In this next chapter, Mrs. Ratigan sings her own villainous song, Vendetta, based on the song by Mrs. Moriarty and Bella. But Rosa doesn't sing with her mother, as she no longer wants to be a part of her plot. This gives Mrs. Ratigan the idea to use Rosa as bait to trap and bring ruin to Basil. It's hard to understand the lyrics of the song when both Bella and Mrs. Moriarty sing at the same time and what the chorus is chanting, so I tried to make my own lyrics since I can't understand them.
Enjoy!
In her bedroom, Rosa paced back and forth, shocked at the events that occurred.
Rosa: I can't believe it! I kissed Basil of Baker Street! I never meant to do it! I was trying to make sure he didn't see Fidget at the window! Oh, what am I going to do if he finds out that his worst nemesis is my father? What if he finds out about mama's plot and that I'm part of it? What would mama say if she knew about me and him? But I never felt this way about anyone before. I never felt this happy with him. He and his friends have been kind to me, something no one has ever shown to my family. I now see the truth behind my father's absence. I now see that Basil is a good man.
She took out the piece of Fidget's scarf from her bosom. If she gave it to Basil, he would use it to track down her father's hideout. He would be furious if he knew the truth of whom she really was. But better yet, she could tell him the truth right now, rather than him finding out.
Rosa: OK Rosa, you have to tell him. He might be angry, but you will say you're sorry for deceiving him, and that you no longer wish to hurt him.
She left her room and went downstairs. Basil had sat in his red chair and was smoking his pipe. Dawson had woken up, probably because he was annoyed by smelling the smoke from Basil's pipe.
Rosa: Basil? There's something I need to tell you-
But Basil had seen the cloth in Rosa's hand and he snatched it from her grasp.
Basil: How did you find it?
Rosa: Eh, it was under the table of the chemistry set. You dropped it when you got that telegram from your brother.
Basil: Thank you, Rosa. And I should apologize to Mrs. Judson. Now we can analyze where Fidget has taken your portrait!
He went to his chemistry set, with Dawson and Rosa following behind.
Basil: Now, an analysis of the substance will give us interesting insights.
Dawson: Possibly what Fidget ate last night?
Basil: Wrong guess, Dawson.
He set the scarf on fire, let the ashes drop in a bowl, and poured them in a bottle with yellow chemical.
Basil: The contents of this bottle will reveal where Fidget had taken the painting.
He poured a blue drop of chemical into the bottle, which caused a puff of smoke and the chemical in the bottle turned light green. Basil sniffed the chemicals and his face lit up, grinning.
Basil: Aha! We've got it! This revelation has surprised me, but yet we'll have this case closed in no time!
Rosa: "We?"
Dawson: Got what?
Basil: The location of the stolen painting! It has been hidden in the Royal Academy the whole time!
Rosa secretly sighed with relief. The painting was not at the hideout but at the Academy. Basil won't be able to find her father's headquarters. Things would get out of hand if he found out.
Rosa: (to herself) I guess he's not going to find out after all. My secret's safe.
Dawson: How could you know that?
Basil: Take a closer look.
Dawson: (stares at the green chemical) Paint? Great Scott!
Basil: Rosa, do you know of any hidden rooms at the Academy?
Rosa: Well, there's an attic and a storage room.
Basil: Obviously, Fidget has hidden the painting among copies of Lady Caroline's portrait within the attic to fool everyone that it was one of the copies.
Rosa: How do you-?
Basil: When I smelled the contents, there was a trait of dust on it. I've been to the attic at the Academy before to look for another stolen painting once, the attic is a very dusty place, and everything covered in white sheets. And, with you being an artist Rosa, you must've taken practice of painting that portrait so made copies of Lady Caroline.
Rosa: Uh, yes. I'm surprised you know all that. It's as if you're a magician.
Basil: Actually it's elementary, my dear Rosa.
There was a knock at the door. Rosa went to answer it. There was nobody there, but a letter was left on the doorstep. She picked it up and read it.
Rosa, come at once to the hideout. Your mother is demanding to see. She's not in a good mood. If you don't come, I will take you there myself. Signed, Fidget.
Rosa felt her face turn pale. She remembered Fidget was at the window when he caught her in Basil's embrace. He must've told her mother. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Basil and Dawson weren't looking. They were too busy talking to notice, so Rosa tossed the letter into the fireplace. She started for the door when Basil stopped her.
Basil: Where are you going?
Rosa: To see my mama. She wrote that letter to me, asking me to return home. She's uh…worried about me.
Dawson: That's very understandable. Your mother must be worried about you after being away for so long.
Rosa: (chuckles nervously) Yeah. Worried.
Then Basil walked over to her, took her hand, and kissed it.
Basil: I will look forward to meeting you again.
Rosa gave a slight smile. She said goodbye and left. When Basil turned around, he saw Dawson and Mrs. Judson were smiling at him, like they know what's going on.
Basil: Oh, stop that! It's not what you think!
Then, he noticed the burnt letter in the fireplace. He used his iron poker to get it out, but the paper had burnt to ashes.
Dawson: What is it?
Basil: It's the note Rosa's mother gave her. She's thrown it into the fireplace.
Dawson: But why would she do that?
Basil: Rosa said her mother was asking for her. It must be serious or there must be trouble.
Dawson: Trouble? What trouble do you think she could be in?
Basil: Hmm, judging by her sudden intent to leave and her nervous smile, something in that letter told her that something was wrong.
Dawson: What if her mother is upset with her daughter being away for so long?
Basil: We can't be sure. We'll find out when we meet up with Rosa again.
