Chapter 16
Please, please, let Jack be safe. The words were a sense of safety to her, so long as she kept thinking and trying to plant images in Jack's mind he would be fine. They had finally left her alone, but how could Cilfre have betrayed them like that? He said he'd once known Jack and that all he wanted to do was help them. It was all a ruse, he'd gotten past their defenses, earned their trust and now he would try to kill them.
There were no windows here, either, she couldn't tell if night was approaching. Why was it that when the poison first was introduced to her system she felt weak and disoriented, but now there was just an occasional cough? Granted that the coughing brought up blood but that was definitely better then not being able to walk for fear of fainting.
"Time to see the finale to this grand little charade." Turak himself opened the cell door and pulled the rope around her arms harshly. Anamaria chose the most opportune moment and doubled over coughing. She forced herself to keep going, it wasn't hard once her body caught on.
"Water. . ." she gasped peering up into Turak's face pleadingly trying to reinforce her point.
"Ah, so I see it's been working." He smiled evilly, "you're stronger than the other girls, they didn't last a week. 's a pity I won't be able to see the conclusion. Never fear, once your pirate captain is dispatched of I'll show you around my quarters. I'll even allow you to serve me, and if you do it well then I might be persuaded to change my mind."
Anamaria put the back of her hand to her head and then collapsed onto the floor. She made sure to take long deep breaths though, she had to convince him that she was truly unconscious.
"Cilfre warned me of this. He said you would try to pull a stunt and then when I knelt down you'd try and knock me out." He paused a minute to see if she would respond to anything he said, "No reaction? Come on get up, damn you."
Turak was getting fed up of this nonsense, if she didn't have enough sense to give up the act now he'd force her to. He kicked her hard in the ribs, still nothing. A trickle of concern coursed through him. If she were really unconscious Jack would be furious. Barbossa had warned him of this too, 'just when you think he's been had he'll come back from the dead to prove you wrong. Never turn your back on that one, son.'
Anamaria grit her teeth against the agonizing pain, it felt as though every bone in her chest were broken. It was difficult to stay on the ground. She forced herself not to brace her body against further pain. Would Turak would kick her again or relent?
"I'll make you pay for this, wench. You've obviously been had by that foolishly besotted pirate, we'll see how you like it when my crew's done with you. Won't be thinking of him after all seventy-eight of my crew's broken you in, eh?"
He pulled out a small vial with blood red liquid frothing inside and uncorked the top. Grabbing her roughly he forced her mouth open, then he poured the contents of the vial down her throat.
Anamaria couldn't keep her eyes closed anymore, it felt as though fire raged its way toward her heart. Her breath came in harsh gasps and she rolled on her side to try and escape the pain. She much would have preferred physical torture, she was sure she was dying. Fighting against it she heard Turak laugh.
He saw the woman struggle against the after-affects of the antidote. Never had there been any reaction like that. Her eyes were rolled back in her head and her arms crossed over her stomach to try and stop the pain. She was deathly pale, almost close to death or what he imagined it to be.
Then she screamed, a high-pitched sound that was torn from the deepest reserves of her body. Anamaria saw mist, it blinded her, wrapped around her comforting and quiet. She felt herself rise from the deck, there was no more pain, she was free.
* * *
"Explain to me again what we're doing." Will said trying to process all that was said.
"Listen, you either trust me or you don't. If you don't at least listen so that you can save yourself should anything go wrong. If you do then pay attention closely because there wont be anytime to explain it to you onboard, savvy?" Jack cleared his throat, "I go out to meet Turak, you two sneak below and see if you can find Anamaria. I'll be catching the brunt of the attention so you should be relatively clear all the way. Once you find her, bring her back to the ship. The Commodore will take her to shore and I'll finish things up on deck."
"This still leaves the small problem of you facing fifty or so men alone." Will interrupted.
"What, you plan on leaving with them?" Jack raised a brow, "I'd always have figured you a swordsman but if you'd rather go. . ."
"Of course I'd stay. I just wasn't sure what it is you want me to do."
"So it'll be you two against the fifty crewman." Elizabeth crossed her arms stubbornly.
