Adam and the Arkonauts (5 page)

‘There has been no progress,' said Grivas. ‘Perhaps if my officers were not constantly interrupted in their work by the crimes of strangers, there would be more.' And with that, Grivas flicked ash contemptuously on to the carpet and stomped out.

The Mayor thumped his desk in frustration.

‘Our citizens have always had a reputation for being law-abiding. But over recent years, so many laws have been implemented that even the laws have laws. Due to the zero-tolerance policy of Chief Grivas, most of the people in the city have been fined so often they are weighed down with debt, for the fine doubles with each new offence. This is why I based my entire campaign on one policy only: to introduce a new Crime and Punishment Code for Buenos Sueños. If all the people voted for it, then even Grivas would be forced to concede and the citizens of Buenos Sueños would be happy again. But that was before the Dreadful Alarm started. Since then, Felipe Felipez has begun to campaign with his policy of ignoring new laws and promising instead simply to deal with the Dreadful Alarm, and my support has fallen away. Do you see how vital it is that I stop the alarm before the election? Only then will I be able to win and change the laws to save the city.'

‘We have said that we will help,' said the Doctor. ‘But now I must
insist
that you finally permit me to open this letter from my wife.'

The Mayor looked momentarily confused as though he didn't know what the Doctor was talking about, before his eyes lit up with understanding. He raised his hand to slap himself for being so forgetful, but then remembered, too, how much that had hurt last time.

‘Of course, of course. Please, go ahead,' he said, lowering his hand.

The Doctor needed no further encouragement. He deftly opened the envelope and slipped out a single folded sheet of paper. Next to him, Adam craned his neck. The Doctor unfolded the paper and looked at its contents.

‘What is the meaning of this?' he asked.

‘Is something the matter?' said the Mayor.

‘What is it?' said Adam.

The Doctor's face was dark with anger. Adam had never seen him like this before. He held the paper out towards Adam.

It was blank.

Adam couldn't believe it.

Neither could the Doctor. He always maintained that one should keep one's emotions in check and respond to any situation, however difficult, with logic and restraint, but this was too much. Such was the strength of his anger that the Mayor backed away behind his desk.

‘I have sailed halfway round the world for a blank piece of paper.'

‘A message was left for you and I passed it on,' the Mayor protested. ‘What else was I to do?'

‘After ten years!' the Doctor shouted. ‘Ten years of searching.'

For a moment, Adam actually thought that his father would hit the Mayor. But instead the Doctor, with what appeared to be a tremendous effort of self-control, thrust the message into his pocket and turned away.

‘Come on, Adam,' he said, striding to the door. ‘Come on, Sniffage.'

‘I hope this doesn't affect your agreement to help me solve the mystery of the Dreadful Alarm,' the Mayor ventured.

The Doctor spun round to give the Mayor a withering glare.

‘I assure you that any agreement we had is now terminated.'

‘But the people of Buenos Sueños, the election, Felipe Felipez . . .' pleaded the Mayor.

‘Are none of my concern,' said the Doctor.

He turned and led Adam and Sniffage from the room, slamming the door behind him.

.

CHAPTER 7

‘Where have you been?' chattered Simia as Adam emerged from the hatch on to the deck. ‘The Doctor said we were to make an early start this morning and yet you've been a lazy slug-a-bed, not helping at all with the preparations.'

Adam looked at the sun. It still sat low in the east and its weak rays sent out none of the heat they would doubtless do later in the day.

‘It's only just light,' he protested.

‘Only just light,' mocked Simia. ‘That's humans for you all over. Centuries of evolution and what do they do with it? Stay in bed!'

‘Where's my dad?' asked Adam, trying to avoid yet another tirade.

‘The Doctor needs his rest,' said Simia, whose criticism of the entire human race always excluded the Doctor. ‘He had a terrible shock yesterday.'

The monkey indicated the letter, which lay discarded on the table where the Doctor had thrown it on his return to the boat last night. He had locked himself in his cabin and Adam had not heard from him since.

‘I had a shock too,' Adam protested.

‘You're young. You'll get over it!' said Simia. ‘We monkeys have a saying: “An old monkey drops his banana and he is hungry for the rest of the day. A young monkey drops his banana and he eats some berries instead.”'

‘What does that mean?' asked Adam, puzzled.

‘It's a saying,' said Simia severely. ‘Who knows what it means? Now hurry up and help me order the sails. We need to be gone on the morning tide.'

‘Excuuuusssse me!' yowled Malibu from his perch on a nearby barrel. ‘Could you pipe down over there? Some of us are in the middle of our winks.'

‘For your information, cat,' said Simia, ‘there is no need for any further discussion. The boy here is going to help me with the sails.'

‘Tell him to do it quietly,' said Malibu, closing his eyes.

‘I don't know why the Doctor keeps you on board,' Simia muttered.

‘I do what any ship's cat does,' Malibu replied dreamily. ‘I keep down vermin.'

‘The Doctor collects vermin,' the monkey pointed out.

‘Ah well, whatcha gonna do?' said Malibu. And he fell asleep again.

‘Come on, boy,' said Simia.

But the talk of bananas had reminded Adam he hadn't had any breakfast yet. On the wharf there was a stall selling fruit and vegetables. He felt in his pocket. He had five pesos.

‘I'm going to get some breakfast first,' he said to Simia.

‘Another human excuse,' Simia sighed. ‘Survival of the fittest. Survival of the laziest more like.'

And shaking her head in disapproval, the monkey scampered over to the sails. Adam headed down the gangplank on to the wharf, past the fishermen who sat mending nets, towards the stall. Piled high were ripe oranges, mangoes, grapes and pineapples, to name but some of the fruits, and in front of them were glasses filled with their juice, shaded by stirrers with little novelty sombreros. Adam felt hungrier than ever. Above the stall was a sign: Ferdinand and Isabel's Fruit and Vegetable Emporium. It was staffed by a friendly-looking woman aged about fifty, who Adam decided must be Isabel.

