Chapter 12

Where's the map?

Jack followed Nash into his cabin. He was glad to see that the man hadn't made himself too much at home in the time that he had been ordered to stand outside and be the bait.

He had millions of things he wanted to say to James, accusations to make, apologies to give, but when he had come face to face with him only moments ago, all he could think of was his own stupidity. Now that he was alone again, the anger was returning.

"That went well Sparrow. You surprised me; I thought you might buckle when you saw... him."

"Surprises, that's all I'm about Nash," Jack said taking a seat behind his desk and fixing the man with a look from under his eyelashes.

Nash coughed.

"Perhaps it's time now for me to convince you further my need for the map. You will be the one to fetch it for me, since you must have a way with the Commodore..."

Jack grinned. Back in his own cabin, and on his own ship, this man didn't seem too threatening. But he was still aware that he was surrounded by Nash's crew, however sparsely they were now spread throughout the three ships.

"My crew first if you please," Jack said folding his arms and leaning back in the chair. The sash around his middle trailed on the ground.

"All in good time."

"Alright, then mate, I'll wait for a good time. How long do you think it'll be?" Jack asked sarcastically. Nash growled.

"I will not play games with you Sparrow. You will fetch me the map, and then we will discuss your crew."

Jack bit his tongue hard between his teeth. He didn't want to agree, but like the previous discussion, he had very little choice but to. He wondered how Nash had managed to remove all his crew from his ship without drawing his attention before, and how he'd managed to keep them onboard his ship for so long.

"I'll get the map."

"Good, then perhaps we can then make a trade. I will give you your crew as payment for it. You will still honour your agreement to sail with me, but I'll let you sail with your known crew."

"How kind of you love," Jack said smiling. His smile didn't reach anywhere other than his mouth, his eyes were dead and empty.

"No time like the present then Jack..." Nash hinted standing and opening the door. "I shall ready the boats to fetch your crew from my ship."

Jack walked warily past him. Something inside him was telling him that this was some sort of trick. If he gave Jack back his crew, surely he knew they would free the Navy men and attack him? But then Nash now had two ships. He would still win, and James would never leave without the Dauntless.

"I 'ave your word?" Jack asked.

"You have it," Nash said holding out his hand. Jack took it slowly, still distrustful.

Jack walked past the men lounging on his decks, and headed towards the hatch. Climbing quickly down the steps, Jack reached the lower deck and proceeded to climb lower once more. He could hear voices as he reached the top of the last flight of steps, but when his boots hit the wood of them, the voices stopped.

James craned his neck to the side of the bars to see who was coming to disturb them. The talking about Sparrow and the debating as to whether he was on their side or not, had still not receded, and James was almost thankful for the intrusion, although it might mean any number of bad things.

The light on the stairs was dark, yet he recognised the figure as the man walked down the steps and stopped at the bottom of them.

Jack stared at the grim scene before him, he'd never seen the Pearl's cells put to a more terrible use. The men inside usually deserved to be there, but the sight of these proud men locked away looked as cruel as caged birds.

"What happened Jack?" James asked as no one else seemed to want to speak. His voice caught back in his throat as he watched Jack limp towards him.

"Sorry love, it was either you or them," Jack answered moving towards the cell but not coming close enough to be touched. "And, since you don't really like me..."

"Jack, I..." James began, embarrassed that he was still feeling strange around Jack, and that part of his crew were there to see it.

However James didn't managed to answer, as one of his men took hold of Jack's collar and pulled him backwards towards their cell.

"You treacherous dog," the man growled swapping his grip from the back of Jack's collar to the front as Jack was forced to face him. His grip choked Jack and made him reach up and try and pry the hands away from him. "You should have died that day in Port Royal!"

"Murray let him go," James ordered. The man gave Jack one last tug towards him before throwing him backwards so that he hit James' hands that were clasped around the bars.

Without thinking what he was doing, James moved one of his fingers from its grasp on the bar and ran it as far as it could stretch up Jack's back. Jack didn't seem to notice anything but the sudden burst of air he'd just been given, and didn't move away from the bars. James wanted to place his whole hand on Jack, but knew that in the situation all he could do was be content that his knuckles were pressed against him.

"You, pirate, what you have to say for yourself? It's your fault we're here..."

"I'm not apologisin', you left me 'ere," Jack said his eyes dark with the lack of light, and looking sinister with all the kohl around them. "Couldn't catch 'em eh? Not my fault ye found 'em too late."

