The musty store was lined with shelves filled with piles and boxes of junk. Knick knacks and knack knicks spilled over dusty wooden shelves and aged cardboard boxes, a collection of countless items of every kind. Some things looked like car parts, some looked like clothes, others looked like broken antique furniture, the rest all looked like junk. The single lantern on the desk cast flickering shadows across the dark room.
Floorboards creaked under their feet as Matilda and Cole stepped cautiously over to the check-out desk. Matilda put her wand away and surveyed the scene with an unreadable expression. Dirt collected where the witch's blue robes swept across the floor. Cole gazed at his surroundings, seeing that a couple of tapestries depicting a unicorn were draped over some cabinets.
Behind the desk stood an old door, the latch rusted with age and crooked. Matilda and Cole shared a glance, uncertain.
The handle turned and squeaked, making Cole jump, and the door opened. A man who looked to be in his early thirties stepped into the dim candlelight, carrying a cardboard box filled with dusty books and papers. He closed the door behind him with a grunt, then saw the two intruders. He stopped and stared.
"Good evening." Matilda greeted coolly.
A ratty rice farmer's hat sat on the man's head, partly shielding his face from sight. "H-How'd ya get in?" He stammered, eyebrows furrowing.
"Through the door, of course." The witch gestured casually behind her.
The man set the box down on the desk with a dull thump, frowning suspiciously. "I locked it."
She shrugged. "I unlocked it."
The man's dark blue eyes glimmered with hostility. "Huh." Shaggy blond hair protruded from beneath his hat. He wore a simple brown attire like that of rice farmers, but he also wore a tool belt and a safari jacket. A thin, white scar decorated one side of his chin.
He wiped dirt off his large hands. "The sign says we're closed."
"I barely have enough Ninjagian currency as it is without giving away Sickles and Galleons! In case you haven't noticed kid, I'm not rich." She snorted in disgust and turned away. "Come on. We can take a short-cut through the alley ways."
They followed her into the shadows between the looming buildings, walking through mud and past heaps of garbage and trash bags. The smell of the nasty corridors was rank, and Cole grimaced. Because the light was so dim they kept accidentally kicking torn plastic bags and sofa cans. Philip asked if Matilda could do that light spell, but she replied that she didn't want anybody to see and try to attack them. The shadowy paths made Cole think of that night that weird cat had helped him escape. He wondered where the tabby was now.
It was when they were in the midst of the dark maze when Liana stiffened in front of Cole and cocked her head. He was thinking about cake and didn't see her stop until her loose silver-blond ponytail brushed against his face, making him blink and sneeze.
"Matilda, wait!" Liana called softly.
The witch snorted impatiently and said. "What is it? If we're going to get to Stixx we need to rise with the sun tomorrow, we can't stay up late."
"I thought I heard something...Footsteps."
She frowned. "Hm." With narrowed eyes she surveyed the shadows around around them, and the boys did likewise.
Faint movement from behind a large garbage bin caught Cole's eye. Furrowing his thick eyebrows he stepped toward the trash and muttered. "Hey...I saw--"
The breath was knocked out of him when an invisible force threw him against the brick wall behind him, stunning him. He was dimly aware of Liana shrieking and Philip crying out. Ignoring the throbbing in his back, he sat up and tried to breathe, his head spinning. Philip too was thrown against the side of a building and left gasping in shock and pain, while Liana lay by the foot of a fence by a heap of garbage. As far as Cole could see, nothing was there.
Matilda snorted disdainfully. "And you, a loyal follower, traveled all this way to retrieve me just to please her? Very admirable, I'm sure."
Sidicles's lip curled. "That's exactly what I plan to do. You're going to come along with me, no fuss about it."
"Oh?" Her head cocked in a haughty manner, lips thin. "And just how do you plan on doing that? I can beat you in a one-on-one battle, you know I can. What makes you think you can bend me to your will?"
