The Second Swann ---///--------

Chapter 25

Rough draft 5

They came to a splashing halt under a stone bridge over a stream leading to the sea. Charlotte peeked around the corner to see if they had been spotted then turned back around to have her heart leap. Far too close to be comfortable, there, Jack stood, peering down the slender slope of his nose.

Charlotte stared back.

"Who are you?" Jack asked.

"Charlotte." Will answered, taking a step towards them, "she'll be joining us."

"Will she now?" the pirate said then squinted at her again, "though I cannot seem to shake off the feeling that I've seen you before."

"I would hope so, considering you've held me hostage," Charlotte replied briskly, raising her eyebrows at him.

"I would never!" Jack replied with an offended look, "not especially to a woman as fine as yourself, that would have been terribly obscene of me. "

Charlotte snapped her head to Will, "this is the man who threatened my life!"

"After rescuing it!" Jack interjected.

Will turned his head from Charlotte to Jack, unsure what to say. 

"That does not count!" Charlotte snapped.

"It does in my book." Jack retorted, lifting his nose at her snobbishly.

Charlotte turned back to Will, "are you actually considering in bringing this malevolent man with us?!"

"He's familiar with the ship we're after," Will said finally, "we've also already broken him out of prison, there is no other choice but to move on."

"I don't think moving on is in her book." Jack said, leaning to Will.

Charlotte gave Jack a sour glare, then sighed, knowing Will was right. Though she wouldn't trust the pirate. This one gave off the impression of the devil,  with the crooked grin he had and the malicous gleam in his tar black eyes. Charlotte knew that forming a deal with one would always end with terrible backlash. She'd keep on eye on him. "Fine," she said finally, then spun around to face Jack --who jumped at her sudden intensity-- and stalked towards him "but I'll have you know that if we so happen to find ourselves in a situation where both our lives are endagered then that will be your first and last mistake that you will ever make in your condemnable life. Do you understand me?" she glared down at him as he leaned further and further back from her and waited for his response. 

"You've made your point completely if not indisputably clear," the pirate replied with a slight strain in his voice from his stretched position. 

Will glanced between the two with an expression conflicted between fascination and concern. He turned to Jack, "is there a plan?"

"I've always a plan," Jack replied quickly, then waved Charlotte to move aside. Then, he peeked out from under the bridge. Will and Charlotte followed his gaze. 

"We're going to steal a ship?" Will guessed. 

Charlotte's jaw dropped. Not just any ship. "That ship?!"

"Commandeer. We are going to commandeer that ship." Jack corrected.

"I'd expect no less from a pirate," Charlotte replied in a mutter. 

"Then you must know all about pirates," Jack replied with a snort, but cleared his throat and acted as though he hadn't said a word once Charlotte turned at him sharply. 

—-

They stopped before a row of upturned boats facing the shore when Jack kneeled at one of them. As he began to untie it from the post, Will went to assist  Charlotte, feeling uneasy for a number of reasons, kept watch.