Part 7

The lower levels of the Governor's Mansion were a far cry from the opulence, grandeur and comfort of the main house. Away from prying eyes, lying under enough concrete so that no one could hear the cries of the inmates, a dungeon prison had been constructed by the order of the first Governor of Tortuga, Isabelle's great grandfather.

It was worse than any prison Jack had been in before, and he was coming from rather extensive experience. The conditions were no poorer than most and they weren't having hot pokers dug into their flesh or anything, but they were underground and that meant no windows. And no windows meant no fresh air to remind him of the freedom he knew he would escape into once more. Down here the air was dank and feted, reeking of the many pirates who had wasted away in here over the years.

Jack always found it very oppressive to be away from the sight, smell or sound of the ocean for too long. It darkened his spirits in an unmistakable way. Left him feeling trapped and exposed and almost vulnerable. He was out his haven. Away from his sanctuary. However hard he tried, he couldn't sit still, as though the very fabric of his being was disturbed and was itching for him to head back to the ocean and relieve it.

No chance of that right now though.

The cell that Will and Jack had been thrown into was in almost total darkness bar the light which crept in from a single burning lantern down the hall. It was probably a blessing really - considered the revolting dampness Jack could feel on the floor he thought it best that he didn't know what he was sitting in. He wasn't exactly a fastidious man in regards his appearance, but even he had his limits.

Will sat also, propped against the opposite wall his knees held up to his chest and his chin resting on his arms, which like Jack's were now held in irons at the wrist. He was giving the pirate an expectant look, as if he believe this was all part of his plan. Or in the least he thought he might have accounted for this turn of events.

Of course, it wasn't and he hadn't. What should have happened was that he told Isabelle about the letter, she immediately forgave him all his sins and they all set sail the next day in search of Bootstrap. He hadn't even consider that she would still be so angry at him that she would simply ignore information she would have killed any man for just a few short years earlier. She really was a different person these days.

"The Governor was very angry with you," Will stated rather redundantly, clearly trying to find out more without being too obvious about it. The lad's patience had it's limits it seemed - they'd been sitting in silence for at least an hour.

But Jack wasn't exactly in the mood to share the darkest secrets of his soul just now. Perhaps it was being told by a woman he had once shared an affinity with that she was planning to have him hung. If the cold, gnawing feeling he felt inside was showing on his face, it would have explained Will's prolonged silence.

Or perhaps it was just the smallest amount of shame that made him want to avoid the subject - his dealings with Isabelle hadn't exactly been his finest hour. Her anger at him still pressed home just how badly he must have done by her.

"That'd be the gypsy blood in 'er," he explained in a terse, evasive voice, "'Er mother was one. Well into their revenge are gypsies."

"Revenge?" Will pressed, catching the interesting word.

"That's none of yours," Jack said darkly as he picked himself up and walked to the front of the cell, suddenly finding the small space even more oppressive.

Thankfully, Will knew when to leave things be.

"Well what do we do now?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I'll think of something," Jack promised, unnaturally quiet.

"Before she has you hung?" Will said, pondering aloud what he really meant to only think.

Jack turned his dark kohl eyes on the younger man, a thoughtful expression firmly in place.

"Aye," he said, even quieter, "I 'ope so."

There was silence for a long moment.

"I don't think she'll really go through with it," Will reassured, feeling awkward, as though he was intruding on a part of Jack's life he had no right to witness.

Jack snorted a bitter laugh, "Then you don't know her very well."

Another hour passed in silence. Every now and then Jack saw Will cast a glance over at him to see if he had the look of someone who was planning a daring escape. He was trying to, of course, but his last flight from here had been a product of luck rather than judgment and what with the Governor's warning to her men he didn't think they'd slip up again.

He smiled wryly to himself. Why did he keep thinking of her as 'the Governor'? She'd been just plain 'Isabelle Marley' to him once. When had it changed?

But he already knew the answer to that - when she'd become Governor.

That had been a bad year for him, all in all. It was the same year he'd lost the Pearl to Barbossa's mutiny. Then to finally make it back here and have to face the new Governor's anger, as if she believed what had happened was all his fault, when all he wanted was to spend a short time with someone he could count as a friend. He'd grown angry at her - first for her silent accusations, and then for not being who he wanted her to be. That didn't excuse what he'd done though. He left her to die, favouring instead to save his own skin.

His unhappy reverie was cut short as a guard appeared at their door from seemingly nowhere. Much to Jack and Will's surprise he began to unlock the door and they both stood apprehensively.

Was this it? Had she grown tired of the thought of him being locked in a cell this quickly and had decided to proceed to the main event? Jack had already had a noose around his neck once this last year. He hadn't liked it much.

Two other men followed the first in.

