Chapter Twelve: Counterfeit
I grinned at Gibbs, who smiled back and extended his hand. Shifting the blade in my right to my left hand, I heartily pumped his fist. "Good to see you looking so well, Gibbs." He laughed.
"When we heard you had a plan to rescue the Cap'n Anamaria and I turned the ship around in a hurry." The female pirate beside him rolled her eyes at his dramatics.
"Well not as exciting as all that." She muttered. "We just want to help Jack." I nodded and held out a hand.
"Gibbs, do you have the map?" He nodded and produced it from the pocket of his vest. I stared at the ratty piece of paper and grinned a little. "Let's hope the Commodore came through in the clutch." With that I whirled around and ran back the way I came, leaving the two confused pirates to follow suit.
The commodore nodded stiffly at Gibbs and Anamaria as we met him on the landing of the stairs. I held out my hand, and he dropped a roll of aged paper into my hand. I grinned. "Okay gang, let's get to work." I smirked. "Operation 'Free-Bird' is underway." They all exchanged glances and I rolled my eyes. Apparently Lynard Skynard was wasted on this generation.
After I was settled at a desk, staring at the real map, Gillette stumbled in, carrying a pen and ink well. I nodded in appreciation, before preparing to make the copy that would save Jack Sparrow's life. And he would never forget it. I thought, sticking my tongue out at the first tentative touches of pen to paper. After that though, my strokes grew faster and bolder, and before long, a replica was beginning to take shape. The Commodore whistled.
"That looks to be a dead ringer." He complimented me, and I waved it away with an ink-smudged hand.
"As close as I could get it." I muttered, finishing off the ornate doodling beside the compass rose. I surveyed my work. "Aye, that'll about do it." I muttered, impersonating Gibbs. The Commodore shot the portly pirate a glance and he just shrugged.
"The crew's just about ready to shove off Miss Chloe." He said, and I nodded.
"Okay, Commodore, you want to bring down Renfield and his crew? Here's your chance." The commodore nodded, before motioning to Gillette to prepare the fleet for departure.
"Do not give the order to set sail until we are out of sight." He ordered, and Gillette nodded, scampering away to do his bidding. Anamaria rolled her eyes.
"I still don't see why we need to involve the Navy. Who knows if they will uphold their end of the bargain and not capture us all in turn." I grinned and raised the sword slightly.
"I have some inside help on that, Anamaria." I murmured, turning to walk out of the building, the commodore's face creasing in a warm smile before he ducked his head, replaced his hat and followed me. Anamaria looked at Gibbs who eyed her back.
"What did she mean by that?" Anamaria whispered. Gibbs shrugged and turned to follow where the Commodore and I had gone.
"Chloe!" I grinned and wrapped an arm around Elizabeth. Her wounded cheeks were now no more than two angry red lines of stitches under her expressive brown eyes. She smiled warmly, reaching behind her for Will's hand. Will nodded to us, and clasped her fingers gently, sending her a look of such lovesick devotion, I almost started weeping right there. There were moments when I hated being a girl. Like when my overwrought hormones got the best of me, at that moment, with the sun shining on the dark hair of the taller Will and making Elizabeth glow like she was wearing a golden halo, I despised being a girl. I swiped an angry fist underneath my eyes and I nodded sharply. "Be sure to thank your father for the temporary pardon of Jack and his crew." Elizabeth shook her head.
"My father was more than happy to do it, being so delighted that I was returned alive, and relatively unharmed." Her voice lowered in pitch and Will slid an arm around her shoulders, comforting her with his embrace. I could see his other hand tighten on his cane to the point of white knuckles. I glanced at him and smiled reassuringly. They would work through it in time. I was sure of it. With a small nod I turned away.
"Well then, we're off."
"Chloe wait!" I turned back and regarded the pair curiously. "If I might, I would like to join you on this journey." I shook my head.
"Impossible, Will." I muttered. "You are needed here, Elizabeth needs you to be with her now, not go gallivanting after pirates." I shook my head. "No, you must stay behind. The operation will go much more smoothly if you two are safely tucked away here."
"'Safely tucked away'?" Will asked incredulously. "I have just as much reason to kill that bastard as anyone!" He declared, his hold tightening on Elizabeth's shoulders. The look on her face aroused my sympathies and I laid a calming hand on his shoulders.
"Yes, but it is wiser for you to stay behind, and be with her now." I nodded to the wide-eyed terror on Elizabeth's face and Will blinked, hauling her close with murmured apologies. "She needs you now. Do not abandon her for vengeance." He huffed out a breath.
"It is not right for you to go either." He returned, unevenly, stroking a hand through Elizabeth's hair. "You should not be 'gallivanting' anywhere yourself." I shook my head.
"I am a member of his crew, Will, and as such, it is my duty to do what I can to get him back." Elizabeth frowned at me.
"But what about the code?" She asked quietly. I faced her, and smiled.
"I don't follow rules. I break 'em." And with that we continued on our way towards the ship.
