Alternative Ending – Chapter Eight: Competition

While Jack was otherwise occupied, his two ships had attracted some attention. The Neptunus lowered the anchor nearby. Tristan was the first to notice. The boy ran frantically until he found his captain.

"They're here!" he cried, trying to catch his breath.

"Who is?" Jack asked.

"The Spanish. They're here. What do we do? You can't let them find me! They'd kill me! Or Worse."

Jack looked about and then put his hand on the boy's shoulder, bringing him in close. "Find your mum and stay on the ship," he ordered.

Tristan didn't need to be told twice. He up and ran to his mother, babbling on about the Spanish and his last encounter with them. Amelia took him to the captain's cabin and told him to lock the door. Tristan protested, knowing that Jack's orders meant that his mother was to stay in hiding with him, but Amelia was determined to confront the Spanish with Jack. Needless to say, Jack wasn't impressed when he saw her heading directly for him.

"Don't you ever do what you're told?" he said.

"No one harms my son and gets away with it."

"I doubt they even know that he's here. Let's try to keep it that way."

"Who do they think they are taking up little boys like that?" Amelia complained.

"Privateers, love. The worst brand of pirate the seas have ever known. They don't need to fight for survival like the rest of us. Carte blanche."

"So what are we going to do about them?" Amelia asked.

"Do? Nothing. Not until we know what they want."

They did not have to wait long. A few men from the Spanish ship ventured up towards the Black Pearl, bringing with them a band of young boys who looked hungry and worn out.

"Greetings," Jack said sternly. "What can I do for you?"

One of the men stepped forward and said, "We noticed the ship, Senor. You taking her for parts?"

"Got in a little scuff," Jack said.

The man laughed, "Don't we all?"

Jack smiled and gave a forced laugh, trying to remain pleasant.

"We were wondering, if we might, too, salvage a little something from the ship."

"Go right ahead. We're practically done with her. Be warned though, there's not much left."

"Thank you, Senor. You must pass our blessings unto your captain."

Jack smiled, "You already have, sir."

The man gave a small bow, and said, "Then, from one captain to another, I thank you." He rose again. "May I ask for the captain's name?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow," he replied proudly.

"No. The Captain Jack Sparrow?" The man smiled. "I have heard many stories of you Captain Sparrow. I must say I began to think you only a legend. I am glad to see that isn't so."

"Thank you," Jack said.

"I am Captain Juan Garcia."

"I have heard of you as well, my friend."

"Good things I do hope."

"As good as things can be when speaking of the likes of us," Jack joked.

Garcia laughed and agreed.

"You're a long way from Spain, Captain," Jack noted.

"Spain has many parts, Captain Sparrow, I merely try to keep them together."

"The colonies?"

"It is a new world for us all, is it not?"

"Depends on how long you've been sailing it. Trust me, mate, she don't change much."

Captain Garcia laughed.

"I am afraid I must ask another question," Garcia said when the laughing ceased. "This ship of yours, is it not the infamous Black Pearl?"

"You've heard of it?" Jack asked modestly.

"There is not a man alive who has not. I am only surprised to see you captain it. In all my years, I have never heard your stories and the ship's cross paths."

"And yet here we are."

"So you are. You must be a great man to overcome a damned captain and his crew."

"What can I say? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

Then a thought entered into Captain Garcia's mind. If this Captain Jack Sparrow was capable of all of the impossible feats that he was rumoured for, he would certainly be capable of locating the fountain. It was coincidental enough that the two happened to be in Florida at the same time. Some might say it was even fate.

"I'm sure that you're on an adventure of your own," Garcia said, "but I was curious if you would be interested in a proposition?"

Jack didn't like the sound of that, but he knew to play along. They walked elsewhere, attempting to achieve some privacy. Jack had a feeling that he knew what this was all about. He was right. Garcia was trying to convince him to find favour with Spain. Garcia was willing to give the captain partial credit if he were to help them on their mission. Jack, as politely as possible, tried to explain that he couldn't give up his freedom by serving anyone else's purpose but his own. Garcia respected that but also thought it was folly. There was no greater freedom than being a privateer. He explained that while his enemies were ruthless, Garcia practically had run all of Spain when he returned, not to mention endless choice in the colonies.

"Why don't we just make this easier," Jack said, cutting Garcia off. "What is it exactly that you want my help with?"

He was hesitant to reply, but he figured that the legend itself was common enough knowledge to not be of any harm. "The Spanish crown seeks, what you would call, the Fountain of Youth."