"Jack, we left you because you're injured. You should be resting. Do you want to loose your leg? Look, your bleeding again..."

"Don't lecture me Commodore; I know what your game was. You wanted me ter die when we saw them at the island. Thought we'd kill one another and that you wouldn't 'ave ter do the job yerslef!"

"That's not true. It was bad judgement on my part. I should have trusted you."

"Ah but you didn't, and now look what you've done!"

Jack couldn't turn around. He turned his head to the side in compensation so James could see half of his mouth moving, but he knew he couldn't bring himself to see James' face.

"What do you want Jack?" James snapped pulling his hands away from the bars and Jack.

Jack took a step away from both cells.

"I need the map," he told him.

James laughed in a way that Made Jack shiver.

"I don't have it."

Jack's face suddenly turned even graver.

"Don't do this James," he begged.

"I don't have it," James persisted.

"Well who does?"

"Lieutenant Gillette," James answered. Although he enjoyed making Jack nervous, he was aware that by admitting that the map's owner was now Gillette he could be getting the man into all sorts of danger.

"Gillette? Please don't be trickin' me James..." the sincere fear that he heard in Jack's voice prompted James to reach through the bars.

Jack stared at his outstretched hand.

"He offered me treasure James, anything you might 'ave given me is worthless compared to that," Jack said cutting James deeply.

"What I could have given you Jack would have been yours to keep."

"Jack Sparrow? I have been waiting long enough; your crew are getting restless, thinking I've killed you after all. Where is this map?" Nash spoke from the darkness of the steps.

Jack jumped back from the cells and turned to face him. He had the horrible feeling of being the only one who cared about what happened to the men behind him, and that their fate depended on him giving the right answers. Yet he couldn't protect them openly, as then his life would also be in danger and then he'd be of no use to anyone.

"I'm workin' on that," Jack answered.

James stared unforgiving at the man who looked like he would like nothing better but to shoot Jack then and there.

"Well...work harder. I hope you know where it is because I want to talk to the Commodore alone."

Jack faltered. He didn't want to leave James alone with this man, but injured and weapon-less, Jack had very little choice but to obey. He gave James one last glance before heading back towards the steps and Nash.

When Jack was gone, Nash called for the men that were on the top of the steps. Jack realised what was happening only too late, but now his attention was caught by something else. He could hear Anamaria's voice calling his name over the general murmuring of voices, and he hurried upwards to see what was happening.

"Jack? Oh Jack we thought ye were dead!" she cried as soon as he appeared at the top of the hatch.

"I might still very well be," Jack replied seeing all of them tied together and lashed to the side of the ship through the wooden railings. "Did they 'urt you lass?"

"No, we all did what they told us ter do, 'cause we feared for you."

Jack wasn't able to reply, as behind him James and his Navy men were being lead out from the brig and up onto the deck.

"Put them in the boats men!" Nash ordered.

"What are yer doin? I didn't agree ter this!" Jack shouted trying to get in Nash's way, but the man was ignoring him.

"Jack Sparrow, if you cannot be quiet I will put you in there too, understood?" Nash said pushing Jack away from him. "Where's the map?"

"I don't know. He doesn't know!" he added as Nash moved towards James. The action of tying the men into the boat was temporality stopped as Nash's crew sensed something was about to happen.

Nash pulled out his sword and held it pointing at Jack's throat.

"What do you want with it?" James asked. His voice diverted Jack's attention and allowed for Nash to wrap his arm around his neck, still pointing the blade at his face.

"I'm going to sack Port Royal. I know you are all particularly attached to that place, and I shall burn their houses in your honour. They will all know you're responsible, because I'm going to use the Pearl to do it."

Jack struggled against him, digging his elbows into the man's middle and trying to pull away.

"Don't fight me Jack. You can come along if you behave," Nash told him in a patronising singsong voice. "Or perhaps you'd prefer to stay with him? What's it gonna be James. Do I kill Sparrow and then you? Or do you tell me where it is?"

"Why do you want it?"

"I just told you why," Nash snapped.

"You could sack Port Royal without it," James argued logically.

"I know, and don't you think I won't even if you do play hero. I want to make sure none of your annoying friends are following me. I've had enough of being followed lately. So, Commodore?"

James looked at Jack as he tried to push himself away from the man, but every time he moved the blade was pressed harder and harder into his cheek. James knew the man meant what he said, he would kill Jack if he didn't reveal where the map was, but this didn't answer why Jack hadn't told him. He'd already told Jack where it was.

