A Pirate Calling
Chapter Fourteen: In Which We Meet Mr. Jones
The pounding chords to "Seven Deadly Sins" by Flogging Molly filtered through the hard wood of Fay's door. Jack almost laughed at the irony of the song and knew that she was playing it on purpose. Perhaps she wanted to be left alone.
"You'll need to talk to her eventually."
"I'm not the one who locked myself in my room," he retorted.
"She is frightened Jack," Fatima said softly. "This is all new to her. I think that she is lucky that she has not had a breakdown already." She paused, her head cocked to the side slightly. "You will need to talk to her before you leave. Wes and Jordan will be in tonight. As will Ernesto. Perhaps I will get Angie to help me make dinner. Bella will be hungry once she gets here."
Jack smiled as he watched Fatima walk away. He turned back to the door once she disappeared from view and jiggled the handle slightly. He sighed when he found the door still locked. Pulling a small pouch from his back pocket, he extracted two thin pins.
He heard the lock pop seconds after he inserted the pins. It had always been a good habit to keep up.
Fay wasn't paying attention when he opened the door. He was silent as he entered her room. Her back was to him, curled up in a ball, her stuffed rabbit- Cheepers, he recalled its name was- hugged to her chest. Jack sat on the edge of the bed, his back brushing hers. He did not speak. He sat. And waited. She would speak in time.
"How did you get in here?" Fay said, her voice muffled by the pillow.
"I've been around for awhile love. You pick up a few things when you're as old as I am."
"So you picked the lock."
"It's a skill that comes in handy."
Fay sighed and sat up, scooting up against the wall, Cheepers still held tight in her arms. She wasn't looking at him. "I'm sorry for hitting you."
Jack grinned, still gazing at the wall in front of him. "It's alright. I'm used to it by now. I'm pretty sure I deserved that one. Either that or I will."
Fay snorted.
Jack rubbed his hand down his face. "I have to go pick up some of my colleagues. Fatima will be here, as will Jocard. You'll be safe. As will Angie. Bella should be here soon as well."
"The woman you spoke to on the phone," Fay stated, finally looking up at him.
Jack looked at her. There was something in her expression. . . "A colleague." He reasoned.
"I kind of figured that out."
"She came in yesterday but was working on something else for me," he shook his head. "But I'm not here to talk about that. I have told you everything that I know about what is going on. I have hunches as to why Calypso is after you, but I have to figure out if they are right before telling you. The one thing I am sure of is that it deals with your family and most likely with this."
Fay's eyes flicked to the necklace in his hand and then back to him. "You took it again."
"I needed it for something."
Jack pulled one of her hands free from the rabbit and placed the charm in her upturned palm. Slowly he closed her fingers around it. She didn't pull immediately away.
"I am sorry for hitting you," Fay said again. Her eyes were trained on the bruise circling his cheek. "I don't know-I don't remember doing it. It's all blank. I don't remember any of it."
Jack was silent. He wasn't sure what to say. He knew who she was; who she had been. He'd seen the necklace, the charm. He knew the crest. But what her connection to him was, he couldn't tell. The eyes that changed; the voice.
She'd probably kill him if she knew he was hiding something else from her.
"Jack."
Her voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to her and found her face next to his. The tip of his nose brushed hers. He hadn't even felt her move.
"What else aren't you saying?"
Jack didn't respond at first. He wasn't sure how to, honestly. Finally, he stated, "You just need to be careful. Calypso isn't one to be taken lightly."
"Uh huh."
She was so close to him. Jack couldn't deny the attraction he felt to her from the moment he saw her. True it had just been her silhouette through a foggy shower door-and what man wouldn't be attracted to that?- but he couldn't deny it. He had the overpowering need to protect her; to not allow anyone else near her.
But he knew he shouldn't get close. He had been down this road many times before. All of them led to nothing but trouble. One night stands and brief interludes were best; no sense getting attached to someone when they wouldn't stick around for even a quarter of your lifetime.
"I should go."
"Uh huh," she repeated, her words a puff of air on his lips. He licked his.
Fay leaned in, her eyes keeping steady with his. Jack stopped her before she could get any closer. His thumb brushed the edges of her lips, playing with the tender skin.
"I have to go," he whispered.
Fay moved away from him without a word. The spot where he had touched burned. She buried her mouth and chin in the stuffed rabbit's head she still held and stared at him over the top of it.
With a sigh, Jack stood up. "I'll be back in a couple hours. Don't leave the house. They'll keep you and Angie safe. Calypso can't come in the house thanks to Jocard and Fatima'll see her coming before anything happens anyway."
Fay nodded.
Jack tugged at his shirt sleeve as he turned from her and then ran a hand over his face. Fay stopped him before he left the room.
"Be careful."
Jack didn't turn to her. A small smile played across his lips. "I'm not the one that needs to be worried."
