Chapter Ten:

Plan B

DAVE'S POV

The cab driver stopped in the middle of traffic. Just as the panther sped down the road, bypassing the traffic altogether, Dave paid the driver and stepped out of the vehicle. After crossing the busy street, Dave found a pay phone and dialed 9-1-1.

After a few rings, a policeman on the other line answered in a deep, resonating voice, "City of London Police."

"I need to report a kidnapping," said Dave, slightly distraught.

"What is the name?" asked the policeman.

"Dave Seville," answered Dave, as he continued his explanation. "I know this sounds crazy, but my chipmunks and a Halfling named Frodo Baggins have been kidnapped by Cruella DeVil."

The policeman laughed on the other line. Calming down somewhat, the policeman then asked Dave sharply, "Do you think this is possible? Halflings only exist in fantasy stories."

"I know," said Dave, trying not to sound tense. "Frodo's an acquaintance I met the night before. Can you help me?"

The policeman thought, and then answered, "Hmm… I don't think I will. You see, the police and I are very busy with other citizens, much like yourself, sir. Now, if you will kindly hang up, I would like to return to my job."

The phone went dead a brief moment later.

In confusion, Dave asked himself, "What have I gotten myself into?" Immediately, he called out to another yellow cab, where he handsomely paid the driver before entering the vehicle's backseat. He watched intently as the cab driver sped away from the traffic jam safely.

ALVIN, SIMON, AND THEODORE'S POV

Later that same afternoon, the chipmunk trio and Kipper arrived at two closed, tall, black metallic gates. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore rushed through the openings in one of the gates. Kipper, noticing a problem, searched for a hole in the stone wall. He found one and climbed through, entering the front, snowy yard of the old DeVil Mansion.

At a dash, the three chipmunks chased after Kipper across the yard, drawing ever closer to the mansion's front double-doors. Noticing a new problem, Simon thought hard over his next plan, and then caught a glimpse of a very tall gutter. After he had Alvin and Theodore's attentions, Simon led his two brothers towards the gutter, where they began their ascent upwards to the roof of the mansion. Since Theodore was considered the youngest of the three chipmunks, he was pushed inside the gutter first; Simon followed, with Alvin right on his tail.

On the way up the gutter, Alvin asked, "Simon, are you sure about Plan B? What if we lose Frodo?"

"I didn't think you cared about the hobbit, Alvin," said Simon, sarcastically.

"No, but I still need to know," admitted Alvin in a serious tone.

"Yeah!" announced Theodore. "Is Frodo going to be all right?"

"Shh! Theodore," muttered Simon, furiously. "Not so loud. Keep going."

"Oh!" emphasized Theodore in an understanding tone, before he continued his ascent up through the gutter. In realization, he admitted to Alvin and Simon, "Guys, this would be much easier if I didn't still have baby fate!"

"We know, Theodore," said Alvin, already annoyed. "Like Simon told you: keep moving." Hastily, he forced Simon and Theodore to move faster through the gutter.

When the three chipmunks reached the other end, Theodore was pushed out of the gutter's hole first by Simon, and then Simon climbed up after him. Alvin, looking distraught, climbed out of the gutter-hole last. As soon as he reassured Simon and Theodore that he was all right, Alvin fled with his two brothers across the roof, where they were soon met by Kipper. With a quick gesture, Kipper told the chipmunk trio to head inside the mansion through an open doorway. Alvin, Simon, and Theodore swiftly did as they were told, but noticed Kipper following them from a few feet away.

o-o-o

After sneaking past Jasper and Horace, Kipper and the three chipmunks searched around the mansion's third floor for any room where Frodo was being held prisoner. Just then, Simon heard a scratching sound coming from a nearby locked door and followed it. Although they had become confused, Alvin and Theodore chased after Simon until they too heard the same scratching sound, which came from a locked wooden door that led into a study.

Briefly, Theodore scanned the area until he found a small, swinging knothole next to the door. Just as he called his brothers and Kipper over, Theodore was pulled through the hole and into the study by a chipette paw. No sooner did Alvin, Simon, and Kipper climb through this knothole did they find, instead of chipmunks, packed with other furry rodents – possibly their distant relatives.

Confused, Alvin told Simon, "Those aren't chipmunks. Are they, Simon?"

"I believe they are red squirrels from Europe. From what I have read, they live here in the United Kingdom as well," said Simon in a logical tone.

Loudly, Alvin announced in distraught, "I am aware of that! Now, where is Frodo?"

