Thanks for showing interest in my story. Well the story is starting to get interesting, so keep reading!
CHAPTER 7: THE BEGINNING OF THE CHASE
Alicia looked at her friend intently.
"Lynne! Are you alright?"
Lynne sprang up from her bed. "Alicia, is it really you? Am I dreaming?"
"No. It's really me. What happened to you?"
"It's a long story. Those pirates… they wanted…"
Lynne paused and looked at Jack who was now looking over Alicia's shoulder. Alicia caught her gaze.
"It's alright. We can trust him in this."
"But he's a pirate!" Lynne hissed.
"I trust him."
"Captain Jack Sparrow at your service, madam." Jack gave a low bow and extended his hand.
"Yes. I'm Lynne Andrews." Reluctantly, she shook Jack's hand.
"Come on, let's sit down." Alicia sat back on her bed while Lynne sat on her own. Jack sat down beside Alicia.
"What do the pirates want from you?" Alicia started.
Jack sounded up at once. "Ain't it obvious, luv! Pirates have a great passion for women."
Alicia glared at Jack and he shut up.
"Well, they seem to think I can a break a curse for them." Lynne replied.
"What sort of curse?"
"I'm not sure. It sounds like a code that can make a person immortal."
Alicia and Jack exchanged alarming looks.
"I think I'll call for Will." Jack stood up and walked to the door.
"Who's Will?" Lynne asked.
"He is Jack's best mate. The code may somehow be related to him. I'll explain later."
After a few minutes, Jack came back with Will. Jack motioned him to sit down and he sat beside Jack. After introducing them to each other, Alicia spoke:
"Lynne was saying that Tom Smith captured her to break a curse for them. We thought it would be related to Elizabeth so we called for you. Can you please continue Lynne?"
"Well the pirate said that the curse was made by a woman five years ago. The woman died. He said only a woman can use that curse, so he wanted me to break it for them."
"I think he's talking about Elizabeth." Jack said.
"Elizabeth?" Lynne asked.
"I'll tell you later. So does that mean that anyone who uses that curse will die?" Alicia asked again.
"Yes. That's what he told me." Lynne shuddered at the thought.
Jack rubbed his chin. "So that explains how Elizabeth died. Makes sense to me."
But Alicia continued. "What's the code, Lynne?"
"I don't know. The pirates didn't know too."
"Do you have any idea about it Will?" Alicia turned to Will.
Will shrugged. "No idea."
Jack stood up. "Then, I guess that settles it. Tom Smith is looking for you young lasses and therefore it is our duty to protect you. We better set sail before those scallywags caught up with us."
"Aye. I'll go up deck ahead of you, Jack." Will walked out the room and left the door open.
Jack looked from the open door to Alicia.
"So I'll be going?"
"You go ahead, Jack. I want to stay here with Lynne." Alicia laid her hand on Lynne's shoulder.
Jack nodded and left the room. Lynne turned to Alicia at once.
"So? Are you telling me what happened to you these days? And who's Elizabeth?"
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Norrington was in his study when Commodore Andrews burst into the room, panting and puffing. Norrington looked up from the documents he was reading and faced the Commodore.
"Uncle, it is a pleasure to meet you. Where are Lynne and Alicia?"
"Norrington… I came here as soon as the ship docked. I'm here to tell you that the girls were lost in sea. You better send a ship to look for them." Commodore Andrews sank down onto a nearby armchair and buried his face in his hands.
Norrington stood up from his seat. "Lost in sea? How did they get lost?"
Commodore Andrews told him the events of the night. "They must have fell overboard."
"In that case, we don't know if they're safe. We don't even know if they're still alive." Norrington paced around the room. Then, he spoke up again. "There's no use worrying. We must find them. I'll set off tomorrow with one of the finest ships in our place. You just stay here and wait for our return."
Commodore Andrews opened his mouth to argue, but Norrington raised his hand.
"Don't worry, Uncle. I'll make sure I'll find them, alive or dead. "
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"Where are we going, Captain?"
Jack spun around. Alicia had sneaked up from behind him while he was steering the wheel.
"Anywhere to avoid Tom Smith." He moved his attention back to the wheel.
Many days they were wandering in the sea, trying every possible way to avoid ships, especially the Bloody Anchors. Though Jack refused to admit it, they were obviously lost in the sea. There is no safe place in the Caribbean where they can permanently hide from Tom Smith. Alicia sat down on a bench and gazed into the wide sea.
"Jack, what will we do if we meet him?"
"We fight them, what else. In the meantime, we avoid him as much as possible." He faced Alicia. "I'm sorry but I really can't bring you girls back to Port Royale. The most I can do is to keep you ladies safe."
"Thanks Jack."
There was a pause. Alicia spoke up again. "You know? You're not like other pirates."
"Aye. I know. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
Alicia shook her head and giggled. "That's not what I mean."
Jack smiled. "I know."
He walked towards her and knelt down beside her. Jack stared at her clear, blue eyes. Those eyes that somehow warms his soul. Those eyes that fills his heart with gladness. Those eyes that takes away all his worries, all his pains, all the sorrows of his past. Those eyes…
"CAPTAIN!"
"DAMN! WHO HAD THE AUTHORITY TO SHOUT SO LOUD IN MY SHIP?"
"CAPTAIN!"
"WHAT?" Jack stood up and turned around. Anamaria was running towards his direction.
"CAPTAIN!"
"WHAT IS IT? I'M RIGHT OVER HERE!" Jack yelled at Anamaria's ear. Anamaria winced and glared at Jack. Jack glared back at her. Alicia stood up at once and stood right between them. She looked at Anamaria.
"What's the matter? Is there something wrong?"
"Oh nothing urgent, Alicia." Anamaria said sarcastically, her eyes still glaring at Jack. "I just came to report to the Captain that there was smoke coming from his room."
"WHAT!" Jack yelled. "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO EARLIER?"
"Well, were you listening?" Anamaria retorted.
Jack ignored her. Without another word, he ran straight to his room, Alicia and Anamaria running right behind him.
"What is happening here?" Will was standing outside his room as the three ran past him.
At last, they arrived outside Jack's room. From outside, they saw that Jack's room is already filled with smoke. Automatically, Will turned the knob. Jack stopped him.
"It's alright. I'll take care of it."
Will nodded and stepped aside. Jack took a deep breath, pulled his shirt up to his nose, and entered the smoke-filled room, shutting the door behind him. No one dared enter the room without the captain's permission. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, the crowd dispersed, leaving Alicia staring at the door. She heard loud banging inside the room, but knowing Jack's temper, she dare not enter. After a while, she shrugged and left for her room instead.
What's inside Jack's room? Oh well, check out the next chapter! In the meantime I'm open for reviews. -