{"id":313,"date":"2014-12-30T05:35:23","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T05:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=313"},"modified":"2021-11-29T19:55:55","modified_gmt":"2021-11-30T01:55:55","slug":"part1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode7\/part1\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 7: \u00a0Here Ye Be Pirates<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part 1<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alone at the bar, a young woman played with the stem of her wine glass, watching the liquid swish around the bowl. With the brush of a quick breeze, her eyes drifted towards the door. Left disappointed by the unfamiliar face, she sighed and glanced at her watch. She had been sitting here, alone, for over an hour and was beginning to believe that she had been stood up. The lights in the bar dimmed, alerting the patrons inside that they had now entered the evening hours.<\/p>\n

This is it; I\u2019m leaving,<\/em> she decided and pulled out her cash to pay her bill. As she stood, straightening out her sleek black dress, footsteps approached her table. She swore to herself that if it was another drunk trying to pick her up, she would use some of her newly-acquired training to tell them she wasn\u2019t interested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou aren\u2019t leaving already? Are you?\u201d The familiar male voice startled her, and she met his gaze.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re late,\u201d she said with a slight growl to her voice. Nonetheless, she sat back down, indicating that the man who had finally joined her should do the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, c\u2019mon, you know how hard it is for me to get away. Demanding job and all.\u201d He smirked at the woman, pulled out the chair opposite her, and sat down. When the waiter took his drink order, she motioned for another.<\/p>\n

The couple sat in awkward silence, staring at anything besides each other. When their drinks arrived, the man downed his first one in a few gulps, then immediately ordered another.<\/p>\n

\u201cStressed?\u201d she asked, taking note of how fast he drank his beer.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow we start out on a new\u2026 mission,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of those top-secret missions that even I, your own sister, am not allowed to know about, I suppose.\u201d There was a slightly haughty tone to her voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one, sis, even you woulda joined in on back in the day, and it is gonna be so much fun.\u201d The man giggled but caught himself quickly when the server dropped off his second beer.<\/p>\n

The woman scanned the nearby tables, suspiciously eyeing anyone who caught her gaze. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I agreed to meet you here, of all places. What if someone sees us together?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re too uptight; you work too hard. A night out could only do you good.\u201d The man across from her downed his second beer and began to eye her drink, plotting when would be a good time to steal her beverage for himself.<\/p>\n

Shoving her drink towards her brother, she continued, \u201cI would feel better if you weren\u2019t involved with that organization you hold in such high regard. I don\u2019t understand why you feel the need to be involved with these people. What is it that they do for you? It seems to me that they are only using you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re my kid sister; you shouldn\u2019t worry about me. I know what I\u2019m doing, what I\u2019m getting into. I am a big boy and don\u2019t need you looking out for me. Let me be the one looking out for you.\u201d He finished her drink.<\/p>\n

Sensing that she was still feeling uneasy, he felt that perhaps he could trust his sister with the plan, so she wouldn\u2019t have to worry as much as she did. \u201cWell, I shouldn\u2019t be telling you this, but since you worry so\u2026\u201d The young man leaned in closer to his sister and began telling her about the latest plot. He spun his tale quietly but with exuberant hand gestures so that she would get the entire picture. \u201c\u2026Anyway, it will happen in the Bermuda Triangle, so who will believe anyone about what happens there?\u201d He cackled with glee, savoring the stares that he received from the other bar patrons.<\/p>\n

She shook her head and hid her face with her hand out of embarrassment. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why you just told me that. I\u2019m a police trainee\u2026 what if I turned you in?\u201d<\/p>\n

