Siblings Unite

Losing Hope

Chapter 14: Losing Hope

Eve woke up to find herself trapped in a bottle with Olivia and Andrew.

Ratigan's gang tied Clover, Basil, who was lying beside Clover, and Dawson with thick ropes to a mousetrap. The sound of rising metal could be heard as the snapping mechanism was pulled below Basil's and Dawson's feet. It was Ratigan's strong thugs.

"You don't know what a delightful dilemma it was, trying to decide on the most appropriate method for your demise," Ratigan said to Clover, Basil, and Dawson, but mostly to Basil, who hadn't had the guts to stand up to Ratigan at this point.

Dawson and Clover shifted their gaze at Basil's blank face. Fidget lightly set the triggering mechanism in place and drew back as it wiggled, fearing it'd spring out at any second and Dawson closed his eyes at this. However, the device was stabilized as Dawson opened his eyes and Fidget left with a grin, finished with his job.

"I had so many ingenious ideas, I didn't know which to choose." Ratigan was swamped by the choices he used to kill the detective, doctor, and the detective's girlfriend. He leaned in towards Basil, with an evil smirk, "So, I decided to use them all."

The trio was surrounded by lethal weapons pointed at them in the room. An anvil was dangling over their heads. On the left of them, an axe was held up to them. A crossbow, pointing at them along with a pistol.

"Marvelous, isn't it?" Ratigan laughed, showing the trio his ingenious plot to kill them. "But here, let me show you how it works." He turned away from them to motion his hands in picture frame style. "Picture this. First, a sprightly tune I've recorded especially for you."

Next to the human-sized record player above stood Fidget bowing respectfully as the rat continued his plot, "As the song plays, the cord tightens..." Fidget shoved the needle forward slightly, showing the rope that was tied to it and the other half was tied to a apparatus that held a black metal ball, and his master explained the transit of the ball, "And when the song ends, the metal ball is released, rolling along its merry way until..."

Dawson and Clover frowned angrily at the professor.

"SNAP!" Ratigan clasped his hands together illustrating the result of the mousetrap. "BOOM!" He gestured to the pistol. "TWANG!" Signaling to the crossbow and arrow. "THUNK!" Shooting his arm down showing the axe. Finishing with the anvil rising above them, "SPLAT!"

Dawson cowered at the thought of death soon to be upon him and his friends.

"Olivia. Andrew. Eve." Clover whispered sadly to her siblings and her best bat friend in the bottle.

Ratigan took off his tophat and put it over his heart. "And so ends the short, undistinguished, career of Basil of Baker Street."

Basil sighed emotionlessly.

"You're despicable!" Dawson spat hotly.

"Yes," Ratigan snickered at his words.

"And nasty!"

"Thank you, my dear," Ratigan said with a cackle, unoffended by her insult.

Fidget cackled and he was wearing a red uniform.

"Everything's ready, Fidget?" Ratigan asked.

"All set, boss," Fidget informed, much to Ratigan's satisfaction.

Ratigan tip-toed jubilantly over to a white package tied around with a hot pink ribbon and topped with a bow. He opened it with a sly smirk and snickered. "Oh, this is wicked! So delightfully wicked!" He signaled his thugs to push the present.

The rat walked over to Hiram, who was gagged and tied, but stood next to his daughter, son, and his bat friend. "Mr. Flaversham, let me congratulate you on a superb piece of craftsmanship." Ratigan tapped the side of the bottle. "See what you can do with the proper motivation?" He cackled as he pinched his cheek and Olivia and Andrew stood in confusion, while Eve glared daggers at Ratigan.

Ratigan turned his attention to his men that were on Felicia.

"You all know the plan?" Ratigan reminded them.

"Right, Professor!" The thugs replied as they saluted.

With a meow, Felicia turned and departed with her riders.

Ratigan returned to the trio. "It was my fond hope to stay and witness your final scene," he said as he slipped his finger from Basil's chest to his chin. "But you were fifteen minutes late." He opened his pocket watch to check the time before closing it and putting it back in his vest pocket. "And I do have an important engagement at...Buckingham Palace."

Hearing what the rat said, Dawson gave him a puzzled look.

"Now, you will remember to smile for the camera, won't you?" Ratigan smiled as he gestured towards his old-fashioned camera. "Say, 'cheese'." He snickered evilly.

Basil sighed, feeling helpless and hopeless.

"You fiend!" Dawson shouted angrily.

"Sorry, chubby," Ratigan replied to Dawson as he climbed up to the record player. "You should've chosen your friends more carefully." He set the record off.

"You're no match for Basil!" Clover spat venomously.

"No, you're no match for Basil!" Ratigan answered with a smirk, "Besides, I'm not the one tied up to a trap. I'm too smart for that."

"This should be YOU tied up here!" Clover continued.

Dawson's eyes broadened with dread as the music started to play a mock cheerful song that Ratigan recorded. Coming out of the barrel was a dirigible flying out with Fidget pedaling on the cyclist connected to the back of the flying object. A thug was steering the wheel right to Ratigan's direction, while others were holding Hiram hostage and keeping the gift safe.

Goodbye so soon

And isn't this a crime?

We know by now that time knows how to fly.

One thug thrust down a ladder for Ratigan to climb. Ratigan gripped onto it and started to climb as he waved to the heroes. "Adieu, alvederzane, arebadeuchi, farewell!" Then, he added with a dark sense of humor to the emotionless detective, "Bye, bye, Basil!"

"We're not giving up!" Clover warned Ratigan, who didn't hear her.

"We're not finished!" Eve yelled at the rat, although her voice was muffled inside the bottle.

So, here's goodbye so soon,

You'll find your separate way;

With time so short I'll say so long

And go

So soon.

Goodbye.

Ratigan took the wheel and started to drive up from the chimney.

You followed me, I followed you;

We were like each other's shadows for a while.

Now as you see, this game is through

So, although it hurts...

Olivia, Andrew, and Eve gazed in the bottle helplessly.

Dawson, confused by what Ratigan meant, asked Basil, "Wh-Wh-Wh-What did he mean, an engagement at Buckingham Palace?"

Basil sighed and answered in a monotone voice, "Haven't you figured it out yet, doctor? The queen's in danger, and the empire is doomed."

"The queen?!" Dawson gasped.

"At least I'm here with you guys," Clover said.

Dawson smiled at her. "Yes, Clover, and we're glad of it, right, Basil?"

Basil didn't reply, but looked at his girlfriend. "Clover, I'm sorry about your siblings, father, and Eve."

Clover sighed. "Come on, Basil. Please, snap out of it. There's still time."