You reviewers are so amazing! Thank you sooo much to The Last Clan, Jessizoid, tahitiankisses, Blooper Lover, Rwy'n-Y-Blaidd-Drwg, lightwolfheart, and Eva Sirico! You guys ROCK. If I could send you cookies through the internet, I would. Because I just made some delicious cookies and you guys deserve some. And I mean, everyone loves cookies!

Sad to say, there are only three more chapters of the story after this one. :( So, I've created a poll on my profile just to get some feedback on what you all would like me to work on next, if anything at all. If you all would go check that out and vote, that would be aaamazing!

Without further ado...

Chapter Seventeen: Trouble Magnet

A rapt knock on the door woke Kate. Garner had stepped into the room before Kate was even able to sit up.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Miss Katherine," He started, staying in the frame of the doorway, "but I'm going to be out most of today. I would invite you to come along, but…" He trailed off, holding his hands out. "It wouldn't be safe." He summed up.

Kate nodded, rubbing her bleary eyes. "Going to connive with the traitor?"

Garner sighed. "With Jack, yes. We'll be at the tavern just down the street and to the right." He looked like he wanted to say something more, but he stopped himself by instead simply saying, "Don't get into trouble, Kate."

Kate said goodbye and plopped backwards, back into the fluffy covers and pillows. She knew she was being unfair to Garner, but there was still that voice, nagging in the back of her mind that Jack was not all that Garner thought he was.

After Kate had tried for what seemed like hours to fall back asleep and failing, she figured she was as well rested as she ever would be, so she rose from the bed and changed into the dress that Maddie had given her the night before. She worked the dress on tenderly; her shoulder was extremely sore and parts of her body that she didn't even know could ache ached.

Kate's stomach rumbled and she glanced in the mirror as she started towards the door. She was going to eat an extra large breakfast this morning, just so she wouldn't look so sickly. She was tired of looking in the mirror and seeing skin and bones. And also because she was absolutely famished.

When Kate opened the door to enter the hallway, she was not prepared for what lay before her. Maddie was slumped up against the wall, her hair escaping the once tight bun that sat atop her head, and a pool of blood was ever growing around her mid-section. Kate's hand flew to her mouth to stop the scream bubbling up from inside of her and gripped the door frame for support.

Kate could faintly hear harsh voices from the dining room. She crept out into the hall, careful to not make any noise. She stopped at the end of the corridor, listening intently.

"Garner's not here. We can't catch him if he's not here."

Kate's eyes widened. She recognized the voice as that of Captain Adger, who she had faintly met on the Black Pearlwhat seemed like years ago.

"No, if she's in his house, that will be enough. I'll fetch Bolton and send Webber around the back to block an escape; you find the girl." Clarke responded to Adger.

Kate pressed her body up against the wall as Clarke's footsteps faded, the click of the door shutting behind him. Kate took a deep breath, quietly, her mind racing. Maddie was dead. They had killed Maddie. Adger was in the house with her. He was trying to find her. There was a slam of a door. Webber was around back. Waiting for her.

Kate froze, heavy footsteps approaching her from the other side of the wall.

"I know you're in here, Katie, Katie, Katie." Adger crooned.

A shiver ran down Kate's spine and she started to inch down the hall, away from Adger. She had not had a chance to explore the house since she had arrived. She had planned on doing that today, since she would not have anything else to do, but that plan quickly went out the window. She merely knew the front layout of the house, but that would be no use unless Adger moved away from it.

She tried to think quickly. Maybe if she could get to a window, she could open it and crawl out. She would shut it behind her and they would never even know she had left.

Kate quickly adopted that plan, remembering a window in her room. It was on the first floor, so she didn't have to fear a long drop. She could hear Adger snooping around in the dining room and continued to quietly go back down the hallways. Her foot landed on a loose board and a creak resonated down the hallway. She froze, praying that Adger wouldn't have heard it.

But the movement in the other room had ceased. Kate didn't dare to take a breath. Then, everything seemed to happen at once. Kate could hear Adger lunge out of the dining room, knocking over chairs and what sounded like a potted plant. Kate was running down the hallway, entering unknown territory. Which way to turn? Left? Right?

Kate did not slow down as she neared the end of the long corridor, but rounded the corner at full speed, making a split-second decision on which way she should turn. She entered the kitchen and screamed, for there was Adger entering the kitchen at the same time through the other entrance. Adger lunged for her, but Kate was quick and ducked, sticking her foot out as she did so. The years of dodging drunkards at the tavern seemed to finally be paying off.

