The Map

A/N: WARNING! Not beta read for spelling errors, grammatical inconsistencies or other horrendous inflections on the Queen’s English.

Nothing too graphic in this chapter but there is some female bashing by men, something that I totally abhor but fitted the characters of Beaumont and De Mornay.

I really hope you enjoy it anyway!

Where the word BREAK appears, it is to show a break in scene/time. I can’t get fanfiction to accept wiggles.


Jack closed his eyes and slumped back onto his heels, his head bowed.

“Well she’s not exactly safe now is she?” came the hard, coldly angry voice of Bryant.

Jack took a deep breath and looked back over his shoulder at him.

“You keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for you.” Hock hissed, his own anger clearly showing as he strained against his bonds “And why the hell did he have to tie us so damn tightly for? If De Mornay hadn’t shot him I bloody well would have!”

“I’ve got ‘em!” Timms called out triumphantly and got to his feet as the rope fell from his wrists “’e only tied me loosely; being furthest from that rat.” He crossed quickly to Jack and using a small dagger set about cutting the ropes.

The instant the ropes fell Jack was on his feet and checking his pistol.

Timms worked quickly and soon everyone was free, rubbing sore wrists and checking weapons.

“Deals off.” Jack said abruptly. He looked sideways over his shoulder at where Norrington and Bryant were stood holding their pistols ready. Bryant looked as if Jack would be the first one he’d shoot.

“You don’t get them anymore.” Jack said quietly and stared at Bryant “They’re mine.”

“Then let’s get going Sparrow.” Norrington replied sharply.

“One thing we need to be thinking upon.” Jack looked at his men before looking at Norrington “If they imagine they’ll get back here before we free ourselves than one of two things becomes inescapably obvious.”

“It does?” Bryant raised his eyebrows “Perhaps you should clarify it for us even more.”

Jack rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

“I would have thought it would be obvious to someone as clever as yourself.” He cleared his throat “Either they want us to follow them; thinking that without a map we are most likely to meet our demise in various and no doubt nasty ways.” He drew a deep breath “Or… we are close enough to the treasure for them to make good on his word of being back here shortly. Something I highly doubt; him being a pirate!”

Bryant huffed out a breath and clasped his hands behind his back much like Norrington.

“So you propose we do…?” Norrington rose his eyebrow, obviously following Jack’s words a lot more easily than Bryant who was frowning in consternation.

“We make haste and reach the treasure before they do. But in doing so I have to say that I am going to need your help gentlemen. Both of you.” He looked meaningfully at Bryant.

“And just how do you propose we reach the treasure without a map?” sneered Bryant “Not withstanding the fact that you would willingly risk Miss Nell and Mistress Turner in your haste to get to the treasure before you rescue them.”

“Well to be sure, you’ve forgotten one very important fact mate.”

“And what’s that?” Bryant snapped, anxious to get after De Mornay and Nell.

“Don’t ask him…..” Norrington rolled his eyes and sighed when Jack shrugged.

Arms spread wide, pistol in one hand and drawn sword in the other he cocked his head to one side and looked at Bryant with no humour at all on his face or in his eyes.

“I’m Captain Jack Sparrow.” He said quietly and stuck the pistol in his waistband before putting his hand into the inside of his coat pocket. He drew out a rolled piece of parchment tied with a very dirty tattered red ribbon.

“What’s that?” Bryant asked, but Norrington had already clicked.

“Well well Sparrow. I believe we’ve all underestimated you.” He watched as Jack unrolled the parchment to produce a second copy of the map.

“Didn’t really think I’d only have one copy did you?” he looked down at the map and frowned.

“But you can’t read it.” Bryant said and the first hint of admiration coloured his voice.
Jack looked up at him quickly but saw no signs of mockery on his face.

“Tis not like any other map I’ve ever seen.” He said quietly “Tis quite obviously a map, but there is hidden in it other things. Nell worked out the location of this island.” Jack kept his voice level as he looked up at Norrington.

“So you propose to reach the treasure first and then… what will you do then?” asked Norrington quietly, the small frown between his eyebrows again as he watched Jack closely.

Jack looked Norrington square in the eyes and stepped closer to him. He put his fingers together and placed the tips against his chin.

“Elizabeth and Nell take priority.” He said it quietly and intently.

Norrington regarded the shorter darker man who was looking at him intently. He nodded his head once and stepped back.

“May I see the map?” He looked at Bryant briefly.

“Be my guest Commodore, be my guest.” Jack said and held the map out.

Norrington took the map and Bryant stepped closer to his side to look down at the map.

“We also do not have much daylight left. About three hours or so.” Jack fingered the braids hanging from his chin.

