Chapter 9: Divulging

And I can't save what's left of you- Breaking Benjamin

Disclaimer: Not Mine, but I love to play pirates. A few of the lines came word for word from the movie. enjoy.

A/N: This chapter isn't as long as the others but it's needed.

Jack watched the ship move in with something akin to horror. There was no mistaking it for anything but Singaporean with those sails. Captain Sao Feng. And he'd left Elizabeth in the brig. So much for keeping her safe…

Barbossa let out an exasperated sigh. "We'd best be getting back to the Pearl."

"Aye." Jack muttered.

Before they could move, they were surrounded by the crew Will had pressganged. Bugger. So much for rescuing her…

JEJEJEJEJEJEJE

The door to the brig clanged open. Elizabeth leapt up. "Jack? If you intend to-"

Two of the Singaporean sailors stepped in. "What's happening?"

They merely grunted and pushed her towards the stairs.

Her eyes narrowed as they stepped into the sunlight. A tall bald Asian stood before her in foreign garb with a large crew. She wondered who he was. A sinking suspicion told her she already knew.

Barbossa and Jack were currently marching up to him. "Sao Feng, what brings you here?"

Will pushed through the group interrupting them. "Release her!"

Elizabeth glanced up in surprise. She had assumed he was clapped in irons as well.

Apparently she wasn't the only one confused, because Jack and Barbossa were also looking on in shock. "She's not part of the bargain." Bargain?

"What bargain be that?" Barbossa asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You heard Captain Turner, release her." Captain? A few of the crew laughed, but released her.

"Captain Turner?" Jack echoed her thoughts.

"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!" Gibbs spat.

"I need the Pearl to free my father." Will! How could you? Are you really that stupid? "That's the only reason I came on this voyage."

She marched over to him. "Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?"

He grimaced. "It was my burden to bear." This silenced her. She glared up at him. "Oh don't look at me like that, you have no say in what I do anymore, remember?"

Her eyes shot to Jack and then back to Will, but not fast enough. The pirate captain noticed and frowned. "What?"

She didn't get a chance to answer before "Clap him in irons!" was heard and Jack was being dragged onto what appeared to be a British flagship that she hadn't noticed was even there until that very moment. She moved to follow, but was dragged backwards and her way barred.

JEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJEJE

Jack was thrown into a stateroom on the grand ship still wondering what Will had meant. Are they no longer betrothed? Why?

"Curious." Jack's thoughts were interrupted. Curiosity. You're going to want it. His mouth went dry thinking about that particular conversation.

"What's curious?" A chance to be admired and gain the rewards that follow…

"Perhaps your friends no longer believe that a gathering of squabbling pirates is enough to take down the Flying Dutchman." Still as naïve as ever, I see. Jack began looking for the heart. "And so despair leads to betrayal. But you and I are no strangers to betrayal." Yes, but I'm no slaver nor do I fancy men so you're out of luck, mate. "Are we?"

He glanced down at his brand, remembering the pain of losing everything. I do understand why Norrington did it then…

"It's not here, Jack." Dammit. He slammed the box he was currently looking in closed.

"What? What isn't?"

"The heart of Davy Jones. It's safely aboard the Dutchman and so unable to be used as leverage to satisfy your debts to the good captain." How'd you manage that one, mate? This is going to be a bit harder than I thought, but not impossible…

"By my reckoning, that account has been settled." He replied with a grin.

"By your death and yet here you are." You sound annoyed and yet you want me around, don't you, mate?

"Close your eyes and pretend it's all a bad dream. That's how I get by."

"And if Davy Jones were to learn of your survival?"

He frowned. I hadn't thought of that… "I'm still working on that one."

"Perhaps you'll consider an alternative arrangement." Beckett murmured pouring shots. "One which requires absolutely nothing from you, but information." Jack took both shots. Elizabeth really is going to hate me for this...but if I play my cards right…

"Regarding the Brethren Court, no doubt, in exchange for fair compensation, square my debt with Jones, and guarantee my freedom."

"Of course. It's just good business."

"What information would I be divulging?"

"Everything." Lord Beckett whispered. Jack turned to look at him. What constitutes as everything? "Where are they meeting? Who are the pirate lords? What is the purpose of the nine pieces of eight?"

"And if I were to refuse?"

His jaw clenched. "Then I'm afraid I will have to take matters into my own hands and let me assure you, Captain Sparrow, you will not find that pleasant."

Jack frowned. "I've been tortured before."

"Mmm…yes, but has Miss Swann?" Jack dropped the fan he was playing with.

"What interest is she to you?"

Lord Beckett smirked. "What indeed? Honestly, I don't see why every man seems so stupidly enamored with the little wretch. She's barely any curves at all. Although…she's quite the spitfire, I will give her that…"

Jack's jaw clinched a bit. It was taking everything he had not to bust his rings against that perfectly clean-shaven jawline.

Beckett observed him with a small smirk. "Ah. Unrequited love. How tragic." He scratched his chin. "But wait…perhaps those letters of marque really were for you. Perhaps it's not unrequited at all…"

"There is no love between us. She murdered me. I have no use for her." Jack waved it off albeit somewhat nervously.

"Hmm…somehow I don't believe you."

"What's not to believe? I'm a pirate not a paramour."

Beckett chuckled for a moment and then his eyes narrowed. "Wait…I've just recalled…I've got this wonderful compass which points to whatever I want."

Jack's mouth twitched. Doesn't work for me. Don't ask me to use it, mate. You'll only find her and I can't afford to let you know that. "So for what do I need you much less Miss Swann, hm?" Bugger. That's worse…think fast, Jack.

"It points to the thing you want most and that's not the Brethren Court, is it?"

"Then what is, Jack?"

"Me..." That sounded bad. "Dead."

Beckett tossed the compass at him and he tossed the fan. "Although, if I kill you, then I can use the compass to find Shipwreck Cove, is it? On my own. Cut out the middle man as it were and end all pirates." He brought his gun up.

"With me killed, you'd arrive at the Cove, find the stronghold nigh impregnable, able to withstand blockade for years, and then you'd be wishing oh if only there was someone I had not killed on the inside to ensure that the pirates then come outside."

"So you are agreeing to cooperate?"

Jack opened his mouth but was interrupted by a large explosion. Beckett turned to the window, distracted. Seeing that the other man's defenses were down, Jack grabbed a nearby box and brought it down on the back of Beckett's head, effectively knocking him out.

"Sorry, mate. You've gone too far astray to be saved. I've been down that road before. My allegiances lie elsewhere now."