Chapter Sixteen
The crew had finally made their way back to Pirate Island in the very wee hours of the morning, utterly exhausted but triumphant. The key had been recovered, and now it needed to be hidden somewhere even the sharpest treasure hunter would never find it.
Jake took every precaution. First, he placed the key in a sturdy glass bottle, ensuring it couldn't get damaged or tampered with. Then, he sealed the bottle inside a small, reinforced box, securing it with a padlock. Finally, he locked the box in an ornate treasure chest and stashed the chest under his bed.
"There," Jake said, brushing his hands off as he crouched to check that the chest was snug in its hiding spot. "Not even the sneakiest snook in Neverland will think to look here."
Cubby yawned loudly, stretching his arms as he leaned against the wall.
"I don't know about sneaky pirates, but I'm too tired to think about anything."
"Same here," Skully added from his perch. "How about we finally get some shut-eye?"
Jake grinned.
"Good idea. Tomorrow's gonna be a good day—we've earned it."
The crew turned in, each collapsing into their respective spots with the sweet promise of rest.
The morning sun bathed Pirate Island in golden light, signaling a new day filled with the kind of peace they rarely got to enjoy. Jake stretched and yawned as he awoke, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He felt refreshed, the weight of the last few days momentarily lifted. He headed outside, expecting to see everyone waiting for him.
Sure enough, he spotted Cubby and Skully near the shore. Cubby was fiddling with a coconut shell while Skully perched on a nearby rock, munching on what else? Crackers.
"Morning, guys!" Jake called out as he approached.
"Morning, Jake," they both said.
"Crackers! Looks like you needed that sleep more than any of us did!" Skully chirped.
"What do you mean?" the little leader asked, his head cocked to the side.
"What do I mean? It's almost noon!" the parrot explained, pointing a wing towards the sun that was smack in the middle of the bright blue sky.
Jake's eyes widened.
"Oh….uh…" he said, a small blush starting to form on his cheeks. "...hey where's Izzy?" he asked, quickly trying to change the subject.
Cubby didn't even pause from toying with the fuzzy fruit.
"She left," he said. "She said she was going to the Fountain of Forever."
Jake blinked, his brow furrowing.
"By herself? She didn't want us to go with her?"
"I dunno." Cubby shrugged, scratching the back of his head. Jake frowned, his gut twisting with unease, what with the thought of everyone else disappearing lately.
"Alright, who's up for a game of hide and seek?" Skully chirped to reset the tone.
Cubby's eyes lit up. "I'm in!"
"Sure, why not?" Jake added.
Skully flapped his wings and puffed out his chest.
"Great! I'll be the seeker. You two better find good hiding spots, because I'm the best seeker in all of Neverland!"
Jake and Cubby laughed as Skully covered his eyes with his wing and began counting.
"One, two, three…."
Cubby was determined to find the best hiding spot. Spying a tall palm tree, he began climbing, his hands gripping the rough bark as he scrambled higher.
"Almost there," he muttered, pulling himself onto a sturdy branch. "Perfect! No one's gonna find me here—whoa!" His foot slipped on a patch of moss, and before he could regain his balance, he tumbled from the branch and landed with a loud thud in a bush below.
Skully swooped down, hovering above him with a smirk.
"Aw crackers Cubby! How many times do I gotta tell you ya don't have wings!"
"Gee, I never realized that Skully," Cubby groaned, brushing leaves out of his hair. "Now let's go find Jake!"
Skully cackled as they headed off to find Jake. When they reached the base of a small hill, they spotted him immediately—standing at the top, fully visible in the open.
Skully tilted his head.
"That's a pretty terrible hiding spot."
Cubby cupped his hands around his mouth. "Jake! What are you doing? You're supposed to hide, not stand out in the open!"
Jake didn't answer. He stood utterly still, his shoulders tense, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Cubby and Skully exchanged a puzzled glance before climbing the hill to join him.
"Hey, Jake," Skully said, landing beside him. "What's going on?"
Jake's voice was low and distant as he finally spoke.
"I wasn't hiding… I was waiting."
Cubby frowned, a chill creeping down his spine.
"Waiting? For what?"
Jake shook his head slightly.
"Not for what. For who." he said, thinking of the valuable key locked up in the bedroom and more importantly, the certain pack of pirates who were oh so desperate to claim it.
The weight of his words hung in the air, and Cubby's face paled as he realized exactly who Jake meant. His heart raced, and the chill deepened as an unshakable unease settled over them.
The sun sank low, casting the beach in a warm, golden-red glow as the first stars began to appear in the sky. Jake, Izzy, Cubby, and Skully lay sprawled in the sand, staring up at the emerging constellations. The sound of gentle waves lapping at the shore filled the air, soothing and quiet.
Cubby broke the silence first, his voice tinged with unease.
