POTC: Cortez's Uncharted Islands Chapter 4: History Lesson, a pirates of the caribbean fanfic

Chapter 4

From aboard his ship, Jacob McGivens had a perfectly clear view of the island of Tortuga through the telescope he was peering through. McGivens saw that the town was bustling with activity under the blanket of night. He spotted people running to and fro, each of them radiating either a sense of urgency or excitement in getting where they needed to be. McGivens shifted the lense of the telescope so that he could sweep the entire town for any sign of the person he was looking for. He soon lost track of how many minutes passed, but that did not matter once McGivens saw a man wrapped in a black traveling cloak hurrying to get to somewhere in the town. McGivens was able to get a clear view of the man's face before he turned to head up the main street. But that infinitesimal look was all McGivens needed; this man was obviously the one he was after.

McGivens lowered the telescope from his eye and smiled ruthlessly, turning to one of his crewmates. "Prepare to make port and ready a longboat. I have a need to go ashore."

"Aye, Captain," the crew member said.

As the crewmate walked away, McGivens reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the gold coin he had stolen from Governor Swann. He examined the circular object, taking in the details of both sides. McGivens especially let his gaze linger on the side that showed a powerful-looking Spanish Armada vessel floating in calm waters. The majesty of such an engraving was amazing; McGivens deduced that the person who created this coin must have seen their fair share of ships such as these in their lifetime. But more importantly, McGivens' thoughts soon shifted to what The Clan Of Cortez had successfully protected for countless years...and the prospect of obtaining such a thing was to convince anyone to go through the very actions McGivens was in order to ensure success. McGivens then replaced the coin back in his pocket and stared back out at the shoreline of Tortuga.

McGivens scanned the line of ships that were already docked there, and his eyes stopped and bulged when he saw a particular ship; a ship with black sails. It only took a moment for McGivens to place where he had seen the ship before, and when he did, his insides burned with loathing.

The ship was The Black Pearl, captained by a pirate named Jack Sparrow. McGivens recalled all too well the last time he had come into contact with the eccentric pirate. It had been eight years ago, and Sparrow and his crew had shanghaied McGivens into believing that they could hunt down a thief who had stolen half of a treasure map which led to the Bermuda Triangle. Sparrow himself has masqueraded as the captured prisoner and had succeeded in acquiring the other half of the map, temporarily incapacitating McGivens and his men in the process.

After that, McGivens had vowed to track down Sparrow to the best of his abilities and repay the pirate captain for what he did to him. Now finally, after eight years of searching in addition to preparing this whole Clan situation, McGivens was about to get his revenge while fulfilling the next step in getting closer to The Clan Of Cortez.

McGivens withdrew a pistol from his belt and checked to see that it was properly loaded and when he was satisfied, put it back where it had been before.

Shortly there after, McGivens had sat himself down in a longboat and was paddling with the wooden oars toward the docks of Tortuga.

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The man known as "Smith" amongst the regular inhabitants of Tortuga was currently weaving in and out of villagers in an attempt to get to his destination: the town pub. Earlier in the day, Smith had received an urgent letter informing him of a most unfortunate and grave event that had recently transpired. That event being The Clan Of Cortez's secret-keeper had been murdered two days ago; Governor Weatherby Swann of Port Royal. The letter also said that The Clan itself, in light of the tragic demise of one of their own, was reconvening at the usual spot in order to debate what to do next. Seeing as Smith was a full-fledged member of The Clan himself, he was required at the meeting. But in order for him to reach the location in time, Smith needed a ship. And he knew for a fact that a close personal friend of his who also knew of The Clan was in Tortuga at the present time, so Smith had met with him earlier and told him to meet him behind the pub in five minutes.

Smith finally arrived in the small area behind the town pub and glanced around anxiously. His friend was nowhere to be seen, but what Smith did see was a muddy pig stye where the animals snorted and ate from their troughs. Wooden benches were scattered here and there, so Smith approached one and sat down.

He waited for a few minutes, twiddling his fingers nervously. Smith's eyes darted in every direction, searching for a sign of his friend. Suddenly, the pub's back door swung open, filling the night air with the sound of animated arguing and the giggling of women. A woman's fascinated voice became audible.

"Oh, tell us more, Jack!"

"Very well," came a familiar voice. When Smith heard this voice, he jumped to his feet and sighed with relief when he saw a man, both his arms around the shoulders of two different women, emerge from the pub. The man seemed to be reveling in the attention he was receiving from the females at his side. "After that, the prince blessed me with this ring and all the rum I could drink! Then, we celebrated until we were too drunk to form a cohesive sentence."

