Chapter Six
The smell of the island carried across the clear Caribbean water and hit Jessie long before she saw Tortuga from the crow's nest. It smelled of thick body odor and a mixture of liquors. Below, Will made a face.
"Whew! What is that smell?" he asked disgustedly. "It smells like refuse."
"That, young William, is the ever-inviting smell of our destination." Jack stared out at the sea nonchalantly.
Will coughed. "Where in the Caribbean are we going?"
"To a tiny island that civilized countries pretend to own called Tortuga. We pirates have been using that island for as long as we've been around as a… private getaway, you may call it." A devilish twinkle came into Jack's eyes.
Jessie laughed to herself. Yes, Tortuga could be called a private getaway. The island was well fortified against any attack, though the threat of one was unlikely. Pirates stayed on Tortuga for easy fun and a break from the stresses of pillaging. As the first signs of the island came into sight, Jessie's mouth began to water at the thought of eating the delicious food of the Sea Woman.
The Interceptor docked that evening. From the town came the sounds of revelry, angry shouting, and occasional breaking of glass. Will eyed it dubiously, but Jessie and Jack walked up the dock and into the town without hesitation. Jack took along a bucket of seawater and kept mysteriously silent.
Jessie breathed in the reek, feeling the homesickness that had welled up inside her since she had moved in with the Swan's melt away. Run-down houses and taverns lined the dirty streets. A sickly yellow light came out of every window and flooded the road whenever a door opened. In every place where one could sit or stand was a human body, some lying prone in the muck, some sitting against a keg with a tankard in hand, and others walking from one building to another accompanied by several comrades. The men called out to each other in loud voices, the women in brazen ones. The rag-tag children ran through the streets and between the people, making mischief wherever they went.
"Oy there, Swiftblade!" one particularly drunk man yelled. He smiled stupidly, showing the gaps in his teeth.
Jessie didn't turn or reply. Will instinctively touched her arm and glanced back.
The man laughed. "I see ye've found yeself a body guard, Swiftblade! Was the sea life too much fer ye?" He fell over from laughing so hard.
Will felt Jessie's arm twitch, then realized she was no longer at his side. A cry from the man made him and Jack turn around.
One of Jessie's knives had buried itself in the ground by the man's face. Jessie held another knife at the man's throat and kept him on the ground. Will stepped forward, but Jack's hand stopped him.
"Leave them," he murmured. "Jess can take care of herself."
"What do you think, ye lily-livered scum?" Jessie hissed into the man's face. "Do ye think I need a body guard?"
Though his wits were severely clouded, the man was savvy enough to realize the girl pinning him down could inflict serious damage upon him with the cruel-looking blade at his throat. He shook his head profusely and stammered, "N-no, Swiftblade!"
His breath caused Jessie to grimace. She stood and picked up the blade in the dirt before casting the man a contemptuous look and returning to Jack and Will.
"I believe the Sea Woman is right over there, Jack," she remarked. Her lips held the trace of a satisfied grin. As she walked away, she heard Will remark to Jack, "I've never seen anyone move so fast!"
The smile that had remained hidden could not be held back any longer.
Jack stopped Jessie before she could go any farther. "Hold up there, Jess! There's someone I need to take along with us."
He walked over to a particularly dark corner, where a man lay against several large pigs. Jack promptly splashed the man with the remaining contents of his bucket. A considerable amount landed all over the man, and the rest startled the pigs into moving. The man awoke with a splutter and a curse.
"Curse ye fer breathin', ye slack-jawed idiot! What be the meanin' o' this?" he roared. Then he saw who stood above him. He laughed with relief.
"Ah, Jack, ye shouldn't wake a man when he be sleepin'! Tis bad luck, ye know."
Jack knelt down at the man's side. "Yes, well, fortunately, I knows how to remedy that. Ye see, the man what does that sleeping follows the one that does the waking. The one what does the waking buys the waker a drink, and the waker listens to the man that wakes propose a proposition. Savvy?"
The man's eyes narrowed for a moment, then he nodded.
"Aye, that'll about do it."
He put out a hand and Jack hauled him to his feet. The man eyed Will and nodded to Jessie.
"Tis been a long time, Swiftblade, since ye were in Tortuga. I thought ye'd gotten marooned by ye crew." He chuckled to himself.
"Hello, Gibbs," Jessie replied.
"Well, Jack, where shall the waker and the sleeper be drinkin' tonight?" Gibbs asked.
Jack pointed to the Sea Woman. "Lead the way, Jess, darling."
Jessie threw open the door to the tavern and strode in. No one took any great notice of her until she stopped at the bar. Then the barkeeper called out in a rough voice. Every man, drunk and sober, turned to see "Swiftblade!" Jessie took the four tankards the winking bartender gave her and pushed her way through the crowd to the back room where Gibbs and Jack waited.
