Chapter Five
The Evil Queen
But there is a Queen. An Evil Queen.
Regina shook as she read the letter again and again.
'What is it?' said Zelena after a few minutes of silence in the room.
'It says Henry has been taken by whoever wrote this letter and that ….that if we don't meet certain demands he will be killed' said Regina. Her voice snapped then and she sank onto the couch. 'It has too have been Pan. He gained Henry's trust and now he has taken him away'.
'What are the demands?' said Emma.
'Gold is to be released from Prison, all charges dropped, I am to resign as Mayor of Storybrooke, Emma you have to resign as well and we have to erase the criminal records of Cruella de Vil and Bell Green. There is a ransom here as well' Regina paused and then ripped the letter up with her teeth. 'These people clearly don't know me. I don't pay ransoms. I am not sitting around like a cowardly clown waiting for them to give me back my son. I am going to take him back. They think they can take him and threaten me well there in for a hell of a surprise, time to rally the troops. We are going to save Henry'. She turned to Zelena 'have your network find out everything they can about who has taken my son, interrogate Gold's wife, find out whatever you can about Cruella De Vil and Bell Green'.
'Will do' said Zelena. She was breathless 'looking forward to the fight'.
'I will gather my best on the force' said Emma.
'Maleficent' said Regina 'it's time to bring out the dragon'. Her friend nodded with a wink.
However Emma could start making the phone calls she needed to she was pulled aside by Regina into the Kitchen.
'You need to end things with Killian before we go and save Henry' she said.
'Now' said Emma 'but we're kinds in the middle of something here?'
'Swan that's the very reason why, you go into battle with him on your mind and you might slip up. We need to be a united front on this and I need to know you're serious about us and this' said Regina.
'I am' said Emma.
'Then leave Killian, we need to be a united front and as long as you are with him we can't be. I don't do polyamory Emma' said Regina. Emma nodded and the two women kissed each other firmly. Emma headed to the door. She called August as she got into her car.
'I need support while I do this' she muttered to herself. She caught August up on the situation and then drove to her apartment and to her husband. Along the drive she realized that Killian must have known this would happen for a long time. 'After all why else would her have been so jealous of Regina even though the only times I would see her was about Henry or when we had work'. She had always tried to reassure him that her and Regina were over and had been for a long time. But he had never really believed her. She pulled up outside her apartment block. She saw that August was already there and from the light on in the apartment that Killian was home.
Emma had been so focused on driving back to her apart that she didn't notice the bus going past her to the city centre. It was just after all one of many buses. There was no reasons for her to take note of it. But maybe she should have. Sitting on the bus was a boy and a girl. They sat at the front and were the only passengers except at the very end was an older woman with thick dark red hair who was well dressed in a pants suit. Her long hair flowed past her shoulder.
The girl at the front of the bus had dark brown skin and jet black hair. She was wearing a plain brown dress and her eyes were closed. They snapped open. They were brown.
'We're here' she said 'finally'.
'We will find him Tiger Lily' said the boy next to her. He was a few years younger. Fair with pale skin and a sharp noise.
'You look a lot like him' she said.
'I wonder what he looks like now' said the boy.
'Probably complete different from as we know him. This won't be easy James. He will be a very different person and it's all my fault really' she said.
'You didn't know how my family would react' he said 'you were upset and hurt. You didn't intend to drive him away'.
'The road to hell is paved with all kinds of intentions. What I intended doesn't matter. The outcome does' she said 'I need to put things to right. I need to bring him home'.
'He might not want to come any more' said James.
'Maybe not but I have to try' she said 'and if not then I will live with my mistake forever'.
Peter Pan had tried to ring Henry multiply times. He didn't know if the boy had gotten home safely, didn't know if the boys mothers had killed him, what if those women had found out about their relationship? Peter paced around his large bedroom. His hand went into his hair and he began to pull at his curls.
'I have to find out he is okay' he said out loud to the empty room. Picking up the phone he rang first Wendy Darling but no answer, then he rang Bell Green but no answer finally he tried Felix. Here he had an answer. 'Come here at once, I've got a job for you' said Peter 'oh and bring that girl I wanted to recruit what was her name? Ah yes she will do nicely'. Next he contacted Nibs, Slightly, the twins and Curly. He needed them here now. He needed to find Henry. He felt something bad had happened. Just then his phone rang. It wasn't Henry. It was Curly.
