Lindsey glared defiantly at the dark pirate captain from between the bars of her cell, tense and ready for a fight. The light in his eyes and the way he looked at her from head to toe made her shiver inwardly, dreading whatever horrors this man had in store for her.
"Aye love," crooned the pirate, "So you're going to tell me who you are and why you're on my ship, or things are going to be very…bad for you," he added, biting his lower lip as he stepped forward, excitement etched on his features.
"I'm not telling you a goddamn thing about me," she snarled, pressing against the bars on the back of the cage as she tried to get as far away from him as possible, "It's none of your damn business."
"Actually, it is," he said as he pulled his sword out of its scabbard, "You see, whether you like it or not, you are in fact a stowaway on board my ship, which makes every single thing about you now my business. So," he growled as he pushed the sword between the bars, the point stopping just before her throat, "You will be telling me who you are, love. And you'll be telling me now."
Lindsey pressed the back of her head against the bars as she felt the cold tip of the sword scratch her throat. She felt a rush of rage course through her. There was nothing she could do to counter this man. If she knocked the sword away, he'd just get another. Or he'd call his lackeys back down and they'd tie her up and let him do as he wished. It had been a long time since she'd been stupid enough to get herself into such an impossible situation. Disappointment and embarrassment burned at the back of her throat as she sneered at the captain.
"Why don't you tell me who you are first then?" she countered, green eyes flashing, "I don't want to be here…I never meant to be here, so why don't you tell me where the hell it is I am exactly. I mean, where I'm from men don't wear leather outfits and carry around medieval swords so what the hell is this place?"
Killian raised an eyebrow at that and narrowed his eyes, studying her as he removed his sword from her throat and began to circle around the outside of the hold.
"Where you come from," he repeated quietly, wondering, "I see. Well I'll tell you this much, love…I'm Captain Hook and you're in the land of magic near Neverland. I'm sailing to find an old enemy who's done me quite a bit of wrong these last few months and I'm putting an end to it. There now," he said with a smile, "Your turn."
Lindsey's eyes had grown as round as saucers as she listened to the man speak. His crew had told her she was aboard the Jolly Roger near Neverland…and now this guy was claiming that he was Captain Hook? The Captain Hook?
"Wait," she said, staring at him in disbelief, "You mean Captain Hook from like, the Disney movie? Peter Pan?"
Killian sneered at the mention of Peter Pan, "I don't know what Disney is, but aye…I know Peter Pan quite well I'm afraid. Now enough about me…who are you and where did you come from?"
Lindsey shook her head in confusion. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. None of this could be real. This had to be some sort of crazy dream. Maybe when that light hit her and knocked her down, she just smacked her head on the ground. That would make a lot more sense than what was happening right now.
"I, um, I'm Lindsey Scott," she said, looking up at the captain in bewilderment, "I'm from…from Washington D.C. I don't know how I got here…I just saw this light come out of the ground. I was trying to get around it to kill the man that came out of the light, but then it…it grabbed me, I guess," she added, putting a hand to her head and closing her eyes, "And then…I fell, hard, and landed on your ship. I…I have no idea what's going on, or why I'm here…or how any of this is even possible."
Killian had stopped pacing around her cell and froze, staring in shock at the woman behind the bars. The bright light? She must mean a portal. And this Washington D.C. place…he remembered Emma and Henry mentioning it before. It was the capital city of the land without magic. Which meant…this Lindsey woman…
"So you are from the land without magic," breathed Killian, "Your clothes…they're not like anything the women wear in this world…I had wondered…but you are from there, then?"
Lindsey raised an eyebrow at that as she glanced at her pitch-black, form-fitting outfit she always wore on assignments, "I…I guess? I mean there's no magic. It's just, the real world. America. I live in an apartment in the city. Nothing special."
Killian felt the air in his chest constrict and found it was suddenly hard to breathe. He swallowed and cleared his throat, masking his unease.
"You said you saw a man come out of this light before it grabbed you?" he asked as he began to pace around the cell again.
Lindsey nodded, "Yeah…he was dressed kind of like you and had a sword," she looked quickly back down at the ground, "It wasn't the first time I'd seen the bright light or the man either."
Killian gritted his teeth. So the rumors were true.
"Last time my crew and I were in a seaside tavern we were attacked," he said, eyes darkening, "We were accused of traveling to the land without magic and killing people there…stealing from them after killing them. It's considered an abuse of magic to do what this person is doing. It took a considerable amount of convincing before the people of the town let us get back to our ship."
Lindsey narrowed her eyes, "So it wasn't you…or one of your men?"
