Chapter 52 (Part A)



As the plane landed in Glasgow, Professor Calculus felt he needed to find Tintin realizing just how crazy this group seemed. Too many things just didn’t make sense, especially with the cult. The Professor felt at the very least he should be at the ready to support his two closest family members. They were all the family he had left and he couldn’t just sit back at Marlinspike waiting to hear the good or bad news. The Professor didn’t really understand most of what he researched because he was a man grounded in science.

During the whole incident with the mummy and the crystal balls, the Professor thought he had been drugged and was hallucinating. There was absolutely no way a mummy could come to life and just leave, or could a fireball with any kind of mystical powers start zipping around him in the room. Captain Haddock and Tintin both swore that it really happened, but the Professor thought they were joking. Even after all the explanations Tintin and Captain Haddock spent countless hours recounting the events, the Professor just wasn’t totally convinced.

Captain Haddock had become furious with Cuthbert several times throwing up to him how collected he was during their whole adventure to the moon and how he thought that was unbelievable. The Professor only laughed at the Captain for that comment. The Professor knew there was truth to that, everyone’s life was in his hands while in the other situations he knew Tintin and Captain Haddock were quite capable of dealing with whatever obstacle confronted them. The Professor was usually busy pondering his next project or thinking about a new possible invention. His eccentricities infuriated the Captain very much, but luckily Tintin was the equalizer who ninety-nine percent of the time kept the peace through it all.

During the late nights of readings on different cults, demonology, and conjuration, the Professor seemed more than a little disturbed. He had some old inventions that he finally found a use for, so he quickly modified some of the less time consuming ideas and made his way to Glasgow. Only taking a couple changes of clothes and his briefcase, he rushed to join Tintin and Captain Haddock. When he arrived at the airport he spent almost an hour trying to find a cab that knew where the Sea Breeze Bed and Breakfast was located.

He arrived late in the evening and was famished from only eating a paltry snack on the plane. Perhaps he, Tintin, and Captain Haddock would go out for a late dinner. The Professor arrived and paid his cab fare collecting his belongings stepping onto the walkway. The evening air was pleasantly cool as he inhaled the fresh air. He began thinking of anything he could do to improve the gadgets he gave to Tintin and Captain Haddock until a sudden barking brought him back to the concrete world.

“Oh what a pretty dog” Calculus thought as he walked by.
“Shhhh!” a young woman wearing a lavender trench coat did pulling the brown fox hound terrier back into the car. The Professor walked a few steps and took one last look back.

“That dog really looks a lot like Snowy” The Professor thought as he continued. There were a couple of people relaxing in the lounge as the Professor shuffled up to the main desk.

“May I help you sir?” the owner said evenly looking up from a book.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for a Captain Archibald Haddock, and a young man who goes by the name of Tintin” the Professor asked politely.
“Who are you looking for?” the owner looked at the Professor a bit suspiciously.
“A middle-aged man with a well-dressed young man, you haven’t seen such a pair have you?” the Professor patiently repeated.
“Hmm… do you have any identification to prove who you are? A lot of queer things have been happening around here as of late” the owner said a bit seriously.

The Professor set his briefcase down in front of him and put his suitcase on the counter. As he was trying to open his suitcase, it fell off onto the floor scattering its contents all over.

“I’m terribly sorry” the Professor apologized bending down finding his passport handing it to the owner then returning back to putting his other personal articles back in his suitcase.

The owner took the Professor’s passport and began reading over it. While they were distracted, Captain Haddock appeared racing down the stairs running out the door. The owner looked up in time to see him making his exit.

“Excuse me sir!” the owner shouted but was not heard.
“What?! What?!” the Professor stood up just finishing picking up his articles of clothing.
“I believe the man you are looking for just ran out the door” the owner pointed.
“Oh no!” the Professor dropped his suitcase again making a dash for the door as his clothes spilled out again.
Just as the Professor made it out the door he saw the Captain driving off with that young woman and brown fox hound terrier he saw earlier.
“Captain! Captain!” the Professor shouted as he ran until he stumbled over his feet and tripped.
“Oh dear!” the Professor sat up straightening his glasses as he sat up dusting himself off. The owner came outside to offer the Professor his assistance.

