Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

Jacques.”
Christophe took his hand away from the princess’s mouth just long
enough for her to gasp, then whimper, “Please, Jack! Please!”
Jack stood there, poised to leap, but the look in Christophe’s
eyes was enough to make him shake his head and put both hands up.
“All right, mate. All right. You can have the bloody thing. Let me get it.”
He bent over to pick up his duffle, then reached in and felt around
for a moment. “Where’d it—ah. There. Don’t hurt her. I have it.” Jack
pulled his hand out of the bag. His fingers tightly gripped the palegreen
stone, holding it high so the rogue could identify it. With his other
hand, Jack grabbed the small, empty leather bag he’d brought with
him. “Here it is, Christophe, see? I’m just going to put it in here, and
then I’ll throw it to you. Wouldn’t want to risk scratching it, right?”
Moving slowly, every gesture obvious, he slipped the gemstone
into the bag and pulled the ties at the top to secure it inside. “Now I’m
going to toss it over there, mate,” Jack said. “See?”
With a gentle toss of his hand, he threw the bag so it landed
almost on top of Christophe’s boot. Then Jack straightened up, both
hands raised. “Now, let her go, Christophe.”
“Oh, I will, Jacques!” With a vicious shove, Christophe sent the
woman reeling across the floor. Amenirdis tripped over a coffer, fell,
and lay there, stunned. The rogue pirate reached down and grabbed
the bag, peeked inside, then stuffed it into the top of his sack, onehanded.
“And now I take my leave of you, Jacques,” Christophe said.
Aiming the pistol at Jack, he pulled the trigger.
The hammer clicked down, but the pistol did not fire. Snarling,
Christophe thrust the pistol into his belt. Seeing Amenirdis dazedly
trying to sit up, he started toward her, his hand out. “You know, it’s
been a long time since I’ve had a woman, little blackamoor, and you
really are pretty,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”
A loud, coughing roar split the air. Christophe stopped short,
staring at the doorway they had just come through.
An enormous male lion paced through the portal, his yellow eyes
fixed on Christophe as he padded forward. Swallowing audibly, the
rogue pirate straightened, leaving the princess alone, then he drew his