Chapter 9 - When a plan comes together...
I am home and in a terrible state. I have new clues to enter on the storyboard and new plans and a strategy to think about. The gnomes have been amazing and have offered so much to support our investigation. Gnomes never share information leading to their tunnels because they usually have treasure buried there. The gnome council has given us their word that we will have a back-up plan and can use their secret tunnel that goes under the dark side of Gardinia.
I put all the new information onto the storyboard and begin to think about how we can get to the dark-side of Gardinia soon. Now we know who the enemy really is and what has happened to Princess Gazania and Basil we have a duty to go to their rescue. I feel I need to try and get some more under-cover advice from Uncle Bert. He is coming to supper again tonight and so maybe a carefully aimed question will prompt some useful information into crime scene investigation.
I hear Uncle Bert knock on the door and so I let him in, get him some tea and Mom’s biscuits. When he is settled I sit myself next to him ready to ask a few questions.
“Hi Uncle Bert,” I say. “Have you had a nice day?”
Uncle Bert nods and concentrates on his tea and biscuits. I wait for the right moment to ask him a question that I will pretend is part of my school project.
“Erhem,” I clear my throat to get Uncle Bert’s attention. He looks up from his tea and nods to show he is listening. Then he puts his cup down and I can see he is ready to answer my questions.
“Í was wondering, Uncle Bert, did you ever organize a search and rescue mission?”
Uncle Bert looked thoughtful for a moment and then replied, “Yes, young Sam, there were many of those operations during my time as a forensic entomologist. Some very interesting ones, but I think the most daring missions were the ones that we organized at night.”
I hold my breath at this point because this is just the way I want the conversation to go. Search and rescue at night will be the way forward to rescue Princess Gazania and gnome Basil. I feel a mixture of excitement and fear come over me. A visit to the dark-side of Gardinia is going to be a necessary part of our plan. We will only have one opportunity...so it will have to be very well organised.
“It is very important to be well organized and know your enemy,” says Uncle Bert in a serious voice.
“You need to be prepared for any eventuality. A night rescue is far more dangerous because your enemy has more opportunity to find hiding places.”
Uncle Bert adds with a very serious tone in his voice. “Camouflage is a key part of any rescue and at night you have to be invisible. Like a cat burglar. A black cat burglar.”
Uncle Bert pauses for a moment before adding instructions about clothing, communications and the pre-ops room to map out the rescue. A firm briefing for everyone he says. But most important of all – know your enemy because they probably already know you!
I have one last question and am sure Uncle Bert can answer this one because of his knowledge of insects. There is definitely a link between the hawk moths, Uncle Ru and the plans to over-throw King Costus. My question gets a raised eyebrow from Uncle Bert and I know he is intrigued.
“Uncle Bert, if you are investigating a case with a strong presence of an insect, like a moth?” I ask and I try to choose my words with care. “How closely do you think the villain will follow the insect’s life cycle?”
“In my experience Sam, the villain is usually obsessed with the insect behavior.” Uncle Bert lowers his voice and continues, “You have to be very careful with the villain who associates with a moth like the Death’s Head because the skull on the back of the moth has, through the course of history, been part of dark and magical mysteries – even witchcraft!”
Uncle Bert adds some interesting facts about these moths. I nod my head as I know now that part of the plan Uncle Ru has is linked to the moth’s pupa stage of its life cycle. We will need to act quickly to get into the dungeons of the dark castle before the moths hatch.
I thank Uncle Bert and can see him looking sideways at me as I head upstairs to rearrange the storyboard. The caterpillars are scratched out and the pupa stage of the moth’s cycle is added in. The caterpillars on the dark-side of Gardinia are busy developing into moths and the caterpillar in the library is in that phase too. Abs and I have to get into action. It’s time to call Abs and tell her what Uncle Bert has said and see what we can do to get a search and rescue plan together.
“Abs, it’s urgent we meet after school, we need to set up a search and rescue mission and we need to do it quickly,” I say, sounding very serious. We agree to meet during the chess club break as everyone knows we play chess together and that will not alert any comments from anyone.
Sure enough we manage to meet between chess games and I tell Abs the latest news and comments from Uncle Bert.
We go through all the different options and the players in this next phase of our investigation. The big problem we have right now is how to get into Gazania under cover and in the middle of the night. It is going to be a very dangerous mission as we know nothing about the dark-side of Gazania. We have to be able to leave the library during the night and not be noticed to be able to see what is going on. Managing to do this during the day has been one thing, but during the night is just a lot more demanding.
Suddenly Abs face lights up like a firework display. “I’ve got an idea!” she says. “Tomorrow is the quiz night and the annual school camp out on the main field. It’s the perfect opportunity to sneak back into the library and go to Gardinia during the night!”
I can see Abigail is super excited about this idea. I nod my head in agreement, but I don’t think she is going to like what I have to say about the finer details of the plan.
“It’s a great opportunity to find a way to get through the library Abs, well done. The problem I have with the idea is that I think only one of us should go into the dark-side castle and I think that I will have to take that responsibility. Sorry Abs,” I add with great sincerity.
I see Abs’ face drop and she is clearly disappointed but she is a good sport and great partner. She agrees it’s best.
“I will you to cover for me if anything goes wrong and it will be easier for one person to find their way into the castle and most important of all, find their way out again with Princess Gazania and her gnome assistant,” I explain, feeling slightly guilty for leaving her out of the adventure.
My plan is to come to the quiz night dressed in dark clothes and all the things I think I need for the search and rescue mission. I know the gnomes will be ready on the other side in Gardinia. Abs is going to cover for me after the quiz and I am going to hide in the library and when everyone has gone to the camp out, I will go to Gardinia.
Abs will cover for me at the camp out. “Don’t worry Sam, if anyone asks where you are I’ll tell them that you aren’t feeling well,” says Abs.
I just need a few hours to get into the dark castle and out again. Then the gnomes and Lupa can return Gazania to her parents and Basil to his gnome family.
It all seems quite simple. Maybe too simple! I’m a bit nervous and leave the library with my hat pulled firmly over my eyes. Miss Sorrel has her head buried under the library counter. She is shuffling papers and library cards but I have bigger things to think about and am grateful to be able to leave unnoticed.
Diary of a 6th Grade Spy - Book 1 - Zero to Hero Page 11
