Chapter Thirteen
(CIA agents barge in)
Agent 1: Megana Sarentis, you're under arrest.
Meg: What'd I do?
Agent 2: You were an accessory to the kidnapping of a French Opera singer.
Meg: What? I didn't help anyone kidnap that singer!
Agent 2: (holds up Ratigan's postcard) Then explain this postcard.
Meg: That's not even addressed to me!
RAEB: (to Agent 1) You have a secret camera installed in here?
Agent 1: Yep.
RAEB: In that picture? (points to painting of a house in Charleston)
Agent 1: Yep.
RAEB: I knew it!
Sarah: (pointing) What about JWJ?
JWJ: Hey, I didn't do anything!
Sarah: He's plotting to turn the 2004 presidential elections in favor of the Republicans by hacking into the Democrats' files.
Agent 2: Really? Good job son.
Emma: What?
Meg: (as she is dragged away) I swear it wasn't me!
Ratigan stepped out onto one of the balconies looking down onto the stage, allowing himself a small smile.
How perfect it all was! Colhart had both Basil and Meg. He could barely contain his excitement when he thought of all the marvelous ideas he had for what to do with Basil. He had a few in mind for Meg as well...
Claire, dressed as Meg, was poised to kill the Duchess that very night. Without Basil in the picture it would be almost impossible to pin the murder on anyone else.
The criminal mastermind let out a deep, throaty laugh as he pictured Meg's reaction to his setting her up as a murderess. If she did not already despise him she certainly would now. What did that matter to him? She could not live safely or freely in society after such a deed. How could she possibly take up the life she had known before? She would be forced to stay with him. No one else would come to her aid.
It was so brilliant. Sometimes his genius even amazed himself.
Basil lost sight of Ratigan when he had been spotted by some of Colhart's men and ducked through the crowd to avoid a confrontation.
When he was sure he had escaped their sight he straightened up and began searching for his archenemy again. His eyes scanned the crowd of big hair and bigger dresses, tuxes and bow ties in the hopes of picking up sight of Ratigan's mask. Instead he saw Meg make her way through the crowd. She went up to the Duchess and engaged her in conversation. He sighed in relief. She was near the Duchess; close enough to prevent anything from happening to her.
Rahle ran up to Basil. "Monsieur Basil, there's something terrible that is going to happen!"
"Yes, I know," Basil said, his eyes fixed on Meg.
"No, something terrible! Get Mademoiselle Meg out of here!"
The detective turned towards Rahle. "What do you mean?"
I stood on my tiptoes, looking through the crowd for the Duchess. I saw her standing on the other side of the room around a group of other women, all in light-colored golden, white and cream dresses, with one woman wearing a pink dress. I looked down at my own dress, and then looked up at the woman's pink dress again. Then I noticed her chestnut brown locks. Then she turned around. I nearly gasped; it was like looking in a mirror!
The woman laughed with the other women, her eyes on the Duchess. Sweat broke on my brow. Subconsciously I began to walk towards them, shoving guests aside, trying to shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
"The professeur!" Rahle pointed to the stairs.
Ratigan stood on the staircase, grinning wickedly at Meg and the Duchess. Basil knew she had been spotted.
"Monsieur Basil, he is plotting against her, look!" Rahle exclaimed, pointed to Meg and the Duchess. Basil turned back to the two women. The girl drew out a long dagger and plunged it into the Duchess's chest.
Basil stood there in shock. Meg?
"No!" I shrieked, running from another direction.
"Meg?" Basil and Ratigan exclaimed.
My twin pulled out the bloodstained dagger and faced me. "You!" she exclaimed, laughing madly. She threw the dagger at me, but I easily knocked it away. She tore off as the crowd parted for the murderess, some of the women shrieking. I took off after her.
Ratigan shoved his way through the crowd. "Colhart!" he growled, gripping the unfortunate mouse by the throat. "What happened? I thought you had Miss Sarentis under lock and key!"
Before Colhart could answer, Basil and Rahle were shoved into them by the movements of the panicking crowd.
"Basil!" Ratigan snarled at the same time Basil snarled, "Ratigan!"
"What is going on here?" Rahle asked.
Everyone looked at the master of disguises as if they wanted to tell everything to him. Then they all glared at each other.
"Who's the fake Meg?" Basil demanded.
"How did you get here?" Ratigan barked.
"Where's my brother?" Colhart asked.
"WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP!" Rahle shrieked. They all looked at him uncertainly. "Professeur, release Monsieur Colhart."
Ratigan reluctantly dropped Colhart from his grasp. "Get away from me!" he snarled.
Colhart scrambled away.
"Monsieur Basil, tell Professeur Ratigan how you escaped. And Professeur, tell Monsieur Basil the reason that there are two Mademoiselles."
The two rivals exchanged bewildered glances. Their eyes narrowed as they shot each other looks of hatred.
"NO!"
