Reunions Chapter 1: Tortuga, a pirates of the caribbean fanfic

That chilly summer's eve, the thoroughfares of Tortuga were gloomy and bathed in eerie gray light and brume. Evianne walked briskly along a byway, humming a tune to herself. The streets were, apart from her, deserted—there had been a large exodus from the infamous port after hearing that the East India Trading Company was sending ships to take over once and for all. But Evianne hadn't. She'd had some business to attend to before leaving.

Suddenly, as she rounded a corner, Evianne found her way barricaded by a group of soldiers. She turned back. Another group had come up behind her. She stood, frightened, looking up and around the surrounding houses for an exit.

Suddenly an old man pushed aside the soldiers in front of her.

Without prelude, the man spoke. "My name is Henry Beckett. May I inquire as to your name, and purpose here? Everyone else has…" He motioned at the empty town around them. "…left, it seems."

"No, you may not," said Evianne sharply, looking at Henry Beckett straight in the eye. "Why have you detained me? I am doing nothing wrong here, simply walking through the city streets. Is that a crime, Mr. Beckett?"

"Not usually. However, the exception is if the 'citizen' in question is in league with pirates. More specifically…." He grabbed her wrist before she could react and pushed up her sleeve so her forearm showed. There, quite plain in the soft gray light, was a tattoo of a sunset. And flying in front of the sunset was a sparrow. "Jack Sparrow."

Evianne tried to free herself, but Beckett's grip was surprisingly strong.

"Greetings, Ms. Evianne Sparrow. I have heard much of you." Beckett let go of her arm and scrutinized her. "According to my informers, you look much like your father. I'm sorry to say that I have never had the pleasure of meeting the man. But that will change quite soon, I am sure. I received a tip from one of my spies stationed here in Tortuga. He told me that the Black Pearl had made berth here, that he had seen some of its crew members lumbering about the city. But, apparently, you have your own spies as well."

Evianne managed to wrench her hand free from his grip. "You will never trap us. And if you ever do meet Jack Sparrow, he will probably be the last person you see before your life wisps away."

"That indeed remains to be seen. Ms. Sparrow, let's end this quickly. Show me where the Pearl is docked, and there shall be no trouble. I have many, many troops in Tortuga tonight, Evianne. I would hate to see you suffer, for you to have to see your friends die tonight…."

Evianne laughed. "I have heard much of you too, Mr. Beckett. Leader of the East India Trading Company, father of the late Cutler Beckett. And I've also heard that you don't ever give a damn about anyone but yourself. You can stop your little 'hate to see you suffer' act. In other words, thanks for the offer, but… no thanks." Evianne smiled and then like lightning she jumped up onto a stack of barrels in front of a nearby shop. She then sped off quickly on the rooftops of Tortuga, leaving stunned and confused soldiers behind. She got off the roofs a few streets down and sprinted to the 'Endroit Secret', the special hidden dock of Tortuga which the soldiers had thankfully not yet discovered.

"Ah, there she comes," said Jack Sparrow from the Black Pearl, seeing Evianne running up the dock. "We finally have the maps. Now all we have to do is wait for Hector and his ship. There's no one left to raid here in Tortuga, he said he'd send us a rum shipment in exchange for some cargo of ours." Jack grinned at the thought.

"Cap'n, we really are behind schedule. I think we should make do with—," started Gibbs.

"No, Mr. Gibbs. We need that rum! We would be simply miserable without it. Rum— it is the essence of contentment! Am I not correct, Hubert?" he said to Cotton's parrot, which was perched nearby.

"Wind in the sails!"

"That's the spirit, mate!" Jack grinned at Hubert.

"Well, rum or no rum, we have to leave now, Jack," said Evianne, running onto the deck, dislodging the gangplank behind her, and shoving two maps into Jack's arms "Beckett found out about our presence here. He and some men cornered me in the streets, I barely escaped. It won't be long before they find the Endroit Secret."

"Baaad, bad Beckett! Very bad Beckett," rebuked Hubert.

"All right then…," said Jack, checking the maps over and pondering their next move. Then, putting the charts away, he turned and called at the crew, "Gentlemen… and lady," he nodded to Evianne. "Set a course to Isla Cosette! It has, after all, been nearly twenty years. I personally think we owe Elizabeth Turner a little visit."