CHAPTER 31(PART - A)


Professor Calculus took the sample he collected from Tintin's wound cautiously into the lab and kept it covered. He put on a pair of rubber gloves, a mask to filter his breathing, and a suit and immediately got to work. He carefully examined the bacteria under a microscope. It looked like some type of bacteria he had seen while he was in Switzerland for a convention on dangerous diseases. Professor Calculus didn’t waste any time and retrieved his notebook from his desk.
“Ah here it is!” the professor exclaimed finding Professor Topolino’s phone number. He dialed the number and waited patiently letting the phone ring ten times.
“Hello!” an agitated voice answered.
“Professor Topolino?” Calculus replied.
“Professor Calculus, how can I help you? Sorry I was about to eat dinner” Professor Topolino explained.
“I’m sorry Professor Topolino, but I have an urgent matter I really must discuss with you” Calculus said urgently.
“Anything for a colleague, what is it?” he asked.
“Remember that infectious disease you showed six months ago during the last conference?” Professor Calculus asked.
“Why yes, you mean the nerve killing bacteria that can cause paralysis?” Professor Topolino asked specifically.
“Yes, that’s the one, I’m afraid a dear friend of mine has been infected with such an infection” Calculus explained.

“Impossible, that disease was only found in the Congo, and only a couple samples exist here in a well contained lab” Professor Topolino dismissed.
“Well I assure you Professor that, this is that same infection” Calculus nodded.
“So you’re asking for an antidote or rather the super antibiotic?” Topolino asked.
“Indeed Topolino…I need it here as soon as possible” Calculus shook his head.
“The soonest I can get an antidote do you would be in two days” Topolino frowned.

“Unacceptable, I need it by no later than tomorrow morning. Well then I will have to fly there tonight, and pick up the antidote and bring it back here by morning” Professor Calculus said with determination.
“Well if you insist Calculus, I will prepare it for you for tonight” Topolino said in resignation.
“Believe me, I do and will be there tonight!” Calculus said hanging up the phone.

Professor Calculus booked a flight, grabbed his favorite green traveling coat and hat, and was off for the Moulinsart train station. Professor Calculus began to think about Topolino’s words, this was an infection that only a few doctors had access to. Who would have access to a disease that was only found in the Congo? Professor Calculus had a clue but wasn’t sure, his main priority was Tintin’s health. Professor Calculus held on tightly to his umbrella as he made his way to the train station. Calculus was vigilantly walking at a quick pace still remembering Bordurian agents coming after him. Nothing was going to stand in his way, not even Bordurian agents.

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Tintin slipped into an unconscious void. He felt like he was falling and falling. The end never seemed to come, until finally he softly hit the ground but it did not hurt. He sat up and he was under a tree in a forest late in the evening. He could hear dogs barking and a man shouting orders off in the distance. Tintin remembered this dream, it was a continuation of his last dream he instantly realized.
“Where am I?” he thought as the place began to slowly look familiar.
Tintin realized he was a child again and continued wandering deeper into the woods from the copse of trees. The full moon was shining illuminating a familiar path that somehow he seemed to know. Suddenly he heard a sudden rush of movement not far behind him and as soon as he turned around someone bumped right into him.
“Fenton!” a young boy’s voice whispered.
“Brother? How did you escape?!” Tintin whispered back.
“Yes it’s me…no time to lose we must get back to our safe place” his brother told him.

Tintin had no idea exactly what would happen next so he followed his brother wearing a long night shirt and slippers through the woods. His brother seemed to know where they were going. They finally found a small hill where a set of ruins were in the middle of the forest. It looked as if it were the remains of some old tower outpost from days gone by. There were old vines and many trees secluding its presence. The walls of the tower were no higher than eight feet around in some places where it still stood. The grey stone was riddled with cracks and covered with vines and the full moon gave it an eerie glow through the tall trees.

“Where are we now brother?” Tintin asked.
“Help me move these branches and bushes” his brother instructed.
Tintin helped him shuffle things around until an old wooden trap door was found.
“What is this place?” Tintin asked curiously.
“Don’t be silly brother, it’s out safe place remember?” his brother whispered.
“No I don’t remember anything brother” Tintin said sadly.
“You have the key brother?” his brother asked.
Tintin searched his pockets and found an old rusty bronze key. “Is this it?”
“Yes, give it here” his brother said taking it and unlocking the door.
There was a narrow stairway that went down a couple of flights and it was completely dark.

