Chapter 6
Authors Note: Sorry to end the chapter so abruptly last time, I try not to
do that... you know give them a nice graceful ending if it's cliffhanger, not
just dialogue. I had to leave though, we were going shopping and it was
really good. Got new clothes (yawn), From Hell (YAYAY!!!) and it has an
alternate ending... books, on to my story now so you don't all fall asleep
"No one's survived?" Ana repeated, "Well then this will be the first because Jack isn't going to die."
"At least not yet." Jack replied, "Not by the bloody East India Trading Company."
"Then what are we going to do? I've heard of this before, it might be a day or two before the effects start but what then? It causes fainting, nausea, chills, fever, any one of those I listed and some that haven't even been confirmed yet." Elizabeth stated, "I heard the Commodore and my father speak of such things before but I never questioned them."
"How do you know all that, Elizabeth? I'm sure they wouldn't openly admit you to the room." Will asked raising an eyebrow.
"How am I to blame if they spoke so closely to my room. That was before I married you, Will."
"This is all heart-warming." Ana said drolly, "But the problem's still at hand and now every second counts."
"She's right, I hate to break the little lovers' quarrel, but I'd rather not go mad from this powder anytime soon if it can be stopped." Jack said tiredly.
"We have no leads! Nothing we know can do any good. I know what can happen, but not a cure. That'd take a miracle.'' Elizabeth threw up her hands in exasperation.
"When in doubt go to the source of the problem." Jack muttered.
Ana asked, "The source of the problem? No, you're not serious." Her eyes widened as she realized the implication of what he meant.
"What? What does he mean?" Will asked lost between the two pirates thinking.
"He means to find the East India Trading Company's ship and look for a cure."
"That's brilliant!" "Utter madness!" Will and Elizabeth said at the same time.
"Amazing how those two traits so often coincide." Jack took the piece of cloth Ana offered and staunched the bleeding from the wound. They were running out of time and the crew would be back onboard within an hour. It was time to set sail again, this time with a clear purpose in mind.
* * *
"So this is the plan, savvy?" Jack looked at both Will and Elizabeth. "We find the East India Ship, 'the Pearl' fires a warning shot and we pull around to t'starboard side. The crew swings aboard, does what they do best, you two sneak below decks while we serve as a distraction."
"They'll try to kill you again!" Ana exclaimed, "Your walking into a bloody ambush!"
"O'course they'll try t'kill me, luv." Jack spread his arms in a placating gesture, "That's the distraction."
"Assuming that we find the ship..." Elizabeth trailed off realizing where her thought led.
"...in time." Ana finished not afraid to face the important topics. It was true that Jack could die, but not thinking about it wasn't doing any good. Not anymore.
"We'll find'er." Jack replied confidently, "She has a route that'll be east t'follow through years of watching them chase us."
"Yes I know, I've helped you, but this is one ship, not the whole league of'em."
"One ship, one route its assigned to a particular place in the ocean and all we have to do is go back to where they shot at us-"
"You," Anamaria interrupted, "Not us. You."
"-and find'em again." Jack finished.
"It's a good plan." Will said, "One question. How're we to disfigure which vial of theirs is the one we need?"
"You don't have too." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Take'em all."
* * *
"Well, well." The Captain of 'India's Prize' laughed, "Back for more, eh?"
"One shot." Jack instructed and the cannon ripped a non damaging hole through the hull of the ship.
"Don't return fire!" the order was shouted, "I want that ship."
"Over my dead body." Jack snarled.
"Be careful what you wish for." Ana warned, "Don't tempt them."
"Pull up! Bring'er round!" Gibbs called to the men.
"Stand ready, they're boarding!" East India's command echoed across to 'the Pearl.' Jack grinned, a look Anamaria knew couldn't be good. He only smiled like that before a battle or right after getting away with something. That's how she could tell when he was up to something, the reckless glint in his eyes and the mischievous grin on his face betrayed him every time.