"Jake… do you really think the Talsteins are gonna come for the key?"
Jake didn't respond right away. He let his fingers rake through the cool sand, pretending to think, but his mind was already turning over the possibilities. Before he could answer, Izzy, who had rejoined them earlier, spoke up.
"Yeah, Jake," she said, her voice unusually uncertain. "How do they even know we have it?" She hugged her knees to her chest, her tone shaky. It was clear something was on her mind, though she wasn't saying what.
Jake turned his head toward her, narrowing his eyes slightly. Izzy had been acting strange since her return from the Fountain of Forever. Quiet, almost withdrawn. It wasn't like her at all.
"I… I don't know," Jake admitted, keeping his tone neutral. He felt a prickle of nerves, not just because of the Talsteins, but because Izzy's question hit a little too close to home. He hadn't told them about sneaking off with Peter Pan the night before. He'd kept it quiet, afraid they might think he wasn't happy being back with them. That wasn't entirely untrue.
As much as Jake loved his crew—he wouldn't trade them for anything—he couldn't deny the thrill he'd felt running wild with Peter. Always on the move, exploring new islands, meeting new faces. There was something intoxicating about the freedom of it all. For just a moment, he let himself miss it. But then Cubby spoke again, and Jake was reminded why he'd come back.
"So, uh, Izzy," Cubby said, turning toward her with a curious look. "What did you see in that cave last night? You never really said."
Jake sat up a little straighter, interested in her response. Skully hopped closer, tilting his head.
Izzy visibly tensed, her shoulders stiffening.
"Nothing, really," she said quickly, waving a hand as if to brush the question away. "Not compared to the tremors or the lightning or the creepy well you climbed down into."
Her attempt to play it off didn't fool anyone, but before Jake could press further, Izzy reached into her pocket and pulled out something small and shiny. She held it up, and the tiny object caught the fading sunlight: a dainty silver key on a delicate chain.
The boys all leaned closer, their eyes wide.
"Where'd you get that?" Cubby asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"I… I don't know," Izzy admitted, turning the key over in her fingers. "One minute it wasn't on the cave floor, and the next it just… was."
"That's not creepy at all," Skully muttered, his feathers puffing up slightly. "You think it belongs to the Talsteins?"
Jake frowned.
"Who knows? What aren't those pirates after lately? They'll probably come looking for that too," He nodded toward the necklace. "You should hide it. Maybe under your bed or something."
Izzy hesitated, remembering the stash of fireworks already tucked beneath her bed. She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a loud yawn from Cubby.
"I'm tired already," he said, stretching his arms over his head. "Last night's sleep wasn't enough, not with all the stuff we've been through."
The sky had deepened to a dark red, the stars growing brighter. The group exchanged glances and agreed it was time to turn in. They dusted off the sand and began heading back to the hideout, the sound of their footsteps soft on the path.
As they reached the base of the treehouse, Izzy lingered behind.
"Hey, Jake?" she said hesitantly.
He turned, noticing her uneasy expression.
"Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you about something? Alone?"
Jake's stomach dropped. His mind raced, panic bubbling up as he considered the worst. Did she know he'd snuck out with Peter? Did she think he didn't want to be here anymore?
He forced a calm nod.
"Sure, Izzy. What's up?"
She hesitated, glancing at the others to make sure they were out of earshot, before looking back at him. Jake braced himself, unsure what was coming next. The others had gone inside, leaving the two of them alone beneath the star-filled sky. The soft rustling of leaves and distant crash of waves filled the silence. Izzy shifted her weight nervously, kicking at the sand.
"Do you ever…" She paused, her voice quiet but clear. "Do you ever wish you were back with Peter?"
Jake froze, the question hitting him harder than he expected. He hadn't anticipated this—not from Izzy. His first instinct was to dodge, to steer the conversation anywhere else.
"Where'd you get an idea like that?" he asked, managing a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his neck.
Izzy's expression didn't waver. She crossed her arms, her brows furrowed in a mix of frustration and concern.
"When I went to visit the Fountain of Forever, I kept thinking about it. You and Peter… you two work so well together. Everything's fast, efficient. The adventure's over in hours." She sighed, looking away. "But now, with us? It takes days just to get one little thing done. Don't you think that bothers you? Even a little bit?"
Jake's stomach turned. The way she said it stung—not because it was mean, but because it wasn't entirely untrue. There were times when the crew's lately slower pace tested his patience. But that didn't mean he regretted being here.
"No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "Izzy, it doesn't irritate me."
Her skeptical look told him she wasn't convinced. "You don't have to lie to me, Jake, I wont tell them." she muttered, her voice soft but steady.
"I'm not lying," he insisted, stepping closer. He placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to meet her eyes. "Yeah, Peter and I worked fast, and it was fun. But it's not about how quick you finish an adventure—it's about who you share it with. And I wouldn't trade you, Cubby, or Skully for anything."