“This is not a chart of ocean I am familiar with. You say Miss Nell worked out the location of this island. How did she do this?” asked Norrington not looking up from the map.

“The chart surrounding the map of the island is in fact the Caribbean: just minus a few islands. Nell took the letters from said missing islands and came up with a Latin quote “Usque ad aras.”

“Enter the Altars.” Bryant spoke up immediately and Jack shot him an impressed look.

“It became clear Benedict was our destination.” Jack swayed slightly.

He was itching to take the map back and head after Nell, but he knew that if he wished to get her back in one piece he had to employ every means he had at his disposal. And the good Commodore and his Lieutenant were at his disposal; whether they chose to recognise it or not.

“Indeed.” Norrington turned the map slightly “So we are to disregard the surrounding map and concentrate only on the island depicted here?” he mused it almost to himself and Jack decided to keep quiet.

“Not so.” Bryant disagreed and using his finger pointed to a line of dots lining the edge of the map.

“Twist the map sir.” He tugged gently at the edge till Norrington was looking at the map at an odd angle.

Jack came to stand slightly behind Bryant. He raised on tip toe and peered over Bryant’s shoulder, one hand supporting himself on Bryant’s arm. Bryant winced at the closeness of Jack but made no move to dislodge the pirate from his arm.

“Dots?” Norrington peered at the dots and looked briefly at Jack who raised his eyebrows in a “Don’t look at me” gesture.

“The Quicksand Sir.” Bryant answered “I made a note of the location the quicksand was in, just in case we had to make a quick trip back to the boats.” He delved into the pocket of his britches, dislodging Jack who swayed around to face him. Bryant drew out a small square of cloth and held out where he had marked a pattern onto the cloth with a red substance that looked much like blood.

“I’m impressed.” Jack nodded “You used your own blood perhaps?”

“A berry.” Bryant said vaguely and held the cloth next to the map turning it till he had the same placement of dots that the map held.

“I had no idea you did this.” Norrington said quietly. He had always known that Bryant was by far the canniest officer he had and now, once again, he found himself thanking God that it was Bryant that was with him and not one of his other officers.
Bryant shrugged carelessly.

“I had no desire to see anyone else sink below the sand like Mister Jones.”

Jack nodded and Norrington saw the spark of anger fire briefly in Jack’s eyes.

“Well now we know the entire map is of use.” Jack looked down at the map and scratched at his chin “We need to be working this out fast gentlemen.” He looked to the west where the sun was beginning to dip low in the sky.

“SIR!” one of the red-coats suddenly shouted.

“What?” Jack and Norrington both spoke together.

The red-coat was bending slightly at the waist as he peered into the bushes that edged the natural clearing. His sword was raised as he backed up slightly.

Several others had joined him as Jack, Norrington and Bryant approached. The map was still in Norrington’s hand.

“Did you see it?” The red-coat called Knowles looked back at Norrington, and Jack could quite plainly see fear in his eyes.

“See what?” Norrington demanded looking briefly at Jack.

Jack frowned and stepped closer to Knowles who watching the bushes closely.

“Someone was watching us. I couldn’t see them properly, but we were being watched…”

“What could you see?” Jack demanded

“Looked like brown… brown cloth, or sack or….” He stopped as he tried to recall exactly what he’d seen “I don’t know. I heard a noise and looked behind me. It was there, in the bushes, a patch of brown. I moved forwards and it took off.”

“Likely a monkey.” Timms said quietly.

“No. No, it was too big and….” Knowles faltered looking at Norrington warily “It wasn’t a monkey Sir.”

“Hock organise a watch. Anything remotely unusual or suspicious I want to know.” Jack ordered.

He indicated the map and looked at Norrington inquiringly as Hock obeyed his instructions.

Norrington nodded at Jack and drew Bryant to one side where they sat on the ground the map spread out before them.

Jack watched them as they began to pour over the map. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to look the way De Mornay had dragged Nell. It had cut him deeper than he had thought possible hearing her scream his name uselessly.

A hand was rested on his shoulder and he turned to see Hock stood beside him.
“Tis all seen to Capt’n.”

Jack nodded and looked back over at Norrington and Bryant.

“They won’t make it off the island.”

“Nay Capt’n.” Hock smiled but it was sinister and twisted; his blue eyes colder than Jack had ever seen them.

“Will?”

“Is still out cold.” Hock sighed and cast a quick glance at where the blacksmith still lay with Benjamin watching over him “Tis probably best that way, can’t fret over his missus.”

Jack nodded satisfied and looked back at Norrington.

“Stay with me Mister Hock.” He clapped his hand on Hock’s arm and then swayed his way over to the Commodore, Hock close behind him.

He made no sound as he crouched down in front of them. His dark eyes looked at where Bryant was pointing something out to Norrington.

