When they deposited their load at their captain’s feet, he smiled, the manic gleam still dancing in his eyes. “One down, fourteen to go,” he said with satisfaction. “Check him for a knife and gag him well. We can’t let him warn the others.”

  They captured two more boys who were patrolling the forest and beach around Skull Rock in a similar way. Tinkerbell, who was posing as a lookout near the entryway to the hideout, reported that she could only hear snores from inside.

  James left three of his crew to keep an eye on those who had already been captured and crept up to the mouth of the entryway, the climb much easier without anyone clinging to his back. He grinned around at his crew—some crammed onto the narrow ledge, a few floating nearby, courtesy of Tinkerbell’s donated dust. Many carried rope, while others clutched torches, and two held buckets of water filled to the brim, sloshing slightly as they tried to balance on the ledge and hold the buckets steady at the same time.

  All the men looked eager with anticipation. Never before had they been so close to their prize. James smirked in grim satisfaction. Peter said he was too timid to make a move…well, now he was prepared to play just as aggressively. After one final nod, James threw the clay pot containing lantern oil straight down the entryway’s slide. He heard the pot shatter at the bottom and turned to his men. “Brace yourselves, gents,” he said, then flung a torch down after it.

  There was no explosion, but a dim glow appeared at the very end of the tunnel, followed by panicked shouts of, “Fire! Fire!”

  In an instant, Peter Pan came shooting out of the tunnel, flying so quickly that he looked more like a shooting star than a boy. Without hesitation, Chibu threw his bucket of water at the leader of the Lost Boys. He missed.

  James bellowed, “No!” and leapt after Peter, straight off the top of Skull Rock. His hook scraped down Pan’s leg, and James’s hand scrabbled to grab to the boy’s ankle to slow him down, forcibly reminding him of the day he lost his hand to the crocodile. The combined weight was too much for the small amount of pixie dust Peter had used, and they began to sink, slower than if they had fallen.

  “I’ll get him this time, captain!” James heard one of his crew shout from above. With that, a shower of water splashed down. The benefit of this was that the water hit its mark and doused both the pirate and Lost Boy. The downside was that James was still clinging to Pan’s feet, and when the pixie dust was washed away, both were still twenty feet off the ground.

  They plummeted with terrifying speed, crashing through many layers of palm fronds until they landed with an almighty crash in the sand below. Wind knocked out of them, James and Peter both gasped for air, mouths flapping noiselessly like a fish out of water.

  Peter, with eternal youth on his side, recovered first and rolled away from the pirate. “You…fool!” he gasped, still clutching his side with eyes streaming from the pain. “What…did you…do? The boys…”

  Still gasping for air, both James and Peter Pan flicked their gazes to the top of Skull Rock, where they had been only moments before. A rosy glow from the flames lit up the sky, outlining the silhouettes of pirates as they nabbed every boy trying to escape the flames. For one heart-stopping moment, James feared the fire would kill some boys, rather than frighten them out as intended.

  As they watched, another boy darted out of the mouth of the tunnel, only to be snatched up and tied to his peers.

  “No!” Peter tried to launch himself into the air, but the water that had engulfed him and James had washed away all the remnants of pixie dust. He was grounded. He flung one disgusted look at James as he turned to run.

  James’s hook snagged around Peter’s ankle. “Not so fast,” James hissed, and wrenched his left arm back, causing Peter’s leg to be pulled out from under him. Peter crashed back down to the forest floor, and James’s eyes flashed. The boy wasn’t used to getting around without pixie dust anymore, and that made it all the simpler. The pirate pounced, pinning the unarmed boy down to the ground with his knees.

  Finally, finally, James had the advantage. Peter Pan was at his mercy. James directed his cutlass at the boy’s throat. Now, all of Neverland could be avenged. Now, the boy would pay for his crimes, pay for all the lives he had stolen, with his own. “It’s over, Pan,” James said. “You’ve lost.”

