Alicia led the other two to the transport station, where she purchased their tickets. They all three then boarded the transport to Tibet.
"What exactly do you expect to find there, Basil?" Alicia asked, once they were in their own private compartment. Dawson leaned forward, as though he too were eager to hear Basil's explaination.
"I am not sure, Vole, but whatever comes, we must be cautious." He settled back against the cushions of the seat and closed his eyes. Alicia sighed and did the same. She was exhausted. Who knew that bringing the world's greatest detective back to life would be so....draining. Before she knew it, she was asleep.
Alicia moaned softly as she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her. "Mmm....not now, Daddy, I just had the most wonderful dream..."
"Come now, Vole, wake up...we're here."
She opened her eyes and found herself looking into Basil's. She jerked into a sitting position, and winced as her head cracked against his jaw. "Sorry bout that," she apologized.
Basil nodded, rubbing his jaw. "Quite all right. Now, let us be on our way. We will need to buy warmer clothing."
"What for. My uniform can withstand almost any temperatures....and your clothes were given the same treatment while you were in the revivification chamber."
"And I am a robot. Temperature will not affect me," Dawson put in.
Basil inclined his head in Dawson's direction, then looked back at Alicia. "Can our clothing withstand the temperatures of the mountains?"
Alicia shook her head. "No, I guess we will have to buy warmer clothing. It's a good thing I got paid the other day."
***********************************************************************************
After a few hours, they were on their way up a tall mountain. Basil led the way with Alicia and Dawson following. Alicia shivered in the cold, and wondered how Basil was able to stand it two hundred years ago, without thermal treated clothing.
When they were half way up the mountain, Alicia tripped over a stone hidden in the snow. Gasping, she fell, and her life passed before her eyes. Her mom leaving, her dad taking care of her and her older brothers. Her first day of school. The day she got Dr. Dawson's journals....Then she felt a hand grab hold of her leg. Looking up, she saw Basil, who began pulling her up.
Once she was back on her feet, she pulled out the anti-grav thrusters and attached them to her belt. She then gave two to Basil, who did the same. Dawson was equipped with his own.
"Hehe, guess I should have thought about that earlier, huh?" Alicia said, shakily.
Basil gave her a half smile, and began to climb again.
What seemed like hours later, they came to a ledge that opened into a cave. Basil motioned with his paw, for them to enter. Inside, it was almost pitch black. Alicia turned her wrist light on and Dawson did the same. Basil walked a little ahead of them and led them deeper into the cave. About a mile inward, Basil stopped and motioned for Alicia to shine her light in his direction.
"Hmm...just as I thought. It has been disturbed. Look here." Basil pointed at footprints in the dust of the cave, and marks where a boulder had been rolled aside. Basil walked into a small opening, and Alicia followed, with Dawson behind her.
Inside was a huge block of ice, and frozen inside was....Professor Ratigan! Alicia, gasped. "But...but I thought..."
"It _was_ Ratigan that you saw, Vole. Just not the original."
"Of course. Dr. Evans said that her son was a geneticist. He must have cloned Ratigan."
Basil nodded in approval. "Come, there is nothing more here to see."
*****************************************************************
Alicia stood nervously with Dawson and Basil outside of Chief Whites office. The door opened and, White came out, a concerned look on his face.
"Vole, a member of the Vanderbuilt family has been kidnapped. I want you to look into it. Who is this?"
Alicia smiled her most innocent smile and said, "Chief, I'd like to introduce you to Basil of Baker Street."
White stared at her for a minute, then sighed. "Alicia, I look upon as a father would. I am becoming more and more concerned about you. Mech-mouse please report."
"That won't be necessary, White, I can tell you that Inspector Vole is telling the truth. Now about this kidnapping, was the ransom note delivered as an old-fashioned note written in nineteenth century style?"
White gaped, then closed his mouth. "I guess you really are Basil. How could you possibly have known?"
"Because I know who is behind it. Someone who is desperate to raise money for his eventual rise to power. That someone is the clone of Professor James Ratigan."
"Clone? I must admit, that idea never occurred to me. How..." Grayson began.
"That is unimportant at the moment. Now we must go to the site of the kidnapping to look for evidence."
White nodded and gave them the address. "Vole, when you get back, I want to speak to you."
