Chapter 2: The Man Behind The Mask and A Plot Revealed
6 Months Later
The sap came down hard and fast over the back of Will Turner's head in the ally beside one of Tortuga's many bar and brothels. They'd waited for the pirate... and that term was very loosely applied with this boy; to leave out the front, his bladder heavy with nothing more then water likely. He was far too uptight to drink rum or grog or any such drink that a true pirate would have. Two men in dark cloaks went about shuffling his limp body into the ally's shadows to begin the quick process of tying and gagging him. They'd left him there as three other like dressed men entered the bar, hoods up.
As the unsavory patrons of the Tortugan bar began to eye the young, beautiful, and now lone woman; Elizabeth began thinking that Will was taking a little too long for her liking, but she wasn't about to get up and leave looking for him and invite trouble on herself out in the open Caribbean air. So she stayed put and sipped delicately from a mug of water while she waited. Her discomfort would only grow as the cloaked men entered the tavern, one looking in her direction as the others who accompanied him began shooting and putting the whole place into a total uproar.
It wasn't long before their eyes fell on the soon-to-be Mrs. Turner. The man infront made his way directly to the table as the two behind him pulled their flintlocks out and shot themselves a pirate each before quickly reloading as many pirates tipped tables and pulled out guns.
By now Elizabeth was on her feet and heaving the table over between herself and the cloaked man as she tried to run to safety, but he was too fast for her. He had her by the hair before she could get far and calling for help would do no good in a room full of pirates... because it was no hidden truth that most pirates were not good men and could care less about someone such as herself.
"Ms. Swann. If you'd be so kind to not fight... we can avoid messing up that pretty face of yours." The man said, his voice somehow muffled though she couldn't tell why as her back was to him as any hostage would be, hair still in a tight grip and a pistol to her temple. "Lets make our way to the door, you die if you struggle my dear... so I very much wouldn't if I were you." He said this, leaving through the front doors as the two other men followed, one dropping a ball with a burning wick in the doorway as he left.
"Walk." The man commanded as the two from the ally caught up with them.
Elizabeth had no choice, but to go quickly and quietly with the man and his entourage, leaving the tavern and Will somewhere behind her. He gave her a good shove as they left and she considered running, but he was the one with the pistol now wasn't he? She turned to give him a deadly glare of disgust. She noticed the leader wore a roughly made, plain mascarade mask. Throwing back his hood, he put on his head a pirates tri-quarter hat and motioned for her to turn around and keep walking with a flick of his pistol.
How strange that he was wearing a mask... Why does such a scoundrel go to these lengths to hide his face? Elizabeth frowned deeply and wondered just this as the sounds of explosion blasted behind them.
She felt the heat on her back and saw orange lighting the sky before she ever got to turn back and look. They were a long distance away when she did see the tavern in flames, wooden debris raining down from the sky, hitting sand and rock and catching on other buildings. Her heart contracted painfully at the sight as she had no idea what had become of Will, but she knew these men had something to do with it and she greatly feared that had they not shot him, he must be seriously injured or worse...
Her vision blurred with hot tears as she was forced to continue under the insistance of her captors. The young woman, even in this dilema glared at them and slapped their hands away from her as she began walking again. This time with more anger then anything else.
"Why calm down, dear girl. Your lover is fine, a small lump on the back of his head... probably shoeless by the time Mr. Sparrow finds him... you know how this town is." The man said in his muffled voice, his men laughing a bit at that. "We knocked him out flat, tied him up and left him beside the bar. Hes a good man, or so we've heard. No reason to off him. At least not yet. So keep walking, we're to the docks today. We're going to go for a bit of a ride, dear. From what I've heard, its not an unusual case for you to be wisked off to far gone lands with a ship full of strange men, is it now?" He asked with a bit of a laugh as he gave her a bit of a playful shove in the back for her angry little snaps at his men.
"Oh so I suppose I should be happy then?" Elizabeth Swann asked as she walked on, eyeing the approaching docks and wondering where Jack had gotten off to. He was late, not that this had surprised her or Will. She whirled on the men angrily, looking the hardest at the man behind the mask. "Just who ARE you anyway and what do you want from me?" She feared the answer to that question the second it came out of her mouth and regretted having ever let it slip.