The warlock reached into the folds of his dark purple robes and withdrew a small bottle. Inside was a dark, muddy, sickly green liquid, glistening in the dim light of the street lamp. He held out the bottle and waved it in the direction of where Philip was standing.
"You'll come with me, with no wand, back to where you belong, and I won't throw this on your little friends."
Matilda stiffened. "You pour one drop on any those kids, and I swear to my ancestors I'll--!"
"Tut-tut! I wouldn't use that attitude if I were you, Ravencroft." Sidicles sneered. "Edith just wants a little chat...That's all."
The witch glared dangerously at the warlock, fingering her wand. "She'll get nothing out of me. And you won't take me."
Cole wished he hadn't left the scythe with his backpack at the barn. He pushed himself off the ground and clenched his fists.
Sidicles's eyes narrowed to a slit. "Very well. It's your choice." With that, he suddenly flung the tiny bottle at Philip, who had been watching with wide eyes. The glass shattered against the brick wall close to Philip's head, and the dark liquid splattered on the youth, staining his worn jacket. Something sizzled like barbecue, and the teen cried out in pain.
Before the warlock could attack Liana, Cole sprinted forward and knocked the man down, giving him a swift punch to the jaw and clawing at his robes. The wizard's robes tore in Cole's hand; he had ripped off a pocket. Sidicles cried out in shock, then swore as he wrestled with the burly teenager.
I keep waiting for bad stuff to happen to Phillip.
She held up the packet of sweet-smelling herbs. "This looks like something you wouldn't want to put in your morning tea...I suspect this is an ingredient for some new torture poison."
Matilda stood up and briskly said. "Well, let's go."
"Why, the Bits 'N Bolts flea store, of course. Whoever sold these things to Sidicles might know where he's staying."
* * *
The flea store was stationed around the filthy dregs of Misawa, a run-down little building huddled in a corner between the Saigon Noodle restaurant and a hardware store. It was the middle of the night by the time Matilda and Cole slipped out of the shadows and stepped up to the entrance of the shop, a pair of once-green wooden doors. A paper taped to a dirty window read in crude handwriting; 'Sorry, we're closed.' A light flickering from inside the building said otherwise.
The dim street lamps cast dark shadows across Matilda's face, the brim of her hat shielding her eyes from sight. The streets were dark and nasty, trash littered everywhere. They were alone on the sidewalk, save for a stray cat wandering the night.
Cole pulled on the rusty handle of one of the doors, but they were locked. Flecks of peeling green paint came off on his hands, as well as bits of red rust. He frowned and whispered. "How are we going to get in?"
Matilda pulled her wand from her sleeve, waved it briskly at the aged door handles, and said. "Alohomora." There was a click, and the door unlocked.
Cole whistled. "Nice."
Door creaking, they cautiously stepped inside and Cole quietly shut the door behind him. The only light in the room was an old-fashioned oil lamp flickering atop a check-out desk several feet away, surrounded by dusty cardboard boxes, letters, sheets of aged paper, and pencils. The wooden walls were clogged with cobwebs at every corner.
That's a handy spell. It'd save me from getting locked out of my car or dorm.
Matilda snorted disdainfully. "And you, a loyal follower, traveled all this way to retrieve me just to please her? Very admirable, I'm sure."
Sidicles's lip curled. "That's exactly what I plan to do. You're going to come along with me, no fuss about it."
"Oh?" Her head cocked in a haughty manner, lips thin. "And just how do you plan on doing that? I can beat you in a one-on-one battle, you know I can. What makes you think you can bend me to your will?"
The warlock reached into the folds of his dark purple robes and withdrew a small bottle. Inside was a dark, muddy, sickly green liquid, glistening in the dim light of the street lamp. He held out the bottle and waved it in the direction of where Philip was standing.
"You'll come with me, with no wand, back to where you belong, and I won't throw this on your little friends."
Matilda stiffened. "You pour one drop on any those kids, and I swear to my ancestors I'll--!"
