After a long day of traveling, the sun had just set, though it was hard to tell behind the storm clouds blocking out the last of the light. A break in the rain seemed to settle over the Black Pearl, though the cool breeze rocked the ship consistently. The clouds showed no sign of clearing up, hinting towards more rain soon.
Further out, sitting on the water, was a lone ship that seemed to be stuck. The storm done its job, trapping it. It made it easier for the crew to follow their heading and catch up to it. The Flying Dutchman.
Lena pulled her jacket closer around her, covering the blue shirt worn underneath. Though it was wet, it was better than nothing against the wind. Standing by Jack, she tried to see what she could of the ship before them, though it wasn't much.
"That's the Flying Dutchman?" Will asked, unimpressed by the size. "She doesn't look like much."
"Neither do you," Jack shot back. "Do not underestimate it." A quick elbow from Jack to Gibbs prompted him to comment.
"Must've run afoul of the reef."
Turning to Will, Jack asked "What's your plan?"
"I row over, search the ship until I find your bloody key," he said surely.
"And if there are Crewmen?" Jack prompted.
"I cut down anyone in my path," Will finished as he walked off.
"I like it. Simple, easy to remember," Jack commented with a nod.
"Simple or not, watch yourself, Will," she called out before he started climbing down to the awaiting boat.
"Your chariot awaits you, sire," Ragetti teased before he burst out laughing.
Quickly catching his attention, Jack yelled one last piece of advice. "Oi! If you do have to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life."
"Move on out," Ragetti yelled, still laughing hysterically as Will rowed out.
Once Will was off, Jack told the crew, "douse the lamps." Immediately, the deck of the Pearl went dark, each candle going out until they were covered in darkness.
As they waited, Jack peered through his telescope, keeping a close eye on the ship.
"I don't like this." Lena stood beside him, arms crossed as she waited for something to happen. The ship was silent aside from the wind and waves, making enough noise that they didn't need to speak too quietly to not be heard.
Jack waved her off as he lowered the telescope, glancing at her. "He'll be fine. Once he gets the key, we'll be out of here."
"And if he's not able to get the key?" she countered.
"Ye of so little faith."
Lena scowled and grabbed his arm, forcing his attention to her. "I'm serious, Jack. This plan can turn sideways quite easily. I don't like risking Will's life like this."
"'Whatever it takes.' Those were your words," Jack reminded. "Having second thoughts?"
Her hand fell back to her side as she slowly shook her head. "No... Lizzy will be furious that we sent him there if something does happen." Looking back towards Will's location, she said to herself, "I can't believe I'm going along with this."
"Don't overthink it," he said with a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be back in no time. If nothing else, he doesn't know when to quit." With that, he went back to keeping an eye on how Will was fairing, waiting to see any sign of Davy Jones.
The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow. Lena didn't know what was happening but she knew something changed when Jack suddenly tensed beside her. Just when he pulled down the telescope, they were joined by another figure on deck.
Gasping as her eyes fell on the sudden intrusion, she stepped back, latching onto Jack's arm as she kept her eyes glued to whom she believed to be Davy Jones. An intimidating man belonging to the sea was before them, tentacles on his face and a claw for a hand. All around them, crew members appeared, similar to Jones as they appeared to be made from sea creatures. In an instant, the entire crew of the Pearl was held back, leaving Jack and Lena surrounded with Jones in front of them.
"You have a debt to pay," Davy Jones said, stepping forward with each step Jack took back. "You've been Captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement."
"Technically, I was only Captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon," Jack argued weakly, stepping forward just a bit as he simultaneously pushed Lena behind him, though she still kept a grip on his arm.
"Then you were a poor Captain, but a Captain nonetheless." Jones snarled. "Have you not introduced yourself all these years as 'Captain Jack Sparrow'?" His words were followed by the laugher of his crew, mocking Jack's title.
"You have my payment. One soul to serve on your ship is already over there," he countered, waving over towards his ship.
The annoyance was clear in his voice as Jones snapped, "one soul is not equal to another."
"Aha!" Jack exclaimed eagerly, seeing a loophole to take advantage of. "So, we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over a price."
A pause followed before Jones asked, "Price?"
"Just how many souls, do you think, my soul is worth?" Jack continued asking.
Jones' answer followed quickly. "One hundred souls. Three days."
"You're a darling, mate. Send me back the boy, I'll get started right off," Jack finished as he slung an arm around Lena's shoulder, trying to walk off only to be stopped by a shark-like crewmember.
"I keep the boy, a good, faith payment," Jones countered. "That leaves you only ninety-nine to go," he finished with a laugh.
Jack didn't stop there, trying his best to get Will back. "Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, a terrific soprano. Worth at least four, maybe three and a half. 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?"
