Seven . Birds Not of A Feather
Jack kicked at the sand with his bare feet, trailing steadily away from the crew and the campfire. He needed to calm himself, he reasoned, admitting that he had been rather moody lately. Then he thought about it. Why should he be the one to calm himself? The others were just as bad! India had a nasty temper, and if Will had been able to control his emotions, perhaps they would all still be aboard the Swann. It wasn't him who needed to get a grip, he finally decided, it was everyone else!
With a final angry kick, Jack sat down on the sandy ground and pulled his knees up to his chest. Gazing out at the moonlight on the sea, he realized how lonely it could be on the island at night by himself. It was only his second night away from Tortuga in over two years, and in Tortuga there were always people all the time and it was impossible to feel alone or unwanted. Last night, of course, he had been rather in no state to be lonely, but here, in the middle of nowhere . He hugged himself closer, trying to find comfort in assuring himself that everything would be all right. At least Will had left them with food and supplies. Perhaps the boy was half-decent after all. Perhaps there was something else on his mind, or some reason for stranding them here other than the fact that Jack had been talking to Elizabeth in her room in the middle of the night.
A long time of solitude passed before India wandered her way over, sitting beside Jack unannounced. Neither of them said anything for a while, and they sat, staring out at the sea.
"You must have led a very interesting life, Jack," India murmured.
Jack thought back. Yes, she didn't know the half of it, but he had been through some exciting times. "You make it sound like I'm dead," he began with a smile. "I've still plenty more adventures to go," he added.
"Oh -" she began hurriedly, "That's not what I meant. It's just that . well, I've never really . what I mean is - really the only experience I have is from my father's journals, and I haven't -" She shut her mouth. India seemed angry at herself, either for trying to express her emotions, or not being able to find the words with which to do so.
"You know, there's more to being a pirate than treasure and adventure," Jack assured her.
She stiffened. "What, you mean like being a man and giving orders?"
He shook his head. "No, India ." he had been going to explain that it wasn't all fun and games, that it involved fighting and betrayal and loss, that sometimes being at sea meant going hungry or crazy or both, and that in the end . he wasn't sure if it was worth it. He definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone else as a lifestyle, and now that he was out, he wasn't sure whether he wanted back in.
And yet, how could he explain the thrill of the chase, the joy of being at sea, of seeing the sun rise over the ocean, or the gleam of treasure reflecting off the surroundings? How could he explain to someone who had never experienced life at sea how addictive, how exhilarating it was? He could barely explain it to himself.
"There are just some things you wouldn't understand," he spoke softly.
"What, because I'm a silly girl?" she shot back, standing up.
"Maybe that is why," Jack said angrily. "If you weren't so silly, maybe you would see that -"
That did it. Without a word, without so much as a slap, India stood up. There were tears brimming in her eyes, and the look she gave Jack was one mixed with layers of emotion, the hatred covering despair. What was the matter? What was she hiding?
From her expression, Jack could only guess at what she was feeling, but his intuition told him that something was haunting her, something was driving her to this quest. Perhaps there was more to this girl than a temper and a big hat, Jack thought, as he watched her storm away down the beach. . . .
India stumbled across the sand, the tears blurring her vision and streaming down her face. Who was that idiot Sparrow to tell her what she ought to do, or what she could or couldn't understand? She had tried to be so strong, to be able to compete with these men. Her emotions had been callous for a long time, almost since she was too young to remember. How did this man manage to make her feelings run out of control?
"Get a grip on yourself, India," she scolded herself harshly. "He's only a stupid pirate. He's as bad as yer ol' da,'" she said. Her first memories of her father were of him scolding her for being unsensible. Her last memories, too, were of him telling her that she could never follow in his footsteps.
"Girls aren't meant to be at sea. Stay with yer mother if you know what's good for ye, lass," he had told her, and he had meant it. She wasn't sure, after all this, whether she wanted to make him proud, or go against his wishes.
She didn't dare to look back down the beach, for fear that Jack might be watching her. Oh, what did it matter? She asked herself harshly. It wasn't like she cared what he did. Stupid pirate, she thought to herself. She was almost sick of the bloody lot of them.
She paused and turned to look back, but Jack's form was too dark to make out from the rest of the darkness. Only the sea reflected any light, and the bonfire was barely visible a distance down the shoreline where the rest of the crew had set up camp. She rounded to keep walking, but bumped into something. Several somethings, actually, with cutlasses drawn and hands reaching toward her.
