What is it about the clock striking twelve and magic wands?

We need to hurry and save Ben—before we ALL walk the plank!

It seemed to be just another bleak windy day at Pirate’s Cove.

The wharf bustled with patchy pirates, sullied scalawags, and mumbling merchants. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. But despite appearances, that day was different. For at the bottom of the decaying multilevel pier, there was a captive inside the old pirate ship with dark octopus insignia on the sails and young pirates patrolling the deck. It was none other than Ben, who had been tied with rope to the mainmast.

Harry leaped onto the main deck and landed in front of Ben. He put his face close to Ben’s. “Coochy coochy coooo,” he teased, grazing Ben’s chin with the curve of his sharp hook. Harry laughed. “How’s it feel to be king now, eh?”

Uma strolled up and pushed Harry away from Ben. “Ugh, give it a rest, Harry. We don’t want damaged goods.” She sat on a trunk in front of Ben and watched him.

“You said I could hook him,” Harry snarled at Uma. He hung by an arm from salt-encrusted rigging ropes like a monkey, pointing his hook menacingly at Ben’s neck.

“I said at noon,” Uma corrected him.

Harry jumped down and stepped beside Ben, pressing his face close to Ben’s again and dangling Captain Hook’s silver clock by his cheek. “Twenty minutes to go,” he said.

“It says eleven-thirty,” said Ben.

Harry leered at Ben with his light eyes bulging.

“You better hope your girlfriend comes through,” said Uma.

“She’s not my girlfriend anymore,” Ben added.

“Hmmm.” Uma turned to Harry. “Harry, leave us alone.”

Harry checked his father’s clock and walked up to Ben. “Nineteen minutes to go,” he said. He slid the watch over Ben’s shoulder threateningly, then twirled it on its silver chain as he backed away, leaving Ben and Uma alone.

“I get that you don’t deserve this—” Ben started.

Uma cackled. “This? This island is a prison, thanks to your father!” shouted Uma. “And don’t pretend to look out for me, because no one’s looking out for me. It’s just me.”

“This isn’t your mother’s plan?” asked Ben. “Isn’t that her necklace?” He nodded, indicating the gold shell hanging from Uma’s neck on a chain.

Uma let out a laugh and shook her head. “She doesn’t care about me, either. Well, not unless she needs someone for the night shift.”

“Ouch,” said Ben.

“I don’t need your pity!” yelled Uma.

“No, you certainly don’t. You’re very resourceful. I don’t see you tied up.”

Uma stood up and stepped in front of Ben. She crossed her arms. “So, let’s trash-talk Mal,” she said with a devilish grin.

“I’d rather talk about you,” Ben said kindly.

Uma laughed. “Oh, funny and a gentleman. I really hope I don’t have to feed you to the fishes.”

“You don’t,” said Ben. “Set me free and we’ll go back together.”

“Oh, so now I get an invite?” Uma howled. “Gee, I wonder why.” She brought her face inches from Ben’s. “You know, when you brought Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay to Auradon…that’s as mad as I’ve ever been in my life. And believe me, I’ve been plenty mad.” She tapped Ben’s cheek a few times and turned away from him. She folded her arms across her chest once again.

“I never thought that I could have hurt the people that weren’t picked,” said Ben, looking at the back of Uma’s pirate hat.

She whipped around and unfolded her arms. She was all ears.

“My plan was to start with four kids and then bring more people over, but I—but I guess I was busy being king,” said Ben as he looked at Uma. “That sounds lame. I’m so sorry.”

Uma nodded, and her expression softened.

“You’re a leader, Uma. So am I. Come to Auradon and be part of the solution.”

Uma looked Ben dead in the eye. “Me. Part of your solution,” she said.

Ben looked at her for a long hopeful moment.

She shook her head. “Hmmm. Nah, I don’t need you.” She jabbed a finger at Ben’s chest. “I’m gonna get there on my own.” She looked at the pirates and barked, “Harry!”

He marched over to them.

Uma touched her shell necklace. “And see what this puppy can do,” she added.

Mal and Evie waited in the noxious alley outside the rusty pipe tunnel.

The royal limo rolled up in front of them, and Jay, Lonnie, and Carlos got out.

“I’ll grab the swords,” Jay told Lonnie.

“Okay,” said Lonnie, closing the door.

Jay raced to the trunk.

Lonnie approached Mal and Evie.

“Lonnie!” exclaimed Mal.

Lonnie smiled. “I made them bring me.”

“Oh! I’m so glad,” said Mal.

Lonnie hugged Mal, then Evie.

“Welcome to the Isle,” said Evie. “It’s good to see you.”

“Thanks,” Lonnie replied.

“We brought swords,” Jay told Carlos. He opened the trunk of the limo and pulled out the quiver of swords, revealing Dude, who peeked up from a blanket.

“And Dude,” Jay added, surprised.

“I told you to stay!” Carlos said to the dog.

“I flunked obedience class,” said Dude matter-of-factly.

Jay smirked and rolled his eyes. “Great. And he can still talk.”

Carlos lifted Dude from the trunk. “Lucky I love you. Come on.”

Jay slammed the trunk shut.

“Oh, let me see,” Mal said, and Carlos handed the fake wand to her. “Wow.” She looked it over closely, then handed it back to Carlos. “This is great. Thank you so much.” Then she turned to her friends. “All right, are we ready?”

Everyone nodded solemnly.

“Yeah.” Evie held up Mal’s backpack, which contained the smoke bombs.

“Let’s do this.” Mal purposefully turned and led her friends into the pipe tunnel.

Carlos turned back to Dude, pointing the fake wand at him. “Stay! I mean it!”

Dude, who was seated beside the limo, wagged his tail.

Then Carlos vanished into the pipe tunnel to catch up with his friends.

Dude followed quietly behind him.

On the deck of the ship, Uma and Harry were by Ben’s side.

Harry pointed his hook at Ben’s neck, then watched his clock. It was seconds away from noon. There were pirates perched on the rigging and rails of the ship. In the crow’s nest, Gil scanned the cliffs. Harry checked his clock again. The minute hand struck noon. Harry grinned, scanning the rock cliffs and the pirate-filled pier—a series of wooden torch-lit platforms and steps leading down to their pirate ship.

“Hey, guys! They’re here!” Gil started to climb down from the crow’s nest.

Sure enough, Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Lonnie emerged from the rusty pipe tunnel that came out of the cliffside, and marched across a bridge that connected the pipe to the pier. Mal was leading, followed by Evie, Jay, Lonnie, and then Carlos.

They walked down the steps, passing pirates who strolled by or fished or hung up clothing on lines to dry. Wooden signs that said things like HOOK’S INLET, THIEVES’ MARKET, and MISERY ROCK pointed every which way, and alligator-infested waters frothed below them in the dark mist. The pirate ship was waiting.

Uma turned to her crew and smiled wickedly. “Let’s get this party started.”