Chapter 3

I took my time on my way to the Benbow Inn. The sky was shrouded with puffy marshmallow clouds. There would be a nasty storm later on. I adjusted my purse strap. I was a little nervous and excited to be going to Jim's house. I was about an hour early though. I wanted to see what his home was like. I hope he didn't mind. I saw the Inn come into view. There were several ships docked in the lot. Was it busy? I walked down the docks up to the front door. I could hear the all the people inside. Was it busy? I opened the door.

"Mrs. Hawkins!"

"I know, refill on the purp juice. Coming right up, Mrs. Dunwiddie!"

I looked around. The dining room was packed. There was a woman in a red and white dress serving food. She had familiar brown hair and blue eyes. She came up to me and smiled. Was she Jim's mom?

"Hello. Can I help you?" she asked me.

"No, thank you. I'm okay, I'm just waiting for Jim," I said.

"Oh, I'm his mother," Yup, I was right. "Are you a friend of his?"

"Yes, I'm Orianna Manson. I go to school with him,"

"That's so nice. Jim's not here right now but he should be back soon. Can I get you anything?" She asked me.

"No thanks," I responded. I looked around. "Do you need any help?"

The look in her eyes told me she wanted to say no but I think she had too many costumers to refuse any help. She rubbed the back of her neck.

"I'll just clear some tables and wash some dishes, okay?" I offered.

'"Thank you," she smiled warmly.

Aww, she was so nice and sweet looking. I went over to the nearest table and cleaned it up. It was something nice to do while I waited. The Inn was very cozy and a little rustic. All the people seemed happy with their meals. I tried not to bee too distracted though. I was extra careful to control my feet so as not to break any of Mrs. Hawkin's dishes. Mrs. Hawkins went over to the stove and scooped some stew into what looked like a big dog bowl? She served it to a very bookish looking man.

"Sorry, Delbert. It's been a madhouse here all morning," said Mrs. Hawkins.

"No problem, Sarah," the book man said. "Ah! My Alponian chowder with the extra solara seed,"

He was about to take his first bite when a cute little amphibian girl with pigtails skipped up to his table.

"Hello," he said awkwardly. "What brings you here, curious little...one?" he went back to his meal.

"Go away," he shooed her. He was pretty awkward.

The little girl only blinked. She was so cute!

"Are your parents around?" He asked. "What's the matter cat got your-ahh!"

The little girl's tongue extended out and she ate the food on his spoon in one bite. She then skipped away. Even I had to admit that was a little creepy. Mrs. Hawkins smiled at the little girl.

"Oh, they're so adorable at that age," she said.

Delbert looked annoyed.

"Oh, yes...deplorable..uh adorable," he said as he pushed the tainted spoon away. I giggled. "Speaking of which, How's Jim doing?"

My head popped up at the sound of his name.

"Much better," said Mrs. Hawkins. "I know he had some rough spots earlier this year but I really think he's starting to turn a corner,"

The door burst open. There was Jim standing between two robot cops.

"Mrs. Hawkins?" one of the policeman asked.

"Jim!" Mrs. Hawkins dropped all dishes she was holding on the floor, shattering them.

"Ooh...wrong turn," Delbert said quietly.

In a second, Jim noticed that I was in the room.

"Okay. Thanks for the lift, guys," Jim brushed the cop's hands off his shoulder, but he just grabbed it back.

"Not so fast," said cop #1. Jim's face fell.

"We apprehended your son operating a solar vehicle in a restricted area," said cop #2.

"Moving violation 904- section 15- paragraph, umm,"

"Six?" Jim said. What? He got in trouble so much, he knew the rule book?

"Thank you,"

"Don't mention it,"

"Jim!" his mother scolded.

"As you are aware, ma'am this constitutes a violation of his probation," said the cop #2.

"Yes, yes. No, l understand. Um, but could we just-" Mrs. Hawkins fumbled.

"Pardon me, officers? Officers, if I might interject here," Delbert stood up and walked over to them. I stayed frozen in my place. "I am the noted astrophysicist Dr. Delbert Doppler. Perhaps you heard of me. No? I have a clipping," Jim looked a bit annoyed at his interference.

