Chapter 19

The fresh air tasted sweet. He hovered at the edge of consciousness, the comfort of sleep still a powerful aroma in his mind. But how long had he slept? The shuttle must have landed. But he smelt fresh air so where was he? He was sitting. He felt metal beneath him, he was leaning against something furry. He felt something on his arm, he tried to brush it off but it was stuck. He tried to lift it and his other arm lifted with it. It was the same for all his arms. Something was most definitely wrong. Now he only had to open his eyes, and see what it was. The light blinded Trilby for a moment, as his eyes adjusted he got a good look at his surroundings. All of his arms were bound by restraints. He seemed to be in a cage but instead of bars there was a thick pane of heavy duty glass- the same as they used in the glass capsules. Air came in through cracks on the top. Looking over his shoulder, Sparky- was bound the same way. He was still asleep. Outside the cage, they seemed to be in some sort of tent. They were on a table, littered with tools and machine parts. He noticed Jumba's computer sitting closed on the table further down. A bed took up a lot of room on the other side of the tent. Nothing that could save them. The sun shone brightly through the crack. Air Trilby felt he should have some sort of strategy or plan to escape but he wasn't remotely interested in escaping from their captors- for the moment. His muscles still ached, his skin was blistered. He just wanted to rest. Besides they were bound in an unbreakable cage. Not much diversity for a plan. He closed his eyes again, letting sleep blanket mind. The problems will come later.

He woke again, Sparky was moving.

"Sparky? You Ok?"

"Yes, why do I always fall asleep and wake up in a worse spot than before?"

"Can't get much worse than this, huh?"

"Don't push it."

"Yeah well not much we can do now,"

"So you don't have some magical plan to get out of this."

"Why don't you do the plan for a change?"

"I could but then why would I need you,"

"Ok, you're lucky I'm wearing these," He shook the restraints.

"I'm lucky!? I beat you before,"

"You tickled me with that lightning."

"You cheated, you absorbed it."

"Maybe, you should have seen it coming,"

"What… no… You…" Then they burst out laughing. Odd considering the circumstances. It was all they could do.

"How did we get here anyway? I got knocked out on the ship, right?" Trilby recounted how he beat up the alien. How he had become exhausted, grabbed Sparky and jumped on the shuttle. How he left without Lilo or Stitch.

"You left them?"

"I had to, he was going to knock me out, I didn't see any other way." Sparky didn't say anything else. He didn't seem impressed, but he could hardly rebut the validity of his choice. But somehow it still sounded like abandonment. A long streak of muttering and grunting heralded their captor.

Jumba Jookiba swept the tent flap open, he carried what looked like a Hoover. On his back a glass capsule, a yellow laser experiment.

"You are sly, little experiment 603." He deposited the device on the table, sending several implements to the floor, and giving the trapped pair a shake. He laid the capsule down by his bed and stretched. He looked tired. He wore a camouflage outfit, but most of the mud stains were real. His face was dirty, he was ragged. He kneaded his forehead. Then he noticed the pair looking straight at him.

"Ah, the little traitor is awake." The experiments looked at each other, not sure who he was talking to.

"I have been working all day because of what you did," He looked at Trilby,

"And I suppose you helped him, eh 221?"

"Um… Doctor Jumba we can explain everything," Trilby started.

Sparky nodded frantically, he didn't speak English very well (he spoke fluently in the experiment's language).

"Oh you will explain everything but first I need to sleep. Pleakly!" After a minute Pleakly rushed into the tent. His face was dirty and scratched like Jumba but he seemed in unusually high spirits.

"Yes, Jumba?"

"Take traitors to your tent, I need sleep," He waved his hand at the cage. Pleakly picked up the cage, Pleakly struggled with the weight, knocking the pair from side to side. Trilby tender burned skin crying in pain. Restrained they found it difficult to keep steady. Outside the tent, the mid afternoon sun beat down a huge mass of people were congregated, tents were pitched in ordered lines. It was sunny, the men worked on pitching tents, and marquees. It was fascinating, seeing tourists and locals working together. But, worrying about their own safety at the time. Pleakly tripped on a tent peg- dropping the cage.

"Hey, Pleakly be careful would you,"

From the floor, they could see the twisted melted lighthouse. Sparky reeled back from the sight. Trilby was confused.

"Hey, Hey Sparky what's wrong?" He didn't reply but Trilby followed his gaze. The lighthouse was a wreck. "Wonder how that happened," He looked back at Sparky who seemed to be about to cry. He looked between them. Then a memory hit him of the day he arrived. The article and the lighthouse.

"Did you… uh… live… there?" Sparky looked away still silent. Trilby could read situations and he shouldn't say anything more. Pleakly was nursing his foot,

"You naughty little monsters are heavier than you look." He looked around, "Hey! Nosey could you help me for a second. Nosey who, ever the journalist, was interviewing a couple of pale tourists at the time. He turned.

"What's up, 'one eye'… oh…" he had noticed the cage, and Sparky.

Apparently, Sparky heard Nosey because he proceeded to curl into a tight ball. Trilby, seeing Nosey for the first time- big red experiment with an enormous nose. Except he wore a sweater and a pair of glasses. Nosey walked over and grabbed one side of the cage, as Pleakly grabbed the other. Together they lifted and began carrying it to a tent.

"Um… Nosey was it?"

"Who are you?"

"The name's Trilby I'm…"

"Oh yeah, you're that spy I remember." Trilby rolled his eyes. "What are you doing with Sparky? He would never help a spy."

"I am not a spy!"

"Quiet down please, the humans will hear," Pleakly butted in. "We will sort this out later," They scowled at each other. Neither one willing to break the rule. They entered Pleakly's tent. A huge tent packed full with skirts and wigs and all manner of clothing. Pleakly swept a table clear of clothes placing the cage atop it. Nosey looked concernedly at Sparky, who refused to look at anyone. Then he looked sharply and suspiciously at Trilby. He wasn't sure, but a spy, could he have convinced him to do all the things he did. It couldn't have been Sparky's fault, he knew that. But if it was his fault. Time to do what you do best he thought.