AN (5/1) - Well, I slept in until 4 today. In addition, I'm starting to get concerned about the AP tests on Tuesday and Friday of next week-don't know if I'll get much writing done.
AN (5/5) - Well, rather than studying in English class (seeing as we don't really ever do anything in here), I've been writing. I think I shall be updating today...probably not on Saturday, seeing as my AP American test is on Friday morning, during English...but then again, I don't have to show up to Statistics any more.
Chapter 22- Getaway
Jack glanced down at his captain, trying to keep the malice from showing in his liquid brown eyes. They'd been trapped in this cell for nearly two hours now, and Jack was fairly certain Barbossa would leave as soon as he'd gotten enough crew to go. In addition, all of the crew members that had been caught were slated for the gallows in the morning. The military had no mercy when it came to piracy.
Jack glanced around at the others in his and Calico Jack's cell. They all had the same facial expression-one of unfaltering resignation. Even Calico Jack had that look of giving up, and it made Jack sick inside. It made being in here even more unpalatable.
Jack walked over and put his head on the bars, his hands independently grasping and releasing the cool metal. He sighed, wondering why he'd decided to help Calico Jack in the first place. The situation for the pirate crew had been very bleak indeed, as illustrated by the numerous good sailors that had already fallen. Jack sighed in disgust as he remembered some of the fallen pirates' faces. None of them had expected to be pawns in a maniacal chess game between Calico Jack and Commodore Dennis. Then again, no one really ever expects to die in the prime of life.
Jack frowned as footsteps pulled him out of his reverie. Not that he particularly wanted to remember the carnage he'd found as Calico Jack tried to sack the port, but he was trying to find ways the sticky end they were in could've been avoided. Jack's eyes widened in immense surprise as he saw Jodi descending the stairs, accompanied by the guards. He certainly hadn't expected to ever see her again.
Jodi glanced about the room, horrified to see so many wounded crammed into cells that usually held two or three. She resolutely braced herself, nearly jumping as one of the soldiers to her side asked, "Is this Mister Roberts here, m'lady? All the men in these cells were caught trying to loot the governor's mansion."
Catching sight of Jack, Jodi nodded and pointed. "The one standing up next to the door is Mister Roberts. And I assure you he was dining with the Commodore and me. I sent him off to the Commodore's side, to inform him that I needed him." She looked down earnestly into the short soldier's blue eyes. "It's all just a large misunderstanding. Mister Roberts is not a pirate."
The soldier slowly nodded. "Very well, m'lady. We shall let that one out." He and the other rotund soldier slowly walked to the cell directly across from them and slowly opened it. "Mister Roberts, you are free to go." One quickly brandished a gun,in caseone of the other prisoners tried to escape.
Jack glanced between his sister and the guards, his dark eyes shining with disbelief and joy. He glanced down at Calico Jack, grinning slightly as he noticed the look of astonishment the older man was giving him in response to the realization Jack could leave.
The rotund soldier coughed, pointing his gun at those in the cell trying to stand. "Come on, Mister Roberts, we don't have all day."
Jack nodded and slowly left the confines of the cell, holding his sleeve over his brand protectively. Thankfully, most soldiers did not look at captive's wrists or arms, seeing as the average pirate were branded on the forehead and word from India was often garbled.
The short soldier quickly shut the cell door, his sapphire eyes scanning the faces of those in the cells. Something seemed wrong as his numb brain processed the looks of envy on the other prisoner's faces. He was about to say something, slowly opening his square-ish mouth, when he noticed Jodi and Jack were starting to walk away. His sense of duty kicked in and he followed his superior officer's wife, forgetting how suspicious he'd just been.
Jack sighed, throwing a stone into the sea. He was sitting on the cooling sands, trying to find out how he'd be able to rescue the rest of the Pearl's crew. Various plans of varying degrees of sanity bubbled their way to top of Jack's mind. Each seemed less likely than the last.
"Jacob," Jodi started pensively, drawing patterns in the sand with her left toe, "Why don't you just move on, without them?" She glanced up, her honey eyes only full of concern and exhaustion.
Jack frowned, sitting on the small grains of gold in the setting sun. "I can't, Jodi. They're me family, an' I can't jus' leave them to the gallows." He sighed, his dark brown eyes showing a mixture of stress, concern, regret, and dismay.
Jodi sighed, playing with the powder blue material of her skirt and trying to contain her emotions. Jack's return had thrown her hormones into disarray, making her prone to mood swings. She struggled to keep control of her emotions, putting a false air of indifference on. "I see. I suppose it makes sense, but Jacob, I don't..." her throat constricted and wouldn't let her speak. After swallowing hard, she quietly added, "I don't see how you'll pull it off without being hung." She daubed at her honey eyes, the slight breeze whipping the ebony wisps of lose hair across her symmetric face. Glancing at Jack, she blinked and struggled to speak again. "I don't think I can handle losing you again," she whispered, quickly looking down to not let Jack see her tears.