As Jones stood in silence, Lena wasn't sure what the man was thinking before she suddenly shrank back as his eyes landed on her. She would have much preferred being held against her will with the rest of the crew, than be under Jones' scrutiny.
"I keep the boy. Ninety-nine souls-ah. 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? Unless you'd prefer to have the boy in exchange for her."
Lena sucked in a breath, gripping Jack tight as a silence settled. But then he spoke. "Yep. I'm good with it. Shall we seal it in blood, I mean, uh, ink?"
With a hand out to offer a handshake, Jones reached out with a tentacle and wrapped it around Jack's left hand. As he let go, he reminded them, "three days-ah." And he and his crew disappeared.
"Jack?" Lena whispered as she tried to get his attention, but his eyes were drawn to his hand, covered in slime, watching as the black spot disappeared.
"We've things to do," he said to her before he called out, "Uh, Mr. Gibbs?"
"Aye," Gibbs replied as he walked up beside the pair.
"I feel sullied and unusual," he commented, still looking at his hand.
Trying to find out Jack's plan, Gibbs aske, "And how do we intend to harvest these ninety-nine souls in three days?"
"Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be," Jack said, with Gibbs easily catching on.
"Aah, Tortuga," Gibbs said just as Jack wiped his hand on Gibbs' vest.
With a nod, Jack agreed. "Tortuga."
With Jack at the helm, leading them towards Tortuga as quickly as possible, Lena found herself by Gibbs for company. Only a few crew members were still up, catching the few hours of sleep they were able to.
"Do you really think we can find that many people willing to come with us at Tortuga?" Lena asked as she looked ahead of them.
"Aye," Gibbs said surely. "The souls we need will be there, it's just a matter of finding the right... persuasion to get them aboard without 'em realizing."
"So, we lie to these people and walk them to their death."
Gibbs shook his head before turning to look at her. "There's plenty a' people there with no life left. They aren't missin' nothin' by coming with us. My only worry is getting the group together in such a short time."
Lena sighed as she had to agree. It seemed an impossible task. "We have to try though, otherwise Jack will be taken by Davy Jones."
"Worse than that, I'm afraid," Gibbs replied. "See, if time runs out, it'll be all of us going down. How does one stop a Kraken?"
The question hung in the air as Lena had no answer. She didn't believe there was one. "It will take down the ship and all of us as well. That's why Jack has been trying to stay on land. I know that much, but we can't do that forever."
"No, but we've got a plan. I'll have us just what we need. Leave it to me." With a hand on her shoulder, he pushed her towards the captain's quarters. "Now best get some rest before we make land."
"I suppose," she said as she glanced back towards Jack, though he was distracted, eyes focused on steering. "Good night, Mr. Gibbs," she said before she walked away, intent on taking his advice and laying down while she could.
Only a few hours had passed before Lena was awoken by a knocking on the door. Rolling over with a groan, she blinked a few times as she looked at Jack laid beside her with no sign of waking up. "Are we near Tortuga?" she called out blearily as turned over, propping herself up so she could speak properly.
"We'll be making port soon," she heard Gibbs call before she heard steps move away from the door.
Lena yawned as she fell back against the bed, laying against Jack's side as she thought about falling back asleep. But that wasn't an option. Everyone needed to be up on deck and Jack wouldn't be thrilled if she didn't wake him up.
"Jack," she called as she patted his chest, waiting for a response. "We're almost to Tortuga."
Rather than answering, Jack rolled over, pinning her between him and the bed.
Pushing up against him as she was squished under the added weight, she smacked his arm and said, "Jack, get off me."
"No," he muttered, not moving.
"I would like to breath and we need to get up," she groaned, still failing to push him off.
"I'd rather sleep... unless," he added as he slid his hand down her side, stopping at her hip.
Rolling her eyes, she pushed him one last time to prove her point. "No, Jack. We need to get up. Now let me out."
Finally relenting, he moved off of her, but not before grabbing one last kiss, wandering hands included.
"Let's get this ship into Tortuga then," he said with a stretch, getting out of the bed in search of his discarded clothes from earlier in the night.
Lena shook her head, knowing exactly what he was looking for as she helped him get ready, sliding on his shirt as he assisted her with the finishing touches of her clothes.
Dressed and ready, they headed out, prepared to dock in Tortuga.
Tortuga was as lively as ever, even inside the Faithful Bride, where Jack, Lena, and Gibbs were currently trying to find the ninety-nine people needed to come with them. It was a slow process. Only a handful of people had signed up with Gibbs so far, leaving them with a lot to be desired.
