Once they crossed the border into Corona, Meg, Sinbad, John, Shang, and Mulan ditched the carriage and dismissed the driver back to Syracuse. It'd be a lot harder to discreetly move through the kingdom in a royal carriage; it was better for them to continue on foot.

It had taken most of the day to travel to Corona from Syracuse and it was well after dark by the time they entered Gaston's kingdom. Atlantis was much smaller than Meg had anticipated and they did not run into any trouble as they traveled through it. Meg didn't know how Sinbad had connections with the Prince of Syracuse, but he had come through and that was really all that mattered to Meg.

Meg and the others hadn't been walking down the narrow dirt road long when someone stepped out onto the road ahead of them and stopped. When they got closer, they saw it was Aladdin.

Aladdin was the last person Meg expected to see when they entered Corona.

"How did you get off the ship?" Meg demanded.

"That's not important," Aladdin replied. "What's important is that I'm going to help you."

"I don't trust you."

"I know. But, if you you really want to get to Gaston, you're going to have to."

Meg put her hand on her hip. "Why is that?"

"I know where he's going to be tonight and I know he's going to be alone."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I set him up."

X X X

Jim anxiously paced Gaston's dirty cabin. They'd arrived in Corona a couple hours before dawn that morning. Getting off the ship had been easy. After knocking out Adam, their only guard, they made it to the armory to arm themselves, then snuck off the ship. If anyone had seen them leaving, they didn't try to stop them. Aladdin took them to this cabin, then left to talk to Gaston.

Aladdin told them Gaston had agreed to talk with Meg and set everything straight that night. Aladdin had gone to intercept Meg's group, but hadn't returned yet. Jim, Jasmine, and Flynn wanted to go with Aladdin, but he insisted it would be better for him to go by himself. He knew this kingdom and could get to the border more quickly alone.

Jim didn't care much what happened to Aladdin. He needed to see John. He suspected Meg took John to Syracuse to make sure Sinbad did what he was supposed to, but he had no way of knowing if John was even still alive.

"Jim, it's going to be all right," Jasmine said. She and Flynn were sitting at the dining table, but they didn't look like they were faring any better than Jim. Unlike Jim, they were worried about Aladdin. They didn't want Aladdin going to the castle alone to talk to Gaston and they had been completely against Aladdin seeking out Meg alone, but Aladdin hadn't given them a choice. He knew what he was doing and they had to trust him. Jasmine and Flynn did blindly. Jim didn't, but he didn't care if Meg killed him for the traitor he was and left his body on the side of the road somewhere.

The door to the cabin opened. Aladdin walked in first, with Meg right behind him. She had her sword drawn. Shang and Mulan entered after Meg, both with their swords in hand. John and Sinbad came in last. John was conscious and walking on his own, but Sinbad stuck close to him.

Jim rushed past everyone else and threw himself at John. John wrapped one arm tightly around Jim.

"Are you hurt?" John asked him.

Jim shook his head and pulled him into a deep kiss. John matched his intensity, his embrace tightening.

The kiss was quickly interrupted by Meg clearing her throat. "Where is he?"

"Gaston should be here soon," Aladdin replied. "I told him midnight."

Meg sheathed her sword and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't like this. It feels like a trap."

"It's not."

"How do you know he's coming alone and not bringing guards with him?"

"Because he trusts me."

"That's not good enough," Sinbad said. He turned to Jim. "Kid, get John out of here."

John glared at him. "What?"

"Meg's right: Gaston could be bringing guards with him and you're in no shape to fight," Sinbad told him.

"I'm fine," John growled.

"He's coming alone. He trusts me," Aladdin repeated.

"Well, he shouldn't!" Meg snapped. "You're a rat."

"Then why did you follow me here?" Aladdin challenged. Meg narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't answer. "Call me whatever you'd like, Meg; but, you need me and you know it." Aladdin shook his head. "You don't know what you're doing. You've got everyone's necks on the chopping blocks, but what exactly are you going to do? Go to war with a kingdom? Assassinate a prince? Your plans constantly change and you never would have been able to pull any of that off, anyway. If it wasn't for me, you'd be in the gallows by morning; along with everyone else in this room."

"Meg, please just trust him," Jasmine pleaded.

Meg sank down on the bed. "None of you understand. My husband was murdered in front of me. I had to watch him choke on his own blood and watch him die slowly and there was nothing I could do to help him. You have no idea the fear and pain I felt as I held him while he suffered. And Gaston did that. Hercules died so I could live and I will not let his sacrifice go unavenged."

"Meg, we all understand your need for vengeance. Any one of us would do the same in your position," Aladdin said. "But, you're going after the wrong person. And even if Gaston was responsible, you can't kill him here."

"Maybe we should just go back to the ship," Shang suggested. "This doesn't feel right."

"Shang's right," Mulan added. "Something bad is about to happen, I can feel it."

"We're not going anywhere," Meg said, quietly. "It's too late to go back now."