Family (Insanity Book 7) (11 page)

Outside the Asylum

The Queen’s gloating had been spoiled with a knock on her window. She rolled it down a fraction of an inch. An Interpol officer bobbed his head and informed her through the tiny opening that they needed her to kindly step outside. Rolling down the window further, the Queen spat on him and humiliated him for a while, but finally gave in, realizing that something unexpected had happened.

Something that seemed like a devious twist in a well-planned script.

“What?” She burped in the face of the officer standing in front of the asylum. “Who wants to talk to us?”

“Carter Pillar.”

“Why? He is a terrorist and will die in a few hours.”

“He is offering a solution out of this situation.”

“Solution?” she roared. “As if we’re not the ones with the upper hand now.”

The officer leaned closer, whispering. “In the public’s eye we can’t deny him that, or we’d be crucified.”

The Queen fidgeted in her place. “What does the Pillar want?”

“He sent us a Mushroomer asking for a phone with a signal and a camera. We sent him one. He is going to appear on national TV in a moment.”

The Queen sighed and crossed her arms, watching the Pillar show up on TV. He sat on Tom Truckle’s desk in the asylum with a paper in his hand. He looked tired, with a few blood stains on his blue suit.

“Do I look good?” the Pillar asked the camera man.

“Good.”

“Does my hat look good?”

“Good.”

“Do you look good, camera man?”

A few Mushroomers laughed. The Queen was getting impatient.

“People of Britain,” the Pillar began. “People of the world.”

“Who does he think he is?” the Queen mumbled. “A king or a queen?”

“My name is Carter Pillar,” he said, facing the camera. “I’m the leader of the most organized terrorist group in the world.”

The Queen grinned with satisfaction.

“I’ve done really bad things.”

Her grin widened.

“But you will not catch me. Not because I will escape justice, but because I’m mad. I flew over the cuckoo’s nest a long time ago and my mind never came back. According to the law, you can’t punish a mad person.”

The Queen scratched her temples, wondering what the Pillar was up to.

“However, this isn’t the purpose of my speech,” the Pillar said. “I’m offering to turn myself in. I mean, if the police shot me, it would be unfair, because I have answers to all of your questions. The reason for our atrocious and inhumane attacks in the past years that you, the public, will want to hear.”

“This doesn’t look good,” the Queen commented. “What are you up to, Pillar?”

“But I will only turn myself in in exchange for a little girl who is also a terrorist,” the Pillar said. “I will hand her information to your messengers. Hand her over and I will be yours. This is the Pillar, the most wanted saxophonist — I mean terrorist — in the world. Over and out, happy days, chocolate and madness to y’all.”

Chapter 43

The Queen of Hearts was contemplating the Pillar’s offer when the call came in. Checking her personal phone, she saw it was Mr. Jay. She had to pretend it was her mum and that she needed privacy. No one even wondered how old the Queen of England’s mum would be, and if she could possibly be still alive.

“Hello?” the Queen said, alone in a side alley with a few of her guards on the corner of the street.

“Are you considering the Pillar’s offer?” Mr. Jay asked in his low and hollow voice.

“I need to think about it, though I wouldn’t want to hand the girl over.”

“The little girl is of no threat. She is an Inkling. Always was. I say she should die with the rest inside.”

“I wouldn’t trust the Pillar.”

“Neither would I, but what can he do? They are squeezed inside the asylum. None of his tricks will work.”

“If you say so,” the Queen said. “But I’d ask the exchange to be between Alice and the little girl.”

“Why?”

“I’ve tempted Jack to kill her if we could bring her outside.” She snickered with mirth.

Mr. Jay sounded as if pleased with the idea, though the sound he made to express that would scare an infant and suck it to its mother’s womb.

“What do you think, Mr. Jay? Let’s ask for Alice and watch the boy he loves kill her in plain sight.”

“What would be the reason for him killing her? The public doesn’t recognize Jack as an authority. Even if they think she is a terrorist, he doesn’t have the right to kill her.”

“I’ll make sure I’ll introduce Jack as one of my guards to the police. He will have a license to kill Alice then. And then I’ll make up another story of him being a traitor.”