'Boss there is a letter here I think you should see' said Curly.
August agreed to wait outside. Emma entered her apartment and came face to face with Killian Jones. She looked at him and took him all in. His stubble, his sharp jaw line, his dark hair. He was wearing only track suit bottoms and a vast and she could see the Tattoo of a hook on his arm. It was what gave him his nickname. She swallowed.
'You were right, you were right all along. I am still in love with Regina and I always will be. I want to be with her. You and Me we have to end for that to happen'.
'So what we had all along Swan was a lie then was' said Killian 'just some pleasant little distraction for yourself while you figured it all out'.
'No not at all' she said 'I love you. What's between us was and is real. But as much as I love you, I have never been in love with you'.
'Is that supposed to make me feel better' he said.
'No' she said 'I don't know how I could ever make this feel better or soften the blow. I'm breaking your heart I know that. But that seems to be me doesn't it. I've hurt my son, Regina and you. I am a terrible person. I am sorry it had to end this way. I didn't want it too'.
'But you wanted it to end none the less. You can be very poetic Swan. I know you've always belonged to her. I was kidding myself to think otherwise. I've only succeeded in borrowing you for a little while and it's never been enough'. He moved closer to her and kissed her lips. It has a kiss Goodbye. He picked up his suit case and headed through the door. Emma slumped on the ground. August came in and put his arms around her.
'You did the right thing' he said 'at long at last you're doing the right thing for yourself'.
Belle Gold or as she had once been known Belle French was under house arrest and surveillance by Storybrooke Police. So she wasn't exactly surprised when Zelena came for a visit flashing her a wicked smile. Belle showed her in and they sat down in the kitchen Belle playing with a lock of her auburn hair.
'A nervous tick already' Zelena smiled. 'So you do know something about all of this, this is going to prove to be too easy, a real shame I expected more fight from Mrs. Gold'.
'What do I owe this pleasure?' said Belle.
'Regina's son, my nephew has been kidnapped and is being held to ransom. Part of that ransom is dropping all charges against your husband' said Zelena. Belle did not even blink at any of this. Zelena sighed 'you're taking all the fun out of this for me. Well then I guess I'll play on your sense of consciousness then as you seem to have one no matter how buried it maybe, at least you have one unlike your husband' thought to herself. With that Zelena began to cry very softly 'my nephew, if he dies my sister will never recover' she hiccuped then and began to shake. Belle to shake too her eyes revolving around the room, looking for an escape. But of course no escape would do as she was stuck in this house. She made a move to comfort Zelena and then thought better of it. She closed her eyes.
'Robert told me that there is warehouse by the docs with a basement for holding people in' she said. Zelena stopped crying at once.
'Thank you Mrs Gold' she said and took her leave. But just before she left Zelena turned around and said 'What is Peter Pan's role in all this?' Belle blinked.
'My husband would never have worked with Peter Pan he hates that boy's guts more then he hates you, Regina and Emma all put together' Belle said. Zelena narrowed her eyes but then turned and left. As she walked outside and back to her car she picked up the phone and called Regina.
'All of this really doesn't add up' she said to her sister.
'What do you mean' said Regina.
'Well for starters Belle swears up and down Peter Pan had no hand in this scheme but how could he not? He and Henry were romantically involved but there is no evidence that Pan or any or his minions had a hand in all of this. It just doesn't make sense, unless….'said Zelena.
'Unless what Sis?' said Regina.
'Unless however took Henry wants to threaten Pan as well, maybe Peter has real feelings for you son and wasn't leading him along at all' said Zelena.
'Do you even realize how insane that sounds?' said Regina 'How could someone like Peter Pan and my son end up falling in love like that, for the love of god sis this is the real world not some Shakespeare drama or some fan fiction. It's just not possible these two boys are from completely different worlds'.
'Um, I have to ask how likely then is it that Henry and Peter would even go on a date to a carnival? You're right they are from different worlds, didn't stop them meeting, and didn't stop them from sleeping together. Wake up and face it your son is in love with your sworn enemy…one of them anyway' Zelena said 'but leaving that on the other side you need to contact Ruby Red, she's the best tracker Emma has. Tell her to search the Docks. It has a basement where they are holding Henry'.
