It was my birthday yesterday! I'm *Finally* 17!! Yay for me! *Jumps up and down like a lunatic* Ahem, *Clears throat again loudly* on with the story, and please ignore my little outburst!

Chapter 27: Surprises, of a sort

It wasn't as though the view wasn't good, thought Jack to himself as he stared out of the one small window in the cell. It looked straight into the bedroom of a nobleman, and in the past three hours, Jack had counted four different women enter the room. Some, the man slept with, while the others watched on. Really, thought Jack, turning and laying down on the hard bed, you never could tell with some of these nobles.

The main door opened with a creak, and the small panel in the front of his door snapped open. Staring into the room was the man who'd arrested him, "Jack Sparrow?" he asked loudly, trying to sound important. Scared whelp, thought Jack to himself, not bothering to hold back a grin. In a way he was glad he had his hat pulled down over his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at him. It was a pity they'd taken his gun, sword, and jacket though - it would have topped his 'insolent pirate' look completely.

After a while, the officer called again, "Jack Sparrow?" - though now his voice wasn't as steady. Jack answered, "Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow." The officer muttered something to himself, and snapped the panel shut again. "That was rude," complained Jack. "Don't pay no mind t' him, Cap'n," answered the wall. "He thinks 'e's so great cause he's in charge o' this town. Personally, I'd rather be in charge o' a kitchen than this town."

Jack sat up, incredulously. "An' who might you be, or shall I just refer to ye as 'wall'?" he asked, thinking back to when he'd been brought in. there hadn't been anyone else in the prison then, he was sure of it. In fact, the door had been open. The wall laughed, "Ah, don't be worryin' 'bout me, Cap'n. I been in an' out o' prisons since I could walk. I was born in one t' be perfectly honest," came the reply. Jack nodded to himself, "Aye? So ye'd be an honest man, then?" he asked back. "Sure, an' the devil is as honest as God," was the reply. Jack raised his eyebrow, "Aye, but that don't tell me who the hell ye are."

The wall took a while to answer, but finally came out with, "I ain't nothin' more than a corsair, cap'n. there ain't no point t' me havin' a name, seein' as I'll be dancin' wi' Jack Ketch afore th' week is out." The voice had a resigned tone to it, and Jack faintly wondered if he'd ever felt that way once he'd been sentenced to be hung. "Tell ye what," Jack started, a plan already ticking in his head, "If ye tell me your name, or whate'er it is that ye get called, I'll help ye get out - savvy?" The wall laughed, but there was a slightly more hopeful tone when the answer drifted back, "If ye can get me outa 'ere, Cap'n, I'll join ye - even if that means I'm t' live in the brig o' your ship. I ain't a stranger t' earning my way - an' I'll do anything ye want me to."

Jack mulled it over, "Aye, I think we've a deal. Now will ye tell me your goddamn name, or do ye *want* me t' christen ye wall?" he asked, and the wall laughed again, much brighter than before. "Aye, I'll tell ye. They call me Ranger, but I can't tell ye why," he added, and Jack laughed. "Welcome t' me crew, Ranger," he said, before turning back to the bed. At least here they supplied a bed - this place was 5 star compared to Port Royal!

*****

When Will reached the room they'd booked, he was hardly surprised to find the three teenagers missing. Jamie *was* twenty, but even Jack had to admit he acted younger than Isabelle some days! He didn't know why the officers in the town were after him, but he knew he'd be safe enough at the tavern - he'd already seen wanted men come in and be hidden by the owners and patrons. He had a sneaking suspicion that all 5 of them had a different plan about getting back onto the Pearl.

Jamie's plan had been simple enough - buy Louisa back from the slave traders at the auction, get her and Isabelle to one of the longboats and send them on their way back to the ship, before returning and meeting up to get Jack out of the prison. It may as well have been Fort Knox - not an inch of the outside wasn't watched at all times. The only thing to divert the attention of the officers was to create a big enough diversion, but what could be big enough?

Getting an idea, he left the tavern, took one of the longboats to the ship, and met up with the crew. "...as *soon* as they get here, not just before, or just after. If ye don't get the timing right, we could *all* end up on the gallows, savvy?" The chorused 'aye, cap'n' didn't do anything to lessen the feeling that something was going to go wrong, and it was with another glance towards the dark sky, steadily filling up with thunderclouds, that he took the longboat back to the shore and docked it where it had been earlier. It's up to you guys now, he thought, taking a seat under a shop front to wait for the others.

*****

Jamie, Isabelle, and Will didn't take long to redeem their purchases, going straight to the room as soon as the auction finished. Jamie was the only one to enter the room, as there were already crowds inside. Bribing one of the 'officials' with one of the diamonds, he was ushered to the front of the line. He handed over the two cards, M3 and M4, and the official smiled in recognition. "You're the person who paid big for Morgan's latest girl. It was a good choice - she has breeding about her. Your lady friend had a good eye as well - not very many people like to buy the young ones, though. Wait a moment, and I'll get them for you," he added hastily, seeing the impatient look on Jamie's face.

