Chapter 6: 1727 Prisoners
Right before the „Wicked Wench" reached the declared concourse she met one of the warships cruising near the coast. The Captain had signaled them to follow him at all rates.
Caithleen found Jack in the chart room. He brooded over his sea charts, but she realized outright, that his thoughts didn't deal with the next course. When she closed the door he looked at her.
"Beckett knows it, Caithleen. You have to make your decision now, which way you want to choose. No one, not even Beckett, will bother you if you will leave me now. I will take the responsibility for my deeds all by my own. I will tell Beckett, that I forced you and the crew to follow my orders."
"He will kill you, Jack."
"Maybe! Maybe not."
"This time we won't get a chance to make excuses."
"You're right, but this time I'm not willing to make excuses! I'm a pirate, Caithleen, not a slave trader. You can't sell people no matter of which color their skin might be."
"You're standing alone with this point of view. That's not of interest for the Company."
"I'm aware of that. And however the consequences may be I have to take them. But if I'm able to assure that you will run free, I will take care of it."
"You cannot take that burden from me, Jack. It's the choice I have to make. I can't leave you. It was also my decision and I will take responsibility for my part of the story."
She made some hesitant steps towards him.
"I know what could happen to us, but I chose this life, because you are a part of this life. Since Patrick brought you to our island I knew that I wanted to stay with you till my last breath. Jack, if we...If..." Suddenly she threw herself into his arms: "Hold me! As tight as you can. If that's the last time, I want to know how it tastes to live once more..."
With nightfall the "Wicked Wench" and her escort reached the harbor. As soon as she was tied up a troop of soldiers came aboard. They started immediately with searching the whole ship and arrested the crew one by one. Frowning like a tropical storm Jack rushed to the deck.
"What's going on here! Who ordered that? And why is my crew under arrest?"
"You're the Captain?"
"Aye!"
His opponent looked at with him a twisted grin: "So you're Captain Sparrow!"
"I know who I am: But what's with you? Who are you? Beckett's pet dog, I suppose?"
"Mercer! My name is Mercer, Mister Sparrow! And while the governor is absent I will be your host until Lord Beckett arrives. He ordered me to arrest you and your crew up to his arrival. You will be brought to the governor's castle right now. We reserved a nice little cell for you and your lover. Oh, not to forget: the "Wicked Wench" will lay for anchor within the bay. So it's of no need to think about a try to steal her." He waved to the guards: "Take the both of them to their cell!"
The cell door was pushed open and Mercer's motionless face appeared.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your little idyll, but Lord Beckett has an overwhelming desire to see you right now, Mister Sparrow! So we won't let him wait!"
"I will never understand why an interrogation is always placed in the middle of the night!"
"Because it's not about your personal pleasure but your head! Oh, and don't worry about young Miss Stevens. I will stay to please her. We will see which of you will be able to tell us something about our lost cargo first."
"No!" Jack tried to escape from the guard's grip: "Don't touch her!"
"You're to be honored for your awareness concerning Miss Stevens, but you should better think about your own head! Take him away!"
The door was closed and Caithleen was left alone with Mercer.
He glanced at her with an icy look: "Here we are. I had the pleasure to meet your mother. She was very tough and she held out really long. But finally she wasn't able to tell me what I wanted to know. Something about the pirate lords and the Brethren Court. And something about Jack Sparrow. At least I think you will be able to tell me what's to know about Captain Sparrow. And for sure you shared more with him as only preys and treasures."
Caithleen was filled with scorn when she spit in front of his feet. "Go to hell and take your beloved Lord Beckett with you!"
"That was the wrong answer, girl. Maybe you will talk if we're going to change the environment!"
Candles enlightened the room where the guards pushed Jack in. Lots of papers lay between sea charts and some nautical instruments on a nearly oversized writing table. A globe was placed in one of the corners and near to the fireplace the silhouette of a man could be seen.
"These shackles won't be necessary. Just free Mister Sparrow from those poor bracelets."
"What makes you so sure that I won't kill you right here and now, Beckett?"
"Because your little Missy would be left to dear Mister Mercer. And – what a pity – I fear, she wouldn't survive that interrogation. You can see it's always good to hold the right pledge." Beckett turned to the guards: "You can leave us alone. I doubt that Mister Sparrow will be a danger to me at the moment."
They kept silent for a while, then Beckett noted: "It's always astonishing how cold a night can be even in these regions. But we are lucky for owning a fireplace, aren't we?"
"Oh yes, that's nice. But you're not the kind of guy who talks about the weather. If I'm wrong I would prefer to stay within my cell. I had good company there."
"Oh no, Jack, what are you thinking of me? Just a little piece of conversation in the beginning."
"What do you want?"
"You know what I want! I want to know where the cargo is that I left under your custody! Where is it?"
"Cargo? I wasn't aware that I had cargo aboard. But the freight room of the "Wench" was filled with a lot of unintended passengers, I remember. If those are the cargo you're talking about than I have to say I'm sorry. I lost your cargo to the sea."
"You freed them! I know you did! You left them on a godforsaken island somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, where Voodoo and hokus-pokes are obscuring all senses. I want to know on which island you left them. I want my cargo back!"
"I'm sorry, but you won't convince me to do that. You're practicing slave trade and you wanted to make me your henchman! What do you think how naive I am? Or how ruthless?"
"Obviously not ruthless enough. That's regrettably."
"You nauseate me, Beckett! Wasn't it enough to use the "Wench" for sailing treasures and goods to England and the colonies. Why did you use my ship for slave trading?"
