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Chapter no 4 – Kidnapped by a Not-So-Stranger

The Red Pyramid

I JUST LOVE FAMILY MEETINGS.ย Very cozy, with the Christmas garlands round the fireplace and a nice pot of tea and a detective from Scotland Yard ready to arrest you.

Carter slumped on the sofa, cradling Dadโ€™s workbag. I wondered why the police had let him keep it. It should have been evidence or something, but the inspector didnโ€™t seem to notice it at all.

Carter looked awfulโ€”I mean even worse than usual. Honestly, the boy had never been in a proper school, and he dressed like a junior professor, with his khaki trousers and a button-down shirt and loafers. Heโ€™s not bad looking, I suppose. Heโ€™s reasonably tall and fit and his hair isnโ€™t hopeless. Heโ€™s got Dadโ€™s eyes, and my mates Liz and Emma have even told me from his picture that heโ€™s hot, which I must take with a grain of salt because (a) heโ€™s my brother, and (b) my mates are a bit crazed. When it came to clothes, Carter wouldnโ€™t have known hot if it bit him on the bum.

[Oh, donโ€™t look at me like that, Carter. You know itโ€™s true.]

At any rate, I shouldnโ€™t have been too hard on him. He was taking Dadโ€™s disappearance even worse than I was.

Gran and Gramps sat on either side of him, looking quite nervous. The pot of tea and a plate of biscuits sat on the table, but no one was having any. Chief Inspector Williams ordered me into the only free chair. Then he paced in front of the fireplace importantly. Two more police stood by the front door

โ€”the woman from earlier and a big bloke who kept eyeing the biscuits.

โ€œMr. and Mrs. Faust,โ€ Inspector Williams said, โ€œIโ€™m afraid we have two uncooperative children.โ€

Gran fidgeted with the trim of her dress. Itโ€™s hard to believe sheโ€™s related to Mum. Gran is frail and colorless, like a stick person really, while Mum in the photos always looked so happy and full of life. โ€œTheyโ€™re just children,โ€ she managed. โ€œSurely you canโ€™t blame them.โ€

โ€œPah!โ€ Gramps said. โ€œThis is ridiculous, Inspector. They arenโ€™t responsible!โ€

Gramps is a former rugby player. He has beefy arms, a belly much too big for his shirt, and eyes sunk deep in his face, as if someone had punched them (well, actually Dad had punched them years ago, but thatโ€™s another

story). Gramps is quite scary looking. Usually people got out of his way, but Inspector Williams didnโ€™t seem impressed.

โ€œMr. Faust,โ€ he said, โ€œwhat do you imagine the morning headlines will read? โ€˜British Museum attacked. Rosetta Stone destroyed.โ€™ Your son-in-law

โ€”โ€

โ€œFormer son-in-law,โ€ Gramps corrected.

โ€œโ€”was most likely vaporized in the explosion, or he ran off, in which caseโ€”โ€

โ€œHe didnโ€™t run off!โ€ I shouted.

โ€œWe need to know where he is,โ€ the inspector continued. โ€œAnd the only witnesses, your grandchildren, refuse to tell me the truth.โ€

โ€œWe did tell you the truth,โ€ Carter said. โ€œDad isnโ€™t dead. He sank through the floor.โ€

Inspector Williams glanced at Gramps, as if to say, There, you see? Then he turned to Carter. โ€œYoung man, your father has committed a criminal act. Heโ€™s left you behind to deal with the consquencesโ€”โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s not true!โ€ I snapped, my voice trembling with rage. I couldnโ€™t believe Dad would intentionally leave us at the mercy of police, of course. But the idea of him abandoning meโ€”well, as I might have mentioned, thatโ€™s a bit of a sore point.

โ€œDear, please,โ€ Gran told me, โ€œthe inspector is only doing his job.โ€ โ€œBadly!โ€ I said.

โ€œLetโ€™s all have some tea,โ€ Gran suggested.

โ€œNo!โ€ Carter and I yelled at once, which made me feel bad for Gran, as she practically wilted into the sofa.

โ€œWe can charge you,โ€ the inspector warned, turning on me. โ€œWe can and we willโ€”โ€

He froze. Then he blinked several times, as if heโ€™d forgotten what he was doing.

Gramps frowned. โ€œEr, Inspector?โ€

โ€œYes…โ€ Chief Inspector Williams murmured dreamily. He reached in his pocket and took out a little blue bookletโ€”an American passport. He threw it in Carterโ€™s lap.

โ€œYouโ€™re being deported,โ€ the inspector announced. โ€œYouโ€™re to leave the country within twenty-four hours. If we need to question you further, youโ€™ll be contacted through the FBI.โ€

Carterโ€™s mouth fell open. He looked at me, and I knew I wasnโ€™t imagining how odd this was. The inspector had completely changed direction. Heโ€™d been about to arrest us. I was sure of it. And then out of the blue, he was deporting Carter? Even the other police officers looked confused.

โ€œSir?โ€ the policewoman asked. โ€œAre you sureโ€”โ€ โ€œQuiet, Linley. The two of you may go.โ€

The cops hesitated until Williams made a shooing motion with his hand.

