“We can’t just break into the Nest and snatch Kuffi from underneath him in plain sight because perched overhead and guarding the almighty Jacques of gold himself will be several of his heavies, the main guards of the Corvus Community. They’re his servants, don’t forget.”
“Do they know about all that treasure?” asked Cecilia.
“Of course not,” replied Lady-Bird. “They think Jacques d’Or is the treasure—that he’s special.”
Cecilia’s thoughts were racing as she stood there taking in what Lady-Bird was saying. She knew there was one piece of treasure Jacques d’Or didn’t have. Her marble.
Lady-Bird looked over her shoulder to check no one was eavesdropping.
“When we turn off Mr Sparks, Jacques d’Or will be rendered powerless to do anything—at least until the lights come back on—and by then Kuffi and Madame Midnight, if I can release her too, will be long gone. When Madame Midnight breaks the news, like Luke said, there will be a revolution.”
“What will you do, Lady-Bird?”
“I don’t know but I’m never going back there if all this works out. This is it, my moment to break free. Finally I’ll be able to sing when I want to. I won’t just be a lame warm-up act as an introduction for Jacques d’Or and his gang.”
“And Mr Sparks?” added Cecilia but before anyone could find the answer, the horse-face stallion from the door at El Porto Fino approached them.
“Are these two bothering you, Miss Lady-Bird?” he said.
“No, they’re fine, Salvatore. We’re just heading off actually. Thank you.”
The horse-face walked slowly back to his spot under the luminous sign.
“I think we’d better go,” said Lady-Bird. “We can grab a cup of hot liquorice tea on the way.”
“Yum!” said Luke.
21
Hole in the Wall
Cecilia felt she was getting used to how the tunnels worked. Each one was connected to an opening, a plaza of some sort, that would lead on to another tunnel leading somewhere else. It felt reassuring to understand how it all worked. Luke, Lady-Bird and Cecilia travelled along a tunnel that could just about fit a double-decker bus inside it. Here the light shone down from above, one thick red strip, and the sides of the tunnel were tiled in black and white checks.
“Cool,” said Cecilia, looking around her.
“Here we are. I’m parched,” said Lady-Bird, pointing to a hole in the wall with a small cluster of tables and chairs gathered in front of it. Not far off there was a shifty goatface man in a leather jacket, tearing strips off a piece of paper and chewing them violently. He was talking into a tin can that was connected to a piece of string.
“Hester and I used to do that!” Cecilia said, recognising the instrument, and for a passing moment feeling like she recognised the goat-faced man; had she seen him before? Maybe on the way to the Ride or Sigh competition.
“What, talk on the line?” asked Luke.
“Yeah,” Cecilia said.
A voice jumped out at them from a hole in the wall.
“What’ll it be then, chaps?” The voice belonged to a rabbit-face in a red bow tie.
Then another rabbit-face with a bow tied around her ear said: “Liquorice tea? Hot or cold?” The rabbit-faced duo spoke very quickly.
Cecilia noticed that the two heads shared only one body.
“I’ll have mine cold,” said Luke. “Cecilia?”
“Yes, I’ll have the same please.”
“And I’ll have mine hot,” said Lady-Bird.
“Better for the vocal chords, I suspect, Miss Lady-Bird,” said the rabbit-face in the bow tie, throwing her a knowing wink.
“Quite right, Robert,” said Lady-Bird.
“Have a seat, we’ll bring them over when they’re ready.”
“Thank you, Jennifer… Robert.”
“Our pleasure,” they chimed.
Cecilia, Luke and Lady-Bird walked over to a little round table with a tessellated diamond design on its top. They sat down and the goat-face on the line had become so animated it was difficult to ignore him. Robert and Jennifer brought the drinks over and put them down on the table. As Lady-Bird felt in her pockets for some buttons, the two rabbit-faces said in unison, “Please, Miss, they’re on the house.”
Luke raised his eyebrows at Cecilia and sipped his drink.
