Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or plotlines of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here writing fanfiction; I'd be off making money. Which I am not doing with this work. I do, however, lay claim to the characters of Genesis Wolfe and Rosalyn O'Brien, and would be pleased as punch if you did not use them without my permission. Thank you, darlings.

Chapter 13: In Which The Trio Attempts a Rescue

Jack noticed that Genesis was strangely quiet during the boat ride to the caves. Her face was still rather pale, and he had the feeling that she hadn't wrapped the fate of this friend of hers around her brain until then. He frowned; she was hiding something.

They currently sat hidden in a rocky outcropping near the cave entrance, Jack looking at the Black Pearl through his spyglass as they bobbed lightly in the waves. Will sat beside him, and Genesis sat silently behind the two men.

"Is she there?" Will asked, futilely looking for Elizabeth on the dark decks with his naked eye.

"No," Jack muttered, lowering the spyglass.

Will cast an alarmed glance at Jack. "Where is she?"

Jack looked somber. "It's begun," he said, snapping the spyglass closed and taking the oars. The trio fell once again into an uncomfortable quietness as he rowed into the caves.

"What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked, breaking through the silence. Gen glanced at him for a moment, before returning her worried gaze to the softly rippling water.

"Pirate's Code," Jack said.

"Any man that falls behind is left behind," Genesis explained softly.

"No heroes among thieves, eh?"

"You know," Jack said, pulling back at the oars and propelling them smoothly through the cavern. "For having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung two criminals from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga."

Jack noticed that Will's gaze had traveled to the sparkling doubloons that the boat was currently cruising over. "And you're completely obsessed with treasure."

"That's not true," Will said, brow furrowed indignantly. "I am not obsessed with treasure."

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate," Jack said quietly as they reached shore. They quietly climbed an outcropping of rock to spot the mass of pirates, with Barbossa and Elizabeth standing at the pinnacle of a mound of treasure.

"Elizabeth," Will breathed. Genesis scanned the crowd, looking for a flash of familiar auburn hair.

"She's not here," she whispered. Jack glanced at her; her face was even whiter than before, and she looked like she wanted to fall apart. "She's not here."

Barbossa continued his grandiose speech, suddenly aiming a dagger at the medallion that hung from Elizabeth's slender neck.

"Jack!" Will exclaimed, getting ready to move. Gen pulled him back down, upsetting some coins. She spotted the monkey, and it spotted her back. She cursed under her breath and glared at Will.

"Not yet," she hissed.

"We wait for the opportune moment," Jack said, surveying their surroundings.

"When's that?" Will said, sounding more like an arrogant hero than ever before. "When it's of greatest profit to you?"

"May I ask you something?" Jack whispered in a tired tone. "Have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Do us a favor; I know it's difficult for you, but please, stay here, and try not to do anything stupid."

He glanced further down the passage. "Will, keep an eye out here. Gen and I will find other vantage points. I'll whistle when it's time."

With that instruction, he grabbed Genesis by the wrist, pulling her away from the view, and continued down the tunnel, ducking behind pillars of stone as Barbossa continued.

"You stay right behind this pillar," he whispered, suddenly stopping and turning to face her. "Remember my sig--"

Gen hopped back as Jack slumped to the floor, expecting to see a pirate behind him. Instead, Will stood there, holding an oar above his head. She took another step back. "Will? What are you doing?"

"I'm not going to be his leverage," Will said firmly. He raised the oar higher. "Or yours."

"Will," she pleaded. "You can't hit me. You're a gentleman, remember?"

Will paused, then let the oar drop. "You're right," he said. "It's a good thing I found this rope in the lifeboat." He raised the coil of rope.

Gen growled and reached for her sword, unsheathing it. Before she knew could defend herself, he had grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully until he could wrench the sword from her hand. She yelped and jerked her hand away before he could make another grab at her, sprinting fast down the corridor. Will moved to chase her, then remembered what he came here for, and turned to run off. A glint in the shadows caught his eye, and he bent down to pick up the sword Gen had dropped. He frowned, and stuck the sword through his belt, imagining it would have to be a peace offering if he ran into her later and required her aid.

