He went through Singapore that night without really experiencing anything. He'd never had so much rum, he's never had so many women all in one night. He'd never been so exhausted, and never had sleep seemed so far away. He stood on the beach, watching a group of eastern warriors moving in slow, choreographed motions with their swords- a strange dance, to be sure. Oddly soothing. He sat, leaning against a small tree, content to let the sun rise during his meditation.
***
"Jack, Jack!" her hissed whisper was accompanied by a hand over his mouth, and her eyes peered into his in the candlelit darkness, her head jerking up at the sound of clanking chains and screams down the hall. She scooted backwards into the darkness at the sound of a volley of approaching soldiers, and Jack continued to feign sleep as they sat to a round of cards in front of his cell.
"All right, deal, Edward." They sat themselves down comfortably to a game of poker and several glasses of brandy, and Alinnya propped herself on her elbows, hardly daring to move, half exposed and obvious to anyone who happened to look their way. It was an hour before they actually began to show signs of their drunken state. She motioned for Jack to follow her into the sewer pipe, and he did, closing the latch behind them as quietly as possible. He followed her lead as he crawled on his knees and one good elbow toward freedom. She dashed out of the entrance, closing the grate behind him, looking around to make sure no one was on their tails. She took his hand, and started to run toward the street, but he stopped her.
"I can't run, lass," he motioned to his shoulder, and she winced at the amount of blood covering his shirt, then jerked at the sound of baying hounds in the distance. "Go, beautiful," he snarled at her.
"No. I'm not- no," she hissed back, her voice strained.
"They hang me at dawn." He looked up. "It's not midnight. Surely you can think of something…?"
She sighed, looking him in the eyes. In two long strides, she was right in front of him, grabbing the back of his head and kissing him hard. "I'll be fuckin' back," she whispered, trotting toward the street and lifting another huge sewer grate with no ease, then dropping in with a loud clash and a muted yelp. He sighed as the dogs got louder, strolling towards the woods. Whatever happened to his damned Code anyway…?
***
Jack sighed, opening his eyes from his ruminations. It was morning, and the men had left, and the sun was bright in the Eastern sky. He stood, brushing the sand off his clothes, and shucked off his shirt and hat, meandering waist deep into the ocean. His ocean. His home, his haven, his refuge- before she came along, anyway. He swam along the beach for a little ways, stretching a still healing shoulder, stung by the salt, but the water was enervating, refreshing his exhausted mind and draining the hangover and rum from his body. When he finally came out, he had the best idea he'd had since… well, ever. He dressed, feeling immensely better, and began to walk into the market, even whistling a little.
It was his best idea yet. Of that he was sure.