Adventures Aren't Just in Books: Part Five

      I lean over Albert’s shoulder, trying to get a glimpse at what he is looking at. I only see a few words before he turns around and glares at me: “You’re blocking my light.”

      “Sorry, I was just seeing if I could help at all.”

      “If I needed help, I would’ve asked.”

      “Right, got it.” This cycle has been repeating itself for the past few hours. I will go over to a member of the team and offer to help them. They either ignore me or make some snappy remark before returning to their work. Brian let me help with the coffee for a while until I knocked over the milk making a big noise, distracting everyone. At that point he sent me packing.

      I am just sitting down with the latest edition of the Neopian Times when Jenny bursts through the door shouting that she thinks that she has found out where the hand-over is going to take place. She says it will be in a museum about half an hour away from us.

      It is eleven o’clock and whilst the exchange won’t happen until twelve, the group need time to get set up. They all jump up grabbing items from various locations around the building, while I just stand there, bewildered by the sudden movement. Then I realise that they are getting ready to leave without me.

      “Wait a second; you can’t just leave me here.”

      “We told you that you could leave hours ago.”

      “No, I mean you can’t expect me to sit around just waiting for you lot to come back with all of the glory. I’m coming with you.”

      Michael butts in at this “Oh no, absolutely not. You are bound to get hurt and you aren’t going to be of help. With our luck you will get someone else hurt as well. Just go back home to your parents and nice life, kid.”

      “What go home and not even know if you successfully capture the Market Trader? Definitely not. I am coming with you whether you like it or not.”

      “Michael, just let him come. He’ll probably chicken out halfway there and we will have nothing to worry about. Plus if he stays and watches, he will see how awful this job is and won’t bother us again.”

      “I am right here you know.”

      “I don’t know. Can I speak to all of you privately—as in without the kid.”

      “Albert is only a year older than me.” But I am saying it to no one because they have all left to talk to Michael. Then I hear the key in the lock.

      They can’t be.

      That’s not possible.

      THEY ARE LOCKING ME UP SO I DON’T FOLLOW THEM!

      FOR FYORA’S SAKE, IT IS MY CHOICE IF I WANT TO GO OR NOT!

      I run to the door and shake the door knob but it holds fast. I try shoving my whole body against the door but it doesn’t even shudder. Then again, I’m not exactly the strongest Neopet Neopia’s ever seen, so it isn’t too surprising. I run through my options:

      Option 1: I stay here for them to come back Pro: I don’t get hurt Con: I can’t help take down the Market Trader

      Option 2: I keep shoving the door Pro: I will get out Con: It would take an age before I had the strength to break it down

      Option 3: I find another way out Pro: I get out without spending hours bashing a door down Con: I need to think of one

      I scan the walls around me looking for any other possible exits. There is only one other door which opens up to the stairs which I have been told lead up to the living quarters (I haven’t actually been up there myself). The only other way I could get out is out of the windows but I would not be able to fit through them as despite them being very wide, they are also very short. Good for letting air in, not so good for fitting yourself through. There is nothing else that even hints at an exit. I groan admitting failure before sitting on a nearby chair.

      Then I have an idea. Surely they wouldn’t just have one key. They would almost certainly have a spare one. Maybe they’ve left it behind and I can get out. I search all of the cupboards on the lower floor but they only have paperwork in them (although one of them has mugs inside, which is unsurprising considering how much coffee they seem to get through).

      I head to the next floor hoping that one of their rooms will have the key in it.

      I don’t find the key.

      But I do find a way out.

      I’m checking one of the drawers in what I’m guessing is Michael’s room when I realise why I can see everything Michael’s room without turning a light on: he has a huge window set in one of the walls. I try the handle and it easily opens—they really need to rethink security in this place (but I am not too bothered considering it is aiding my previously failing attempt at escaping).