He returned with the young girl Isabelle had bought, and a girl in a long blue dress. Blinking, he walked over to the girl and looked her over. "This isn't the girl I bought," he stated. The official looked offended, "It is. Numbers M4 and M5, right?" he confirmed. Jamie shook his head, "No, *M3* and M4. Check my cards!" he insisted. The official looked very nervous, and stammered, "I've handed the cards on... sir..." but he didn't get a chance to finish, "I paid 1000 gold pieces for M3 - and I want M3. I don't care if my money is refunded - I want that girl. Immediately."

The official jumped into action, and ran back into the other room, returning with Louisa. "I apologize, sir. I'm afraid I may have read the cards wrong," he said, going out of his way to apologize. Jamie held up his hand to silence the blubbering official. "Leave it; I have what I came for," he finished, pushing both Louisa and the girl along, a little rougher than he intended, but keeping in character perfectly. The crowd in the room practically cleared out of their way as they left.

No one spoke. The young girl looked as though she was about to faint; Louisa looked like she was about to murder someone. Jamie didn't bother with formalities - he picked up the girl, and they headed for the shore where the boats were tied. Louisa held her tongue until they were safely out of earshot, but then she let go. "Why did ye wait so long? I could've been sold to *anyone*! An' ye never would have found me! Then ye go an' *push* me through a crowd o' people like I ain't nothin' but a *slave*? What were ye *thinking*, James Sparrow?"

"What is it about girls and them usin' my full name when they're mad at me?" he asked Will, who only shrugged. "Now ye know why we call her Cannonfire, aye?" Will laughed, causing Louisa to shoot a glare in his direction. A laugh from the shadows behind them caused all five to turn, like they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't have been. Will (Sr.) walked out from behind the one tree in the area, still laughing slightly. He stopped, though, when he saw the girl. "Do I even *want* to know?" he asked his son, who shook his head, "Probably not, Da, but I do think ye'll get the drift later."

Nodding, he turned to the boat, pushed it out onto the water, and helped the three girls into it. "The rest of us are going for Jack - get out t' the ship, an' no matter how startled ye are, don't stop the crew from doing whatever they do, savvy?" he said, looking directly at Louisa. Both girls nodded, and took an oar each. The little girl curled into the front of the rowboat, and didn't move as Isabelle and Louisa cast off.

Will waited until they were out of sight in the dark, before turning to his father. "So, what's the plan for getting' Jack out o' the prison? Jamie said it was harder t' get into than the Triangle!" Will (Sr.) nodded, "Aye, that'd be an apt description - but there's a weak point near the windows. The only problem is that the windows are watched at all hours - no matter the weather."

They began to head towards the prison, and had only just reached the side of the hill when the sky opened and rain began to bucket down. "Jus' like the Triangle," Jamie laughed sarcastically, "Always rains when ye don' want it to." Will (Jr.) turned to his father, "So, if the only weak points are the windows, and they're always being watched, *how* are we meant t' get Jack?" Will (Sr.) laughed, "Just wait for a while. As soon as the signal goes off, we'll have plenty of time t' get to th' windows," he finished.

As if on cue, the guns on the ship began to fire. Jamie almost jumped clean out of his skin, while Will (Jr.) ducked down as though he'd been swooped by a pelican. Will (Sr.) couldn't keep the grin off his face - once they'd recovered from their shock, Will (Jr.) and Jamie laughed as well. "Ye deserve to kiss the gunner's daughter, Da! Why didn't ye gi'e us some warning?" Will asked. His father laughed, "It were more fun t' see the reaction on ye faces!"

After waiting only minutes more, the three ran towards the hill. By the time they reached the base of the prison, the crew had made their way onto land with the intent to reclaim the 1000 gold pieces used to buy Louisa back. Well, the 1000 gold pieces, plus interest. The townspeople were running everywhere, panicked and generally doing the best they could to get away. It reminded Will (Sr.) of the time he'd first met Jack Sparrow, but he didn't have time to reminisce. Firstly, they had to tell Jack to get away from the window.

*****

A/N: I know it's probably short compared to my other chapters, but I'm going away (possibly) today and I want to leave you all with a bit of a cliffhanger (I'm not very good at them, so I apologise. My hands like to keep writing and writing and writing... and I'm just gonna shut up now!). I'm not sure when I'll be back, I could be going to my grandmothers until the 22nd then to Melbourne (I live in Australia by the way) until the 27th then be in Toowoomba until after new year. That sounds like a long time now I've written it down...

Anyway, I'm going to take my disks with the hope of finding a computer to keep writing, and with Internet to update occasionally, but I can't promise anything. Besides that, have a merry Christmas, a happy new year, and try not to get too drunk!