Chapter 6: The Hunt
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Pirates of the Caribbean or its script
Alright one tiny announcement. I changed Janine's last name from DelRoma to Delarosa. I'm telling you this because I don't want to go back and redo and reload everything. So yeah. Her lat name is now Delarosa.
Day1-Port Royal
Daniel rubbed his brow, and took of the hat fanning himself with it. His bright blue eyes scanned the rebuilding of Fort Charles which had, despite being on top of a large hill, suffered a great amount of damage. He had never felt the sun so hot on his back before and the mortar was drying up too quickly. There were soldiers whose job was to fetch water going up and down the hill. He expected that a lot of then were angry at him. But of course it was their own fault, he thought. If they hadn't left their post and left him, Norrington and a couple others in their wake during battle there wouldn't be so much work that had to be done. He turned to his assistant who seemed bored out of his little blond mind. Good.
"Smith." The man turned and saluted.
"Yes, Sir."
"I entrust the oversights of the repair to you, I have some paperwork that needs to be taken care of." Smith's hazel eyes shown with determination, and he gave another salute.
"I won't let you down, sir."
"I don't expect you to. See that the west wing is done upon my return." Daniel turned around and walked towards the office, and stepped over the threshold.
"Use the door next time, Marks." Norrington sneered, not looking up from the map of the Caribbean that was lain out across the charred desk.
"Why, James old pal that sounds like a delightful idea, except if I were to use the door, the huge gaping hole in the wall would feel left out." Said Daniel sitting down on the abandoned chair and placing his feet up on the desk and smirking.
"If you're not here to do anything useful then leave!" snapped Governor Swann. "The issue concerning my daughter is a grave one, so if you please." Daniel looked at him and then to James who had still not taken his eyes off the map.
"I'll just go see how Smithy-boy's doing." As he was about to walk away, Will turned the corner and burst in, all eyes looked up, Daniel glanced at the sword and boarding axe.
"They've taken them! They've taken Samantha and Ms. Swann!" he exclaimed. The group just continued to stare at him: Swann, Norrington, and Marks, gathered around a huge map of the Caribbean.
Norrington sighed in exasperation, "Mr. Murtogg, remove this man from my office." Murtogg grabbed Will by the arm, but Will shook him off.
"We have to hunt them down we must save her!"
"Which 'her'?" the Governor asked suspicious of his motives, Will stopped himself as Sam's name danced on his tongue.
"Does it really matter?" asked a voice, they turned to look at whom it belonged and to which at this point didn't even notice was there. Janine stood leaning against the doorframe in a black jeweled corset over a cotton shirt, brown pantaloons, and black knee-high boots. Her hair was left down, with a braid coming across the top of her head as a headband, the waves and curls ending at mid back were slightly dry from the port air. "We must hunt them down and save them both."
"And where do you propose we start-?" asked the Governor furiously whirling on her, "If you have any idea in the whereabouts of my daughter do share."
"Currently she's on the Pearl, but I suggest we head to Tortuga, if there was anyplace to learn of the co-ordinates of Isla de Muerta it would be there." She replied almost smugly. Norrington gave her a suspicious sideways glance.
"Leave, Ms. …."
"Delarosa." supplied Marks from his chair in the corner of the room.
"You looked oddly familiar…" Commodore Norrington said walking closer to Janine, she smiled meekly but stood her ground.
"Really?" she asked almost mockingly. "And why would you say that?"
"That Jack Sparrow ... he talked about the Black Pearl."
"Mentioned it, is more what he did." Mullroy corrected, Janine blinked.
"Still I think-"
"Ask him where it is! Make a deal with him! He can lead us to it!" Will said cutting her off, as though it was the greatest idea in the world. Norrington began to say something when Janine whispered:
"Let me guess, to rash?" Norrington looked over at her and Janine quirked an eyebrow smirking slightly; ignoring her he turned towards Will.
"No." he said regaining his posture, and headed over to the map, re-evaluating the course of action. "The pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow locked in his cell. Ergo, he is not their ally. Do you really think we hadn't thought about that?" With that said he turned to Governor Swan.
"We will determine their most likely course, and launch a search mission with the next tide."
Janine stepped in front of Will before he can make any moves and pulled out her sword and stuck it into the desk, through the map, on the island of Tortuga.
"Sorry mate, that's not good enough." She said. "To catch a pirate you've got to think like it, Ergo-"she looked pointedly at Norrington, then back to Swan and finished off. "Why not use what we have to our advantage?"
"And what would that be saying about our Navy?" asked Lieutenant Marks, making his presence known. He sat up strait in the chair and looked her square in the eyes. "That we give pirates leave in order to get back what one pirate can destroy ten fold, I think not." Anger licked the insides of her stomach and she slammed both hands on the desk beside her blade.