Once out at sea, with Gibbs at the helm and Anamaria arguing with the Commodore about how to properly tie off the sails, I was able to let my mind drift to Jack and his plight. I prayed that nothing too evil had befallen him, and I vowed that if Renfield had marred that beautiful face I would be forced to castrate him and promptly stuff the amputated organ down his throat. The mental image brought a smile to my lips, and I rested my head on my hands as I stared out at the waves, the sails filled with the tail wind that was bringing us closer to Jack. I was so entranced by the water, I didn't hear anyone approach until Anamaria laid a hand on my arm.
"Chloe." I turned and looked at the worried frown on Anamaria's face.
"What is it?" I asked, fearing her response.
"You love him, do you not?" I goggled at her and felt my jaw unhinge at the unexpected question.
"Well...uh..." I stammered, unsure of what to say.
"Please, be honest with me." She asked. "I at least deserve that much." My eyes widened at the latent misery in her eyes and it suddenly dawned on me why Anamaria had disliked me from the start. My thoughts drifted back to the scene in the bedroom my first morning aboard ship, when she ranted and raved at the captain. There had been more than anger in her eyes then. There had been hurt as well.
"You're in love with Jack, aren't you?" I asked quietly. She nodded slightly, but her gaze shifted from mine to the proud countenance of the Commodore, before snapping back to lock on mine.
"You have not answered my question." She stated, a trifle harshly. I crossed my arms in front of me and leaned back against the railing.
"Do I love him? Yes, I do." I sighed and ran my hands over my face. "The funny thing is, is that he loves me too."
"I know." Anamaria grinned wryly. "I noticed." I goggled at her for the second time during our conversation.
"So you knew." She nodded. "And you didn't throw me overboard?" I asked in amazement. She shook her head.
"I thought about it, but it would have saddened the Captain and landed me in the brig for the rest of our journey, so I thought better of it." I grinned and she smiled back.
She shook her head and turned so she was leaning against the railing next to me, keeping her eye on the comings and goings of the crew. Her eyes drifted again to the Commodore, who, this time was staring right back at her. With a slight sound she lowered her head, breaking eye contact. I noticed this little exchange but said nothing.
"So when are we-" I started, only to be cut off.
"SAIL HO!" Zhao shouted from the crow's nest. My eyes darted back out to sea, a hand reaching up to shade them as I caught sight of the outline of a ship on the horizon. I grinned.
"Got you now you damned bloody bastard." I murmured. "Okay, time for Operation Free-Bird to commence."
I grinned at Gibbs, who smiled back and extended his hand. Shifting the blade in my right to my left hand, I heartily pumped his fist. "Good to see you looking so well, Gibbs." He laughed.
"When we heard you had a plan to rescue the Cap'n Anamaria and I turned the ship around in a hurry." The female pirate beside him rolled her eyes at his dramatics.
"Well not as exciting as all that." She muttered. "We just want to help Jack." I nodded and held out a hand.
"Gibbs, do you have the map?" He nodded and produced it from the pocket of his vest. I stared at the ratty piece of paper and grinned a little. "Let's hope the Commodore came through in the clutch." With that I whirled around and ran back the way I came, leaving the two confused pirates to follow suit.
The commodore nodded stiffly at Gibbs and Anamaria as we met him on the landing of the stairs. I held out my hand, and he dropped a roll of aged paper into my hand. I grinned. "Okay gang, let's get to work." I smirked. "Operation 'Free-Bird' is underway." They all exchanged glances and I rolled my eyes. Apparently Lynard Skynard was wasted on this generation.
After I was settled at a desk, staring at the real map, Gillette stumbled in, carrying a pen and ink well. I nodded in appreciation, before preparing to make the copy that would save Jack Sparrow's life. And he would never forget it. I thought, sticking my tongue out at the first tentative touches of pen to paper. After that though, my strokes grew faster and bolder, and before long, a replica was beginning to take shape. The Commodore whistled.
"That looks to be a dead ringer." He complimented me, and I waved it away with an ink-smudged hand.
"As close as I could get it." I muttered, finishing off the ornate doodling beside the compass rose. I surveyed my work. "Aye, that'll about do it." I muttered, impersonating Gibbs. The Commodore shot the portly pirate a glance and he just shrugged.
"The crew's just about ready to shove off Miss Chloe." He said, and I nodded.
"Okay, Commodore, you want to bring down Renfield and his crew? Here's your chance." The commodore nodded, before motioning to Gillette to prepare the fleet for departure.
"Do not give the order to set sail until we are out of sight." He ordered, and Gillette nodded, scampering away to do his bidding. Anamaria rolled her eyes.
"I still don't see why we need to involve the Navy. Who knows if they will uphold their end of the bargain and not capture us all in turn." I grinned and raised the sword slightly.
"I have some inside help on that, Anamaria." I murmured, turning to walk out of the building, the commodore's face creasing in a warm smile before he ducked his head, replaced his hat and followed me. Anamaria looked at Gibbs who eyed her back.
