the nosy girl’s gone, you can tell us everything we need to know.  Starting with the map.”

            Jack squared his jaw.  The confrontation brought back memories of being beaten on another boat shortly before being abandoned on the island.  He was a pro at this, but it still didn’t keep the nerves away.

            “Every second you’re quiet is another second we waste looking for that treasure.”  Clyde shoved Jack harder against the wall, evoking a small grunt.

            “I told you before; I don’t know.”

            “That’s not good enough.”

            “Sorry, but that’s the way it is.  I don’t have your stupid map.”

            Clyde narrowed his eyes.  In a split second, he relieved the pressure on Jack’s chest and used one hand to slap him in the face.  Jack recoiled, his cheek stinging.  “You had six months!” Clyde roared.  “Why do you think we kept you alive that long, boy?”

            Jack remained silent, which proved to aggravate Clyde even more.  “Tell me!” he screeched.

            “I.  Don’t.  Know.”

            A backhand slap.  Jack’s face was flung in the opposite direction.  Now both of his cheeks were stinging, and his upper lip was cut diagonally, exposing a portion of his teeth.  He swallowed and tasted blood.

            Clyde cursed and began pacing across the floor.  As he muttered to himself, Jack ran over the options in his head.  All three men were unarmed, as far as he could see—unless they were carrying handguns in the backside of their jeans.  If he could just break his arms free and launch himself across the room—provided the door was unlocked—he could dash upstairs and alert the Captain.  He didn’t believe Clyde was telling the truth when he said he would shoot Jack.  Jack was precious; the only link to the treasure map.  Clyde wouldn’t dare kill him.

            But he would kill Hayley.  Jack shuddered at the thought.  He was annoyed at the single major flaw in his plans—Hayley.  If it wasn’t for her, he could force his way out of this mess.  But now that she was involved, he felt obligated to protect her, even if she still didn’t remember him from Orange Grove.

            “Lock him in the head,” Clyde demanded.  Jack struggled as the two men easily overpowered him and shut him inside the bathroom.  They slammed the door and stuffed furniture on the outside to keep Jack from prying it open.

            Jack sighed and plopped down on the floor.  He realized that they had cleared the head of all supplies while he had been sleeping.  There were no razors, no shaving cream, no tools of any kind to possibly help him or entertain him—or hurt him.  To make things worse, Jack’s stomach felt like it was folding in on himself, he was so hungry.  He hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon.  Would Clyde even allow him to get breakfast?