Second on the Right (40 page)

"Send our acquaintance,
Peter
, a
'hello'," James replied, lowering the spyglass.

Smee looked at the captain quizzically.

The captain sighed. "Smee, shoot at him!" he
snapped. "Close, but not
too
close, mind you."

"Aye, aye, Cap'in!" he ran off. A loud boom
sounded as the cannon fired up into the clouds. It barely missed
Peter, who immediately changed his flight trajectory from Neverland
Island to the
Jolly Roger
.

"Here he comes," James whispered.

"All hands on deck!" Smee shouted and the men
prepared for the enemy's arrival.

Peter alighted onto a nearby rock, looking
towards the
Jolly Roger
. James stole away from the scene,
leaving the ship by skiff. Once the boat was ashore, he waded
through the water towards Peter. The tip of his hook made ripples
around him. James quietly reached the rock. The mist over the
waters was thick and it was difficult to see more than a foot or
two in front of his nose. The rock was covered with condensation
and algae. James used his hook to aid in crawling up. As he reached
his left hand out to grip the top, to his surprise it came to rest
on an arm. Pulling himself up, he came face to face with Peter,
their noses nearly touching.

Peter pulled himself up to a standing
position, towering over James. With lightning speed, he snatched a
knife from James' belt and spun around to drive it home, when James
clawed him with the hook. He knocked the knife out of Peter's hand
and into the water below. Peter grabbed the hook and slammed it
into a crack. James tugged and pulled, but his hook remained stuck
in the rock. He squirmed to escape the harness, but it was no use.
As he struggled, Peter bent towards James.

"Your wife, such a lovely creature," Peter
began.

James tried to ignore Peter, knowing the only
goal was to get a rise out of him. It was difficult for him,
knowing Peter had killed Eileen. Peter grabbed hold of the back of
James' neck and slammed his head down against the rock. Moving
close to his ear, he whispered all of the horrible, sadistic things
he had done to Eileen and was yet to do to Robbie. A wave of
revulsion came over James at the images entering his mind.

Peter held James firmly against the rock. As
he spoke of Eileen, the words became muffled. James was so focused
on his hook; he heard nothing, felt nothing else. At last, his hook
was free. Peter was too preoccupied with boasting to notice. Hook
scratched him in the hand, so enraged by Peter's words.

Peter cried out and pulled his hand back.
James unsheathed his sword, swiping across Peter's cheek. Peter
stumbled, a small trickle of blood running down to his chin. With
his hand, he tested the wound on his face and looked at the blood.
He even tasted it. The boy acted as if it was a new sight and he
was enthralled. James moved to end it quick and sure, but Peter
swiped his leg against James, knocking him off the rock and into
the water.

James splashed down hard, the water
enveloping him, entering his mouth and nose. He panicked,
struggling to regain his footing and breath. In the water,
completely soaked and shivering from the cold or possibly from his
anger, he glared at Peter. Peter who grinned, gave James a salute,
then called for new arrivals.

“Wendy, Michael and John, follow me!” the boy
shouted as he shot into the air and flew away.

James was disheartened. He had so desperately
wanted to end it there and then, but had failed miserably. Perhaps
he had underestimated the boy.
I won't make that mistake
again.

Tick. Hiss.

James swallowed hard.
Where is it coming
from?

Tick. Hiss.

James swam wildly for the ship. The look on
his face was one of pure terror, for he was certain the crocodile
was in pursuit of him. Shouting to the
Jolly Roger,
he
announced his approach and ordered immediate action to get him out
of the water. He did not wait for a rope, but instead gripped and
pulled himself up the side of the ship.

Tick. Hiss.
The noise seemed to grow
louder.

The men grabbed hold of James' coat, hauling
him on deck. As the mist cleared, so did James’ mind. He realized
the sound had been his imagination playing tricks on him. The
crocodile wasn’t out there. With relief, James bent over, holding
his knees. He was exhausted. Regaining his breath and strength, he
headed into his cabin to change into dry clothes.

James paced on deck, calculating his next
move. Pan had gotten the better of him. He would need to level the
playing field next time they met. Unfortunately, there were more
complications in the mix. Not only did Peter have his son, Robbie,
but he also had some new children with him. The children were in
their night clothes rather than bear skins, which led James to
believe they were recently kidnapped and held against their
will.

James gritted his teeth, his blood boiling at
the thought of Peter and his arrogance. He wanted to kill him.
While Peter lived, the tortured captain felt as though he were a
lion in a cage, with a sparrow freely flying in and out. The
question now: What was going to be his next move?