The pirates let out a battle cry as 'the Black Pearl' swung in a wide arc to face India's ship. A loud roar resounded back, grappling hooks found their way into wood, swords raised and were swept down to contact with flesh.
"Take all you can!" Jack yelled.
"Give nothing back!" his crew answered, an old pirate saying usually said during a raid or while looting a town.
"They're outnumbered, Greoff." Shouted the first mate scathingly. "They have no chance."
"It's Sparrow's crew, take no unnecessary risks." Greoff replied looking for any weakness Jack might have. He knew about the wound, brilliant decision on his crews part, the effects obviously hadn't taken place yet, give it maybe three days and Jack would be too weak to do anything except blink his black-rimmed eyes.
He shielded his sight against the blaring sun not sure of what he saw. There was a woman? Yes, Sparrow had a woman fighting for him. Judging by the way she looked to him every now and again. . . she was being paid all too well. She was his key for bringing Jack down.
Greoff stepped into battle and unsheathed a dagger, fighting his way across the deck he finally got to her side nearly being beheaded for the effort. He ducked from a blow she directed at him and as she would have gotten a fatal cut in, he slipped an arm around her neck and put the dagger to her throat.
"What will he do, hmmm...?" Greoff asked spitefully, "I wonder what his reaction will be when he sees I've gotten his whore."
Ana couldn't move, but she spit in his face for the words. Greoff glared at her and caught the attention of the pirate captain. He noted how his knuckles whitened on the hilt of the sword and the anger mounting in his eyes.
"Call off your men or she dies." Greoff ordered enjoying his position of power.
"Stand down!" Jack yelled over the roar of the ocean and sound of the ship fight. Steel on steel stopped and all went still. A small circle surrounded Jack and Greoff with Ana in his grasp.
A look in Ana's direction assured him that she hadn't suffered any injuries from Greoff's hand. She wasn't scared, just very, very furious.
"Don't move, love." He took a step closer, but halted when the blade pressed closer to her pulse point. Ana's eyes burned rage, she hated having to back down from a fight and even more at being treated as harlot. There was nothing she could do, Greoff had her in such a hold that any attack she had tried was blocked. The blade was digging into her neck painfully and when he pulled it away there would be blood on it no doubt.
"You come any closer and she dies." Greoff smirked, "The infamous Jack Sparrow with nothing left to bargain with."
The tables were turned, Will and Elizabeth hadn't given the signal yet that they were safely back on 'the Black Pearl.' They had saved his life, he owed it to them to do the same. There was always something to bargain with, they weren't novice merchants however and a sword or chest of gold wouldn't be enough. It would have to be something they couldn't refuse.
"If you let her go, you can have me instead."
"How interesting." India's captain smiled cruelly. "You aren't as wise as I'd thought. You walked right into the trap."
Jack knew it, he also knew that now Greoff extremely underestimated him and his plan. It would have been even better were there an actual plan being made. He couldn't leave the Turners, two men were manning his ship and he wouldn't raise the signal for them to come without the rest of his crew.
"Let her go." Jack persevered stubbornly, this was what he had left and he'd exploit it for all it was worth. Greoff stared at him a moment before motioning for one of his crew to come over. The man's name was Rook and Jack watched as he led Ana back to where Gibbs was standing.
Gibbs didn't know what to do, should he attempt to kill the man holding Jack's arms behind his back? He wanted too, how dare the son of a whore lay a hand on his captain! He met Ana's glance and saw the rage and helplessness in her eyes. They couldn't do anything to help him this time.
This was the day Captain Jack Sparrow willingly ignored a chance of escape.
* * *
Will and Elizabeth stood back to back wiping blood off the blades of their swords. Apparently not all of the crew had gone up on deck and the piles of bodies scattered throughout the room assured they never would again.
Now that their fight was over the married couple realized their problem. There were no bottles, vials, pots, or glasses in the hold. It was completely empty. They hadn't noticed before from the twelve men that attacked them.
