Chapter 27: Family

The last rays of sun disappeared beyond the horizon and darkness settled in. The stars in the sky were blurred, as they had always been from within the barrier. CJ had to be glad though. The few nights the stars would even be visible were to be cherished, since most nights would bring the usual clouds and rain.

CJ was as usual sitting in a dark corner between buildings. The precise place she was now had to be the most deserted part of the isle, the place where there would be the least chance of someone listening in.

She had gotten a message on a small piece of parchment saying to meet there at dusk. The sender of the message had not made his or her identity known. CJ could have dismissed the message as a trap, but since all the gangs were currently working together, this did not seem to be the case. If someone of one of the other gangs wanted to take her out, CJ would love to see them try. The only other alternative she could think of was that someone wanted to meet her to discuss other things than the invasion. According to everything she had ever learned, she had to simply ignore the message. But CJ was just so damn curious, and vaguely intrigued by someone who would be willing to operate behind the backs of Solomon or Uma.

At the moment, things were peaceful. CJ watched the waves and felt the soft ocean breeze. Everyone that lived in this part of the isle had long gone inside, minding their own business. So, when she heard footsteps approaching from behind her, CJ readied herself.

Harry Hook emerged from the slight fog in the alleyway and walked straight to the end of it, looking out over the sea. He stood right below where CJ was hidden but had not noticed her yet.

"I guess I should have known." CJ said as she came out of the shadows. "Come to apologize again?"

"CJ!?" Harry said perplexed as he looked up at her. "What do you mean? Were you the one that sent the message?"

"Of course not." CJ said as she jumped down from her roof. "Why would I want to talk to you?"

Before Harry could answer, they both heard a voice from the shadows between two buildings.

"Why indeed? But that doesn't matter, I was the one who called you here." Harriet Hook said as she left her own hiding place.

CJ saw how Harry positioned himself between her and her older sister and saw his hand move towards his scabbard. "And what do you want? Come to kill us both this time?" Harry asked.

"No, even though I easily could. But don't worry, I won't." Harriet said darkly.

CJ and Harry both unsheathed their swords. "I really want to see you try though." CJ said.

"Put those swords away, you idiots." Harriet barked. "I've come to talk."

"Oh, we're far beyond the point of talking to you Harriet." Harry threatened. "For the invasion, I was willing to tolerate you, but what you did to CJ was the last drop! We are no longer family, we're no longer anything!"

CJ was shocked at Harry's words. Firstly, because he apparently did this for her, and second because he seemed to genuinely care for her. She wasn't about to forgive him just like that however. "I don't need your protection Harry!" CJ scowled.

"Well, ya got it anyway sis." He replied.

"Oh, will you two ever shut up?" Harriet intervened. "And calm down a bit Harry, she's still alive, right? I've been more than reasonable with her."

"You sent Clay and his goons at me! They chased me, shot me, beat me!" CJ yelled. "And they would have done much more had Solomon not showed up."

Harriet scoffed. "Here we go again with Solomon. What has he promised you CJ? Why did you join him? I don't believe that it's because he's just such a nice guy."

"Why I joined him is none of your business!" CJ said loudly. "Maybe it's because he's the only one of you who hasn't tried to kill me."

"I've never done that." Harry said perplexed.

CJ raised her eyebrows at him. "And would you also say that Uma likes to see me walk around all happy and healthy?"

Harry uncomfortably shrugged. "She might hold a certain grudge against you."

"Enough!" Harriet yelled. "I've messaged you to talk about some important business, not to have yet another pointless discussion!"

"You really coulda spared yourself the trouble. Why would we ever associate ourselves with you again?" Harry sneered.

"Harry! There is no 'we'! I want nothing to do with you! Get that through that thick skull of yours!" CJ said loudly.

"Solomon is dangerous, and he needs to be stopped!" Harriet suddenly yelled.

This managed to shock both Harry and CJ enough to look at her again.

"So, now the cat's out of the bag, eh? You finally see Solomon as too big a threat, so you come crawling back to us expecting that we will just roll over and help you." Harry said with a grin.

