The Nightmare Crown

Chapter 14: Setback

Later that night, after Hiro & his friends went home to bed, and Fred went to bed in his manor, Callaghan lay down on the bed in the spare room. At that moment, a device rung in his pocket. "Callaghan, meet outside the mansion now." The voice said. "Uhhh, Ok." Callaghan said. "He put on his longcoat, and went to the front door of the mansion, being quiet so that he wouldn't disturb Fred or Heathcliff, since they were asleep.

He went outside the mansion. The moonlit night shimmered on the lights of the city. Callaghan stared for a while, and then he called out, "Hello? Anybody here? I'm out here! Hello?"

At that moment, 2 guards grabbed him, and dragged him down one part of the manor, hiding so nobody could see them.

'Oh no.' Callaghan thought. 'Have I been caught already?' He hoped beyond everything the cops hadn't found him now.

But when he looked up, he saw that the guards resembled the Recess: School's Out Secret Service Look-alike guards, and they held his arms tightly, pinning him to the wall.

"We got him, Langstrom." One guard said. At that moment, Langstrom Krei came into Callaghan's view, with a stern expression on his face.

"Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" Langstrom said sternly. "About what?" Robert Callaghan said, confused. "I am talking about the 'incident' at Kikiwaka Island." Langstrom said. 'Where you inadvertently BLURTED OUT MY PLAN!" he roared, grabbing Callaghan by his shirt.

"I-I-It was just a small... setback." Callaghan stuttered nervously. Langstrom glared at him. "Was Tadashi Hamada... a setback?!" he snapped.

Callaghan shook with fear. It almost reminded him of how Alistair Krei felt when he was captured by the microbots.

Langstrom sighed. "I've tried to be nice to you, Robert, but because you disobeyed me, you have now forced me to take extreme measures."

The guards held Callaghan tightly as Langstrom spoke. None of them noticed Fred looking out of a window nearby.

"Now, listen to me, Callaghan," Langstrom said, "I did not spend nearly a whole month and 2 days creating that sleeping gas that got you out of prison all for my brilliant plan to fail! Your disobedience has caused a major disturbance!"

He glared at Callaghan, who was now shaking like a leaf. "You are gonna have to keep this operation a secret if you want to have what I promised you. And I do NOT want to have any more disobedience from you! Do I make myself clear?"

Langstrom glared at Callaghan. "And, if I find out about any more disobedience from you, there will be serious consequences. And not just directed towards you."

Robert stared. "Who are you-?"

"I am talking about Hiro Hamada & his friends." Langstrom said. "They will be dead meat when I get that crown, you see if they aren't." Of course, Fred heard & saw all this. 'This could be bad.' He thought, as he escaped back to his room.

"Let him go." Langstrom said to the guards, who let Callaghan go. He sat on the grass, rubbing his arms. "Don't let this happen again, Robert Callaghan. I'm watching you." He said sternly, as he walked off, followed by the guards.

Callaghan sat there for a while, trying to collect his thoughts together. At that moment, Heathcliff emerged, in his pyjamas and bathrobe. "Are you alright, sir?" he asked. "I'm fine... I guess." Robert said, standing up. "Would you like some tea, sir? Heathcliff asked. "Yes, yes I would." Callaghan said shakily, as Heathcliff escorted him inside.

'I will have to keep this a secret now.' Callaghan said to himself. 'I must make sure Hiro does not get hurt. I don't want to cause any more problems to his family & friends ever since that day Tadashi died.'

It seemed like he was gonna have to take matters into his own hands... only this time, to save Hiro & his friends from certain death.

But could he?