Will stood just outside, leaning against the wall. Jessie thrust a tankard into his chest.
"Here, Will, drink this. It'll take that frown of your face."
Will smelled the dark liquid. "Smells strong enough the kill a horse," he muttered.
"Just don't get completely drunk." Jessie pushed by him and sat in the third chair next to Jack.
"Perfect timin', Jess, as always." Jack took a deep draft of the jug. Gibbs did the same.
"Now, Jack, what be this adventure of yourn?" he said between swallows.
Jack glanced around and lowered his voice. "I'm going after the Pearl."
Gibbs choked and spit it back into the mug.
"Jack," he whispered, "ye can't be serious. Tis a fool's errand!"
"Fortunately for me, I know what it is Barbosa wants. All that remains for you to do is find me a crew willing to sail with me and Jess."
Gibbs frowned.
"Let's just say it's a matter of leverage," Jack continued slyly.
Jessie glanced at Will without meaning to and found him peering around the corner. Gibbs' frown deepened. Jack motioned with his head to Will, who was trying to detach a fat, drunk woman from his arm.
"The kid?" Gibbs asked.
"That be Bootstrap's son. His ONLY child."
Gibbs nodded, an understanding look on his face. "Leverage, says you. I think I feel a change in the winds, says I. I'll find ye a crew. There's gotta be a handful of men as daft as you on this crazy rock."
"One can only hope." Jack raised his tankard and smiled his strange, mysterious smile. "Take what ye can."
"Give nothin' back!" Gibbs and Jessie said together. They clanked their mugs, took a deep draft, and slammed them on the table.
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Later that night, Jessie lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Sleep, which had rarely alluded her before, seemed completely out of her reach. From the other room, she could hear Jack's snores that told her he felt safe. She was thankful Gibbs had left soon after they had finished their beers. His snoring had been compared to hippos from Africa.
Jessie tossed a few more turns before she sat up abruptly and walked to the door, wrapping a thick shirt around herself. In the large common room sprawled Will and Jack, sleeping on stolen cushions and the hard floor. Both men had insisted she take the far superior bed, even after she said she preferred the floor. Carefully, Jessie tiptoed around their still forms and to the door of the room.
There was hardly a sound from down the stairs, save for the occasional wheeze from a man who had drunk himself to sleep. Jessie opened the door to another room and peeked in. The room was empty. Quickly, she crossed the floor, opened the window, and let herself down onto the roof. Then she made her way to the Interceptor.
The night was mild, even with the breeze blowing inland. Onboard, Jessie scurried up the mast and into the crow's nest. She gazed over the dark waters and tried to sort through her confused, jumbled thoughts.
"I know what Jack wants," she told herself. "He wants the Pearl all to himself once more. He knows that Barbosa needs Will's blood to break the curse, and he now knows that he needs mine, as well. I know Barbosa has Elizabeth and is now sailing to the Isla de Muerta, presumably because he believes Lizzie is either a Turner or a Delacruz."
She stopped as she realized what Barbosa could do to Elizabeth once he discovered she could no more break a curse than his pet monkey. She gripped the mast in a stranglehold as she envisioned her hands around the pirate's neck.
"We'll reach them first. We have to. But what do I do once Jack hands Will over to Barbosa? Is that what Jack plans to do? What is his game?"
A creak caused her to look down.
"What are you doing, Will?" she called.
"I heard you leave and I thought something was wrong."
Jessie slid down the rigging and landed next to him. "Nothing was wrong," she lied. "Just couldn't sleep."
They walked over to the side of the ship and leaned on the railing. Jessie fiddled with a cord bracelet, feeling slightly awkward. Finally, Will broke the silence.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a pirate?"
"Would you have believed me? There was no need to."
"Everyone in that tavern seemed to know who you were— are."
Jessie stared at him. "What do you want to know, Will?"
"Everything. I want to know who you really are, where you are from, and how you know Jack so well."
"I can't tell you—"
"Why?"
Will's angry word carried over the waters. Jessie felt stunned. He pressed his lips together and studied his hands.
"It's dangerous for you to know, Will," she said quietly. "Every pirate has enemies, and Jack and I have made some very powerful ones. The more people who know about me, the more danger it puts them and me in."
"I can deal with the consequences of knowing the truth when I get there. Don't you trust me to keep a secret?"
A strong gust of wind blew across Jessie's face, carrying a sound that reminded her of Tia's voice. She heard words and felt a sense of urgency she couldn't understand. It took her breath away and forced her to take a step back.
When the wind died down, Jessie found Will watching her with concern.
"Ask me what you want to know, Will," she stammered.
He frowned. "You've changed your mind?"
"Yes. Ask me."
He paused, then sat down and motioned her over. She sat in front of him and held his gaze steadily.
"Who are you?" he asked. "I'm not sure I know anymore."