'Glad to see your questioning skills haven't gone downhill along with you sanity' said Regina 'see you back here soon'. Regina hung up before Zelena could make a reply.
Peter Pan was not a young man to be easy scared. But right now he was terrified.
'Henry, my Henry has been kidnapped' he said. His hands were shaking. He swallowed. He knew what he had to do.
'There might be no Kings in this city' he thought to himself 'but there is a Queen and right now if I want to get my Henry back I need to make sure we don't get in each other's way. After all these years it's about time I mate Madam Mayor Regina Mills' he smiled to himself. 'It will be one hell of a greeting. Well most people dread meeting their mothers in law. Well I have mate Emma before at one of those many court hearings….oh god now I'm just rambling. What the hell has Henry Mills done to me? A lot of things clearly'. Peter readied to leave his building on his way out he noticed a sliver car parked near his building he hadn't seen before with two people inside but took no notice of it. He had bigger things to worry about.
Tiger Lily swallowed. She clutched James' hand. They had found him at last.
'We can finally bring him home' she said. 'I know it's him from his eyes'.
Henry didn't know where he was, he was in a small room that looked like an office of some kind of some kind. He was chained by his wrist to large metal pole. There was thankfully a bathroom he could go to nearby. The chain allowed him some movement but he could not escape. Two armed guards stood just beyond the door which was sliding glass. Apart from them all Henry could see was a wall of solid concrete from his limited view. Perhaps they were in a warehouse of some kind he mused to himself. He blinked as the two men separated to allow someone inside. It was Wendy Darling. She had with some bread and soup. She slipped inside the room and put them down on the desk.
'We're not going to hurt you, I made sure of that' she said 'as soon as your mothers give us what we want we will let you go free'.
'Oh thank you so much for that, as if it takes away from the fact you abducted me' said Henry 'in broad day light. We used to be best friends all of us. You, me, Felix and Violet and now we're all involved in some kind of fucking Game of Thrones shit'.
'True we all are but you don't seem to realize I've been from the very beginning Henry. My real name is Cruella De Vil. I not only work for Pan but I am a spy for Robert Gold who holds my two younger brothers as hostages. That's why I am doing this so we can all get away. What I am doing to you here is just a necessary evil. For that I am sorry but my brothers are more important to me than anything else in this world'.
'Do you not think maybe you could have come to me instead of this whole twisted scheme? I am son of both the Mayor and head of the police. With your information on both Pan and Gold we could have figured something out' said Henry.
'No, you're being naïve again Henry. Once you're part of this world you're always a criminal and people like your mothers will always see as such' said Wendy.
'Well you can call me Naïve if you like but you have made two very big mistakes in this' said Henry 'my family will come for me they like nothing more than a good and bloody fight. Also I know your secrets. What you really want'.
'How would you know that?' she said.
'Because I am not nearly as Naïve as you might think, so tell me when the last time you saw Madeline' he said. Wendy blinked and then clutched her fists and turned to leave.
'How did you find out?' she said.
'I am the mayor's son. She uses my birthday for nearly all her passwords. I hacked into the servers and had a look at the records. I read the file on Cruella De Vil. You've changed your appearance a lot since then but it was the eyes that give it away. I would know your eyes anywhere after all we were best friends, Wendy Darling weren't we? I wonder what would happen if I told Bell about all this. Have you told your deepest desire?'
'At that Wendy's entire body shook and shook. She left. She walked so fast it was almost a run. She was in way over her head. She knew she was now. Way over it. She had pissed off two of the most powerful women in the city. She paused then as re-entered the main room of the warehouse complex. Someone had just arrived. A tall graceful older woman who had started it all. She wore a sensible green suit and had her hair done nicely. She was lot like her daughter Bell mused. She was also a lot like both her daughters. She was the one who had come up with all of this. Perhaps Wendy mused if things get out of hand I can hand her over on a platter to the Swan and the Queen so that I can save my own head in the process. She shook hands and greeted the new comer. The sooner as she could she whisked Bell away from her and into one of the smaller room. She had to keep her away from Henry. As the two sattogether in corner of bare concrete room. Wendy heaved a sigh and then finally said.