Alicia nodded and rushed out after Basil and Dawson.
To be continued....
"What exactly do you expect to find there, Basil?" Alicia asked, once they were in their own private compartment. Dawson leaned forward, as though he too were eager to hear Basil's explaination.
"I am not sure, Vole, but whatever comes, we must be cautious." He settled back against the cushions of the seat and closed his eyes. Alicia sighed and did the same. She was exhausted. Who knew that bringing the world's greatest detective back to life would be so....draining. Before she knew it, she was asleep.
Alicia moaned softly as she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her. "Mmm....not now, Daddy, I just had the most wonderful dream..."
"Come now, Vole, wake up...we're here."
She opened her eyes and found herself looking into Basil's. She jerked into a sitting position, and winced as her head cracked against his jaw. "Sorry bout that," she apologized.
Basil nodded, rubbing his jaw. "Quite all right. Now, let us be on our way. We will need to buy warmer clothing."
"What for. My uniform can withstand almost any temperatures....and your clothes were given the same treatment while you were in the revivification chamber."
"And I am a robot. Temperature will not affect me," Dawson put in.
Basil inclined his head in Dawson's direction, then looked back at Alicia. "Can our clothing withstand the temperatures of the mountains?"
Alicia shook her head. "No, I guess we will have to buy warmer clothing. It's a good thing I got paid the other day."
***********************************************************************************
After a few hours, they were on their way up a tall mountain. Basil led the way with Alicia and Dawson following. Alicia shivered in the cold, and wondered how Basil was able to stand it two hundred years ago, without thermal treated clothing.
When they were half way up the mountain, Alicia tripped over a stone hidden in the snow. Gasping, she fell, and her life passed before her eyes. Her mom leaving, her dad taking care of her and her older brothers. Her first day of school. The day she got Dr. Dawson's journals....Then she felt a hand grab hold of her leg. Looking up, she saw Basil, who began pulling her up.
Once she was back on her feet, she pulled out the anti-grav thrusters and attached them to her belt. She then gave two to Basil, who did the same. Dawson was equipped with his own.
"Hehe, guess I should have thought about that earlier, huh?" Alicia said, shakily.
Basil gave her a half smile, and began to climb again.
What seemed like hours later, they came to a ledge that opened into a cave. Basil motioned with his paw, for them to enter. Inside, it was almost pitch black. Alicia turned her wrist light on and Dawson did the same. Basil walked a little ahead of them and led them deeper into the cave. About a mile inward, Basil stopped and motioned for Alicia to shine her light in his direction.
"Hmm...just as I thought. It has been disturbed. Look here." Basil pointed at footprints in the dust of the cave, and marks where a boulder had been rolled aside. Basil walked into a small opening, and Alicia followed, with Dawson behind her.
Inside was a huge block of ice, and frozen inside was....Professor Ratigan! Alicia, gasped. "But...but I thought..."
"It _was_ Ratigan that you saw, Vole. Just not the original."
"Of course. Dr. Evans said that her son was a geneticist. He must have cloned Ratigan."
Basil nodded in approval. "Come, there is nothing more here to see."
*****************************************************************
Alicia stood nervously with Dawson and Basil outside of Chief Whites office. The door opened and, White came out, a concerned look on his face.
"Vole, a member of the Vanderbuilt family has been kidnapped. I want you to look into it. Who is this?"
Alicia smiled her most innocent smile and said, "Chief, I'd like to introduce you to Basil of Baker Street."
White stared at her for a minute, then sighed. "Alicia, I look upon as a father would. I am becoming more and more concerned about you. Mech-mouse please report."
"That won't be necessary, White, I can tell you that Inspector Vole is telling the truth. Now about this kidnapping, was the ransom note delivered as an old-fashioned note written in nineteenth century style?"
White gaped, then closed his mouth. "I guess you really are Basil. How could you possibly have known?"
"Because I know who is behind it. Someone who is desperate to raise money for his eventual rise to power. That someone is the clone of Professor James Ratigan."
"Clone? I must admit, that idea never occurred to me. How..." Grayson began.
"That is unimportant at the moment. Now we must go to the site of the kidnapping to look for evidence."
White nodded and gave them the address. "Vole, when you get back, I want to speak to you."
Alicia nodded and rushed out after Basil and Dawson.
To be continued....