Fidget removed his fake wings. ''I'll go first, Basil,'' he volunteered, raising his real wing, as though he was in class.

''Very well, Fidget,'' Basil relented. ''Now we can answer the king's question as to how we figured out the Viper's plan for him. And I bet you're wondering how we knew precisely when you and Ratigan married, Ruby,'' the detective added, looking at his aunt.

''The answer to both questions,'' Hiram said, ''is the same: you were so blinded by your confidence and conceitedness that you failed to realise you had a mole in your group.''

''A mole?'' Ruby repeated. ''But who –?''

She answered her own question and looked down at Fidget. ''You?''

Fidget giggled. ''Surprise!''

With a nod from Basil, the guards let Fidget go and the bat walked over to Basil's group, making the audience murmur again.

Ruby inhaled very sharply, her face turning very red, looking at Fidget as though she wanted nothing more than to strangle him. ''Lady Ruby, please!'' Angus pleaded, putting hand on her shoulder. ''You'll pass out again!''

Taking a deep breath, Ruby exhaled and managed to force herself to remain calm. Fidget was getting flashbacks of the night in Ratigan's lair when had lost the list, he remembered Ratigan doing the same thing.

''That's better, my dear Angus,'' Ruby said affectionately. ''I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you.'' She turned to face Fidget, more composed, but a lot of fury could still be felt. ''Angus did have concerns about you. I should have listened to him, but you have been an incompetent, whimpering coward who would never have dared disobey orders.''

''I'm not an 'incompetent, whimpering coward' anymore, boss,'' Fidget said calmly with a large grin, no trace of fear, folding his wings. ''Yes, when I was left alone, I went to see Basil and told him everything I knew about you and Ratigan. Another big mistake on your arrogance's part. I was taking a massive gamble, I admit it, but it paid off and I have no regrets. It's called a hustle, sweetheart,'' he added with a shrug.


Basil took Ratigan's journal from Olivia and flipped to the professor's last entry. ''That is definitely my uncle's handwriting,'' he said, and read the entry out loud:

20th June 1897

Oh, what a most marvellous day this has been! The robot is almost complete, Ruby and I are closer to becoming supreme rulers, Flaversham's daughter is in my clutches so that foolish toymaker won't dare defy me – and I shall reward him when little Olivia and I have some fun later, oh I do look forward to that – and my scrawny, insufferable pipsqueak nephew, William Basil of Baker Street, will soon be splattered to death! I shall finally avenge my dear sister Violet, and that runt will know the pain and suffering he caused to my Precious Ruby's arm! He crossed a very delicate line with this action at the orphanage! No-one hurts my beloved and beautiful queen and gets away with it!

Yes, that idiot Fidget messed up by losing the list, but I still see use for him in luring Basil to his doom so I have decided to give him another chance. After all, I'm a gentlemouse. Thanks to Fidget, I have discovered Basil has a soft spot for young Miss Flaversham despite her young age. Maybe his intelligence and eccentricity aren't the only things he has inherited from me? It is too bad he will meet his doom; he and Olivia could have had something when she was older, and Flaversham and I would be in-laws.

In just a few hours' time, my Evil Viper and I will be named King and Queen of Mousedom, and those brainless parasites will finally discover the truth about the infamous Viper, as will my men. Bill, Nathaniel and Jason asked about the marriage side of my plan so I told them I had ''moved on'' from my ''dead'' Ruby. The fools swallowed it, as they always do, and know better than to blab to anyone, otherwise Felicia will have more tasty lunches. My brilliant wife has been fooling everyone beside myself for all of these years. I do miss her dearly, we've had our wonderful secret dates these past seven years since our reunion, but only a few hours to an overnight sleepover have never been enough, apart from our two-week honeymoon. But that's about to change. By this time tomorrow, we will have started our new life together at Buckingham Palace, and we will start a family of intelligent children. The list of rules we completed together is perfect, I can't wait to read Ruby's genius idea for item 96, it's priceless. Laughs. By the way, my Seductive Genius has a surprise for me, one that I will love, that she will reveal once our coronation is complete. I do wonder what it could be?

