Take a Walk

Jack and Marana sat with James in a rowboat among other rowboats full of soldiers. They were rowing towards the Pearl, moored at Isla de Muerta. James removed his compass from his eye and said lazily, "I don't care for the situation. Any attempt to storm the caves could turn into an ambush."

Jack rested his hand on the commodore's shoulder. "Not if you're the one doing the ambushing. I go in, I convince Barbossa to send his men out with their little boats. You and your mates return to the Dauntless and blast the bejesus out of them with your little cannons, eh? What do you have to lose?"

James pushed Jack's hand off of his shoulder with his spyglass. "Nothing I'd lament being rid of."

Jack tapped him gently. "Now, to be quite honest with you, there's still a slight risk to those aboard the Dauntless, which includes the future Mrs. Commodore."

When Jack sat back, Marana clasped his hand tightly. She whispered to him anxiously, "Are you sure this is going to work?" He smirked.

"If you want proof, you can come with me."

Soon, they were rowing in their own boat, down the tunnel that led to the caves. They each had their own oar. When they reached the group of Barbossa's boats, Jack pulled Marana to the side.

"Marana, love, if things don't go too well, I just want to say that you're incredibly beautiful and strong, and I definitely have feelings for you." They held each other in a tight hug before they crept into the caves.

The group of pirates was cheering, and Barbossa stood up on the same gold mound as before, only with Will over the chest instead of Elizabeth. The duo made their way through the group until they came up to Barbossa.

"Jack! Marana!" exclaimed Will.

"It's not possible," muttered Barbossa.

"Not probable." said Jack.

"Where's Elizabeth?" demanded Will.

Jack was halted as a large pirate held him and Marana in place by their shoulders. "She's safe, just like I promised, she'd all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised, and you get to die for her, just like you promised. So, we're all men of our word, really, except for Elizabeth, who is in fact a woman."

"Shut up!" shouted Barbossa. "You and your lass are next!" Jack put a protective arm around Marana's waist. He leaned over to cut Will's jugular and spill his blood into the chest.

"You don't want to be doing that, mate," quipped Jack.

"No, I really think I do."

"Your funeral…"

Barbossa turned to Jack with annoyance. "Well, because-" He slapped the pirate's hands off of his and Marana's shoulders. He climbed up the mound and up to his former first mate. "…because the HMS Dauntless, pride of the Royal Navy, is floating just offshore, waiting for you."

The room erupted into worried muttering.

Jack began bargaining with Barbossa. "Just here me out, mate. You order your mates to row out to the Dauntless and they do what they do best. Robert's your uncle, Fannie's your aunt. There you are with two ships, the makings of your very own fleet. Of course, you'll take the grandest as your flagship, and who's to argue? But what of the Pearl? Name me captain. I'll sail under your colors, I'll give you ten percent of me plunder, and you get to introduce yourself as Commodore Barbossa. Savvy?"

Barbossa looked at Will. "I suppose, in exchange, you want me not to kill the whelp!"

"No, no, no, by all means, kill the whelp, just not yet. Wait to lift the curse until the opportune moment." He picked up a handful of coins from the chest, as did Marana. "For instance, after you've killed Norrington's men, every last one." They dropped all but two of the coins back in. The ones that weren't dropped were slipped up into Jack's wristband and Marana's sleeve.

Will suddenly spat out, "You've been planning this from the beginning, ever since you learned my name!"

"Yeah."

Barbossa cut in. "I want fifty percent of your plunder,"

"Fifteen,"

"Forty,"

"Twenty-five," then he said, "I'll buy you the hat, a really big one, Commodore."

Barbossa smiled. "We have an accord." he shook Jack's hand.

"All hands to the boats!" shouted Jack. Then he caught Barbossa's disapproving look and said, "Apologies, you give the orders."

"Gents," Barbossa said wickedly. "Take a walk."

"Not to the boast?" inquired Jack in confusion.

Barbossa just smiled evilly at him.