Story: Missing Something
Arthur: Cpt. Jack Sparrow
Characters: Will Turner and Antonio Crisafi
Summary: Tony wants to know if Will is missing something.
“Are you missing something?”
Will looked at the phone briefly before responding. “Antonio, how nice to hear from you. How is New Orleans? Still standing?” He hears the chuckle across the line.
“So far. It’s a day-to-day thing as you know. I’m assuming Sanctuary is still a sanctuary as I haven’t heard of any catastrophes in Brazil.”
“We are still all here.”
“Really? I ask again, are you missing something?”
Will thought about it for a moment. “Not that I’m aware of.” He paused. “Did Warrick lose that damn tankard again?”
“Lose?” Tony laughed. “Nope as far as I know Sparrow didn’t successfully steal it again.”
“That’s good. I have different acquisition specialists and auction houses on the hunt for the rest of the set. If they find any of them, they have been instructed to purchase and send them to me immediately. Once I have them, I’ll dent them and we’ll be golden. They will both have their own, I’ll have spares and neither of them will be the wiser.”
“Wait, there’s more than one?”
“Of course there is.”
“What do you mean of course there is?”
“Did Warrick, or even none of you, question the history of the tankard? Where it came from or how it came to originally be in Jack’s possession?”
“I never did and Warrick never said anything. If there was some history behind it, he’s never said and with the way they keep stealing it back and forth I assumed there was only the one.”
“I can’t believe he never asked. Although, based on how they argue over it all the time, I suppose he never really thought to ask.”
“Well, I want to know so I’m asking. Tell me so I have one over on Warrick.” Antonio gleefully pleaded.
“We both know any Jack story is best told by Jack.”
“True. But if he’s kept it a secret this long, he’s not going to spill.”
“Oh, he would if someone asked. At this point he is probably taking great pleasure in knowing the secret and is absolutely amazed that no one has asked about it. Now it’s a matter of principle that he won’t give it up until someone asks.”
“But at this point I think the only one who should ask Jack is Warrick. That will make the telling of the secret even more sweet.”
“Agreed. I’ll tell you, but you have to pretend you don’t know of it if and when he finally tells the story.”
“Deal. So, let’s hear it.”
“So, this was before I met him, obviously…”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jack had slipped through the streets in broad daylight heading to his favorite tavern in the area. At least it had been his favorite tavern, but he hadn’t been back to England in quite a while. He had been dismayed to find that the tavern was a little more respectable than it had previously been. Not that the still couldn’t blend in when needed, which is exactly what he did. Avoiding some gentlemen that had a table not far from the door.
The plan was to have a few pints of rum and then leave before anyone recognized him. Pirates were not looked on kindly for obvious reasons, but then he had an uncanny knack for getting out of odd situations so he would be fine either way.
Leaving the tavern, while relatively sober at least for him was rare, but he wanted to leave with the tide. Jack stepped out the door and paused, noticing the two gentlemen from the tavern climbing into a carriage.
“Do you have your invitation?
“Yes. We are all well aware that no one will get anywhere near their county house without the formal invite.”
Jack’s attention was captured and he waited for the carriage door to close. As the driver climbed to the front and nudged the horses to move forward, he silently jumped onto the back of the carriage to continue to listen to their conversation knowing what a country house and a formal invitation meant. From his knowledge of the area there was only one country house nearby. Not that it was exactly in the country, but the estate was outside the town,
overlooking the water. Easy enough to return to where the ship was at berth before the tide goes out. He wouldn’t have much time to prepare the ship before casting off, but he was used to cutting it close.
“Has anyone heard any of the details of the wedding?”
“No one is talking about it. Arranged marriage perhaps?”
“That is definitely a possible scenario. The daughter of a marquess marrying the heir of a duke. That’s what most people would presume.”
“You speak as if you know different.”
“I may.”
“Well.”
“The two circled each other last season, at least that is how it appeared to me. But never as openly as other couples. We all know the Marquess is looking to rise in rank, but the only option available to him is through marriage.”
“That is why I assumed arrangement. Everyone knows that is what he was scheming for.”
“Exactly, that is what everyone knows. Especially his daughter. So, my theory, and granted it is only conjecture based off of my observations, is it is really a love match. A plan hatched by the two of them to make the marquess think it is all on his arrangement.”
Jack continued to listen to the saga as the carriage bounced along. Ah, a lovely scheme, if the supposition is correct.
“Once the formal engagement is announced tonight, maybe the answer will be discovered.”
“Well, here are the gates, so we will know more soon.”
Gates? Oh bugger. Jack grabbed the edge of the roof of the carriage and hoisted himself up and flattened himself across the top of the carriage to conceal himself.
An engagement announcement and gala hosted by one of the peerage. One who is probably looking to impress the family of his daughter’s future husband. This just got more interesting.