After finishing the entry, Basil got elated and pulled Olivia in for a deep, passionate kiss, as did Dawson and Pauline close.

''Now, tell us everything you know,'' Pauline said to Fidget.

''Yes ma'am,'' Fidget obliged. ''Ratigan had an 'important business' that he –''

''We know about that,'' Mrs Judson interrupted, her voice full of distrust. ''Bill, Nathaniel and Jason told Mr Basil about it when he went to visit them the other day.''

''Oh, they did? Well, I can tell you more about it since I was the only one who knew. About two months after I had entered his service, the professor left the lair one night to see to his 'important business' as usual. I happened to wake up in the middle of the night after everyone else had gone to sleep from drinking too much wine and heard laughing not far from the lair, along with a feminine voice. I had never heard a female voice in the lair before so my curiosity got the better of me, I went to have a look and I saw Ratigan with a lady.''

''Ruby!'' the five individuals said together.

Though he already confirmed it was Ruby, Basil wanted to be doubly sure so he asked eagerly: ''Did you happen to get a good look at her, Fidget? And was her name mentioned?''

''I only saw their shadows from where I was observing them. All I could make out of the lady was long hair and a dress. She and Ratigan were giggling and kissing. I think they'd been on a date. I never heard her actual name, though; they kept calling each other pet nicknames. She called him 'My Wicked Professor' and 'My Handsome Genius' and he called her stuff like 'My Seductive Genius', and 'My Evil Viper'. There was one more: he started to call her 'My Precious –' before the kitty interrupted them. The lady cooed to her and referred to herself as 'Mummy'. The professor then knelt down in front of her and proposed to her. She accepted, and after that she slipped off, promising they would meet up again soon. I decided to keep what I had seen to myself because I knew if the boss was to learn I had discovered his secret I would be kitty chow. I know I'm pretty stupid, but I'm not that stupid,'' he added, as if this was the most important part of the story. ''But from that night on, whenever the professor slipped off for his 'important business' I knew he was seeing the lady for a date. The following year just before Ratigan's birthday, he took a trip abroad to Paris alone for a fortnight, said he wanted to take a break from all of his schemes and spend his birthday with his 'important business'.''

''Ruby,'' Pauline said, and Fidget agreed.

''Aha!'' Basil cried triumphantly. ''I knew that trip was connected! That's the 'two-week honeymoon' Ratigan means in his journal! At that time, I had come down with a very bad flu so I couldn't investigate. I tried to, but Mrs Judson was even more stubborn than I was and put her foot down. When I recovered, Bert and I immediately went to Paris to see if I could uncover what that my fiendish uncle had been up to. A priest and another man had been found murdered in a church, and all evidence suggested it was Ratigan's doing. I was told the priest had had a wedding booked and that the other man had agreed to be the sole witness, but the name of the couple was unknown given the registry book bearing their names was destroyed. At the time, my theory was that the couple had witnessed Ratigan commit a crime so he gate-crashed the wedding to slaughter them, the priest and the witness, and disposed of the couples' bodies. I went to a nearby hotel and the receptionist told me a couple who were getting married had checked out days ago: a 'Mr Will Turner' and 'Miss Elizbeth Swan', but the groom was apparently very meek and kept his face hidden with a hood.''

''Ruby and Ratigan in disguise,'' Olivia deduced. ''It's clear what really happened: Ratigan went abroad to discreetly marry the Viper, they forced the priest to marry them and the other man to be a witness, and then got rid of them to keep their secret.''

Everyone nodded in agreement.

''But I never saw Ratigan wearing a wedding ring,'' Dawson said in confusion, thinking back to nine years ago.

''I suspect he was hiding it under his glove, Dawson,'' Basil replied. ''After all, Ratigan and the Viper were keeping their relationship a secret from everyone to avoid suspicions and attention.''

Mrs Judson turned back to face Fidget. ''I have two questions I would like to ask you, if you can answer truthfully,'' she informed the bat, who nodded. ''How are you even alive, anyway? Mr Basil and Doctor Dawson said Ratigan threw you into the river.''