Rahle sighed as the duo ran off to find Meg and Claire.
Claire and I stumbled through the auditorium as she jumped on my back, her right arm around my neck. I gasped for breath, trying to pull her arm off of me. When that failed I rammed backwards into a wall. She held on more tightly, so I thrust backwards. She cried out in pain and let go. I bolted toward the stage, through the curtains, up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. I reached a ladder at the end of the hallway and turned around. Claire had stumbled into the hallway.
She pulled out a pistol and pointed it at me.
I climbed up the ladder as shots rang out. I pushed the door open and pulled myself up onto the roof. I slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Another shot, this one splintering the door near my arm, sent me flying away from the door.
She through the door open and shot at me again. I ducked and darted for one of the golden statues on the corner of the building, my only hope for cover.
Before I made it I heard two voices yell, "STOP!"
I turned around and saw Basil and Ratigan burst through the open door.
"Help me!" I screamed.
Basil started forward to help her, but Ratigan stopped him with an outstretched arm. "Meg, which one are you?" he called out.
"ME!" they chorused. When the gun clicked empty the one Meg tossed it aside and ran towards the other one near the statue, who darted away from the side of the building. The first one tackled her to the ground, while the second one grabbed her next and tried to choke her. They began to wrestle with each other, tumbling towards the edge of the roof.
Rahle stumbled onto the roof, and stopped in his tracks as he saw the two women. "Which one is the right one?"
"I don't know!" Basil exclaimed. "One is certainly going to kill the other soon."
"Claire is your work," Ratigan said to Rahle. "You should know!"
Rahle studied them for a minute. "It's too dark up here!"
"You're kidding!" Basil snapped. "The entire roof is lit up for the ball!"
"There has to be some difference," said Ratigan, shaking his head.
"You two know the real Mademoiselle! You figure it out!" Rahle yelled.
Basil and Ratigan gave each other anxious looks.
The Megs were now struggling for possession of a switchblade. The one who wielded the blade had started to lose control as the other rolled on top of her. She began to twist the blade away from the girl with the blade and towards the would-be attacker. As the one with the blade threw her left hand up to gain a stronger hold, the detective and the professor simultaneously noticed the glimmer of something more than the blade on her finger.
"Her wedding ring!"
My imprisonment in Colhart's wine cellar had exhausted much of my energy. I could see it now as Claire's strength overcame mine, and my own switchblade was turned against me. As the blade fell upon me I closed my eyes, hoping it would not hurt when it pierced my throat.
Then I felt the woman's weight lift from me, accompanied by a shriek. I opened my eyes. Ratigan had his arms wrapped around my struggling attacker. He pulled off the wig, revealing a blonde woman somewhat older than me.
"Claire!" he snarled.
"I hate you, I hate you!" she shrieked, kicking at him.
He threw her to the ground. 'Goddamnit Claire, what has gotten into you?"
"You'll have her, but you won't touch me!" she screamed.
"Why would I? I can't stand you!"
"Why?" she gasped.
"You're nothing more than a money-grubbing whore!"
« Arretez! Arretez! »
We turned around. Policemen began to pile on the roof. Basil, Rahle and I threw our hands up on command. I glanced back at the other two. Ratigan froze in place.
Claire looked as if someone had shot her. She paused, and then darted to the edge of the roof and leaped off.
I shrieked and turned to Basil, burying my head against his shoulder. He held me tightly, whispering, "It's all right Meg... it's all right."
Basil's and Ratigan's eyes met. It was at that moment that they became enemies again. Basil pulled me towards the police, away from the rat.
The professor hurled himself at us, only to be restrained by the Parisian police. He began to claw out of their grasp.
Basil took me back down to the stage, through the Opera House, and out the front door. He led me to Landon's automobile in the alley. The detective turned the crank below the engine and let it suck in gas. Then he jumped in. "Come on!"
I folded my arms. "No! I am not getting in that vehicle with you."
"Meg, now is not the time to be playing games!"
"You drive like a madmouse!"
I heard shrieks and screams come from the Opera House. The Napoleon of Crime skidded to a stop at the entrance to the alley, several thugs at his back.
"Meg," Basil said with strained patience, "a certain mad 'mouse' is going to kill us unless you get into this automobile."
I scrambled in without a second word. Basil hit the gas pedal and flew straight for Ratigan. The Napoleon of Crime darted out of the way as we flew past him. More gunshots followed us as we tore off through the streets of Paris.
Leigh: (on phone) Let go of the Opera singer!
Ratigan: (on other end) Not until the ransom money is paid!
Leigh: But Meg's in jail!
Ratigan: Maybe this will start a criminal streak in her, and she'll stop writing those ridiculous stories about me.
Leigh: Fine. Leave her in jail. See if I care.
Ratigan: All right. (Hangs up)
RAEB: Told you it wouldn't work. He wouldn't help Meg if you offered him dictatorship of the world.
