CHAPTER 29: The Rescue…
After Phoenix had deserted the mansion, she continued to flee until she reached the docks. She had tripped on branches, and was cut by many various twigs, but she didn't let that slow her down as she clutched Jack's hat tightly in her hands. Thoughts raced through her mind the whole distance. Did Jack know Alex? How long had Jack been at the mansion? Was he in trouble? Her mind was bloated with the questions and the thoughts of the possibilities of Jack being in danger.
Phoenix's heart sank when she finally ceased running, and reached the docks. As she looked around, she realized that the 'Black Pearl' was nowhere to be found. She couldn't fathom how that could be… it was Jack's hat in her hands, wasn't it? Phoenix looked around a few moments more, inspecting every ship in the dock… and still no sign of the 'Pearl'.
Phoenix was about to begin crying, until she saw something unexpected and uncalled for… the 'Revenge'. She smiled inside as she bolted and made her way for her father's ship, hoping someone would know if Jack was truly there or not. As Phoenix approached the ship, her spirits were lifted amazingly higher, and her hope of seeing her children again brightened.
Phoenix couldn't hear anything from the gangplank, but as she continued on her way, she saw lights of lanterns flickering on the side of the ship. She quickly reached the deck, and was overwhelmingly surprised and relieved to see Gibbs playing a card game with Marty. She walked up to them silently but excitedly.
"Gibbs!", Phoenix said with a smile. Gibbs's head went up slowly from his cards, and he looked at Phoenix. When he finally registered who is was, the cards that had been in his hand dropped, and his mouth went agape. "Mother's love! It's ye! Phoenix! Ye are alive!", he said in disbelief. Phoenix nodded in acknowledgement, and then quickly asked him where Jack was.
"Well, Elizabeth and young Mr. Turner said they saw two large blokes take 'im from some high to do party ye were at with some other bloke", he finished, making Phoenix shudder. She looked down at the deck for a moment, deep in thought, then faced Gibbs once more. "Where are Will and Elizabeth now?", she asked. Gibbs took a quick sip from his flask. "They were gone to find a way to that Delaine's mansion, and try to get ye and Jack back", he finished, making Phoenix say nothing else, but bolt into the captain's cabin.
Once inside the cabin, Phoenix took no time to quickly get herself dressed in some of her clothes that remained in a trunk in a corner of the cabin, and adorn herself with weapons. Phoenix loaded three pistols, attached them to her belt, and then picked up two swords, holding one in her hand while the other one rested in her sash.
As Phoenix breathed deeply a few times to calm her nerves, she thought about the consequences that would come from showing her face to Alex Delaine again… he would torture and kill her without doubt. Phoenix opened her eyes from her short "prep-talk moment" and took one last deep breath before exiting the cabin. Phoenix walked onto deck with power and courage as she quickly walked past Gibbs. "I'm goin' to find them… if Jack and me'self don't come back, tell Romeo and Raven to follow the horizon", Phoenix finished quickly, heading down the gangplank at full speed, leaving a speechless Gibbs behind. "God be with ye lass", Gibbs breathed before taking a swig of his rum.
oooooooooo
It had been near 5 minutes of running, to take Phoenix into the city of Havana. The streets were filled with the nightlife, making it feel like home, but her mind was focused on finding the rest of the helpful crew. Phoenix ran through back alley's, and skimmed a few taverns, with still no luck. She was on the edge of giving up until she heard and oh-too-familiar voice, yelling at someone (no surprise there)… Laurie.
Phoenix looked over in the sound of the voice and a smile went across her face. She quickly ran over to where Laurie was standing, with the collar of a drunken man in her fist while her jaw was clenched and she threatened the man's life. "YE TELL US WHERE 'E LIVES OR SO 'ELP ME GOD I'LL---", she was in mid-threat when someone interrupted her, "---Tear out 'is ball-sack through 'is nose?", Phoenix said sardonically with her hands on her hips.
To that, Laurie said nothing but continued to stare at the man, "Exactly!", she agreed. Her head then lifted up and her expression went blank. Laurie then dropped the man she was holding up and quickly turned around to see the face of one of her best friends, quite alive and well. "PHOENIX!", Laurie yelled, catching the attention of Will, Elizabeth, Sarah and Jacobs. "Sweet Mary…", Jacobs breathed, while the others ran over to Phoenix and hugged her tightly. "Are you alright?", Elizabeth asked Phoenix cautiously and worriedly.
