[14] The Smooth Criminal

I leaned against the wall of Rika's Place, mulling over the information we'd gathered about Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro. The kid had guts, I'll give him that. 

Aria nudged me with her elbow. "You're brooding again."

"I don't brood," I said, straightening up. "I strategize."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. Come on, we've got bigger fish to fry. Remember 'Silver Tongue' Sato?"

I nodded. The bounty poster we'd seen earlier flashed in my mind - 11 million berries for a guy who, according to the rumors, could talk his way out of anything. "You think he's worth pursuing and taking to a bounty post?"

"Definitely," Aria said, her green eyes gleaming. "He's been spotted in this area recently. Plus, if we can take him down, it'll boost our reputation."

"Alright," I said, pushing off the wall. "Let's start asking around. But keep it subtle. We don't want to attract unwanted attention."

We split up, working our way through the crowded tavern. I sidled up to the bar, ordering a drink and striking up a conversation with the grizzled bartender.

"Heard there's been some excitement 'round here lately," I said casually, sliding a few extra coins across the counter.

The bartender's eyes darted to the money, then back to me. He pocketed the coins with a practiced motion. "Aye, that there has. First that Straw Hat kid and the swordsman, now rumors of Silver Tongue himself lurking about."

I leaned in closer. "Oh? Any idea where this Silver Tongue might be hanging his hat these days?"

The bartender shrugged. "Can't say for certain. But there's been talk of strange goings-on at the old lighthouse on the north shore. Might be worth checking out, if you're the curious type."

I thanked him and made my way back to Aria, who was deep in conversation with a group of rough-looking sailors. As I approached, I caught the tail end of their conversation.

"...swear on me mother's grave, I saw 'im with me own two eyes," one of them was saying. "Silver Tongue Sato, bold as brass, strolling into that abandoned lighthouse like he owned the place."

Aria caught my eye and nodded slightly. We had our lead.

As we left the tavern, I filled her in on what I'd learned. "Looks like your sailor friends corroborated the bartender's story," I said. "The old lighthouse it is."

We made our way through the winding streets of Shells Town, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, casting long shadows across our path.

"So," Aria said as we walked, "what's the plan? We can't just barge in there."

I smirked. "Why not? Worked well enough for Straw Hat."

She punched my arm lightly. "Be serious, Namor. This guy's dangerous. They don't call him Silver Tongue for nothing."

"Relax," I said, flexing my fingers. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. Or have you forgotten about these?" I created a small vortex in my palm, letting it dance between my fingers.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "And what if he talks you into handing yourself over to the Marines before you can even use your powers?"

I scoffed. "Please. I'm not that easily swayed."

"Uh-huh," she said, unconvinced. "Just... be careful, okay? We don't know what we're walking into."

As we approached the lighthouse, I had to admit she had a point. The structure loomed before us, a dark silhouette against the starry sky. Its windows were dark, but that didn't mean it was empty.

"Alright," I whispered, crouching behind a nearby rock. "I'll create a vortex to sense any movement inside. You watch our backs."

Aria nodded, drawing her sword silently.

I closed my eyes, focusing on extending my senses through the vortex. At first, there was nothing. Then, a flicker of movement. Two... no, three distinct presences inside the lighthouse.

"Got 'em," I murmured. "Three people inside. One on the ground floor, two up top."

"Silver Tongue and some cronies?" Aria suggested.

I shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

We crept towards the lighthouse, staying low to avoid being seen through the windows. As we reached the door, I placed my hand on the weathered wood, ready to push it open.

Aria grabbed my wrist. "Wait," she hissed. "What if it's trapped?"

I paused, considering. Then, with a grin, I created a small vortex and sent it whirling under the door. There was a moment of silence, then a muffled yelp from inside.

"Guess that answers that question," I said, kicking the door open.

Inside, a startled-looking man was sprawled on the floor, tangled in what looked like the remains of a tripwire. He reached for a pistol at his belt, but I was faster. A quick vortex knocked the weapon from his hand and sent him tumbling into the far wall.

"Stay down," I growled, pinning him with another vortex. "Where's Silver Tongue?"

