The Black Rose silently bobbed on top of the glassy surface of the water underneath the starless night sky. It was very late. Only Robin Kraven was awake. Preferring to stay in the out and open than vainly trying to catch some sleep down in the cramped crew's quarters, he had relieved the watcher and settled comfortably in the crow's nest.

Well, almost comfortably. Robin was frustrated and, above all, angry. He and Zanka weren't supposed to be cut short from their adventure, especially in his personal mission. Robin didn't want to go back to Bridgetown, Barbados, where there was nothing there for him. This afternoon when he was walking amongst the hardworking crewmen, he felt like this was where he finally belonged.

However, now he was confused as he remembered the promise he gave to his mother in his letter. Would he find Jack Sparrow and the Mermaid's Tear and then go back, or would he find both things and stay at sea with his father?

Robin was startled out of the storm raging in his mind from noises coming from below. On his right side, the shroud that was one of six large nettings that helped hold up the three masts creaked loudly as someone below climbed towards him at this moment. Terrible thoughts of the ship being taken over entered his head, but before he could figure out a way to defend himself, a familiar face popped up over the edge of the crow's nest.

Michael gave his godson a peculiar look when he noticed the look of fright that changed to relief on him. "You know, your mother was more than once stuck sleeping in the crow's nest when we had a joint adventure with your father," he said quietly as he hoisted himself into the nest beside Robin.

Although Robin was secretly grateful for the valuable piece of his parents' past, he also knew Michael was trying to get Robin to speak to him. The whole day, Robin had been giving his godfather the cold shoulder along with ugly looks behind his back. Despite the cramped space, Robin pointedly shifted so that his back faced Michael Turnbull.

Michael sighed in frustration. "Robin," he said wearily, "please don't think I don't care about Jack Sparrow. I know you want to find him, but you're also being selfish. Think of your mother. She needs you helping her back at the inn. You can't afford to go gallivanting around the Caribbean looking for your father. Frankly, I think he doesn't want to be found."

However it was plain that Robin had put up an invisible wall between the both of them. He neither responded verbally or otherwise to Michael's words, but his last words stung Robin. Was it possibly true? Did Jack Sparrow not want to be found?

Michael couldn't even see Robin's face and so didn't see the pain in his dark brown eyes. Feeling more than ticked off for his godson's stoic attitude, Michael carefully lifted himself onto his feet and threw one leg over the edge. When his lower body had disappeared below the edge of the crow's nest, Michael spoke again.

"You can ignore me all you want, Robin. I'm only doing what's best for you and Em." Michael began to climb down, but as an afterthought, he mysteriously added, "By the way, I'm not taking useless but able bodies onto my ship."

True to his words, the next early morning, Briggen woke up Robin. Bleary-eyed and feeling the effects of sleeping in a cramped space, he was told that Michael has made him the ship's cabin boy. So for the whole grueling day, Robin was ordered about by Michael and supervised closely by Briggen as he did various jobs all over the ship. He found out later just after noon that Zanka had been given the job as cook's assistant when Robin had been told to go down and help prepare the noon meal.

"Can you believe this?" Robin blasted angrily as he and Zanka entered the cargo hold to find the crate holding some fruit the surly cook wanted.

"Ya mon, I heard ya," Zanka said lazily as he began picking through the crates and barrels. "I think da crate is ovah dere." He pointed to a cage full of clucking chickens and then to a small wooden box next to it. The two walked towards it.

Robin had to bite down on his tongue to keep from uttering a groan of pain as they lifted the rather heavy crate and moved towards the door. For nearly four solid hours after he had been woken up, he had helped scrub the entire first deck. Actually, he should have been angry at Zanka right now because when the deck had finally been scrubbed, Zanka had ran out from the hatch and promptly threw up on the clean floor from seasickness.

"How was I s'posed to know dat I get sick at sea?" he had moaned.

Robin had to clean the mess up by himself. His whole upper body burned and ached as much as his knees were jabbed sharply with pain each time he took a step.

"I didn't leave Barbados for this," Robin hissed through gritted teeth as they entered the galley. They set the crate down on top of the rickety wooden long table there.

"Well, look on da bright side," Zanka said so cheerfully that one would not have guessed that hours ago he had been retching his guts out. Apparently, he only got sick if the ship rocked too much. "We be dockin' in Port Royal in two days."

