Chapter 7
"Finally!" Woodruff exclaimed, as DM helped him up out of the bundle of ropes. "I thought we would never get loose!"
"We still have to get out of this room", DM reminded him, putting his Swiss Army Knife back into his pocket.
Woodruff groaned and ran his hands through his hair, raising his eyes to the heavens.
"I'd forgotten about the door", he said. "How the heck can we get out? There aren't any windows in here, are there?"
"No", mused DM. "Hmm..." He looked around the room.
Woodruff sighed and leaned against the wall. His feet stood on something hard, and dust rose up over his knees. The Border Collie heard a 'clonk!' where his feet hit the floor and looked down to see a thick layer of dust. He ran a foot over the dust, shifting it to see a layer of wood underneath it.
"Danger Mouse!" he cried. "Look!"
The mouse looked around to see Woodruff kneeling down on the floor, rubbing at the dust and shifting it more to reveal brown.
"What is it, Woodruff?" DM kneeled down next to him.
"It's a hatch built into the floor!" cried Woodruff, as he took his hand away and Danger Mouse could see that he was right.
"This castle must be very old", he said. "Many have passages leading through to the outside. This must be one of them".
"Then that means we can escape!" cried Woodruff.
"I don't know", frowned DM, eyeing the door. "The other end might be locked".
"Duckula wouldn't have locked us in HERE if he knew about the passage, DM!" insisted Woodruff. "Come on. It's worth a try, isn't it?"
"I suppose so", said DM thoughtfully. "But we have to be VERY quiet. Understand?"
"Yeah, gotcha".
Both of them put their fingers under the slit in the door.
"On three - one, two, three". The two friends lifted the cellar door up and when it was wide enough, Wodoruff gave the door a little push and it slipped out of DM's grasp.
"No, Woodruff, DON'T - !"
BANG; the door fell against the wall and the noise seemed to echo all around the room.
"Quick, get in", Danger Mouse hissed at Woodruff. "Now we'll have to hope that the other end is unlocked, or if Duckula comes to investigate, we're in trouble!"
Woodruff swung his feet over the edge of the hatch and started to cautiously lower himself in. DM grabbed one of his paws as the collie's head disappeared down into the hole.
It was damp and dark inside the hole. Woodruff could hear water dripping and when his feet suddenly touched the floor, it felt slippery.
"I'm down", he called. "You got a torch? I can't see a thing".
DM fumbled in his pocket and brought out his tiny torch. He turned it on and a narrow glowing slit appeared, sheding some light in the dark space. DM turned around, shining the torch along the dank brick wall until...
"Woodruff! I think I've found a way out!"
The collie followed the mouse's gaze and saw the torch's light shining on an uneven hole in the wall. Woodruff cautiously approached it, raised his hand and ran it over the brickwork. He put his leg forward into the darkness, and it touched a step. He felt another step above it, and traced it with his foot.
"We're out of here!" he grinned, turning around to DM. "Come on!"
DM smiled. "Let me go first", he said. "I've got my knife and the torch".
Woodruff nodded and stood aside for the agent to come through. Danger Mouse gazed up ahead as he realised the staircase wound around to what he hoped was the door. He shone the torch up the staircase and started to climb.
"There aren't any rats up here, are there?" asked Woodruff.
"I hope not", mused DM, as he walked up the steps. He heard Woodruff move along behind him, and soon, the two figures disappered out of sight as the steps curled around the bend and to a hopeful freedom.
Kim gave a yawn as the Mark III continued to speed after the car. The mouse had had to cope with hiding behind the trees she came across so as not to be seen, and she had to keep sight of the car, which wasn't very easy. As Kim couldn't put the Mark III's lights on for fear of being seen, she had to be content with the dim glow of the henchmen's car.
It got colder as the hour dragged on. Kim was getting uncomfortable in her car-seat, and she knew she needed a coffee to keep herself awake. The moon was a ghostly shadow, hidden by the black clouds.
I wish the Mark III had a coffee machine, thought Kim drowsily. I can't afford to fall asleep now - too many things are depending on this!
She peeked over the bonnet of the car again, and gasped when she suddenly realised she was in deserted land, a place she had never seen before. It was covered in snow, and the atmosphere was cold. Kim shivered even more, the chill rousing her from her threatening funk of sleep.
Suddenly, throughout the darkness, Kim saw a looming castle. It was huge, and looked to be a few hundred years old. However, the wall and the black gates surrounding it seemed to be a more modern touch.
"I guess Duckula's dynasty must go back a long way", murmured Kim. "It's so big, I'm surprised we didn't find it before!"
The gates to the castle creaked open, and the car drove through, parking on the right hand side of the driveway. From the air, Kim saw the hawk and the tiger climb out. The hawk walked up to the door, and Kim saw her wing knocking at it. The door opened, and the hawk and the tiger disappeared inside.