Adger tripped over her foot and crashed into a shelf of cans and spices. Kate ran to the other side of the kitchen, trying to find a way out.

"You bloody wench," Adger growled, throwing bottles of spices and cans of food off of himself as he stood.

Finding no where to go, Kate grabbed the nearest object to her: a black iron pan. She waved it before her as threateningly as she could. She tried to ignore the pain in her shoulder as best she could. Adger stared at her for a moment and then started laughing.

"You think that that's gonna help you much, sweetheart?" The pirate captain taunted, chuckling as he took another step forward.

"You just stay back," Kate's voice was firm, although she knew she just looked like a silly little girl to the pirate captain.

"Or what?" Adger took one more step closer.

"Take another step," Kate dared, her one hand behind her back inching towards a drawer handle, unaware to the pirate

Adger dramatically took one more step forward and raised his eyebrows, as if to say: what are you going to do about it?

Kate threw the pan with her right arm and it hit him square in the face; her left arm threw open the drawer, full of cutlery and grabbed a fist full, throwing it at him. Adger stumbled backwards at the onslaught of flying heavy and sharp cutlery that was attacking him. "Agh!"

Kate grabbed the kettle that was left on the stove, still full of hot water and threw it towards him. Adger ducked, managing to miss the majority of hot water thrown his way. "Two can play this game, missy!" He shouted, grabbing a pot and hurling it towards Kate. Kate managed to sidestep the projectile and looked around for something to ward the pirate captain off for good.

"You should've listened to me, Adger!" Kate shouted. She picked up a sharp knife lying by the stove and hurled it at him. The knife missed by at least a foot and clattered to the floor.

Adger laughed, bending down to pick up the knife. "You misse—"

Kate brought a heavy pot down over his head as hard as she could, cutting him off mid-sentence as he fell to the floor, unconscious. Kate was breathing hard; she dropped the pot on his head again, just for good measure and fled the kitchen.

She was trying to remember where Garner had told her he was going to be for the day. She snorted, remembering how he had told her to stay out of trouble. "That's a little hard when trouble always seems to find you," Kate muttered to herself.

She wasn't sure it would be safe to leave from the front door, so she climbed out the window from her temporary bedroom, falling only a few feet before safely landing on both feet.

"The tavern down the street." Kate repeated to herself. She knew she wouldn't have much time before Adger came around or before Webber became suspicious, so she ran. She ignored the odd looks from the people around her and hoped no one would recognize her. That was the last thing she needed right now was some navy official recognizing her.

Kate stopped running once she left Garner's residential street. There were more people roaming the busy street and she tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. She ran her hand through her brown hair, trying to make her bangs cover as much of her face as she could. She scanned the buildings around her and recognized a shabby tavern a few storefronts down. She quickened her pace, shoved open the door to the tavern, and entered.

Kate immediately started to cough. Smoke filled the spacious tavern and she could hardly see. There were a few lanterns hung around the place, but they only offered scarce lighting. Kate's eyes quickly scanned the tavern, holding her hand over her mouth to breathe, but with not much success. She understood why Garner would want to meet Jack here; no one would be able to see them conversing.

Kate quickly roamed the aisles, desperately searching for the Naval Captain. In her haste, she tripped over the leg of a chair that was jutting out into the aisle, stumbling into another man.

"I'm sorry, miss. Are you alright?" The main apologized, helping her stand upright.

"Oh, I'm fine." She stammered, trying to go around the man before he saw her face.

"Hey, do I know you?" He asked, turning as she tried to go around him.

"No, never met before." Kate replied quickly, already walking away as fast as she could, but the man was persistent and followed her.

"Wait a moment!" He latched onto her arm. "You're that girl!" He was speaking louder now.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." She stammered, trying to desperately get away from the man. She jerked her arm out of his grasp, and her eyes almost immediately landed on Captain Phillip Garner, sitting at a table with none other than Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Hold it!" The man grabbed for Kate again, but she was too quick, running for their table. Sparrow and Garner both looked up at the outburst from the man and Garner's eyes widened.

He stood to his feet and pulled out his sword, stepping in between Kate and the man. "Why are you harassing this woman?" Garner demanded of the man.

The man hesitated, doubt flickering in his eyes as the Navy Captain stood before him. "She…" He pointed his finger at Kate. "I thought she was that girl. The one on the wanted posters!"

"Stupid fool." Garner replied. He took Kate's arm and brought her forward and into the light, standing next to him. "Does she look like a pirate to you?"

