Kingdom Keepers IV(98)

* * *

Spinning in self-admiration, the Evil Queen’s green-outlined DHI, glued to her own reflection, noticed three gorillas behind her. Gorillas? In the distant realm of consciousness, a flicker of reality spoiled her celebration of her unparalleled beauty, returning her to the moment at hand. She dropped the stainless steel sheet and it landed loudly.

Charlene caught the changes to the Queen through the control room windows. There was Maybeck, his arms beginning to shake from holding the chair for so long; Cruella, advancing the glowing end of her cigarette at Charlene’s perfect complexion; Hugo Montcliff, his hand on a master switch.

“What are you three doing standing around?” she heard the Queen complain. “I said ‘Get them!’ ”

The gorillas charged the door, more afraid of the Queen than some broken glass.

Charlene was no Jess—but she could see the future. The gorillas were going for Terry. He would not have a chance.

Maybeck heard the door break open and understood that he was the target. He had never hurt another person—not like he was about to hurt this kid. But he brought the chair down onto Hugo holding the switch with a vengeance.

Hugo Montcliff saw the look in Maybeck’s eyes and knew the fate that awaited him. He was, in fact, going to be squished like a bug. He pulled the switch.

Charlene pushed the button. The fob fell into the drawer.

The two facility workers taped into the chairs screamed through their gags in unison; the kids and the two costumed freaks vanished. Like a magic act. Now you see them, now you don’t.

* * *

Finn was just tying the Queen’s hands together when she sat bolt-upright. He screamed at the top of his lungs and fell back.

Seeing Finn so close, the Queen screamed as well, the released terror echoing off the tunnel’s sheer stone walls.

Cruella’s eyes bugged open. It took a moment for her to reorient herself.

In the uncomfortable moment that followed, the only sound was the steady drip of condensation coming off the rock walls.

For Finn, their coming awake was like living a horror movie. The Queen began untying her hands with her teeth. Cruella rolled over on her furs. Finn saw the Queen’s hands coming loose—her ability to throw a spell was only seconds away. He backed off, looking down at his own hands with their faint blue outline. In his current state he wasn’t going to walk through the door any time soon.

“Well, what do we have here?” the Evil Queen said, knowing perfectly well what she had here. She had Finn. Cornered.

He banged his back into the door. He willed himself to all clear, but knew it was hopeless. He was terrified of the Queen; what chance did he have?

“What’s happening to him?” Cruella asked.

Finn looked down at his hands—sputtering and translucent. Like nothing he’d ever seen.

“Where’d he go!?” shouted Cruella.

“Who turned out the lights?” the Queen said.

Finn stood still, wondering why everything had gone pitch-black and why they couldn’t see him. It took him several long seconds to grasp the situation: he was in DHI shadow, his DHI no longer providing a glow in the tunnel. Invisible. The projectors had apparently been turned off. By who? More importantly: why? His first guess was Philby.

“No, no, no!” Cruella said. “It’s the power failure. We did it! We succeeded! By tomorrow morning at seven o’clock we’ll be whole aga—”

“SILENCE!” the Queen erupted. “Say nothing more. He’s still here, you fool. FIND HIM!”

“I can’t see my own nose!” Cruella complained. “And I have a big nose.”

“Hold your arms out. We should be able to feel him.”

Finn knew everything the Queen had said was true. He made himself small, arms at his side, and ducked down into a squat, his ears intent upon hearing the sound of their shuffling feet as they moved toward him.

He was going to be caught. The tunnel was too narrow to slip past them. His best chance was surprise. He charged.

Cruella shrieked. He felt her arms spin like a propeller. He averted his face, knowing the Queen was next.

“Umph!” she said, as he hit her and went down with her onto the air mattress. She grabbed for him, but he rolled and clawed the wall and moved off her. He glued his back to the wet stone, anticipating their next move.

“This way!” the Queen roared.

In their haste, the two moved past him.

“Do you have him?”

“NO! Do you?”

Finn hurried past the two air mattresses, hands outstretched, and found the wooden door. He felt left, right, up, down—there! A dead-bolt lock. He turned it.

The door came open.

He heard footfalls racing in front of him.

“Is that you?” he called to the sound.