Kingdom Keepers II: Disney at Dawn Read online

  “That confirms it’s Jez,” Amanda said excitedly. “She just repeated ‘Under the Sea.’ We know

  that song doesn’t belong here, and on her iPod it fol ows ‘Kiss the Girl.’ Pretty obvious she wants someone to hear it. Maybe us. Maybe someone to try to fix it, someone to go looking for the problem.”

  “Or maybe,” said Wil a, “the song itself is significant. Ariel. Or Ursula—”

  “I hate Ursula,” Charlene tossed out.

  “Or it has to do with where they’re keeping her,” Amanda continued. “Or it fits into her dreams

  in some way.”

  “We’ve got to take it seriously,” Wil a pleaded, looking at Finn, knowing the decision would

  somehow be his to make.

  Finn felt al eyes fal on him. He stifled a yawn. Every minute was precious. His head was clouded and heavy.

  “Let’s run down everything to do with The Little Mermaid,” Finn said.

  Maybeck groaned. “Isn’t that wasting time? The bat is real. That monkey is real. The dragon was real. Let’s fol ow things we can actual y see.”

  “How do we know that?” Charlene asked from atop her stilts.

  “Ariel’s Grotto,” Wil a said. “Magic Kingdom.”

  “We split up,” Finn said, pul ing out a pencil and writing on the back of the photocopy of the

  diary page. “Maybeck wil try to locate the animals and images sketched in the diary. The rest of

  us wil look for anything to do with ‘Under the Sea’ and The Little Mermaid. ”

  “I don’t know if this counts,” Philby said, “but when you stand in line for Nemo, over at Epcot,

  the ocean is painted above you. You’re literal y under the sea.”

  “I like it,” Finn said. He wrote it down.

  “The same thing’s true at Hol ywood Studios,” Wil a said. “On the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, you stand under the sea while waiting.”

  “Okay…Okay…” Maybeck said, final y going along. “I don’t know if this counts, but there’s this

  poster my little sister loves. Always points it out. It’s by the Mickey’s PhilharMagic line. I’m pretty sure it’s says something like ‘A Must Sea,’ spel ed S-E-A. ”

  “That definitely counts,” Finn said, writing this down as wel . “Anything else anyone can think

  of?”

  One by one, the others either shook their heads or shrugged.

  “It’s a lot. And they’re spread al over the place.”

  “It’s a waste of time,” Maybeck cautioned. “It’s just a song.”

  “You have your assignment,” Finn said. “Philby wil stay and try to figure out the Park’s sound

  system. Get on to VMK if you can and find Wayne.” He explained how to use the Disney vacation

  kiosk in Camp Minnie-Mickey. “Maybe he can help.” He turned to Amanda. “You wil keep watch

  for Jez using the Animal Cam at the Conservation Station. Wil a wil take Ariel’s Grotto and Mickey’s PhilharMagic—both in Magic Kingdom. I’l take Nemo and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Maybeck, you stay and keep after the monkey and bat. Fol ow the clues in the diary,

  working with Charlene. Any problems?”

  To his surprise, no one complained or tried to change the assignments. Maybe he actual y

  was the leader.

  “Al of us have to study this page from the diary. We each have a copy. We need to write down where we’ve seen any of these animals, or images of these animals. This building she drew…this dude wearing a turban. And I’l cal Rob, since his name keeps coming up.”

  He met eyes—tired eyes—with Maybeck, and saw Maybeck’s frustration and impatience.

  “I’m open to suggestions,” Finn offered.

  A silence hung heavily in the air.

  It was broken by the music beginning again. “Under the Sea.” Playing now for the third time in

  a row.

  “Two hours,” Maybeck said. “We meet back here.” “Agreed,” Finn said.

  The kids scattered.

  26

  LIKE THE OTHERS, Wila had put her Animal Kingdom Cast Member costume on over her regular

  clothes. She’d slipped out of the AK costume and had tucked it into a bush outside the gates of

  the Magic Kingdom. Using the ID Wayne had given her, she was admitted through the CAST

  MEMBER ONLY line.

  She stopped at a pay phone and cal ed her mother. This was critical, because shed sneaked

  out in the early hours of the morning before, saying she’d gone to Mass. She did this on her own

  periodical y—something her mother found “dear”—so she knew it wouldn’t raise a suspicion. Her

  mother was no longer a churchgoer, not since her father’s accident, so the only excuse she had to

  make now concerned what she was doing with her morning.

