Chapter one

Before the night is over

A dark haired man strode purposefully in to the dimly lit tavern, quickly scanning the room before his eyes settled on the bar. He pushed himself through the crowds until his hands met the sturdy wood of the bar. His rough voice barked to the bar maid for a rum, and the woman quickly put one in front of him. Whilst he stood there he surveyed his surroundings, clearly trying to pick someone out from the crowd.

A smirk graced his features when he noticed a table at the back where an old man sat guzzling his drink. With his drunken swagger, he moved over to the table standing in front of the stranger, waiting for him to look up from his drink.

A sudden spray of alcohol covered the already filthy table, as shocked grey eyes focused on the man in front of him. Disbelief coated his every word when the old man spoke after staring at jack for many moments.

"Chuffin' hell, I wouldn't a-reckoned, Jack Sparra! Where's tha bin?"

"Oh, here and there, you know me Donald. How have you been?" Jack greeted as he sat down in the empty seat, placing his mug of rum in front of himself after taking a large mouthful.

"Can't complain. Now why don't we jus' skip the pleasantries? Whatyafter?" Donald spoke impatiently.

Jack quickly surveyed the room to check that no one was watching, assured that everyone else was busy doing their own thing, he slowly pulled out a piece of leathery material from his inner coat pocket and placed it on the table, pushing it forwards.

"I happen to have a very interesting map for you to take a look at, if you're willing."

Don quickly pushed it back, giving him a meaningful stare. "Ye should know me by now, ye don't get owt for nowt, so hand over the cash."

Jack reluctantly dove back into his pockets pulling out some golden coins; he slammed them on the table with a grunt before giving his companion an aggravated stare.

"Now will you take a look at the damned thing." Jack growled, clearly angry at the thought of paying for something. It wasn't in his nature, he was more for the 'take what you can, give nothing back' approach.

Don quickly grabbed the material from the table along with the coins, casting a critical glance over it before putting it back down on the table.

"It's nowt but spit an' glue."

Jack sighed. "I have complete confidence in your proficient cartographic skills, but just take a closer look will you?" His eyes seemed to be yearning for an explanation for the strange material, wanting nothing more than Don to reveal it was a map leading to a long lost treasure that would make him rich beyond his wildest dreams.

This speech earned a glare from Don, but never the less Don pulled some spectacles out from his pocket and placed them on the bridge of his nose and looked at the map a second time.

"Wha' ever it is, it probably ain't a fake 'cause it's o'er 75 years old. There's some kind o' foreign language written on it 'n' wha' appears t' be part of a map. I could probably decipher it, but I'll need some time"

Jack let out an exasperated sigh, he didn't want to have to wait to find out what the map led to, he was impatient to get back out to sea and find himself some more treasure. "And just how much time do you reckon you'll need."

"Come back 'n' see me tomorrow an' I should have an answer for you then."

"In that case I think i'll find myself a nice lass to drink away the night with if you don't mind" Jack said as he abruptly stood up from the table, tipping his hat to Don.

Elena walked slowly down the street, her eyes darting around for her next pray. She desperately wanted to find someone with plenty of money in their pocket that she could take so that she would be able to escape the island. She hated it here, the disgusting prostitutes, and the dirty lecherous men that would try and grab at her as she walked past. To escape to a more civilized island would be bliss, but that would cost money, money she didn't have. So here she was finding the perfect mark to pickpocket, just like she had been doing for the past few months in order to put a roof over her head and food in her belly.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a drunken man waving a large pouch in the air, jingling the money within. "The drinks are on me lads." He yelled to the men he was with as they stumbled into the nearest tavern.

Elena's face broke out into a sly grin, it was just too perfect, a large purse of money and a drunken fool to steal it off. Not only was she probably going to get enough that night to be able to escape the island, but it was going to be easy pickings. She smoothed down her curly haired locks and walked towards the tavern the men had just disappeared into.

She spotted him immediately when she entered, stood at the bar, surrounded by men who had clearly heard the offer of free booze. Preparing herself mentally for the task ahead, Elena discretely pulled down the front of her dress so that more of her cleavage was showing, she sauntered over to him.

"Now then handsome, does this offer of drink apply to only men or can a lonely lady like myself appeal to your good nature and join you in your celebrations?" she purred into his ear from behind him.

The man slowly turned around, his gaze first drawn to her pouting lips and then downwards to the exposed flesh of her bosom. A drunken smile crossed his features before declaring "How could I turn down the company of such a gorgeous lady". This earned a loud chorus of agreement from his friends before his arm encircled her waste and pulled her close to his side.

Thirty minutes later Elena was trying not to role her eyes at the man, who was only known as Red, as he told another ridiculous and farfetched story of his daring courage and bravery as he downed yet another pint. Luckily he was now so far gone in his drunkenness that Elena now had the opportunity to get what she had come in tavern for in the first place. Leaning over she carefully detached his money pouch from his belt and slipped it into the folds of her dress.

"If you gentleman will excuse me, I'm just going to powder my nose and then I will be right back with you handsome devils" she said with a wink as she stood from where she was sat at the table.

Elena slowly made her way across the tavern as if she was going to do as she had stated, and then when she knew they were no longer looking her way, she made a hasty retreat to the door and out into the night air. She stood outside the tavern for a moment, leaning against the wall, too elated at her accomplishment to move. She had done it, in the pouch she could feel there was enough to get her off the island. Elena could not stop the huge smile from crossing her features as she came to the realisation that she could finally leave the place that disgusted her so much. Slowly she turned to make her way back to the hovel she lived in for what would be her final night on the island, for in the morning she would be able to buy a passage somewhere new. As Elena took her first steps away from the tavern she heard shouting from within that chilled her to the bone.

"The bitch has stolen my money! Get after her you fools!"

Elena lost no time in changing her pace and started to run from the tavern as fast as she could, if they managed to catch up with her she knew she would be lucky to escape with her life. She could hear footfalls behind her and knew that they had seen which direction she had headed and were hot on her heels in pursuit. Changing direction and running down a street, she tried to shake them off but it was to no avail. In a panic she blindly ran up an alley only to find that it was a dead end, turning quickly she tried to go back out onto the street, but it was already too late, they were standing right in front of her now, there was no escape. Four pairs of furious eyes stared at her, unblinking.

"I think this good for nothing wench needs teaching a lesson, don't you lads?" Red asked with an evil glint in his eye.