Smith silently dashed up behind the group and grinned. "Jack," he said, getting the man's attention.

Captain Jack Sparrow turned around to see who it was and immediately beamed. "Ah, Smith! Fancy meeting you here!"

Smith frowned slightly. "Er, I told you to meet me here, remember?"

"Did you, now?" Jack screwed up his face in concentration until realization finally dawned on him. "So you did!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I'm sorry, mate. It seems that I've had too much rum."

"As always," Smith breathed. He looked uneasily at the two women surrounding Jack. "Uh, Jack, I was hoping we could talk alone."

Jack glanced at both women and nodded. "Scarlett, Giselle, can you allow us a moment in private?"

"But, Jack!" Giselle whined, "You promised us a tour of The Black Pearl!"

"Another time," said Jack as he ushered them both back into the pub.

Scarlett and Giselle slammed the back door behind them.

Jack frowned. "Nothing ever seems to go right with those two." He turned to Smith. "So, what's bothering you, mate?"

"Jack," Smith began seriously, "you'll recall all of the times I've helped point you in the right direction whenever you were trying to find a treasure or something else of the same magnitude and you would always say that you would one day repay me for my generosity?"

"Yes."

"Well, I need that favor now. Remember what I told you about a secret society known as The Clan Of Cortez?"

"Vaguely," said Jack.

"Well, the Clan is reconvening due to our secret-keeper being murdered. I'm in need of a ship in order to get to the meeting."

"And seeing as I am a captain of a ship meself, you want me to take you to this...meeting, am I correct?"

Smith nodded his head.

"But let me ask you, Smith...what's in it for me?"

Smith smiled at Jack. "The Clan knows the location of the compiled pieces of treasure that Cortez himself plundered when he was alive. If you allow me to sail with you, I might be able to get you some...souvenirs."

"Will you, now?" Jack paused for a moment in silent contemplation. "Is the treasure worth it?"

"Definitely."

"Before I agree to this, I feel obliged to ask whether or not there's danger involved with a shady operation such as this. Savvy?"

"Since our secret-keeper was murdered in an attempt to obtain the map to a group of uncharted islands that Cortez himself discovered and hid his treasure on, I'd say that there are most certainly people out there who are willing to kill to get it."

"How can you be so certain that this murderer hasn't come into possession of the map?"

"We can't. All The Clan knows is that it has to reconvene in order to decide what to do next."

Jack thought this over for a while. "Who was the member that was murdered?"

"Our secret-keeper who was entrusted with the duty of protecting the map. Governor Weatherby Swann."

Jack's face fell at hearing those words. "Swann? Governor Weatherby Swann of Port Royal?"

"Aye. You know him?"

"In a manner of speaking," replied Jack somewhat uncomfortably. "I know his daughter, Elizabeth Swann...er, Elizabeth Turner. The bonnie lass always makes a point of her last name."

"Married?"

"Yep. By none other than yours truly," said Jack, spreading his arms. "And I must tell you, mate, that Lizzie and her dearly beloved may try to take matters in their own hands."

"Swann's daughter will want to avenge her father's death, then?"

"Most likely."

In the silence that followed, a sudden idea sprang up inside Jack's head. Grinning in his usual manner, Jack started to relay the thought to Smith.

"Then if that be the case, what say we wait for the couple to come here, seeking my help?"

"You honestly think Swann's daughter will come to you for help?'

Jack smiled again. "Smith, let me enlighten you. Whenever young William and Elizabeth are in mortal peril, they always manage to find me and beg me to assist them. With William and Elizabeth Turner along for the voyage, I can guarantee arriving at your little meeting."

"Hold on, Jack." Smith raised up a hand to stop the pirate captain. "I said I want to attend the meeting, I never said The Clan would let me."

"Ah," said Jack, catching on, "so you're a rogue member, eh? Disgraced and shunted by your peers?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Smith said stiffly. "Suffice it to say that their accusations against me were baseless. I never once plotted to betray them."

Jack stared seriously at Smith for a while before speaking again. "Then the daughter of the former secret-keeper may be your key into getting in the meeting unopposed. After all, how could they deny the presence of the child of who was probably their most important member?"

