Chapter 8: Message in a Bottle
"Is it me or has Captain Jack Sparrow sailed off the edge of the world?" Will said impatiently.
"It seems that way," Elizabeth commented.
"He be carryin' those charts, he might as well have sailed of the edge of the map!" Barbossa said.
"If he be a man with a brain, and as I know him to be, he best steer clear of me when we find him," Lucia groaned, "Instead of being on a wild goose chase, we're on a Sparrow chase! I'm gonna kill him."
"There be a chance you may not have to," Barbossa said wisely.
"He's right. Jack must be in trouble if he's vanished like this," Will agreed.
"But what about Guin?" Elizabeth asked, "She's having a baby and by now that should be very soon. Jack couldn't disappear with a baby on the way."
"Mrs. Turner has a fair point," Barbossa acknowledged, "If I know anything about Jack Sparrow-"
"Captain!" Will and Elizabeth corrected.
"If I know anything about Captain Jack Sparrow, he may be a bright man, but when it comes to children, he knows more about making them," Barbossa declared.
"So we agree that he must be on the sea somewhere due to the impending Sparrow?" Lucia asked dubiously.
"If he's not, then we will probably meet the same fate as him," Will said pessimistically.
"Well, since we have no idea where Jack is, he's valuable to us, and I'm bored out of my mind trying to figure out where the little bugger is, I say we search every port," Lucia said determinedly, "I never thought I'd be so desperate to find Sparrow, but I am."
"Feelings mutual," Barbossa said with a grin.
From that moment on, the H.M.S. Intrepid sailed around the Caribbean in search of Captain Jack Sparrow and Guinevere Parris. Their first stop was a port in Haiti.
Will approached a salty old sailor. "Sir, do you know the whereabouts of Captain Jack Sparrow?"
"Captain Jack Sparrow?" repeated the man incredulously, "He's not been round these waters. I thought he died at sea."
By nightfall, they sailed to Cuba and continued to ask residents about Jack or Guinevere's whereabouts.
Elizabeth tried approaching a wench at one of the bars. "Madame, have you seen Captain Jack Sparrow or Guin Parris?"
"Never heard of a Guin Parris before," replied the woman nonchalantly.
"What of Jack?" Elizabeth questioned.
"Captain Jack Sparrow stole three shillings from me! He'll rue the day he comes to Cuba!" shrieked the woman.
"That would mean 'no'," Elizabeth said aloud to herself.
Elizabeth then retreated to the Intrepid to regroup with Will and the others.
"No one in the tavern has seen them," Elizabeth said grimly.
"We have one last hope," Barbossa declared, "There's a man at port who says he knows something."
"Well, let's not waste a moment," Will said.
The group headed down to the dock to meet a man of dark skin.
"You said you know of Captain Jack Sparrow," Barbossa said to the man.
"I know of Capytan Jack Sparrow," replied the man, "Can't say 'bout Jack Sparrow, but ad me post I saw a ship pass by. A black ship wid' black sails. Id can only be de Black Pearl."
"Where? When?" Will asked anxiously.
"Id mus have been no longah den three days ago," recalled the man.
"Thank you for your help, sir," Barbossa said with a smile.
With that, Barbossa and the others made way back to their vessel.
"Well, three days ago," Lucia said, "That's good news."
"At least we know he's still alive," Will said in relief.
"But we still have to find him, Mr. Turner," Barbossa reminded Will, "With the Black Pearl, Jack could disappear as fast as he likes."
"At least we know we're gaining on him," Elizabeth said optimistically.
"But where do we sail now?" Lucia asked, "The Pearl is much faster than any ship on the sea and we're about three days behind."
"We sail along the coast of Florida," Barbossa declared, "With Sparrow havin' those charts, he'd find the Fountain of Youth before us if he hasn't already."
"Very well," Lucia said calmly, "Run out canvas! We make way due north for Florida! With a will!"
"Lighten the ship! With the Black Pearl ahead of us we need as much speed as we can get! Lose anything that can afford to be lost!" Barbossa shouted.
At Barbossa and Lucia's fierce orders, the crew of the Intrepid scrambled about the ship, tossing over boxes of supplies and some of the twenty guns on the ship. Knowing that they wouldn't be needed, Elizabeth and Will retreated to a cabin.
That night, Elizabeth couldn't control her fear for Guinevere and Jack. "I don't like how Jack disappears like this. It'd too odd, even for such an odd person as Jack."
"As I told you, Jack is good at taking care of himself," Will said nonchalantly.
"But to disappear like this? That's not just taking care of himself, Will," Elizabeth argued.
"What's gotten into you, Elizabeth?" Will asked.
