Author's Note: Is it wrong of me to enjoy the crypticness of this chapter? Don't worry, you'll get your answers soon enough.
(Pssssst. Every little bit of information in this chapter is important. Every. Little. Bit.)
...
"Good afternoon, Mr. Benedict, and thank you for participating in this interview. My name is Inspector Gaines."
Mr. Benedict's study was quiet, and occupied only by the government inspector, the four young members of the Mysterious Benedict Society, and Mr. Benedict himself. Due to recent unfortunate incidents, the Benedict household had been flooding with government agents day and night, and everyone had been subject to multiple questioning sessions. The Mysterious Benedict Society were all somewhat irritated by the agents, and very much anxious for the same reason that the agents were there, and none of them were quite as adept at putting on a pleasant face as Mr. Benedict.
"I do hate to be impolite, but Mr. Gaines, I have already been interrogated countless times—" said Mr. Benedict.
"It's not an interrogation, just an interview," Mr. Gaines said.
"—and I really doubt I have any useful new information for you."
"We know what we're doing, Mr. Benedict."
Mr. Benedict leaned back and smiled. "I didn't mean to imply anything to the contrary. Very well, but is it really necessary for the children to be here? I would prefer they—"
"I'm afraid it is necessary," said Mr. Gaines. "They've been involved extensively in all of this." He shuffled through some notes and clicked a ballpoint pen. "Let's begin by talking about where you and the children have been for the past few days. I understand you recently returned from abroad?"
"Yes," said Mr. Benedict pleasantly. "Skardu, Pakistan."
"Is it correct that you were there on the business of investigating the whereabouts of Mr. Curtain?"
"Yes. We were following a lead that suggested he might be in the city."
Mr. Gaines scribbled on a clipboard. "Yes, I know about that," he said. "And why did you feel the need to bring the children on this trip?"
"Because they are some of the best detectives I have ever worked with," Mr. Benedict said seriously. Then he smiled. "And Sticky had a high interest in visiting Pakistan."
"Why?" said Mr. Gaines sharply. Sticky looked at him in alarm.
Mr. Benedict chuckled. "Because he is an intellectual person who enjoys learning about foreign countries."
"Hmm," said Mr. Gaines. He scribbled some more. "Did this trip result in further leads or evidence that Curtain had been there?"
Mr. Benedict's smile drooped a little. "No, sir. We didn't find anything."
"I see."
"Mr. Gaines," said Mr. Benedict, "I understand that you and the other agents are here for good reason, but my family is feeling rather stifled. My house is quite safe with the maze and Milligan to protect us. All this really isn't necessary."
"Oh, but I disagree, Mr. Benedict," said Mr. Gaines. "Ledroptha Curtain stole something incredibly dangerous and valuable from your possession and then vanished without a trace, and he could very well return to steal some human charges, so all this is quite necessary."
"The children would like to be able to spend some time playing together outside."
"And so they can, but they must be monitored by agents at all times."
Constance's face darkened into a glower. "Listen, you stuffy old goat," she said, "we need to have some privacy in our own house, so you can just take your agents—"
"Constance!" Mr. Benedict admonished. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gaines. This is one reason why I didn't want to conduct this interview with the children present."
"That's alright, Mr. Benedict. Kids will be kids."
Kate cracked her knuckles.
"Speaking of which," said Mr. Gaines, "I'd like to ask you children a few questions as well." He turned a page and addressed the four children. "Which one of you was it who found the Whisperer gone?"
"What, we aren't important enough for you to keep track of that?" snapped Constance.
"It was me," said Reynie. "I went downstairs to look for Mr. Benedict, and the cellar was empty. We found him here in his study, but no one knew where the Whisperer was."
"You and he and Agent Wetherall searched, but found no clues?"
Reynie shook his head. "We found nothing."
Mr. Gaines wrote on his clipboard. "Could they have gotten past the security system on their own?"
"No," said Reynie. "Either they can walk through walls, or someone let them in."