The carriage ride from the tavern didn’t take that long. Looking at the sky and seeing the position of the sun, Jack knew he had time to snoop around he estate. He would start in the stables and where the carriages were kept. Hopefully he would be able to get a lay of the land and overhear any pertinent information. He continued to lay flat on the top of the carriage as the two men stepped down and walked to the door. He lifted his head and watched them present their invites as the carriage pulled away.
Once the carriage stopped and the coachman left to join his fellows, Jack slowly climbed down from the carriage, taking care to remain on the side facing away from anyone. Since it wasn’t dark yet there were no shadows to hide in, but Jack knew the shadows would be there by the time he would make his escape.
He crept around the carriages and stood outside the stable doors. It seemed that most all of the coachmen were gathered there and he didn’t see anyone lurking outside-except himself. This was going to be easier than he thought. Weaving through trees and bushes Jack moved closer to the main house. He crouched between two bushes outside the kitchen door, underneath an open window.
“Who let his lordship choose the menu? This is not what my lady would want.”
“Like we have a say. He’s being insufferable with his planning.”
“He should not be the one planning anyway. The lady of the house does the planning and with his wife gone now, that should fall to his daughter – the soon to be bride.”
“It should. However, her ideas weren’t grand enough for him. So here we are. Besides, it falls in with my lady’s plans much nicer if he is occupied elsewhere.”
Jack hears the two women in the kitchen laughing. That lends some possible credence to the supposition he overheard earlier. As he listed to the laugher move further away from the window, he slowly rose up to peek into the kitchen.
It appeared that the coast was clear. With the room vacant, he stepped out from the bushes and quickly entered the kitchen, closing the door quietly behind him. Looking around there was all manner of food spread through the room in various stages of preparation from pre-dinner bites to sweets.
Seeing none of the household staff approaching, Jack grabbed a tart-like thing, rearranged the tray to hide the missing one and scurried out of the room. He rounded a corner and found himself outside a large, empty dining hall. Well, empty of people, but not of spirits.
He sauntered over to the table along the wall and found all manner of drink. Jack perused the bottles, grabbing a rum and pulling the cork. He took a swig and smiled.
“Good stuff.” He spoke aloud to himself, wincing a little at the slight echo. Recognizing the continued silence of being alone with no one aware of his presence, he sat down at the head of the table. Throwing his booted feet up onto the table and tipping his chair back on two legs, he looked around the room while taking another drink from the bottle.
“Hmm. Kind of ostentatious for my taste. Who would use that much gold on the ceiling. You eat in here, not lie on the floor and look up. I can think of much better use for it.”
He continued the conversation with himself as he critiqued the tastelessness of the room while continuing to drink from the rum bottle. He heard approaching voices and let the chair drop back down onto all four legs, while slipping underneath the table, pulling the chair back in behind him.
“This is ridiculous.” A female voice, laced with annoyance, entered the room.
“I know my darling.”
Ah the bride and groom perhaps.
“You tried to reign him in at the start, but it was not worth it the longer her persisted.”
“I know. But none of this is what I wanted. This is not the way I imagined my engagement.”
The bride and groom indeed, Jack thought. Raising his bottle in a small salute.
“No. But it has kept him busy,” They both chuckled. “And my father is well aware that you do not hold to the same values as your father so he is not fooled by all of this.”
“I hope so. I worry that your father will not approve of the engagement.”
“Have no fear of that. Both mother and father love you and they are more than ready to welcome you to the family. They know that all these trappings are by your father’s design and do not hold it against you in any way.”
“Just about everything in here is so tawdry. And the way he is displaying the gifts he is presenting, just out in the open on that back table.”
“Come now. They’re not all bad. Like those tankards.”
“I suppose. But the fact that he feels the need to display them is.” The bride says with a giggle.
“We should return my darling. It wouldn’t do to be caught by your father when we are alone.”
“Indeed.”
Their footsteps retreated from the room, but jack remained hidden under the table for the time being. His ears had perked up at the mention of gifts. How had he missed those. Oh right, he was distracted by the rum.
Hearing no one else approach, he came out of hiding and sauntered to the gift table. Walking along the table, he viewed the items displayed and agreed with the bride. Much of it was tawdry. Not only that, but based on his quick appraisal as a pirate, and when it came to pirates they knew the worth of shiny things, most of the gifts were of inferior quality.
Was the marquess hoping to fool anyone, Jack wondered. He supposed you could fool the average person, but the duke would surely realize. Hopefully he would keep it to himself, at least through the announcement. He was kind of rooting for the young couple. They were sneaky. And Jack liked sneaky.
He continued to study the prospective loot, not overly impressed. There were a few pieces that were of obvious higher quality than others. He fingered a pearl brooch and a rather stunning jeweled dagger. Jack tilted his head in thought, but moved on, leaving them behind. The items could be put to better use by the couple; they may need them as they try to escape their fate if needed.