Stunned she had even said that, it took him a few minutes to pull out his wallet and throw down his money to pay. \u201cI told you so you wouldn\u2019t worry about me like you are so fond of doing. I can\u2019t believe you\u2019re going through with police training. What about family? Doesn\u2019t that mean anything to you?\u201d Shoving back his chair, he stood quickly and turned to storm out. \u201cBesides,\u201d he turned back, adding, \u201cyou\u2019re my little sister. You would never do anything to harm your older brother. Both you and I know that you don\u2019t have the guts to turn me in, else people dig deeper into your past and discover the monsters in your closet.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched as he made his way out the door, conflicted over whether she should ignore what she had just heard or do something about it. She rummaged through her purse and found her cell phone. Flipping it open, she began to scroll through the phone numbers listed. After finding the one she wanted, she quickly hit the call button.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, beautiful lady,\u201d a voice slurred from behind her. \u201cHow about you and me\u2026\u201d He was unable to finish the statement as her hand flew to his groin and squeezed tightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am on the phone. Go hit on someone else,\u201d she informed him before releasing him to find some other unfortunate girl to hit on. Thankfully, the other line picked up at that moment. \u201cHello, Nick. It\u2019s me, Aly…\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, you. To what do I owe this honor?\u201d Nick chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know why I\u2019m calling. I just met with my brother, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah? How\u2019d that go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d tell you if you\u2019d let me talk\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh? Oh yeah, sorry about that. Just so glad to hear from my favorite girl and all,\u201d Nick said softly, trying not to laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour favorite girl, huh? Whatever, anyway\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, c\u2019mon, you don\u2019t like being my favorite girl?\u201d Nick pouted, feigning hurt.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up, Carter! I\u2019ve got something important to tell you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, sooorrry!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway, my brother told me about this plot that he\u2019s going to be working on next. Something about this sub that\u2019s going to be designed as a kraken so they can take over cruise ships to get money.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that a little\u2026 I dunno, old-fashioned? I mean, seriously. Then again, there are some cruise ships that are worth a lot, and\u2026 actually, that\u2019s not a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNick, shut up and let me finish! I swear, I don\u2019t know why I even bother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?! I was just joking\u2026 go on,\u201d Nick sighed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, so they\u2019re going to be dressing up as pirates, and get this: it\u2019s all going to take place in the Bermuda Triangle. Ya know, because of the myths and everything. They figure if anyone tries to explain it, everyone will think they\u2019re crazy, ya know? I mean, that is, if anyone were to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see that; it would be kinda crazy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd stupid! I mean, they\u2019re going to use some kind of\u2026 mist machine to make it look foggy, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOooh, I love that misty, foggy effect! That\u2019s gonna look sweet! I\u2019ve always wanted to be in a movie where I come out of the mist dressed in this really great tux, looking all smooth, and I have this martini glass in my hand with an olive on a toothpick, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNick\u2026 can we focus, please? Hmm?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry\u2026\u201d He cleared his throat. \u201cSorry, go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying, that\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo this is all about money?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBasically. Isn\u2019t that what everything is about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess. Do you think they could pull this off? Well, I mean, if someone didn\u2019t stop them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI dunno, Nick. I can see where they\u2019re going with it, but it\u2019s just crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd besides, stuff like that never works in the movies; there\u2019s always one fatal mistake, and then it\u2019s over. Their first fatal mistake was not being careful about who found out their secret!\u201d Nick cackled dramatically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI swear, Nick, you\u2019re such a loser.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks! I have to say… I kinda feel sorry for your brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh? Why\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Cause I\u2019d hate it if I had a sister who was a snitch,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n

There was silence on the other end.<\/p>\n

Nick frowned. \u201cHey, I was just kidding. I didn\u2019t mean it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He felt like an ass. It couldn\u2019t have been easy to pass along information that could possibly get a family member hurt or, even worse, killed. And he couldn\u2019t fault her for wanting to protect family; it was something he admired most about her.<\/p>\n

While on a past mission, he\u2019d visited a local nightclub for a drink and a little entertainment, which luckily turned out to be Aly Mendez. She\u2019d been just as beautiful then as she was now. He\u2019d stayed through her entire set and had made sure to meet her after.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d talked for a while, and he\u2019d tried his best moves, but all of them had failed. Still, he\u2019d found himself drawn to her, especially after he discovered she only moonlighted as a singer. Luckily, she spent her days training on the police force, and she\u2019d come in handy on a past mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarter?! Hellooo?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Sorry, I\u2019m still here, just thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d she said, amused.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d<\/p>\n

Theirs was a love\/hate relationship.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Nick had been blessed with a vivid imagination, a way of conceiving things in his head and bringing them to life on paper. Sketches, lyrics\u2026 he might have been an artist instead of an agent. He had the talent but not the temperament. At least, not anymore. His angst would have suited an artist\u2019s craft well, but the anger\u2026 the anger was what had driven him deep into this world of espionage and secret agents.<\/p>\n

