Disclaimer: the same as chapter 1.
Author's notes:
- To Fan: thank you very much for pointing out the mistake.
- Wang Tao's proverb comes from Wikiquote.
- To Smithy: Hi there! Nice to hear from you! I hope you'll like this new chapter.
Chapter 2: Stormcrow
Will felt as if a block of ice had taken place inside his chest, at the same place where his physical heart used to beat.
Jack Sparrow was in peril? It wasn't surprising by itself, since "trouble" was Jack's unofficial middle name. But his situation must have been dire for Wang Tao to seek out the Flying Dutchman, famous ghost ship and soul-ferry, in the middle of the night. Where was Jack? What had happened? Was he betrayed once again by his crew? Or by another traitorous First Mate, like it has been the case with Hector Barbossa? Poor Jack never had any luck in picking up the right First Mate and it had twice cost him his vessel.
Will didn't hesitate for a second: "You are in command of the ship, Mister Turner. I'm going down to Mister Wang Tao's boat to hear what he has to say."
"But, W… I mean, Captain, you don't want me to go with you?" asked the tall man. "I'd rather… I'd like to come with you in the dinghy, if you don't mind, that is."
In spite of the distressing announcement, the younger Turner couldn't help but chuckle slightly. His shadow-like father wanted to accompany him even while going on a tiny dinghy! But he also knew the reasons of that over-protectiveness: Red Hand Pete had brutally kidnapped Will after convincing him to come aboard The Conqueror by treachery, and Bill still hadn't recovered from the fright and the horror he had felt during the abduction.
However, this time, it wasn't a case of being lured to go on a brig after hearing the cries of a dying boy's soul. Wang Tao had been an ally in the past and his boat was far too modest to conceal a trap.
"This dinghy can accept only two passengers, Mister Turner… and I know you will be on the alert. There is no other person in the world that I could trust more to be my backup."
Bill's blue eyes shone in pleasure from the compliment. Will smiled at his father and this time it was the "Special Smile", the one full of tenderness reserved exclusively to Bill, and each time it would soothe the older man's worries and regrets. Then Will closed his eyes and, in a flash, he disappeared from the Flying Dutchman's main deck to reappear immediately on the bench at the bow of Wang Tao's dinghy.
Bootstrap Bill and his shipmates weren't surprised by this prodigy: the Dutchman's Captain was gifted with the ability to "transport" himself on any vessel in a snap, a useful talent to search flotsams or even sunken ships for trapped souls. During Davy Jones' tyranny, his crewmembers had been granted the same power to attack innocent ships and slaughter their sailors, but they couldn't do it any longer after the monster had been defeated, lost forever in the depths of a whirlpool.
Wang Tao almost jumped out of his skin after Will had "materialized" so suddenly in front of him! The Chinese obviously hadn't been aware of the young man's special talent and the stupefied look on his face would have been comical if not for the fact he was bringing bad news about Jack.
"Greetings, Mister Wang Tao," said Will, calmly sitting on the narrow bench. "My father has told me about your participation in rescuing me from Red Hand Pete, and I'd like to thank you for your help. I am indebted to you for the fight you put up with your cousin, Shiao Long."
Wang Tao seems too stunned to answer and he remained silent for a moment, unable to detach his gaze from the beautiful Captain who had appeared aboard his dinghy like a ghost. Finally, he regained the use of his tongue at the costs of an enormous effort.
"Lìng rén jingyà de! (Amazing)… Ahem! Please forgive my imbecilic exclamation, Most Honored Master of the Soul Vessel. As the proverb says, "Like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each one displays his or her special feats". And, at the risk of being called an impertinent, I daresay you owe me absolutely nothing about my past and pitiful participation. It is already above my condition to be granted this immediate audience, consequently it is my miserable person who indebted to you, the herald of the Pure August Jade Emperor. You have already fulfilled my most extravagant hopes by speaking directly to me, and I give thanks to your extraordinary generosity."
Wang Tao bowed again but even though if the Chinese had his own ways of talking, Will was still feeling embarrassed by those words of praise. He had inherited of his father's modest nature and he wasn't used to receive so many compliments in such a short length of time. He cleared his throat before asking:
"Mister Wang Tao, could you please tell me the news about Jack?"
"At once, Most Honorable Master of the Soul Vessel, and please forgive me for making you wait. Like I've said, I had the pleasure to meet Lord Captain Sparrow during his expedition against the arrogant would-be pirate with the red hand. Lord Captain Sparrow granted me the favor to join the fight, ending in the exhilarating annihilation of your foes. After this memorable battle, I returned to China to deliver the proof of my cousin's demise. My experience in the Caribbean Sea has convinced my tribe's elders to send me in this area again, this time to search for enriching businesses. That was how I associated myself with Lord Captain Sparrow, who has decided to extend his activities to the retrieving of valuables left ownerless after Nature's Forces have destroyed their carriers."