“This has to be the path we’ve followed so far, the pool is marked here, but something is missing….”

Jack looked up at him, but he was frowning at the map.

“I believe it is incomplete and this is why we can’t read it.” Bryant continued.

“Explain.” Norrington instructed.

Bryant shook his head in thought and then fixed his dark eyes on Jack.

“I take it you copied this map from the copy you had already taken from Miss Nell?”

“Indeed.” Jack nodded “But I can assure you gentlemen, there is nothing missing from this map.”

“But look here for yourself.” Bryant turned the map towards Jack “This is the coastline and the markings of the quicksand, but it makes no reference to the start of the path or indeed the river which feeds the pool or continuing on into the sea.

Jack stared down at the map, seeing the blue circle and wavy lines that Bryant had taken to represent the pool. He narrowed his dark eyes and suddenly swore as he looked up at them slowly.

“The map is indeed incomplete. But we need to work it out anyway because we are without the missing pieces.”

“What?” Bryant shook his head in confusion.

“Nell’s prayer beads.” Jack said and pulled the braids on his chin as he stared at the map.

“The markings on the map.” Norrington looked at the map and snapped his fingers “Of course! Each marking on the bead co-relates to a part of the map…where are the…oh.” He looked at Jack who shrugged at him.

“I gave them back to Nell. Not a very pirate thing to do I know.” Jack shrugged “But despite her thinking otherwise the young miss is still very much indoctrinated. Her fingers work the beads when she doesn’t even realise she’s doing it.”

Norrington nodded and once again found himself re-evaluating the man in front of him. There was more to this man than being a skilled pirate and he was being forced to recognise this more and more.

“So Beaumont has the map and the beads.” Bryant sighed and sat back letting his legs stretch out in front of him beside the map.

“What about Spade and Decker?” Norrington asked, referring to the crew men that had been instructed to follow whoever came to the camp.

“They will follow De Mornay back and then Spade will set back to us.”

“Why don’t we just wait for Spade then?” asked Bryant “We can’t work the map out, we may even get horrendously lost or worse….”

Jack stroked the braids hanging from his chin as his eyes narrowed in thought, totally ignoring the two men.

Hock looked around at where Knowles was still watching the bushes warily.

“What about what Knowles saw?” Norrington asked Jack following Hock’s gaze.

“We take it on board, we think upon it, but we do not allow it to digress us.” Jack replied carefully “I do not doubt something turned the survivors of this island mad, but then our own Beaumont and De Mornay claim they saw or encountered nothing remotely worthy of causing said madness.”

“And you believe them?” Norrington asked, his own experiences had made him more open minded then he ever thought possible.

“I believe that some stories are worthy of listening to. The curse on the Black Pearl was real enough, even got a taste of it myself.” Jack grinned slightly as he remembered his own skeletal form “And something screamed near Nell at the pool.”

“You do not think she was dreaming then?” Bryant raised his eyebrows in doubt.

Jack looked at him and a slow smirk crossed his face as he shook his head, beads dancing in his hair.

“No mate. Would have heard her before now if she was taken to screaming in her sleep.”

Bryant’s face closed up and his lips thinned as he stared back at Jack.

“You say something.” Norrington leaned forward slightly “What are you thinking of when you say thing?”

“Well, I am under the opinion that what we heard was, in fact, a parrot.”

“A what?” Bryant looked surprised.

“A bird. A large one at that. Feathers, beak, claws and and a bloody good …”

“We know what a parrot is Jack!” Norrington snapped.

“Then you also know what good mimics they can be.” Jack countered quietly. “And I don’t think I need to be spelling out to you that in order for a parrot to mimic a scream like that, it would have needed to hear one.”

“Well it can’t be from the monks unless it’s nigh on a hundred years old.” Hock spoke up for the first time.

“Indeed.” Jack mused.

“How long ago that Beaumont and his men were here?” asked Hock quietly.

“Ten, maybe twelve years.” Jack replied “So I’m thinking that mayhap they weren’t altogether telling us the truth about their experiences on this island.”

“But they feel confidant enough to leave the relative safety in numbers of the camp.” Bryant pointed out.

“Hum…” Jack looked back down at the map “I’m thinking we need to be going back to the beads gentlemen.”

“Work on something we do know.” Norrington agreed.

“To be sure.” Replied Jack and sat cross legged on the sand.

Norrington tapped his fingers on the map in thought.

“I can remember some of the markings…” Bryant mused “Seemed almost oriental in design.”

“They were.” Jack nodded “There was the four signs of the seasons, Winter, Summer, Autumn and Spring, there was a plum blossom and the numbers five, six, eight and ten, the four compass points…”

“How do you know what they are?” asked Norrington.

