Chapter 20: Wendy's Outstretched Hand

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

"When did he take you in?" Peter muttered nonchalantly as he dropped to sit a few feet away from Crocker.

They shared another intense staring contest, before Crocker decided it was not so confidential information he was sharing.

"Seven years ago."

Peter guessed as much. It was not long after Skul had abandoned him. The man found a new lab rat to torture just after.

"Were you part of Neverland?" Peter asked. Belle has once told he was the only one she knew who escaped. That too was only because Skul made it such.

"No," Crocker responded.

Peter picked up a flat stone and flipped it between his fingers. He knew better than to ask how and why Skul recruited him. He would never tell, as would Peter.

"He's got you under his spell, huh?" Peter watched the small stone travel in a parabolic path back into his hand.

No response. There was something different about Crocker. He was too honest. Far from cynical. In fact, if Peter did not know any better, he would call him pure even. Skul had created a soldier out of the guy, while he made a maniac of out of him.

"Well, it figures. You're his prized subject," Peter shrugged.

Crocker arched a brow, "Hard to believe when all he talks about is you."

Peter felt like someone dumped ice over his head. He caught the stone in his hand and clenched it in his fist. "What are you talking about? You said it yourself. I'm the failed experiment," he muttered.

"Yeah," Crocker nodded. "You never made it past phase 4, yet he prefers the way you think," he replied.

Peter laughed mirthlessly, "Probably because I think like him."

It was horrible. He hated the times he would question, did he truly despise the man, despite occasionally agreeing to his ideals.

Crocker was staring at him in silence. A contemplative silence. There was a faint flicker of emotion in his gaze. Peter found it very uncharacteristic. Usually, he would take advantage of such emotional displays, toy with them until he got what he wanted.

However, Wendy had done a number on him. She made him want to understand others. Empathize. The old Peter would have shivered in disgust at the word. Maybe he had gone soft. But then again, was soft a weakness?

Here he was staring back at a guy he just met, however their backgrounds would as well made them brothers. Strangely enough, their brief exchange and the fight at the bar brought him closer to believing the notion. Brothers.

"I don't think... You're like him," Crocker said, haltingly. Peter held his gaze in question.

Crocker stared off into the distance and continued, "You protected those girls. Skul would never. You've changed. The boy Skul told me about is nothing like the one I see now."

Peter was extremely taken aback. He never expected Crocker to be openly emotional. "You're softer than I expected," Peter said wryly.

"Wasn't always," he replied with a drawn-out sigh. And when their eyes met once again, Peter knew the answer. He knew what changed Crocker. It was like staring into a mirror.

He chuckled. "They're something else, aren't they?" Peter shook his head. He saw a ghost of a smile grace Crocker's features.

The tension had reduced. Peter opened up. Never in a million years would he have done so if this happened three months ago. But now, he had started trusting once again. They were more similar than he thought, and not just because they were Skul's pawns.

"I need your help, Croc. I need to remember some things. Skul must have induced memory suppressants into my system. But I'm slowly recalling. I was wondering if you could trigger them," For the first time Peter was asking for help.

"I'm Skul's soldier. I'm not in the position to give you information..." He replied.

"But I know you want to. You've cracked the shell, Croc. You've started realizing the truth to haven't you?" Peter said.

He could tell from his eyes, Crocker was not blindly following Skul either. He was starting to think for himself. Either Skul's drugs were losing effect or the mind was stronger than whatever chemicals and mental torture Skul had put them through.

Crocker let out a small sigh. He pulled out a small woven trinket and toyed with it with fingers. The yarn was frayed, and it looked somewhat familiar. "I'll have you know I'm not that much of an info bank either. Skul is really confidential. But I can try," He replied.

Peter thought it would be harder to get through to him. Nevertheless, he was not going to get too excited. He nodded and briefly shut his eyes. What did he want to know? Many things. However, he zeroed on a certain thought that had been nagging at his brain.

"I have... A suspicion..." He started.

"PXDST. It was a Neverland project Skul was part of and he had some issues with the team and they forced him out. Skul wanted to continue the project, he wanted to do something worse than whatever Neverland had planned, hence leading to him get fired. But... I vaguely remember. The scientists said something about PXDST being ineffective. They were testing it on me. Something about neural signals. My mind influences PXDST... And whatever it was," Peter clutched the pendant on his neck.

"This pendant is not what he wants. Tell me, Croc, he wants something more than this. PXDST... Runs in my veins," Peter met Crocker's stern gaze.

"I think you don't need me to tell you then," Crocker simply replied. And it was the confirmation he needed.

An uneasy feeling simmered in his gut. He thought of Wendy sleeping soundly on the wooden floor in the shack, oblivious. How he yearned to just forget about it all and run far, far away with her. But she would not want that. She wanted to save Pauline. He could not stop her. There was also the bitter thought, she didn't care for him the way he did for her. She was thinking of her sister, and Peter was lovesick.

There was no way out. No future with Wendy. He had to erase these thoughts from his mind. Easier said than done. Being selfish was easy, being selfless, not so much. He remembered the feeling of no remorse, no strings attached. Nothing could hurt him. However, now he could not extract himself from these damned chains of affection. Wendy had squeezed herself into the gaping hole in his heart and it had healed around her, trapping her inside him forever. If anyone were to yank her out, they would rip out a part of him. He could not live without her, not anymore.

However, despite his desires, he would have to betray her once again.

_______________________________________________________________

A/N: Hey, Lost Boys! And yes I know this one is a little later than scheduled, but it's been hectic for me, so I really apologize! If you liked this chapter leave a comment and vote! The next one will be out on 5th October or earlier! 

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net