Chapter Seven
Rum and a Disguise

Jack and Will were still awake when the sun greeted them the following morning, and they winced. Jack had not slept for the past two nights, and while Will had slept the night before, the lack of sleep was beginning to affect him. He found himself dozing off in the top and began to sag in the rigging. He caught himself and awoke just before his grip on the ropes failed. Yes, they were doing their best to follow Malcolm's largest ship, but Will knew he wouldn't be of any use to Ali if he was exhausted and just about ready to fall down. He carefully climbed down to the deck, landing just behind the wheel, where Jack stood. Anamaria and Gibbs were currently trying to persuade Jack to get some rest.

"Captain, you look like you're ready to fall over!" Gibbs exclaimed.

"Might I remind you that you were shot less than seven watches ago?" Anamaria asked.

"Last I recalled, I was the captain of this ship –"

Will clapped Jack on the back. "Fancy a rum Jack? I know I'm thirsty, and can't Gibbs watch the helm for a few minutes?" Gibbs and Anamaria looked at Will sharply, and he winked.

Jack smacked his lips. "My throat is rather dry." He looked to the wheel and then back to Will. "Five minutes, Mr. Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs has the con!" Jack called, stepping back from the wheel.

"This is Gibbs, I have the con." Gibbs replied. Will kept his arm about Jack's shoulder as they went down the stairs and turned into the captain's cabin. Charts were spread out across Jack's table, but there were, of course, several bottles of rum. Jack grabbed two of them from the table, weighed each in his hand, and handed the lighter one to Will.

Jack uncorked his bottle and sank into a chair with a deep sigh. "Me legs are aching." He groaned as he stretched the aforementioned limbs before him.

Will wiped the mouth of the rum bottle off with the tail of his shirt. "How's your chest?" He asked before taking a drink and grimacing.

Jack shrugged. "Not dead yet."

"No."

Jack sighed as he stretched out in his chair. "Hey Will, I'm just gonna close my eyes for five minutes. Will ye wake me up when the time's gone?" Will nodded. Jack closed his eyes and took another sip of his rum. "We're going to get our girls back, Will."

"I believe you, Jack." Will replied. He kept his eyes open long enough to hear the soft snores issuing from Jack's nose before following suit and shutting his eyes for some much needed rest.

After Chris announced that her appetite had left her the night before, Malcolm tried to use his sugared tongue to coax her into his bed. When she spurned his advances, he extinguished the lantern and left her in the dark. She did her best to try and loose her bonds with her free hand, but it was hopeless. Eventually, Chris fell asleep with her head slumped upon her chest. When she awoke the next morning, she was still alone. It took her a moment to realize where she was and then to try and work feeling into her feet and still bound arm. She was alone, still with the food from the previous night's dinner, and she knew that somehow she could free herself from the blasted chair.

Chris' eyes roamed over the table and she spotted the knife that had been used to carve the leg of meat Malcolm had eaten the night before still on the table. She had a free hand, she could reach it. She leaned forward as far as her restraints allowed her and reached for the knife, but she fell just a few inches short. "No…" She murmured. She looked and saw that a banana was within reach. She grabbed the fruit and used it to pull the knife closer. The blade clattered onto the table and Chris stopped to listen for any steps approaching the officer's mess. She heard nothing. Chris swiped the banana and the blade scooted closer to her. She dropped the fruit and snatched the knife by the handle.

Chris used the knife to saw away at the rope securing her other arm to the chair. It snapped apart and she shook her arm free. With the slack that created, she was able to pull the rest of the rope from her body. She stood on unsteady feet and grabbed the banana, peeling it and then stuffing the fruit in her mouth. She was starving, and if she was going to try to escape, she needed to keep her strength up. She also needed to relieve herself something fierce. She grabbed the bucket that the wine had been in and used it accordingly. Once she was done, she spotted her breeches and shirt from where Malcolm had dropped them. She shed the dress and threw it into the bucket before pulling on her breeches and buttoning up her shirt. She crossed to the porthole and saw that off to the starboard side was a small island. The sooner Chris and Ali got off the ship, the better. Quickly, Chris thought up a plan.

She sawed off some of her brown hair with the knife and grabbed a few grapes from the table. She squished them onto her chin to make it sticky and then stuck her hair to it in what she thought was a good imitation of a fledgling beard. The matter of her chest was more difficult to get around. Well, it wasn't as noticeable when it wasn't shoved upwards by a too small dress. If she moved quickly, perhaps no one would notice. Chris tucked the knife into her breeches and crossed to the door leading into the companionway. She took a deep breath before opening the door and peeking out. No one was about, but the stairs were to her left.

She followed the stairs down to the brig. A different guard was standing watch. Chris deepened her voice and tried her best to make it come out raspy. She saluted the guard and said, "Lord Malcolm wants the kid." If she had been anyone else, she would have taken herself for a man. The guard nodded and unlocked the brig.

"Where's the wench?" The guard asked, pulling the door open.

"Captain's bedroom." She and the guard traded gruff laughs as she entered the brig. Ali huddled herself in a corner, but could not elude Chris. She roughly grabbed Ali by the arm and pulled her from the brig.

"Let me go!" Ali cried.

"Women, right? Even small ones." Chris rolled her eye and the guard nodded. "Come on you…" Chris pulled Ali up the stairs with difficulty as the child tried to resist. She went with it, for it was more convincing if anyone spotted them along the way. When they came above, Ali had just about given up her struggle. Chris crossed to the bulkhead on the starboard side and tried to measure the distance between the ship and the island. It was a good swim. She looked down and tried to estimate the depth of the water. Chris prayed Ali could swim.

"You there!" Chris' head whipped around and she saw Malcolm at the helm, pointing at her. "What are you doing with the runt?" Chris smiled and his jaw dropped as he realized that she wasn't one of his sailors.

"I'm taking her away from you." She bent her legs in a mock curtsy, pulled Ali up to hold her against her chest, and then threw herself and Ali overboard.