"What did she mean by that?" Anamaria whispered. Gibbs shrugged and turned to follow where the Commodore and I had gone.
"Chloe!" I grinned and wrapped an arm around Elizabeth. Her wounded cheeks were now no more than two angry red lines of stitches under her expressive brown eyes. She smiled warmly, reaching behind her for Will's hand. Will nodded to us, and clasped her fingers gently, sending her a look of such lovesick devotion, I almost started weeping right there. There were moments when I hated being a girl. Like when my overwrought hormones got the best of me, at that moment, with the sun shining on the dark hair of the taller Will and making Elizabeth glow like she was wearing a golden halo, I despised being a girl. I swiped an angry fist underneath my eyes and I nodded sharply. "Be sure to thank your father for the temporary pardon of Jack and his crew." Elizabeth shook her head.
"My father was more than happy to do it, being so delighted that I was returned alive, and relatively unharmed." Her voice lowered in pitch and Will slid an arm around her shoulders, comforting her with his embrace. I could see his other hand tighten on his cane to the point of white knuckles. I glanced at him and smiled reassuringly. They would work through it in time. I was sure of it. With a small nod I turned away.
"Well then, we're off."
"Chloe wait!" I turned back and regarded the pair curiously. "If I might, I would like to join you on this journey." I shook my head.
"Impossible, Will." I muttered. "You are needed here, Elizabeth needs you to be with her now, not go gallivanting after pirates." I shook my head. "No, you must stay behind. The operation will go much more smoothly if you two are safely tucked away here."
"'Safely tucked away'?" Will asked incredulously. "I have just as much reason to kill that bastard as anyone!" He declared, his hold tightening on Elizabeth's shoulders. The look on her face aroused my sympathies and I laid a calming hand on his shoulders.
"Yes, but it is wiser for you to stay behind, and be with her now." I nodded to the wide-eyed terror on Elizabeth's face and Will blinked, hauling her close with murmured apologies. "She needs you now. Do not abandon her for vengeance." He huffed out a breath.
"It is not right for you to go either." He returned, unevenly, stroking a hand through Elizabeth's hair. "You should not be 'gallivanting' anywhere yourself." I shook my head.
"I am a member of his crew, Will, and as such, it is my duty to do what I can to get him back." Elizabeth frowned at me.
"But what about the code?" She asked quietly. I faced her, and smiled.
"I don't follow rules. I break 'em." And with that we continued on our way towards the ship.
Once out at sea, with Gibbs at the helm and Anamaria arguing with the Commodore about how to properly tie off the sails, I was able to let my mind drift to Jack and his plight. I prayed that nothing too evil had befallen him, and I vowed that if Renfield had marred that beautiful face I would be forced to castrate him and promptly stuff the amputated organ down his throat. The mental image brought a smile to my lips, and I rested my head on my hands as I stared out at the waves, the sails filled with the tail wind that was bringing us closer to Jack. I was so entranced by the water, I didn't hear anyone approach until Anamaria laid a hand on my arm.
"Chloe." I turned and looked at the worried frown on Anamaria's face.
"What is it?" I asked, fearing her response.
"You love him, do you not?" I goggled at her and felt my jaw unhinge at the unexpected question.
"Well...uh..." I stammered, unsure of what to say.
"Please, be honest with me." She asked. "I at least deserve that much." My eyes widened at the latent misery in her eyes and it suddenly dawned on me why Anamaria had disliked me from the start. My thoughts drifted back to the scene in the bedroom my first morning aboard ship, when she ranted and raved at the captain. There had been more than anger in her eyes then. There had been hurt as well.
"You're in love with Jack, aren't you?" I asked quietly. She nodded slightly, but her gaze shifted from mine to the proud countenance of the Commodore, before snapping back to lock on mine.
"You have not answered my question." She stated, a trifle harshly. I crossed my arms in front of me and leaned back against the railing.
"Do I love him? Yes, I do." I sighed and ran my hands over my face. "The funny thing is, is that he loves me too."
"I know." Anamaria grinned wryly. "I noticed." I goggled at her for the second time during our conversation.
"So you knew." She nodded. "And you didn't throw me overboard?" I asked in amazement. She shook her head.
"I thought about it, but it would have saddened the Captain and landed me in the brig for the rest of our journey, so I thought better of it." I grinned and she smiled back.
She shook her head and turned so she was leaning against the railing next to me, keeping her eye on the comings and goings of the crew. Her eyes drifted again to the Commodore, who, this time was staring right back at her. With a slight sound she lowered her head, breaking eye contact. I noticed this little exchange but said nothing.
"So when are we-" I started, only to be cut off.
"SAIL HO!" Zhao shouted from the crow's nest. My eyes darted back out to sea, a hand reaching up to shade them as I caught sight of the outline of a ship on the horizon. I grinned.
"Got you now you damned bloody bastard." I murmured. "Okay, time for Operation Free-Bird to commence."
