INTO THE CARIBBEAN

CHAPTER THREE – A Pirate in Port

The Interceptor was indeed a fine looking ship, and with Alex's knowledge of different vessels she concluded that it was actually a decent British ship, faster than the Dauntless. A grin crept on her tan face when she observed the area – no one in sight. Good. She thought with a smirk. She wouldn't be disturbed when she had a closer look.

Her brown boots thunked on the wooden dock as she came closer and walked down the gangway, closer to the floating vessel. Looking around, she was again surprised that none of the redcoats were here watching the ship. If she wanted to, she could find an accomplice to aid her and just steal it, and nobody would find out until after the ceremony. The thought both amused and tempted her, but she was aware of the consequences if she actually went through with it.

After Alex took one step towards the ship, someone cried out, "Hey, you! Get away from there!"

Alex quickly jumped back, thinking the command had been directed at her, and watched as two redcoats ran from the dock and scurried onto the ship with bayonets in hand. She remembered their names were Murtogg and Mullroy, and currently they were addressing a man that was at the helm, a rough and dirty looking character, not her. He was a good few inches taller than Alex, with curious brown eyes that observed the two redcoats. Alex looked closely at his wild, long dark brown hair, and noticed that there were beads woven into the a few braids, along with the other odd trinkets, all held together underneath a dark red bandana. He had a mustache, and even his goatee was woven into two braids with beads.

That's…interesting… Alex thought with a raised brow as she further observed him, thinking he looked like the eccentric type.

Tanned and well-built, yet with a slim figure, the man wore a white shirt with a V-shaped neckline, which revealed his chest, underneath a dark grey wool coat that went towards his knees. He wore matching, loose pants that were tucked into his boots. A large belt was around his shoulder towards his hip, with a sash around his waist that held a compass and revealed the butt of a pistol.

Very interesting. Alex thought again. This rough looking character seemed to be new to Port Royal, for she had never seen him before in her life. If she did, she would have definitely remembered. She always remembered a handsome face.

True, she had an affectionate eye for Will, but she was still human.

The man, who by now had both hands comfortably on the spokes of the wheel, looked at them in interest and when they came closer he adjusted his posture almost cautiously.

"You don't have permission to be aboard there, mate." Mullroy warned.

"I'm sorry, it's just – it's such a pretty boat. Ship." The stranger quickly corrected himself.

"What's your name?" Murtogg demanded.

"Smith. Or Smithy, if you like."

"What's your purpose in Port Royal, Mr. Smith?" Mullroy suspiciously asked.

"Yeah, and no lies!" Murtogg added.

"Well then, I confess." He stepped away from the helm, and as he spoke he moved closer to them as they moved back, raising their rifles higher. "It is my intention to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder and otherwise pilfer my weasely black guts out!" He finished with wide eyes, and Alex felt the need to laugh. She crossed her arms and continued to listen in amusement. This guy really knew how to mess with these redcoats, just like she would have done.

"I said no lies!" Murtogg exclaimed.

"I think he's telling the truth." Mullroy quietly murmured.
"If he were telling the truth, he wouldn't have told us." Murtogg irritably retorted.

"Unless, of course, he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you." The man cleverly spoke up, earning a nod then confused look from Murtogg.

At that moment, Alex couldn't restrain from her laughter any longer. She laughed humorously with a shake of her head, earning two surprised stares from Murtogg and Mullroy and a curious yet amused gaze from "Mr. Smith."

"That must have been the most entertaining thing I've heard all day. Thanks for that." Alex chuckled. She sauntered carelessly onto the Interceptor, despite Murtogg and Mullroy's protests. She waved them off.

"Now, what if one actually did believe the truth when in fact it turned out to be something entirely different from what you, the man in question, stated in the first place?" Alex asked, crossing her arms and leaning against the main mast with a challenging smirk.

"Wait just a minute! We're the ones supposed to ask the questions here!" Mullroy piped up, glaring at Alex. "You aren't even supposed to be here! Neither of you!"

"Yes! No civilians allowed!" Murtogg added.

As they scolded them, the stranger, with dark kohl-lined eyes, studied her from head to toe with a small approving grin.

"Then that would be a lie on my part, and would be dishonest of me." He finally answered her with a knowing grin. Alex smirked.

"Fine," Mullroy began, suspiciously keeping an eye on Alex, but even more on the man near the helm. "If you don't have a ship then, how did you arrive to Port Royal?" Mullroy cautiously asked, and Murtogg nodded.

"Funny you asked, mate. Well, I was lost on an uncharted island, full of dark skinned and nearly naked men and women…beautiful women. The Wokishobi Tribe, I recall…"

As "Mr. Smith" began his tale, Alex suddenly heard music come from the fort just across the cove. All that fancy stuff with violins and cellos, not drunk men singing at the top of their lungs or attempting to play the piano.

Alex just rolled her eyes. She wondered if the day could get any worse for Lizzie.

Murtogg and Mullroy became so engrossed in the man's story that they had forgotten the duty of protecting the Interceptor and making sure that no unauthorized civilian was allowed on. They failed instantaneously. Instead of escorting both Alex and the other man off the ship, they had rooted themselves before the helm where the stranger lazily leaned against as he told his tale.

