The Secret Trio

Chapter 13

Howard couldn't believe what he saw. Before him was a ghost that controlled the very fabric of time itself, glowing slightly in the darkness, his tail gently flicking back and forth idly. Every couple of seconds he swapped age between a child, an adult, and an elderly man. His eyes were fixated on the awed ninth grader, patiently waiting for a response. Howard wasn't sure at all how to respond to the situation.

He rose to his feet at a slackened rate, wobbling slightly as he regained his balance. Yet unsure of what to say, a quick decision was made to wing it. His throat cleared. "You're Clockwork?" Kind of a dumb question, but the only thing he could think to say.

"Indeed. Now, come with me. We haven't got much time to lose."

Before Howard could respond, Clockwork waved his staff. He felt the floor fall out from underneath him, and he gasped, and almost screamed, even. The boy was engulfed in some sort of blue sphere with Clockwork, and was about to ask where they were going when he felt a solid surface below his feet once more. As the sphere faded, his vision was filled with the interior of Clockwork's tower. He stood and took it all in for a moment. Clocks and ghosts and all sorts of nooks and crannies in the most unusual tower he had ever been in.

"Howard, over here."

Tucker's voice came from behind him, and he flipped around to see Trixie, Spud, Sam, Tucker, and a short elderly man he did not recognize. All of them looked much like he did: exhausted and yet wide awake with terror, except for the elderly man, who was fairly calm and stoic. Most of them wrapped their arms around themselves; in Tucker's case, he was using both hands to tightly grip onto a Fenton thermos. Howard turned around back to Clockwork. "Where's Danny? Where's Jake? Where's Randy?" he asked, immediately fearing the worst.

"They've been kidnapped too," Clockwork answered for him, "taken in their sleep. Both awoke and tried to fight, but it was no use. Within moments they were rendered unconscious and taken to William the Forgotten's citadel."

"Are they alive still? He didn't-" Trixie was cut off immediately by Clockwork.

"They're alive still," he confirmed, "but they need their friends to come rescue them. That's where you all come in. I've sent directions to Tucker to his citadel as well as a layout of it. It's about a half hour flight in your Specter Speeder, which is parked outside of the tower. I've also put some potions given to Jake in the back of the speeder, which you'll be needing." He crossed his arms. "You must use stealth and infiltrate the castle to free the captives, and then...then will be time to act. Good luck."

Clockwork was about to turn around and have the observants show them out when Sam raised her voice. "Hold on!" She sounded furious. Sam lifted one of her hands to point accusingly at him, while the other fell at her side clenched in a fist. Clockwork turned around to her.

"Yes?"

"You knew about this all along and you didn't tell any of us! Why? Now Danny and the others are gone and you didn't tell us!" Sam was absolutely livid. Jake's grandfather gave her an affronted stare.

"Do not argue with the Master of Time!" he scolded, "He-"

"Lao Shi, she has every right to be angry." Clockwork interrupted, "Samantha, you know why I can't dispense every detail. I promise you if this ended with any deaths I would've done something."

"We know," Trixie agreed, "but...Jake...the boys..."

"Sam, come on," Tucker tugged on Sam's arm, "we're wasting time here. We need to move now. I'm worried, too, but-"

"We can't wait any longer." Spud finished. Howard gave a sad look to Clockwork.

"I don't have any sort of way of fighting. What do I do? I have to help Randy."