Fay snorted. Jack shut the door.
Jack studied the bottle quietly. Even though he was focused entirely on the bottle he was still fully aware of his surroundings.
He knew of the woman that sat a couple chairs down from him studying him. He was fully aware of the people walking behind him, all on their way to or from their flights. Perhaps to meet a loved one or to go home. Maybe to a secret rendezvous.
Jack frowned. He didn't want to think about it. Sure, he'd had his trysts. One night stands were sometimes the best. Quick shag and then he was gone. He never had to worry about getting attached. He never had to worry about seeing them again.
It had always been that way and would probably always be that way. He was-had been?-Captain Jack Sparrow for God's sake. The most wanted-in more ways than one-man in the Caribbean.
Jack snorted to himself, causing the bar tender to look up at him. He shook his head.
He had never had any desire to settle down. His life of freedom was all he had ever wanted. But lately he'd felt a tug towards living a normal life. Sometimes it just didn't seem worth it to live for as long as he had. He'd seen everyone he knew, save one, grow old; saw them all die.
For a couple hundred years he had kept a low profile. Jack hadn't put himself in the spotlight. He never wanted anyone to really take notice of him lest they realize who he really was. And whenever that happened it just leads to unnecessary questions. Only one person had ever discovered who he was; a young man Jack had lived next to when the man was a child saw him again twenty years later. The boy remembered him from the house next door to where he had lived when he was younger. Jack had gone by Jackson Barrett then, a simple business man
The boy, or young man as he had been when he met up with him again, had walked into his shop. Jack remembered that he was buying a ring for his soon to be fiancée. Henry Cabot was his name. A young man who was to inherit his father's fortune, but who never believed money to be more important than the people in his life.
It shouldn't have been any surprise to Jack that Henry would have used all of his resources to find out who Jack was. But to even have been able to dig up a hundred year old wanted poster with his face on it had actually shocked him.
Jack laughed at the memory. Henry had been so adamant about finding out the truth that Jack had taken pity on him and told him everything. Henry had been a great friend for as long as he'd known him. And Jack was pretty sure Henry had kept his secret until his grave.
Of course the Lords always knew who he was. There was never any hiding it. And now Fay and Angie knew as well. But there was no helping that either. And now, for some reason, he felt the need to protect someone other than himself. The need always seemed to present itself when he looked at her.
He saw her in the reflection of the bottle every time he looked down at it. He saw her eyes glaring out at him. They always seemed so angry save for the brief bursts of sadness that flickered in their depths. And the blue flashes; the anger that was geared towards him. Jack's head cocked slightly. He did cheat him to be truthful. He had never fulfilled his side of the bargain.
"Contemplating why the rum's always gone?" a voice asked with a chuckle.
"I can tell you why," a second voice answered. "It's because you always drink it."
Jack turned in the swivel chair, a grin breaking out on his face. "I take it your flight went well?"
"Long," the first voice responded.
"Hot flight attendants though," the second replied.
The first snorted. "You would go there, Wes."
Wes turned to Jack. "It's good to see you again. Dad says hello."
Jack nodded. The twins were almost exactly alike. They had a habit of knowing what the other was thinking; of finishing each others sentences. They were linked together body and soul.
Jordan pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Are we going to sit here all night, then?" She had always been the impatient one.
"Ernesto should be landing soon. Kill two birds with one stone and all that."
Wes sat down on Jack's left, leaving Jordan to sit on his right. Jordan pulled a notebook out of the bag hanging from her shoulder. "So what else can you tell us about this girl we're here to protect?"
Jack tilted his head towards her slightly. "What do you want to know?"
"The storm is crazy."
Angie tucked the phone closer to her ear as her eyes flicked out the window. The storm had lessened somewhat and for that she was happy. "I guess so."
"You okay?" She could hear the concern in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure? I could always come over and comfort you." Angie could hear the smile in his voice. She allowed one to cross hers as well.
"As awesome as that would be Shane, we have people over."
Shane scoffed. "What? You're throwing a party without me?"
"Trust me, it's not a party. Fay's in town. Some. . . friends of hers are staying with us." It was no use trying to tell him the truth.
"Damn. And you're okay with that? I know you two don't always get along-"
"I'm fine," Angie interrupted. She sighed. "Turns out there's this ancient heathen god after Fay who wants to kill her, hence the storms. And there's this whole group of people coming here to try and prevent that."
Shane paused and then burst out laughing. "Oh, that's funny! You're good."
Angie sighed again. "Yup, that's me. A regular riot act," she rubbed her forehead. "Listen, Shane, I gotta go. I gotta help make dinner. Check to make sure the house isn't getting burned down."
"Yeah, okay. I'll talk to you later?"
"I'll call you. Be careful if you go out, okay? It's not good to drive in this weather."