"Tut-tut! I wouldn't use that attitude if I were you, Ravencroft." Sidicles sneered. "Edith just wants a little chat...That's all."
The witch glared dangerously at the warlock, fingering her wand. "She'll get nothing out of me. And you won't take me."
Cole wished he hadn't left the scythe with his backpack at the barn. He pushed himself off the ground and clenched his fists.
Sidicles's eyes narrowed to a slit. "Very well. It's your choice." With that, he suddenly flung the tiny bottle at Philip, who had been watching with wide eyes. The glass shattered against the brick wall close to Philip's head, and the dark liquid splattered on the youth, staining his worn jacket. Something sizzled like barbecue, and the teen cried out in pain.
Before the warlock could attack Liana, Cole sprinted forward and knocked the man down, giving him a swift punch to the jaw and clawing at his robes. The wizard's robes tore in Cole's hand; he had ripped off a pocket. Sidicles cried out in shock, then swore as he wrestled with the burly teenager.
I keep waiting for bad stuff to happen to Phillip.
She held up the packet of sweet-smelling herbs. "This looks like something you wouldn't want to put in your morning tea...I suspect this is an ingredient for some new torture poison."
Matilda stood up and briskly said. "Well, let's go."
"Why, the Bits 'N Bolts flea store, of course. Whoever sold these things to Sidicles might know where he's staying."
* * *
The flea store was stationed around the filthy dregs of Misawa, a run-down little building huddled in a corner between the Saigon Noodle restaurant and a hardware store. It was the middle of the night by the time Matilda and Cole slipped out of the shadows and stepped up to the entrance of the shop, a pair of once-green wooden doors. A paper taped to a dirty window read in crude handwriting; 'Sorry, we're closed.' A light flickering from inside the building said otherwise.
The dim street lamps cast dark shadows across Matilda's face, the brim of her hat shielding her eyes from sight. The streets were dark and nasty, trash littered everywhere. They were alone on the sidewalk, save for a stray cat wandering the night.
Cole pulled on the rusty handle of one of the doors, but they were locked. Flecks of peeling green paint came off on his hands, as well as bits of red rust. He frowned and whispered. "How are we going to get in?"
Matilda pulled her wand from her sleeve, waved it briskly at the aged door handles, and said. "Alohomora." There was a click, and the door unlocked.
Cole whistled. "Nice."
Door creaking, they cautiously stepped inside and Cole quietly shut the door behind him. The only light in the room was an old-fashioned oil lamp flickering atop a check-out desk several feet away, surrounded by dusty cardboard boxes, letters, sheets of aged paper, and pencils. The wooden walls were clogged with cobwebs at every corner.
That's a handy spell. It'd save me from getting locked out of my car or dorm.
xD We need more schools that teach magic in this world.
The guy's lip curled. "Just because I'm organizing some stuff dosen't mean I'm selling."
"At midnight? Odd time to organize, don't you think?"
He snorted. "I've been making some deliveries, and sometimes I don't have time to do it in the day." His blue eyes fell on Cole. "Sorry ma'am, you can't pawn off your kids here." He jested.
Cole rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think I'm her kid?!"
The store-keeper shrugged. "I dunno, you both seem to have this natural frown going on..."
Both Matilda and Cole's scowls deepened.
He chuckled. "Yeah, like that!"
Matilda gazed at him with narrowed eyes. "May we have the privilege of knowing your name?" She asked coolly.
Casually the guy stated. "Bertie Dullheimer's the name, and making money's my game." He sat down at the desk and began rummaging through the box of books and paper files. "So if you're here to sell something, scram. If you're here to buy something, scram. I don't do business at nighttime."
"Except for those so-called 'deliveries'?" Cole asked, crossing his arms.
Bertie glared at him from under the brim of his hat. "That's my business and mine alone."
"We're not here to sell, nor buy anything, Mr. Dullheimer." Matilda leaned on the desk and held out the receipt. "Does this look familiar to you?"
