Singapore. An odd place, especially the part of town they had come too. The streets were narrow, overlooked by building and bridges, and separated by murky canals. The small town was a lot darker than Nicolette remembered it being, only lit by small lanterns on the corners of the alleys and candles placed in the windows of houses. It was silent and as they had snuck into the small town each footstep had felt and sounded like an earthquake as they had wound their way through rotting wooden docks under the walkways.

Barely any of the local people were on the streets, in fact since Nic and Barbossa had broken off from the rest of the group earlier that evening, she had only seen one little old washer woman by the side of the water with her head dipped low.

Something had felt off from the moment her feet had touched land and she could not quite put her finger on it but she knew Barbossa felt the same as they had exchanged one single look. Though what was off had stayed a mystery until they had ventured deeper into the labyrinth of twisting alleys and dead ends and they had nearly ran straight into a group of the Kings Man, Beckett's men to be more precise.

If they had looked closely as they held their bayonets tight against their chests and marched in time with one anther, almost skipping, the men of the East Indian Trading Company may have noticed how one eye, resembling the moonlight, peered around one of the small wooded carts which had been abandoned. The rest of Nicolette's figure was hidden by darkness, though as she moved so here eyes could follow the men's path, the light caught the small silver beads braided into her hair.

She would not have been as interested in the men, nor would she have clenched her teeth and clutched her daggers handle so tight, had they have not been led by a man who's face she would never forget. By the time they disappeared from her sight her jaw was aching from how hard it had been tensed and her breathing had become heavy and broken.

"Mercer." As if it had never healed, her eye started to burn and the phantom feel of blood pouring down her cheek and onto her chest had her shaking. The name tasted like poison on her lips. To see the man still breathing, untouched and looking just as he did all those years ago, it made her blood boil.

Barbossa, who stood next to her leaning against a wall, remained hidden by the shadows as he kept watch from behind. But upon hearing her snarl, he came up behind her and stared into the darkness at where the man had once been.

"They know we're here?" She stated before anything more could be said on the bastard, though it presented itself as a question for she was sure it was impossible for the EITC to know this was where they were to come, never mind for them to have made a lucky guess.

"Impossible." Hector whispered. "They must be here for something else."

Before there was a chance for her to indulge her mind in that hope or for her to think of what other awful reason had brought them here, Nic heard the soft sound of a girl singing and turned her eyes down to the waters below.

"There is the girl." She whispered as she spotted Elizabeth in the small canoe pushing herself through the waters in silence, apart from her signalling song. The men were in place and everything was ready, they just had to make it to Sao Feng before the Navy intercepted.

With the grace of a cat, Nicolette led the way and spiralled down the hidden paths to the dock where the girl would land. But just as she was about to jump down the last few steps, Barbossa's hand on her shoulder made her stop and when she looked back he had his finger raised to his lips.

That's when she heard it, the mans voice.

"A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning." Pirate. A one of Sao Feng's. Nicolette raised a brow and continued on her way down slowly. "Particularly a woman, particularly a woman alone."

"What makes you think she's alone?" Nic called and just as she came into view the man, as well as his companions, turned to see who had joined them.

"You protect her?" Tai Huang asked with a raised brow. He looked amused until Barbossa steadily came to stand behind her and then the mans eyes darkened.

He was just distracted enough that he didn't hear Elizabeth move and was caught off guard, only stiffening when a knife was placed to his throat.

"And what makes you think I need protecting?" The girl could be impressive sometimes, though that too irritated Nicolette beyond belief. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl but, you know how it is, once someone condemns a man you love to death it gets a little tricky to tolerate them. And now the Captain found herself becoming bored quick.

"Your master's expecting us." Nicolette stated, sending both Elizabeth and Tao Huang a tired glare. Meanwhile Barbossa walked forward and gestured for the girl to release her grip on the man.

"An unexpected death would cast a slight pall on our meeting."

Reluctantly, the girl put away her dagger and stepped away leaving the man to go and stand by his men and together, they all fell silent as more Navy men passed over their heads. Without another word being passed between them, Nicolette gestured for Huang to lead the way and followed behind closely as he entered into a dark passageway.

Everything appeared to be damp or slimy, she didn't feel like she could touch one thing down the path without some residue covering her hand. Behind her, she heard Elizabeth gasp and stumble as a rat squeezed under her feet and then Barbossa's chuckle following.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Given Nicolette plainly snarled at the mere mention of the boys name, Barbossa rolled his eyes and took to answering for her.

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts, and you to remember your place in the presence of Capt. Sao Feng."