"Jac-!"
There was barely time for a muffled shout before they had covered her mouth. She struggled to break loose.
There was laughter. "Easy now, lass," a man's rough voice urged. She tried to bite on the hand that covered her mouth, but only managed to slobber as it clamped harder.
"Oy! She's tryin' to bite me hand, Cap'n!" a voice protested closer to her, presumably belonging to the man who held his hand over her mouth. She was still kicking, with no regard for what they had to say. Finally several more men pinned her feet to the ground, while another smacked her upside the head.
"Now, are ye going to be quiet, missy, or are we gonna have to use force?" the first voice asked, with a touch of irony.
She didn't reply. At a gesture, the man eased his hand off her mouth so that she could speak. "Jack!" she yelled again, before another man cuffed her with his fist.
"No more o' that, you hear, lass!" the voice warned, "or we'll have to slit your pretty throat. Pirate's honour. And we will keep to our word," he threatened. One of the underlings placed a cutlass to her throat. She was accordingly silent.
By now, she was too stunned to know whether she ought to cry or do what they wanted or try to be strong and somehow defy them.
"Now, miss," the leader's voice asked once she had remained calm for a minute. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Hawke." He stepped closer so that she might be able to see him in the dim light. He was a tall man, taller than Jack, with what appeared to be greasy, graying-blonde hair sticking out haphazardly from beneath a tricorn hat. He wore once- resplendent clothing, of a dark colour indistinguishable in the darkness of the night, ripped and tattered at the edges. He had proud features, which might once have been considered handsome, but past that, he bore little resemblance to Captain Sparrow. And yet where Jack seemed accident-prone, a little lost, and haughtily endearing, this man seemed threatening and completely in control.
"We don't want any trouble," he continued.
"That's good," India replied, "neither do I. Why don't you fellows let me go, and we'll both get what we want then, hmm?" she tried.
Hawke smiled a little. "There's a little more to it than that, missy," he informed her. "Now you see, all we're wanting is our share of the treasure. You know where it is, don't you?" he asked, "Or at least you can direct us to someone who does. That's why you were left here, wasn't it? To find the treasure and guard it while young Turner tried to lead us away?" He paused but awaited no answer. "We're not that easily fooled, girl, so tell us where it is."
"Or what?" she asked. "I haven't got the treasure. I don't know where it is," she tried. "And actually, we weren't left here to find the treasure. There was a misunderstanding, and we were just left here. Understand?" In that context, India realized, Jack would have used the word 'savvy.' She wondered briefly whether she should adopt his speech and mannerisms. They were rather effective, she thought. Before she had a chance to continue, though, Hawke raised a warning hand to silence her.
"Now, don't ye be trying any of that nonsense with me, m'dear," he said. "Maybe ye didn't hear me right the first time, so I'll repeat what we're here for, just so you'll be sure to understand. We want the treasure," he spoke more slowly, as though she were a little thick. "You . are going to lead us to it."
She shook her head. There was no way she was going to let these men treat her this way, even if they did have a sword to her throat. "No, you listen to me. I don't know who has your bloody treasure, but I don't. And I can't lead you to it because it isn't here. Savvy?" she added for effect. In fact, she had no idea where she was. This island could be anywhere, and she was determined not to lead these men to her father's treasure, even if it meant that she would take the knowledge of its whereabouts with her to the grave. There were some things she would not accept, and being told what to do was one of them.
Captain Hawke was not amused. "All right, lass. I've had just about enough. Now, I'll ask one more thing of ye before I let me crew tear ye apart." He waited to be sure that she was listening. Something caught his eye behind her. "What in the blazes is he doing here?" he asked in shock. Somehow she got the impression that that was not going to be his question.
Carefully, she turned to glance behind her.
Jack!
She exhaled. Oh, for once, she was glad to see him. Then her spirits dropped. If there was one man who could blunder a rescue, it would be Jack Sparrow.
"Let her go, Hawke," he said calmly. India's mouth dropped open. It was the most straightforward set of words she had ever heard him speak. And she didn't see how it could possibly help the situation.
Hawke, obviously not as impressed, laughed. "And why should I do that, Jack?" he asked.
