The Raven Squad Biographics: Marton Grifton - Sky Pirate

By J O Rienhardt

The background story of Marton Grifton introduced in The Raven Squad. It is highly recommended that THE RAVEN SQUAD book be read before this book.
In Marton Grifton - Sky Pirate you learn of his early years and how be became the captain of The Reaver airship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329453982

Book preview

The Raven Squad Biographics: Marton Grifton - Sky Pirate

The Raven Squad

Biographics

MARTON GRIFTON – SKY PIRATE

Marton Grifton

Sky Pirate

J O Rienhardt

© J O Rienhardt, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-329-45398-2

http://scimuze.com/RisingRiver/

Thank you to my sister, Sandra Lynch, for editing and encouragement to keep writing.

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The Raven Squad Biographics are prequel stories to The Raven Squad book. If you have not read The Raven Squad it is highly recommended that you read that book first. Visit the Rising River Publisher web site to purchase.

The complete series of The Raven Squad Biographics will be published as eBooks and, in the future, as a collection of these stories in a print book. The print book will contain additional stories not released as eBooks.

http://scimuze.com/RisingRiver/

Other books by this author:

The Raven Squad, 2014

Lewis Swift: Comet Hunter, 2015

The Life and Times of Joseph Owen Seely: 1796-1879, 2015

More in this series to come:

Sara Reese – Airship Pilot

Eli Andrews – Inventor

Molly McGowan – Undercover Agent

. . .and others

SFR

SFR File Number: 759

Creation Date: 7 Aug 2045

Compiled by: CCJ

Subject: Marton Grifton

Location: Unknown.

Subject Background: Nephew of André Barbosa. Rumored to be a thief and murderer. These rumors are suspect and not verified. Has a crew and an airship.

SFR Interest: Considered a Level 2 threat.

Contact: No contact has been initiated.

Marton Grifton's Story

Chapter 1

The Happy Days End

Brazil, 1996

I never liked him, André Barbosa said. "I never wanted him to marry you. Now that he is out of the way I will raise Marton."

What did you do? Where is Felipe? You have no right! Anna screamed at her brother.

He is out of the way. Forget about him! André took her roughly by the arm and pushed her down in a chair. Where is the boy?

He is not here. He is playing with friends. Leave him alone!

André took a swat at Anna, but she dodged it and he missed, making him angrier. Just as he was about to lunge at her one of his men came through the door.

Polícia coming.

Polícia? Someday I will crush the polícia. André gave one last threatening look at Anna and left with his man.

André Barbosa had become a major criminal influence in South America and a large investor in the coal mining industry, primarily in Venezuela and Columbia, where he had first invested in illegal drug trade. Barbosa used his illegally gotten riches to invest in legitimate coal production, which allowed him to launder his drug money, and he became richer still. With great wealth comes power and he intended to wield as much power as he could, over everyone he could.

The police arrived at the Grifton home and questioned Anna. A neighbor had heard the commotion and called the police. Anna was sobbing and pleading with the police to arrest her brother, but they were not inclined to go after him saying that they had no basis to arrest him. They did, of course, he was a known criminal, but he had paid off most of the local law enforcement, so they had incentive to leave him alone; he avoided them just the same.

Marton, Anna and Felipe’s son, was a happy 8 year old and spent much of his time exploring with his friends. They spent endless hours combing the beaches of the Brazilian coast near Aquiraz looking for shells and whatever would wash up.

~

Being on the beach was such a happy time. The warm sun, the ocean breeze, the sand, and the treasures: shells, sea polished glass, drift wood, polished stones, and sometimes a lost coin. For an 8 year old boy it was all there was and all there needed to be. He watched the clouds drifting by, ever changing; fantastic shapes and familiar shapes from dragons to kittens. The serenity of this life was about to be ruined, though.

Marton, Marton! The distant voice could hardly be heard above the ocean waves licking at the shore.

Marton. My boy. Anna ran to her son and fell to her knees on the sand to hug him.

What is wrong momma? Why are you crying? He asked her, his fantasy world now shattering and reality rushing in.

Your papa is gone! He is gone. She cried.

Gone where momma? What do you mean? He went to work.

I am sorry. Your uncle André stopped by. He. . .

I don’t like Uncle André. He is mean to you and papa.

We need to go away. We must get away from André. We must go now.

Anna stood up and took her son by the hand to walk back to their home to pack up a few things and leave. She didn’t know where they would go, but it was necessary to go. Her brother, André, was a ruthless man with many connections. It would be hard to hide from him. If she did not leave he would surely take Marton.

André had been married for a short time. Within a year of his marriage, though, something had happened that angered André and his wife disappeared. No one ever found out what had actually happened.

André wanted children, especially a son. He was jealous of Anna and Felipe having a good marriage and a son and was not about to let her have the life he wanted. He was determined to destroy them.

Anna and Marton approached their home, but saw André’s large black steam car parked in front. Not daring to approach, she stopped Marton and turned to go back the way they had come. As she turned, one of André’s men, who must have been following them, grabbed Marton and pushed Anna to the ground as the big black car pulled up next to them.

The rear door of the car opened and Marton was pushed inside. The man got in and the car drove off leaving Anna bruised and crying in the street. She knew that she was powerless now, but someday, somehow she would get her son back and André would pay.

Chapter 2

Prisoner Of The House

Why so sad, little Marton? André’s housekeeper asked. This is a beautiful room, you have and many toys.

I want my momma and papa, he replied through tears.

Where are they? She asked. She had no idea of what had transpired and had always tried to know little about André’s affairs sensing that knowing too much might be unhealthy.

Leave him, the voice from the door of the room said. André had heard the housekeeper’s question and she was reaching that edge of unhealthy knowledge.

With a yes, Mr. André, she turned and left with a submissive head down posture.

You keep quiet in here boy. Do not speak to anyone about your parents. Do you hear me?

Yes, Uncle, Marton snapped and turned away.

Listen you little delinquent, I will give you everything you need, but you will not give me any trouble. You do what I say. Do you understand? André was glaring at the boy and got a glare in return. André could feel his anger rising again; something he knew he had trouble controlling, so he turned and exited, slamming the door behind him.

Marton wanted more than anything for the housekeeper to come back so he could tell her of his sadness and what had happened. No one else in the large house seemed to be at all kind. There were many servants and others around the place, but they all regarded him as a nuisance, though he kept to himself.

His room was large and filled with many toys. A dream for any young boy, unless you could not leave the room. From his window he could see the beach, but he could not go there. He hated this place. He hated his uncle. He knew he would never be that happy boy again.

~

Weeks, and then months went by. No longer confined to his room, he was able to roam the house, but was closely watched by the staff. They