Chapter 5


JWJ: Good evening everyone. Tonight I have gathered you for my version of Meg's reviews! (Lowers voice) Let's just hope that Meg can lock herself in that bathroom long enough for me to take over...

Sarah: (Walking into room) Where's Meg?

JWJ: Er... busy. She mentioned something about having to run 5 miles before the evening's over. (Rolls eyes.) Those crazy cross-country runners.

Leigh: She's running without me? MEG! Wait for me! (Runs out of room)

JWJ: Well, there's two dumb blondes we don't have to worry about for awhile.


An orchestra played soft music as Basil and I danced on deck. I watched his jade green eyes from behind his white mask dart around, looking for any sign of trouble. He then steered us over to Dawson (dressed in some type of Shakespearean getup), where they held a whispered conference for a few minutes.

Colonel Fremly's daughter, Isabelle, who was dancing with Dawson, rolled her eyes at them. "Those two!" she exclaimed. "Maybe they should dance together, they seem to want to spend more time with each other than with us!"

I laughed. "I think you're right, Isabelle. Perhaps we can find some actual gentlemen who would be willing to spend some time actually dancing with us!"

Basil glared at us. "Now see here! Miss Fremly, Mrs. Havers, we're trying to solve a very-"

"-Important case, we know!" Isabelle and I finished, laughing. "You've only been telling us all night," Isabelle added.

Basil started to pull me back to the dance floor, when his grip on my arm suddenly tightened. He whispered to me, "Stay here. Don't move from this spot. Tell Dawson to keep dancing, but to watch the fellow dressed as the Red Death."

"Red Death?" I repeated to myself as he slipped away.

Dawson and Isabelle came up to me. "Meg, where is he going?"

I lowered my voice. "Do you see a mouse disguised as the Red Death?"

"Why, yes."

"Basil said to act normal, but don't lose sight of that fellow."

Dawson nodded gravely. He took the Colonel's daughter out on the dance floor and kept a sharp eye on the suspect.

I leaned against the wall of the cabin, nervously awaiting Basil's return.

"ALL RIGHT, EVERYMOUSE! THIS IS A PLUNDERIN'!"

Several women fainted as a score of pirates jumped onboard. I searched eagerly for the Red Death, but could not find him. Then I spotted him. He pulled off his cloak and mask to reveal a dashingly handsome Chinese mouse. Even though his clothes were somewhat ragged and he was heavily tattooed, he had a gentlemanly air about him. He jumped on a table and drew himself up to his full height. "No need to fear if you do exactly as I say. I am Xing Ryu, and this ship is now in the possession of me. So put all of your valuable trinkets and things into the sacks that my pirates-"

I saw Basil sail through the air on a rope. He knocked Xing Ryu off his feet, and both mice tumbled to the floor. Mayhem took over as Chinese soldiers jumped onboard.

I pulled off my peacock mask as I searched the crowd for Dawson or Isabelle. Then I spotted Dawson leaning against the rail, blood upon the side of his face. I shoved my way toward him. "DAWSON!" I shrieked.

"Oh..." he mumbled.

"Dawson, can you hear me?" I whispered urgently, pressing a corner of my dress to his head.

"Meg... Isabelle, help..." he said incoherently.

"Isabelle? Where is she?"

"Isabelle... taken..."

Someone grabbed me roughly. I quickly kicked him in the thigh and spun around, dealing the pirate a few quick punches. He fell to the ground unconscious. "My God," I breathed, shaken by the rush of adrenaline.

I sensed someone watching me. I looked up, to discover Delevan, the British mouse who served the Emperor, staring at me in surprise. When he noticed me looking at him, he scurried away.

I brushed this off as I turned away. I had more important things to do than worry about being ladylike around men.


Basil swiftly twisted his head as Xing Ryu plunged a knife down toward him, missing him by several inches. Basil kicked the pirate in the stomach as he bounded upwards, causing Ryu's knife to fly out of his paws.

Basil lunged for the weapon, but Ryu kicked it out of the way. The two adversaries tripped over each other and landed spread-eagled, just out of reach of the blade. The Chinese mouse shouted out a curt demand to one of his crew, which was answered by the toss of a sword to the pirate captain. Basil took the opportunity to grab the pitiful knife before Xing Ryu swiped at him.

The detective and the plunderer exchanged a few blows, but the knife soon flew out of Basil's paws. Xing Ryu smiled triumphantly. "Never defy Xing Ryu, Mr. Basil," he crooned. "Because you shall now pay... with death!"

Basil forced himself to grin. "You really think so?" he asked silkily.

"I don't accept parleys, matey."

"You'll regret this dearly, for defeat comes in many forms. Sometimes all it takes is a rose with thorns."

"Madness!"

"Game's up, Ryu."


