Chapter Eight- Intercepted


On the Black Pearl, Francesca was to be locked in the brig and Jack was sent to the captain's cabin with Barbossa.

"Why's she sent to the brig and not me?" Jack said once he got inside the cabin.

"Because unlike her, you've information I need, and they'll be no sudden escape if you've not got her with you, Jack."

Jack nodded, "...Ah."

"So you expect to leave me standing on some beach with nothing but a name and your word it's the one I need and watch you sail away on my ship?"

"No. I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me sail away on my ship, and then I'll shout the name back to you. Savvy?"

"But that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need," said Barbossa.

"Of the two of us, I am the only one who hasn't committed mutiny, therefore my word is the one we'll be trusting. Although, I suppose I should be thanking you because in fact, if you hadn't betrayed me and left me to die, I would have an equal share in that curse same as you," Jack said, smiling and biting into an apple. "Funny ol' world in'it?" He offered Barbossa an apple. Barbossa shook his head, struggling not to hurt Jack out of his contempt for him.

Bo'sun entered the room. "Captain, we're coming up on the Interceptor."

Barbossa walked past the helm, stopped, and opened his telescope. Jack walked in front of the telescope, "I'm having a thought here, Barbossa." He put his telescope down. "What say we run up a flag of truce? I scurry over to the Interceptor and I negotiate the return of your medallion, aye? What say you to that?"

"Now, you see, Jack- that's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl. People are easy to search when they're dead. Lock him in the brig," he said to Bo'sun. He looked at the apple Jack had given him, throwing it into the ocean.

"There you are, love," said Jack as Bo'sun locked him in the cell across from her. "Apparently there's a leak." When Bo'sun left, Jack stood near the door to the cell. "So, love– how do you think we'll escape?"

"Escape?"

"...You mean you haven't been thinking of an escape plan all this time?"

Francesca rose. "I thought you'd be coming to save me, Captain."

"Comin' to save you? I've been trying to take over this ship with negotiation."

"Pirates don't take kindly to negotiation. It's too long a word and too hard for them to spell," she joked.

"Aye. And negotiations usually involve a pistol. Did they take yours?"

She looked through the bars, "What do you think?"

"Damn."

"It was a good plan, up till now."

Vicky shook Elizabeth, "None of your plans help! No wonder Francesca hates you!"

"Vic!" shouted Will, pulling Elizabeth towards him.

Victoria glared at her, then at Will.

"We could use a few more ideas, lass," said Mr. Gibbs to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth leaned into Will's arms, "It's her turn."

"Fine!" Victoria said, "Haul out the cannons and lower the starboard side anchor!"

"What do we load into the cannons?!" cried Gibbs.

"Anything...everything! Anything we have left."

"You're daft, lady," Anamaria said to Vicky.

Mr. Gibbs smiled, "Daft like Jack! Lower the anchor on the starboard side!...Load the cannons– case shot and langrage, nails and crushed glass– with a will!"

"We'll never get out now- might as well face it, Jack- we're captured," said Francesca hopelessly.

"Now that's not the talk of a pirate. We'll get out– Did you hear that?"

The entire ship turned sharply, causing Jack and Francesca to topple over.

"No, but I felt it."

Jack peered through a knothole, "The Interceptor's club hauling."

There was a sudden firing of cannons from both ships, and random objects shot through the hull of the Black Pearl, narrowly missing both of them.

"Stop blowin' holes in my ship!" exclaimed Jack.

He found Gibbs' canteen on the floor beside him, opening it and shaking it above his mouth– nothing. Jack's attention then went to the door, realizing that miscellaneous utensils had destroyed the lock. It swung open when he pushed it slightly.

"Now what are you doing?" she asked him.

"Coming to save you. Hand me a knife."

She put a fork with only one prong left through the bars. "That's all I've got."

"Close enough." Jack picked the lock, letting her out of the cell. "Now get your pistol– get a move on!"

Francesca gave him a look.

"Please get your pistol."

"Thank you." She ran to the captain's cabin. "Come on, Jack!"

He stood in the doorway, "Throw it!"

She tossed his pistol to him.

"And my hat!"

"Get over it. Mine now," Francesca said, putting his hat on, "If you want it back you'll have to get me a bandana like yours."

"Right... right... High society indeed," said Jack, running up the stairs just behind Francesca.

"What we need is a devil's dowry," said Gibbs.

Anamaria pointed her gun at Elizabeth, "We'll give 'em her!"

"Aye!" said Victoria, "We'll give them her!"

