Chapter 5: The Napoleon of Crime
I knew who he was, because I've seen him many times in my life. He was a genius twisted by evil, a madman, criminal, and a heartless monster.
His goals were simple, to rule over his world and become the next leader. He was a wicked creature who was thirsty for power, and would not stop until he had everything.
He had everything planned and was soon to be set in motion…
But little did I realize was that the face of evil knew something that I didn't.
June 20, 1897 8:45 p.m.
Deep below the streets of London, there was a soggy underground sewer where an abandoned wine cellar was below where humans couldn't see or find. However, it wasn't truly abandoned.
Inside a barrel was a dimly lit prison cell, where it was filled with gadgets and knick-knacks that were clicking, rattling, and popping. Hiram Flaversham controlled his newly work-in-progress robot by pulling levers, sending signals to his invention through a long thick cord that was connected to it. He tested its ability by having it pick up a pot of tea and pouring it into a small tea cup. The clockwork robot obeyed with sporadic and jerky movements.
While this would've been one of his greatest inventions yet, Hiram found no joy in it. His heart was filled with sorrow and his head filled with thoughts of both Anna and Olivia. How were they both and were they safe? The toymaker could at least find comfort in the fact that Olivia wasn't alone. Anna was with her and was going to protect her. Both girls loved each other dearly, and he knew that they would take care of one another. But how would either of them last long without him to support them? The prejudiced streets of London were not kind to poor kinless women and children. Anna was human, if she tried to take up work, who would want to hire her? Would she be forced into indentured servitude? Or worse...Olivia would be taken from her and placed into an orphanage.
An orphanage…
Oh, sweet mercy. He wasn't getting out of here alive.
A puff of cigarette smoke pulled Hiram away from his melancholy thoughts. Flinching, he paused his work and hesitantly looked up at the large shadowy figure that stood over him.
The shadowy figure chuckled gleefully as he stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be none other than The Napoleon of Crime himself, Professor Ratigan. He was a large grey furred rat with a black tuxedo, a long black cape with a red underside, high white collar, dark grey vest with buttons, and a pink and purple striped cravat. His black hair was neatly combed while his face was shaven and lavender circles were around his blue eyes with a yellow background above his thick black eyebrows. In his white gloved hands with golden cufflinks, he was holding a golden cigarette holder.
"Quite an ingenious scheme, eh, Flaversham?" Ratigan says as he pinched Hiram's cheek like some doting uncle. "And aren't you proud to be a part of it?"
Hiram pulled his face away and gulped as he turned back to his controls. "This...This whole thing is-is...i-i-it's monstrous."
Ratigan took that as a compliment while the clockwork robot took a spoonful of sugar, poured it into the tea cup as it let it stir, then picked up the small tea cup. "We will have our little device ready by tomorrow evening, won't we?" He took out a little golden bell from his side pocket and fingered it gently. "You know what will happen if you, uh...fail." Ratigan let it swing from his finger, giving it a soft chime.
A moment of rage seized Hiram as his eyes glared at Ratigan and his mustache twitched. He knew what would happen to him alright. He also knew that he was currently living on borrowed time. If he was going to die anyway, then what was the point in postponing it? "I...I...I don't care!"
With a violent tug, the toymaker sent the clockwork invention spiraling out of control. The robot started dumping tea from the small cup over itself, then picked up the pot as it dumped more tea over itself, and with a hefty throw, it sent the pot flying in Ratigan's direction.
Ratigan ducked seconds before the pot whizzed over his head and shattered against the wall.
The robot spazzed, sputtered, and bounced before finally toppling over and died, but not before splatting Ratigan's cape with oil from its final moment of glory.
"You can do what you want with me!" Hiram snapped as Ratigan glared darkly at him, more annoyed at getting dirty than his prisoner's defiance. The giant rat pulled out a pink handkerchief and gently dabbed the stain away. "I won't be a part of this-this...this evil any longer!"
Unimpressed by Hiram's assertiveness, Ratigan simply breathed in his cigarette and slowly blew the smoke out of his nostrils. He gave a shrug, "Mmm, very well, if that is your decision." He chuckled and glanced at the pink wind-up toy that was standing innocently on a nearby table. He picked it up and began to wind it. "Oh, uh, by the way, I'm taking the liberty of having your daughter brought here." He smiled toothily.