''Despite my broken wing, I was able to reach the surface and I grabbed onto a piece of rubber and floated down stream. I eventually washed up on the harbour near the sewer, but I lost by grip on the rubber. Then two guys suddenly picked me out of the water. If they hadn't I would've been a goner. They bought me to the Viper, who gave me employment. I accepted, because with Ratigan gone and all of his men arrested I didn't have anywhere else to go, and I didn't want to go to jail. What's your second question, Mrs Judson?''

''How did you figure out that the Viper is a woman and Ratigan's wife?''

''When Ratigan called her 'My Evil Viper' I did wonder, but everyone had acknowledged the Viper as a man, so I shrugged it off as just a coincidence. And after the Viper saved me from the river and brought me to his employment, I asked how he knew me and he told me he was a good acquaintance of Ratigan's, which again made me wonder if it was her but I daren't task – the Viper is so scary. Plus, the Viper always talked in that deep, snake voice. But the other morning, I happened to wake very early and I heard the Viper singing, but the boss sounded completely different; the deep, intimidating snake-like voice had turned more softer and definitely feminine, but still possessed the same sharp dangerous quality. I recognised it as the same voice as Ratigan's wife when I saw them together years ago, so I went to have peek at the Viper at the deserted corridor she stood from afar. Her back was turned so I didn't see her face, but her hood was removed and she had long golden hair.''

Basil jumped in excitement. ''AHA!'' he exclaimed again. ''It's definitely Ruby! That golden hair is hers! I know you have to leave, Fidget, but we end to know one more thing: we know from the journal that the Viper was at Buckingham Palace that night, but did you see her?''

Fidget nodded. ''Just before we captured the queen and swapped her with the robot replica, Ratigan slipped off, saying he had some quick business to attend to. I knew that it was the lady. My curiosity got the better of me and I tailed him to a deserted hall and he was there talking to his wife. I still didn't see her face because she was wearing a large blue flowery hat, but I saw she had a ring on her right hand with a red stone. Ratigan said that once the robot gave him permission to rule, she would join him and they would finally reveal their relationship to all of Mousedom and be king and queen. They then exchanged 'early celebratory gifts' with each other: she gave him the list of suggestions, and he gave her his gold pocket watch. I hurried back to where I was supposed to be before he returned so he wouldn't know I was spying his privacy and get in trouble. I begged the boys to keep quiet.''

''I think I know what Ruby's surprise for Ratgian was…'' Basil muttered, and actually looked as though he pitied the Viper somewhat.

''Basil,'' Fidget suddenly said in a very serious voice after a pause, ''there's something else I think you guys need to know: right after your aunt brought me to her employment, she and her henchmen left for Big Ben and when they came back they had Ratigan's body with them.''

Basil and Dawson looked at each other with wide eyes. ''That's why it was never found!'' they said together.

''She and the two men then took her husband's body somewhere and buried it. She didn't say where, but she said it was same place Ratigan had buried his sister ...''


''Before he told us this, however,'' Olivia said slowly, ''he had previously slipped two pieces of paper under our door, one of which he had written the word 'Claudius'. William immediately realised what this meant, that's when he called the king and told him about the Viper.''

''You sneak!'' Angus spat at Fidget, but that wasn't what was bothering Ruby as such.

''So you were spying on my Wicked Professor and I that night?'' she said in a dangerous whisper, sounding like a snake once more, only higher. ''Have you forgot the consequences of defying the Viper, Fidget?''

''I haven't, but I don't care.''

''Don't you want to avenge your old master?''

''No, I don't,'' Fidget said, shaking his head, his tone making it clear he meant it. ''Never wanted to. Avenging Ratigan is what you want, lady, I only helped you because I was scared stiff of you, but I'm not anymore, and Ratigan, too, if he was here now.''

Ruby growled like a lion; her teeth gritted like grenade. ''Why you ungrateful, insolent little – !''

''Save your breath, Mrs Ratigan-Viper. Your insults are empty words to me now.''

