Babes In WENNLand, Part 10

Alan rushed over to Lisa as the carts turned down the road and through the gate to Toyland Town. “Lisa, I had a great ride! Vardan read my palm. He said I'm going to have a real adventure and help save everyone!”

Lisa shook her head. “That stuff isn't real, Alan.”

“But it sure sounds good.” Scott pulled a key out of his pocket. “Glad Barnaby didn't swipe this. I know a back way in.”

Maple nodded. “We're supposed to meet Mr. Eldridge and C.J in the office. They and some of the workers were going to search the Factory for the toys. They have to be around here somewhere!”

Betty took Scott's hand as they headed inside. “I don't like this. It seems awfully quiet around here.”

Lisa noticed it, too. The hallway where they emerged was very silent. There was no sound of gears creaking, no chatter from workers, no clattering toys or swishing paint brushes. It was eerie. She felt like she was in an abandoned city.

“I'm afraid something may have gone wrong,” Gil added.

Scott pulled Betty close to him. “Stay together, everyone. I don't like the feel of this.”

Jack took Jill's hand. “I don't, either. There should at least be a few workers here.”

Alan shrugged. “Maybe they're all out at the Festival.”

Betty shook her head. “They're would at least be one or two people finishing up work.”

They finally made it up to Scott and Mr. Eldridge's office. “Come on.” He nodded at the door. “They should be here by now.”

“I'm scared,” Mackie whimpered. “What if there's monsters in there?”

“Then we'll deal with them.” Scott grinned as he opened the door. “Piece of cake!”

Lisa was the first to follow Scott in, with Alan close behind. She gasped. The first thing she saw were two big, ugly, hairy monsters holding onto their grandfather. He looked more worried about them than scared. Two more held C.J, who was trying his hardest to pull away.

“Children!” Mr. Eldridge glared at them. “Unhand me, you nasty brutes! You're going to make my new suit dirty.”

“Grandpa!” Alan started towards him, but one of the monsters grabbed his arm.

“Leave my brother alone!” Lisa ran over to the monster, but another one took her around the waist and lifted her into the air.

She heard Scott let out a growl as Pruitt Barnaby rose from his chair behind the desk. “Barnaby! I should have known you were behind this. I'll bet you were the one who planted that evidence.”

“Of course, I did.” He laughed and started around the desk. “It's all a part of my plan. I'm going to be the only Christmas gift-giver now.”

Betty gasped. “What? Are you crazy?”

“Not at all, my beautiful Miss Blue.” He got closer to her. “When Santa arrives at the Christmas Festival, he'll be greeted not by faithful Toylanders, but by my own army of trolls. They aren't very fond of toys. Those nasty old Toylanders have banished them to the Forest of No Return for a few too many years. They'll happily take care of Santa and his sack of toys. I'll be free to deliver things things that are far more useful for children, like socks and adding machines.”

“But that's no fun!” Alan yelled, struggling in the troll's arms.

“It's not supposed to be fun, you silly child.” Barnaby glared at him. “Children nowadays are spoiled and frivolous. It's time they learned that being an adult comes all too soon.”

“You'll never get away with this!” Mr. Eldridge snapped. He then went on with a grin. “For one thing, you don't know Santa. You don't understand how Christmas magic works.”

“Don't talk to me about magic, you senile old fool!” Barnaby looked like he was going to strike Mr. Eldridge with his cane, but Scott jumped in front of him.

“I won't let you hurt him like that!” Scott finally hit Barnaby as hard as he could in the chin. He went flying over the desk and into the chair!

The trolls all jumped on Scott at once. It took at least five of them to get his arms behind his back and wrestle him to the floor. They surrounded the others, herding them into a ragged circle in the center of the room. One troll shoved Betty over to Barnaby as he stumbled to the group. “That was a grave mistake, Piper,” Barnaby hissed.

“What are you going to do with us?” Jill asked in horror.

“I'll lock most of you, including the brats, in the factory basement until after the Christmas Festival.” He rubbed Betty's arm with his fingers. “I'll take care of the lovely Miss Blue and meddlesome Mr. Piper myself.”

“No!” Betty tried to pull away. “I won't let you do this!” Scott tried to lunge for Betty, but the trolls pulled him back.

The distraction gave Lisa the chance she needed. She kicked the troll as hard as she could in a sensitive place. He doubled over, letting her go. Alan stamped on the foot of the troll holding him. While he was hopping around, the boy ducked away. When Lisa turned around to find her grandpa, he'd simply disappeared.

Barnaby let out an angry roar. “Find the old man! Get those children!”

Lisa didn't stop to think. She grabbed Alan's hand and ran as fast as she could down the hallway. Two trolls and Gonzolo and Rodrigo were on their trail. Alan looked worried. “What are we gonna do? We can't out-run them!”

“Then we'll trick them.” Lisa turned around and waved her hand. “Come and get me! I'll bet you couldn't catch a cold!”

She took Alan's hand and lead him to the same door to the garbage compactor that Scott used to get rid of Barnaby earlier. She opened the door and let the two trolls, Rodrigo, and Gonzolo rush right in. She pushed Alan against the wall, letting them all trip ring into the slide that lead to the basement and the trash room.

“That gets rid of that trash,” said Alan with a grin.

“But what about Grandpa?” Lisa gulped. “And the others? We have to find a way to get them out!”

Alan pointed downstairs. “Didn't Mr. Barnaby say he was going to lock the others in the basement?”

Lisa nodded. “We'll get them first. We could use more help. Some of them could go recruit more people from the Christmas Festival. They'll need to know about what Pruitt's doing.”

She and Alan took the same elevator, with the same mouse who somehow managed to run up to the buttons to push them, they had the day before. It was only a minute or two before there was a “ding” and the door opened.