Then they left, closing the door behind them.

โ€œHold on,โ€ Carter said. โ€œMy fatherโ€™s disappeared, and you want me to leave the country?โ€

โ€œYour father is either dead or a fugitive, son,โ€ the inspector said. โ€œDeportation is the kindest option. Itโ€™s already been arranged.โ€

โ€œWith whom?โ€ Gramps demanded. โ€œWho authorized this?โ€

โ€œWith…โ€ The inspector got that funny blank look again. โ€œWith the proper authorities. Believe me, itโ€™s better than prison.โ€

Carter looked too devastated to speak, but before I could feel sorry for him, Inspector Williams turned to me. โ€œYou, too, miss.โ€

He might as well have hit me with a sledgehammer. โ€œYouโ€™re deporting me?โ€ I asked. โ€œI live here!โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re an American citizen. And under the circumstances, itโ€™s best for you to return home.โ€

I just stared at him. I couldnโ€™t remember any home except this flat. My mates at school, my room, everything I knew was here. โ€œWhere am I supposed to go?โ€

โ€œInspector,โ€ Gran said, her voice trembling. โ€œThis isnโ€™t fair. I canโ€™t believeโ€”โ€

โ€œIโ€™ll give you some time to say good-bye,โ€ the inspector interrupted.

Then he frowned as if baffled by his own actions. โ€œIโ€”I must be going.โ€

This made no sense, and the inspector seemed to realize it, but he walked to the front door anyway. When he opened it, I almost jumped out of my chair, because the man in black, Amos, was standing there. Heโ€™d lost his trench coat and hat somewhere, but was still wearing the same pinstripe suit and round glasses. His braided hair glittered with gold beads.

I thought the inspector would say something, or express surprise, but he didnโ€™t even acknowledge Amos. He walked right past him and into the night.

Amos came inside and closed the door. Gran and Gramps stood up. โ€œYou,โ€ Gramps growled. โ€œI shouldโ€™ve known. If I was younger, I would

beat you to a pulp.โ€

โ€œHello, Mr. and Mrs. Faust,โ€ Amos said. He looked at Carter and me as if we were problems to be solved. โ€œItโ€™s time we had a talk.โ€

Amos made himself right at home. He flopped onto the sofa and poured himself tea. He munched on a biscuit, which was quite dangerous, because Granโ€™s biscuits are horrid.

I thought Grampsโ€™s head would explode. His face went bright red. He came up behind Amos and raised his hand as if he were about to smack him, but Amos kept munching his biscuit.

โ€œPlease, sit down,โ€ he told us.

And we all sat. It was the strangest thingโ€”as if weโ€™d been waiting for

his order. Even Gramps dropped his hand and moved round the sofa. He sat next to Amos with a disgusted sigh.

Amos sipped his tea and regarded me with some displeasure. That wasnโ€™t fair, I thought. I didnโ€™t look that bad, considering what weโ€™d been through. Then he looked at Carter and grunted.

โ€œTerrible timing,โ€ he muttered. โ€œBut thereโ€™s no other way. Theyโ€™ll have to come with me.โ€

โ€œExcuse me?โ€ I said. โ€œIโ€™m not going anywhere with some strange man with biscuit on his face!โ€

He did in fact have biscuit crumbs on his face, but he apparently didnโ€™t care, as he didnโ€™t bother to check.

โ€œIโ€™m no stranger, Sadie,โ€ he said. โ€œDonโ€™t you remember?โ€

It was creepy hearing him talk to me in such a familiar way. I felt I should know him. I looked at Carter, but he seemed just as mystified as I was. โ€œNo, Amos,โ€ Gran said, trembling. โ€œYou canโ€™t take Sadie. We had an

agreement.โ€

โ€œJulius broke that agreement tonight,โ€ Amos said. โ€œYou know you canโ€™t care for Sadie anymoreโ€”not after whatโ€™s happened. Their only chance is to come with me.โ€

โ€œWhy should we go anywhere with you?โ€ Carter asked. โ€œYou almost got in a fight with Dad!โ€

Amos looked at the workbag in Carterโ€™s lap. โ€œI see you kept your fatherโ€™s bag. Thatโ€™s good. Youโ€™ll need it. As for getting into fights, Julius and I did that quite a lot. If you didnโ€™t notice, Carter, I was trying to stop him from doing something rash. If heโ€™d listened to me, we wouldnโ€™t be in this situation.โ€

I had no idea what he was on about, but Gramps apparently understood. โ€œYou and your superstitions!โ€ he said. โ€œI told you we want none of it.โ€

Amos pointed to the back patio. Through the glass doors, you could see the lights shining on the Thames. It was quite a nice view at night, when you couldnโ€™t notice how run-down some of the buildings were.

โ€œSuperstition, is it?โ€ Amos asked. โ€œAnd yet you found a place to live on the east bank of the river.โ€

Gramps turned even redder. โ€œThat was Rubyโ€™s idea. Thought it would protect us. But she was wrong about many things, wasnโ€™t she? She trusted Julius and you, for one!โ€

Amos looked unfazed. He smelled interestingโ€”like old-timey spices, copal and amber, like the incense shops in Covent Garden.

