Chapter Six

Meg: Buda-Pesth is Budapest, former capital of Transylvania. That is no spelling mistake. In Dracula, a book published in 1897, it is spelled that way. I was trying to spell it as it had been spelled over 100 years ago. Sorry for any confusion!

In the morning Basil and Dawson were once again at Mouseland Yard. This time there was less trouble in seeing Igor in private than there had been before.

When the guard left the conference room, Basil folded his arms. "What happened last night?"

"What do you mean?" Igor asked.

"The dynamite! You were supposed to put it on the windows and blow the bars out, then climb out. What happened?"

Igor bowed his head. "I can explain. I am sorry for that. A guard came; I was frightened, and threw the dynamite out the window. Please forgive me."

Basil sighed. "Are you willing to do it tonight?"

"Oh yes, very!"

"Good."

Another day of torture. The throne room was empty most of the day save for the odd thug every so often. The torment did not begin until closer to evening, when they all gathered in the throne room to drink.

My legs were achy, probably from sitting in such a cramped space. I also had several dizzy spells throughout the day. I received food, but I still did not feel better. Singing for Ratigan and his lackeys took much out of me.

Still I was not let out. How long would it last?

Basil and Dawson followed the same procedure that night, smuggling in two sticks of dynamite into Igor's prison cell and then waited for him. Once again no explosion happened, the plan fell through. It was a very angry detective that marched into Mouseland Yard the next morning. Instead of a private conference, this time he entered the cell of the Transylvanian.

"Mr. Basil! I can explain!" Igor said quickly.

Basil ignored him and went straight to the mattress on Igor's cot. He lifted up the mattress. "Four sticks of dynamite and two boxes of matches. Just as I thought. Ah, what is this?" Basil held up two grimy pieces of paper. He opened them and read them. "Dawson, take a look at that," Basil said, handing him the paper.

Dawson saw that both pieces of paper had the same message. He read:

Helping the detective will only make it worse for yourself.

R

"So you've been deliberately trying to postpone our search?" Dawson demanded, growing as furious as Basil.

"No, never!"

Basil gave a grim smile. "Well, those notes are proof enough to have you hanged. Come Dawson."

They turned to go. "No, wait! I can explain!"

"Interesting, you made that same exact statement yesterday. We're only wasting valuable time with you. A young lady's life is at stake, and I fear that we are already too late to save her, thanks to your lack of cooperation. I would have thought better of you, sir, who cared so much for your dear niece. Both girls are not unalike. By condemning my secretary to suffer at the hands of Ratigan, you are saying that you would allow the same to happen to Juliana."

With that, they left.

Back at Baker Street, Basil and Dawson were going over a detailed map of the sewers, trying to determine the best plan of action when Igor barged in.

"Hurry, the police are after me!"

Basil's jaw dropped. He had not expected his speech to have that much of an effect on Igor. He recovered quickly, however, and grabbed several lanterns from the table.

"Where is the entrance you take to the sewers?"

"By Jasper's thread factory."

"We'll take Toby. It will be quicker that way."

I had been trying to get some sleep when Basil and Dawson burst into the throne room.

"Basil! Over here!" I kneeled in my cage, causing it to sway a bit. I started to feel dizzy again.

"Good God!" Dawson exclaimed.

Basil ran to the cage. "Are you all right?"

"Yes."

"Where's the key?"

"Ratigan has it."

Basil picked the lock and opened the cage door. "We don't have much time."

I tried to get out of the cage, but my legs were unstable from three days of immobility. I almost fell to the ground. Basil caught me and pulled me up.

"How long have you been in there?"

"Three days."

"Three days?" Dawson gasped. "Can you walk?"

It was extremely difficult at first, but with a few steps, I felt that my legs would suffice. "I'm all right."

"Here, put your arm over my shoulder, and lean on me," Basil said.

As we were leaving, I remembered the bell. I pulled away from Basil and stumbled to the shelf in the corner. "Meg, time is not on our side right now!" he said sharply.

I grabbed the bell, headed back to them, and wordlessly handed it to Basil.

He smiled.

We ran out of the throne room and into Igor. He appeared frozen in place, his eyes wide with fear. We looked up, only to see Ratigan and his thugs standing in front of our exit, the latter fingering knifes and guns. Our way out had been blocked.

(Emma sprays Meg's knee with disinfectant.)

Meg: Ow! That stings!

RAEB: Well you should have thought of that before you cut up your knee.

JWJ: (walking in) What the heck happened to you? Did you run into Ratigan again?

Meg: You wish. I was actually playing a very aggressive game of Manhunt at a graduation party.

JWJ: Let me guess... you were the one they were hunting?

Meg: Um... no.

Emma: She's actually more cut up than the kid they were hunting.

JWJ: How?

Meg: I ran into some thorn bushes.

JWJ: Moron.

Meg: It was midnight for crying out loud. I could barely see! I thought that there were only a few bushes, and I didn't mind a few scratches. But they just got taller and thicker.

JWJ: And you are how old?

Meg: Sixteen... going on seventeen.

Emma: Like the song! "I am sixteen going on seventeen..."

JWJ: Meg, grow up. This is exactly why you still don't have a boyfriend!

Meg: Because I play rough games and can outrun any guy in gym class and don't mind a little mud?

JWJ: Yep, that would be about right.

Meg: One kid at the party said that I was the most hardcore chick he had ever met.

JWJ: And you think that's a good thing?

Meg: (jumps to her feet) You better run!