As James was writing in the ship's log, Lorelei was hovering behind him.
"What do those symbols mean?" she asked.
He stopped writing and looked up at her in surprise.
She seemed confused at the surprised look on his face and tilted her head slightly.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"You don't know how to read?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow and was quite for a brief moment.
"Paper disintegrates in water," she finally said.
Of course she couldn't read, James scolded himself. There probably wasn't a need to underwater.
"Can you write?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Would you like to learn?"
Her eyes lit up and she nodded her head eagerly.
"I would love to," she exclaimed, "Hopefully I'll be able to help you with your work once I learn!"
He smiled at her eagerness and her kind offer to assist in his work. That was something that he admired in Lorelei. She was always willing to help.
Lorelei moved beside him and eagerly watched him as he started explaining what he was writing to her. She quickly began to pick up simple words, but struggled with longer ones. He knew that it would take time before she recognized them.

It only took a few weeks for Lorelei to become an adept reader. She began to read anything she could get her hands on and James often had to hide his logs from her to make sure that she didn't stay up all night reading them. He also didn't want her to know that he hadn't mentioned her in the log because she'd demand to be entered into it. He didn't want to explain to his superiors that an actual mermaid had become a member of his crew. And that she had become his closest companion and confidant. He had a feeling that they wouldn't be too thrilled.
Lorelei peeked over James' shoulder as he wrote in the ship's log.
"How far are we from Tortuga?" she asked.
"Not too far," he said as he continued to write, "It should be in sight by tomorrow."
The mermaid smiled and seemed excited at the prospect of seeing the island soon while James was thrilled at the prospect of capturing Jack Sparrow. Sparrow would no doubt be intrigued by Lorelei and would follow her into a trap. It was too ingenious to fail! He only had to get her to agree to the plan.
"Lorelei," he said as he sat down his quill.
She leaned in closer.
"Yes, James?"
"I have a favor to ask of you."
She nodded her head.
"Go on."
"I need your assistance with catching someone."
She nodded her head once more for him to continue.
"I've been searching for a pirate for months," he said, "And you might be able to help me capture him."
Lorelei smiled.
"Trapping men is my specialty," she said, "My older sisters would be quite proud if they knew I was aiding the navy."
James smiled. He knew that he could count on Lorelei. She was always willing to help.
"Is there anything that I should do in particular?"
He raised an eyebrow and she sighed.
"Should I," she paused, "Seduce him?"
James turned red and her cheeks reddened as well.
"Perhaps not," she added quickly.
"Yes, perhaps not," James said.

Lorelei was up in the crow's nest when she finally spotted Tortuga.
"Land ho!"
Lorelei immediately climbed down the rigging and dropped down to the deck. James emerged from his cabin shabbily dressed and without his wig. He raised an eyebrow at the surprised look on Lorelei's face.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"No," she said, "I just barely recognize you."
"That was the idea," he said, "I'm going with you ashore."
"So you put on a disguise?"
"Yes," he said, "Is that a problem?"
"No," she said quickly, "I just didn't expect you to come with me."
He smiled and approached her.
"He's a dangerous fugitive, Lorelei," he said, "I couldn't let you go alone."
She frowned and sighed as he smiled wider.
"Fine," she said, "But try to give me some distance. I don't want him to think that we're together."
James' face reddened slightly and Lorelei realized how he had interpreted her statement.
"I meant traveling together," she quickly said as she felt her own cheeks flush with embarrassment.
She'd been blushing a lot as of late and she had no idea why. Then she realized that James was suffering from her same affliction. Was something going on?

Lorelei climbed into the dingy that James gestured to.
"I could just swim there, you know," she said as she felt stifled at how small the craft was.
"But you forget that I can't," he replied as he got in after her.
She shrugged her shoulders. He had a point.
The crew lowered the dingy into the water and James took the oars.
"Tell me what this pirate looks like," she said as he began to row towards the island.
"Long dark hair," he said as he rowed, "a few gold teeth. Basically a typical pirate."
She quirked an eyebrow at his description; it wasn't very helpful.
"You will know when you find him. He goes by the name of Captain Jack Sparrow."
Lorelei's eyebrows raised and she laughed.
"You're searching for Jack Sparrow?" she asked.
He stopped rowing and looked at her in confusion. What was so funny about that?
"I am no stranger to Jack Sparrow," she explained, "He's well known to us mermaids. He's always willing to bargain for our aid in his harebrained schemes and quests."
Oh no. Maybe Lorelei wouldn't be as willing to help him as he had thought.
"Have you ever met him?" he asked.
"Once a year or two ago," she said, which caused James to swear under his breath, "I helped him retrieve that broken compass of his from the bottom of the sea. He clumsily dropped it over the railing of the Pearl."
That sounded like Jack Sparrow alright.
"Will you still help me capture him?" James asked.
Lorelei nodded her head.
"Of course," she said, "You're my friend and I promised that I would help you."
James smiled and resumed rowing.
"He still owes me a favor actually," she said as she gazed up at the blue sky, "He never did repay me for retrieving his compass. Perhaps I could use that to our advantage."