The three of them said thank you and Cecilia took a sip of the clean, refreshing liquid. Lady-Bird sat peacefully and after scanning the area, she removed her goggle glasses, set them gently on the table, untied her headscarf and leant back in her chair.
“You know,” she said, “you guys remind me of Kuffi and me when we were younger. He was my best friend. Before Jacques d’Or came into our lives and ruined it all.”
Lady-Bird looked into Cecilia’s eyes.
“I guess I was frightened of Jacques d’Or. He had so much power and it just kept growing.” Lady-Bird bowed her head for a moment then continued. “But now I know it’s no use counting your friends if the ones you have can’t count on you. I let Kuffi down big-time.”
“At least you’re trying to make it up to him now,” said Cecilia.
“I just hope it’s not too late.” Lady-Bird blew on her liquorice tea and sipped it with her beak.
Her expression changed when the goat-face man in the corner started shouting angrily, “Just hurry up! We don’t have long.” He flung the tin receiver on the ground and kicked it about in the dirt. Then he turned to Lady-Bird, Cecilia and Luke.
“I wouldn’t fancy being the poor chap on the other side,” whispered Lady-Bird.
“What are you looking at?” the goat-face shouted.
They tried to ignore him but he continued shouting. “Hey, wait a minute,” he said, pointing at Lady-Bird. “Don’t I know you?”
He started towards them.
“I don’t think so,” said Lady-Bird, rising out of her seat and gathering herself. Cecilia quickly handed Lady-Bird the goggle glasses she had taken off and thrust her scarf towards her, but it was too late.
“Yeah, you’re that bird that sings. Lady-Bird. That’s the one!” he was standing at their table now, looming over them. Cecilia felt very uncomfortable. She looked at Luke, who was beginning to rise out of his chair; Cecilia rested her hand on his arm. Lady-Bird called over for help but Robert and Jennifer appeared to be frozen to the spot with fear. Cecilia searched the red tunnel in both directions but there was no one else about.
“You’re coming with me!” growled the goat-face.
“Hey, get off her!” screamed Cecilia at the top of her lungs.
“Don’t you dare!” said Luke, lowering his head and threatening him with his antlers.
“Ha ha ha!” mocked the goat-face. “And what do you think you’re going to do with those baby stumps? Give me a head massage? I don’t think so!” he said, wrenching Lady-Bird up and out of her seat.
“Let go of me!” cried Lady-Bird.
The goat-face spat some chewed-up paper on the ground and started waffling on about how he’d been keeping an eye on Cecilia and Luke for a while. “We knew you were up to something,” he said. “But you were worth the wait, cos now you’ve given us Lady-Bird, and Jacques d’Or will see we are on his side!”
“We?” said Luke. “Us?”
“Heya, Lukey,” called a voice from behind all the commotion.
“Ella Bear. Get back, this guy is dangerous.”
“I know,” she said. “I like to call him Garry Goat-face… Killer!” She laughed. “He’s a friend of mine. We’re working together—you could say we’re besties. Right, Garry? Who do you think was on the other end of the line? Thank goodness for that hole in the wall, otherwise I’d have had to go all the way round. Anyway, like I said last time I bumped into you, Lukey Bear, you owe me… now you’re all paid up. Come on, Garry, and bring Lady-Bird with you. He’ll be thrilled to have her back. He doesn’t like it when others take what belongs to him!”
“No, Ella Bear, wait!”
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“For what?” she said. “I’ve got what I came for. Garry and I make a great team, don’t cha’ fink?”
Ella Bear wasn’t a bear cub at all, just a cute bear with a very good cover-up act!
“Come on, Garry!” she shouted as she began to walk off. “Jacques d’Or will be waiting for us with a very tidy sum!”
“You work for Jacques d’Or?”
“Who else?” Ella Bear called out without looking back.
Garry started dragging Lady-Bird off with him and Cecilia yanked at his jacket, but he was much stronger than her and flung her to the ground. Luke was hurt and enraged. He backed off to get a run up at Garry, then charged forward, but the goat-face jumped out of the way and Luke dived headfirst into the tunnel wall.
