Lily Wong Ch. 11

Chapter 11

The Alarm

"What are your orders, my new master?" said an old man's voice that seemed to come out of nowhere from the ceiling.

Lily looked up. "New master? That means me, right?"

"That has to be what it means!" Viv shouted. "You did it, Lily! We won!"

They had won. Lily had won. But after all that trouble, she almost could not believe it. Some part of her was afraid it was all some kind of daydream or illusion.

But as her friends' cheers continued while nothing else happened, Lily became convinced that this was no daydream, she was awake, and victory was hers.

"I won," she muttered. "I really did it. Oh, thank goodness!"

Relief washed over Lily and her legs turned to jelly. Unable to stand, she collapsed down, sat on the floor, and sighed while looking up dazed. But then the blue parrot flew over and landed on top of the crystal ball.

Immediately awake again, Lily sprang back up and growled, "What? Still want some more?"

The parrot, however, shook its head and replied, "No, I've had enough. Congratulations, child. Both victory and the workshop is yours, for now. Until next time, Lady Sapphire."

And then the parrot took off and flew out, going straight through the brick wall where the exit should be and disappeared.

After a while of staring at the wall, Eddie broke silence and said, "So, the bird can go through walls like a ghost. Figures."

"It's getting late," said Oliver. "We should get going too."

"Agreed," said Eris. "But before that, aren't we forgetting something."

The gang looked at one another.

"Oh, right," said George. "We need to get our faces back."

"That is important," said Viv.

Lily looked at them all in disbelief. "Seriously? You guys forgot about your own faces?"

"Can you blame us?" said Oliver. "It was kind of hard to keep track with all the crazy Wonderland stuff going on. Anyway, do you mind, Lily?"

"Sure, no problem," said Lily. "So uh, you heard the man, Workshop. Here's my first order: give back all the faces those books stole."

"Understood. I will have the books return the faces they stole."

For some reason, the workshop replaced its old man's voice with Lily's own. It kind of unnerved the real deal, hearing her own voice spoken back to her in a robotic, unfeeling way.

While one by one, the gang got their faces back from the flying books, Lily took a look around her new workshop. Now that she got a better look of the place, it kind of reminded her of a classroom. Especially, the tables and that chalkboard. It was easy to imagine children in colorful robes sitting on those benches, writing notes on those tables while an old dude with a long, white beard and pointed hat gave a lecture by the chalkboard.

And Lily wasn't the only one to think that way.

"Curious, isn't it?" said Oliver as he joined Lily to watch a pair of books hook the banner back up on the wall over the crystal ball. 

On the banner, stitched in gold, was a shield with the picture of a bird's head on it. Beneath the shield was a ribbon (or maybe parchment), curled at the two ends, with words on it that read - 

"Gloria per sapientiam. That means 'Glory through wisdom' in Latin," Oliver said. "And it's the school's motto. That picture's also part of the school's emblem. Well, more accurately, they're the motto and emblem of the Bluestone family who started and owns the school."

"Wait, isn't our school's director a member of the Bluestone family?" asked Lily.

"Well, his name is Bluestone too, after all," said Oliver. "I would think that was obvious."

Lily scowled, thinking the teen detective was being snarky with her. But she moved on and asked, "Then does that mean Director Bluestone is behind all this? That he's the Schemer?"

Oliver shrugged and said, "That's where the clues seem to point. But the school's a big place and has a lot of people in it. I think we're going to need to dig deeper before we can start pointing fingers at anyone."

"Well, no time like the present, right?" said Lily.

Oliver tapped his chin and went, "Hmm. Tempting, but no. It's almost curfew time, and that's when the guards start their patrols. And I don't have to tell you how much trouble we'll be in if they catch us coming out of the library so late."

"Good point," said Lily. And then she turned and called out, "Hey! You guys all got your faces back?"

"Yep!" answered George. "We're good to go!"

But then Alejandro shouted, "Hold on! What about Hassan and Melody's faces? We haven't gotten those back yet."

"Oh yeah," went George. "Where are they, anyway?"

"Let me ask," Lily said. And then she turned her eyes to the ceiling and called out, "Hey, we still need to give back two faces. Can I have the books that got them?"

"Certainly, Mistress," said the workshop. 

And then two books flew over to her and landed onto her hands. One was a big blue book with a four-digit number printed on the front in big, gold font. The other was a small green journal.

Turning to the library helpers, Lily asked them, "You wanna take these?"

The library helpers exchanged looks, and then Alejandro replied, "I think we're good. You guys can do the honors. There's no telling what'll happen if we touch them."

"Still, I am curious what those books actually are," said Erin.

"Well, one of them looks like a yearbook," Lily said, flipping the books over in her hands. "It's got the school emblem on it and the year that it was probably printed. We already know that the one Melody found is a journal, though I don't see a name on the cover."