It was widely known that 00Carter couldn\u2019t walk without tripping over his own two large feet, but just the same, he could jump back up and fire a gun with dead-on accuracy. And he possessed more subtle skills as well. He could read and charm people, and those two innate abilities aided him even more than his hand-eye coordination did. They were evidence of a depth that few of his peers at HimTak saw in him, which was probably his own fault. He was the one who had groomed his persona as a prankster and a womanizer, charismatic and fun-loving, but rarely serious.<\/p>\n

However, he kept his serious side to himself, making his artistic endeavors a private pastime. Those at the agency knew he had musical talent, thanks to the Global Idol debacle, but they didn\u2019t know how he liked to make up words to the random melodies flowing through his head, or that when he was alone in his room, he drew in a large sketchbook he stashed beneath his mattress.<\/p>\n

It was in this sketchbook that Nick doodled while he listened to Aly\u2019s voice on the phone, picturing her face in his mind\u2019s eye and scrawling the lines of it by memory. It was a hastily done portrait, certainly not his best work, but, looking down at it as she shared her woes over her brother\u2019s latest crime scheme, he thought he had effectively captured the melancholy look of her angular features. He would just have to go back and fill in the color of her eyes. They were what made her striking, the blue she\u2019d inherited from her white mother contrasting with the black hair of her Latino father.<\/p>\n

Sapphire Siren\u2026 that was his secret name for her. She wasn\u2019t a part of the agency like the others, but he\u2019d gotten so acclimated to the gemstone names for the women of HimTak that it seemed the only natural choice for her, the enigmatic singer whose life was as conflicted as her biracial features. She spent her days training for the police academy, her evenings singing on the LA club circuit, and her nights turning the other cheek, while her brother continued her father\u2019s legacy of drug smuggling, theft, and God knew what else. Nick knew it hadn\u2019t been an easy decision for her to pass on information about his latest conspiracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease,\u201d she begged, \u201cI\u2019m only telling you because I know you can take care of it without getting the authorities involved. You know I can\u2019t turn my own brother in to the cops or the government. You can stop this whole scheme without getting him hurt or incarcerated, like my dad. Can\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see what I can do,\u201d Nick vowed. \u201cI can\u2019t promise anything, but I\u2019ll-\u201d<\/p>\n

The beeping of his phone stopped him mid-sentence. \u201cHold up a sec,\u201d he interrupted himself, lowering the phone to glance at the screen. It was another incoming call from \u2018Grandma.\u2019 Nick groaned. \u201cHey, I gotta go. Got another call from the big boss man. I\u2019ll call ya later if I can, \u2018kay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s cool. Catch ya later. Oh, and thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup.\u201d With the push of a button, Nick switched over to the other call. \u201cK?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you, 008? Did you not receive the memo about the staff meeting that was supposed to start five minutes ago? We\u2019re waiting on you,\u201d K growled in his ear.<\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s eyes flashed down to his watch, but of course, he couldn\u2019t get the time from that. \u201cOh shit, is that now? Sorry, K, I\u2019m comin\u2019.\u201d He flipped the phone shut before K could begin a lecture and shoved his sketchbook back under his mattress before scrambling out into the hall. He could say it was Pearl\u2019s fault he couldn\u2019t keep track of the time — how could he, with a watch that didn\u2019t either?<\/p>\n

When Nick reached the conference room across the hall from K\u2019s office, he groaned to himself. All of the Double-0 agents, from K down to Diamond, had already assembled. Even more irritatingly, he noticed Lancy perched next to Diamond and wondered why his secretary hadn\u2019t reminded him of this meeting on his way to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice of you to join us, 008,\u201d K said, with a sarcastic cock of the brow.<\/p>\n

\u201c00Carter,\u201d Nick corrected automatically, taking the empty seat in between Diamond and Agent 007. \u201cHey Jim,\u201d he greeted the latter out of the corner of his mouth, smirking when he saw the man\u2019s posture stiffen. He knew the stuffy British import detested nicknames, so he tried every nickname he could think of just to annoy him. A sudden thought struck him: was that why K insisted on calling him 008 instead of 00Carter? He considered this, effectively tuning out the start of the meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you know,\u201d K said, \u201cit\u2019s been nearly three months since we lost Agent Chasez, which has left us short one Double-0.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instantly, Nick\u2019s attention snapped back to the present as an uncomfortable regret gnawed at his stomach. He didn\u2019t feel any guilt over Shazam\u2019s death. Agents died in their line of work all the time. It wasn\u2019t like Drums\u2019s accident — he hadn\u2019t been there, hadn\u2019t caused it any more than he could have stopped it. It was Drums who had thrown Shazam to his death, Drums and Drums alone. Actually, the lack of remorse made Nick feel guilty.<\/p>\n