Hiram was horrified. "O-Olivia?"
Satisfied that he had prodded the toymaker's weak spot, Ratigan chuckled. "Yes, I would spend many a sleepless night if anything unfortunate were to befall her." He set down the toy on the table and watched it unwind itself into its ballerina form, dancing gracefully to its lullaby.
"You...You wouldn't!"
Ratigan ignored Hiram as he watched the toy dance, his eyebrows raised in interest as he saw the face of a human. "Quite the intricate design. Where did you get the inspiration for this toy?"
Hiram's eyes widened.
"I didn't know you've taken quite an interest in humans, much less the one from the rumor no doubt. A rather peculiar choice of a nanny, I must say."
Hiram gasped as he knew about the rumor and Anna being the nanny of his daughter. How did he know?! He must've had spies.
"What, you didn't think I would know about the rumor, did you?" Ratigan continues to watch the toy ballerina dance. "Still, I'm a little surprised it's a human. In fact, to tell you the truth, I thought it would be someone else that was coming for me."
Hiram was confused as to what Ratigan said from that last part, so he asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Nevermind that," Ratigan answered as he picked up the toy from the table using his thumb and pointer finger before cradling it in his palm. "However, if I'm not mistaken, your daughter should be currently in her care. If worst comes to worst, you will have two lives hanging over your head instead of just one."
"But...But you can't, she's of no consequence to you!"
Ratigan began squeezing the doll, never directing his eyes away from Hiram. Finally with a feral expression, he squeezed it so hard that the head popped right off. He glanced down at it pitifully for a second while having a pouting look on his face before yelling at the toymaker, "FINISH IT, FLAVERSHAM!"
Hiram shuddered before slumping his shoulders in defeat and with a heavy heart, he went to fix the robot.
Ratigan sniffed and dropped the toy unceremoniously onto the floor, stepping on it on his way out. While outside the prison cell, he takes out a quill and a piece of paper and begins to write it while humming, "Oh, I love it when I'm nasty."
He goes over to another barrel, with a symbol of a giant golden R, and looks up as he sees a bat wearing a dark grey apple cap while having his wings furled, hiding his purple striped scarf, purple sleeveless shirt, and black trousers while sleeping upside down with his black grey shoe and peg leg on a spout.
"Fidget," Ratigan says with a sweet voice. Fidget snores while chuckling slightly. "FIDGET!" He yelled, startling Fidget as he woke up by falling off the spout and toppling down the stairs fully awake. "Bright and alert as always," he chuckled as he hands Fidget the written piece of paper. "Here's the list. You know what to do, and no mistakes!" He warned while pointing a finger at Fidget.
"No, no, no mistakes, sir," Fidget says while chuckling nervously. He read the list that Ratigan needed him to get. "Tools, Gears, Girl, Uniforms…"
"NOW, FIDGET!" Ratigan shouted while sticking his head out of the entrance.
Fidget jumps from Ratigan's shout as he hurries over to the sewer grate while saying, "I'm going! I'm going! I'm going!" He lifts up the sewer grate and climbs down while shutting it behind him.
Inside the main barrel, there was indistinct cheering and clapping of hands. There was a long red carpet, golden harp with surrounding mirrors, a beautiful white fountain with a miniature statue of Ratigan and a giant champagne bottle tied to the ceiling while dangling over the fountain, mounds of treasures filled with gold, jewels, and rubies with a human-sized crown on the top, two large chandeliers on the ceiling, and red curtains were draped here and there, giving the room itself fit for royalty.
Ratigan was sitting on his throne, with a symbol of an R carved on top of it while two mirrors and candles were hung on opposite sides from each other. He pulls out a new cigarette holder, seven different hands held lit up matches for him to light up his cigarette. He takes a deep inhale and exhales out a smoke ring. "My friends," He addressed his thugs. "We are about to embark on the most odious, the most evil, the most diabolical scheme of my illustrious career."