Captain Jack Sparrow narrowed his eyes. "You never did listen," he muttered. "I said let her go." Jack brushed his way easily into the midst of the group, carefully taking hold of the end of the cutlass at India's throat and pointing it elsewhere. Prying her out of several men's hands, who seemed reluctant to let her go, Jack held her close to protect her, while backing away from Captain Hawke. The other men backed up as well, both to give Jack some room, and to make sure that he was surrounded should he try to escape. India squirmed her way out of Jack's grasp, but stayed close, eyeing the other men in suspicion.
"Well Jack," Hawke smiled, "you win, I suppose," he said with an exaggerated shrug. "You always did have a way with the ladies, and of course, you seem to have us at an impasse. Quite a defense you've got, lad. What do you say, boys?" he asked. His men laughed as well. Hawke continued. "That was all very brave of you, Jack, to come waltzing in here, but now you realize of course that you won't be waltzing out again so easily."
Jack didn't look ruffled.
"What say you, men?" Hawke asked. "Shall we let him in on our little secret?" Again not waiting for an answer, he explained, "We were just informing your bonny lass here that she was going to lead us to the treasure."
Jack thought of warning her not to tell them where it was, but then thought better of it. "And what makes you think she'd go and do a thing like that?" he asked.
"She didn't really have any other choice," Hawke said, motioning for his men to secure them both. Several men grabbed hold of India, while the rest crowded threateningly around Jack.
"Well that was a fine plan, Jack," she said sarcastically. "Any more thoughts?" "You're the one who walked into their trap to begin with!" he pointed out.
"If you hadn't been shouting at me, I wouldn't have been where they could capture me," she shot back.
"I wasn't shouting at you! You wouldn't let me explain. You just stormed away before -"
"Quiet, both of you!" Hawke warned.
Jack and India stood facing each other, several men holding each of them. India wasn't sure whether it was so that they wouldn't attack each other, or so they wouldn't attack Hawke and his men.
"Now, before I get really angry, I'm going to ask politely. Lead me to the bloody treasure if you know what's good for you!" Hawke demanded.
"No!" Jack and India replied in unison.
"Right men. Bind them. I'm warning you, Jack. I'll do what needs to be done to find out where that treasure is."
Jack braced himself as the men found some rope from somewhere and tied his hands and feet. Something similar was happening to India. And Hawke, he knew, would be true to his word.
He didn't know how India would fare, but Jack knew that he would squeal under torture. So he was exceedingly glad that he didn't actually know where the treasure was.
Jack was led away, hopping awkwardly because of the fact that his feet were bound. He thought about yelling to the rest of his crew, but judged that he would be too far away, and that the attempt would only result in a slap across the face or a kick in the ribs. So for the moment, he kept his mouth shut. He took a seat in the sand as the men shoved him to the ground. All he could think to do was wait, or scheme, or think of a plea to keep himself from being tortured.
Hawke approached India casually, his hands behind his back. He stalked back and forth in front of her, contemplating the many ways he could extract the information from her.
"Where is the treasure?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied.
"Where is it?"
"Maybe there isn't one."
"WHERE IS IT?"
"Why don't you go ask Will Turner? He's the one with the boat. He's the one who told you about it in the first place."
"Why don't you tell me where it is, and we can do away with these unpleasantries?" Hawke suggested menacingly, drawing closer to her, and removing her hat, letting it fall to the ground behind her.
"Look, you sadistic maniac," India said, gritting her teeth, "I wouldn't tell you where the treasure was even if I did know, so you might as well save yourself some time . and leave me alone!"
"Come now love, you know you don't mean that," Hawke purred, his face close to India's. Sensing the opportune moment, she spat on him.
Unamused, he backed up, wiping the slimy liquid from his face. "You'll be sorry for that," he said, and struck her with the back of his hand. She recoiled, her face contorted with pain.
"I still won't tell you where it is!" she yelled.
His expression burned into her. India continued to glare at him defiantly, though her mouth was bleeding. "Wench," he hissed, and he turned his back to her, making his way towards Jack, who waited, terrified, further down the beach. India brought her hands to her mouth, wiping away the blood, and quickly, the tears that threatened to spill.
Jack didn't appear to be quite as brave. For several minutes, he had been watching some of Hawke's men heat a rather large stick in a hastily built fire. Jack could only pray that they weren't going to do with that what he thought they might. Or, remembering the last fire on a beach, he hoped that someone might see it through the darkness, someone from India's crew. And quickly. Before Hawke had even said anything, Jack was all pleading and sugar.
