Boreas was running out of options. He couldn't stall much longer without becoming obvious.
"I'll concede one point to you." He stated.
She tilted her head to listen to his words.
"You have me at a disadvantage. I'm unarmed and you--"
"Shut up." She drew her weapon and aimed it at Boreas. Her sudden threat caught him off guard because her attention seemed diverted. She was still listening. After a moment more she signalled to her henchmen towards the wall to her left. It was an unassuming section between bulkheads with a control panel and a ventilation duct. She swung her weapon wide and fired. The shot landed squarely and destroyed the vent grating exposing a started youth scrambling away.
"Grab him!"
Avery obliged her command. He dove and reached into the charred orifice in the wall. He struggled a moment before pulling out a dark skinned teenager with close cropped curly hair. Hauled to his feet the boy resisted until he saw Belisa's weapon aimed at his face. He glanced at Black Dog.
"What were you doing boy?" Belisa asked the question behind clenched teeth.
Red's eyes fixed back onto the gun. He was in a panic.
"Red, answer her question. Don't be afraid. Just tell her."
"I-I just w--wa-wanted to see if-f I could... help."
"Aren't you a wonderfully thoughtful boy." Belisa shifted her steel gaze to Boreas. "I would venture to guess that others of your crew may believe they could do the same thing. What do you suppose I could do to quell such ambition?"
Black Dog looked from her to Red and then back at Belisa. "Ask nicely?"
She smiled and nodded at the captain slightly. She lowered her aim slowly and then holstered the gun and motioned her men to bring him forward. With Red facing the captain she stepped around Avery and stopped right behind Red. "On your knees."
The men shoved him downward and he fell to his knees with a grunt. Belisa retrieved a long knife from a sheath behind her. She grasped Red's thick hair and placed the tip of the blade against his neck just above his collar bone.
"Belisa!" The captain started.
"Are you going to plead for this boy's life now? I'd much prefer you to hand over my prize."
