Chapter Two:  The Dark Man Strikes Again

A week later, they docked in Tortuga, Anamaria's warning about trouble momentarily forgotten.  Neither noticed the man in black following them as they walked into a tavern.  The man seemed not to notice the pirates, as he immediately tried to gain the attention of the nearest strumpet.

"You'll 'ave to wait ye're turn." she said huffily, "I'm busy 'at t' moment."

Unperturbed, the man in black soon found another one close by that wasn't 'busy'.  For what he would use her for she would never worry about being busy again.  Jack noticed a black cloak swirling through the wooden doors of the tavern but paid it no mind, nor did he remember it when a murder was announced the following morning.

Jack got very lucky that night, to say the least.  Tortuga never failed him, here a man never felt unwelcome.  The strumpets weren't able to keep their hands off him.   Ana noticed, she also noticed how Jack had no objection to them so she drank the rest of her rum and headed to the ship to avoid seeing it.  Ana got a little jealous anytime she saw Jack with 'pleasurable company', even though she couldn't explain why. They were just nameless, faceless women that Jack would forget as soon as the sun rose over the horizon.  Anamaria.  Now that wasn't a name he'd forget anytime soon.   She had made sure of it.  She wouldn't be forgotten at the end of the day like those harlots Jack seemed to be so fond of.  

The man in black watched through the shadows, the blood of his recent kill dried on the wickedly long blade.  The man was content to kill all the strumpets in Tortuga, if that's what it took to get the attention of the infamous Jack Sparrow.  Jack Sparrow, he involuntarily raised the arm with the weapon in it, the pirate would pay for what he did.

Jack was still unaware of the presence of the man in black as he made his way back to the Black Pearl.   He whistled as he walked, it had been a very good night.  Jack was also unaware of Anamaria's slight animosity toward the strumpets.  They were all very talented women, but none held a flame to his first mate.

"'Ello, Ana," said Jack, seeing Anamaria sulking in a corner of the deck.

"Dont you hello me," she retorted, "Oh come 'ave a drink with me, Ana luv." she mimicked him, "Then what do you do? You go off and leave me, that's what."

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, taken back by her manner.

"Quite a few things in fact," her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Telling me the name of the woman on your arm as you left me behind... that was one thing that you did wrong."

Jack was still confused.  She could see it clearly written on his face, he had drunk so much yesterday he didn't even remember! 

"Who?" he asked.

"Carry," she said remembering the name, "That was her name. Carry. Red hair, blue eyes..."

"Scarlett?" Jack asked.

"Her too!" Ana accused, "How much did you have to drink last night?"

Jack shrugged.

"I want an answer, Captain." she said pointing a finger at his chest.

"I don't see why you care so much," he muttered.

"You dont see wh-" she repeated in a whisper, "How could you not-"

"How could I not what?" he asked, still confused.

"When you've cleared your mind, figure it out then," she said wanting to be anywhere but there, just thinking about what she had almost told him made her want to run far and fast.

Jack just stood where he was, clueless about what his first mate had been talking about.  He wanted to go after her but decided it was better if she came back of her own will.

As Anamaria was running through the crowded streets of Tortuga, her eyes filled with tears.  She brushed them away, angry with herself. 

"Going somewhere, sweet?" she heard a raspy low-pitched voice say, then she saw nothing but darkness.

The man in black smiled to himself.  He had the one thing Jack Sparrow treasured the most, and she'd walked right into his blood-stained arms. 

Meanwhile, Jack decided to look for Ana.  His curiosity had gotten the better of him. She had been gone for a long time; it was uncharacteristic of her to stay away from him like that.  He also couldn't get her last words out of his mind.  'You dont see wh-' she'd asked in a whisper, 'How could you not-'  That was also in a whisper.  When Jack asked her what she was talking about she'd said, 'When you've cleared your mind, figure it out then,' before running off the ship.  What's gotten into her all of a sudden, he wondered. 

Better question was where the bloody hell was she? It was almost night and still no word of her. None of the crew had seen her on their way back to the ship. She couldn't possibly still be mad, could she? Jack was about to leave the ship as well to go and look for her when one of the crewmen stepped up to him cautiously and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" he asked, impatiently.

