Pan's Revenge by Anna Katmore Page A

haven’t heard in a very long time. Tootles. In this story,
he’s one of the Lost Boys and marbles seem to play a special role
for him.
    I remember
how I saved a boy called Tootles from Hook’s plank once. He never
became one of us though. Actually, I thought he headed off to the
port to live the re. Now I’m forced to
rethink that easy assumption. After everything that happened
lately, here and in Neverland, is it really farfetched to assume
Tootles could have returned to his real world? Maybe he was the one
writing this story? But why in the world would he invent lies about
me and this Wendy girl?
    I scratch my head. Things turn weirder by the
minute. Snapping the book closed, I put it aside and study the
stars. Angel knows about Neverland, but she doesn’t remember that
she’s been there. She knows who Peter Pan is, but she doesn’t know
who I am. For all it’s worth, she might not remember that not so
long ago, she fell in love with Hook.
    Oh, the possibilities that come with
that!
    If only I can
convince Angel that we’ve met before. That—a nasty shudder surges
through my body—she was in love with me and not with Hook. It would
kill him. And the pain would be worse than a sword through his
chest. My mouth curves up and I snicker.
    Hook will
never find the way to London. Even if he does, it’ll be too late.
By that time, I’ll have planted the idea of him being the ruthless
pirate from this very book in Angel’s mind. Everything will be
perfect.
    I fly back into Angel’s room and return the
book to its former place. Then I think about what I could take with
me to tease Hook when I see him next time. Maybe a piece of her
clothes to prove I really found her? No…I have a better idea. A
lock of her hair.
    Cautiously rummaging through the drawers at
her desk, one by one, in search for scissors to cut a strand from
Angel while she sleeps, my hand touches something that makes me
stiffen.
    A gem in the shape of a heart.
     

Chapter 5
     
    “PULL IT IN!” Smee shouts to the crew, but I
already know the net will be empty. Trying to catch a rainbow with
a fishnet when it lands on the ocean’s surface was a waste of time.
Just like running after them to capture one with a bucket or a
gunnysack which was our brilliant plan last night.
    The men haul
the net on board, just to prove my hypothesis. There’s nothing in
there. Not even the ropes bear a single stain of rainbow
colors. “Dammit!” It’s incredibly
frustrating to know what could help me get to Angel and just not
being able to collect it. I rake a restless hand through my
hair.
    “Keep your head on, Cap’n,” Jack placates me
as he winds up the net with Walefluke Walter. “It was only our
second attempt. We’ll think of something new before the next
volcano eruption.”
    Which will be in twenty-four hours from
now…minus fifteen minutes.
    Grunting, I
leave the men to finish the work on the fishnet and return to my
quarters. The candle on the table flickers calmly. About to blow it
out and go to bed, the sound of an exaggerated sigh drifts to me.
Who would be so stupid as to enter without permission? I tolerate
very few breaks of the rules on board the Jolly Roger. Intruding in
my study is none of them.
    Grabbing the candle, I cross my room to my
study with the broken door, but only after a few steps I stop dead
and pull the gun from my belt. I point it straight at Peter Pan’s
heart. “How did you get in here?”
    “Easy. You guys were all busy with chasing a
rainbow.” Hands laced behind his head, he sneers at me from my
chair, his feet stacked on the wide desk. “Any luck with that?”
    Gun still aimed at him, I step forward and
put the candle down. Warily, Peter straightens in the chair, but
his sneer remains.
    “Not yet,” I snap coldly. “But we’re getting
closer. We might be lucky tomorrow night. You, on the other hand,
seem to have run out of luck. Say goodbye, Peter Pan.”
    He chuckles. “You’re going to shoot me?”
    I have