"Treasure Can Be Misleading"

"Clever Piracy At Its Best"

Chapter 3

It had been two days and one night when Pintel and Ragetti came down to fetch Arcelia.  They had arrived at Isla de Muerta.

"Time to go, poppit," Pintel said with a grin, holding up and jingling the cell's keys.

As he was leading her away, Arcelia glanced back and mouthed 'Stay alive' to Will with a bitter look on her face just before she disappeared to the above deck.

         "She's a good woman, that Arcelia," Ana Maria said as he watched the hatch-door shut behind Pintel and Arcelia.

"Ye should be proud to have her as a sister," Mr. Gibbs added.

But the Turner boy kept his silence as he leaned against the metal bars.

         "Half sister," Will muttered.

He was angry.  Of course angry with the pirates for taking Elizabeth in the first place, but also with Arcelia for giving her life to save them all and even angry with himself for letting her.  It was a stupid thing.  This was his fight and not hers.

         "I've got to get out of here!" Will straightened up, slamming his palms against the iron bars.

         "And how do you propose going about it, eh?" one of the other pirates asked Will, the others also agreeing that the feat was impossible without a key.

Will began hitting different parts of the bars.

         "Look, stop that. It's no use," Ana Maria groaned, becoming increasingly annoyed with Will's antics.

         "There's got to be–," he hit the bars again.  "At least," then again. "One," and again. "SPOT!" he yelled with yet another blow, resulting in yet another disappointment.

*~*~*~*~*

         The pirates' chanting volume rose higher, their faces filled with bloodlust and impatience.  Finally, their curse would be lifted.

         Arcelia, forced into a bow over the great stone treasure chest, made no struggle as Barbossa held up the knife that was to be her undoing.  Arcelia had no real fear.  This was what her father would have done: giving one's life to save that of one's kin.  It could ne'er be less than an honor to die for family.

         "By blood begun," Barbossa brought the knife against Arcelia's throat, ready to execute the long held plan.  But the pirates' grunts were fading away, no doubt dumbfounded by something. "By blood un–!" he began, but stopped as he saw someone easing his way through the now silent crowd.

         "Jack?" Arcelia forced her head up, surprise now filling her widened eyes.

         "It's not possible," Barbossa whispered in disbelief.

         "Not probable," Jack corrected him, making his way closer to the pile of gold pieces on which Barbossa and Arcelia were standing.

He flashed a smile Arcelia's way, seeming to tell her everything would be all right.

         "Shut up! You're to be next!" Barbossa threatened Jack, ordering the pirates behind Arcelia to bow her down again.

He held the knife to her throat once more, ready at the slightest nod.

         "You don't want to be doing that," Jack said, a slight sing-song tone to his voice.

         "No, I really think I do," Barbossa retorted, turning back to his task at hand.

         "Right then. Your funeral," Jack shrugged, holding his hands behind his back as he rocked on his heels.

Barbossa rolled his eyes, straightening up again.

         "Why don't I want to be doing it?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

With pleasure, Jack proceeded to divulge that the HMS Dauntless was floating just off shore waiting for them all.  A nervous murmur then swept over the crowd, all obviously worried about what was to become of them.

Jack then went on to propose that Barbossa send his immortal men out for the attack.  There he would be, with two grand ships and the making of his very own fleet.  Jack also offered that he be made captain of The Pearl and sail under Barbossa and give him ten percent of the plunder.

         "Savvy?" Jack finished, hoping Barbossa would take the bait.

         "And I suppose in exchange for our little agreement, you'll want me not to kill the girl," Barbossa asked, casting a brief-but-sharp eye at Arcelia.

Arcelia shifted her position, as to hide her bust from view.  No need in giving these wolves any ideas.

         "No, no, no. By all means, kill the girl," Jack recovered, "Just not yet," he said with another reassuring Arcelia's way. "Wait to lift the curse, until the opportune moment. For instance…" Jack picked up a few gold coins from the chest at Arcelia's feet. " After you've kill Norrington's men," he dropped a coin into the chest. "Every," chink! "Last," chink! "One," another coin was flicked in.

With the exception of Arcelia, no once saw Jack's slight-of-hand with the remaining coin in his hand–which made it 'disappear'.

         "You've been planning this from the beginning," Arcelia said, half amused and half playing along with Jack's plan.

         "Yeah," Jack said, with a matter-of-fact step in his voice.

Barbossa and Jack then got into a brief debate on exactly what percent of Jack's plunder was to go to the soon-to-be Commodore.  It ended up with an agreement on twenty-five percent, and Jack offering to buy Barbossa a new hat.  A really big one.

         "We have an accord," Barbossa said, shaking Jack's hand, and then turning to his crew with a classic pirate smirk on his face. "Gent's, take a walk," he instructed.

The pirates then all made for the exits, all knowing what was to be done.

         "So not to the boats then?" Jack asked, still a bit in the dark.

Arcelia rolled her eyes, wondering how Jack could not know.

         "Keep watch on her," Barbossa ordered the two other remaining pirates. "And Sparrow as well. I'll return in a moment," he said, following the other pirates out of the caves.

Jack looked to Arcelia, a casual grin still present on his face.

         "I believe a 'thank you' is in order, Miss Turner," he said.

Arcelia chuckled, shaking her head at his unwavering humor.

         He's one clever pirate, I'll give him that much, she thought with a smile.

Jack then ambled on over to Arcelia, waving his hand at the pirate guarding her signaling him to move away for a moment.  As he drew closer, causing Arcelia's face to redden nervously– which had never happened before.  He then leant forward and…

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Author's Note ::  HA!  Gotcha didn't I? ^^  But hey, you prolly know what's gonna to happen next, eh?  *wink-wink-nudge-nudge!*  Ok, so the second full chapter is done.  I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far, don't ya think?  I'm especially please with how I'm writing Jack: the sweet little scallywag he is. :D ………  Right then, so R/R and keep it 'helpful' criticism.  Savvy? ;)