The Night of the Victorian Plot – Part 2

Welcome to America

Chapter 12

A Bumpy Ride

The two tiny men didn't have to wait long to find out what Loveless had in store for them. They were taken back to the dining room and dropped inside the cat carrier once again, back to square one.

"Where do you think we're going to end up next?" Artie asked. He had been chided by Antoinette for ruining the shirt she had made him and losing his jacket in the explosion.

"Wherever it is it can't be worse than the train journey from hell we just experienced," Jim replied. His clothing was rumpled but intact. "How's the memory – did you recall anything from the last twenty years?"

"Bits and pieces, the knowledge of how that toy steam train worked for instance. I had seen it demonstrated at an exhibition in London. It just came to me the moment we were in trouble."

"Thank goodness it did. You saved our lives back there," Jim said.

"I also remember the German I learnt." He frowned and looked down at his hands. "I still don't remember you though, sorry."

"Don't worry," Jim told him. He was disappointed but not showing it as he smiled back at Artie. "I know you have my back even if it is just because we're on the same side."

Artie could read between the lines and he knew how disappointed Jim was. To read him that well maybe there was a part of his brain that did remember him. He sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a nice cup of tea," he said.

"That's the Artie I know and love," Jim said with a laugh.

They felt the cat carrier being picked up and now they found that they had to sit on the floor in order not to be flung from side to side.

"I bet we're being carried by Loveless," Artie said. "He's obviously angry that we bested him in his version of Toy Town and now he's taking it out on us."

"I think you're right. One thing's for certain. We have to get our hands on that antidote. How did he manage to get you to inhale the shrinking powder by the way; was it a Havana cigar?"

"So that's what he used on you. He got me to eat the powder by disguising it in the icing sugar on some Turkish delight. I could kick myself for being so gullible."

"No more gullible than I was," Jim said. "Hold on, the box has stopped moving. I wonder where we are."

The top of the box opened and the two agents looked up into Loveless' face.

"As it is late in the day I'm going to leave you here overnight," he said. "You thwarted my plans today but you won't be so lucky tomorrow."

"No chance of any apple strudel then?" Artie asked.

Loveless frowned. "No!" he said.

"A cup of tea?" Artie persisted.

Loveless didn't even answer him. He slammed the lid shut and locked it. Afterwards they heard his footsteps receding into the distance and then there was silence.

"Well I did my best," Artie said. "You'd think he would at least feed us so that we last until tomorrow. I shall be really annoyed if he doesn't give us any breakfast."

Jim smiled and stood up. "You needn't worry that we'll be here tomorrow; I sneaked one of Antoinette's hairpins into the inside of my jacket when she picked us up off the stairs. We can use it as a lockpick."

"James, my boy, you're a genius. Here, climb up on me so you can reach the lock."

Artie cupped his hands and Jim put his boot in them and hoisted himself up onto his partner's shoulders. It took a while to manoeuvre the hairpin into the correct position as it was so big compared to his hands and there was no light except for that which got in through the air holes. But after a while there was an audible click followed by,

"There done it," Jim said.

He threw the lid back and climbed out on top of the cat carrier. He looked around and then leaned back in so that Artie could hear what he was saying.

"You're not going to believe this, Artie, we're back in the basement room and I can see the antidote. It's still on the mantelpiece."

"Great," Artie replied, proving that some memory of their American lessons were coming back without him even noticing. Jim gave him a puzzled look though.

"Get up here, Artie," he said, holding his arms out to him. Artie used his feet to help brace himself against the inside of the box so as not to put all his weight on his partner and they were soon both sitting on edge of the top of the cat carrier.

There was a lighted lamp on the table next to the bed and Artie couldn't help thinking that it was odd for Loveless to have given them some light when he had left them for the night, presumably expecting them to get some sleep before he killed them, or tried to, tomorrow.

The reason made itself apparent when they heard a purring noise and suddenly Brunhilde woke up from her comfortable position on the bed. How could they not have seen her?

"Oh no," Jim said. "What do we do now?"

"Well I for one am not going back into that blasted box in fear of a domesticated cat," Artie said forcefully.

Jim chuckled. "Neither am I," he said. "But don't worry, I think I have an idea but it's a long shot and potentially dangerous."

"Well I'll definitely take your advice and not worry then," Artie said, rolling his eyes.

Jim chuckled again.

"I know I'm going to regret it but what is this plan of yours?" Artie asked.

"We need to entice the cat over here and when I say 'now' we jump on her back."

"I'm sorry," Artie said, "I must have misheard you. I thought you said you had a plan; that sounds more like a suicide pact."

"Trust me, Artie. Here, kittie, kittie!"

Artie looked at Jim and shook his head. The boy obviously had no idea about cats. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted "Oi!" loudly.

The cat looked over at the source of the noise, unwound herself, stretched, and came over to the box to see what all the fuss was about. She prowled around the bottom of the table they were on and then she silently and sinuously insinuated her lithe body onto the table.

"Now!" Jim shouted.

To say that the cat was startled when two six-inch-tall men jumped onto her back would be an understatement. As they dug their knees into her sides and gripped her long fur in their hands Brunhilde went completely crazy trying to dislodge them. She ran around the room, onto the bed, off the bed, up the wall and then back on the bed. The two men were finding it hard to maintain their hold. But Jim could have sworn he heard Artie shout "Yeehah!" at one point. Then the cat jumped from the bed to the mantelpiece and Jim took his chance, using one foot to kick out at the phial which held the antidote. It toppled from the shelf and landed on the carpeted floor at the same time as Brunhilde.

The two men jumped from her back and ran to the phial. There was a cork in the top and the two men looked at each other in dismay. How were they going to dislodge that? It was then they noticed that the cat had become very interested in them and the yowling noise she was making didn't give them any confidence that she was likely to be friendly.

Suddenly one angry, clawed paw reached out toward them. They braced themselves against the attack.

To be continued