"Here, let me take a look," Oliver volunteered. 

"You sure about that?" Lily asked.

"Well, I think it's safe if you hand it to me," Oliver said. "You are it's owner right now. And it's not like I'm trying to steal it."

"But there's a face inside it," Lily pointed out. "And if I remember correctly, it screams."

"Can't be worse than the horror movies I watched," Oliver said.

Lily finally gave in, shrugged, and said, "Suit yourself."

She handed Oliver the book and he quickly flipped it open from the back cover.

"Oh! Found a name," he said. "It looks like this journal belongs to one Mary Ann Duskbell."

At the same time,, Viv and Eddie yelled, "What!?" Their eyeballs popped out in surprise.

"Did you just say Mary Ann Duskbell?" said Viv. "Seriously?"

Taken aback, Oliver leaned away from the Waller twins and replied, "Yes. That's what I saw written on the bottom corner of the very last page. Why? Is she someone you know?"

"Someone we know?" said Eddie. "She's-!"

DOOT! DOOT! DOOT!

Just before Eddie could explain what got him and his sister so frazzled, alarm sounds exploded out of everyone's phones.

Lily reached into her pocket for hers, but Oliver was first to see the message that everyone got.

"Oh no!" he shouted. "We need to get out of here! Now! A teacher's coming. And he's got a banjo!"

The others looked at him funny.

"Who walks around the school at night with a banjo?" Lily asked. And then she turned away, rubbed her eyes and said, "Never mind. I know who."

"Forget about the banjo," said Viv. "If that message is telling the truth and a teacher is coming, then wouldn't it be better to wait down here until he leaves?"

"No, Oliver is right," said Alejandro. "The library's got heavy security because of the super old and super expensive books here. That includes motion sensors. They're off now, but you can bet the teacher will turn them back on after he takes a look around."

"The exit of this workshop leads smack dab in the middle of the library," said Erin. "If we go out after the sensors are turned on -"

"- the place'll get flooded with guards faster than you can say hocus pocus," George finished. "And, of course, we get in trouble."

"Staying the night here is also not an option," said Oliver. "Our I.D. cards keep track of where we've been and when. The school's computers will show if we don't clock in to our dorms before curfew and tell the teachers that we're outside when we're not supposed to be."

"Then what are we waiting for?" shouted Lily. "Let's get out of here!"

She looked up and ordered the workshop to let everyone out. Before she was even done speaking, the brick wall that blocked the way out turned into a pile of white sand that drained into the floor and disappeared.

Everyone quickly ran out of the workshop and made their way to the small room at the end where a magic circle glowed. As soon as everyone was inside the circle, there was a flash of light and the world around them transformed. They found themselves back where they started, in a section of the library full of books about technology. But there was something different about the place from when they left it. 

Last time they were here, the lights were off. But this time, they were on. Not only that, when the library was supposed to be dead quiet, Lily could hear someone humming along while plucking the strings of a banjo.

Eddie gasped, "The teacher!"

Viv clapped her hands over her brother's mouth while the others went, "Shh!" But it was too late, and they were heard.

"Who's there?"

Lily's heart skipped a beat and she thought, I knew it! The man's voice belonged to none other than her uncle Viceroy.

"Who's there?" Uncle Viceroy called out again. "Come out! Show yourself! I warn you! I've got a banjo!"

He sounded a little far away, but Lily could tell he was getting closer and closer thanks to him plucking the banjo each step he made. And then he stopped.

"Come on! I know you're there."

Oliver dared to take a peek and swore.

"He's standing right in the middle of the library," he told the others. "There's no way to sneak past him!"

"What do we do?" Lily hissed. "He's going to catch us!"

The gang all looked at one another, panicked. But then - 

"I'll go," Alejandro said, raising his hand. "While I distract him, you all get out while you can." 

"Are you sure?" asked Oliver. "You're gonna get in trouble."

"Hey, you don't know that for sure," said Alejandro. "I'm sure I can talk my way out of it. Besides, it's the least I can do for what you're doing for my friends."

"We'll stay too," Erin volunteered.

George blinked. "Huh? We?" After Erin threw a dirty look at him, he said, "Yeah! We too!"

Touched, Alejandro said, "You guys, you don't have to - !"

He was cut off by Uncle Viceroy who shouted sternly, "Okay, no jokes, guys. I know there are a bunch of you hiding back there. You're only going to make things worse for yourselves if I have to come get you."

"There's no time to argue," hissed Erin. And then she turned to Lily and the others and told them, "As soon as you see your chance, get out."

Oliver nodded and said, "Got it. We owe you one."

"We owed you first," said Erin. "Let's just call it even."

"Deal."

After trading nods, the library helpers straightened up and walked out of the aisle.

"Okay, we're coming!" Alejandro announced.