"Is he that terrifying?" Terrifying wasn't the word for to describe the man they were paying a visit to, Nicolette thought. More…needy and unpredictable. But before she could give her opinion. barbossa spoke up with one of his own.

"He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play." Oh please.

"So he's exactly like you." Nicolette threw over her shoulder, smirking at the sight she pictured Hectors face to be but missing the way he faked muted laughter behind her back and glared at Elizabeth as he caught her smiling along with their Captain.

But a moment later they stopped in front of a large wooden door in which a latch was dropped open, revealing only two beady little eyes on the other side.

"Hoi." Tai Huang spoke clearly and the latch was slammed shut, followed by the sound of a multiple locks and then the catch of a handle opening.

Nicolette followed behind the men hesitantly once the door was opened fully though she was stopped almost immediately by a large hand swinging out in front of her torso, and when she followed up the arm she came to see a larger man stood grunting at her.

He was staring at the sword hanging on her belt and Nicolette groaned allowed, already starting to remove her assets without the guard uttering even a single word. First came her sword, then the two daggers which were almost permanently attached to her hips. Then out came the pistol Nic kept tucked into the front of her belt and then she dropped the second pistol she had carried since they left a Tortuga, shoved into her belt on her back. No one had to know about the small extra dagger she carried in her boot just for today's special occasion.

Barbossa did the same as her with almost identical weapons and Elizabeth handed over nought but a sword, dagger and pistol.

Once done, and feeling incredibly more vulnerable, they went to move forward until Tai Huambo held out a hand to stop Elizabeth from passing.

Nicolette raised her brow and tried to push herself in front of the young girl but he snapped his gaze to her, smirking. "You think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?"

"You suspect the girl more than you suspect me?" Nicolette enquired, honestly curious. But the man didn't budge and the woman pursed her lips half offended, half relieved and half disappointed that her first part of the plan had not worked. "Suit yourself." She hummed teasingly and then stepped around Huang, turning to watch the girl as nervousness crept over her features.

"Remove, please." The man smiled and Elizabeth glanced towards Nic, unsure of what to do. But when the woman just nodded at her, sighing a little in frustration, Elizabeth pouted and almost stomped her foot in a huff as she removed her hat, and then outer coat…revealed were the weapons Nic herself had strapped to the girl. She was sure it would work…she hadn't considered perverts.

Even Barbossa did a double take as the petite girl pulled the large gun from her boot, that had been the least pleasant of the whole task. However once Elizabeth shed all of the guns, and Nic knew it was all of them as she counted each as she had fixed them to the girls tiny frame, she went to step around Huang, who had other plans.

"Remove, please." He commanded, a glint in his eyes as he once again stopped Elizabeth.

Apparently, it took removing her breeches to prove the girl wasn't harbouring any more weapons. Nicolette was cursing herself really, she knew she should have carried them. Though, she had given them the benefit of the doubt and hoped they had gone with reputation over looks.

Now dubbed acceptably searched, the trio were led deeper into the lair through a series of large rooms which were operating as an underground bath house. It wasn't appealing in the slightest, there was more flesh than she would care to see and none of Sao Feng's men were particularly…fetching. Some looked like they were more fitted to be a part of Davy Jones's crew and she didn't dare wonder how long they had been sat in those waters with young women cleansing their pores. The air was too humid and the robes were far too short, but at least Elizabeth now didn't feel so out of place.

As the bath tubs grew more sparse but the men became more gathered, Nicolette's face hardened as she knew they were nearing the Pirate Lord or Singapore. Then, on cue, Tai Huang went to go stand off to the side of his masters stage and the large tattooed man they followed stepped off to the side to reveal the back of the room where two girls faced away from them.

As their presence became apparent due to the snarls of men around them, the man the girls had hidden from view was revealed and not too dissimilar to a God, he turned around with his arms spread wide. In time with him turning, Nicolette and Barbossa both bowed, Elizabeth following rather awkwardly a few seconds later when beckoned by Hector.

"My…" His voice was exactly as it were in her memories, half making her blush, half making her cringe. When Nicolette looked up she saw that Sao Feng's attention was already fixed on her and only her. "Captain Barker…Welcome back to Singapore."

"Captain Sao Feng, it's a pleasure." Nicolette decided to try out the tactics which Jack told her she should have used last time instead of 'snapping at him like a turtle' as he lovingly put it. So she smiled darkly and seductively narrowed her eyes at the man who really had no features which appealed to her.

"Captain Barbossa." Sao Feng greeted as his gaze moved to Hector, though it didn't last long and he turned to the twins standing behind him. "More steam."