'I think it's time I finally told you my story. How I ended up with Pan, what happened with my brothers and why I changed my name and my face. I needed a mask. It all goes back to my mother Madeline Mary De Vil nee Darling'. Bell took her hand and held it tightly. 'My father abused me and then as I got older I saw him eyeing my two younger brothers. So I killed him to protect them. My mother blamed me, she didn't believe me and locked me in the attic. Two more men came into her life. She married both of them. But they were both just like my father. I had to protect my mother. She thought I was some kind of psychopath. It was then that Gold came into my life. He talked to me through the window of the attic. He offered me a new chance at life. I was a foolish girl and I believed him. I took a new name and face under him but his new lease on life came with a prize. I was to be his spy. I was put in Henry's school with the orders to watch him. It's how we became close and I also spied on Pan. It's how I mate you. When I cut a deal with Gold we agreed to have him released in exchange for my brothers.'
'Is that everything Wendy?' Bell asked.
'Yes' Wendy said and the two kissed.
Henry looked up as a somewhat familiar looking woman stepped into his room. She had long auburn hair and wore a sensible green pants suit. She looked like his aunt Zelena but moved and spoke like his mother Regina.
'You're such a handsome boy' she said 'I know you're not the result of Regina's egg but you do have a look of her none the less. They do say that the gestational mother does leave cells of herself inside every baby she gives birth to so perhaps genetically you're a little bit like her. A little bit like me. It's been too long Henry' she said 'the last time I saw you, you were just a baby, I only wanted to see you, you're my grandson after all'. Henry blinked and then swallowed,
'Cora' he said.
'Now now, call me grandma' she said with a smile.
Emma, Regina, Zelena and Maleficent gathered in the Mayor's office.
'Here how this is going to work' Regina said 'Emma will fight the guards at the front along with her trained forces consisting of August, Graham, Dorothy and Ruby. Maleficent you will be at the rear with the Dragon. I and Zelena will creep in through the back door of the building. Once we have secured Henry we will sound the Alarm to retreat the key here is to get in and out with as little blood shed as possible. Once Henry save then we can arrest them all or if they continue to resist we can legally use the resisting the police enforcement to fight them into submission if they try to kill us we can kill them as we have the authority to use lethal force where necessary'.
'Really no use of the tunnel eh Madam Mayor Regina Mills' Regina turned around and there sitting on her desk was Peter Pan. She looked up at a gust of wind. Her office was a tall room with a skylight above it. She always kept it closed but now it was open as if the boy had just flown in. Like he was a character from a book. Regina pulled out knife and seized Peter's collar.
'What are you doing here, you kidnap my son and now you show up to rub salt in the wound' she said.
'I never hurt Henry and I never will unlike some people here. No, I am here because I want to help you get him back' said Peter. Regina felt someone grab her hand. It was Zelena.
'Hear the young man out' Zelena said 'we need as much information as we can and whose better as an informant then someone who has been Gold's biggest rival even more of a thorn in his side then you'.
'How are we suppose to trust him?' said Emma stepping forward her hand on her gun.
'Because I am in love with Henry. I have been ever since I first saw him' said Peter.
'You can't expect us to believe that' said Emma.
'Of course he doesn't' said Maleficent 'that's why he is here. He wants us to believe he cares about Henry'.
'I do' said Peter as Regina practically choked him.
'Then prove it' said Maleficent.
'How?' said Peter.
'Simply why did you pursue a relationship with The Mayor's son despite knowing how dangerous it was for both of you' said Maleficent 'didn't you use your brain, you're intelligent, you knew what could happen and what has happened so why?' Peter shoved Regina off him finally.
'You're right. I knew all this could happen, I knew how stupid I was being but when I saw him it was like I couldn't think. I was in all over my head we both were but I didn't care. He made me happy and I wanted to make him happy'.
'Alright then' said Zelena 'Regina remember that it wasn't his name we had been told to clear it was other wanted people. I can tell a liar. It is why I am your interrogator and head of your spy network. I know this young man's methods and this simply isn't it'.
'You can't fake something that cheesy and corny' said Maleficent nodding in agreement.
'Fine then but don't take this as meaning I trust you. You see that machine gun attached to Mal's arm? We call it the Dragon. Before Mal went into retirement it took down so many people. You betray us and you will face it by legal death penalty' Regina smirked 'You know boy I have heard you're fond of saying things like ''There are no kings in this city only me''. Well now you're right there no kings in this city but there is a Queen, an Evil Queen and she can be an even bigger nightmare then you can even begin to imagine. Now tell me about this tunnel'.