"No! It'll show that the Navy will do everything in its power to show justice-"
"-yes but how can justice be served by breaking it?" replied Marks and yanked the sword from the desk as he came around.
"Miss. Janine," said Marks his eyes flashing smugly, Janine let herself smile. The bastard's good. "You are not a military man, you are not a sailor, and you are a …"
"Captain." Janine finished with the first ship job that came to her mind.
"Which would prove more than useful in this event," Will said, Janine looked over at him and smiled at his support.
"And you're a blacksmith." Norrington turned on Will. "You have nothing of value to contribute here. And this is not the time for rash actions."
"Then you leave her to die! Her and Samantha!" Norrington threw a strong arm across Will's shoulders, and moved him to the door. He paused, and then leaned close to Will.
"Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth." He turned to Janine.
"Out." He said, Janine mockingly curtsied and headed towards the door. Marks then handed Norrington her sword, and he turned to her, holding it out in front of him.
"You're sword, Miss Delarosa" he handed it to Janine who slipped it into its sheath.
"I would have rather you keep it, after all, you do need one" Marks stifled a laugh as she and Will turned the corner and walked out of the office. Norrington blinked.
"What in god's name just happened?" he asked aloud, Marks came to stand beside him and leaned on his shoulder.
"You just got witted out by a girl-"
"-woman" Norrington corrected, Marks threw him a sideways glance.
"Dare I say that someone has taken the fair Elizabeth's place in the heart of thee, Commodore?"
"Nonsense, one just must be aware of the fact that the age of a woman is-"
"Lieutenant!" cried Smith from the repair grounds. Marks patted Norrington shoulder.
"Keep thinking about it Commodore." And he went to the repair grounds, leavening the Commodore in his thoughts.
"What do we do now, if the Navy won't help us?" Will asked they strolled back down the large hill towards town.
Janine sighed, "We'll do what we can, and we'll need Sparrow. Behind those chocolate eyes is a world that none of us could possibly dream of imagining."
"…are you in love with Sparrow?" Will asked suddenly, Janine rolled her eyes as she turned towards the direction of the jail.
"Which woman isn't?"
In his cell, Jack strained trying to unlock the door with a broken piece of the bone that Hayley had used earlier to get the dog's attention. Hayley sat in a relaxed sitting position in the corner of the cell watching Jack struggle, a smile on her face.
"Oi! Get off yer arse and help." Jack said, Hayley laughed.
"Nah, I think I'll wait-" they heard the sound of the latch opening, and Jack immediately adopted a relaxed, lounging pose. Janine skipped the last couple of stairs crashing into the wall.
"Ouch, wasn't exactly the landing I was thinking of…"
"Nice, Janine." She heard. She turned to see Hayley in the cell and quickly ran over to her.
"Hales!"
"Nice outfit doll." She said, looking Janine up and down. Janine smiled twirling exaggeratedly once.
"Flattery will get you nowhere." Despite their reunion their attention was drawn once again to Jack and Will.
"Where does it make berth? Haven't you heard the stories?" Will said nothing while Jack let his head fall back onto the straw.
"Captain Barbossa," he said, and his voice just lightly trailed a claw over the captain part. Hayley figured he hated calling that mutineering bastard a captain- of his ship no less!
"And his crew of miscreants," Jack continued smoothly, "sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta ... an island that cannot be found, except by those who already know where it is.
"The ship's real enough. So its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?" Will asked clutching the bars of the jail cell.
"Why ask me?"
"Because you're a pirate."
"And you want to turn pirate yourself is that it?" Jack barely sat up; an amused smirk turned the corners of his lips, his eyes shining mischievously.
"Never." the glimmer was gone and Jack's head fell back, he continued to look at his nails. Will paused for a moment than said in defeat "They took Sam."
"And miss Swan." Hayley filled in.
Jack sat up almost smiling mockingly. "Oh! So it is that you found a girl. I see. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."
Will dragged a bench away from the wall, next to a chair.
"I can get you out of here."
"How's that? The key's run off." Hayley said, Will flipped the bench onto its corner and put the two legs through the cell bars.
"I helped build these cells. Those are half-pin barrel hinges. It's the weight of the door keeping you in, not the lock. It just calls for the proper application of strength, and the right leverage." Jack looked closely suspiciously at Will.
"What's your name?"
"Will Turner." Jack recognized the name, and sits up a little straighter. "That's short for William, I imagine. Good strong name. No doubt named for your father, eh?"
Will's eyes narrowed for a moment in questioning. "Yes."
