Chapter 4
Fool's Gold
"Well, Auburn," Ratigan hissed after Basil had been removed and the rest of his gang returned their attention to their leader. "How did you like my little plan, hmm?"
"It… It was very clever, boss. Genius, I'd call it. Wonderful job of thinking ahead. Why I never would have…"
"Shut up!"
Auburn obeyed immediately.
"Now, I suppose you're wondering what I've done with your little sun spot, aren't you?" Ratigan paused to enjoy the look of immense concern that spread over Auburn's face. "She's safe," he continued. Auburn sighed in relief. "But you'll have to prove your loyalty to me before you see her again."
"But boss! You know I've always been loyal to you!"
"Oh Auburn…. Dear Auburn… Of **course** I know that. But you were doing business with the enemy, weren't you?"
"Only to bring him here, boss! I delivered him right to your door, didn't I?"
Ratigan lit a cigarette, smiling slightly. "That you did, Auburn. That is why I am not punishing you for dealing with that scum in the first place. But you still have to prove your complete loyalty to me."
Auburn bit his lip nervously. "And… and you won't hurt her?"
Ratigan raised a clawed hand. "I swear that not a fur on her precious body will be harmed as long as you do not fail me. I may be a criminal, Auburn, but I do not toy with the lives of those who help me."
Auburn nodded glumly. "What do you want me to do?"
***
Several hours went by and Basil found no way to escape the dank cell he was roughly shoved into. The walls were cement. The windows were barred, and the bars were thick iron. He would simply have to wait for whatever fate Ratigan had in store for him.
He didn't have long to wait after deciding to give himself up to destiny. The sound of clinking keys and an approaching light announced the approach of one of Ratigan's thugs.
"I'm warning you," Basil said as he heard the mouse in the hallway fighting with the lock, "I won't give up without a good fight!"
"I'll try to remember that," answered a very grouchy voice from the other side of the door.
"Auburn? Is that you?" Basil stood up, his hands in tight fists. "Come to take the prisoner to be executed, have you?"
The lock clicked and the door swung open. Auburn stood there with a lantern and a ring of keys. "Come off it, you fop. I've come to get you out of here."
"A fop am I?? I'll show you foppery, you crawling worm…" Auburn ducked just in time, and Basil went flying over him and into the wall. Auburn turned around and glared at him.
"Are you through being stupid yet?" he asked. Basil stood up, rubbing his head where he had hit the cement.
"Yes." He winced at the pain that seemed to cover about half of his body.
"Good. I know where they've got my daughter. If you'll stop leaping into walls, perhaps we can get going and save her."
Basil grumbled as Auburn turned and set a fast pace down the hall. The detective followed, now quite a bit less trusting than he had been at the start of their partnership.
***
Ginger sat huddled in a cold cell very similar to the one Basil had been unceremoniously deposited in several hours earlier. Ears back and arms around her bent knees, she would have been a striking image of her father if not for her small nose and tufted tail. She almost seemed to be sleeping, but as soon as she heard footsteps in the hallway, she leaped to her feet. When Ratigan opened the door, he found her standing with balled fists, ready to fight.
"Well, how are you doing, my dear?" Ratigan purred. Ginger backed into the corner.
"I'm just f-fine," she stuttered through chattering teeth.
"There's no reason to be frightened, my pet," Ratigan said soothingly. "I've come to apologize. I didn't mean for these imbeciles to put you in such a horrible place as this. It won't happen again, Will it?" Ratigan turned and snarled at two cowering thugs who had followed him into the cell. They shook their heads earnestly. "Good. Now come, my dear. It's far too cold for a child down here."
"I'm used t-to it," Ginger assured him. "It's always this c-cold at home."
Ratigan clicked his tongue. "That won't do at all! Your father wouldn't like you to be sitting down in a cold, wet cell, would he? Come. Perhaps we can also find you some finer clothing. It will please your father to see you happy when he returns."
Reluctantly the youngster followed, making it quite clear to Ratigan that she did so only for her father's sake. Ratigan only smiled sweetly and turned to lead the way.
***
"All right, enough! I won't walk a step further until you tell me what this is about!" Basil sat down in the sewer pipe and crossed his arms. They had been walking for close to an hour, and Auburn had offered no explanation. In fact, he hadn't said a thing since they left Ratigan's dungeon.
Auburn stopped walking. He sighed heavily, putting the lantern down in the middle of the pipe. When he turned, he was holding a gun in his shaking hands. Basil's eyes widened in sudden fear.
"I didn't want to have to do this," Auburn said, almost whispering. "But Ratigan promised to return Ginger if…" He didn't need to finish.
There was nothing Basil could do but watch helplessly as Auburn raised the gun, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.
