~*Spread Wings*~

[Lana]

"D@mn, d@mn, DA-A-AMN!!!" - I yell, trying to extinguish the fire that's slowly eating the fabric of my dress. I haven't let myself curse for several long years... But now I don't care. I may be dead - burnt - in a minute and no one would notice. That's not the way I imagined my death, really. Sodome and Gomorrha, people screaming and running, smoke and fire all around...

Maybe later I will muse upon who could have caused it and why. But now I just want to stay alive. I try to inhale deeply, as deep as my lungs would want to let this disgusting smoke in.

"HE-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-ELP!!!"

[Jacky]

Even through the chaos and amazing noise of the crowd I hear her scream. For a second it's as if my blood runs cold, with the realization that if I wouldn't do anything.. I may very well be the one to have killed her. Killed *Scarlett*. That's enough to make thoughts of fleeing and keeping my cover be pushed to the back of my mind.

I take one glance at my retreating crew so I know they'll be fine. Then I push my way through the crowd roughly, making my way to the stage "MOVE!" I bark at the people who're all trying to run in the opposite direction. Startled as they are, most of them make way so I soon reach the burning stage.

That was not supposed to happen. The fire. The collapse. A miscalculation that I could easily ignore, if it wasn't for the fact that Scarlett is apparently trapped within. And I have to get her out, whether I have the time for that or not.

I take a breath of fresh air, before I then move into the collapsed stage.. I climb over a wooden bord, and make my way into the ruins. There's fire, everywhere. And the thick smoke prevents me from seeing a hand in front of my eyes. The 'ceiling' is burning as well, and it creaks dangerously, warning me that it can collapse any time now. Though I move on, searching for Scarlett.

[Lana]

I squint my eyes, making out a dim silhouette of a man. The one who apparently came here to help me, having heard my desperate scream. "Oh, thank God, whoever he is!" - I exclaim and wave my hand, standing up, the hem of my dress still smoking but not burning anymore.

"I'm here!" - I shout, 'cause the smoke is too thick for me to see anything clearly. I try to go towards the silhouette, but stumble and almost fall onto the ground, grasping some wood-detail desperately. Though my tight grasp, instead of stabilizing me, makes the stage collapse even more, crambling and shattering around me, some pieces of the wood flying at me and scratching my skin, giving me abrasions and bruises.

"D@mn to hell the godd@mn f*cking brainless d!ckhead who caused this chaos!" - I mutter angrily, ruining my own rule: not to curse. Using almost all the curses I knew in this one sentence, I don't care about it, honestly. It surely looks like the last day of Pompea here! At least... maybe I'm not so used to explosions anymore. All our fights aboard vessels were somehow... less chaotic.

"Owh..." - I blush, though it's surely unnoticeable. Turns out that the man was too close to me to hear my long and very unlady-like swearing.

[Jacky]

"I'll blame that insult on the situation we're in," I grant her, letting it shimmer through that the very cause of this all is right in front of her at this very moment. I make my way over to her and grab her hand. Above us the 'ceiling' creaks suddenly, and I jerk her away sharply as a piece of debris collapses on the very spot where she was standing a seconde before...

She suddenly really close to me due to that though, since she practically fell right into my arms. "And I'll hope tha' you'll forgive this sorry miscalculation once I manage to get us out of here alive." I murmer, no need to speak it any louder cos my lips are near to her ear due to our sudden 'embrace'.

Again, the ceiling creaks and I pull her with me through the path that I came from the first time. The smoke makes it hard to see where we're going, so using my sense of direction only we eventually find the 'gap' between the collapsed ruins, where we can climb out. It's high though.. and I doubt whether she could make the climb in the state she's in (undoubtedly dazzled by the smoke).

"Here." I pull her close, "I'm gonna have my back against the wall, you climb onto my hands! That way you can climb out. Sa-- ... all clear?"

[Lana]

"You did that?! YOU caused this explosion?!" - I stare at him, though can't see almost anything, firstly, 'cause of the smoke, secondly, 'cause there's little seen of his face. A long cloak and a low-pulled hat are obstructing his face from view, and it's quite understandable, 'cause he could very well be arrested and hung tomorrow if anyone catches him or prooves he organized the chaos. But why did he do that?.. Wait... The convicted was a pirate. This man saved him... they are somehow ---

My musings are interrupted by the man's words, I nod quickly, realizing that I will have enough time for brain-work if I stay alive. Now we just need to get away, to escape this burning-smoking mayhem, and then I will start wondering who he is, why he did it, and the rest of the questions that bother me. But at first I should stay alive.