"Look mate, I'd tell ye where the treasure was if I knew. You know I would, eh, Captain?" he said as sweetly as he could manage.
"Now Jack," Hawke replied, "I don't believe you, and that's not good enough. Either tell me where it is, or tell me who else knows."
Jack braced himself and vowed not to admit that India was the one with the map.
The glowing-hot end of the stick inched towards his face. He could feel the heat from the red embers. A cold sweat broke out on his face, despite the increasing heat. When the stick was just inches away, he panicked. "I don't know where your bloody treasure is, for chrissake!" he yelled frantically.
Hawke motioned for the man to take the glowing stick away. "We wouldn't want to burn that lovely face of his before he has a chance to tell us where the treasure is," he said.
Jack realized that if Hawke was convinced that Jack or India knew the location of the treasure, there would be no way to make him believe otherwise. And Hawke seemed fairly certain that they knew.
He felt Hawke's hand hit his face, hard. "Where is the treasure?"
"Is that the best ye can do?" Jack asked with a smile. "I've had women hit me harder than that. Frequently."
Hawke complied. Jack reeled from the force of the impact, the dark night swimming into a haze of pinpoints on a red background of pain. "That's better," he managed to choke out. "You can stop now, though. I still haven't any idea where it is."
"Let's see if this helps your memory," Hawke sneered, hitting him again. Jack winced, the salty metallic taste betraying the presence of blood in his mouth.
"Nope," Jack choked. "And careful with me teeth!" he added, "I've enough missing as it is!" He carefully wiggled several gold teeth to make sure they were still in place. Satisfied at their continued existence, he braced himself as Hawke hit him one last time.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were enjoying this," Jack said weakly.
"More than you can imagine, old friend," Hawke said, before turning away. "Try again later. We'll wear them down," he told the man with the stick, venting an angry sigh.
Jack exhaled and prayed that he could withstand another few rounds of this kind of abuse. He was fairly certain, though, that he would give in, if he didn't collapse first. He slumped forward and tried to think of a way to protect himself or India from another onslaught.
Jack kicked at the sand with his bare feet, trailing steadily away from the crew and the campfire. He needed to calm himself, he reasoned, admitting that he had been rather moody lately. Then he thought about it. Why should he be the one to calm himself? The others were just as bad! India had a nasty temper, and if Will had been able to control his emotions, perhaps they would all still be aboard the Swann. It wasn't him who needed to get a grip, he finally decided, it was everyone else!
With a final angry kick, Jack sat down on the sandy ground and pulled his knees up to his chest. Gazing out at the moonlight on the sea, he realized how lonely it could be on the island at night by himself. It was only his second night away from Tortuga in over two years, and in Tortuga there were always people all the time and it was impossible to feel alone or unwanted. Last night, of course, he had been rather in no state to be lonely, but here, in the middle of nowhere . He hugged himself closer, trying to find comfort in assuring himself that everything would be all right. At least Will had left them with food and supplies. Perhaps the boy was half-decent after all. Perhaps there was something else on his mind, or some reason for stranding them here other than the fact that Jack had been talking to Elizabeth in her room in the middle of the night.
A long time of solitude passed before India wandered her way over, sitting beside Jack unannounced. Neither of them said anything for a while, and they sat, staring out at the sea.
"You must have led a very interesting life, Jack," India murmured.
Jack thought back. Yes, she didn't know the half of it, but he had been through some exciting times. "You make it sound like I'm dead," he began with a smile. "I've still plenty more adventures to go," he added.
"Oh -" she began hurriedly, "That's not what I meant. It's just that . well, I've never really . what I mean is - really the only experience I have is from my father's journals, and I haven't -" She shut her mouth. India seemed angry at herself, either for trying to express her emotions, or not being able to find the words with which to do so.
"You know, there's more to being a pirate than treasure and adventure," Jack assured her.
She stiffened. "What, you mean like being a man and giving orders?"
He shook his head. "No, India ." he had been going to explain that it wasn't all fun and games, that it involved fighting and betrayal and loss, that sometimes being at sea meant going hungry or crazy or both, and that in the end . he wasn't sure if it was worth it. He definitely wouldn't recommend it to anyone else as a lifestyle, and now that he was out, he wasn't sure whether he wanted back in.