Phoenix nodded, and answered their questions quickly. "I'm fine Lizzie. A bit shaken, but fine nonetheless", there was a slight pause, and she spoke once more, "We need to find Jack. He's in trouble", Phoenix finished. Will then spoke up from his brief silence, "Elizabeth and I saw him being taken away by two large men, in a large coach"; this confirmed it for Phoenix… Alex had Jack.
"I know where he is… Jack's being held prisoner by Alex Delaine", she said somewhat distantly, making the others' fears confirmed as well. "Let's go then… we need to get to 'im before it's too late", Phoenix said, followed by a quick, "Follow Me", and they were on their way. Phoenix led them out of the little town square, away from the dingy pubs, and through many back-alleys, until she found the same path she had taken to flee the wretched mansion.
oooooooooo
The group of six just arrived at the gate of the mansion, when they hurdled together and planned a way inside, and out. Phoenix thought it over for a moment, and realized she truly had never taken a full surveillance of the mansion, and knew where nothing was, really. "Alright… well…", Phoenix began, thinking of a way inside, "…ye that carriage there? That's how I got out. Now I'm figurin', if we just climb back on top, figure a way onto the balcony, we're in", she finished while her eyes still studied the home of Alex Delaine.
"Sounds better than me plan", Laurie said with a chuckle. "What was yer plan?", Elizabeth asked curiously. Laurie looked at Elizabeth seriously for a moment, and then a devilish smirk worthy of Jack Sparrow adorned her features. "Ditch the hubby, and I'll tell ye somewhere a little bit more private", she finished, giving eyes to Elizabeth, who instinctively hurdled closer to Will.
"Alright, enough then… let's go", Phoenix said at last, as they all walked silently towards the carriage that stood underneath the balcony of Alex's room. Phoenix was first in line as she led the rest of them up onto the carriage, and one by one, on each other's shoulders, they climbed onto the ledge of the large balcony. As the last two people climbed up, Jacobs asked Phoenix if she had any idea where Jack was inside the mansion.
"Chambre de servitude, or somethin' like that. Bondage room is more like it if ye ask me", Phoenix said peeking in through the bedroom window. Elizabeth and Will looked at Phoenix shocked, "and how would you know what the bondage room looks like, Phoenix?", Elizabeth finished, looking quite worried. Phoenix looked at her and gave a faint smile, "He lashed me there", she finished, turning around, and attempting to pry the window open, ignoring the outrage coming from her friends.
"Oh calm down, it was nothin'", Phoenix lied, knowing damn right it was the hardest lashing she'd ever experienced in her life. Phoenix shook off her memory, and began to open the window, making as little sound as possible. Once inside, Phoenix laughed at the sound of Laurie and Sarah talking about pinching everything in the room for a shiny gold piece. "Ye can steal things later! Now come on…", Phoenix said, rummaging around the room to find the door knob.
Just as Phoenix turned the knob, she heard a gasp sound from Laurie, "Look at this piece o' jewellery… rich bastard", she finished, holding up the collar that used to be around Phoenix's neck. Phoenix looked at it for a moment and quickly walked over to Laurie, snatched the collar from her hand, and threw it out the open window. "What'd ye do that for ye---", Laurie was about to scold her friend, "---HE PUT THAT 'ROUND ME NECK LIKE I WAS A DOG!", Phoenix said through clenched teeth, as she walked back to the door. The room fell silent, as they waited for what Phoenix had to say next.
"Let's go then… we 'ave to find an elderly Italian woman… 'er name is Victoria. I only 'ope she'll help us", Phoenix finished, raising her cutlass, and her pistol at-the-ready. As they walked along the hall, Phoenix thought about where Alex and his goons could be, and what have they done to Jack… and if Jack was even still alive. She choked back a sob, and clenched her jaw, wanting nothing more than her husband.
oooooooooo
While the pirates were roaming the upstairs of the mansion, Alex Delaine sat in his study with four guards surrounding him in a lofty chair, as one of his maids tended to the wound in his forearm, cause by a fiery Phoenix. Alex's tongue was in bad shape, as the same maid who tended to his forearm had to place bandages around his tongue. It wasn't a very good method to use on one's tongue, but it was good enough for now. Alex attempted to dull the pain from both his mouth and arm by smoking opium from a pipe.
"I wahnt youh to find hurh and kill hurh. Understahnd?", Alex struggled to say to his guards with his mangled tongue. His guards understood the point of it however, and nodded quickly, hurrying off to go find the woman who did this to their employer. Alex figured if they couldn't find her, then they would cease continue t o torture Jack Sparrow, and if they did find her, they would kill them both.
