Rumbling and roaring, the cascade of crud washed over Nipper and poured into the black pit. He gurgled and thrashed as the muck streamed around him, but the umbrella tip through his collar pinned him to the clay-tiled floor.
The deep, dark pit swallowed it all. The grimy river slowed to a trickle. Then it was spent.
Samantha walked over to Nipper. Without saying anything, she yanked the umbrella from the floor. She reached out to help him up but stopped herself when she looked at his slime-covered hand, and arm, and body.
“That’s okay, Sam,” Nipper said. His shoes squished as he stood up on his own.
The room had dimmed when Dennis went through the doorway opposite the treasure room. They followed the light and walked along the curved path.
Just before they passed through the doorway, Samantha tapped Nipper on the shoulder.
“These are yours, I believe,” she said, holding out his sunglasses.
Both kids donned their shades at the same time and walked into the new room.
This rectangular chamber was lined with elaborate banners. Long sheets of fabric of different patterns and colors covered every space on every wall from floor to ceiling. Some were in solid colors, and some were striped. Several were covered in Egyptian-looking symbols. Others featured geometric patterns. Most of them were streaked with dust and cobwebs.
Lighting the room with his collar, Dennis shuffled around the chamber, sniffing at the floor.
Samantha and Nipper watched their dog move about. He sniffed his way over to a wide, dark shape on the floor and stopped. He stared at the floor and began to whimper softly.
“What’s up, pug?” Nipper asked.
Dennis stopped whining and looked up at the kids. His nose was flecked with tiny orange dots.
“Dennis,” said Samantha. “What did you find that— Oh my.”
Dennis stood in the center of the wide black mark. Something had been burning there recently, scorching the floor and leaving ashes and strange orange flecks. For several feet in all directions, the floor was covered with bright orange bits. Nervously, Samantha leaned forward and took a closer look at the floor.
There were blown-up pieces of orange shoes everywhere.
“I…was right,” Nipper said softly. “Uncle Paul exploded.”
When he’d said that weeks ago, Samantha had thought it was absurd. She had never even considered that Uncle Paul might really be dead. She was sure she was going to find him. She had never given up.
But there were blown-up flip-flops all around them.
Her brother was right. The silly officers were right.
Uncle Paul was really gone.
Samantha and Nipper stood in the center of the awful spot for a long time, staring at the floor. Neither of them had anything to say. Not even Nipper.
Dennis whined again and looked up at them.
Nipper reached out to pet the pug, but Dennis sniffed his hand several times and shrank back.
“I don’t blame you,” Nipper said.
“Hold on,” said Samantha.
She reached over to the wall and pulled at one of the long banners that hung from high above. She held it out for her brother to use as a towel.
Nipper took the cloth and began to wipe away his coating of grime.
Samantha stood there, watching her brother.
As Nipper dried his hair, she looked over his shoulder and noticed something odd about the fabric behind him on the wall. Unlike the old, faded textile she had just handed him, this one was crisp and clean. It was a long blue flannel sheet printed with cows and horses. The faces on all the cows were printed upside down. The horses had five legs each.
She followed the pattern down to where the fabric touched the floor. In the lower-right corner, she eyed the all-too-familiar letter S curved around the letters F and C.
“Seattle Fabric Center,” Samantha announced as she reached out and grabbed the sheet made of 90-percent-off misprinted flannel. She yanked it from the wall. It slid off the pole that ran along the ceiling and fell to the floor.
Nipper finished wiping his head and turned.
Both kids gazed at the newly revealed wall. It was bare stone from the floor to the ceiling, except for four large tiles that formed a square, about even with their faces. Each tile had a simple picture in its center.
“Waves, flames, moon, sun,” said Samantha, naming the images on the tiles.
“What do you think, Sam?” Nipper asked. “Does that mean anything to you?”
She examined the tiles again.
“Water, fire, night, day,” she said.
They both stared at the wall a while longer. Then Samantha took a step back and turned away.
She let out a big sigh. “I give up,” she said sadly. “And if Uncle Paul’s really gone, I’m not sure I care anymore.”
She hung the umbrella on her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps,” she said, and started heading out of the room.
But an arm popped up, blocking her path. It was Nipper’s.
“Waitaminute, waitaminute, waitaminute!” he yelled.
Samantha stopped and turned around.
Nipper pointed at the picture of the sun.
“Uncle Paul told me not to miss opening day!” he shouted.
“So?” asked Samantha.
“So that’s day,” he said, and started tapping at the tile with his index finger.
There was a hollow click.
Nipper froze with a surprised look on his face. He yanked his hand away.
Slowly, the tile with the picture of the sun flipped open. Behind it was a space in the wall.
“See?” said Nipper triumphantly. “I didn’t miss opening day!”
The space was about the size of a shoe box. Samantha peeked inside and saw a letter wedged at the back. She reached in and plucked it out.
She smiled.
“Wait,” said Nipper. “How do you know that’s meant for you?”
It was a single sheet of paper, folded in thirds and sealed with a scratch-and-sniff sticker shaped like a strawberry.
Samantha rubbed the sticker and sniffed. Immediately she thought of Uncle Paul and his strawberry waffles, and all the mornings they’d spent together waiting for the bus, and all the afternoons they’d spent collecting things, and all the evenings they’d spent sharing stories, solving puzzles, and talking about amazing places around the world.
Then she unfolded the paper and read out loud.
“Dear Samantha,
When I found out about the umbrella, it was the beginning of an adventure…and a whole lot of trouble!
Those ninjas were using it to steal from everyone everywhere, so I knew I had to take it away from them.
I waited until it was the monkey’s turn to carry around the Plans. Then I tricked him into competing against me in a hula hoop contest. I let the monkey win so I could swipe the umbrella while his arms were in the air and he was still twirling. Without the Plans, the RAIN were stuck in France and they got double mad—and triple smelly!
I started returning stuff that the ninjas stole, and I looked forward to a long life as an explorer. I spent my time traveling and trading and brought back some crazy things. But mostly I collected stories for you.
Then something went wrong. Somehow, the RAIN figured out where to find me. And when a bunch of them showed up in Seattle, I knew the best way to protect you was to go missing!
So I put on a pair of rubber boots and wore an inflatable raccoon just to make sure the ninjas would see me. I headed out of town hoping I’d lure them after me and keep our family safe.
I left that check for Buffy to keep all the money out of evil hands. I knew she would go on a great, grand shopping spree and spread the money in so many places it could never be recovered.
I gave the umbrella to you, Samantha, because I knew you’d discover the secret of the Plans. Those ninjas—just like a lot of people—don’t understand that the world has always been full of special secrets and amazing adventures. Maybe you’re the one who was meant to have the Plans all along.
If you’re reading this letter, then something’s gone really, really wrong. But you’ve made it all the way here, so I know you’ve learned to take a closer look at things. Nothing can stop you from going anywhere you want to go.
You’re the bravest and smartest person I’ve ever met, Samantha. I just wish I could be there to find out about your super-secret plans—the ones you’ll come up with to set things right.
You have many places to go…and a lot to do!
—Uncle Paul”