The Elusive Treasure
Chapter Fifteen
Hospital Room Chat
The phone rang while the kids were playing Monopoly. Otto picked up the call, and handed the phone to Scott. Reggie was in the den, talking to the others. "Y'know, guys," she said, "things are getting a little weird on our treasure hunt. It's almost like there's a... force out there, manipulating these occurrences... or even two or more forces, contending for the treasure."
"You're scaring me, Reg," intoned Sam, as Otto brought a plate of warm cookies out of the oven to the table.
"If the other guys are beginning to play dirty, we might need to play dirty too," rationalized the auburn one. "Twister, did you bring your art pens and some parchment?"
"Sure did, Ottoman. And I brought some surgical gloves too, along with a couple of the vials we found in those other boxes."
"Excellent," answered Otto with a big grin, pronouncing that word almost like Vincent Price used to in those old horror movies. "This way, if we find something, we can leave a false trail for the opposition." Reggie was surprisingly quiet and calm during this transaction. Did she as well tacitly agree with what they were proposing?
Suddenly, Scott bounded into the room. "Twister, Sammy, could you come with me to the attic? There's something I'd like your opinion on..."
Scott, Twister and Sam went to the attic. The younger boys were curious - they hadn't seen Scott so excited before.
When they reached the attic, Scott looked in some old trunks for a while, opening and emptying them inn front of the boys, until he found the box he was looking for.
"Aha!" - he said - "Here it is! I knew I had seen this thing before!"
Scott opened a small box and pulled out an old, large bronze key with a very old and yellowy paper attached to it with a cord.
"Guys, please let me what you think if this paper" - said Scott, handing them the paper.
Sam adjusted his glasses and examined the paper. It was kinda difficult to make out the letters, since the ink had started to vanish, but when he was finally able to make something out of the paper, he couldn't help but gasp in realization.
"This... this is identical to the echographs Mike and Rod brought!"
"Exactly!" - answered Scott - "I remembered I had this key when Rod showed us those echographs."
"And where did you find this?" - asked Twister
"I inherited it along with these chests from one of my forebears, who, I seem to recall, was a sailor or something like that."
"Whoa..." - said Sam - "What's this?"
Sam took another piece of paper with something written on it, and read it carefully. After some minutes, he adjusted his glasses triumphantly and grinned from ear to ear. It seemed he had literally found the key to the treasure.
"Guys, you won't believe this!" - said Sam - "According to this note, the key belongs to a lock in an old door leading to the treasure chamber!"
"Really?" - said Twister and Scott at the same time.
"Yeah!" - chimed Sam - "I think we should take this down to the others; I'm convinced there is a very good chance to find the treasure still untouched! C'mon!"
Sam stormed down the stairs to the dining room. Twist and Scott looked at each other in confusion, and then followed the blonde.
Meanwhile, at the hospital...
'So bored...' Lou thought dully as he tried to relax. He was having difficulty for a number of reasons. One, his leg was in constant pain. Two, there was nothing worth watching that hour on the overhead TV. And three, the boy in the bed next to his was snoring up a storm. The brunet looked to his right. Iggy was sprawled along the bed. His left leg was hanging off the side of it. A bubble came out of his nose as his mouth opened wide for a couple seconds before closing, only to open again. Despite the annoyance caused by the kid's snores, Lou had to admit, he looked peaceful compared to last night. The teenager sighed as he looked at the ceiling, placing his arms behind his head.
'Last night...' He thought. 'Maybe there's a way I can get him to talk to me. But after the threat his brother gave him, I doubt he'll open up. Not that it matters too much. He's sleeping right--'
He was cut off by a low groaning. He turned towards Iggy, who was no longer laid out across the bed. Instead, he was holding the sheets tightly. His eyes were screwed shut as he tossed and turned.
"N-n-n-n-no Izzy, don't make me do it..." He moaned. "I don't wanna..."
Lou raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm... Must be having a nightmare." He knew he probably shouldn't eavesdrop, but he decided to listen in. Sweat was dripping down Iggy's face in sheets as his movements became faster.
"No please... I don't wanna toss the water balloon at Sam... Please don't be mad at me... No wait... Don't take away my Game Boy..." He held his hands out trying to reach for something. He soon shot up and looked around himself.
"Whew... Just a dream..." He sighed with relief as he wiped his sweaty head and laid down. "Man... I wanna get outta here. I hate having that stupid dream. I gotta find that dumb treasure..."