"Lieutenant Gillette has it," he replied looking down.

Nash shoved Jack away from him and looked over at the Dauntless.

"Unlucky man," Nash commented. "Harper, go and collect it."

Jack tried to divert Nash's attention once again, James could see him speaking in a fast voice, but he couldn't hear the words. Seated in the boat that had been suspended over the side of the ship, James knew they were all waiting for Harper to return.

The boat that had dispatched him was bobbing in the water next to the Dauntless, but the decks of the ship were still empty. Jack was still speaking and moving about in the stupid way he usually walked in, but Nash was still ignoring him.

Jack realised what was happening long before James did. Lieutenant Gillette was on the deck, looking about him feverously. Surrounded by men he didn't know and who by no means his allies, Gillette was forced to hand over the map in full view of everyone.

"No Nash he knows nothin' about it!" Jack shouted running to the front of the ship. He looked ready to jump off when a shot was fired and Gillette fell to the floor.

James stood up in the boat, and was unceremoniously knocked back down by a heavy hand. Jack was obscuring their view. Standing balanced on the prow of the ship, holding the rigging for support, he blocked the view to the Dauntless.

"Come now Jack, don't tell me you loved him too!" Nash said incredulously. "Did you hear that Commodore? Jack Sparrow, a pirate, sticking up for your lieutenants! What has this world come to?" Nash shouted in a voice filled with sarcasm and the delight in making other nervous. "You should be thanking him."

Jack spun around, still standing on the prow and holding the rope keeping taught the front sail, he faced the speaker. His widened as he saw a gun pointed at him.

"Shall I pull the trigger Norrington?" Nash asked.

James swallowed hard. He didn't know what answer would or could help Jack.

"Why not. He's just a pirate," he replied, hating himself for causing the look of pain to flash over Jack's face.

"You hear that Jack Sparrow?" Nash asked. "Don't you dare move."

The shot whistled past Jack's ear and hit the rope he was holding. Jack backwards into the sea with a heavy splash, before the water hit his ears he could hear the cries of his crew and the laughter of the man who had pulled the trigger.

"Commodore, you are a cruel man..." Nash taunted. "Why would I shoot Sparrow? True he's intolerable, but drowning is so much more fun."

James looked down worriedly at the water. What could he do. He was tied to the boat and even if he could get free, where would he go? Jumping in after Jack would only end in his own death as well.

"Take them to the Aurora Rise. And for god sake someone fish Sparrow out of the water!" Nash said stalking away to the great cabin. "Don't just stand there."

James' boat was lowered in jerky stages to the water below them. He could see clearly the deck of the Dauntless now, and could see clearly the red blood splashed over the sandy planks. He hadn't seen what had happened, as Jack had gotten in the way, but his heart told him that it was the worst. Gillette was dead. Was that why Jack hadn't told Nash where the map really was? Had he known what was going to happen? James suspected he'd guessed when Harper had been sent over to fetch it.

There was no sign of Jack as they touched the water. Men were leaning over the side of the Pearl looking for any sign of him, but no one could see him. A man was laughing above them.

"Looks like Captain Sparrow is dead after all," he said merrily much to the amusement of all of his companions.

James' eyes scanned the water begging for Jack to resurface. He didn't know if he believed Jack Sparrow could actually die, of if he believed it was all part of some sort of plan. Hoping the latter, but fearing the worst, James closed his eyes and resigned himself to being a captive.

Nash reappeared from the great cabin with a celebratory bottle of wine, and surveyed the deck of his new ship.

"It's a shame to be loosing Sparrow so soon. I had hoped we might have been good friends if he'd been persuaded to see eye to eye," Nash said looking straight at Anamaria. "As it is, the code demands that you all now belong to me."

"We won't salute you," Ana said spitting at his feet.

"All those who don't swear allegiance to me dies," Nash warned without a hint of amusement.

Cotton nudged Ana softly in the ribs.

"Cotton's right," Gibbs said keeping his voice low. "A dead crew is no help to Jack."

"A dead captain, a dead crew...what's the difference?"

James looked around the new cell he had been placed in. Unlike the Black Pearl, the cells of the Aurora Rise were not clumped together at the end of the brig, but separated by a supply of barrels in-between each one. James couldn't see his party of men, but he could hear them still taking about the same man that had occupied their thoughts before.

James buried his head in his hands. He didn't want to hear what they were saying, their unaffected voices talking about Jack as if he'd never even existed.

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