000000
Fidget had taken Rosa to her father's secret lair in the sewer. Rosa kept a distance from the bat, afraid of what her mother was going to say when she meets her. When they entered the barrel with the large R, Rosa felt a chill run up her spine at the sight of the dark room. A large banner hung up from the ceiling that said ANTI-BASIL LEAGUE. The only lights that were on were large candle sticks, all lined up by the rug all the way to the throne once sat on by Ratigan himself.
All of a sudden, Mrs. Ratigan came up from behind her daughter. Rosa felt the movement and turned around just to see her mother raise a hand, wanting to slap her. Rosa was quick to dodge her mother's hand, but she had to avoid large pieces of jewelry thrown at her by her own mother, who was as angry as a bull.
Rosa: Mama, stop!
Mrs. Ratigan: (angrily) You dirty, filthy, little brat! You think I wouldn't find out?! Did you think Fidget couldn't see what you were up to?!
Rosa: Mama, please!
Mrs. Ratigan: How could you do this to your family?! Your father and sister would be ashamed of you!
Rosa: Leave Mara out of this! She would be happy for me!
Mrs. Ratigan: Not when your lips are locking the lips of that blasted detective!
Luckily, Doran, Bill, Ralph, and Sam managed to grab hold of Mrs. Ratigan to keep her from throwing any more jewelry at Rosa.
Ralph: Take it easy, Mrs. Ratigan!
Sam: You're wasting away the jewels!
Bill: We still got work to do!
She pushed Bill, Ralph, and Sam off of her, but Doran managed to calm her down.
Doran: Relax, my lady. Relax.
Mrs. Ratigan took a few deep breathes and calmed her nerves. Rosa now crept out from behind the Ratigan fountain when her mom stopped throwing jewelry at her. She marched over to her, eager to confront her, her expression grim.
Rosa: Liar.
Mrs. Ratigan: What?
Rosa: (yells) You liar! You lied to me! About Basil! About everything!
Mrs. Ratigan: How could I lie to you, child?!
Rosa: You told me that everyone hated us because of Basil! You said papa died because of Basil! You said Basil ruined our lives!
Mrs. Ratigan: That is true! He's the reason we are outcasts!
Rosa: No, it's not true! Those were all lies! Papa became a criminal because he stole the Crown Jewels! He even kidnapped and hurt the innocent! That's why everyone hated our family name! And Basil didn't kill papa, he fell from Big Ben when it struck the hour! It was papa's own fault that our lives are ruined!
Mrs. Ratigan: SILENCE! Your mind has been corrupted by that fool and his associates.
Rosa: The only one who's corrupted my mind and Mara's is you!
Mrs. Ratigan: I'm your mother. I didn't raise you this way.
Rosa: I was raised perfectly fine. Besides, Basil is not the arrogant fool I once thought he was. He's kind, caring, intelligent, and…I love him.
Mrs. Ratigan: Love? Bah! Basil of Baker Street was never one to love. His brain has always governed his heart. He has not time for romance. He never trusted women, just as he should never have trusted you. After all, you deceived him and his associates into believing that you were a Miss Rosa Spellcove, a famous artist, when you're in truth Miss Rosalina Ratigan, the daughter of Professor Ratigan. Just think of his broken heart when he learns the truth.
Rosa: He won't need to know the-
Mrs. Ratigan: And you wanted this as much as I do, and your sister. We are the Anti-Basil League…we want to be rid of Basil of Baker Street…we want Vendetta.
Fidget: Vanilla?
Mrs. Ratigan: I said Vendetta, you twit! It means revenge!
Out of the shadows, thugs and henchmen were dressed in black cloaks with hoods, making strange chanting sounds and holding candlesticks. They all formed a line by the rug.
Mrs. Ratigan: Not only death for the matter of Basil, but to disgrace equal to that inflicted of your father. Death and disgrace, my daughter. Believe me, I want them both.
Death, disgrace, will smile like skeletons in his face
Death, disgrace, the just rewards are Basil's last case
And at the end, no friend at his side
Mice have died better
Vendetta
Vendetta
Vendetta
One man we will wait for
Whom we all hold hate for
That fool's days are numbered
Clearly numbered
Death will come for him
We will bring to him
We must promise we will take him limb from limb
At our wishes
Basil of Baker Street will die
Die and death that money can't buy
We will make his torment linger
We will see his spirit die
Vendetta
Mrs. Ratigan: Come Rosa, for your father.
But Rosa backed away, now afraid of her mother.
Mrs. Ratigan: Death, disgrace, will be the end of Basil
One man, he will perish
We will make him wish he never met us
He will be nothing but an outcast like us
In the end, there will be no one to trust him
No one to help him
We will be rid of him
Vendetta
Vendetta
Vendetta
Mrs. Ratigan: Now Rosa. This is your last chance.
She held out her hand for her daughter to take. But Rosa shook her head. She would not harm her beloved detective anymore.
Rosa: (dryly) Never.
Mrs. Ratigan: (scowls) You are a weakling!
Rosa just scoffed, then turned and walked right out of the barrel.
Mrs. Ratigan: Fine. You leave me no choice.
She nodded to Johnny Saul and Pete Blau, ushering them to follow Rosa. The two thugs nodded, and they followed Rosa, holding a rope and handkerchief.
Mrs. Ratigan: It will soon be done. With you as the bait, Basil is a dead mouse.
Thugs: Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil of Baker Street will die
Basil will…
Basil will…
Basil will…
Basil will…
Will die
Vendetta
Vendetta
Vendetta
Mrs. Ratigan: (vocalizes) VENDETTAAAAAA!