Adeena Cole: At World's End

Chapter Seventeen: Courage

Jack was tired of brigs. 

He seemed to find himself in them far too often, for whatever reason. This time he'd sold his soul to the devil. He almost laughed, it was such a bizarre crime. 

He was bored, too. There was nothing to do in a brig. He'd counted the bars, walked a few laps, checked his compass, and even hummed a bit of Adeena's favorite sea chantey, but was out of amusement. 

"Congratulations! You've successfully arrived aboard the Dutchman as per the original scheme." He heard himself say.

Jack whirled around, his eyes darting along the perimeter. Just as he thought, another one of his clones was sitting the on the bench. Jack groaned inwardly.

"Oh, yes, chapeau, mate. Except for this little sojourn in the brig, everything's like clockwork." Jack #2 grinned, leaning on the bars behind Jack. Jack, the real one, took a step back, and held out his hands.

"Go away!" He said with exasperation. 

Jack #1 spoke, furrowing his brow. There was teasing in his eyes. "Back to the locker?"

"But without you, Jackie?" The second Jack asked. 

"Stab the heart." 

All three turned, and low and behold, yet another Jack spoke to them. Jack had to do a double take. This Jack was a bit different than his previous hallucinations. It was obviously similar to those of Davy Jones' crew; barnacles and slime and coral. Jack tried to keep his disgust to himself, bit failed, his lip curled unintentionally. 

"And live forever," It continued, pulling its brain from its head and inspecting it. "As captain of the Flying Dutchman. Then again, if you're in the brig, who's to stab the heart?" 

Jack #2 spoke. "Does put immortality a bit out of reach." 

Jack couldn't stop staring at the thing in the wall. 

***

"We'll use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack." I said calmly, to William. Elizabeth stood at my side, and Barboussa was coming up behind her. "I'll make the decisions while Jack is missing. Barboussa..." I turned, and frowned. He had that look in his eyes again.

"Will we, now?" He asked, his dark eyes gleaming. He held the bowl containing the Nine Pieces of Eight.

Tia, bound in ropes, was being dragged onto the the deck. My anger flared at the thought. 

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, closing my hand around my Piece of Eight protectively. My hand brushed the locket. "You're releasing her?" 

William's eyes widened. "Barboussa, you can't release her."

"We have to give Jack a chance!" Elizabeth protested. Her hand was wound tightly in William's. 

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not worried about Jack. He can take care of himself." She blinked at me, as if what I had said was odd. I ignored it. "Calypso's imprisonment was wrong and unjust. I'm undoing it." 

Turning to Barboussa, I ripped the jade necklace from my neck. "I don't know the ritual." I said, commandment in my voice. "You should do it, I suppose." I tossed my Piece in the bowl.

Gibbs furrowed his brow, seeing the Nine Pieces of Eight -- stolen, might I add -- in the wooden bowl. "Be there some rite or incantation?" 

"Aye." Barboussa's eyes gleamed. "Items collected...done." He gestured over the bowl with his blackened nails. "Items to be burned. Done." As he spoke, Pintel reluctantly dumped his flask over the assorted pieces of junk. "And someone must speak the words, 'Calyspo, I release you from yer human bonds'."