Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~34~

Aboard the Flying Dutchman. . .

Jack Sparrow anxiously paced the length of the slimy, crusted brig he had been thrown into. As if being imprisoned on the Flying Dutchman, the ship that had plagued his dreams on several occasions, was not bad enough, he had been treated to a visit from his doubles he had met in the Locker. Apparently no amount of rum could chase them away. . .

"Look at you pacin' around like some sort of caged animal." One of them remarked, leaning casually on a slippery beam. His identical twin laughed. "That's brilliant, mate. He is a bit of an animal, after all."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's all in the name, you see."

"Ah, I get it. Jack 'Sparrow'. Haha! Oi. . ." His face fell. "Wouldn't that make him a caged bird?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Well, it's just. . .I b'lieve a bird is a bird, not an animal."

"Would you shut it?" The real Jack hissed, holding his heads in his hands. "I need to come up with a way to get out of here an' that's very hard to do with you two yappin' away!"

"What's the hurry, mate?"

Hesitantly, Jack turned to see yet another version of himself (this one deformed like the Dutchman's crew) emerging from the wall of the ship.

Dutchman Jack: "You want to stab the heart, don't you?"

Jack #1: "Yes!"

"No." The real Jack replied, glaring at his double. "Well, not anymore. Not really. . ."

Jack #1: "Oi! I thought we discussed this?  You were goin' to stab the heart and marry Seraphina, correct?"

"Yes, but--"

Jack #2: "No, no, no. You had a change of heart, remember? You were goin' to find the Fountain instead. Much less 'curses' involved there, mate."

Dutchman Jack: "Is living forever really a curse?"

Jack opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find words.

Jack #1: "He's got you there, mate."  He put a hand on the real Jack's shoulder. "Today will probably be the only day you'll have such an easy go at Jones's heart. Just one little jab and you're home free."

Dutchman Jack: "But if you're locked up here, who's goin' to stab the heart out there?"

Jack #2: "Don't listen to 'em, Jackie. Sera told you not to do it!"

Jack #1: "Who cares what Sera said? You know how women are, 'specially pregnant ones."

Jack #2: "She won't be happy. . ."

Jack #1: "Who cares? What can she do once it's done? Not a thing!"

Jack #2: "Well, technically, she could--"

Jack #1: "Listen to me, mate." He draped an arm around the real Jack's shoulder and pulled him close. "This was what you had planned from the very start. You shouldn't let Sera or anyone else take it from you."

"I have been plannin' it a long time. . ."

Jack #2: (Rolls eyes) "Don't let him get in your head. If you stab that heart, you won't be able to step foot on dry land but once every ten years. Does that sound good to you?"

Jack #1: "It doesn't stop you from bein' with Sera. She spends most of her days at sea anyway..."

Jack chewed his fingernails. When he arrived on the Dutchman, he was only a little torn in regards to the heart but now, his mind was made up. How could he pass up the opportunity to kill Davy Jones and gain eternal life?