Hidden Plans

Chapter 8: Whispers Between Bars Loose Their Charms

The bright sun brought sweat onto Victoria's brow as she relentlessly worked alongside the crew on the sails. Up in the air as she precariously balanced on the beam of the mast, Victoria moved with cat-like grace from one end to the other. "We need to patch the sail here." She ordered the crewman, pointing out a hole in the sail near where he was working before glancing up to the crows nest.

With a growl, she observed as the new crewman slept peacefully and not at all watched for any signs of danger. "Keep workin ye scabberous dogs, I'll be back." Victoria shouted to the workers before running to the ladder leading to the nest. She silently crept upon the unsuspecting sailor with a glare hardening her gaze.

Leaning in, Victoria spoke harshly in his ear. "If you value your place in this nest and not at the bottom of the ocean I suggest not falling asleep again. Am I clear." She hissed, watching with sadistic satisfaction as the sailor jumped and stared at her fearfully. He nodded mutely, with eyes as wide as saucers. "Back to work."

With that she grabbed a rope with one if her gloved hands and jumped, swinging onto the deck after a moment. With a thud she landed next to Elizabeth. "What's up buttercup?" She greeted.

"Are you certain that this compass works?" Elizabeth asked skeptically.

"Positive. Why?" Victoria asked with a cocked head.

"No reason." With a snap, the compass closed in the girl's hand.

"Beckett." Jack growled as he approached the girls with letters in his hand.

Victoria froze on the spot at the name, painfully being reminded of her deal. Guilt settled in her over the night before.

"Yes they are Lord CutlerBeckett of the East India Trading Company." Elizabeth confirmed.

Victoria breathed a sigh of relief.

Jack grumbled as he studied the letter, noticing that th ey were signed by Beckett. He th en noticed that there were indentations that did not match the letter and curiously flipped one over.

"Will was working with Beckett and never said a word." Gibbs glowered at the deck angrily. The red head pirate looked down in shame. Jack grunted as he continued to read. "Beckett wants the compass. Only one reason for that."

Jack's head snapped up to look at Victoria. "Of course he does, he wants the chest. Doesn't he dear Victoria?"

The woman closed her eyes, shame overtaking her. "Yes, Jack, he wants the chest."

"If the Company controls the chest, they control the sea." Gibbs exclaimed angrily, looking at Victoria.

"A truly discomfoting notion luv." Jack added.

"What are they talking about Victoria?" Elizabeth asked.

"Victoria sold her soul to the devil, that's what. Her soul and the sea. What the hell did he offer you?" Jack growled, grabbing Victoria harshly as he lifted her head to look at him.

"You." She answered so softly that Gibbs and Elizabeth had to strain to hear. "Everyone I know, all I had to do was to betray my father and-" The girl cut off harshly.

"And?" Elizabeth pushed.

"And marry him." Victoria nearly sobbed. Nearly, however she was the proud daughter of the most feared and heartless pirate ever, so she did not sob, but it bubbled in her throat, choking her.

Jack glared at her angrily. He was hurt by her sacrifice and even though he knew he shouldn't, he blamed her. "I can't keep you on deck, you know that. It would be a bias I can't afford." Jack murmured to her, quite angry but finding that he couldn't yell at her with this pathetic and broken look on her face. Victoria meerly nodded, still looking down as Elizabeth gaped at the two in shock. "Mister Gibbs, Escort Miss Jones to the brig." Jack ordered with a loud voice.

Everyone watched as the girl walked to the brig, Gibbs only following behind her.

Victoria Jones was a proud woman, so proud that she held out until even Gibbs was gone from bellow deck before she started pathetically sobbing. And she didn't stop crying over her own mistake until it started nearing dusk. Dusk meant the crew would be going to sleep soon.

So, as the crew silently shuffled bellow deck, Victoria numbly stared out her cell, eyes glazed and unfocused as the sound of crew members moving above her filled the air. When it went silent, Victoria knew the crew had finally settled in and most of them were already asleep.

An hour after all noise stopped, boots echoed through the air as they drew nearer to her. "Victoria." Jack whispered as he approached her cell. She didn't respond, her will having been depleted during her crying session. "I know you're angry, but I am too."

"I'm not. Angry I mean."

"Then what are you?" The captain inquired from the otherside of the cell bars.

"Scared. Fuck Jack I'm terrified." She stated, her voice wavering. "He's going to find me, and if I don't have the heart, Jack he'll marry me no matter what but without the heart I'll have to know that you and everyone I love is dead." Victoria continued, her voice tettering. "And I have lived eternity like that, but I can't do it anymore." Looking up into his eyes, Jack realized as he stared deep into her eyes, that she was truly terrified, beyond petrified with fear.

"I know. But I won't give up my freedom or anyone else's. You know that." Jack told her, sadly.

Victoria smiled at him. "I know Jack. Either way, I will die a slave." She told him grimly. "When I die." She added.

"No, you won't. I will make sure of it!" Jack snapped harshly before storming away, his figure becoming nothing more than a shadowy outline before disappearing into the darkness.

"How I wish that were true." She murmured to him softly, but it didn't matter as he was already gone.

Drifting iff to sleep, Victoria was illuminated in saturated reds and oranges from the flickering lantern near her. Just enough for the lurking Elizabeth to see. "You won't die a slave to Beckett. I got you into this, so I will find a way to get you out." Elizabeth vowed to the sleeping girl as she backed into the dark corridor. "I swear it, Samantha."