“I’ve been about Commodore, haven’t always been playing our little game of chase.”

He took his hat from his head and scratched before placing it back on.

“Indeed.” Norrington echoed his earlier words.

“But here’s the rub gentlemen.” Jack said quietly and a worried frown settled between his eyes “I’m of the opinion that the way in which the beads were strung upon the string was of importance to more than just bearings to the island.”

“I have been thinking the same.” Norrington added softly.

“Which means that when they discover the beads are no longer in their original order…”

“If they discover.” Bryant interrupted him.

Jack looked up at him in surprise and lifted an eyebrow.

“It’s been at least ten years since they have seen those beads. What’s the chance they’ll remember the order. If they could remember they wouldn’t have bothered with trying to get them back in the first place.”

Jack nodded at his reasoning.

“Except you are forgetting one very important thing.” Jack cocked his head to one side “They know that the first series of beads will be compass points and numbers. What are the chances, I wonder, that when the beads were re strung they were re-strung correctly?”

Bryant sighed and closed his eyes briefly.

“Highly unlikely.” He conceded “What will Beaumont and De Mornay do when they realise?”

“Also the beads were strung on Nell’s necklace, through the chain.” Jack added.

“She may have restrung them onto string.” Hock said quietly “When she was resting still after being stitched she asked for some string.”

“You think she may have taken them from her necklace?” Norrington demanded.
Hock nodded and looked at Jack.

“I can’t be certain…”

“I don’t think she did.” Jack said quietly “Last time I saw them working through her fingers was the night before we dropped anchor and they were still on the chain.” He looked upwards “If they are on the chain….” He stopped and frowned.

“Can you retrace the designs into the dirt with a stick here?” Bryant suddenly asked holding out a stick to Jack.

Jack looked at him strangely before rising to his knees and moving the map to one side.

“To be sure, they are not easy to copy in pen and ink, and in the dirt?” Jack shook his head sending his beads swinging around his face as he began to draw with the stick.

It took him several attempts before he was satisfied enough that the designs were correct.

“A load of lines.” Hock humped “What’s wrong with letters anyway?”

“They most probably think the same of our alphabet.” Norrington mused as he looked over the large markings on the ground. Jack had made them quite large to be able to get the accuracy in the small markings.

“Bryant?” Norrington looked at his officer as he stared down at the signs with the map in his hand.

“Without any order….” He frowned as he stared between the two.

Jack came and leaned over his shoulder.

“How good are you at map reading?” he inquired softly in his ear.

Bryant looked at him sideways, resisting the urge to sidestep away from him.

“The best in my navy.” Norrington answered without thinking.

“Your navy Commodore?” Jack looked over to him and grinned quickly “My, you do have aspirations, although I’m not sure the king will hand over his Navy in exchange for some of the treasure.”

“If you don’t crowd me Sparrow...” Hissed Bryant, seeing Norrington colour up at the jibe “Then I might be able to work this out.”

Jack held out his hands and backed away from the officer and indicated with his head for Hock to follow him.

“Then I’ll leave you gentlemen to it.” He swaggered away, one hand stuck at an odd angle.

When he was out of earshot he spoke quietly to Hock.

“He is never going to work it out.”

“Then what are we to do?” asked Hock, his eyes on Bryant as he continued to try with Norrington beside him.

“Get the lasses as quickly and cleanly as we can.”

Hock nodded his head in agreement.

“And cut our losses on the treasure?” he asked.

Jack looked around at his crew of men and shook his head.

“Oh no Mister Hock.” He looked up at the taller man “We’ve come too far and lost too much to leave empty handed.”

Jack rested one hand on the pistol in his waistband as he once again looked at the direction De Mornay dragged Nell.

“I’ve underestimated him once too often.” Jack mused half to himself, his eyes narrowed. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

A crashing noise through the bushes had every man lifting pistols and swords but it was only Decker that came stumbling through the undergrowth.

He fell to his knees in front of them; blood pouring from above his right eye, shivers racked his body, making his teeth chatter together audibly.

Timms moved quickly and caught him before he could pitch face first onto the ground.

“What happened?” Jack demanded crouching down to be on eye level with him.

Decker looked up at him and Jack’s head flipped back in surprise. The cut above his eye was superficial and only needed cleaning but it was the fear in his eyes that caught Jack’s attention.

“You are safe now Mister Decker.” Jack said quietly, aware of Norrington and the others behind him.

“Nay.” He shook his head and his tongue darted nervously over his lips as he twisted in Timms arms to look back over his shoulder.

“None of us be safe in this ‘eathen place.” He spoke through chattering teeth, his voice barely a whisper but Jack heard him.