Resting her back against the main mast, Alex also listened to the storyteller along with his two listeners. She didn't know why she was still there. Maybe it was because she didn't have anything else to do, or had become too curious with both the story and man to leave. The story sounded farfetched yet oddly realistic, but her main interest lied in the man's orchestrated hand motions and his different facial expressions from time to time.

"…and then they made me their chief." He finally finished through narrowed eyes.

A sudden loud splash turned their attention to the water. They realized what happened, and rapidly rushed to the starboard side. At the bottom of the cliff near the jagged rocks was a pool of white foam, where it appeared something – or someone, had fell.

"Will you be saving her then?" The man asked with a skeptical look.

Her? Alex thought. Someone fell into the water? She looked from the ripples on the water up to the cliffs. The good Lord save whoever made that dangerous fall.

"I can't swim!" Mullroy franticly replied.

The man looked at Murtogg for an answer, and he just stared back at him and shook his head. "Pride of the King's Navy you are." He mockingly stated. He took off his coat, hat, and other effects and handed them each to the redcoats. "Do not lose these." He firmly stated. Alex watched as he stood on the rail and made a swan dive into the water.

There was silence for several moments as they watched the water in suspense. Occasionally, Murtogg and Mullroy exchanged hopeful glances, but Alex intently stared into the water. It was a moment until the entire ship shook, like an earthquake, causing Alex to almost fall.

"What was that?" Murtogg asked. Mullroy shook his head, and they both grabbed onto their hats as a sudden gust of wind blew from nowhere. Alex looked up to see the flag above her change direction; the sky grew darker.

Finally, they spotted the man in the water, holding an unconscious figure with him. Alex gasped when she recognized who it was. Elizabeth. She quickly rushed to the dock, followed right behind by Murtogg and Mullroy to help him.

As they carefully rested Elizabeth's unconscious body, Alex's face went pale as she knelt beside her friend. This can't be happening.

"She's not breathing!" Murtogg yelled, kneeling down opposite of Alex.

"Move!" The rescuer ordered. He shoved Murtogg aside, pulling a knife from his boot and cut down the middle of the corset Elizabeth had tightly around her. She instantly spit out water and gasped for breath.

"Never would have thought of that." Mullroy confusedly said.

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore." The man replied.

"Elizabeth!" Alex breathed with relief. "Speak to me, c'mon, are you alright?"

Elizabeth continued coughing until the man reached down towards Elizabeth's neck and pulled up a necklace, which sported a medallion, around her neck. Alex went silent and solemnly stood to her feet. She recognized that medallion…but from where? Clearly, the man recognized it too.

"Where did you get that?" He solemnly asked. A swift moment of silence passed until the tip of a sword was at his throat.

"On your feet." Norrington sternly ordered, glaring down at him. Governor Swann came rushing up behind him, along with a whole troop of redcoats.

Norrington didn't notice her, being too absorbed in staring at the man who dared touch Elizabeth, and Governor Swann's attention was on his daughter. The man who saved Elizabeth himself stared down the blade of the sword with a weak smile as he stood.

"Elizabeth, are you alright?" Governor Swann asked with a voice full of concern, wrapping a large blanket around her to cover herself.

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied, pulling the blanket tighter around her. All eyes suddenly went to Murtogg, who was holding the corset openly in his hands. Sheepishly, he quickly pointed towards the stranger.

Governor Swann looked over at him and sternly ordered, "Shoot him!"

"Father!" Elizabeth quickly intervened as the soldiers raised their rifles. "Commodore, do you really intend to kill my rescuer?"

The now Commodore James Norrington looked from Elizabeth to the man at sword point, and gave a small reluctant nod to cease aim. "I believe thanks are in order." He extended his hand out, and Alex watched as the man seemed to cautiously study it before he hesitantly took his hand. Swiftly, Norrington seized his hand and pulled back the sleeve, revealing a scar on his wrist in the shape of a 'P'.

Pirate.

"Had a brush with the East India Trading company, did we, pirate?" Norrington announced, smug at his discovery.

He's a pirate!

"Hang him." Governor Swann quickly ordered.

Finally, someone to…wait, hang him?

"Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette, fetch some irons." Norrington pulled back the pirate's sleeve further up his forearm to reveal a tattoo; a sparrow in flight over the horizon. "Well, well…Jack Sparrow, isn't it?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please." Jack corrected with a proud grin.

Alex's eyes went wide with realization and awe. So, this is who that man was. Captain Jack Sparrow. The Captain Jack Sparrow, the one that Alex had heard countless stories of and read almost everything about. And he was right here at the mercy of the Commodore.

"Well I don't see your ship…Captain." Norrington mocked.

"I'm in the market. As it were." Jack Sparrow replied through narrowed eyes and with a momentary grin.

"He said he'd come to commandeer one." Murtogg corrected, earning a sudden glare from Jack.

"Told you he was telling the truth! These are his, sir." Mullroy explained as he handed Norrington Jack's effects, who began sifting through it.