"Well dear, the answer to your question is a long one, but we've time and the men do enjoy hearing the tale. My name is Isaac Sterling and once... I was a privateer. My wife was a merchant runner. Until of course... she allowed her entire cargo to fall prey to the infamous Jack Sparrow and his ship, the Black Pearl. The cargo was precious, a boat load of artwork and gold meant for the Spanish. She was to deliver this for transfer at Port Royale. A simple run, something she was accustom to handling. Cargo ships from England sail to that port, dock, exchange the goods and then off it goes to the final destination. It was a shock when it was lost, a small fortune in itself. The fact that not a shot was fired to stop Mr. Sparrow from making off with the goods... officials deemed it that she had been in league with the pirate despite a flawless career. This loss, came back two fold as they realized they could no longer trust me. I was let go with a dishonorable mention on my record, my ship, my belongings... all stripped from me." The man said, still watching the girl unwavering as he urged her to keep walking. Grabbing her arm so that he could keep up with the story and her.
"Jack Sparrow cost me my career... and my wife. She left me not long after, and over time... I became a criminal myself. A self proclaimed privateer highwayman for the British Isles, keeping the proceeds for myself while damaging the enemies of our nation. These men behind me, are what remains of my crew still loyal. Now, Ms. Swann, this is where you come in. I heard a story. About you, and Mr. Sparrow. About Aztec Gold. You're going to lead us there, and then... when Jack Sparrow and your husband-to-be follow... I'll kill Mr. Sparrow and leave you and your husband on an island for the crime of his friendship."
"As a pirate might say... 'Savvy?'"
Elizabeth tried to wrench herself away from him, but he had a very strong grip on her arm, so she struggled uselessly at his side. "I will lead you no where! Especially not to that place!" She hissed, still trying to break free. "That place damns any man foolish enough to go looking for it! Surely you HAVE heard that!" She sought his eyes, but saw nothing passed the shadows of his hat and mask. "I am sorry that you have suffered as you have, but the solutions to your problems do not lie there."
"Oh yes! The mysterious and magical curse! Aztec Gold, Cortez and all that? Barbossa, cursed to sail the seas reclaiming it. Do you know the great thing about curses, my lady? I don't believe in curses... but neither am I a stupid man. Its called paranoia, a wonderful gift really. So I've hired a crew of scum, who will fence the gold for standard imperial currancy. We'll set sail, and while they sleep and before they realize what is to become of them... I'll chain every last once of them up so heavily and so tightly that they'll not escape their bonds for the next millenia, and I'll toss them all to the crushing depths of the ocean floor. A fitting end perhaps for such miserable creatures. And I'll be the holder of a lot of uncursed riches... quite alot, actually."
"Oh, and young lady, I've a mind to think eventually you might see it our way and lead us there. As you see, I've left the firm impression in Will Turner's mind that was the very place he'd be able to find you. If you don't... however... its very possible that we'll be lost to sea for years searching for this treasure. Surly the pirate crew will lose their patience, kill me, let my men swim and probubly have their way with you... many times... out of sheer twisted principle before killing or dumping you. And Will... he'll never know what was to become of his dear Elizabeth. I don't want it to come to that, I'm a gentleman, perhaps not noble born like yourself, but regardless... I'd hate to repeat the sins of Jack Sparrow and destroy a good relationship. Hes an attractive man, you'll get fine, strong children from him. Raised with good sensibilities, I'm sure. Hopefully you'll find your way off the island and be able to give them a good life." Sterling said finally letting her go and falling back a step. "It would be nice, Mrs. Turner, if we were on the same page."
"It would be nice if you were the gentleman you pretend to be!" Elizabeth hissed. "What you're doing, no matter what your reasoning behind it is no better then the doings of any pirate! What you're talking about doing will make you no better then the supposed 'scum' you're condemning! Your sin will far outweigh that of Jack Sparrow!" She would never be able to be on the same page as this man, she was absolutely disgusted, as much as she ever was with Barbossa, but they both knew she would lead him to the Isla de Muerta and to the cursed gold because she would rather make the job of her rescuing easier on Will and Jack. If they were together then no matter what, short of death, they still had a good shot at escaping and possibly stopping this man.