Harriet ignored him. "Tell me this, when was the last time either of you saw the Horned King?" She asked.

Both CJ and Harry skeptically looked at her before answering.

"I don't know, months ago. I don't actively go and look for that old nut." CJ answered.

"I think about a week before Mal returned. There was a rumor that he was out so me and some others robbed his place bare." Harry said. "But what does that matter? His place burned down didn't it?"

"His place burned down the exact day Solomon and Uma got back from Auradon." Harriet said. "And according to my sources, the Horned King has not been seen since."

"Solomon probably took him somewhere, out of that old house of theirs." Harry said.

"And then burned it to the ground?" Harriet asked skeptically.

Harry shrugged. "Why not? It's not like it's always been right up in that head of his."

"Why does this matter anyway? The Horned King is a crazy old bastard and I do not feel like inviting him to afternoon tea or whatever." CJ added.

"I think Solomon killed him." Harriet said.

Everyone went silent after this statement and CJ couldn't resist but share an unconvinced look with Harry.

"Do you even have any evidence of that?" CJ asked.

"The Horned King hasn't been seen since Solomon returned to the isle. The day he did, his house burned down. According to my sources, the Horned King was still alive and in his house the day before, drinking himself to death apparently. When my crew investigated the burned down ruins of Solomon's house, they discovered a body." Harriet quickly said.

"Wait. What was your crew even doing there, searching a burned down house?" Harry asked.

Harriet looked back annoyed. "Do you think I would willingly get involved with someone like Solomon, who suddenly shows up with one of the most powerful magical relics of all time, just like that? I wanted to find out anything I could about him, but all of a sudden, his house gets burned down and his father goes missing. Don't you think that's at least a bit suspicious?"

"Why do you think he's missing? Have you even looked for him?" CJ questioned.

"Of course, I have you stupid girl!" Harriet snarled. "I would not have resorted down to the level of contacting you if I didn't absolutely have to."

"Here we go again with the insulting! Are you actually surprised that we're a bit hesitant to help you?" Harry said incredulously.

Harriet ignored this comment. "The Horned King is missing, and I assume that he's dead. My people have searched the entire isle and apart from a body in Solomon's burned house we haven't found shit! CJ, you are allowed into his den, have you ever seen any sign that Solomon might have his father stored there?"

CJ crossed her arms. "And why should I burden you with that information?"

Harriet threateningly moved closer to her younger sister. "You little brat! You think that this is all just a big game or do you believe that you'll be able to just bat your eyelashes at Solomon and make him fall in love with you? No? Well start taking this serious then!"

"Solomon doesn't feel love. That's one thing I'm absolutely certain about." CJ replied. "But no, I don't see this as a game. Believe me when I say that I know how high the stakes are here, I wouldn't have joined Solomon if they weren't."

"Is he threatening you? Blackmailing you? What has he told you?" Harry asked.

"Nothing of your concern, or yours." CJ said to her siblings. "As for your question, no I have not seen anything that might point out that the Horned King is in the den and I guess he'd be pretty tough to keep hidden."

"See, I told you. Solomon has killed his father!" Harriet said. "He's extremely dangerous and needs to be dealt with!"

Even CJ had to admit that even though Harriet seemed to be rambling, she did make some sense. If she was speaking the truth about how her gang had searched the entire isle and came up empty-handed, then the Horned King being dead was one of the few remaining options. Even CJ knew that Solomon had had a strained relationship with his father, that's where he'd gotten his scar from, but if he had resorted to actually murdering his father than he had just shot up to a whole new level of crazy and dangerous.

"Didn't Solomon's father tell him how to use the cauldron? I thought that he helped him." Harry said.

"Did he ever explicitly say that?" Harriet asked. "And even if his father helped him, Solomon could have decided to kill him anyway, you know, take out the competition. Or maybe the Horned King didn't want to help him at all, and that's why Solomon killed him."

"Lovely theories Harriet." Harry said. "But we all know that this is just a ploy to try and get Solomon out of the way so that you will have an easier time invading Auradon."