The man stared at Kate and, after a moment, shook his head no. "Musta been the light in the tavern." He mumbled, backing away.

Garner sheathed his sword and turned back to Sparrow, who had remained seated throughout the ordeal. After Kate had checked that the suspicious man had moved on, she lurched forward towards the table.

"Garner! They've come early! Clarke and Webber and Adger! They're in the house and I only managed to just escape and Clarke went to get Bolton –they must have decided to do whatever Jack was planning with him early and –we don't have much time! –We've got to hurry back to—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Garner held his hand up to stop Kate from talking, completely overwhelmed with the wealth of information she had just spewed at him. "Slow it down. Webber and Adger are at my house?"

Kate nodded. "Yes, they meant to find me, so they could catch you housing me—like I told you they would do!"

Garner held his hand up again and she stopped talking. "Clarke must've been suspicious of you, Jack." Garner turned to the seated pirate who had remained silent throughout the ordeal.

"I didn't trust him when he said a week. That's entirely too long, though I didn't think he would try to catch you so soon." He replied with a frown.

"You liar," Kate hissed at Jack. She lunged for him, anger surging through her at his calm façade, but Garner grabbed her around her middle, holding her back.

"Kate, we are in public." He chided her lack of self-control. Kate composed herself, but still glared daggers at Jack.

"Bolton is on his way to your house, Garner. I don't think we've much time. Clarke will just accuse you of making deals with pirates once he sees that they are in your house!"

"Or," Jack stood, "he will think that they have come to raid his house. Clarke could've put them up to it to plant false evidence of Garner murdering Willows, and Clarke will be charged for it."

Kate shook her head. "No, Bolton won't know who to believe. They will both be put on trial!"

Garner was silent, glancing between the two. "I've always had a good relationship with Bolton." He commented finally.

Kate and Jack both knit their brows in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?" Kate asked, exasperated.

"What Clarke doesn't know is that Bolton is not at headquarters presently." Garner sat back down at the table, taking a sip out of the mug that was sitting on the table.

Kate just stared at him as he painstakingly took his time. They couldn't afford to waste time! "We have to go back! Adger won't stay unconscious for much longer!"

"Precisely." Garner said simply. Jack seemed to catch onto what Garner was saying and sat back down himself, raising his hand at a passing barmaid for another rum. "Sit down, Kate." Garner instructed.

Kate hesitated, not believing that the two captains were taking all of this so easily. But Kate took a seat at the table after a moment and remained silent, waiting for someone to explain to her what was going on.

"I believe Captain Sparrow's handwriting has been gradually looking more and more like Captain Clarke's as of late." Garner grinned at the other captain. The barmaid returned with another mug of rum for Jack.

Jack leaned back in his chair. "Yes, it's been rather odd. Y'know, I think I might want to schedule a meeting with Adger and Webber tonight. I've missed their devilish faces." Jack smirked, taking a long draught of his rum.

Kate threw her hands up. "What the hell has gotten into you two? You hate Adger and Webber!" Kate pointed her finger at Jack. He raised his eyebrows in return.

Kate's jaw formed into an 'o' and her hand dropped to the table with a thump.

"You're a smart girl. I was surprised it took ya so long." Jack said, his eyes intense and focused only on her.

Kate's mind flew back to the first time he had said that to her. She dropped her gaze.

"Bolton had a meeting in Port Royal. He's returning today, within a few hours I believe. Jack will send a message to Adger and Webber to meet up with Clarke—tonight. We'll lead Bolton there and Clarke will have no excuses." Garner laid his hands out on the table.

"The plan's simple, so it will be less likely for things ta go wrong." Jack added.

"How do you not know he won't betray you like he did before?" Kate glared at Jack. At her words, Jack's expression changed from impassive to hurt.

"I trust him." Garner said simply.

Jack turned away from Kate, as if looking at her caused him physical pain. Kate figured it should when he was working against the both of them secretly. But he wouldn't fool her.

The silence among the three was tense. Then, Jack raised his hand at the barmaid again. "A rum for the lady." He said, laying some coins down on the table and then standing. He tipped his hat at the two of them and without another word, quickly strode out of the tavern.

"You may trust him, but I don't." Kate muttered. The barmaid sat the rum in front of Kate, but she didn't drink out of it. She pushed the rum away from her, refusing to take anything that Jack was associated with.

DUN DUN DUNNN... reviews make my day. :)

-Becca