The maid who'd been with Alex looked up into his eyes admiringly and asked him if he had reason for her to stay to tend to him some more. Alex looked down at the young woman with a sort of disgust, and quickly scolded her, "Get out!", he said menacingly. The woman looked shocked for a moment, and got up, continuing to question his command. Alex then looked at her with evil eyes as he hurled his wine glass towards her, making her quickly scurry from the room.
oooooooooo
As the pirates went down the hall, Phoenix recognized it to be close to where the main foyer was, and silently led them to the edge of the stairs. Just as Phoenix was about to give an order, they saw four guards hurry out the door of the mansion. Not long after that, they were all shocked to see a young woman come from the main hall with her hands in the air, swearing that she would kill Alex one day for his rudeness.
"Bloke must be down there then eh?", Laurie asked as she regarded the frustrated woman. Phoenix nodded, and began to think about where exactly Victoria could be at this moment in time. Phoenix near raped her mind for the idea of where Victoria could be, and still came to no conclusion. She then thought about, if that young maid was angry with Alex at the moment, she could then use it to her advantage.
Phoenix got up gracefully from where she was crouching looking down into the main foyer, and went hurriedly over to the stairs leading down. "Where are you going?", Will asked confused by her actions. Phoenix said nothing, but continued to walk down the steps. The young maid was just about to leave the room until she spotted Phoenix out the corner of her eye. The plan had almost failed, if it wasn't for Phoenix life-saving jump to tackle the young maid to the ground.
"PHOENIX? MASTER! IT'S---", she was cut-off by Phoenix's body colliding with her own. "Shut it!", Phoenix said through clenched teeth as she pressed her pistol into the maid's neck. If she wasn't going to co-operate, and begin calling for her beloved master, then Phoenix would just have to get what she need the hard way… the pirate way.
"Tell me where Victoria is", Phoenix demanded. Just as the young maid was prepared to open her mouth to answer, Phoenix re-thought her question. "No wait… where's the bondage room? The room of servitude?", Phoenix demanded once more, pressing her pistol harder into the young girl's throat. The young girl squirmed for a few moments, until she caved in, and told Phoenix exactly where she had to go. "Just three halls down that way! I swear!", the young woman panicked.
Phoenix gave a smirk, and got an even more clever idea… why not just take the girl with her? With that, Phoenix brought the woman to her feet, and began walking behind her, leading her in the direction she had pointed out. "Phoenix!", she heard from behind, as she saw the other run quickly down the stairs to come join her. Phoenix turned to face them. "Laurie, come with me. Ye others, make sure nobody comes our way", Phoenix finished, making the others nod in comprehension.
"Wait!", Elizabeth's voice rang out silently as Phoenix and Laurie were heading off with the maid. "Here. We saw Jack get hit pretty hard, he'll need water", she finished, handing Phoenix a flask of water with a caring smile. "Rum?", Phoenix said with a straight face, making Elizabeth's scrunch up into one of confusion. "No, water", Elizabeth replied. There was a short pause, "Rum?", Phoenix asked once more. Just as Elizabeth's mouth was about to open, Phoenix finished her sentence for her, "Then ye obviously don't know Jack Sparrow", Phoenix finished with a joking smile.
To that, Jacobs then handed Phoenix a flask of his rum, making Phoenix smile, and giggle at Elizabeth's expression. "Jacobs… he's a smart man ye know", Phoenix finished, not acknowledging the way Sarah had been staring caringly and admiringly at Jacobs for the past few moments. "Ok then… let's go", Phoenix said lastly before they went their separate ways.
oooooooooo
It had been near ten minutes, and Phoenix and Laurie had been led in a circle by the young maid. Laurie held the maid's hands behind her back as Phoenix looked around the halls looking for any sign of the room being near. "Alex will find you! And kill you like you deserve! You didn't deserve to be his personal servant! I did!", the young maid yelled at Phoenix. Phoenix put a hand on her forehead annoyed, and looked at the two other women. "Will ye shut her up?", Phoenix asked annoyed. Laurie looked down at the young maid, then back up at Phoenix. "I can't hit a woman, ye know that", Laurie said with utmost care in her voice. "Oh for Christ's sake…", Phoenix said as she leaned on the wall exasperated.
"Oh my god!", Phoenix jumped off the wall, spinning to face where she'd been leaning. "Here it is! This is the room! Quick Laurie, hand me yer lock picks", Phoenix finished, holding out her hand awaiting the tools. Laurie got out her tools as she regarded Phoenix like she was mad-woman. "How do ye know this is the room?", Laurie asked. As Phoenix took out the proper tools, she answered Laurie regularly, "I recognize this painting from the wall. I was a bit out of it, but I remember seein' it", she finished, letting out an excited sound as the door came unlocked.