Genesis continued to run away from Will, ducking behind pillars to check out what was going on in the main chamber. She peeked around a pillar, noticing that Elizabeth was no longer visible. She frowned, biting her lip nervously. Will had clearly already snatched her away, and they had probably taken the damned lifeboat too.

"Bloody non-pirates," Gen muttered. She turned to make her way back to the entrance of the cave, but ran into a wall. A wall that grabbed her. She looked up into the dark, frightening face of Bo'sun.

"I don't suppose I can use a get out of jail free card?" she asked in a small voice. He growled and grabbed her by the back of the collar, dragging her out to the main area, where Jack had suddenly appeared before Barbossa.

Barbossa had been taunting Jack when he caught sight of his mammoth crewman pushing a young woman into the crowd. He paused, eyeing the girl's revealing outfit.

"Well, well," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "What's this? A little stowaway?"

"Wow," Gen said, looking at the surrounding men. "Not a lot of Irish Spring on the high seas, eh?" She was rewarded by Bo'sun grabbing a fistful of hair and wrenching her head back. She hissed at the sudden pain.

Barbossa sneered, glancing back at Jack. "Do you know this wench, Jack?"

Jack gave Genesis a once over. "Can't say that I do."

Barbossa moved down the pile of treasure he was standing on, stepping very close to Genesis. "Is this true, lass?"

"Aye," she replied in an icy tone. Jack nearly sighed in relief, glad that his newfound companion was so quick to catch on.

"Is that so?" Barbossa said with a cold smile. He raised a hand, grabbing her chin and moving her face so he could get a better look at her. He glanced at Jack, gauging his reaction. When Jack didn't flinch, he grabbed Genesis, spinning her around and pinning her to his body, pulling out a knife and holding it to her throat. Jack lost his composure for a split second, making an almost imperceptible movement toward Genesis. It was the only sign Barbossa needed.

"Lying to me, are you, Jack?" he said. He grinned, leaning his face towards Gen's hair and breathing it in deeply. "How would you like it, my dear lass, to see your Captain Jack Sparrow blown away with shot before your very eyes?"

Every pirate in the room raised his pistol, aiming at Jack's head. Gen struggled against Barbossa's hold, eyes locked on Jack's. Jack gave her a secretive smile, then looked at Barbossa. "The girl's blood didn't work, did it?"

"Hold your fire!" Barbossa commanded. He stared at Jack, measuring his rival up. "You know whose blood we need?"

"I know whose blood you need," Jack said, the smile on his face growing wider. His eyes went to Genesis again, and Barbossa's grip on her tightened.

"Is it the wench?" he growled, grinning down at the woman in his grasp.

"No, no," Jack said. "T'would be a waste of a good pair of legs, among other pairs of things."

"Ladies and gentlemen, my defense," Gen said with a roll of her eyes. She felt Barbossa's eyes on her form and shuddered.

"Quite right, Jack," he said in a quiet tone. He grinned. "Let's go to the ship and…discuss this matter." He released Gen, pushing her roughly away and walking past her. Jack frowned.

"The lass comes as well," he said to Barbossa, not moving from his spot.

"Gone soft, have you, Jack?" Barbossa said with a sneer, pausing to look at his former captain. "Never took you for the type to settle down."

"Neither is she," Jack said, casting a look in Gen's direction.

"You won't get Bootstrap's son without me," Gen suddenly blurted. Both Jack and Barbossa turned to her slowly, Barbossa looking intrigued, Jack looking a bit confused.

"And why's that, my girl?" Barbossa asked, stepping back toward her. Gen paused.

"Because," she said in a firm tone. "I'm his sister."

This riled the pirates up, a couple of them yelling to cut her open and spill her blood. She narrowed her eyes at them.

"We share a mother," she went on quickly. "I'm useless in regards to the blood you need. But he has no reason to come to you, without me as bait."

Barbossa stepped very close to her, his dulled blue eyes burning into hers. "You're going to risk your brother's life to save your own?" he whispered. "Not very noble for a lady. Why?"

