A Pirate and His Wolf (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Chapter 27

Captain Jack Sparrow's legendary three-cornered hat floated on the tide, turning slowly. By the next morning, it had drifted far from the Black Pearl.

The hull of a small fishing vessel passed it, and suddenly the hat was snatched up by a boat hook. A short, round sailor pulled it from the water and was pleased with the look of the hat. He quickly tried it on.

Just then, his mate yanked it off his head. The two were pulling on the hat when a shudder suddenly ran through the boat. The men stopped struggling.

From beneath the deck came a loud crunching. The sailors staggered as their little vessel rocked. They looked wildly around and then down at the hat. The strange turn of events must have something to do with the hat. The sailors fought to rid themselves of it.

But the fight ended quickly, as the deck splintered and the entire boat was pulled straight down. A giant geyser rose up from the sea, raining down wood and bits of canvas. And, in the blink of an eye, the water was still and the fishing boat was wiped off the face of the earth, as though it had never existed.

Not far away, in the headquarters of the East India Trading Company, Will Turner was escorted by two guards into the office of Lord Beckett. A large, unfinished map of the world took up the whole wall of the office.

"Those won't be necessary," Beckett said, pointing to the shackles on Will's wrists.

The guards released Will. "Do you intend to release Elizabeth, as well?" Will asked, knowing exactly what the answer would be.

"That is entirely up to you," Beckett answered smugly before he quickly rephrased his response. "That is entirely dependent on you," he clarified. Beckett used his cane to stoke the room's fireplace. "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend Captain Sparrow."

"More acquaintance than a friend," Will said. "How do you know him?"

"We've had dealings in the past." Beckett said, displaying the letter "P" on the end of his glowing cane. The same P that was burned into Jack's arm and between Zachary's shoulder. "We have each left our marks on the other."

"What mark did he leave on you?" Will asked, but Beckett did not respond. Instead, he said, "By your efforts, Jack Sparrow was set free. I ask you to go to him and recover a certain property in his possession, along with your brother Zachary. The two of you are well-acquainted, as I have learned."

"Recover my brother," Will replied skeptically. "At the point of a sword?"

"Bargain." suggested a sly Beckett. "To mutual benefit and fair value."

He removed several large documents from his desk. They were signed by the King of England. "Letters of Marque," Beckett explained. "You will offer what amounts to a full pardon. Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."

Will looked at the letters and shook his head. He knew that the Letters of Marque would give him the right to take Jack's possessions, but something didn't feel right. He thought back to Zachary's answers when he'd asked him about Beckett's characteristics. "I believe He's a schemer, Will. And you can never trust a schemer. They're like a cast die. You might think that you can see all of its faces, but there is always one hidden." Will replied, "For some reason, I doubt that Jack will consider employment to be the same as freedom."

"Jack Sparrow is a dying breed." Beckett snarled. He motioned to the map on the wall. "The world is shrinking, the blank edges of the map filled in. Jack will have to find a place in the New World, or perish."

"Not unlike you." Beckett continued, bringing the point home. "You and your fiancée face the hangman's noose. Certainly, that is motivation enough for you to convince Captain Sparrow to accept our offer. And for you to accept, as well, Mr. Turner."