Izzy's expression softened slightly, but doubt still lingered in her eyes.
"You mean that?"
"I do," Jake said earnestly. "I came back because I wanted to. Not because I had to, or because Peter told me to. I missed you guys. You're my family."
Izzy studied him for a long moment before finally, the tension in her shoulders eased
"Okay," she said quietly. "I believe you."
Jake smiled, relieved. But then Izzy's gaze shifted to the horizon, and her expression turned serious again.
"There's… something else," she said hesitantly. "Something I saw when I was out at the Fountain of Forever."
Jake tilted his head, curiosity piqued.
"What is it?"
Izzy hesitated before answering.
"I saw a ship. It was sailing out on the Neversea. The sails were down, the anchor was up, and the dinghy was raised. That's when I looked a little closer and saw it was the Jolly Roger…" Izzy's voice dropped to a whisper, her tone laced with unease.
Jake frowned.
"And?" he pressed.
"And there was no captain or crew aboard."
Amber and Maverick climbed aboard their ship that floated gently on the still Neversea. The air was tense, though not as tense as it would be when the whole family was together. Jack and Patrick were already waiting on deck. The eldest redheaded son leaned lazily against the ship's railing, a smug grin plastered across his face. Patrick stood a few feet away, his arms crossed tightly, glaring at his older brother with a mix of annoyance and dread.
"Mother!" Jack drawled. "You are just in time!" He gestured toward Patrick. "Patrick has a special surprise he's dying to share with the class."
Patrick's eyes flashed with fury.
"May I drop out of this class?" he asked wearily.
"No." Jack said bluntly.
Amber, stepping aboard with her usual commanding presence, silenced them both with a sharp glare.
"Enough," was all she had to say to quiet the two of them. "Now Patrick, what's this little secret you have to share with us all?"
Maverick was already in a panic, his gaze darting nervously between Patrick and Jack.
"He knows?" the blonde brother asked worriedly.
"He knows." a defeated Patrick responded with a nod.
Amber's eyes narrowed as she turned her attention to Jack.
"Spit it out." she ordered coldly.
Jack straightened up, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Oh, it's nothing too dramatic, Mother. Just a little confession about how Patrick and Maverick lied through their teeth. You see, they told you that kid Jake has the key, but—surprise—they don't actually know where it is." He leaned closer for emphasis. "Because they're the ones who shot it out of a cannon!"
Amber's expression darkened as the words sank in, but before she could respond, Patrick exploded.
"It wasn't on purpose!" Patrick snapped, jabbing a finger in Maverick's direction. "And it was all his fault! I just get blamed for it because I always get blamed for everything in this family!"
Jack laughed, crossing his arms smugly.
"Oh so now we're playing the victim card?" he asked.
"No. I like to call it the truth." the middle brother corrected.
"All truths aside Pat, you guys still lost the key."
"Could ya say it a little louder Jack?" Maverick shot back, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. "I don't think the people in Germany heard you!"
Amber's head swiveled toward Maverick, her icy glare silencing him instantly. He let out a pitiful squeak and darted behind Patrick, clutching his brother's arm like a frightened child.
"Oh mother please don't be mad!" he whimpered.
Amber took a step forward, her red hair gleaming under the moonlight. Her voice dropped to a deadly calm.
"Mad?" she repeated, her tone deceptively sweet. "I'm not mad."
Patrick and Maverick exchanged wide-eyed looks, both of them flinching in anticipation of whatever punishment was coming.
"You're... not?" Patrick asked cautiously, his voice trembling.
"Why most certainly not." Amber said smoothly, her lips curling into a smile that sent chills down their spines.
"Really?" Maverick asked, cocking his head to the side, his grip on Patrick loosening just a fraction.
"Not at all." the mother replied, her tone light and almost cheerful.
Patrick blinked, stepping back slightly.
"You're taking this disturbingly well." the pirate in green mumbled.
"Of course I am," Amber said, clasping her hands behind her back. "Why would I be mad? I mean, sure, you lied to me. Sure, you sent me on a pointless wild goose chase across Never Land. And sure, you lost the key. But no, I'm not mad."
Patrick and Maverick exchanged a wary glance, starting to relax ever so slightly.
"I'm just..." Amber's voice dropped an octave, her smile twisting into a sneer, "...disappointed…and disgusted….and about to publicly execute you both for wasting my time!"
"Ah!" Maverick screamed, jumping into Patrick's arms like a damsel in distress. Patrick, too terrified to move, simply let him. The weight of his brother didn't seem to register. He was too focused on Amber's looming figure.
"Oh mother please!" Maverick begged, his voice muffled as he buried his face in Patrick's shoulder. "Don't kill us! At least let me be promoted to cabin boy before you do!" he sobbed.
Patrick swallowed hard.