Recalling the hideout from the other night,
James, along with a select group of pirates, headed ashore and to
the trees. He ordered the crew to go down inside. Silently, one by
one, the lost boys were bound and gagged. After the boys were
passed up to the surface, the pirates continued through to an
adjoining room, where they bound and gagged the girl and her
brothers, the three identified as Wendy, John, and Michael.
Unfortunately, both Peter and Robbie were absent.

James, his crewmen, the lost boys, Wendy,
John, and Michael, all trudged back to the
Jolly Roger.
Being first and foremost a gentleman, James treated Wendy
differently. While the boys were locked away in the brig, James
allowed Wendy to stay in his quarters, under the watchful eye of
Smee. James raised his hat to her, and, offering his arm, he
escorted her to his cabin. Wendy seemed more captivated than
fearful of Captain Hook.

"My dear," he bowed. "Welcome aboard the
Jolly Roger
."

She curtsied trying to hide a smile. He had
such an air of confidence, and was so distinguished; she appeared
too fascinated to cry out for help. After taking his leave of her,
James headed down to the brig to look over the boys and, hopefully,
glean some information on the whereabouts of Peter.

As he had suspected they would, the boys had
let slip the location of the entrance to their underground
chambers, which held a hidden room where Peter usually slept. Able
to squeeze down, James held his breath to listen for any sound. His
eyes acclimated to the dim light of the home under the trees. The
walls were of packed dirt, with the occasional root jetting out.
The ground was filthy, with beat-up rugs or blankets strewn about
to give the appearance of a true home. In one wall, was a small
fireplace glowing with red embers. A few dingy wooden chairs were
set in various spots around the room. A pile of yellow stained
pillows were thrown into one corner. Cobwebs hung above, in corners
and crevices. The place had a light fragrance of sweat, mold and
damp soil. As James took in his surroundings, he noticed an
adjoining room, where a large empty bed was setup against the wall.
While searching the underground home, at one point he stopped.

Was that a baby?

James could have sworn he had heard the sound
of an infant crying. Freezing in place, he waited for a few
moments. After hearing nothing, he completed his fruitless search.
Disappointed he hadn’t encountered Peter or Robbie, James resolved
to return to the ship and begin the next phase of his plan. He
would threaten to kill the lost boys, knowing Peter needed them to
sustain his own life. Taking one last glance at the place, James
again thought he heard the cry of an infant. He strained his ears,
but heard nothing. Chalking it up to an overexcited imagination, he
made his way back up to the surface and to the
Jolly
Roger
.

James paced the deck in thought. All the lost
boys were in the brig. He planned to announce they would walk the
plank. He was sure Peter Pan would free them. The crew stayed out
of the way. They looked up to him as an excellent captain, but
greatly feared his temper. James should have been elated at his
success capturing the boys. Instead, he looked profoundly
melancholy. Deep in thought, he felt terribly alone. No family, the
thought of revenge did not seem to satisfy him, nor would it bring
back those he loved.

Looking over his crew, he frowned. None of
them would understand. Annoyed at the sight of them, James went
inside his cabin. He was surprised to find a girl in it, having
forgotten about Wendy. Gathering himself, he regained his
confidence as he strode into the room and sat down at the table.
Wendy sat opposite him.

Wendy claimed she was not much older than
thirteen. She explained that Peter had kidnapped her and her
brothers and flown them to Neverland. “It has been absolutely
horrid. I’ve been made to cook and clean for that lot. At first, I
thought it was great fun, like back at home. But before long, I was
tired of the game. I didn’t want to play anymore, but Peter
wouldn’t take me home. Instead, he…he did things to me. I’m very
grateful to you for your rescue.”

Brushing her dark hair back from her
shoulders, she held a coquettish smile, but frowned when she
realized he wasn’t paying attention. James tapped the tip of his
hook absentmindedly. Wendy slid her arm across the table, placing a
hand on his arm. James looked up in surprise and confusion.

Again, she gave a coy smile to him,
fluttering her eyelids briefly. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you
for your kindness, Captain Hook." She looked deep into his eyes,
seeing a sadness she, no doubt, hoped to alleviate.

James looked down at her hand, then back at
her. She held a longing in her eyes, one he knew wasn’t at all
appropriate for a girl her age.

James cleared his throat, pulling his arm
away from her. "My dear, the kindness is merely because you’re of
the female persuasion; otherwise, you would be bound and gagged,
like the rest waiting to walk the plank. You’ll be awarded the
opportunity to watch."

She gasped, holding a hand to her chest in
dramatic fashion, though her eyes betrayed her. She was, in fact,
entranced by the presence of the captain and becoming infatuated.
Then, changing her tone, she lowered her voice. She glanced around
the room to be sure she was not overheard.

"Captain," she began, trembling. "I want to
go home. Please take me and my brothers home."

His eyes narrowed as he considered her.
"Home? And where would that be, exactly?"