Skyships floated in the still air of the port, their flags and painted insignias a myriad of colors against the brilliant blue of the sky. The various crews went about their business of loading or unloading their cargo with an easy efficiency, hardly noticing Rowan as he rushed past. One ship stood out amongst the rest, its rusted, mismatched parts an eyesore compared to its sleek and polished neighbors as if an easily distracted child had crafted it.


    That was the ship Rowan hurried towards, the red notice flapping in his hand. A burly man with only three fingers on his left hand stepped in his path. He skidded to a halt and stared up into the scarred face. “You might not wanta head towards that ship, Kid.” The man said in a thick accent. “Pirates don’t take too kindly to bein’ bothered. ‘Specially not that ‘un. He’ll hang you from that ship before you could begin ya prayers. I’ve seent it for me-self.”


    Rowan peered around the man, to stare at the dented letters that spelled out “Chimera” on the side of the ship. It bobbed lazily in a sudden wind, as innocuous as a sleeping kitten. Rowan knew the stories of the ship and the pirate crew as well as anyone, better than most if he was honest. He knew the Chimera had become infamous for purposely wrecking and ravaging other ships to steal their parts and add to its own. He knew the captain of the ship had killed more than his fair share. The hefty bounty on his head was proof of his crimes, and he’d always admitted to them easily.


    Rowan turned his attention back on the sailor and began to slowly ease around him. “Thank you for your concern, but I’ll be okay.”


    The man shook his head. “Well, don’t come cryin’ to me when he cuts off ya fingers and toes.”


    “Believe me, I won’t.” Rowan muttered. He ducked his head to avoid the other curious and concerned looks as he hurried the rest of the way to the ship. No others had been tethered beside it, leaving it to idle alone at the farthest dock, a pariah amongst its own kind. He bounded up the narrow gangplank and hammered his fists against the door. He glanced back to see the IPC officers entering the port and ducked his head again, his hands growing numb with his desperate knocking.


    Rowan stumbled as the ship’s door slid open with a nearly inaudible hiss to reveal a handsome young man in a navy three-piece suit. His luminous yellow eyes, the after effects of some long ago drug, burned with irritation as Rowan pushed past him. Rowan rounded the dark corner, just shy of entering the bridge and let the cool metal against his back ease his racing heart. Distantly, he heard the door close and heavy footsteps clanging against the metal floor.


    The pirate captain towered over him and crossed his arms, his earlier irritation gone. “I’m going to assume you were so excited to see me that you just couldn’t wait.” He said in his familiar low baritone. “Rowan?”


    Rowan swiped at his cheek though they stayed stubbornly dry as if he was beyond tears. “Sebastian, I think the IPC are after me.” He whispered and held out the notice with a trembling hand. “And I think they took my dad, but he’s innocent. I swear he is. He was one of the ones who advocated for this law. He wouldn’t break it!”


    The dim lights flickered briefly as Sebastian studied the notice. “Did they take anything from your house?”


    Rowan shook his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t go down into the workshop, but everything was destroyed in the rest of the house.”


    “Everything?”


    Broken vials spilling out against his bedroom floor came to his mind as he nodded slowly, wondering how he’d survive without them. “Everything.”


    Sebastian sighed then straightened his shoulders. “They must have some proof or at least a pretty heavy suspicion to do something like this. They’re not like door-to-door salesmen checking in on law-abiding citizens. Someone must have called them. Any idea who?”


    “Our neighbor.” Rowan replied immediately. “She was watching me when the IPC showed up. She’s always been the nosy type, but this time, it was like she was expecting them.”


    “Yes, I remember her. Quite the charmer.”


    “I never thought she’d do something like this. We never did anything to her.”


    A heavy knock reverberated through the ship, and Rowan flinched. Sebastian turned towards the door then straightened his jacket and tie. “Stay here.” He said as he went back down the hall to answer the door. Rowan slid to the floor and wedged himself into a small corner, making himself as small as possible.


    “Good afternoon, Gentlemen.” Sebastian’s honeyed voice had Rowan wrapping his arms tightly around his knees. “What seems to be the problem?”


    “We’re looking for a young fugitive.” A new, far deeper voice said, probably showing Sebastian a picture. “Late teens. Red hair. See anyone like him?”Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    “Hm. Can’t say I have. He’s cute, though. Maybe when you find him you can send him my way. Ah, but if you’ll excuse me, I do have other matters to attend to.”


    A hiss of annoyance sounded from a second man. He spoke in such a reedy voice that Rowan was tempted to place his hands over his ears. “We’re not finished here. If you’ll remember, sir, you are a wanted man yourself.”


    “Is that a threat?” The honey ebbed from Sebastian’s voice, leaving nothing but venom.


    “O-of course not, sir.” The first officer hastened to reassure. “But if you let us know about the fugitive and where we might find him, it may earn you some leniency.”