"Oh yes it will. If I am a monster, however my lady... it is because Jack Sparrow made me one. I'd appreciate it at the very least, if you'd keep your mouth shut tight about the fate of this crew. You see, though it might sound very good to tell them what's happening in the fact that it would end the plan... all you would succeed in accomplishing would be a quicker means to the end of the worst case scenario I drew out for you." The highwayman said, smiling beneath his mask as he turned his shadowed gaze on the girl again.
"As for my sin, Elizabeth... that'll be for God to decide, won't it?" He said before the clicking of a flintlock almost echoed through the air it was so deffinate.
Turning around he found the pistol of one of his own men trained on him. "Sir Sterling... I do think that you've gone ... quite mad... can we... no... You will put down your pistol and let the girl go. We can... find other ways. We can wait for Sparrow to come looking for them. Here!"
The masked man met the young crew members eyes as the other members of his crew pulled their weapons on the mutinous justice seeker. "Marcus. You understand that mutany is treason..." Sterling said, dropping his pistol and pulling his sword out. "Detain Elizabeth while I attend to this. If he is able to kill me, let her go." He said as they did just that.
"So you're to shoot me then? Very well, you've a single shot before I run you through. I beg you sir, please make the aim good... shoot me right in the heart for your actions are surely breaking it right now." The highwayman said, his eyes descretely flickering around the scene as he crossed his sword over his chest.
Again he smiled under the plain face of his mask as he caught sight of the blaze ripping through Tortuga. It shone quite well off his polished blade, and it would be well enough to provide a momentary lapse in aim when cast to the eye of the gunman. A lapse enough that the bullet would graze his arm a moment before the masked Isaac lunged to drive his rapier through Marcus... right in the heart.
Quickly withdrawing the blade he turned and wiped it off on a cloth as he silently started again for the docks. "Bring her." He called behind him, leaving the body of his fallen mate laying in the street.
Elizabeth could not help her gasp as Sterling ran the young crewman, Marcus, clean through. She glanced quickly back at the man's fallen body and the burning setting of Tortuga beyond it before the two men holding her tugged her forward, forcing her to face front and walk with them to the waiting ship. She went once more quietly and with the knowledge that none aboard this vessel cared what happened to her. All they wanted was their gold. So she boarded the ship surrounded by crewmen and later by pirates who looked just as Sterling had described them. The girl sighed softly to herself as she looked out at the Caribbean and the endless skyline. 'The way to freedom!' as Jack had fondly told her through rum soaked breath and a far too friendly hand. How horrid that such a memory actually gave her a sense of comfort now. She could only hope that he would find Will and be off to rescue her as soon as possible.
"Ms. Swann!" Sterling yelled out as he boarded the ship with the rest of his men. "This is the crew of the 'Oceans Season'. Strange name for a pirate ship I must admit, named by a woman actually and it seemed to stuck or so I hear. Captain Limbower has had dealings with Mr. Sparrow and wants to put his ship to test the Pearl and her new crew and I say it makes us perfect partners. Wouldn't you agree?" He said, stepping down to the girl before lifting up his mask. One may of imagined any kind of horribly scarred or monsterous face beneath the mascarade visor. It wasn't such a face though, but rather a ruggedly handsome one. Green eyes plainly visable now, black coal smeared around them much like Sparrow did, pirates trick to keep out the sun.
The ship quickly set into motion as the highwayman stared at Ms. Swann, a whole head and a half taller then her. "Do you think me wicked for what I did to Marcus? Treason... is infectious. I'm sure you know that... I never wanted to do that. Never wanted to kill anyone, my dear. Unfortunately... I'll be required to be far more heartless. Please do not afford me the need to be."
The young woman looked up at him as if she wouldn't speak to him at all, but finally she did, one brow arching just ever so slightly as the incoming breeze pulled at her long untamed hair. "Mr. Sterling whether I like it or not I'm forced to lead you where you want to go. What I think of you makes no amount of difference." She said cooly. "You're getting what you wanted so leave it at that." And she hoped that he would. She wanted as little to do with him as possible.
