I hurried back to the hotel with Snowy bounding behind me. The smoggy air and noise streets made me envy Tintin and the Captain even more. I much preferred clean air and open spaces to the wildness of Chicago. Upon turning the corner to our hotel, a mouth watering smell filled the air. I vender selling a lovely hot pastry smiled kindly at me. I paid him and he tossed in a dog treat for Snowy. I knew I should eat it back at the hotel but the park was calling. So over the street and through the gates we skipped into the park.
As we cowed down on the tongue melting confection, a strange man caught my eye. He kept circling the area I was seated in. His eyes glanced toward me from time to time as Snowy became more protective. I was waiting for his move.
The sign to leave may have been him approaching me or the car driving through the park gate. Either way I didn't quite get the hint. Before I could shake my fist in fury, gasses had knocked me out.
*****
"Ever since Tintin and the Captain came to town, business has ground to a halt."
My eyes hazed open. My hands were tied and I was lent up against a nasty wall. Snowy lay across my lap, still drugged.
"Because of him, half of us are in jail. The rest of us are posting bail." A larger man with a thick accent and a long scar upon his face was speaking from a podium facing the room in front of me. "It's time someone took care of him. Someone like me."
The crowd of thrives, hoodlums and crooks stood and cheered. The room slowly began to disperse. The big man wrote down a quick note before handing it and a knife to a man shady dressed men. Alan.
"Hello dear girl." The voice made me sick.
Rastapopoulos was starring down upon me. "Terribly sorry I had to bring you here. I just can't get you friend to cooperate other wise. I also had the liberty of having my men bring back the blueprints for the professors invention."
"Tintin will come." I replied hazily.
"No my dear. Tintin will die."
I struggled against the ropes and men began to haul snowy and me away. I tried to think of a witty come back but nothing came. To be totally honest, I was terrified. I knew the power Rastapopoulos held. He would kill if necessary. And in this case, Tintin's death was absolutely necessary to the survival of his devious plan.
I was knocked from my thoughts as the men dumped me on the floor of a cell. It was bigger than I expected but still horridly lit and rather dingy.
"Stay out of trouble. The pup my not be as lucky as you." They laughed carrying snowy from the room. The poor mutt let out a sorrowful howl.
"My my. What a ruckus. Never enough light. Always too much noise. Umph!" The muttering voice had tripped over me.
A short, stalky man with a pointed black beard crawled about on the floor for his glasses. I smiled at the green coat and odd pendulum trying to escape from his pocket. As he picked up his glasses his hat tumbled off his head. The green bowler hat rolled into a dark corner.
"Disgraceful! Simply disgraceful!" He muttered.
"Hello professor."
"Hum? Oh my! Dear lady! Let me see- ahhhhhh! Rowen! It's so lovely to see you again. Were you able to hide the blue prints?" He asked.
"I'm afraid not professor. I hope my friend can get to them before Rastapopoulos but it isn't looking to good."
"How do you plan to get untied? You know I'm dreadful with knots."
I pondered his question for a moment. Suddenly, and idea struck me and I grabbed the pocket knife and began to cut away.
"Where did you get that blade?" Asked the professor as I stood up.
"My friend. Tintin."
"Tintin the reporter?"
"Why yes," I smiled.
"The one you always admired."
I blushed a tad but nodded my head. He began to laugh as he walked away to get his hat. The jolly man made me think of my father. He was good friends with the professor. My father was almost mute and the professor couldn't here properly without an ear trumpet. I became the mediator and was always with them when they worked on experiments. Many times I went on little adventures with them. Then things went horribly wrong. Father died in an accident and the professor took me in.
"Professor! Do you know of a way out?" I called into the darkness.
"Wha-oh no I'm sorry dear. There isn't a wave spout in here."
I groaned and puller the old ear trumpet from my pocket. I approached him and waved it in front of his face.
"I don't need that silly thing." He grumbled, dusting off his hat.
"Please sir!" I shouted.
He muttered something under his breath and too the tool.
"Better?" I asked, amused.
"Not really, no."
I laughed a bit as the cell door opened. A bald man with can casually waltzed into the room. He smiled around as if admiring his handiwork. From along the wall he hit a button and light was everywhere. I cringed from the sudden flash of brightness. Professor collapsed against a wall.
"I have your blue prints here professor. It is time to finish what you have started." Grinned the man as he dropped my satchel.
"Oh bother!" Frowned the professor.
"I want to see the dog!" I demanded.
The balm man stared for a moment before walking out muttering about me being a crazy one.
As I turned to the professor I saw the largeness of the room we were in. The professors invention sat atop a work platform. Immediately, I knew the invention was close to completion but only the blue prints had the final pieces. The rest of the work shop was far from a neat piece of work. The place was a mess wit screws, metal sheets, and other building material strewn across the floor.
"You sleep, Rowen. You'll need it. Tomorrow they'll be moving out of here." Professor smiled softly as he brought me to one of the beds.
I wanted to fight the sleep and find snowy. I wanted to get back to Tintin. Sadly, I had no such luck.
