Disclaimer: That fabulous film and those amazing characters that you recognize are still not mine.
A/N: Your reviews are so wonderful and I thank you from the bottom of my feedback craving heart!
Prescott tipped his head to one side. "Don Antonio doesn't have a son."
Her brother's words tore through Anamaria's brain. Of course, Don Antonio has a son. She had seen him with her own two eyes. He had stood in her house and talked with her. He had told her that he knew what kind of a monster his father was, and that he wished to help her free Jack. "But, he told me that Jack had been captured and that you were keeping him in the fort so that he'd be safe from Cornado. . ." Ana brought her hand to her head. This was not good.
"He was captured," Prescott started, his scrutinizing stare never wavering. "There were guards at your house. They caught Sparrow snooping around. And I am keeping him in the fort, but as far as keeping him safe . . . from the looks of him, Cornado's guards let him have it before they brought him in. Now, tell me why in the world you think Don Antonio has a son."
"Um," Ana's head swam. Had Prescott said that Jack was hurt again? This was all her fault. Why hadn't she just let Jack stay in the cave? Then he would be safe, and she would not be standing here trying to figure out if Miguel Cornado was a figment of her imagination.
Miguel had been a real person, of that much she was sure. Obviously, he had lied to her. He was clearly not who he claimed to be, but then who was he? Had he also lied when he gave his promise to help her break Jack from prison?
"Collins!" Prescott called to the sentry outside his door. "Go get Don Antonio. He just left. Tell him I need to see him back in my office immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Ana's eyes widened. This was definitely not good. She really did not want to be present when the Spaniard returned. Unconsciously, she brought her hand to her wounded abdomen. He hated her enough as it was. She truly had no desire to confront that animal with a story about his nonexistent son. She had come here intending to spring a pirate from prison, now she was going to be forced to spend the rest of the night convincing her brother that she wasn't crazy and that Don Cornado did have a son. She was unsure, at the moment, which would be harder to prove. In either case, she needed to get out of this office. She had already wasted too much time. What if Miguel had tired of waiting for her? If he had even kept his word to be at the hold in the first place, he would certainly be wondering where she was.
Her eyes searched the office for some means of escape. There was a small room just off of the office. The tiny room was nearly filled by a cot and a small table. Other than that, Ana could see nothing but maps and charts and other naval paraphernalia that meant nothing to her. She sighed and closed her eyes. The cot sat beneath an open window. Maybe she should just jump and have done with it.
"What did you need to see me about, Capitán Tarret?"
The accented voice broke into her thoughts. What on earth was she going to say to this swine? His cold gray eyes were fixated on her. She hated this man with all of the fires of hell and now she was going to be drawn into conversation with him. She felt faint. Suddenly, Ana's eyes snapped open. That was it. Although she had never fainted in her life, she had seen other "proper" women do it all the time. If a room was too stuffy or a situation too tense, women would be off of their feet in seconds. She had even heard that women would purposely faint into the arms of a man they admired just to make contact. Ana had always thought that fainting was hopelessly weak and completely uncalled for, but desperate situations call for desperate actions.
"Don Antonio," her brother was saying, "my sister claims to –"
Before Prescott could finish what he was saying, Ana rolled her eyes and fell against his body. As she had hoped, Prescott caught her and instantly forgot what he had been saying. She really hated to make him worry over nothing, and she was having a hard time keeping her face expressionless, but she had to get out of this office if she was going to be any help to Jack. Prescott carried her into the small room and laid her limp form on the cot.
"Collins," she heard him call again to the sentry, "go find Dr. Roberts."
"Sir, it's late. His office will be closed."
"Then go to his house!" Prescott snapped.
"I am sure she will be fine, Capitán," she heard Cornado say. He was probably worried that the doctor would uncover her wound and start asking questions.
Prescott did not reply to Don Antonio's comment, but Ana was sure that his face said everything that his voice did not. She was sorry to have missed that. She heard both men retreat from the tiny room and the door was closed.
"What is going on?" she heard the Spaniard ask.
"I have absolutely no idea," her brother responded, exasperated. "She said something about meeting your son."
"That is impossible."
"Is it? Do you have a son?"
"He died years ago."
"I'm sorry, Don Antonio."
"Do not be sorry. He died shamefully. If he had lived, I still would have no son."
Ana clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp. She seriously doubted that a more evil man had ever walked the face of the earth.
"A bit of a harsh judgment."