"Your ship? Don't forget who the real owner of the "Wench" is. You'll be Captain as long as I want you to be. You signed yourself to sail on my ship, in my name, with my cargo aboard."
"As long as I will be Captain of the "Wench" or every other vessel that floats there won't be slave trading on it."
"The "Wench" isn't under your command anymore. She lies for anchor within the bay until I make a decision what should happen to her." Cutler Beckett turned towards Jack and with an icy look he continued: "And if I'm sure what I'm going to do to you, Jack Sparrow. The gallows are quiet not enough. It would be so banal and much too quick. Maybe I should hang your little Missy. I think you would be deeply emotionally involved. But we're not at this point so far. It's up to you to avoid such inconveniences. So let us start again: Where are the slaves you freed? Tell me and you're free to leave with your lover. You will get back the letter of marque, the contract and the "Wench" as well. "
"No, that's it. We're through. My time with the Company is over. I'm not interested in being paid with blood money."
"A pirate with a conscience? It's the first time I hear that!"
"Don't tell me that you know what it is? For you're having none?" With a bitter laugh Jack continued: "Your greed for power and money avoids that you're able to understand what the meaning of integrity really is. You're blinded by greed and arrogance."
"Thank you for your appreciation of my character. Well! As you wish! Then we have to try to get to your knowledge by another way. Let's change our conversation into an interrogation." Beckett called the guards: "Be so kind and accompany Mister Sparrow to our interrogation room. It's better for the carpet I suppose. And tell Mister Mercer to bring the girl as well."
Never before in his whole life Jack felt as helpless as he felt right now. His innermost was totally troubled and he knew he was condemned to look on helplessly of what would happen next. When he saw Caithleens eyes filled with panic he tried to free his hands from the shackles but it was in vain. To see how they tore off Caithleen's clothes, to see how the handful of lashes hurt her was more than he could suffer. Then came the moment when Mercer pulled the torrid steel out of the fire. The brand mark was white-hot and Jack knew its sense.
"No! Don't do it! You're not allowed to!" His voice nearly flashed over: "She is no..."
"...Piratess? No? I think she is! Her mother was a buccaneer! Her lover is a pirate! I suppose she is a Piratess! Continue, Mister Mercer!"
Caithleen fainted. Her painful scream when Mercer strained the brand mark to her skin was like an echo within Jack's thoughts. To see her like that, collapsed to the ground, filled him with anger – to himself and to the two men who were acting as if this was a welcomed diversion of their daily business.
"Take her back to her cell. Now we'll see how long Mister Sparrow will resist our arguments." There was no doubt: Beckett enjoyed this situation.
When they loosened the shackles Jack fell to his knees. He couldn't avoid it. His back felt like it was on fire. He resisted the lashes without a single scream. He bit his lips till they were ensanguined and he carved his fingernails into his palms. Beckett would not get the satisfaction he waited for. Jack's eyes were burning from hidden tears and he felt totally exhausted.
Then he heard Beckett's voice again: "Well, obviously it's useless to ask for my cargo again. Then there is only one thing left..."
Before Jack realized what happened, the guards grabbed him. The sleeve over his right arm was rolled up so that his tattoo of a sparrow and a sunset could be seen.
"That's fitting!" Beckett looked straight to Jack's face: "Before I will bring this to an end, I want to tell you something. I will take everything from you what you love. Your freedom, your ship, your lover and in a final step your life! And I will enjoy it!" His voice was filled with satisfaction.
Then without another word, he strained the white-hot brand mark upon Jack's arm – that single moment longer that it took to see the pain in the eyes of the young man right before he collapsed.
A soft touch woke him up just before the pain could. It was Caithleen's face he saw first. Like a vision. A sunbeam at this dark place.
"I was no hero today!"
"No, but you're alive!"
"And you paid the price!"
"You as well. It seems as we are doomed now to stay pirates for the rest of our lives, sailing the seven seas, drinking rum and not getting enough of each other. If this wouldn't hurt so much I would take it as a kind of honor. We are different now from Beckett and his servants."
A smile was on Jack's lips. Probably she was the only woman who was able to make something good from a situation like that.
"You're crazy, Caithleen Stevens!"
"That's why you love me, isn't it?"
"Your pretty face wouldn't be enough."
After thinking for a while she asked: "Do you think there is a way to get out of here alive?"
"For sure! But I do not know how yet. Beckett plans something but I've no idea what it could be. He is obsessed about making my life the hell on earth. I hope I will be able to bring us out of here as soon as possible until he find's what he's searching for."
He sat up: "Don't worry, love. I will find a way! I ever did!" He grasped her hand and and dragged her on his lap: "Come to me! Until I fall asleep again I want to see something beautiful."
"You're a charmer, Jack Sparrow. Don't want to know to whom you told this before when I was not at your side."
"Wait, love, I think I can count it with both hands of mine."
"Lucky one! You suffered enough for one day. Otherwise I would have taught you what happens if you will betray Caithleen Stevens!"
Her hand stroke softly over his cheek: "You're tired and exhausted. Don't you want to sleep?"
"Then I can't look at you." She felt his soft breath, his eyes were filled with passion: "I want to feel you, Caithleen. Here and now. Don't care where we are."
Her fingers shivered while they slipped gently over his lips: "My one and only fear was to lose you! Never again having a look into your soft brown eyes, never again sensing your lips, never again feeling your hands on my skin..."
She sighed: "I could not bear it..."