The man's eyes darted nervously between Aria and me. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

Aria stepped forward, her staff glinting in the moonlight streaming through the open door. "Wrong answer," she said coldly. "Try again."

The man swallowed hard. "Upstairs," he said finally. "But you're too late. The deal's already going down."

I exchanged a glance with Aria. "Deal?" she asked.

But before the man could answer, a smooth voice drifted down from above. "Now, now. There's no need for all this unpleasantness."

I looked up to see a figure descending the spiral staircase. He was tall and lean, with slicked-back hair and a smile that could charm the scales off a Sea King. Silver Tongue Sato, in the flesh.

"Rocks D. Namor, I presume?" Sato said, his voice like honey. "And the lovely Aria Drake. I've been expecting you."

I tensed, ready for a fight. But Sato held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Please, there's no need for violence," he said. "I think we may be able to help each other."

I narrowed my eyes. "And why should we trust you?"

Sato's smile widened. "Because, my dear Namor, I have information that could make you the most feared pirate in the East Blue. All I ask in return is a small favor."

I could feel Aria's eyes on me, silently warning me not to fall for his tricks. But I had to admit, I was curious.

"What kind of information?" I asked cautiously.

Sato's eyes gleamed. "The kind that could lead you to a treasure beyond your wildest dreams. A treasure that would put you on equal footing with the likes of Monkey D. Luffy."

I felt a jolt of excitement, quickly followed by suspicion. It was too good to be true. But before I could respond, a commotion from upstairs caught our attention.

"Boss!" a panicked voice called. "Marines! They've found us!"

Sato's smooth facade cracked for just a moment. "Damn," he muttered. Then, composing himself, he turned back to us. "It seems we'll have to continue this conversation another time. Unless, of course, you'd like to join forces against our common enemy?"

I glanced at Aria, saw the determination in her eyes. We'd come here for Silver Tongue, and we weren't leaving empty-handed.

"Nice try," I said, cracking my knuckles. "But I think we'll take our chances with the Marines. You, on the other hand, are coming with us."

Sato's smile turned cold. "I was afraid you'd say that."

In a flash, he pulled something from his pocket and threw it to the ground. The room filled with thick, choking smoke.

I cursed, trying to wave it away. "Aria!" I called out. "You okay?"

"Fine," she coughed from somewhere to my left. "But he's getting away!"

I focused, creating a massive vortex to clear the air. As the smoke dissipated, I saw Sato making a break for a hidden door behind a bookshelf.

I didn't hesitate. The moment I saw Sato making a break for it, I acted on instinct. A vortex erupted from my palm, spinning through the air like a corkscrew. It slammed into Sato's back, lifting him off his feet and pinning him against the wall with a satisfying thud.

"Going somewhere?" I asked, sauntering over to him.

Sato struggled against the invisible force holding him in place, his silver tongue apparently useless against my Devil Fruit powers. "You're making a mistake," he gasped. "I can offer you-"

"Save it," I cut him off. "The only thing you're offering is a fat bounty."

Aria appeared at my side, her sword at the ready. "Nice catch," she said, eyeing Sato warily. "But we're not out of the woods yet. Those Marines are still coming. And if they arrest him, we get none of the reward for it."

I nodded, my mind already working on our next move. "Right. Let's truss him up and get out of here."

We made quick work of binding Sato, using some rope we found in a nearby closet. The whole time, he kept trying to talk his way out of it, spinning tales of hidden treasures and secret information. I tuned him out, focusing on the task at hand.

As we finished, the sound of boots on gravel reached my ears. The Marines were close.

"Time to go," I said, hoisting Sato over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Got a back way out of here?"

Aria grinned, pointing to a narrow window on the far side of the room. "How's your climbing?"

We scrambled out the window just as the Marines burst through the front door. The night air was cool on my skin as we half-ran, half-slid down the rocky slope behind the lighthouse. Sato bounced uncomfortably on my shoulder, still trying to bargain his way to freedom.

"You know," he wheezed between jostles, "I could put in a good word for you with the Marines. Make this whole thing go away."

I snorted. "Yeah, because I'm really worried about my reputation with the Marines."

We reached the bottom of the slope and took off running towards the docks. The sound of pursuit wasn't far behind, shouts and the occasional gunshot echoing through the night.