"Of course. You too."
Angie hung up and left her room. She hesitated outside of Fay's door. She almost knocked and then thought better of it. They really had never been close and it would just seem weird if she tried to act like they were now. Besides, she would come out when she wanted to.
The kitchen was warm when she stepped in; the smell of something cooking on the stove infiltrated her nose. Angie's stomach rumbled in response.
"Good, Angie, I was waiting for you," Fatima said without turning around. It still weirded Angie out when she did that. "Would you get me some pepper please? Dinner is almost ready."
Angie placed the pepper next to her and then leaned her back against the counter. "So when are these friends of yours going to be here?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Bella will be here soon, Jocard is watching out for her. It will be a few hours for Wes, Jordan and Ernesto. Jack went to pick them up at the airport." She paused. "That should be Bella now."
Angie turned her head, staring in the direction of the front door. Seconds later the doorbell rang. Angie made a move to go answer it but Fatima stopped her.
"Jocard will get it. He will catch her up on what has happened so far. You do not need to worry." Fatima stirred the soup again and then took a sip of it from the spoon. "Very good. Come. Help me set the table. We can eat once they join us."
Angie could hear voices coming from the living room; a soft feminine voice following Jocard's deep timbre. She could hear the accent of the woman from inside the kitchen. She tried to make out the discussion but couldn't understand what they were saying. It was only when they got closer that she realized they weren't speaking English.
"Où est Jack ?" the woman asked, her voice fluid.
"Predre les autres."
Angie straightened when two shadows appeared in the doorway. A tall, thin woman entered first, shadowed by the giant form of Jocard. Her brown hair was pulled back in a bun at the back of her neck, an opal earring rested in her ear. She was dressed in a simple silk shirt and jeans, black boots graced her feet.
The woman stopped as they entered the kitchen. "Est-ce que c'est elle?" she asked.
"Numéro. La fille dort en haut. C'est sa soeur Angie. " Jocard replied.
Angie stared at them at the sound of her name. She glanced across at Fatima as she placed the pot down on the table. Fatima had a slight smile on her face.
"Je pense que nous sommes grossiers." The woman said to Jocard. She stepped forward, her arm outstretched. "I am sorry for my rudeness. I am Bella Lumine."
Angie shook her hand slowly. "You're one of them?" she asked, jerking her head in the directions of Fatima and Jocard.
"Yes, quite. Thank you for allowing us to stay in your home"
"Um, no problem."
"It smells delicious, Fatima. Have you decided to grace us with one of your famous dishes?"
Fatima laughed. "I would not call them famous, Bella. It was my grandmother's recipe. If you are hungry then we shall eat."
"You already know the answer to that, my dear. I am famished. And the way Jocard is nearly drooling, I would say he is too."
Jocard rubbed his hands together and licked his lips. "I am," he pulled the chair out next to Angie and looked at her. "Here you are, ma cherie. Ladies first."
Angie smiled in thanks and sat down. Jocard made his rounds, pulling out chairs for Fatima and Bella and then himself. He rubbed his hands together again.
"Let's eat."
"We have to be prepared for anything. Calypso has already attacked once. God knows she won't let up on the rain until she gets what she wants."
"Then how are we going to stop her? We do not know what she wants."
Jack glanced up in the rear view mirror. The older man stared back at him, his black eyes meeting Jack's. "We know what she wants, Ernesto," Jack replied. "She wants Fay."
"And of course we're not going to give her to Calypso," Wes said. "Who even knows what that would do?"
"Probably the end of the world. Why would it be anything different?" Jordan replied, not looking up from the notebook in her lap.
"Always so negative," Wes answered.
Ernesto smiled at the twins. "Then I guess that leaves the question of how we are going to stop her."
"That, gentlemen and lady, is what we are all here to figure out. It took nine of us before. It'll probably take nine of us again."
Fatima gasped and dropped her spoon just before a thunderclap shook the house. Angie's head shot up, her own spoon falling from her fingers. Jocard, Bella and Fatima all turned their head to the glass doors behind them. Lightning flashed through the sky, thunder following close behind. Jocard stood first, walking cautiously to the doors to peer outside.
His back straightened. Bella stayed where she was, her eyes focused on Fatima.
"No," Fatima whispered. "No, no, no."
"What is it, Fatima?"
Fatima's hands fisted on the table. "She's here."
The thunder roused Fay from a light slumber. Her arms tightened around Cheepers as her brow furrowed. The second rumble caused her eyes to snap open. She stood up groggily and made her way to the window, fully expecting nothing to have changed outside. She knew that the rain would still be falling.
What she did not expect was the woman standing on the edge of the back yard seemingly untouched by the rain. A reverberating hum coursed through her body when Fay caught sight of her. Cheepers fell from her grasp as she stumbled forward, one hand jerking up to catch herself on the wall.