"Excuse me, Elizabeth. I've not had the priviledge of meeting many ladies for small talk lately. I find it sad and disheartening that you can't understand or see the justice in this. Anyhow, I'll not push the subject with you then. Men, please show the lady to her cell down below. Perhaps she'll be a bit more talkative after spending some time in the company of rats and fleas." Sterling said as he walked a few steps away from her and the men took hold of her.
"Mr. Gibson, you accompany Ms. Swann below and figure out where the isle is likely to be on the map." He said as an old man filled in ranks with them. Soon Ms. Swann and Mr. Gibson would be locked together in a cell below deck. There they would remain until she helped them map out their destination.
"I'm terribly sorry about this, young lady. Seems just awful you down here with the filth. My names James. James L. Gibson." He said with a kindly smile and a friendly sort of old voice. He had decently groomed white hair and thick white eyebrows that shaded pale blue eyes behind a pair of specticals, but was commonly dressed in all other ways.
"Swann... Swann, I've heard that name! Oh yes, I know your father! I worked for him, not too long ago as a scribe and cartographer. Oh, you were such a small girl though! It must have not been all that recently." He said in a kindly way.
She had to smile a little at the old man. "Oh it mustn't have been..." Elizabeth said politely agreeing. 10 or so years at least, if not longer, but she had no memory of him, not that she expected to. So many people had passed through her father's house over the years she couldn't hope to keep track of them all. "Well Mr. Gibson it is nice to meet you, thank you for your kind words... How is it you came to work here then? Forgive me if it's too bold, but you don't seem like you belong here anymore then I do." She said gently, seated across from him on the single dirty bench in the cell.
"No money, Lady... and I've got a granddaughter to care for. So I signed up with this pirate vessel and Captain Limbower. I'm going to send her my share of the gold so she can have a good education you see. Mr. Sterlings' job came as a blessing to us, the crews had a dry spell and we've families to feed. So... Mr. Limbower thought he'd be able to get out of pirating if we'd get sufficient gold on this run, become legit and all." He said with a smile, shaking his head. "I hope I'm not too bold in thanking you, Miss. Your family seems to be a blessing too, everytime we cross paths it seems to bring good fortune." Mr. Gibson said, rustling around for a map as another man approached the cell.
Her hand went to cover her mouth as Mr. Gibson explained to her why he and most of the crew had went in on these deal. She guessed he thought she found the story touching, but really it was out of horror that she reacted the way she did. Isaac Sterling was condemning good men to an endless hell! All because they were in need of money! She could've let out a sob when Mr. Gibson smiled at his 'good fortune' in crossing paths with her again. His luck could not have been worse! What was she to do?
"Enough, James. I apologise for your captivity, Ms. Swann. My client requested your detainment and I was forced to oblidge. If you'd be so kind as to point out the gold on the map we'll leave you in peace until its time for food and grog." He was old and weathered, this one. Scarred and bore a large feathered hat. Obviously the Captain Limbower.
"It's quite alright Captain..." Elizabeth replied almost meakly. "I... I'm sorry if you find me rude, but I have to tell you I don't think you should go through with this. This man is willing to... pay you, but at what a price you can't imagine! There are other ways you could earn the payment you seek, better ways... I could even help I'm sure of it! My father is the Governor in Port Royale, if we went there I've but to ask him and I'm positive we could help you earn what you're after! I'm not sure how, but there must be a way." She explained to the both of them. "It would be a far better way then this. You are good men, he would be willing... And this gold... it's not worth the risk involved." Elizabeth said shaking her fair head as she studied the map. Then she looked from Mr. Gibson to the Captain and smiled sweetly. "Afterall, what is it they say? It's terrible luck to have a woman aboard? I'm afraid in doing this you would only be in for bad luck. Horribly bad." She said nodding with certainty. "Dreadful even."
"Listen, love, I'm not that afraid of a little curse. I'm sure it was all up in Barbossa's head anyway... and I think that your father would have us dealt with in a far worse way then any 'curse' could. Port Royale isn't exactly noted for its hospitality to wayward pirates now, is it?" Limbower said with a big smile, several gold teeth showing up in the grin before kneeling down to her. "So if you'd please. Mr. Sterling gets his gold, we get ours, all after its liquidated and untracable... and we all walk away happy and rich men. Hell, girl, maybe if you're good about all this I'll see about giving you a cut. I'm sure Mr. Sterling wouldn't mind if you had off with some of the gold. Heard there was a lot to be had." Limbower said, nodding his head as Mr. Gibson moved a little closer to her, holding out the map eagerly. "Please Ms. Swann, its for me granddaughter."
