CHAPTER EIGHT

Chester and A.J. stared quizzically at the clerk. A.J. spoke up.

"What do you mean, he's fine?"

"When I got back from lunch, I found this memo on the desk that said he was up at the nurses' station. He, apparently, had taken a fall and cut his head."

"May I see the memo,?" said A.J.

"Sure," replied the clerk.

He handed it to A.J. who took in his hand. I read,

"Dear Mr. Clark, Young Timothy Turner accidentally fell in his cabin. He was able to make his way to the nurse's station. They checked him out and he seems to be all right. However, his parents were contacted and they decided to take him out to lunch. They'll be back in about 3 hours. Nurse Chapman."

A.J. looked at the note, and then looked at the man. Something didn't seem quite right. He looked into the man's eyes. The man seemed to be telling the truth, or at least he seemed to believe what he had read in the memo.

"They said they'd be back in three hours?," asked A.J.

"Yeah," said Mr. Clark, "I said everything should be all right since I'm here."

"I guess we just wait," said Chester.

"Yeah," said A.J., looking at his friend's pink baseball cap. "I guess"

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Timmy looked up at Remy. He had grown some. Of course, Remy was twelve, a year older than Timmy. However, he had gotten pretty big for a twelve year old; he was almost as big as Francis. He, also, looked meaner, and angrier.

"Well, Turner," said Remy, "nice to see you again. NOT!"

"What do you want with me, Buxaplenty?", said Timmy, utterly exhausted.

"Ah," said Remy, "that's one of the things I've always liked about you Timothy. You pull no punches; you get right to the point."

Timmy looked utterly annoyed, "So get to the point", the eleven year old boy said.

"I recently had a visit with an old friend, Juandissimo, remember him?" said Remy.

Timmy looked surprised. He, of course, remembered Juandissimo, but Remy shouldn't. After the F.U.N. academy incident, Jorgen (and Juandissimo, as well) had deemed Remy Buxaplenty too dangerous and unstable to have a magical fairy at his disposal. Whereupon, Jorgen had wiped his memory.

"Who's that,?" said Francis, "a spanish rap group."

"You don't need to know that," said Remy, "but you know don't you Turner?"

"Yeah," said Timmy, "but you shouldn't. Why do you?"

"My Old Godfather's visit jogged my memory for me. Apparently, Jorgen didn't do as good a job as he thought wiping my memory. There was still enoungh risidual memory left, and it started to get restored. Then, I promptly stole Wandissimo's, uh, stick, and puffed myself to his, uh, country and put him in the net."

Timmy looked a little frightened. Francis looked a little confused. "Uh," said the grey skinned bully, "you have a spanish godfather who has a stick?"

"Look," said Remy, "I didn't pay you to make comments. Just to do what I tell you."

"What do you want with me, then,? asked Timmy.

"Oh, yes. You see, Timmy, I need your help with something.

"You knock me in the head, and kidnap me, and then expect me to help you? Why should I do that?"

"Because, Chester and A.J. will not survive the day, if you do not do what I tell you."

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A.J. sat in the cabin where Timmy had been earlier. He had his friend's hat in his hand. Something was very, very wrong. He didn't think the clerk was lying; he thought that Mr. Clark,though, might have been lied to. They hadn't heard Timmy fall in the cabin, or him walk away. Granted they were some distance from the cabin, but still. Chester was sleeping in the other bed; he'd decided to nap while they waited for Timmy and his parents. A.J. got a bad feeling, though, that they may not see Timmy again.

So A.J. started looking around the cabin for.....,He wasn't sure. He didn't want to wake Chester up though. Chester should be safe here, because the clerk seemed to be honest. However, A.J. needed to do this on his own. He got the distinct impression that Timmy was in danger, and he didn't want to put his other best friend in danger as well. The genius of Dimmsdale looked down on the floor,and that's when A.J. noticed the two loose boards. He knelt down. He pulled up the boards as quietly as he could. There was a squeak. He looked up at Chester. His other friend didn't stir.

A.J. pulled up both boards. He quietly pulled out his flashlight from his bag. That's when he saw the passageway and the flight of stairs. He, also, noticed a piece of pink cloth on a nail. It looked like part of Timmy's shirt. Apparently, someone had taken him down the stairs and somehow Timmy's shirt had gotten caught on a nail.

"Bingo", said A.J.

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"What do you mean?", said Timmy.

"Oh, Buxaplenty," said Francis, "could I talk with you outside."

"No," said Remy.

"Yes," said Francis, "I need to know some more about my payment. In private."

Remy rolled up his eyes and said, "Fine. I'll be back Turner. Considering that both your arms are shackled to the bedpost with prison shackles, I doubt you're going anywhere."

With that they two boys left the room.

Remy turned to Francis. "Yes,Francis," he said.

The large grey skinned bully glared at Remy and asked, "What are you doing?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Francis, "why are you telling Turner this, we don't have Chester or A.J. here. They're back at the campground and you said you didn't want them involved in this."

"Quite right,"said Remy, "but Turner doesn't know that."

Francis narrowed his eyes. "What kind of sick game are you playing with him?"

"I told you, you're not to worry about this, just your job. By the way, considering your skin is grey and you make a habit of pounding Turner every day, you're hardly one to be calling people sick."

Francis tightened his lip but said nothing.

"Is that all," the wealthy boy said.

"Yeah"

"Good, then let's get back to Turner."

They entered the room again.

"Now, Timothy," said Remy, "I believe we were talking about what you need to do for me."

"Yeah," said Timmy, "you threatened my friends if I didn't help you."

"Quite right," said Remy, "now the choice is yours, Turner. Help me and your closest friends will live; refuse and they will die a very painful death."

Timmy looked at Remy, unsure if he was capable of murder. However, he didn't want to take a chance with his best friend's lives.

"What is it you want me to do?"