Disclaimer: Dance, got canned heat in my heels tonight, baby!

So, so sorry I haven't posted for so long. Life gets in the way of writing and posting fics. Stupid life . . . won't leave me alone. :) Anyway, enjoy chapter eleven!

Chapter 11: Trapped

An hour later, Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and the rest of the crew walked onto the Black Pearl. No one was on deck.

"Make ready to sail," Jack said loudly. But he did not hear the usual scurry of activity that ought to have met those words. He looked around.

"Where is everyone?" Ana Maria asked.

Jack walked toward the stairs. He walked slowly down them. Everyone on deck heard Jack cry out and then a scuffle. Next thing they knew, Jack was coming up the stairs, followed by a pirate who had a gun to Jack's temple.

"Jack!" Said Will.

"No!" Said Elizabeth.

"'Ello all," said the pirate man in a deep voice. He was very dirty and grimy-looking, with torn clothing and an unsightly scar ran across his face. His head was shaved bald. He walked calmly on deck, holding Jack's arm in one hand, and the pistol in the other. Jack looked as though he was nervous and trying to think fast. They watched as other raggedy pirates ascended from below onto deck, then as more pirates came aboard from off the ship. Will made to draw his sword, but stopped. He knew it was no good. Pirates now surrounded them with pistols, guns, and evil grins playing around their faces.

"I'd really 'oped we were past all this, Marshall," said Jack. The man holding him laughed.

"Right, Sparrow," he said, "like we're goin' to forget you an' your beauty of a ship." He looked around as he said this, obviously liking what he saw.

"Why don' you call of your men," said Jack, "an' we can discuss this like civilized human beings."

The man called Marshall laughed again.

"Please, Jack, we're pirates. We're not civilized human beings. An' anyway, it wouldn't be me you'd want ter talk to 'bout callin' the men off."

Jack was taken aback.

"Wot-" he began.

"I'm the captain now, Sparrow," said another voice. It belonged to a man slightly taller than Jack, with slightly messy brown hair that fell into his face and reached just below his ears. He might have been good-looking, had it not been for the evil look on his face and the immense dirt and grime on his body and clothing.

"Are you?" said Jack, looking at the man who had just spoke, who was now standing before him. "My congratulations, Captain Morse."

"Thank you," said Morse, sneering down at Jack. He turned away.

"Take all their weapons," he shouted to the crew. "Then tie them up."

The pirates began searching Jack's crew. A man walked up to Elizabeth and began to search her. He seemed to be enjoying it. Elizabeth looked furious. She made to slap him and Will started toward him. The man grabbed Elizabeth and put a sword to her throat. Another man grabbed Will from behind. He took Will's sword.

"Now you behave, girlie," said the search man into Elizabeth's ear, "or you'll bunk with me tonight."

Fury filled Elizabeth's eyes. Will struggled against the man who was holding him, but soon resigned as they began to tie him and the others up in a circle around the mast and crow's nest pole.

"Wotam I t' do with Sparrow?" asked Marshall, who still had a gun to Jack's head.

"Lock him in his own cell," Morse replied.

- - - - - -

Marshall double-checked that Jack's cell was locked before starting for the stairs.

"Marshall," said Jack, "don' do this. Kill me if tha's wot needs to 'appen, but leave my crew alone, mate."

Marshall strode over to Jack and yelled through the bars,

"How dare you call me mate, Sparrow!"

Jack backed away.

"You are the stupidest man I've ever met," Marshall spat. "Didn't I just say that I'm not runnin' this crew anymore? Morse is in charge now. Take it up with him. He's actually showin' ye more mercy than I would've." He leaned on the bars, glaring at Jack.

"If I were still captain, you'd be dead by now, an' so would your spineless crew." He spat at Jack's feet, then turned and stomped up the stairs.

Jack slumped against the wall, then slid into a sitting position. He tipped his hat over his eyes.

Reev-you . . . Ruv-U . . . Rivv-ewe . . . Review! Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. I may have momentarily forgotten how to spell. You wanna make somethin' of it!