Eliot Strange and the Prince of the People

29) The Kids are All Right

Before I open the door to a possible enemy, I peek through the keyhole and see a young girl. I never learned her name, but she was one of the leaders of the "Welcome to Mount Airy" gang.

"Hey, 'member me, I'm Brooklyn. Luke sent me to get you."

I step on the porch and look around. "Where is he?"

Brooklyn points to the house across the street, the house of the traitor, Mr. Thomas. It's the house we searched earlier and found empty. It is almost dark now, and I can see a flickering light across the way like someone is home now.

Before I can ask what is going on, Brooklyn says, "We got him back. We got that fake prince back. We got that lying butthole too."

"Was there another man with them?" I ask.

"There was," says Brooklyn. "He's damn good, almost got away, but we got him too. We had to clunk him pretty good, but he'll probably live. Maybe."

Torin and I arrive at Mr. Thomas's house through the front door, enter the shadowy, crowded living room. There are only kids there.

"I thought you went to get your families," Torin says.

"We got no families left," says Jamie.

"We are joining the fight, sir," says used-to-be Loud Leader Boy now known as Luke. "We went to get your friend back, but he didn't want to come. Said he was on a mission, like he's some secret agent spy or something."

"He is," I say, "just like his dad, the older gentleman you met earlier. Believe it or not, foreign secret service agents are right here in Mount Airy. I know, I couldn't believe it myself, but they came to rescue the prince."

"It is really true," says Torin.

Luke looks like the kid who stole some lunch money. "Ok, well, we got him back anyways. We didn't want you to be worried bout him and all, he seemed like your friend."

"Where is he? Where are the other two with him?" I'm worried about my dad because these kids keep on giving off that creepy kid vibe. I think they could capture you, gut you, and eat you before you could say Mary Poppins.

"Well," speaks up Brooklyn looking embarrassed, "They didn't want to come or stay. We trussed them up and went to find y'all. They're outside."

Outside is the interior courtyard of Mr. Thomas's home. The children have started a fire that is blazing and too hot for summer. Around the campfire sit three men trussed up and looking like they are ready for the spit. One of them, Big Mouth himself, has been gagged. I've got to give these kids credit, they at least know how to shut Gus up.

Gus looks at me imploring me to remove his gag and untie him. Mr. Thomas nods his head to acknowledge me, but thankfully for his sake, thinks better of speaking. It is the other man I am most interested in speaking to - my dad with his hands tied behind his back and a wound that looks very similar to my previous head wound. I am betting he got the wind knocked out of him too by a very large former offensive lineman from the renowned championship middle school team. Dried blood paints his face like a Jackson Pollock painting. My dad looks quite deranged in the light of the flickering fire.

"Hello dad," I say. I can't help but be amused at his compromised position, and I am not going to ignore this opportunity. "Even a mosquito can kill you?" I ask wondering which of his rules or sayings applies here.

"A tiny ant can move a mountain of dirt," he replies.

"How about - know your enemy. Trust no one?"

"Those are good rules," dad agrees.

"Avoid crowds? When in doubt, run?"

"I've heard those before. More good rules."

"Always have an exit strategy?"

"And here you are," my dad says, " My exit strategy. How about untying me?" I think he has lost his patience with my teasing. As I cut his bonds my dad says, "Hello, Prince Torin. Good to see you are alive and well."

"Thanks to you, sir." Torin shakes his hand and offers him a bottle of water.

"Can you untie my friends too?" dad asks the kids.

Luke looks at Torin who nods his agreement.

Before Gus is ungagged I ask my dad, "What happened, how'd they get you?"

"Distracted me."

"Really dad, you fell for that? What happened to - always be aware of your surroundings, always be alert?"

"Adorable," he says as if I should understand. "I was distracted by adorable." Dad points to adorable Chloe now holding Torin's good hand and rubbing it on her cheek.

"They got me too. I totally understand." I point to my somewhat camouflaged black eye.

"Chloe's our secret weapon," says Jamie.

"Yes, yes she is," says my dad as he washes the blood from his face with the water Torin gives him. "Where have you two been? We been looking all over for you."

Torin and I exchange quick glances. Before I can say anything back, my favorite know-it-all, who might like teasing me even more than Torin, speaks for me: "I bet I know where they've been."

I don't get the chance to say anything back because Loud Leader Luke says:

"You talk too much dude. Do you want me to put this gag back on you?" Brooklyn holds up the gag she just untied and shows it to Gus.

I love these kids. They have spunk, and they definitely know how to shut up a big mouth.