"Are you the boy's father?" the cops asked.

"Oh! Good heavens, no!" the doc said.

"Ew! He's just an old friend of the family," said Mrs. Hawkins. I couldn't help but smile at the doctors reaction to what Mrs. Hawkins said.

"Back off, sir!" the cops got in the doc's face.

"Thank you, Delbert. I will take it from here," Mrs. Hawkins came to his rescue.

"Well, Sarah, if you insist," the doc said nervously. "Don't ever let me do that again," he whispered.

"Due to repeated violations of statue 15C, we have impounded his vehicle. Anymore slip ups will resort in a one way ticket to Juvenile hall," said cop #1.

"Kiddie hoosegow,"

"The slammo," they went back and forth.

The officers nudged Jim forward. Mrs. Hawkins grabbed him.

"Thank you, officers. It won't happen again," she said it more to Jim than the cops.

"We see his type all type ma'am" said cop #1.

"Wrong choices,"

"Dead-enders,"

"Losers," Jim whipped his head at them and glared.

"You take care now," said cop #1 as he tipped his hat.

"Let's motor," and with that they left. The entire dining hall was uncomfortably silent, including me. Apparently we all watched it like it was a soap opera. They all went right back to eating when Mrs. Hawkins looked at them. She than turned to me.

"Orianna, thank for your help and I'm sorry but I think you should go home," she said. I gave a light nod. I started for the door. I kept my eyes on Jim's face but he wouldn't look at me. I wish he would acknowledge me. I closed the door behind me but I didn't leave. I peaked through the window.

"Jim, I have had it. Do you want to go to Juvenile Hall? Is that is?" Mrs. Hawkins demanded.

Jim didn't look at her and just started to clear a table.

"Jim? Jim, look at me?" Mrs. Hawkins asked. "It's been hard enough keeping this place afloat without you going-"

"Mom, it's no big deal. There was nobody around. Those cops just won't get off my-" His mom gave him a look that told that she was not having it. "Forget," Jim said, defeated.

"Mrs. Hawkins! My juice!" said that alien tentacle lady in the corner.

"Yes, I'll be right there, Mrs. Dunwiddie" Mrs. Hawkins turned back to her son. "Jim, I just don't want to see you throw away your entire future," with that she walked off to tend to her customers.

"Yeah, what future?" Jim whispered.

I backed up from the window. I was terrible for eavesdropping, but I wanted to know what happened. I had to talk to him. Maybe he would come outside later. It was a long shot, but I wanted to see him. I found a bench at the side of the building. I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chin. It was a little chilly but incredibly calm, considering what happened. I soon found myself falling asleep.

(Thunder)

My eyes opened a crack but I was still incredibly asleep.

Click

Click

Click

Now those sounds woke me up. I lifted up my neck and it hurt like hell. I than remembered where I was. Never sleep on a bench...at least not while sitting in an upright position. I stood up and stretched. Damn, I was so stiff! I looked at my watch. It was getting late. The marshmallow clouds looked angry and were flashing thunder and lightening. Maybe if I hurried, I could home before it started to rain. This day didn't turn out how I thought it would.

Click

'What was that?' I thought while I started walking.

"Orianna?" I heard a voice.

I turned around. No one was there. Was I crazy?

"Up here," I looked up and saw Jim sitting on the roof, tossing pebbles. So that was what woke me up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

"I wanted to talk to you so I waited outside but I ended up falling asleep," I bite my lip. "You okay?"

"Fine," he said without looking at me.

"Want some company?" I offered.

"No thanks," he rejected me.

"Com'on, cool guy," I placed my hands on my hips. "Don't be like that," I smiled.

"Fine," he sighed.

Better than nothing. I struggled to climb up the side of the building. Jim offered me his hand. I quickly took it before I fell. I sat next to him.

"Nice hiding spot," I complimented.

"Thanks," he gave me a half smile. I beamed. I got him to smile!

