Thanks for the comments so far. I know there's not much to say after only the
Prologue . Hopefully you will have questions and comments after the first chapter.
I know I said it would be a few days between posts but as the Prologue is short I thought I'd let you have Chapter 1 now.
--- is a mini flashback ---
_________
Chapter 1: Deception The tavern was full. Clamour and smoke from the patrons filled the air. The floor was sticky, dried beer being the cause.
He didn’t want to be here; didn’t want to mingle with these people, but it was his job, his duty, and he would see it through.
He held the bile down in his stomach as he strode along the floor. His boots alternately struck, then stuck to the wooden boards. His wary eyes flickered around the room; looking for possible danger, looking for possible recruits, looking for a free table.
He spotted one in a dark corner and slid onto a stool. His automatic reaction was to slide further into the dark and avoid all contact with these people but that wouldn’t do tonight. He needed to be visible. He needed to attract interest.
A tavern wench approached him and bent over the table. “Can I get you anything” she asked suggestively.
“Ah, just a ...” he paused and adjusted his attitude. “A bottle ... of whatever is your cheapest.” He looked her in the eye, avoiding the ample bosom on full view. “Now,” he growled when she didn’t immediately scurry away to fetch his drink.
A foul taste in his mouth had him licking his lips. He hated this; hated acting this way, but it was his job, and that was one thing he took seriously. He pulled out a rolled up parchment and quill then waited. The bottle was placed unceremoniously on his table and he reached for it without looking up. He tossed some coins down and they disappeared immediately.
One swig of the foul liquid cleared his throat and then he shouted out over the loud din, making his intentions known to the whole room.
It didn’t take long for a line to appear. His ship had a reputation. He took down names and gave out instructions.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The dungeon was a little warmer than usual today. He could tell because he wasn’t shivering. He actually dared to uncurl his legs and climb out from under the thin, thread-bare blanket. When his bare feet touched the dank, slimy, grit floor he had to hold in the contents of his stomach.
He stood up and wrapped the blanket around his shoulder. It might be warmer than usual but that still meant it was bitterly cold down here ... in the dark ... in the forgotten places.
Shuffling along the floor slowly he headed for the faint light spilling through the small barred opening in the top of his door. He gripped the bars in his fists and pushed his head as far forward as possible. As he craned his neck and strained his eyes he caught sight of the jailor.
“Hey!” he croaked out. “Hey you!” The man shuffled, obviously uncomfortable, but didn’t acknowledge him. “I need to get a message to someone. Up in the mansion.” He gripped harder, more urgently pleading. “Please, I need to send a message.”
The soldier obviously didn’t want to keep up the pretence of continuing to ignore him when it could go on all night so he broke his post. Striding over to the cell he put himself nose to nose with the prisoner. “I’ve been told about you ... deceiver. I don’t believe a word that comes out of that filthy mouth of yours so save your breath and get back in your cell.”
With that, the jailor strode off and back to his post.
The prisoner let his muscles relax and he dropped away from the door. Sinking into the uncomfortable bed he sighed.
I have to get word to someone. But no-one will believe me. The guards who imprisoned me down here were obviously under the pay of Lex. ---“But I’m the Governor!” he protested as he was dragged down the stone steps. “Stop right now and unhand me,” he demanded.
“Not any more. Lex Luthor is Governor of Port Metropolis now.” The soldier’s reply was full of scorn. Horror hit his heart.
What is Lex going to do now? What will become of the rest of the Luthor family? Port Metropolis will surely deteriorate under his leadership.---
The guards under the pay of new Governor had paid no attention to his cries and pleas over the following months. Then, suddenly, they were all gone. Replaced by new soldiers.
He tried to get them to listen. He hoped they were not in Lex’s pay. It didn’t seem like it. But something worse had happened.
He’d changed. His beard and hair were long and unkempt. His body was weak and bony. His clothes were dirty, ripped and grimy.
No-one believed his claim to be the rightful Governor. Why would they? He certainly didn’t look the part.
But even worse than that ... Lex had convinced everyone that he was dead.
I need to get a message to someone. But how? If only I could send just one word. A single word to my trusted secretary. But in the ten months he had been down here he had seen no-one but the guards. No visitors, no other prisoners ... and the guards thought him mad and a trickster.
Just one word to Gabe and he’d find me. I know it. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As the liquid in the bottle drained away so the recruit line dwindled until only two were left.
“Name,” he asked wearily.
“Jimmy ... uh James Olsen, sir.”
He looked up at the young sounding voice. “You’re too young,” he spoke. “Go home.”
“Please sir, I’m fifteen. I can do anythin’ you ask.” He took in the young boy’s appearance.
Curly ginger hair, boyish round face covered in freckles. They were most likely caused by the beating sun. This boy had never seen work on a ship.
“You don’t want to be a pirate Jimmy, go find a nice apprenticeship somewhere.”
“No-one’ll have me. I’ve been lookin’ after my father an’ he died last week. There’s no-one at home an’ no money to buy an apprenticeship. There’s no food left ...” The young lad’s voice trailed off, almost breaking. “Please.”
He sighed. This was too hard. Did he give in to the compassion for the boy?
But if he did then that would condemn him to a violent, dangerous, unlawful life as a pirate. Either that, or an early death ... especially if he was assigned as a powder monkey, which was very likely.
He looked away and took a swig from the bottle then wrote down the young boy’s name, dying a little inside. The lad grinned and walked off.
Blinking to clear his eyes from the smoke permeating the air in the tavern he forced himself to focus on the list of names gracing the parchment on the table in front of him. His fingers gripped tightly to the quill, ink dripping from the end.
I’m condemning them all. He gritted his teeth.
“Next,” he spoke as gruffly as he could, not looking up. On the edge of his vision he saw dark brown trousers step into view and a nervous voice spoke.
“I’d like to sign up, sir.”
“We don’t take women,” he replied instinctively. It wasn’t unheard of for females to serve on pirate ships, or even to become captain, but his captain had forbidden it.
“I’m not a woman, sir,” came the stronger reply and he glanced up to see a tall, not quite lanky boy, in ragged clothes stood at the table. He squinted to try and focus better through the dark. The lad’s face was as smooth as his voice. Not yet old enough to shave.
“Lad, you should be at home.” Not another one.
“I want to join. Please sir. I need to.”
He felt something tug at his heart again.
I cannot let emotion get to me, not if I am to fulfil my role. “Go home son.” He returned his gaze to the recruit list.
“I have no home. This is my only chance.” He sighed and dropped the quill. Lifting his hands he dragged them down his face wearily.
“Ok, then, what’s your name?”
“Lois ... um ... Lewis Samson. Louis. Or just Lou.” The pen scratched as he added the young lad’s name.
“We leave at dawn tomorrow.” He did not raise his gaze again but he heard a shuffle as the lad moved his feet.
“What do I call you, sir?”
“I am Quartermaster of the Pirate Ship Kandor.” After pausing he looked up and directly into the new recruit’s eyes. He felt strangely uneasy. Burying his emotions deep he continued. “You can call me Kal.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
So, you know who/what Clark and Lex are. You've also met Jimmy and Lois. But who is the man in the dungeon?
More characters from Superman lore and from Smallville will be introduced throughout this story. Watch for them. Some are main characters and some are throw-away remarks.
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