And yet, how could he explain the thrill of the chase, the joy of being at sea, of seeing the sun rise over the ocean, or the gleam of treasure reflecting off the surroundings? How could he explain to someone who had never experienced life at sea how addictive, how exhilarating it was? He could barely explain it to himself.
"There are just some things you wouldn't understand," he spoke softly.
"What, because I'm a silly girl?" she shot back, standing up.
"Maybe that is why," Jack said angrily. "If you weren't so silly, maybe you would see that -"
That did it. Without a word, without so much as a slap, India stood up. There were tears brimming in her eyes, and the look she gave Jack was one mixed with layers of emotion, the hatred covering despair. What was the matter? What was she hiding?
From her expression, Jack could only guess at what she was feeling, but his intuition told him that something was haunting her, something was driving her to this quest. Perhaps there was more to this girl than a temper and a big hat, Jack thought, as he watched her storm away down the beach. . . .
India stumbled across the sand, the tears blurring her vision and streaming down her face. Who was that idiot Sparrow to tell her what she ought to do, or what she could or couldn't understand? She had tried to be so strong, to be able to compete with these men. Her emotions had been callous for a long time, almost since she was too young to remember. How did this man manage to make her feelings run out of control?
"Get a grip on yourself, India," she scolded herself harshly. "He's only a stupid pirate. He's as bad as yer ol' da,'" she said. Her first memories of her father were of him scolding her for being unsensible. Her last memories, too, were of him telling her that she could never follow in his footsteps.
"Girls aren't meant to be at sea. Stay with yer mother if you know what's good for ye, lass," he had told her, and he had meant it. She wasn't sure, after all this, whether she wanted to make him proud, or go against his wishes.
She didn't dare to look back down the beach, for fear that Jack might be watching her. Oh, what did it matter? She asked herself harshly. It wasn't like she cared what he did. Stupid pirate, she thought to herself. She was almost sick of the bloody lot of them.
She paused and turned to look back, but Jack's form was too dark to make out from the rest of the darkness. Only the sea reflected any light, and the bonfire was barely visible a distance down the shoreline where the rest of the crew had set up camp. She rounded to keep walking, but bumped into something. Several somethings, actually, with cutlasses drawn and hands reaching toward her.
"Jac-!"
There was barely time for a muffled shout before they had covered her mouth. She struggled to break loose.
There was laughter. "Easy now, lass," a man's rough voice urged. She tried to bite on the hand that covered her mouth, but only managed to slobber as it clamped harder.
"Oy! She's tryin' to bite me hand, Cap'n!" a voice protested closer to her, presumably belonging to the man who held his hand over her mouth. She was still kicking, with no regard for what they had to say. Finally several more men pinned her feet to the ground, while another smacked her upside the head.
"Now, are ye going to be quiet, missy, or are we gonna have to use force?" the first voice asked, with a touch of irony.
She didn't reply. At a gesture, the man eased his hand off her mouth so that she could speak. "Jack!" she yelled again, before another man cuffed her with his fist.
"No more o' that, you hear, lass!" the voice warned, "or we'll have to slit your pretty throat. Pirate's honour. And we will keep to our word," he threatened. One of the underlings placed a cutlass to her throat. She was accordingly silent.
By now, she was too stunned to know whether she ought to cry or do what they wanted or try to be strong and somehow defy them.
"Now, miss," the leader's voice asked once she had remained calm for a minute. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Hawke." He stepped closer so that she might be able to see him in the dim light. He was a tall man, taller than Jack, with what appeared to be greasy, graying-blonde hair sticking out haphazardly from beneath a tricorn hat. He wore once- resplendent clothing, of a dark colour indistinguishable in the darkness of the night, ripped and tattered at the edges. He had proud features, which might once have been considered handsome, but past that, he bore little resemblance to Captain Sparrow. And yet where Jack seemed accident-prone, a little lost, and haughtily endearing, this man seemed threatening and completely in control.
"We don't want any trouble," he continued.
"That's good," India replied, "neither do I. Why don't you fellows let me go, and we'll both get what we want then, hmm?" she tried.
Hawke smiled a little. "There's a little more to it than that, missy," he informed her. "Now you see, all we're wanting is our share of the treasure. You know where it is, don't you?" he asked, "Or at least you can direct us to someone who does. That's why you were left here, wasn't it? To find the treasure and guard it while young Turner tried to lead us away?" He paused but awaited no answer. "We're not that easily fooled, girl, so tell us where it is."
