Sea Vultures (eBook)

A Cape pirate adventure, Book 10

Gerrie Radlof, Pieter Haasbroek (Autoren)

Pieter Haasbroek (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
87 Seiten
Pieter Haasbroek (Verlag)
978-0-00-072742-8 (ISBN)

Infos

A pirate feared by all.

A secret mission of vengeance.

A choice that could destroy him.

Plunge into the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1720), where the treacherous waters of the Cape of Good Hope are just the beginning of a worldwide adventure.

Feared across the ruthless waters of the Indian Ocean, Captain Oloff van Wagenaar is more than a pirate. He's a man walking a dangerous double life. To the lawless brotherhood of Deelen Bay, he is a trusted captain. But behind the mask of loyalty lies his true mission. Vengeance against the corrupt empire of pirates he secretly works to dismantle.

When a desperate man's hunt for his missing sister drags Oloff into conflict with the sadistic Captain Haak, his carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel. With enemies circling and suspicions rising, one wrong move could expose him as a traitor.

As Oloff battles ruthless captains and shifting allegiances, he finds an unexpected ally in the clever and striking Suzanne Renaux. But desire is as dangerous as betrayal, and a hidden traitor within Haak's crew threatens to shatter everything Oloff has fought for.

Now, with time running out, Oloff must decide how far he's willing to go. To save the innocent and avenge the fallen, he must embrace the darkness he swore to fight. Even if it means becoming the very monster he hunts.

Sea Vultures is a swashbuckling pirate adventure novel filled with betrayal, intrigue, and heart-pounding high-seas action. Perfect for fans of historical pirate fiction, nautical thrillers, and epic seafaring tales, this first book in the Oloff the Sea Pirate series will sweep you into a world of treachery, vengeance, and unforgettable adventure.

Set sail on the legend today in book tenth of the sea pirate adventure story.

Textauszug

Chapter 2

None of his friends questioned his decision to reveal the truth to Le Nuir. In addition to the crews of the Seewraak and the Jansje Meer, Oloff’s secret is known to only a few people. They all consist of people whom Oloff had saved from certain death at one time or another, and who had then decided to join him in the fight against piracy.

While Oloff and Henning walk up the sandy main street towards the Hanekraai, Oloff nevertheless explains why he did it. In the first place, Le Nuir’s knowledge of Rynette had convinced Oloff of his honesty and the plausibility of his story. Secondly, it is now their plan to start acting openly against the pirates, and their secret will no longer remain a secret for long.

From the taverns and other buildings comes the cheerful laughter of men and women. Here in Deelen Bay, the pirates spend fortunes on gambling and other entertainment. The largest portion of this continuously fills the coffers of the Admiral.

They go through the swing doors and down the few steps that lead to the floor of the Hanekraai. It is a large hall and is packed to capacity. Only officers are allowed here, for it is the seat of the Admiral.

In front of the long counter on the other side of the room, the massive figure sits behind an oval table, and the group with him consists of the most important captains in Deelen Bay. Oloff’s place is at the Admiral’s right hand. Two places further along sits Haak, but Oloff sees that his chair is still empty at the moment.

He and Henning are greeted boisterously. The Admiral pounds on the table and orders a mug of beer for Oloff as he takes his place.

“I haven’t seen you today, Oloff,” he exclaims. “Where are you hiding?”

“Henning and I were checking our supplies in the sheds.”

“Supplies? Is that what you call it?” The Admiral laughs deeply. “You’ve been counting your wealth. We all know that you’re the richest among us.”

“I know of at least one exception,” Oloff retorts conversationally, and the Admiral claps him on the shoulder.

“It’s actually you who must keep me alive,” he assures him. “If you don’t return with a large cargo every now and then, my coffers will run dry.”

“I don’t believe that,” Oloff says deliberately. “What about men like Haak and the others? They surely bring in a lot as well.”

“Haak?” The Admiral shakes his head. “I’d starve if he was the only one who paid taxes.”

Oloff says nothing further. He just nods his head meaningfully. After the story that Le Nuir told and the few men who apparently tried to flee from Haak and who had died, it now seems to him that Haak never gives any indication of how large his loot is. The taxes levied by the Admiral are considerable, and Haak is interested in amassing a fortune as quickly as possible. Perhaps Oloff can still use this information against him.

He looks around him. The other captains who have listened to their conversation are talking among themselves, but as soon as Oloff’s eye falls on them, they smile kindly. Not only do they have respect for his accuracy with firearms and his skill with the sword, but it does no one any good to be on bad terms with the man who sits at the Admiral’s right hand. Oloff knows, however, that all of them, except naturally Henning, who is also sitting at the oval table, would give anything to change places with him, even if they also had to cut his throat for him.

Then most of the people in the hall look up at the swing doors. As usual, Captain Haak announces his arrival with a bellow. He greets boisterously to both sides, but there are not many, apart from his own officers who must do so by obligation, who greet him back. He comes to take his place at the oval table.