It was no secret that he\u2019d thought Shazam was a prick. The two had been rivals, never friends, and Nick hardly missed him. Not that Nick had ever wished death on him; no, he felt bad that JC had been murdered so ruthlessly at the hands of a former friend. But he hadn\u2019t exactly mourned for him either, and that made him feel worse. He should have felt something more than what he had, but the truth was, life had gone on at Himitsu Takana. Crime didn\u2019t take time off for grief, and so, missions had continued without 006. Nick had been getting more assignments himself, now that there was one less agent to send into the field, and he couldn\u2019t say he felt bad about that either.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that our secondary agent force has completed their tests, I\u2019m happy to announce our newest Double-0 Agent,\u201d K went on, \u201cAgent Leonardo DiCaprio, code name Vitruvian, formerly Agent 010.\u201d<\/p>\n

All eyes shifted to a lanky man in the corner of the room, who stood, an awkward smile on his face, and gave a little wave of acknowledgement. He was a couple of inches shorter, his hair a shade darker, and he had a few extra years and lower rank than Nick. Still, Nick suddenly felt intimidated by the way he noticed both Diamond and Lancy staring at Vitruvian.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnow why they call him \u2018Vitruvian\u2019?\u201d Lancy whispered to Diamond. \u201c\u2019Cause he\u2019s a fab<\/em>-u-lous work of art!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick instantly frowned, surveying DiCaprio again. He wasn\u2019t that<\/em> good-looking. He wasn\u2019t even that toned. What did Lancy see in him? Wait,<\/em> he thought suddenly, his frown deepening, I\u2019m mad because Lancy\u2019s finally hitting on someone besides me??<\/em> He shook his head, chuckling to himself.<\/p>\n

A feminine giggle matched his own. To his chagrin, Nick turned to see Diamond nodding, emphatic in her agreement with Lancy, seeming to undress DiCaprio with her sparkling eyes. Nick glared at her, too.<\/p>\n

K cleared his throat. \u201cAs the newest Double-0 agent, procedure dictates that Vitruvian should take the rank of 009. As follows, all other Double-0 agents will be promoted one rank until-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAhem.\u201d Everyone except Diamond and Lancy looked at the dark-haired man on the other side of Nick, who raised a hand to protest. \u201cPardon me, Agent K, but I do believe I\u2019ve already shared with you my objections in the matter of changing ranks. Might I remind you, I\u2019ve held this number since my days in the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. Which, I might add, was decades before you took control of this organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDecades?\u201d Diamond murmured to Nick, her attention finally dragged away from DiCaprio. \u201cHow old is<\/em> he, anyway? He doesn\u2019t look<\/em> much older than K\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m telling you, the guy never ages; it\u2019s creepy\u2026\u201d Nick whispered out of the other corner of his mouth.<\/p>\n

K held up a hand in surrender, nodding. \u201cMy mistake. I stand corrected: Agent 007 prefers to keep his rank rather than change numbers. That means, 008, you\u2019ll take the rank of 006, and Diamond, you\u2019ll be the new Agent 008.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa, hold up a minute!\u201d Nick jumped to his feet, rising to K\u2019s height. \u201cHow come he gets to keep his rank, but not anybody else? I don\u2019t want Shazam\u2019s number! I wanna keep my own too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you hated being called 008,\u201d replied K, looking back at him levelly. There was a tiny hint of sarcasm behind his cool stare that seemed to confirm Nick\u2019s earlier suspicions about K.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do, but\u2026 but it\u2019s still my number!\u201d Nick spluttered. \u201cI\u2019m not being 006.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c009, do you have a problem changing numbers?\u201d<\/p>\n