“Brother Benton, I can’t see anything” Tintin whispered.
“Hold on to my shirt, I remember the path in my sleep” he whispered back.
Benton led him through a series of twist and turn until they both saw a luminous blue light up ahead.
“What is that?!” Tintin exclaimed.
“That’s why those horrible men are after us Fenton” his brother said leading him into a circular room where a cubed dark stone with bright glowing blue sigils were illuminating the room.
“Brother what is this glowing stone?” Tintin asked.
“Don’t you already know that brother? Those men didn’t do stuff to you already did they?” Benton gasped.
“I don’t know… I don’t remember any of this” Tintin lamented.
“It doesn’t matter; no one will get us here, not even the man with the evil eye. We’re safe here…this is our safe place brother, don’t forget it!” Benton said in the bright illuminating blue light.
Everything began to go fuzzy in front of Tintin and he could only hear voices.
“Your children will suffer if you don’t give me the stones!” a diabolical voice replied.

“Take the stone, just set our children free!” a man cried out.
“Where’s the others!?” the deep diabolical voice demanded.
“We’ll tell you where they are, but you must set them free first…” a woman pleaded.
Everything began to get fuzzy again and the voices and pictures in his head were all disoriented and he had no clue what was going on. Everything became silent once again.
“Tintin!” a voice whispered.
Tintin slowly began to open his eyes and he could feel a strong hand gripping his left hand.
“Tintin! Thank all that is good!” a familiar voice blasted out.
Haddock stood next to his bed faithfully holding his hand.
“Captain?” Tintin’s voice sounded hoarse.
“We thought you were done for landlubber” Haddock whispered drying his eyes.
“What happened to me Captain?” Tintin asked confused.
“Lucky for you the Professor traveled to Switzerland and back for a super antibiotic that Professor Topolino had been developing” Haddock explained.
“Super antibiotic? Switzerland? Professor Topolino?” Tintin thought for a moment then realized the dog’s bite must have been poisonous.
“Yes” he said thoughtfully.
“Snowy? Cocoa?” Tintin asked with concern.

Haddock put his hand up, “No need to worry lad, it seems like Snowy and Cocoa made a full recovery. Nestor has already taken both of them home.”
Tintin sighed in relief, “I’m so glad…oh Captain it was horrible…”
“Tintin, I’m glad to see you’re doing well” another familiar voice said.
“Mrs. Finch!” Tintin smiled.
“I brought you some English toffees, one of your favorite sweets as child” Mrs. Finch said putting a nicely decorated bag tied with different colored ribbons.
“Oh Mrs. Finch you shouldn’t have” Tintin finally found the strength to sit up.
“Oh don’t you worry, had you not been there I don’t know what I would have done” Mrs. Finch replied.
“So Captain you know everything?” Tintin asked.
“Don’t worry lad, we discussed it…” Haddock smiled.
“Yes we did, and you should listen to your Captain Haddock here. Us older folk sometimes know what we’re talking about” she winked.
“Hehehehe!” Tintin and Haddock both laughed hard at that comment.
“What time is it? Who sent all of these gifts?” Tintin suddenly realized the sun shone brightly through the windows. He also saw a couple bouquets of flowers and cards.

“The police department and acquaintances and its’ almost noon” Haddock nodded.
“I’ve been out for almost twenty hours?!” Tintin grabbed his head. “What about going to London? What about the Detectives?!” Tintin suddenly started to stress.
“There there lad, Nestor just brought me a telegram an hour ago” he said handing Tintin a telegram. Tintin took the telegram and unfolded it.

‘Dear Captain Haddock or Tintin,
We are in Glasgow at the Sea Breeze Bed and Breakfast. We hope you are safe and wish you the warmest regards. – Thompson & Thomson, and Chang Chong-Chen.’

“Chang is with them?!” Tintin jumped out of his bed in his hospital gown.
“Yes Tintin…your son of Heaven…” Haddock said just a bit disquieted.
“Oh Captain, we’re going there instead!” Tintin exclaimed dancing around the room.
“Now Tintin, don’t get yourself over excited now, you’re still recovering” Mrs. Finch reminded him.

“Mrs. Finch, with such wonderful news that the Detectives are safe and my dear friend Chang is nearby is medicine itself!” Tintin sounded elated.
“Now listen to her Tintin, when the doctor comes to release you we can go home, have lunch and dinner, thank Cuthbert for flying to Switzerland and back so short notice, and then fly out after that” Haddock nodded.

“We got to go as soon as we leave Captain…yea you’re right we do need to thank the Professor” Tintin nodded in agreement.
“Good to see you using some sense lad” Haddock smiled.
“Yes…then we can go!” Tintin said all anxiously.
Haddock buried his face in his hands and looked up pleadingly at Mrs. Finch. Mrs. Finch returned a helpless look at him. “One thing I learned about Tintin over the years is when he decides he’s going to do something, there’s no stopping him.”
“Yea…I know…” Haddock frowned.

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