Mr. Gaines nodded. "Terrible business," he murmured.
Kate spoke. "And then, of course, we notified the government, and they haven't left us alone since then."
Mr. Gaines twitched his pen in annoyance. "Look, little girl, I have to be here," he said brusquely. "The government is here to protect you."
Kate looked like she was contemplating demonstrating her ability to protect herself, so Mr. Benedict stepped in. "Would it be acceptable for you to operate nearby, rather than on the premises?" he suggested. "Our next-door neighbor is actually renting out a couple of rooms. Her husband has passed away and her children have now moved out. Her name is Mrs. Parson, she's a very nice lady—"
"Thank you for the offer, but we're going to continue to operate on this property," Mr. Gaines cut in. "It's for your own safety, and for the recovery of the Whisperer." He stood up. "That's all I need for today. Thank you for your time."
When the Sith regained consciousness, she was lying on cold metal.
Her wrists were bound as well, in handcuffs. She sat up quietly and glanced around her. She was in a small chamber. The door had a few short slats at about head-level that looked onto the deck of the Salamander.
Her first emotion was murderous anger at the man who had dared to drug and kidnap her, but she controlled that. He would be punished later. For the time being, she would watch and listen. She stood up and looked through the slats in the door. The strips of light through the slats fell on the bald boy's shadowed face like stripes on a deadly tiger.
The mad who had kidnapped her and an old man in a green plaid jacket were sitting next to one another near the back. The old man was in a wheelchair. Another man in the same pinstriped suit as the kidnapper was driving the Salamander. Many other men, all in suits and with briefcases, sat around the deck. There was one person who stood out—a gangly young man who might have been in his late teens, with curly red hair and large feet, who was staring out over the railing.
The Sith watched them all, and trained her powerful ears. Even in human form, her senses were far superior to those of real humans. She listened carefully as her kidnapper and the man in the wheelchair spoke in low voices.
"Has the message come yet?" asked the old man.
"No," the kidnapper replied. "Our radio is tuned precisely to the correct frequency. When it comes, we'll get it."
"You better. What about the Whisperer?"
"Safe and sound."
The Sith stayed where she was, deciding to pay attention to this interesting conversation rather than set herself free at once. She had no idea who these people were, and clearly they didn't realize who she was either, or else they would have known that handcuffs and a locked door could not contain her.
The kidnapper called the man in the wheelchair "Mr. Curtain," and the Sith inferred that Mr. Curtain was his boss. They spoke of a machine they called the Whisperer, and as they did the Sith gradually realized the nature of this machine. A device that could control, communicate with, and wipe the minds of others... Very interesting indeed.
"Sir," said the kidnapper, "we haven't stayed in one place for a while now. Are you having trouble finding a safe place?"
"Oh, no, McCracken," said the old man. "After this operation, we'll settle down. I've got a place. There I can finish my work."
McCracken held something out to Mr. Curtain. "You might need these for when the little darling wakes up." Something shiny and silver was in his hand. Mr. Curtain took it, and the Sith saw clearly what it was: a pair of metallic silver gloves.
The Sith's eyes widened. She recognized the material.
How did he get it? This was a most intriguing development. She had a task, and she ought not to diverge from it now, but when she had seen to her unfinished business...
The Sith changed from the bald boy to a tiny gnat; the handcuffs fell to the floor. As the gnat, she flew through one of the slats in the metal door, out to the deck of the Salamander. She flew over to Mr. Curtain, curious about the papers that were on his lap.
The gnat buzzed in front of Mr. Curtain, who didn't dream that it could be reading and understanding his top-secret documents. From those documents, the Sith learned what Curtain's immediate plan was and where he planned to go next. She now had what she needed to find him again. She was ready to leave; the thought of what Curtain would say when he found his prisoner gone right out of his handcuffs amused her.
The Sith decided to pay Curtain another visit soon, and flew off to find Artemis Fowl.