[Note: the lullabye is "Cody's Song" by Kenny Loggins.]
Chapter 3
My Worthy Foe
Ginger refused to go to sleep until she had given Basil's flat a thorough exploration. By the time Mrs. Judson managed to get her to lie down in a spare room, it was almost 1:00 in the afternoon.
"I should have known she'd be nocturnal," Basil grumbled as he collapsed, exhausted, into his chair. "After all, when else but at night would a thief be awake to do anything…?" He drifted into a deep sleep, curled up on the chair. Mrs. Judson tucked a blanket around him before retiring to her own quarters.
***
When Basil awoke, the sun had already set. He glanced at the clock sitting over the fireplace. It was nearly 8:00 at night. He yawned. These night-time cases were going to seriously mess up his internal clock.
Suddenly, strange music drifted to Basil's ears through the quiet apartment. It was coming from Ginger's room. The door was cracked open, so Basil was able to peer in without making a sound.
He saw Ginger sitting in the middle of the floor. The contents of her sack were strewn about in what was obviously a child's rendition of an organized way. In her hands, Ginger held the box she had grabbed just before running out with Basil. It was a music box. The child wound it up and set it on the floor. A beautiful, haunting melody rose from the obviously aged instrument. Ginger began to sing along with it very quietly. Basil had to strain his ears to hear her.
When you feel afraid,
When you lose your way, I'll find you,
Just try to smile, and dry your eyes,
I will bring back the moon into your skies.
And ever you will, remember darling, I'll be there to
Sing to you
I promise you
I promise to
Comfort you and sing to you
Darling, I'll be there just for you.
There's so much to learn,
And when you want me
Then I'll show you,
And through the years,
You'll always be
The lullaby in the heart of the child in me.
Whenever you will, remember, darling, I'll be there to…
Ginger's song was interrupted by a harsh knock on the window in Basil's study. Basil ran to the window and pulled the shades back. Auburn was perched on the ledge looking rather cross. Basil undid the lock, and the window swung open. Auburn toppled inside with a squeak of surprise.
"You could have used the door," Basil pointed out. Auburn jumped to his feet.
"Oh… yeah, I guess. Where's Ginger?"
"She's…" Basil was cut off by the sound of a window shattering and a scream. He ran to Ginger's room with Auburn close at his heels. They arrived just in time to see a dark figure disappear into a bush across the street.
"DAMN!!" Auburn snarled. "He found out!!"
"Who?" Basil shouted as Auburn leaped out of the smashed window.
"The boss! Who else?! Come on! I know where he's taking her."
"Wait! Why should I follow you? For all I know, you could be leading me into a trap!"
Auburn turned to Basil, his eyes narrowed in anger and brimming with tears. "Then don't follow! It's none of your business anyway, is it? You can stay here and shred your ears for all I care! But she's my daughter and I'm going to save her!!!" He started running.
Basil had no choice but to follow his enemy out of the window. He knew it could be a trap, but a child in need of rescuing was a child in need of rescuing, even if it was the daughter of a known criminal.
Basil followed Auburn into the sewer and through the labyrinth of tunnels that led them eventually back to Ratigan's lair. The two mice crept cautiously into the open courtyard in front of Ratigan's lavish hideout. There was not a soul to be seen. It didn't take them long to decide everyone must have been inside taking part in one of the boss's musical numbers.
"We'd better go around the back," Auburn whispered. Basil nodded, and the two of them crept around the back of the hideout.
The moment they entered by way of the kitchen door, they realized something was terribly wrong. The kitchen was dark. The only light visible shone from the other side of the double doors leading to the main hall. To make matters stranger, there was not a sound to be heard inside the hall, which had been filled with music only minutes before. Basil and Auburn went to the doors. It was now or never. Basil looked at his companion and nodded. They pushed the doors open together.
A room full of grinning but unsure faces stared back at them. Ratigan was perched on a throne at the head of the room, watching Basil and Auburn with eyes that burned with unrepentant evil. He snapped his fingers and more thugs jumped out from hiding in the kitchen, blocking the exit. Ratigan stood and sauntered to the two mice.
"Auburn!" he said happily, "A perfect job! Very well done. You shall not go unrewarded." He shoved the speechless Auburn aside and grinned down at Basil, who was also speechless, but for quite a different reason than Auburn.
"You… you…" he sputtered angrily.
"No words! No words, my worthy foe! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Take him away." Ratigan laughed as Basil was seized by a group of Ratigan's strongest mice and dragged off.