Lena sighed, bored, as she looked around the room. There was plenty going on, but not much in the way they needed. Jack sat beside her, focused on his compass and continuously glaring and shaking it as he muttered to himself. An earlier glance at it proved that it only continued to spin for him, never stopping in one direction.
With the need to move, she pushed herself out of her seat and went to the bar, ordering a drink for Jack and herself. Drinks in hand, she carefully maneuvered around the room, avoiding drunks stumbling and people starting fights. As she reached her original spot, she stopped in front of Jack.
Compass in hand, Jack's full attention was on it as he said, "I know what I want, I know what I want, I know what I want," before he once again opened the compass, having no luck.
"If you didn't know yesterday, I doubt you will know what you want today," Lena said as she held out a mug, which he gladly accepted.
"Maybe I will know," he mocked before taking a drink. "I don't see you helping."
Rolling her eyes, Lena sat back down beside him and held out her hand. "It won't point me where you need to go. You know that." Jack set the compass in her hand as if to prove her wrong, though she knew well which way the compass would point. What she wanted most hadn't changed in several months.
Closing her eyes, she focused on her desire to save Jack. The problem was, even if it did pick up on that, would it point to the key, the chest, the people they needed? It would spin for her as well in that instant because she didn't know how to help. But it rarely read anything other than one thing for her. Opening the compass, she watched it spin for but a moment before he settled on a spot just beside her.
"I told you." Flipping it closed, she slapped it back into his hands, focusing on the man in front of Gibbs, currently signing up to join their crew.
Giving up for the time being, Jack attached it back to his person before addressing Gibbs. "How're we going?"
"Including those four?" Gibbs rhetorically asked, "That gives us four." Another sailor walked up then, stopping in front of the table. "What's your story?"
"My story?" the sailor asked, receiving a nod from Gibbs. "It's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas."
Recognizing the voice, Lena snapped her attention to him, brows knitted as she considered why she knew it. As he continued, realization dawned on her. "The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." As he finished, James Norrington grabbed a bottle from the table, taking a drink from it.
"Commodore?" Gibbs questioned in disbelief. Lena had to agree with the thought, for the Commodore she knew did not look so worn and ragged, worse off than some of the pirates in the area.
"No, not anymore, weren't you listening?" Norrington snapped, voice tense with anger. "I nearly had you all off Tripoli. I would've, if not for the hurricane."
Lena peered towards Jack as she saw him slowly move, pulling a fern from beside him as a hiding place. Though she was tempted to tell him it was a poor plan that wouldn't work, talking to him would surely draw even more attention. At least, until Norrington saw walking plants. Shaking her head, she slid out of her seat as casual as possible, giving Jack a way out as well before he started his way across the room.
"Lord," Gibbs said breathily. "You didn't try to sail through it?"
"So, do I make your Crew or not? You haven't said where you're going. Somewhere nice!" Norrington shouted just as he flipped the table, sending Gibbs sprawling to the ground. "So, am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow?" He turned to the side then, easily spotting Jack, and pulled out his pistol, aiming it directly at him. "Or should I just kill you now?"
Peaking from his hiding spot, Jack waved a hand as he said, "you're hired."
Fearing things wouldn't end as well as they'd like, Lena crept across the room, trying to get as close to Norrington and Jack as possible.
"Sorry. Old habits and all that," Norrington said just as he cocked the gun, ready to fire. Not giving him a chance, Lena leaped towards him and slammed his arm up. Two other sailors followed suit, grabbing Norrington's arm as he struggled against their hold, causing the gun to go off, ricocheting against the lights and striking someone's drink.
Instantaneously, the tavern burst into chaos, fists flying and yelling as the fighting broke out. Lena staggered back, trying to stay out of it just as a hand wrapped around her elbow. Yelping, she swung her arm back, colliding with Jack's side as he grunted but kept his grip on her. "Don't do that!" she hissed as she followed him, going towards Gibbs.
"Time to go," Jack said as, letting them both know his intentions.
"Aye," Gibbs agreed, following as they started heading upstairs, carefully avoiding any unruly sailors.
One by one, the followed Jack's steps, stepping around those in the way and pushing their way through others. As they walked, Jack kept picking up various hats, trying them on before tossing them. It seemed that nothing was going to replace the hat he lost. With no hat to call his own, they made it outside. Now it was back to the ship.
The dock leading to the Black Pearl was bustling with life despite the late hour of the day. Various men of the crew were loading items onto the ship, preparing for their next trip out at sea. Knowing their priorities and hers tended to be different, Lena planned on double checking a few things before they sent out.
"I'm going to help them load the ship," Lena said as she walked beside Jack and Gibbs. "You figure out our heading so we can get out of here." With that, she ran up the dock, grabbing one of the smaller crates before she carried it up the ramp. Food wasn't always the most well-rounded supply list, especially after indulging while at Tortuga. While she enjoyed rum just like the rest of them, there were other things in life she wanted to have more of.