"Fayth."
"We'll be safe inside for now," Jocard said. "The charms'll protect us as long as we stay in the house."
"And what happens if we go outside of the house?"
Jocard turned to Angie, a curious expression crossing his face. "Well, I guess you're always more than welcome to try and find out."
"Oh ha ha."
Jocard laughed. He pointed out the door, tracing a line across the glass. "We will be safe up until that point. Where Calypso is waitin' is where the line starts. Just don't go past that line."
"Duly noted."
A pale hand stretched between them and took hold of the handle. Jocard's hand snapped out, grabbing hold of the thin wrist. Fay was behind them, her gaze fixated on Calypso.
"Hold it there, cherie."
Jocard almost lost his grip when Fay turned her attention to him. Angry blue eyes blazed back at him. "Let go," she replied. Her voice was steady, calm. Almost too calm.
Jocard's gaze went to Fatima's. She was watching the scene with curiosity. She looked at him when she felt his gaze on her. Fatima gave a simple jerk of her head.
Reluctantly he let Fay's wrist go. He wasn't sure he wanted to do this. She could die. But he had found it a good idea to follow Fatima's words; she was never wrong. But he had also never seen her look on a situation with such an odd expression. Fatima never looked confused. She was always so sure in everything that she did.
"Are you just going to let her go?" Angie asked incredulously. She moved to stop Fay from leaving the house but Jocard stopped her.
"It's the way it has to be," he said softly, watching Fay walk out the glass doors. "Fatima is never wrong."
Fay walked slowly through the yard. She was getting soaked and somehow it didn't seem to matter. The storm tapered as she got close, as if her getting close appeased the sea witch's anger. Fay stopped just at the edge of the line; just on the outside of where she would be safe.
Calypso walked towards her. Fay could see a rainbow behind Calypso. She would have laughed at the irony if fear hadn't paralyzed her; an evil goddess being surrounded by one of nature's most beautiful creations.
Calypso stopped millimeters away from her and reached up. To her credit, Fay didn't even flinch. She couldn't, however, hide the disgust on her face when the sea witch's hand caressed her cheek.
"I loved you once," the other woman purred.
Something that she couldn't explain welled up inside of Fay. Fear? No. Something else entirely. Her surroundings began to fade as Calypso's thumb continued to stroke Fay's skin. She felt a shiver course through her body; a shiver that quickly turned into a cold chill.
"I loved you and then you betrayed me," Calypso's grip grew tighter and then started to burn. Fay could hear lightning crackle in her ear. "I will see you dead once and for all," she whispered.
Fay stared straight ahead, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she tried to focus on something other than the crazy woman's ramblings. A sudden presence behind her caused Fay's back to straighten. The shiver came back. Anger pushed its way through her mind. Her body began to feel heavy as whoever was behind her stepped through-no. Stepped into her.
Fay's hands snapped up at the same time her leg kicked out. Calypso flew away from her, her nails scratching a jagged trail across Fay's cheek.
The Lords were watching from the house. Fatima was still sitting at the kitchen table, her eyes closed. She was attempting to see the outcome of the events happening in the yard but it was all black.
She couldn't see anything.
Her eyes flew open in sudden understanding. He was there. That was why she wasn't able to see anything. Any time he was there, Fay's future became invisible.
"We have to stop this!" Fatima shouted, jumping to her feet. "He is here. If he is here this cannot bode well!"
Bella turned to her and placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Easy, Fatima. It is alright. Who is here?"
Fatima's eyes flicked to Bella's. She tried to convey her panic to the other woman. There was no time to waste. "Jones."
AN: Dun dun dun! And her other half is revealed! Kudos to anyone who can guess where I got the chapter title from. I was watching an episode and my mind, in the crazy ways it does things, figured it would make a fitting title.
I have to say a big thanks to online translators. I don't know a lick of French so it helped me out a lot and hopefully it's correct. If it's not, I'm very sorry and blame Babel Fish.
Où est Jack?- Where is Jack?
"Predre les autres."- Picking up the others.
"Est-ce que c'est elle?"- Is this her?
"Numéro. La fille dort en haut. C'est sa soeur Angie. "- No. The girl is upstairs sleeping. This is her sister Angie.
"Je pense que nous sommes grossiers."-I think we are being rude.
Jordan and Wes Carpenter
Lords of the South China Sea
23 years old
Jordan and her brother, Wes, are fraternal twins born only minutes apart. They were raised by their father in London after their mother died. The two tend to finish the other's sentences. They are the youngest out of all of the pirate lords. Their title has been passed down in their family for over three hundred years. Their mother was the Lord before them.
Before she died, their raised them with the teachings of the Lords. She knew that they would take over the title when they grew older. She left a single book with all of the Lords' knowledge to them.