"You know very well what has," Elizabeth replied.
Will sighed. "I know you hate betraying Jack like this, but we have no choice. If we don't, we'll never see our boy again."
"You don't think Jack knows about Commodore King, do you?" Elizabeth asked fearfully.
"I can't say, but he must be afraid if he's hiding like this," Will said.
"I can't do this, Will!" Elizabeth said in frustration, "I can't betray Jack and Guin like this!"
"What choice do we have?" Will demanded, "We can't stop now!"
"We can! We don't have to help King!" Elizabeth argued.
"Who do you care for more, Jack or William?" Will demanded.
"Don't ask me to choose who I care for the most, Will," Elizabeth snapped.
"If you love our son, then you must be willing to do anything for him," Will told her.
"I am, but this is crossing a line!" Elizabeth said in frustration, "Don't you understand? I can't save our son at the cost of Jack and Guin's lives."
"Wasn't it you who sent Jack to the Kraken to save everyone?" Will asked pointedly.
"That was different," Elizabeth protested, "Jack had to go down with the Pearl. I had no choice. Now I do. I can save my son and not betray my friends."
"Jack betrayed me before, what makes this so different?" Will demanded.
"You are not Jack," Elizabeth told him.
"I betrayed Jack once. I can do it again," Will declared.
"You can, but I can't," Elizabeth countered.
"Are you really willing to save our boy?" Will asked.
"I am, but are you?" Elizabeth asked doubtfully.
Will stared into Elizabeth's eyes with no reply. He didn't know what to tell Elizabeth. Elizabeth only nodded and hurried to check on James. As she opened the door, Elizabeth bumped into Lucia and passed her immediately.
Below decks, Elizabeth slowly crept down the stairs. She saw James, still lying on a hammock with Bootstrap at his side. Fortunately, James was alert as he lay with Bootstrap at his side.
"James!" Elizabeth greeted happily.
"Elizabeth!" James replied with just as much glee.
"How are you feeling?" Elizabeth wanted to know.
"Spectacular, really," James said earnestly.
"He's a strong lad," Bootstrap told Elizabeth, "His fever must've broken some time in the night. He needs more rest, but he's on the mend."
"That's wonderful to hear," Elizabeth said sincerely.
"Any news on Jack or Guin?" James asked.
"A man in Cuba said he saw the Pearl about three days ago," Elizabeth explained.
"Well that's good news!" James said cheerfully.
Just then, Barbossa raced down the stairs. "Mrs. Turner, you'd best come up."
"What is it, Barbossa?" Elizabeth asked in concern, "Is it Jack?"
"Most likely," Barbossa replied, "You best see for yourself."
Elizabeth followed Barbossa to the main deck and found Will already there.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.
Will showed her a bottle with a piece of paper inside. "This was spotted floating near the ship."
"Open it," Elizabeth said anxiously.
Will opened the bottle and emptied the paper into his hand and read to himself.
"What does it say?" Lucia asked.
"It's written in Guin's handwriting," Will gasped, his heart lifting, "It's a message for help! She says that they are off the coast of Florida and that she and Jack are being held hostage by Ponce de León."
"Wait a minute, the Ponce de León?" Elizabeth gasped.
"Yes," Will replied.
"How's that? León never found what he was looking for," Lucia asked, perplexed.
"Doesn't mean he can't still hunt for it," Barbossa countered, "There's a slim chance of coming back, but once in a blue moon, it happens. León must be after the Fountain, ain't no other explanation."
"This is good," Elizabeth said, "She's alive and we're gaining on them for sure."
"All we must do is keep a weather eye out for black sails," Will declared.
Elizabeth's face fell at the thought of this. She knew that if they found Jack and Guinevere, it would be over for them. If Jack and Guinevere were found, Elizabeth knew she'd be reunited with William III. Elizabeth knew she couldn't sell Jack or Guinevere out, but as she saw the note, Elizabeth was beginning to wonder how far she'd go for her son.
After a moment, Lucia took Barbossa aside. "I'm not so sure it's a good thing to help Mr. and Mrs. Whelp."
"Why do you be sayin' that?" Barbossa wanted to know.
"I eavesdropped on a little heart-to-heart they were havin'," Lucia explained, "Little Mrs. Whelp is in distress over finding Jack and Guin. That's because she and the whelp made a deal with Commodore King."
"And what deal be that?" Barbossa questioned.
"They're going to sell Jack and Guin to the Commodore," Lucia said, "If they sell the Sparrows, we could be next."
"Keepin' things close to the vest," Barbossa said knowingly, "Best keep our plans close then, too."
Barbossa smiled, showing his gold teeth. Lucia smiled back, knowing they had a plan.