Chapter 12

They exited the sultan's palace as a large group and headed for the harbor. Margot walked next to the sultan, the gun held loosely in her hand. Johnny, Jack, and Will were at the back of the group, surrounded by large guards with even larger scimitars.

Every now and then Margot would glance back to make sure they were alright. Johnny couldn't keep his eyes off of her trim form, sashaying in that revealing outfit, and neither could the sultan.

"I have a mind to cut that bastard's eyes out if he looks at her arse one more time," muttered Johnny.

Will put a hand on his son's shoulder, "Easy lad. There will be time enough for retribution. Let's hope that Margot knows what she's doing."

Jack was oblivious to their conversation as he was trying to ingratiate himself with the Captain who was a few feet in front of them.

"We could be in business together mate. The scourge of the Red Sea. Has a nice ring to it, aye?"

The Captain grunted and nodded to one of the guards who stuck the tip of his scimitar up to Sparrow's back.

Jack threw his hands up in the air and fell back to walk with Johnny and Will, "These brutes have no sense of humor."

Margot and the sultan climbed on board the ship. The glow emanating from her necklace increased, as if the piece of jewelry knew where they were headed. All around her the guards and crew pointed and whispered.

She was led into the sultan's cabin and offered refreshments, which she declined vehemently, fearing another batch of drugged wine.

Her father, Johnny, and Will were taken down to the cargo hold and tied together. A dozen armed guards watched over them.

A few hours later, the ship anchored at the caves. Margot, the sultan, the Captain, and a few guards went in the first row boat. Will, Johnny, and Jack followed closely behind in separate boats crowded with guards and crew members.

"I'm getting sick of this cave," muttered Johnny as they were forced out of the rowboats and waded the shallow waters to reach the entrance.

Once Margot saw that they were safe she entered the cave and followed the narrow passage to the stairs. The stairs opened up to the room of bones. Margot made her way across the room, ignoring the leering skeletons.

When Jack, Johnny, and Will entered the room they were surprised to find the fifteen men they had fought missing.

"Where could they have gone?" whispered Johnny.

"I don't know lad, but I don't like it. There be dark magic afoot," replied Jack, watching Margot step up to a symbol in the wall, holding her necklace out.

When the necklace shone on the symbol, a great rumbling shook the floor and walls, causing the piles of bone to come crashing down. Guards yelled as they fell and were buried beneath the bones.

The Captain shouted orders and the remaining guards dug through the bones, but couldn't find their comrades.

Margot and the sultan were oblivious to the strange magic occurring around them as a thin crack appeared in the wall, slowly widening. Finally when it was large enough for someone to walk through, the rumbling ceased.

Margot stepped forward, but was grabbed by the Captain who whirled her around yelling angrily. The sultan turned also, a dazed look in his eye.

"What magic do you perform on my men? Bring them back evil sorceress!"

Margot eyes widened when she realized the guards' numbers had decreased by half. She quickly located her father, Johnny, and Will and breathed a sigh of relief.

The Captain took her shoulders and shook her hard, cursing in Arabic. Johnny started forward and was wrenched back by one of the guards.

Margot managed to extract herself from the Captain and held the gun up, "I don't know what happened to yer men. Do you want the treasure or no?"

The sultan gave orders to the Captain in Arabic and then motioned for Margot to step through the crack in the wall.

Margot bit her lip and stepped through, disappearing immediately.

Johnny yelled and tore himself out of the guard's arms, dashing towards the gap and diving through, vanishing into thin air.

He felt himself spinning through the darkness, before landing on something soft that admitted a faint, "Oooof!"

Johnny felt underneath him, his hand touching silky fabric and a supple lump. He tried to explore the lump when he felt a gun in the vicinity of his most prized possessions.

"Get your hand off me breast before I blast off yer…"

"Margot, you're alright!" smiled Johnny jumping up and helping her to her feet.

