Fight For The Right

23~ The Search For Jack

*Will's P.O.V*

Well, this is just great. Our wedding interrupted, arrested by the EITC, placed in jail... How could things get any worse?

"I can't believe her!" Elizabeth was muttering. I realized she was talking about Maddie. "She just shows up, after three months, and doesn't even lift a finger to help us!"

I sighed and stood up to walk over to the small window in the wall of our shared cell. Port Royal has never seemed so foreign to me. Ever since members of the Company have 'taken over', people's attitudes around the town have changed. Nearly everyone was regarded with suspicion, and unless you have proof you were innocent, you could be turned in for a crime that you hadn't even committed.

"Of all times, she just happens to show up for our wedding. Then she leaps off a cliff to save her own skin! I swear, she's turning out to be more like-"

"Oh, give it a rest, Elizabeth!" I snapped, turning to her. My face softened when she stared at me, horrified and slightly scared. I sighed and went over to her, holding her close. "I'm sorry. All of this is just getting on my nerves."

SHe smirked. "You're not the only one. I just... I wish Maddie had tried to do something to help us. But, as usual, she runs. That's what she's good at."

"Instead to looking at the negatives, maybe you should try looking at the positives." I looked down at her with a small smile.

She frowned. "How are there any positives in this mess?"

"For starters, maybe it is a good thing that Maddie got away. Have you ever considered that? It means that sh can get extra help from the outside world if we cannot free ourselves."

"I guess you're right... but Will, I just want to see my baby sister again."

"I know. I miss my sparring partner as well. But in case you haven't noticed, after the adventure with the Black Pearl... she's not exactly your baby sister anymore."

We were interrupted by the sound of footsteps followed by the clanging of keys. Our cell door opened and a soldier walked in, looking at me. "Mr. Turner, Lord Beckett requests your presence in his office."

I snorted as he put me, once again, in shackles. "Somehow I doubt by 'request' you mean that I have a choice." I smiled grimly at Elizabeth and allowed myself to be walked through the streets of Port Royal to Beckett's office. I was marched in through the door where the soldier announced, "Lord Beckett, the prisoner as ordered, sir."

Beckett looked in our direction and pointed at the shackles. "Those won't be necessary." The soldier nodded and removed them. As the soldier left I moved to stand in front of his desk, and Beckett poured both of us drinks. "The East India Trading Company had need of your services," he began, handing me a drink which I refused. He lowered it and took a sip from his own, walking towards the fireplace. "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend - Captain Sparrow."

"More acquaintance than friend," I replied. "How do you know him?"

"We've had dealings in the past." From the fireplace he held up a red-hot 'P' brand, a shape I remember seeing on Jack's arm. "And we've each left our mark on the other."

Curious. "What mark did he leave on you?"

Beckett chose to ignore me and placed it back in the fireplace. "By your efforts, Jack Sparrow was set free. I would like you to go to him and recover a certain property in his possession."

"Recover. At the point of a sword?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Bargain." He opened a wooden box on his desk with the EITC insignia engraved on the lid, and removed a leather case for which he took out a few sheets of paper. "Letters of Marque," he said, holding them up for me to see. "You will offer what amounts to a full pardon - Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."