"You do have a point there," Smith admitted. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Listen, Jack. Part of the secret-keeper's job was to pass along the duty of protecting The Clan and their secret from anybody and everybody seen as a threat to them. That's why they chose Weatherby Swann; he was on the rise to the position of Governor when he was appointed secret-keeper, and during his time, he successfully used his influences and power in the Caribbean waters to ensure that we remained hidden from the rest of the world."

"A clandestine society thriving under the noses of other organizations such as the East India Trading Company. But, indulge me if you will. Is a treasure really worth this much secrecy?"

Smith gave Jack a look of interest. "What makes you so certain The Clan only protects a treasure?"

"Is there something more to this whole story that I haven't been made aware of yet?"

Smith grinned. "You don't need to know that just yet."

"Then when will I need to be made privy to that particular information?"

"In time, Jack. In time."

"Well, I have a ship and a crew; something you yourself require at the moment. And I'm afraid there'll be no sailing until I know the purpose for the sailing, savvy?"

"And I assure you, Jack, you will be rightfully informed...but we need to get to the gathering first. Now, how can you be sure your friends will come here?"

"Because the last time I spoke with the Turners, I told them that I would be staying in Tortuga for some time. With Elizabeth's father killed, and them more likely discovering the truth and the secrets behind the murder, I can assure you that we will be graced with their presence by this time tomorrow."

Smith sighed. "I just hope you realize what you're getting yourself into, Jack."

"Mate, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I always know what I'm getting meself into."

Smith nodded knowingly before he and Jack made their way into the pub for a few drinks. Neither of them noticed the figure of McGivens, who was standing nearby, hidden in the shadows, having just heard every word.

Back in Port Royal, Will and Elizabeth's carriage came to a halt in front of the main entrance to the Governor's Mansion. The door swung open, allowing Will and Elizabeth to jump down onto the ground and hurry over to the front door of the mansion. Will pulled a key out from his coat and stuffed into the keyhole, twisting it in the proper direction instantly.

Will and Elizabeth entered the darkened mansion without hesitation. It was absolutely impossible to see anything at the moment, so Elizabeth crossed the main hall to a table that had a sliding drawer built in beneath it. Elizabeth opened the drawer and picked up a wax candlestick that was lying inside it. She then removed a match from a matchbox beside it, flicked it to life, and touched the flame to the candle's tip.

The faint new light illuminated a small area of space around Elizabeth, providing both her and Will with a better advantage. The flame of the candle flickered back and forth, casting slightly elongated shadows over the clean wooden floor.

Guided by the light of the candle, Will and Elizabeth slowly began to make their way toward the Governor's study, where the couple deduced that anything that required their immediate attention would be. As they were creeping along the hallway leading to the study, the silence that occupied the empty mansion caused a sense of foreboding to course through Will and Elizabeth's veins.

Elizabeth never realized how frightening certain aspects of the mansion could be in the dead of night. Paintings of family members and Governors before Swann seemed to have opposite appearances when the sun set. The glow of the candle made their serious and stoic faces seem ghastly and almost demonic, which sent chills down the spines of both Will and Elizabeth. This was incentive enough to cause them to take greater strides toward the study in an attempt to escape the evil eyes staring down at them.

When Will and Elizabeth finally reached the study door, they felt somewhat relieved. The door was closed, but all it took to open it was Will twisting the knob firmly and pushing the door inward. The door creaked ominously as it swung, revealing the dark and empty study that awaited Will and Elizabeth on the other side.

Will followed Elizabeth inside, almost cautiously because some part of him feared that someone might jump out and attack at any moment. The candle illuminated the abandoned study as if it were a cell located in a dank and dingy dungeon. The chilling appearance did nothing to stem Will and Elizabeth's uneasiness.

The couple looked at each other.

"I'll search the shelves, you do the desk," said Will.

Elizabeth nodded before walking over to the wall and lighting different candlesticks in order to provide her husband with sources of light whilst he examined every nook and cranny. Elizabeth then made her way over to her father's desk and placed her still glowing candle in an iron holder.

At first, Elizabeth wanted to check the drawers built within the wooden structure for any sign of a map, but her eyes had been attracted to an envelope laying in the center of the desk, her name scribbled onto the front. Immediately, Elizabeth recognized the writing as her father's, and she did not hesitate in picking it up and turning it over in her hands. Next, Elizabeth snatched up a letter opener and placed the blade under the folded portion of the envelope. However, Elizabeth stopped and glanced up to spy Will engrossed in perusing the bookshelves.