"Erm, well, have you heard of the Dark Man?" he asked.

"No, why?" Jack asked.

"Oh, well, just thought you should know first..." he trailed off before catching sight of Jack's narrowing eyes, "He's been huntin' women."

"What kind of women, mate?"  This had gotten Jack's curiosity.

"There's only been one that's been reported." he muttered, "But he's been looking for more."

"Who was it?" Jack asked, worried of who it might be.

"One of the locals," the man cleared his throat, knowing Jack would understand, "But he's been prowling... no one's caught him yet."

Jack felt a little better. "Which local?" he asked.

The answer had his stomach plummeting, "Friend o' Scarlett's."

 Everyone knew not to fool around with Scarlett's girls.

"Must not be from 'round 'ere," replied Jack.

"He's the Dark Man," protested the crewman, "He's known everywhere."

"Doesn' mean 'e comes 'ere a lot," muttered Jack.

"No, but wherever he goes he kills three women before moving on." he touched his throat meaningfully, "The women's heads are never found."

Jack stuck his tongue out in disgust.  "They're heads are never-" he inwardly winced, bloody hell! Ana was out there!

Back at the Turners' house, Elizabeth was putting Alyssa to bed.  Trying to, anyway, but Alyssa kept talking. 

"When will Uncle Jack come here again?" she bounced around, tangling the sheets on the bed.

"I don't know," Elizabeth replied, trying to calm down her daughter.

"He always leaves!" Alyssa complained, "He never says goodbye neither."

"Well, you can tell him next time he visits," soothed Elizabeth.

"Lock the windows." Will said quietly once Alyssa was asleep, "Make sure the door's locked too."

"Why?" inquired Elizabeth, "what's wrong?"

"A woman has been murdered," he said, "I heard from one of the shop-keepers."

"So?"

"I also heard that she may have been killed by the Dark Man." Will continued.

"Who's the Dark Man?" she asked.

"Well from his name, one dressed all in black," Will paused, wondering how to say the rest, "He kills women, Elizabeth. He wins their trust, and then he kills them. He takes their heads as prizes."

"You don't think he'll come here, do you?" Elizabeth asked, thinking mostly of Alyssa.

"I dont know," Will replied his thoughts echoing hers; "If he comes here it'll be the last place he sees."

Elizabeth knew what her husband meant.  That's why there were always swords hidden in various places around the house.  Elizabeth sighed and went upstairs to check on Alyssa.  She knew that Alyssa would most likely be asleep by now, but hearing the news she wanted to check in just to be sure. 

"Mummy?  What wrong?" she asked, sleepily.

"Nothing, sweet," Elizabeth said closing the curtains on the windows, "Go back to sleep."

"Uncle Jack back?" she asked.

"Not yet," She replied, "Why so worried about when he'll return?"

"I like him," said Alyssa.

"I know you do," she said brushing the hair off Alyssa's face, "You know he's a pirate and he always keeps his promise."

Alyssa nodded.  "I don't got a real uncle," she said, "right, Mummy?"

"Jack is your real uncle. It's late, honey. Sweet dreams," Elizabeth said softly.

Alyssa shook her head. "No he's not.  He's not your brother or daddy's," she persisted.

"Do you love him?" Elizabeth asked knowing that when Alyssa was upset about something nothing could get her off the topic.

"Like you and daddy," she said.

"And Jack loves you, which are all that matters, right?"

"Yep."

"Good." Elizabeth left the door slightly ajar, "'night, 'Lyssa."

"'Night, mummy.  Tell daddy I said 'night."

"I will," Elizabeth smiled softly and went down to see what Will was doing.

"Will, Alyssa said 'night," she said, entering the sitting room.

"She sleeping now?" he asked looking up from sharpening a dagger.

"I hope so," she answered, "put that dagger away.  We already have five swords in this room."

He obliged by putting it back into its sheath, which just happened to be attached to his belt loop.

"Thank you," she said, "you know those things make me uncomfortable."