A step behind him walks a young boy of about eighteen years. He is tanned by the sun on the open sea, but his facial features are delicate, and his blue eyes are large and innocent, completely inappropriate in the surroundings.

“Haak Senior and Haak Junior,” the Admiral says dryly here next to Oloff while leaning closer as if he is talking to him confidentially. “You don’t actually see the one without the other. I cannot understand why a man like Haak has such a softy for a boatswain. However, they say that the boy is quite intelligent and good at his job.”

“I understand there is a story that he might be Haak’s own son.”

The Admiral roars as he laughs. He stamps with his flat hand on the table so that a few beer mugs jump in the air.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. Haak also keeps silent as the grave about his own affairs.”

Captain Haak is over six feet tall. His face is bearded, and his thick eyebrows practically cover his eyes. Yet Oloff can see a trace of Marc le Nuir in him.

The most distinctive feature about his appearance, however, is the iron hook where his left hand should be. He lost his hand in a battle and then had the single iron claw attached to his forearm. With this, he now taps on the table to attract the attention of one of the tavern attendants.

The boy, to whom the Admiral referred as Haak Junior but whose real name is Valk Jorgenson, has taken up a place a little way from the oval table. While the Admiral talks to Haak, Oloff’s eyes rest thoughtfully on the boy. He has often seen the lad, and each time it has struck him that Valk behaves somewhat aloof. Most likely, he is Haak’s child. Otherwise, it would be difficult to understand how such a strong bond can exist between them.

The evening progresses slowly. The uproar in the tavern increases. Haak’s voice becomes deeper, and eventually, he speaks with a slur. Everyone already knows him as someone who looks too deep into the bottle on occasion and who very quickly becomes a loudmouth. He usually then starts to expound on his heroic deeds. The story of how he lost his hand is repeated ad nauseam. Usually, he is quite content to simply sit and tell his story even if no one is listening to him.

Tonight, however, Oloff keeps his ears open. The crowd is making such a noise that he often has difficulty making out what Haak is shouting.

“The last time I encountered an Oosterprins, I only had two ships. There were five of them against me, but that didn’t deter me.” He nods vigorously as if trying to convince himself of the fact. “I took them on. It was fierce, but this time it will be easier.”

For a while he recounts that great sea battle. As if someone were prompting him, although no one is because everyone is engrossed in their own conversation, he continues.

“One of my ships has just returned from India. There it is common knowledge that the Maharaja of Rashid is travelling to Europe for diplomatic purposes. He is taking gifts of inestimable value with him. It will only be that one ship and I have six. Do you understand? I have six enormous, hulking ships. Yes, within a week, he will be sailing past right in front of my door.”

No one even hears what he says. Even if they had listened to him, they would have forgotten what he had said by the next day because everyone is more or less in the same condition as he is.

In this simple manner, just by remaining sober, Oloff had often obtained information about the movements of the pirates. They do not hesitate to talk about their affairs, because there is a code that they will not take each other’s prey. Oloff continually breaks this rule, by the very nature of his existence in Deelen Bay.

As if he has had his say, Haak falls forward onto the table and begins to snore loudly. The Admiral laughs as if he is being paid and pats Oloff on the shoulder once more while ordering beer.

At the table where Valk Jorgenson is sitting, there is suddenly a small commotion. A young girl is standing in front of the boy, and she has apparently just slapped him. Her fists are balled.

“You won’t insult me like that, you hear!” she yells, and she slaps him again. “I will not be insulted by a good-for-nothing like you!”

Only the groups closest to the table are paying attention to this yelling. No one else even looks in that direction.

Oloff can clearly see Valk’s face. The lad looks terrified as if he did not expect such a reaction from the girl. What he said or how he insulted her, Oloff cannot guess.

Valk glances fleetingly towards the oval table, where Haak is lying and snoring. When he sees his captain and protector in that state, his gaze becomes more anxious.

“I will see to it that you are put in your place,” the girl resumes. “You’re a little twit who thinks too much of himself.”

Valk looks over his shoulder as if seeking a way out. He shrinks back slightly when he discovers that some of the men at the surrounding tables have stood up and are now forming a tight circle around him and the girl. It must be clear to him that they are all taking her side, because some are jeering at him and encouraging her to slap him again.

Then a large, bearded brute pushes his way between them. The small crowd of onlookers immediately makes way. He looks at the girl.

“What did he say?” he asks as if he has been invited to interfere in the matter.

“He was implying that I was forcing my company on him.”

“Oh, so,” says the large man gruffly. “And he’s rather picky about who talks to him.” He looks at Valk with malicious amusement. “Do you have any objections to my company?”

Valk shakes his head. Oloff suddenly feels sorry for him. It is clear that he is doing his best to agree with everything that the bearded fellow says, and to obey him in every respect in the hope that he will get off lightly.

But Oloff...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.8.2025
• Übersetzer: Pieter Haasbroek, Ai
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-072742-3 / 0000727423
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-072742-8 / 9780000727428