However, Robin didn't have much time to think about that or a plan of escape because for the rest of the day, he was kept very busy. He had a strong suspicion that Michael wanted to keep him from thinking of a way to escape from being brought back to Barbados. That night when he collapsed into his hammock in the crew's quarters, he was too tired and sore to think about anything beyond his pain.

The morning that The Black Rose was due to dock in Port Royal, Robin and Zanka were woken up by Briggen and Godsworth. They were hauled into the Captain's Quarters where Michael stood behind his writing desk. On top of the maps littering the surface, Robin's cutlass lay. Michael cleared his throat.

"We are only staying here long enough to restock any supplies, so I expect our departure back to Barbados by tomorrow morning. In the mean time, to ensure that either, or both, of you escape this ship, you will be tightly confined in this office with both Briggen and Godsworth guarding the doors with their lives," he stressed the last words particularly to the two pirates behind the boys.

"Aye, cap'n," they muttered and nodded before they turned around and exited the room.

Michael strode around the writing table and past the boys. He faced them once he was just outside the double doors and held up a small key. "As an extra precaution"-Against you, plainly said Michael's face as he looked at Robin-"these doors will also be locked."

Robin gave Michael an open dirty look before the doors were shut and locked. "Don't worry, we won't be too bored," he muttered darkly as he turned around and grabbed his cutlass off the table. He tied it back on its rightful place on his waist. He quickly scanned the room, which had once belonged to his mother when she was the ship's captain. Robin's dark brown eyes fell upon an old reclining couch sitting next to the writing desk and he smirked.

Zanka, who had been watching with sleepy eyes, now perked up with curiosity as he observed Robin moving towards the reclining couch. "What are ya doin'?" he asked as Robin took one end of the couch and proceeded to push the furniture closer to the desk.

Robin's eyes landed on the Oriental rug that the couch had been covering. He looked up at Zanka's question with eyes gleaming. "We're getting out of here," he only said before he bent down and ripped off the rug to reveal a secret hatch.

Zanka gasped. "Amazin'! How'd ya know about it?" he demanded as Robin put the rug on top of the reclining couch and then soundlessly threw open the hatch. Stairs met their vision.

Robin motioned for his best friend to follow him and after a wary look towards the locked double doors, together they silently descended down. In a hushed tone, Robin explained that the stairs led directly into the crew's quarters and how multiple times his mother had used this secret passageway to evade takeovers. Like Robin said, they emerged cautiously into the crew's quarters.

Zanka asked, "So what's da plan?"

Robin thought furiously for a moment before saying, "Well first off, we have to get off this bloody ship. We gotta concentrate on not being seen by Briggen and Godsworth. When we're in town, I'll think of something else."

"But what 'bout our things?" Zanka asked. "Our bags? Your map?"

"The map I have." Robin patted his front left pant pocket reassuringly. "And really, that's all we need."

"That, and me lucky egg," Zanka added as he also patted the spot in his pants where his egg was kept.

"Right. All we need now is to get off the ship without Briggen and Godsworth seeing us."

"How 'bout a distraction, then?" suggested Zanka. "Keep them baboons preoccupied long 'nuff for us to get off da boat?"

"It's a ship, Zanka," Robin couldn't help correcting, but he agreed none of the less. "But how are we going to distract them?"

Zanka smiled widely. "Leave dat up to me, bradda."

And Zanka's plan was simple but very effective. As Robin snuck up onto the main deck and hid amongst a pair of tied longboats, Zanka ran to the cargo hold. There, he proceeded to let out every domestic animal out of its cage before he ran to the cook, pretending to panic about it.

A great muffled roar from underneath the floor boards alerted any free man up deck.

"Blasted animals!"

Like Zanka had planned, the uproar from the very surly cook attracted the two pirate watches in front of the double doors.

"Blimey, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bloody hammock," Briggen grumbled, but he was craning his long neck interestedly towards the hatch leading down to the lower decks. He turned his head to Godsworth. "Ye reckon 'e needs any 'elp?" he wondered out loud.

Godsworth looked wearily over his shoulder at the locked doors behind them. There hadn't been any kind of suspicious sound coming from inside since the captain had locked the doors. He turned back to his front as another roar echoed from out of the hatch. Godsworth nodded and hitched up his trousers. "Might as well see what's goin' on down thar," he grunted and the both of them ambled towards the hatch.

Having seen and heard the whole exchange, Robin's eyes widened as they moved off towards the hatch. That wasn't what he wanted happening! They weren't supposed to move from their post! How was Zanka going to escape without being seen and caught?

