Hatter strolled along the sidewalk with Alice and I close behind, both of us holding the wall as we walked. "The looking glass is the only way to get you back home, and it is here in the city, but it's the most heavily guarded piece of kit in wonderland." Hatter explained, frowning. "I've got to find Jack first." Alice said firmly "Have you not heard a word I said?" Hatter asked as he stopped and turned to us. All stopping. "Look, I don't know how he got mixed up in this, but I know he's not a thief." Alice declared. "He was trying to surprise me, and sweep me off my feet...so, somehow he got a hold of this ring and it has landed him in a pile of trouble... If it wasn't for me, he'd be home safe." she insisted. "How did he get hold of it?" I asked, both Hatter and I looking at her quizzically. She shifted uncomfortably under our questioning glare and dodged around Hatter.
"Well I don't know." she said "The point is, I'm the only one who can get him out of this mess." she said as she kept walking, refusing to look back at either of us. "And how do you figure that out?" Hatter asked. "Well," she said "I've got the ring, I can use it to negotiate his release." she made it all sound so very simple.
"Ahh, no. No." Hatter said, bringing her to a stop.
"No?" she asked, "No. You can't negotiate with the Queen. She's crazy-You have to cut your losses, get the hell out of here while you still can!" he argued "No, I can't just abandon Jack. He's innocent." she insisted "And besides...I like him."
"Oh, you like him." I said sarcastically as I butted in "well what bout me Al, huh? Am innocent to? All I did was try an help a mate in trouble and the next thing I know people are tryin' to kill me!" I yell, annoyed at her "Yes. I like him and I know that" Alice said firmly, Hatter huffed and moved around her now walking beside me. Hatter turned to her "Trust me. I-I know a thing or two about liking people, and in time, after much chocolate and cream cake, like turns into 'what was his name again'." He stated "No, not in my world." Alice said, annoyed "I have a bad record, with liking guys..." She confessed "There's a shock." Hatter said caustically, turning and walking away again making my anger float away with a small giggle. She moved quickly to catch us up, talking as she did "And this is the first one that has meant anything. There is no way I am going to give him up now." she said.
Hatter refused to reply, though, an I just huffed in anger because yes, Jack may be innocent but was she really willing to put all our lives in danger for a man she likes, not loves but likes. Hatter slowed to a stop, stepping in front of me, holding out one hand to keep me and Alice behind him "Stay close." he told us, moving forward until we reached the telephone box by his shop, ducking behind it I clung closely to him, so close I could smell him, sweet tea, peppermint, musky leather and a forth scent that I guessed was his own, sweet and bitter, that's what Hatter smelt like. We looked to see that there was a full royal flush hovering around his shop. Things only got worse as Ratty was there on the steps, talking with the ten of clubs. "You work with rats long enough and you turn into one, ey?" Hatter observed bitterly. "What the fuck is that?" I whispered from behind his shoulder, "Nothing I've ever seen before." Hatter replied as he observed the man with the rabbit head as he threw one man over the edge, making Alice and I let out a little gasp of horror. "Wait..." Hatter murmured more to himself than to us as he narrowed his eyes towards the rabbit. "No, it can't be..." The strange man swivelled around and seemed to look directly at us. He strode down the steps, heading straight for us.
Hatter stretched out a hand and pushed me and Alice back and out of sight behind the phone booth, we walked away quickly but stopped when Hatter glancing back over his shoulder "we should run! RUN!" Hatter said, spinning on heel and grabbing Alice by the shoulders and all but throwing her forward. "RUN!" he shouted, as he grabbed my hand, making me run with him. "Quickly! Come on!" he shouted, as we ran in front of Alice. taking a hard left into a covered ramp that led downwards. He paused briefly at the end as we waited for the Alice to catch us up, still holding my hand tightly "That way." he instructed Alice, pointing in the direction of the dock, as we ran. "Down here. My smuggling boat!" Hatter called as he jumped hurriedly into the small motor boat, pulling me in with him, Alice jumping in to.
"Quickly!" he shouted, leaning over and opening the engine, pulling at the cord there to start the boat. "Hang on, there's a knack to this… Which apparently I have never learned." he remarked bitterly and rushed to the front of the boat instead, while Alice and I quickly untied the rope keeping the boat at the dock, then took our seats, mine beside Hatter and Alice on the bench seat behind us "Come on!" he shouted, banging on the tried the ignition once more and the engine roared to life. "Yes!" he shouted, and he drove the boat away from the dock.
As we speed away Alice asks Hatter "where's the casino?" and just replies looking back to her slightly "I'v told ye, ye cant negotiate with the Queen, but the White Rabbit is a different kettle of onions. Perhaps they'll do a deal, it's a long shot, it's the only one we've got." I look to him and say with a small smile "we?" glancing at me he says "I don't know if you noticed Jackie but my shop was ransacked. Am homeless, am a target not only for the suites but for the resistant's as well. There's only so many place's in Wonderland I can hide. The way I see it I've only got one option" never taking my eyes of him Alice asks coldly "which is?" he answers "go back with you, to your world" he glances at Alice, then me, then back out to sea as I say happily, bumping my shoulder into his playfully "wont be so bad, you can come live with me, I'll get you a job at the club an that. We'll be ok" he flashes me a warm smile in return and I can practically feel Alice questioning gaze. We then hear and see a scarab coming from behind "before we do anything we have to shake that royal flush" Hatter says and fires up the engine, straight for shore.