Richard Rawlings (The Invicible Hero)

Seated in his leather chair, the one-eyed sea wolf gazed callously at the flickering images on the television as it blared with the latest breaking news.

"Fellow citizens,it is with a heavy heart that I bring you news of a tragic incident on the high seas. A cruise ship carrying prominent individuals, including the daughter of our esteemed president, was recently attacked and seized by a group of ruthless pirates. The situation remains unclear but we can only pray for the safety and swift return of those involved."

The words struck him like a cannonball of revelation, sparking a wicked grin across his cruel features. His twisted mind whirred with schemes and plans, for he knew this was an opportunity too tempting to resist.

"Ahoy, what a mighty fine day it be, a true treasure in and of itself, my ticket to a paradise of plunder and booty, aye!"

As the pirate captain mused over his plans, a sudden knock at the door disrupted his thoughts.

With a scowl and a crusty voice he yelled,

"Enter if you dare!" The door creaked open slowly, revealing a nervous crewmate ready to deliver news.

"Speak, what urgent matter brings you here? I have no time for idle chatter."

The crewmate hesitating a bit, reports to the captain. "Captain, we have received word from our informant about the ship we seek to raid, it set sail tomorrow night at 23:00."

As the crewmate delivers the news, a wide grin spreads across the pirate captain's face, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He throws back his head and let's out a hearty laugh, slapping his hand on the table in satisfaction.

"Aye, this be music to my ears! now lad, we must adjust our plans and be ready to strike at the perfect moment. Tonight, we will celebrate our good fortune, but tomorrow, we will be ready to make our moves."

"While the Earth-bounders be searching high and low for the president's daughter, I will be making the most of my opportunity to strike at their vessels, swift and unsuspecting as a storm on the horizon. Hoist the sails and prepare for adventure."

The pirate captain's celebration were cut short as the crewmate hesitantly approached him.

"Captain, I have some important news about the ship we are about to raid," he began, dread clear in his voice.

"The ship is captained by none other than the famous ghost rider, Richard Rawlings."

The pirate captain felt a flicker of distress as he absorbed this new information "Rawlings! that bloody bastard."

"Captain, there are rumours,it appears he's dreaded by pirates."

"This won't be an easy fight, Richard is formidable." The pirate captain mused. Yet, the captain's greed and ambition soon overpowered any reservations he had, his determination stiffened.

"I swear on my mother's watery grave, I will drench that cursed ghost rider called Richard in his own blood and feed his scurvy corpse to the sharks."

Just as the pirate captain finished his blood chilling oath, his crewmate face lit up with a mischievous smile. "Captain, there be a comely beautiful lady waiting to speak with ya."

The pirate captain raised an eyebrow in interest, a sly smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth but he quickly dismissed any distractions and focused on the task at hand.

"Well, it would be downright rude to keep her waiting, send her in" he commanded, settling into his chair with a calculative expression.

A woman with a striking appearance walked in, exuding an air of wealth and confidence. Her well tailored attire hinted at her prosperous background, while the determined glance in her blue eyes spoke of a fierce intelligence that concealed her soft blonde curls.

She carried herself with elegance, and the captain couldn't help but feel a mix of curiousity and respect as he greeted her, wondering what business this influential woman could have with a pirate like him.

"Well, well, if it isn't the fairest maiden to ever grace my abode! what's a lovely lady like you doing in my quarters, if I may ask?" the captain said, his tone jovial yet surprised at the unusual sight of such beauty.

With her sweet seductive voice she said, "Captain, it is an honor to finally meet you. I have heard so much about your exploits as sea wolf and your prowess is quite impressive."

"And who might you be lass?"

"My name is Scarlett Rawlings, I'm Richard Rawlings wife."

The captain's eyes snapped wide open as he listened, the realization hit him like a grenade blast. He blinked rapidly, trying to process the unbelievable sight before him, his mind struggling to reconcile reality with the shock, a mixture of fright and fluster wash over his face as he sputtered in disbelief.

The pirate captain's mind raced with conflicting thoughts as he tried to make sense of Scarlett's sudden arrival and Richard's mysterious reputation. He struggled with the challenge of reconciling reality and humor, wondering if Richard's ghost title was more than just figurative..

"if Richard's wife is here,it means this is a plan between Richard and his wife, this bloody bastard is ten steps ahead of me." He wondered.

"But how can Richard be so mysterious? is he really a ghost?." A sense of frustration and wariness crept in as his mind became clouded with doubt as he pondered over the situation.

Finally,he uttered. " So the mighty Richard is a puppy after all, sending his wife to do his dirty business. He's a coward."

The pirate captain's tough disposition was immediately evident in his unwavering stance and piercing gaze.