Elizabeth bit her lip and willed herself to rip open the envelope. The noise did not seem to attract Will's attention, so Elizabeth pulled out the folded piece of paper tucked carefully within. Elizabeth then began to read what was written on the paper, and felt a lump rise in her throat.

The letter read as follows:

My dearest Elizabeth,

If you are reading this letter, then it is a result of my death, or murder, put more righteously. Who killed me I cannot say, because I am writing this letter before fleeing to the docks.

First of all, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and I will continue to do so even in death. You were a blessing of a daughter to me, and not a day went by where I did not show you the unwavering affection for you that allowed my heart to beat every single day. There is so much to tell you, about both the reason I will be killed and your family.

I cannot continue writing this letter if I do not tell you straight away the truth about your mother. Your mother did not die when you were a child...she left us. Why, I am still unsure of. You see, Elizabeth, your mother, Meredith, led a life quite opposite of the one you were raised in. Your mother sailed the seas with a crew when I first met her. She was a pirate. Over time, we fell in love, got married, and she gave birth to two beautiful girls. That's right, you have a sister, Elizabeth.

Her name is Catherine, and your mother took her when she left Port Royal. Again, I am still unclear as to why they left. But it was not because your mother and I did not love each other anymore; we did. I am certain that the two of them are still alive somewhere in the Caribbean looking for you, and you may just find them one day.

But unfortunately, that is not the pressing matter. There is a reason behind my assassination. We all have secrets that never see the light of day, it is merely human nature. And the secret I am about to divulge is most certainly one that is worth killing for.

Long ago, when I was much younger, I was approached by a group of men whom I was friends with. These men and I were all part of a secret society that still exists today. This society was called The Clan Of Cortez, formed a long time ago by the Spanish conquistador himself. The purpose of The Clan is to protect a collection of priceless artifacts of treasure that Cortez plundered when he sailed with his Armada. Cortez needed somewhere to store all of his riches without anyone knowing about it, so when he inadvertently discovered a group of uncharted islands located somewhere in the Caribbean, his ambitions had been realized.

In order to ensure that none of his enemies could find the islands, he struck a deal with the sea goddess Calypso. Calypso put an enchantment over the vortex housing these islands so that no one except Cortez and the men he trusted enough to guard this secret could be aware of their existence. Because of that, Cortez went to his men whom he could trust the most and informed them of the islands. Over time, the number of people privy to this information grew larger, and they named themselves The Clan Of Cortez.

The Clan knew that they had to go to whatever lengths necessary to keep the secret from leaking out into the world. There were and there still are people who will kill in order to find the treasure and the other secret held on the islands. As you know, Elizabeth, greed corrupts all men, but corruption as a result of a thirst for power can be even more deadly. Cortez also wished for Calypso to do more for him than just provide protection for his treasures. Cortez commanded his own personal fleet of Spanish Armada vessels, each of which were extremely powerful. Cortez did not want control of this fleet to belong to anyone else, so part of the deal he struck with Calypso was to preserve these ships, along with him and his crew. Cortez and his men then became part of the undead, but Calypso, being as conniving as she was, suspended Cortez and his men in a state where they would be temporarily dead, until such a time where the proper spell would reawaken Cortez. But that wasn't all. Calypso made Cortez swear that once reawakened, he would summon forth Calypso in human form, and Cortez agreed.

So, as you see, a conspiracy such as this runs deeper than it appears to. The Clan Of Cortez not only protects a valuable cache of Aztec gold and other pieces of treasure from around the world, but control of Cortez's fleet of Spanish Armada ships and the peace of the seas. Now, it is time for me to pass along the duty of secret-keeper to you, Elizabeth. You must go to the gathering of The Clan and ensure the protection of this information at all costs. If the wrong people find out about this, then it could spell the end of life as it is now. Go in my place to The Clan; they will convene again once they learn of my murder. I have every confidence in you and Will. I sincerely trust you will take the proper course of action.

Once again, I love you with all my heart.

Your Father.

By the time Elizabeth had finished reading the letter, an expression which combined sadness and surprise had been fixated upon her face. This was a lot of information to absorb in such a short period of time. Not only had Elizabeth learned the motives behind her father's murder, but she had just discovered that her mother did not in fact die and that she may very well be out there at this very moment, searching for the daughter she apparently had been forced to abandon. In addition, Elizabeth also had a sister that she knew nothing of.