“Where is Mister Spade?” Jack asked, trying to make eye contact with him, but he was looking around him nervously.

“Dead.” He said and the shivers overtook him again.

“How?” demanded Norrington, crouching beside Jack.

Jack slid his eyes sideways to glare at Norrington but the Commodore was too intent on Decker to notice.

Decker shuddered and looked directly into Jack’s eyes. Jack blinked at the blankness that invaded Decker’s eyes.

“ ’e didn’t make it.” Decker said as Timms eased him down on to the ground and let go of him.

“A little more detail would be good.” Jack said quietly.

“ ’e fell. They was chasin’ us.” Decker shook his head trying to rid the images forever burned into his brain.

“Who was chasing you?” Jack asked him.

“Not who.” He shook his head and Jack saw his eyes clear slightly “Couldn’t see what they be till they was almost on us.”

Hock handed him a flask of rum and they waited as he down the contents in one go.
It banished the blankness from his eyes and stopped the shivers. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

“What was chasing you John?” Jack said quietly and slung his arm around the now crouched man.

“Insects of some sort. Thought they be flies, but….” He shuddered.

“Flies?” asked Norrington in amazement.

“Don’t rightly know, don’t want to….” Decker looked directly at Jack “He be nothing but bones in five minutes flat. They swarmed over ‘im…” he shuddered and upended the now empty flask.

Someone handed him another flask and Jack got to his feet as Decker began gulping the second flask down.

“How did you get away?” asked Bryant quietly.

Decker looked up at him and shrugged.

“They just swarmed over ‘im they did. We were close to a stream, ‘e figured if we could get under the water they’d not get us. But ‘e tripped… fell….” Decker shuddered again, but his chin came up as the neat rum began to dull his fears. “I couldn’t get back to ‘im… I was already in the stream and it were like watching a black cloud. Just a ‘uge black cloud…. Then they were gone, just as quick as they came….. and…. Bones… that be all that were left. No clothes, nothing…. Just ‘is bones.”

Jack slapped him on the back and strode away from him without another word.
Norrington got to his feet and followed him quickly, Bryant falling in beside him.

“What do you make of it?” Norrington asked Jack as he crouched in front of where the map was still laid on the ground.

“I’ve not come across such insects before.” Bryant said quietly “What could they be?”

Jack shrugged and peered down at the map.

“Beaumont must be aware of them. Look.” He stretched out a dirty finger and indicated what looked like a black cloud near a lone wavy line that Bryant had identified as the stream that fed the pool.

“Flies?” asked Norrington peering down over Jack’s shoulder.

“Not sure as I’m wanting to find out first hand.” Jack muttered “Beaumont will be keeping as close to the water as possible. We pack up and…..”

“They’re coming’!” a shout from behind them brought all three of them whipping round.

Decker was struggling to his feet, his eyes glazed and frantic.

Hock was stood still at the edge of the camp, his eyes narrowed, head turned slightly.

“Hummin’ noise Capt’n.” he called and backed away from the direction he could hear it from.

Jack looked across at Will and Benjamin.

“Get to the pool!” he ordered the men as he crossed quickly to Benjamin. He, Norrington and Benjamin hoisted Will up and they began to head towards the pool as speed.

Benjamin stopped and taking Will hoisted him over his shoulder and took off at a run when the humming noise grew louder.

They began to run as fast as they could, the humming noise was right behind them, but Jack took no time in looking back as he charged through the undergrowth. The pool was ahead of them and several of the crew where already deep in its depths, watching as the humming took form and a black cloud seemed to grew steadily behind them.

Norrington tripped and fell to his knees, grunting as the fall opened the grazes already inflicted on the Relentless.

Jack skidded to a stop and turned; he saw the black cloud forming and swore loudly as doubled back to grab Norrington by the collar. He helped him to his feet and then still gripping his arm they both charged towards the water, flinging them into the depths just as Jack felt the insects gathering around them.

A high pitched scream had Jack floundering to his feet in the water. Timms had fallen and the insects had veered around to gather over him. In horror Jack saw the cloud descend upon Timms, completely covering him.

“You buggers!” Jack tore the hat from his head, and scooped as much water as he could and flung the water towards the blackness.

The humming became louder, angrier but it dispersed and flew upwards in a long column. Jack scooped more water and was pleased to see his crew caught on and were flinging as much water over Timms with their bare hands as they could manage to reach.

Hock scrambled from the water and keeping low to the ground reached forward for Timms and gripping his shirt dragged him into the safety of the water.

The insect circled angrily before suddenly veering off and disappearing over the trees.

Jack smashed the soaking wet hat back on his head and looked to where Timms was in the shallow water. He was breathing hard and his face and hands were covered with bites. The clothes on him had been eaten into and holes oozed blood staining the water around him.