"The Governor wants a word with you," the first said, in means of an explanation as they were lead to an uncertain fate.

---

Governor Marley's office was a large, impressive room. No candles burned, but the huge round topped window let in plenty of icy moonlight to brighten the place sufficiently, even if it was in a cold, menacing glow.

The Governor herself sat behind a large oak desk, the leather seated chair clearly made for a much larger person than she. While physically she didn't fill it, she had an undeniable presence that made up for her small stature.

Will and Jack were brought to stand on the rug in front of her. It annoyed Jack immensely to be treated like this. A captain wasn't used to be demeaned and made to appear inferior. The very essence of a pirate's life was to buck authority and rules, except those necessary for survival and maintain a running ship. But the Governor's family had always been clever and rich, and they had turned this into power by giving the pirates a haven, even if it did cost them some control.

"Ye rang, Milady?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

One of the men who had escorted them here, kicked him hard in the back of the knees making Jack's legs buckle so he fell to the floor.

"You'll show some respect to the lady," the guard spat in his ear as he dragged Jack back up.

"Well, I would," Jack said bitterly, not knowing when to keep his mouth shut, "If there were one here. Unless yer referring to yer good self, of course."

Jack was kicked again, harder this time and fell back to his hands and knees.

"If you've both quite finished..." Governor Marley said sharply, before motioning for the guards to leave, "I won't need your help with these lads, trust me."

Jack knew that was meant as a slight against him, but not wanting to get his burning knees kicked at again he bit his lip and stayed silent.

"I know how impatient you can be Sparrow so I'll cut to the chase," Governor Marley said, once the three of them were alone, "You know where Bootstrap is, I want to know. You're going to tell me."

"Really?" Jack asked, with mock surprise, "And why would I want to go and do a daft thing like that?"

"Because it may just persuade me not to stretch you by the neck until your dead," she explained in a matter of fact way.

Jack nodded. That was fair enough.

"Very well, luv-"

"'Governor'," she corrected, stonily.

"Very well, Governor," he said with emphasis, bowing overdramatically, "Ye set me and the boy 'ere free and we'll go and find ol' Bootstrap and bring 'im back 'ere."

She opened her mouth to speak but Jack held up his hand to stop her.

"And before ye start going on about ye ain't releasing us, I 'ave no intention of telling ye where Bootstrap is until we've set sail on the Black Pearl with my crew and Tortuga is a league behind us," he stated with more assurance than was due a man who was seemingly in no position to barter.

"And let me tell you," the Governor responded sharply, "I'm no fool. I've no intention of just letting you go - you'll walk out this house and I'll never see you again!"

"Well, then," Jack said throwing his arms up in disgust, "We are in a predicament, aren't we? I, surprisingly, don't trust a woman who's threaten to 'ave me killed. Ye don't trust me because yer still irate at me. Which leads to a whole barrel of mistrust, which means we'll never get anything done so we might as well just sit 'ere and talk about the weather."

With that, he audaciously threw himself down in a chair and clonked his feet up onto the desk.

She glared at him, but declined to comment on it. Instead she leaned over the desk so they were at eye level with one another.

"Fine. I'll release you to follow your clue to Bootstrap - but I'm coming with you."

This struck Will as a little odd. She clearly didn't like Jack in the slightest but she trusted him not to kill or maroon her once she was on his own ship?

Jack looked ponderous for a moment, then he nodded.

"Right ye are then. But it's my ship, my mission and I'm in charge, savvy? Ye can be our 'onored guest of course. Thems my terms and ye can take 'em or leave 'em."

She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Very well," she finally agreed with a nod, "But just one thing - once this is over, if I ever see you again I will shoot you, no questions asked, understand?"

"Perfectly."

"Good," she shoved his feet off the desk, almost causing him to fall out of the chair as he lost his balance.

"We'll leave in the morning," she said, crossing to the door to call back the guards, "You two spend the night in the cells."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"Governor Marley," Will said, stepping forward as he finally saw his opportunity to ask what he couldn't get from Jack, "What do you want with my father?"

She turned to look back at him, staring for a moment before she answered.

"You look like him, you know," she said, in a softer tone than she had once used on Jack, "You may not know it, Mr Turner but we share a bond, you and I. You see I lost my father too. But whilst you have a clue to the fate of yours, my clue may be found in testimony of Bootstrap Bill."

Will looked surprised, but could question her no further as a man entered. Jack knew him as Mr Logan the First Mate of the Governor's ship, the Blood Rose. From what he knew, he was a loyal sort who had worked under the Marley family since he was a boy.

"Sorry to barge in on ye meeting Governor but this can't wait," he looked harried and was out of breath.

"Why?" she asked, mildly alarmed, "What's wrong?"

"Tortuga, ma'am. We're under attack."