Will, Jack and I kept to the shadows as we crept down to the beach and the docks. We splashed through the shallow river and hid under the bridge Jack and I had run across the previous day during our escape. We paused there, looking at the two large ships in the bay.
Will, sensing what we were about to do, asked "we're going to steal a ship?" He noticed Jack staring at the Dauntless and forming a plan. "That ship?"
"Commandeer," Jack corrected. "We're going to 'commandeer' that ship." He pointed at the Interceptor. "Nautical term."
Sailors were busy loading the Interceptor with supplies. Jack, wanting to cement Will's complete co-operation before going ahead with the plan turned to face him. "One question about your business boy, or there's no use going. This girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?"
"I'd die for her," Will responded confidently.
"Oh, good. No worries then," Jack said as he turned back around. I smiled in amusement. My assignment then proceeded to tell Will part of his plan; how they were going to switch the two ships on the Navy in order to get the ideal one for piracy. I was impatient to get going.
When the coast was clear, the three of us ran down to the beach. The men hid under a rowboat and I told Jack I would let him know when to go. A small troop of soldiers ran past. As soon as they were gone, I said "now!" the rowboat stood up as if it had sprouted legs, creating a sight that was quite funny. As Jack and Will carried it into the water. When they were completely submerged, they just kept walking, breathing air from the bubble trapped around their heads in the belly of the little boat. I swam along beside and sometimes over them, keeping pace as they walked under the dock, their feet disturbing the sandy bottom of the Caribbean.
As Jack side-stepped a lobster trap, I swam close to the two. Close enough for jack to catch a glimpse of me and for me to hear Will remark "this is either madness, or brilliance."
Jack responded in a tone that echoed his "world-weary knowledge" as one of my fellow spirits later put it. "It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide."
I giggled lightly and swam away, noticing as I did so that Will had gotten his foot stuck in the lobster trap. Grinning, I followed the rope it was attached to up to the surface, where it was tied to a small barrel that marked the trap's position. As the men walked, the barrel skidded along the surface, marking their progress and creating a curious sight for anyone who happened to be watching. I giggled again in spite of myself.
I made a few more trips from the surface, to the men, and back again, occasionally giving Jack directions to the Dauntless whenever they were moving off course. When we reached the ship, Jack and Will were able to use the rope from the lobster trap to help them climb up the back. I followed them, wringing out my wet hair as I did so. On the way up, Jack made sure to disable the rudder chain, making the mighty ship useless to steer. Once the two were on deck, Jack drew his pistol and Will drew his sword. We snuck up behind the Navy men who were aboard. Jack ran down the fight of stairs to their level. Will followed, jumping over the banister when he was only half way down. I stood on the stairs behind them.
"Everyone stay calm! We're taking over the ship," Jack announced, getting the sailors' attention.
"Aye! Avast!" Will shouted, pointing his weapon over Jack's shoulder. I bit my lip to keep from laughing along with the unimpressed sailors. Jack gave Will a look that asked "what are you doing!" Will's look in return was an innocent "what?" type of look.
"This ship cannot be crewed by two men," the officer in front of us said, not showing any fear at all. "You'll never make it out of the bay."
"Son..." my assignment said, taking control of the situation once more. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Suddenly, the officer found he had a pistol pointed at his nose. Jack cocked it. The fear of that infamous pirate name had returned in the Navy. "Savvy?' Jack made his intentions clear. In other words, Jack was saying that if he really wanted to, he could do just about anything and was NOT to be underestimated.
A short time later, the Dauntless' small crew were all in a row boat heading slowly towards shore. Jack and Will were acting like they were trying to get the massive ship moving. I saw the office in the rowboat manage to alert Commodore Norringtion, who was on land, of the situation. They wasted little time getting on the Interceptor and launching off to come over and, well, intercept the Dauntless.
Will saw the smaller, faster ship approaching and ran up the stairs to where Jack and I stood. "Here they come,' he reported. Jack looked over his shoulder and grinned, provoking a grin from me as well.
Once the Interceptor had come close enough, the soldiers threw grappling hooks and ramps across, anchoring the two ships together. As ever single man swarmed onto the Dauntless, Jack and Will swung across to the empty Interceptor. I flew across with them. Will used a hatchet to cut some of the ropes connecting the two vessels. Her sails full, the Interceptor began moving away, causing the remaining ropes to snap dangerously like over-stretched elastic bands and the ramps to fall away. Too late, Norrington noticed that the other ship was being stolen, and I knew that he was ordering his men back to the Interceptor. One man tried to swing across, but missed and splashed into the sea. Jack looked more then happy. His plan had succeeded. Feeding off his energy, I too was in a good mood and was wearing a wide smile.
Removing his hat and waving it at Norrington as he stood at the helm, Jack shouted "thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way. We'd have a hard time of it by ourselves."
Will and Jack ducked as a handful of Navy redcoats fired their muskets at us. Once again, not a single bullet found its mark in human flesh. I watched, satisfied as the Dauntless made no move to come after us. I could even tell they had accidentally run over their own rowboat , causing the men inside to make a hasty and panicked jump over board. I turned, smirking at Jack.
"You know, right now someone over on that ship is saying that you are the best pirate they've ever seen," I said to him. Jack grinned.