Here's the rat Basil was talking about in the previous chapter. Plus, Eve's in this chapter.
Chapter 4: Professor Ratigan
That night, Fidget and Eve brought Flaversham to Ratigan. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this," Eve told him sadly as they brought him in the barrel, then walked away with her boyfriend so that they could both take a nap.
"Wait!" Flaversham cried out to the bats.
"Good work, bats," Ratigan praised, "Now you, toymaker. Build this robot."
"Fidget, I thought we were…" Eve started to say.
"Eve, as soon as Ratigan is gone as in 'gone gone', we'll be out of his clutches like I promised," Fidget promised.
She knew what he meant. "Okay," she sighed.
"Let's get some sleep." And he climbed up the barrel. Eve scrambled up after him and he lovingly took her by the arm.
...
Mr. Flaversham was held captive by the rat, who the bat worked for. Hiram was dragging levers to test out the project he was working on, which was soon to be the queen because the professor wanted to murder the real queen of Mousedom. The robot was connected to the cord, so he could do tricks with the robot, such as pouring tea. While the project itself was fascinating, it broke his heart that he had to make this robot to replace the real queen.
Hiram was glad his son and daughters were there to support and care for each other, but he wondered if someone was there to help them along the way. Were they able to find Basil safely? How would they find the sibling's father and save him?
Mr. Flaversham's thoughts were interrupted by a dark form in the shadow, who was smoking a cigarette holder. The figure chuckled darkly as he admired the toymaker's handiwork. The individual was a big grey furred rat with a black tuxedo, black cape with a red underside, dark pink and dark purple bowtie, tall white collar, and dark grey vest with buttons. He also had yellow eyes, lavender rims around his eyes, and neatly combed black hair. It was none other than Professor Ratigan, the world's greatest criminal mind, himself! "Quite an ingenious scheme, eh Flaversham?" Ratigan asked and pinched the toymaker's cheeks like he would a child, adding, "And aren't you proud to be a part of it?" Ratigan laughed inwardly as Mr. Flaversham pulled himself away from the disgusting rat.
Hiram gulped as he continued using the controls. "T...this whole thing is-is...i-i-it's monstrous!"
But Ratigan was unfazed. He was proud of his evil plot. "We will have our device ready by tomorrow evening, won't we?" Ratigan took out his bell with the handle between his fingers, which was meant for people who disobeyed his orders, meaning they could be eaten by his cat, Felicia. "You know what would happen if you, uh...fail." He let the bell slip, making a light chime.
The toymaker's blood boiled. His mustache twitched as he started to lose his temper. "I...I...I don't CARE!" he raged as he violently pulled back the controls, letting it lose control. The robot dumped a pot of tea on its head and thrust it at the rat, who ducked before it got him. The robot continued its spastic state and bounced until it started to die down, but let oil fly out of its arm.
The oil landed on Ratigan's shoulder, much to the sewer rat's disgust.
"You can do what you want with me!" Mr. Flaversham shouted defiantly as Ratigan angrily watched him confront him, while using a pink handkerchief to clean out his stain. "I won't be a part of this-this...this evil any longer!"
Ratigan, still unaffected by the toymaker's defiance, knowing what he really meant, inhaled smoke from his nose and shrugged. "Mmm...very well. If that is your decision." He chuckled and saw a wind-up toy flower that was made for the toymaker's youngest daughter. "Oh, uh, by the way, I'm taking the liberty of having your daughter brought here." He picked up the toy and wound it, giving him a toothy grin.
"O-Olivia?" Mr. Flaversham asked, horrified.
Satisfied with the toymaker's answer, he found the father's weak spot and giggled as he set the toy down, letting it turn into a mouse and dance on the table. "Yes, I will spend many sleepless nights if...anything unfortunate would befall her." He let out a small chuckle as the music played its lullaby.
"You...you wouldn't!"
"Oh, and I must point out that there's this other girl mouse and their adopted brother taking care of your younger daughter. Is that right?"