"Uh huh…" Jack's eyes darted around the floor of the cell quickly for a moment before looking back up towards Will. "Well, Mr. Turner, I've changed me mind. You spring me from this cell, and I swear on pain of death, I'll take you to the Black Pearl."
"And your Bonny Lass." Hayley added. Jack stuck his hand out between the bars.
"Do we have an accord?" Will's gut was churning and he didn't know what to think of Jack. He was a pirate after all, one that seemed very keen on only getting something out of anything. Pirate, the voice in the back of his mind mocked. The hand was there, extended and Jack's eyes were…shining. Not a very good sign. But he had no other option. It was that or leave Sam to die. And he would kill himself before it that happened. Wow. A tiny voice said in the back of his mind yet again. What an impression she made in only a day and a half.
"Look can we get this over with before they invent cars?" Hayley said impatiently tapping her foot. Will came out of his reverie. Again there was the hand.
Here goes everything.
He shook Jack's hand.
"Agreed."
"Agreed! Now get us out." Will put the bench over his fulcrum and wedged the bench under the cell door and put his weight on it, straining. He heard shuffling and noticed that Janine had decided to help she basically hung off the edge of the bench and the cell door rose, fell forward, and crashed down.
"Someone will have heard that. Hurry." Will said, quickly heading towards the door. Jack and Hayley pussy-footed around the door, and started searching the desk and cupboards ruthlessly.
"Not without my effects." They said in unison and in perfect synchronization they found the belt equipped with sword, gun and compass (for Jack) then strapped on the belt and checked their pistols. Looking around at the group Jack nodded towards the door.
"Let's go."
Jack, Will, Hayley and Janine peeked out from beneath the dock, where dozens of fishing boats rested upside down on the beach. Beyond the busy docks, in the harbor, the Dauntless loomed. Following Jack's gaze Will clued in.
"We're going to steal a ship? That ship?"
"Commandeer." Hayley corrected, "We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term."
Jack looked critically over at Will.
"One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going." Jack said turning towards him, fixing him with a powerful gaze. "This girl, how far are you willing to go to save her?" Will hesitates, which girl? He's known Sam for a day and he's never wanted to look at Elizabeth again, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings for her Elizabeth was there since he was a kind. Point of the matter was it was him job to save them both. Jack and the others were tag-alongs...
"I guess Sam will die then-"Janine prompted, brown eyes flashed dangerously at her.
"Never!" he snapped at Janine then turned to Jack saying fiercely, "I'd die for her."
Hayley smiled, "Good answer."
Jack's face became relieved. "No worries then."
Waiting for a little they watched as all the harbor men left and quick as lightning they sped off towards the two finishing boats that were flipped upside down on the shore. They paired off, Jack with Will and Hayley with Janine. When the reached the second boat, Hayley gave a soft and tired moan.
"Great, I get the weak-link." She muttered, then bent down to and pulled the boat's side up.
"Get it quick" she hissed, Janine was small which helped her to swiftly go down and under. Hayley followed and sat down.
"Got a handle on the seats?" Hayley asked, quietly. She felt, rather than saw Janine nod her head.
"Good. When Jack knocks then." Another nod. Hayley paused unsure of how to approach Janine.
"You know…I can carry the back if you'd like."
"No. I can handle it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep." A smile from within the darkness, not that Hayley could see.
"You know its heavy right?"
"Yes." There was an edge of annoyance in her voice.
"And you're kind of weak…you know that right?" There came a soft knock from outside.
"Just lift the fucking boat." Janine spat, Hayley chuckled.
"Alright no need to get mouthy." She replied smirking.
Jack and Will, wadded through the shoulder high water, safe in the bubble of air beneath the boat hull.
"This is either madness or brilliance" Will pondered aloud.
"Remarkable how often those two traits coincide."
On the Dauntless, Gillette supervised as sailors swabbed decks, and mended sails. Then Jack and Will jumped over the rail brandishing cutlasses. Janine and Hayley trialed closely behind, and pointed their pistols at the backs of Gillette's crew.
"Everybody stay calm. We're taking over the ship!" Jack announced, suavely sidestepping behind the crew. Will came up fast beside him.
"Aye! Avast!" Gillette's crew laughed and Jack gave Will a look, which plainly said: don't do that. Janine and Hayley looked at each other and Jack grinned with them. Gillette stepped forward.
"This ship cannot be crewed by two men. You'll never make it out of the bay."
"You forget that there are two other people here." Janine said haughtily, the crew laughed again then one of the soldiers looked at her.
"Women are for no other use then bedding, they have no right to be anywhere but in the house," Janine pulled back the hammer on the pistol.
"y-you slimy pig headed bastard!"
"Talk about women's uses and rights one more time, I dare you." Hayley said softly, dangerously.
