Chapter 16: Peter Pan Meets The Croc

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

"Whoever is shooting, please stop!" Gwen pleaded. Her blood running cold, staring at the four fallen men.

"They're tranquilized," Peter murmured, pointing at their necks. She saw thin darts wedged into their skins. Her relief was short-lived when Belle issued a warning.

"Move one more step and you're next, James."

The detective clenched his fists and stared at this fallen men. His face signalled defeat, but Gwen knew him better than to surrender so soon. He would be back, but for now he was preoccupied.

Belle forced them to run. Peter, still confused and very annoyed with Belle's secrecy, scooped Gwen into his arms and sped forward. Once they were in the clear, back in the alley leading to the hideout, he put her down. Belle caught up after some time, panting heavily.

"Damn, slow down will you?" She said, huffing.

"Slow down? Belle, what was tha-" Peter suddenly stopped, his eyes darted to the top of the wall. Instinctively, he pushed Gwen behind him.

Gwen caught sight of a figure. In a second he thudded down to the ground, landing on his feet. She noticed Peter's stance shift, preparing for assault. However, before any violence ensued, Belle was quick to stand between them.

"He's with us," she said, which did nothing to let Peter's guard down. He scrutinized the two of them, his green eyes piercing like needles.

The mysterious man was dressed in camouflage pants and a long-sleeved black turtleneck that clung onto him like a second skin. Leather pads protected his shoulders and chest. A utility belt around his waist and ammunition belt slung over his shoulder, he flipped the gun in his hand back into the strap on his back. He had a hard set face, however the scariest feature on his face had to be his eyes. They made Gwen shiver, only because it mirrored Peter's almost identically. Two sets of vibrant greens stared each other down.

Belle turned the guy, "Code?"

"8509 GS," he replied in a deep voice.

Belle's shoulders dropped, and she let out a breath. "Okay, we're good. Guys, this is...?" She turned to him.

"Crocker," was his monosyllabic reply.

"Skul sent him, to escort us to the island," Belle explained which made Peter tense even more.

"I was informed you were having trouble transporting PXDST, my job is to eliminate the hindrance. Eliminate Hardwing," Crocker added, with as much interested as a brick wall could muster.

"Um... Let's try not to kill anyone... I think I'm good with just tranquilizers," Gwen mentioned.

Yes, James was bothersome, but killing him was going overboard. She did not want to be the reason for any dead bodies. Alas, here she was stuck with a former child murderer and a mercenary. Belle did not seem too bothered by the whole killing thing either.

"If he gets too annoying, I will kill him," Crocker stated, taking no arguments.

Gwen muttered under her breath, "For once James... Just don't be annoying."

Peter's concerns, however, were elsewhere. He pushed Belle aside, coming face to face with Crocker. "Skul sent you?"

"Belle contacted Skul and informed him of the hindrance," he said.

"You contacted Skul?" Peter's tone was even, but icy cold.

Belle immediately defended herself, "I had to! He wanted to know our whereabouts. If I don't give him the information he wants, he will kill Pauline," she emphasised.

Everyone fell silent, eyes narrowed at the mention of the hostage. Peter's jaw clenched at the clear upper hand Skul had over them. Gwen did not argue with Belle's decision. Even Crocker frowned at the mention of Pauline.

"So Skul has bodyguards now?" Peter added in sarcasm. Shockingly, Crocker almost smirked. He stepped closer, the boys were breathing down each other's necks.

"I'm not a bodyguard. I'm just like you. The only difference is... I'm not a failure."

His answer perturbed Peter. Their eyes shone vividly, identical but different. Like brothers. Peter seemed to have enough of it and stepped back.

"You were with Skul the whole time. Pauline! How is she?"

Gwen could not stop the question from gushing out. She just had to know. What with Skul threatening to kill Pauline if they did not comply. Here was a witness. She noticed the slight frown on Peter's face. A twinge of disappointment.

Crocker turned towards her, "Pauline... Is fine," Was all he said. Despite the lack of clarity, somehow Gwen could tell he was not lying. His voice had softened to some extent, as did his demeanor.

Gwen let her shoulders sag and eyed her fellow companions. "Okay guys... Guess we're having another tag-along."

"Correction. I will lead the way. We're traveling to the Farne Islands through my means," Crocker interjected.

"I don't like this," Peter complained.

"But we have no choice," Belle rebutted.

"To Neverland," Gwen exclaimed with fake enthusiasm.

-----------------------------------------

Sitting in a French diner, for what looked to be the most awkward lunch in history, was unnerving. However, Gwen was hungry, and her stomach told her brain they could sit this through. She quietly ate her giant baguette sandwich.

Belle at first was glad they could skip lunch to start their travel to Farne Islands. Peter, however, looked to be delaying the inevitable trip as much as possible. He folded his arms behind his head and walked out of the alley, saying he was hungry. Maybe he was being considerate of the thunderous growls of Gwen's stomach.

Belle turned to Crocker for some back up, but he simply shrugged and unstrapped his gun and ammunition. He disappeared for a while and returned without weapons in sight and a coat. There were definitely guns strapped on him somewhere.

At last, they were all sitting in a crowded diner within a booth, eating giant Poulet-crudités. No one spoke. They were all tensed, Peter was not trusting anyone on the table, Crocker was not a fan of talking and Gwen was too hungry to form coherent sentences.

"So... How exactly are we getting to the foundation?" Belle chimed, breaking the still silence.

"Covert vehicles. We'll be taking the longer route, jetty's in the outskirts. We'll have to cover our tracks. That's another reason I'm here. Skul doesn't want anyone exposing him," Crocker replied, done with his meal.

"Skul has taken measures, I see. Typical, he sent an assassin," Belle rolled her eyes.

"I'm not an assassin," his eyes landed on Peter, "and neither was he. We're-"

"Test subjects?" Belle continued for him.

Crocker shook his head slowly, "Catalysts," both Peter and Crocker said simultaneously. Gwen almost choked at their synchrony.

"A revolutionary piece of the puzzle," Crocker continued and Peter finished the sentence, "to change the world..."

They shared a glance, Crocker impassive, but Peter was unsettled.

"Wow..." Belle drawled. "You guys are like twins."

---------------------
A/N: Hello there, Lost Boys! Chapter 17 will be out on 5th June 2020 (Friday). If you'd like to read ahead, Chapter 17 and 18 are out on my Patreon page! Link in my bio. 

I have also uploaded a new story on my Patreon page called Our Vivid Colours. You can read a preview of it on Wattpad. Check it out on my profile!

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net