Killian shook his head, "I learned a long time ago that all magic comes with a price…and I'm not willing to pay it. Abusing magic, now that must be a heavy price this man is paying to do what he does."
"If it isn't you and your men, then who is it?" asked Lindsey as she moved forward, green eyes bright and eager for information.
Killian studied her a moment before he replied, "There are dozens of pirate ships out in the seas, love. But I have an idea as to who might be so bold to do what you've described."
Lindsey's face changed into a mask of fury and she broke eye contact with the captain. Memories of what had happened to Simon raced through her mind and she found it hard to focus.
Killian noted her reaction and realized there was more that this woman wasn't telling him just yet. He opened his mouth to question her, but she beat him to it.
"So…this is some kind of fairy tale land come to life?" she asked, looking around.
"Aye," said Killian with a sigh, "It's hard to explain, and even harder to believe. I've been to the land without magic and I found that place difficult to comprehend myself. Give it time, you'll see this is all very real."
Lindsey sneered, "Not sure that's comforting."
"You'll get used to it," assured Killian as he approached the cell.
Lindsey pushed back off the bars and pressed herself against the far wall of the hold, getting as far away from the captain as she could, her eyes wary.
"Now, love," said Killian, his voice barely above a whisper, "What is it you do in this land without magic? You're awful…violent…for someone who comes from your realm," he added as he pulled his sword back out, "And don't lie to me. I would hate to have to run my sword through you after all this…bonding we've been doing."
Lindsey swallowed nervously as the sword tip touched her throat once more. She felt her lip curl up a little in anger and she held her head a little higher, "I'm a killer. A hired hand. In this 'land without magic' as you call it…I'm an assassin."
Killian raised an eyebrow at this as a slow smile crept across his face, his eyes glowing with excitement, "Is that so? Little thing like you, a hired hand? Aye, love. You might be the most useful stowaway who has ever stepped foot onto my ship."
Lindsey rolled her eyes at the mention of being a stowaway, but bit back a sharp reply, "And how is that?" she asked, instead.
"Well," crooned Killian, "You see, love, this enemy I'm sailing to? He has quite the band of pirates at his disposal, all protecting him from succumbing to one of his many enemies, myself included. I've never been able to get him alone or have the opportunity to kill him myself. And that, that my dear is where you'll be coming into play."
Lindsey stepped into the far corner of the cell and eyed Killian warily, "What do you mean? Who says I'd help you?"
Killian's eyes glittered dangerously, "And who said you'd be given a choice?"
The dangerous light that danced in Killian's eyes made something in Lindsey's gut churn uneasily. She watched as the pirate began to unlock the cell door and slowly open it, sword drawn. He took a slow step forward into the cell, pressing the tip of the blade steadily against her throat as he drew closer to her.
"Now, stand still and this will only take a moment," he purred as he suddenly reached forward, dropping his sword and plunging his hand into Lindsey's chest with a quick, practiced move.
Lindsey felt a rush of pain inside her chest, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked down and saw that the pirate's hand had completely disappeared inside of her rib cage. How was this possible? Then, an overpowering sensation of pressure made her gasp as the pirate's hand closed around her heart…and then pulled it right out of her body.
Lindsey gaped at the beating red heart in the pirate captain's hands. She was bent over, gasping for breath and staring at him in complete bewilderment.
Killian gave her a slow, evil grin as he gripped her heart tightly in his hand, "You see, love, the thing is…I now have your heart. And if you don't do what I tell you to do," he said as he gave it a squeeze.
Lindsey screamed and her knees hit the floor of her cell as a horrible pain ripped through her chest and down the rest of her body. It only eased when the captain loosened his grip on the throbbing heart in his hand.
"So that is why you will be helping me," he said as he got down on one knee and peered down at Lindsey, "When we find my old friend, I'll need you to help get rid of his crew so that I can finally take my revenge on him. I need him alone. You'll be aiding my crew in the slaughter of his crew. Until then, you'll be helping me with other pillaging conquests as well. I would advise you don't do anything stupid," he added as he squeezed her heart slightly, making Lindsey flinch, "Otherwise, I'll just kill you by crushing your heart. Do we have an understanding, love?"
Lindsey stared up at the captain, her face a mask of horror, revulsion and fury as the pirate captain looked down at her, his face full of triumph and dark intent.
The feeling of helplessness washed over her again. Her mind went back to Simon, as it always did whenever she was hurting, and she felt her soul ache with sadness and longing. She had failed, yet again, and this time…it might be the biggest failure of her life. And possibly, the end of it too.
