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Tortugan Beginnings

Stranger

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The tavern was fairly quiet, even to Lucas's standards. To Jack's, it was a little past dead. Most of the taverns Jack had ever visited were loud, sinful places that caused much of a clamor among the night until pirates fell out on their faces in their drunken stupors. This tavern was nothing to him. The din was a slight murmur among the people, all the pirates and sailors speaking amongst themselves. The pirates simply left the sailors to their business, as the sailors did likewise. It seemed all too surreal; pirates shouldn't be going about their business that way. Frankly, it bothered Jack. He was always one for mischief and this was all too laidback. He immediately decided he disliked Florida and their careless New World ways. The men inside the tavern were neither dangerously drunk nor entirely sober. They simply were intoxicated, but not beyond a point where they lost all reasoning. Jack needed that to work to his advantage. This again disappointed him. The tavern had that level of balance that Lucas decided he liked immediately but Jack only crinkled his nose in disapproval at the boring and quiet tavern.

The small party consisting of Jack, Lucas, Francis Owen, and Joshamee Gibbs sat at a round table, keeping their eyes peeled for any suspicious characters.

It was Francis Owen that noticed him first. It wasn't that the man looked entirely out of place; actually it was quite the opposite. He seemed to blend into the background and would have usually done so but today he had not. The man sipped his alcohol calmly without reason or purpose, but just to drink. That wasn't odd because many of them, save Lucas, had done just that more than once in their lives. It was more that he wasn't drinking to be rowdy, but Owen couldn't seem to understand why he was drinking. His eyes were lowered to his cup and his features were down turned to give him a look of melancholy and a forlorn loneliness. The large man with black hair graying at the temples was alone. He was the only man sitting alone that night.

Everything about the man seemed suspicious to the inquisitive Francis Owen. The burly man seemed to sense his gaze on him and he lifted his eyes. For a split second, Francis Owen and the stranger locked eyes. At that moment, Owen seemed to realize that this man could help them. He couldn't say for sure why, but it might have been how the man's eyes burned with knowledge, as well as an intense sadness that Owen had never seen before, being a rather jovial fellow. Immediately, the man averted his eyes from Owen's. He sucked in his breath and turned to the rest of his part.

"Look at that feller over yonder," Owen said as his companions' eyes followed his own gaze. "I've got this feelin' 'bout him. Not quite sure if it's a good feelin' or even a nasty one. But I've got a feelin', that's fer sure."

"It be bad luck to be starin' at a man without any reason to." Gibbs said, looking somewhat antsy and nervous while squirming in his chair.

Jack glanced at his elder friend. "Sounds like ya just made that up, Joshamee." He moved to his feet. "I think I am agreein' with Francis."

Lucas nodded as well. "I think I am agreeing with the Captain."

"Are ya agreein' with me sayin' that dear ol' Joshamee made that up just at that moment or are ya agreein' with me for agreein' with Francis fer declarin' that man a tad suspicious?" Jack asked in a single breath.

"Talkin' gibberish again, Jack? Ya goin' make the poor boy lose his mind," Gibbs said to Jack, who grimaced at him in response. "Come on, let's go talk ter the feller."

All four rose to their feet and made their way over to the sitting man. As they approached him, he looked up immediately and locked eyes with each of them. His gaze particularly lingered on Lucas. His brows knitted up and his face flushed and turned pallid for only a moment. 'Who was this boy?' the man wondered silently to himself. As he looked at the others, he recognized Captain Sparrow and he grinned at him. Sparrow, he heard all about him. Suddenly it all made sense.

The man sighed and motioned for them to sit. "I suppose all ya gents are lookin' fer Miss Hart."

Lucas almost flew from his seat. "Yes! How did you know that? Who are you?"

Jack was equally as confused as Lucas was. However, his excited voice had attracted attention to the five men and people were soon gawking at them in curiosity. "What is yer name, mate?"

"Napoleon Basset," the man offered. "Tell me, who is all ye gents? I recognize Captain Sparrow. And ya, boy. Who are ya? Ye look awfully like her and Missus Antoinette Hart, that is."

"My name is Lucas Hart."

Napoleon's brows rose in surprise and he nodded. "I shoulda guessed. I shoulda guessed."

"Now, mate, it's about time yer tell us who ya are," Jack urged.

"I'm crew on the Abaddon," Napoleon said and immediately after had a swig of the liquid inside his mug.

Lucas's hand went to his cutlass at his hip in a flash moment. With narrowed eyes, he was already on his feet and his sword was already unsheathed. Malevolence seemed to wash over the boy's features. "Speak now and tell us where she is," he spat at him.

"Calm yer knickers, boy." Napoleon said without his voice wavering. He pushed the blade away. "I never agreed with what they were doin'. Devils, that's what they are, and it's about time they stopped doin' such devilish things. Yer savin' her, I'd suppose."

"Aye, we be doin' just that." Gibbs said. "Tell us, how did ye come upon their ship? Why haven't ya left?"

Napoleon's eyes shifted away from the four strange men sitting. "They 'ave somethin' of mine that is needin' returnin'."

None of the men probed further, sensing his uneasiness about the subject. As he responded to them, he took another swig of alcohol and swallowed it in a gulp with his eyes shut tight. He opened them once more and placed down the mug gently before looking up and seemed as he did before -- dull-eyed and angry at the world. However, Lucas didn't think that Napoleon Basset really was this man before them.

It was obvious. Something had changed him. It was all in his mannerisms. The way his face clouded over in anger when Marcus Addison and the Abaddon were mentioned. The way his jaw twitched in anger as he spoke of them. And the way his body quivered when he thought of his past. Lucas was observant, as was Francis Owen and Jack Sparrow; they all noticed it, save Gibbs who was rather unperceptive. Yet, they all stayed tight lipped.

