Storm over the Caribbean

21. Do or Die!

I watched, frozen in fear, as the giant's fist flew towards Mr Ambrose's face like a sledgehammer. Time seemed to stretch into eternity—emphasis on seemed. Because, in reality, the fist was moving fast and deadly. Barely a tenth of a second had passed before it appeared in front of Mr Ambrose's face and—

...and flew right past it.

"You missed."

He had moved so fast I almost couldn't see it. In a blink, Mr Rikkard Ambrose was out of the way, and he was staring up at Gaptooth with an icy stare that should freeze any man in place.

"Why bother pretending to count down at all?" He cocked his head. "Just start with ten. It's much more efficient."

"Rrrrraaah!"

With a bellow, Cyclops aimed another punch at his opponent, and promptly Mr Ambrose ducked out of the way again.

"My turn."

Two words. Cold. Calculating. A promise of pain to come.

And before the massive pirate could regain his equilibrium, my husband went on the counterattack. In one swift move, he hooked his foot behind Cyclops' leg and, with a hard tug, sent the man flyi—

No.

He did not send the man flying. Oh, he certainly tried to. But Cyclops didn't budge. Not even an inch.

"Bah!" The massive monster of muscle snorted, once more turning to face my husband. "Is that all you got, you little son of a bitch?"

Oh crap.

I had a momentary mental image of Lady Samantha, Mr Ambrose's sweet, lovable mother. Then I looked at the man who had dared to call her a Bee I Tea Sea H.

Mr Rikkard Ambrose's eyes frosted over.

"No. It is not."

Then he moved. Before the barrel-chested behemoth could so much as blink, Mr Ambrose had him by the ears and pulled.

"Aaagh!"

The thug stumbled forward, not so much from sufficient force to move him as from the engrained instinct all humans share to not have their ears ripped off. Without hesitation, Mr Ambrose's knee came up, and...

Crack!

"Aaaaarrrr!"

Clutching his face, Cyclops staggered back, disoriented for a moment. And if there was one thing that could be said about my husband, it was that he knew how to grasp the moment. His foot slammed into the back of the muscle monster's leg, and this time, he put all his force behind it.

"Son of a—!"

With an almighty crash, Cyclops slammed into the sand. Before he could get his bearings, Mr Ambrose was above him, raising his foot above the man's hand.

"Be. Silent."

His foot came down.

Crack!

"Aaaaanngraaawwwrgk!"

The anguished bellow rising to the sky made even me wince, safe as I was behind the palisade. I couldn't help but momentarily avert my eyes. When I looked back again, it was just in time to see Cyclops rocketing up from the ground, his mouth foaming with rage.

"I'll kill you! You piece of frigging shit! I'll! Kill! You!"

He punched. Once again, Mr Ambrose ducked out of the way of his right hook—but not the left that was coming from the other side.