He finished his tea and looked straight at Gran. โ€œMrs. Faust, you know whatโ€™s begun. The police are the least of your worries.โ€

Gran swallowed. โ€œYou…you changed that inspectorโ€™s mind. You made him deport Sadie.โ€

โ€œIt was that or see the children arrested,โ€ Amos said.

โ€œHang on,โ€ I said. โ€œYou changed Inspector Williamsโ€™s mind? How?โ€

Amos shrugged. โ€œItโ€™s not permanent. In fact we should get to New York in the next hour or so before Inspector Williams begins to wonder why he let you go.โ€

Carter laughed incredulously. โ€œYou canโ€™t get to New York from London in a hour. Not even the fastest planeโ€”โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Amos agreed. โ€œNot a plane.โ€ He turned back to Gran as if everything had been settled. โ€œMrs. Faust, Carter and Sadie have only one safe option. You know that. Theyโ€™ll come to the mansion in Brooklyn. I can protect them there.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™ve got a mansion,โ€ Carter said. โ€œIn Brooklyn.โ€

Amos gave him an amused smile. โ€œThe family mansion. Youโ€™ll be safe there.โ€

โ€œBut our dadโ€”โ€

โ€œIs beyond your help for now,โ€ Amos said sadly. โ€œIโ€™m sorry, Carter. Iโ€™ll explain later, but Julius would want you to be safe. For that, we must move quickly. Iโ€™m afraid Iโ€™m all youโ€™ve got.โ€

That was a bit harsh, I thought. Carter glanced at Gran and Gramps. Then he nodded glumly. He knew that they didnโ€™t want him around. Heโ€™d always reminded them of our dad. And yes, it was a stupid reason not to take in your grandson, but there you are.

โ€œWell, Carter can do what he wants,โ€ I said. โ€œBut I live here. And Iโ€™m not going off with some stranger, am I?โ€

I looked at Gran for support, but she was staring at the lace doilies on the table as if they were suddenly quite interesting.

โ€œGramps, surely…โ€

But he wouldnโ€™t meet my eyes either. He turned to Amos. โ€œYou can get them out of the country?โ€

โ€œHang on!โ€ I protested.

Amos stood and wiped the crumbs off his jacket. He walked to the patio doors and stared out at the river. โ€œThe police will be back soon. Tell them anything you like. They wonโ€™t find us.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re going to kidnap us?โ€ I asked, stunned. I looked at Carter. โ€œDo you believe this?โ€

Carter shouldered the workbag. Then he stood like he was ready to go. Possibly he just wanted to be out of Gran and Grampsโ€™s flat. โ€œHow do you plan to get to New York in an hour?โ€ he asked Amos. โ€œYou said, not a plane.โ€ โ€œNo,โ€ Amos agreed. He put his finger to the window and traced

something in the condensationโ€”another bloody hieroglyph.

image

โ€œA boat,โ€ I saidโ€”then realized Iโ€™d translated aloud, which I wasnโ€™t supposed to be able to do.

Amos peered at me over the top of his round glasses. โ€œHow did youโ€”โ€ โ€œI mean that last bit looks like a boat,โ€ I blurted out. โ€œBut that canโ€™t be

what you mean. Thatโ€™s ridiculous.โ€ โ€œLook!โ€ Carter cried.

I pressed in next to him at the patio doors. Down at the quayside, a boat was docked. But not a regular boat, mind you. It was an Egyptian reed boat, with two torches burning in the front, and a big rudder in the back. A figure in a black trench coat and hatโ€”possibly Amosโ€™sโ€”stood at the tiller.

Iโ€™ll admit, for once, I was at a loss for words. โ€œWeโ€™re going in that,โ€ Carter said. โ€œTo Brooklyn.โ€ โ€œWeโ€™d better get started,โ€ Amos said.

I whirled back to my grandmother. โ€œGran, please!โ€

She brushed a tear from her cheek. โ€œItโ€™s for the best, my dear. You should take Muffin.โ€

โ€œAh, yes,โ€ Amos said. โ€œWe canโ€™t forget the cat.โ€

He turned towards the stairs. As if on cue, Muffin raced down in a leopard-spotted streak and leaped into my arms. She never does that.

โ€œWho are you?โ€ I asked Amos. It was clear I was running out of options, but I at least wanted answers. โ€œWe canโ€™t just go off with some stranger.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not a stranger.โ€ Amos smiled at me. โ€œIโ€™m family.โ€

And suddenly I remembered his face smiling down at me, saying, โ€œHappy birthday, Sadie.โ€ A memory so distant, Iโ€™d almost forgotten.

โ€œUncle Amos?โ€ I asked hazily.

โ€œThatโ€™s right, Sadie,โ€ he said. โ€œIโ€™m Juliusโ€™s brother. Now come along.

We have a long way to go.โ€

โ€ŒC A R T E R

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