  Peter’s eyes, so full of malice and hatred only moments before, drained and were replaced with childlike fear. As James stared into the face he knew so well, images from all the time they had spent together flashed through James’s mind—fishing for cod, playing pranks on Rolland, the day they had tried to make a snare and Peter ended up dangling from a tree by one foot, roaring with laughter. Though distance made it easy to assume the boy was an emotionless killer, he really was still just a boy. Did Peter, his former best friend whose mind was still as young as any of the Lost Boys, truly deserve to die like this?

  The grip on his cutlass shook as his teeth gnashed together. Could James knowingly and intentionally deprive anyone of their life, of their chance at a future, when this was the very crime he hated Peter for? Just do it! a voice in the back of his head screamed. He deserves it. Just think of all the pixies he has murdered and the families he has torn apart. He’s no child, not anymore. Do it now while you have the chance!

  Only an hour ago, he had been so sure that this decision would be easy, that he would stop Peter at all costs. But now that the moment was here, he faltered. Could he kill as easily as Peter Pan could? Peter’s voice echoed as a memory surfaced. “How alike we are…” Was he the same hardened murderer as the boy he held at sword point?

  The scar James had given Peter all that time ago stood out brightly in the moonlight, shining where James’s hook had carved an ugly groove in Peter’s face the day they parted ways forever. A drop of regret swelled inside James. He had done that, and now he was holding a boy at sword point. What was he becoming? The tip of his cutlass dropped a fraction of an inch.

  James’s hesitation was his downfall. Peter had slowly worked his hand over to a patch of sand near his head, and he flung a fistful of sand into James’s eyes. James roared with pain and raised his right hand to rub them vigorously.

  Peter’s voice floated into his ear. “You’ll regret this, pirate.” The last word was spat with hatred in his voice. James lunged blindly toward Peter’s voice and grabbed a hold of some fabric, but the younger boy peeled away, ripped the cloth, and sprinted off. His footsteps pounded away as James continued to try to remove all the remaining grains of sand from his eyes.

  “Coward!” James bellowed after Peter Pan.

  By the time James had recovered, his crew had descended from Skull Rock, all the captured boys in tow, and he smiled in satisfaction. They had succeeded. His crew had managed to recover all the boys, who were all tied together and gagged, glaring daggers at the pirates. It was their largest capture yet.

  Tinkerbell, looking smug as any of the crewmates, sat on top of one of the bags of pixie dust with her feet propped up on the other. She had flown back down into Skull Rock to ensure everyone was out, human or pixie, and retrieved the bags of dust that George had stolen from James. The fire had been extinguished, and Auggie released the two caged pixies that Peter had managed to recapture since Tink’s rescue. They jingled their gratitude and fluttered up into the heavens.

  “Everyone out?”

  Chibu nodded in confirmation.

  “Good. Smash all the cages. Pan won’t be capturing any pixies anytime soon.”

  “Where is he?”

  James shook his head, still unsure what he felt about the boy’s latest escape. “Got away again. But think, lads!” he said loudly. “We have all the boys and the pixie dust. No need to waste any more time. Let’s get these Lost Boys out of Neverland tonight!”

  His crew roared in appreciation. Tinkerbell flew up into the air and circled James. Her dust floated down and settled on his clothing. As James began to rise into the air, he called out, “Never forget today, men! For today is the day we thwarted Peter Pan!”

  He gathered up the bags of dust and sprinkled each crew member in turn, followed by the knot of Lost Boys. They all followed Tinkerbell’s golden glow to the Hope of London, where James, in a rare show of frivolity, sprinkled an entire bag of dust onto the ship itself. The crew whooped in glee as the ship rose from the water with an eerie sucking, splashing sound. Even the Lost Boys, all of whom were chained to the mast of the ship, looked fascinated.

  James took immense pleasure in seeing George amongst the group, squished between two particularly large boys and not looking at all happy to be back on the ship. James couldn’t resist gloating a little. He meandered over to the cluster of boys, fixed George with a sinister smile, and gently removed the gag from his prisoner’s mouth. “Well, well, well…fancy seeing you back here, young George.”

