Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~29~

Aboard the Pearl...

"We have turn back. I can't--"

"You must trust dat little fish can handle herself, Jack." Tia Dalma purred. "I t'ink you know she is capable."

"Yes, I know she's quite capable."  Jack retorted, staring mournfully in the direction they had come from. "I never should have trusted that sniveling snipe-eater..."

In his impromptu meeting with Beckett, the latter had insisted that Sera had been released back on the Pearl and, against his better judgement, Jack believed him.

Otherwise, he would never have left the Endeavor without ensuring that Sera came with him...

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Meanwhile, aboard the Flying Dutchman...

"What's this?"

"She attempted to kill Lord Beckett, sir." A soldier answered as he shoved Sera in front of Mercer. "He demanded that she be taken to this ship and taught a lesson."

Mercer's brow creased as he looked Sera over, his eyes lingering on her stomach a moment before he spoke. "She attempted to kill him, you say?"

"Yessir. Stabbed him in the back and tried to strangle him with her shackles." The soldier's knuckles turned white as he gripped her arm. "What shall I do with her, sir?"

A scowl worked its way across Mercer's face. "Lock 'er in the brig for now. We'll deal with her later."

As the soldier jerked Sera toward the hatchway, Davy Jones's thunderous footsteps filled the air.

Thump. Click.

Thump. Click.

Thump. Click.

Thump. Click.

"What is this-uh?" He bellowed from atop the stairs leading to helm. "Why is the Keeper on my ship?"

"None of your concern." Mercer snapped. "Be about tailin' Sao Feng's ship."

With an angry twitch of his mouth, Jones descended the stairs.

Thump, click. Thump, click.
Thump, click. Thump, click.

"You seem to forget that the Dutchman is my ship-uh." He uttered angrily, glaring menacingly at the company officer before glancing at Sera, who was resisting the soldier's efforts to force her down the slippery steps of the hatchway. "I demand to know why she is here."

Truthfully, Mercer was intimidated by Jones but he squared his shoulders and raised his chin as he answered him. "She made an attempt on Lord Beckett's life."

The corners of Jones's mouth curled into a smile as he laughed a slow, throaty laugh. "Did she, now?"

"She will be imprisoned on your--the company's ship until we can dish out a fittin' punishment." Mercer's voice was meant to sound authoritative but came out strained as he struggled to conceal his uneasiness around the monstrous captain. Said captain's smile vanished and was replaced with a vicious scowl. "I will not have the Keeper of the Triton Stone imprisoned on my ship, Mister Ian Mercer-uh."

"It's Lord Beckett's orders."

"I don't give a damn!" Jones roared, stamping his barnacle-encrusted crab leg. "The Dutchman is still my ship and I am still her captain-uh! I have a say as to what goes on 'round here, and I command that pint-sized bilge rat to release her this very moment-uh!"

Frightened, the soldier looked to Mercer for instruction. Mercer sat his mouth in a thin line and gestured for him to release her. It was a small, meaningless victory for the old captain; his days were already limited. After the Brethren was destroyed, he would be of no farther use to the company and Beckett would blow his heart to oblivion...