Ridley Pearson - Power Play

Epcot after closing was not the remarkable and enchanting Park it was during its opening hours. It was known to the Keepers as a haven for Overtakers. Crash-test dummies on Segways. Gigabyte, a ginormous snake that was part of Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, slithered in search of unwanted visitors. There were court jesters in France capable of every kind of martial art. There had been a time when Finn had been certain the Magic Kingdom was the Overtakers’ headquarters. But he was no longer so convinced.

“Over here,” came a harsh whisper. Philby. Fifteen feet toward the lake from Finn. Sitting on the walkway with his back against the information booth that housed a pin exchange. “A pair of CTDs passed by here maybe five minutes ago.”

Finn lay down flat and kept very still. The robotic crash-test dummies were nothing to mess with. “How do you want to do this?” he asked Philby.

“It’s too big to just start searching around. It would take us days, not hours, to look everywhere.”

“Then…?”

“You know me: technology.”

“Meaning?”

“The IllumiNations control booth on the roof of Mexico. I know for a fact that setup includes feeds for all of the Park’s Security cameras. We climb to the top of the temple. As DHIs, we should be able to walk through the door. If I get freaked out and lose all clear , then you go through and unlock it for me. We use the Security monitors to find Charlene.”

Fifteen minutes later, Philby was sitting in a chair working switches. The television monitor displayed four camera views at a time.

“Heck of a view,” Finn said. Outside the window, Finn had a clear view of the lake and the surrounding pavilions. He grabbed a pair of binoculars and began sweeping the area.

“True story.” Philby allowed enough time to study the view from each Security camera, then he pushed a button and another four appeared. There were thirty-two camera views available.

Twice Philby spotted CTDs on the move, but no Charlene. Finn confirmed the CTDs through the binoculars. They began working out a system.

With the binoculars held to his eyes, Finn said, “What do you suppose they want with her?”

“A download,” Philby answered. “Let’s say she was put under a spell to spy on us, as we talked about. She asks questions; she looks over our shoulders. Then the Evil Queen and Cruella need a chance to download whatever she’s found out.”

“But she’s not a zombie.”

“Exactly. So who knows what state she was in when she crossed over? The CTDs could be looking for her . The Queen may need a stronger spell to get Charlene to talk. I’m just guessing at all this.”

“It makes sense.”

“Thank you.”

“Movement!” Finn said loudly. “In front of Morocco. A pair of CTDs running…”

Through the binoculars he watched the dummies in full sprint. They were tall, powerful, and surprisingly light on their feet. A trash can rolled toward them. The first vaulted it. The second bent and knocked it out of the way like it was made of cardboard. Each dummy had the strength and speed of three men.

“Someone threw a trash can in their way!” Finn announced.

Philby worked the camera views. “It’s her! It’s Charlene!”

Finn had trouble finding her in the binoculars. He turned and watched on-screen as Charlene ran past Norway. Philby pointed out another camera view. Charlene, wearing a white nightgown, ducked behind Norway, then cut back through the bakery patio to-another camera view-the Norway courtyard. She hid as the CTDs ran past like something out of The Terminator . Then she turned to her left, scrambled up some rock, and disappeared into a dark cave.

“Maelstrom,” Philby said.

Finn had failed to recognize the cave because there was no water coming from the ride’s waterfall. “Smart! That’s a great place to hide!”

“Let’s go!” Philby said.

“I’ll go,” Finn said, volunteering. “You stay and watch for the CTDs.”

“No,” Philby said. “We stick together.”

Finn wasn’t going to waste time arguing.

A few minutes later, the boys were climbing Maelstrom’s dry waterfall toward the ominous black cave entrance. The lip of the cave was moss-covered and slimy. There was water in the trough just beyond, so they kept to the left where a narrow ledge followed the water course. The deeper they penetrated into the ride, the darker it became. The boys used hand signals to communicate. Philby indicated for Finn to keep his eyes open.

Finn had no problem with that: his heart was about to burst in his chest.

As their eyes adjusted to the limited light, the Maelstrom world enveloped them: lush green bushes and trees, rocks, and stones. Strange things happened inside the rides and attractions in the Parks at night. The only rule was that there were no rules. Trust nothing, Finn reminded himself.

On Philby’s signal, both boys stopped and crouched.

They saw a pair of yellow, glowing eyes, tightly set. Trolls ?

Finn pushed past Philby and continued along the ledge. Philby followed him as they pressed deeper into the darkness, the only light coming from the faint glow of their DHIs. Not trolls, he realized, but polar bears.

Two giant white bears, one standing, one down on all fours.

“If those things come alive…” Finn said, his voice shaking.

“We’re hamburger,” Philby said, finishing the thought for him.

“Thanks for that image,” Finn said.

“No charge.”

Morbid humor had a way of sneaking into their conversations at the strangest times.

They moved past the polar bears. There was something large and squarish up ahead to their left. Finn knew where they were.

“The cottage,” he said. “The start of the ride.”

Finn’s eyes had adjusted to where he could now see a life-size Norwegian standing in front of a cottage. Finn hurried over to a rock that was familiar to him from his last visit here as a DHI. He reached down and felt for the three handles he knew to be there.

“There’s an ax missing!” Finn whispered.

Philby stepped forward. Leaning against the rock was an old-fashioned ax and a sword. There should have been two axes.

“It’s her,” Philby said. “That’s why she came in here.”

Finn took up the sword, knowing it well from a previous visit. He handed the remaining ax to Philby.

“What would you have done?” said Charlene’s voice.

They both looked up as she stepped out of the cottage, the ax gripped in her hand.

They hurried over to her. “It is you!” Finn said. They hugged.

“You’re okay!” crowed Philby, also hugging her.

“Not really. Terrified’s more like it.” She addressed Philby. “Why did you send me here without telling me?”

“It wasn’t me,” Philby said. “It wasn’t like that. We can explain-”

“We think,” said Finn.

“But first we’ve got to Return. We’ve got to get you out of here.”

“There are CTDs out there…” she warned.

“We saw,” Finn said.

“We’ll have to be careful,” Philby said. “And if that fails…” He raised his ax.

A whizzing sound sizzled past Finn’s ear. A chopstick lodged in the painted Styrofoam scenery behind them. The next one flew through his shoulder, his pure DHI state preventing it from wounding him.

“Incoming!” he said. He felt his own terror beginning to take hold-his fingers tingling-and understood the mortal danger it presented. “No fear!” he reminded.

“Easier said than done,” Charlene cried out.

Yellow eyes glowed from across the stream. More arrows whizzed past.

“I can feel my hands,” Philby said.

“Me, too!” Charlene said. “And my feet.”