Kim swooped down and decided to land the Mark III around the back. It was the safest option: she could sneak in somehow and find DM and Woodruff.
The Mark III swerved, and Kim took off for the back of the castle.
"Give me a boost, Woodruff", said DM. "I'll see if it's open".
Woodruff cupped both of his hands together and DM placed one foot on top of them. Woodruff pushed him up towards the hatch, and DM gave the hatch a push. It moved, and DM pushed it further. The hatch opened and Woodruff stretched his arms out to the extreme to help DM squeeze out.
Finally, the mouse's feet disappeared under the crack and Woodruff waited as the hatch was fully open. DM was silloetted against the night sky as he bent down and held out his hand. Woodruff grabbed it and with all his strength, pulled the collie out. Woodruff landed on the cold ground. He cried out.
"Snow!" he exclaimed, standing up and surveying the white ground. "Gosh darn it, it's cold!" He mopped his hands of the white flakes and looked around to see that they were in a small sort of path between a tall wall and the castle brick. He whistled.
"Seems intent on keeping us in here", he commented. Then, realising DM had not said a word, he turned to look at him.
"DM? You OK?"
"Hush", whispered DM suddenly. He pricked up his ears as footsteps were heard from around the corner. Woodruff tensed, and both agents were immediately on the alert as a figure was seen through the darkness. The figure stopped, obviously just as alarmed, and then two torches shone out at the same time. DM's shine illuminated a familiar female face.
"Kim!" he cried.
"DM!" Kim's face was full of relief. "I'm so glad you're safe!"
"How did you find us?" asked Woodruff.
Kim's voice faltered at the sight of Woodruff. She looked nervous. Woodruff saw it in her eyes and smiled reassuringly.
"It's OK, Kim", he said. "Uncle DM's set me straight".
Kim blinked and then turned to look at Danger Mouse. He gave her a shy, rueful smile and she flickered a smile back at him.
"What do you know, Kim?" DM asked curiously.
"Duckula's smuggling hate potion over to the USA. His henchmen have broken into a closed beach and they have a ship out in the sea. I managed to get some of the henchmen's names - I did some eavesdropping".
"Ahhh...sneaky", grinned Woodruff. "But are one of the henchmen's names Helen, by any chance?"
"The hawk? The female?"
DM nodded. "She injured Woodruff with her beak".
Kim winced and turned to Woodruff.
"I'm used to it by now", shrugged Woodruff. "I'll be alright".
"I've got the Mark III parked nearby", said Kim. "We can go to the beach and stop the smuggling - "
"But someone needs to stay here and catch Duckula", said DM firmly. "Kim, you're looking dead on your feet. You're with me. Woodruff, how do you feel, staying here and trying to catch out Duckula and Frankenstoat?"
Woodruff looked doubtful. "Well - I guess so - "
Kim put a hand in her pocket and brought out a plaster and a clean hankerchief. Peeling it off the paper, she ventured forward and DM shone his torch at the wound in Woodruff's head. Kim dabbed at the blood a couple of times and then stuck the plaster over it.
"Hope it holds", she said worriedly.
"Then I'm all set". Woodruff gave a grimace. "You take Kim and I'll take care of business here. I'm so going to get that hawk locked up".
DM smiled and put a hand on the Border Collie's shoulder.
"Are you're sure you'll stay?" he asked. "You do have a choice in the matter".
"Nah. Kim does look dead on her feet. Stopping that ship is more important".
DM nodded understandingly. "Alright then. Leave your telecomm watch on emergency call so that we know if you get into trouble. And BE CAREFUL".
"Same to you". Woodruff held out a hand and DM shook it. Then Kim came to DM's side and smiled at Woodruff.
"Just do what you can", she advised Woodruff. "We want to see you alive and well after this is over".
"You can so bet on it", grinned Woodruff.
"I think you can get in through the window around the West side", said DM. "I had a quick peek around the corner while you were waiting under the hatch - it was open".
"Thanks. Good luck". Woodruff turned away and then ran around the corner. He was out of sight in no time.
"Let's go", said DM. "What's the directions?"
Danger Mouse had been right. As Woodruff ran around the corner, he saw an open window in the old stone wall. Count Duckula had made another change by putting tinted glass into all the open windows, but tonight someone had left this one open.
Woodruff ran over to the window and stuck his head through. It appeared to be some sort of a kitchen, and judging by the dust, had not been used in a very long time. Woodruff saw a door at the other end.
"I just NEED to get through...luckily, I've had experience", he muttered to himself. Years ago, when his parents were still together, their kitchen had been next door to the dining-room. There had been a large hatch in the dining-room wall and if anyone opened the two doors and stuck their head through, they would find themselves looking into the kitchen. Woodruff had always taken a liking to hoisting himself up through the hatch and wriggling through to the kitchen counter. Now, he did the same thing: he jumped three times on the spot and then putting his hands on the window, jumped and managed to haul himself through the hatch. He ended up halfway onto the kitchen counter, flat on his stomach. He grabbed the end of the kitchen counter and pulled himself in.