"That incorrigible Jack has become a treasure-hunter," thought Will, and then he said: "You work in Jack's crew as his spy."
"That is correct, Most Honorable Master of the Soul Vessel. I can be pretentious enough to say my years of executing missions for the Red Dragon Clan has trained me well in the field of discretion and efficiency. My role was to gather information in the best taverns of the Caribbean to learn the names of sunken ships, the nature of their cargos and their approximate locations. Then, after hearing my scraps of reports, Lord Captain Sparrow would decide of our route and we would sail aboard The Black Pearl II to find wreckages, helped by his magical compass."
Will glanced briefly in the direction of the Dutchman's main deck; as predicted, Bootstrap Bill was leaning heavily on the ship's rail - at the risk of falling in the water from the pitching and rolling - but he obviously didn't want to miss a word of the conversation his son was having with Wang Tao.
"In two years we have amassed quite a nice stock of riches while avoiding authorities' representative and their pointless questions. The amount was getting to the point that every member of our team could retire from the working life to spend the rest of his natural days without a care or a worry in the world. But alas, it was not to happen. Lord Captain Sparrow dropped the anchor in a remote creek nearby Port Royal and sent me to town, with the mission to find information about a Spanish galleon full of gold which has sunk after being the victim of an unexpected hurricane."
The Chinese bowed his head, but this time it wasn't to show respect.
"My small person has to confess to a great shame, Most Honorable Master of the Soul Vessel, and I cannot hope you will ever forgive my formidable stupidity. During my mission at Port Royal, the incongruous idea of buying a new outfit came to my mind. So I decided to make this purchase in a shop owned by one of my compatriots; his name is Huang Ming and he is a very talented tailor – in fact, most of the Port Royal noblemen entrust him with the sewing of their garments. Blinded by the joy of acquiring new clothes cut in the fashion of my dear country, I have completely overlooked the fact that this town is full of spies, eager to receive monetary compensations for fresh news about pirates. After making my buy, I went to a local tavern to find information about the Spanish galleon but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Finally, I gave up and ran back to the creek in the middle of the night… just in time to see that Royal Marines had seized the Black Pearl II. The whole crew was in chains and the soldiers were taking their prisoners to Port Royal, paying no heed to Lord Captain Sparrow's protests."
"But how could you be responsible for Jack's arrest?" asked Will.
"Apparently, somebody has spotted me strolling in Port Royal's streets and reported my presence to the authorities. My lack of stealth and my indiscreet purchase have lead to a major catastrophe. I have let myself be recognized, and that's unforgivable for a spy!" added Wang Tao bitterly.
"How did you avoid capture?"
"While the Royal Marines were taking away Lord Captain Sparrow and his men, I remained in the shadows provided by the luxuriant vegetation of the jungle, mortified by shame. In spite of my clumsiness, I have been able to pick some interesting information by overhearing a conversation between a Royal Marine officer and a mysterious man. The officer's name was Commander Chambers, and he was boasting about the easy capture of the Black Pearl II and disgustingly praising himself for this exploit; however, the other man told him in no uncertain terms that Chambers couldn't catch a fly by himself, and the arrest of Lord Captain Sparrow was entirely his doing."
"Did you manage to know who this mysterious man is?" asked Will.
"Alas, my answer is of negative nature. The man had his back on me and Commander Chambers addressed him as "Milord" only. For all I could see, he was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed like a gentleman with a cutaway tailored coat, dark breeches and buckle-fastened shoes. He had a wig on his head, and also a tricorne hat. By the sound of his voice, he was probably in his mid-fifties. And judging from his brusque manners, he was certainly the mastermind behind the capture of Lord Captain Sparrow!"
Will pondered after hearing those words; apparently, there was a dangerous man who was after his friend's blood. Jack didn't lack of enemies from both sides of the law, a consequence of his illegal career; and yet, Will couldn't shake the feeling that this time it wasn't the usual case of a local lawman trying to get his hands on the most famous blabbermouth pirate of the Caribbean.
"After the Royal Marines left for Port Royal with the prisoners, I tried to follow Commander Chambers and his patron but they climbed inside a coach and left the scene. Trailing the soldiers would have been too dangerous since they had guns and hunting dogs to assure their security. The only thing left for me was to go back to Port Royal on my own. At dawn, I finally reached the city's limits. Since hiding in Huang Ming's shop would have proven to be too dangerous, I remained in the harbor. There, I overheard a group of sailors laughing about Lord Captain Sparrow and his crew being locked up in Port Royal's prison, and how they would soon be tried and probably hanged. Sensing I couldn't do anything on my own, I "borrowed" a dinghy and sailed for Tortuga in the hopes to find allies there. But disappointment greeted me: the locals were either too indifferent or too inebriated to pay any attention to my pleas. Finally, a wise man came up to me with a solution. His name was Joshammee Gibbs, former First Officer of Lord Captain Sparrow."
