Operation Phoenix

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Hard Way, Part 1

Rapunzel stepped back from his hands, trembling in fear as she looked over this man and what exactly he was saying to her. Reciting her life story, one that only a given few knew about—one that scared her half to death every time she thought about. She'd been happy to leave it behind, happy that she wouldn't have to be trapped up in that Lighthouse ever again, but now someone was throwing it back in her face, using it as a way to get her to shut up and stop struggling. She tried to register Sinbad's expression, but it was unreadable, unfaltering.

Slowly and subtly, she began to back up towards the table next to the front door. There was a knife on it, one that Merida had left there just in case something similar were to happen.

The man continued to pace, oblivious to what Rapunzel was reaching for—or the many, many dangerous thoughts going through her mind. Of all days, of all trips, now? She was going to be whisked away, never to see her best friends (and boyfriend) ever again. No. She would not let that happen. He was going to have to kill her, because she wouldn't be going down without a good fight. He may out weigh her—incredibly—but she was stronger than she looked, and she could use it to her advantage.

But then, he said something that made her stop in her tracks, the blade nearly in her grasp as she stared at him in surprise.

"You don't remember me, do you?" He asked, his knife settling in his left hand as he tucked it back in his belt. He seemed to look at her with sad eyes, ones that had a glint of fear instead of the dangerous, threat she was so sure she'd seen before.

"What... what are you talking about?" She panted, a few of the hairs from her bun falling into her face. Remember him? From where? She had only met him early the night before, as far as she knew she had never seen this man before that time. Her head was swimming with the possibilities, rolling around like rocks in a baby rattle, and she couldn't seem to shake the feeling that they weren't actually as alone as they appeared to be.

"The night you escaped, Eugene came to Marina. Do you remember her?" Sinbad asked, his voice sounding neither firm nor accusatory, his speaking was gentle, as if she were a frightened bird.

"Marina?" Rapunzel looked to the floor, standing up straight as she recalled the name. It seemed to ring some bells. "Yeah... yeah I think so."

Sinbad rolled his shoulders and she could hear his back crack audibly. She wondered what exactly he was getting ready for as he spoke. "Me and Marina helped you both escape, we covered your tracks."

Rapunzel felt herself click the pieces into place, suddenly remembering two hooded figures exchanging words with Eugene while she stood a few feet away. She'd been so occupied with viewing the village and the lights outside her house that she had barely noticed them—that moment seemed like a blur compared the rest of that night. Most of what she remembered had to do with her, Eugene and the others just having a good time, she never expected a memory that insignificant would come back to haunt her. Though truthfully, she didn't think 'haunt' rather than 'surprise'.

"You..." She said her eyes focusing on him as she rolled those few moments over and over in her head. She hadn't even recognized him, yet he knew exactly who she was that night at the bar. He'd said nothing, made it seem like he wasn't even giving her a second glance... she had to admit, he was good at acting oblivious and normal when the time was right—she envied that fact at the moment.

"What do you want? Why are you here?" She said firmly, narrowing her eyes at him.

"About that..." he sighed and puffed out his cheeks, "Somebody figured out that I helped you, and they sent a raven to Gothel." He shuffled in his back pocket until he found a scroll, "The guards just showed up this morning at our cabin, and took me down there to 'wait for the proper authority'. I heard them talking about the whole thing at the station, and on top of that I found this tucked in the 'out' box for mail." It all had seemed too suspicious, for the guards to treat him (the leader of their own Runners) that way. Only when he heard what they were discussing did he start to panic. He had already guessed that Gothel was on her way, but when he'd seen the scroll labeled 'PEAK RUNNERS' in the outbox, he realized that the contents might be the thing that confirmed what he was thinking.