Leverage - A Pirates of the Caribbean Fanfiction

May I propose an exchange?

Davy Jones was no longer in control of the Dutchman. The east India trading company saw to that... It gave Jack Sparrow a sense of smugness, knowing the man that sent him to the locker was powerless to do much of anything these days but follow orders. As always though, wily Jack had a plan. He looked down on his deck aboard his precious Black Pearl. Barbosa was at his side eyeing him with caution. They were both still in the never ending power struggle for the title of Captain. There was no trust aboard this ship, then again pirates were not trustworthy men but it was rare for an entire crew to be consistently full of caution.

The heat of the Caribbean sun beat down heavily on them, sweat dampened Sparrow's brow as he sauntered down the steps onto the main deck that usual inebriated hint to his walk. "Mr Gibbs!" He called to his first mate who was tending to the sails "Aye Sir?!" He called his tanned leathery skin glittered with drops of sweat as he squinted across the deck at his Captain. "What is the word on refreshments?" He asked picking stray piece of grime from one of his gold coated teeth. "Rums all gone sir, all we have is the harsh undrinkable waters of the sea." Replied Mr Gibbs wiping sweat from his brow. "Why is the rum always gone?!" He exclaimed furiously "maybe because you are greedy and drink it all the minute you get it instead of savouring it." Piped up Elizabeth Swan from the top of the ship her tone condescending as she looked at Sparrow. "I'm sorry dear but unless you have suddenly become possessed by the body of Mr Gibbs your words will fall on deaf ears!" He said matter of factly waving his hands in a shooing motion at the only female on board.

"Not to break up this little conversation but where might we be headed Jack. You said you had a plan. I think it be time you start sharing or we may have ourselves a mutiny on our hands." Barbosa said his yellow tinted eyes looking down at his... Associate as he descended the stairs. "Ah Hector I almost forgot you were up there. You don't command a room that's your problem mate." He said turning on his heels "Jack, answer him." Of course William Turner would side with the mutineer. "Well it's like this see. I may or may not have snuck me way aboard the Dutchman and had an endearing conversation with the two nitwits guarding good old tentacle faces slimy heart. When they were duly distracted I may or may not have given the heart a swift switch. I mean, no one looks in it to see it aint beating. Now I also may or may not now have said slimy heart safely in my possession somewhere aboard my fine vessel. Savvy?" He grinned.

Unfortunately he didn't exactly get the reaction he was hoping for "if you have the heart if Davy Jones why haven't you stabbed it yet and become captain of the Dutchman?" Turner asked his hand now reaching for his gun. "Well that one is easy Mr Turner, leverage." He said giving the young idiot a crooked grin "you see I could stab the heart and have myself eternity on the seven seas but I ain't a working man and I don't fancy carrying all those souls everywhere and I don't have the face for tentacles. So, taking a leaf out of dear Becketts book I thought why not just get Jones to do all my bidding for me. There's other ways to become immortal but they are dangerous. I can just send the Dutchman on the perilous trips while I stay aboard the pearl and drink rum making occasional stop offs for wenches and more rum!"

"Prove it Sparrow!" Barbosa exclaimed drawing his sword. Before Jack could utter another syllable the sea turned restless, it stirred angrily beneath the Pearl. An atmosphere came over the ship and the crew that meant only one thing. With a dramatic splash the Dutchman rose from the depths of the ocean coming dangerously close to grazing the Pearl. The men Beckett had placed in command of the ship were all very clearly dead. Some hanging by their necks on the rafters, some impaled on the ships posts. Jones and his crew had killed them relentlessly and without mercy. Clearly the captain of the Dutchman had discovered the heart that was sitting within the chest was no longer his own but a mere animal replacement. The colour drained from jacks usually olive skin. This would not bode well for him.

The crew of the Black Pearl and the crew of the Dutchman stared territorially at each other from their respective ships. "Parley?" Jack croaked. "There will be none of your parley here Sparrow!" Jones spat appearing from below deck. His face was ashen and angry his eyes black with fury. "I believe you have something of mine." Jones said menacingly. "I might do... Then again I may have misplaced it. I haven't had rum in days. Makes me quite confused it does." Jack shrugged looking anywhere but at the captain of the Dutchman. "Is that so? Well Jack it just so happens that I have something of yours. It would be a shame if I misplaced this particular item." Jones said his grin taking a dark sinister turn. The crew's eyes turned to Jack. Jack Sparrow treasured very few things in life. His ship, his compass and maybe his hat but that was it. What could Davy Jones possible have on him that would make him exchange it for the heart?

"Bring it up." Jones said to two of his grotesque looking crewmen. "Ever been away to darker seas Sparrow? Seas of Emerald green instead of luminescent blue? I hear the lands around those seas are full of mysterious gods and creatures. I don't suppose you made any friends when you were there did you?" Davy Jones asked in a tone that was too casual for the tension surrounding the two ships. "Jack?" Gibbs asked when he made no reply. They looked to him awaiting his witty response but nothing came. His eyes were side like he had just seen the Kraken with its mouth agape once more. His knuckles were white he was clinging to the top of his sword so tightly. "No comment? That's quite alright I am sure you will have plenty to say in a moment." Jones laughed as the two men dragged something aboard. No... Someone. Barely conscious a female was dragged on deck, a beautiful female at that. She had dark auburn hair that fell in light loose curls to her ribs, as the sun shone down on it a reddish sheen was seen throughout the strands. Unlike the people on deck she had alabaster skin, skin as white as the sandy beaches of the Caribbean. Her eyes were dark, a dark chocolate brown and they were protected by dark thick lashes. Her full rose tinted lips were tainted by an angry looking purple bruise on the bottom right. She was dressed in a black dress with crimson embroidery, it was covered by a crimson red cloak with a large hood. She was dressed for cold weather not the searing heat of the Caribbean sun, and she was young... No more than 25 years old anyway. "It's funny. The seas you love so much have weakened the wee lass deeply. Almost like a curse was put on her. Now why would someone want to keep her away from the sea Captain Sparrow?" He laughed.

"Jack who is it. Jack will you do something other than stand there!" Elizabeth exclaimed shaking his shoulder. Jack's eyes were conflicted. He seemed unable to take his eyes from the new arrival on the neighbouring ship. "May I propose an exchange?" Jack eventually piped up. This shocked the members of both ships deeply, all except Davy Jones himself. He took great delight in his offer. "The great Captain Jack Sparrow had a living breathing weakness the entire time. How does it feel to be powerless against what happened next Sparrow?" Jones laughed the manic laugher of his crew joining in behind him. "Do you want to exchange or not dear?" Jack asked impatiently "Jack you can't be serious you can't just hand the only leverage we have against him back." Will said imploring the very clearly nervous pirate. "Ah this is something you won't understand young Mr Turner. No matter how much of a scoundrel you are, no matter how selfish and corrupt you may be... A father will always pick the safety of his child above all else in this world."