Part 4
Jack threaded his way through the swaying crowds of pirates that littered the main streets of Tortuga with ease, almost losing Will behind him a number of times. That wouldn't do at all. Who knows what could happen to a lad of his tender experience in a place such as this?
As soon as he was able to, he steered them off of the main streets and into the sleazy side alleys that wound in a seeming endlessly fashion through the haphazard buildings of Tortuga. It was far less crowded here and hence much easier to keep a watch on his young friend. Of course, it also meant he couldn't hide in the crowd which in his present predicament was not a good thing. He would have to be extra careful.
Will was looking decidedly uneasy in the less than welcoming surroundings of the back waters of Tortuga but Jack didn't mind it though. He'd grown up here. Played on these very streets as a boy. Snuck down them to watch the pirates returning to town from their voyages, wondering what it would be like to someday be one himself. If he were ever to call a place 'home' Tortuga would've been it.
No sentimentality kept him there though and it didn't take long for Jack's keen sense of direction to navigate them safely through the maze, to an area where the houses became gradually fewer and further between until they were officially out of the town. The road ahead carved through a thicket of trees and sloped sharply upwards, indicating that they were heading towards the top of the sheer cliffs that surrounded and protected most of the island.
As Jack had suspected it would - now he wasn't looking out for pirates wanting to attack him or whores trying to molest him - Will's patience with him finally ran out. A sharp shout of his name made Jack turn to see the boy standing resolutely on the spot, demanding to know what was going on.
"I told ye, I 'ave an...errand I need ye to 'elp me with," he said evasively, knowing that Will wouldn't like the truth much and that it would be better for both of them if he was kept in the dark until such time as he had no choice but to go along with it.
Will it seemed had a different idea about what was best for him though.
Jack, who had turned to continue along the path, stopped abruptly once more as something shot passed his face and a dull thud was heard not so far away. He carefully eyed the knife which Will had thrown and was now embed in the tree next to Jack's head. It reminded him instantly of their first meeting. The boy had got his attention then too.
"Very well then, mate," he said, pulling the knife out with ease, unlike on the previous occasion.
He began flipping it expertly around in his hand as he spoke. "We'd been out to sea six months when we finally decided to 'ead back to Tortuga to spend our ill gotten gains," Jack explained with his usual unnecessary flair, "Of course the men were parched of both alcohol and female company so our first port of call was naturally the finest drinking establishment this rancid little island 'as to offer. Well, after many, many rums, a brawl broke out between my crew and that of the Devil's Executioner. Apparently they were saying some most uncomplimentary things about me and my dear boys were just trying to defend my 'onour."
Will snorted a laugh at the idea that Jack had any honour worth defending.
"Them lot started it you understand," Jack said, as though trying to convince Will that the crew of the Black Pearl had simply been innocent bystanders in it all.
"I'm sure they did," Will said, flatly.
"And they started the fire."
"Fire?"
"In the to-do a lantern got knocked over, or something," Jack said with an uncaring, dismissive shrug, "And seeing as the place was awash with rum, it burnt down quicker than you can say 'Barbossa is a mutinous dog'. Course by then the Governor's Men 'ad stuck their noses in and decided to arrest me and my innocent crew for disturbing business. To cut a long story short, dear old Governor Marley 'ad us thrown in the cells with no intention of letting us out any time soon."
"But you escaped," Will noted.
Jack grinned smugly.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he said, by way of explanation.
Will rolled his eyes.
"Anyway," Jack said, finally handing Will's knife back to him, "As I'm sure you can appreciate, we can't sail the Pearl and hence find yer dear old man without a crew so we're going to 'ave get 'em back. And trust me, no other crew would be crazy enough to sail where we're going. "
Will let that comment go for the moment and focused more on the issue at hand.
"We're going to break them out of prison?"
"No," Jack said, sharply turning on his heels and continuing up the path, "We're going to ask the Governor to let them out."
"And how exactly do you intend to do that?" Will asked, irritably as he caught up with the pirate, clearly thinking Sparrow had finally lost it, "I should imagine he will not be very willing to attend to the wishes of an escaped convict."
"Well, first we're gonna break in," Jack said, as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Seeing the highly doubting look on Will's face he decided to add a little reassurance.
"'Ave I ever let ye down yet?" he asked, making himself look as respectful as he could, "Yer just gonna 'ave to trust me lad."
Yes, that was why Will had come here in the first place. Jack was the only pirate he trusted. His father had trusted him too.
"So," Will asked, stating what he thought was the obvious flaw in Jack's plan, "Supposing we do manage to break into the mansion, what's to stop him throwing you and I directly into prison with your crew?"
Jack smiled secretively, immensely pleased with himself.
"Because I 'ave something Governor Marley wants."
