Chapter XII

Bargaining

Jack Sparrow stood at the railing, looking through his glass. He could see the outline of the land in the distance, framed against the sky. He bit his lip, hoping that Elizabeth had heard right.

The young woman had managed to disguise herself as a maid and sneak into Beckett's office. In doing so she discovered that Norrington had the heart of Davy Jones in his possession, keeping it safe and hidden. Beckett couldn't risk keeping it in his office. Too many people knew about it and it wasn't safe. But Norrington, restored somewhat to his former position, had agreed to take it with him where he could still use it. Beckett would contact him and send orders. Norrington's sense of honor was too high. He wouldn't disobey.

Elizabeth stood at the railing, looking down into the water. Will came to join her. After a while, he spoke, "What's wrong, Elizabeth? You've been distant, lately."

Elizabeth answered, still not looking at Will, "I…I have this feeling. Like something isn't right."

Will nodded, "I'm glad I'm not the only one. Even Jack seems to be acting strange."

Elizabeth turned to Will, giving him a sidelong glance. Will stifled a grin, "All right, stranger."

"Well, ye're lucky I can still fix a ship, mates. Otherwise the Pearl would be sunk, an' ye along with it."

Will and Elizabeth turned to see Jack standing behind them. His normal jocular look was gone. His words weren't a reprimand but they weren't playful either. He looked out over their heads, as if trying to see something they couldn't.

Elizabeth turned to look back over the waves. She leaned out, looking back at the stern. Was it only her imagination, or was a shadow following close behind the Pearl?

Bree lay on her hammock, dabbing at a small cut over her eye. Not a very nice way to use a belayin' pin, she thought. She brought the rag away from her eye and looked at it. Hmm…still bleeding. She pressed it against the cut again.

Bootstrap wasn't talking much. Bree smiled. It had been pleasant to tell him that his son was alive. In all the turmoil that had been going on, Bree had forgotten all about it. Only last night she had told him that not only was Will alive, but the canny Captain Jack Sparrow was as well.

Of course, now Bootstrap understood why Jones had changed course. He was following said canny captain.

Bree wadded up one of her blankets and put it near the head of her hammock, flopping back. She brought the rag away again. Still bleeding. She grimaced. Her blood was steadily turning to a black ooze. Mortals have blood. I have…sludge.

Bree yawned, pressing the rag back to her head. She rolled over onto her side, moaning comfortably. She stretched her arm out, forming a fist and pulling her knees up to her chest in a childish sleeping position.

Bree jerked as someone came down into the hold. She looked up, throwing the rag from her. Greenbeard looked into the hold at the others, calling out, "On yer hunkers, mates! Cap'n says we're to go down!"

Bree scrambled out of her hammock, nearly flipping over with it but landing on all fours. She pulled on her boots and buckled on her broadsword. She then followed the others up to await the captain's orders.

The young girl was one of the last to leave the hold, so the descent was already beginning once she emerged. She turned to see Jones beckoning to her. Bree obediently came to him, standing at his side. Then the water hit them and she staggered a bit but remained on her feet. She looked up at her captain, admiring how he never even flinched.

Bree looked out into the water, seeing the usual. Then she saw the shadow of a ship steadily emerge in front of them. She angled her gaze upwards, but could only see the bottom side of the ship. She couldn't make out which ship she was. But she was fast!

But the Dutchman was faster.

In a short while, the Dutchman was right behind the ship, following like a shadow. Bree knew what would happen next. They would follow for a while and then surface, surprising their prey and blasting them to matchwood.

Bree felt anticipation rise in her. Another good battle. And hopefully, this time there wouldn't be any trunks with dresses inside.

Bree steadied herself for the ascent. As the Dutchman shot up from the surface, she shook water from her eyes and looked to the starboard side.

The Pearl!

Bree gaped in astonishment. Then she recovered her wits and instantly ran to the railing, calling out, "Jack! Jack Sparrow!"

Jones heard her and motioned to Maccus, who grabbed her by the collar, but Bree continued to shout out to Jack.

Will and Elizabeth saw Bree. Both looked at her, then at each other, and then at Jack. Jack looked a little uncomfortable.

But Will wasn't going to accuse Jack now. Bree was a captive!

Elizabeth, just as surprised as Will, was trying to speak to Bree, "Bree! Are you all right?"

Bree tried to call back but Maccus hit her across the face with his axe haft. Elizabeth gave a little cry of outrage at this, and turned to Will, who bravely called out, "Jones! Let the girl go at once!"

Bree gave a little shout and suddenly began calling out, "Bootstrap! Mate, come on deck! It's William!"

Will's heart stopped, and then soared when he heard Bree's words. Elizabeth held onto his arm, asking, "Can't we do something?"

Bootstrap stood beside his young friend, and Bree pointed. Bootstrap saw his son and smiled, all the love of a father in that smile. Bree laughed out loud, but was once again silenced by Maccus.

Elizabeth turned to Jack, who had been trying to sneak back to his cabin, "You said Bree was in Tortuga!"

Jack didn't flounder for a second, "Well, she was. I mean, if she was daft enough to go back out to sea with Jones lookin' for her, that's her own fault."

Elizabeth was about to say something when she heard Bree calling out, "Careful, mates! But don't fear any trouble from the Kraken!" Another blow from Maccus. Bree had a black eye by now. But she was giving out as much helpful information as she could. Bootstrap was calling out things to his son, and Jones was stomping over to both rebellious crewmembers.