"Or what?" she asked. "I haven't got the treasure. I don't know where it is," she tried. "And actually, we weren't left here to find the treasure. There was a misunderstanding, and we were just left here. Understand?" In that context, India realized, Jack would have used the word 'savvy.' She wondered briefly whether she should adopt his speech and mannerisms. They were rather effective, she thought. Before she had a chance to continue, though, Hawke raised a warning hand to silence her.
"Now, don't ye be trying any of that nonsense with me, m'dear," he said. "Maybe ye didn't hear me right the first time, so I'll repeat what we're here for, just so you'll be sure to understand. We want the treasure," he spoke more slowly, as though she were a little thick. "You . are going to lead us to it."
She shook her head. There was no way she was going to let these men treat her this way, even if they did have a sword to her throat. "No, you listen to me. I don't know who has your bloody treasure, but I don't. And I can't lead you to it because it isn't here. Savvy?" she added for effect. In fact, she had no idea where she was. This island could be anywhere, and she was determined not to lead these men to her father's treasure, even if it meant that she would take the knowledge of its whereabouts with her to the grave. There were some things she would not accept, and being told what to do was one of them.
Captain Hawke was not amused. "All right, lass. I've had just about enough. Now, I'll ask one more thing of ye before I let me crew tear ye apart." He waited to be sure that she was listening. Something caught his eye behind her. "What in the blazes is he doing here?" he asked in shock. Somehow she got the impression that that was not going to be his question.
Carefully, she turned to glance behind her.
Jack!
She exhaled. Oh, for once, she was glad to see him. Then her spirits dropped. If there was one man who could blunder a rescue, it would be Jack Sparrow.
"Let her go, Hawke," he said calmly. India's mouth dropped open. It was the most straightforward set of words she had ever heard him speak. And she didn't see how it could possibly help the situation.
Hawke, obviously not as impressed, laughed. "And why should I do that, Jack?" he asked.
Captain Jack Sparrow narrowed his eyes. "You never did listen," he muttered. "I said let her go." Jack brushed his way easily into the midst of the group, carefully taking hold of the end of the cutlass at India's throat and pointing it elsewhere. Prying her out of several men's hands, who seemed reluctant to let her go, Jack held her close to protect her, while backing away from Captain Hawke. The other men backed up as well, both to give Jack some room, and to make sure that he was surrounded should he try to escape. India squirmed her way out of Jack's grasp, but stayed close, eyeing the other men in suspicion.
"Well Jack," Hawke smiled, "you win, I suppose," he said with an exaggerated shrug. "You always did have a way with the ladies, and of course, you seem to have us at an impasse. Quite a defense you've got, lad. What do you say, boys?" he asked. His men laughed as well. Hawke continued. "That was all very brave of you, Jack, to come waltzing in here, but now you realize of course that you won't be waltzing out again so easily."
Jack didn't look ruffled.
"What say you, men?" Hawke asked. "Shall we let him in on our little secret?" Again not waiting for an answer, he explained, "We were just informing your bonny lass here that she was going to lead us to the treasure."
Jack thought of warning her not to tell them where it was, but then thought better of it. "And what makes you think she'd go and do a thing like that?" he asked.
"She didn't really have any other choice," Hawke said, motioning for his men to secure them both. Several men grabbed hold of India, while the rest crowded threateningly around Jack.
"Well that was a fine plan, Jack," she said sarcastically. "Any more thoughts?" "You're the one who walked into their trap to begin with!" he pointed out.
"If you hadn't been shouting at me, I wouldn't have been where they could capture me," she shot back.
"I wasn't shouting at you! You wouldn't let me explain. You just stormed away before -"
"Quiet, both of you!" Hawke warned.
Jack and India stood facing each other, several men holding each of them. India wasn't sure whether it was so that they wouldn't attack each other, or so they wouldn't attack Hawke and his men.
"Now, before I get really angry, I'm going to ask politely. Lead me to the bloody treasure if you know what's good for you!" Hawke demanded.
"No!" Jack and India replied in unison.
"Right men. Bind them. I'm warning you, Jack. I'll do what needs to be done to find out where that treasure is."