From what they could see, the East India Trading Company didn't want to heal any they shot at. They were called the pirate scourge for a reason. The pirates they meant to kill died.
There was no cure.
"No one's survived?" Ana repeated, "Well then this will be the first because Jack isn't going to die."
"At least not yet." Jack replied, "Not by the bloody East India Trading Company."
"Then what are we going to do? I've heard of this before, it might be a day or two before the effects start but what then? It causes fainting, nausea, chills, fever, any one of those I listed and some that haven't even been confirmed yet." Elizabeth stated, "I heard the Commodore and my father speak of such things before but I never questioned them."
"How do you know all that, Elizabeth? I'm sure they wouldn't openly admit you to the room." Will asked raising an eyebrow.
"How am I to blame if they spoke so closely to my room. That was before I married you, Will."
"This is all heart-warming." Ana said drolly, "But the problem's still at hand and now every second counts."
"She's right, I hate to break the little lovers' quarrel, but I'd rather not go mad from this powder anytime soon if it can be stopped." Jack said tiredly.
"We have no leads! Nothing we know can do any good. I know what can happen, but not a cure. That'd take a miracle.'' Elizabeth threw up her hands in exasperation.
"When in doubt go to the source of the problem." Jack muttered.
Ana asked, "The source of the problem? No, you're not serious." Her eyes widened as she realized the implication of what he meant.
"What? What does he mean?" Will asked lost between the two pirates thinking.
"He means to find the East India Trading Company's ship and look for a cure."
"That's brilliant!" "Utter madness!" Will and Elizabeth said at the same time.
"Amazing how those two traits so often coincide." Jack took the piece of cloth Ana offered and staunched the bleeding from the wound. They were running out of time and the crew would be back onboard within an hour. It was time to set sail again, this time with a clear purpose in mind.
* * *
"So this is the plan, savvy?" Jack looked at both Will and Elizabeth. "We find the East India Ship, 'the Pearl' fires a warning shot and we pull around to t'starboard side. The crew swings aboard, does what they do best, you two sneak below decks while we serve as a distraction."
"They'll try to kill you again!" Ana exclaimed, "Your walking into a bloody ambush!"
"O'course they'll try t'kill me, luv." Jack spread his arms in a placating gesture, "That's the distraction."
"Assuming that we find the ship..." Elizabeth trailed off realizing where her thought led.
"...in time." Ana finished not afraid to face the important topics. It was true that Jack could die, but not thinking about it wasn't doing any good. Not anymore.
"We'll find'er." Jack replied confidently, "She has a route that'll be east t'follow through years of watching them chase us."
"Yes I know, I've helped you, but this is one ship, not the whole league of'em."
"One ship, one route its assigned to a particular place in the ocean and all we have to do is go back to where they shot at us-"
"You," Anamaria interrupted, "Not us. You."
"-and find'em again." Jack finished.
"It's a good plan." Will said, "One question. How're we to disfigure which vial of theirs is the one we need?"
"You don't have too." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Take'em all."
* * *
"Well, well." The Captain of 'India's Prize' laughed, "Back for more, eh?"
"One shot." Jack instructed and the cannon ripped a non damaging hole through the hull of the ship.
"Don't return fire!" the order was shouted, "I want that ship."
"Over my dead body." Jack snarled.
"Be careful what you wish for." Ana warned, "Don't tempt them."
"Pull up! Bring'er round!" Gibbs called to the men.
"Stand ready, they're boarding!" East India's command echoed across to 'the Pearl.' Jack grinned, a look Anamaria knew couldn't be good. He only smiled like that before a battle or right after getting away with something. That's how she could tell when he was up to something, the reckless glint in his eyes and the mischievous grin on his face betrayed him every time.
The pirates let out a battle cry as 'the Black Pearl' swung in a wide arc to face India's ship. A loud roar resounded back, grappling hooks found their way into wood, swords raised and were swept down to contact with flesh.