Jack laughed, "Ponce de Leon."

"You know the story," Garcia said, hardly surprised.

"It's a legend, mate."

"I had thought the same of you and your ship, Senor. Yet here I stand with you and in the shadow of the Black Pearl no less. It seems to be a good day for chasing legends, does it not?"

"I like you, kid. I like your optimism. But I have to say, I think that the Spanish have way too much time and money on their hands to be funding an expedition into the heart of Florida."

Garcia laughed. "Fortunately for me that is very true. I am also glad that Captain Sparrow is familiar with the location of the fountain."

"Anyone who knows the legend knows it. Leon went mad, left Porto Rico and died in Florida trying to find the fountain."

"You know, there are those who say that he found it."

"Either way, mate, it must have been a fool's errand if he died in end anyway."

"That is if he died."

There was a silence between them.

"Do I have your attention now, Captain Sparrow?"

"You have my attention, that's for certain. But I can't help you, mate."

"I see," Garcia said, though there was no disappointment in his voice. "May I ask, Captain Sparrow, what it is that you are doing in Florida?"

"Just looking for a change in scenery."

Garcia smiled, "Of course. I'm sorry to take up your time, Senor. My men will gather what we need and be off soon. Enjoy the sightseeing, Captain."

When Jack returned to the ship, he ordered everything to be wrapped up quickly. They needed to pull out before the Neptunus was ready. The race was back on. Jack had only to hope that Garcia would not follow too closely.

The Black Pearl made good time. Following Jack's compass allowed for a speedy voyage. The difficult part, however, was still to come. With Barbossa still in the brig and the Neptunus not too far behind, Jack was feeling uneasy. There were too many factors at hand that were not in his favour. He may still have the charts, thanks to Tristan's safe keeping, but it was something that could be too easily lost. Jack searched his cabin for anything that might help him better conceal the chart. He found only paper and so, with the idea in mind, he sat down to copy it. He set the chart as he believed it should be read, and began to ink it down on paper. Tristan sat across from the captain and watched silently.

"What if it gets wet?" the boy asked.

Jack was annoyed by the interruption.

"If we're going to a fountain via the sea, don't you think it might get wet?"

"If we keep the real map close at hand it won't matter much, now will it," Jack huffed.

"If they can take the map from you, don't you think they'd be able to search your pockets well enough to find a copy?"

"We can divide it between the two of us. If they find one they won't find the other."

"What makes you think that I won't be searched?"

Jack was too frustrated for this conversation.

"Just keep quiet will you. I'm trying to concentrate."

Tristan huffed and put his elbows up on the table, resting his chin on his hands. Then he noticed the markings on Jack's forearm.

"What does the P stand for?" Tristan asked.

Jack threw down his quill and shot an irritated look over at the boy.

"It means you're a pirate doesn't it?"

Jack continued to stare, hoping that the boy would get the message and go away.

"Whoever put on that brand knew that it would stay without no matter what. No matter what condition you were in. If you know where to look, it's obvious. But if you didn't know where to look, and say you bandaged your wrist, no one would know."

Jack could tell that the boy was trying to make a point but he didn't quite yet understand what it was.

"Even if you lose your ship, that brand still declares that you are a pirate," Tristan continued. "What if you lost the map?"

Jack understood now. He smiled proudly at his son, then he realized that the boy's clever planning was probably something that his mother gave him.

"It's a large map," Jack said. "I can't think of many places I could put in on myself."

"It would have to be someplace that is easily masked. Someplace no one would look."

"But also someplace easily retrievable while on location," Jack added.

Tristan looked closely at the map Jack had drawn so far. He picked up the paper, stood up, and turned around, holding the paper to his back.

"Would it fit?" he asked the captain.

Jack adjusted it, putting the paper to the side rather than centre of the boy's back.

"It would," Jack said. "Your mother would kill me."

"You've said that about a lot of things so far. If she's already going to do it, you might as well go all out," Tristan said.

"You sure about this?" Jack asked.

"No," Tristan admitted, "but we've got nothing to lose."

Jack agreed. He told the boy to remove his shirt while Jack took hold of a knife and a small nail. He held the nail over a candle flame and with his knife he smoothed and sharpened it. He brought the ink jar close.

"Hold tight, son," Jack said, "this may hurt."

Tristan leaned his chest against the table. Taking his shirt in his hands, he clenched the cloth tightly.