He looked at the paper with suspicion, then said. "Yeah...That's a receipt from my store. Sold a dude some knick knacks and old plants earlier."
Cole stepped next to Matilda and asked. "Had you seen him before?"
His eyes narrowed. "What is this, Nancy Drew and Magnum P.I. joining together? Why do you ask?"
"We need to find the man who bought these items, Mr. Dullheimer." The witch's gaze was unreadable.
He scowled. "I don't tell random old ladies and teenagers about my customers. If all you're gonna do is pretend to be detectives, buzz off." He went back to searching through his box of files.
Narrowing her eyes, Matilda put both hands on the table and leaned forward. Dullheimer did his best to ignore the woman glaring at him less than a foot away from his face. The brims of their hats brushed against each other. "The man who bought those things today is a regular customer, isn't he?"
Dullheimer ignored her and picked up a ratty book, flipping through the dry, brown pages.
"How often does he come?"
"Beat it, lady, before I call the cops."
"You won't call the cops because you have some shady deals that you'd rather keep to yourself." Matilda's voice was dangerously calm, smooth. "We don't have to get the police involved, provided you give us what we want."
Dullheimer finally looked up and glared at her. He dropped the book and rolled his hands into fists. "Whaddya want?" He growled.
"We want answers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now," She gripped the edge of the table. "How often does this man come to your store?"
Dullheimer bit his lip, deciding what to do. Finally his shoulders slumped and he muttered. "Few times a week. Mostly plants and herbs, sometimes random junk. He pays me to deliver stuff once in a while."
"What kind of stuff?" Cole asked.
Dullheimer glared at Matilda. "The cops won't get involved in this?"
"As long as you tell us what we need to know, truthfully."
He sighed, then said rather reluctantly. "I smuggle weapons like rifles, hand guns, ammunition to large gangs for a pretty big price. This guy, Sidicles, is working for a huge crime lord, a dangerous dude. He's had his business going for nearly a decade."
Cole's thick eyebrows raised up. This was getting interesting.
"It's a real shady business, and I think I'd get in trouble if somebody caught me telling you this."
There was an eerie moment of silence. Then Cole asked. "Who exactly is this crime lord Sidicles works for?"
Dullheimer paused, looking nervous. "They could smash me for this..."
Narrowing her eyes, Matilda put both hands on the table and leaned forward. Dullheimer did his best to ignore the woman glaring at him less than a foot away from his face. The brims of their hats brushed against each other. "The man who bought those things today is a regular customer, isn't he?"
Dullheimer ignored her and picked up a ratty book, flipping through the dry, brown pages.
"How often does he come?"
"Beat it, lady, before I call the cops."
"You won't call the cops because you have some shady deals that you'd rather keep to yourself." Matilda's voice was dangerously calm, smooth. "We don't have to get the police involved, provided you give us what we want."
Dullheimer finally looked up and glared at her. He dropped the book and rolled his hands into fists. "Whaddya want?" He growled.
"We want answers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now," She gripped the edge of the table. "How often does this man come to your store?"
Dullheimer bit his lip, deciding what to do. Finally his shoulders slumped and he muttered. "Few times a week. Mostly plants and herbs, sometimes random junk. He pays me to deliver stuff once in a while."
"What kind of stuff?" Cole asked.
Dullheimer glared at Matilda. "The cops won't get involved in this?"
"As long as you tell us what we need to know, truthfully."
He sighed, then said rather reluctantly. "I smuggle weapons like rifles, hand guns, ammunition to large gangs for a pretty big price. This guy, Sidicles, is working for a huge crime lord, a dangerous dude. He's had his business going for nearly a decade."
Cole's thick eyebrows raised up. This was getting interesting.
"It's a real shady business, and I think I'd get in trouble if somebody caught me telling you this."
There was an eerie moment of silence. Then Cole asked. "Who exactly is this crime lord Sidicles works for?"
Dullheimer paused, looking nervous. "They could smash me for this..."