"I-I-If we're so useless," he stammered, "Then why didn't you just give the key to Jack, huh? He's your obvious favorite!"
Jack tilted his head, his smile returning, this time sharper than a blade.
"Oh, Patrick, Patrick, Patrick," he crooned. "You've always been a hater, haven't you? And, if I may say so, you also tend to pick shirts that make your arms look like twigs."
Patrick's face turned beet red and dropped all 115 pounds of his brother unceremoniously onto the deck. Maverick let out a yelp as he hit the wood with a thud.
"I am not a hater!" Patrick shouted, with a stomp of his foot. "And leave my wardrobe that may I note only consists of a single shirt, vest and pair of pants out of this!" he continued, stepping forward angrily.
Amber's emerald eyes burned into Patrick's as she loomed over him, her voice like a blade dipped in ice.
"You've got a lot more to worry about than your clothes, boy." she sneered.
Patrick's mouth opened to argue, but Jack cut in with a casual wave of his hand.
"Mother, darling," Jack drawled, his grin as sharp as ever. "You can wring their necks later. Right now, we need to focus on who's left."
Amber's expression hardened, but she nodded curtly.
"I suppose you're right, Jack," she uttered, then producing a worn, weathered scroll. She unfurled it with a dramatic snap, revealing a long list of names written in an elegant but stark script. Some names, like Captain Hook and Beatrice LeBeak, had bold lines scratched through them. Others, like Captain Frost, The Pirate Genie, and several more, remained untouched.
Amber's eyes scanned the list, then flicked up to Jack.
"Well?" she demanded. "Who else did you and Patrick manage to capture?"
Jack rubbed his chin, clearly relishing the opportunity to recount their exploits.
"Let's see…last night, we brought in the Pirate Princess," he began, his tone mockingly reverent. "Feisty thing, that one. Had a bit of a bite."
Amber smirked coldly.
"All beauty and no brains. Typical." She found the name on the list and dragged a thick line through it.
"And after that," Jack continued. "We ventured into the Neverland Desert and snagged the Pirate Mummy. Well, I did. Patrick here was too busy fretting over the fact that I now knew he lost the key, to be of much use," Patrick's face turned red, but before he could retaliate, Jack continued, "Not that it was much of a challenge anyway. Just a few traps to dodge, and bam—face to face with the bandaged coward."
Amber nodded approvingly, marking the Pirate Mummy off the list. She tapped the scroll thoughtfully.
"The Captain should be taking care of Captain Frost by now. That leaves him out of the equation." She slashed another name from the list with finality.
Maverick, who had been quiet for once, ventured a question.
"So...who's next?"
Amber smirked, rolling the scroll halfway closed to examine the remaining names.
"Unfortunately we have quite a few left," she said, sounding a bit discouraged. "The genie might be a bit of a challenge so I suppose we will deal with him tomorrow when its light. But now, we're focusing on the parrots and the mermaids."
Patrick blinked in confusion.
"Wait—what?" He gestured wildly. "Where are we supposed to put them? We've got the dungeon of a chateau, not an aquarium! We can't hold an entire fish kingdom!"
Amber raised an eyebrow, her voice dry and clipped.
"We don't need all of them, genius," the mother corrected. "Just the most important ones: the queen and her daughters."
Patrick still looked skeptical, but Amber ignored him, turning to Jack.
"You and I will handle the parrots. Patrick," Her piercing gaze shifted to him. "You and Maverick will take the Delta and its nets to the mermaid lagoon. Lure them in."
Maverick, already pale, paled further.
"Lure them in?" he repeated. "How are we supposed to do that?"
Amber turned on him sharply, leaning in close until their noses were nearly touching. Her tone was soft but lethal.
"You're a regular suave, aren't you?"
"Uh–."
"You use your charm Maverick. Charisma."
Maverick swallowed hard, catching the hint.
"Y-yes. Absolutely."
Amber straightened with a satisfied smirk.
"Then that settles it," she said, rolling up the scroll and tucking it into her blouse. "Once you have completed that task, meet us at the Island so we can put the birds in the cells and move the mermaids from this net to another." She gestured to Jack, and the two of them moved toward the rowboat. Jack climbed in first, reclining lazily as Amber stepped onto the edge of the ship.
Before hopping over, she shot Patrick a venomous glare.
"You'd better not mess this up this time."
Patrick bristled, opening his mouth to retort, but Amber didn't wait for a response. With one smooth motion, she dropped into the rowboat, her perfect posture unwavering as she joined Jack.
As the middle Talstein brother watched the rowboat drift farther into the distance before turning to look up at Maverick, who was nervously fidgeting at the wheel. He raised an eyebrow and asked, deadpan,
"What charm was she talkin' about, exactly?" he asked.
"Not a clue." Maverick said after a shrug.
Patrick turned away and nodded.
"Makes sense."
To Be Continued…