Kingdom Keepers II(37)

Maybeck didn’t hesitate. He kicked out, punching the door open and admitting a flood of light. Maleficent, still holding the pillowcase, moved to block his exit, just as he’d hoped.

He sprang up overhead, through the bamboo, and squeezed out the hole at the top. Hand-over-hand, he swung up the taut connecting rope—five yards…ten—as he pulled himself toward the tower.

Maleficent stepped out into the sunlight but jumped back—the heat of the sun’s rays already too much for her.

Maybeck reached the tower and found the dangling rope and slid down, burning his hands, reached the ground, and took off running without looking back.

He understood with absolute clarity what was going on: the bat was a spy—Maleficent’s spy—and she’d dispatched the birds and the monkey to make sure she received the bat’s report.

The bat had followed Finn since Amanda’s. It knew all about them. And now Maleficent knew, too.

He shuddered with the thought of that as he broke into the jungle and ran for his life.





25


THE MOMENT THE PARK gates opened to the public, Finn, Amanda, and Philby entered through the Cast Member entrance, using the IDs that Wayne had provided. Finn and Philby were determined to mix in with the crowds and reach the rendezvous in time to meet up with the others. Famous as DHIs, their faces were known throughout the Disney kingdoms, a fame that threatened—for they were forbidden from attending except on specially approved days. Getting around without being recognized was not going to be easy. They wore baseball caps to hide their faces, and they kept to themselves as much as possible.

By the time they reached the benches just inside the large gates north of the Rainforest Cafe, where the Animal Kingdom parade originated, a wet Maybeck and a dirty-faced Willa were waiting. Finn handed out copies of the page from Jez’s diary.

Quiet at this hour, it was a good place to meet. They gathered around a bench, awaiting Charlene’s grand entrance as DeVine, the ivy-covered chameleon.

Maybeck told them about being attacked by birds, about losing the bat to a monkey, and about his encounter with Maleficent.

Willa spoke of her pursuit by a miniature dragon and her discovery in the metal stump of the cryptic message left by Jez.

“There’s something to be learned from what we both went through,” Willa said, continuing. “We can’t trust any of the animals we see. Maleficent can control them. Whether a flock of birds, or a dragon with wings. We’re no longer in the Animal Kingdom, we’re in Maleficent’s kingdom.”

“If she went to all this trouble to be here, there’s got to be a good reason.” Finn heard something behind him and glanced over his shoulder into the jungle. He saw nothing. Willa and Maybeck were freaking him out.

“Maleficent’s weak in the heat. She needs cold to survive. If she’s hanging out here, it’s someplace cold.”

“But why here?” Finn asked.

“We need to keep watch on the bat enclosure,” Maybeck proposed.

“I can go places none of you can,” said a girl’s voice from behind them. Once again Finn looked back into the jungle. Again he saw nothing.

“Up here,” said the voice.

He and the others looked up to see a vine-covered leotard, with no face and no arms. It was Charlene, in costume as DeVine, her face painted green and black. The overall effect was disarming: she’d been standing there all along, immediately behind Finn.

Philby applauded. “Outrageous!” he said.

“Whoa,” said Maybeck. “You totally blend in.”

“I can’t believe it!” said an exhilarated Willa. “I’m looking right at you and I almost can’t see you.”

“I’ll need to leave the area before the real DeVine comes out. But I can go almost anywhere undetected. Even Maleficent isn’t going to see me in this.”

“Okay, Charlene will watch the bat enclosure,” Finn stated with a feigned authority. He remembered Wayne telling him that he was the group’s chosen leader, though he still wasn’t buying it. But to his surprise, no one argued with him.

Charlene, blending into her surroundings, waited for some Park guests to pass and then said, “Will someone please hand me the page from the diary?”

Amanda produced it, stood on the bench, and passed it up to her.

Charlene studied it. “Monkeys…tigers…a bat…This is enough for now,” she said.

“It’s possible that everything on that page is significant,” Finn cautioned.

Catching Philby dozing off, he punched him in the arm. “And NO falling asleep,” he reminded them.

“I’m exhausted,” Willa said.