Tourist Trap

Chapter 36

As Dr. Octavius had expected, a large crowd was already assembled when they arrived. The group split up into numerous subgroups and Zeke, Max, and Sarah found themselves positioned almost directly in front of the main entryway. 

City Hall was a towering yellow building with numerous peaks and spires. The exterior was covered with hundreds of large mechanical clocks each emitting a loud ticking sound. In the middle of it all was an enormous clock painted in a kaleidoscopic swirl. Zeke estimated it was about the size of a football field. On the hour clattering bells rang, fireworks shot off, and an elderly dwarf emerged on a platform, danced a little jig, then sat down in a tiny wooden chair, instantly falling asleep, catching a catnap until an hour later when he would be woken up to perform the ritual again.  

"That was quite the spectacle, eh Sarah?" Zeke said as he turned to talk to her. "Holy mother of god!" he shouted as he jumped backwards. 

Around the time the fireworks were going off she had transformed into a rat once again. "What?," she hissed raspily. 

"Look, I don't know what you did with Sarah, you filthy rodent, but she'd better be okay or you'll be sorry!" 

"Relax, it's me," she said holding her paws up in the air. 

"What?" Zeke asked incredulously. "You're honestly suggesting you're Sarah?" 

"It's true," Max said. "While you were off traipsing around in the jungle Sarah started turning into a rat at irregular intervals." 

"I swear I'll never understand this place," Zeke said as he continued to stare at her oddly. 

Suddenly a familiar pink blob stormed up to them. "Zeke! Who was that girl you were just talking to?" 

"Huh?" Zeke said as he turned around. "Oh, hi, Percy." 

"The girl! Where is she?" 

"What girl?" Zeke asked innocently. 

"Don't play dumb with me! I saw you a minute ago standing next to a girl that matched the description of Octavius' niece, now where did she go?" 

"There's no girl here," Zeke said. "Just me and some disgusting rat." 

"Ahem," Max cleared his throat loudly. 

"Oh yeah, and some disgusting toad, too." 

Percival stared at him angrily. "Trevor Mastodon is very unhappy with your performance. You've failed badly in your mission. You do remember the penalty we discussed regarding your failure?" 

"How am I supposed to succeed when you're sending me on a wild goose chase? Sarah's not even in the city! I told you that before! But no, you just keep seeing phantom look-alikes everywhere. I mean, you're the one who claims you just saw her standing here a minute ago, you tell me where she is." 

"I know what I saw," Percival fumed. 

"Sure," Zeke said. "Are you suggesting she just changed her appearance instantaneously? That's highly unlikely." 

Percival continued to stare at him menacingly for a few minutes. "All right. You're off the hook for now. But if we find out Sarah has been here, you're dead meat." He stormed off angrily. 

"Jeez, what an asshole," Max said. 

"Thanks for covering for me, Zeke," Sarah grinned at him with her sharp rat teeth. 

"Yeah, well, you know," Zeke blushed. "I couldn't just let them kill you." 

"That's really sweet," she said rubbing his arm.