"Almost there," Aria panted as we rounded a corner and saw our ship in the distance.

But our path was blocked. A squad of Marines stood between us and freedom, rifles raised.

"Halt!" one of them shouted. "In the name of justice!"

I skidded to a stop, my mind racing. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and carrying a very inconvenient package. But I'd be damned if I was going to let some low-level grunts ruin our score.

"Aria," I muttered out of the corner of my mouth. "Remember that move we practiced?"

She nodded imperceptibly, her hand tightening on her sword hilt.

"Alright, boys," I called out to the Marines. "Let's not do anything hasty. We're all reasonable people here, right?"

The Marine in charge, a burly guy with a impressive mustache, took a step forward. "Drop your weapons and surrender the prisoner!"

I shrugged, making a show of considering it. "Counter-offer: how about you take a nap instead?"

Before they could react, I created a massive vortex, lifting us into the air. At the same time, Aria leapt forward, she moved like a dancer, weaving between the startled Marines and leaving a trail of unconscious bodies in her wake.

I landed behind the squad, using smaller vortexes to knock out the stragglers. In less than a minute, it was over.

"Nice footwork," I said as we stepped over the groaning Marines.

Aria flicked an imaginary speck of dust off her staff. "You're not so bad yourself. Now let's get out of here before their reinforcements show up."

We sprinted the rest of the way to the Black Pearl, Sato still slung over my shoulder like a very talkative sack of flour. As we neared the gangplank, I heard him mutter something under his breath.

"What was that?" I asked, not really caring about the answer.

"I said," Sato repeated, louder this time, "you'll never be half the pirate Straw Hat is."

I paused for a moment, then unceremoniously dumped him onto the deck. He landed with an undignified oof.

"You know," I said, crouching down to his level, "the poster says 'dead or alive.'"

Sato's eyes widened, a flicker of fear breaking through his smooth facade. "Now, now," he stammered, "let's not be hasty. I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."

I stood up, stretching my arms above my head. "Relax, Silver Tongue. If I wanted you dead, you'd be at the bottom of the ocean by now." I turned to Aria, who was busy securing the ship for departure. "What do you think? Should we see what kind of 'arrangement' our friend here has in mind?"

Aria paused, her hand on the ship's wheel. She eyed Sato warily. "I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. But... information is valuable. Maybe we hear him out before we turn him in?"

I nodded, considering. "Alright, Sato. You've got one chance to make this worth our while. What's this treasure you were babbling about earlier?"

Sato's face lit up, that salesman's smile sliding back into place. "Ah, I knew you were a man of reason, Captain Namor. What I have to offer you is nothing less than the key to untold riches and power."

I crossed my arms, unimpressed. "Cut the sales pitch. Details, or you're going straight to the Marines."

Sato licked his lips nervously. "Very well. Have you ever heard of the Golden Apple?"

I exchanged a glance with Aria. She shrugged, looking as puzzled as I felt.

"Can't say that I have," I admitted. "What's so special about it?"

Sato's eyes gleamed with excitement. "The Golden Apple is no ordinary fruit, my friend. It's said to be a Devil Fruit of unparalleled power. Legend has it that whoever eats it gains the ability to control the very fabric of reality itself."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds too good to be true. And even if it exists, why tell us? Why not go after it yourself?"

Sato chuckled ruefully. "Ah, but that's the rub. The Golden Apple is hidden away on an island that only appears once every hundred years. And it's guarded by trials that no single person can overcome alone."

"And let me guess," Aria chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You just happen to know when and where this mysterious island will appear?"

Sato nodded eagerly. "Precisely! I've spent years piecing together the clues, deciphering ancient texts, following whispered rumors. And now, at last, I know the secret. The island will appear in just three weeks' time, off the coast of Loguetown." 

"For a guy called 'Silver Tongue,' you're not very good at this."

His eyes widened. "But-"

I didn't let him finish. My fist connected with his jaw, and his head snapped back. He slumped to the deck, out cold.

"Well," Aria said dryly, "that's one way to shut him up."

I stood up, shaking out my hand. "Yeah, well, I was getting tired of his fairy tales. Let's get this ship moving back to Jagged Rock before more Marines show up."