Thank you so much to my reviewers: Willabeth0906, Calenlass Greenleaf1, Telcontar Rulz, lynxlan, AKA Parfait, shewhoshallwrite, master of time, and Wills_Elizabeth23!! You have all brought huge grins to my face!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate the time you take to tell me what you think!!

Anonymous Reviewer Responses:

AKA Parfait: Thanks so much for the review! Isaly is really on her own side. So, if it benefits her, then she'll probably be interested. :)

master of time: Thanks so much for the review! Yup, you've got it. I had a lot to set-up, but now we're getting back into the good stuff. I hope you enjoy it!

Wills_Elizabeth23: You made it! :) Actually, I'm getting pretty late for the update myself. Yay! You're enjoying the story! Sorry about the suspense. I just can't seem to help myself. Thanks so much for the review!

Chapter 27: Expendability

Jack had officially decided he didn't particularly relish being carted around by His Majesty's Royal Navy. It put a damper on the feeling of freedom. And besides, only so many stories could be told about evading soldiers. Wenches would much rather hear about the conquering of a vicious, black-hearted fellow pirate.

Jack and Elaine had been dumped rather unceremoniously in the crumbling ruins of what looked to be a veritable fortress. Four guards were placed over them to keep watch and then no further attentions had come their way.

Water, however, seemed prone to follow Jack wherever he wedged himself. He shifted again and sighed in relief with the barrage of rain landed out of range of his left pant leg. He was nearly relaxed, smirking cheekily at the guards, when a rain drop landed squarely on his nose with a loud 'plop'.

"Can't somebody fix the roofin' on this place?" he snarled and swiped the droplet away, resituating himself with a grumble. He glanced across the poor excuse for a shelter and saw Elaine slumped against one wall. As the hours had passed, she'd grown weary and had succumbed to a heavy slumber. She hadn't moved since.

Time dragged by and Jack appeared to have escaped the rain. However, now he had nothing to entertain himself with. So, with a decidedly impish glint to his dark eyes, he took it upon himself to acquire a diversion by annoying his guards.

"Why is it that you four were assigned guard duty? Made the Captain angry? Drank his rum?"

The closest soldier shot him a glare and turned back to staring out at the rain.

"Ah, that must be it then. Drinkin' from your superior's stash." Jack shook his head in mock pity. "It's a sad thing to be deprived of rum, sadder still to be stuck wif a pirate and no rum."

The soldier didn't answer.

"An' that must be why you, an' him, an' him, an' him can't even speak for your bloody selves." Jack noticed, with a growing smirk of satisfaction, the faint blush of irritation spreading over the man's face.

However, the moment of triumph was lost when the guard stood and moved to the edge of the shelter several yards away. "What 'ave you got?" he demanded of a group just out of Jack's line of vision.

"More prisoners. Hawthorne said to keep them here for now." A new voice answered.

"Alright, bring 'em in." The guard gestured impatiently and in moments a new cluster of prisoners, soaking wet and shivering, were hustled into the rudimentary shelter.

As the lantern light spilled over their faces one by one Jack saw two young girls who appeared uncannily like Elaine, and the familiar face of Elizabeth. But what was most astonishing was the person that was being shoved closely behind her.

Entering the temporary prison, littered with bruises and bound tightly, was Will Turner.

"Bugger, whelp. You look like the kraken used you for a chew toy."

Will offered a weak smile before he was given a particularly malicious shove, sending him crashing into the dirt floor with a muffled grunt.

Elizabeth was at his side immediately, her gentle hands helping him sit up and brushing the loose strands of dark hair away from his battered face.

"Clumsy bilge rat." The guard muttered and spat in Will's direction. He spun on his heel and stalked out, oblivious to the venomous look Elizabeth shot him.

"'e's pleasant." Jack remarked sourly.

Will didn't seem to notice and said hoarsely, "Jack, they've been tracking you…you've got…to get out of here."

"You have my thanks for a most unhelpful piece of advice."

"No, Jack, you don't…understand." Will paused for a rattling breath of air.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack leaned back with an unconcerned air about him. "People are always coming after me…'s water under the bridge, mate."

But Will persisted. "You've been transporting things…for the American rebels…that makes you a thorn in their side."

"Will, please, don't tax yourself." Elizabeth pinned Jack with a firm glare.

"Wha's the matter with the whelp?"

Elizabeth chose not to answer him and instead tried to get Will to relax. "Just breathe, Will, everything will be fine." She had gently nestled his head onto her shoulder and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, keeping precious warmth between the two of them.

Slowly, Will's breathing evened out and his eyelids drooped closed. Elizabeth breathed a soft sigh of relief the instant she was sure he was asleep. She began to stroke his hair to ensure that he remained that way for a good time to come.

"What happened to 'im?" Jack's voice was genuinely concerned this time.

She felt her eyes burn and her vision blur. Her gaze met Jack's. "He's been through so much. I don't know how he's survived." She angrily wiped off the hot tears that wormed down her filthy cheeks. "There are whip marks on his back, a gunshot wound on his stomach, countless bruises and scratches all over."

Her time for being strong had waned and she couldn't bear it any longer. The tears came thick and fast, so heavy that she felt Will's hair beneath her chin grow damp. "I just don't know what will happen to him, to us."

"Ever'thing's gonna be fine." Jack murmured, uncomfortable with this display of emotion.

"Will it, Jack? Will it truly?" She made a truly pitiable picture as she stared up at the pirate Captain, blond locks snarled and filthy, eyes red and cheeks streaked with tear tracks.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. We'll find some way outta this."

"Promise?"

"On me mum's grave."

Elizabeth smiled. It was small and trembled precariously, but it was a smile. "Thank you, Jack."

