A Pirate's Life for Me

Chapter 9 Chase

Jack smirked a little as he stood in the crowd of pirates, staring at his incredulous ex-first mate.

He'd awoken from the blow to his head to find himself surrounded by his former crew, and had been forced to declare parley to be taken before Barbossa in the first place. And in doing so, Jack had probably prolonged his life by about five minutes, considering the dirty looks he was getting from his former crew.

Barbossa, to his credit, was looking more surprised as he stared at Jack, before he demanded: "How the blazes did you get off that island?"

Jack sneered a little as he returned: "When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate."

Barbossa raised a brow, waiting patiently, and Jack smirked.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." He informed them, and Barbossa almost rolled his eyes.

"Ah, well, I won't be making that mistake again." Barbossa scoffed, before turning to the crew as he jeered: "Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow?"

The crew smirked, though many of them also growled a little as they stared at their former captain with great distaste.

Barbossa turned back to Jack, nodding to his crew: "Kill him."

The pirates all drew their weapons, most of them pulling their pistols, as Barbossa turned to leave when Jack called suddenly: "The girl's blood didn't work, did it?"

His words had the desired effect.

Barbossa stopped walking instantly while the crew hesitated as they saw their captain stop, before Barbossa ordered: "Hold your fire!"

There were general unhappy mutters and groans at that, but all the pirates lowered their weapons – albeit reluctantly – as Barbossa turned and walked back down to stand before Jack once more.

He examined the other pirate, before his lips curved up in a smirk as he asked: "You know whose blood we need?"

Jack returned the smirk a little, though he deep inside he hated that he had to use this card as bait already, as he acknowledged: "I know whose blood ye need."

*******

Annalise climbed back aboard the Interceptor first, nodding guiltily to the crew before turning quickly to help her sister climb over as well. Elizabeth landed with a gasp, bracing herself against her sister's arm as she straightened up, only to find herself staring at another raggedy crew.

"Not more pirates." Elizabeth sighed, her face scrunching a little in dismay, when Mr. Gibbs strode forward, greeting: "Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth."

Elizabeth blinked before she frowned in confusion as she asked: "Mr. Gibbs? Lisa, what's going on?"

"It's a very long story." Annalise sighed, while Will finally made it up – after dumping all the other oars into the ocean – behind them.

Gibbs glanced at Will, and then down curiously as he asked: "Hey, boy, where be Jack?"

"Jack?" Elizabeth repeated, glancing at Annalise and Will in surprise. "Jack Sparrow?"

"Um..." Annalise began, when Will cut in as he told the crew flatly: "He fell behind."

He took Annalise's arm, squeezing it slightly in warning, and she shut her mouth as he led her and Elizabeth quickly below the deck. Annalise bit her lip as she heard Cotton's parrot squawk unhappily, before Gibbs shouted: "Keep to the code."

"Weigh anchor!" Anamaria ordered just as Annalise disappeared below deck. "Hoist the sails!"

"What is going on?" Elizabeth demanded as Annalise moved her into a cabin room to help dry her while Will went off in search of bandages for Elizabeth's hand. "Lisa, what are you doing here, and with pirates no less, and what did Mr. Gibbs mean about Jack Sparrow?"