Mr. Flaversham gaped at him, surprised that the criminal knew something he didn't. "Clover experienced enough love, which was never to become with her ex-boyfriend."
Ratigan didn't answer him. He just picked up the toy by the head and squeezed it, making it screech and suddenly, its head popped off. Ratigan looked at it with feigned pity and gave Mr. Flaversham a slight pouty look. "FINISH IT, FLAVERSHAM!" he shouted. "Otherwise, Clover and Andrew will join your little one."
Mr. Flaversham cowered and hung his head as he slowly returned to his work in defeat.
Ratigan closed the door and stepped outside the cell, humming as he wrote a list of things to bring for Fidget with a quill pen. "Oh, I love it when I'm nasty!" he said with a devilish smile and sauntered over to another barrel that had the golden letter "R" engraved on top of the spout Fidget and Eve were sleeping on. Fidget was a grey furred bat with yellow eyes, red rims around his eyes, a black apple cap, black trousers, a grey floppy shoe, dark blue sleeveless sweater, and a striped purple scarf. A girl bat was snuggled up with her boyfriend. She had grey fur and a light purple dress. "Fidget? Eve?" he cooed sweetly.
Fidget continued to snore lightly and slightly chuckled while he slept and Eve continued to cuddle with him. "FIDGET! EVE!" Ratigan, shouted loud enough for his henchman and his girlfriend to wake up and stumble down the stairs to the ground.
"Bright and alert as always," Ratigan said, proud to see Fidget and Eve awake and laughed as he handed Fidget the list. Fidget looked at it in confusion as Ratigan continued, "Here's the list. You know what to do and no mistakes!" Ratigan pointed a warning finger at him, making the male bat back away until Ratigan left his side.
Fidget chuckled and started to look at the list Ratigan gave him. "No, no, no mistakes! Tools, gears, girl, uniforms!"
"Oh, and there's one more thing, Fidget!"
"And what's that, boss?" Fidget asked.
"There's this other mouse girl and their adopted brother who are taking care of their little sister. See what you can do with them."
"Alright."
"NOW, FIDGET!" Ratigan yelled as he popped his head out of his home.
Fidget jumped at his shout, making him rush over to the sewer grate, saying, "I'm going! I'm going! I'm going!" He lifted up the sewer grate and climbed down, closing it on his way down. Boy was he grumpy from being woken up and rightfully so!
Eve couldn't help but laugh, thinking her own boss deserved it. She stopped laughing, fearing what he'll do to her next.
"Eve," Ratigan said, taking her by the hand in courtesy, "I have a job for you."
"What is it, Professor Ratigan?" Eve asked.
"Don't be ridiculous," Ratigan chuckled wickedly. "What I would like you to do is knock Basil dead.
This caught Eve off-guard, thinking this meant to kill the detective. "What?"
"Because there is an I in Basil, instead of the word team. Catch my drift? I don't want you to kill him, so instead, put him in his place."
"Yes," Eve said, agreeing with his plan, "It shall be done."
"Run along now. Your boyfriend must be waiting." Then, stopped her for just a moment. "Eve, you look beautiful tonight in the moonlight and you'll look just as beautiful tomorrow for the jubilee."
"Yes, thanks Professor, I'll be on my way!" Eve said as she opened up the sewer door and slid down after her love.
...
Cheering was heard from inside the barrel Ratigan lived in. It was Ratigan's other henchmen. Inside the barrel, was a white fountain with a statue of an angel Ratigan, long red carpet, many jewels, rubies, and gold he stole from the queen as well as the human sized crown, chandeliers, a champagne bottle tied to the ceiling hovering over the fountain, and red curtains.
Ratigan sat on his throne which had a golden "R" carved on top of him. He grabbed a new cigarette and a variety of hands had lit lighters for him, so he could smoke. He inhaled and exhaled the smoke, making a ring. "My friends," he announced cheerfully, "We are about to embark on the most ODIOUS...the most evil, the most diabolical scheme of my illustrious career!"