A desire to set out in search for both of them slowly consumed Elizabeth, however she forced herself to cast those emotions away. The more pressing matter at the moment concerned fulfilling her father's dying request to head out in search of The Clan's meeting place and take part in whatever action they decided was necessary in keeping their secret from becoming exposed.

Just then, a sudden thought occurred to Elizabeth. She skimmed over the letter once more and as a result, confusion clouded her mind.In the letter, her father had never told her where to find the map that led to the islands he had talked about. But, as Elizabeth feverishly turned the parchment over in her palms, she noticed a line of minuscule writing at the bottom of the paper:

The map is hidden in the globe.

It was at that moment that Elizabeth realized Will's head peering over her shoulder, also reading the letter. Will glanced at Elizabeth and smirked slightly.

"Let's look in the globe, then."

He motioned toward a globe of the world, perched upon the desk at its far right corner. Will helped Elizabeth to her feet (she had also not been aware of the fact that she had sunk to her knees whilst reading the letter) and they both took the few steps separating them from the object in question.

Will and Elizabeth simply stared at the globe for a while before looking at each other and nodding. Will firmly placed his hands on either side of the circular model and twisted the top half in the counterclockwise direction. The half of the globe spun around under Will's hands until a faint clicking noise was heard and the portion of the globe was loose enough to pull free.

After Will had done so, he and Elizabeth saw a piece of parchment that had been folded three times resting against the wall of the globe, the top of it protruding outward.

Without so much as a second thought, Elizabeth reached out and snatched up the parchment. Apprehensively, she unfolded it until it had been opened to it's fullest extent.

Inscribed upon the parchment were the unmistakable markings that comprised a map. Intricate drawings of landmasses were scattered about here and there, separated by miniature versions of sea, the names of which were written in neat handwriting. The drawing of an island that particularly stood out was one that was labeled "Isla de Secretos", which translates "Island of Secrets". Underneath this text was a miniature version of The Clan's symbol of the world and the "C" shaped sword; Will instantly recognized this.

He turned to Elizabeth. "It appears that this is all more than just a bedtime story."

Half an hour later. Will, Elizabeth, and "Bootstrap" Bill Turner were hunched over a table inside Will and Elizabeth's living room, all of them studying the map. The room was lit by the roaring and crackling fire in the fireplace, casting the room in a mysterious light.

Will straightened himself up and rubbed his eyes, trying his best to fight off the fatigue that was threatening to sweep over him.

"Those waters don't look familiar at all," he said. "How are we supposed to sail to an island located in the middle of an expanse of ocean we've never come across before?"

Bootstrap sighed and stood himself up to face his son. "I have."

"What?"

"I've sailed these waters before."

Will looked between the map that lay open on the small table and his father, his face a mask of contemplation. "Are you sure?"

"Aye. Back when I was pirating with Jack and Barbossa, we crossed this area numerous times. If anybody can get you safely through that part of the Caribbean, it's Jack and me."

"So you're volunteering to come along, then?"

"Aye."

Will and Elizabeth exchanged uncertain expressions. "But if you come with us," Will began, "then who'll be here to watch over Michael while we're gone?"

"What makes you so certain he won't want to come along?"

"It's not that," said Elizabeth. "Will and I just think that bringing Michael along this time would endanger his life even more than the incident with the Amulet of Atlantis. And as his parents, we're not willing to put his life at risk."

"I understand that, but did you ever give any thought to the notion that whoever hired your father's killer could possibly be someone in Port Royal?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"That Barnet ordered your father to be killed."

For the second time that night, confusion overtook Elizabeth. "Why would Barnet want my father dead?"

Bootstrap took a deep breath. "Because Weatherby and I were close; he confided in me. He said he feared Barnet came here with the intention of taking over."

"How would he do that?" asked Will. "I was next in line for the title of Governor, not Barnet. And I rightfully inherited it."

"Aye, however Weatherby said that Barnet was mainly concerned with removing you two from the picture."

Will's face darkened and he looked toward Elizabeth. "Barnet is a member of the East India Trading Company, so that must mean they're coming after us again."

"Because we've had affiliation with Jack since the Dead Man's Chest incident," said Elizabeth.

Will's eyes darkened. "Then we can't leave Michael here because Barnet will come after him."

"And Jacquelyn," breathed Elizabeth. "She's spending the night and Barnet will more likely know that she's Jack's daughter because he drugged Mary in order to acquire certain information."

"If Barnet hopes to kidnap Jacquelyn so he can use her as leverage against Jack, then she can't stay here either."

