Hook and Charming walked through the dirty streets of Tortuga in silence, neither of them wanted to be in the others company. The sun was beginning to rise a filling the streets with golden light, revealing filth and passed out drunks.
They walked towards the bar that Gold claimed he last saw Regina in, The Bucket of Blood. It was dirty and cheap. The window in the door was broken and a crack ran through the wood. Bullet holes covered the walls, the paint was peeling, and the smell of vomit and urine wafted out of it.
"I cannot see Regina coming to a place like this." Charming sighed, he like his daughter did not trust Gold's story.
"Well, it is a place for drowning your sorrows, maybe that was exactly what she needed." Hook winked and walked through the cracked door.
Most of the customers lay dozing in their seats, cradling last night's drinks. A woman was cleaning the surfaces with a towel, carefully avoiding waking the violent pirates, and their mistresses. She started away at Hook and Charming's entrance.
"Don't be alarmed." Hook smiled
She was beautiful, reddish brown hair, piercing blue eyes, tanned skin; she must have been in her early twenties. She looked down at the cloth in her hands, pulling at a lose thread.
"How can I help you?" she murmured
Hook sidled up to her and her whole body went tense.
"We are looking for a women, short, black hair, classy kind of girl." He smiled
"I saw her last night, she attracted a lot of interest." The girl blushed, she had worried, that he had planned on hurting her. She was used to the pirates trying to get with her, their hands caressing her skin. She hated her life here, married to a drunken man 12 years her senior.
"Did she leave with anyone?" Charming asked joining Hook in front of the girl.
"Ermm, yes, but…." The girl murmured "I can't tell you, if they find out, they'll…."
"Listen to me, what's your name?" Charming came closer
"Andrea."
"Well Andrea I promise we will protect you, if you help us find her."
"Ok, she left with two men Danny and Ulster; they are part of a local gang, involved in human trafficking, and other stuff." Andrea whispered looking around the bar, to make sure none of the patrons were paying to close attention.
"Thank you, where can we find them?" Charming asked
"I can't tell you, but I can show you." Andrea said nervously "Take me with you, please; I can't stay here any longer."
"Alright," Hook agreed.
Andrea, Hook and Charming left the bar that stank of vomit and piss. Together they headed towards the outskirts of the city. Staying close together, as although most of the town was asleep, they were moving into an even more dangerous area.
"Who is the woman we are looking for? Is she your girlfriend?" Andrea asked looking up at Hook.
"No, far from, she is called Regina. " Hook smiled
"Is she a sorceress?" Andrea whispered
"Why do you think that?" charming interrupted
"There are rumours of a powerful sorceress arriving here. That the shadow wants her." Andrea said, looking at Hook.
"Wants her for what?" Charming asked
"I don't know, but I know it won't be for anything good though." Andrea replied.
Hook felt a knot form in his stomach. They better find Regina soon.
X X X
Gold stepped first off the boat, surveying the large caves before them, according to Hook, Henry was being kept in one of these caves. Emma appeared by his side and peered up.
"We'll have to keep our wits about us, these caves are a maze." Gold said, staring ahead.
Together the three of them headed into the darkness. Gold sent a ball of light ahead of them, illuminating the dank walls.
They had been walking for a last an hour when they heard the sound of mournful singing.
"I know that song." Emma said, struggling through her memories to where it came from, "It's the lullaby Regina sang to Henry as a kid." She gasped, and set off running towards the sound of the singing. It stopped but she kept running, she had to find him.
She came out into a large cavern. Without the ball of light she had to stop and allow her eyes to adjust. That's when she saw it a small figure crouched in the corner.
"Henry?" she whispered, slowly walking towards the figure. Gold and Snow entered, the ball of light flew up, eerily lighting the space. The figure had its back to her, and sat in a nest of blankets.
"Henry?" she asked again, reaching out to touch its back. It spun around and for the first time in weeks she saw the face of her son.
He was thinner, his face gaunt and caked in dirt.
"Oh my god, henry." She cried in happiness but also despair from the state her son was in. She reached out trying to pull him into a hug.
Henry pulled away, jumping up and running away from her.
"I'm sorry! I promise I'll behave, I'll take my medicine." He screamed, clawing up the wall reaching for flowers that grew on a ledge.
"Henry, its ok, your safe now, it's me, your mum." Emma cried, coming over to Henry, he slide down the wall shaking, clutching the flower in his hand.
Emma wrapped her arms around her shaking son.
Gold came over and took the flower from his hands. He smelt it.
"What is it?" Snow whispered, tears falling down her cheeks watching Emma rocking her son.
"It's a hallucinogen. They probably made him take it, to keep him passive." Gold said, crushing the flower and letting it fall.
"It's okay, I'm here now." Emma cried "We need to get him out of here."
Emma lifted Henry into her arm, and they walked in silence back towards the Jolly Rodger. Henry humming quietly in her arms.
"I'm going to kill them for this." Emma said, jaw clenched.
"They will be punished, but I hate to say this, but didn't this seem too easy. Anticlimactic in a way." Snow said cautiously
"I don't care, I'm just glad to have him back."
"Snow is right, they must have another plan." Gold nodded.
"Then we will stop them." Emma said determinedly .