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Olivia Goes West - Chapter 28

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Basil was shocked to hear the news.

"The children escaped? You have them locked in your dressing room?!"

Tanya nodded shyly, standing in the doorway of Tony's house. She'd come straight there after leading Fievel and Olivia into her dressing room. It was now close to 4am, but Basil was wide awake while Nellie was dozing on the sofa, and Vartan had fallen asleep at the table over his sketchbook. Tony and Bridget were asleep in their bedroom.

"Get in here and tell me exactly what happened," Basil said, pulling Tanya inside by the wrist and closing the door, "We mustn't let anyone see us."

"So those brats actually managed it this time huh?" came a raspy voice from the other room, "Figures it'd happen eventually, heh heh…bet Chula got his arse handed to him again…"

"Who's that?" Tanya asked.

"Oh that's just Fidget, don't worry we've got him tied upside down."

"Ah, okay," Tanya said with a slight grin.

Nellie's eyes fluttered open, and she saw Basil with Tanya, "What's going on?"

"Tanya found Fievel and Olivia."

Nellie sat up, "She what?"

Tanya explained, "I saw them when I was walking home from work, they said they were going to head to my house but I took them to my dressing room instead. If you don't think that was a good idea, I could go get them. I just didn't know if it'd be safe to bring them here."

"No, it wouldn't be, you're quite right, " Basil replied, "If they found out where I'm hiding they'd be able to apprehend all of us in one fell swoop. On the other hand, I'm sure they have valuable information we could use. Although getting them out of there during business hours might be a problem. And having them anywhere in the saloon is rather hazardous."

Basil paced back and forth, mulling over his options, before stopping dead in his tracks.

"Ms. Mouseingham, I believe I have a plan. We need those children here. We need them now."

"Oh, umm…y-you do? But you just said-"

"I've changed my mind," Basil interrupted.

Nellie walked up behind Basil, "What's the plan?"

Basil flashed her a grin, "The plan is simple. Elementary, really. And I don't know why I didn't think of it right off the bat. Now then Tanya, bring the children here. And I'll explain everything."

"Is it safe?" Tanya asked, "I don't know where Waul and Ratigan are right now…"

"We need to get them while it's still dark out," Basil said, "It's too dangerous for me to be out and about at all. Why not take Vartan with you? He can handle himself in a fight quite nicely."

"Oh, that works," Tanya said with a slight smile, casting her eyes in his direction.

Basil walked up to Vartan and nudged his shoulder as he slept, causing Vartan to snort awake.

"Inch?" he asked, before looking around and seeing Tanya.

"Take her to her dressing room, and bring back the children. She has them there, but she doesn't want to go alone."

"Fievel and Olivia? They are here?"

"Yes, dear boy," Basil answered.

Vartan sleepily got to his feet and stretched, "Anything you vant Tanya, I do for you."

"Oh," Tanya giggled, "Come on, it's this way. But be quiet. Maybe you can tell me about your fight with Chula and Fidget, if you whisper."

As they left, Nellie moved back to the sofa again with a yawn.

"That little Olivia will be a sleuth yet," she remarked.

"I daresay I am rather proud of her, in an almost fatherly way," Basil said with a smile, "They couldn't hold onto her and Fievel indefinitely."

It was around twenty minutes before they heard a soft knock on the door. Basil opened it, and Vartan, Tanya, Olivia and Fievel quietly rushed through the door before Basil closed it.

"Were you seen?" Basil asked.

"I don't think so," Tanya answered, "We were really careful."

"Oh Basil, it's really you!" Olivia said, overjoyed, as she hugged Basil's leg tightly, catching him off guard.

"Yes, it's me dear girl," he said, uncomfortably patting her head before trying to pull his leg away, "It's a delight to see you again and know that you're safe, particularly when we were afraid the two of you had died."

"Fievel saved me life, and I saved his," Olivia said, letting go of Basil's leg and going to hold Fievel's hand, "And together we escaped the gold mine."

