A Potter In Storybrooke

Chapter 54 - The Evil Queen

"Operation Cobra was about breaking the curse." Henry stated as he, Emma and Hope sat in her yellow bug. "This is about keeping Storybrooke secret. We need a new name."

"Operation Tiger." Hope suggested, sitting from the backseat.

"Why?"

"I need a why? You never need a why." Hope responded incredulously.

Henry ignored her argument, "I want something like the town, something that hides in plain sight. Something like a praying mantis." Emma pursed her lips, nodding in thought.

"Whoa, duck!" The three slid down in their seats as a customer came from Granny's diner. "Oh, no, it's not them."

"Stakeouts are fun." Henry said. Hope is not having any fun.

"Not usually." Emma replied, "But this one? Yeah, kind of." She chuckled.

"I thought by now we'd be having adventures over there, you know." Henry continued, insinuating the Enchanted Forest "Just riding horses, shooting bow and arrows. This is cool, too."

"Is that still something you want?" Emma asked. "I mean, if there was a way to go back to the enchanted forest?" Henry creased his brows as I looked up from my phone.

"Is there?" He questioned.

"No. Don't be crazy."

"There is." Henry realized "A way back. A bean or something. The giant brought it, didn't he?"

"You are a smart kid." Emma sighed.

"That's awesome." Henry continued. "We can get, like, a castle, you, me, and Neal."

"Oh, hey, woah, no way." Emma shook her head. "That... we're not... That's not-"

"Duck!" Henry shouted. Hope looked through the window, seeing Neal and Tamara walking out of Granny's, big smiles on their faces as they laughed and huddled together under their umbrella.

Henry smirked, "Operation Praying Mantis is on."

"Hang on. I almost got it." Emma whispered as she tried to pick the lock on Tamara and Neal's apartment door, Henry being the one keeping a look-out for the two or anyone.

"So, once we find proof that Tamara's evil," Henry started from the hallway, "I guess the weddings off?"

Emma paused, "Henry, Neal and I are not getting back together, you know that, right?"

"I mean, once he's single, it could happen." The boy pressed. "Thrown together, moonlight, wine..."

"Henry." Hope interrupted, "Emma is onto Tamara for other reasons, not because she's with Neal. And going on like this, it's rude." He glanced down, muttering a small apology. Hope sighed, looking to Emma who was still working on the door.

She rolled my eyes, growing impatient, and move Emma aside and used a spell to open the door.

"You're welcome, Emma. Now, let's go."

The three of them walked inside when suddenly, Emma stopped Hope and Henry "Ah, ah, ah." she whispered "You gotta be the look out."

"What are we supposed to do? Whistle?"

She shook her head, "No, that's too obvious. You gotta hit the door. You know, like, just, like, kick it. Like you're bored. Like..." she demonstrated by gently kicking the door, making herself look like a four year-old, "Or, like, like, stumble into it, like, 'Oh, I didn't...' You know." She tried to explain. "Just hit the door, okay?"

"Hit the door?"

"Yeah."

"Got it. Now go."

Emma disappeared inside the room, the door closing shut behind her, Henry releasing a small sigh.

Hope and Henry heard some footprints coming.

Henry's eyes widened, the boy quickly moving to lazily start bumping into the door just as Neal came around the corner. "Hey, Henry, Hope, what..." Neal started in surprise and confusion as he saw us.

"Uh... Hi, Neal." Hope greeted awkwardly.

He trailed off as Henry continued lazily bumping into the door, making incoherent sounds. "Oh, hell no." Neal seemed to get a grasp of what was going on. "I taught her that. Emma!" He moved forwards, opening the door, the three of us walking in.

"So, you went here and the door was open, then we just..." Emma tried, but sighed at her failed attempt at a cover-up.

"Emma, what's this about?" Neal asked.

Emma slowly stepped forwards, hesitant to reply, "Tamara. I think she's playing you."

"She's playing me? How?"

"I think she's the 'she' August was trying to warn us about." She explained. "I didn't want to tell you until I had proof."

Neal chuckled, unamused, "Okay, yeah, well, as long as you broke into our room to spare my feelings... Are you out of your mind?"

"He warned us about a woman."

"Yeah, which covers half the world." Neal snapped back, looking at her incredulously as he then gestured to Henry and Hope, "You roped the kids into this?"

"She lied to me." Emma argued, "Remember, I have that thing with lies."

A small, amused smile spread on the man's face, "You thought you had a thing with lies. I never bought it."

"Yeah, you did. She's got a list of fairytale characters and who they are. Whoever she's gonna give that to, that could blow this whole town right open." Emma emphasized.

"Emma, I helped her make that list. I have to help her come to grips with this place. It's not easy, you know?" He continued, "She's trying to deal with it for me."

"Okay, I know what this looks like. But it isn't that." The blonde defended weakly. "Do I look like a jealous ex? Okay, maybe I'm crazy. But let's find out. There's a floorboard loose that shouldn't be." She gestured to the floor beside the bed, "So let's look under it. If there's nothing there, fine. I back off."

Neal looked at Henry and Hope before turning back to his Emma, "Okay. Yeah, sure. What the hell." The two moved over, Emma kneeling down to lift up the board but when Neal didn't do the same, she looked up at him, "A little help?"

"Oh, right." He bent down beside her, the two working to pull the floorboard up as Henry and Hope watched. Emma reached her hand inside, only to find nothing.

"Listen," Neal started, "I know Tamara being here is a little awkward..."

"Don't." She looked at him, "Henry, Hope, let's go." She placed the floorboard back and the three of them left.