The thugs that he was addressing, were the most alcoholic drinking, club swinging, crooks and cutthroat thugs that lived in the crime organization. One of them included Bill the Lizard.
"A crime to top all crimes. A crime that will live in infamy!"
One of the mice, a short drunken mouse with tan fur and a red nose named Bartholomew who wore a worn-out top hat, red sweater, brown trousers and shoes, was about to drink to celebrate. But was disappointed as his beer mug was empty and a single drop fell to the floor while the others clapped and cheered.
Ratigan pulls out a newspaper, showing the face of Queen Mousetoria on the front page as he continues his speech. "Tomorrow evening, our beloved monarch celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. And with the enthusiastic help of our good friend, Mr. Flaversham."
The thugs snickered in agreement while Bill the Lizard elbowed the drunken Bartholomew.
"It promises to be a night she will never forget." Ratigan burns the picture of the queen, making the thugs gasp as they knew what their boss was planning to do to her. He crumbles the newspaper as he announces, "Her last night, and my first...as supreme ruler of all Mousedom!"
Ratigan's collar came loose while his hair got messed up as the thugs applauded and cheered while throwing or waving their arms into the air. Pinning his collar back on and fixing his hair, he raised a hand, silencing their applause. "Now then, there is another thing you should know...and it concerns this rumor."
There were murmurs within the crowd of thugs, many of them already knew about the rumor while others didn't know about it yet...until now.
"To some of you who don't know," Ratigan pulls out another newspaper that was rolled up, then unrolls as he shows it to the thugs of the front page. "Look at last week's headline on the front page." He points at the title of the front page. "'Rumors of a mysterious human in the streets of London', but listen to this." He clears his throat as he begins to read. "At 9:50 p.m., just ten minutes before ten o'clock late last night, witnesses claim that a light appeared on the road of Shaftesbury Avenue, appeared and disappeared."
The thugs listened carefully while some were a bit surprised to hear such a thing and others thought it to be rubbish, just a bunch of nonsense that people always spout.
"No one knows what it is or where it came from, but witnesses claimed what appeared to be a shocking discovery…" Ratigan chuckled as he said the next part. "A small human."
The thugs gasped at what they heard from their boss. A small human, that's impossible! It's true that they have seen humans before, but there was no way for a human to actually become small. That's just not possible.
"Witnesses also claimed that it was a red-headed female, wearing what many would say 'unusual clothing'. The last thing they saw of her, was seeing her running off somewhere in the streets of London. So far, the whereabouts of this small, but strange human remains to be unknown."
Some of the thugs had surprised looks on their faces while the others had looks that said "I don't believe this rubbish!" It was still hard to believe, even after their boss told them about it.
"Well, since you know that it's a female, we should prepare for our guest's arrival."
Now the thugs were really confused as they murmured at one another.
"And do you remember our last guest that came?"
Now that Ratigan mentioned it, the thugs remembered their last guest that came to them awhile back as one of the thugs asked, "You mean that strange figure who pulled that appearing and disappearing act week's ago?"
"Why yes," Ratigan says while chuckling, "and thanks to our...informant, I know that she'll be coming for me."
The thugs were now even more confused. A female coming for Ratigan?
"Well, what does she want from you?" Another thug asked.
"Why spoil the surprise. In fact…" Ratigan tears up the newspaper that he had. "If she does come," He threw the pieces of the torn-up newspaper up like confetti, "she'll be out of my hair soon enough." He began to strode down the red carpet. "But she can look at it this way. Now that she's in my world now, she'll soon get her first taste at meeting The Napoleon of Crime himself...me!"
He laughed wickedly as his thugs joined in the laughter. Whoever this girl was, human or not, she will soon see their boss sooner or later.
A spotlight was shone on him. One of the thugs gives Ratigan his top hat with a grey band, which he rolls it on his shoulders before putting it on and takes out his golden cane as he begins to sing about his success while once again laughing wickedly.
From the brain that brought you the Big Ben Caper
The head that made headlines in every newspaper
And wondrous things like the Tower Bridge Job
That cunning display that made Londoners sob
He began climbing the treasures while pointing at it with his cane that he had stolen for years, then slid down on some gold coins while stopping to look at his reflection from a ruby.
