The Investigators, Inc. The Museum Case. Chapter 5. Rescue.

Dawn, Amerie and I have been kidnapped, rather embarrassing really, even though we had been doing things correctly. But they used some kind of gas that knocked us out very quickly, so quickly that I had no time to call for Sky. Now we are chained to the wall in the dungeon of this castle with rusty old shackles. However, they are still very strong and are holding us in a standing position.

This will not be comfortable for sleeping, that’s for sure. And, we all have tape over our mouths, preventing us from calling Sky. Do these people know about this way I can call for help? That would be a bad thing. I tried communicating with Kat to let her know we are okay for now and why we can’t call for help. Kat then told us why we had been kidnapped.

If it was just me I would say no to the exchange, but because Dawn and Amerie are involved too, then I would be okay with it. But, I also told her she could make the final decision and I would be in agreement with it. Just then two men came into the dungeon and brought some light with them, and a camera. One of the men, named Brutus, was quite a large man, and he certainly looked strong.

Then after 30 minutes the voice returned in the main museum room. “Katherina!” said the voice and Kat turned around quickly. The voice laughed this time. “I knew it was you Katherina, everyone thought you had died a long time ago. Then a man named Toledo said you were alive and one day he killed you. But I see he didn’t quite do it, since you are still very much alive.”

“He did kill me,” said Kat, “and my body lies in the grave to this very day. One day I came back from the grave to kill Toledo, and I did it too.” “You don’t look dead to me Katherina, it is all just a bluff to fool your enemies.” “Then explain this,” she replied, and she disappeared. She then reappeared further down the room. “A good trick Katherina, but it means nothing to me.”

“Who do you know that can move that fast?” she asked, “You just don’t want to admit that I’m a ghost.” “I do not believe in such fairy tales, it is just trickery, nothing else. Now, about your friends, here is a picture of them for you to consider.” A large picture showed up on one of the walls, showing all 3 of us. But my face was rather bruised and puffy from my beating earlier from Brutus.

“I want to hear Steve say something,” said Kat. Brutus ripped the tape from my mouth and told me to talk. “Sky,” was all I said. “Does that satisfy you, dear Katherina?” said the voice. When the voice added dear Katherina, it made Kat remember something from long ago. “Yes, that satisfies me,” she said. “Do you know who I am, dear Katherina?” he asked.

“Yes, you used to be my father,” she said. “I am your father!” he said sternly. “No, I do not have a father any longer,” she said calmly, “my father died a few years ago, as far as I’m concerned.” “I always considered you to be the most intelligent of my children,” he said, “but instead you have turned out to be the most stupid, annoying, ugly creature born to us! I want your answer, will you get my friends out of prison or do Steve’s two girlfriends need to be beaten too?”

“We will not do what you want,” replied Kat, still calm. “Then watch Brutus with your two friends,” he said. However, while he was talking, Sky and Angel arrived in the dungeon after I had called. However, they remained invisible at the beginning. “Have you heard of the curse of this castle?” I asked the men. “What curse?” asked Dmitri.

“If you look up at the ceiling and can’t see the sky, then you die,” I said. Dmitri looked up, then back at me. “Well, I’m still alive,” he said, “that was a stupid curse.” Suddenly he got a shocked look on his face, then fell to the floor, dead. Brutus went over and checked him. “He’s dead,” said Brutus, “like the curse said.”

“Another part of that curse says that if you are in the same room as someone who dies, then you will be eaten by a lion,” I continued. “Well, that is plain dumb,” he said, “how is a lion going to get in here.” “Ask the lion,” I said. Brutus turned and there was this huge lion staring at him. “Well, bullets will stop him easily enough,” said Brutus. But his gun would not work, then it got so hot he had to drop it.

Then the lion pounced on him. Sky remained invisible and came over to me. “Pretend you are breaking the shackles,” she said, giggling. So I did, but she did the work. “Hey, he’s breaking those shackles,” said another man, “and that lion sure finished Brutus in a hurry.” “Lion?” said the man, “What are you talking about? Have you been digging into those drugs?”

“No way, not me,” he said, “but there was a huge lion in that room and it killed Brutus. Dmitri died from something else.” “Get down there and stop them from getting away!” said the man. So the other man went down to the dungeon with 2 other men, but by the time they arrived, we were gone. “I don’t know how they got away, we never saw them in the tunnel,” said Percival, “maybe your daughter is a ghost.”

“She was talking to me, you idiot,” he replied, “but something strange is going on around here, and I don’t like it.” Meanwhile, Sky and Angel had taken us back to the hotel. Angel stayed behind and Sky went back to the museum. She left Dawn and Amerie with me also, plus Chloe, Caleigh, Colette and Rochelle. Ginger, Moonbeam, Frisky and Azura, from the cats, also stayed with us.

Caleigh was massaging my back, my face was sore and badly bruised and I just laid there thinking about this case. I wonder if that man really is Kat’s father? It is possible. But what is he doing here? And what kind of plans does he have anyway? There were a lot of drugs in those boxes, and he was a major drug dealer before when I put him in prison.

That was the reason Katherina hated me so much and tried to kill me. Angel had gone to get us some food and just returned with Aasta and Sigrid. “Your favorite,” said Angel, as she handed me my hamburger and fries. I could eat the fries, but the burger was too hard to bite with my face the way it was. “I think it might be better if I go home,” I said quietly, “I’m just being a big problem here and keeping too many of you tied up here guarding me.”

“None of us are complaining Steve,” said Aasta. All of them said the same thing. Meowy meow.= Might have same problem at home too. “Azura is right Steve,” said Angel, “hmm, if you are not eating your burger, I will, and you can have my fries.” “They had enough guns and ammunition to outfit at least 30 men,” I said, “and they might have more guns and ammunition elsewhere in that castle.

They have something big planned.” “Yes, a gang war perhaps?” asked Chloe, “He is involved in drug dealing again, he might want more territory.” Chloe had a good thought. Whatever it is, this might be hard for Kat to deal with…

To Be Continued.

©2025 Steve McLeod.