Jessie took a deep breath and let the words come out in a rush.
"My name is Jessie Delacruz, though almost all pirates call me Swiftblade. I am the only child of Rufio Delacruz and Rosalina Sparrow, Jack's mother. Jack and I are half siblings. I sailed with Jack on his father's ship until he was killed by the Kraken and Jack and I were marooned on an island. Eventually, we got off and found another ship, the Black Pearl. Jack captained it and I sailed with him. We were separated, and I landed in Port Royal with the Swans. During my time on Barbados, I sold Robert Swan's plantation to one of his friends and returned to searching for Jack, whose name I had heard many times on Barbados. I have my own ship, the Sea Serpent, and my own crew. I am known as one of the most ruthless and crafty pirates on the Caribbean, and all who know me respect me."
"You are Jack's sister?"
She nodded. Will let out a long breath.
"Captain Teague was a strange man with a violent temper. He killed Rosalina when he found out her treachery, and he would've killed me, too, if Jack hadn't stopped him and promised to take care of me himself." She grinned as fond memories crowded her mind. "Jack was the best brother I could've asked for."
Will smiled. "How did you two get separated?"
Jessie hesitated. "There was a mutiny onboard the Pearl. Jack was marooned on a desert island, and I was kept on the ship. I managed to get away on a life boat and was picked up by the Swans."
Will nodded. "Why did you go back?" he asked quietly.
Jessie considered. "It's the only life I could live without being miserable. Everything I love is here, Will, the sea, my ship, Jack..."
Her voice trailed off, and she looked down. "Not many things could keep me away from this."
She felt Will studying her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. He rose and slowly walked down the gangplank in the direction of the tavern. Jessie stood, as well, but she went to the captain's quarters and spent the rest of her night staring at the medallion around her neck, her mind racing faster than before.
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"Here we are, Jack, the finest crew that I could find on such short notice." Gibbs smiled wryly. "And each one crazy to boot."
Jessie stepped back and observed the line of ratty people who stood at attention on the dock of Tortuga. She didn't hide her impatience. Already, the sun was high in the sky. Jack and Will strode slowly along the line. Jack looked each one up and down.
"So this," she heard Will mutter, "is your able-bodied crew. They don't look like much."
"Neither do you," Jack retorted dryly. He stopped in front of a tanned man with a large parrot sitting on his shoulder. "You, sailor."
"It's, uh, Cotton, sir." Gibbs said.
"Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?"
The man stared at him without responding.
"Mr. Cotton. Answer, man."
Still the man remained silent. Gibbs stepped forward.
"He's a mute, sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how."
Cotton opened his mouth to show the remains of his severed tongue. Jack recoiled slightly and turned to the parrot.
"Mr. Cotton's... parrot. Same question."
The parrot squawked and flapped its wings. "Wind in the sails. Wind in the sails."
Jack glanced at Cotton, who shrugged. "Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes.'"
Jack pursed his lips and nodded with satisfaction. "What do you think, Jess?"
Every head turned to see Jessie for the first time. She acknowledged them with a nod of her head.
"I think we should weigh anchor and set sail. And," she pointed to the end of the line, "I think that girl wants a word with you."
Jack's head whipped around. He narrowed his eyes and stalked over to the slim figure whose face was covered by a large hat. Carefully, he lifted it. Long black hair fell into the face of a young woman with coffee colored skin and a defiant expression. Jack smiled winningly.
"Anamaria," he said charmingly.
The girl promptly slapped him across the face. Will raised his eyebrows, but Jessie laughed loudly.
"Well, Anamaria," she called, "I guess you know Jack already. What has he done to you?"
Anamaria jabbed at Jack's nose with her finger angrily. "You stole my boat!
Jack flinched as the finger came unnervingly close. "Borrowed! Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back."
"But you DIDN"T!" Anamaria stepped closer, her prodding finger almost touching him. Jessie, trying to hide her amusement, interjected.
"Fear not, Anamaria, Jack's wrong will be made right."
The girl glared at Jessie. "How?" she demanded.
"You'll get another boat. A bigger one."
Jack frowned and shook his head unperceptively to all except Jessie, but she ignored him.
"What boat?" Anamaria asked, her tone less harsh.
Jessie indicated over her shoulder with her thumb to where the Interceptor was docked. "That one."
"That one?"
Everyone stared at Jack, who immediately repeated, "Aye, that one. What say you?"
A chorus of "Aye!" rang out, and each sailor started walking towards the Interceptor. Gibbs protested.
"Tis frightful bad luck to have a woman on board, sir," he told Jack.
"Jessie is going with us," Will reminded him.
"Aye, but Swiftblade…" Gibbs muttered words into his beard no one could understand. Jessie snorted.
"But Swiftblade is no woman," she finished. "Come on, Jack, I want to leave before the tide runs out."