The thugs he was talking to had a club in hand, alcohol drinkers, and had knives used to cut throats or assassinate people. One of the thugs that wasn't a mouse, yet was part of the group was Bill the Lizard. One of the mice in the gang was a heavy drinker named Bartholomew. He had a red sweater, a worn-out top black hat, brown hat, and pants.
"A crime to top all crimes. A crime that will live in infamy!"
Bartholomew was about to drink alcohol to celebrate only to find a drop left as he poured it out of his mug, while everyone else cheered.
Ratigan pulled out a newspaper of the queen on the front page to announce his dastardly plan. "Tomorrow evening, our beloved monarch celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. And with the enthusiastic help of our good friend, Mr. Flaversham."
In agreement, the others snickered as Bill elbowed a drunken Bartholomew.
"It promises to be a night she will never forget." Ratigan burned the newspaper and his gang (minus Bartholomew) gasped, knowing what he was hinting. He crumbled the newspaper with a laugh. "Her last night, and my first...as supreme ruler of all Mousedom!"
As he announced this, he flung his arms in excitement and got his hair messed up while the crowd applauded and cheered at his plan. Ratigan fixed his hair.
The room grew dark until a spotlight shone on Ratigan and one of his gang members handed him his top hat with a grey band, letting the hat slide on his shoulders before putting it on his head. With a cane in hand, he spun around and snickered wickedly before he started to sing about his criminal successes.
From the brain that brought you the Big Ben Caper,
The head that made headlines in every newspaper
And wondrous things like the Tower Bridge Job
That cunning display that made Londoners a sob.
Ratigan pointed to the jewels he'd stolen and slide down to stare at his reflection from the ruby.
Now comes the real Tour de Force
Tricky and wicked of course.
My earlier crimes were fine for their time's
But now that I'm at it again.
Ratigan spun his cane around the rope, bringing down the champagne bottle, pouring the sparkling pink champagne into the fountain.
Bartholomew grew excited at the site, so he lapped it up like a dog. Ratigan twirled in his direction and kicked him.
An even grimmer plot has been simmering
In my great criminal brain.
Ratigan smiled wickedly as he covered his face with a cape, prowling up to Bill and his posse. All of them elegantly took off their hats and bowed and Ratigan's gang sang with him.
Even meaner? You mean it?
Worse than the widows and orphans you drowned?
Bartholomew slowly resurfaced from the fountain, completely drunk that he hiccupped. Thus, he landed on the ground with a splat. Ratigan's gang lifted Ratigan up, which took more than one person to carry a heavy rat and twirled him around.
You're the best of the worst around.
Oh, Ratigan!
Oh, Ratigan!
The rest fall behind!
To Ratigan!
To Ratigan!
The world's greatest criminal mind!
The gang parted ways as the background turned a somber blue and Ratigan played his harp.
"Thank you, thank you," Ratigan said as he continued playing his melody. "But it hasn't all been champagne and caviar. I've had my share of adversity, thanks to that miserable second-rate detective, Basil of Baker of Baker Street." He glared at the voo-doo doll of Basil with various pins all over its body. The crowd booed at the detective for they had dreaded him as much as their boss had.
"For years, that insufferable pipsqueak has interfered with my plans." Ratigan feigned despair. "I haven't had a moment's peace of mind."
The crowd said "aww" at him and Bartholomew sniffled and sobbed.
The background lighting turned from blue to scary red as Ratigan returned to his sinister state. "But all that's in the past! This time nothing, not even Basil, can stand in my way! All will bow before me!"
The lights returned to normal as the gang did as they were told.
The crowd filled their wine glasses from the fountain with Bartholomew back to drinking from the spout and making a splash. With that, they made a toast with Ratigan to celebrate his crimes.
Oh, Ratigan!
Oh, Ratigan!
You're tops and that's that!
To Ratigan!
To Ratigan!