His rugged features and weathered skin bore testament to countless storms and battles,each one etching it mark on his hardened countenance.

The air around him was thick with the scent of ocean spray and the lingering memory of explosive encounters,a reminder of the battles he had fought and won.

"Captain, it seems i am misunderstood, Richard didn't send me here, my presence here is entirely of my own volition."

As Scarlett spoke,a glint of amusement danced in her eyes, similar to a tiger stalking its prey.

Despite the tension in the air,she seemed to take pleasure in the captain's confusion, savoring the uncertainty of their exchange with a subtle yet unmistakable thrill.

Her demeanor exuded a sense of cool confidence,as if she was undisturbed by the challenge of convincing the skeptical captain to listen to her. Her measured response, combined with the glimmer of excitement in her gaze, suggested a calculated strategy.

"Really? so you came here without Richard's consent, do you intend to convince me to spare his life? Afraid of becoming a widow?"

"I am not here to talk about sparing Richard's life..." "on the contrary, I came to seek your service. I'm well aware of your skills and strength are unmatched in these treacherous waters.

The pirate captain's intrigue spiked as he tried to make meaning of what he just heard in his mind

"who really is Scarlett?" he pondered,

"first of all, she's bold enough to walk into my domain, dismisses all my assumptions, claims to be the wife of a bastard i want to kill, and now seeks my services. what would the wife of a naval captain need the services of a pirate for?"

"Alright, if you're who you claim to be, it kinda sounds ironic that you would need my services but let's cut to the chase, what do you want?"

"To begin with, I would like to offer you a fortune of 100 million dollars to gather more fire power and arsenals on your raid against my husband's ship."

The pirate captain's eyes widened with shock and excitement, struggling to process the absurdity of the offer.

He couldn't believe what his ears just heard

"I didn't hear you clearly ma'am, you're offering me 100 million dollars to raid your husband's ship?"

"Yes Captain, you heard me clearly."

"Let's say I believe this crap, what makes you think I fucking need your help to raid Richard's ship?? The estimated valuables on Richard's ship is worth billions of dollars, why should I accept your offer?? I'm no fool,I know there's always a catch."

" I'm well aware of your formidable reputation as the Sea Wolf, you're a king on the oceans and a prince on land, you've successfully raided over 200 ships and scaled past terrific storms, but lest you forget, may I remind you that the reason one of your eyes is bad is because of Richard?"

"He sneaked into your ship, recovered precious stones you stole and left his signature on your ship by plucking out one of your eyes. Do you really think you stand a chance against him? Do you even know how to track him the ocean?"

"I admit, that bastard is damn hard to track on the ocean, perhaps you know his bloody secret passage across the high seas. But make no mistakes, even with your grand offer and knowledge of his routes, I'll not be fooled into believing you've got no interests at heart.

Until I know what's in it for you, i'm keeping my guards up."

" I understand I have given you no grounds to trust me. I am the daughter of a very prominent figure, we belong to a secret group called the 'SKULLERS'. We have deep connections that spreads across various sectors that allows us to manipulate anything in our favor."

" I'm directly in charge of providing financial aids to pirate mercenaries to carry out secret missions. We have enjoyed massive maneuvers on the ocean, amassing riches through our deals with pirates."

"Few years ago, Richard Rawlings came on the scene and waged war against pirates on the seas. His unrelenting pursuit of pirates meant great loss for Skullers, killing him was difficult,so we devised a strategy to get him. I cunningly played the damsel in distress and that eventually led to our marriage."

The captain's eyes widened in shock as he absorbed Scarlett's revelation.

He had heard about the powerful skullers group and their involvement in piracy.

Despite his surprise,his mind raced, calculating the potential advantages skullers could offer him. The promise of a powerful ally was enticing,his greed battling his caution.

He weighed his options carefully until his mind was made up.

"I must say, Scarlett, your cunning ways is as sharp as a hunter's blade. I'm quite impressed. Yet, I can't help but wonder if I'm simply playing into your hands like a hapless mouse caught in a snare."

"Well,the lure of skullers might is a tempting treasure,one that even a cautious captain like myself would be a fool to refuse."

"So, Mrs Skull, what's the plan? how do you want me to kill your husband?

With a witty grin of victory, Scarlett replied.

"Captain, I want my husband dead as much as you do, so this is the plan...." "There's a region in the North Atlantic ocean called the 'Sargasso sea', this is where you must wait for the ship. I will send you the coordinates."

"Lastly, I have every reason to believe Richard Rawlings might be dead before you get to attack his ship."

Unable to contain the joy bubbling up in his heart, the pirate captain smiled. " Sargasso sea you say? The ghost rider won't know what's about to hit him."

His joyful laughter faded quickly as he pondered on Scarlett's last statement.