    “I’m not interested in your proposal or leniency, sirs. We’re on neutral ground, if you’ve forgotten. Any attempts to arrest me will end in lethal force, and you’d be breaking the Amnesty Treaty and at least one trade agreement. Is that really the kind of trouble you want to stir up? Is that the kind of thing you want to risk your lives for? Over some brat you can’t find?”


    A heavy silence filled the air until the first officer sighed in defeat. “If you see anyone fitting that description, could you at least inform us?”


    “Hell no.” Sebastian replied. “Find your own damn fugitive. I’m not getting paid to do your jobs as well as my own.”


    “Hell of a job.” Said the second officer. “Thievery and murder. Must be quite lucrative for you.”


    “Well, you would know.” Sebastian said. “Seeing as how we’re in the same line of work. Goodbye now.”


    The door slid closed, leaving the ship to fall into silence once more until Sebastian slowly returned to Rowan’s side. He knelt before him and placed a dark hand against Rowan’s cheek. “Hey. You doing okay?”


    Rowan nodded and tried to stop his hands from shaking. “I’m sorry. I’m causing you so much trouble already.”


    “Hey, hey. You’re not. I can deal with the IPC. You’re not alone in this, Rowan. Whatever it is you need from me or my crew, just ask, alright?” Sebastian stood and helped Rowan onto his feet. “One thing’s for certain, you won’t be able to go home for a while. A shame since I really was planning on coming to dinner tonight.”


    Rowan snorted and turned away. “You always cancel. I’m sure, deep down, you’re relieved.”


    “Maybe a bit.” Sebastian admitted with a small smile. “Without any proof, they can’t keep your father. We can just go down to Shark’s Bay and see about getting him released. It shouldn’t be hard. I just need to let the rest of the crew know.”


    “Is that safe? Aren’t you a wanted criminal?”


    “I’m a professional criminal who knows how to get away with everything. It’ll be fine. Besides, you’re the one going in. As his next of kin, it’ll fall to you to speak up for him.”


    “My brother would be next of kin. He’s older. And also on your ship.”


    “Your brother’s still upset with your father, last I heard. He won’t want to help.”


    “Is he here?” Rowan looked around the empty bridge, finally taking note of the heavy silence.


    “No. The entire crew went out into town for awhile. Which reminds me, I still have some business to attend to. Will you be alright here?”


    “Yeah. Of course. I don’t want to hold you up. Just be careful out there.”


    “I usually am.” Sebastian leaned over to press a quick kiss to the top of Rowan’s head. They both jumped at the sound of the door opening behind them. A young man strode in, his scarlet hair an unruly mass atop his head that he tried to fix by running his hands through it. He froze in the doorway, brilliant sunlight streaming in around him as he spotted them.


    “Thomas.” Rowan breathed in relieved surprise. “Brother.”


    “You are not my brother.” Thomas growled, those emerald eyes which had shone so bright a moment before dimmed with pain. A forgotten memory shadowed in his eyes before he let anger take over as he rounded on Sebastian. “I thought you weren’t supposed to fetch him until later?”


    “Plan changed a bit.” Sebastian replied with a careless shrug.


    Thomas gave a snort of disgust as he veered away from them and headed to a door opposite them. He eyed Rowan like a particularly disgusting creature as he passed. “I see. Well, as long as he isn’t staying.”


    “Wait.” Rowan started towards his brother, but Sebastian’s hand shot out and grabbed his arm, holding him back. “Dad’s in trouble.”


    Thomas spun on his heel, eyes burning with rage as he took a single step towards Rowan. “I. Don’t. Care.” He hissed. “About you. Or him. Or any of it. Go back to that awful house with that mad inventor and those paper-thin memories. I want nothing more to do with any of it.” With that, Thomas threw open the door and stormed down a shadowed corridor. Seconds later, a door in the deeper recesses of the ship slammed closed.


    “I don’t understand.” Rowan whispered. “It’s been two years. How can he still be upset? How can he still hate me?”


    The only time he had ever seen his brother this angry, this hurt, was when their father had suggested taking down their mother’s pictures from the walls. Thomas had spit just as many venomous words then too, torn from the heart of his grief. This wasn’t the brother he had grown up with, the kind, older sibling who had taught him to play baseball and helped with his first invention. The brother who had mourned their mother with him and insisted on baking a cake for her birthday every year since her death.


    He was pulled from his thoughts by Sebastian hugging him from behind. “I don’t think it’s you he hates.” Sebastian pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. “Your accident scared him pretty badly.”


    Rowan tried to remember. His fuzzy memories refused to cooperate, but he thought he remembered hearing his brother scream his name, of Thomas’s hands, stained red with his blood. In his worst nightmares, Rowan saw himself die. He wondered if Thomas saw the same.