Chapter 19: They Never Listen

"Who in the bloody hell are you?" she growled.

"An old acquaintance of your father's. Yes," he said, surveying their surroundings, "he and I go all the way back to our service on the Ruby." He smiled at her, exposing rotting teeth.

"You're one of Brigand's lackeys," she said, annoyed.

"I'm no one's lackey," he said threateningly, practically spitting the word at her.

"What do you want with me?"

"What Brigand couldn't make you admit to having. The map."

She laughed, her voice low and ruthless. "You men are all so stupid. I don't have any damn map. I never did have any map. Now either cut me loose or leave me in peace."

The man drew his sword and pointed at her throat. "You're in no position to be giving any orders girl. Either give me the map or I'll cut your throat."

"Go ahead," she said defiantly. "Brigand and I have already been over this. Of course, I think you're more stupid than he is. Does he even know you're here?" she asked. "I don't think he'd like to know that his lackey is trying to steal the map out from under him."

"I don't tell him everything," he said, a smirk lighting his face. "I know more about this map than he does. He was too stupid and shortsighted to understand it's value. The power that was behind it."

"And you understand this power better than he does?" she asked.

"Of course," he whispered, his sword still aimed at her throat. He smiled. "Your father was the one who told me about the map. He had drunk quite a lot of rum. It was through me that Brigand learned of this map."

"You told Brigand about this treasure?" Gen asked. "Why would you do that to my father? What did he do to you?"

"Nothing," said Tines. "It has nothing to do with him, at least not directly."

"What kind of power does this map have," Gen asked. "It sounds like you know more about it than anyone does."

"Then you can enlighten me," said Brigand, who stood a few yards behind Tines.

Tines whipped around, shock evident on his face. "Captain," he began. Before he could utter another word, Brigand fired his pistol and Tines tumbled onto the sand face-first.

She heard him gurgling and heard him whisper, "it will destroy you. It will destroy him."

"Are you feeling any more forthcoming?" Brigand asked, stepping over Tines' body unconcernedly.

Genevieve laughed at him. "Maybe," she said. "Would you mind cutting me loose?" she asked.

"First, you tell me where the map is."

"I can tell you exactly where the map is," she said. "Jack Sparrow has it."

"Not really that loyal to him are you?" Brigand asked with a grin.

"I've had some time to think about it," said Genevieve, formulating a plan. "It's not like he did anything to try to save me. After all," she said. "he's just a pirate."

"Glad to see that you're coming to your senses," said Brigand.

"So, do we have a deal?" she asked. Her arms were tingling from poor circulation.

"You stupid girl," he said, grinning. "You just gave up your only bargaining chip."

"After you get the map, I'm the only one who knows how to decipher it."

"Well," he said, "I'll know just where to find you when I need you." Turning around, he kicked sand on her as he sauntered away.

"Damn it," she whispered under her breath, tossing her golden red hair as she watched him disappear into the trees.

Xander wiped the sweat from his forehead as he trudged after Jack. "Aren't we almost there?" he asked.

"Slight detour," Jack said, his hat low over his forehead. He ducked behind a tree and motioned for Xander to be quiet as he saw Brigand stalk past them, about a hundred yards away. "I think we just found our girl," he said as he watched Brigand's progress towards the small rowboat waiting on the beach.

"Genevieve?" Xander asked.

"Stay here," Jack said. "I'll go check and see." He slipped through the trees silently as Xander looked up through the palm fronds sheltering the inner island.

Genevieve was still cursing Brigand when Jack came up behind her.

"You look like you need some help lass," he whispered in her ear. She jumped and craned her neck to try to get a look at her latest visitor.

"Jack? What the hell are you doing here?"

Jack frowned at her. "Well, if my visit is inconvenient, I can just come back some other time."

"No, hurry up and cut me loose," she said, twisting her wrists where the rope was beginning to burn.

"What's the hurry?" he asked.

"Well, besides the fact that my arms are killing me, Brigand's going to be looking for you so it might be wise to get as far away as possible."

"Why would he do that?" Jack asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Can we discuss this after you untie me?"

"You know, you're much less intimidating like this," he said with a smirk, rubbing a lock of her auburn hair between his thumb and forefinger.

"Jack!" she whispered loudly, knocking him out of his short-lived daydream.

"Alright, alright," he said, stepping behind her and slicing the rope behind the tree.

She staggered up, and was annoyed when Jack steadied her by grabbing her arm to keep her from falling.

"Who is that?" he asked, gesturing to Tines' body sunken into the sand.

