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CHAPTER TEN

The sudden commotion about the ship did little to shake Will Turner from his thoughts. After all, he'd spotted the East India Trading Company flag some time ago from his post in the crow's nest so it was not unwelcome news to him. In fact, events were playing out just as he'd planned.

Thus far neither ship had shown signs of aggression, despite obvious protests from some members of the crew. Tia Dalma's people in particular. An unwarranted hatred radiated from their eyes after Barbossa calmly announced the other ship's arrival. Had he not been so preoccupied Will might have questioned some of them but, as it were, other thoughts continued to absorb his attention.

"If you intend to sit there all day like a wench may I suggest you do us all a favor and move," Jack said, rushing past and throwing a rope to Will. Will caught it out of instinct but immediately tossed it back to Jack.

"Fine," Will replied, standing and heading for the other end of the deck. Jack watched him in surprise.

"What's he doing?" a somewhat grating female voice demanded behind him. Jack shrugged.

"Being a wench." He shoved the rope into Elizabeth's hands and she glared as he scurried away, ordering people about half-heartedly, knowing full well that Barbossa had already done so. She watched Will curiously, then a hardened look came over her face and she stared at the opposing ship, gasping as she was able to make out not one cannon, but several. Even in the distance, she was able to spot the figures of several men poised around them, apparently preparing to fire.

"Jack!" she yelled, then changing her mind, shouted, "Barbossa!" She pushed her way towards him, ignoring the protests of several islanders. Reaching the cantankerous captain, she said breathlessly, "they have cannons!"

He gave her a look somewhere between humor and annoyance. "Aye, tell me somethin' I don't know, missy."

She glared daggers at him. "Well, in case you haven't noticed, we don't. We're no match for their ship, why aren't we retreating?"

There was a time when Barbossa wouldn't have stood for such impertinence from any member of his crew, much less a woman, but returning from the dead had done wonders for his temper. So instead of having her hauled to the brig, he simply gave her an indulgent look one might give to a feisty lapdog.

"And I suppose ye have been captain of a ship before, Miss Swann?"

"No," she said ostentatiously, looking every bit the privileged governor's daughter she was. "But I'm not an idiot, Captain Barbossa. Even I know it's suicide for an unarmed ship to face off against an armed one."

Ignoring her less than veiled implications, he chuckled sardonically. "What ye don't know would fill a book, Miss Swann." Noting her blank look, he said harshly, "it mean we be having cannons of our own."

"Oh," she said lamely, feeling a bit like a scorned child. Suddenly something oddly familiar caught her eye and Elizabeth felt a growing unease in her stomach. Not bothering to ask permission, she grabbed Barbossa's telescope and raised it to her eye. Barbossa noted it as a strange look came over her face once she put it down and he withheld from reprimanding her as he'd intended to.

"We may not have to fight," she said in a matching strange voice.

Barbossa looked at her sharply. "Why?"

Elizabeth ignored him. A figure not belonging to the Captain came to stand beside her at the rail and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Seems like all your former fiancés are getting angry with you lately," Jack greeted. Obviously he had seen Norrington as well. Elizabeth scowled.

"Can we run up a flag of truce?" she asked, directing her inquiry at Barbossa rather than Jack.

"Um," Jack put a finger on his chin, "I don't think that's a very good idea, mate."

Barbossa narrowed his eyes. "And who exactly be the captain on this ship? You or I?"

Jack rolled his eyes and glanced at Elizabeth. "If you would recall, it is because of your dear Norrington that the events of these previous two months occurred. And I doubt another wedding proposal will convince him this time."

"Somehow I doubt the offer still stands," she retorted. "And besides, I have better leverage against him now."

"Would you care to enlighten us, Miss Swann?" Barbossa said snidely when she didn't continue. But she never had a chance to.

A sudden yell from across deck drew their attention. "Man overboard!"

"Honestly. We haven't even started fighting yet," Jack quipped, leaning over the rail and glancing around. When his gaze landed on the rapidly swimming form of the overboard crewman, he grimaced. "That's not good at all."

"Where's Will?" Elizabeth asked from behind him, the slightest hint of panic already in her voice. Jack turned quickly around and placed his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"You should know that I've always liked you and William. Well, sometimes one more than the other, but-"

"Apparently Mr. Turner has decided to abandon ship," announced Barbossa, something akin to a smile on his face.

"What?!" Elizabeth shrugged off Jack and peered out into the water, a look of horror spreading across her face. Jack rolled his eyes and gave Barbossa a chiding glare.

"What is he doing?" she continued, eyes glued to Will.

Jack sighed and clasped his hands in front of him. "Well, imagine how Will might think if he came from a line a rottenly dishonest pirates," he paused as Elizabeth's face paled, "oh, wait, he does. Fancy that."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. Will is decent and noble and…"

"Eunuch," Jack coughed.

She glared at him. "Do you have such little faith in people, Jack, that you can't for one second believe that Will intends to help us?"

"Oh, I have plenty of faith in people, love. In fact, I'm so filled with faith that I just might start my own church someday. And I especially have faith in dear William."

"Faith that he'll do the wrong thing, you mean."

Jack smiled wryly at that. "No, Lizzie, not wrong. Just incredibly, irrevocably…stupid."

"You're wrong," she muttered, suddenly becoming aware once more of Barbossa, who had been watching their exchange with an amused expression. "You'll both see," she told them, but in spite of her confidant words, her heart continued to race with dread.

A short distance away, Will Turner's heart was also racing with dread. He had started out confidently, assured that he was taking the necessary steps to save his father. But as the East India Trading Company ship became more and more in focus, his convictions began to wane slightly. How could he betray them, betray Jack? True, Jack had all but given him to Davy Jones at one point, but even still, Will liked to believe he was better than that.

And what of Elizabeth? At the thought of his fiancé, his attention wavered, and he faltered in the water for a moment, gulping sea water. Sputtering, he mustered the last of the strength in his arms, a sudden spurt of energy propelling him forward. Elizabeth would have to understand, he finally told himself, the same way he had understood her obsessive need to rescue Jack. And after all, once Norrington was aware of Elizabeth's presence aboard the ship, there wasn't any way he would risk jeopardizing her safety.

One last great kick, and he was at the ship. Treading water, he frantically waved his arms in the air, sighing with relief when he was greeted by shouts and yells. A rope appeared over the side, and Will grasped it desperately, his arms burning as he was pulled over the side.

He collapsed on the deck, breathing heavily for a moment, then quickly stood to his feet, face to face with James Norrington. Several other men were standing on either side of him, their rifles poised delicately.

"William Turner," Norrington said chidingly. "How kind of you to join us. Especially considering the company you're keeping these days."

"Elizabeth," Will managed to gasp, still panting from the physical exertion.

Norrington's face noticeably hardened. "What of her?"

"She's on the ship! Please, for her sake, stand down."

A slightly panicked expression flittered across Norrington's features. "Unfortunately, I have my orders. Why did you leave her there?" he demanded harshly.

"She's not a prisoner, she's there willingly."

"Willingly?" he asked coldly. "Of course, she always did have such a fascination with those dreadful scalawags."

"Be that as it may, I know you don't want harm to come to her anymore than I do. So here's what I offer you; a means to capture not one, but two of the most infamous pirates to ever sail the sea. In exchange, of course, Elizabeth would not be harmed."

"Of course," Norrington said offhandedly.

"And secondly," Will interjected, "I would very much like an audience with Lord Beckett."

Norrington sighed. "I suppose that could be arranged. But first of all, I want to hear this plan of yours."

Will gulped slightly. He was past the point of no return. "I can tell you where they're going."