“Are you a friend of this man?” the owner asked.
“Yes indeed, I live with them at Marlinspike Hall” the Professor nodded.
“Where do you think they’re going?” The Professor asked as the owner helped Calculus back up to his feet.
“I really couldn’t tell you, they are an odd lot” the owner nodded. “Can I set you up with a room?” he asked very business-like.
“That will be fine…they have to be back sometime. I wonder what he’s doing with that woman?” The Professor asked curiously.
“That woman was attacked last night, I believe she’s a friend of the young man the Captain was with” the owner explained.

“Oh that’s right! Where’s Tintin?” the Professor asked suddenly.
“The young man? I believe he left with a couple of men who dressed and looked alike along with a young Chinese man” the owner replied.
“Oh no! I’m too late!” the Professor cried.
“Now, now, it’s late and you’re not going to find much more at this hour. Let me set you up with a room and perhaps the Captain will return later” the owner reasoned.
The Professor stood staring off in the direction the car went then nodded in agreement, “Fair enough”.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The Professor woke very early the next morning. He quickly jumped out of bed putting his slippers on, and ran out into the hall knocking on Tintin and Captain Haddock’s door.

“Tintin? Captain Haddock?” the Professor said in a low voice but got no response. The Professor knocked a little louder but still no response.
“Tintin! Captain!” The Professor almost shouted. The Professor began to worry that perhaps there was a reason why the Captain left in such a hurry.
The Professor returned back to his room and threw his clothes on. It was almost five in the morning and still no Captain. This could only have one explanation; he has gone to follow Tintin.

“Oh fiddlesticks!” The Professor said gathering his belongings. It was still dark as the Professor was clumsily rushing around trying to formulate a plan on how to catch up with the Captain.

Calculus ran out into the hall only to bump into someone out in the hall.
“Ooff!” The Professor explained getting a slight grunt out of the other man. The Professor’s glasses were knocked off. The hall was not lit, so the Professor looked up while he began feeling around the floor for them. The Professor thought he saw a familiar looking silhouette.

“Captain is that you?” The Professor squint his eyes in the dark trying to make use of the residual dim light coming from the staircase.
The man walked back down the hall and turned a lamp on near the staircase, but Calculus was still on the floor searching for his glasses. The man bent down and picked up the Professor’s glasses and handed them to him.
“Oh thank you Captain, I was about to say where have you—“ the professor stopped once he got a good look at the man.

“Oh I’m sorry, I have mistaken you for somebody else” the Professor apologized.
“No need, you are right, I am a Captain” the man said pulling the Professor back up to his feet.
“Wait a minute, aren’t you?” the Professor asked starting to recognize him.
“Yea, I’m Captain Chester, so let me guess, you don’t know where Haddock is?” Chester assumed.
“Unfortunately I don’t, but I saw him leave yesterday evening with a young woman” The Professor replied.

“So he’s with Lucille” Chester said rubbing his red mustache.
“Oh that’s her name, who is she?” The Professor stroked his goatee.
“That’s the wife of Tintin’s supposed twin brother” Chester replied.
“Wow, Tintin really does have family” The Professor said a bit surprised.
“So I’m going to take another guess that Tintin is not here either” Chester continued.

“That’s what I believe too” The Professor agreed.
“Well I was going to offer them a ride on my ship, but I guess they found their own way as usual” Chester said roughly turning away heading back downstairs.
“Oh wait!” the Professor chased after Chester.
“You need a ride too eh?” Chester said as they were heading out the lobby door.
“It would be most appreciative. I can compensate you well” The Professor said hopefully.

“I can’t promise you we’ll find them…I got deliveries and cargo to pick up. My job has to come first unfortunately” Chester said evenly.
“Where are you going first?” The Professor asked.
“First stop will be in Dublin, then we’re going to New York City” Chester sighed.
“Well perhaps we will find them” The Professor sounded hopeful.
“If you want, I will let you help operate our radio room” Chester replied to let the Professor retain his optimistic attitude.
“That would just be splendid!” Calculus smiled enthusiastically.

Captain Chester glanced at Calculus a bit strangely, but realized he probably didn’t know all that had transpired. Chester felt more than a bit bitter, but knew his friends should not be the target of his rage.
“Perhaps we will…” Chester replied a few moments later as they got in the cab waiting for them. Chester reached into his coat pocket and grasped the handle of his gun and nodded.
“Yea…maybe we will…I’ll be ready this time…” Chester said almost in a low growl.

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