One of the young girls obediently pulled on one of the ropes hanging by her side and as a result a cloud of steam flooded from grates in the floor, dampening them. Nicolette didn't mention it to people very often, but she wasn't a big fan of being wet, and damp very much fit into that same category.

As the moisture gathered at the hollow of her throat making her cheeks blush warmly, she could already feel her patience wearing thin and they had not even started their negotiations.

Sap Feng revelled in the sensation of the steam surrounding him and breathed it in with pleasure, letting his head fall back. Once he had had his fill, he brought his head back up to look at them and sighed.

"I understand you have a request to make of me." He spoke as he walked forward, standing in front of Nicolette.

"More of a proposal to put to ye. I…" Barbossa started and then caught the quick but burning glare Nicolette threw back at him. It was hard for him to miss given the woman had insisted standing at the front of the group, a good two feet away from him. "Barker and myself have a venture underway and happen to find ourselves in need of ship and a crew."

"This is an odd coincidence." Sao Feng hummed and tapped his head with his long, most likely pruned, finger. However it was as he turned that Nicolette noticed his overgrown fingernails and grimaced in disgust.

"Oh?" The corner of Nicolette's lips quirked awkwardly as she tried to concentrate on anything but his lack of grooming and she chanced a look back at Hector who ignored her look of concern.

"Because you happen to have a ship a and crew you don't need?" Elizabeth asked, poking her head around from where she stood behind Barbossa and Nicolette didn't doubt that all who heard rolled their eyes.

"No. Because, earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these." Sao Feng snatched a roll of bamboo charts from the hands of an ageing man sat off to the side and held them up. Externally, Nicolette tried to look confused as if she had no idea what they could be, but by what Hector had described to her those were defiantly the charts they had been after. "The navigational charts." Yeah, Nic confirmed to herself, definitely the charts. "The route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?"

"It would strain credulity at that." Barbossa nodded and glanced at Nic once Sao turned his back, but she could only shrug. That was until he motioned to his men and they pulled a boy out of a large bath of steaming water. His arms were tied to a log and he gasped for breath and spluttered as he was held up out of the water. Nic had to give it to Will, she would never have been able to hold her breath that long.

"This is the thief. Is his face familiar to you?" As the pirate lord pointed to the boy, Nic, Hector and Elizabeth all shook their heads. "Then I guess he has no further need for it." He made to kill the boy with a large pointed cone. It would have popped the boys heart like a bubble, not much would be left, except a mess.

As Nic imagined that image with a slight smirk, Elizabeth gasped and cupped her hand around her mouth in shock. Sao Feng had not stabbed the boy but Elizabeth had given up their game and put all of their lives at danger.

Sao Feng was smiling as he lowered his weaponed and turned to them, thoughtfully squinting. "So, you come into my city…" As he spoke he took steps which led him closer and closer to Nic and as she felt Barbossa stiffen behind her, she herself stood taller and planted her smile back on. "and betray my hospitality."

"Sao Feng…" Nicolette practically purred. "I assure you, I had no idea..."

"That he would get caught!" As he screamed in her face and spat at her, Nicolette closed her eyes and took a breath to stop herself reacting. When she reopened then, Sao Feng had took a step back and she allowed her self to glare at him. "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones' locker. When I cannot help but wonder, why?"

From behind Nicolette, Barbossa threw a piece of eight to Sao Feng for him to catch and once he did, he held the coin to his ear.

"The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords you must honour the call." Hector's words held a full price behind them that Nicolette appreciated but could never understand. These men were able to talk to each other in such a way, to a certain degree, when the Brethren was concerned. It seemed to be a topic which each of them despised while equally treasuring.

"More steam." The captain demanded as he became lost in his head and of the women behind him pulled on the stone. However, nothing rose from the floor as if a dragon was right below their feet this time and Nicolette cast a quick glance at Hector. "More steam!" The even looked shocked at Sao Feng's temper but she pulled the stone again as requested and this time, steam rose around them.

She hadn't known she was holding her breath, but upon his request being fulfilled Nicolette released a long sigh of relief.

"There's a price on all our heads, it is true. Since it seems that the only way a pirate can turn a profit anymore is by betraying other pirates..."

Barbossa growled as he stepped forward, approaching Sao Feng so that they were face to face, with only niches separating them. "The first Brethren Court gave us rule of the seas. That rule has been challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett."

"Against the East India Trading Company, what value is the Brethren Court? What can any of us do?" Sao Feng asked and Nicolette found herself almost agreeing. They were after all the dying breed against a growing force gaining momentum by the second. The court was nothing, unless they had all nine pieces.