"I don't know how you do it, Sarah," I turned my head and looked through a nearby window. Mrs. Hawkins and Doctor Doppler were talking. "Trying to run a business while raising a felon like- felon...fellow...fellow like Jim," I narrowed my eyes. The Doc didn't have to say that.

"Managing it? I'm at the end of my rope." Mrs. Hawkins sounded so drained. "Ever since his father left, Jim's just never recovered. And you know how smart he is. He built his first solar surfer when he was eight! And yet. He's failing at school, he is constantly in trouble, and when I talk to him, he's like a stranger to me. I don't know, Delbert. I've tried everything-"

I stopped listening after that. I turned to Jim. He had a painful, guilty expression. I hugged my knees. I felt sadness well up in me. I didn't know his father left his family. I guess I really didn't know him at all.

A smoking ship suddenly cut through the air, dangerously close to the Inn and crashed on the dock. Jim and I slid off the roof and ran to the crashed site. Jim knocked his fist against the glass window.

"Hey Mister! You okay in there, right?" Jim shouted. We jumped back when we saw a large claw smack the window.

The glass window popped open and fell a turtle-like man fell out, along with, a green chest and a lot of smoke. The man made a sound almost like a growl. He stood up and grabbed the front of Jim's shirt. Jim pushed me out of the man's reach.

"He's a-comin'. Can you hear him? Those gears and gyros clickin' and whirrin like the devil himself!" Jim tried to pull his face away but the dude's neck kept extending! He finally released Jim's shirt.

"Uh, hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?" Jim said.

"Are you okay?" I asked and went closer.

"He's after me chest... that fiendish cyborg and his band of cutthroats," The man struggling. "But they'll have to pry it from old Billy Bones' cold, dead fingers afore l—argh!" Billy Bones started coughing harshly and straining to breathe. I bent down next to him.

"Come on, give me your arm," Jim took Billy's arm and held it over his shoulder. "Get the chest, Orianna,"

"Right," I picked up the chest, surprisingly light. It started to rain. Perfect. We headed towards the Inn.

"Mom's gunna love this," Jim said, sarcastically.

I was about to open the door, but the doc got to it before me. We must of looked like quite a shock because the doc and Mrs. Hawkins looked really surprised. It probably didn't help that we arrived with a really loud thunder clap and a injured turtle man.

"James Pleiades Hawkins!" his mother exclaimed, horrified.

"Mom, he's hurt...bad!" said Jim and he let Billy Bones on the floor.

"Me chest, lass," he said to me. I pushed it close to him. With every move he made, he gasped for air. What happened to him? Who did that to him? He entered a code into the lock and the chest opened. He pulled out a small spherical package.

"He'll be comin' soon. Can't let them find this," the turtle choked out.

"Who's coming?" Jim asked. Billy grabbed Jim's shirt again and pulled him close. He whispered something in Jim's ear. I couldn't hear what he said but I saw Jim's eyes widen. Billy slowly let go of Jim's shirt and fell to the floor, dead. Mrs. Hawkins gasped. We didn't have time to really fully process what had just happened. We heard a rumbling outside and soon saw bright lights. Jim slipped the package into his coat pocket and ran to the window. He used the controls to peak through the image. Lots of shadowy figures were ambushing the Inn.

"Quick! We gotta go!" Jim grabbed his mom's and my wrists and pulled us up the stairs. I turned and saw the doc dodge a couple of lasers.

"I believe I'm with Jim on this!" he called after us.

As we ran up to the higher levels, I head angry voices, shouts, and crashing sounds. We ran to the top floor. The doctor flung open a window.

"Delilah! Delilah! Stay Don't move!" Doppler shouter out the window. I heard the yelping of an animal. The doc hoisted Jim's mom up on the windowsill. Were they gunna jump! That's crazy. Jim and I looked out the door and saw fast approaching shadows. I hid behind Jim. My eyes were as big as saucers.

