Chapter 95: The Chosen Three

Peter's eyes flew open.

It was dark. And wet. And slimy. And cold.

And someone, was screaming.

Senses bombarded, Peter jolted upright. He jerked backwards, sloshing into bilge water. Seaweed and fish guts squished through his jeans. Startled, Peter rolled. He lifted onto his knees. His ankles were chained. Peter squirmed. So were his wrists.

Someone was still screaming.

And others…were laughing.

Without reason, without cause, and without sight in the darkness, Peter yelled. Wrenching against the chains, he yelled into the darkness, telling the screaming victim to hold on.

Suddenly, the floor beneath Peter tipped. He fell, sliding over the soggy planks as the ocean slammed against the Jolly Roger. Peter shouted as the chains gave out, and his wrist bones popped against the metal cuffs.

The ship groaned, turning against the waves and throwing Peter back across the floor, and flinging open an overhead trap door.

Starlight leaked through meshed bars. Gagging on rancid, sour water Peter fought upright as light dusted the brig.

What he saw made him sick.

Three pirates were crouched over Wendy. They held her, arms outstretched and waist straddled. Peter's heart broke as the starlight fell over Wendy. Her curls were soaked black with bilge water. She was screaming, but Peter could not see her face behind the pirate straddling her waist.

Mindless with anger, Peter flew forward against the chains.

Then he stopped.

The pirate….the pirate was carving letters into Wendy's outstretched arm with a long, silver needle. Peter stared, nauseated and shocked. The needle…was Wendy's needle. Wendy's magical needle. And the letters, carved through her skin…spelled two words.

SHADOW WORKER

"STOP!"

Peter punched forward. The chains became immediately taught, but Peter pulled, lifting into the air like a bat on a leash.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!"

"Stop."

Peter turned. Rage melted the shivers up his spine as Captain Hook and Long John Silver stepped into the light.

No one spoke, but Peter's ears were roaring. Casting a backwards look to Wendy, he returned to Captain Hook.

"Tell them to stop! I'm going to escape. I'm going to get out of these chains." Peter swerved forward. Gritting his teeth against the metal cuffs, he lifted to Captain Hook's height. "So tell them to stop hurting Wendy. Because if you don't – when I get free, I'll cut off your other hand."

Captain Hook was placid. Almost amused. Shifting he raised a hand to the pirates. "As you were."

"NO!"

It was agonizing. Helplessly, Peter pulled against the chains as Wendy screamed.

Then, he looked back.

Captain Hook was watching him. Staring at his feet, hovering above the water.

Darkly, Peter faced the pirate captain. "What do you want?"

Captain Hook smiled. Leisurely, he paced, delicately placing his steps about Peter as Wendy screamed.

"Finally…" Captain Hook said, weaving with deliberate slothfulness through the silver beams. "…a worthy opponent. What is your name?"

"Peter Pan."

Wendy screamed. Her back arched out of the water as the needle dug deeper.

Captain Hook smiled. Silver's optical laser followed over his shoulder. "Tell me Peter Pan. Would you like me to stop hurting Wendy?"

Peter lurched forward. Hook did not flinch but his eyes flashed red. "You god damn better."

"And I will…as a pirate of honor. But, first…" Captain Hook paused. Peter had to lean forward to hear his whisper over Wendy's screams. "…when were you born, Peter Pan?"

Peter straightened. He was suspicious, as Captain Hook knew he would be.

"Spring." Peter finally said, slashing out an arm. "Spring. Now tell them to stop!"

Captain Hook curled a lip. "What day?"

Wendy cried. She tried to pull away, but bilge water splashed into her mouth.

Peter wrenched. His heart raced. "Tell them to stop!"

"What day?"

Wendy grabbed at the needle. Blood splattered from her arm and over her face.

"Tell them to stop!"

"What. Day."

Wendy's scream gouged through the little soul that Peter had left.

"Tell them to STOP!"

"WHAT DAY?"

