“You’ll also get to know Jack’s fate in the future,” Mr. Tick says. “I think you want to know about that.
“Shut up, you creeps.” I grit my teeth. “Let’s do it. Send me to the future.”
Chapter 6
MARGARET KENT’S OFFICE, BRITISH PARLIAMENT, LONDON
Margaret Kent had her acquaintances gathered around her. The Cheshire, Carolus Ludovicus, and a crew of Red mercenaries. She sat back in her chair, imagining she would be Queen when this was all over. It was simple, really. She would get the keys, chop off the Queen of Hearts’ head, and play football with it in a festive celebration broadcast on live TV.
But it was a long road to freedom.
“Mr. Tick and Mrs. Tock offered Alice the deal, and she took the bait,” Margaret said. “It’s only hours and the Six Impossible Keys will be ours.”
“Meow.” The Cheshire moaned happily, still disguised in Jack’s body, which made him look weirder.
“Don’t meow in my office.” Margaret groaned. “This is Parliament, not a barn.”
Carolus laughed next to the Cheshire. He had just gotten his Lullaby shot, a sedative that kept him calm enough not to kill anyone, or to look for Lewis Carroll to kill him.
Margaret actually felt nauseated, having a man looking like Lewis Carroll and another looking like Jack Diamonds in her office. It seemed so wrong, but she didn’t want to give it much thought now.
“My point is that sending Alice into the future is taking place at the Inklings,” she said. “It’s your job to surround the place, and make sure to get the keys by force when she wakes up.”
“What if she tries to trick us?” Carolus asked.
“Then you bring her to me. We’ll torture her until she tells us where the keys are.”
“Could I volunteer to do the torture?” the Cheshire said. “I’d like to see the look on her face, being tortured by Jack, the love of her life.”
Margaret smirked. “Nasty idea. Brilliant.”
“We’ve always been two messed-up individuals,” the Cheshire said.
“Me too,” Carolus said eagerly.
“One happy family.” Margaret rolled her eyes. “Wait and see how much we’ll want to kill each other when we find the keys.”
“Meow.” That was Carolus this time.
Margaret glared at him.
“You said you don’t want the Cheshire to meow, not me,” Carolus said.
“Your meow sucks,” the Cheshire said.
“Yeah?” Carolus said, and stared him in the eyes.
“Yeah,” the Cheshire retorted. “It lacks cat subtlety.”
“What the hell is that?”
“Something only cats can do,” the Cheshire said.
“Like grinning?” Carolus grinned, mustering a Lewis Carroll look. Which really irritated Margaret.
“Your grinning would scare only a child,” the Cheshire argued. “Mine makes a soldier piss in his boots.”
“You mean a cat piss in his boots. Want to punch me in the face to show me how to grin and meow? Ha!” Carolus began to lose his temper.
“Seriously,” the Cheshire said. “You’re nothing without a pill thinking it’s a man. You’re a ghost of a man at best.”
“Girls!” Margaret rapped her hand on the desk.
“He started it.” Carolus grunted.
“What?” The Cheshire rolled his eyes. “Is this high school on mushrooms all over again?”
“You never went to school,” Margaret shouted. “Stop it, and let’s talk about the Inklings.”
“What about it?” the Cheshire said.
“I heard rumors it has a secret tunnel you can use to escape,” Margaret said. “So go make sure Alice won’t escape when she wakes up.”
“Will do,” Carolus said.
“Aren’t you coming?” the Cheshire asked Margaret.
“No.” She sat back in her comfortable leather chair, tonguing a pen in her mouth. “I have to tell the Queen about my plan with the keys.”
“She doesn’t know yet?” Carolus said.
“Not yet, and there is a reason for it.” Margaret smirked.
Chapter 7
SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE
I wake up in a big bed inside a white room with cushiony drapes and modern furniture. I am suffering from a headache. Mr. Tick and Mrs. Tock told me it would subside soon. It’s surreal to imagine another version of me lying on a couch a few years ago in the back room in the Inklings, while I am here in the future. All at the same time.
I straighten up, remembering that the March Hare’s life is at stake. I haven’t had enough time to get to know him, but he reminds of Constance, whom I saved in my first mission. Both are pure children at heart, and all I want to do is hold them tight and protect them.
But where am I? How many years into the future? And how has the Inklings turned into this beautiful room I am in?
The headache begins to subside and I get off the bed. This room is big and beautiful. Mostly white.
I am wearing a white dress. The tiles on the floor are black and white, like a chessboard. Except they’re made of elegant, expensive, shiny material, like I have never seen before.