It doesn't quite feel the same without Mum yelling at me, he thought, as he sat up on his knees and then jumped off the counter.
Walking over to the door, Woodruff carefully turned the knob and the door slipped open. Grinning, Woodruff opened it all the way and found himself in a stone corridor.
How old IS this place? He thought. Well, better see if there's anyone around.
Choosing his direction, he set off to find Duckula.
The pier was now empty of bottles. Way out to sea, the ship was starting to move and the Beagle was waving it off.
"We've got to stop that ship!" hissed DM. "Let's get that Beagle".
Nodding, Kim stood up with DM and the pair of them ran down to the beach. Looking up, the Beagle was surprised for a moment, but DM grabbed the front of his collar.
"Are you one of Count Duckula's henchmen?" he demanded fiercely.
"No...don't know what you're talking about", hissed the Beagle.
"You might want to improve your story", warned DM. "My assistant saw you earlier - we KNOW what you're planning".
"Ah, crud", growled the Beagle.
"So tell me again". DM gave a small smirk. "Are you smuggling hate potion over or not? Or have you just broken in here for the fun of it?"
The Beagle looked furious. Then he, too, smirked.
"Yeah", he said. "Yeah, we're smuggling hate potion over. But it's too late now. The ship's moving; you'll never be able to stop it".
"That's what you think", grinned Kim.
The Beagle struggled and managaed to escape DM's grip. He ran off up the hill.
"Try it!" he yelled over his shoulder. "You'll never catch them!"
DM and Kim ran after the Beagle and DM grabbed him. He hauled him over to the Mark III and Kim grabbed a pair of handcuffs and a bind of rope out of the boot of the car. She clipped the cuffs firmly over the Beagle's wrists and then slipped the rope over his feet. DM dragged the Beagle over to the bottom of the sand-hill and propped him up against it.
"Get to the Mark III!" he said to Kim. "We'll call the police from the radio and they can come and pick him up".
"Then...?" Kim left the question wavering in the air.
"Then – we stop that ship".His shoes soft against the thick dust, Woodruff tip-toed along the long stone corridor until he came to a spiral staircase.
As there seemed to be no-one down here, Woodruff started to jog up the stairs to the next level. At that moment, before he was even half-way up, a roar of rage thundered through the castle. With a small yelp, Woodruff grabbed the handle on the wall before he could fall. He stood there for a moment as he heard Count Duckula's echoing voice.
"THEY'RE G-G-GONE! YOU FOOLS, THEY'VE GONE! S-S-SEARCH THE GROUNDS! S-S- SEARCH THE CASTLE! IF T-T-THEY'VE GONE TO STOP THE SMUGGLING, I'LL MAKE YOU SOURLY R-R-REGRET IT!"
Hearing sudden footsteps along the corridor, Woodruff gasped and quickly ran up the steps to the next floor. As he disappeared round the corner, Helen's face looked in through the stair door. Her eyes narrowed.
Woodruff came to yet another stone corridor and looked fervishly around for a place to hide. Hearing footstpes on the stairs behind him, he gasped and ran around the corner of the corridor. Pressing his back against the wall, he waited there for a moment and then footsteps came up into the corridor. Hardly daring to breathe, Woodruff peeked around and saw the hawk. His eyes, too, narrowed.
Tiptoeing up behind Helen, Woodruff grabbed her wings, pinned them down and spun her around. He didn't want to hurt her - he had never hit a lady.
"Hi ", he said cheerfully. "Looking for me?"
Angrily, Helen tried to shake free, but Woodruff's grasp was too tight.
"Or do you just want to pierce another hole in my head?" Woodruff's voice turned angry and bitter.
"I'll do whatever it takes, you muscle-bound monkey-mutt", snarled Helen. "Now let me GO!"
"Where's Duckula?" demanded Woodruff, tightening his grip further.
"Like I'd tell you", said Helen. She looked Woodruff square in the eye. "Listen, sheepdog, if you want trouble, you're going the right way about it".
Woodruff merely blinked, actually enjoying the hawk's discomfort.
"Just show me where he is", he said. "Then I'll let you go".
"I take it you think I'm an easy quitter", smirked Helen. "Sorry, kid". She stood on his foot and Woodruff snarled, loosening his grip. Helen pushed him away and stood there with her wings on her hips.
"Helen? You OK?" asked a voice and a tiger poked his head up the stairs. Seeing Woodruff, he blinked.
"Hey, what – how did he get out?"
"Don't ask me, just grab him!" snapped Helen.
Woodruff turned around and dashed off down the corridor, hearing Jack's hurried footsteps behind him. The collie arrived at the foot of the staircase, flew up the stairs, arrived at the top –
And ended up face-to-face with Count Duckula himself.