She had only managed one trip before a figure on the docks caught her attention as they talked to Jack. With steady steps, she slowly walked towards them, before she realized her first assumption was correct. A smile spread across her face as she raced down the ramp and looped her arms around the figure, dragging them into an embrace as she laughed happily.
"Lizzy!" she cried happily as she pulled away far enough to see her friend more properly under the hat she wore. "What are you doing here?" She had assumed she was still locked up in Port Royal, yet she was here instead.
"I'm looking for Will," Elizabeth said as she stepped back, now able to look at both Jack and Lena. "I know Will came to find you, Jack. Where is he?"
Paling as she realized what she would need to say, she stepped to the side, turning so she was beside Elizabeth and facing Jack along with her. There was no way she would be able to tell her what really happened. She sent him a pleading look, knowing he would be able to spin some tale much easier than she could. That didn't change that things would have been easier if they didn't need a story at all. If Will had managed to just get the key and come back to the Pearl. Or if they hadn't sent him over there at all.
Jack easily stepped forward with an answer. "Darling, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that had nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press-ganged into Davy Jones's Crew."
"Davy Jones?" Elizabeth questioned, confused, though Lena didn't know if it was about how he ended up with Davy Jones or the fact that they wanted her to even believe such a thing.
Norrington, who had been off to the side, fighting off the sickness that came with his drinking, looked up at them in incredulity. "Oh, please. The Captain of the Flying Dutchman?"
"It's true," Lena said solemnly, knowing that at least part of his words was true. "I've seen it."
Not missing a chance for insult, Jack looked over Norrington and said, "you look bloody awful, what are you doing here?"
"You hired me. I can't help it, if your standards are lax," Norrington replied with a sneer.
And mature as ever, Jack's comeback was, "you smell funny."
Lena shot him an unamused look at the childish antics, while also knowing he was happily staying away from Elizabeth's choice of topic.
Tired of waiting, Elizabeth called his name. With a hum in reply, Elizabeth continued, "all I want is to find Will."
"Are you certain? Is that what you really want most?" Jack pressed, clearly with a plan in mind.
"Of course."
Putting a hand on her back, Jack led Elizabeth off to the side as Lena followed, curious what he was up to. "I would think, you'd want to find a way to save Will most."
"And you'd have a way of doing that?" Elizabeth asked.
Continuing on, Jack began to execute his plan. "Well, there is a chest."
"Oh, dear," Norrington groaned, receiving a glare from Lena as the others ignored him.
"A chest of unknown size and origin," Jack went on.
At that moment, Pintel walked beside them, adding in, "what contains the still beating heart of Davy Jones." And to add effect, Ragetti pretended to hold a beating heart in his hand, making sounds as he held his hand in front of Elizabeth.
Not stopping his explanation, Jack went on, "and whoever possesses that chest, possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever it is he or she wants. Including saving brave William from his grim fate."
"You don't actually believe him, do you?" Norrington asked Elizabeth.
Annoyed with all of Norrington's comments, Lena turned to snap at him. "We know it's real. All of this is real. Just because you aren't willing to believe doesn't mean others are wrong."
Taking in Jack's words, Elizabeth continued looking for more answers. "How do we find it?"
"With this." Jack held out his compass, presenting it to Elizabeth. "My compass... is unique."
"Unique, here, having the meaning of broken," Norrington cut in.
"Would you give it a rest?" Lena said, tempted to slap him if he kept it up. "It's not broken.
Jack nodded at Norrington's words, "True enough. This compass does not point north." As he finished, Norrington walked off.
Elizabeth looked between Jack and the compass. "Where does it point?"
"It points to the thing you want most in this world."
"Jack," she breathed, shaking her head in disbelief at such a notion. "Are you telling the truth?"
"Every word, love. And what you want most in this world," he said while placing the compass in her hands, "is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?"
Elizabeth immediately corrected, "to save Will."
"By finding the chest of Davy Jones." With his words left hanging, he opened the compass and stepped back. A silence settled between them as they waited. Then, finally, Jack peered back towards the compass in her hands, seeing it clearly pointing in one direction. Grinning, he called out, "Mr. Gibbs!"
Hearing his name, Gibbs walked over. "Captain?"
"We have our heading."
Relieved to hear that, Gibbs exclaimed, "Finally! Cast off those lines, weigh anchor, and trough that canvas!"
Read to board, Jack made a sweeping motion towards the ship, inviting Elizabeth to board. "Ms. Swann." As they walked up the ramp with Norrington following behind, Lena stuck close to Jack as he swung an arm around her waist.