Well, back to the actual plot. Kinda short but the next one is where we start moving.
Enjoy and I own nothing:)
Jack was in his counsel chambers alone. He was looking at all that had been accomplished and it was amazing the progress they had made. Teas were no longer being made and the main mess that had quickly followed the fall of the Casino and those that still wanted their quick fix had been dealt with. They had begun reeducating the people and making sure everyone was cared for. It wasn't easy, but where the people feared his mother, they respected Jack. He gave no quick fixes, everything they did for the kingdom was for its long term benefit and was real. He gave everything he had and expected the same from his people. The Suits had been given special instructions from the White Knight on chivalry and honor. Some had scoffed at Charlie's manners and ideals, but had quickly found themselves scrubbing floors or cleaning stables. Jack made it very clear that his Wonderland would not be his mothers, that no citizen would be treated unjustly by his Suits and unless they proved themselves honorable, they could change jobs to something more befitting their morals. They were still a few he worried might not tow the line, but overall he was happy with their improvements.
A knock interrupted his thoughts and Number Ten stepped inside. "Forgive the intrusion My King." He said bowing. "No Intrusion, you know you are always welcome as you are a member of this counsel." "Thank you your majesty, but I came because you have a visitor." "Who." "Dodo." Jack shut his eyes and took a deep breathe. "Dodo?". "Yes, if you want I can tell him he has to wait, really it would be my pleasure to do so." Number Ten said and Jack didn't doubt he meant it. He had dealt with Dodo many times since he had become King and though he admired the mans passion and zeal for restoring Wonderland, he couldn't help but wish that Dodo would be less of a zealot. Jack tended to want to disagree with the man simply because he had put forth any idea. He wasn't sure if it was because of Dodo's arrogance, or maybe Jack was still angry over the fact that Dodo had at one point tried to shoot Alice. "As much as that would please us both." Jack said. "It is no use procrastinating unpleasant business. Show him in, but I promise if he is too much of a pompus blowhard you may kick him out." Number Ten laughed, mostly at his Kings use of the word "blowhard" and left to get Dodo. Jack took a position at the window and was pretending to look at something outside when Dodo burst in, Number Ten behind him. Jack ignored him and since Number Ten pointedly did not announce him, Dodo had to just stand there for a moment. Jack knew it rankled Dodo to be ignored, but Jack found that he had to assert his position with him otherwise the man would try to bully his way to what he wanted. Dodo cleared his throat but Jack continued to ignore him. Again. Jack ignored. "Excuse me, your majesty." Dodo said quite loudly and Jack turned towards him, pleased by the annoyed tone in his voice. "Dodo yes, what brings you by at such a late hour?" Dodo had what looked like a sealed file in his hands which he held out for Jack to take. Jack didn't budge but turned back towards the window. "As you know I have been going thru the files of the Hospital of Dreams, Caterpillar's records were not as orderly as those we kept at the Great Library." "No, Caterpillar's was a great mind, he had no space inside it for order." "Yes well." Dodo ground out between clenched teeth. He would be loyal to his king, as Jack was good for Wonderland, but he disliked the man immensely. He was a stuck up prig that didn't understand the sacrifice the members of the resistance (like himself) had made while he sat up in the Casino living the good life. "Be that as it may, while searching thru Caterpillar's records we found this hidden, with instructions that it only be given to you Jack Heart." A secret file from Caterpillar? Jack thought, intriguing. "Very well, put it on the table and unless there is anything else you require you are free to go." Before Dodo could respond to Jack's obvious dismissal, a disturbance from outside drew their attention as Number Nine flung open the doors. "Your majesty!" He cried clearly out of breath and doubling over, Number Ten walked to his side to try and assist him but he waved him off and stood up and between breathes said "Your majesty! I am, I'm sorry but the, the pal, palace was com, compromised, there was a, a break in."Jack came forward, no more games of disinterest. "What was taken." Number Nine swallowed and the look on his face made Jack's blood run cold. "They took the ring your majesty. The Stone of Wonderland was stolen."
The theft of the ring was kept quiet. Only his most trusted advisors and Dodo who had happened to be there, knew. Jack had increased security at the Looking Glass and had Number Ten was over at the White Rabbit checking on anything that might give them a lead. It was surprising but Dodo had actually proven to be helpful. Many of his former resistance contacts were being utilized to discreetly try and gather information about the thieves who had broken into the most secure area in all of Wonderland.
There was not much more Jack could do until they uncovered some leads, at least not and keep it quiet. The last thing he wanted was panic, or every person with a daydream about seizing power for themselves after the ring. So now he was in his private study with the file from Caterpillar. He was only slightly surprised to see it was a file on Hatter, the man Caterpillar had instructed Jack to keep away from Alice before she could affect him. The file was typed page after typed page, all random facts Caterpillar had compiled put into a rather dry order. What was interesting was that in the margins on the side in Caterpillar's unmistakable scrawl were questions. For example, where Hatter's office in the Tea Shoppe was described Caterpillar had written "The grass?" The door opened and Number Ten entered, carrying a box. "My King." He bowed. "I have discovered some thing's at the White Rabbit that have given me unease and I feel may be connected in some way to the theft of the ring." "Very well, what have you found." Number set the box on the table and pulled out first some papers. "These are inventory sheets. This top one is what we should have on hand of oyster clothing for the Suits who would go thru the Looking Glass to vanish the oysters to use in the Casino. It has, of course many variances, but that is not uncommon. Agent White was terrible at keeping his troops from losing clothing. This next sheet though, is where it gets interesting. Every Suit that goes thru the Looking Glass is given a fully integrated oyster identity in case of emergency. When going thru the files we found several of the identity files missing, this is uncommon as all files are checked, verified, and initialed when a raiding party used to return." "So identities and clothing are missing, and we can guess that the thieves are planning on using the ring to go thru the Looking Glass, which we were pretty much assuming anyway." Jack said rubbing his eyes. This has been a clean operation so far, whoever these thieves were, they were smart. "Yes, but there is something else." Number Ten added nervously. "We also checked the safe where we keep the oyster money and found that fifty thousand of it was missing." "Again, fits the pattern if they were planning on something.". "Yes Sire, it would but I found something else that was left inside the safe and I am a little puzzled by it." He then pulled a light brown hat out of the box, Jack recognized it. He stood up and turned around, telling Number Ten. "I want the Looking Glass security footage from the day we sent Alice and the oysters home all the way to today brought to me immediately." "Of course your majesty.". "Also, there was a Looking Glass technician, a young woman, there that day. I want you to bring her to me I need to ask her some questions." "Excuse me sire, did you say a young woman on the Looking Glass staff?". "Yes, a technician. petite, mousy little thing." "Sire, I am sorry but we umm, we don't have any women on the Looking Glass staff." Jack turned around and stepped to his bookshelf. Damn. He knew that the theft of the ring, the secret file, the missing money and items at the White rabbit, and the fake technician were not coincidence, nothing in Wonderland ever was. And if his instincts were right it was all going to be centered around this one man, Hatter. Jack turned back around and took his seat. "Bring me Dodo." "Dodo your majesty?" "Yes. I believe I actually may need his help. Unfortunately."
Three days later there was an ambush at the Looking Glass. Six men were captured but it was clear they were just decoys. Three others escaped thru to the oysters world, taking the ring with them. Jack was quick in mobilizing his teams. He sent a of suits thru the Looking Glass, lead by Number Nine to find the men with the ring and bring it back. After they left he sent a second team but with another mission. Find Hatter and bring him back to Wonderland.