“Tremendous display of terror,” McFee said, pleased.
He smacked his lips, and watched the Mammolias mimicked him. “Yes, all of a sudden you’re hungry, aren’t you?” He clapped his hands hard, knowing that he could influence their appetite.
“How about a little Treptalonian snack?” He pointed at the chain that joined the legs of one of the Mammolia teams, and the chain disappeared. They began closing in on the Backers, who were now huddled around the pillar, eyes wide with fright.
A group of spotted Mammolias, driven by panic, wrenched crazily against their chains, breaking them. Exhausted by the effort, they collapsed, but felt the tiniest sensation of freedom, something they had long forgotten.
The miners quickly backtracked up the pillar, but could not get a grip of its slippery surface. They scurried to the far corner of the shaft, and quickly scaled straight up the shaft wall out of reach of the hungry creatures.
McFee relished watching them flee. He knew there was an electric current lined in the shaft’s wall, and that if they climbed any higher, it would activate, throwing them to their fate below.
“I told you escape was impossible,” he bellowed. Satisfied that he had sealed their fate, he turned to other business. He waved his hand and the figurine of Rutty floated into it. He noted the locations of Scrapsie and Letcho’s figurines elsewhere on the floor. Letcho, of course, would have to be retrained for allowing the slaves to escape, he determined.
“And where is my innocent Smelka Skunklen!” He peered angrily into the shaft. “Well, well. There she is, snugly wrapped in a Treptalonian armpit. Well, I could do without a skunklen if need be. We may not be in need of any further stink bomb weaponry. She was beginning to show too much independence anyway,” he thought. “Does Smelka really believe she can make her own choices, when it was I who gave her a voice and a purpose as part of a nasty gang? Did she not know I would find out she gave the slaves treats? I can destroy her just as quickly as I had her think she appeared in the alley, or better yet, strip that skunklen of her stripe. It’s her identity, and it gives her a place in this world.”
He held up Rutty’s statuette. “As for you Ratkin, you despicable rat, where were you when the slaves escaped from the mines on the other side of the mountain? Why was Letcho not on guard, and where was Scrapsie when this was happening? You haven’t been doing your job.”
In his anger, he squeezed the figurine. “A little uncomfortable are we, Rutty? You think of yourself as the ‘leader of nastiness.’ Foolish puppet! You will never be a substitute for me! You may be helping me with my gem-smuggling operation, but you can never be me. You don’t even know that I control you through this little figurine! I’ve put you to good use and you should be appreciative.”
McFee realized the rat was not to be disposed of yet and controlled his temper. He began smoothing out the indents on the disfigured statuette. “I still need you to look respectable and handsome for Clarenette,” he said.
“Afterwards you’ll awaken and discover you and your nasty little gang were under my control. And then the Kingdom will be mine! Next time I’ll make sure my puppets’ have no feelings. That was an oversight on my part. I misjudged the influence of Maximojo’s mojo.”
With another wave of his hand, the figurines of Letcho and Scrapsie rose up off the floor, and he grabbed them in midair. “I believe you need a slight touch up and remolding, too, after those slaves mangled you so!” He smoothed the frayed lizzardo’s scales and sharpened the scorpiola’s pincers to a fine tip.
“You won’t remember a thing now, will you?” he said, moving the figurines’ heads up and down as if they agreed. “Time for everyone to get back to their duty. Obey now!” The Letcho and Scrapsie figurines squirmed as McFee stuffed them back into the vessels, plugged the seal, and carefully replaced them in the chest.
As they blinked at him from behind the glass, McFee smashed Smelka’s vessel into pieces. “Smelka will be eliminated, but the process may take a little while. Such a pity the erratic moon and that interfering space dog spoiled my weaponry.”
Letcho and Scrapsie wondered if their vessels would be the next target of McFee’s wrath, but felt their memory slipping away. McFee clapped his hands. “I still need you my precious gang!” Their eyes closed.
He took one more look through the telescope at the miners, who still clung to the rocks as the Mammolias patiently waited for them to tumble into their midst. Assured that everything was going as expected, he turned to go back to his study. Then, a brilliant flash of light from behind him splashed his enlarged shadow on the wall of the shaft. Startled, he whipped around to see a thundering dog headed right for him, and that annoying wand sitting atop him.
Maximojo plopped onto the floor of the platform. Glitta rocketed around him, and came to a stop.
“How did you get out of the dungeon!” McFee said.
Maximojo looked at Glitta, and then said to McFee, “Did you really think you could keep us locked in the dungeon?”
Glitta threw a glow ball at him. “This is going to be trouble, Mojo! And our backup team is nowhere in sight.”
McFee slowly removed his hood, and Maximojo stared into his eyes, which were filled with anger. “I knew it was you behind all this!” Maximojo said. “But how did you get the Council to divert us to your estate?” Thinking for a moment, Maximojo’s eyes lit up. “It was the Starrings! You used them to lure us. We should have stayed in Kavalon.”