  George stared resolutely at James’s highly polished boots and didn’t say anything.

  “I must thank you,” James continued. “Without you, I never would’ve been able to concoct the plan to return you all safely home. You have my undying gratitude.” He swept into a lavish bow, whipping his hat from his head. James’s dark hair fell into his eyes, and as he straightened, he flipped his hair back and replaced his hat. He caught Tinkerbell watching him, who grinned mischievously and beckoned to him, nodding her head toward the captain’s quarters.

  “I must take my leave now,” James said. “Ho, Rolland, come keep an eye on our esteemed guests.”

  Rolland bounded over. The dust coating him lifted his steps much higher than normal. He looked alight with happiness as he sprang forward in huge arcs. “Glad to, captain!” A crafty grin lit his face. “Are you off to spend alone time with Miss Bell?”

  Several guffaws rose up from crew, and James frowned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Rolland tapped his finger knowingly on the side of his nose. “Playing coy? Good plan. Women love that.”

  James’s frown deepened. “Like any of you know anything about women.”

  Tinkerbell was waiting for him inside his quarters. She had enlarged to her human size, but her wings still fluttered in excitement. She skipped around the cabin in a kind of dance, chanting celebratory cheers in her jingly voice. She stopped when she saw James and rushed over to seize his shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. “You did it, James!”

  James returned the embrace, then remembered the door to his quarters was still open when he heard hoots behind him. He pulled away from the pixie and slammed the wooden door shut. “Cavemen,” he growled.

  “What was that all about?” Tink asked.

  James rolled his eyes. “They all seem to think there’s something romantic going on between us.”

  Tink’s eyebrows rose, but she said nothing.

  For some reason, James felt heat creeping up his neck and warming his face. “Isn’t that ridiculous?” he babbled. “Anyone thinking that we would…that we might…you know?”

  Tink remained composed and shrugged modestly. “I can think of crazier things.”

  The flush in James’s face deepened until he was sure that he would burst into flames. He wished he hadn’t said anything. A future with Tinkerbell was impossible, James reminded himself again. No villainous pirate captain who’d just burned boys out of their home had any business being with a beautiful, youthful pixie like Tinkerbell.

  And yet…a tiny flame of hope still burned in his chest, just as impossible to extinguish. Tink hadn’t ever rejected him outright, had even flirted occasionally, but surely as a joke. His eyes darted once over to her, and he fought down the alluring ideas that were popping into his head. The last thing he needed was to make a move on Tinkerbell and then have one of the crew burst in on them again. Blast it all, he had forgotten to get a lock for his door.

  He cast around the room for a change of topic. The clear night sky floating gently past the window showed a bird’s-eye view of Neverland as the ship drifted higher toward the second star. It felt surreal to be soaring above the island in his ship. “Good thing the night isn’t cloudy. It would be much more difficult to navigate around the moisture if it were.”

  The absurdity of talking about the weather with Tink made James’s stomach curdle. He could have picked any topic—any at all—and it would have been better than that. He took a deep breath and ignored how Tink was looking at him. “I should use this opportunity to remove the barnacles from the bottom of the ship. It needs it.”

  “Don’t you dare, James Hook. This is a moment to celebrate, and we are going to celebrate! Not everything has to be work, you know.”

  James stayed quiet. Everything had been work for years. He had done enough playing for ten lifetimes during his sojourn as a Lost Boy, and now was the time to pay it back. Tink seemed to understand his line of thought.

  “If we stay in here alone together, your crew will think we are up to something.” She raised her eyebrows meaningfully. “Let’s join them and celebrate our victory. Besides, don’t you want to see George’s face when we drop him off at home?”

  The appeal of that suggestion brought James back to life. He grinned and crossed to the door leading to the deck and bowed low. “Miss Bell, after you.”