"Gibbs!" exclaimed Will.
"Venerable Joshammee Gibbs told me he was too old to take part in an adventure, and besides time was running out; he didn't have the means to buy a ship, weapons and to recruit a crew to rescue Lord Captain Sparrow," said Wang Tao. "However, he knew a man who could provide instant and magical help… namely you, Most Honored Master of the Soul Vessel. By an extraordinary coincidence, Venerable Joshammee Gibbs had just left a package nearby and he told me you would pick it up soon. So I waited for your arrival for two days and a night in my dinghy. I spotted your sailor coming out of the creek in a longboat and I merely followed him until reaching your prodigious ship."
The Chinaman fell silent, but Will's mind was in turmoil. Jack was in danger and his first impulse was to rush at his rescue, but the harsh reality of his own situation was dampening on this generous thought. Jack and his crew were locked up within the walls of Port Royal's prison. How could he find a way to help the bird-named Captain, since Will couldn't step foot on land for another year?
The Captain of the ghost ship knew from personal experience that the jail had been built on solid ground, at a good distance from the sea. A lifetime ago, a naïve blacksmith named Turner had forged the cells' iron bars with his own hands; but he would never have believed he would see first a friend, then the girl of his dreams behind those same bars. Jack and Elizabeth had been held prisoners with the help of his own craftsmanship, and Will had violently resented his work afterwards.
"Did anyone else escape the capture, Mister Wang Tao?" asked the Captain of the Flying Dutchman hopefully. "I mean, if you have avoided being caught, maybe there is a chance that some of Jack's men have fled the Black Pearl II as well…"
"I am indeed a bird of bad omen, Most Honored Master of the Soul Vessel, but honesty prevents me from saying otherwise than this: all the men have been captured. I looked attentively at the line of prisoners and no one has been spared the humiliation of being chained and dragged to Port-Royal by Commander Chambers. Amongst the trapped men were Little Big Man, Silent One, the odd couple and the pair of butterfingers."
Will was devastated by this last piece of news; things were turning very bad, indeed. Little Big Man and Silent One were probably Marty and Cotton, the only sailors who had shown true loyalty to Jack. The "odd couple' could only be Pintel and Ragetti, argument-prone pirates, and the butterfingers were Murtogg and Mullroy, ex-Royal Marines and absolute idiots. And they had been caught along with their Captain! Wang Tao was right, chances of finding allies were nil. Will remembered the time he had saved Jack from the gallows in Port Royal, years ago; before dashing to his friend's rescue, he had made sure beforehand that the Black Pearl, with Gibbs in command, would be ready to pick up Jack after the silver-tongued pirate would jump from the city's cliffs after Will had freed him from his bounds.
Captain Turner remained silent for a long moment. For the life of him he couldn't figure out a way to save Jack and his men, who were on land and it was impossible for him to go there. Bill and the other crewmembers could go ashore, but Will couldn't order them to participate in an attack. They were mortals so they could get hurt, or innocent bystanders could be caught in the crossfire and that very idea was revolting to the young man's principles. Only William could participate in a fight without worrying about getting killed… as long as he remained on the sea.
So what was there left? Should he order his helmsman to head for Port Royal, only to watch Jack's hanging through the lens of his telescope? The younger Turner had never been for remaining a passive witness in front of a blatant injustice. Jack Sparrow was a good man under his carapace forged with narcissism, constant drunkenness and fine words. Will owned him his life more times than he dared count and he would never forget Jack helping him stab Davy Jones' heart, or saving him from Red Hand Pete. No, Will would never allow any petty, self-righteous marine officer to hang Captain Jack Sparrow. Neither Commander Chambers nor the mysterious gentleman would tie a noose around the neck of his brother in all but blood. Jack had to be saved, as well as his bunch of ragtag rascals.
But how?
Will growled unconsciously and his chocolate-brown eyes hardened in anger, the frustration of Samson under his chains. He knew it was pointless to resent his supernatural status, but where was the good in being the empowered Master of the Seas for ten years if he couldn't help those he loved?
A noise was hear upwards, and Will raised his head to see some of his crewmembers struggling to prevent a heavy Bootstrap Bill from falling overboard. Apparently, his father had lost his equilibrium while listening to his exchange with the Chinaman.
"Mister Turner, are you all right?"