Now comes the real Tour de Force
Tricky and wicked of course
My earlier crimes were fine for their times
But now that I'm at it again
Ratigan twirls his cane on a piece of rope, bringing down the giant wine bottle as glittering pink wine begins to flow from the fountain. Bartholomew got very excited, his tail wagging like an excitable dog. He tosses his beer mug over his shoulder and begins drinking the wine from the fountains spout.
Ratigan did a little twirl while dancing and kicked Bartholomew's rear, making the already drunken mouse fall into the fountain.
An even grimmer plot has been simmering
In my great criminal brain
He uses his cape to cover his face, then creeps up to Bill and two other mice. He takes his hat off and elegantly bows while Bill and the two mice did the same as they and the rest of Ratigan's loyal henchman began to sing with him.
Even meaner? You mean it?
Worse than the widows and orphans you drowned?
Bartholomew resurfaced from the fountain, but was completely drunk, then he fell off the fountain on his front with a splat. The thugs lifted Ratigan, even though he was heavy his thugs worked together to carry him as they spun him around while spreading his arms and legs.
Your the best of the worst around
Oh, Ratigan
Oh, Ratigan
The rest fall behind
To Ratigan
To Ratigan
The world's greatest criminal mind!
They all parted as Ratigan was playing the harp, a gentle tune was heard as the lights changed to a dull blue. "Thank you, thank you." He says while turning to the crowd. "But it hasn't all been champagne and caviar. I've had my share of adversity, thanks to that miserable second-rate detective, Basil of Baker of Baker Street."
Ratigan glanced at a voodoo doll that was dressed in a detective suite and hat as pins were over its body. The thugs booed at both the name and the doll for they too did not like Basil.
"For years, that insufferable pipsqueak has interfered with my plans." Ratigan dramatically feigned sadness. "I haven't had a moment's peace of mind."
The thugs "Aww" at him pitifully for his suffering while Bartholomew, who was sitting at the fountain, sniffled and sobbed for his boss.
The lights changed from a dull blue, to a sinister red as Ratigan announced, "But all that's in the past! This time nothing, not even Basil, can stand in my way! All will bow before me!"
The lights returned to normal as Ratigan ordered his thugs to bow before him.
The thugs took out a glass as they filled it up with wine while Bartholomew was once again drinking the wine from a spout, but fell back to the fountain with a splash. They all began to make a toast to the greatest crime that will soon be their greatest success as they celebrated and sang.
Oh, Ratigan
Oh, Ratigan
You're tops and that's that
To Ratigan
To Ratigan
"To Ratigan the world's greatest rat!" Bartholomew sang as he surfaced then hiccuped.
Ratigan and his thugs were about to take a sip of wine, but Ratigan gasps and coughs out his wine after Bartholomew said the one word he despised to hear. The thugs gasped as they too heard what Bartholomew said, they also knew that their boss did not like to be called the R word, even though they knew who he was, but refrained from ever speaking that word to him.
"What...was...THAT?!" Ratigan turned angrily to Bartholomew.
Bartholomew absentmindedly hiccuped while smiling drunkenly.
"What did you call me?"
The thugs tried to defend Bartholomew with one thug who had a cigar in his mouth while wearing a tan bowler hat with a light-brown band, light-brown shirt, and brown vest says, "Oh, oh, he didn't mean it, Professor."
"I-It was just a slip of the tongue." Bill added.
"I AM NOT A RAT!" Ratigan shouted at Bartholomew while picking him up by the back of his sweater, ignoring his henchman.
"'Course you're not." said another thug who wore a brown and white striped shirt, grey beret, and a dark brown coat. "You're a mouse!"
"Yeah, that's right," agreed the cigar mouse thug. "Right! A mouse!"
"Yeah, uh, a big mouse." Bill added.
"SILENCE!" Ratigan shouted.