Chapter 3
My Worthy Foe
Ginger refused to go to sleep until she had given Basil's flat a thorough exploration. By the time Mrs. Judson managed to get her to lie down in a spare room, it was almost 1:00 in the afternoon.
"I should have known she'd be nocturnal," Basil grumbled as he collapsed, exhausted, into his chair. "After all, when else but at night would a thief be awake to do anything…?" He drifted into a deep sleep, curled up on the chair. Mrs. Judson tucked a blanket around him before retiring to her own quarters.
***
When Basil awoke, the sun had already set. He glanced at the clock sitting over the fireplace. It was nearly 8:00 at night. He yawned. These night-time cases were going to seriously mess up his internal clock.
Suddenly, strange music drifted to Basil's ears through the quiet apartment. It was coming from Ginger's room. The door was cracked open, so Basil was able to peer in without making a sound.
He saw Ginger sitting in the middle of the floor. The contents of her sack were strewn about in what was obviously a child's rendition of an organized way. In her hands, Ginger held the box she had grabbed just before running out with Basil. It was a music box. The child wound it up and set it on the floor. A beautiful, haunting melody rose from the obviously aged instrument. Ginger began to sing along with it very quietly. Basil had to strain his ears to hear her.
When you feel afraid,
When you lose your way, I'll find you,
Just try to smile, and dry your eyes,
I will bring back the moon into your skies.
And ever you will, remember darling, I'll be there to
Sing to you
I promise you
I promise to
Comfort you and sing to you
Darling, I'll be there just for you.
There's so much to learn,
And when you want me
Then I'll show you,
And through the years,
You'll always be
The lullaby in the heart of the child in me.
Whenever you will, remember, darling, I'll be there to…
Ginger's song was interrupted by a harsh knock on the window in Basil's study. Basil ran to the window and pulled the shades back. Auburn was perched on the ledge looking rather cross. Basil undid the lock, and the window swung open. Auburn toppled inside with a squeak of surprise.
"You could have used the door," Basil pointed out. Auburn jumped to his feet.
"Oh… yeah, I guess. Where's Ginger?"
"She's…" Basil was cut off by the sound of a window shattering and a scream. He ran to Ginger's room with Auburn close at his heels. They arrived just in time to see a dark figure disappear into a bush across the street.
"DAMN!!" Auburn snarled. "He found out!!"
"Who?" Basil shouted as Auburn leaped out of the smashed window.
"The boss! Who else?! Come on! I know where he's taking her."
"Wait! Why should I follow you? For all I know, you could be leading me into a trap!"
Auburn turned to Basil, his eyes narrowed in anger and brimming with tears. "Then don't follow! It's none of your business anyway, is it? You can stay here and shred your ears for all I care! But she's my daughter and I'm going to save her!!!" He started running.
Basil had no choice but to follow his enemy out of the window. He knew it could be a trap, but a child in need of rescuing was a child in need of rescuing, even if it was the daughter of a known criminal.
Basil followed Auburn into the sewer and through the labyrinth of tunnels that led them eventually back to Ratigan's lair. The two mice crept cautiously into the open courtyard in front of Ratigan's lavish hideout. There was not a soul to be seen. It didn't take them long to decide everyone must have been inside taking part in one of the boss's musical numbers.
"We'd better go around the back," Auburn whispered. Basil nodded, and the two of them crept around the back of the hideout.
The moment they entered by way of the kitchen door, they realized something was terribly wrong. The kitchen was dark. The only light visible shone from the other side of the double doors leading to the main hall. To make matters stranger, there was not a sound to be heard inside the hall, which had been filled with music only minutes before. Basil and Auburn went to the doors. It was now or never. Basil looked at his companion and nodded. They pushed the doors open together.
A room full of grinning but unsure faces stared back at them. Ratigan was perched on a throne at the head of the room, watching Basil and Auburn with eyes that burned with unrepentant evil. He snapped his fingers and more thugs jumped out from hiding in the kitchen, blocking the exit. Ratigan stood and sauntered to the two mice.
"Auburn!" he said happily, "A perfect job! Very well done. You shall not go unrewarded." He shoved the speechless Auburn aside and grinned down at Basil, who was also speechless, but for quite a different reason than Auburn.
"You… you…" he sputtered angrily.
"No words! No words, my worthy foe! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Take him away." Ratigan laughed as Basil was seized by a group of Ratigan's strongest mice and dragged off.