Disclaimer: I do not own lyrics of the song 'Yo Ho (A pirate's life for me)

Chapter 4

Will, Elizabeth, Mr Gibbs along with Daya, Pankaj and Purvi stepped onto the smaller boats.

Tia Dalma resided deep within the bayou swamps of Cuba, in a sprawling wooden shack perched in a treetop by the mouth of the Pantano River. Darkness fell as their boats floated on the still waters of the Pantano River which led them deep inside towards Tia Dalma's shack.

Pankaj shivered. 'Sir, why didn't ACP sir come here instead of me? I hate this place already!' he said.

'You would not want to say that in front of Tia Dalma' said Will Turner gravely. 'She is a Voodoo Priestess and she has power. Real power. She doesn't like insults thrown at her. You wouldn't want to cross her.' warned Will and Pankaj kept quiet for the rest of the journey casting angry looks at Daya and Purvi who were trying to stifle their laughter.

The Shack came into view. It appeared dark and silent. The droning of the insects became louder and louder.

'Welcome! I knew I would have some visitors soon. Come in. Come in.' came an eerie voice as they hopped down from the boat.

Everyone followed Will Turner and Mr Gibbs silently. Tia Dalma led them inside her Shack motioned them towards a round rickety table where dirty tarot cards lay stacked in the corner.

'You have a touch of destiny abou' you, William Turner.' said Tia smiling at him.

To William, this prediction wasn't new and he merely grunted.

Daya was staring open mouthed at the figure of Tia Dalma before him. He was mystified and enchanted by her looks. He thought that she looked extremely seductive, dressed all in black. A silver chain hung around her neck, having a crab-shaped pendant which was tarnished but showed a mysterious face on it. Her face had delicate patterns accentuating her hypnotic eyes.

Her brown eyes came to rest on Daya and she gave him a flirty smile. 'You got me some visitors too' she said approaching him.

She touched Daya's face delicately and gave him an inviting smile whispering, 'What brings you 'ere handsome?'

'It's about Jack and Davy Jones' said Will in a slightly raised voice.

'I am aware that he is not ere' she whispered turning to face Will Turner clearly irritated that he had disturbed their moment. Daya felt his cheek where Tia Dalma had touched him. He was still looking stupefied.

Pankaj was now looking around her shack with a disgusted expression on his face. Her shack seemed to be filled with jars of weird and slimy objects which he hadn't seen in his life. There was a funny smell inside her shack which seemed horribly like stale meat and dried blood. He almost let out a squeak when he spotted a jar which had dozens of staring eyeballs in it. It strongly reminded him of Ragetti's fake eye.

'I had foreseen that Jack would be captured. I see danger. I see great danger ahead.' she whispered.

'We want to rescue Jack Sparrow. And a CID officer discovered Davy Jones heart on the beaches of Isla Cruces. And we believe that is the reason she is held captive on the ship along with Jack Sparrow. Are you aware what dangers can it pose to us Pirates and to her as well?' said Will.

'Yes I have heard rumours' said Tia Dalma dreamily ignoring Will's question.

'We have to defeat Davy Jones and if you can do anything to help us...' Will's voice trailed off.

'You cannot defeat Davy Jones! Only I have the right to give him death!' said Tia Dalma suddenly abandoning her cool and looking very angry.

'Look we can't free Jack and the CID officer and get Davy Jones's heart without killing him. If you could accompany us?' said Will Turner now losing his temper.

Tia Dalma shot him a filthy look and said, 'No I cannot. As far as rescuing them is concerned, that's your problem. But I have foreseen that Davy Jones's death is a little far and it's written on from my hands' she said.

Will opened his mouth to argue but Elizabeth cut him across, 'But we need help! Can't you help us in anyway?'

Tia Dalma gave her a very creepy smile. 'Yes.' she whispered softly.

Elizabeth gave her a questioning look.

'May fair fortune be with you' Tia Dalma said giving her a very creepy smile.

O-o-o-o

Aboard the Flying Dutchman –

Shreya and Jack were tied to a huge pole with loose ropes. Grim looking crewmen came to check on them every now and then.

As night fell, Shreya couldn't help feeling slightly scared for the ship looked even more grotesque in the dark. Its stern was covered with lamps and windows arranged in the pattern of a fanged mouth. The deck above was intertwined with the skeletons of ferocious sea beasts.

Jack Sparrow wasn't helping her feel any better. He wasted no time in telling her that a live sea serpent was also attached to the side of the boat, which it was believed that Davy Jones would send out to collect souls.

He further filled her with other information that the ship was armed with forty-six cannons, excluding two triple-barrelled chase guns. The Flying Dutchman was considered to be the fastest ship both on and beneath the sea. Only his own ship (of which he was the Captain) 'The Black Pearl' was believed to be faster. In such cases, the crew called upon the Flying Dutchman's most potent and powerful weapon to destroy their enemies. The ship was fitted with a giant Kraken Hammer, used to summon the Kraken from the ocean depths.

'The Flying Dutchman was the only vessel immune to the Kraken's destructive rage –'he was saying when 'Why are you telling me all this?' Shreya interrupted him.

'Because I like to talk a lot' said Jack Sparrow.

