No Quarter For Heroes

Chapter Twelve

Ruby held onto Hook's coat while she and Granny vigilantly walked in all of the directions that they could smell the man's scent coming from and so far, after walking for miles all around the town, they've been unsuccessful in finding their friend. The older woman noticed a bench in the park across from where they had finally stopped, then sat down to rest her feet.

Granny looked up at her granddaughter as she grumbled, "I am getting far too old for this. That is why I've left this sort of trouble to you, Ruby."

Ruby sighed in frustration as she took a seat beside her only family, then said in defeat, "I don't understand, Granny. What kind of magic can possibly make it so that I can smell a man from all possible directions and still not be able to find him?"

"Very dark magic," she answered coldly. "That's what kind."

"Well, we can't give up," the younger woman responded worryingly as she stood up again and worked to help her grandmother do the same. "I gave Emma my word I would do everything I can to find Killian. But it's not just because of that. She and Killian are my friends and it's what's right. Besides, we have to stop Pan and Hades from taking Emma's magic. God only knows what they plan to do with it."

Granny nodded in agreement and thought for a moment, then she finally spoke up again saying, "Hold on, back at the diner, Emma mentioned something about being able to smell not only Hook's cologne that he wears, but also the rum she spilled on his jacket. And because your senses are finally tuned, I sure that you can smell a lot more of him than even that, more than one scent. Am I right?"

Ruby carefully sniffed Killian's coat once more, then smelled the air all around them as well, while Granny continued, "Try to focus in on only one scent. Look for the scent that is distinctly him and zero in on only that. My nose isn't that good anymore, but I know that you can do this, Ruby. You're the best tracker I've ever known and I'm not just saying that because I'm your grandmother."

"Wait, I think I might have something," Red suddenly replied excitedly. "I'm not sure how, but think I can find him, even despite what's cloaking him from us. Come on!"

It took more time than Ruby would have liked while she continued to track, as she kept losing the one scent that she was trying to maintain over all the rest, but she always found it again. Together, both women treaded through the woods until they finally found an opening into the mines that ran beneath the entire town, and slowly made their way through multiple tunnels after taking two of the torches from the walls which had been secured throughout by the dwarfs years ago, then lit them using a lighter Ruby had in her pocket so that they would be able to see as they moved forward.

"We're close," Ruby stated as she quickened her pace while the older woman did the same to keep up with her. "I can smell his blood, but I don't just smell him anymore. I can hear his breathing too. It sounds weak. He's in pain."

After a few more tunnels in, they finally found the man they've been looking for lying on his side upon the cold, hard ground within a dead end, conscious and aware of his surroundings, but very weak as Ruby suspected he was. They rushed over and knelt down beside him as they carefully rolled him over onto his back so that they could get a better look at whatever it was that might be wrong with him and found that his right wrist and legs were all shackled to the support beam closest to him.

Ruby said quietly, "Killian! Thank God we've found you. What did that demon child do to you?"

Hook struggled to speak as another wave of pain washed over him, but he managed to answer, "It's too… long a story for now, love. Aagh! You should… shouldn't be here. Pan will be back soon and if… he catches you…"

"Hush now," Granny responded sternly as she took a closer look at the gash along his face, while Ruby looked over the rest of his body for other wounds, or anything that would explain why their friend was obviously hurting so badly.

"I can't find any other mark on you," the young woman spoke up again in confusion as she looked into his eyes, at least so long as he could keep them open when he wasn't fighting off the tremors that shook his body. "How can we help you?"

Killian shook his head as he closed his eyes and then replied, "You can't. My agony is… inside. All I've done, all I've… I've ever felt… all I've caused…"

Ruby looked over at her grandmother in concern as their friend was starting to not make any sense, then she turned back to him and stated fearfully, "I don't understand. What are you trying to tell us?"

"Can you not hear the ticking?" he asked as he re-opened his eyes in search for something until Granny noticed the bloodied watch beside her. "I suppose, I'm the only one… who's meant… to hear it. It's why… he needed my blood."

"Come on, we're going to get you out of here," Ruby said sternly as she unfastened his hook from its brace so she could use it to try to pick the locks of his chains. "Granny, you need to find Emma and tell her where we are. She's the only one who can break these locks. He needs her."

Though she hated to leave them alone, Granny looked between them and answered, "I'll be back for you."

Killian struggled to sit up with Ruby's help as she spoke again quietly, "You're going to be alright."

"I'm afraid that's not true," Pan responded as he suddenly appeared before them. "I don't know how you found him, but it was the last mistake you'll make."

"Granny!" Ruby fearfully cried out just as Killian swiftly pulled the younger woman down and covered her with his body to protect her from the collapse when Pan's shadow swiftly flew in and caused the mine to cave in where her grandmother left only moments ago.