Smooth Criminal
Chapter Twenty-One
Killian looked around him at the steep walls made of dirt and roots as if to look for a way to climb out until a cage door was slammed over the opening of the pit, then he turned back to the man still standing above him as Sinbad spoke again asking, "How did you know? How did you know I was the traitor? I've been very careful."
The pirate Captain turned his back to the sailor as he replied, "I didn't know for sure until you just confirmed my suspicions. But the truth is, you've been far too trusting of me, especially after all of the reasons these men have given you that would make any man untrusting of my motives. You yourself said you knew of my reputation. Just how long do you believe you can keep up with your deception? These men won't trust a word I say if I were to accuse you, but something is bound to give you up sooner or later."
"You're right," the other Captain answered smugly. "Which is why I've come up with a plan to draw everyone out of this hellhole, out of the fog keeping us protected, and the fairies will be waiting for them. Their worst fears will force the last of the refugees to surrender to them."
"Why?" Killian asked shortly.
Sinbad acted as if he didn't understand the pirate's question as he stated, "I beg your pardon?"
Killian glared up at the other man as he repeated, "Why are you doing this? Why betray those that trust you?"
"Because, like you I am a survivor," he responded. "I know all too well the look of a man who has fought to survive impossible odds and it's clear that you've survived far more than most men do in two or three lifetimes."
"That's because I've lived longer than three lifetimes," Killian replied sadly. "And I've seen a lot of suffering and agony caused by men such as ourselves. Until I met the woman who saved me."
Sinbad glared down at him as he said curtly, "You think you're some kind of hero? That you're that much better than I am?"
The pirate shook his head and answered, "No. I never have even though I do now fight on the side of good instead of evil. But once the dark fairies get what they want, when you're no longer needed to give them what they want, they will take you for their own desires as well and you will be slave to them. Protection, wealth, and power, or anything else they've promised you so that you would work for them will no longer be of any worth to you once it's over. Trust me when I say, aligning yourself with evil is never worth any of it."
"I'm done with your scolding," the sailor responded with finality. "You've no right to scold me. I'm only doing what I have to do. Men will be by later to make sure that you're given food and drink. I can't have you dying of thirst or hunger just yet. The Fairy Queen was very interested when I told her that I've managed to capture the infamous Captain Hook."
"If you planned to hand me over to the fairies all along, why save me from them in the first place?" Killian called out quickly before Sinbad could walk away.
He smiled as he replied, "The refugees were becoming more and more cautious, and more suspicious of everyone. When I saw you become surrounded by the fairies in the disguises of your fears, saw that hook in place of your hand, I knew right away who you were and that you would make for an excellent scapegoat. I just had no idea that you'd be so easy since you've become soft."
Killian scowled as he turned away once more and spoke saying, "I'm really tired of being told I've gone soft."
In Storybrooke…
Upon leaving the Evil Queen and Wicked Witch back at the farmhouse, Hook transported himself back onboard the Jolly Roger where he knew Belle had returned to after informing the heroes of Killian's abduction the night before and had remained, out of the way of any fight that could potentially harm her child.
He looked around the deck where he appeared and made sure that the spell cast over the ship's riggings was completely gone as Emma had asked Regina to do, then proceeded to walk down below the decks to his quarters. He stopped in the doorway and found the beauty lying on his bed with a book in her hands as she read, not having noticed his arrival.
"Trying to find a spell to help remove the Dark One's power over the Blue Fairy, even so long as he holds possession of her heart?" he questioned to gain her attention as he glanced down at the book's title. "Surely the others can help her without enlisting you to do more research."
"Killian?" she stated with surprise, being startled by his sudden appearance and interruption, then quickly stood up and dropped her book on the bed. "I'm sorry, it's just that you scared me. I wasn't expecting you to… I wanted to be of some help to them in the only way I can be right now. I heard that Rumple forced Blue to attack you, Emma, and Nova earlier in his shop when you went to get back the shears. Are you alright?"
Hook placed his hand over the spot on his shoulder where his sword wounded him and moved his arm around to show that he was just fine while he answered, "I'm fine. Emma healed me as soon as we got back to her parents' loft. Unfortunately, a bit more's happened since then. I fear you won't be very pleased."
She looked at him nervously and took a few steps back as she asked, "Killian, why are you here?"
"I need your help to get what I need from the Crocodile," he responded cruelly. "Sadly for you, you will always be the way to get to my oldest enemy. I'm not the pirate Captain you've come to see as a much closer friend to you than perhaps even more so than the rest of the heroes here, Belle. It's ironic really, that you would turn to the man who twice tried to kill you to get his revenge against your doting husband, who now is the monster you're trying to escape from."
"You're the Dark One again?" Belle asked fearfully upon sensing the same cruel demeanor Killian wore when he had been possessed by the darkness before. "I should have known just by your clothes, but how… how is that even po… possible? What is it that you want?"
Hook smiled as he sneered, "Revenge against Rumpelstiltskin of course. I will finally have it. But I need something more from him first. If you help me without putting up too much of a struggle, you might just live past all this so you can continue to help the rest of the heroes fight against the Evil Queen."
"You'll fail this time too, just like you always have," the bookworm said confidently despite the fear that had crept up within her as she backed up against the wall behind her as he neared her. "Emma will stop you."
"No she won't," he stated angrily. "Because she'll be too afraid to lose Killian like she did in Camelot. Today is the day that the Savior will fall and it won't be because of some prophecy that claims she will die in the hands of some figure under a hood."