Genesis smirked. "Pirate."

Genesis sat at the wooden table in Barbossa's cabin, leaning back in her chair with her boots on the table. Barbossa kept casting her annoyed looks, which she ignored as she, Barbossa, and Jack debated over the proceedings.

"So," Barbossa was saying, "you expect to leave me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need, and watch you sail away in my ship?"

"No," Jack said, reaching for one of the appealing apples in the middle of the table. "I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me sail away on my ship, and then I'll shout the name back to you."

Barbossa chuckled mirthlessly. "But that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need."

"Of the two of us," Jack said. "I am the only one who hasn't committed mutiny, therefore, my word is the one we'll be trusting. Although I suppose I should be thanking you because, in fact, if you hadn't betrayed me and left me to die, I would have an equal share in that curse, same as you." He bit into the apple. "Funny ol' world, innit?" He noticed Barbossa watching him eat, and offered the apple innocently. Gen choked on a laugh, and Barbossa turned his attention to her.

"And you, missy," he said, standing up and moving behind her. "If this be the plan, what's the reasoning behind not sending you to Davy Jones' locker?"

Genesis didn't look behind her to face him, instead staring straight at Jack. "Leverage." Jack's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at her.

"Leverage?" Barbossa murmured.

"In case Captain Sparrow's plan changes," she continued, eyeing Jack, "you'll need me to lure Turner in. You've already lost his little turtledove through your own single-mindedness, so I'm the only option you have, other than simply searching the globe, asking every young man you meet if his last name is 'Turner.'"

Jack nodded. "The woman has a point."

"I thought you two were in this together," Barbossa said warily. Genesis looked away from Jack.

"Miss Morgan and I have our own agendas," Jack continued for her.

"Morgan, is it?" Barbossa said. "And what agenda does 'Miss Morgan' have?"

"There was a young woman with Elizabeth Swann," Genesis said, finally turning to look Barbossa in the eye. "Around my age, red hair. Is she on this ship?"

The curl of Barbossa's lip told her the answer. "Perhaps."

"If you want Turner," Genesis said slowly, "you'll give that woman to me, and I will personally bring him to you."

Barbossa nodded, stroking his beard in thought, mulling over the proposal. "What say I keep the maid, safe and sound, exactly where she is, and you'll bring Turner to me. Then you'll get her." He saw Gen open her mouth to protest, but raised a hand, placing his finger over her lips. "Leverage."

Gen slapped his hand away angrily, wiping her lips off with her remaining shirt sleeve. Barbossa chuckled heartily as Bo'sun opened the door, stepping into the room. "Captain, we're coming up on the Interceptor."

Jack and Genesis exchanged a glance as Barbossa smiled and stepped out of the cabin. Jack jumped up, running out and stepping in front Barbossa as he looked through the spyglass. Gen followed, stepping up alongside Barbossa to see the beautiful white-sailed ship they had commandeered losing ground to the great black hulk that was the Pearl.

"I'm having a thought here, Barbossa," Jack said. Barbossa rolled his eyes. "What say we run up a flag of truce? I scurry over to the Interceptor, and I negotiate the return of your medallion, eh? What say you to that?"

"I say that idea sucks, as that leaves us with the problem of you crawling to freedom, and myself and Rosalyn being stuck on a ship of undead pirates," Gen said with a scowl.

Barbossa nodded. "Now, you see, Jack," he said in a smooth tone. "The lass is right, and that's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl. People are easy to search when they're dead."

He turned to Bo'sun. "Lock 'em in the brig. Separately. They're too dangerous together, I feel."

Barbossa turned and moved to another door, opening it wide for Jack and Gen to see. Gen's eyes widened as a familiar head of red hair appeared. "Roz!"

Rosalyn looked up, seeing Jack and Genesis both standing on the deck, being held by Bo'sun. "Gen?" she whispered. She saw her friend begin to struggle against the large man. "Gen!"

Barbossa slammed the door as Roz rose from the bed to run out, locking it behind him with a rusty key. Gen struggled for a moment, then crumpled when she realized it was pointless.