However, that's what Zanka Coffei miraculously did. Moments after Briggen and Godsworth disappeared, the tall black teenager stumbled out of the hatch.

"Zanka!" Robin whispered hoarsely with relief. His best friend spotted him and ran towards him. "How'd you get out of there?" Robin asked weakly.

Zanka's face split into a grin. "I hid behind a few chickens before slipping out behind a barrel I rolled wit me, mon."

"Brilliant!" Robin said. He looked to his left and then right before signaling for them to stand up. "C'mon, let's get off this ship!" Under cover as crewmen going into town for a good time, they scurried down the gangplank and onto the docks before getting lost amidst the bustling crowd into the town.

Ever since Robin had heard about half the town sinking into the sea after a massive earthquake had shaken it, he had always imagined the town to be less polished and more like Tortuga after he found out pirates overran it. Well he was both right and wrong. The town was completely like Tortuga in many respects. Although it was not yet noon, the streets and buildings and people in general acted as if night had all ready fallen. Series of loud gunshots and cannon shots alike echoed through the air and mixed with the crescendo of a variety of voices. Prostitutes and drunks alike ambled over the cobblestones and fights periodically broke out into the streets from inside the buildings.

While Robin was secretly disgusted about everything, he couldn't help feeling his excitement and sense of freedom rise. Because there was nothing to tie him down anymore, he felt as if he could do anything. Then suddenly remembering why he was here in the first place, Robin turned around to speak with Zanka. However, his best friend happened to be in the clutches of a ragged-looking woman wearing a very loose gown and lots of smudged makeup.

"How's about coming along with me for a drink, my dear?" the prostitute purred as she trailed a scarlet fingernail along Zanka's dark jaw.

Zanka's chest seemed to puff up with pride. "Well, certainly-"

"Not," Robin cut in sharply. He grabbed Zanka by the upper arm and yanked him out of the woman's grasp. "We happen to be busy at the moment," Robin added roughly at the ugly look the prostitute threw at him.

She placed her hands on her hips and huffed haughtily. "Well then I'll be on my way for some real men!" she sniffed and stalked away.

"Aw bradda, why'd ya have to go and do dat?" Zanka whined as Robin steered him into the nearest bar. Luckily, he chose a place where there was no brawling but raucous laughter and dancing going on. They stopped in front of an empty table and sat down.

Robin gave Zanka an irritated look when he continued to complain. "Look Zank, we didn't come here for you to talk to dirt like that," he said disgustedly.

Zanka waved it away before tapping the back of a thin rough man who was just passing by him. "Hey bradda, can ya spare a mon a drink? One shot will do," he said and then clicked his fingers.

"Zanka!" Robin hissed warningly, but the man turned around with a dirty look to match the prostitute's.

He immediately grabbed Zanka by his collar, hauling him onto his feet. The pirate's red face, which was clean-shaven but as thin as his body, turned scarlet as he glared at Zanka. "What did ye just say to me, nigger?" he growled, his yellowed eyes glinting behind the stringy grey curtains of his hair on either side of his face. This pirate didn't look much, but with those eyes, anyone can sense the danger a mile away.

"Hey mon, i-it's all a misunderstandin'!" squeaked Zanka as he circled his hands around the pirate's wrist.

The pirate growled even more. "Do ya know what wi do to nigger's tha' step outta line 'ere?" he demanded with a twisted grin. With his free hand, he reached towards his belt and pulled out a small sharp dagger. He held it up to Zanka's eyes. "Wi cut thar tongue off," he hissed.

If Robin didn't do anything to stop this, Zanka would have just spoken his last words. Robin jumped out of his seat and pulled out his cutlass and pointed it at the pirate. "Let him go," he demanded with calmness in his tone that he didn't know he had. It was quite the opposite of how he felt right now.

However, the pirate did let go of Zanka, and then turned his anger towards Robin. His height towered over the young boy. Robin now felt like he was carrying a stick than a sword. "Ye gonna do somethin' abou' it, boy?" he thundered.

"Slice and dice 'im, Adder!" someone nearby yelled.

Robin back up a little and placed both hands on the hilt of his sword to show his seriousness. "Your move, sir," he challenged. "Are you going to do something about it, or, as I would prefer, you go back to your business of swilling rum?"