"I do not think so."
"What happened?" Prescott's words were short, to the point, and rather less polite than his normal speech. Ana could tell that her brother was extending this conversation only to uncover information and he was fighting not to show his distaste for the Spaniard.
"He fought a duel. I taught him to wield a sword myself. He was very good."
"Not good enough, it would seem."
"Not so, Capitán. He won the duel. He had his blade at his opponent's throat, but he was not man enough to kill him. His opponent shot him."
"I do not know how you duel in Spain, sir, but an Englishman does not have to kill his opponent to avenge his honor."
Ana smiled. She could hear Prescott's disgust, it mirrored her own.
"My son was weak. If he had not fallen that day, he would have sooner or later."
Ana shuddered. There was absolutely no feeling in the Spaniard's voice. He did not sound at all saddened by the loss of his son. Ana shook her head. She could not bear to listen to this creature any longer. She rose from the cot to look out the window. The night sky had clouded over and the light from the moon was almost completely blocked. She doubted that anyone in the fort could see her. She peered down the side of the building to see the roof of another structure less than five or six feet below. Squinting she could just make out the outline of the building. There were extra guards standing by the door at the front and an unguarded door at the back. She was standing right above the hold!
Ana backed away from the window. If Miguel had kept his promise that back door would be unlocked. She could slip in and out again without anyone noticing. If Miguel had kept his promise.
"Excuse me, Don Antonio. I need to check on my sister."
Ana flew back to the cot and closed her eyes just as the door opened.
"Of course, Capitán. Goodnight."
"Annie?"
She opened her eyes slowly, pretending to be disoriented. "Prescott? What happened."
"You fainted."
"Oh." Ana rubbed her eyes as though she were trying to wake herself up.
"How are you feeling? I've sent for the doctor."
"I'm fine. Tired, maybe, but I don't need a doctor."
"I've sent for him anyway."
"Prescott, I just
need some rest. You of all people
should know what these past few days have been like."
He nodded, but did not seem to
want to call off the physician.
"What if I promise to see Dr.
Roberts in the morning?"
"Promise?"
"Yes."
"Fine, then. Get some sleep."
Prescott left, once again closing the door behind him. Ana sat up and put her head in her hands. She had bought herself some time with Prescott, but she still had no idea what she was going to do. If Miguel had kept his word and unlocked the back door to the hold, then she could get in to see Jack, but she still would not be able to open his cell.
"Captain Tarret, sir?"
"Yes, Collins."
"Captain Norrington asks that you meet him aboard the Interceptor."
"Yes, send word that I'll be there presently."
James! He was with Miguel at the docks. James would corroborate her story. He would tell Prescott that Miguel was a real living breathing person. Of course, if Prescott discovered this information, he would come straight back to Ana to get her full account of what happened. She heard Prescott get up and leave the office. Time was running out.
If she was going to break Jack out of the hold, she had to act fast. Once again, she looked out the window. If she and Sparrow were gone when Prescott returned, there would be no denying what had happened. Prescott would not be able to cover for her. The sentry, Collins, had seen her enter the office. When he did not see her leave, he would report that she must have gone out through the window. Her guilt in the matter would be undeniable. She took a long deep breath, but that guilt would be nothing compared to the guilt she would have to live with everyday if she let Sparrow go back to Don Cornado. The images of his beaten body and the memory of the pain in his eyes would haunt her for the rest of her days. That was a fate far worse.
Taking another deep breath, Ana sat on the window ledge and swung her legs out the window. "Well," she whispered, "Chris, you always said that my heart wouldn't lead me astray. So . . ."
Ana closed her eyes, pushed herself off of the window, and landed below, with minimal noise, on the stone roof of the hold. She crept to the back of the building. She lay on her stomach, taking pains not to further aggravate her wound, and slithered feet first off of the side of the hold. Once on the ground, she was hidden by the shadow of the building. As she neared the door, Ana's heart nearly leapt for joy when she saw that the bar had been removed. Had Miguel come through for her? She pushed on the wooden door and felt it give way. Unlocked!
Slow as she could manage, Ana opened the door and entered the hold. The dingy building was lit by a single torch in the center of the room. Only one cell was occupied and Ana's hope was smashed into tiny pieces when she saw the condition of that occupant.
"Jack?"
Well, that's where I'm stopping for now. Sorry to leave you here, but by now you must know how much I like a little cliffy! Please, don't forget to review on your way out!