CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Remy came up out of the cellar and locked the door. Francis looked at him and said,

"So that's your joke, locking Turner in the cellar?"

Remy smiled, and said "Something like that Francis."

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Alone in the darkened cellar, Timmy was down on the ground in excruciating pain. But the broken bones did not hurt as much as Remy's cruel words and the fact he was down here alone. He had to figure out a way to get out of here. Unfortunately, the pain was too much and he passed out.

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Wanda heard footsteps and then heard Jorgen's voice,

"Ahhgg, a deadly butterfly net."

They lifted the net up released Wanda from it.

"Wanda," said Cosmo, "I thought you were going to find Timmy, why did you fly into a butterfly net?"

Wanda shook her head at the question.

"I didn't fly into it on purpose, you idiot," she said, "Remy set it as a trap. He knew I would try to help Timmy, which means there's a good chance that there're booby traps everywhere."

"Which means", said Jorgen, "that the only way to help Turner is to fix the big wand and hope that we can do it in time."

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Francis and Remy headed back to where the Buxaplenty helicopter was.

"So," said Francis, "when are we coming back?"

"Coming back?", said Remy.

"To let Turner out," said Francis, "how long is this joke on him gonna last?"

Remy Buxaplenty shook his head, and said,

"Francis, you really are as dumb as they say you are."

The grey skinned bully grimaced,

"Just answer the question, Buxaplenty," said Francis.

"We're not letting him out."

Francis stopped and thought.

"So you're going to let him try to figure his own way out?"

Remy chuckled and said, "He might try to figure it out, and indeed he might figure it out. But it would be difficult to do with a broken leg and a broken arm."

Francis grabbed Remy and looked at him.

"Wait a minute, Turner didn't have a broken leg or arm when you went down there with him."

"Very perceptive, Francis," said Remy, "I gave him that "little" parting gift."

"You broke his bones and just left him down there," said Francis, "but he could die. He might starve to death."

"No," Remy said thoughtfully, "your body can go for about, what is it, 60 days without food. He'll likely die of thrist."

Francis looked at him in rage,

"You didn't say anything about killing him."

"So," said Remy, "what do you care especially since you treat him like your personal punching bag."

"I'm not a killer, though," said the bully with anger.

"Oh, please," said Remy, "not yet you mean. You would have killed someone one day. My own father's security force is full of guys like you; bullying and terrorizing kids at their schools, then graduating to gangs and knifefights, and then murder" Buxaplenty paused. "Don't be so "moral" Francis. It doesn't become you. After all, we're both just two of a kind; I bully people with money and power, and you do it with your fists."

Francis looked at the smug rich boy, and then gritted his teeth and said,

"Well, since you're so sure I'm going to kill someone, perhaps my first "kill" should be you."

Francis balled up his bullying hand, and said, "Prepare to meet your maker Buxaplenty."

He never made the punch, though, a surge of electricity went through his arm and he passed out.

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A.J. followed the footprints. They led to the cellar. Three sets of footprints led to the cellar. However, only two sets of footprints led out; the larger set of footprints. Timmy must have been in there.

"Timmy!," yelled, "Are you down there?"

No answer. A.J. felt a chill. He, also, noticed the cellar was locked with a padlock. A.J pulled out his laser cutter and blasted the padlock open. Then he pulled the doors open with all of his might, and looked in.

He shined his flashlight down there . There was a figure down on the floor. It was Timmy. He was lying face down in the dirt and his left arm and right leg were at an odd angle. Almost like they were broken. He grabbed his medical kit and ran down the stairs.

"Timmy," he said as he knelt down beside his friend. Silence. "TIMMY", A.J. said louder. Timmy grunted and then amazingly enough turned over. He looked up and his focused. "A.J", said Timmy and then he tried to get up.

"No, Timmy," said A.J., "don't move. I think your arm and leg are broken."

"They.....,are,...," said Timmy, "he broke them and then" he caught a breath, "left me down here to die."

"Who did," said A.J., "Who did this to you?"

"Remy Buxaplenty"

A.J. looked stunned and said, "Remy? But I thought he moved to Brightburg last fall."

"He did," said Timmy, "but he's been planning to do this. He's gotten really big, almost as big as Francis. He's insane." Timmy took a breath, then continued. "That's why you need to leave now."

"Leave," said A.J., horrified, "Timmy, I'm not going to leave you down here especially with that maniac on the lose."

"You have to," said Timmy, "he might come back. He might kill you or Chester. Mr. McBadbat already lost his wife, he's only got Chester. And you're the genius of the town. The town needs you; at least if I die," He paused, "Dimmsdale won't exactly have lost anything important."

A.J. looked right into his friend's eyes and then he firmly said,

"Timmy don't you EVER say that about yourself again. You are very important."

"But...,"

"No buts," said A.J sternly, "I can handle Remy. Chester is safe. I left a note for him and the clerk telling them I thought you'd been kidnapped. And as soon as cell phone service is back up, I'll call them."

"Cell service is down?", said Timmy, "oowww" He grunted with pain. "Something tells me that Remy was somehow behind that and it's not just cell service that's down."

"You see," said A.J., "You're pretty smart yourself. If something happened to you, who'd look out for your parents."

Timmy laughed but then grimaced with pain, and said, "My leg."

A.J. opened up his medical kit, and said "Let me try to stabilize that leg and arm. I need a splint. I've got to find a piece of wood."

A.J. looked on the ground. He saw one long piece of wood. It needed to be two, though. A.J. pulled out his laser cutter again, and cut the piece of wood into two appropriate sizes. He, then, pulled out two cloths and started to make a splint. He managed to put fit both spints on Timmy's arm and leg. Timmy's twisted his face in pain.

"Sorry, buddy," said A.J., "I know it hurts. I've got to do this so your fractures don't get any worse until you can get to the hospital."

Timmy's eyes widened. "The hospital?" The brown headed boy looked almost as scared of that as he did his injuries.

"I know you hate the hospital, Timmy," said A.J., but you've got to go. There is one good thing. Vicky and her psychotic staff of nurses don't work there anymore."

Timmy looked a little relieved. "So did she leave? Or did they fire her?"

"They fired her," said A.J., they found her giant scorpions, and decided that she was not exactly the safest person in the world for sick people, and before you ask, Dr. Snipowitz got fired too. He's got a new job as a hedge trimmer."

"How appropriate," said Timmy, almost, but not quite grinning.

A.J. smiled and continued check Timmy over. "You hurt anywhere else?"

"Buxaplenty hit me in the ribs, they're pretty sore," said Timmy "I hope he didn't break them."

"Let me see," said A.J. and cautiously lifted up Timmy's shirt, and examined his friend's side.

"I don't think they're broken. They may be cracked, but there's really no way to tell until a doctor looks at you."

Timmy nodded. "By the way," said A.J., "I have another question for you."

"What?", said Timmy.

"Well, you're hurt, you're in trouble. So where the heck are Cosmo and Wanda?"