Hidden Plans

Chapter 4: Tia Dalma

The mature version of this chapter can be found in Hidden Seduction as well.

The next morning, Jack and the crew all piled into the lifeboats as they paddled up the river and through a thick bayou.

Will leaned in towards Gibbs, his now go to man on any gossip concerning Jack Sparrow. "Why is Jack afraid of open water?"  He whispered.

Gibbs took in a deep breath before he started. "Well, if you believe such things, there’s a beast does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face clean off and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. The Kraken. They say the stench of its breath is… ooh." The man shuddered in disgust. "Imagine, the last thing you know on God’s green earth is the roar of the Kraken and the reeking odor of a thousand rotting corpses." Will wrinkled his nose at the thought. "If you believe such things." The sailor quickly added on.

Will nodded as he looked at Jack. "And the key will spare him that?"

Gibbs looked over at Will as he spoke "Now that’s the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough even to go visit, her." Gibbs stated with a tre.ble in his voice.

"Her?" Will inquired. What her could be so scary that Gibbs is scared? He thought before the answer popped in his head.

Victoria.

By the time Jack and the crew had docked, a small dingy already was there. This was strange to Jack as he assumed Tia Dalma had no floating means of transportation. Gibbs also noticed the dingy, silently pulling his gun as they approached the hutt.

"No worries, mates. Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before." Jack assured with slight hesitation. His own gun was also in his hand as he moved to climb the ladder.

"I’ll watch your back." Gibbs muttered, moving to follow his Captain.
"It's me front I'm worried about." Jack replied as he climbed.

Gibbs turned to Will. "Mind the boat."
Will turned to Ragetti. "Mind the boat."
Ragetti turned to Pintel. "Mind the boat."
Pintel turned to Marty. "Mind the boat."
Marty turned to Cotton and Cotton's Parrot. "Mind the boat."
With a squak, Cotton's Parrot spoke to Cotton. "Mind the boat." Before leaving Cotton all alone.

Victoria finally had finished Dragging Barbossa in through the back and laid him on the small cot in a back room. The room contained many knick-knacks including a random jar of dirt.

"Alright, I did as you asked now would- Jack? Will?" Victoria questioned as she saw the pair and Jack's crew huddled in the hutt.

"Victoria! I heard the cat's out of the bag." Jack greeted happily.
Victoria winced but nodded. "Aye."
"Victoria, how did you escape Beckett?" Will asked as he hugged the girl.
Once again, Victoria winced. "That is for another time." She avoided as Jack and Gibbs stared at her with narrowed eyes.

Tia Dalma grinned at the group before speaking up. "What service may I do ya?" She asked Jack. "You know I demand payment." She added forcefully. "Victoria already paid." She cut Jack off as he opened his mouth.

"Look!" Jack pulled out Barbossa's monkey in a cage. With the pistol in his hand, he fired a shot at it.

Victoria was shocked when the monkey was still alive but shook her head anyways. "An undead monkey. Top that." He stated to Victoria.

Victoria simply rolled her eyes as she looked towards Tia. The woman nodded and motioned at the cage. Getting the hint, Victoria obediantly opened the cage, allowing the monkey to run to it's master in the back room.