Jack braced himself as the men found some rope from somewhere and tied his hands and feet. Something similar was happening to India. And Hawke, he knew, would be true to his word.
He didn't know how India would fare, but Jack knew that he would squeal under torture. So he was exceedingly glad that he didn't actually know where the treasure was.
Jack was led away, hopping awkwardly because of the fact that his feet were bound. He thought about yelling to the rest of his crew, but judged that he would be too far away, and that the attempt would only result in a slap across the face or a kick in the ribs. So for the moment, he kept his mouth shut. He took a seat in the sand as the men shoved him to the ground. All he could think to do was wait, or scheme, or think of a plea to keep himself from being tortured.
Hawke approached India casually, his hands behind his back. He stalked back and forth in front of her, contemplating the many ways he could extract the information from her.
"Where is the treasure?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied.
"Where is it?"
"Maybe there isn't one."
"WHERE IS IT?"
"Why don't you go ask Will Turner? He's the one with the boat. He's the one who told you about it in the first place."
"Why don't you tell me where it is, and we can do away with these unpleasantries?" Hawke suggested menacingly, drawing closer to her, and removing her hat, letting it fall to the ground behind her.
"Look, you sadistic maniac," India said, gritting her teeth, "I wouldn't tell you where the treasure was even if I did know, so you might as well save yourself some time . and leave me alone!"
"Come now love, you know you don't mean that," Hawke purred, his face close to India's. Sensing the opportune moment, she spat on him.
Unamused, he backed up, wiping the slimy liquid from his face. "You'll be sorry for that," he said, and struck her with the back of his hand. She recoiled, her face contorted with pain.
"I still won't tell you where it is!" she yelled.
His expression burned into her. India continued to glare at him defiantly, though her mouth was bleeding. "Wench," he hissed, and he turned his back to her, making his way towards Jack, who waited, terrified, further down the beach. India brought her hands to her mouth, wiping away the blood, and quickly, the tears that threatened to spill.
Jack didn't appear to be quite as brave. For several minutes, he had been watching some of Hawke's men heat a rather large stick in a hastily built fire. Jack could only pray that they weren't going to do with that what he thought they might. Or, remembering the last fire on a beach, he hoped that someone might see it through the darkness, someone from India's crew. And quickly. Before Hawke had even said anything, Jack was all pleading and sugar.
"Look mate, I'd tell ye where the treasure was if I knew. You know I would, eh, Captain?" he said as sweetly as he could manage.
"Now Jack," Hawke replied, "I don't believe you, and that's not good enough. Either tell me where it is, or tell me who else knows."
Jack braced himself and vowed not to admit that India was the one with the map.
The glowing-hot end of the stick inched towards his face. He could feel the heat from the red embers. A cold sweat broke out on his face, despite the increasing heat. When the stick was just inches away, he panicked. "I don't know where your bloody treasure is, for chrissake!" he yelled frantically.
Hawke motioned for the man to take the glowing stick away. "We wouldn't want to burn that lovely face of his before he has a chance to tell us where the treasure is," he said.
Jack realized that if Hawke was convinced that Jack or India knew the location of the treasure, there would be no way to make him believe otherwise. And Hawke seemed fairly certain that they knew.
He felt Hawke's hand hit his face, hard. "Where is the treasure?"
"Is that the best ye can do?" Jack asked with a smile. "I've had women hit me harder than that. Frequently."
Hawke complied. Jack reeled from the force of the impact, the dark night swimming into a haze of pinpoints on a red background of pain. "That's better," he managed to choke out. "You can stop now, though. I still haven't any idea where it is."
"Let's see if this helps your memory," Hawke sneered, hitting him again. Jack winced, the salty metallic taste betraying the presence of blood in his mouth.
"Nope," Jack choked. "And careful with me teeth!" he added, "I've enough missing as it is!" He carefully wiggled several gold teeth to make sure they were still in place. Satisfied at their continued existence, he braced himself as Hawke hit him one last time.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were enjoying this," Jack said weakly.
"More than you can imagine, old friend," Hawke said, before turning away. "Try again later. We'll wear them down," he told the man with the stick, venting an angry sigh.
Jack exhaled and prayed that he could withstand another few rounds of this kind of abuse. He was fairly certain, though, that he would give in, if he didn't collapse first. He slumped forward and tried to think of a way to protect himself or India from another onslaught.