"I said-" but he didn't get anything else out as the pommel of Hayley's pistol came into contact with his skull and knocked the guard out
"I've never been one to resist a challenge. Now, if you will ...?" Jack said gestured with his pistol "over the side", to where the little rowboat floated beside the ship.
Crewmen swarmed the Interceptor, preparing it for launch. James strode along, intent on the manifest, as Daniel tried to keep up. He noticed a longboat full of sailors coming from the Dauntless, its forward sail tuffed and billowed pushing it towards the mouth of the bay. Daniel looked at the boat and took out his brass telescope. Fixing it over his bright blue eye he peered through and was astounded to find Gillette and his crew rowing like mad toward the Dauntless.
"Erm, James…" Daniel nudged the James' shoulder and handed him the spyglass pointing it to Gillette. James looked through it. Sure enough, the Dauntless was moving away, albeit slowly. He moved it towards the main deck and spotted Turner, accompanied by Sparrow and the two girls.
"Rash, Turner, too rash-"
"Hmmm. It seems like Delarosa and Jones are with them in the scheme of things."
"What?" Daniel yanked the telescope away from James and looked through it, his jaw set.
James took the telescope again and found Jack at the wheel. "That is, without doubt, the worst pirate I have ever seen."
Jack leaned on the wheel, completely and utterly relaxed as Will looked back towards port, worried. Janine had climbed the rigging and leaned over watching as the Interceptor headed their way. She smiled and nodded Hayley over. Hayley rushed towards the railing and looked over, her green eyes playful and delighted.
"Here they come!" she shouted, Jack glanced back and smirked.
Norrington's ship was quickly upon the Dauntless, its decks empty.
"Alright men, on three!" Smith commanded. "Three!" simultaneously the grappling hooks were thrown, hooking the rails of The Dauntless to The Interceptor. The sailors drew the two ships close enough to put a large gangplank in-between. Some sailors climbed and swung across. Norrington looks around speaking to Marks as he walked towards the cabin.
"Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges!" The Interceptor is empty, save for a single sentry. Janine and Hayley, soaked, climbed over the rail unseen and head toward the ropes, the only thing connecting the Interceptor and the Dauntless. Hayley grabbed the Sentry from behind, covering his mouth.
"Can you swim?" the man struggled against her grip, which she tightens quickly. Janine watches from above as she makes a Clove Hitch to the post on the mizzenmast.
"Can. You. Swim?" Hayley repeated, and then removed her hand.
"Like a fish, ma'am. Grew up summers in Dover, living with me uncle-"
"Good" was Hayley's last comment before she tossed the man overboard. Janine climbed down the rigging and quickly threw off the ropes to the grappling hooks. Swinging over from the back of the dauntless, as soon as their feet touch the deck Will cranked up the foresail, as Jack moved towards the wheel.
Blast! James swore silently. This, he swore would be the last time that he ever let him slip away. Frustrated at finding nothing in the cabin James walked back out deck. Only to see his ship sailing away.
Double Blast!
"Sailors! Back to the Interceptor!" he shouted running to the rail, but it was too late. One brave sailor tried to swing across on a rope, but missed badly, and landed ungracefully in the water below. James looked across to see Sparrow waving at him.
"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd've had a hard time of it by ourselves!" His smile is half lived as shots have begun to be fired and returned between the two ships.
James was seething, but his order was measured:
"Raise the sails." Daniel gave him a weird look.
"With the wind a quarter astern we won't catch them-"
"I don't need to catch them, just get them in range of the long nines." Daniel blinked at the order but the coldness in James' eyes made him relay it.
"Smith!" The soldier turned, "Come about, Jackets off the cannons" Smith gave him a weird look, which Daniel replied with a tired: "Just do it."
A salute from Smithy-Boy.
"Hands! Come about! Jackets off the cannons!"
Daniel turned to James and swallowed thickly. He knew what that ship meant to James. It was if he were to guess as important to his as the Black Pearl was to its captain.
"We're to fire on our own ship, sir?"
"I'd rather see it at the bottom of the sea than in the hands of a pirate." Smith jumps the stairs two at a time and spins the wheel .No change in course. He looked at Daniel and at the Commodore.
"Captain, there's a problem." He spins the wheel; it keeps spinning. Smith scratches his head, mentally going over the ships structure.
"There's only one thing he could've done. He disabled the rudder chain, sir." Despite himself Daniel smiled. The Interceptor dwindles with distance. They watch it go with some degree of admiration.
"That has got to be the best pirate I have ever seen."
"So it would seem."
Sixth chapter revised oh what funny fun fun!
Hope you enjoyed.
Ciao
Capt. Blue-Eyed Jane