And so our tale comes to an end, gentle readers… thank you for coming along for the ride!

Twenty-Five

The gentlemen wasted no time in making after Caitlyn, once Sarah had divulged her intended destination. James paused only to strap on his sword. "That's the bloody worst section of town; there's not a moment to waste!" Geoffrey merely nodded, fetching his own blade. Will gave Elizabeth a quick kiss, and the three men were off down the dark streets.

Geoffrey had never seen his friend so passionately angry. James swore under his breath as they ran, breaking into louder bursts of "I'll kill him, the damn devil – wring his bloody neck with my bare hands…" His tone was cold as death.

Good thing we left the ladies at home, Geoffrey reflected, as they rounded an alleyway corner and skidded through something disgusting. The tavern doorway oozed an oily light into the lane as they made for it at top speed.

-

Sarah peered down the dark streets as Elizabeth leaned out the other carriage window. "I think I saw James down that alley!" she cried out in frustration. It was all well and good that the men had moved so quickly, but leaving the women behind simply wasn't acceptable.

The carriage had been pressed into service as a chase vehicle. Kidder had gallantly offered to drive, once Sarah had made it clear that they would be going with or without him. Now the poor man slapped the reins against the horse's rump as the carriage bumped over cobbles and through muddy ruts.

"Every time I wear a new gown. Every bloody time!" Elizabeth groaned, checking the shot in her pocket-pistol.

"Kidder, they're off to the left!" Sarah called out. Kidder yelled back, "Can't go that way, miss. Too narrow for the carriage. We'll catch up on the next lane."

They pulled up at the door of the tavern as a full-fledged brawl spilled out into the lane. Will, James and Geoffrey had their swords out and were holding a dozen evil-visaged patrons at bay, some of whom had begun slugging each other just on general principle. "Dear God, they've all gone mad!" Sarah gasped out.

Kidder began to climb down, then leaped out of the way as a cart squeezed past them in the narrow lane. "Move outta the way, you bloody buggers!" the driver yelled.

"Sarah, that's the man we met on the Yorkshire! Caitlyn's brother!" Elizabeth cried.

"What? Oh no! James, this way!" Sarah gestured wildly for the men to join them. "She's in there, I'm sure of it." She pointed as the cart vanished around a corner.

Will took the reins as James and Geoffrey clambered up onto the seat beside him. Kidder was jammed unceremoniously into the compartment.

"I'm guessing they'll make for the docks, unless he's got somewhere on land to hide." James gave Sarah a questioning glance.

She nodded. "A ship's the only way to escape quickly."

"Then that's where we'll start, and spread out from there if we come up empty."

Sarah felt a wave of compassion for her brother. In his own quiet way he had been happy since Caitlyn came, and now he might lose her. It wasn't fair!

"We'll find her, James. Come hell or high water."

-

Tanner swallowed hard. He'd given up a profitable bit of business to take on O'Shea's "easy job", and now he was cornered at swordpoint. It took less than five seconds for him to understand that spilling what he knew was his only hope of saving his own skin. "He's supposed to be back here any minnit, unless his plan's gone wrong. Some wench he's sposed to be snaggin, he said she was his sister but," he snickered nervously, "it didn't seem likely to me, eh?"

Jack's expression went from satisfied to outraged in a single moment. Tanner realized he'd made a bad mistake, and death might very well be nigh. The specter was averted when Tanner caught a glimpse of O'Shea's cart rattling down the lane toward the wharf. "That's him now!" he pointed, any shred of loyalty vanishing in the need for self-preservation.

Jack watched in growing astonishment as the cart careened towards them. Further up the lane he could see a carriage approaching, driven by a madman. No sign of O'Shea, but he could have been concealed within either vehicle.

He turned back to Tanner and shouted, "Which one?"

"The cart!" Tanner gasped out. The truth became obvious a moment later, as the cart slowed down and four shadowy figures leaped into it.

-

Grimsby winced as Tanner's men climbed aboard, all shouting at once. He quickly gathered that disaster had struck, and whipped the horse up to speed.

O'Shea stuck his head out from beneath the cart's covering. "Get off me, ya buggers!" The men shifted slightly, but were much too busy hanging on for dear life. "Grim, what the bloody hell is goin' on, the dock's that way!"

"Can't do it, Sir Robert, your ship's been hijacked," Grimsby yelled back. "Don't worry, I've got an idea where we can hide… just keep yer head down."

-

Jack dashed to the lane's end a moment too late, as the cart began its speedy ascent up another road. He hadn't even time to curse in frustration, for a moment later the carriage was upon him. And Will Turner was driving!

Instinct called. As the carriage flashed by, Jack made a grab for it. With a painful jerk he was swept off his feet, but held on as it swayed and bumped up the road after the cart. One nasty lurch swung him face-first into the window. "Ouch!" He still kept his grip, and was briefly amused to see the shocked face of Elizabeth staring out at him from inside. "We meet again, my lady!"

James leaned forward as Will drove, his eyes blazing. "We'll have them cornered soon. This road leads to the fort itself," he cried out. Geoffrey nodded, a grim smile crossing his face.

Grimsby drove like one possessed, his only goal to rid himself of the man who had gotten him into this. So far, O'Shea hadn't realized how closely they were being pursued. Grimsby decided to drive the whole pack of them straight to the fort, and hope that he could slip away once he'd alerted the soldiers to the presence of wanted men in their midst.