“You are a troublesome pooch, Maximojo. Why did you bother breaking out of the dungeon?” McFee said. “It took a lot of work to arrange for you to come here, and you’re not going to escape from me now or ever.”
“No one talks to my Mojo like that!” Glitta said, and she shot a lightning bolt at McFee, but it passed right through him and hit the shaft wall behind him. The wall broke into flames. McFee cupped his hand, and the fire rushed into it. He reshaped the flame into balls, which shot out of his hands and encircled the duo in a circle of fire.
“Take cover, Mojo!” Glitta said, turning into a flaming sword. She sliced the fireballs into fiery rope and lassoed McFee with intense radiation. “I’ve got him in a tight hold!”
“Enough nonsense!” McFee broke free. The ropes turned to static energy. “Your powers are useless against me in the vanishing mountain. This will be your last mission. You’re doomed.”
McFee reached out, and the chest that had been quivering on the floor leapt into his hand. He wrapped the chest in his cape, spun like a top, and disappeared in a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared a one-sided coin spun to a stop where McFee had stood. Maximojo picked it up and examined it. The coin flipped out of his paw and landed face up with McFee’s face. “It’s that cosmic pirate that attacked us when we landed,” he said.
“Stariola! I wonder what that means?” Glitta said.
He tossed the coin into his pack. “I’ll dispose of it in a discontinued black hole on our way back to our solar system. Hopefully it will burn out for good. Now to rescue those Treptalonians.”
Just then Kelcius arrived at the top of the staircase. The rest of the search team, the Benders, crowded in behind him.
“We’re here to help, Maximojo!” Kelcius hollered.
Maximojo looked up at them, impressed at their fearless instincts and new-found independence. “We located your friends,” he said, “They are down below and appear to be safe. Glitta and I will bring them up. Don’t move, it’s dangerous around here!”
The duo launched themselves over the edge of the platform.
“I’m going to be just like Maximojo when I grow up,” Kelcius said. He caught sight of a glittering object darting out of Maximojo’s pack. It floated for a moment, turned into a flame and disappeared into the entrance of the glowing cave on the other side of the shaft.
Kelcius shook his head. “There are a lot of funny-looking spark-flies around lately,” he said.
***
“To the charming Clarenette!” The Captain raised a goblet and e
veryone stood up. Rutland interrupted by making another toast. “And also for the most tasty gushberry pie ever baked in my honor.” Rutland clinked the Captain’s glass, and bowed to the others. Everyone took a sip, and Rutland excused himself, dodged behind a pillar and straightened his jacket. He was still not feeling like himself. He dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin, and was alarmed to feel whiskers beginning to sprout there. Unnerved, he slipped out the side door.
“This shouldn’t be happening!” he thought. “Shape-shifting only happens when I will it to happen.” The whiskers retracted.
He peered across the grounds, and whistled softly to summon the rest of his gang. Nothing happened. “Where is Smelka?” His eyes darted around in panic. “She is always the first to respond to my call.” He whistled again, but still no Smelka.
“Now that’s odd, not at all like her. Could something have happened? Maybe it was that cat, Meowlen, who gave her quite a kick during the battle at the castle.” He snickered, remembering the look on Smelka’s face as the cat high-heeled it across the study.
It was not like his gang to disappear. Rutland stepped behind a row of bushes and tripped over a mound, landing in the dirt. Curled up under his chin, Letcho and Scrapsie stirred.
Rutland stood up, and brushed himself off. “Why didn’t you respond to my signal?”
Letcho, trying to look innocent, said, “Um… I didn’t recognize you all dressed up.” The words came out sounding odd because only one corner of his mouth was moving properly, and one eye was still stuck shut from the meltdown of his statuette on the observatory deck.
“You’re supposed to be on duty! Get up now, you lazy lizzardo. Where is Smelka?”
“She should still be over there,” Letcho said, pointing to the bush where he had seen her roll over.
“I haven’t seen her,” Scrapsie said. The scorpiola eyed Rutland in the dim light. He thought he saw prickly patches on his cheeks. “Are you OK?” Scrapsie asked nervously.
“Never ask anything when I’m thinking,” Rutland said icily. “What are you looking at?”
Scrapsie looked away. “Nothing,” he said.
“Raticulous!” Rutland said, wiping some mud from his hand. “The capture of Clarenette will succeed, but I, the mighty Rutland Ratkin will do it myself. Find that skunklen and wait for me under the sewer grate. We are about to experience the darkest moment in history.”
He gazed up at the moonless sky, as the whiskers that had been trying to come out blended back into his mustache.
Rutland turned and with long strides, made a grand entrance into the foyer.
Outside, his gang fell back into a slumber as their bodies continued to regain their strength.
“My, what a performance you gave!” Clarenette said as Rutland approached.
“It was my pleasure to entertain you, my lady,” he said coyly.
“Thank you for all the tremendous work you’ve done in the Kingdom,” she said smiling. “The Captain has kept me apprised of your efforts.”
“We haven’t had a moment to become acquainted in a less formal way.” He kneeled before her. “Would you care to join me for a walk?” He held his breath.
