Disclaimer: Will, Elizabeth, and Jack all belong to Disney, although Ben Thorndyke is of my own creation.
Ch. 10: Will's Mission
Captain Jack Sparrow threw open the door to the bedroom which kept Ben Thorndyke prisoner. Will followed, grinning as Jack brandished his sword at Thorndyke, who had just leapt up from his chair at the intrusion.
"I assume yeh heard all o' that?" Jack asked, staring at their detainee with a bored expression.
"Your assumption is correct." Thorndyke eyed the pirate warily, waiting for his next move.
"Then yeh know why we need ta know anything an' everything about yer marriage to the fair Elizabeth down to the very last detail?" Jack pressed the tip of his sword to the side of Ben's neck and the whole of his body quivered in fear. But Thorndyke was not frightened into silence.
"If I escape, I now know enough about your involvement with the rebels that will not only put the both of you at the top of King George's 'to hang' list but I'll be in the position to stop this traitorous plan that will allow the colonies to win their independence from the mother country! Think of my reward!" Thorndyke's expression changed from terrified to a look of longing.
"We're more than willing to take that chance that you'll not escape and turn us in," said Will, staring at Ben with utter contempt. "Talk!"
"I do not aid pirates in their evil schemes," said Thorndyke, although he didn't sound very resolute in that statement.
"But if yer not gonna cooperate with us like a good little officer then yer family jewels may have ta pay the price, eh mate?" Jack brought his sword down lower, past Thorndyke's torso, down to his hips… but then Ben yelled in protest.
"Alright, alright! You win," he cried, his hands protectively covering his crotch. "What is it that you want to know?"
"Did yeh have any children together?" Jack asked, almost jokingly. Will and Ben both glared at him.
"No, man!" Ben answered. "Didn't you hear what I said earlier – she won't come near me! I only got lucky the night of our wedding and that's only because a letter came that day telling of his (Ben pointed to Will) death!"
"Where is it in Boston that you live?" Will asked. Ben started to answer but was rudely interrupted by Jack.
"I can tell yeh that, Will – remember?" He gave his first mate a look. This did not suit well with Thorndyke.
"How is it that he knows where I live?" The British officer glared at Jack who innocently smiled back.
"What exactly is the state of your relationship with Elizabeth?" Will anxiously asked Ben.
"Nonexistent," came the tart reply.
"Yeh don't share a bed?" Jack pressed.
"I think we've already established that, Jack," Will hissed, as Thorndyke's face continued to redden in anger.
"You stupid bloody pirates!" He yelled at them.
This went on for who knows how long but between the sarcastic remarks and the stinging insults against pirates, Will and Jack were able to extract some useful information from Thorndyke such as the names of the servants, when it was he usually spoke with Elizabeth (mealtimes), and how long he'd been away from Boston. Their discussion had progressed to the details of Thorndyke's official assignment on land when Jack remembered something that was quite important.
"Will, I just remembered something that is quite important!" He interjected, interrupting Thorndyke's long-winded speech about proper decorum in the British navy.
"Can't we talk about this later?" Will rolled his eyes. Sometimes his Captain had rotten timing with his strange thoughts.
"No. It's about yer clothing. Yeh can't go back to dear Lizzie wearing naught but this." Jack's hands indicated Will's everyday pirate garb.
"You're right - any suggestions?" Will asked. Jack smirked evilly at the prisoner.
"We can strip Thorny naked."
"What? Absolutely not!" Benjamin Thorndyke looked mighty affronted, not to mention horrified. Jack sighed - how dense could the man be?
"Will needs yer clothes, mate."
After much deliberation, Will was finally able to change into Thorndyke's clothes. (Ben had refused to budge unless Jack faced the other way.) He was just straightening his wig when Jack turned back around. Grinning, Will asked his pirate friend,
"How do I look?"
"Like Norrington," Jack deadpanned. Will narrowed his eyes at his Captain.
"That's not what I meant, Jack, and you know it! I'm well aware that I look like a bloody fool in this wig…" Jack nodded in agreement.
"Aye, yeh do." Then Jack regarded Will with a more serious eye. "But honestly, even with the wig yeh still look recognizable. 'Lizabeth will know it's yeh fer sure." Will threw up his hands in protest.
"Great. So all of this was for nothing," he griped. Jack flashed him a gold-toothed smile.
"Not exactly. Never fear William; I 'ave an idea." Suddenly, Jack stood up and raced out the door.
"Where are you going?" A dismayed Will called after him.
"Back ta the Pearl!" Jack yelled over his shoulder. "I just have ta get somethin' fer yeh". Will sighed, and was alone with Ben Thorndyke once more. He knew it would take Jack at least an hour to reach his ship, find whatever he was looking for, and come back. Just then, Will realized that Ben had put on his discarded clothes.
"You look like a pirate, Thorndyke," Will pointed out, not quite able to hide a chuckle.
"Oh, come off it. I had to put on something," the man griped. Will was able to interrogate the man further and by the time Jack had returned, he was feeling quite confident that he could impersonate the esteemed officer. Now fooling Elizabeth – that was a completely different matter…he thought grimly.
"I'm back!" Jack sang, and sauntered into the room without even breathing hard. "And look 'ere what I've brought us!" He reached into his rumpled sack and pulled out some cosmetics.
