Chapter Five
Treasure Hunt

Watching from the bones of old ships, the sharks eyed the ship gliding above them and then dismissed it. They wouldn't be food- today at least. Today the waters around Isle de Muerta were wonderfully calm.

The anchor was dropped and everyone was feeling thoroughly solemn as Jack got ready to leave to end years of wrongdoing.

"Jack, what if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked.

"Keep to the code." Jack replied.

"Aye, the code."

The key to a well run ship, be it Navy or pirate, is that every crew member has their job. For some unfathomable reason, Arlen and Li had been given the task of readying the rowboats.

"No, pull on that rope."

"No, it's this one. I'm positive."

"No, it's the other one!"

"This is just like in those movies where everyone's shouting 'cut the green wire!' and then the guy cuts the red wire instead and then he explodes!"

This last syllable of Arlen's rant was drawn out in a sharp cry as she pulled on the rope she was insisting on and she, Li and the boat promptly fell into the water.

"...And then everyone says 'I told you to cut the green one.'" Li practically snarled.

"Well, the boat's ready!"

"Unfortunately, that's the incorrect boat." Jack said, leaning over the side.

"...what?"

"That's the wrong boat. It's a sail boat. It won't work in the caves."

"...who keeps a sailboat on a real ship!"

"Damn navy..."

"It's because they drink that ridiculous grog. Who dares to mess up rum by putting water in it!"

Jack rolled his eyes.

"You. Whelp. Let's get the real boat and meet them down there."

Will glared at Jack but did as he was told. After a few more minutes of squabbling and mutterings against the Navy, all four were in the rowboat and heading into the gut of Isle de Muerta.

They paddled through the pitch black caves, gold glittering below them. Arlen and Li were so fascinated by this they hardly paid attention to the conversation behind them.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to should the worst happen?"

"The pirates' code. Who falls behind is left behind."

"The heroes among thieves."

"You know, for hating pirates so much, you're well on your way to becoming one." Jack remarked. "You sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of a Torutga-"

"Not to mention you helped us force Jack to buy a hell of a lot of ice cream." Li added.

"And you're completely obsessed with treasure." Arlen added.

"That's not true." Will muttered as they pulled the boat up onto a small piece of land they found. "I'm not obsessed with treasure."

Jack led Will to the opening in the wall. A large chamber could be seen beyond, filled with the stench of dirty sailors.

He didn't look to the piles of treasure or the armed men within as he spoke. He looked to the two girls standing at the water's edge, fighting with the paddles.

"Not all treasure's silver and gold, mate."

At that exact moment, one of the little treasures hit the other little treasure over the head with her paddle. Arlen laughed hysterically as Li slowly collapsed to the ground.

"Should we wake her up?" Will asked.

"Trust me, we'll all be happier and safer if she wakes up in her own time. This girl likes her sleep." Arlen snickered as she went to Will's side.

Jack began to walk away and Will began to follow, but the captain turned around and held up a hand.

"You wait here. And try not to do anything... stupid." He looked at Arlen too when he said it, then disappeared into the shadows.

-x-

Jack crept through the tunnels, his mind racing. He wasn't worried about sauntering into the room beyond and facing his mutinous first mate for the first time in years. Oh no. He was trying desperately to figure out what he was going to do with those two girls. He would go insane soon if they didn't turn back into Black Wolf and Lone Star forever.

He was so preoccupied with these thoughts that he never heard Will's footsteps. Moments later he lay on the ground, and Will stood behind him with the same paddle Arlen had knocked out Li.

"Sorry Jack. I won't be your leverage."

"Wow. The whelp is smarter than he looks." Arlen remarked.

Will snapped a glance in her direction, then nodded in the direction he was heading. "Come with me."

Moments later they were back to where they started, leaping into the rowboat. Will grabbed the oars and was ready to go.

"But what about-" Arlen began.

"They fell behind." WIll replied shortly. Arlen sat back and didn't fight him, remembering how single-minded pirates could get in pursuit of their treasure.

-x-

Li stirred, as usual, to the sound of a rather unsteady Jack trying to weasel his way out of a rather unstable situation.

"Parcel?" She added, thinking she could be helpful.

"Parley?" One of the pirates threatening Jack added just as tentatively.

"Tha's the one! Parley!"

"Parley?" Another seethed, looking more ready to shoot his companion than Jack. "Damn to the depths whoever thought of parley!"

"That would be the French." Jack smiled, lowering the gun.

"The French are dumb." Li sighed. "So when's dinner?"

"Dinnertime is in just a few moments," The angry pirate seethed. Li remembered, without knowing how, that his name was Pintel. "When we feed you to the captain."

She faded in and out of consciousness as they were forced along. She didn't feel worried, either because she was too tired to or because Jack was with her. His preservation instincts were too strong to fail them now. Even if he had to run naked through a monastery- which he'd done before -he'd get them out alive.

"Hey Jack!" Li crowed. "I remembered that thing you told me! About when I saw your ass!"

Jack winced, counted to ten, still felt like murdering Liash, and was then forced to abort this course of action because they were standing before Barbossa.

The years had not been kind to the mutinous first mate turned captain, although he was immortal now. He had never been a happy man, but now he was a haunted one. It showed in his eyes. Jack was counting on those ghosts to get them out of here.
Li drifted in and out some more, convinced herself for a few moments that she was in fact in her math class, shouted out the quadratic formula, then came fully awake in time to hear Jack and Barbossa speaking.

"You know whose blood we need?"

"Aye. I know whose blood you need."

Li felt cold without warning. Jack would sacrifice Will to save them? She'd guessed his plan, but she hadn't believed in it. She didn't think he did either. Who were they to say their lives and their ship were worth more than his?

Li went aboard the Black Pearl, which her mind would swear she'd never even seen in real life before, and she was filled with the unmistakable sense of coming home. Arlen was just across the water, filled with the unmistakable feeling that while she was safe, she'd left the most important treasure behind.

A/N: Please send us your thoughts! Even if we are pirates we still want to know what you think !What has Jack done. Will Liash and Arlen see each other agian?