“Twas a close one.” Timms tried for humour and failed.

Jack took his pistol from his sash and held it up watching the water run out of the end.

“Pistols are useless until they dry out.” Bryant observed checking the pistol that had been given to him by Hock before leaving the Pearl.

“Supplies are still at the camp Capt’n sir.” Coales stood dripping in the shallow water, ashen faced.

Jack stared down at the water rippling around his thighs, the sash floating out wide.

Norrington moved to the shallows and bracing his hands on his thighs stared down at the torn holes in the knees of his britches. He straightened and looked at where Jack was still deep in thought. He recognised that Jack had saved his life and he wasn’t sure how that sat with him.

“Sir?” Bryant waded towards him and stopped concern clear on his face. “Are you hurt sir?”

Norrington looked at him, shaking his head.

“No. Perfect well thank you.”

Jack suddenly straightened and turned to the crew.

“Hock, Stephens, Luke, Benjamin. With me.” He strode out of the pool, water dripping from him.

“You’re going back?” Norrington moved forwards quickly ignoring the sting in his knees.

“We need shot for the pistols and we need supplies for Benjamin. Timms needs to be cleaned up.” Jack said clearly annoyed at being questioned.

Norrington looked over at where Will lay half in and half out of the water, Benjamin crouched beside him. He was groaning, being slung over Benjamin’s shoulder and brought him round and opened some of his stitches up. Fresh blood was seeping down his arm.

“Mister Bryant, keep watch.” Norrington replied and followed Jack out of the water along with his crew.

“Commodore…” Jack turned to him but Norrington’s face made him stop. They needed to get as much here as they could and they needed to do it fast.

Jack nodded and with watchful eyes they set out back to camp.

BREAK

Beaumont lifted his head, his eyes watchful.

“Hear it?” he asked De Mornay who was stood behind him, one hand closed around Nell’s upper arm.

“Someone’s disturbed a nest and is paying for it.” De Mornay laughed but it was hollow and Nell heard the first strains of fear. She looked across at where Elizabeth was stood bound and gagged with strips of her own dress. De Mornay had practically dragged her here at top speed. He had hauled her to the waters edge and then thrown her to her knees. She had managed to get to her feet and get to Elizabeth. Her words that Will was alive had brought instant relief to Elizabeth, but it had made De Mornay grip her upper arm and haul her back away from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth now lifted her eyebrows at Nell, who pulled a slight face in return. Neither knew what Beaumont was talking about.

“As long as we stick to the water we’ll be safe.” De Mornay said quietly and once again Nell heard fear in his voice. She turned to look at him, but he was looking back over his shoulder.

Nell looked back up at the river bed that they were stood beside. Rocks and boulders strew their way up the river, it was deeper in the middle, but Nell could see the edges were fairly shallow. She followed the river as it climbed higher and gasped audibly when she saw the river swirling around massive boulders, fallen branches, the shallow sides deepening until the river was unmanageable.

“We climb up there?” she gasped as she followed the river up to where a waterfall crashed its way over boulders and rocks into a deep pool.

“Yes, my dear. We climb up there.” Beaumont laughed and Nell shivered at the edge of madness that crept into his voice.

She watched as he turned to Elizabeth and roughly undid the gag from her mouth and the ties from her hands. He lifted a dagger and pressed it to the hollow of her throat.

“We don’t have time for theatrics my dear.” He whispered leaning in very close to her ear.

Elizabeth drew in deep breaths as she glared at him.

“You are going to be so sorry you were ever born.” She hissed.

“When will that be my sweet?” he laughed and lifting the knife pressed the flat of the blade on her cheek. He drew it slowly down her cheek and throat lifting the blade till the point drifted over her breast his dark eyes never leaving her face.

“I am not your sweet and I will relish seeing you dangling from the end of a rope.” She hissed, unable to move away from him as his other arm snaked around her waist.

Beaumont laughed and slid the dagger into the edging of her bodice. He drew it downwards and Nell heard the fabric rip.

“Ah but not before I’ve had a taste of the treasure and your good self.” He let his gaze drop to where her bodice was open, revealing her breasts clad in only her petticoat.

“Never!” hissed Elizabeth “I would never allow you.”

“I won’t be asking my sweet.” Beaumont laughed again.

“We need to be moving on James.” De Mornay said quickly, the edge of fear in his voice growing stronger.

“Relax Tristan. We survived once before, we know exactly what to expect…. Which leads me nicely to your beads Nell. I saw you with them earlier.” He held out his hand to Nell, releasing Elizabeth. She stumbled backwards away from him, gripping the edge of her bodice together as her eyes spat fire at him.