"You can fight!" Elizabeth suddenly shouted and stepped forward before one of the larger men tried to grab hold of her shoulder, unsuccessfully. "Get off me! You are Sao Feng, the pirate lord of Singapore!" The man turned to watch her, eye fixed on the girls small frame but ferocious expression. "Would you have that era come to an end on your watch? The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy, and yet you sit here, cowering in your bath water!"

When she finished, Sao Feng stepped down from his podium and walked to her, completing a small close circle around her.

"Elizabeth Swann, there's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?" He asked, almost too quiet for either Nic or Barbossa to hear. "And the eye does not go wanting. But I cannot help but notice. You have failed to answer my question." He completed his circle around the girl and walked to stand by Nicolette once more, meeting her gaze which was no longer sweet and tempting as it was when they first entered, but dark and warning. "What is it you seek in Davy Jones' locker?"

She opened her mouth to give an answer which would have been compliant to their plan, but Will opened his quicker. "Jack Sparrow." The two girls giggling did not go unnoticed and Nic sent a questioning glare towards them over Sao Feng's shoulder before she caught Hector rolling his eyes and refocused. "He is one of the nine pirate lords."

Well obviously Will, most pirates knew that and Sao Feng was one of those who defiantly did. It was Nicolette's turned to roll her eyes as she hit her lips to stop herself from cursing the boy it.

"The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead... is so I can send him back myself!"

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight." Barbossa said as he once again stormed forward towards Sao Feng, it seemed to be a decent way of getting him to listen…especially as Hector had backed him into a corner this time. "He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get him back."

There was a short silence, during which Sao Feng's eyes shifted and the look which dawned over his face made Nicolette reach for her dagger which was not there.

"So, you admit, you have deceived me. Weapons!" Around them, from every angle, men drew their weapons and held them extended towards the three visitors, who each shifted their stance subtly. Nicolette, deep down always knowing that they were bound to end up in this predicament, smiled and fixed Sao Feng with a long smile.

"Sao Feng I assure you, our intentions are strictly honourable." And the minute she finished speaking six swords popped up through the floorboards and each of them caught one in each of their hands before continuing to smile innocently at the Captain now watching them in awe…and frustration.

He grabbed hold of a man, a one of his own, and held a sword to his neck with a hatful glare and raspy tone.

"Drop your weapons or I kill the man!" Nicolette hesitated, squinting at the man he held and then looking at Hector who shrugged and twisted his face in unknowing, and then looked back at Sao Feng.

"Kill him, he's not our man." She answered with a shrug while eyeing the stranger up and down. Ink was running down his skin in droplets distorting the tattoos he had drawn onto his skin. A mole…with a clever disguise. Definitely not theirs, but if so, who's?

Every man in the room looked around confused and unsure of what to do, Sao Feng looked worried for the first time that evening and Nicolette felt her grip on her weapons tightening.

"If he's not with you, and he's not with us..." Will stated, looking between the sides. "Who's he with?"

There was barely a beat before soldiers belonging to the East India Trading Company barged in from the back of the room, storming and tearing their way into the bathhouse.

It took only seconds for them to get through the first wave of Sao Feng's men and for Nicolette, Hector and Elizabeth to be surrounded by Beckett's men. Nicolette dodged the first attacker which came her way, sending him into Sao Feng who awaited the man with the end of his sword. The next three men to try and test her sword skills were unlucky enough to meet the same fate but by her own hand as she sliced one open across the chest, caught the back of another's shoulder and knee and tossed the other over her back before burying one of her swords into his throat.

"Nicolette!" She heard Barbossa's call and turned around just in time to block another soldiers sword. With a quick swipe and stab he too was taken taken care of and only once she looked up did she notice that more soldiers were starting to flood through from the opposite side of the room, led by Mercer with bayonets held at the ready.

The impulse to march over to him and carve out his heart before making him choke on it was too much. Nic stood there, almost in a trance, as men moved and died around her and all she could think about was this one man.

But it wasn't the right time. She wouldn't enjoy it if it was rushed, she wouldn't be able to make him squirm and beg and live with the pain for long enough to make him understand what he had done to others. She would need time and privacy. Today, luckily for him, was not his day.

As Nicolette turned, she ran into a line consisting of Hector, Elizabeth, Will and Sao Feng and became confused as to what they were all gapping at. However when she followed their gazes, she found out as two rows of Navy men stood with their bayonets aimed and ready to shoot.

"Ready, aim-"

An explosion from below threw all of them in the air or onto the ground before the fire command could be given and they were saved, however the room had been rocked and became dislodged sending half of the floor to cave in on the rooms under them. For a moment they each feared the worst knowing their crew had been down there, but then a moment later it was like watching them rise from the ashes as they ran up the makeshift ramp, guns blazing.