"What do you mean by might be dead?"

MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

South Beach Biloxi Hotel.

Richard Rawlings sank deeper into the cool waters of the hotel's swimming pool, feeling the tension in his muscles easing, his eyes closed as he soaked up the sun's warm rays.

suddenly, he heard a splash and opened his eyes to see a stunning woman in a bikini entering the pool. Her curves and beauty left him breathless.

As she swam closer, he recognized her as Kate Spencer, the daughter of his mentor Admiral Rachel Spencer. He had once been deeply in love with her daughter,dated for a while until Scarlett came between them.

Richard felt a surge of attraction, his pulse racing as Kate drew closer. Her tantalizing figure and charming smile tested his self control.

Kate seemed oblivious to the effect she had on him, swimming closer with a bright smile.

"Hi Richard, enjoying the pool?"

Richard's heart skipped a beat when he heard her voice,a voice that had once filled him with desire.

"Kate... I didn't know you were around," he said trying to mask the shock and excitement in his voice.

Kate's piercing blue eyes sparkled with a playful glint. "oooh, Richard, you look surprised."

she said, a playful smile dancing on her lips as her long dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

"I thought you would be happy to see me after all these years." she moved closer to him, her bikinied figure just inches away.

"I came here to see my mum,she told me you were here, so I have been hoping to run into you."

Her voice was silky smooth, with a hint of seduction.

Richard maintained a respectful distance, shifted his gaze away from lingering on Kate's curves.

"It's great to see you Kate, but I'm a married man now."

His body betrayed him as he fought to keep his urges in check.

"A married man huh?" Kate's smile grew even wider. "Well, that doesn't mean we can't catch up."

She reached out and gently placed her hand on Richard's broad chest.

Richard could feel the heat of Kate's hand on his chest. Her touch sent jolts of desire like an electrical current through his body. Every fiber of his being seemed to be responding to her, drawing him closer despite his efforts to resist.

He thought within himself. "If I don't come up with something right now, all hell is going to break loose here and now."

Finally,an idea popped into his mind.

"Kate, I heard about your mum's retirement, I hope she's okay?" his voice tinged with genuine concern.

Kate's smile faded for a moment,

"She has been struggling," she admitted, her tone became sober. "She was diagnosed with cancer but there's hope." she quickly added.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Richard said, his tone softening with empathy. "There's hope for a cure?"

"Yes Rich, there's a cure and we are already working on it."

Despite Richard's attempt to shift the conversation, she's not about to let him off the hook so easily.

"So sweet of you to ask about my mum," her smile widened, "but don't worry, she's strong."

"There's something I want to tell you Rich,"

she moved closer still,her hand moving towards his neck as she leaned in to whisper in his ear,

"something I think you'll find quite . . . . exciting."

Richard's pulse quickened as he felt the warmth of Kate's breath against his ear. His mind raced with possibilities and he knew he should pull away, but something in him couldn't resist the temptation in her words.

"oh no Kate, don't do this to me."

"I hear the news Richard, it's everywhere. You're the famous Ghost Rider that's turning the pirate world upside down."

She paused, biting his ear softly before adding.

"Aye Ghost Rider, when are you going to ghost ride me to the galaxies?"

Richard reached boiling point in no time, he couldn't take it anymore, his resistance crumbled, he surrendered to Kate's advances.

"Alright Kate," he breathed, "I give up, I really missed you, but I wouldn't wanna do anything to hurt Scarlett."

Kate beamed with satisfaction at his surrender, a triumphant grin playing on her lips.

"Oh Richard," she purred, "You look really handsome when you're tough. I missed you too Rawlings..."

"There's alot of catching up we need to do Richard but there's no time. My mum is ready to see you now." she sank deep into the pool and swims few distance away from Richard.

Richard sighs a breathe of relief, saying nothing, he quickly emerged from the pool while Kate steadied her gaze on his robust body, her eyes lingered on him for a moment, taking in every contour.

She couldn't help but appreciate the raw masculinity that exuded from him. With a killer smile she said,

"One more thing captain, I heard about your sea voyage tomorrow, I'm coming aboard your ship."

Richard couldn't help but chuckle lightly

"You've got to be kidding me, on whose authority Kate?." He asked with the hint of challenge in his voice.

"On my mum's authority captain."

Richard chuckled, impressed by Kate's quick wit.

"Well,it seems I'm in no position to argue with a matriarch's command. See you tomorrow Kate." A mischievous twinkle appeared on his eyes as he walked away.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Richard thought as he walked to his mentor's hotel room.

"Kate's back in my life, I almost lost it seeing her and now she's coming on my ship? I can't believe still have feelings for her after all these years. Why do I feel like she's up to something? why is she here?? why now?