The Mysterious Missing Mr. Pinkerton (Story for Challenge #3)

[Lord Reliant]

“Thank you, Chairman Pinkerton!” Hildegard Haas’ high-pitched voice shouted out with glee. Chairman Pinkerton walked onto the stage where Hildegard was performing her latest magic act at the Renowned Explorer: International Society Annual Talent Show. “Please assist Chairman Pinkerton into our Magic Disappearing Box, Assistant Shanty.”

Earl Shanty, the thirty-five year old American “scientist” awkwardly escorted Pinkerton onto the platform and into a large, human-sized box in the center of the stage. While this was only Hildegard’s second annual gathering with the Society, she loved to perform, despite being the youngest one there at fourteen years old.

“Are you ready to disappear?” Hildegard asked with a smile and wink.

“Yes, though I quite hope it will not hurt,” smiled back Pinkerton. The crowd laughed.

“Very well. Assistant Shanty, prepare The Box!” said Hildegard, clapping her hands together. Everyone looked at Earl. Earl was looking off into the distance, mumbling to himself. “Earl. Earl!”

Earl jumped and looked back at Hildegard. “The Box...” she whispered to Earl out of the side of her mouth while nodding toward the large contraption. Hildegard hoped her smiling would off-set Earl’s flaky behavior. He was the only one to volunteer as her assistant and she was beginning to wonder if it was a good choice or not. Still, she liked Earl. He was like a crazy-haired, absent-minded, explosive-oriented uncle she never had.

“Oh! Right,” said Earl apologetically. Earl lifted a curtain down from the top of the box and draped it over the entrance, covering Pinkerton inside.

Hildegard pulled a magic wand out from her magician’s cape. “Verschwinden!” said Hildegard dramatically, enjoying getting to use her native German language in a performance.

Earl, remembering his cue this time, threw down a small smoke bomb. With a small explosion and smoke that took far too long to clear, everyone was ready to see if the trick worked while coughing out the smell of sulfur and Earl’s burnt hair.

Hildegard bowed, looked at the crowd, and then lifted up the curtain of the box with a flourish. Chairman Pinkerton was gone. Everyone clapped in approval, including Earl who forgot he was part of the act.

“Does this make me the new Chairman?” shouted Rivaleux from the audience. While many took it as a joke, Hildegard half-wondered if he was actually being serious.

“Nonsense, silly,” replied Hildegard sweetly. “Let’s bring back our gracious Mr. Pinkerton.” Hildegard didn’t bother to ask Earl for his help this time and pulled the curtain down again. “Wieder auftauchen!”

Hildegard tapped on the box three times, then pulled up the curtain only to reveal an empty box. She wasn’t prepared for this and stared at Earl, who was also looking at the empty box.

“Ahem, I forgot. It’s four taps of my magic wand!” Hildegard explained while recovering. She lowered the curtain, tapped four times while saying the magic word, and raised up the curtain. Empty, again.

Hildegard lost her composure. Her large blue eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembled. She dropped her magic wand and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Earl looked like he was in a daze, so pretty much like normal.

“Ummm...can you bring back Mr. Pinkerton now?” asked Emilia Karwowska innocently from the audience.

Hildegard shook her head mournfully looking at the ground, her little shoulders heaving while she sobbed. What had happened?
--------------------------------

Hildegard was headed back home to Austria. After searching for the Chairman for days, he was nowhere to be found, and Hildegard felt like a failure. What was supposed to be a fun magic trick turned her into an outcast. Earl was escorting the young woman to the train station, along with Ivan Dashkov, the silent Russian fighter. Ivan’s huge frame and Earl’s large hair emphasized Hildegard’s tiny physique as they walked along to the station in silence.

“Uh, Hildegard? Can we stop in this room at the station? I, uh, need to, uh, pick up your ticket,” Earl sputtered as they approached the station.

“Yes,” replied Hildegard. The three explorers entered into a tiny room and walked in, only to see Chairman Pinkerton standing there smiling.

“Mr. Pinkerton?” said Hildegard, staring at him in shock.

“Come here, my dear” said Pinkerton, opening his arms and embracing Hildegard in a hug.

“I’m so terribly sorry for tricking you like that. You see, I needed to disappear for a while and it was imperative I could have your help. A group called the Anti-Explorers are trying to infiltrate our ranks. Your assistance will be most appreciated. Go forth and explore with my blessing. I’ll reappear soon and forgive this ‘accident’ to the others in our Society. You’ll work with my elite operatives, Ivan and Earl.”

Ivan simply nodded. Earl smiled, not looking quite as crazy as normal.

“Your performance was marvelous, Hildegard. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about my role, but it would reveal my secret identity.” Hildegard stared at Earl in amazement. Earl had just said the most words in a single sentence she’s ever heard from him. And he did it without his voice cracking and maintained eye contact. He was truly a brilliant guy!

“I act like I’m crazy because, well, I am. But Chairman Pinkerton recruited me years ago and has been having me act like this in the event I’d be needed. No one would expect me to be a super spy!” exclaimed Earl. Just then he knocked over a glass sitting on a small shelf in the room. “Oops.” Hildegard laughed with the others.

“I’m so glad to have you back, Mr. Pinkerton! I’ll do my best,” said Hildegard. The three explorers began planning their new adventure.

THE END

[AbbeyAdriaan]

Ooh, that got mysterious!

He was like a crazy-haired, absent-minded, explosive-oriented uncle she never had.

My favorite part. :P Also, I'm always happy when Rivaleux is part of the story. :D

[Lord Reliant]

Thanks, Adriaan! Earl and Rivaleux are so easy to write.

My original idea for the story was to make Hildegard the super spy (who would suspect a 14 year-old?), but it was more fun having Earl be the spy. It's like that movie, Johnny English, where the guy who plays Mr. Bean is supposedly a James Bond-like character but is really clumsy yet surprisingly effective.