Usual disclaimers. oh well!
Please keep reviewing - or review if you haven't. All reviews are most welcome1
***
The party was nearly over when it happened. A piercing scream from upstairs that echoed around the large hall.
"Wha." Jack immediately placed himself next to Catherine, despite being unarmed.
Rosamund Spense burst into the hall, her face white as she sought her husband. "They've taken Peter!" She spotted the Commodore. "And your boy!"
Jack and Catherine followed as the Governor, Commodore and several officers dashed upstairs. Theodore followed closely.
Carefully the Governor pushed open the door to his son's room revealing a scene of chaos. A red coated marine was sprawled in the doorway, his throat cut. Furniture was overturned, the window smashed - clearly there had been a struggle. But of Peter, James and the macaw there was no sign.
Thomas Spense stopped, staring at a small animal pierced through with a dagger that had been left in the middle of his son's room. A frog?
Jack Sparrow shouldered his way past him, retrieving the dagger and looking at it carefully, but it was totally plain. His eyes fell on the dead frog, realisation dawning. He looked up at Catherine, eyes blackening in anger. "Back to the Pearl!" he hissed, grabbing her hand and running down the stairs.
"Sparrow!" the Commodore shouted. "Sparrow! What is this about?"
Jack paused. "Be on the Pearl in half an hour an' you'll have yer answer!" A red coated marine tried to stop them leaving, but a quick fist in his face sent him flying - Jack Sparrow was stopping for nobody!
***
Theodore, James Norrington and Thomas Spense sat anxiously in the boat as they were rowed out to the Black Pearl, unsure what to make of the evening's events. The Commodore had ordered the town sealed and searched, but no sign had been found of the boys. The three men climbed up onto the deck cautiously, facing pistols until they were recognised. The Black Pearl's crew were edgy, very edgy. Jack and Catherine were in the cabin waiting for them.
"Jack?" Theodore ventured.
Jack sighed heavily as he unrolled the painting, Theodore instantly recognising it. "The Frog." He pointed to the ship between the two frigates.
The three men peered at the name of the ship in the painting. "But why would somebody abduct the boys for a painting?" Thomas Spense questioned. "It makes no sense?"
"Not for the painting mate, for what is on the back." Reluctantly Jack turned over the painting, revealing the map on it's reverse. "The Frog was Horace McBride's ship an' this map shows th' location of his treasure." He sighed heavily. "A lot of treasure."
Realisation dawned on Theodore's face. "This is why you went to England! Why those ships attacked you! The three reds!"
Jack nodded. "They won't harm the boys - they want the map. We just have t' wait for them t' contact us." He glanced across to the Governor. "Crew have already voted - map for Jimmy an' yer boy is a fair swap."
"Thank you." The Governor looked at Jack in surprise. "Was it a lot of treasure?"
"A mountain mate, a mountain." Jack sighed, before smiling darkly. "But even without the map we can beat the bastards to it."
"You already know where it is?" Theodore gasped.
"I already know where it is!" Jack smiled, gold teeth glinting.
***
They waited a week but no news came from the kidnappers. The Black Pearl was repaired and Jack made sure that everything was in maximum condition. He knew he would have a long journey ahead of him and bought in plenty of supplies, as well as gifts for the Achaili tribe for when he reached the Amazon. It was decided that Theodore would sail with the Black Pearl, leaving the HMS Gauntlet behind to defend Port Royal. Jack and the Commodore even agreed to allow twenty five red coated marines to join the crew so that the Black Pearl would be at full fighting strength when they caught up with the kidnappers. Still they waited.
Please keep reviewing - or review if you haven't. All reviews are most welcome1
***
The party was nearly over when it happened. A piercing scream from upstairs that echoed around the large hall.
"Wha." Jack immediately placed himself next to Catherine, despite being unarmed.
Rosamund Spense burst into the hall, her face white as she sought her husband. "They've taken Peter!" She spotted the Commodore. "And your boy!"
Jack and Catherine followed as the Governor, Commodore and several officers dashed upstairs. Theodore followed closely.
Carefully the Governor pushed open the door to his son's room revealing a scene of chaos. A red coated marine was sprawled in the doorway, his throat cut. Furniture was overturned, the window smashed - clearly there had been a struggle. But of Peter, James and the macaw there was no sign.
Thomas Spense stopped, staring at a small animal pierced through with a dagger that had been left in the middle of his son's room. A frog?
Jack Sparrow shouldered his way past him, retrieving the dagger and looking at it carefully, but it was totally plain. His eyes fell on the dead frog, realisation dawning. He looked up at Catherine, eyes blackening in anger. "Back to the Pearl!" he hissed, grabbing her hand and running down the stairs.
"Sparrow!" the Commodore shouted. "Sparrow! What is this about?"
Jack paused. "Be on the Pearl in half an hour an' you'll have yer answer!" A red coated marine tried to stop them leaving, but a quick fist in his face sent him flying - Jack Sparrow was stopping for nobody!
***
Theodore, James Norrington and Thomas Spense sat anxiously in the boat as they were rowed out to the Black Pearl, unsure what to make of the evening's events. The Commodore had ordered the town sealed and searched, but no sign had been found of the boys. The three men climbed up onto the deck cautiously, facing pistols until they were recognised. The Black Pearl's crew were edgy, very edgy. Jack and Catherine were in the cabin waiting for them.
"Jack?" Theodore ventured.
Jack sighed heavily as he unrolled the painting, Theodore instantly recognising it. "The Frog." He pointed to the ship between the two frigates.
The three men peered at the name of the ship in the painting. "But why would somebody abduct the boys for a painting?" Thomas Spense questioned. "It makes no sense?"
"Not for the painting mate, for what is on the back." Reluctantly Jack turned over the painting, revealing the map on it's reverse. "The Frog was Horace McBride's ship an' this map shows th' location of his treasure." He sighed heavily. "A lot of treasure."
Realisation dawned on Theodore's face. "This is why you went to England! Why those ships attacked you! The three reds!"
Jack nodded. "They won't harm the boys - they want the map. We just have t' wait for them t' contact us." He glanced across to the Governor. "Crew have already voted - map for Jimmy an' yer boy is a fair swap."
"Thank you." The Governor looked at Jack in surprise. "Was it a lot of treasure?"
"A mountain mate, a mountain." Jack sighed, before smiling darkly. "But even without the map we can beat the bastards to it."
"You already know where it is?" Theodore gasped.
"I already know where it is!" Jack smiled, gold teeth glinting.
***
They waited a week but no news came from the kidnappers. The Black Pearl was repaired and Jack made sure that everything was in maximum condition. He knew he would have a long journey ahead of him and bought in plenty of supplies, as well as gifts for the Achaili tribe for when he reached the Amazon. It was decided that Theodore would sail with the Black Pearl, leaving the HMS Gauntlet behind to defend Port Royal. Jack and the Commodore even agreed to allow twenty five red coated marines to join the crew so that the Black Pearl would be at full fighting strength when they caught up with the kidnappers. Still they waited.