Be stupid

John silently drew his sword, and waited for the pirate scum to make their way down the stairs. He heard four pairs of foot steps on the stairs and tried to convince himself that he could take them on. He jumped out from behind the barrels with his sword drawn to the surprised cries of the pirates. The pirates recovered quickly however, and had their swords drawn and had him surrounded before he could swing at them. He heard the thump of the wooden leg come closer to the opening to the deck above. He switched his gaze to the four scraggly pirates grinning wickedly at him and getting closer and closer to him. He held his sword out and spun around quickly keeping the pirates a safe distance away, all the while hearing the thump of that wooden leg making its way down the stairs. John started to panic, he knew he could only take on one of these pirates alone at best, and the captain was coming up behind him. John thought quick on his feet and dropped his sword, put his hands in the air and shouted "Parley! I request parley!" John shouted as the pirates around him were frozen in shock and he failed to hear the wooden leg on the stairs anymore.

"Well lucky for you, I happen to be a pirate willing to follow the code." He heard from behind him. The sound of the captain coming down the stairs started up again, as the pirates around him lowered their swords. "Turn around, let me see you boy." He heard the captain say. John turned around slowly expecting to see a truly fearsome pirate about to slay him, but what he saw instead took his breath away.

"Alex?! No, it can't be." John said, looking at the face of his long expected dead big brother.

"Ha! You boys almost killed my little brother." Alex said to the four pirates laughingly. "Come here." He said to his brother as he pulled John into a hug.

"I can't believe this. We all thought you were dead." John said.

"And so you were supposed to, I've spent these years rising up the pirate rankings, and taking up my own command at the **** of my former captain. Neptune rest his soul."

"You still look the same." John said looking at his brother's dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He had more scars visible on his body naturally, but he was still recognizable apart from his missing left leg below the knee. Alex wore a red vest with two straps running across his chest where he had strapped four pistols. He had a sword at his waist, a black cape on his shoulders, and a black captain's hat on his head. To cap off Alex's fearsome appearance, his beard had grown long enough to braid into two forks on either side of his chin.

"You're growing into quite the spitting image of myself, John. We just need to get you in a lady's bed, a few scars and a couple of tattoos and you'll be a man in no time." Alex joked.

"Oh man! I can't believe this, but I really need to get back home Alex." Alex took a deep breath before looking his little brother in the eyes.

"There is no going back John. You're dead to the world. The report of the sunken ship will reach Port Royal soon I guess, and from there to the King in London. From there, to our family and loved ones. To the world we will be dead." Alex said solemnly.

"Alex, I was going to get married when I got home, to Sophie. You know how much we used to play together all three of us, I have to get back to her."

"John! This is your new life. You are the next member of my crew, and if you don't like it, you can swim back to Port Royal, or take your chances." Alex said seriously.

"Alex.." John said pleadingly.

"You and I will rule these waters John. You killed one of my men, I saw it, pay your debt with your life. I'm sorry about your captain here John, he was in my way, and I had a meeting with my little brother."

"He was a good man, Alex, he had a family back home."

"Don't we all John?" Alex said looking into John's eyes "We have two decisions in life, be the hunted or the hunter. One of those decisions results in a quick ****, and one results in survival, it's up to you to decided which path to take."

"Alex, I.."

"I think you forget that I was once a member of the Royal Navy, I prefer this much better." He said to the cheers of his crew that had piled in behind him. "You will have to leave your past life behind, start a new one, take a new name. It's an opportunity to start from scratch, to be anyone you want. You will work under me, and only me, we will rule the Caribbean together! What do you say John?" Alex spit in his hand and held it out. John took a deep breath then returned the gesture. There was cheering all around them as the crew welcomed their newest member. John and Alex walked up the stairs slowly due to Alex's leg, John remembered to ask his brother about that one day. As they were about to come out on the deck Alex asked his brother "Are you ready to see my baby? We captured her from the Spanish, and after some customizations here she is." He said dramatically as they stepped up on the deck. John saw a huge ship, almost twice the size of their Royal Brig. "She's a beauty isn't she? A frigate, most beautiful ship I saw. When I lay eyes on her, I knew I had to have her."

"She's a beauty." John said speechlessly, looking up at the triple deck ship. John looked around the deck of the Royal Navy ship around him and was surprised to see that the bodies and blood had all disappeared. John looked at his brother questioningly.

"What? I prefer not to be stepping over dead bodies or walking in pools of blood. Men! We're heading back to the ship."

"Yes sir! What about the ship?" A crew member asked

"Sink it." Alex said as he stepped on the gang plank leading to his ship. He stood on the plank and waited for John to join him. "Welcome to a life of freedom John, enjoy it!" Alex said as his cape swirled about him in the wind as he crossed over to his ship.