‘I'd like an orange, an apple, a banana and a grapefruit, please,' he said.

Isabel shook her head.

‘Do I look like I was born yesterday, chico?' she said.

‘No,' said Adam truthfully. ‘You look like you were born yesterday fifty years ago.'

‘Exactly,' said Isabel. ‘And so, unlike some, I'm old enough to buy fruit.'

‘What do you mean, old enough to buy fruit?'

‘You have to be eighteen to buy fruit in Buenos Sueños,' she explained. ‘So show me some identification or move along. I don't want to attract the attention of the police.'

‘But fruit is healthy,' protested Adam. ‘It's got vitamins and minerals and things,' he added, vaguely remembering a rather tedious lecture the Doctor had given him one day on the benefits of eating fruit on long sea voyages. The only bit Adam had been really interested in was the symptoms of scurvy.

‘Exactly,' said Isabel. ‘Vitamins and minerals keep everyone healthy.'

‘So why is there an age limit on buying them?'

Isabel looked around. Seeing there was no one in earshot she leant forward and whispered confidentially, ‘Because people who eat lots of fruit live longer.'

‘But why is that a problem?'

‘It means that the undertakers don't have as many bodies to bury. Therefore they can't make as much money. Grivas the undertaker calls it “restraint of trade”. And, under the Buenos Sueños Crime and Punishment Code, restraining the trade of a legitimate business is punishable by a large fine.'

Adam noticed a fading painted red spot next to the stall. Obviously in the past Isabel had been in receipt of a fine for restraining the trade of the undertaker by prolonging life by selling fruit and vegetables to an the under-eighteens.

‘What did you say the name of the undertaker was?' asked Adam.

‘Grivas,' Isabel repeated.

‘It's odd how many of the laws in Buenos Sueños seems to benefit the Grivas family,' Adam mused.

‘I know. I was going to vote for the Mayor and his plans for change, until this blasted alarm started. My husband, Ferdinand, hasn't had a siesta in weeks. His temper is terrible.'

‘But that's not the Mayor's fault.'

‘All I know is that Felipe Felipez has promised to end the alarm if he's elected,' said Isabel. ‘And that is good enough for me. Now please be on your way, chico. Just by standing near a fruit stall a young boy can attract the attention of the police.'

Adam looked at the ripe fruit and felt his mouth water. Soon they would be out at sea again and he wouldn't see fresh fruit for days. His forlorn face touched Isabel's heart.

‘Quick!,' she hissed, reaching over to pass him a couple of bananas and a glass of orange juice. ‘Have these to show there's no hard feelings. Now, adios, chico, before the police come.'

‘Thank you!' he said, but Isabel was already serving another customer.

Not wishing to get caught, Adam rushed straight back to the boat. Although still early, the sun's rays now flooded the deck of the
Ark
. Adam sat down by the table, pushing the useless letter that the Mayor had given to the Doctor to one side.

‘Where have you been?' demanded Simia. ‘I could have gone to the Amazon rainforest and back to get fruit in the time it's taken you to buy it.'

But Adam was not going to allow the monkey to spoil his breakfast. He placed the bananas and the juice on the table.

‘Hey, what's with all the noise?' Malibu yowled. ‘What is it with you primates and your nonstop yakking?'

‘Don't you compare me to him,' said Simia. ‘We're totally different.'

‘Different!' said Malibu, fully awake now and not at all happy about it. ‘The only difference between the two of you, girlfriend, is that
he's
got a decent haircut.'

Simia was outraged. She was very proud of her fur.

‘I'll tell you what,' the cat went on. ‘I know a place on Sunset that does a mean fur trim. Next time we're on the west coast I'll get the Doc to take you there.'

‘I don't want to hear about your pet barber,' snapped Simia.

‘We ain't talking about no pet barber here, monkey. We're talking high-class animal coiffure.'

‘You're a disgrace, cat,' whooped Simia angrily. ‘You've betrayed your species.'

‘Just the sort of response I'd expect from a lower-class species,' Malibu hissed.

‘Come over here and say that!'

‘You come here, it's just as far.'

Monkey and cat glared at each other. Adam decided it was time to step in.

‘I think we should all calm –'

But it was too late. In the same instant the animals sprang, crashing into one another on top of the table and becoming a rolling, snarling, fighting ball of fur. Adam's juice was sent flying.

‘What on earth is going on up here?'

The Doctor climbed up on deck, looking angry.

At the sound of his voice, Simia and Malibu stopped immediately. They looked at one another and a flash of wordless understanding passed between them. Both knew the Doctor's views on animal-on-animal violence and they risked a long, tedious lecture.

‘Nothing, Doctor,' said Simia.

‘Just playing, Doc,' Malibu added.

‘It sounded like a very loud nothing,' said the Doctor. ‘Especially when we should be preparing to sail today.'

‘Catch you later, cat,' Simia muttered.

‘Not if I see you first, girlfriend,' hissed Malibu.

‘Look!' shouted Adam suddenly.

‘What is it?' asked the Doctor.

Adam pointed to the table. ‘The letter!'

‘The letter,' corrected the Doctor, ‘is simply a piece of paper. I can't believe I didn't throw it away yesterday.'

‘No, it isn't,' said Adam. ‘Come here and see!'

There was an unusual urgency in Adam's tone. The Doctor hurried over and looked where Adam was pointing. Orange juice had spilled across the table and wherever it touched the letter, faint shapes were appearing, some of them beginning to resemble words.

Already Adam could make out two.

‘
Help me.
'