“Ah, you’re disposing of Jack as well.”

“Two Inklings with one stone.”

“I thought you wanted to use Jack’s talent on our side?”

“That was before today’s situation. Let’s really get rid of every Inkling today. We owe it to ourselves. They’ve been dragging us back for too long.”

Mr. Jay remained silent for a while. He always did that when thinking things over. The Queen waited. In her mind, she contemplated asking him about the Six Keys. Why they had suddenly given up on the idea. But she assumed the Cheshire’s trip to the future had something to do with it. He’d once been in Jack’s mind, and Mr. Jay wouldn’t let her kill Jack if he still needed him for the location of the Keys. The Six Keys’ location were definitely in the Cheshire’s mind. Which reminded her: she’d not seen the Cheshire for some time? Where could that devious cat be now?

“I think we better get the Pillar out,” Mr. Jay interrupted his own silence.

“Why so?”

“First of all, I want to see him die in public. I’d like to see him on his knees while the police bury him under their bullets.”

“And his fourteen lives?”

“Don’t worry. Interpol was provided with Bandersnatch bullets. I took care of it.”

“Brilliant, but why else would you prefer the Pillar coming out?”

“Because of Alice.”

“I’m not following.”

“Alice is always stronger with the Pillar by her side,” Mr. Jay said. “Killing the Pillar will weaken her, no matter how much she knows about him or how much she thinks she hates him.”

“He’s been a great asset to her, I admit.” The Queen thought it over. “As you wish, Mr. Jay. The Pillar it is.”

“One last thing,” Mr. Jay said. “Give him a chance to make a fool of himself when he gets out. Let him speak and babble. I’d like to have a good laugh before he dies. Then, once it’s enough, make something up and shoot him. Just scream and tell the police he has a gun or something. They will take care of it.” He let out a long sigh. “That will be some nasty show broadcasted worldwide. I love it.”

Chapter 44

The Radcliffe Asylum

I watch the Pillar being pushed by the Mushroomers in his new wheelchair. He’d decided against limping his way out to the crowd. The loon still has his pride by his side. Ten Mushroomers volunteer to assist him, though they know they will get caught. I’m done arguing with them. They love him in ways I can’t understand.

“Maybe you’re not destined to kill me, Alice.” He smirks, passing me by.

“Don’t underestimate the Queen outside. They’ll probably shoot you in public to please the masses.”

“It still won’t be you.” He winks and begins rolling himself.

I stop the wheel chair with a grip of steel, bend over and glare at him. “If they don’t kill you, Pillar, don’t think I won’t.”

“That’s if you make it outside without me.”

“Don’t overestimate yourself. I am a big girl. I can save my ass all alone.”

He smiles, as if my words flatter him, as if he is encouraging me. I don’t get it. It drives me mad, so I let him wheel himself ahead and only follow in the Mushroomers footsteps.

“I haven’t killed your family, Alice,” he says on his way out.

I don’t reply. I don’t believe him. If I give into his lies, I’ll end up believing him. Everything points to him killing them. He’d admitted he was Him, the mysterious man I assisted in Wonderland earlier.

Tom Truckle stops him by the main door, though. “I need to know if this girl isn’t another trick of yours. I need to know she can help us.”

I’m anticipating the Pillar’s reply, as I’ve been curious to know about the little girl from the Inklings’ vision for so long. I only didn’t inquire about her to avoid having more conversation with the man who killed my family.

“The girl isn’t a trick,” the Pillar says. “She is tiny, slim, and small. She is a child. She can do it.”

“I’m still uncomfortable with sending a child down there,” the March protests, and I support him by hugging him close.

“She is an unusual child,” the Pillar says. “She can do a lot. She was once an Inkling. Ask yourself why Lewis brought a little girl along on his team. She is special.”

“Why haven’t we heard about her before if she traveled over to our world?” I ask from the back.

“All will be explained in time, Alice,” the Pillar says over his shoulder. “The same way you will fully understand my grand plan.”

“So, we just let her take over and send her through the crawl space?” Tom rubs his chin.

