The process of trading the goods looted from the merchant ship began almost immediately after the first crew members set foot on Isla de los Perdidos. The island was a bustling hub of activity, with pirates and smugglers from all corners of the seas converging to barter, deal, and drink away their spoils. It was a chaotic place, where the rules were as fluid as the tides, and the only law was the strength of one's sword arm.
Jacob, accompanied by a few trusted crew members, made his way to the market square, where traders had set up stalls filled with everything from weapons and food to exotic trinkets and stolen goods. The noise was deafening, a cacophony of shouts, laughter, and the clinking of coins.
The goods from the merchant ship were valuable—spices, fine cloth, and several crates of firearms and ammunition. Jacob knew that getting a good price for them was crucial; the ship needed supplies, and the crew expected a fair share of the profits. But the market was a dangerous place, filled with rival crews and cutthroat merchants, and Jacob had to be on his guard.
As they began to negotiate with the traders, Jacob noticed the uneasy glances exchanged between some of his men. The tension from the ship had followed them ashore, and the unfamiliar environment only heightened their anxiety. He kept a close eye on the negotiations, stepping in when necessary to ensure they weren't being cheated.
But it wasn't long before the first sign of trouble appeared.
In the midst of a particularly heated negotiation over a crate of firearms, one of the crew members—a young sailor named Reggie—suddenly bolted from the group, sprinting towards a shadowy alley on the edge of the market square. Jacob's heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening.
"Stop him!" Jacob shouted, but it was too late. Reggie disappeared into the alley, and Jacob knew they couldn't afford to give chase without leaving the rest of the goods vulnerable.
One of the traders, a greasy-looking man with a sly grin, chuckled darkly. "Seems you've got a deserter on your hands, boatswain. Not uncommon in a place like this."
Jacob clenched his fists, his mind racing. Reggie's defection was a serious problem—he knew the ship's plans, its weaknesses, and its strengths. If he sold that information to a rival crew, it could spell disaster for The Abyss.
"We'll finish this later," Jacob said curtly to the trader, before turning to the crew. "Get these goods back to the ship, now. I'll deal with this."
Garrett, who had accompanied Jacob to the market, gave a sharp nod. "We'll handle it. You focus on finding that rat."
Jacob quickly made his way back to the dock, his mind racing with the implications of Reggie's betrayal. He needed to find the young sailor and stop him before he could do any more damage, but he also needed to ensure that the ship and the crew remained safe.
As he moved through the bustling streets, his thoughts drifted back to his life before this strange new world. He remembered the aimlessness that had plagued him after leaving the military—the feeling of being adrift in a world that no longer made sense. The structure, the purpose, the camaraderie he had once known had been replaced by the monotony of civilian life, a nine-to-five grind that had left him hollow and restless.
It was that restlessness that had driven him to seek out the system when it first appeared. At the time, it had seemed absurd, a lifeline thrown into the void of his mundane existence. Now, standing in the midst of a chaotic pirate haven, Jacob realized that the absurdity of his situation was a blessing in disguise. Here, he had a purpose again—a mission, a team that relied on him. The stakes were higher, the risks greater, but that only made the rewards sweeter.
He spotted Old Sam near the docks, overseeing some of the other trades. The old cook's keen eyes immediately noticed the tension in Jacob's expression.
"Something wrong, lad?" Sam asked, his voice gruff but concerned.
"Reggie bolted," Jacob replied, keeping his voice low. "He knows too much—if he sells us out to a rival crew, we're in deep trouble."
Sam's face darkened. "Desertion's a serious crime, especially for a pirate. You know what the punishment is, don't you?"
Jacob shook his head, his uncertainty evident. "I've heard stories, but… I need to be sure. What do we do?"
Sam sighed, his expression grim. "There's a few ways it can go. Marooning's one—leave the bastard on an uninhabited island with nothing but a bottle of rum and a pistol with one shot. Another is flogging, though that's usually reserved for less serious offenses. But for desertion, and if the captain's in a particularly foul mood, it could be the noose."
Jacob felt a cold knot form in his stomach. The weight of his new responsibilities was pressing down on him harder than ever. He had to enforce discipline, but the idea of condemning a man to death—even a traitor—was something he hadn't fully prepared himself for.
"I'll deal with it," Jacob said finally, his voice firmer than he felt. "But first, I need to find him."
Sam nodded. "Be careful, lad. The island's a dangerous place, and men like Reggie know how to disappear."
Jacob hurried back into the heart of the island's labyrinthine streets, scanning the crowds for any sign of Reggie. The market square was a maze of stalls, alleyways, and hidden corners, and finding one man among the throngs of pirates and traders was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
As he searched, Jacob couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He had been given authority, but with that authority came the burden of making decisions that could mean life or death for the men under his command. Reggie's betrayal was a stark reminder of the dangers of leadership—and the price that came with it.
Yet, despite the tension, Jacob felt a strange sense of focus. The old restlessness that had once driven him to the brink of despair was gone, replaced by a clear sense of purpose. The absurdity of his situation had given him something he hadn't had in years—a reason to fight, to push forward, to be something more than just another cog in the machine.
And as he moved through the chaotic streets of Isla de los Perdidos, Jacob realized that, for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel aimless anymore.