He led Erin and George out from the back way, making Uncle Viceroy turn away from the door.

"So?" Uncle Viceroy said, giving the group a stern scowl. "What are you doing here? Lockup was ages ago. I don't have to tell you that means that no one should be here, except for the guy who lost a game of mahjong and now has to take over a certain librarian's pre-curfew patrols for a week."

The library helpers blinked.

With a raised eyebrow, Erin said, "You lost a game of mahjong to librarian and have to do one of their jobs for them?"

Uncle Viceroy's frown turned deeper and pointed out, "You still haven't answered my question."

Behind the teacher's back, Oliver peeked out and seeing a chance, crouched low and tiptoed out the aisle. Lily and the twins followed at his heels. They headed straight for the door. But right in the middle, Eddie stepped on a loose shoelace and tripped, fall flat on his face.

"Ow!"

"Hm?" 

Uncle Viceroy began to turn, but he stopped when Alejandro stammer-shouted, "Y-y-y-you wanted to know what we're doing here, right Mr. Lin?"

"Yes," Uncle Viceroy said crossly. "That's what I asked like a bajillion times already."

Lily and the gang breathed a sigh of relief.

Viv angrily mouthed at her brother, "What are you doing, you idiot?"

Eddie whispered back, "Sorry! Sorry!"

After he got back up, the gang headed to the door.

"The truth is," Alejandro continued, "we came here to get something back. It was really, really important."

"So important you couldn't wait until the library opened in the morning?" asked Uncle Viceroy.

"Uh . . . Yes," said Alejandro. "Super important. So super important it couldn't wait until tomorrow."

Uncle Viceroy crossed his arms and went, "Uh-huh. I see. And what are you looking at, mister?"

George had been staring at Lily and company as they snuck to the door. The gang had to be slow and careful not to make any sound so Uncle Viceroy would not notice. They froze when Uncle Viceroy suddenly snapped at George.

"N-nothing, sir!" George cried back, straight and rigid like a soldier at attention.

"B-by the way, sir," Erin cut in. "What's with the banjo?"

"I just felt like playing one," Uncle Viceroy replied. "Tomorrow, I plan to bring a pipa."

"A pipa?"

"A Chinese lute," said Uncle Viceroy. "But never mind that." 

He gave the library helpers one more lookover and then sighed. 

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes away. "I get the sense you're not lying about how important that something you needed back was, important enough to risk getting in trouble for, so I'll let you off with just a warning."

"Really?" said Alejandro. "Phew!"

He and the other library helpers breathed relieved sighs. However, Uncle Viceroy was not done.

"But don't think that means you can keep sneaking into places when they should be locked up," he said. "Next time I catch you somewhere you're not supposed to be when you're not supposed to be, expect some serious detention time. And let me be clear, my detentions will not be fun for you. Got it?"

"Y-yes sir," said Alejandro. "Crystal clear."

"And that goes double for you guys!" Uncle Viceroy said with a raised voice. "Don't think I didn't notice you trying to sneak out behind my back."

Lily and the others froze. Oliver had his hand on the door handle. And the twins made faces like their stomachs were twisting into pretzels. It'd be funny for Lily to watch if her stomach was not also feeling like that. She was chilled to the bone with dread.

But Uncle Viceroy kept his back turned to them and said, "Go on then. All of you get out. There's only twenty-three minutes before curfew starts, so you better head straight for your dorms."

"Yes, sir," said Alejandro. "Thank you, sir."

He and the other library helpers then briskly walked away, joining Lily and the others at the door. Before leaving the library, they gave Uncle Viceroy a quick look, but he kept his face to the back while plucking a lively tune on his banjo.

Once they were outside, Lily breathed out and said, "That. Was. Close."

"Too close," said Oliver. "It's a good thing Mr. Lin was in a lenient mood. The guy likes to do his own weird thing all the time, but he's normally pretty strict with rule breakers."

"Uncle Viceroy? Strict? I can't imagine," said Lily. And then she remembered something and gave the twins a look. "Oh, by the way. What was up with you two back there? It sounded like you two knew the owner of that face-stealing journal."

Viv and Eddie gave each others glances.

And then Viv said, "Yeah. We think we do. Mary Ann Duskbell, the owner of that journal might be our mom."

**********

As soon as he heard the door behind him, Viceroy Kevin Lin turned around, walked over to the front of the library. Once he was sure the place was securely locked, the history teacher went straight over to the nonfiction section, boldly marching into an aisle full of books about technology. He stopped right in the middle of the aisle, set his banjo aside and crouched down, putting his hand flat down on the carpet.

Blue light erupted beneath him, drawn into the shape of a circle with weird shapes and symbols in neat formation within.

With a frown, Viceroy stared at the light with a shadow cast over his eyes, giving him a menacing look.

<== Chapter 10