They finally reached shore and hid their dingy under a pile of seaweed. Lorelei used a small still-standing pool of water to primp her hair while James patiently waited off to the side. She hadn't seen her own reflection in weeks and wanted to make sure that hair was still in good shape. She finally finished and they set off towards the island's center.
"Be aware that the men here have no morals," James warned.
Lorelei raised an eyebrow.
"You forget that I have killed men with my bare hands."
He shrugged shoulders.
"Fair enough."
After walking for a while they finally arrived in the middle of Tortuga. Lorelei couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at the utter chaos that was taking place. People milled about and gunshots echoed through the air. She looked over at James with furrowed brows.
"Is this normal?" she asked.
"From what I've been told; yes."
Lorelei looked back to the chaos and frowned.
"How are there not dead bodies littering the streets?"
"The grace of God I suppose."
She snorted as she watched a man smash a bottle of rum over another man's head.
"And you expect to find Jack Sparrow in this chaos?"
James nodded his head.
She sighed.
"Well, we better start searching."
"I know the first place to look," he said as he pointed towards a building.
Lorelei squinted.
"A tavern?"
"Sparrow loves his rum like any good pirate."

Jack Sparrow was leaning back in his chair as Joshamee Gibbs sat across from him.
"What a lovely night to be alive," Gibbs said with a grin on his face, "The rum is flowing and the wenches are out in droves."
"Aye, that they are."
Jack watched as his friend suddenly had a stunned look on his face.
"Mary mother of God, I've never seen hair so red in my entire life!"
Jack turned his head to see a flame haired woman walking through the tavern. Her blue eyes scanned the crowded tavern as if she was looking for someone. She was unearthly beautiful, but also familiar. Jack swore he had seen a woman that looked like her before. Her eyes rested on him and he felt a chill go down his spine at the intensity of her gaze.
Gibbs couldn't help but stare as the woman approached the table. She leaned her hip against the table and looked down at them.
"Well, well," she said, "if it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow."
Jack stared up at the red headed woman.
"So you've heard of me?"
"Of course I have," she said with a grin, "you owe me a debt."
His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at Gibbs.
"Do I owe her a debt?" he asked.
Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and looked just as confused as the captain.
"I retrieved your compass for you when you dropped it over the side of the Pearl," she explained, "You owe me for my kindness. We mermaids don't do anything for free."
Jack and Gibbs looked at each other, clearly in a predicament. They had no idea what to do with this mermaid. They knew that once she got out to sea, she could take down the Pearl in a heartbeat and drag them into Davey Jones' locker.
"What is it that you want, lass?"
"Lorelei," she corrected stiffly, "And I'm going to leave that to my associate."
Jack and Gibbs looked at each other again. Associate? She wasn't working alone?

Lorelei motioned for James to come from the shadows where he had been hiding. The sight of Jack Sparrow sitting across from Lorelei made his blood boil as he considered what he could do to the man that had ruined his life. He emerged from the shadows and made his way across the tavern. He could see the look of faint recognition on Jack Sparrow's face as he recognized him. Revenge would be sweet indeed.
"Well done, Lorelei," he said as he arrived at their table.
Lorelei beamed and ran her fingers through her long red hair.
"It was quite easy, you know."
"What in the devil is going on here?!" Gibbs spat, "You're in league with the she-devil?!"
"Calm yourself, Joshamee Gibbs," James said as he sat beside Lorelei, "Lorelei is assisting me in my efforts."
Jack Sparrow watched him carefully from across the table.
"And what would that be?!"
"Jack is coming with us," Lorelei said with a sweet smile, "Or else I'll reclaim what's rightfully mine."
Jack tightened his grip on his compass.
"What do you say, Captain Jack Sparrow? Are you going to come with us willingly?"
Gibbs watched in horror as Jack rose to his feet and held his hands out in front of him.
"Shackle me up then," he said, "It won't be so bad with a lovely lady on board."
Lorelei grinned and looked over at James.
"Didn't expect it to be this easy, did you?"
James didn't like the way things looked. Jack looked too willing. He smelled a trap. He nodded at Lorelei and she grabbed Jack's wrists tightly. The pirate winced in pain at her crushing grip, but didn't say a word.
"Gibbs, do you wish to accompany your friend?"
The wisened man eyed them carefully before finally nodding his head. Lorelei and James returned to their ship with their quarry in tow and smiles on their faces. They were on their way to clearing James' name.