The Cry of Liberty

Chapter Twenty Five: Negotiations

Barbossa's crew were vigilant while they escorted Jack and Sasha to the Black Pearl. The men would stare at her, in no way trying to make their looks coincidental. She reached for her pistol and smirked when most of them took the hint. The skinnier of the two original henchmen offered her a canteen of water but she politely declined. He, other than their captain, was the only one who didn't act like a starved feral dog in her presence. She shuddered at the thought that some innocent women had to endure this before their arrival.

"Welcome back aboard the Pearl, Jack." Barbossa taunted, snapping his fingers to put the crew to work. He led them to the captains quarters and shut the door behind them. "Might I offer ye some refreshment?" He held out an apple to Sasha. She took it and sent him a half sincere smile.

"Very kind of you." Sasha sat on his desk, legs crossed over one another, and took a bite of the red fruit. She fought the grimace that threatened to show on her face as the small piece turned to ash on her tongue.

"Now then, shall we discuss the matter at hand." Barbossa sat at the table before her and focused on Jack. "We both be smart business men, Jack, so I imagine it like this: you tell me whose blood we need and I let you and the lass enjoy the last days of yer lives on that beautiful island you so rudely abandoned."

"I could use the sun." She couldn't help but chuckle at how ridiculous these negotiations were about to go. "But Hector I do think I'd rather have the choice of where I take my retirement."

"Then I let you go and return him to the sandbar."

"Sounds good to me, Jack tell him the name."

"You really aren't helping, Sasha." Jack hissed at her. She just shrugged and continued to eat the apple. "The only fair solution is to return the favor." Barbossa narrowed his eyes, understanding exactly what he meant.

"So you expect to leave me standing on some beach with nothing but a name and your word it's the one I need and watch you sail away in my ship?"

"No. I expect to leave you standing on some beach with absolutely no name at all, watching me sail away on my ship and then I'll shout the name back to you. Savvy?"

"That seems reasonable, might be your best offer." The brunette chimed in only for the older man to wave her to silence.

"But that still leaves us with the problem of me standing on some beach with naught but a name and your word it's the one I need." Sasha tossed her half eaten apple to Jack and patted his shoulder. She would wait it out on deck where at least she could enjoy the scenery and fresh air.

The crew luckily ignored her for the most part as she sauntered across to the bow. The Pearl still smelled of soot and she wondered if she'd ever know what happened to her. Out in the distance she spotted a ship and her relaxed demeanor fell into panic. Barbossa and Jack came hurrying out of the cabin and up to the wheel deck. Sasha ran up to join them, exchanging worried looks with the dread-headed man.

"I'm having a thought here, Barbossa. What say we run up a flag of truce, I scurry over to the Interceptor, and I negotiate the return of your medallion, eh? What say you to that?"

"Now you see, Jack , that's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl . People are easy to search when they're dead." Barbossa said jovially, turning to his massive first mate. "Lock him in the brig." The man grabbed Jack but hesitated.

"And the girl?"

"Ah yes, what shall we do with Miss Hartford?" Barbossa raised an eyebrow at her, a devious smirk on his lips. Sasha held her hands up in surrender.

"I think I'll join Captain Sparrow in the brig, if that's fine with you, Hector?" He nodded and sent them away so he could plan the attack. The first mate pushed them ahead of him, down the stairs, and locked them in a waterlogged cell.