Will's curiosity got the better of him, and against his better judgment, he asked,
"Where did you find it?" Jack grinned widely.
"Pintel and Ragetti gave it ta me. They really like using it ta - " Will held up his hand, stopping Jack from saying anymore.
"That's all I needed to know, thanks." Grimacing, Will wondered exactly why Pintel and Ragetti had make-up in their cabin. I always knew those two were strange…
"Yeh can use this 'ere foundation ta make yer face appear paler, and this aging cream will do exactly what it sounds like." Captain Sparrow pulled Will into the adjoining bath chamber and they did not reappear for a half an hour. Many protests could be heard from poor Mr. Turner as his face was aged before his eyes. Finally, Will could take it no longer.
"Enough, Jack," he thundered, and emerged from the bath chamber cringing. "So what do you think, Thorndyke? How do I look?"
"You look all wrong!" Ben commiserated. "I don't look that old!"
"Yes you do," Will and Jack said in unison. Then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," said Jack, brightly. Samuel Adams entered the room and surveyed the scene. He did a double take when he saw Will and Ben dressed in each other's clothes.
"Mr. Turner, I presume?" He addressed Will correctly. "Your disguise is spot on." Will smiled.
"Thank you, sir."
"Were you successful in extracting useful information from the bugger?"
"Indeed, we were." Adams looked relieved.
"It is now time for you and Captain Sparrow to attend our meeting."
Will and Jack did not bother to say goodbye to Thorndyke as they followed Adams downstairs, through the foyer, and past the bevy of guards into the drawing room. The lavish drapes had been pulled around the windows, and the pianoforte had been pushed into the corner of the room to allow as many people to gather as possible. A few chairs were provided for the most elderly of the men, but the rest had to stand. Among those gathered there were fellow revolutionaries, rich and poor. Benjamin Franklin and John Adams (Samuel's distant cousin) were the most prominent. Adams barely had time to debrief Will on what to say before he was called to the floor.
The clandestine meeting began almost immediately. Adams started by welcoming them all to his home. Then he reminded them of all the recent battles that they'd won, somehow besting the British and the hired Hessians, who'd had the larger army. And finally, he got around to introducing Will.
"And now, my esteemed gentlemen, I give to you the first mate of Captain Sparrow of the Black Pearl, Mister William Turner!" Jack stood up and pointed to himself so that everyone in the room knew who he was. These men, of course, knew of the brave deeds of those on board the Pearl, the only ship whose Captain was a privateer for the Americas. The scattered laughter allowed Will time to make it through the crowd to the front of the room.
"Greetings to all," Will began, making up his speech as he went. "I am here tonight to tell you that I have accepted a most important mission. If I succeed, we shall know exactly where the enemy plans to strike next. And once I receive this information, we can issue a surprise attack, and finish them once and for all." That statement was met with cheers all around.
"General Washington sends his regards; he is sorry he cannot attend the meeting, but he cannot afford to leave his troops," Adams interjected. "I have word that the British forces are greatly weakened from the last battle. Mister Turner's mission is to impersonate a British officer that we have captured– it is to our advantage that they look so much alike, both in face and stature. He will integrate himself into this man's old life so he can offer his loyalty to the British forces that still occupy our lands. Then, he will hope to learn the location of the main troops, and where they will plan their next attack. All in favor of Mister Turner accepting this mission?"
Loud choruses of "Aye!" resounded throughout the room. One man shouted, "Give 'em hell, Turner!" Will heard this and laughed softly.
"We will need all of your cooperation during this mission. Mister Turner's position must not be compromised nor revealed. We must be united on this - for are we who aren't united, divided?"
Adams gestured toward the banner hanging behind him. A coiling snake was separated into thirteen individual parts, each part representing each colony. The whole serpent could not move without each of its parts. Sewn into the fabric at the bottom of the banner were the words DON'T TREAD ON ME.
"Hear, hear!" Yelled a voice at the back of the crowd.
"I will not fail you, nor our cause," Will promised, and then he let Adams take the floor once more. Adams wished him Godspeed and Will quickly exited the room, Jack right behind him. Wasting no time, the butler Rogers ushered Will towards the back entrance where a carriage and driver was waiting to take him on the day's journey to the Thorndyke residence.
"I guess this is goodbye, then? At least for awhile?" Will turned to Jack, who grinned.
"Yeh may see me sooner than yeh think." Will narrowed his eyes at the shorter man.
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing," Jack teased, as Will shook his hand.
"Don't do anything stupid, Jack - not with me away and Lord Beckett here," Will pleaded.
"Since when have I done anything stupid?" Jack innocently asked, with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Take care of yourself," said Will, back to his serious self again.
"Yeh do the same." Jack gave Will a mock-salute, which the younger man returned. Turning away from his best friend, Will stepped up into the carriage, and closed the door behind him. As they drove away from the Adams residence, he thought he heard Jack shouting after him,
"Good luck with yer bonny lass!"
End ch. 10
Thank you all so much for your continued support! Due to the holidays, there may be more days in-between each update, which cannot be helped. But rest assured, I won't give up on this story! Look for the next update fairly soon. Happy Holidays! Oh, and a big shout out to Williz and SenatorSolo – you guys make my day :D