Phoenix handed back the tools to Laurie hurriedly as she quickly opened the room door. The ceiling was now open, as if it had a movable roof of some sort. The bright moonlight shone down into the room, making it easier to find her way around. Phoenix looked around worriedly for a moment, until her eyes fell upon a still figure, sprawled out in a corner of the room… it was Jack.
"Jack!", Phoenix shouted out as she ran over to her husband with tears in her eyes. As she looked at his body with the aid of the bright moonlight, she noticed the welts and blood over his chest, as well as the blood coming lightly from the side of his head. Phoenix didn't know what to do for a moment, but then quickly began to shake Jack, attempting to wake him.
"Jack! Wake up. Please", Phoenix pleaded with Jack's dormant form. After a few moments, she heard Jack mumble something, which put a smile across her face. "I know yer ship wants to dock in me port. Ye filthy pirate", Phoenix said with a large smile and tears in her eyes as she reached down and hugged Jack's body. Jack's eyes opened slightly and he smiled as he attempted to put his arms around Phoenix. Suddenly without warning, Jack clenched his jaw, and moaned deeply in his throat… out of pain. Phoenix looked down at his chest, and gently placed a finger on one of his ribs, getting a matching moan from Jack's lips.
"Oh god, they're broken", Phoenix said sadly. She said nothing for a moment, as she saw Jack's eyes penetrating her own. "Ah!", she said with a slight grin just before she pulled out the flask Jacobs had given her. "Here", Phoenix said as she held the flask to Jack's lips and waited until he finished every last drop… like a good boy. :)
"Come on then. Laurie!", Phoenix called out, but got nothing in response. She decided to do the job by herself then, and gently as she could, lifted Jack up off the ground with her arms, feeling sorry for her husband with every moan that escaped his lips. Jack began to limp while most of his weigh rested on Phoenix's body. "I love ye", she heard Jack tell her as they began to walk to the door of the room. Phoenix smiled, "I know ye do", she replied.
When they got into the hall, a smirk went across Jack's face as Phoenix just rolled her eyes with an "I am NOT amused", expression adorned her features. There was Laurie, sitting on the ground with the young maid in her lap, whispering sweet-notions into her ear, about how men are no good for women and such. "Will ye do that at some other time!", Phoenix said, startling the two women. Laurie jumped up and blushed as she cleared her throat. "Actually luv… it's was pretty enterta---", Jack was about to say until his wife finished his sentence for him, "---would ye like a few more broken bones? Dear husband". Phoenix finished through clenched teeth jokingly.
The three pirates then smiled as they quickly and as painlessly as possible, went to walk back to where they came from, with a hurt Jack in their arms. As they began to walk however, they heard gunshots, and much swearing, coming mainly from Sarah's foul mouth. Laurie's expression fell as she looked at Phoenix for the "go ahead", and quickly rushed off to go help fight.
Phoenix had been paying attention to Jack for a moment, looking deep into his eyes, telling him not to speak. They were in the moment, so much, that neither of the two had realized the disappearance of the young maid, until they heard an unpleasant voice come out from behind them. It sent chills up Phoenix's spine to hear his voice once more, but she turned around regardless, to see a gun pointed in her direction.
"Ahnd where douh youh think youh're gohing?", Alex said with a smirk on his face, in addition to his mangled tongue. Phoenix was about to answer, until Jack's started chuckling, followed by moans about his ribs hurting. "What's are youh chuckling at Shpawwow?", Alex asked, making Jack laugh a bit harder. Jack stopped laughing for a moment, then looked at him seriously, "what happened to yer tongue? Cat got it?", he asked sardonically. Before Alex could speak, Phoenix answered, making Jack smile proudly at his wife.
"He was tryin' to sleep with me, shovin' 'is tongue down me throat, so I near bit it off", Phoenix said, slowly getting her gun from her sash even as Jack leaned on her. Jack smiled, "Ahh, Hell-Cat got yer tongue", he chuckled to himself, then moaned, then chuckled, then moaned once more. Phoenix's gaze however, went back to Alex's gun, even though Alex began speaking once more.
"I'm gohing to kill youh now. Any last words?", Alex said with an evil smirk. Phoenix gave a grin, "Yes I---", and then a shot was fired. The bullet was lodged in the person's throat, and they began to gargle through the thick blood, begging for air, trying everything in their power to fire their own pistol before it was too late.