'But I don't like to talk. Especially with you' snapped Shreya.

'That's sad' said Jack.

'They have held me captive because of you! And I am going to kill you for that even before Davy Jones does!' said Shreya angrily.

Jack Sparrow flashed his yellowing teeth. 'Oh really? I can't wait for that moment to arrive. Dying at the hands of such a pretty lady!' he said dreamily.

Shreya threw him a look of pure loathing. She wondered how she was ever going to go back. Would the CID team ever find her? Or would she be stuck with the lunatic Jack Sparrow forever on this ghost ship? She shivered. She wanted to go back. It had been just a few hours and she was already missing CID. She wondered how on the earth were Jack's clues going to lead them to her.

Few minutes passed in complete silence. They listened to the sound of the sea waves below.

'I am thirsty' said Shreya after some time.

'That's good' said Jack.

'Do something!' Shreya snapped.

'Such a whiny pretty missy, aren't you?' he said.

Shreya watched as Jack wriggled his hand for a few minutes and freed his wrist from the rope. He then withdrew a small bottle from his pocket and tossed it to Shreya.

'How am I supposed to drink? My hands are tied!' said Shreya.

'Well I can't help you there!' said Jack Sparrow.

She struggled with the rope and soon Shreya's hand was free. It was pretty late and the Crew was nowhere to be seen. She believed they had gone off to sleep. Desperate to quench her thirst, she took a gulp from the bottle and immediately spat it out. 'This is not water!' she said.

'Ofcourse it isn't!' said Jack Sparrow calmly.

'What is it? I don't want to drink this!' said Shreya.

'Well I don't have anything else to offer you' said Jack sounding miffed.

Seeing no other way out, Shreya reluctantly took a swig and saw that Jack Sparrow was smiling.

'Don't think that I liked this. But I see no use in wailing and gnashing my teeth over something about which I can do nothing about.' said Shreya snappily.

'Did I tell you that I survived one entire month drinking this very Rum and singing Pirate song on the island?' said Jack.

'It's a Shame that you survived.' Shreya muttered under her breath which thankfully Jack Sparrow didn't hear.

'Ah! Those splendid days!' said Jack dreamily staring far out into the sea as if remembering them.

'Which Pirate song are you talking about? Do Pirates have their own songs?' asked Shreya.

'It's an authentic Pirate song. I will sing it for you. Toss me that bottle will you?' he said.

When she did, he gulped down the remaining Rum in one go.

"Drink up me hearties Yo ho! Yo ho, Yo ho a pirates life for me!" he began to sing at the top of his voice.

"We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot

Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.

Drink up me 'earties yo ho.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.

We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack.

Drink up me 'earties yo ho.

Maraud, embezzle and even highjack.

Drink up me 'earties yo ho."

The song had a catchy tune to it and Shreya rather liked it. But she obviously wasn't going to admit it to him at any rate.

O-o-o-o

Aboard the Black Pearl -

'Why did we come here? We have wasted so much time! I hope Shreya is fine' said Daya in a worried voice as they rowed the boats back from Tia Dalma's Shack.

'How are we ever going to reach the other Ship?' asked Purvi.

'None can beat the speed of the Black Pearl!' said Mr Gibbs and Will Turner nodded.

'Don't worry. We will find your lady Officer' assured William Turner.

More time passed. Night was starting to fall which was a good thing according to Will Turner. 'We will try to catch the enemy off guard. ', he explained everyone.

'How is it that they won't spot such a huge ship?' asked ACP Pradyuman.

'And how exactly are we going to keep up? They have already got a head start!' said Daya.

'The Black Pearl can hide in the sea at night. It is invisible if all the ship's lamps are blown out. She's got all her sails and hulls black' explained Will Turner

'I told you already! This is the only ship that can outrun the Flying Dutchman. The ship will do her job. It's the people aboard who have got to worry' said Mr Gibbs.

'What do you mean?' asked Pankaj.

'Are you familiar with sword fighting?' asked Will Turner.

'No' The CID Team replied in unison.

'We have got guns' said Daya promptly.

'I am not sure whether guns would be of much use against the Flying Dutchman's crew' said Elizabeth.

'Why?'

'You will find out, soon' she said.

'Just remember that the aim is to rescue CID officer Shreya and Ja –'began Will.

'No Will, the goal is to rescue CID officer which would be the responsibility of the CID team. All of you are going to help them.' said Elizabeth.

'And what are you going to do?' asked Will.

'I am going to look for Davy Jones's heart' said Elizabeth.

'And, what about Jack?' asked Will.

'We'll see that later' said Elizabeth.

They sailed over the quite tranquil waters for over two hours. Just when Daya was starting to get restless again, Elizabeth grabbed a telescope and looked out onto the sea. A minute later she exclaimed, 'I see something over there! Yes, I think it is the Flying Dutchman!'

Everyone gathered around trying to have a look at the ship. It was a blur in the beginning but as they approached her, the CID team saw it quite clearly. It was the grossest looking vessel they had ever seen which resembled a huge, monstrous sailfish.

'Hush up everyone! Blow off all the lamps! The time for the battle has come. We will be approaching the enemy ship soon. Be prepared' said Will Turner.