Ratigan tosses Bartholomew out the barrel, he toppled and skidded on the hard ground as he sat up while shaking his head and still having that drunken smirk. "Oh, my dear Bartholomew," He says as he walk down the steps while Bill and the other two thugs watch from the entrance. "I'm afraid that you've gone and upset me." He takes out the same golden bell he showed to Hiram. The three thugs who were friends to Bartholomew shuddered in fear for what they knew would happen next if he rings that bell. "You know what happens if someone upsets me." He rings the bell as an eerie echo came from the bell's chime while the three thugs gasped and huddled together.
A large shadow came, a paw came down on the floor, almost like the sound of thunder. It moved towards the oblivious Bartholomew as it came closer behind him. It was an obese cat with beige fur, white on the muzzle going towards its belly, red nose, pale yellow-green eyes that were staring at Bartholomew who had his back turned, and on top of the cats head was a purple bow. Her name was Felicia, and she was the pet to Ratigan. Whenever she hears that bell ring coming from her master, she knew that he had brought fresh food just for her.
"Oh, Ratigan. Oh, Ratigan..." Bartholomew sang drunkenly while Felicia had that hungry look on her face and the three thugs cowered in fear of the cat. "You're the tops and that's that. Hic! Oh, dear. To Ratigan, to Ratigan, to Ratigan..."
The three thugs watched helplessly as Bartholomew was lifted up by Felicia, her jaws opened. Ratigan stood at the side, watching his drunken thug about to be executed while smoking on a new cigarette.
"The world's greatest…" Those were the last words he sang, then came a gulp as the three thugs gasped and turned away while covering their eyes, not wanting to see this. There was lips smacking and a contented meow as Bill and the cigar mouse thug took off their hats while the brown and white striped thug shed a single tear. They were mourning the loss of their friend as he was swallowed whole and alive by Felicia.
Ratigan takes out his handkerchief as he cleans Felicia's mouth. "Oh, Felicia, my precious, my baby." He cooed as he hugged her muzzle and Felicia purred at him. "Did Daddy's little hunny bun enjoy her tasty treat?"
She burped in his face, giving him her answer. Ratigan's face returns to neutrality as he goes back inside the barrel and says, "I trust there will be no further interruptions."
The thugs backed away while murmuring indistinctly as their boss reentered.
Ratigan clears his throat, wraps his arms around Bill and the cigar mouse thug, then says, "And now, as you were singing…"
The thugs were trying to think of some lyrics. Ratigan brings out his golden bell again, showing them that they too will suffer the same fate as Bartholomew if they did not sing now. Seeing that bell, they gasped as they quickly came up with some lyrics, then sang.
Even louder
We'll shout it!
No one can doubt what we know you can do
You're more evil than even you
Three thugs who stood on top of one another, were carrying a purple mantle towards Ratigan as they placed it on his shoulders while Bill and the cigar mouse thug gave him a diamond-topped scepter. Another mouse thug went towards Ratigan, who was carrying a golden crown on a pillow. He hops on top of Bill and places the crown on top of Ratigan's head, then he knocks the three thugs off their feet.
Oh, Ratigan
Oh, Ratigan
You're one of a kind
To Ratigan
To Ratigan
While Ratigan was taking all the praise, the thugs were swinging on a wine bottle, forming a pyramid while using the gold and jewels, and were also swinging on the chandeliers, but one mouse fell off. Ratigan holds out his mantle to catch him, but at the last moment, he pulls back, letting the mouse hit the floor.
The world's greatest criminal mind!
Ratigan pulls a rope, making the wine glass tip over as its passengers fall into the fountain with a splash. The pyramid of thugs collapsed and the two chandeliers collided and crashed as the thugs fell. At the finale, all of the thugs smashed their glasses of champagne for one huge cheer.
When the song came to an end, Ratigan gave his signature wicked smirk.
To those who were wondering if Ratigan knew about the rumor? Well, you guessed right! However, the mysterious "informant" who told Ratigan before the events unfolded, is still to be remained a mystery. But what's worse, he knows that Anna is coming for him and how will this play out. Well, that's to be revealed somewhere in the story.
Anyway, now that this chapter is done, I'm going to be taking a break from writing this story and focus my attention on the other stories. But don't worry, I'll be back, and I can't promise I'll know when it will be posted, but you'll see it somewhere in 2019.
Speaking of that, Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year, and I'll see you guys later somewhere in 2019!