“And that’s all you remember?”
“For now. I’m sure I’ll remember more when it wears off completely,” the March says. “But the part of killing him, I heard it when one of the Reds was talking to him on the phone yesterday.”
“But you didn’t hear how I can kill him?”
“Sorry, no. They didn’t discuss it.”
“Let’s say this is true. How is killing Carolus going to stop the plague?”
“There is only one explanation,” the March says. “That I cooked it that way.”
“Is that possible?”
“It is, but I can’t remember if I did. Why would I cook a plague that can only be stopped when Carolus dies?”
Chapter 77
“Look.” The Pillar returns, rubbing off powder from his suit. “This whole story doesn’t make sense. I know this kiddo isn’t lying.” He points at the March Hare. “Because I know he’s one of the Inklings. But whatever Carolus staged for us, there is something that doesn’t make sense.”
“And?” I say.
“Your only hope is that you get back to London and kill Carolus.”
“Even if I do, I don’t know how.”
“I’m sure you do, Alice.”
“I don’t. Stop counting on me that much. There are things that I don’t know.”
“You know more than you think.” The Pillar steps up. “Like the key Carroll gave you and you didn’t tell me about. Try to remember. He must have given you a clue how to kill his split persona.
“He didn’t even mention it.”
“Well, then let’s have a tea party here on the plane with this loon and his light bulb and watch the world end from above.” The Pillar steps away and starts rummaging through some stuff. “I hope we have enough fuel to last after the end of the world.”
“All right,” I snap. “I will try my best to kill Carolus.”
“Good girl.” He pulls out two machine guns.
“But first, I need to send the kids to Fabiola to take care of.”
The Pillar stops, stares back at the kids, that serene smile flashing again. I think those kids are the only ones he smiles at that way. I wish I could know more about his connection to them. “Of course,” he says. “Although the Vatican is already a mess. I’m hoping Fabiola can accommodate you safely in her church.”
“So to the Vatican first?” asks the chauffeur.
I nod at him.
“Oh, God. I miss Fabiola so much.” The March Hare claps his hands.
The Pillar looks back into his guns and straps on a backpack.
“And where are you going?” I grimace.
“Get closer to the Reds’ plane and open the back of the plane,” the Pillar shouts at the chauffeur. He stares at me with admiration as the back door slides open. “It was nice meeting you, Alice.”
The air swirls like angry ghosts into the plane, as the Pillar puts on his goggles.
“I have a war of my own,” he says, turns around, and jumps midair onto the Reds’ plane, which is a little lower than ours.
The door slides back to a close. All of us are totally astonished.
“Where is he going?” I ask the chauffeur.
“To hell, my dear Alice.” The chauffeur nods. “To hell and back.”
Chapter 78
The Reds’ Plane “Is that the Pillar who just jumped on our plane?” Ace, the leader of the Reds said.
“It’s him, Ace.” said number Three.
“So he’s about to do it?”
“It’s looks like it,” said number Three. “It was inevitable, if you ask me.”
“Bring my parachute,” Ace ordered. “I’d get your parachute too, if I were you.”
“So we’re abandoning the mission?”
“We’ve done all Carolus asked of us,” Ace said. “He wanted us to bring him Alice, and I believe she is on her way to London now. Our job is done.”
“And the Pillar?”
“We should be all gone when he enters the plane,” Ace said. “His war isn’t with us.”
“I heard he’s unstoppable when he’s angry.” Number Three said, strapping up. “You said his war isn’t with us, Sir. May I ask who the Pillar’s real enemy is in his war?”
“His past, number three,” Ace said, and jumped out, leaving the rain of bullets attacking the plane behind.
The Pillar had arrived.
Chapter 79
Radcliffe asylum, Oxford
A rat, with a cell phone between its teeth, scurried its way through the sewers into the asylum.
“That’s the worst thing that has happened to me, possessing a rat’s body twice in one day,” the Cheshire thought.
First he had possessed Edith’s body in the Wonders’ house to make sure she and her sister weren’t the Tweedles, but then they proved to be ordinary useless humans like others.
Now, he was getting curiouser and curiouser.
He scurried farther among the Mushroomers who’d spotted him and tried to slap him dead with their shoes.