"Jack, your 'foolproof' plan has just proved you a fool," Norrington hissed through his teeth.  "And we haven't even reached the bloody shore."

"What's that, mate?" Jack called cheerfully from the bodybag at the bottom of the rowboat.

The boy, who had finally given his name as Charles Foster, bent down to whisper, "There are soldiers all about, you filthy beast, and I don't think they'll believe that stupid excuse you concocted about burying my father.  Didn't you expect the shore to be unguarded?  Well, it's not, and I'm glad."

"Charles, I am warning you, if you so much as breathe in a way that makes them suspicious, I will have you branded and hanged as a pirate.  For the last time, boy, I am deadly serious.  I swear it before God himself."

Even dirty and bloodied as he was, Norrington looked very imposing now that he was back in his deliberately-battered Navy uniform.  Foster fell silent.

"What's going on?"  Jack asked again.

"Soldiers, Jack.  For them to have been here already…I don't know how much they know for certain, but they must certainly be suspicious and we may be searched.  Shall we move straight to the second plan?"

"Fine."  Jack slit open the sack instantly and crawled out.  He put on his hat, knelt behind Norrington, and put his sword to his throat.  "Comfortable?"

"Oh, very.  I needed a shave anyway," Norrington snarled.  "Careful, Jack, you're really cutting me."

"So much the better, mate," Jack growled, his voice cold.  Norrington found himself wishing he'd had his last rites before this excursion began.

He closed his eyes and attempted to pray.  Foster's chest was heaving furiously, and the soldiers on the shore, having seen their Commodore and the danger he was in, were already yelling in panic and drawing their weapons.  Jack alone seemed calm and unconcerned, so Norrington gave up trying to remember the Our Father and just leaned back against the pirate, struggling to match his steady breathing.

**********

Jack dragged Norrington out of the boat roughly and held him in front as a human shield.  "All right, boys, listen an' listen good," he drawled in his most coarse piratey accent.  "You're going to get you off to the jail and fetch me the prisoner I tell you to fetch, and I'll wait right here with your little friend and-"

"You'll let the Commodore go at once or we'll shoot you where you stand," a young officer said firmly.

Jack shrugged and dug his blade in a bit more, stopping only when Norrington gasped in pain.  Without taking his eyes off the soldiers in front of him, he used his other hand to reach up and feel for bleeding.  There was only a little.

"You'll put those guns down or he'll have more than a scratch to remember me by, lads," he corrected cheerfully.  Nothing happened, and he tightened his grip.

"For God's sake, do as he asks," Norrington gasped, half-strangled against the blade.  Once the shoulders had lowered their weapons, the pressure eased up a little bit and he could breathe again.  "Now-"

But they were interrupted.  Judging it a good time to make his move now that everybody's weapon hand had relaxed a bit, Foster charged forward from behind Jack and threw himself at the soldiers.  "Help me, save me!  They've taken me prisoner, both of those beastly-"

"How dare you!"  Norrington shouted, outraged.  "You filthy, lying, traitorous pirate!  You would lie to His Majesty's soldiers and betray your own filthy captain as well?"  He looked up at the soldiers.  "Don't believe a word of it – he's as much a pirate as the other.  He joined their crew as soon as his own ship was taken.  See that bruise over my left eye?  That's his idea of fun when his shift's ended – he tortures prisoners."

Shocked by the idea that the Commodore really was on the pirate's side, Foster just gaped and made no attempt to defend himself as he was gathered up and clapped in irons.  While the soldiers were busy with that, Jack leaned forward and hissed softly, "Abandon the plan.  Let them take me to jail; I've a lock pick and I'll bust him out that way.  Their trigger fingers are jumpy and we're trapped against the sea – a hostage exchange will never work."

Norrington waited a few moments before making his move.  They'd practiced this only once or twice the morning before, but it was simple enough to execute: yank down on Jack's arm and simultaneously step out to the side and behind Jack's leg, tripping him and throwing them both to the ground.

As rehearsed, Jack let go of his blade immediately to prevent any accidents, as though he'd been stunned by the fall.  Norrington rolled off of him and snatched up his gun, keeping him down until the soldiers had him totally chained up.

Then, Norrington made a big show of staggering about weakly and grabbing at soldiers for support.  The scene ended in his faking unconsciousness while cursing his and Jack's rotten luck.

***************
TBC (soon)

Very, very sorry for having kept everybody waiting.  Finals, then holidays.  Ouch.