''How dare you be so disrespectful to both me and my darling Padraic, you gibbering little runt? May I remind you that, just like I did, my Handsome Genius took you in and gave you a job when you had nothing. You owe us!''

''I owe neither of you anything, tuts. Do you know why? Because Ratigan's not a master worth avenging. It's true he gave me place to stay, but it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart, because he had no heart. He just took advantage of my homelessness to gain a right-hand bat. Ratigan was nothing but an evil, greedy, heartless and power-hungry monster who only cared about himself. He never treated me like a real friend, only as a servant to do his bidding. For four years, I was loyal to him and did everything he asked, and not once did I ever hear a: 'Thank you, Fidget' or: 'Well done, Fidget, here's your reward'. He did nothing but treat me like dirt, yell at me, call me names, boss me about, nearly made me bat chow for his kitty when I made a mistake and tried to drown me in the river! And you're just as bad, lady.''

''Finally realised that, has he?'' someone in the crowd muttered.

Fidget heard that and closed his eyes. ''I have, yes.''

''So that's it?'' Ruby asked furiously. ''You're siding with them?''

''I am. Basil never really did anything to me. If anything, I was bad to him. I did some bad things to both Basil and Olivia in the past and I want to make it up to them now. Basil would make a better employer than you and Ratigan ever were! Oh, and he's a hundred times more intelligent than you and Ratigan combined,'' he added smugly with a smirk.

Ruby's face grew very red in anger. ''Lady Ruby, don't let him wind you up,'' Angus pleaded. ''Ratigan wouldn't want you to waste your energy on such a wretch, at least not until Basil has been dealt with. He'd want you to be resilient, like you always have been.''

Hearing this, Ruby became calmer, her expression softening. ''You're right as always, Angus.''

''And the 'mystery accomplice' the Viper wrote in the note the night we went to the Rat Trap,'' Olivia said, ''was referring to Fidget, though she wanted us to think it was Ratigan.''

Basil nodded and coughed. ''Now that Fidget has told us his story,'' he said, and looked Charlie in the eye, ''let's now turn our attention to our friend Charlie Bennett here. What's his true purpose? Why does he seem to hate me? Is it more than just Olivia choosing me? To answer, he ties in with an old case Dawson and I investigated years ago: the Bones case, which involved the apprehension of the robber Jack Bones. Ruby isn't the only one who has been using a false identity for all these years, right Charlie … or should I say Saul Bones? Jack Bones' son?''

There were gasps and murmurs once more as all eyes were now in the young man, who said nothing for a moment, before a big stupid grin spread across his face and he clapped his hands lazily. ''Well done, Basil,'' he said, deadpan. ''Yes, Saul Bones is my real name.'' He pointed at Basil. ''When that detective and his doctor sidekick caught my father and put him behind bars, my mother became broken. My father died in prison not long afterwards, having starved himself to death. That finished my mother off and she died herself. I was then placed in a horrible orphanage where I was bullied and ridiculed by the other kids over my father! I vowed when I was older, I would seek you out and take my revenge, Basil, for ruining my life! When I was thirteen, I ran away from the orphanage and then I was approached by Spike and Cliff and brought to 'Regina', who knew who I was and figured I wanted revenge on Basil. When she told me who she really was and how much she equally loathed you I agreed to help her, so I adopted the name Charlie Bennett on her suggestion and –''

''You put on the aunt and nephew act as a cover,'' Olivia finished. ''And that locket, it really is your mother, isn't it, Saul?''

Charlie, or Saul, pulled out the locket from under his collar and opened it to reveal the pretty mouse he strongly resembled, just like at the party. ''Her name was Elsie, Elsie Bones, but Dawson and I never actually saw her in person,'' said Basil, ''and her family asked to keep her picture out of the papers out of respect, which was why you didn't hesitate to let me see the locket at the party.'' He scowled darkly at Ruby. ''Those stories you told us, about your parents dying in a horse and carriage accident, and Elsie's parents dying at sea – they were obviously made up, but you used those specific scenarios as a mockery, since Olivia's mother and my sister-in-law's parents died in those accidents.''

Everyone gave roars of outrage, especially the Richmond family. ''That's sick!'' Vera spat.