I ran up to Basil and the handsome pirate. The latter turned around as I gave him a knuckle-cracking punch in the face.

"OW!" I nursed my bleeding hand as Xing Ryu staggered back a few feet, a look of total surprise pasted on his face.

He quickly regained his composure. I tried to brace myself for a kung fu fight, but when I saw him advancing with the sword, I started to back away. I cringed as he lifted it up. Then he slowly lowered it.

"I do not harm ladies, my dear," he purred. "But a lady has never hit Xing Ryu before." He leaned in closer to me. "Let this be a warning to you, wench," he hissed. "Cross my path again, and you will not be as lucky as you were this time!"

The sound of gunshots broke the terrifying spell his words had brought on, signaling the coming of the Chinese police. Ryu jumped on the railing and bowed elegantly to us. "I'll look forward to our next meeting with pleasure, Basil," he said.

"No, Ryu, the pleasure will be all mine," Basil said with a smirk. The pirate jumped onto a lifeboat that was making away with a score of pirates.

"Oh, by the way," Xing Ryu continued, showing nothing but absolute pleasure on his face, "you might want to look for the Colonel's dear daughter."

"ISABELLE!" I screamed as one of the pirates held her up for us to see.

Basil seemed unusually placid. "Ryu, I thought you tortured little kids, not young woman," he said in an almost bored tone.

I was seeing red. I jumped up onto the railing, determined to swim out to the retreating craft to save the girl, but Basil pulled me back.

"ISABELLE! ISABELLE! LET HER GO! BASIL, LET ME GO! ISABELLE!"

"Control yourself, Madame!" the detective said sharply.

"They're getting away, you coward!" I screamed as I tried to kick him.

Basil grabbed my foot to prevent injury to himself, but I heard him let out a slight huff of pain. "Mrs. Havers!" he gasped, "They're too far away now!"

I had run out of energy anyway. As Basil released me from his grip, I grabbed the silver whistle from around his neck.

Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!! "Jacques! Jacques!" I shouted to the sea gull.

He paused before swiftly flying alongside the yacht. "Ma'am?"

"Help that girl!" I exclaimed, pointing toward the boat.

"No, Jacques!" Basil yelled.

Jacques flew over the lifeboat. A flurry of shots met my ears, and Basil gripped my arm so tightly that I cried out. The startled bird quickly recovered, and dodged away.

Basil breathed a sigh of relief. I turned around and slapped him. "Why don't you go after him?"

He stared openmouthed at me, rubbing the spot where I hit him. He motioned wordlessly toward several Chinese government vessels already pursuing the various lifeboats. Then he pointed to a black form in the distance. "Do you see that ship?" he asked.

I peered through the darkness. A sudden flash of lightening revealed the largest ship I had ever seen. Its many decks and masts, not to mention the fact that it was jet black, made it look like some crazed mouse's nightmare.

"I asked you once if you knew what a junk was. There is Xing Ryu's mighty galleon, the Liu Xue."


Lightening flashed and thunder roared as I barged into Mr. Liang's room that same night. I found the old mouse meditating in front of a statue of Buddha. "Mr. Liang, I want to learn to fight as well as Xing Ryu!" I proclaimed.

He did not move a muscle.

"Well? Are you just going to sit there?"

He remained motionless.

"Answer me!"

He bowed to the idol and slowly got to his feet. He turned around. "Meg Havers is very, very angry," he said calmly. "Come back tomorrow."

"No! I am here now! I want to learn! Teach me to swordfight, to kung fu someone, anything!" I said.

He chuckled at my stupid comment. "Kung fu someone? Meg Havers, I believe you are ready to learn to be on the offense, as you English would say."

"Good! Let's start now!"

"You are certain that you want to devote yourself like this?"

"Yes!"

"Let us start."


I slowly opened the door to my hotel door, praying that I would not disturb Li Yan. I heard no noise. I quietly closed it again, joyful in my success. I took my lessons as often as I could, usually all night long. I had improved greatly; I could now fight with a saber and a staff as well as kick, punch, chop, and jump using kung fu, all in just over a week.

I proceeded to crawl back into bed when a lamp was turned up. Basil sat in an armchair with an angry expression on his face.

"Where were you?" he demanded as he stood up.

"I-, uh- I..." I stammered, not sure what to say.

Wait, don't let him boss you around. You're a grown woman, Meg. It's none of his business.

"Excuse me, but what business do you have in our room in the middle of the night?" I shot back.

"What business? What business! Li Yan was practically frightened to death when she found your bed empty three hours ago! I've been up half the night waiting for you to come back!"

"Why would you care where I was going?" I said sharply, feeling my old temper flaring up again. "You're not my caretaker, Basil!"