"Don't worry, Sarah. I'm an expert in the laws of physical science," the doc tried to convince Mrs. Hawkins but she was clearly paralyzed. "On the count of three. One-"

"Three!" Jim shoved them out and they fell towards the waiting carriage below. Jim grabbed my hand. God, I didn't want to jump! No time to think though. Jim wrapped his arm around my waist and jumped down, taking me with him! I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest during the fall. The doc grabbed the reins and compelled his animal forward, pulling us away from the Inn. Mrs. Hawkins looked back at the scene and saw her Inn on fire! Her head fell into her hand in despair.

Oh no...

Jim didn't know what to say to his mother and neither did I. He pulled out the package that Billy gave him. I leaned over his shoulder. He pulled off the string and brown paper. In his hands was a golden orb covered in weird markings.

"What is that?" I asked.

"I have no idea," Jim whispered to me.

The doc drove us to his estate. It looked like a observatory out of a comic book. The doctor went off to make a call while we all settled in. I asked the doc if I could make some tea. He gave me directions for his kitchen but it took me at least ten minutes to find it. His place was a labyrinth! I put the kettle on and searched the cupboards to look for the tea leaves. I found a package of green tea. Perfect!. I was reading the package when I felt a presence behind me. Jim.

"Hey," I said quietly. "How's your mom?"

"I'm not sure. She hasn't really spoken," Jim replied, sadly.

The kettle whistled loudly. I turned the flame off. I turned back to him. His head was down. I placed my hand on his shoulder and leaned in. "It wasn't anyone's fault. Those guys just attacked us," I told him. He didn't say anything. I sighed and backed up. I took out a porcelain tea set (I couldn't find anything less expensive) and set everything in place. I felt Jim's eyes on my back. I picked up the trey.

"Let's take this out," I said. Jim took the trey from me and gave me a ghost of a smile.

"I don't trust your feet," Jim teased me.

I smiled back and followed him back to the main room. Mrs. Hawkins was sitting in an arm chair. The Doc was kneeling in front of her.

"I just spoke with the constabulary. Those blaggard prates have fled without a trace," The doc informed us. The loud chime of the clock was in the back round. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I'm afraid the old BenBow Inn has burned to the ground,"

Jim set the trey down on a little table and placed a blanket over his mother's shoulders. I watched him struggle to find something to say. It was so tense in the room. The doc handed a cup of tea to Mrs. Hawkins and I. He tried to ease the tension. Jim walked over to golden sphere which was sitting on a table on the other side of the room.

"Ahem," the doc cleared his throat. "Well, certainly a lot of trouble over that odd little sphere,"

Jim picked up the metal ball and started tinkering with it.

"Those markings baffle me. Unlike anything I've ever encountered," the doc continued.

I watched Jim closely. He was actually making progress with it. After he pushed a few buttons, they pulled back into the sphere. Jim then proceeded to handle it like a rubik's cube.

"Even with my vast experience and superior intellect it would take me years to unlock it's-" the doc ranted.

Click That did it. The sphere was unlocked.

"Hey!" the doc said, annoyed.

Green, blue, and gold light filled the room, forming familiar shapes. Everyone gasped and stood up.

"Why it's a map!" the doctor realized. "Wait, wait, wait! This is us, the planet Montressor," He touched the hologram and the map seemed to move in farther into one direction. The doc continued to point out planets and galaxies. It really was a map. The map kept traveling until it stopped at a huge planet with two rings.

"Wait. What's this? Why it-it's-" the doc was at a loss of words.

"Treasure planet," Jim's face lite up.

"No way!" I said, in disbelief.

"That's Treasure Planet!" Jim's smile kept growing.

"Flint's trove? The loot of a thousand worlds?" The doc said. "You know what this means?"

"It means that all that treasure is only a boat ride away," Jim answered.

"Whoever brings it back would hold an eternal place atop the pantheon of explorers! He'd be able to experience-" The map disappearing back inside the sphere interrupted the doc's epic speech. I laughed a bit at his reaction again. He was funny. "What just happened?"

"Mom, this is it. The answer to all our problems," Jim said, excitedly.

"Jim, there is absolutely no way-" Mrs. Hawkins started.

"Don't you remember? All those stories?" Jim asked, trying to convince her.