Hiram was shaking in anger. ''You used my beloved Annabel's death for your own gain!'' he shouted. ''And poor Amanda's parents. You're an evil, twisted monster, just like Ratigan!''

''You insult Olivia's and Basil's family like that!'' Juliet said, having had everything translated by her mother and sister.

''No wonder Ratigan married you!'' Marianne added. ''You were made for each other.''

''Yes,'' Ruby chuckled, taking everything as a compliment, but she was talking in her husband's evil deep voice.

Basil inhaled sharply, forcing himself to remain calm, despite wanting nothing more than more than to give the Viper a good throttling for being so sick and disrespectful to his and his darling Livy's families. ''Saul's role in the Viper's group is being the inside man. As we know, 'Charlie' started at Mousefield College at the same time as Olivia and Helen, but it wasn't a coincidence; upon learning that Olivia was due to start at Mousefeld College, the Viper sent 'Charlie' there to spy on Olivia, to get close to her, stick to her like glue and even seduce her if he could, and for over two years that's exactly what he did – but of course, that last bit didn't work,'' the detective added with a grin.

''Good thing it didn't,'' Helen agreed.

''I tried my best though,'' Saul said defensively. ''The Viper told me to have the personality of a flamboyant but innocent child, the best way of reeling you in, with just tinge of attachment.''

''Attachment?'' Helen scoffed. ''More like clinginess. I always thought there was something not right about you.''

''Olivia is an attractive girl,'' Saul continued, as though Helen hadn't spoken, ''set in her own ways, which I actually did like about her, but she sure is stubborn. She refused to be swayed by my charms –''

''But those charms manifested in the form of being clingy,'' Emmett spoke. ''That approach to Olivia always made me uneasy.''

''And when the time had come to meet you, Basil,'' Sau said, ignoring Emmett, ''the Viper told me to put on the act of a huge fan of your work. I hated looking at your smug face, but it was worth it – every time I was near Olivia, or talking about making her mine, I revelled in seeing you squirm, Basil. After our first encounter, the Viper knew it was only a matter of time before you two got together, so she told me to have a heartbroken breakdown when you told me, like the ones Basil has sometimes, acting like a mirror, so Basil would see a bit of himself in me. And when I kissed her cheek earlier, the look on your face was absolutely priceless,'' he said with relish. ''I wish I'd had a camera.''

''You didn't,'' Hiram said, and turned to face Emmett, ''but someone else did.''

Emmett looked ashamed once more, but then glared at Ruby and Saul as he realised something. ''Now that you mention it, after I told 'Charlie' I liked Olivia myself,'' he said, blushing, ''he suggested I take some pictures of Olivia – knowing I would get carried away with my camera, which resulted in that creepy scrapbook I regret having.''

''We figured it might come in handy in the future,'' Ruby said with a crafty grin, ''and perhaps even make you look suspicious along with your brother – but Saul ruined that plan,'' she added with a growl, glaring at Saul as though he was some disgusting food. ''Making everything I did to ensure Gideon was framed a waste of time!''

''Oh, yes, the doll we found in Uncle Gideon's trunk,'' Marianne realised.

''I said I was sorry,'' Saul said, now sounding scared. ''I just got carried away with framing Emmett's family. I didn't mean any harm.''

'' 'Didn't mean any harm,' '' Ruby repeated with a snarl. ''It's no wonder I had to keep tighter leash on you.''

Basil reached forward and rolled up the sleeves on Saul's arms, which were covered in bruises. Despite loathing Saul for his involvement in the Viper's scheme and trying it on with Olivia, the detective felt a bit of anger and pity rise.

''This is your idea of a 'tighter leash'?'' he asked, a hint of fury.

Ruby just stood there, stone-faced.

''I don't want your sympathy, Basil,'' Saul snapped. ''I was prepared to endure it, if it meant having my revenge on you.''

''He was how the Viper knew about Basil and Olivia,'' said Helen, looking as though she had just realised it. ''He told her.''