"No additional shots or powder. A compass that doesn't point north." He unsheathed the sword. "And I half expected it to be made of wood. You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of."

Jack pointed both hands at him and narrowed his eyes. "Ah, but you have heard of me." He reminded with a smug smile. His comment sent Norrington over the edge of his patience, and he grabbed Jack and roughly pushed him towards Gillette. Elizabeth followed.

"Commodore, I really must protest!" She pleaded.

"Carefully, Lieutenant." Norrington warned, and Elizabeth stopped in front of him

"Pirate or not, this man saved my life!"

"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness." Norrington firmly reasoned.

"Though it seems enough to condemn him." Jack put in as Gillette clasped the irons around his wrist, earning a glare from Norrington.

"Indeed." He hatefully said. Alex watched as Gillette triumphantly smiled once he placed the irons on the pirate, and he moved away from Jack. Alex saw the mistake that was made before it even happened, and before she could say anything, it was too late.

"Finally." Jack grinned, throwing his chain around Elizabeth's neck and pulling her towards him.

"No, don't shoot!" Governor Swann franticly shouted.

Wide-eyed and speechless, Alex watched as Jack muttered something into Elizabeth's ear. She reached to her side and felt her hip. Damnit. She didn't have her pistol on her. If she did, Jack Sparrow's brains would be blown from his head for laying a finger on her best friend.

"Commodore," Jack announced loudly. "My effects, please. And my hat." Norrington didn't comply. "Commodore!" Jack shouted again, all mirth and humor gone from his eyes. Instead, his brown orbs appeared menacing and threatening. Norrington realized this, and with a nod the effects were brought forward and handed to Elizabeth. Jack said something into Elizabeth's ear again, and she replied, correcting him on her name.

"Miss Swan, if you'd be so kind." Elizabeth didn't listen. "Come, come, dear. We don't have all day." He turned her around, his restraints still around her neck, and grinned. "Now if you'd be very kind." He watched her with a smile as she placed his hat on his head, setting it firmly, then strap on his sword, and to do so she had to put her arms around him. As she did this, Jack looked over her shoulder and gave Commodore a smug grin. He grunted as Elizabeth fastened his belt. "Easy on the goods, darling."

Elizabeth pulled the belt tighter, and they exchanged words. Alex strained to hear, but her anger ringing in her ears failed to do so. But she knew she wouldn't be able to fail to wipe that smug grin off of that Jack Sparrow's face, if it was the last thing she did.

"Gentlemen! M'lady, and lovely lass," Jack winked at Alex. "You will always remember this as the day that you almost caught…Captain Jack Sparrow!" He pushed Elizabeth into the Commodore's arms, turned around and kicked the lever for the shipping crane nearby, and was pulled up into the air by the rope he clung to.

"Now will you shoot him!" Governor Swann yelled after a moment of stunned silence of the soldiers watching Jack swing in circles in the air.

"Open fire!" Norrington ordered fiercely.

Everyone began shooting at Jack, who was now suspended and swinging around in the air. He let out a yell as the bullets whizzed by him until he stopped on another wooden crane, gained balance, and used his chains to slide down the rope and onto the bridge and out of sight, the redcoats on his heels.

Alex hurried over to Elizabeth. "Are you okay? That bastard…"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Elizabeth breathed. She looked furious and a little shaken up, but nonetheless gave Alex a smile. "Thank you, Alex."

"Miss Keller, sorry for our sudden leave but I'd like to get my daughter back home. She's just had a trying moment." Governor Swann explained sincerely.

"I understand, Governor." Alex nodded, and watched them be escorted away by a few redcoats. Momentarily, she felt her heart ache for her own father and the comforting touch of a loved one, but the feeling quickly passed as she remembered Jack Sparrow. She entertained the thought of running back home to grab her sword, and then find that pirate to gut his innards out. Just after she castrated him. No person ever threatens her friend after said friend just saved him, no one. Not if she, Ale–

"Alex Keller…" A voice came from behind her. She slowly turned around, only to be looking down the barrel of a rifle. "I should have known where there was trouble, you would be there." It was a man named Wesley, a British naval officer, and a man she had become very familiar with through her mischievous antics.

"Aye, Wess, since I'm the one to blame for everything." She rolled her eyes irritably. "How's your equipment? Feeling better? I can change that, you know." Alex laughed, and Wesley's face twitched as he recalled their last meeting, which ended with an evening of pain in his crotch.

"A man by the name of Benjamin claims you stole from him this afternoon, so you're coming with me." He grinned delightedly.

"Ha! You have no proof it was me." Alex laughed, glancing out of the corner of her eyes for any way of escape. There was none, unless she wanted to risk getting caught by sprinting past Wesley.

With a mocking laugh, Wesley pointed at the pouch by her belt. "What is that then?"

Damnit.

"It's…um…my savings?" She offered feebly, knowing she had been caught.

"You're coming with me. NOW." He roughly poked the end of his rifle at her.

"So eager to get me alone, aye? Fine, I'll go quietly, but only because I like you." Alex told him, but only to be poked once again towards the jailhouse.