"An unfortunate fool," she said, pulling him away as he examined the man. "Apparently, he's the reason this whole mess started. He told Brigand about the map. He said that my father got drunk and told him."

Jack nodded and shook his head at the body sprawled in the sand.

"Why is Brigand coming after me?" Jack asked.

"Because he knows you have my portion of the map."

Jack stopped cold in his tracks. "You told him that?"

"He promised to let me go if I told him where it was. You do have it don't you?" She smirked when Jack ducked his head. "Typical thief," she muttered.

Jack frowned and pulled her to him. "If I hadn't taken it, it would be in Brigand's hands by now."

"So, I'm supposed to thank you?"

"No, but you should at least show some gratitude for rescuing you."

Xander appeared from behind the trees. "You're okay?" he asked.

"Yes," Gen said, moving past Jack and Xander. "I'm fine."

"Come on," Jack said. "We have a treasure to find."

"Where are we going now?" Xander asked.

"Follow me," Jack said, "I know where we're going."

They broke through the trees and Genevieve gasped when she saw smoke rising from the Black Pearl and the Ruby.

"Jack!" she said, slapping him on the arm. "Look!"

Jack gritted his teeth and snarled. "Cheap trick," he said softly. "He's trying to get us out of the way."

"You think they're alright?" she asked as the Ruby fired again at the Pearl, aiming short and sending water fountaining into the sky.

"There's only one way to be sure. Xander, you need to return to the ship."

"Why me?" he asked, defensive.

"Because it'll serve as misdirection. Brigand will believe we're off the island, and then maybe we can get through the tests."

"Fine," Xander said. "But the last time we separated, things started to go wrong."

"Be careful," said Gen quietly.

Xander stalked to the beach, knowing he had a hike ahead of him. Of course, he would have to come back to the island later, but this should at least keep Brigand busy for the time being.

Jack turned to her after Xander walked away. "Is that all you told Brigand? That I had the map?"

"Yes, that's all I told him. I didn't find out anything I didn't already know. He killed my father after my father led him to the treasure. I don't know what possessed my father to simply volunteer information like that to Brigand."

"Well, either way, we have to find the first mark on the map," he said, holding it up for her to see. Now all we have to do is work our way through the tests."

"I did learn something interesting about Brigand though," she said. "He confirmed the fact that he knew about Xander's existence. He said that the reason he murdered my father was because my father was "consorting" with pirates, namely, Xander's father."

"Come on," Jack said. "Let's get to work."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun was well overhead when Jack stopped in front of Gen, who ran into him.

"Why don't you give me some warning?" she asked.

"This is it," Jack said, looking at the map again and grinning.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Jack nodded and his grin widened. "Do you recognize this spot?" he asked.

"Um, we've been walking around this island for a while. It all looks like trees and bugs to me."

He gestured to what looked to be a dent in the sand. Upon closer inspection, it was a large hole in the ground. The same hole that Genevieve had fallen down into. They could hear water falling inside the underground cavern.

"Up for a little adventure?" Jack asked, grinning at Gen.

"Let's get this over with," she said, moving towards the hole.

Jack slung an arm around her shoulder and spun her around.

"Jack, let go of me."

"Where's your sense of adventure, love?" he asked.

She smirked at him and tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "We have to get through this before anyone else gets hurt. You didn't see Brigand," she said. "It was like he was obsessed with the treasure. This whole ordeal has become so convoluted and turned around that I don't even know how I ended up here. Brigand's killed, God knows how many people to reach where we are today. And he'll kill again before he sees anyone take that treasure before him."

"Which is why we're going to kill him first," Jack said.

"What?" Gen glared at him, her eyes narrowed.

"We have to kill him. He'll never stop otherwise." Jack scanned over his shoulder when he heard a rustling in the bushes.

"Jack, how can you possibly kill him? That'll just make you sink, er...rise to his level," she said with a smirk.

"Gen, look at how many lives he's ruined. Do you think he'll stop?"

"No. But killing him ourselves would just make us murderers. We could return him to Port Royal and have him charged. Commodore Norrington is an old friend of my father's family."

"You're not being rational about this. He'll kill all of us if he thinks his treasure is in jeopardy. I don't want to discuss it anymore. Whatever happens, happens."

"Fine," Gen said. "But if you kill him, you'll be no more than a murderer."

"And you think I've never killed a man before?" he asked Gen.

"I don't want to know," Gen said.

They both studied the deep hole and Jack whistled through his teeth. "So...do you want to jump first, or should I?"