Nell took the chain from her pocket and held them out to him.

“WHAT?” Tristan roared when he saw the chain and snatched them from her. Nell fell back a step in fear, her eyes going to Elizabeth.

“Why are they on this chain?” Beaumont stripped the chain from Tristan and glared down at them.

“I….” Nell dried up as Tristan advanced on her. He gripped her upper arms and shook her so hard Nell felt her teeth rattle.

“Stop!” Elizabeth stepped forwards but Beaumont backhanded her hard sending her flying backwards into the shallow water.

“WHY!” Tristan roared, shaking her again. He held her still and pressed his face in close to hers.

“Why Helen?”

“We…. We had to … needed the string… Jimmy’s wound needed stitching it was the only thing…” she stammered, the shaking had made her head hurt and her chest tight.

Tristan blinked, his fingers cutting into her arms painfully as she stared up at him in fear.

“Jimmy? The boy we shot?” Tristan let go of her and took one step back before he lifted his hand and slapped her hard around the face. Nell cried out, both hands going to her cheek, tears ran down her face at the stinging in her cheek.

“She had it.” Tristan said quietly. “She had it all along. The little lying heathen!”
Beaumont frowned as he too realised the truth.

“We could have had the beads, the map and the Relentless and blown the Pearl to hell.” Beaumont whispered as he looked at Nell.

“That’s not just it James. Look at the beads. The true order, the original order…”
Tristan looked back at Nell.

“We need those beads to get off this cursed isle.” He glared at her “You can’t row out the way you come in….” he sank to his knees in the water and buried his head in his hands “We’re sunk for James. We’ll never get off… we’ll never remember…”

“Enough!” Beaumont slapped his shoulder sharply with the flat of the dagger. “We did it once before we’ll do it again. Only the compass bearings are on the beads. We still have the map.”

“But…”

Beaumont looked at Nell, who was still clutching her cheek, before he crossed to De Mornay.

Nell inched closer to Elizabeth who was getting to her feet, blood dripped from her mouth.

“There’re mad!” Nell whispered to her as she watched them talking quietly together, De Mornay still on his knees.

“And we’ve got our chance to get away.” Elizabeth replied “We can’t go down stream but if we can make it to the trees….”

Nell looked towards the bank where the trees and plants grew thickly right up to the edge of the river.

“We could get horrendously lost.” Nell replied quietly, her eyes darting nervously back to Beaumont and De Mornay.

“Or we could get killed by these idiots.” Elizabeth replied smartly and Nell was once again reminded how strong Elizabeth was.

“Both of us will not get away. Not a chance, but one of us…” Nell narrowed her eyes in thought. “Chances are they’ll go for me rather than you, because of the map on my back. If you can make it to the trees, can you remember the way back to camp?”

Elizabeth gave a tiny nod as Beaumont suddenly looked round at them as if he knew what they were saying. He glared at Nell and looked back at De Mornay, trying to get the other man to his knees.

“I’ll make a break towards the trees upwards, you head straight and God’s speed be with you.”

“To us both!” Elizabeth nodded and gripped Nell’s hand tightly before letting go.

They carefully inched closer to the edge of the bank and then as if on cue, they both ran for the cover of the trees.
Nell heard them shout, saw Elizabeth racing through the trees down stream, she put as much speed into her legs as she could manage, but the direction she had chosen had been a bad one. The undergrowth was dense and getting thicker, till Nell couldn’t even see, let alone run.

“Stupid girl!” she felt De Mornay grip her arm and she braced herself for the hits she was sure he’d rain down on her. But he merely whirled her around and dragged her quickly back to the river. He thrust her down over the bank and into the river, where Beaumont was still stood clutching the beads and the chain.

Nell’s heart lifted as she realised they hadn’t even bothered to try and get Elizabeth. She would make her way back to camp, she’d be safe.

“You stupid chit!” Beaumont snapped “We can’t allow you to kill yourself just yet. We need you!”

Nell frowned, not understanding what he was saying.

He laughed as he saw her confusion.

“You think she’ll make it back to camp safely? You think she’ll return to her husband’s arms, tell Sparrow where we are and they’ll come for you?” he snorted and pocketed the beads “She’ll be lucky to get half way there before the flies find her.”

“Flies?” Nell frowned.

“Thousands of flies.” De Mornay said calmly “Look like a massive black cloud… until they descend on you. They eat you my dear. In seconds all that will be left of the beautiful Mistress Turner will be her white bones.”

“You lie!” Nell hissed at him, worry gnawing at her stomach.

“No. We encountered them last time, lost three of our men, before we realised that they do not like water. They will not attack us as long as we stay in the water… Elizabeth however?” he shook his head in mock sadness “Another death caused by you my dear. You have a death curse following you don’t you? Doesn’t seem to matter where you are death follows you like a lost puppy.”

