T he Queen of Hearts was contemplating the Pillar’s offer when the call came in. Checking her personal phone, she saw it was Mr. Jay. She had to pretend it was her mum and that she needed privacy. No one even wondered how old the Queen of England’s mum would be, and if she could possibly be still alive.
“Hello?” the Queen said, alone in a side alley with a few of her guards on the corner of the street.
“Are you considering the Pillar’s offer?” Mr. Jay asked in his low and hollow voice.
“I need to think about it, though I wouldn’t want to hand the girl over.”
“The little girl is of no threat. She is an Inkling. Always was. I say she should die with the rest inside.”
“I wouldn’t trust the Pillar.”
“Neither would I, but what can he do? They are squeezed inside the asylum. None of his tricks will work.”
“If you say so,” the Queen said. “But I’d ask the exchange to be between Alice and the little girl.”
“Why?”
“I’ve tempted Jack to kill her if we could bring her outside.” She snickered with mirth.
Mr. Jay sounded as if pleased with the idea, though the sound he made to express that would scare an infant and suck it to its mother’s womb.
“What do you think, Mr. Jay? Let’s ask for Alice and watch the boy she loves kill her in plain sight.”
“What would be the reason for him killing her? The public doesn’t recognize Jack as an authority. Even if they think she is a terrorist, he doesn’t have the right to kill her.”
“I’ll make sure I’ll introduce Jack as one of my guards to the police. He will have a license to kill Alice then. And then I’ll make up another story of him being a traitor.”
“Ah, you’re disposing of Jack as well.”
“Two Inklings with one stone.”
“I thought you wanted to use Jack’s talent on our side?”
“That was before today’s situation. Let’s really get rid of every Inkling today. We owe it to ourselves. They’ve been dragging us back for too long.”
Mr. Jay remained silent for a while. He always did that when thinking things over. The Queen waited. In her mind, she contemplated asking him about the Six Keys. Why they had suddenly given up on the idea. But she assumed the Cheshire’s trip to the future had something to do with it. He’d once been in Jack’s mind, and Mr. Jay wouldn’t let her kill Jack if he still needed him for the location of the Keys. The Six Keys’ location were definitely in the Cheshire’s mind. Which reminded her: she’d not seen the Cheshire for some time. Where could that devious cat be now?
“I think we better get the Pillar out,” Mr. Jay interrupted his own silence.
“Why so?”
“First of all, I want to see him die in public. I’d like to see him on his knees while the police bury him under their bullets.”
“And his fourteen lives?”
“Don’t worry. Interpol was provided with Bandersnatch bullets. I took care of it.”
“Brilliant, but why else would you prefer the Pillar coming out?”
“Because of Alice.”
“I’m not following.”
“Alice is always stronger with the Pillar by her side,” Mr. Jay said. “Killing the Pillar will weaken her, no matter how much she knows about him or how much she thinks she hates him.”
“He’s been a great asset to her, I admit.” The Queen thought it over. “As you wish, Mr. Jay. The Pillar it is.”
“One last thing,” Mr. Jay said. “Give him a chance to make a fool of himself when he gets out. Let him speak and babble. I’d like to have a good laugh before he dies. Then, once it’s enough, make something up and shoot him. Just scream and tell the police he has a gun or something. They will take care of it.” He let out a long sigh. “That will be some nasty show broadcasted worldwide. I love it.”