تحت حمله!

CHAPTER SEVEN

Under Attack!

“We’re back,” Gibbs shouted.

Will searched the deck until he found Elizabeth.

“The sun’s coming up,” she said, smiling. “We’re not safe yet-Davy Jones and Lord Beckett are still somewhere on the ocean. But we’ve saved Jack Sparrow and escaped from the world of the dead.”

Barbossa and Jack were smiling, too. Everyone was happy-and then they all pulled out their guns. Barbossa and Elizabeth pointed their guns at Jack. Will and Gibbs pointed theirs at Barbossa. Jack pointed his gun at Will, then quickly pointed a second one at Barbossa. Barbossa also pulled out a second gun and pointed it at Gibbs. Elizabeth pointed her second gun at Barbossa.

Even with four guns pointing at him, Barbossa didn’t seem worried. “The Brethren Court is meeting at Shipwreck Cove,” he said. “Jack, you and I are going there.”

“If the Pirate Lords are meeting,” Jack said angrily, “I’m going to sail my ship the other way.”

“They’re meeting to fight Beckett,” Elizabeth said. “And you’re a Pirate Lord.”

“You’re not running away,” Will said.

“The agents will search for us until were all dead-except you,” Barbossa told Jack.

Jack laughed. “Then I’ll be Captain Jack Sparrow, the last pirate. I like the sound of that.”

Suddenly, he fired the gun that was pointed at Barbossa. Nothing happened. Barbossa, Will, and Elizabeth all fired their guns, too. There was no smoke; there were no shots.

“The guns are too wet - They won’t work,” Gibbs explained.

Will threw his useless gun away. “Now we have to work together,” he said. “We need water. The maps show an island near here with fresh water.” It was a good plan.

Jack looked nervously at Barbossa. “You take the men to the island,” he said. “I’ll stay with the ship.”

“I’m not leaving my ship,” Barbossa said.

“And Jack’s not leaving his ship,” Will said. “Here’s an idea. You both go, and leave the ship with me. All right?”

Barbossa and Jack were unhappy but they agreed. A short time later, they sailed toward an empty beach. Will, Elizabeth, Tai Huang, and a small group of pirates waited on the Pearl.

“Are you still going to run, Jack,” Barbossa asked. “Can you run away from the world? That’s the problem. You’ll be the last pirate-and one day you’ll die. Then there will be no pirates.”

“We came back after we died,” Jack said.

“But can you be sure it will happen again,” Barbossa said.

Jack didn’t want to think about his next death. It was too soon after his first one. He had to work with Barbossa.

“So the Brethren Court must meet,” he said softly.

“It’s the only way that we can win against Beckett and Davy Jones,” Barbossa replied.

On the island, the pirates climbed up a hill to a freshwater stream that ran into a clear pool. Almost immediately, someone shouted from the beach. The pirates ran back. Ragetti was pointing at the ocean. The Black Pearl wasn’t alone in the water. Another ship, Sao Feng’s Empress, was next to her.

Jack and Barbossa heard a noise behind them and turned. Tai

Huang and his men were pointing their guns at them.

Barbossa and Jack were taken back to the Pearl. There were a lot of Chinese pirates on the ship. Elizabeth Swann was now tied between two guards.

“Sao Feng,” Barbossa said. “You found us.”

“Some of us are lucky,” Sao Feng answered. He moved closer to Jack. Jack was trying-unsuccessfully-to hide behind Barbossa. Suddenly, Sao Feng hit him hard in the face.

“Jack Sparrow,” Sao Feng said. “You once hurt my feelings.” Will came up from below the deck. He saw Jack’s face, and Elizabeth between the guards, and hurried across to Sao Feng. “She’s not part of our agreement,” Will said. “Untie her.”

“What agreement,” Barbossa asked.

Sao Feng laughed. “You heard Captain Turner,” he said to his men. “Untie her.”

“Captain Turner,” Jack shouted. “Is he captain of my ship?”

“Yes,” Gibbs said. “Turner and the Chinese sailors took the Pearl. Now he’s taking us to find the Dutchman. He wants to save his father.”

The guards untied Elizabeth. She looked sadly at Will.

“You didn’t tell me your plans,” she said.

“I need the Pearl” Will said. “That’s why I’m here.”

“He needs the Pearl,” Jack said, pointing at Will. Then he turned to Elizabeth. “And you felt bad because you killed me.” He pointed at Barbossa. “And you want me to be at the Brethren Court. Didn’t anyone save me because they missed me?”

Gibbs, Marty, and Cotton lifted their hands. Then, Pintel and Ragetti lifted their hands, too.

Jack moved toward his men. “I’m standing with them.”

But Sao Feng stopped him. “I’m sorry, Jack,” he said. His voice didn’t sound sorry. “But there’s an old friend who wants to see you first.”

He pointed over Jack’s shoulder and Jack turned. Lord Cutler

Beckett’s ship, the Endeavour, was coming round the island.

“Oh, no,” Jack thought. “How many times have I escaped from the East India Trading Company? Now they’ve caught me.”