As Sao Feng gave the command for his men to fall back, they followed, getting caught up in the crowds and separated as they left the bath house and the fight spread out into the streets of Singapore.

Trying to distinguish friend from foe in the dark when the majority of the men were enemies was not a position Nicolette liked to find her self in. The identity of each man she attacked was only confirmed after it was too late and she found herself accidentally dodging and avoiding hits more that she did by skill.

At one point Nic found herself running along an old balcony as bullets peppered the wood behind her, following her inch by inch until she found refuge behind a bamboo screen. Her heart was racing and her breathes were quick and god she wished he had a pistol or a dagger, she worked best with a small blade, quicker.

She took a deep breath in preparation and checked herself over for any damage before getting ready to move, but just then as she went to step back out into the madness, movement in the shadows caught her attention. At first it was just a figure in black moving slowly amongst the maze of crates in front of her and then a small beam of light lit up the figures face like a picture.

Mercer.

If she hadn't have grinned wide like she did, Nicolette would have thought something was wrong with her for such an opportunity in such private quarters was a miracle. Someone somewhere was listening to her prayers.

She started off by taking slow short steps towards the man who had his back to her as he had come to be still in a crouched position. It could not have been more perfect. As she grew closer, her strides became longer and she extended her sword so she could loop it around the mans neck when suddenly he shifted. He held a gun, aimed, but it was retracted without being fired and then he stood and turned so quickly it caught her off guard.

Upon seeing her, weapon aimed towards his chest and only inches parting them, Nicolette had thought he would look panicked, or gasp or…something. When in reality he just smirked at her, that stupid smirk which had haunted her nightmares and had her waking, sweating and smacking Jack's arms as he held her.

"Well well, Miss Barker." His voice was just as she remembered it. That drawling northern English accent, the way he looked down at her as he spoke. Nothing had changed. Mercer took a step forward and, acting on instinct, Nic flinched back with a sharp gasp which only caused him to laugh darkly. "Nasty scar that." He gestured to her eye with a nod of his head and she bit on her tongue as her breathing increased with anger. "I do hope it didn't hurt too much."

Nic heard the gun cock and tried to move, but before her mind could remove itself from her memories and make her move the gun was already aimed at her head.

"This won't hurt a bit." She stared into the man eyes and then…

There was a quick shoot of light behind Mercer and as her gaze shifted to look over his shoulder, the man frowned in confusion and turned his head just as blasts started to go off around them. Fireworks.

As colour and fire filled the air and the ground around them, Nicolette gave a hard kick to Mercers torso causing him to fall flat on the floor. She was half relieved but also half disgruntled about the interruption to what was, disregarding the negatives, a perfect opportunity and grumbled to herself as she turned on her heal and fled before she caught fire.

It wasn't until she had ran out of the hut and towards the bridge facing it that she saw Jack the Monkey sat looking up at her grinning and holding a extinguished match.

"Thank you, Jack!" She smiled down at him and he screeched back his own greeting.

"Thank you, Jack!" Cottons Parrot repeated and then flew off as Jack jumped up onto her shoulder in time for her to run up onto the dock where she could see Hector kicking away another sailor.

By the time she reached him, so had the majority of the crew and she found herself having to beat off a few more men to the aid of Pintel and Ragetti as Jack screamed a warning in her ear the whole time.

"Thank you Miss." Pintel regarded her, graciously, while panting but Nic simply nodded at him before stepping up next to Barbossa as they retreated further up the docks.

"Where is the boy?" She asked him, seeing Elizabeth but no Will, but Hector didn't get the opportunity to answer before said liability rounded the corner with the roll of charts in his hand and a crowd of Sao Feng's men behind him.

"You got the charts?" Nicolette asked, her eyes darting from the charts to the boys eyes.

"And better yet, a ship and a crew."

"Where's Sao Feng?" Elizabeth took her next words right out of her mouth as Nic frowned curiously at the boy.

"He'll cover our escape and meet us at Shipwreck Cove." Oh would he now? How interesting for the boy to find time to have such a chat with Sao Feng during an attack.

She didn't trust the boys words as far as she could throw him but this wasn't the time for questioning as the EITC was starting to regroup and spread their search.

"This way, be quick." Tai Huang was quick to lead the way down into the secluded docks where their longboats had landed and Will quickly followed with his arm going around Elizabeth hesitantly. What was left, even after her crew had rounded and fled down to the awaiting ship, was Nicolette and an equally weary Barbossa.

They shared a look before he gestured for her to go ahead and followed closely behind towards a Far East style ship. The ship which would take them to Jack.