Nellie gave Fievel a big hug, "We were worried sick about you two."

Fievel hugged her back with a smile.

"Basil was too?" Olivia asked.

Nellie grinned, "Oh, I could tell that he was. He was really torn up when he thought you two were dead."

"Y-yes, well…" Basil pulled on his collar.

"We're just fine Basil," Olivia said, "I missed ye so much."

"As did I, Olivia," Basil admitted, "Fidget told us about some of your exploits after we interrogated him. Lopping off Chula's leg for example?"

"That nasty spider had it comin'," Olivia said, "I smashed his face in with a bar from our cage too."

Fievel giggled, "I got to stomp on him on our way down from the cage too. That was the first time we tried to escape, but they caught us again that time."

"And that looks like Native Moushican attire you two have on if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh yes, the Indians were really nice to us when we met them," Olivia said.

"Fidget informed us that Ratigan and Waul have Hiram and Wylie, correct?" Basil asked.

Olivia looked down, "They do. Me daddy threw a file into the cage and we used it to escape. We've got to go back an' save him."

"And that's what I intend to do, Miss Flangerhanger," Basil said, as Olivia shook her head and laughed, "Someone wake up Tony and Bridget. We need to discuss the plan."

"Okay, I will," Tanya said, heading for their bedroom. They got out of bed quickly when Tanya said Fievel and Olivia were back.

"Filly? Is it true?" Tony asked, looking through the doorway until he saw Fievel and Olivia, "Ey Filly! You're alive!"

Bridget came out from behind him, "They are alive! Oh isn't it grand?"

Tony and Bridget hugged both children, as Basil sighed and waited for the sentimental greetings to be over so he could get on with his explanation of the plan.

"I knew all along you two was too tough to be killed in some lame rafting accident," Tony said.

Fievel giggled, "Of course, Tony. Filly the Kid don't go down that easy."

"Me daddy's alive too," Olivia said excitedly, "Thank ye kindly fer takin' care of me before, but when we free him I'll be living with him again."

"Dat's just fine Livvie," Tony said ruffling the fur on her head, "We'll still hang out eh?"

"Of course, you me an' Filly," Olivia said.

"Ya know if'n the town sees ya alive an' well, they'll turn against Ratigan and Waul in a second," Bridget said, looking to Basil.

"Ah, you have a very sharp mind Miss Toponi," Basil said, "For you see that was the essence of my plan. However, to pull it off safely without the threat of retaliation from Ratigan and Waul's thugs will be a challenge. But, with a little help from everyone, including our good friend Tiger, it may be possible."

"What are we gonna do?" Fievel asked.

Basil stooped down to Fievel's level, "You'll see, lad."

"I'll bring my slingshot, that's how we beat Waul last time," Fievel said.

"Then perhaps it will be of use. But, remember to follow my instructions. I'll start from the top," Basil stood up again, "If I may borrow your sketchbook, Vartan?"

Vartan nodded and got his sketchbook, flipping to a blank page. Everyone gathered around as Basil illustrated his plan, marking people's positions on a hastily drawn map.

-------------

"I'm surrounded by MORONS!" Ratigan shouted, heaving deep breaths, his hair a mess and his eyes bloodshot after a sleepless night.

It was morning now, and the polls had just opened. With the town's low population it wouldn't be long before it was time to count the votes. The rally stage was still up from the day before and ready to be used for Ratigan's celebration where he was to be sworn in as mayor.

"Easy, Ratigan," Waul said, sitting at the desk inside the sheriff's office, leaning back in the chair with his heels on the desk, "Leave us not lose our tempers."

Ratigan stomped on the surface of the desk angrily, making Chula flinch each time, "Fidget has been kidnapped, and the children have escaped, probably to wherever Basil is hiding out. I think that justifies losing my temper!"

"M-maybe a hawk ate the kids," said One-Eye, "I mean, their tracks in da dirt just vanished."