"Course I am," muttered Margot as she attempted to straighten her clothing.

"I thought you were…God I don't even know," murmured Johnny, pulling her into his arms and kissing her hard.

Their passionate embrace was interrupted by several more bodies falling to the ground beside them.

Margot straightened her outfit one more time and grabbed a torch from the wall, illuminating a struggling pile consisting of the sultan, the Captain, Jack, Will, and a few guards.

One by one, they extracted themselves and stared at the cavern they had appeared in. They were on a large ledge that extended over a very dark hole. Margot kicked a stone and they listened for it to hit the ground. Several minutes later they heard a faint clatter.

"Bloody hell," commented Margot.

A thin stone bridge stretched across the hole and linked the ledge with another, smaller ledge. A large golden door took up most of the smaller ledge's wall and Margot swore she saw movement in the shadows to the right of the door.

"You first girl," ordered the sultan, shoving Margot onto the bridge.

She stumbled a little and caught her balance. She turned back to the sultan with a dark glare, "Watch it."

Margot took mincing steps across the bridge, testing it for any signs of weakness. When she made it to the other side safely, the sultan started across, a few guards in tow.

He yelled for the Captain and the remaining guards to stay with the prisoners.

Margot picked up her gun, "Let Johnny Turner over, or this ends here."

The sultan grimaced and motioned for Johnny to join them. When he stepped off the bridge, Margot grabbed his hand and pulled him to her side.

He squeezed her hand and they turned to face the golden door. Margot reached for her necklace, when a shrouded figure stepped in front of the door.

"Who dares disturb Ali Baba's treasure?" boomed a voice, echoing across the cave.

Margot opened her mouth to respond, when the Captain made a motion and the guards rushed the figure, scimitars drawn. The figure raised a hand and the guards went flying into the air and over the ledge, screaming as they fell into the infinite darkness.

They stared in horror and Margot's grip on Johnny's hand tightened, cutting off his circulation.

"Who dares disturb Ali Baba's treasure?" repeated the voice, louder this time, causing the cavern to shake.

"Margot Sparrow," she whispered, letting go of Johnny and stepping forward.

The figure pushed back his hood, revealing a wizened face of Arabic descent. His dark eyes searched Margot's face and then dropped to his knees reverently saying, "The Pearl. At last."

"Who are ye?" asked Margot, her voice shaking.

"Answer three questions you must, if the treasure you seek," bellowed the voice again.

Margot glanced at Johnny, who gave her a reassuring look, and then nodded to the mysterious man.

"Do you possess the key, Pearl?"

"Aye," Margot replied lifting the necklace, which shone bright in the cave.

"How did you come by the key?"

"Me mum gave it to me. Sabine La Nacre," replied Margot, her voice growing steadier.

"Do you seek the treasure of your own free will?"

Margot hesitated and glanced briefly at the sultan who made a small motion. The Captain stood behind Johnny, a gun to his back. Margot glanced to the other ledge and saw guards holding weapons to her father and Will's throats.

"A..aye," she stuttered.

"Step forward, and hold forth the key," ordered the man. Margot complied and the key left her neck, embedding itself in the lock on the door. A bright light shone across the cavern, bathing it in gold.

Margot heard shouts of surprise and turned quickly to see golden statues where men used to stand. She cried out and ran to Johnny, who was frozen, his mouth open in surprise. Tears poured down her face as she looked across the cavern to see more golden statues.

She whirled angrily around, brandishing her gun, "What have ye done to them?"

"It was not free will that led you here, but these men's greed. It was their undoing."

"But what of my father? And Will Turner? And the man I l..love?"

"Unfortunate but necessary I fear. You are the sole owner of the treasure. Go forth and receive it."

Margot started to argue when the doors swung open and she was forced into the room, the door slammed behind her.

AN: In case you were curious, I've put together what I think Margot and Johnny would look like using the hero machine on the ugo website. Check out my author's page for more info.