  She ran a light hand across his chest as she passed him, and James’s heart hammered against the inside of his ribcage. She must have known that would happen. Why did this woman have such a detrimental effect on his ability to focus? They walked up the few steps to the deck, and the rest of the crew cheered and whistled as they emerged. The men were busy throwing knives at a wooden target painted on the wall opposite, and the frequent thud of the knife hitting home proved just how often the pirates engaged in the diversion.

  Several of the captured Lost Boys watched apprehensively, as if concerned they would be asked to be the next target. James debated talking to the boys, to convince them of his good intentions, but decided against it. Who would believe that their kidnapper had their best interests at heart? No, best let them vilify him forevermore. After all, once they were back with their families, it wouldn’t matter what they thought of him.

  He smiled nostalgically as he thought of young Smee, who had vowed to spread the story far and wide of Captain Hook’s eternal quest to thwart Peter Pan. Let the legend grow with the stories these boys told. He could only imagine the tales they would tell. The evil Captain Hook, burning them out of their safe hideout, tying them up and chaining them to the mast while taking them away from their safe haven of Neverland.

  “Captain!” Chibu veritably leapt across the entire deck. “Will you join us?”

  Tink gave him an encouraging prod in the back, and James stepped up to the starting place for the knife throwing. He waited until all the pirates fell silent, then drew his dagger from his boot. The crowd whistled and stamped, and James held up his hook. “This is a fine game,” he began. “However…” He paused dramatically. “It would be more fun with rum!”

  He pivoted quickly and threw his dagger. The point didn’t sink into the barrel of rum as intended; instead, the knife handle smacked against the wood and clattered to the floor. But it made no difference as a thunderous cheer rose from the crew. They swarmed over to the barrel and poured mug after mug.

  “One of the benefits of growing old, ya know,” Chibu said to the Lost Boys chained to the mast as he took an enormous gulp.

  “For you, Cap’n and Miss!” Rob held two mugs out to James and Tinkerbell.

  “Pixies don’t drink that foul stuff.” Tink wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “That pigswill is for humans.”

  James copied her and declined. “No thank you, Rob. I appreciate the offer.”

  “More for me!” Rob crowed and downed one mug after another.

  Just as the ship was to cross into the Second Star, Tink sidled up to James. “Don’t feel like you can’t have a drink. I know you’re a human.”

  “Peter drugged me with pixie dust for years. I won’t put anything into my body that alters my state of mind again, but the crew enjoys it.”

  The cool night wind whipped through James’s long hair, fanning it back as he watched the star grow larger, arms splayed on the railing of the Hope of London. Tink slipped her arm through his and stared at the bright spot.

  In a flash, the ship was through and burst out into London’s night sky. It was equally clear on this side, but thousands of lights sparkled below, both lamps outside and flickering candles that gently illuminated the insides of homes.

  “You know what bringing these boys back means, don’t you?” Tink’s voice trembled with delight.

  James sighed heavily. Any time they returned a boy, Tink forced him to bathe thoroughly and trim his hair. She had pointed out that any adult man dressed as a pirate—dripping with weapons, and smelling the way he often did—would much more likely be arrested than thanked for returning lost children. It wasn’t that he never bathed, but…he was a pirate, after all.

  “I could drop them on the street instead of escorting them to the police station,” he suggested dully. “They’ll find their own way homes.”

  Tink’s eyebrow raised, disbelief etched all over her face. “You would just drop them off like that?”

  “No, I wouldn’t,” James agreed grudgingly. “Peter Pan isn’t the only kidnapper in the world.”

  “There’s my honorable, responsible pirate.”

  “I still don’t think you understand what a pirate is, Tink.”

  She laughed gaily. “I don’t need to! All I need to know is that you’re having a bath tonight!”

  “You should come with me,” James suggested, then his ears flamed scarlet and he proceeded to stumble over his words. “To London, I mean! Not to have a bath…you should take the boys with me, since…since there are more boys than usual this time.” He kept his voice as neutral as possible and avoided looking at her. So much for being suave and charming. As long as Tink was agreeable to his plan, there was no harm in them spending a little extra time together, and if they were alone…James’s heart leapt at the thought.

 

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