"I doubt we could be that lucky," Ratigan spat, "If they show up at that rally my political ambitions will be shattered!"

Waul massaged his temples, "I admit, our original plans have gone awry. But, we still have the backup plan. And we still have the trap set for Basil. If worse comes to worse, you'll still have your vengeance on him and we can start over somewhere else uninhibited."

Ratigan let out a deep breath, and composed himself, "Yes…one way or another I will be rid of that detective."

"Indeed. And I will have my diva," Waul grinned, getting up from his chair, "And my mouseburgers. Now pull yourself together, Ratigan. Our audience is waiting. Miss Tanya is getting ready to announce you as the winner."

Ratigan nodded, and turned to Chula, "Remember, if you see anyone who even looks like Basil or Nellie, I want them apprehended. The same goes for the children. Scour the town, find them before they reach the rally if you can."

"Sure thing Ratigan," Chula said, "You can count on me this time."

"There won't be a next time if you bungle this," Ratigan threatened, "I don't care if you do belong to Waul."

"And I'll guard the rally," said One-Eye.

"Yes, be our muscle if things get out of hand," Ratigan said, climbing down from the desk and walking toward the door, straightening his tie and taking another breath, "Very well then, I think I'm ready. Someone fetch that delightful little starlet Tanya and let's get this show on the road, eh?"

"Indeed," said Waul, opening the door for Ratigan as they all walked out together.

-----------------

Tanya, fighting a sleep-deprived haze, walked past One-Eye and Cat R. Waul onto the stage as it was announced the votes had all been counted. She'd been handed an envelope by Sammy and Simon, with the winner's name inside. A part of her took pity on the orphans. They clearly had no idea that they were being used, that their best friend was dead now, eaten by Waul. But, she needed to focus. Everyone was counting on her. She walked up to the podium, in front of the cheering crowd, closing her eyes and trying to remember the lines Ratigan and Waul had coached to her early the night before.

"Ahem, citizens of Green River!" she announced with enthusiasm, "It's my pleasure to present you with the winner of the 1890 mayoral elections. It's been a tough, well…one-sided race, but anyway, at least this town's finally important enough to have a mayor now!"

There was clapping and cheering all around.

"We regret to inform you that one of our candidates, Fidget, wasn't able to be here today. But, we have Ratigan right here to accept his nomination should he win. Let's hear it for Ratigan!"

The band began to play Ratigan's theme as he stepped through the curtain to great fanfare, blowing kisses and bowing before taking a seat beside the podium.

"And the winner of the election for mayor of Green River…" Tanya said as she ripped open the envelope.

There was a drum roll in the band. Ratigan rubbed his hands together with a greedy smile, being able to taste his victory. In the back of the crowd, two old women with their faces covered by a bonnet and a scarf each pushed a baby carriage toward the stage. Tanya watched them keenly, flashing a grin toward Ratigan.

"Not so fast ye big ugly rat!" came an adorable Scottish accent from within one of the carriages.

Ratigan's eyes widened, "What??"

Olivia tossed a blanket aside and stood up in the carriage, "You heard me! You ain't worthy of bein' mayor!"

The crowd was in shock. Fievel then stood up out of the second carriage. There were more gasps; more mice in the town recognized him. Many were convinced they were seeing ghosts.

"You tried to kill us so we wouldn't let your secret out!" Fievel shouted, "You and Waul pushed us down the river yourselves!"

Mama Mousekewitz fainted into Papa's arms, who looked on, completely stunned.

"Ye kept us caged up fer weeks in that mine!" Olivia exclaimed, "Well now yer secret's out."

"Seize them! They lie!!" Ratigan shouted.

