will started climbing down to his longboat, but jack leaned over the rail.
"oi! if you do happen to get captured, just say jack sparrow sent you to settle his debt," he shouted. "might save your life."
jack turned around to the crew. "douse the lamps," he told them quietly. they dispersed around the ship, snuffing out the lanterns.
after a few minutes, bella shivered in the cold rain. she returned over to jack, who was peering through his telescope. she craned her neck to see the ship in the distance.
jack lowered his telescope and looked at her. then, she felt his hand brush against hers. he wove their fingers together and absentmindedly stroked her hand with his thumb.
she glanced back in his direction and a tiny smile formed on her face.
jack looked through his telescope once more. his expression twisted when he saw something.
suddenly, bella felt slimy hands on her shoulders, pulling her away from jack. her hand was ripped out of his. she screamed, then looked to either side of her. the rest of the crew was being taken hostage as well. she recognized their captors. they had a similar appearance to bootstrap bill, covered in barnacles and ocean waste.
she struggled in the fishman's grip, and saw a tall, slimy-headed figure appear in front of jack. it was part crab, part squid, and part man. it looked more like a sea creature than anything else, but bella realized who it was.
davy jones.
"you have a debt to pay," jones snarled. he stepped heavily towards jack, who backed away. "you've been captain of the black pearl for thirteen years. that was our agreement."
bella had never seen jack look so frightened. he looked in her direction nervously before trying to negotiate with jones.
"technically, i was only captain for two years, then i was viciously mutinied upon," jack winced.
"then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless. have you not introduced yourself all these years as 'captain jack sparrow'?" jones mocked. his crew laughed heartily.
"i gave you my payment," jack countered. "one soul to serve on your ship, he's already over there." he motioned toward the dutchman.
"one soul is not equal to another!!" jones seemed shocked.
"aha!" jack visibly gained some confidence. "so we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price."
jones raised his non-existent eyebrows. "price?"
jack leaned forward persuasively. "just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?"
jones thought about it for a second. "one hundred souls," he finally demanded. "three days."
bella grimaced. jack hid his dismay convincingly well.
"you're a diamond, mate," he agreed. "send me back the boy, i'll get started right off." he began to walk away, but was stopped by vicious-looking member of jones' crew.
"i keep the boy, a good faith payment," jones smiled. "that leaves you only ninety-nine to go."
jack turned back around in order to convince jones otherwise. "have you not met will turner?" he asked. "he's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. worth at least four . . . maybe three and a half."
jack approached jones closely. bella narrowed her eyes as she struggled against the barnacle man, unsure where he was going with this.
"and did i happen to mention... he's in love. with a girl. due to be married. betrothed. dividing him from her and her from him would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them to be joined in holy matrimony. aye?"
jones paused. "i keep the boy," he remained firm. "ninety-nine souls. but i wonder, sparrow... can you live with this? can you condemn an innocent man – a friend – to a lifetime of servitude in your name while you roam free?"
jack thought about it for a second. "yep. i'm good with it," he answered. bella frowned
"shall we seal it in blood . . . i mean . . . uh, ink?"
jones forcefully grabbed jack's left hand with his tentacled one.
"three days," he repeated. his crew of barnacle men echoed him, and they disappeared as quickly as they had come.
jack stared down at his slimy hand. "uh, mr. gibbs?"
"aye?" gibbs replied, walking up next to him.
". . . i feel sullied and unusual . . ."
"how do we intend on obtaining these ninety-nine souls in three days?" bella asked, shuddering away the eerie feeling jones' crew had left her with.
jack gazed at her. "fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be."
"ah, tortuga," gibbs nodded. jack reached out and wiped his slime-covered hand on gibbs' vest.
"tortuga," he repeated.
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a/n
sorry this chapter is short af again, but i hope you're liking the story! comment thoughts and feedback.
