AN: The Action starts NOW!!! Also, the rating will probably get bumped up to R, as the story will get considerably darker from here on out.
Chapter 16: The Triangular Trade
Morgan lay on her bunk, staring at the lantern which was swinging back and forth. She continually thought of what Jack had said….and part of her did want to check and see. She closed her eyes and remembered the look on his face when he asked her to check.
"He has you hook, line and sinker, girl…" she muttered to herself. She opened her eyes and sighed.
In a way, she was slightly happy that her parents weren't here….there was no way they would ever allow her to have a relationship with a man so much older than her.
"Mum almost married Kenwick though, and he was 20 years older than her."
Morgan sighed and felt the tide lift her ship. It began to rock slowly as they left. She wondered briefly if Jack was on board the Pearl or her ship…
She closed her eyes again and drifted to sleep.
Night hung around the ships like a thick blanket. The night was heavy with danger. Sin was on watch, and he could feel that tonight was different as he walked up and down the main deck.
Sin reached the bow and paused in his pacing and leaned against the railing. He looked out over the black water. The ocean was still and quiet compared to what it had been earlier.
He sighed and watched as fog began to billow around the ship. The fog was thick and he could almost taste it…
It reminded him of his days on the slave trader ship. He closed his eyes and he could almost hear the screams of his fellow Africans as Dawg took over the slave fleet. Dawg had destroyed the small ship that about 200 Africans had been held on.
Sin was the only survivor of that ship, the example that Dawg had set for the rest of the fleet. Sin sighed. He gripped his arm where the slave brand was branded into his skin.
There was no point in thinking about it…except for the fact that his family and tribe had been on that ship…and he was truly the last left of his line.
He shook his head and turned to continue his watch, and found Morgan watching him
"Hello Sin."
"Morgan." He nodded to her. "How're you feeling, lass?"
"Better. This is strange fog…"
"Aye, tis very thick tonight. Thicker than normal."
Morgan looked out. "I'll finish the watch, Sin. I need something to occupy my mind." Something other than Jack was the unfinished part of her sentence.
"Aye lass, I'll see ye at watch change."
Sin walked off and went below to join the men. Morgan began to pace, retracing Sin's steps. Her mind flew back to Jack.
The way he walked.
The way he talked.
The way he smiled.
The way he sneered.
She stopped. She was on the stern now, and the fog was considerably thicker back here. She frowned and held her hand out in front of her face. She could barely make out her fingers.
She squinted and looked out into the water. Was that another ship approaching? The Black Pearl was far ahead of them and wouldn't be coming up her stern. It was to foggy to see anything.
She heard the sound of water lapping at another ship's side and took a step back. The other ship was close, far to close.
She could hear the footsteps of the crew on the ship and the quiet talking of the crew. They were way, way to close.
She opened her mouth to call out when she heard footsteps on her ship. "Sin…Is that you?"
She saw a flash of silver and didn't have time to scream before she hit the deck, unconscious.
Sin walked up to the deck the next morning as the change of watch bells rang out. It had felt good to sleep for a few hours without having to worry about anything. As he reached the deck, he stretched and smiled at the rising sun.
The fog from the night had cleared out, leaving a remarkably blue sky and crystal water. The pirates were stirring and going about their duties.
"Morgan? Lass?" he walked around the ship, intent on telling her to get to bed. He walked to the bow, and to the stern.
"Where did she get to?" he frowned and knocked lightly on her cabin door.
"Lass, you in there?"
There was no answer. He pushed the door open and stuck his head inside. Empty. His frown deepened. Where in the hell was she?
He walked back out and called some pirates over to him. They came over to him.
"Listen lads. I need you to search every cabin, every deck, every corner of this ship."
"Why?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't know where Morgan's gone to…"
"Right, we're on it." said Willie.
The pirates dispersed. Sin walked up to the bow and waited.
About 20 minutes had passed when every pirate was assembled on the bow.
Sin looked at them. "Did anyone find anything?"
"Nothing below," a pirate called.
The call was echoed through the group.
"Well, I found something, I don't know what it is…but it was on the stern." Gunnar said.
"Well, let me see it!" Twig yelled. He took the object in his hand and stared at it.
"I can't make heads or tails of it…" he muttered darkly.
Sin held out his hand and Twig handed the small wooden object to him. Sin held it up and froze.
It was a triangle, with 3 points, and in the center was a branded S. He shoved up the sleeve on his right arm, and held the triangle next to his brand.
The Triangular Trade.
Everyone was staring at the object and Sin's brand.
"What's that mean?"
"It means that we must get to Jack…and quickly!" Twig said.
"Trim the topsails. Bring up our speed and set after the Pearl!" Sin yelled. The pirates could hear the urgency in his voice and immediately set to work.
Luckily for them, the wind was at their back. However this also met that the Pearl also had the same advantage.
Jack stood on the quarterdeck on the Pearl. He was looking through his eyepiece at the islands in front of him. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and found himself face to face with Gibbs.
"What is it, Gibbs?"
"The Nebuchadnezzar Commodore. She's coming up quick on our port side, and she's running the colors of meetin'. Something bad must have happened."
"Heave to and drop the anchor when she stops." Jack muttered, wondering what could be wrong.
The Pearlwas turned into the wind and was soon at a complete stop. Her sister ship pulled up beside her. Jack leaned over the rail and saw the pirates bustling around. They dropped a boarding plank from the deck of the Pearl, but before Jack had time to walk down, Sin was running up.
Sin slid to a stop in front of Jack.
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Sin," he said cautiously, "Where is Morgan?"
Jack's crew fell silent as the watched Sin hand Jack the small triangle. Jack took it in his hands and looked at it. It slipped from his hands and he closed his eyes slowly.
"No…no…it can not be…" he muttered.
"She's not on board, Jack…they took her."
Jack screamed and slammed his fist into the railing. "DAMN IT ALL TO DAVY JONES!!"
"Commodore what's the-" AnnaMaria started but Jack cut her off.
"Sin, take her ship and sail as fast as you can to Tortuga. Find Captain Andrew, he'll help."
"Aye, and what'll you be doing?"
"I'm taking the Pearl and sailing to Port Royal. Kenwick Norrington will be sure to give us some ships."
"Aye, and if Andrew doesn't come?"
"Tell him that Morgan was taken by the slave traders and I need all the help I can get to get her back."
"Aye," Sin spun and ran back to the smaller ship. Jack pulled the boarding plank onto the deck and turned to face his crew.
"Maties, Morgan was taken by the scoundrel's of the Triangular Trade. I will do anything, anything mates, to get her back. Are you agreed?"
"AYE!" the crew shouted out.
"Weigh anchor and bring us about, we're off to Port Royal!"
AN: There, now the action starts, and the intrigue. Standards apply. PLEASE keep Reading and Reviewing!!!! Thanks mates!
Oh yes, DM auditions were today, I'll tell ye all how they went when we get the results.