"Hey, are you alright?"
"Huh!" Iggy's eyes widened with fear as he looked up and turned towards the source of the voice. As soon as he saw the concerned look on Lou's face, he covered his mouth.
"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." The older brunet said. He then added as an afterthought, "Not that I could if I wanted..." He chuckled at that. Iggy, however, remained silent. "Come on. It's ok."
"Hmmmm hmmmm!" The younger one replied, muffled by his hands as he shook his head vigorously. The older brunet sighed. He really was afraid of him. Or rather, he was afraid of his brother.
"Hmmm..." He held his chin as he tried to think of something. "I heard you sleep talking. That must've been some nightmare."
To that, Iggy put down his hands.
"Aw man... You heard me?" He asked. He flushed with embarrassment when Lou nodded. He glowered. "Just great... I bet I sounded like a real baby too." He crossed his arms.
"Nah. Everybody has nightmares once in awhile." Lou reassured. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."
Iggy raised his eyebrows curiously. "Really?"
"Really." Lou nodded. Iggy uncrossed his arms. "So what was your dream about?"
"It was about--" The younger boy gasped and covered hismouth again. He put them down after a few seconds and asked, "Hey wait. Aren't you one of those guys that hangs around Sam Dullard?" To his fright, the older one nodded.
"Lou Crumpacker, at your service. And your name is Iggy,right?"
"Y-yeah..." Iggy gulped.
"And you have a brother, don't you? Named Izzy?" To that, the younger Lopez Brother started sweating.
"Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-huh..." He nodded, putting his pillow in front of him in order to shield himself. Lou blinked at the defensive act.
"Hey, like I said, I can't hurt you." He said. He then pointed to his leg. "I hurt it pretty badly while diving." He gave a small smile when Iggy lowered his pillow.
"You got it while diving for that t-t-t-treasure, didn't you?"
"Yep. Cave-in." He answered. Iggy nodded in understanding. "So why are you here, kid?" Not that he didn't already know. He just wanted to gain the younger boy's trust.
"I'm here because..." He gasped, remembering his brother's words. He instantly shut his mouth and looked to the side. "I-I-I can't tell you..."
Lou sighed. The conversation from last night was fresh in his mind as well. "Well what if--"
"No! I can't tell ya anything! I promised Izzy I'd be quiet!" Iggy shouted.
"Well, I can't force you to tell me anything if you don't want to."
"I'm sorry..." The shorter brunet apologized. "I'd like to tell ya everything, but I don't want to lose my cut..." He looked down miserably.
"What if I told you I heard that whole conversation last night?" Lou asked after about a minute of silence. Iggy gave a horrified gasp at that.
"No..." He said, tears spilling down his cheeks. "Please don't tell anybody! Nobody can know what we talked about!"
"Calm down, calm down. I won't tell anybody about your conversation."
"Promise?" Iggy sniffled.
"Scout's honor." Lou raised his right hand, holding his pinky down with his thumb. The younger Lopez brother glared at him though.
"Pinky swear." He said. The older boy raised an eyebrow, but chuckled.
"Alright, alright. Pinky swear." He held up his pinky. Iggy climbed out of bed and walked over to his side with his own pinky extended. The smaller brunet hesitated for a moment before intertwining his smallest finger with Lou's.
They shook hands and separated. Iggy went back to his own bed and sighed sadly.
"So what do ya wanna know?" He asked.
"Hmmm..." Lou thought for a moment. "How do you and your brother get along?"
Iggy gave him a confused look. "If ya heard us last night, you should know exactly how we get along."
"So you two fight a lot?"
"Almost all the time. It's kinda fun sometimes, at least until he hits me."
Lou felt his blood boil slightly.
"He hits you?"
Iggy nodded grimly. "Yeah..." He then looked up with a glower. "But I always hit him right back! Our fights can last for a long time." He chuckled.
The teen sweatdropped. "So uhhhh...do you hate Sam too?"
"Nope." Iggy answered, surprising Lou.
"Then why do you always try to prank him?"
He heard the stories about how both brothers would try to bring harm onto the blond in question. Anything from stink bombs to tiger traps were used. It seemed that they took a page from Lars' book.
Iggy shrugged. "'Cause Izzy tells me to." He then added, "I don't like to though..."
"Then why do you prank Sam?"
Lou was answered with another shrug. "Izzy's my big brother. Little brothers are supposed to do what big brothers say."
"But look at Lars and Twister. You never see them hang around together, do you?"