“Death follows you!” she returned, trying hard to be brave despite the fear and desperation crowding in on her.

De Mornay shrugged indifferently and using his dagger indicated for her to begin wading up the shallows of the bank.

“One less to worry about Tristan. See; luck is on our side. The flies have already found Sparrow’s men… we heard the humming noise.” He said as a cheerful afterthought to Nell and laughed at how easily her face gave away her sudden fear that Jack had been harmed or possible killed.

Nell moved blindly up the river, the thought that Jack could be dead had frozen the blood in her veins. He couldn’t be dead, she couldn’t imagine him dead. He was Captain Jack Sparrow! She loved him for heaven’s sake!

She faltered as it hit her. She had danced around it for days, but now it hit her. She loved the dirty, dishonest, scoundrel of a pirate. She had probably loved him for awhile now if she was honest with herself. She refused to think he was dead. If she thought that, then all was lost and that was something she just couldn’t accept.

BREAK

Elizabeth fell several times as she raced back through the way Beaumont had dragged her not an hour earlier. She couldn’t believe it had been as simple as it had been. She had known almost from the start that they hadn’t pursued her. Guilt ate at her slightly at leaving Nell behind. But it had been necessary; Nell’s safety depended on Elizabeth getting back to the camp.

Elizabeth became aware of a strange humming noise off to her left and loud shouts. She recognised the voices of the crew and realised she was closer than she thought.

Relief put wings on her heels as she raced through the last of the bushes to the clearing. She literally skidded to a halt on the loose dirt, barrelling into Stephens and crashing to the ground, entangled with him.

“Elizabeth!” Jack and Norrington were on her instantly, dragging her to her feet.

Elizabeth looked around her, wondering where everyone was.

“We don’t have any time…” Norrington panted and Elizabeth suddenly became aware of the supplies they had dropped to pick her up. Norrington left his pile of supplies to keep hold of Elizabeth’s arm.

“Nell?” Jack demanded “Where’s Nell.” He stopped to pick up Norrington’s supplies as well as his own.

“Ran in the other direction.” Elizabeth started to explain and gave a startled yelp as instead of listening they began to drag her out of the clearing.

“I can hear them!” came a frightened shout from Stephens.

“We all can!” Norrington shouted and dragged Elizabeth “Run Elizabeth!”

Elizabeth heard the urgency in his voice and obeyed, gripping his hand tightly when he slid his hand down her arm.

Putting everything she had left into her body she pelted along the ground, recognising the pool ahead. She tried to stop as they neared the water and was surprised when Norrington dragged her along and into the water itself.

She stumbled and fell face first into the water. She got to her knees and looked behind her, seeing the black cloud hovering above the trees before once more it veered away.

“What…. What…” she stopped as suddenly Jack was gripping her arms and pulling her to her feet.

“Are you hurt?” he demanded right in her face, peering at her split lip.

“I’m fine.” She said “Will. Where’s Will?” she tried to look past Jack for Will but he held her still.

“Elizabeth what of Nell?”

“She ran in the opposite direction.” Elizabeth said quietly and looked directly into his black eyes “De Mornay went after her… I don’t know whether she got away.”

“Did she leave the water? Did she head away from the water?” Jack demanded.

Elizabeth nodded her head and her eyes went wide as she looked towards the direction the black cloud she had seen had gone in.

Jack stepped back from her, his hands stuck out at odd angles as he swore violently. He turned and stomped through the water towards Hock, his face black as thunder.

“We head up stream now!” he barked and none of his usual slur or swagger was present.

“Jack!” he turned to face where Elizabeth was crouched beside Will.

“They know the beads are useless.”

Jack nodded and turned away from where Elizabeth was bending over Will showering him in kisses and examining the wound on his shoulder.

Jack felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Norrington stood with a worried frown on his face.

“They won’t let her get away.” He said quietly and Jack heard the edge in his voice.

“I bloody well hope they haven’t let her get away.” Jack replied darkly, he cocked his head to one side and looked around him.

“Some bloody adventure this is.” He muttered and began to climb over the boulders and rocks that lined the side of the small tumbling waterfall.

A/N: Oh dear… have my fingers run away with me again? I did enjoy writing this chapter but then sometimes what I see in my head doesn’t always translate to screen well. I must admit I am having fun playing with the characters, but I’m not certain if Jack was a tad out of character here. Nell has come to mean a lot to him whether he realises it or not yet and while she’s in mortal danger I can’t see him prancing around like a pansy. But then some things with him; like bating Norrington and Bryant are so ingrained that I think only death would ever stop him.
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