Chapter 20: Memories Lost

Notes: I want to thank all of my reviewers, I know this story's hit sort of a lull, but it'll be getting to the fun part soon, promise!
Special thanks to Dawnie-7 and Pirate Gyrl. Y'all rock! Now on to Chapter 20!

The underground cavern was darkened, but seemed to glow with an otherworldly light.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Gen asked, surveying their surroundings apprehensively.

"It's around here somewhere," Jack said with a grin.

"What is?" Gen said.

"The first test."

"How are we supposed to get through these tests again?"

"With my genius and your stupidity, we should have just enough to get by," Jack said, smirking.

"Funny," she said, crossing her arms.

"This way," he said, taking her hand and ignoring the fiery glare that she shot at him.

"Why don't you keep your hands off of me," she grumbled.

"Because I'd rather not," he said, grinning. He rubbed her hand with his thumb and his grin widened as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you have any idea what these tests are?"

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Thomas Jenkins grinned as Brigand sauntered across the deck of the Ruby.

"Lieutenant Jenkins," Brigand growled.

"Yes sir," Thomas said, wiping the smile off his face and putting his hands behind his back.

"I need to see you in my office at once."

"Sir," Thomas said, following Brigand towards his office and noting all the stares that followed them.

"Lieutenant," he said, sitting down behind the expansive desk that took up a great deal of his office, "I'm concerned about a story that I was just told by one of your shipmates, Tines. He claimed that in a drunken stupor, you told him of a treasure. A treasure you had learned of from a pirate."

"Captain," Thomas said, "I'm not exactly sure of what Tines was referring to, but it was not I who told him such a fairy tale."

"How did you hear of this treasure Jenkins?" Brigand asked. "Associating with pirates?" He stood and glared at Thomas as he stiffened.

"Captain, certainly you don't believe such a treasure exists."

"I believe that I have proof of you acting in an unbecoming manner lieutenant. What pirate were you associating with? You can tell me."

"Captain, I'm not sure what you're referring to because I did not tell Tines of this treasure. I assure you."

"Until I am certain of that, Jenkins, I will be keeping a close eye on you. You might want to watch whom you converse with. And also," he grimaced and eyed Thomas disdainfully, "whom you become intoxicated with. You are dismissed," he said, gesturing towards the door to the office. Thomas excused himself quietly and once outside, leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. He had work to do.

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Jack smiled at the captain as he climbed aboard. He wore dark pants, boots and a billowy white shirt that looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. He also wore a brown tri-cornered hat and grinned down at Jack as he passed.

"Captain Sparrow," he said, turning to Jack's father.

"Captain Marsh," Jack's father said, shaking hands with the man. "Why don't we speak in my quarters, it'll give us more privacy."

"Do you not trust your crew?" Captain Marsh asked.

"Of course," Captain Sparrow laughed. "It'll just keep some ideas out of my boy's head. He's already obsessed with treasure hunting and all this talk will just make him worse." He laughed, "I caught him poking around my office a couple of days ago. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he was looking for treasure. He's obsessed, I swear to you."

Tristan shared a laugh over Sparrow's fatherly adoration and then sobered. "I have some information that you might be interested in regarding Captain Brigand."

"Brigand? What the hell do I care about that bastard?"

"The spy aboard the Ruby has contacted me and told me that he intends to go after Poseidon's treasure."

"What? What proof does he have that it even exists?"

"From what I can tell, he learned of the treasure from another soldier on board, a man named Tines."

"Fine," said Captain Sparrow. "Tell the spy to direct Brigand to a false location. He will never have control of this treasure."

"When I came to you six months ago, and enlisted your help in finding this, I never considered that maybe it shouldn't be found. It's been hidden for so long and the world has kept on spinning."

"Tristan, it'll be safer in our hands than in someone like Brigand's. Are you sure that the spy, Jenkins, is the key to finding it?"

"I'm certain of it. His family came from what was once the empire of Troy."

"Has he shown you his half?" Captain Sparrow asked, narrowing his eyes as Marsh.

"Not yet, but he told me that he did not dare carry it with him onboard the Ruby."

"What do you think Brigand'll do?"

"I don't know," said Tristan. "He's just crazy enough to think that he can find it."

"Doesn't he know the legend?"

"I don't think so. Otherwise he never would've conceived to go after it."

"Fine. Jenkins will send Brigand on a wild goose chase. Then we'll be free to meet him later and find this treasure."

"That's suiting. I best be off then," Tristan said, rising from the large table in the captain's quarters.

"Be careful Tristan," Captain Sparrow said, "Brigand's a tricky bastard."

Tristan nodded and excused himself from the room.

When he stepped out on to the deck of the ship, he saw Jack, standing at the bow of the ship and staring out into the sea. "How are you, young Jack?"

Jack grinned wickedly and shrugged.

"Would you like to know what I was talking to your father about?"

Jack nodded excitedly but wondered why an adult was volunteering information so freely. He listened, grinning as Tristan explained the legend of the treasure.

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"Jack!" Gen yelled at him. He had been staring into a corner of the cavern for a few moments and she waved a hand in front of his face. All at once he seemed to snap out of it and smirked at her.

"What is it love?"

"What were you thinking about?" she asked.

"Just remembering something. It's nothing," he said, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.

"Well can we get started then?" Gen asked.

"Of course. He looked down at the map. "We need to go that way," he said, pointing. "That's the first mark on the map."

"Okay."

Okay, guys and gals, that's the end to the twentieth chapter! So now for my announcements:

I am looking for any suggestions on the tests that Jack and Gen have to get through. Anything at all! I've already got a couple worked out, but since I'm planning on doing the tests in the next two or three chapters, I'm gonna need some help. Please, please please help!

Again, thanks to all my faithful reviewers! Keep up the great work guys!