Will said to both, "She's not what they're after."

Elizabeth put her hands to her neck, "The medallion!" It was missing.

Will leapt down below deck to search for it.

Jack and Francesca weren't noticed amid the chaos as they walked to the port side. Jack took the rope of a pirate in midair, causing the pirate to fall face-first onto the deck.

"Thanks very much. 'Ere you go, love." He handed the rope to her, then latched onto it himself.

"Both of us? Jack are you mad?–" She let out a high-pitched scream as they swung, nearly sliding off. Jack held onto her by the waist, and they landed on their feet on the deck with a small 'thud'.

"TWO ropes next time, Sparrow," said Francesca, holding her chest in an effort to breathe.

"Why? I thought that was much more... enjoyable- didn't you?"

Ragetti and Pintel fired a chain with a cannonball at each end at the mast, bringing it down with a crash.

The impact blew a hole in the hull, and water began to fill the cargo space. Will was trapped. The mast had fallen in such a way that the only entrance at the moment was blocked.

"Hey!...Hey! Below!" he called, trying to get someone's attention.

Jacked strolled past Gibbs, giving him his canteen with a comment of, "Bloody empty," and Francesca joined the fight. He came upon Elizabeth, grabbing the arm of the pirate who was attacking her, "That's not very nice." She knocked the pirate off the ship and into the ocean.

"Where's the medallion?" asked Jack.

Elizabeth raised her hand to hit him, "Wretch!"

Jack caught her hand near the bandage, "Ah...Where is dear William?"

"Will," she gasped, looking for him. She hear Will's cries and finally saw him. "Will!"

"Elizabeth!"

"Monkey!" said Jack, chasing after Barbossa's monkey (which had the medallion) across the ship.

"I can't move it!" she said, trying to open the grate. A group of pirates dragged her away.

"Will!"

"Elizabeth!"

Jack ran across the fallen mast almost to the Black Pearl, stopping at Barbossa's feet.

"Why thank you, Jack," said Barbossa.

"Your welcome." Jack faked a smile.

"Not you, we named the monkey 'Jack'. Gents, our hope is restored!" The pirates cheered.

Victoria rushed to where she had seen Elizabeth. "Will!"

"Vicky- Elizabeth's been taken- find her!"

"No, I'm not leaving you here!"

A pirate lit a trail of powder leading to powder kegs stacked behind the cargo.

"Go!" said Will.

On the Black Pearl, which was now sailing away, Francesca and Jack had their hands bound. Elizabeth was surrounded by Barbossa's men. Barbossa's reasoning had proved correct. Elizabeth would not need to be tied up, being that she would never plan an attack or escape with Jack or Francesca.

The water rose over Will's head.

"No!" Vicky said. She acted swiftly, placing a small bomb on the grate and motioning for Will to move. "Move, move!"

He swam, still holding his breath, away from the door. The fuse was only seconds away from the kegs. Victoria took out her pistol and shot the bomb.

"Any of you so much as thinks the word parley, I'll have your guts for garters," said Pintel.

The Interceptor exploded, immediately ignited.

"Will!" said Elizabeth.

"Oh god..." Francesca said with a look of horror at the burning remnants of the ship.

Elizabeth wrenched herself free from the pirates' grasp, attacking Barbossa, "You've got to stop it. Stop it!"

"Welcome back, miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time; it holds fair now you return the favor." He shoved her back towards the pirates.

Will jumped onto the deck, pointing his pistol at Barbossa, "She goes free!"

"What's in your head, boy?" said Barbossa.

"She goes free."

Vicky leapt onto the deck by Will. "Stupid gits, the lot of you!"

"Vicky!" exclaimed Francesca.

"You've only got one shot and we can't die," said Barbossa.

Jack pleaded in a whisper, "Don't do anything stupid..."

"You can't," said Will, holding the pistol under his chin, "I can."

"...just like that." finished Jack.

"Who are you?"

Jack walked up to Barbossa, "No one, he's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew. Lovely singing voice, though. Eunuch."

"My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."

Ragetti said, "It's the spitting image of old Bootstrap Bill come back to 'aunt us!"

Barbossa was shrewd. "Name your terms, Mr. Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free."

"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"

Jack pointed to himself.

"And the crew- the crew are not to be harmed."

Jack pointed to himself more blatantly, finally giving up.

"Agreed. Bring Miss Swann here. Lock the other two young ladies in the brig after they've witnessed this spectacle. And Mr. Sparrow...We'll deal with him as well."