The next day, the docks of Tortuga were already alive with noise.
Gibbs stood near the pier, shouting orders and pointing at anyone who looked remotely capable of standing on a moving deck. The result was… questionable at best.
A small crowd had gathered—men of all shapes and conditions. One was far too old to be trusted with rigging, another was so short he barely reached the rail, and a few looked like they had only agreed to sail because they'd been promised rum.
Jack paced slowly in front of them, hands clasped behind his back, inspecting his future crew with narrowed eyes.
"Hm," he murmured. "You there—can you sail?"
The man nodded eagerly. "No, sir."
Jack smiled. "Honesty. Good start."
He continued inspecting and stopped.
His gaze lingered on one figure in particular—a woman standing with her arms crossed, posture rigid, eyes sharp beneath the brim of her hat.
Jack frowned slightly. "I feel like I've seen you somewhere before…"
The woman looked up.
"Anamaria."
Jack's eyes widened. "Anamaria!"
Smack.
The slap landed cleanly across his face, sharp enough to turn his head.
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you didn't deserve that?" he asked mildly.
Jack straightened, rubbing his jaw. "No," he admitted. "That one I deserved."
Anamaria glared at him. "You stole my boat."
Jack lifted a finger. "Actually—"
"Don't," she warned.
"…Borrowed," Jack continued carefully, "without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back."
"But you didn't," Anamaria snapped.
Jack smiled, unfazed. "Minor delay."
She folded her arms tighter. "You cost me my livelihood."
Jack gestured casually toward Daniel. "You'll get your money. See that man there? He's loaded with gold."
Daniel glanced sideways at Jack. "Am I?"
Jack ignored him. "After this trip is over, you'll be paid in full. For the boat. And the inconvenience."
Anamaria studied Daniel for a long moment, clearly weighing her options. Then she looked back at Jack.
"You're still a terrible liar," she said.
Jack's grin widened. "But a persistent one."
"For all the crew," Jack announced, spreading his arms theatrically, "I promise this—after this trip, you'll be swimming in rum and money."
Jack pointed casually toward Daniel. "And before you ask—yes. That man is very, very well funded."
Several heads turned Daniel's way. Daniel offered a polite nod, doing nothing to deny it.
Anamaria crossed her arms, studying Jack with narrowed eyes. "You'd better not be lying this time."
Jack placed a hand over his heart. "Perish the thought."
The crew murmured among themselves. Rum. Gold. A chance at something bigger than Tortuga.
Finally, one of them stepped forward. "So," he said, "who's captaining?"
Jack stepped up without hesitation. "I am."
There was a brief pause.
Then—
"Aye."
"Aye, Captain."
"Aye aye, Captain."
The crew finished gathering their things and moved toward the dock without further argument. One by one, they boarded the Interceptor, ropes were cast off, and the sails were raised.
With Jack at the helm and the newly assembled crew settling in, the ship pulled away from Tortuga's water.
Their course was set.
Isla de Muerta.
As the ship cut steadily through the water, Elizabeth found herself beside Gibbs near the rail.
"Mr. Gibbs," she asked, lowering her voice, "why does Jack want the Black Pearl so badly? And how does he even know the way to Isla de Muerta? According to the stories, only those who've been there can ever find it."
Gibbs glanced around to make sure Jack wasn't within earshot, then sighed.
"Because the Black Pearl was his ship," he said simply.
Elizabeth turned sharply. "What?"
Gibbs nodded. "Captain Jack Sparrow. Her rightful captain."
"But… isn't the Pearl a cursed ship?" Elizabeth asked. "How could it ever belong to him?"
Gibbs rested his arms on the rail, eyes fixed on the horizon.
"She wasn't cursed when Jack had her," he said. "Fastest ship on the sea. Finest crew too."
"Jack was the one who found Isla de Muerta," Gibbs said. "Three days before the Pearl ever reached it."
"Barbossa—his first mate at the time—argued everything should be shared equally," he went on. "The gold. The plunder. Even the location of the treasure. So Jack gave him the bearings."
"That very night, there was a mutiny."
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly.
"They marooned Jack on a deserted island," Gibbs continued. "Left him there to die. Sun, sand, and nothing else."
He paused, then added quietly, "But not before the heat nearly drove him mad."
"When a pirate's marooned," Gibbs went on, "he's given a pistol. With a single shot."
"One shot," he repeated. "Not enough to hunt. Not enough to signal for rescue. Just enough to make a choice."
"After three weeks of thirst and hunger," Gibbs said, "that pistol starts to look real friendly."
"But Jack escaped that island," Gibbs said. "And he still has that single shot."
Elizabeth looked up. "Why hasn't he used it?"
Gibbs' expression hardened.
"He's saving it," he said. "For one man."
"Barbossa."
*****
A/N: If you'd like to read chapters ahead of the Webnovel release schedule, you can join my Patreon!
The Patreon version is already updated up to Chapter 88.
👉 patreon.com/Universal_Peace