      But I have a new problem: how do I survive the ten-foot drop from the window the floor. Sure, it’s not like I am jumping off a cliff, but the idea is still daunting. Then a drainage pipe catches my eye. If I sit on the sill with my legs dangling off the edge I can just about reach it. I grab hold of it and pull myself onto it. I slowly move down the pipe, heading towards the ground until I hear a creak. I race down the pipe until I am on solid ground, worried that the pipe wasn’t going to support my weight all the way and that I would fall backwards.

      Now I am out, I can start heading towards the museum. Even if I wanted to catch up with the group, they have a really big head-start. I will need to go quite quickly if I want to help.

      I reach the museum at five to twelve, giving me five minutes before the Wocky is meant to hand over the package. However, anyone could already be here. I haven’t caught sight of Michael’s team which I am hoping means that they are hidden well enough that they won’t be caught. I am hiding behind a group of boxes, in the perfect spot to see everything. There are two floors to the museum and I am on the top one, with the exchange happening below. There is a gap in the floor through which I can see everything that is going on.

      I hear footsteps down to my left and I can see the Wocky entering with a big crate marked “Breakable” and “This way up”. A voice speaks from the darkness. Despite them thinking they are alone, the Market Trader still seems unwilling to show his face.

      “Have you brought it?”

      “Y-yes sir.”

      “Leave the package and-”

      “ATCHOO!”

      “WHAT WAS THAT? INTRUDERS, WHERE ARE THEY?”

      I realise that it must be someone with Michael and before I know it, I have picked something heavy from the box next to me and thrown it away from both me and the direction of the sneeze, hopefully confusing the Wocky and the Market Trader about where the team is.

      “THEY’RE OVER THERE. WOCKY GO GET THEM.”

      “Yes sir.”

      A few minutes later the only sound is still the Wocky sifting through various boxes.

      “Sir?”

      “WHAT?”

      “Sir, I don’t think, I think, maybe, there is a small possibility-”

      “WHAT? TELL ME NOW!”

      “They might have escaped...”

      “THEN GET OUTSIDE AND FIND THEM. I WANT THEM HERE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES OR ELSE!”

      The Wocky heads outside, obviously scared of what “ELSE” might entail. The package remains where it was when it was originally brought in—lying in the middle of the floor. I hear footsteps but they aren’t the Wocky’s. Hers are softer than these ones, these are more clipped as if each step has been carefully thought-out. Then out of the darkness, I see a horribly-disfigured Neopet heading towards the package. I hold my breath hoping that the team has some sort of plan.

      They do.

      They surprise the Market Trader by attacking him from behind, putting all of their efforts into knocking him out so that they can successfully tie him up and take him to the main Defenders’ Headquarters. While he does seem to be taking a few hits, he doesn’t seem to be going down easy. Once more, my body acts independently of my brain and picks something else up and drops it on the Neopet’s head. He falls to the ground, no fight left in him. Although the others are focused on getting the Trader tied up, Jenny is staring at me, gaping in awe at what I’ve done. Then she shouts:

      “Behind you!”

      I turn to see the Wocky heading straight for me. I wait until the last moment before moving to my left allowing her to go catapulting over the balcony. The drop isn’t high enough for her to have any permanent damage but she will probably sustain a few bruises.

      I head down the stairs towards the group where I see both the Trader and the Wocky tied up. I look up to see Michael glaring at me:

      “WHAT DID I TELL YOU? YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO COME HERE WITH US!”

      “But I helped right?”

      “YES, PERHAPS YOU DID, BUT IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO COME HERE!”

      “But I helped right?”

      “OK FINE YES YOU DID HELP BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT. HOW DID YOU EVEN GET OUT?”

      “Through your bedroom window.”

      “...”

      “Oh, come on, I knocked out the Market Trader and helped with the Wocky.”

      “...”

      “I WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL!”

      “I suppose you were. But you’re not allowed to help us without being employed by the Defenders.”

      “But I want to help.”

      “Well I guess there is only one way to settle this.

      You looking for a job?”

      The End.