The adventures of Tintin, Malory and Snowy.

The Seven Crystal Balls 2. (Final)

Pieces are Coming Together.

Malory POV:

"Captain, now would you please tell us where're we going?" Tintin asked once it's been a while into driving and we were somewhere deep in the countryside.

"That was the Inspector on the phone: The kidnappers have been spotted. They stopped for gas at a garage near St. Nazaire."

"That's a port." I realized.

"Exactly. They're probably planning to get away by sea. But I'd go to the Moon to get Cuthbert back." Captain stated as we entered St. Nazaire's region.

Soon, we spotted a wreckege of a familiar car and stopped nearby, approaching the group surrounding it by foot.

"We've just fished her out of the water." The inspector informed us. For a second, my heart stopped, assuming that... No, no, the car is empty. It's alright, Malory.

"Did you find anything?" Tintin asked as we peeked into the still a bit full of water car through a muddy window.

"Not a thing. Licence plates removed, engine number filed off."

"They aren't playing..." I frowned in realization. However rushed the kidnapping was, their escaping route was flawless.

"That make sense. Well, at least we know this was their port of departure. We'll check on all outgoing ships and planes." The detective in charge reassured us as he escorted us away.

"Thanks. Please, keep us informed." Tintin asked.

Without much to do and not wanting to go sulk at home, waiting more, the three of us decided to take a stroll in the port, hoping to find something ourselves.

"We haven't gotten very far." Captain bitterly pointed out as he bit on his pipe.

"Don't get discourage, Captain." Tintin tried to cheer him up.

"Don't get discourage?"

"I agree with Captain. This operation is way too good for them to end up with this kind of a slip up. No matter how well they cleaned the car off of clues, something tells me they'd have been able to do better with ridding off the car completely." I shrugged, voicing my thoughts.

"How could I not get discouraged? What about Calculus? Where is he? He can be on that ship right now." Captain said and pointed at a ship nearby, "It's heading for South America."

I gasped.

"Wait!!" Tintin called as well as we took off with Captain calling after us but we hurried after the man who was about to aboard the ship.

"You! Wait! Stop!" Tintin cried as he reached him first and tapped his shoulder, making him turn around, "Hello, General. We thought it was you."

"Tintin! Malory! Amigos mío." The general greeted.

"Well, where are you off to?" Tintin asked.

"I'm returning to my country. I have now no more partner." He told us. This made me frown.

"No more partner? What happened to Chiquito?" I asked, getting suspicious as I remembered the night Tarragon was attacked.

"He disappeared last night. He left a note saying he was never coming back." He explained. Tintin and I switched looks, surprised and even more suspicious.

"Last night? Well, well, well." Tintin mumbled as he rubbed his chin. The night Tarragon was attacked, the morning before Calculus was kidnapped.

"Say, General, is Chiquito a real Indian?" I inquired.