Chula began to spin a web lasso as Waul and One-Eye walked toward them. With that, Nellie and Basil ripped off their disguises, both wielding guns. From the roof of the Sheriff's office, Tiger and Vartan appeared, Vartan with a pistol and Tiger with a slingshot. And the second floor window to Miss Kitty's room opened on the other side of the alley, as she pointed a shotgun down at the villains. Waul's posse stopped in their tracks. The two orphans panicked and scurried beneath the stage.

"They're right everyone!" Tanya shouted at the podium, "Ratigan's using this town as a stepping stone to take over America, and Waul wants to be paid with the lives of innocent mice for his services!"

"All lies!" Ratigan roared, as mice began to throw grapes and pebbles, anything they could pick up. He got down to his knees and shielded himself with his cape against the onslaught. Tanya ducked behind the podium to avoid being hit with crossfire. The plan was for her to dart away from the stage at this point, but she was afraid of being hit by debris.

"Wh-what do we do boss?" Chula asked, "They've got guns!"

Ratigan, covered in fruit and bloodied by a pebble to the forehead, glared into Basil's eyes from under his cape as they made eye contact, with the barrel of Basil's gun aimed straight at his face. For a moment, to the both of them everything else seemed to go silent, two enemies in a deadlock. As if they were the only two mice on Earth. All Basil had to do to end their little game once and for all was to pull the trigger. What was stopping him? Ratigan suddenly grinned, as Basil remained stoic. Ratigan knew why Basil couldn't shoot him. It was the same reason Ratigan wouldn't be able to shoot Basil if the tables were turned. No, dying like that was too good for Ratigan, in Basil's eyes. It needed to be more climactic, more poetic. There needed to be an artistry to it. Ratigan understood. He knew Basil did too. Even falling from Big Ben hadn't done either of them justice. That's why they were alive.

A new confidence overcame Ratigan with the realization that Basil wouldn't shoot him, and he stood tall, reaching into his pocket, keeping something concealed behind his cape. He then reached behind the podium and violently pulled Tanya into his arms. Within a few brief seconds, he yanked Tanya's ponytail back and pointed the barrel of his pistol under her chin. The crowd fell to a silence.

"Don't anybody move, lest I spoil this beautiful diva's good looks!"

Waul looked on in horror.

"Put my sister down, you ornery varmint!" Fievel shouted, aiming his slingshot at Ratigan.

"Impudent brat!" Ratigan shouted, "You may have ruined my plans here, but I don't need this dump of a town for my master plan to work! Go ahead, shoot that little toy at me, throw another grape. And see what happens."

Tanya whimpered, pulling at Ratigan's arm with tears in her eyes.

"Tanya!" came a shout from above.

Vartan aimed his pistol at Ratigan, and shot. But, his arms were shaky with emotion, and his bullet only hit the wood in front of Ratigan.

Another gun went off. This time, it had come from Chula. Vartan clutched his arm and fell from the roof onto the stage. There were screams from the crowd, and many ran away with the sound of gunfire. Papa Mousekewitz was still fanning his unconscious wife while he watched the scene in disbelief and horror.

"Wrap him up!" Ratigan ordered, "We could always use another hostage."

"Ehehehe!" Chula cackled as he hobbled toward Vartan, picking him up and wrapping him in web, "Drat, I only hit his arm. Ah well, I'll make mouse kebabs outta him for roughing me up yesterday."

Basil and Nellie aimed their guns at Chula.

"Ah ah ah…shoot him and Ms. Tanya gets it," Ratigan warned.

Nellie wore a scowl, and aimed her gun instead at Cat R. Waul, "Let her go or we shoot your partner. And then you."

Waul put his arms up and hissed to Ratigan, "This wasn't the plan…"

Ratigan gave a cackle, "Really Basil, didn't you bother to tell your little girlfriend anything about me? Loyalty isn't exactly my most defined personality trait."

Waul frowned.

"It's not going to work, Nellie," Basil whispered to Nellie, "He's a fiend, he doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"You do anything to hurt Tanya and I'll blow all your heads off," said Miss Kitty from above.