Diamond shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve only been 009 since Drums left\u2026 I\u2019m not exactly attached. I\u2019ll switch to 006,\u201d she said cheerfully, then mused to herself, \u201cSix is the degrees of separation between all celebrities, you know\u2026 mostly notably Kevin Bacon\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, I love that game!\u201d Lancy squealed. \u201cHere\u2019s one: Brad Pitt was in Troy<\/em> — all bronze, buff, and battered, yum — with Orlando Bloom, who was in Pirates of the Caribbean<\/em> with Johnny Depp — Captain Jack Sparrow, squee! — who was in What\u2019s Eating Gilbert Grape<\/em> with\u2026 oh, what\u2019s the name of that one kid who played the retarded brother?\u201d Lancy frowned, lost in thought for a few moments. \u201cOh poo\u2026 well, okay\u2026 Johnny dated Winona Ryder — Winona Forever! — who was in Mermaids<\/em> with the one and only Cher, who was in The Witches of Eastwick<\/em> with Jack Nicholson, who was fabulously fierce in A Few Good Men<\/em> with none other than\u2026 ta-da! Kevin Bacon!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd plus, then I\u2019ll outrank Nick!\u201d Diamond beamed. \u201cAnd Lancy, Brad was in Sleepers<\/em> with Kevin Bacon, so I can do that one in one degree! Mani-Pedis, your treat!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancy pouted. \u201cShow-off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, wait!\u201d Nick whined, catching what Diamond had said a few seconds earlier. \u201cDiamond can\u2019t out–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe can, and she will,\u201d K cut him off before he could finish, shooting Nick his infamous no-nonsense look. \u201cYou passed on moving up the ranks, 008, so you\u2019ll keep your number, and Diamond will be promoted to 006. That leaves Vitruvian to take on her rank of 009.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick huffed, avoiding Diamond\u2019s gloating smile. Well, at least he\u2019d still outrank the other<\/em> blond Double-0.<\/p>\n

Diamond stood up from her seat, giving Leo a wink as she offered him the chair. \u201cYou\u2019re totally entitled to it, hon.\u201d Her lips curved into a smile. Nick felt a tinge of jealousy as Leo smiled back. Diamond\u2019s flirting smile was even worse than her gloating one. He felt his face twitch a little and smacked himself in the head so it would subside.<\/p>\n

Only Lancy chuckled. Nick gave him a small glare before turning back to Diamond, who was theatrically moving to her new seat. She gracefully lowered into the seat between Emerald and 007 with a wide smile before pulling out her phone and furiously texting.<\/p>\n

Emerald leaned over Diamond\u2019s shoulder curiously. \u201cLancy, I\u2019ll miss you at the slacker end of the table. Don\u2019t faint from how hot it is over there now.<\/em> Semicolon, parenthesis\u2026\u201d Emerald shook her head before taking Diamond\u2019s phone out of her hands. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, you and your Blackberry Storm have officially spread the slack down the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diamond grabbed for the phone and whined, \u201cI didn\u2019t send the message\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI read it out loud. And he\u2019s probably too busy suffering from heatstroke anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancy giggled, causing Leo to blush and Nick\u2019s face to tense up once more.<\/p>\n

Grasshopper leaned over to Emerald with a smile. \u201cIt is the young, after all, who replenish the earth like spring rain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick felt his face tingle as it twitched slightly. He hit himself in the forehead one more time before slamming his fist on the table. \u201cIf we could all stop fussing about Leonardo Di-Crapio for just two seconds, I have some important information about disturbances in the Bermuda Triangle\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike \u2018Gilligan\u2019s Island\u2019?!\u201d Diamond squealed.<\/p>\n

Nick smirked slightly, pleased that he had distracted her attention away from Di-Crapio and back on himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s in the Pacific Ocean.\u201d Lancy shook his head. \u201cPop culture, Di.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, actually,\u201d Vitruvian started, \u201cdisturbances in the Bermuda Triangle are a gross exaggeration. There is no substantiated evidence that a disappearance there is more likely than any other part of the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s exaggerated, then why is that all anyone ever talks about?!\u201d Nick sneered. \u201cNobody ever says, \u2018oh no, another boat disappeared in the Caribbean!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHurricanes are a prominent natural disaster in the Caribbean that can cause extreme wreckage to both land and ships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStop lecturing me about the ocean like you\u2019re some kind of expert!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, nature,\u201d Grasshopper mused. \u201cA loving wife and harsh mistress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt least this is better than that argument about shoes.\u201d Emerald laugh.<\/p>\n

Jay smirked with a shrug. \u201cA man\u2019s gotta buy shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

