Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~12~

After the Pearl was docked, the crew disbanded and went about their own affairs while Jack, Sera, and Gibbs set their sights on the besotted souls of theTwelve Daggers tavern.

However, after only half an hour into their search, they quickly realized they were in trouble; not a single soul had come to sign up. Jack was quite miffed to say the least...

"This is preposterous!" He cried, stomping a foot. "Who would not want to sail under my name?"

Sera rolled her eyes. "Perhaps your problem comes from the fact we're tucked back in a corner where no one looks. Why don't we move over there?"

She pointed to an open space near a potted palm.

"Aye." Gibbs nodded in agreement. "I think she may be on to somethin', Jack."

The latter waved his hands. "Fine, fine. I don't care what you do. Just find me some crewmen!"

Gibbs picked up one end of the table and gestured for Sera to help, but she put her hands on her hips instead. "Jack, you can help Gibbs move this table. I'm going to go see if I can come up with anyone myself."

Begrudgingly, Jack hoisted up his end of the table and moved it to its new spot. No sooner than they were settled, a man came staggering over to investigate.

Smiling, Sera maneuvered through the sweaty throng of pirates until she arrived at the bar, where she saw what appeared to be a heated argument between a man in a ragged powdered wig and a younger man who was dressed in fine clothes.

Strange...

"I know you know." The man in the wig slurred, struggling to stay upright. "You don't fool me!"

"I have never once laid eyes on him!" The young man shouted, balling his hands into fists. "Now shove off 'fore I leave you lyin' where you stand!"

The man in the wig sneered and took a swig of rum, bracing himself against the bar. "Everyone knows Jack Sparrow. Everyone..."

"Jack Sparrow?"

Both of them turned in unison to see Sera. She cleared her throat and shifted her focus to the man in the wig. "You're looking for Jack Sparrow?"

He nodded slowly and took another hefty drink. "D'you know where I can find him?"

She looked him over from head to toe, taking note of his heavily drunken state. "How much do you value your life?"

"At this point, I don't care if I live," He slammed his empty bottle down on the bar. "Or die."

She nodded and pointed toward Gibbs. "You'll find him over there."

"Ah." He saluted her. "You have my thanks." He staggered toward the table, only to stop and wink at her with both eyes. "I think I might like you more than 'Lizabeth."

She smiled stiffly as he tripped over a loose floorboard. "One down, ninety-eight to--"

"Excuse me."

The young man put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off and shot him an icy glare. "What?"

"S-Sorry." He averted his eyes and cleared his throat, running his fingers through his dirty blonde hair. "I just... you look like someone..."

She quirked an eyebrow and glanced around the pub. "Everyone looks like someone, lad."

His emerald eyes locked onto hers and something stirred in the back of her mind, an old memory...