"Duly noted," Ratigan chuckled, "Well it seems we've come to a stalemate again, Basil. Of course I do still have the upper hand…"

"Basil, what are we going ta do?" Olivia whispered.

"I'm thinking, Miss Flamchester…" Basil whispered back.

"All out of ideas, Mr. Great Mouse Detective?" Ratigan taunted, "Well here's one for you. I've grown weary of this constant game of cat and mouse between us. Now I was going to settle it much later, in a vengeance plot years down the road, but you had to come all the way here to America and spoil my fun. You didn't give me much time to plan, but I think I've come up with the best plan I could on such short notice. Today it ends, once and for all!"

"On that last note, I have to concur, Ratigan," Basil shot back, "What's your vile little scheme? Lets get this over with."

"Ahem, well, in the interest of keeping Ms. Tanya Mousekewitz's brains inside her skull, I'd like to ask Nellie Brie and Fievel Mousekewitz to come up to the stage, please?"

"Me?" Fievel asked in shock.

"It's a trick!" Olivia shouted, "Don't go, Fievel!"

"Oh, do you love your girlfriend so much more than your sister now, boy?" Ratigan asked, "Even for me that's cold."

Fievel trembled with anger, still aiming his slingshot at Ratigan.

"No my son!" Papa shouted, "Ratigan you monster! Let my children go!"

Ratigan ignored the old man's pleas and chuckled to himself. Tanya continued to whimper, but was unable to speak with the gun pressed into her lower jaw.

"I'd like this done today, Nellie and Fievel!" Ratigan ordered.

Nellie looked to Basil, and he looked back at her.

"I suppose I must…" Nellie said, putting her gun down.

"I'll get you out of this," Basil promised.

Nellie walked to Fievel's carriage, gently pushing his arms down as he aimed his slingshot.

"Come on, Fievel…"

Fievel looked to Nellie, his eyes beginning to water, and he slowly took her hand.

"Remember what I taught you in New York Fievel...don't let the fear win."

Fievel climbed down from the carriage and the two of them reluctantly and fearfully climbed up to the stage.

"Wrap them up, Chula," Ratigan ordered.

"With pleasure!" Chula then spewed the both of them in spider web, wrapping them in a bundle and putting them beside Vartan as he lay there groaning in pain.

"Now then Basil, meet me back at the mine, if you please," Ratigan said with gleeful wickedness, "You're just going to love my little plan. Feel free to bring your delightful ragtag group of misfits with you if you must, it won't make any difference. Now then, Waul? One-Eye? Take us to the mine, quickly."

"What? On all fours?" Waul asked, as if it were completely beneath him.

"Yes, you stupid twit! On all fours!" Ratigan snapped, dragging Tanya along.

Waul sighed and got on all fours as Ratigan pulled Tanya up onto Waul's back with a gun to her head, and she fought back sobs, looking over at Vartan who was being loaded onto One-Eye's back with Nellie and Fievel. Simon and Sammy came out from under the stage, and climbed onto One-Eye's back themselves. Basil could only watch, cursing himself for letting this happen. He should have shot Ratigan before he grabbed Tanya, he thought.

"S-so…what now?" Olivia asked, sniffling as the villains made off with their hostages.

"We keep our wits about us, and we rescue them," Basil answered, shakily putting his gun back in its holster, "Yes…we rescue them. Simple really…"

It seemed his worst nightmare since allowing himself to fall in love with Nellie had finally come to pass.
Well, that could have gone better.

Anyway, it's an extra-long chapter this week, came out to 12 pages typed up. That's mostly because that first part wasn't long enough to be a chapter by itself, by my standards anyway.

So, what devious little trap has Ratigan devised over night? Find out next chapter, where the two brilliant detectives, Basil and Olivia, team up to try and rescue their friends.
© 2012 - 2024 Surenity
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JakeCrusher4's avatar
So the guns I take it they are mouse and cat sized on not human sized?