He took a deep breath. "He's known as Dog Bone."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH OH NO DOG BONE COLE BE CAREFUL HE'LL WANT REVENGE IN THE FURTURE FOR WHAT YOU DO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Narrowing her eyes, Matilda put both hands on the table and leaned forward. Dullheimer did his best to ignore the woman glaring at him less than a foot away from his face. The brims of their hats brushed against each other. "The man who bought those things today is a regular customer, isn't he?"
Dullheimer ignored her and picked up a ratty book, flipping through the dry, brown pages.
"How often does he come?"
"Beat it, lady, before I call the cops."
"You won't call the cops because you have some shady deals that you'd rather keep to yourself." Matilda's voice was dangerously calm, smooth. "We don't have to get the police involved, provided you give us what we want."
Dullheimer finally looked up and glared at her. He dropped the book and rolled his hands into fists. "Whaddya want?" He growled.
"We want answers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now," She gripped the edge of the table. "How often does this man come to your store?"
Dullheimer bit his lip, deciding what to do. Finally his shoulders slumped and he muttered. "Few times a week. Mostly plants and herbs, sometimes random junk. He pays me to deliver stuff once in a while."
"What kind of stuff?" Cole asked.
Dullheimer glared at Matilda. "The cops won't get involved in this?"
"As long as you tell us what we need to know, truthfully."
He sighed, then said rather reluctantly. "I smuggle weapons like rifles, hand guns, ammunition to large gangs for a pretty big price. This guy, Sidicles, is working for a huge crime lord, a dangerous dude. He's had his business going for nearly a decade."
Cole's thick eyebrows raised up. This was getting interesting.
"It's a real shady business, and I think I'd get in trouble if somebody caught me telling you this."
There was an eerie moment of silence. Then Cole asked. "Who exactly is this crime lord Sidicles works for?"
Dullheimer paused, looking nervous. "They could smash me for this..."
He took a deep breath. "He's known as Dog Bone."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH OH NO DOG BONE COLE BE CAREFUL HE'LL WANT REVENGE IN THE FURTURE FOR WHAT YOU DO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cole gasped, and Matilda drew in her breath sharply. "Merlin's beard!"
Cole felt the blood drain from his face. Dog Bone meant it when he said he would take revenge. Philip and Liana were now in the clutches of a dangerous man who wanted vengeance, and he would without a doubt take out his anger on the teenagers. Philip would do everything in his power to protect Liana, but what if they were split up? What would the gangsters do to Philip? What would they do to Liana? She was blind, she was vulnerable...
Dullheimer looked up curiously. "You know him?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Matilda suddenly swung a fist onto the the desk with a startling bang. "Corpus bones!" She cursed. "That son of an Enderman! Offspring of a creeper! Spawn of the Ender dragon!" She then swore oaths Cole wouldn't dare repeat, even if he knew what they meant.
Matilda stopped cursing and glared at Dullheimer. "Do you ever make deliveries to Dog Bone's place?"
The clerk wore an expression of hostility and anxiety. "Yeah...Why?"
The witch took a deep breath. "We need to get there. As soon as possible."
"OK, good luck with that." He shot out of the chair and bolted for the door.
"Hold it!" Cole leaped after him and snatched him by the collar of his jacket. Dullheimer was forced to stop, and looked dumbstruck by the boy's strength.
Matilda's eyes were as hard as steel. "We need you to tell us where his hideout is, stat."
Dullheimer glared. "They'll smash me!"
"They don't have to know you told us, you blathering, mouse-brained Muggle!" She snapped. Her voice dropped to a low, hard tone. "Young, innocent lives are at stake here."
He snorted. "I'm sure." He shoved himself away from Cole and straightened his coat, and cleared his throat. "I'm not taking you or anybody to Dog Bone's hideout. I probably don't quite remember where it is!"
Cole struggled to resist the urge to give the guy a good punch through the jaw. He glared at Dullheimer, furious with the man's stupid selfishness.