Jack sighed, reticently putting his hand on her shoulder. "Jodi, I won' let them catch me. I am Jack Sparrow, af'er all." He grinned reassuringly, only half concentrating on his sister as he still tried to work out some plan. It seemed nearly impossible-the fort was heavily guarded and in a rocky location. It would be very difficult to get some of the crew out for almost all had some sort of injury from that grossly disproportioned scuffle.
Jodi started sobbing, able to tell Jack was still thinking of a plan. Her heart seemed incredibly heavy as she took in Jack's appearance, trying to remember how he looked. The young woman did not know if she could stand losing him again.
As Jack half-heartedly tried to comfort Jodi, he broke into a large grin, suddenly knowing exactly how he'd be able to get the crew out. He chuckled, his dark brown eyes seemingly staring into Jodi's soul. "Jodi, m'dear, I think I've figured it out."
Jodi abruptly stopped sobbing. Red-eyed, she asked, "Solved what?" In a very un-ladylike maneuver, she wiped her eyes and dripping nose on her long sleeve.
Jack chuckled, suddenly excited as he saw the whole plan running out through his mind. "Do you 'ave an old suit o' Nathaniel's I could wear?"
Peter Jenkins saluted abruptly as he saw a figure headed towards the cobblestone fort. "Good evening, sir," the thin soldier said, straightening up. He'd nearly fallen asleep at his post again, finding it all completely unnecessary to stand at attention at this late hour. The only ones to visit the fort at this time of night were supposed to be here, anyways.
Peter could see the figure salute back in the dim starlight. Thanking his luck, the man, obviously dressed in a uniform, didn't pause to reprimand the fatigued soldier. Peter wasn't sure what rank the man held, but it was best not to question and risk having the man explode at him. The man obviously had an air of confidence about him, and Peter was fairly sure he was high ranking.
The figure nodded towards Peter. "As you were, soldier," he confidently said as he pulled the door to the fort open.
Peter put his hand down, silently wondering what sort of business the man was up to. He knew it was none of his business, however, and did not say anything, though his curiosity was piqued. The man soon disappeared inside the fort, and Peter found himself struggling to stay awake once more. He stifled a yawn, gazing absent-mindedly at the sea, which could faintly be seen from the grassy hill the fort was situated on.
Jack grinned to himself inwardly as he reached the cells. This plan had worked much better than he'd thought it would. None if the weary soldiers had even bothered asking what he was up to, wrongfully assuming he was supposed to be in the fort. He'd been a bit apprehensive outside, with that first soldier, but they'd all reacted the same way-giving him a passing glance and dismissing his presence in an instant.
He tried not to make much noise as he slipped the keys off one of the slumbering guards' belts. The portly man did not move, even in the particularly tense moment when Jack nearly dropped the rusty keys the floor. As he grinned, slowly backing away from the guard, he jumped and dropped the keys as the man started opening his eyes. The metallic thud of keys hitting hard stone made Jack's heart skip a beat as the guards slowly opened his mouth, muttering, "Blast those bloody parrots. Always squawking." Jack froze, hoping the man wouldn't rouse further from his sleep.
After a few more incomprehensible sentences, the guard fell back into his slumber, dropping a cup in his hand and spilling a dark red liquid that looked almost like blood in the faint light of the prison. Jack heaved a sigh of relief, lithely leaning down and grabbing the oxidized metal. Chuckling slightly as he side-stepped the liquid, he made his way to Calico Jack's cell and quickly unlocked it. The iron bars screeched as they opened, and Jack glanced back at the guard. He didn't even move.
Calico Jack slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. His jaw dropped as he recognized Jack. "Ye came back?" His normally bronze face was pale, and Jack's deep brown eyes were drawn towards the violently red spot on the man's shirt. Calico Jack had been shot sometime during the scuffle and Jack was worried that he might not handle the mad rush towards the exit. The others in the cell were in similar condition. Calico Jack chuckled, coughing slightly. "I trust ye 'ave a plan on getting out?" His eyebrows furrowed together as he glanced quizzically at the masquerading Jack.
Jack nodded slowly, grinning as he pushed aside the feeling of dismay that overwhelmed him. Nothing about their situation seemed favorable-and Calico Jack reminded him of someone he'd rather not think of. "Don' worry, cap'n. We jus' 'ave to go as quick as you can all manage."
Calico Jack nodded, grimacing slightly as he stood. His dark eyes soon developed an odd glazed look as he helped Snide Shaine and Stout Sam to stand. They all stepped out of the small cell, Snide Shaine slowly nodding his thanks to Jack.
Jack nodded in acknowledgement, looking directly into Stout Sam's green eyes. "You an' Snide Shaine should take Cap'n back. The guards won't be drugged for too much longer." Without waiting for a reply, he moved on to the next cell. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stalwart Stout Sam and slightly sadistic Snide Shaine make their way towards the stairs behind Calico Jack.
Daniel looked up as Jack pulled the bars of his cell back. Pain was etched on every inch of his face, most evident in his crisp blue eyes. Croakily, as Anne Bonney, Mary Reade, and Mark left the cell, he said, "I don't think I can stand, Jack."
