The Figure In Black

The Figure In Black is the second chapter in the Wombles Six.

Back in London Charlie & Gambit were for some reason practicing their wedding. All the wombles & Avengers(that were still in London)were there. Currently they were eating cake. Then a phone rang. Mrs Peel answered it. She was sure the person hadn’t hung up, but there were just silence. She traced the number & discovered that Lady Diana was ringing her.

Suddenly there was a loud noise. Everyone looked around & saw that the cake was destroyed. It would seem that someone had shot it. They were all very confused. Then the phone was shot. Then there was the sound of footsteps walking away. They were all a lot more confused.

Back at Rider Ranch. Cathy woke up with a start. Steed did the same next to her on the bed. “John, I had the weirdest dream” Cathy said. “There was panda in our ranch?” replied Steed. “Yes! How did you know? It walked up to us, the children as well” said Cathy. “Sniffed the children” added Steed. “They started crying” continued Cathy. “The panda ran away” said Steed. “Everything turned to bamboo” added Cathy. “I tried bamboo brandy, spat it out. Your chair broke” continued Steed. “Lucy broke the wall, the house fell down, you tried calling Gambit with bamboo, your umbrella turned into bamboo” added Cathy. “Then I dialled a deadly number!” they finished together.

“By the way John, why is our ranch Rider not Steed?” asked Cathy. “Steed would be too obvious but we may need friends to help us yet” he replied. Cathy nodded and made some coffee. At least she tried to because neither she nor Steed could work the American coffee maker. In the end they had to employ a ranch hand to make coffee. He also groomed the horses. “Here ya go mam! Qoffee!” he said handing a cup to Cathy. “And for you sir!” he said giving a cup to Steed. “Thank you but what is Qoffee?” he asked.

“It’s not what you English drink. It’s from a bean that’s boitter but taste so good! We drink it all the time in New Yoik!” he replied. “Are you from New Yoik?” asked Cathy. “Sure thing mam” replied Frankie. “By the way” asked Steed drinking his Qoffee “What is your surname?”. “Jollygood” replied Frankie. “Jolly good name” said Cathy. “Thank you mam now if don’t need any more qoffee I’ll exercise and groom the hoises” said Frankie. “Sure thing Frankie” replied Steed going all American.

Johnny came in. “Would like some qoffee?” offered Steed. “No thanks bro. I’ve just had some coffee and they wouldn’t’ mix!” replied Johnny. “Just came round to bring you this” he said. Then he went out again to get a huge box from his pickup. Johnny left and Steed opened it. “OH!” said Cathy, Steed, Lucy and Thomas together.

The seven eagles flew out. They landed on top of the ranch. The ranch turned into twigs and leaves and sticks. Thomas and Lucy started crying. Steed called for Johnny but he was nowhere to be seen. “Those scary eagles need a name” said Cathy. “What should we call them?”  “The frighteners!” replied Steed.

Suddenly Steed and Cathy woke up. “I had a weird dream again” they both said at once.

Charlie, Gambit & the people attending the wedding practice were discussing what had happened earlier. “So let’s start with the phone call.” Said Charlie. “Mrs Peel, do you know who it was?” “Someone called Lady Diana.” Replied Mrs Peel. “And then there was the noise.” Continued Charlie. “What did you conclude it was?” “A gunshot.” Answered Mrs Peel. “So you then conclude that someone shot the cake?” asked Charlie. “Yes.” Said Mrs Peel. “Then the same thing happened with the phone, but that time we found a bullet.” Said Charlie. “Then someone walked away-presumably whoever shot the cake & phone.” Said Charlie. “Stop telling us what we know!” said Mrs Peel.

“What did Lady Diana actually say?” asked Gambit. “Nothing.” Replied Mrs Peel. “Why would someone ring you & just say, ‘nothing’?” asked Gambit. “I mean she didn’t say anything at all!” said Mrs Peel.

There was the sound of 2 more gunshots. This time they hit Mrs Peel’s gun & the floor. Then someone was thrown in. “What are you doing here?” asked Mrs Peel. “Who even are you?” “Lady Diana.” Replied Diana. “Oh!” said Emma, Charlie and Gambit. Then Gambit saw a shadow out of the corner of his eye. He put his finger to his lips so the others kept quiet. Emma realised that they should keep on acting normally and sounding confused. So Emma and Charlie took Diana to a table for a drink to recover from her obvious shock.

Gambit edged stealthily towards the corner of Westminster Cathedral. He moved quickly but silently. There was the intruder approaching the next corner. Gambit had to run now. The intruder ran soon after. They ran fast straight to the nearest the tube station. Gambit pursued the figure in black. He entered the station after vaulting the turn style and flashing his ID card to security. It wasn’t needed as everyone knew the King in waiting by face and reputation.

The figure in black leapt into the train and it left before Gambit could reach them. Quickly he called Charlie. “They got away! Tall person in black complete with balaclava. They are in the circle line train heading west. Can you get to Piccadilly quick?”  “Can I? Mike Gambit you know I can!” replied Charlie. She raced off to Piccadilly on her trial bike.

As she arrived the figure in black tried to get out of the tube station by walking calmly whilst removing their balaclava. As they reached the street Charlie swerved around them. They stalled long enough for Charlie to knock them out with her helmet. “Gambit! I’ve got her!” she said on the phone. “Her?” replied Gambit. “Yes her” said Charlie. “I’m on my way” replied Gambit.

On returning to Grand Purdey Manor they dragged in the unconscious attacker in a big old sack. Gambit was keen to see who the attacker was. So was Emma but Diana already knew. Gambit looked in disbelief. “Rhonda?” he thought aloud. “Charlie please check her naval. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to do that” he asked. “OK” said Charlie. There was a shiny immortality device. “Impossible!” said Gambit. “Why? Emma has one” replied Charlie. “But hers has no ruby. We don’t know how to kill her!” put in Emma.

Diana looked grave at them. “You remember who she worked for?” she asked. “Of course, she worked for Mother” replied Emma. “After that” continued Diana. Emma looked horrified. “TODE, she worked for TODE. But they are long gone. Aren’t they?” she asked. “That is what they wanted you to think but no” replied Diana.