"And what if it is? Who would you rather deal with when we're outside of the barrier? Me or that snake?" Harriet sneered.

"Both not really prospects I look forward to." Harry replied.

CJ intervened. "Harriet! This is not a case of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' alright. I hate Solomon, as I guess we all do, but I am not willing to associate myself with you or help you in any way. You think Solomon is dangerous? Well, I can be dangerous too."

"You're making a serious mistake! You are condemning us all to our graves!" Harriet yelled. "If we do not stop him soon, he'll have too much power and he will not hesitate to kill us all! Harry, come on! You know this."

Harry scratched his chin with his hook. "Solomon cannot be trusted, that's as clear as day, but you have another thing coming if you think that I will team up with you Harriet. I would actually rather meet you in hell before helping you escape that fate."

Harriet slapped Harry hard across his face. CJ immediately reached for her sword again, but Harriet immediately turned around and left. CJ looked at Harry, who softly felt the cheek Harriet just slapped.

"Bitch." He mumbled, mostly to himself. "She has some nerve."

"Do you think she's right? About Solomon killing his own father?" CJ asked.

Harry looked at her. "I'm not sure. On the one hand, it would actually be something Solomon might do. If his father refused to help him, for this cause, he would do it. Harriet might have just made up those suspicions to try and get us on her side though. Maybe she even lied about having investigated the entire island, we have seen no evidence that she might be telling the truth."

"She did risk a lot sending those messages to us and coming here. Would she do that without solid reasons?" CJ questioned.

"To get us on board with her? Maybe. The one thing she said that made sense was that if it comes to a battle between us villains in Auradon, I would much rather fight her than whatever Solomon might have in store." Harry replied.

CJ looked at her brother. "If it comes to that, would you fight me?"

Harry cast his eyes downward. "I hope it just doesn't come to that." He mumbled. "Would you?"

"I might have to, someday." CJ replied.

"What has he said?" Harry asked. "What did he promise? Tell me, and I can help you CJ."

"I have told you already Harry, it is none of your concern!" CJ scowled.

Harry approached her. "He threatened you with something! He must have. You would never associate yourself with him out of free will, you're too good for that. Please CJ, I don't want to see you get hurt."

CJ felt tears well up in her eyes but wiped them away annoyed. "Then why did you leave me!? You left me basically for dead! You left me all alone!" she yelled.

"I told you that I was sorry, and I mean it! I wish I could have done things differently, but I cannot turn back time. I panicked, CJ! I panicked. They just barged in all of a sudden and I just looked for the quickest way out. I know that I never should have left you there, but please give me a chance to make things right!" Harry begged.

CJ just couldn't look Harry in the eyes anymore. "Alright." She eventually said.

"What?" Harry replied.

"Alright, you might be able to help me." CJ said.

"Anything. What is it?" Harry eagerly answered.

"You're right, Solomon has threatened me with something. I have to help him do something and if I don't he will hurt me." CJ said.

Harry let out a slew of curses. "That rotten bastard. But you don't need to worry CJ, when the time comes I can protect you. Uma will let me do it, she hates Solomon even more than she hates you." He reassured her.

"That won't help, Harry." CJ slowly said. "It's not me he wants to hurt per se, it's more that he will do things that will hurt me."

"What do you mean? Some kind of third-party blackmail?" Harry asked.

"Something like that." CJ said. "You can help me though, when I ask for it. If I see an opportunity, I will come to you and you can help me."

Harry nodded. "I will, I promise this time. But please CJ, don't get yourself hurt."

CJ had to grin at this. "How many times have you pushed me off the balcony when we were kids? And now you suddenly worry about my safety."

Harry smiled, but his look darkened quickly. "We're now dealing with something much more dangerous than a balcony."

CJ grabbed Harry's not-hooked hand and softly squeezed it. "I will see you again Harry." She said before walking away. She felt a piercing feeling near her heart and a sensation of fear completely took over her body. If Harry would do what he promised, he might have just signed his own death warrant.