"I don't recall you saying that when you asked me to teach you," Will teased, "Nor when you took on the cursed pirates..."

"Those were necessary.  These are not.  One sword should be enough, I think, and what if Alyssa came down here when we weren't looking, and hurt herself with one? "

"When has she ever touched a weapon?" Will raised an eyebrow, "We taught her better than that."

"You know how children are, Will.  I don't know, maybe it's just me being an overprotective mother again," she sighed.

"You have good reason," Will assured her, "It just gives me peace of mind. He's never been caught, Elizabeth, "not once."

"He's never been in Port Royal, before either," said Elizabeth, "if anyone can catch him, I'm sure Norrington can."

"Yes, but just in case." Will propped a sword up against the fireplace, "He'll have enough on his mind as it is."

"You have a point.  Well, good night, Will," said Elizabeth, kissing Will on the cheek.

"I'll be up soon," he promised, "I'll just finish locking up down here."

"All right.  I love you," she said.

"Love you too," he answered.

Will kissed his wife, and gently gave her belly a little pat before she left the room.   She couldn't say she wasn't disturbed by the news, but they had no reason to worry, after all, Commodore Norrington was bound to catch him if he ever made it to Port Royal.  And even if he didn't, Will would be ready to help her fight any who dared intrude upon their home. 

Back in Tortuga, Jack was wandering around, trying to find Anamaria.  His mind whirled with uncertainties; Ana was too smart to be caught by some dark man whoever he was.   But, she was also in a state of distress, so she might not have been very watchful of her surroundings.  Either way he had to find her fast and then make sure that she never left his side again. 

The Dark Man had Anamaria in a dark room.  He had gagged her and bound her wrists in front of her so there was no hope of escape. Naturally, Ana felt like a complete idiot.  She wasn't worried that he'd kill her... yet. She had heard him speaking of his plans for her.  Something to do with capturing Jack.  She was mad at Jack, still, but didn't want anything to happen to him, either. No one deserved to be ambushed by an unknown opponent, the whole plan lacked finesse. Unlike Jack's, he always had his planned down to the second, the Dark Man left a lot up to chance. 

Meanwhile, at the Turners', Alyssa was dreaming.  A man dressed in black was chasing Jack.  When Alyssa woke up, she ran to her parents' room.  

"We have to find him!" she said scrambling up the bed sheets, "Now. Right now, daddy."

"What are you talking about, Princess?" Will asked, groggily, just waking up.

"Jack. Jack's in trouble. We have to go to him, right now!" She insisted.

"What's wrong with Jack?" asked Elizabeth, also waking up.

"I don't know!" she was young true, but she knew that he needed help just as she knew her mom and dad would help. "We have to go find him!  A bad man is coming for him!"

Will and Elizabeth exchanged a look, normally they would have passed it off as a bad dream, but there was real fear in their daughter's eyes.

Reviews:  JL Dexter- Lykosdracos
: I'm glad that you find it interesting; we're doing our best to keep it that way! There'll be more for Ana in upcoming chapters, no worries.  Chibi Hermione:  It's a secret!  Thanks! we will!

                                                                            

Dawnie-7- Ld: Thanks so much! I'm glad that you've liked it so far... and you remembered the Captain. Hahaha. More will be coming soon!  

CH:  Thank you.  We can't either, keep reading and reviewing!

Kungfuchick- Ld:  Glad that you liked Alyssa! Updates finally here, and we'll work on the next chapter to keep them coming. J

CH: Thanks. Yes, she is!  We will.

Savvy-Rum-Drinker- Ld: lololol. More's coming, no worries.

CH: Okay!

Captainme- Ld: it MIGHT be a Jack/Ana story, we haven't really planned it out that far. Taking it sentence by sentence, literally. lol.

  CH:  Yeah.  They're not my favorites, but oh well. It just kinda happened.

Celwriter- Ld: I'm glad that you read it and had time to review! Thanks so much. CH: Thanks.  Lol! I'm sorry!

A/N's:  Well, there's chapter two! Chapter three to come soon, we hope. Review!