“Amateur,” Garry sneered.
Cecilia grabbed hold of Garry’s arm but Lady-Bird pleaded with her to stop.
“Leave it, Cecilia, you might get hurt.”
“What? No, Lady-Bird!”
“It’s OK. Stick together, you’ll be fine.” She turned to the goat-face. “I don’t want any more trouble. I’ll come but on my own terms!”
“But where is he taking you?” cried Cecilia.
“Back to the Nest, I suspect?”
“Yep, Jacques d’Or will be very pleased with me for escorting you back. Maybe he’ll even give me a permanent job!” said Garry the goat-face in a very loud voice.
“NO! Nooooo!” screamed Cecilia, grabbing at his coat again. “I won’t let you.”
“Cecilia, it’s OK. Just stick together and do what we talked about and it’ll be OK.”
Cecilia was furious and unrelenting. She tugged at Garry’s coat a third time and he snapped. He’d finally had enough. Garry swung his head round and butted her in the forehead. Cecilia hurtled to the ground.
“I’m coming with you!” Cecilia shouted after them.
“Cecilia,” called Lady-Bird as Garry dragged her along, “you need to wait here for Luke to come round or he won’t know what’s happened.”
Cecilia, filled with frustration, cupped her head in her hands, rubbed her face furiously and let out a stifled scream. Not Lady-Bird too, she thought.
Luke sat up and rubbed his head, which was wet with blood. “What’s going on?”
“Ella Bear and Garry, they’ve taken Lady-Bird back to the Nest.” She sobbed.
“Hang on, Cecilia. Isn’t that where we need her to be anyway?”
22
Black Forest
Cecilia plonked herself down in her chair. “What now?” she asked.
“I guess we have to keep on with the plan.”
“But how will we find Mr Sparks without Lady-Bird?”
“I think Lady-Bird said something about it being close to the Nest. I feel like I’ve passed it before when I had to hide out in the Black Forest.”
Luke noticed that Robert and Jennifer appeared to be returning to their usual selves after apparently being frozen to the spot with fear amid all the commotion.
“Cecilia, I think we should get a move on before they start asking questions.”
Cecilia looked about at the scattered chairs and tables and spilt drinks and over to the line which was off the hook.
“OK, let’s go.” Suddenly she felt very guilty. What if Garry came looking for them, she thought.
“We will head into the Black Forest for now. At least we can hide there while we work out what to do once we get to Mr Sparks,” said Luke.
Cecilia and Luke were tired. They walked along in silence. Luke’s head was still bleeding but not too badly. Cecilia stopped him, and took his trousers out of her rucksack and paused to tie them around his head in a makeshift bandage.
“That’ll do for now,” Cecilia said, tucking the ends in.
“Thanks,” said Luke.
As they continued to walk the tunnel sloped down into a sea of tall, thin shadows.
“There it is!” Luke whispered loudly as the Black Forest came into view. They’d been so close when Lady-Bird got taken away, thought Cecilia. Luke stared into the rows and rows of trees in front of them. Cecilia watched him walk into them as she paused to take in such a magnificent sight. Luke was inspecting the long dark tree trunks. He looked dwarfed standing amongst them when Cecilia saw a ghostly figure dodging through the dark.
“I think we’ve got company…” she said, searching the undergrowth for the figure. “Luke?”
Cecilia turned back and Luke was gone.
“Luke!” she called timidly at first, her eyes darting about the space. “Luke, this isn’t funny!” Her breathing began to race, her heart pounding in her chest. She grabbed her head in both her hands and, raising her voice to a deafening roar, screamed: “Luke! LUKE! LUUUUUUUUUUUKE!”
She paused a moment, her body rocking on the spot. “No, no, no, no, no…” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. “No, this can’t be happening.”
A voice crept out of the looming trees. “That’s an awful racket you’re making for such a little girl!” it goaded. “Are you going to cry for me?” it said, rattling through the undergrowth and into her ears.