''Uh, boss,'' Butch piped up suddenly, puzzled. ''Where was Saul the whole time? He was never in the lair with us, apart from when he informed you of Armstrong's capture.''

''Ruby didn't want it to look conspicuous if I was in the lair, particularly when we needed to make phone calls with the king, so she brought me a nice little apartment for me in London, all to myself,'' Saul answered. ''She sometimes visited me to discuss plans, such as mastering the Viper's moves to use against Basil.''

''Now that you mention it,'' Edward said thoughtfully, ''whenever I would ring, 'Charlie' would always answer the phone, never 'Regina'. 'Charlie' would often say she was either sick, tired or doing some work and that he would pass on the message.''

''The day we first visited to the Richmonds,'' said Basil, ''that's why you objected to us visiting 'Regina', and why 'Regina' rejected the king's offer of protection. That threatening note from the Viper you had,'' the detective said, looking at Ruby once more, ''you wrote that yourself to make it appear the Viper was after you as well.''

There was silence once more around the room as everyone tried to absorb more shocking revelations. Fidget was receiving a mixed look from everyone, some were looking at him with deep sceptism, some as though he was a disease, while others looked as though they felt sorry for him.

''Now that everything has been resolved,'' Edward said after a minute, ''it's time we called Scotland Yard and have these fiends placed behind bars.''

''Oh, I'm afraid you can't do that, Your Majesty,'' Ruby interrupted, a feign look of sadness on her face.

''And why is that, Ruby?'' George asked.

Ruby smiled. ''Because if you do, you will never see your doctor friend again.''

''Dawson?'' Basil asked sharply. ''What have you done with him?!''

''My first act as new supreme ruler of Mousedom was going to involve your execution, Basil, but I didn't want to it so straightforward or simple; I told Spike and Cliff to go around – in disguises, of course – wherever anyone close to you lived who wasn't likely to be here, and bring them to Big Ben, as a dramatic effect, and to horrify Basil. While I'm not as over-the-top as my dear Padraic was, I wanted to do a little something that he would do. I wanted it to be Olivia's father, but my boys will have found the shop empty. Oh well, the doctor will be satisfactory.''

''Big Ben?'' Vera repeated. ''You planned to execute Basil at the place where Ratigan died?''

Ruby giggled. ''Of course. There is no other place it could have happened. You may have foiled my plan but I still have the advantage.''

''If you do anything to harm Dawson –!'' Basil roared, fearful for his good friend.

''You'll what? Detect me?''

''I thought Spike and Cliff were hiding behind the curtain,'' Hiram said, looking over his shoulder.

''The first time you've been wrong today, my dear Hiram,'' Ruby said calmly, which was half true. ''They're not here.''

''Then where are they?'' Olivia asked doubtfully. They were inclined to distrust Ruby.

Edward agreed with Olivia and asked some of the guards to investigate the curtain.

Angus looked at Ruby anxiously.

There were a few grunts heard and then nothing.

''More guards!'' Edward demanded, growing disconcerted.

The rest of the free guards who weren't restraining Ruby's group made their way to the curtain when suddenly the lights went out, descending the room into total darkness. Screams could be heard all around the room.

''What's going on?'' shouted Victor.

''This is the Viper's doing!'' said Helen.

''Girls, where are you?'' Priscilla said.

''Here, Mother!'' said Marianne.

''Victor! Emmett!'' Vera shouted, and her two sons shouted back.

''Are you here, Your Majesty?'' a guard was heard.

''I'm here, next to you,'' Edward answered. ''so is George, I've got his hand.''

Edward and George then talked at the same time in case the guard suspected it was Ruby's voice trick. Even though he had the voice next to him, the guard reached out to feel and caught hold of an arm. He asked if it was Edward and the king confirmed it. ''I've got you, Your Majesty, Your Highness. Stay close.''

A few more guards did the same.

All of a sudden, a huge outline was seen in the dark and a muffled scream was heard.

''Who was that?''

The guard yelled for Edward once more (even though he could still feel his grip on the king's arm) and Edward said he was alright, as did George, again at the same time.

''Olivia!'' Basil shouted.