"MARCH!" Peter roared. The planks beneath him broke, dislodging one chain. Right arm free, Peter exploded forward, whipping the chain at Captain Hook. "MARCH TWENTY FIRST! STOP HURTING WENDY NOW!"

Captain Hook stumbled. Silver caught him, blaster humming in his elbow socket and illuminating the welt across Captain Hook's face.

Hatred thick as blood and sharp as ice passed between the boy and pirate.

"Tie her up." Captain Hook finally said, pushing off the cyborg. Tempted by his hilt and pistol, the captain retrieved the magical needle from the pirates. "And let her rot. For now. Until I can use my Chosen One…and…" Pausing over Wendy, Captain Hook snarled back at Peter. "…Chosen Three. Men! Silver! Up top to the deck! We have a Wishing Star to break!"

Peter growled. Chasing after the pirates, he jerked against the remaining chains. "I'm coming Hook! I'm going to get out of here and them I'm COMING FOR YOU!"

"Eagerly I await." Captain Hook sneered from the darkness. "To run you through. Chosen Third."

The trap door shut. The lock clacked.

Peter's chest thud. Seething, he cursed Captain Hook.

Then…

"Wendy!"

The metal cuffs scraped against his skin. Peter reached, but could not reach Wendy. Desperately thinking, Peter dropped. He gained some distance crawling on hands on knees, but not enough. Again he dropped, this time onto his stomach. Still not enough. Approaching sideways, Peter dragged his right arm across the filthy water. He stretched his fingers as far as they would go.

But he could not reach her.

Exhausted, Peter lay down his head. Slime filtered through his teeth and pooled into his cheek as he spoke.

"Wendy."

She didn't move. The pirates had tied and discarded her on her side. The mangled arm was twisted behind her back. Blood smeared from her arm and into her camisole.

"Wendy. Wendy, the chains." Weakly Peter pulled. The chains rumbled over the floor. "Wendy, I can't reach you. Come…come here."

She didn't move.

"Wendy…" Peter begged as the starlight faded, covering Wendy in a silvery veil. "Wendy…please."

Again. She didn't move.

A tear gathered under Peter's eye. It prickled for a moment before falling like a comet.

"….Wendy…it wasn't your fault."

Starlight shifted. The brig turned silver.

"…you couldn't save your mother. Or your father. It wasn't your fault. But…" Peter tilted his head. "…I am sorry."

Wendy did not move. But, after a pause…Peter heard her crying.

"Hey…hey…Wendy…" Peter gazed. Then…breathing deep, he told Wendy his secret. "I remember the first day I met you."

The ship rolled, rocking the brig softly like a cradle.

"You were nine. Ten. Wearing a dress. It matched the ribbon in your hair."

Peter lowered his head. The planks vibrated under his pointed ear.

"We were on the playground. But you weren't playing. Just watching. Watching me as I swung on the swing set. You looked sad. And lonely. I wanted to ask you name. So I pumped my legs, swinging higher…and higher…ready to jump to where you sat…"

Peter smiled. He could almost feel the rushing air as he plunged up and down. "…But as I jumped, a boy – Rat Tail – ran up. He grabbed you. Wrestled you to the ground. He kept shouting; shouting about payback for hitting him on Pirate's Point. I ran over, coming to save you…" Peter closed his eyes. "…and then he ran away. He just left you and ran away. And when I asked if you were okay…"

Peter opened his eyes. He looked up, tears streaming over his cheeks.

"…you just…ran after him. And...never looked back."

Ashamed, Peter shook the tears from his eyes. "Wendy…I know you think I'm a jerk. But…I…I think…I know…I've always known….that….I'm not…good enough…for you…."

Peter closed his eyes. "But…I always wanted to be."

Starlight sprinkled the silent underbelly of the ship. The Wishing Star flickered precariously as Peter sat, defenseless and vulnerable in its light.

Then…he felt a breath on his cheek.

"…you are."

Without hesitation, without uncertainty, Wendy curled beside Peter. Like two broken pieces, they lay together, gazing up at the Wishing Star.

Wondering. And waiting.

Knowing that evil was coming.