It was the middle of the night. Mr and Mrs Portman's young son, Jacob, was sleeping until a shadowy figure came and stole him away.
The next morning, Mr and Mrs Portman discover their new-born son is gone. "Franklin! Come quick!" Maryann Portman shouts, terrified.
Her husband comes running. "Maryann? What's wrong?" He asks. She points. "No… Not our son. What could have taken him?" Mr. Portman asks.
Several miles away, Jacob grew up knowing only one language: Hollow-speak.
That was fifteen years ago.
Miss Peregrine and her children encounter a now teenaged Jacob Portman. "Miss Peregrine! Look! Up there! On the hollow's shoulder!" Emma calls to her ymbryne.
Miss Peregrine follows Emma's shout, seeing the teen on the hollow's shoulder. She steps forward. "It's alright. You're safe now. Come on down." She calls up.
No response. He stares at her blankly. "Can you come down please? I want to see you better." She tries again. Again, nothing.
"Can you understand me?" She asks. He shakes his head. She freezes. He says something. A hollow answers. He stops, relaxing.
He doesn't move from his position on the hollow's shoulder. "Well well well, Miss Peregrine, sister. Is it good to see you again." A voice sounds.
Miss Peregrine gasps. "I see you've met our youngest recruit, Jacob Portman. The hollow he rides on is the one who took him from his parents fifteen years ago." He explains.
"You kidnapped an innocent child! Ripped him away from his parents, who no doubt would have loved him to the fullest! Instead, he was raised by you and your hollows! How disgusting, revolting, inhuman!" She snaps.
"I can speak perfect English, thank you very much." A voice resonates. Everyone freezes, slowly turning to stare at the teen boy.
He stares at them. "Jacob Portman, at your service." He introduces, sweeping low into a bow. Dressed in a black leather jacket, grey t-shirt blue jeans and converse, he looked stunning.
His well-muscled chest showing through his shirt, he was lean and strong, as well as tall. Emma felt a stirring in her chest the longer she took his well-built, slender, lean, toned and muscular form in.
"It seems like the pyrokinetic feels something for me." He mocks, jumping down to the ground. He walks over to Emma, staring her down.
She stares back up at him, fire in her eyes. He laughs. He takes her chin in his hand. "We can bring the darkness out in you. I promise." He says.
She glares at him, before smacking his hand away. She whips around, stalking back to the others. "Temper temper. Won't want that to get in the way of our plans." He taunts.
Emma spins around, eyes wild, snarling madly. "Stay away from me!" She hisses, infuriated. He chuckles. "It seems I've brought out the beast in you. I like that." He says.
She tenses, shaking. "Stay. The. Hell. Away. From. Me." She grounds out, downright furious. He smirks at her, leaning casually against a hollow. He closes his eyes, stepping back, taking a running start, shooting into the air, twisting around midway, and landing on his hollow's shoulder once more.
She gasps at his show of agility. "Wow…" She breathes. With his enhanced hearing, he listens to her thoughts. He laughs in absolute bewilderment when she frantically tries to close her mind off to him.
"I can hear thoughts, read souls and minds. Better be careful around me, Emma Bloom."