Ch.31 Tortuga

Gradually, all the crew on the ship began to wake up and then they came out on deck.

Barbosa addressed them. "Set a course for Tortuga—a slow course, not more than a couple knots. We don't need to arrive until this evening."

"Aye, sir," they chorused and then got to work.

Josephine, still sitting in the stern, watching this from above. Barbosa turned and noticed her still up there.

"Oh, Miss Turner," he called. He walked up the stairs to the stern.

Josephine swung herself around. "Yes, Captain?"

"How would you like to go ashore to Tortuga this evening?"

"Why?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"The final elements of the plan are coming in tonight."
"Like?" Josephine inquired.

"Spies who give letters to enemies."

"Oh. Sure. It will be 'fun'," Josephine said. She smiled wryly.

"Agreed," Barbosa said. He turned and walked back down the stairs.

Josephine watched him go. She shuddered. I feel like I just made a deal with the devil.

Will boarded the ship cautiously. A tall burly ma wearing a sailor's outfit confronted him.

"Err...hi," Will said. He took money out of his pocket and held it in front of the man, just out of his reach. "Passage to Tortuga?"

The man leaned over and inspected the money. "Done," he said. He took the money and walked away.

Will breathed a sigh of relief. That had gone easier than he'd hoped.

He sat down and leaned his back against the starboard side of the ship. He and Elizabeth had discussed this, and they had both agreed that he should go...and warn Jack.

If Josephine was with Barbosa, not only was Jack in danger, but Josephine was in danger. He wasn't going to let anything take his sister away from him...again.

"Release the sails! Draw up the anchor!" the burly sailor shouted.

Men hurriedly scurried about the ship fulfilling the orders.

Will stood up and watched as Port Royal shrank into the distance. Soon it wasn't visible at all.

Meanwhile Jack and his crew had just left Isla de Muerta...

Jack watched up from the crow's nest as his men transported the gold and money below deck. He grabbed a rope and slowly slid down it onto the deck.

The men paused what they were doing and stood at attention.

Jack looked around and stroked his mustache. He looked questioningly at the crew. "How would you all like to go to Tortuga?" he asked them. "Get the rest of the gold below, raise anchor, and let's go!"

The men let up a cheer.

Josephine inserted one last pin into her hair.

A knock sounded at the door. She stood up hurriedly. She pulled one last time at her corset and then slipped on her scarlet dress.

The knock sounded again.

Josephine checked herself in the mirror. She slid two up her daggers into their sheaves up her dress sleeves.

"Yes," she called.

The door opened, and Barbosa stepped through.

Josephine turned around.

Barbosa smiled again, and Josephine shivered.

"Shall we go?" he asked and held out his arm.

Josephine, grimacing slightly, took it and he led her up to the deck. He helped her into the boat, then got in himself and started rowing...

Several minutes later, they arrived on shore. Barbosa helped her out of the boat, then tied it down on the dock. Then he walked into the town, and Josephine followed him.

Will turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder. The burly sailor was standing behind him.

"There," he pointed vaguely eastward. "5 minutes."

Will nodded. "Thank you," he replied. He turned and looked as the cove of Tortuga came into view. "Jack, please be there," he whispered.

"Okay, men, we're here. Take the night off...and spend your money wisely," Jack said. The men chuckled appreciatively.

"Drop and anchor and lower the boats!" Jack shouted.

Jack went down to his cabin, gathered some gold and a gun. He turned to leave, but then turned back and opened a secret compartment in his dresser. He reached in and took out the medallion. He brushed the dust off it and fingered it. Then he silently put it back. He turned and left the office without a backward glance.

Little did he know that a shadow had been watching his every move...

Barbosa walked slowly into town, and turned left. He walked down the street until he reached a bar. He walked inside, followed by Josephine.

Immediately, a sound of breaking glass and fighting greeted their ears.

Barbosa raised an eyebrow and surveyed the scene before heading to an unoccupied corner of the room. He and Josephine sat down and they waited.

About five minutes later, a man walked into the bar, a man Josephine recognized from on board the pearl.

The man looked around and spotted Barbosa in the corner. He walked over.

"Cambury," Barbosa greeted him.

"Aye," he replied.

Josephine felt rather than saw the questioning gaze Cambury turned on her.

Barbosa caught it too. "Miss Turner is in an alliance with us." He smiled, thinking of the irony of it all. "You are free to speak in front of her."

Cambury nodded. "You have the letter for me? I can slip in into his cabin or something?"

"Aye," Barbosa said. He reached inside his doublet and pulled out a letter. "Don't let him know you put it there. Now, do you have the...thing?" Barbosa asked with a quick look at Josephine.

"No, sir, but I do know where it is. I thought it would be good if he thought..." Cambury started.

"Next time let me do the thinking," Barbosa said. "Although, now he will think he has something to bargain with, which he doesn't. Be watchful, Cambury, and see if you can take it before he comes on the island."

"Aye," Cambury replied.

Josephine sat bolt upright and then shrank down in her seat. Someone had just walked in the door. "It's Jack!" she hissed.

Barbosa looked over slowly. "So it is," he agreed. "Time to go." He stood up and walked towards the back door and then out followed by Josephine. Cambury had disappeared.

Josephine and Barbosa walked back to the dock and got in the boat. Barbosa rowed the boat back to the ship. They climbed back into the ship. Josephine started walking down the stairs to her cabin and then turned on an impulse. She looked at Barbosa and then jumped, startled. Barbosa was a skeleton.

She closed her eyes and then opened them again, and the image was gone. She stood there for a second, confused, before starting down the stairs again.

Weird, she thought to herself.