"But how would Barnet do that if Jack doesn't even know he has a daughter? And what about Mary?"

"Mary Thomas?" asked Bootstrap. "Barnet had her thrown in jail today."

"What? Why?"

"Probably framed her for a crime she didn't commit. Her daughter doesn't know seeing as she was here with you two most of today, that and Barnet doesn't want her to know."

"What could Barnet hope to accomplish by doing this?"

"Like I said, he wants you out of the picture. Barnet probably sees you as a threat in his quest for control of the seas."

Realization dawned on Elizabeth. "And what The Clan Of Cortez protects could give him that."

"So he orders your father to be killed, sends two of his men to our house and the mansion in an attempt to find the map, and has his top man try to infiltrate The Clan," said Will.

"Then we must get to the meeting before Barnet's hired gun," concluded Elizabeth.

"We need a ship, first of all."

"Barnet has ships docked in the town, why don't we just steal one of them?" asked Bootstrap.

"Steal?"

Bootstrap shrugged. "Pirate is in our blood. Now, you two get prepared while I get Michael and Jacquelyn. This is your chance to begin to repay Barnet."

As Bootstrap headed toward the children's room, Will folded the map back up. He turned to Elizabeth, who appeared distant. Will tucked the map away inside his pocket and came closer to her.

"We're doing the right thing," he told her in reassuring voice. "This is what your father wanted you to do."

Elizabeth stared at Will in that same distant fashion. "I want revenge," she said plainly.

Will stared down at the floor. "Elizabeth..."

"No, don't try to persuade me otherwise. My father was taken from me when he didn't deserve to die. I'm not going to rest until I get revenge."

"Revenge won't make the pain go away, try as you might. It'll only make it worse."

"I don't care."

"Elizabeth...," Will tried to gently stroke her cheek, but Elizabeth walked away.

"We should get ready. We need to go soon."

Will watched Elizabeth disappear up the stairs and waited for a few moments in silence before following behind her.

Barrnet and Mercer walked along the docks in the dead of night, their surroundings lighted by lanterns. The pair conversed in hushed tones, as if there was a huge crowd closing in around them, eager to listen to what they were saying.

"As requested, the remaining man under McGivens' employ has been...dealt with," said Mercer emotionlessly.

"Would it be obvious that it was murder?" asked Barnet.

"No. I killed him as we discussed. To anybody who discovers the body, it'll appear as nothing more than suicide."

"Excellent. We don't need any unwanted trouble."

Just then, Barnet and Mercer halted in their tracks. They had spotted a deserted carriage at the docks, a carriage that certainly had not been there before. Mercer whipped out a pistol while Barnet pulled out a sword with an intricate hilt.

A slight breeze rippled their cloaks as the two villains searched the area for suspicious figures. As Barnet and Mercer circled the carriage, they noticed that the door was open.

The sound of movement originating from the wooden walkway that led to one of the ships attracted their attention. Barnet was the first to reach the walkway, and he encountered a cloaked and hooded figure starting to walk toward the ship. Barnet quickly placed the tip of his sword at the back of the person's neck, his grip unwavering.

"Turn slowly," he spat.

The hooded figure did as they were commanded, and Barnet found himself staring into the face of Bill Turner.

"I know who you are," said Mercer. "You're the father of Governor Will Turner. What are you doing here at this late an hour?"

"Stealing one of your ships," replied Bootstrap evenly.

Another shuffle of movement from afar averted Barnet's and Mercer's eyes. They were able to see the nearest ship start to drift away from the dock. All of a sudden, Bootstrap lashed out with his foot and kicked Mercer in the gut as he whipped out a small sword, momentarily dueled Barnet with a few quick swipes, and finally dashed away toward the retreating vessel.

Regaining his composure, Mercer pulled back the hammer of his pistol and aimed it at the back of Bootstrap, who was still running. But Barnet placed a firm hand upon Mercer's arm and forced it down.

"Don't discharge your weapon. We don't want to attract unwanted attention."

"But...they're escaping!"

Barnet gave Mercer a look. "Who do you think stole that ship?" He indicated the object in question as Bootstrap managed to jump aboard.

Mercer's eyes widened. "The Turners!"

"Of course. That must mean they've uncovered the map. Obviously, they'll seek out the help of Jack Sparrow, so all that remains is to let McGivens pursue them seeing as he's already in Tortuga. Mr. Mercer, we are one step closer in discovering Cortez's uncharted islands."