The pirate named Adder roared. He pocketed his dagger and pulled out his own cutlass instead. "I'll cut yer guts out and then tie ye wit 'em!" With another roar, he began to advance on Robin. As his blade came crashing down, Robin jumped out of the way in time and ran to the other side of the table. Missed, he wanted to say but also didn't want to provoke the murderous pirate even more. Robin looked to his side and took the bottle of rum the pirate next to him was holding before chucking it at Adder.

"Arr, ye bloody moron!" the pirate next to him exclaimed even as the bottle of rum shattered on the side of Adder's head. The other pirate grabbed Robin's arm and shook him hard. Robin reared his fist and hit the pirate square in the jaw. Like a signal, a whole tavern brawl suddenly broke out.

"I'll get ye, boy!" the pirate howled as he shook off the shards of glass from his hair. He charged after Robin and they locked weapons. Because this pirate was quite drunk, his movements were sluggish and his swings and parries were off, and this was the advantage that Robin took hold of gratefully as he dropped down and swung his leg behind the pirate's ankles, sending him crashing to the ground. An empty rum bottle rolled towards him, which Robin promptly picked up and smashed on the pirate's head, knocking him out.

Then suddenly, a rough hand grabbed Robin by his shoulder. He was hauled onto his feet and dragged out of the chaos. A high-pitched, heavily accented voice beside him told Robin that Zanka was also being pulled out of the bar and out into the streets by the same person. Once they were released, Robin spun around and came face to face with a portly man. This man with his greasy grey hair that was slicked back into a pony tail and a scratchy beard looked almost like the pirate version of a jolly Saint Nicolas. He was looking at Robin critically before a lopsided grin broke over his beard.

"I'll say it, boy. You've got the bravery and skill of ten men put together."

His words were reassuring enough and the kind, almost admiring, look he gave Robin did put him more at ease. "Who are you?" he asked curiously.

The man stood up straighter. "Joshamee Gibbs," he answered and stuck out a calloused hand which Robin took. "But like any other, I go by me surname."

"Oh well thank you for the compliment, um, Gibbs," Robin said.

Gibbs nodded heartily at the same time he pushed both Robin and Zanka out of the way as a horse-drawn carriage barreled down the street. "Aye, yer style reminds me of the pirate Emelia Kraven-"

At this point, Robin lowered his eyes, which was his inheritance from his mother.

"-but yer brashness could almost top Jack's," Gibbs chuckled.

Caught off guard by the sudden mention of his father's name, Robin's head snapped back up. "Do you know Jack Sparrow?" he asked eagerly.

Gibbs quickly clamped a hand over Robin's mouth. Motioning with a jerk of his head for them to follow him, Gibbs led Robin and Zanka into another but less rowdy bar. In a secluded spot, they all sat down; the boys sat on one side while Gibbs sat by himself on another.

"Why did we have to come here?" Robin demanded.

Gibbs glanced around only once before he leaned in closer. "Don't want to be saying that name out loud nowadays," he said in hushed tones.

"Why not?" Zanka said loudly.

This time both Robin and Gibbs told him to keep quiet.

Gibbs shook his head. "Jack Sparrow doesn't want to be found because the French have recently taken our evil pirate ways as somethin' to scour from the seas. Hundreds of good men of fortune have been hunted down, tried, and hanged. Jack's been keepin' a low profile all these years," he explained grimly.

This explained so much more than Robin had imagined. It explained why Michael never had any information about the elusive Jack Sparrow to give to Emelia Kraven. "But you happen to know where he is, right?" Robin pressed cautiously, careful to not anger this pirate who knows Captain Jack Sparrow.

Gibbs' grim features changed into something full of pride. "Aye, I happen to know that at this moment, Jack will be making port this afternoon to get more supplies 'fore taking off on another grand adventure. He's entrusted me to recruit a few men for the Black Pearl."

Robin waited with abated breath, not daring to believe what his ears were hearing. His heart stuck painfully in his throat.

"-and from the display I saw you taking on Adder back there, me thinks you're good enough to join Jack's crew." Gibbs gave Zanka a skeptical look though. "And if you don't cause any trouble, you can come too," he added sternly.

Zanka smiled widely and saluted to him. "Aye aye, sir," he said cheerfully.

Gibbs smiled as well and looked at the two boys. He spread out his hands. "Well, what do ye say to me offer, lads?" he inquired.

Heart soaring to new heights, Robin caught Zanka's eager eye and grins split their faces.

"Aye!"