Cecilia’s skin crawled and although she was fearful, she was entirely defiant. She looked down the avenues of black trees, trying to locate the hidden voice.
“Weep!” the voice demanded, ricocheting off the deep bowels of the tunnels.
“WEEP!” it shouted, demonic and cold. She saw the ghostly figure again, flickering through the undergrowth, and she knew now it was Jacques d’Or. She strained her ears to listen, poised like a wild creature.
“I must say you’ve done well to get this far, Cecilia. I didn’t make it easy; but then if it were easy it would be boring, wouldn’t it?” came the voice of Jacques d’Or, who was still hidden in the trees. It seemed to have a faint smile held within it. It wasn’t mocking, more enjoying its own sound, its own existence: arrogant and wise all at once. Proud.
“I know who you are, Jacques d’Or!” shouted Cecilia.
A slow clap shivered through the overhanging boughs.
“What do you want, a prize?”
Cecilia tried to stay unruffled but her voice quivered ever so slightly in her throat, giving her away. “How do you know my name?” She straightened herself up, trying to control the rage spilling into her body and flooding her brain.
“Tell me, Cecilia, how do you know when you are at the end of something? If something’s over? How do you know when you’ve reached the end of the line?”
Cecilia stood quietly, thinking about what the voice was trying to say, as she searched for the right words to reply.
“When you can’t go any further?” she replied.
“Close, try again.”
“I don’t have to answer your stupid questions,” she shouted.
“Well, it might buy you a bit more time to live if you do!” taunted Jacques d’Or.
Cecilia hesitated. The voice continued, “I mean, if you’re still alive, it can’t be over yet, can it? So, when is something finished?”
“When you’ve got nothing left and no where else to go.” Cecilia willed Luke to come back with all her heart but she knew that Jacques d’Or must’ve got him too.
“Bingo! And it looks as though a little someone may have reached the finish line, but sadly she’s lost!”
Thoughts began to dash about Cecilia’s head but she stood rooted to the spot.
“You see, Cecilia, there’s nowhere else to go and your friends can’t help you now. We’ve been following you and we know about your nasty little plan to overthrow the Corvus Community. So we think we will dispose of you before you cause any more mischief. You should’ve known better. I have eyes in the shadows. I am everywhere!”
Cecilia winced as his voice boomed out of the trees and bounced off the darkness above.
“I just wondered if you realised your time is up or if you still thought you had a chance?”
“I…” Cecilia paused. “What have you done with my friends?” sh
e said, raising her voice.
“Well, we do like to jump to conclusions, don’t we, Cecilia!” Jacques d’Or was in full swing now. “But you would be right. Like so many other damned creatures I do happen to have them in my possession. Such a splendid collection, and that stag-face boy, let him mature a bit and he’ll make a glorious wall feature!” Jacques d’Or was having a right good time now. She could tell by the way he stretched his words and curled the ends of his sentences.
“You owe me,” he said sharply.
“What for?” she replied incredulously.
“For all the trouble you’ve caused, for all the rumours that you’ve started to spread, for the hope that you were planning to plant into the hearts of these poor innocent dwellers.” Then in a fit of rage he screamed like a banshee: “HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY LADY-BIRD!”
“She’s not yours! Lady-Bird isn’t a possession, she belongs to herself!” Cecilia shouted back as she saw him rise up into the canopy a few rows ahead.
“Be quiet! You owe me. I’ll have all your tears, every last drop. Until you are shrivelled up and dried out from crying a river to fill our lake with your lifetime!”
Cecilia thought he was being a bit dramatic, and it occurred to her that maybe if she hit the right nerve, she might get him to at least reveal some of the details about her friends. In all the movies she’d ever seen, villains simply can’t help themselves. It’s part of how they get revenge: by making their victim suffer as they reveal the truth, believing that they will have the last word as they hold their victim in their evil clutches. Anyway, besides her rucksack, she really didn’t have much to lose any more, and if there was any way she could find one last chance to save her friends and get home, it was worth a shot.
The Tunnels Below Page 12