Though, when I almost fall in his embrace and feel his breath so close to me, I jerk a little bit away subconsciously... a stranger... How can I know who he is? So, when he offers me to climb onto his hands and climb out this way, I shake my head and refuse firmly.

"No, I'll make it myself", - I purse my lips and start climbing out, scratching my hands even more.

[Jacky]

"Stubborn as ever." I murmer, probably too vague for her to hear though. Soon as she manages to climb out safely I grab the edge of the gap as well and pull myself up. Behind me the ruins just start to collapse.. betraying just how close we were to both being buried in the burning mess. I leap down to the ground on the other side, this time a little more unbalanced so the impact makes my teeth rattle. When I look up, ready to get the hell outta here now.. I look straight into the barrel of a pistol.

A navy officer, high-ranked as his costume betrays him to be, took Scarletts hand once she tumbles out of the ruins and left her in the care of his men. Then when the other man -the pirate- leaped out after her he smoothly drew his pistol. Unfortunately for this scallywag, he was spotted on the rooftop from where the shots had been fired.. and then seen as he sneaked into the ruins. Why this intention to safe the life of Miss Olivia are unknown, but that does't matter either. What matters is, that at the end of the gunbarrel, justice can be done once more.

I sigh and put my hands up slowly. "Bugger." I grumble under my breath.

[Lana]

I take the hand of the officer mercifully, and let myself be accompanied by his men farther from the place, which is now just a large smoking pile of crashed wood. Though, when I realize the man who saved me isn't following me anymore, I stop abruptly and look back. Seeing the officer pointing the pistol at my saviour, I gasp and turn around on my heels sharply, walking up to the two men.

Silently, I let my eyes wander from the officer to the man with his hands up in the air. His face is still invisible... and I half-wish the officer made him show the face. His voice is similar with the one the 'Monk' had... the man who left me a rose, a note, and who made me remember and feel again... The man who organized explosions and saved my life. Whoever he is, I owe him my life now. And it seems to be the time I paid the debt.

"What is going on, Mr. Johnson?" - I address the officer. - "Do you really intend to kill my rescuer?"

[Jacky]

Awefully familiar, this position. A little uncomfortable to be the one at the wrong end of the pistol I shift my weight from one foot to the other. In this position they could easily make me reveal myself.. something I want least of all right now. It's simply not the oppertune moment for that.

"We have reason to believe he was cause of the commotion, miss Hannigan (?)." The officer says, his hand not wavering as he keeps his aim true - right on the pirate. "Who are you?" He demands.

"Jest an unfortunate soul, mate." I tell him, taking a sideway glance at Scarlett, "...an unfortunate soul without any intention to kill anything so fine." I grin.

The man snorts, obviously not pleased with this answer. "Somebody get some irons!"

[Lana]

( Havilland, nm )

I frown, looking at the man attentively. And suddenly I feel a slight shudder. He's most probably a pirate... he wanted to save his crewmember, most probably... A pirate. And I am defending him?.. But he rescued me from under the burning wood!

"Wait!" - I interrupt determinedly. - "Organized the commotion or not, this man saved my life! And it's at least one of the reasons I won't let you shoot him just yet", - I glance at the man. He's obviously a pirate - I've heard much of a pirate's talk, and I can understand that 'jest' and 'mate' and the whole sentence he just said... it makes clear that he's a pirate. But... he can't be that Monk then, can he?..

Oh God... not an easy day today, is it? - I ask myself ritorically.

"Mr. Johnson, I know that you are merciless defender of the laws here, but you know me - I have never been involved in anything illegal. Please, trust my word. I ask you let this man free, and my word will be the guarantee for you. Along with money, if needed", - I say calmly yet firmly. And I know they won't argue. My money... could buy everyone in this town.

[Jacky]

"I see.." The man hesitates, but eventually lowers his weapon. "Though I'm warning you," He adresses Jack, "Never to show your face here again."

From the position of having my hands up in the air as surrender, I now put them together and bow towards the man slightly. "My gratitude is infinite." I tell him, only half mocking.

Obviously bad tempered now, the man grunts and gestures his men to follow him.. ungracefully leaving Scarlett behind. Because eventhough he cannot refuse her word, and will not refuse her money, standing up for a pirate... well, his sense of what's right and wrong cannot agree with that!

I turn to look at Scarlett once the navy men march off.. I know that eventhough I can see her, I'm still well hidden by my diguise. "M'lady," I adress her, "...I suppose thanks are in order?"