"Twister...?" Iggy's eyes widened at the name. He shuddered. "That voice... That horrible voice... Keep him away from me!"
"Wait! Calm down!" Lou tried. "Nobody's going to hurt you."
"No... Not him, anybody but him..." Iggy mumbled, rocking back and forth. "The mushroom... That voice... That monster..."
"Mushroom?"
"Y-y-yeah..." The little one nodded. "The voice I heard when I grabbed the mushroom sounded just like Twister... I don't wanna hear it ever again." He shivered frightfully.
"Really? Twister Rodriguez is one of the nicest, coolest people I ever met," Lou told him. Iggy shook his head.
"That I know. I've seen him in Mad Town. But still..."
"...He helped save my life, you know?"
Iggy's eyes widened. "He did? No way!"
Lou nodded. "As did Sammy Dullard, and Otto Rocket himself. I probably wouldn't be alive without their help. Not to mention Roderick Vandenack. He probably did as much as anyone to keep me alive."
"Wow..." Iggy said in awe. He then looked down. "I bet if I was trapped down there, Izzy would never help me." He sniffled.
"He probably would." Lou told him.
"Yeah right!" The younger brunet scoffed. "He wouldn't save my life for anything!" He then sighed mournfully. "Anyway, I don't wanna hear that Twister guy's voice. It's way too scary."
"Come to think of it, that voice I heard in the cave sounded remarkably familiar..."
Lou said, holding his chin. "It sounded something like Twister too..."
Iggy gulped. "Y-y-y-you're kidding..."
Lou shook his head. "...it was like a... a cry for help, as though there was something that wanted to be rescued..."
He then added. "...and then that's when the rocks hit me; it's like there were forces contending for the treasure..."
"What kinda forces?" Iggy asked curiously.
"A force that wanted freedom and protection...and an opposing quality that, I think, wants to enslave and dominate the world. Y' know, 'Episode 4' kind of stuff. Surprising how life follows fiction," Lou responded ruefully.
Iggy paled. "'Dominate the world?' That sounds sorta like what that sprit said..."
"'The one lacking a tooth will be the bringer of destruction,' or something like that?" Lou asked.
The younger boy gulped. "More like, 'Don't let the pirate with the missing tooth--"
"IGGY!" A familiar voice was heard, followed by heavy footsteps.
"Huh?" The boy in question turned towards the doorway in time to see Izzy walk inside, followed by a panting Oliver.
"Come on. We got work to do." The elder brother said, walking past Lou without so much as a glance.
"Ok..." Iggy nodded, getting out of bed.
"Whew..." Izzy sighed as his brother put on his purple cap. "I'm glad we managed to get here beforeBlondie and his cronies could've interrogated you. We better hurry up. I checked you out so we can get moving."
"Hey, Lopez." Oliver said, nervously.
"What now, Van Rossom?" Izzy said, turning to him. The redhead pointed to his right. The brunet followed his finger until he found himself looking at a wide awake Lou. His eyes widened as he gulped. He quickly turned to Iggy.
"Please tell me you didn't tell him anything." He growled dangerously. The younger brother sweatdropped as he stuttered to think of something.
"Uhhhhh..." He moved his eyes towards Lou, who held his finger to his lips in a silencing motion. Iggy's eyes brightened before he turned back to his brother.
"Nope. I didn't say anything to anybody." He answered confidently.
"Hmph..." Izzy glowered at him before looking at Lou, who was watching TV. He turned back to Iggy. "Good. It's nice to know I can depend on ya for once. Let's go. We gotta go meet someone."
"Who?" Iggy asked as he followed the two older boys towards the door.
"You'll see when we get there!" The older brother snarled before walking out the door. He faced his left and saw something.
In the distance down the hallway, three figures in light green medical uniforms walked calmly towards their location. As they got closer, one of them could be seen to wear sunglasses, and another a pair of indestructible spectacles.
"Hmmm... That blond guy in the glasses looks familiar..." He said. He then shook his head. "Let's go, Oliver. Iggy."
"Right." Both boys said. Oliver followed Izzy out into the hall, but Iggy stayed behind. When he was sure his brother and the other boy were gone, he turned to Lou and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Thanks a lot," he said.
"No prob," Lou replied, returning the gesture. Grinning, Iggy ran after his brother.
Not even five seconds later, the three male nurses ran inside the room with horrified looks. They were panting slightly. Lou raised an eyebrow when he realized the figures were Otto, Sam, and Scott.