He felt someone grab his hand and felt someone next to him. ''I'm right here, William,'' said the Scottish voice, and it was definitely his sweet Olivia – that warm presence he knew anywhere.

''Follow me, William,'' Olivia said, and she carefully led Basil to behind the stage curtain, her free arm outstretched as if she was blind, just as she did at the Rodent Opera House. Basil felt for switch and flicked it on. The couple stared down at the floor, where a fair few guards were lying unconscious. Basil sniffed but could not detect any chloroform.

''Knocked out,'' the detective said. ''Spike or Cliff overpowered them.''

One of the guards stirred and opened his eyes. ''Mr Basil? Miss Flaversham?''

''OLIVIA!'' Helen was heard screaming. ''YOUR FATHER IS GONE!''

Her heart sinking, Olivia raced back into the room with Basil and the guards behind her, and saw her best friend had spoken the truth. Everyone was accounted her except for Hiram and Ruby's group, save Fidget.

''It must've been him we heard muffling,'' Emmett said.

Olivia sunk the floor, tears down her cheeks like a river. ''No … Not again …''

Basil knelt down beside her and held her close. ''Everything's going to be alright, darling,'' he said, stroking her hair. ''We will get him back, I promise.''

Fidget awkwardly patted her shoulder with his wing. ''Basil's right. The Viper won't harm him, he'll be bait to lure you two to her. Trust me, I know her tricks.''

Basil nodded. ''Besides, I won't allow any harm to come your father, Livy. If Ruby does anything to hurt him, it will be the last thing she ever does, I guarantee it.''

The tears stopped, but Olivia was still worried sick about her father. Helen, Vera and the rest of Richmonds comforted her while Basil conversed with the king and his guards. ''I saw that huge, muscular one with 'Regina','' said the guard who had been knocked out. ''I followed him to behind the stage curtain but he noticed me and knocked me out a giant fist.''

The rest of guards said the same: he physically overpowered them. ''Maybe we should recruit some guards with his built,'' George suggested, and Edward agreed. ''I'm sorry this happened, Basil.''

''It's not your fault, sir. The one to blame is Ruby.''

The dejected part of Basil also wanted to blame himself, but the rest of him wouldn't allow it. In the past, Basil would have let such a failure eat away at him, but he remained strong. Olivia's influence on him was more apparent than ever, he thought, as he looked at the distraught young woman he loved with all of his heart.

Vera was hugging Olivia in comfort. ''We need to go to Dawson's and see if Pauline is alright,'' Basil said. ''And then we will seek out Ruby. Victor, it's best if you and your family either stay here or go back home, out of harm's way. Everyone, you do the same,'' the detective added to the rest of the audience, who agreed.

Victor nodded, though Juliet and Marianne protested. ''We went to Cornwall as part of the case!'' Marianne protested.

''We want to help!''' Juliet added.

''It's too dangerous, girls!'' Victor scolded his daughters.

''Basil, you and Olivia take care of each other,'' Vera said squeezing their hands. ''And you had better save her father.''

''We will, Vera,'' Basil said.

''Uh, Basil,'' Fidget piped up, tugging at the detective's sleeve. ''I will help you in any way I can. I feel this is my fault, too. In fact, I think I have a bit of an idea.''

Fidget whispered it to Basil, who agreed and asked Edward a request.

After assuring Juliet and Marianne they would be alright, Basil, Olivia, Helen and Fidget departed the place and set off for Wigmore Street. But when they got there, they found a distraught woman with a man comforting her.

''Basil!'' they said when they saw the group.

''Sally? Theodore?''

The woman bore a great resemblance to her younger sisters, though her hair was a shorter. The man has light-beige fur with bluish-grey eyes.

''Where are the children?'' Basil asked.

''Clara and Alonzo are looking after them,'' Sally replied through her tears.

''Where's Pauline?'' Olivia sked. ''The Viper said she had had Dawson kidnapped.''

''They're both not here,'' Theodore replied.

''I was supposed to protect Pauline!'' Sally sobbed harder. ''I'm the eldest, I'm supposed to look after my younger sisters! I've let Mother and Father down. Oh, if anything happens to them, I will never forgive myself…''

''You haven't, darling,'' Theodore said, rubbing his wife back. ''Dawson won't let any harm come to his family.''

