Chapter 11
Authors Note: This is James Norrington's chance to prove himself. I hate the fact that people don't give him his credit. Come on, he let the woman he loved go with another man so she would be happy. One has to wonder had it not been a Disney movie… would there perhaps have been a bit more rivalry between the two men? I don't know, I guess we'll never know but Elizabeth and Will had to end up together. So where does that leave Norrington? I have yet to decide, until then he'll play the hero, albeit he doesn't know it at the moment.
Norrington looked around cautiously before he entered the ramshackle prison. Places like these were one benefit of being a high-ranking officer, he could do something to improve the situation. He couldn't, unfortunately, do anything about the prison, but hopefully sometime in the future he would be able to oversee the job of making sure these people got off the streets.
"It's exactly as I remember it." Will stepped over a puddle of filthy water and listened to the occasional cry of a child and the rustle of vermin in the debris scattered around.
"Aye. This place never seems to change." All seemed quiet in the building, lights were off and no candle was lit in the above chambers. James went first, both pistol and sword were out and ready for quick defense. It was almost impossible for any of them to see so dark was in inside.
Norrington had a book of matches but no lantern or candle. Will noticed one next to the stairway. He lit a match and fought back the urge to heave up the contents of his stomach. It wasn't fit to house an animal let alone human beings.
In a place such as this, reputed for it's death rate, it was hardly unexpected that the stench would linger. For Norrington, it came as a bit of a shock, the jail near the fort was kept clean, disease free, and the prisoners were treated fairly well considering the fact that they were, indeed, criminals.
"I won't let you take him again. I don't care who the blazes you think you are, I will have both your heads before I let you touch him." Annamaria saw the outline of two men but while Will and Norrington could see her, she couldn't see them.
"It's alright, Annamaria." Will said hurriedly getting over his shock, she hadn't bothered to lower her voice and if anyone were nearby it didn't bode well for their escape. He moved the candle down so she could see them clearly.
The light flickered across where the small space to where Jack was sprawled out on the ground. Even Norrington had to catch his breath at the shape the pirate was in. A shirt that had once been white was now almost entirely red with blood, his back had both small puncture like wounds as well as lashes and wicked looking cuts. It was too dark to fully assess the man but Will had a suspicion that what they could see was only the tip of the iceberg.
"Are you going to get us out or stand there gawkin' all night?" demanded Annamaria. Norrington hurried and got out a key ring with three keys on it. He opened her cell first, then Jack's. Annamaria stepped out and the look in her eyes was more than enough to show her gratitude.
"Jack?" she whispered touching him on the arm his head was resting on.
"N- " he started to say but Annamaria thought fast and put her hand lightly over his mouth. His eyes didn't hold any rational emotion, stark terror and a look so deep it brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes. She blinked them away and brushed Jack's hair away from his face.
"Jack, we're free." She held out her hand, "come on. We can finally leave."
"Jus' a dream." He muttered brokenly, "they're playing with my mind. You're not real."
"We're here. You have to trust me." She did the only thing she could think of at that moment, she leaned over and kissed him with all the love she felt. "That was real enough, wasn't it? Please? Let's go."
"Can't." he shook his head, intelligence and warmth coming back into his expression, "don't have the antidote yet."
"I don't care." Annamaria helped him steadily to his feet, then supported most of his weight when he would have gone crashing to the floor again. "I don't need it. I'm better, Jack. Honestly, come on."
"Take her." He addressed Will and Norrington firmly as he gathered his wits, "get her out of here."
"Not without you." Annamaria unleashed her will, "Captain Sparrow I will not leave you behind. Do you hear me? If you don't come with us, I don't go at all."
"You're going to die if I don't get the cure, love." He kissed her cheek, "I'll bring it to you."
"How? You're can't if you're dead!" she looked at Norrington for help, "Jack, they have the antidote already. Really, now stop being so bull- headed and come on!"
"They do?" he struggled to stand upright and take a few steps.
"Aye, they do." Annamaria wrapped her arm more securely across his shoulders. Once they were out of the cell Will hastened to help. Norrington closed the cells again and then he left a small knife on the ground as evidence that the locks had been picked. None of this could ever be traced back to them.
"We'd better hurry." He kept the candle high so they could maneuver their way out of the jail. Jack was oblivious to the darkening stain of blood on his clothes. From all the exertion most of the partially healed wounds opened again and trickles of blood dripped down his chest and back.
"This won't do at all." Will stopped with Annamaria. "They'll see the trail we left behind."
"Well what do you propose we do?" Annamaria was exhausted and worried at the loss of blood Jack lost. Blood meant energy and energy meant life, all of which was being drained from him at an alarming rate.
"Leave me here." Jack said slurring the words slightly, "I'm only slowing you down."
"No." Annamaria didn't leave room for argument, but before anyone could think of what to do hoof beats sounded closer and closer. The horses must be galloping and there was no time to get out of the way!
"Finally!" Elizabeth swung off the saddle of a black horse. Tied behind her were two more horses. "I thought I'd never-" she trailed off with a strangled gasp when she saw Jack.
"Come on, I'll ride with you." Will gave one set of reins over to Norrington and with a curt nod from Annamaria finally gave the other over to her.
"Help him into the saddle with me." Norrington held the horse still while Annamaria tried to get him up on the tall animal. In a burst of energy Jack mounted into the saddle with some of his old grace, then Annamaria followed suit. Norrington rode alone on the back of a grey stallion and Elizabeth rode with Will.
"Go!" Annamaria hissed, "we'll keep up with you." They urged the horses back into a gallop and because of her excellent horsemanship skills both she and Jack stayed on the horse.
Jack kept conscience barely, he couldn't keep his mind from wandering. Only when the horses stopped could he gather his energy to get down.
"No, wait." Elizabeth wrapped a dark blanket over him so that it soaked up most of the blood flow. "There, that should last until we get inside."
She led them to the back rooms where four lanterns had already been lit. Will and I are going to stay for tonight, it isn't odd for him to work until dawn. Nobody will think it strange should they have heard the horses. It was an important delivery, and if they hear the hammer and anvil…" she struck them against the steel block, "no one will think any different."
"Thought of everything, didn't you." Will smiled at her,
"Well, since you left me home."
"Yes, well, I'll make sure that you aren't disturbed and I'll keep watch for you." Norrington made ready to leave.
"Commodore?" Annamaria said softly, "Thank you. We couldn't have done it without you."
"Glad to have been of help." He bowed and was gone.
Authors Note: Okay so maybe he wants to stay in the background. Who am I to object? I tried, really, to give him his moment of heroism but he rejected it. That's the woe of being a military man, he told me, we put others before ourselves. Be that as it may, Commodore, you will have your time in another chapter. Not all dreams have to die.