Continuing along the tables, he stopped in front of the set of tankards the groom had mentioned.
“Ah the young lad does know quality,” he muttered. There on the table were twelve identical silver tankards. Rather plain, compared to some of the other items, but high-quality silver. He picked one up testing the weight of it. “Sturdy. Fits well in hand.” He poured the rum from his bottle into it, drinking the last of it from the vessel.
“Most definitely good quality. Great for rum.”
Jack smirked and put the empty rum bottle back into the place the tankard originally sat and tied the tankard to his sash. He really wished he could stay to see the reaction when they found the bottle among the remaining silver cups, but time was running out. He wanted to sail with the tide and getting caught now would not aid him in that endeavor.
He snuck out of the room and back to the door of the kitchen, peering around the corner. No one there, luck is with him at the moment. Not wanting to tempt fate, he scurried through the kitchen and out the door he originally entered through. Keeping as hidden as possible he headed back to the stables finding the coachmen mid-game and many of them deep into their cups.
Perfect.
Jack wove his way through the carriages until he came to the one that most recently arrived. No driver, horses still attached. This should be a quick trip if he could move as quietly as possible. Climbing up on the bench, he lightly snapped the reigns to get the horses moving. They didn’t make a sound as they slowly turned and began to walk back toward the gates. There was no one observing the gates as the invitations were being presented at the door to the house and not the gates.
“Well, that wasn’t smart at all. But still to my good fortune.”
Once through the gates, he snapped the reigns and urged the horses on, picking up speed as they headed further away from the estate. He would leave the carriage in town. No need to let anyone think that whoever “borrowed” the carriage sailed off, so the further from the ship the better.
Jack pulled up behind the livery and jumped down, checking that he still had his plunder. Walking out from behind the livery, he made his way though the town to where the ship was at berth. He stepped foot on deck can called out.
“All hands prepare to cast off.”
He watched as they scrambled to do his bidding.
“Where to captain?”
“Back to home waters. I find myself rather bored here.”
“Aye cap’n.”
“Cast off. I’ll be in my cabin plotting out full course and will return when done.”
“Aye.”
Jack went below to his cabin. Standing by his desk he untied the tankard from his sash and placed it in the middle of it, admiring how it looked there. He moved to a table off to the side, picked up a bottle of run and sat down at the desk. Uncorking the bottle, he filled the tankard to the top, leaned back in his chair and took a drink.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Wait.” Antonio gasped as he caught a breath after laughing for a while. “That is really how he acquired the tankard?”
“Yes. I was able to trace the history of it and it was part of a set of 12 destined as an engagement gift.”
“I can’t believe that no one has ever asked about the origin of it.”
“Like I said, it’s a matter of pride now that Jack has kept that secret so long. He won’t spill it without someone asking about it. And the more I think about it, he probably won’t spill it if just anyone asks. It will have to be Warrick’s inquiry before it comes out.”
“You are right that the story would be amazing as told by Jack himself. I may have to prod Warrick to ask him at some point when I’m around so I can hear the story and see the fallout.”
“Would be entertaining that’s for sure.”
“Although, all this still brings me back to the reason I originally called you. Are you missing something?”
“Again, not that I’m aware of.”
“Well then, I’ll rephrase. Where’s Jack.”
“He’s on the Pearl, working in the captain’s cabin.” Will paused. “He’s not on the Pearl, is he?”
“Nope.” Antonio said popping the P and letting Will hear the smirk in his voice.
“He’s there, isn’t he.”
“Yup.”
“He doesn’t have the tankard in hand yet does he?”
“Nope. But it’s only a matter of time this time.”
“Why? Without major chaos going on, its next to impossible to swipe it while everyone is home. And last I heard all of you were in residence.”
“That’s true. However, he’s outside by the garages, leaning against the Impala. Having a rather animated discussion with Dean. Who looks just as animated. There’s laughter. Big gestures. And Sam, standing there shaking his head with a cross between an amused and horrified look on his face. So, they are definitely plotting something.”
Will paused. Plotting. Jack. Dean. New Orleans.
“Can you find a way to stall them?”
“Probably. Why?”
“I’m on my way. At this point, with all the planning and subterfuge I kind of want to be there to see if they can pull it off.”
“Well, I was going to sit back and watch myself.” Antonio chuckled. “I’ll try to stall them. They might be more successful if you’re here. Because Jack being here alone looks suspicious.”
“If you can’t stall them, at least record as much of the heist as you can. I’ll be there in about 6 hours.”
“See you soon.”
Will grabbed his phone and table and left his office heading to the airfield. He really needed to reach out to his people in acquisitions. The sooner he could find at least one of the remaining 11 tankards the better.
END
Ah, that is a group who can get up to mischief! Antonio distracting them til Will gets there, then those two documenting the other two who are being watched by Sam. Yep, great doings going on!