Isaly had done her job and she thought she'd done it rather well. Turner and his cohorts were in British hands without having to compromise the location or even the existence of the tunnels.

The group of scum that had been selected to take over Hawthorne's ship were even now in place to make their move. This day would be of great profit to both she and Jones. In fact, if she played things correctly, she might be the captain of a ship before the sun set.

And that was a tantalizing thought.

Now all that mattered was to ensure that the vagabonds didn't botch the entire thing with some overly confident move. The true key to working with such men was patience, and impeccable timing.

Gathering her skirts, she began the trek towards the docks. Perhaps another dress would be in store for her as well. Her current garment was becoming a little ragged around the edges. Besides, she didn't care for the color.

A slight 'clang' brought her to a quick halt, thoughts of new dresses dissipating instantly. Her eyes narrowed to mere slits as she inspected the area. Idiots. Irritated, she called out, "State your business."

Scuffles and heavy footsteps echoed down the narrow street until a round man with thick sideburns appeared from behind a stack of crates and barrels, followed by a few scraggly crewmembers.

"Miss Isaly?"

"What?" She snapped. If they hid behind things and then expected her to be courteous then they had something else coming.

"I've come to negotiate."

"And what can you possibly have that I want?"

He fidgeted, obviously concerned with something. "It's about Jack…"

"And why would I want to help him?"

"Well…" the large man trailed off at her scathing glare.

"That bilge rat got himself into trouble, and I'm not getting him out." She smirked at the downfall in the first mate's expression. "Besides, he's always bragging about being so clever…give him a chance to live up to his bloated words."

"But…uh, well, you see…"

"What? No faith in your captain?" Her grin grew as the crew shuffled their feet.

"There's more than just the Cap'n that we want safe, see?" The first mate—was he called Gipps?—seemed to have been elected spokesman.

"Ah…his strumpet, then?" At their confused expressions, she elaborated. "The one with child?"

"That be Miss Elizabeth Turner."

Isaly glanced from gaze to gaze. "Turner, as in William Turner's wife?"

He nodded.

So, the blonde woman was the infamous governor's daughter who had learned swordplay. But that didn't mean she was going to leap to save this stranger. Although, she might see what they would offer her…if it was of value, then perhaps it was worth a bit of effort on her part. "Why should I help you?"

"Jack's got a compass…"

"Alright, you scum." The guard ordered tersely. "We're moving out, Hawthorne's orders."

Elizabeth's head flew up and she opened her mouth to protest. Will had only been asleep for maybe an hour. To wake him now would be cruel.

Jack, however, cut in before she could even form the first syllable. "It's been splendiferous to meet you all." He commented blithely, a winning grin on his face. "We'll try hard not to pine over your grouchy, irritable selves."

The guard's upper lip curled. He reached out, catching Jack by his collar and heaving the pirate to his feet. "Move." He accompanied the work with such a glare that it silenced even Jack.

Despite Elizabeth's objections, Will was slapped into the waking world and hauled to his feet with the rest of them. Each prisoner was seized by the elbow and yanked out of the shelter, a platoon of soldiers falling into place behind them.

As the grim procession made its way through the crumbling remains of Alabanza Vacia Jack noticed the particular cruelty their escorts paid Will. Several times they cuffed him on the back of the head for no apparent reason at all. Once they tried to trip him though somehow Will managed to keep his feet under himself.

They kept at a harsh pace and soon the bay's tumultuous depths were stared back at them. Not even pausing for a breath, the soldiers loaded Elaine, Mariel, Elizabeth, Jack and Will into the boats.

Elizabeth sat huddling in the back of her boat, striving to keep both her unborn child and Will warm in the pouring rain. He leant against her heavily, his hot breath washing against her neck at a rapid pace.

Lightning crackled and thunder boomed overhead, painting the black sky with a flood of silver and pale blue. Ahead the Waking Power waited. Its were sails carefully stowed and anchor deep in the sea, the hull resting on the dark waves like a sleeping dragon. One wrong move and it would leap to life, guns bellowing fire and smoke.

The longboats came aside the Waking Power before long they stood on her main deck. Hawthorne looked down on them from the forecastle deck. "When will you learn that running from me is futile, Turner?"

"When you learn that I will not be your pawn." Will straightened, taking a deep breath, and looking Hawthorne right in the eyes.

"You are becoming an increasing nuisance, Turner, and you and your wife have become expendable since I now have your…" here Hawthorne glanced at Jack and wrinkled his nose in distaste, "charming friend, Jack Sparrow."

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow, actually." Jack chimed in.

"Your ship, captain? I haven't seen it anywhere."

"Temporarily on leave."

"We ought to arrange a welcoming committee for it then. After all, the infamous Black Pearl is no ordinary ship." Hawthorne's smile couldn't have been wider.

"Me crew's used to be underappreciated."

"You won't be here." The Navy captain turned to an aide. "Kipper? Tell the crew to be on watch for the Black Pearl."

"Aye, sir." The soldier nodded and scampered off.

"Now, Turner, where were we?"

Will glared up at him. He'd edged slowly in front of Elizabeth as Jack and Hawthorne had spoken so that she was almost completely hidden by his larger frame.

"Ah, yes! Expendable…" Hawthorne motioned to a pair of guards. "The girl."

Will's eyes narrowed as the two men approached. His shoulders tensed and he crouched slightly. But his attention was so focused in front of him that he failed to see the two moving from the side.

Elizabeth felt an arm close around her waist and yank back. She reached out and grasped for Will's jacket, anything. "Will!" A hand fell over her mouth and before Will could turn a cold gun barrel was placed on her temple.

TBC...