Elizabeth watched in horror as Jones grabbed Bree around the waist and began crushing her, causing her to go limp and stop talking. He then grabbed Bootstrap by the neck as well, hauling him back to the mast. He then released Bree, pushing her towards the bosun, "When we're through, this rat's back at the gratings!"

Bree kicked Jimmylegs in the shins and called out, "The Kraken's dead, mates! Tell Jack not to worry 'bout it huntin' 'im!"

Jack, meanwhile, had disappeared into his cabin. But he reappeared, carrying a familiar item. After his last visit to Tia Dalma, he had wisely taken along another jar of dirt. He caressed it fondly and then looked across at the Dutchman. He called out boldly, and even cheekily, to the dread captain, "Oi, there! Let the girl go an' I'll give ye this!"

Gibbs whispered to Will and Elizabeth, "I think Jack's finally cracked." "He's been cracked for years," Will whispered back. Of course Elizabeth, Will and the rest of the crew were having doubts about the precious item. They had seen the insanity of the jar of dirt. The importance of it had never quite sunk in for them, but Jack kept speaking, "In exchange for Miss Bree, I'll give ye this luverly jar o' dirt…containin' a surprise. Ye just have to guess the surprise. Guess."

Jones stared across at Jack, and called back scornfully, "Dirt?"

Jack laughed, and Will and Elizabeth, with Bree as well, now restrained by Greenbeard, were all getting slightly worried.

"No, ye ol' floppy faced fool!" Jack called out, and Bree saw Jones' tentacle beard beginning to curl with annoyance. Bree heard Cotton say rather loudly (or his parrot, rather) "Awk! Run aground!"

Jack continued with his nonsensical tirade, "This, my fine, slippery friend, is not only a jar o' dirt, but is the jar containin' your dearly beloved thump-thump."

Bree, Will and Elizabeth, along with the rest of the crew, now no longer questioned Jack's sanity. He was as canny as ever. But the ruse was a true gamble. Jack didn't have the heart. A huge gamble.

Jones had instantly bristled when he heard Jack's words. He growled, snarling across, "What do ye want, Sparrow? I don't believe ye, but what d'ye want?"

Jack grinned confidently, setting the jar down and calling back across, "Are yer ears clogged wi' mud? Oh, wait. D'ye have ears? Ah, well, no matter. I told ye that if ye let Miss Bree go I'll send the jar over in a basket. Then after we've sailed away ye can take the jar an' yer thump-thump. What're ye losin' if ye give Bree back?"

Jones paused, considering. If Jack truly did have his heart, he would send Bree back. But one, he didn't believe Sparrow, and two…he didn't want to lose Bree.

Clanker solved his problem. The cursed pirate had climbed the side of the ship and had Sparrow within range. He began whirling his ball and chain, faster and faster. He then let go, and the missile went whirling through the air.

Jack had the jar wrenched from his hands as the heavy weapon crashed through the Pearl's rigging. And once again, Jack's lucky jar of dirt was smashed to pieces. And once again, the scattered dirt revealed…no thump-thump.

Jones growled, calling out, "Sparrow!" He sounded ready to kill someone.

Bree knew it was useless. Jones suspected that Jack knew where the heart was. It might have been possible to lie their way out, but…Bree couldn't, and wouldn't lie to Jones.

"I know where the heart is."

Jones turned to Bree, his eyes wide. They hardened as he snarled, "An' I should believe what ye say, aye?"

Bree, without flinching, nodded, "Aye, because what have I to gain by lyin'?"

Without waiting for an answer, Bree said, "The East India Trading Company has yer heart. However, exactly where it is, I don't know."

Jack heard Bree's words. He didn't miss a beat.

"Aye, an' I'll give ye the name o' the man who has that blood-pumpin' treasure in exchange for the girl!"

Jones growled again, anger flaming in his cold blue eyes. How he hated Sparrow! That rogue had caused him nothing but trouble!

But Jones wasn't going to deal with Sparrow now. He had enough information. He couldn't trust Jack to give him correct names.

And the Dutchman began moving off almost silently. Of course the Pearl noticed, but they couldn't do anything about it.

Bree began calling out to her friends again, and Elizabeth, Will, Gibbs and the crew of the Pearl were trying to call back to her. Elizabeth was in tears, turning to Jack, "Aren't you going to do something?"

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Elizabeth turned away, watching as the Dutchman went down into the waves, too quickly to do anything about it.

Bree was gone.

Marty leaned up over the side railing of the Pearl. "What do we do now?"

Jack was scooping up handfuls of dirt and dumping them into a bucket he had found. He winced as he cut his hand on a shard of glass, "Well, we can't follow 'em. Best just head on to find our friend formerly known as the man formerly known as Commodore Norrington."

But Will and Elizabeth had other ideas, "We're going after Bree."

Jack made a single mirthless laugh, "An' exactly how d'ye plan to do that, eh?"

Elizabeth looked to Will. He was silent, and Jack made the same laughing noise, "See? Now, if we find the heart, we can command Jones to let Bree go."

Elizabeth protested, "But it might be too late by then! What if someone stabs the heart before we get to it? Bree will die. And what if we can't get to the heart? I say we just go after her now! After all, now that Jones knows where his heart is, we know where he'll be going. The East India Trading Company's home port!"

Without waiting for an answer from Jack, Will turned, "Right." He looked at the rest of the crew, who all went about their business without having to be asked. They were going back for Bree.

The Dutchman wouldn't stay down forever.

And as Jack looked down at his compass, he knew it didn't lie.

"We have our heading."