She covered her mouth. “Rutland! You are acting strange tonight. Is there something on your mind?”
He stood again, brushed a hand over his face and was relieved that it was smooth. He twisted his mustache into a curl with a suave grin, tilted his head and winked at her.
He drew a finger up to his chin and tapped. “Yes, Clarenette. As a matter of fact, there is. Some of the workers did not show up at the site, and I had to dig a trench with my own hands.” He turned his hand over to show her that it was covered in dirt. “May I tell you a little secret?” He knew she loved surprises. She nodded eagerly.
“We are constructing the tallest watchtower ever built, and guess whose name will be on a plaque at the base of the tower?”
She smiled. “Mine? Surely there are others more deserving in the Kingdom?” Clarenette lowered her eyes humbly.
“Ratisico! You guessed it! No one has done more for the Kingdom than your lovely self. Naturally the Captain has chosen Rutland Ratkin to be in charge of construction.” He tugged at his lapels and leaned in. “I know the finest builders in the land, and had the brick builders craft each one with skillful claws ... I mean skillful hands.
“I am sure you understand that it has also been a challenge to keep within the Captain’s budget. We both know he is famous for running a tight ship.” He smiled conspiratorially. “Now this watchtower is a little secret we can keep between us? I would not want to ruin his surprise, but looking at the light dancing in your eyes, I suspect you rather enjoyed hearing about it.”
“All right,” she said cautiously. “I don’t suppose I need to tell him about it.”
Rutland pulled a sapphire bottle out from under his jacket. “This is a blend brewed for occasions such as this,” he winked. “Let’s have one more toast, but let it be outside in the gardens. Please join me for a stroll.” He extended an arm.
“Well, since you are our guest of honor, it would be my pleasure,” she said. Clarenette slipped her hands into lace gloves and waved to the Captain at the other end of the room as she and Rutland drifted toward the side door. In the foyer, they passed portraits of the Captain’s predecessors hanging there, arranged in order from the time when the first brick was laid in the Kingdom. The last portrait was of Captain Daltoid Swaggelot. It was undated. He was dressed in armor decorated with medals, and wore a gushberry colored patch over an eye. “He looks so proud in front of the shipyard,” Clarenette sighed.
Rutland licking his lips, imagined his handsome portrait hanging in the empty space at the other side of the corridor, bigger and more grand than the others. He scooped up two goblets and escorted her to the far corner of the gardens to a private courtyard hidden amongst tall flowering vines.
The Captain went to the second floor window feeling something was not quite right. He moved the curtain aside and watched Clarenette and Rutland disappear on the pebble pathway. Normally he never took an interest in the personal affairs of any of his Advisors, including Rutland Ratkin, but it struck him that he didn’t even know where Rutland lived.
The Captain felt a shiver go up his spine. A thought came to him, “How is it that I really don’t know who that Ratkin is, even after all this time. Where have I been? At sea?” Then he shuddered as an even more disturbing thought came, “Is my Kingdom in danger? Never!” he vowed.
Alarmed he reached for his sword.
“Guards! Guards!” he yelled.
The celebration was over.
Chapter 18
Meowlen was getting impatient, although she wouldn’t admit it. Woofster was restless, too, after hiding for so long in the forest waiting for Maximojo’s instructions. Meowlen concentrated hard, sending the aroma of spacecakes to Maximojo to lure him to the forest so they could carry on with their adventure, like she did when he first arrived on Zalturn.
Whinniston chewed on a tree. “Let’s get on with it!” He was also bored. “We were chosen for this mission. We ought to take responsibility and act. I just can’t wait any longer. Hop on! Maximojo can catch up with us later at the palace. Aren’t you curious about what’s going on there? There’s trouble brewing. I can feel it in my muzzle. Just look at my nostrils expand and contract. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I’ll bet it has something to do with the Captain.”
Woofster was becoming skillful at rolling his eyes. “I’m not sure leaving the woods is a good move.”
“A change of scenery without rocks might be nice,” Meowlen said. She inspected her claws, now polished with the color Lunar Licorice to honor the new moon. “The dungeon experience had been pretty traumatic for me, and being blown out of the mountain was not what I would have called a graceful exit. I even snagged one of my favorite shawls on a jagged rock on the way up.
“And besides, we didn’t exactly promise to stay hidden in the forest
until he returned.” She relaxed into a cat stretch. “The evening is still young, Woofie. Perhaps we should go to the gala at the palace,” she said, “Our Mojo would understand, and I’m sure Glitta wouldn’t miss such a fancy affair either.”
“Yo! Patrol duty begins at the top.” Mannie jumped up on a huge rock and waited for the others to realize who was really in charge around here.
“The only place for heroes is up here on my back!” Whinniston said. “You should know that a horse with my bloodlines has a keen ear for trouble.”
Woofster spoke up. “I wonder what is taking them so long to find those missing friends of Kelcius? We’re safe behind these trees. I think we should stay right where Maximojo can find us. Mannie is on alert over there. If anyone knows these grounds, it’s Mannie.”
Maximojo and the Wand of Light Page 16