"That's all they were. Just stories,"

"With that treasure, you guys could rebuild the Benbow a hundred times over!" I said. Jim nodded in agreement with me.

Mrs. Hawkins was at a loss of words. "Well, this is- it's just- Delbert, would you please explain how ridiculous this is?"

"It's totally preposterous, traversing the entire galaxy alone," said the doc.

I frowned and Jim rolled his eyes.

"Now at last, we hear some sense!" said Mrs. Hawkins, with relief.

"That's why I'm going with you,"

"Delbert!" Mrs. Hawkins said.

'Yes!' I screamed in my head. This guy is awesome!

"I'll use my savings to fiance the expedition. I'll commission a ship, hire a captain and a crew," The doc ran about the room packing things in his bag.

"You're not serious?" Mrs. Hawkins sighed.

"All my life, I've been waiting for an opportunity like this and here it is screaming: Go Delbert! Go Delbert!" I laughed at his insane dancing.

"Okay! Okay! All three of you are grounded!" Mrs. Hawkins tried to get a hold on the situation. She rubbed the back of her neck.

"Mom. Look, I know that I keep messing everything up and I know that I let you down. But this is my chance to make it up to you. I'm going to set things right," said Jim, sincerely. I felt warm inside, from his heartfelt words.

Mrs. Hawkins seemed to soften at her son's confession. The doc called her over to speak with her privately. I took the opportunity to speak with Jim.

"This is so cool," I said to Jim.

"You want to go?" he asked me. He sounded a bit skeptical.

"Of course!" I exclaimed. Jim crossed his arms and gave me a look. I folded my hands and got close to him. I made the saddest, cutest puppy face I could. "Can I go, pleeeeease?" I begged. He rolled his eyes but it was with a smile.

"Fine, but I'm not looking after you," he finalized.

"That's okay. I don't need you to take care of me," I stuck my tongue out at him.

Jim's mother came back with sad, yet accepting look on her face. She looked at her son and sighed. She smoothed his hair back.

"Jim, I don't want to lose you," she admitted. Jim grasped her hand, lovingly.

"Mom, you won't. I'll make you proud," said Jim.

His mom seemed relieved by his response. She than turned to me.

"Orianna, if you want to go, you need permission from your parents," she told me. "And you better not lie because I'll call them to make sure,"

"Yes, Mrs. Hawkins," I grinned.

"Well, there we are then," the doc joined in. "We'll begin preparations at once. Orianna, Jim, my boy, soon we'll be off to the spaceport,"

"Right," Jim and I said together.

"Okay, Orianna. It's been a long day and it's late and you should be on your way home," Mrs. Hawkins said to me.

"I am pretty tired," I admitted. "I'll be back tomorrow,"

"Good night, Miss Manson," said the doc.

"Good night, Orianna," Mrs. Hawkins waved good-bye.

"Good night," I said. "Thanks for everything,"

"I'll walk you out," Jim was beside me me in as second.

I opened the front door. Relief washed over me. It stopped raining. The relief was soon replaced with panic. I had been out all day, till late at night and I didn't even call home. My parents were going to kill me! I pushed the scary thoughts away. I than realized how tired I was.

"See you tomorrow?" Jim asked.

I nodded my head with enthusiasm. "I can't wait!"

Jim looked out the door. It was dark.

"Want me to walk you home?" he offered.

"Nah, I'll be okay," I assured him. I dug through my purse and pulled out my secret weapon. A little spray can of mace. I grinned at the look on his face when he saw it.

"Remind me never to mess with you," Jim folded his arms over his chest.

"See? I'm just fine on my own," I smirked and walked off.

"Fine, just try not to trip," he called after me.

I turned around and stuck my tongue out again. Big mistake! He jinxed me! I somehow managed to trip over god knows what and fell flat on my face...again! Ugh! I hate my clumsiness! I could hear Jim roar with laughter behind me.

"Oh, shut up!" I shouted and ran home. I had a smile on my face the whole time.

Wow this was looooong. At least I started the film. I tried really hard to not make any grammar mistakes. If there are some...please don't kill me! Yay cant wait to start the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews!