CHAPTER TWO

Hook watched as the three Lords and their plus one climbed aboard the Jolly Roger. Excellent; Silver had succeeded in retrieving Turner from Beckett and Jones, as well as giving Sparrow the opportunity to do as he wished. Soon, Calypso would be released, and the game would begin in earnest. But first, he needed to know exactly what Turner had told the enemy. And if he had learned anything from them.

Barbossa and Silver made their way up to the helm, Turner caught between them, with Swann following behind. Hook could see the backwards glances Turner was shooting the lady; seems that despite all else, he was still in love with her. Good; it would give him some leverage to have her with him during the interrogation.

"Master Silver. Master Barbossa. I trust negotiations proceeded with some degree of success."

Silver gave a half bow. "If it please my liege, all goals of the parlay were met. There has, however, arisen another matter which might be of some small importance."

Hook frowned. "And that would be?"

Barbossa clasped his hands in front of him in a patronizing manner. "Seems that Lord Beckett is more familiar with Master Silver than we had anticipated. Beckett has seen fit to replace the late Admiral Norrington with a former acquaintance of our colleague's; a man by the name of Jim Hawkins."

Hawkins…ah yes, Hook remembered Silver's story now. "And can we trust you to keep your personal leanings out of this matter, Master Silver?"

"I shall strive to do so, my liege."

"Good. Master Barbossa, Captain Swann, if you would be so kind as to accompany both Mister Turner and I to my cabin, it would be much appreciated. Master Silver, I leave the Jolly Roger in your hands, for now."

Silver saluted. "Aye, aye sir." He immediately turned, and began barking orders in a most admirable fashion.

Hook led the way to his cabin, and once everyone necessary was inside, he shut and locked the door. This could potentially take a while.

Hook leaned back and twirled his mustache. "So, Master Turner. You have betrayed both those who had your trust, as well as those who had never done you harm. You have consorted with the enemies of all pirates everywhere, with one of those enemies being the very man whom you swore to end to avenge your father. Tell me, Master Turner, why is it that said man was within your grasp, and yet somehow still sails the seas, and why is it that both he and his compatriots have miraculously found their way to our position?"

"Because I learned something aboard the Endeavour. Something that can convince Calypso to kill Jones for us, leaving us free to concentrate on the fleet."

"I see. And will you reveal to us exactly what that something is?"

Turner's mouth shut with a snap.

"I must point out, lad, that any further failure to assist in this matter shall be considered an act of treason, and the appropriate punishment shall be meted out."

Turner scoffed. "Treason is for royalty, not this ragtag collection of scoundrels. And in any event, I've done nothing to Silver."

"Aye, tis true that you've done nothing to Silver. But you see, Turner, when we sent the letter of parlay to Beckett, we deliberately left the impression that Silver was Pirate King, when in fact he was merely acting in the true King's stead."

"And I suppose that would be you, then?"

Hook's crocodile grin stretched his face. "Aye. Allow me to introduce myself; Jas Hook, Captain of the Jolly Roger, and First Pirate King."

Turner's eyebrows receded into his hairline. "As in Blackbeard's bosun?"

"Once upon a time, yes. Now, do I get that information, or will the threat of the plank loosen your tongue?"

Turner swallowed. "You'd never get away with it."

"On the contrary, lad. I think you'll find what few friends you had a little less vocal in their support of the man that betrayed them to Beckett."

Swann spoke for the first time. "Please Will. Just tell him what he wants."

Turner glanced sharply at Swann, and then sighed. "It's Jones. He's the one that told the First Brethren Court how to bind Calypso."

There was silence.

Then Barbossa exploded. "Turner, you whelp! Captain Hook be the Pirate King; the First Pirate King! Did ye really think he'd be trying to bind a sea goddess without knowing for certain his information source was reliable!"

Hook merely sat and pondered. True, Turner's information was worthless in the long run. But Turner knew Tia Dalma; and Tia Dalma knew him. At the very least his story would confirm Hook's own in the witch's mind, and point her even more firmly towards the enemy.

When Hook spoke, his tone was such that it froze all argument in place. "Tell me, Turner, did you learn anything else of value during your sojourn with the enemy with which to bargain your freedom? Because as it stands, while the plank may not lie in your future, the brig features prominently. You have one more chance to save yourself from whatever may await you."

"…Hawkins. I met him."

"…And what insight can you provide into the Admiral's mind that Silver himself could not?"

"He knows it all. About the heart, about the key. He wants the Flying Dutchman for himself."

…That didn't sound like Silver's Hawkins at all. "And what interest could the Admiral of the Fleet possibly have in being the Captain of the Flying Dutchman?"

"It's his mother, Captain. She's dying. He believes that if he becomes Captain, she can ship out with him, and they can live forever together."

…Well. That changes things.

"Very well, Turner. You have earned your freedom. Now, here is the plan as it stands. We will reveal Calypso's betrayer to Her. She's more likely to believe it if there are two separate accounts of the incident. Then, we shall release Her. Whether or not she will help us is immaterial, although it would be much appreciated. What we are relying on is Sparrow."

Turner's face took on a confused expression. "Sparrow?"

"Aye. While we engage the Dutchman, he will acquire the chest. It is our job to board the ship, and keep Jones busy defending the key. Once one of us gets said key, we close ranks and keep Jones distracted while the others open the chest…and stab the heart. Now, I can understand why it is you would wish to be the one that has that honor, Turner. But you, unlike the majority of all others here, have a reason to keep living. And so, to that end, I think it best if you allow either Sparrow to kill Jones…or, should something unexpected happen, Silver. They are the two best suited for such a responsibility. Under no circumstances are you to allow Hawkins to stab the heart. We would merely be trading Jones for a man who would, from all accounts, follow Beckett without question in order to keep his mother safe. Understand?"

Turner nodded.

"Excellent. One final matter: no one is to reveal to Silver what Turner has just told us about Hawkins. If I know Beckett, he told Hawkins to let that information slip in order to compromise Silver. There may not be a grain of truth in it, or worse, there may be just enough to give Silver pause. Silver may then be tempted to bargain to allow Hawkins' mother passage should he become Captain, and not only will that cut into what time we may gain delaying Jones, it will undoubtedly fail, because I very much doubt Hawkins would let his mother suffer the curse of the Dutchman without him there to support her. That would cost him his position as Admiral, and as loath as I am to admit it, I would rather have him retain his rank once we deal with Beckett. It will make things easier should we need to parlay a ceasefire."

Barbossa nodded. "And I'm certain the rest of the Lords would agree with you that any hostilities that there may be should be laid to rest with as much haste as possible. Now, I have but one question my liege; what ship shall be leading the attack on the Dutchman, and who shall be at the helm while the rest of us deal with Jones?"

Hook began twirling the other end of his mustache. "The Jolly Roger, while fast, has not the armament to deal with the Dutchman, nor the ability to receive many hits from Jones' triple guns. The Black Pearl shall lead, as it has always done…with you at the helm, Captain Barbossa."

"I thank ye for the honor, milord."

"Indeed. Captain Swann, as much as I would prefer you remain with your ship, it cannot be denied that you are one of the few that can navigate aboard the Dutchman. You and Mister Turner here shall be a part of the boarding party, along with Master Silver."

"I…understand, Captain."

Hook grinned. "Excellent. And with that, I believe our business is concluded. On to the matter at hand."

Hook rose, and swung open the cabin door.

"And what matter is that?"

"Why, releasing a sea goddess, of course."

Tia Dalma stood waiting for them. "James Hook. I tol ya once dat ya would nevar win agains Time."

"So you did, my dear. But You never told me I would lose, either. And after all, is not the thrill in the fight, and not in the victory?"

She smiled a sad smile. "Dat it is, Captain Hook. And in the end, it shall not be Time that you lose to. And speaking of time, the hour has come; I summon you to fulfill your oath."

"It would be my pleasure, Milady. Master Ragetti."

Ragetti held up the hat containing the Pieces of Eight. "I've got them all here, sir."

"Not quite all of them." And with that, Hook dropped his double-cigar holder into the hat. "Now, that's everything. The torch."

Hook grasped the offered flame, and held it over the items. "Calypso, I made You a promise once. A promise that at this, the fourth meeting of the Brethren Court, when all pirates stood ready to be utterly destroyed, I should release You from Your bonds, and name to You the betrayer that brought You to this state. I name him for You now: the man upon whom Your vengeance should rain down upon, none other than…Davy Jones."

Silence. Then, peals of unearthly laughter washed over the ship. "Tis a humorous joke, James Hook. But one in poor taste, I should think."

Hook's face never lost its seriousness. "I regret that it is not a joke, Milady. Jones was the one that told the Court everything, the one that showed to them the method of /your binding. I promised to tell You the truth. And Captain Hook never breaks a promise."

Tia Dalma's smile slipped from her face. "No…no…it cannot be…"

"It's true."

Tia Dalma turned to face Turner. "I have been aboard the Dutchman. I have heard Beckett and Jones laugh at Your fate. Jones that he was able to teach You a lesson with no fear of Your vengeance, and Beckett that the only Force that had ever threatened men like him should be bound by those that should have feared him more. It is true; Jones is Your betrayer, Calypso."

And as Tia Dalma stood there, shattered in spirit, Hook touched the flame to the Pieces of Eight, and whispered in her ear.

"Calypso…I release you from Your human bonds."

The crew bowed before Calypso in her released form. Hook swept his hat from his head. "Milady, my oath is fulfilled. May Your vengeance be swift and terrible upon the one that betrayed You. I ask only that You look to us and our men with indifference, and leave us free to roam the seas once more, as is our only wish."

A roar came from the goddess. A roar of affirmation, of rage, and of the sea itself. And with a clap of thunder, Calypso disintegrated into a storm of…crabs.

Hook shook his hat free of the creatures, and returned it to his head. "It is done. And so is my part in this. Silver; you have your orders. Barbossa, Swann…Turner…it is time for you to return to the Black Pearl."

Swann's face scrunched in incomprehension. "You're not coming with us?"

"No, milady. I have another role to play. Should you fail, or should you be swept up in Calypso's revenge, it would be best to have a plan to resort to."

"…You're going to run."

"Milady, Captain Hook may be many things, but a coward he is not. I merely have some…alternate solutions. Ones that I will need time to prepare. Time that you can buy me. Now go. Take what you can."

"Give nothing back."

Hook and hand shook.

"MISTER SMEE! PIPE UP THE CREW!"

It was time for Hook to reveal the second part of his plan. There had never been any real chance of Calypso siding against him. Hook knew his blood; knew why it was the unnatural color it was. Calypso knew too; it was the only reason she had suffered him to live on Isla Cruces. She would not risk offending Hook's father; the man responsible for Hook's placement on the Queen Anne's Revenge, as well as the man who had given Blackbeard His sword.

After all, Triton was not the sort of person one wished to anger.