As Bartholomew slowly resurfaced, he sang along with them, "To Ratigan the world's greatest rat!" With that, he hiccupped.
Ratigan gasped and coughed at the word he dreaded when he was drinking his wine in tranquility. Even the gang gasped in shock. "What was THAT?" Ratigan demanded as he turned around to face the henchman who called him a rat.
Bartholomew hiccupped.
"What did you call me?"
The thugs did their best to defend the drunken mouse.
"Oh, oh! He didn't mean it, Professor!" A thug mouse said who often had a cigar in his mouth and was wearing a tan bowler hat with a light-brown band, light-brown shirt, and a brown vest.
"I-It was just a slip of the tongue." Bill added.
"I AM NOT A RAT!" Ratigan growled at Bartholomew, picking him up by the collar of his sweater.
"'Course you're not." said another thug who wore a purple and white striped shirt, grey beret, and a dark purple coat. "You're a mouse!"
"Yeah, that's right," seconded the cigar mouse thug, "Right! A mouse!"
"Yeah, uh, a big mouse." Bill added.
"SILENCE!" Ratigan shouted and tossed Bartholmew outside, which had no effect on the drunken mouse.
"Oh, my dear Bartholomew," Ratigan said, pretending to be concerned and stepped outside as the thugs watched from inside. "I'm afraid that you've gone and upset me." Ratigan slowly brought out his bell he'd shown Hiram. "You know what happens if someone upsets me."
The thugs shuddered and gasped when Ratigan rang his bell to call his pet cat, Felicia, who had yellowish-tan fur with a tan muzzle, yellow eyes, and a purple bow tied between her ears.
"Oh, Ratigan, oh, Ratigan..." Bartholomew sang in a drunken manner while Felicia smiled hungrily at him and the three thugs shrunk in terror of the cat. "You're the tops and that's that. Hic! Oh, dear. To Ratigan, to Ratigan, to Ratigan..."
The three of them watched helplessly as Bartholomew was in Felicia's clutches about to be eaten. Ratigan, however, smoked his cigarette as he watched one of his henchmen being executed.
"The world's greatest…" Those were the last words Bartholomew had sung until a gulp sounded out from Felicia. The three gang members covered their faces in alarm, not wanting to see their friend's death. Then a meow was heard. The gang members took off their hats in sadness and shed some tears, mourning their friend.
Ratigan cleaned Felicia's face with a handkerchief and put it back in his pocket. "Oh, Felicia, my precious, my baby!" he cooed as he hugged her face. "Did Daddy's little honeybun enjoy her tasty treat?"
Felicia let out a burp in his face. Ratigan looked away and as he returned to the barrel, he said, "I trust that there will be no further interruptions."
The gang members helplessly reentered the barrel.
Ratigan cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around Bill and the mouse with a cigar in his mouth. "And now, as you were singing…"
The thugs struggled to think of some lyrics, only to see Ratigan bring out his bell to summon Felicia, in case they refused. Seeing this and not wanting to receive the same fate as Bartholomew, they gasped and figured out what to sing next.
Even louder
We'll shout it!
No one can doubt what we know you can do.
You're more evil than even you!
Ratigan's posse brought out a purple robe and placed it over Ratigan's shoulders and one of the gang members hurried with a crown that matched the robe. After that, Ratigan knocked the thugs off their feet.
Oh, Ratigan!
Oh, Ratigan!
You're one of a kind!
To Ratigan!
To Ratigan!
Ratigan snickered as praise was being brought to him. The thugs formed a pyramid with jewels. Others swung on the wine bottles and chandeliers. One mouse fell off a chandelier and Ratigan was about to catch him with his robe, but pulled back and let him fall.
The world's greatest criminal mind!
Ratigan yanked the rope, making the gang plunge into the wine fountain with a splash. Everyone started to crash, including the group who formed a pyramid with jewels. At the end, they smashed glasses with Ratigan and drank wine together, while Ratigan gave out an ominous grin.