Jack let his eyes roam around the small tavern and small shivers went up his spine as he realized that their eyes were upon him as well. The hum of the room decreased dramatically and the sweat prickled at his forehead. He was never one to be nervous, quite the contrary, in fact, but something about having several sets of eyes focused upon him and his companions was quite unnerving. But something about how they focused more upon Napoleon than him bothered him even further. With an uplifted brow in confusion, he faced Basset, who seemed more than used to the eyes upon his face.

"I find this all very peculiarly unusual," Jack said slowly. "I'm sure ya have an idea what I am speakin' of."

Napoleon nodded, seemingly aware of the people's eyes upon his face. "They're afraid, I'd suppose. Addison owns this here town, lads fear him fer the evil, devilish things he does to their bonny lasses. The lads here stay good ol' boys and out of the way, and Addison don't 'arm the little darlings."

Jack nodded slowly, finally realizing. "Lovely," he said quite dryly.

Lucas shifted uncomfortably in his seat before having a sip of rum before cringing as it burned down his throat. Something stuck out in his mind -- Basset had mentioned his mother. Had he known her?

"You mentioned my mother, Basset, did you know her well?" Lucas asked tenderly, desperately hoping for a positive answer.

Napoleon frowned and shook his head. "Nay. Unfortunately not, I 'ave heard she was a wonderful little lass."

"Then how did you know I looked like her?" Lucas asked almost immediately. He didn't trust Napoleon, and it was quite evident on his disapproving facial expression.

He merely smiled back at the young boy. "There is much fer ya to learn, boy. And I never met the lass in person. I've seen her picture once. Quite the portrait."

"A picture? Where, pray tell, did you see a picture of her?"

Again, the graying man shook his head. "There is much fer ya to learn, boy. I will not be the one tellin' yer about it. Not my place, see? Yer'll learn soon 'nough, lad. Soon 'nough."

Owen stirred uncomfortably in his seat. "This is all fine and dandy, mates, but we have a little darlin' needin' to be rescued. I say yer give us information ter help us along. We need to save our 'Rina!"

"Aye, I agree wit' Francis," Gibbs said, nodding. "There's no time ter be wasted. Time and tide wait fer no man, mates. Time ain't gonna wait fer us ter finish this business and 'Rina is still out there! It be bad luck to think ya could, mates. And we don't be needin' any bad luck floatin' about with the rescuin' of Miss Hart still to be done. So I'm suggestin' we move a little more swiftly."

"You are quite irritating," the captain retorted with a smirk gracing his sharp features.

No one responded to Jack. The companions each pondered about Audrina and how exactly they were going to even find her. They all were deep in thought with their brows knitted together and their finger tips restless on the table surface, drumming and drumming.

"Tell us, Basset, what do they do with the women after they transport them here to Florida?" Lucas asked after a few moments thought.

However, Jack answered instead of Napoleon. He had already known the answer and didn't care to share it with his companions until this moment. "They take the lasses to a slavery market and sell 'em like dogs."

Shivers ran up Lucas' spine as he envisioned rows and rows of cages with battered women lying lifelessly within. Fear now began to take over him. What if they never found her? What if Audrina Hart was lost to bondage until her skin sagged and wrinkled with age and her hair turned rosy white? What if these slavery markets were to be her future? He turned his head away from his companions to let a single tear form at the corner of his eye.

Napoleon swallowed hard. "That's a polite way ter put it, Jack. It is Jack?"

"Cap'n Jack Sparrow," he offered with a grin. "No time fer name exchangin', mate." After a moments thought, he sighed. "Can ya help us?"

Napoleon immediately nodded. "That I can, ya. Ye will find 'em on the other side of town, mates. The ship is marooned on the shore. Audrina darlin' is not on the ship. Yer can find 'er in a brothel deep in the town slums."

"Have you ever been to this brothel?" Lucas asked tenderly.

He shook his head in response. "Can't say that I 'ave. Addison was smart, I'll give 'im that. He would never take me; he knew he couldn't trust me. He knew I'd 'elp his enemies as soon as I was given the chance. The bastard was right. The bastard was right…" He took a long swig of his rum.

"We are goin' ter this brothel, eh, Cap'n? We 'ave ter! We 'ave ter save her." Owen said, slamming his fist on the table. "We 'ave to get 'im fer what he did ter 'Rina and ter Angel!"

Gibbs nodded in a frenzied agreement. "Jack, ye can't go in, though. Yer already known by Addison. I say one of us three go and try ter buy 'Rina back. Or at least steal 'er. Yer will be shot by Addison the moment yer foot hits the ground, God forbid."

"What about the other women that are bound to be up for sale? We can't leave them! We can't. That could be someone's mother, sister, daughter, or lover. They don't deserve it. I won't leave them," Lucas vowed, his voice trembling with passion.

"The whelp is right. He's damned right. Nor will I leave 'em. We steal 'em. We steal the bonnie lasses and then we go after the Abaddon," Jack agreed.

"Not all the darlin's are from the Abaddon. Audrina was the only lass on the ship ter be sold at the time. All the other lasses are from other ships," Napoleon added.

Jack nodded. "I figured, Napoleon. When we are done with this little rescue mission, yer welcomed ter join the Pearl wit' us. Yer don't exactly seem like Abaddon material."

"Because I'm not, Captain Sparrow. It's because I'm not. I'll keep yer offer in mind."

"We raid the brothel at the witchin' hour tonight."