Sally nodded snivelling.

''But why take Pauline as well?'' Helen asked.

''Spike or Cliff must've found about her pregnancy,'' Olivia realised.

''I agree,'' said Fidget. ''You've probably already figured it out, but the Viper hates pregnant woman, because of her miscarriage. The whole subject drives her into a frenzy, but hearing the word 'baby' really sets her off, even more than the R word. She gave Butch a throttling the other night when he accidentally said it.''

Sally and Theodore stared at Fidget, clearly confused, but there was not time to explain.

Suddenly, the sound of a cat was heard and the door the group turned around to see it was indeed a cat standing just outside the house, a cat with a bow in her hair, similar to Felicia. Riding the cat was mouse about Dawson's height. He was wearing a cloak with the hood pulled over his head, but his lack of finger on his left hand gave him away.

''Mitchell!'' Basil fumed, spreading his arms out in front of his friends, as the mouse climbed off the cat. ''What are you –?''

''The boss has a message for you: she wants you to come to Big Ben at 10 pm, the time Ratigan died. If either you or Olivia fail to show, or if you bring Scotland Yard, the kidnappees will die. Oh,'' Butch added, ''and she told me to give you this as well.''

Butch reached into his pocket and hand Basil a doll of the Viper, before remounting the cat and disappearing.

Basil looked down at the doll as though it was something smelly. It was another doll of the Viper, but when Basil removed the hood this time the doll wasn't headless; it had Ruby's distinct face, diamond eyes, long blonde hair, and arrogant grin. Basil gritted his teeth with a ferocious growl, twisting the doll. He could hear the Viper's voice, both her real and fake, laughing at him. He asked Sally and Theodore to light up the fireplace, which they did, and threw the doll into the flames.

''She's gone too far now,'' Basil said in a low voice, his eyes like slits, watching the doll disintegrate, just as he did with his uncle's portrait nine years ago. ''We will get Hiram, Dawson and Pauline back,'' he promised. ''This is the last time I let the Viper harm those I care about, I will put a stop to her this time, no matter what,'' the detective vowed, walking over to the window and staring out at the cloudy sky.


The last of the revelations. So Charlie was actually Saul Bones all along. Basil was right to not trust him, and he will never let him anywhere near Olivia again.

Hiram's always getting kidnaped, isn't he? Poor fellow.

Fidget has officially joined Basil's side now, and you can tell he was enjoying chewing out both Ratigan and Ruby. And it appears that Fidget has been hanging around a certain popsicle-hustling fox.

I also had a lot of fun writing Ratigan's journal entry, Ratigan is always a fun character to write. Even though he's dead, Ratigan's presence is still there through his wife. And Vincent Price's voice is one that is not hard to hear. Vincent Price isRatigan, no-one could ever replace him.

Ah, so it was Ruby who thought up the infamous ''Item 96'' Ratigan read out in the film. Maybe that's why he seemed to be particularly giddy about that one? Speaking of which it's funny, isn't it, that the two most criminals in Mousedom are Basil's own uncle and aunt, against both whom he has fought.

We finally meet Sally and Theodore in person, even though the circumstances aren't exactly convenient.

Time to answer some reviews:

MillenniumPrincess: Ah, so you suspected the truth about Ruby. Thinking about it, that's actually a common mystery trope – if a character who is thought to be deceased is suddenly talked about a lot, they are later revealed to have been alive all along. But I was able to fool you for a bit with the Regina-Ruby twist, Nowadays, you can see twists coming a mile away, but they are still fun to do. Basil himself said in the film he liked twists and turns, so he also had a lot of fun with the case.

ZabuzasGirl: You must be really eager to know about Charlie, and now you know. Chuckles. Did you guess it?

Next time, can Basil save Dawson, Pauline and Hiram? Will the Viper finally face justice for her crimes? It's the final showdown, Basil vs the Viper, and we may have another Reichenbach Falls scenario.

See you soon!