Basil glared at me, clearly frustrated at my impudence. "My line of work, and this case, is a danger to all of our lives," he said, "and as your employer, I must be sure of your safety. You cannot just go gallivanting about Shanghai in the early hours of the morning without my consent!"

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself Mr. Basil," I said sarcastically.

"And get yourself captured by Xing Ryu? Look at what happened to Isabelle! And you're not exactly unknown to the Seven Plagues, Megana Havers. He wants his revenge! Josh would most certainly not approve of this!"

"Well, Josh isn't here now to tell me so, is he," I retorted.

Basil stopped. "Meg... I... well..."

"And why isn't he here? Because of me! Because I couldn't control my temper, and was sent to you! Because I had to be a prying Pandora and opened a music box! Because I..." I suddenly felt weak and exhausted. "Because I fell in love," I whispered. "And now he's gone, and it's all my fault. There's nothing I can do to change that." I turned away.

I heard Basil come up behind me. "You're only right about one thing," he answered gently. "You fell in love." I slowly turned around, astonished by this comment. "Meg," he continued, "the only person you can blame is that black-hearted fiend that has destroyed many more happy lives and mice than you could imagine."

At that moment I felt complete gratitude and a friendship for him.

"But you can't go out in the middle of the night, endangering yourself!"

Any kind thought I had had for my employer was completely diminished. "Fine!" I threw my paws up in the air. "Okay, you win, Basil! I'm going to bed, so just leave, all right?"

"Don't speak to me like that, young lady..."

"Just leave!"

"Fine!" He stormed out of the room and slammed the door.

"That mouse!" I went to my bed, but found Li Yan hiding in a corner, staring at me with wide eyes. She seemed terrified. Any anger I felt for her for telling on me vanished. "Oh, Li Yan, I'm sorry," I said.

"I am regretting, Meesus," she whispered. "I did not wish to make Meester Basil angry with Meesus. I only thinked you were in danger..."

I put my arm around the tiny girl. "It's all right. I would've done the same for you."

"Thank you," she said. "Oh, Meesus?"

"Yes?"

"Who is Joa- Joa- Joash?"

"You mean Josh?" I sat down next to her. "Well..."


"You did what?"

Basil threw his paws up in the air much like Meg had done only a few minutes before. "Dawson, she's just asking for Xing Ryu or Ratigan to kidnap her! Don't you understand?"

Dawson folded his arms. "Now see here, she's been having a very difficult time lately-"

"Oh, don't you start with me about being easy on her again! She has to learn the danger of the situation we're in." Dawson started to speak, but Basil interrupted, "Do you remember the burglaries on Baker Street a few days before I received the letter from Guangxu?"

Dawson answered slowly, "Yes."

"Now, you know I have many enemies, but all are in jail. All except two."

"Two?"

"Come now Dawson. Think. The fiend who hates me more than anything else on this earth, and the villain who we are currently trying to hunt down!"

"Ratigan and Ryu?"

"Of course!" Basil exclaimed. He restlessly paced the room. "And Ryu wasn't my enemy at the time of the burglaries, so that only leaves one to try something to frighten me into submission."

"Frighten you?" Dawson asked. "Basil, I don't quite understand..."

"Letters, Dawson. I found them placed on my desk, the only thing in my room that wasn't disturbed during those unlawful enterings. They were threats. I am used to threats. I've been chased by cats and owls, drugged, poisoned, partially drowned, strangled, stabbed, and shot at, not to mention threatened that such things would happen to me. But this was something different. Meg's safety and freedom was threatened, and the letter went into corrupt detail of how she would be treated. Dawson, part of the reason I allowed her to come with us was so I could keep an eye on her. And if she starts to run about the city unsupervised, she'll be asking for trouble!"

"Ratigan's after her?"

"Of course he is!" Basil yelled a little too loudly. He meekly paused, but continued when he was sure the girl in the next room had not heard him. "That vile sewer rat has been looking for revenge for over a year now, Dawson. It's only a matter of time before I meet up with him again. And Ryu... she almost completely destroyed his overly emphasized ego when she..." Basil stopped. His pride couldn't get him to say: saved my life.

Dawson smiled slightly, knowing exactly what his colleague was thinking. "Basil," he said slyly, "treating her like a little girl doesn't exactly put you on her courting list-"

"Long day ahead of us today!" Basil interrupted abruptly. "Better get one more hour of sleep in!" The doctor chuckled as the detective hurriedly got into bed. "Oh, grow up Dawson!" he barked. But as Basil turned away from him, he slowly smiled.


(Leigh comes back panting.)

Leigh: I couldn't find Meg anywhere! How could she run a 5-mile workout without me?

JWJ: She mentioned something about going to some other place to run... really far away. Maybe you better follow her.

Leigh: Yeah. (Runs out of room)

JWJ: Can you say "gullible"?