Jack glanced at the redhead, concern shining in his dark brown eyes. "Don' worry, mate. Jack will 'elp ye get out. I'll be back in no time, savvy?" He grinned reassuringly, suddenly struck with guilt and grief over his friend's horrid condition. Daniel's face was a mess of bruises, a dark line of red contrasting slightly with his hairline. Several make-shift bandages-which were most likely from either Anne or Mary's clothes-were soaked in scarlet.
Daniel weakly smiled, wincing as his cut lip split further open. "Go an' get the others out, Jack. I'll be fine."
Jack slowly nodded, feeling rather numb. He hadn't realized that his friend had been injured this badly. Tearing his gaze away, he pivoted and quickly crossed the stone span to the final cell. He unlocked the door; the large metal bars groaning as the hinge slowly let it open. Devon, Warren (called "Whitey"), Kaman (one of the slaves who'd joined the Pearl's crew), Viktor, and Robert quickly left their cell. Jack watched in faint amusement as Devon kicked the slumbering guard in the head with a flamboyant display of prowess. The guard fell off his chair, instantly knocked unconscious. Kaman nodded, muttering something in his native tongue and spitting on the guard's polished black boots. The five quickly ascended the stairs.
Jack pivoted quickly around once more, nearly running to Daniel's side. Putting his hand down, preparing himself to help the man up. "Do ye need 'elp standing?"
Daniel slowly shook his head, a sudden stubborn streak enveloping him as he stood without Jack's help. He bit his lip as the world started spinning and his skin turned an ashen gray. Trying to keep a positive mood, he smiled. His voice seemed far away and close all at the same time to his ears as he said, "Don' want to press our luck. Let's go."
Jack nodded, only slightly amused by Daniel's attempt of self reliance. He sighed, grabbing Daniel's left hand and placed in on his shoulder. "I don' think ye can make it of your own accord, mate. Jus' think of me as a third leg." He crouched slightly to match the redhead's height.
Daniel sighed, relieved. "Right," he said as he placed a lot of weight on Jack's strong shoulders. He grimaced, almost every area of his body seemingly on fire. Daniel didn't regret his decision though. He'd been valiantly defending Calico Jack, trying to pick up the slack from Jack leaving. Unfortunately, he wasn't a skilled swordsman, and had been overwhelmed by the well-trained British soldiers.
Jack nodded and started walking as fast as he could. The sleeping additive Jodi had placed in the wine wouldn't last long. As Daniel struggled alongside, Jack realized Barbossa hadn't been in any of the cells. That was an unfavorable mark against him, and Jack grinned. Perhaps Calico Jack had noticed as well and Jack's favor had grown in the man's eyes.
Daniel and Jack soon reached the exit of the fort without a hitch. The sleeping draught had apparently been more potent that Jodi had disclosed. She'd told Jack he only had a half hour, maximum. Either time had slowed considerably, or he'd been in the fort for almost forty-five minutes.
As he reached for the door, he remembered that the guard outside had been awake when he'd entered. Cussing, he wondered if all those he'd sent out before had been stopped. Sighing as Daniel gave him an odd glance, he just opened the door.
Lying in the dusty cobblestone walkway was the soldier. Jack could tell there'd been a bit of fighting and supposed that Devon had delivered another of his famous kicks to this poor soldier. Helping the seemingly ever heavier Daniel around the form, he realized, with a start, that the man's throat had been slit.
Jack turned his head as quickly away from the situation as he could, hitting Daniel's ashen face with the ridiculous hat Jodi had given him to wear. With a mumbled, "Sorry," he kept walking, supporting Daniel more and more with each few paces as he tried not to swagger. The duo miraculously made it to the Black Pearl, Daniel surprisingly still conscious.
WaNdA-Thanks for leaving me another review! I just had to point out the obvious, of course…
Cheatachu82- Of course her reaction is great! She's Captain Jack Sparrow's sister…anyways, I hope you like this one!
starwarsfreakford13- Well, you didn't have to wait as long as you thought you would! Thanks again for being such a loyal reviewer!
Jacquelyn Sparrow-Yay! A new reviewer! I, myself, don't have a twin, but I've heard that they do experience each others pains and such…
ChaosLightning13-Well, of course Jodi knew…and you should feel special! I didn't think many would pick up on that, at the beginning.
DragonHunter200- Yes! An update…and here's another one! Bet you weren't expecting it so soon!
Ms. Baldwin- Well, here it is! I hope it makes sense…I've been out of it, lately. Well, more than usual…any who, I hope you enjoyed this one and thanks for the review!
Bluekrystal1- That is the most awesome saying ever! I think I'll pick it up in my vocabulary, if you don't mind…and thanks for the review!
Meggumscat- You get your standard two cookies…nothing wrong with this batch. Can't wait to get back to RPing…this is taking too blasted long…not really, though. I love your constant support!
Sunkist3208-Tis okay, I know how it goes…hard to get myself to write sometimes. But you really should take a bigger part in your chapters, darling. Thanks for the review!
Daisy- So, does this mean I get baklava? Thanks for your support, my redheaded comrade in crime! I hope you like this chapter…this one is a bit, er, odd.