"We'll have the two Navy ships, as well as their weapons. There's no fearing for your husband, he'll be fine." Jack glanced at the window to tell the time. "We'd best be off, where did you stash my effects?"
"Right here." Elizabeth presented his hat, sword, pistol, and compass.
"My thanks." He grinned and looked every bit Jack Sparrow. His hair was clean, black outlined eyes, weapons in place, and the familiar mischief- making look in his eyes.
You! You're a pirate! You can't-" Gilette remarked as soon as Jack stepped out of the door.
"Very perceptive, lad." Jack pivoted and did his best impression of a drunken man. "Now who's to be telling me what I can or cannot do?"
"As ranking officer. . ."
"Ah, it's the Commodore. Commodore Norrington. How nice to see you again." Jack slurred still staring at Gilette.
"What? What are you talking about, man?" Gilette was highly confused.
"Ranking officer. That'd be Norrington, would it not?"
"Well yes but-" Gilette looked exasperated, "never mind. You're under the arrest in dictation of the laws regarding to piracy, under the Queen's Navy. . ."
"Awfully sorry to do this, mate." Jack pulled back his fist and the next thing Gilette saw was his world going dark at an alarming rate.
Jack watched as he fell to the cobble-stones, "Probably should have used the hand without the ring." Elizabeth and Will looked shocked to the core, Jack pocketed his ring and continued down toward the docks.
* * *
Commodore Norrington stood aboard his ship wondering if he should set sail and travel to the far ends of the world. There were contradicting feelings warring inside of him threatening his hard-earned composure. Everything had been fine until Captain bloody Sparrow came sailing into the Port and disrupted everything.
He half expected the man not to show up, to launch attack on Bloods' Revenge with only his wits and his courage. Aside from stirring up trouble, Jack was a good man. He had a sense of honor, chivalry, and empathy toward his crew that surpassed some of the Navy's captains.
"Commodore?" Jack, Will, and Elizabeth were already onboard. "It's around seven had you not noticed." James couldn't help but laugh in his mind, Jack Sparrow never disappointed.
It wasn't the Pearl, but Jack could see the layout in his mind. The ship spoke to him, promised him her protection. It was a well-made vessel, but sje lacked the passion of his Pearl. Being a Navy ship, used, abused, how could he expect any less?
"Ready to make way?" Jack called to Will and Elizabeth who were manning their stations.
"Yes, Captain." Elizabeth said with an agreeing look from Will. Jack would do his best to maneuver his way around Bloods' Revenge so that both she and Will could get below decks without many of the crew seeing them. Jack was certain that Anamaria would be locked in the brig.
William was still having his doubts. He couldn't understand how Jack could send Anamaria into the hands of enemies that wanted to kill him. Wouldn't he want to protect her above all things and keep her safe? How was he so certain that she would stay safe? The answer to that question Jack had explained more than once. The best way to get the antidote is to force the enemies hand.
That was Turak's weakness, he said, to use leverage of all kinds instead of fighting man to man. He would use Anamaria's life to barter for Jack's and if that didn't work he'd have no problem killing her to make Jack comply.
Jack yelled to Will and Elizabeth to lower sails. He wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible in boarding Bloods' Revenge. They were close now, he could see the ship's white sails in the growing darkness.
A sharp scream echoed in the heavy evening air, Jack tensed as he heard it. That was Anamaria!
An ice-cold knot of fear wrapped itself around his heart, what in hellfire had he sent her into? He resisted the urge to dive off the ship and swim onboard to her rescue. This ship was famed for its speed, he could wait another few minutes to hasten to her rescue, couldn't he?
The doubt in his mind made it almost impossible, but as Will and Elizabeth swung aboard Turak's ship Jack brandished his sword lethally.
An other world gleam filled his eyes, the swiftly darkening sky matched his mood perfectly. Steel glinted evilly reflecting the starless sky and he cut down the first man he came in contact with. One glance back to make sure he was truly dead was all it took. So Turak was the only one who couldn't be killed. That was interesting. Very interesting. It made his job a whole hell of alot easier.
Jack felt little remorse for the men he killed. He had to kill them, he'd planned to kill all of them anyway.
He would claim victory this night; dying was not an option. Set with only one choice he made his way across the deck leaving a trail of bodies behind.