How could she argue? He wasn't wrong about Port Royale and no amount of convincing from her would change his mind it seemed. Even if she had told them all that she knew about the curse they would probably just write the girl off as crazy too.
"But please you must understand!" She pleaded, but the Captain was losing patience with her.
Elizabeth looked down quietly, feeling even more disgusted with Sterling as she studied the map quietly and then shakily pointed out the unmarked area where the Isla De Muerta lay. She retracted her hand and wrapped it around her bodice... feeling disgusted with herself now too.
"Thank you deary. Come out from there now, Mr. Gibson. Let's be leavin' our guest alone, we've a course to plot." The Captain said happily as Mr. Gibson closed the cell door and locked it after him, smiling and nodding his thanks to the girl as he and Limbower bustled away. It wasn't two minutes time before Isaac Sterling made his way down the stairs.
"Good girl." The man said, he'd lost the cloak and was now dressed in clothes more akin to a lower nobleman and swordfighter. The mask must have sat tucked under his hat as it was no longer making an appearance. "With your coordinates we estimate good time making it to the Isle. I'm rather impressed that you've kept up your side of our bargain."
Elizabeth sat turned slightly away from him on the cell bench. Her head was lowered and her eyes downcast so he could not see the tears welling up in her eyes and so she would not have to look at him. He was terrible! He had to know what he was doing! What kind of people he was doing this to! God how could he live with such a thing? How could she have just done that? She felt positively sick inside! She said nothing to him, barely acknowledged his presense passed a very quick sniffle.
"I see you're not in the mood for talk. If it's a moral dilema about what I'm to do, just pray Jack Sparrow is truly the better man and will stop me at the side of your love, Ms. Swann. I'm wondering though why you'd cry over them. They're pirates. They loot, pillage, and kill the innocent. They rape, murder, and plunder. And they RUIN LIVES! I wouldn't expect you to understand now that you're a pirate sympathiser, Elizabeth, but do not point the finger at me! You're a Governor's daughter, people like your father make the rules and dictate the taxes and my actions, responsible for 20 times the amount of death you'll witness on this trip." He said, shaking his head. "I'm a simple man, Ms. Swann, driven to extraordinary lengths. But... as I said... I don't expect you to understand."
"Then why are you down here?" She practically shouted up at him. "Some of them may ruin lives, yes! Some common men ruin lives! Some royalty and nobleblood ruin lives! But just because a man lives under a title does not mean he is the same as every other man under that title! Some 'Pirates' ARE GOOD MEN! They are not right all the time, they make mistakes just as we all do and those men up there... I can't speak for all of them but some of them, in fact I am sure a good lot of them ARE good men and they don't deserve what you and I are leading them to!" She swiped at her eyes fitfully.
"Some of them are innocent! They have never murdered or stolen! They are only looking for a way out of poverty! And perhaps that is my father's doing that has put them here. Regardless 'I don't expect you to understand' that Mr. Sterling! It doesn't matter anymore because you've damned them and so have I by helping you! So you'll excuse me if I have a problem with that. I suppose you'll just have to live with the fact that I don't like you. I'm sure it won't be too hard after you leave us on some island and sail away with your revenge in one hand and gold in the other..." Elizabeth fumed angrily. "If you dislike the sight of my tears then I'm sure you can find your way back up on deck where you won't have to think of them at all. Why else put me down here unless it's to keep me out of the way?"
"For your own protection if you must know. They are 'Pirates' you know. Very well and all the same, you may keep your romantic view on the existance of good men. Surely you expect your Jack Sparrow is a good man as well, but I'll not banter back and forth with the likes of you. I'll have you know that I'm not unsympathetic to doing what I must do, its the fact that all of us, Ms. Swann, are equally guilty. Me, you, and all of them upstairs. We're all criminals, it just so happens that this particular criminal wins today." Isaac said before giving her a low sweeping bow.
"I leave you now. I suggest you take some rest and recover before we set to dine dear girl." He said before turning and heading up the stairs. "Until then."