Simon shushed his eldest brother, right as one of the three chipettes approached Simon and said, "If you're searching for your hobbit friend, I believe he is over by the long, grey blanket." She then whispered, "He's asleep, of course. The two Baduns didn't bring him in here until early this morning." She added, happily, "My name is Jeanette."

"I'm Simon," said Simon, introducing himself.

Interrupting the friendly moment, Alvin told his brother, "Enough with the smooching! Let's wake up Frodo!"

"I wouldn't do that," said Jeanette, warning him with a wary expression across her face. "He must still be homesick and will become grouchy, if you wake him up."

"Oh come on," said Alvin, furiously. "It's Frodo! The least we can do is say, 'we've come to rescue him'."

"Alvin," muttered Simon, chasing after his eldest brother.

Alvin skidded over to Frodo, who was sleeping peacefully on the blanket. His two brothers and the chipettes followed him with curious, concerned looks on their faces. Before any of the chipmunks and chipettes knew what to say or do, Frodo roused awake. Alvin tried to tell the five to act natural, but that plan soon failed on him.

FRODO'S POV

Frodo was roused awake by high-pitched voices. As he opened his eyelids, Frodo looked and saw six furry chipmunks staring at him. Within the first few moments, Frodo was in complete shock. Then he remembered his task: find the chipmunks – Alvin, Simon, and Theodore – and return them to their fatherly figure, Dave Seville.

"This has to be a dream," muttered Frodo, dazed.

"I can correct you, Frodo. You're not dreaming," answered Alvin with confidence in his voice. Slyly, he added, "Of course."

Immediately, Simon explained, "We were tracking Jasper's truck for hours, and then we came to this mansion. Do you think Cruella used to live here? Some of the paintings on the walls look exactly like her."

Frodo noticed the three female chipmunks that stood next to Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. "Who are they?"

Alvin was hesitant for a moment, and then cried, "Simon!"

Simon shushed him, before he admitted, "Well, I know the dark-brown chipmunk is Jeanette…" he thought hard, "I wonder who her sisters' names are."

Jeanette and her two sisters tapped their feet, impatiently. At once, the eldest sister with flaming orange fur asked him, "Are you finished?"

"Now I am," said Simon, chuckling.

"Well, you already know Jeanette," said the first female chipmunk. In a happier tone, she introduced herself. "I'm Brittany."

"And I'm their baby sister, Eleanor," introduced the third, youngest chipmunk with light yellowish fur. "Together…"

"We're the Chipettes!" cried out the three female chipmunks in unison.

"Ah," said Simon, "so they do have a title."

"Well, we're the Chipmunks!" snapped Alvin at Brittany. "What makes you three think you're better than us?"

Simon shushed him. "Alvin, try not to be so loud. The Baduns might hear us…"

Brittany ignored Simon as much as Alvin did. In haste, Brittany fought back, "We don't. What makes you and your two misfits think you can outsmart me and my sisters?"

While Alvin and Brittany fought with their words, growing more furious by the second, Frodo watched Theodore and Eleanor as they bounded their way towards him. A brief moment after Frodo moved into a sitting position, he noticed a glint of gold light that bounced off from an oval-framed mirror, right into his eyes. Frodo peered up at a long wooden shelf and, although he was temporarily blinded by the light, he found a small gold key attached to a maroon cord.

As Frodo picked up the key, Alvin asked him, "What is that?"

"It's a key, Alvin," said Simon in a serious tone.

"Ooh! Does this mean we can escape this horrible mansion and return home?" asked Theodore, now excited. Turning to Frodo, Theodore asked with a confused look in his eyes, "Frodo, are you all right?"

Alvin cried out to all the red squirrels, "Come on! Are we going to stay in this cobwebbed study for the rest of our days?"

"Alvin," said Simon, sternly.

Alvin muttered back, "Simon, I'm getting to the best part." He faced the red squirrels again. "No! We're going out through that vent and escape this mansion, before the Baduns, Cruella, and Mr. Skinner catches us! Now, who's with me?"

At once, the red squirrels darted out of the study after Kipper and Alvin. Simon, reluctantly, was led by Jeanette and Brittany down through the vent tunnel. Once the four chipmunks and all the squirrels fled out of the study, Frodo approached the locked door after Theodore and Eleanor. Shortly after Eleanor made a fond farewell to Theodore, Frodo managed to unlock the door with the gold key. He briefly heard Theodore chasing Eleanor through the vent.