“Yes.” The Pillar wheels himself closer to him. “And since I may never see you again Tom, easy on the pills. Try M&M’s for a while.”

I watch Tom wince and make room for the Pillar to pass. This is the moment when I see the Pillar has covered his legs with a thick blanket. I wonder if he’s stolen something from the asylum and taken it with him. Then, I realize the Mushroomers are all covered in blankets as well. I could understand their reason, since their pajamas are all tattered and holed.

When I attempt to ask the Pillar, the double door to the asylum slides open. The sun is low outside. It’s afternoon. The scene of the police waiting is intimidating.

This really looks like war.

Chapter 45

“I’d say you should step forward a little, Alice,” the Pillar says over his shoulder again. “I’d like you to welcome the little girl. She will be in your care.”

Slowly, I step forward, forcing a steady breath. I can’t imagine I’ll be seeing the girl I’ve always been curious about. I wonder if she can answer many of my questions.

“Once last thing,” the Pillar says. “I want to point out that the faces you’ve seen in Fabiola’s vision when you first knew about the Circus don’t stay the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll let the girl explain it to you, but for now understand that you will not recognize her face when you see her.”

“Now that sounds like another trick of yours.”

“It’s not,” the Pillar says. “Just bear with me. Open your mind and don’t be stubborn. Not with this girl. She is special, like I said.”

“But you say I will not recognize her from the vision.”

“True, and you will understand why later. Just keep an open mind.” He rolls himself closer. I don’t panic like Tom, but I’m totally apathetic for the moment. “It’s been frabjous meeting you, Alice.”

I swallow hard. Say nothing.
It’s been frabjous meeting you, Pillar, I know. But you’re such a dark and terrible man, it’d be a sin if I admitted it.

“I hope you burn for eternity, Pillar.” The words cut like a knife out of my lips, but I manage to make him believe it.

The Pillar nods, sincerely disappointed — or sincerely faking his disappointment. He turns to the Mushroomers. “Get ready to meet the Queen of England boys. Just don’t get close to her nuts.”

The Pillar turns into a silhouette against the low sun outside. I watch him roll himself out into the hands of the Interpol officers. The Mushroomers behind him.

In exchange, a little girl is tapped on the shoulder and instructed to approach me inside. Like the Pillar, she is still a silhouette with the sun in her back. I can tell from her height that she is younger than what I’ve thought of her. Somewhere between seven and ten years old. I still can’t see her face. She is really tiny. If she has skills, she’d fit through the crawlspace of the hole. I see her carrying a box and a suitcase in each hand. They’re too big for her, almost weighing her down.

I stroll up to help her. That’s when her face shines through. That’s when I see her. When I realize she isn’t the girl I saw in Fabiola’s vision — though, I also realize I can’t quite remember the girl from that vision anymore.

But that’s not what’s makes me stop halfway. The surprise is unexpected, but brings such joy to my heart. How can this be?

I kneel down and open my arms for her.

She drops her belongings and runs into mine.

I hug her like I haven’t hugged anyone in a long time.

“I missed you, Alice,” she whispers in my ears. “But I’ve always believed in you.”

“I missed you, too.” I squeeze her in my arms as the doors close. “I missed you so much, Constance.”

Chapter 46

Constance’s House, Oxford, a few months earlier

The Chauffeur had dropped off Professor Carter Pillar — or whatever his real name is — a few blocks away from Constance’s house. At the time, the police were looking for the professor. He’d just been sentenced to a lifetime in an asylum a day before, after the court denied allegations as a serial killer and declared him insane.

The Pillar’s plans were going well. He’d planned his access into the asylum some time ago. It was the only way he could meet Alice and make her trust him. But before he gave himself in, he needed to make sure of something. He needed a little info only one girl could provide. Constance Westmacott.

Constance’s foster mother opened the door and welcomed Professor Pillar, who’d disguised himself as psychological analyst sent by her child’s school.

“Is she inside?” the Pillar asked.

“She is,” the foster mother said. “Like always, locking herself inside her room.”

“Will she let me in?”

“Only if you told her you believed in Alice.”

“As in Alice from Wonderland?” The Pillar acted as if he didn’t know.