The approach to the fort was broad and straight, and the horse bolted outright, running flat-out through the gateway and into the main courtyard. The guards leaped back as the cart roared past, and Grimsby saw his opportunity, flinging himself into the shrubbery off to the side. The horse didn't stop until it came to the inner wall and could go no further, then stood shaking, its sides heaving.

O'Shea raised his face slowly above the edge of the cart.

"Are we there yet?"

Twenty-Six

The guards had barely recovered themselves when the pursuer's carriage flashed past, Jack still dangling wildly from the side. Will pulled the carriage to a screeching halt just in time to avoid crashing into the cart.

Jack gratefully relinquished his grip and landed on his feet, sword out. "I've come for you, O'Shea!" he growled at the petrified man staring out at him from the cart's coverings.

"Ah, God, m'doom is upon me! Up with you, you worthless scum, earn yer keep!" It was plain that O'Shea hadn't fully realized where he was. Tanner's four men knew their only hope of escape was a sudden and fierce assault. They clambered out of the cart and rushed forward at Jack, just as James and Geoffrey leaped to the ground and joined the fray. Will made the reins fast to a post before joining in, and Sarah flung open the carriage door.

Never one to fight if running would serve, O'Shea himself slit the ropes from Caitlyn's ankles. "Time to be a very good girl and do as you're told," he hissed, hauling her from the cart under cover of the fight.

Caitlyn was still seeing stars from the head-blow and cart ride, but as her eyes focused she glared at her brother. The stupid man had tied her hands in front, a mistake she hoped to make use of. "I'd kill you myself if I could, Robert."

"Always the loving sister. I'm thinking there must be a way out of here, and you'll be coming with me. I'm sure you couldn't bear to leave me to my fate," he added snidely, hauling her along as he ran puffing across the inner courtyard and down a passageway.

Elizabeth tipped the balance of the fray with her pistol, felling one man with a clean shot as the other three battled on. James looked up to see Caitlyn disappearing around a corner, her feet kicking wildly. He left Jack, Will and Geoff to finish the fight as he dashed off after her.

Sarah ran to the cart and snatched up Grimsby's cudgel. Her swing connected in a most satisfying manner with the head of the largest ruffian; he dropped like a stone. The other two, outnumbered, were quickly subdued. Jack bolted after James as Will and Geoff bound the men.

Though lit by the torches of the night watch, the small inner courtyard had been a dark place for James ever since his loss of Elizabeth's affections, and the subsequent escape of Jack Sparrow. Now he was chasing a madman through it to save a woman he barely knew – and loved with all his heart. He feared, with a growing dread, that tonight he might very well relive that nightmare of loss and defeat.

O'Shea's hope of escape faltered as he reached the ramparts with no exit in sight. Caitlyn kicked with all her might as they reached the foot of the campanile arch, but his grip was tight with the strength of desperation. "Damn – damn! There must be a way!" he screamed, his gaze whipping from side to side but seeing nothing to give him hope. Then Norrington caught up to them.

Jack Sparrow was hot on his heels, hell-bent for vengeance and breathing ghastly threats as he drew his pistol. James' blade gleamed in the torchlight, and he smiled grimly as O'Shea blanched beneath the flush of exertion. "Sir Robert, you've taken something that's not yours. You will now give her back, at which time I shall decide if I shall have you hanged, or spit you like the pig you are."

Caitlyn's eyes widened and she nearly smiled. She'd never seen James' warrior side. She quite liked it.

Jack glanced at James with a new respect. "The bastard's in league with the devil himself, Commodore. We'll need to kill him four or five times before he stays dead."

O'Shea gripped Caitlyn by the back of her neck with one hand, and lay his knife at her throat. "I won't be doin' anything of the sort, Commodore, and you can tell your lackey to chuck his weapons aside or my dear sister here will feel the edge of my blade. You as well," he added, smirking.

Jack immediately tossed aside his pistol and sword. James wavered, saw the madness in his foe's eyes, and set his own blade down, shoving it aside with one foot.

Her brother was distracted, enjoying the momentary feeling of power. Caitlyn yanked her head back with all her might, and brought her bound hands up in a roundhouse punch that caught him square in the nose. He shoved her away from him, howling in pain. The sound was echoed by her own scream as his blade nicked her cheek.

With a roar of rage, James scooped up his sword and lunged forward, impaling O'Shea clean through. Jack moved nearly as quickly, grabbing one of the torches and swinging it hard against his enemy's head. With a final cry, O'Shea toppled over the ledge, the gleam of his flaming frock-coat illuminating his fall to the rocks below.

Their friends dashed up just in time to see James tenderly enfolding Caitlyn in his arms and helping her to a sitting position. "You're all right. Tell me you're all right!" he whispered urgently, running the palm of one hand across her wild auburn curls.

"Of course I'm all right," she replied. "But if you don't kiss me this minute, I am certain I will start to cry."

"A gentleman always grants a lady's request," he smiled.

"What on earth happened?" Sarah began, but Geoffrey shushed her with a finger to her lips. Elizabeth sought reassurance in Will's protective embrace.

Jack half-smiled as he gazed down at O'Shea's carcass, tumbling in the eddies amongst the rocks. "Well now. We only killed him thrice, but that ought to do the trick, aye?"

Geoff glanced to the roguish pirate in surprise. "I had no idea the Commodore had such interesting allies. I don't believe we've been introduced. Geoffrey Bainbridge, at your service," he added, bowing.

Jack scooped up his sword and sheathed it with practiced ease. "But you have heard of me, mate." Gold teeth gleamed as he smiled, his palms upward in a nonchalant gesture.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Finis