Fool's Gold
"Well, Auburn," Ratigan hissed after Basil had been removed and the rest of his gang returned their attention to their leader. "How did you like my little plan, hmm?"
"It… It was very clever, boss. Genius, I'd call it. Wonderful job of thinking ahead. Why I never would have…"
"Shut up!"
Auburn obeyed immediately.
"Now, I suppose you're wondering what I've done with your little sun spot, aren't you?" Ratigan paused to enjoy the look of immense concern that spread over Auburn's face. "She's safe," he continued. Auburn sighed in relief. "But you'll have to prove your loyalty to me before you see her again."
"But boss! You know I've always been loyal to you!"
"Oh Auburn…. Dear Auburn… Of **course** I know that. But you were doing business with the enemy, weren't you?"
"Only to bring him here, boss! I delivered him right to your door, didn't I?"
Ratigan lit a cigarette, smiling slightly. "That you did, Auburn. That is why I am not punishing you for dealing with that scum in the first place. But you still have to prove your complete loyalty to me."
Auburn bit his lip nervously. "And… and you won't hurt her?"
Ratigan raised a clawed hand. "I swear that not a fur on her precious body will be harmed as long as you do not fail me. I may be a criminal, Auburn, but I do not toy with the lives of those who help me."
Auburn nodded glumly. "What do you want me to do?"
***
Several hours went by and Basil found no way to escape the dank cell he was roughly shoved into. The walls were cement. The windows were barred, and the bars were thick iron. He would simply have to wait for whatever fate Ratigan had in store for him.
He didn't have long to wait after deciding to give himself up to destiny. The sound of clinking keys and an approaching light announced the approach of one of Ratigan's thugs.
"I'm warning you," Basil said as he heard the mouse in the hallway fighting with the lock, "I won't give up without a good fight!"
"I'll try to remember that," answered a very grouchy voice from the other side of the door.
"Auburn? Is that you?" Basil stood up, his hands in tight fists. "Come to take the prisoner to be executed, have you?"
The lock clicked and the door swung open. Auburn stood there with a lantern and a ring of keys. "Come off it, you fop. I've come to get you out of here."
"A fop am I?? I'll show you foppery, you crawling worm…" Auburn ducked just in time, and Basil went flying over him and into the wall. Auburn turned around and glared at him.
"Are you through being stupid yet?" he asked. Basil stood up, rubbing his head where he had hit the cement.
"Yes." He winced at the pain that seemed to cover about half of his body.
"Good. I know where they've got my daughter. If you'll stop leaping into walls, perhaps we can get going and save her."
Basil grumbled as Auburn turned and set a fast pace down the hall. The detective followed, now quite a bit less trusting than he had been at the start of their partnership.
***
Ginger sat huddled in a cold cell very similar to the one Basil had been unceremoniously deposited in several hours earlier. Ears back and arms around her bent knees, she would have been a striking image of her father if not for her small nose and tufted tail. She almost seemed to be sleeping, but as soon as she heard footsteps in the hallway, she leaped to her feet. When Ratigan opened the door, he found her standing with balled fists, ready to fight.
"Well, how are you doing, my dear?" Ratigan purred. Ginger backed into the corner.
"I'm just f-fine," she stuttered through chattering teeth.
"There's no reason to be frightened, my pet," Ratigan said soothingly. "I've come to apologize. I didn't mean for these imbeciles to put you in such a horrible place as this. It won't happen again, Will it?" Ratigan turned and snarled at two cowering thugs who had followed him into the cell. They shook their heads earnestly. "Good. Now come, my dear. It's far too cold for a child down here."
"I'm used t-to it," Ginger assured him. "It's always this c-cold at home."
Ratigan clicked his tongue. "That won't do at all! Your father wouldn't like you to be sitting down in a cold, wet cell, would he? Come. Perhaps we can also find you some finer clothing. It will please your father to see you happy when he returns."
Reluctantly the youngster followed, making it quite clear to Ratigan that she did so only for her father's sake. Ratigan only smiled sweetly and turned to lead the way.
***
"All right, enough! I won't walk a step further until you tell me what this is about!" Basil sat down in the sewer pipe and crossed his arms. They had been walking for close to an hour, and Auburn had offered no explanation. In fact, he hadn't said a thing since they left Ratigan's dungeon.
Auburn stopped walking. He sighed heavily, putting the lantern down in the middle of the pipe. When he turned, he was holding a gun in his shaking hands. Basil's eyes widened in sudden fear.
"I didn't want to have to do this," Auburn said, almost whispering. "But Ratigan promised to return Ginger if…" He didn't need to finish.
There was nothing Basil could do but watch helplessly as Auburn raised the gun, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.