"Oops! Er, yes Sir. I bent forwards too much and I lost my footing. Sorry, Captain."
"I gather you've heard Mister Wang Tao's story, then, haven't you?"
"So I did, Captain, loud and clear. What happened to Jack is downright awful. What can we do to help, Sir?"
"What can we do, indeed," thought Will with great sadness. "Jack is in jail, waiting to be hanged and there is nothing I can do to prevent it. I can't go on land and I can't send my father or my men to fight in my stead. There is too little time to ask for the help of another pirate captain, like Jack did when he recruited Ammand the Corsair to save me from Red Hand Pete. The Flying Dutchman could drop the anchor in Port Royal's harbor and its apparition could create a panic, but that would hardly do a lot of good! The soldiers guarding the port would recover quickly and open fire, leaving us with too little time to invade the prison."
Will sighed, and then he met the gaze of the oriental.
"Can you follow the Flying Dutchman with your dinghy, Mister Wang Tao? We will need to trace a fast route."
"Certainly, Most Honored Master of the Soul Vessel! I am overjoyed by your resolution to save Lord Captain Sparrow from a dreadful fate. He has proven to be an enriching business associate and I would hate to see our partnership ending prematurely in a… well, in "a sudden drop and a sudden stop" way."
Will closed his eyes and he immediately reappeared on the Dutchman's main deck. Bootstrap Bill discreetly brushed his hand on his son's arm to make sure Will was truly onboard again, and then he asked out loud:
"Orders, Sir?"
"Change of course, Mister Turner. Head for Jamaica, we're going to Port Royal."
Bill barked the necessary instructions and the Dutchman's sailors ran to their respective posts. Below, Wang Tao untied his dinghy from the rope ladder. He would sail alongside the ghost ship while keeping a safe distance, in order to avoid being capsized by the backwash created by the vessel's wake.
Will looked at his men, and sighed again: their number had diminished greatly those past few years. The Dutchman's sailors had been press-ganged into service by Davy Jones' blackmail, turning them into murdering freaks. After the maelstrom battle, they had regained their pure human forms and they all had accepted to obey their new Captain since Will represented hope and forgiveness. But unlike his predecessor, the younger Turner didn't force his men to remain aboard the Dutchman's indefinitely; whenever a sailor would think he had reached redemption for his past actions, he would ask Will for his freedom and it would be granted at once. So far, thirty-two sailors had left and the ghost ship was currently sailing with a skeleton crew of twelve men.
"What do you intend to do, son?"
"I truly don't know for the moment, Papa. Apparently, the only thing left to do is to stay nearby Port Royal, and then reap Jack's soul after his body has been thrown to the sea since outlaws are not allowed a grave in the city's cemetery. I cannot step foot on land and I can't send you and the others to invade Port Royal's jail. The stakes are too high and it would be too dangerous."
Bootstrap Bill could see the anguish shining in Will's dark eyes, and it broke his heart. Knowing how much Captain Sparrow meant to his cherished son, the elder Turner said out loud: "If going ashore the only way to rescue Jack, son, I volunteer to lead a group to attack the prison!"
"No, Papa!" answered Will firmly. "I won't send you in the front lines. I'd hate myself for all eternity if anything ever happened to you. I love you so much…"
The young man suddenly quieted, but Bill felt a big lump of emotion blocking his throat. He had received many proofs of affection since the Turners had been reunited but this one would have made him cry if he hadn't been on deck, in front of his shipmates. William refused to compromise his father's safety, even if his friend was in mortal danger.
"Oh, my Little One…" whispered the broad-shouldered man.
"I want to save Jack, Papa, but it won't be at the cost of your life or anybody else's for that matter. The Flying Dutchman is a soul-ferry and not a battleship. After the maelstrom, I swore to myself this vessel would never shoot a cannonball again and I intend to keep my oath. There must be a way to retrieve Jack without firing a single shot – just like he did when he sacked Nassau. We have a few days ahead of us; that's enough time to think like Jack and to make a plan. What reassures me is I know I can count on your support."
"I will follow you every step of the way, son. Whatever you want me to do, in broad daylight or by night, I will do it. And I love you very much, too."
The Special Smile graced Will's lips again and his handsome face was aglow with renewed hope. Whatever may happen, his father was with him and it gave the young man a burst of confidence for his quest. Saving Jack from the gallows without stepping foot on land or opening fire would probably prove to be difficult, even impossible; but Will Turner wasn't the kind to surrender to fate without a fight, not as long as he had his devoted guardian angel at his side.
Bill smiled back, but his blue eyes were clouded with worry about Jack, his crew… and his William. What terrible dangers were waiting for them at Port Royal?
TBC…