007 remained silent.<\/p>\n

K raised his hand. \u201cEnough. What sort of disturbances, Nick?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a sub designed to look like a kraken. On board are people dressed as pirates who are taking money and valuables from people on cruise ships.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s a kraken?\u201d Diamond puzzled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a mythical sea monster,\u201d Leo explained, at the same time as Nick replied, \u201cIt\u2019s like a giant squid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick gave Leo a short glare before continuing, \u201cAnyway, they figure that since it\u2019s in the Bermuda Triangle, then everyone will think the survivors are crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd giant squids don\u2019t usually come to the surface.\u201d Leo smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they don\u2019t usually.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut–\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough.\u201d K raised his hand once more. \u201cNick, where did you get this tip from?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick lowered his head slightly. \u201cA contact.\u201d<\/p>\n

K gave Nick a quick once-over, followed by a meaningful glance at Jay. K then returned his stare to Nick with a disapproving look.<\/p>\n

Nick lowered his head a little more. That was definitely an \u201cI don\u2019t approve of you hanging around club singers with dangerous pasts\u201d look.<\/p>\n

\u201cPirates?\u201d Emerald rolled her eyes. \u201cWe\u2019re supposed to be world agents, not pirate police.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut pirates are outside of any country\u2019s jurisdiction!\u201d Nick jumped from his seat, knocking his chair back in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Bermuda Triangle…\u201d Jay paused and turned to K.<\/p>\n

Nick rustled his hand through his hair as Jay and K exchanged another silent glance. It said a million words, but he immediately caught the main topic of their silent conversation. FANS\u2026<\/p>\n

Nick slammed his hand on the table. \u201cWe definitely have to go!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c008\u2026\u201d K started as he laced his fingers and placed his chin on them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe volumes of history\u2026\u201d Grasshopper began.<\/p>\n

K sighed. \u201cWhat do you propose, 008?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should pose as pirates and get on that ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd who\u2019s \u2018we\u2019?\u201d Jay mused.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you sort of look like a pirate\u2026 and I have the tip, so I have insider information\u2026\u201d A small smirk formed on his lips. \u201cAnd Di would look great as a pirate wench.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diamond laughed as she typed on her screen. \u201cI would look good as anything. Did you know that there\u2019s not really pirate fashion? They would wear the same type of clothing as any other sailor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re picking agents based on appearances and not on skill?\u201d 007 shook his head. \u201cYou need more training, 008.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all skilled!\u201d Nick crossed his arms. He really just wanted to get Diamond away from Di-Crapio and back on missions with him, where she belonged. Virtuvian\u2019s approving nod at her fact only irritated him more.<\/p>\n

K glared at Nick. \u201cSit down, 008.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick picked his chair up from the ground and sat back in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it would be best to send 003, 005, and 008,\u201d K announced.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut–\u201d Nick started to protest.<\/p>\n

K stood from his chair. \u201cLeave as soon as you can. Meeting adjourned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick clenched his hand into a fist. \u201cWell, this is really irritating\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u201d Leo smiled at him. \u201cI\u2019ll keep Di-Di entertained for you.\u201d Nick glared as he watched him turn to Diamond. \u201cHey, Di-Di, want to celebrate my promotion with drinks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know I\u2019m always up for a good drink.\u201d Diamond smiled.<\/p>\n

Nick continued to glare at Vitruvian. Preying on Di\u2019s hobbies like that\u2026<\/p>\n

Leo smiled. \u201cMeet you downstairs in an hour and a half?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019d you know?\u201d she giggled.<\/p>\n

When Leo left the room, Diamond put her hand on Nick\u2019s shoulder. \u201cSorry about the mission, Nick. We\u2019ll go out when you get back, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll wear that dress you like.\u201d Diamond gave him a short kiss before running over to Lancy and linking arms with him. \u201cLet\u2019s plan the perfect outfit, Lancy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be a more fab-u-lous work of art than Vitruvian!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can be his Mona Lisa,\u201d Diamond giggled.<\/p>\n

\u201cFuck this shit,\u201d Nick grumbled to himself.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Part 2<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Episode 7: \u00a0Here Ye Be Pirates Part 1   Alone at the bar, a young woman played with the stem of her wine glass, watching the liquid swish around the bowl. With the brush of a quick breeze, her eyes drifted towards the door. Left disappointed by the unfamiliar face,\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":134,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-313","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-53","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":896,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/313\/revisions\/896"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}