"Take all you can!" Jack yelled.
"Give nothing back!" his crew answered, an old pirate saying usually said during a raid or while looting a town.
"They're outnumbered, Greoff." Shouted the first mate scathingly. "They have no chance."
"It's Sparrow's crew, take no unnecessary risks." Greoff replied looking for any weakness Jack might have. He knew about the wound, brilliant decision on his crews part, the effects obviously hadn't taken place yet, give it maybe three days and Jack would be too weak to do anything except blink his black-rimmed eyes.
He shielded his sight against the blaring sun not sure of what he saw. There was a woman? Yes, Sparrow had a woman fighting for him. Judging by the way she looked to him every now and again. . . she was being paid all too well. She was his key for bringing Jack down.
Greoff stepped into battle and unsheathed a dagger, fighting his way across the deck he finally got to her side nearly being beheaded for the effort. He ducked from a blow she directed at him and as she would have gotten a fatal cut in, he slipped an arm around her neck and put the dagger to her throat.
"What will he do, hmmm...?" Greoff asked spitefully, "I wonder what his reaction will be when he sees I've gotten his whore."
Ana couldn't move, but she spit in his face for the words. Greoff glared at her and caught the attention of the pirate captain. He noted how his knuckles whitened on the hilt of the sword and the anger mounting in his eyes.
"Call off your men or she dies." Greoff ordered enjoying his position of power.
"Stand down!" Jack yelled over the roar of the ocean and sound of the ship fight. Steel on steel stopped and all went still. A small circle surrounded Jack and Greoff with Ana in his grasp.
A look in Ana's direction assured him that she hadn't suffered any injuries from Greoff's hand. She wasn't scared, just very, very furious.
"Don't move, love." He took a step closer, but halted when the blade pressed closer to her pulse point. Ana's eyes burned rage, she hated having to back down from a fight and even more at being treated as harlot. There was nothing she could do, Greoff had her in such a hold that any attack she had tried was blocked. The blade was digging into her neck painfully and when he pulled it away there would be blood on it no doubt.
"You come any closer and she dies." Greoff smirked, "The infamous Jack Sparrow with nothing left to bargain with."
The tables were turned, Will and Elizabeth hadn't given the signal yet that they were safely back on 'the Black Pearl.' They had saved his life, he owed it to them to do the same. There was always something to bargain with, they weren't novice merchants however and a sword or chest of gold wouldn't be enough. It would have to be something they couldn't refuse.
"If you let her go, you can have me instead."
"How interesting." India's captain smiled cruelly. "You aren't as wise as I'd thought. You walked right into the trap."
Jack knew it, he also knew that now Greoff extremely underestimated him and his plan. It would have been even better were there an actual plan being made. He couldn't leave the Turners, two men were manning his ship and he wouldn't raise the signal for them to come without the rest of his crew.
"Let her go." Jack persevered stubbornly, this was what he had left and he'd exploit it for all it was worth. Greoff stared at him a moment before motioning for one of his crew to come over. The man's name was Rook and Jack watched as he led Ana back to where Gibbs was standing.
Gibbs didn't know what to do, should he attempt to kill the man holding Jack's arms behind his back? He wanted too, how dare the son of a whore lay a hand on his captain! He met Ana's glance and saw the rage and helplessness in her eyes. They couldn't do anything to help him this time.
This was the day Captain Jack Sparrow willingly ignored a chance of escape.
* * *
Will and Elizabeth stood back to back wiping blood off the blades of their swords. Apparently not all of the crew had gone up on deck and the piles of bodies scattered throughout the room assured they never would again.
Now that their fight was over the married couple realized their problem. There were no bottles, vials, pots, or glasses in the hold. It was completely empty. They hadn't noticed before from the twelve men that attacked them.
From what they could see, the East India Trading Company didn't want to heal any they shot at. They were called the pirate scourge for a reason. The pirates they meant to kill died.
There was no cure.