  “I’m at Disney World,” she told her mother, settling for the truth. For al she knew, the pay phone’s cal er ID had already given her away.

  “But you’re not al owed. They’l pul our pass if they catch you.”

  “It’s important.”

  “What could be that important?”

  “I’m doing it for a friend.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Research.”

  “You’re not tangled up with those other kids again, are you?”

  “They’re my friends, Mom.”

  “They got you into a lot of trouble last time.”

  “I’l be home…later. I’l cal if it’s going to be after dark.”

  “It is not going to be after dark, young lady. I want you home by five.”

  “I can’t promise that.”

  “You can, and you wil . I’m stil your mother, and if I say five, then it’s five. And remember: stay away from the Magic Kingdom. If they make us give that money back…”

  “They won’t, Mom. I’l cal . I love you, Mom.” She hung up. Her mother hadn’t been herself since the accident. In some ways the two of them were closer; in other ways they’d kind of traded

  roles: Wil a felt more like the parent. She wondered why certain things happened in life—

  happened to some people but not others. Why had she become a DHI? How very different her life

  would be had she never auditioned for the part. Now she was caught up in something few would

  believe; she didn’t even believe it herself some of the time. Rescuing a girl who could dream the

  future? It sounded so stupid. And yet…

  She kept her head down on the way to Ariel’s Grotto. If she was spotted, she’d be mobbed by

  autograph seekers. If busted by Security, they would throw her out and take action. She hoped the

  little bit of makeup she had on would help disguise her. She promised herself to keep a low profile and get this over with as quickly as possible.

  She charged a princess wig and Disney hat onto her credit card. A khaki-colored basebal

  cap, it was a little large for her head, but it held down the red wig and hid her face wel . She walked briskly and turned off Main Street as soon as possible, cutting in along the Monster’s, Inc.

  Laugh Floor and looping around toward the grotto. Not a single glance in her direction. The disguise was working.

  She stopped at the tentlike structure bearing the name ARIEL’S GROTTO and studied the

  marquee. It held just the two words with an image of Ariel between them. Some fake flags flew.

  If she remembered correctly from the night before, the Ariel parade float was adorned with

  colorful sculptures of Sebastian, Scuttle, Triton, and Ursula. Did Jez’s musical clue have anything to do with the parade?

  After a long wait in line, she stood inside the grotto, where girls lined up to meet Ariel and

  have their pictures taken with her. She was posed inside a giant clam shel .

  “Under the Sea,” Wil a was thinking, searching for a possible connection to Jez’s
>
  disappearance. The song played repeatedly inside the grotto. With it, she felt a tangible connection to the missing Jez.

  Something in here is important to Jez.…

  She made herself believe this, having no idea whether or not it was true.

  She was now third in line, behind mothers with their daughters lined up to get their photos

  taken. Behind Ariel, large colorful starfish clung to the aquamarine wal , and next to her was a smal wooden chest.

  Nothing here seemed of interest save for the chest, the possible contents of which intrigued

  her. What was in the chest? It looked to be nothing more than a prop—something for young girls to lean against while getting their photos taken. But oh, how Wil a wanted a look inside.

  She stepped forward, now second in line.

  A girl and her mother got their picture taken. The Cast Member playing Ariel was beautiful.

  She spoke politely to both the mother and daughter, then glanced ahead to Wil a.

  She motioned Wil a forward.

  “I think we have something in common,” she said softly. She’d seen past the wig and hair,

  recognizing Wil a.

  “Don’t tel ,” Wil a pleaded. “Please?”

  “No way!” Then louder, for others to hear. “Would you like your picture taken?”

  “I forgot my camera.”

  “Wel , then.” Ariel extended her hand for Wil a to shake. “Nice to meet you.” She lowered her

  voice, “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  “I have a favor to ask,” Wil a said.

  “I’m real y just here for handshakes and photographs.”

  “The treasure chest,” Wil a said, pointing to the wooden trunk. “What’s inside?”

  “No idea.” Realizing others were listening, she addressed everyone. “I’ve never opened it.”

  “Could you please?”

  “I’ve never been asked.”

  “If you don’t mind?” Wil a said.

  Ariel clearly didn’t know what to do. She kept her composure, but her eyes wandered as if a

  handler might step forward to help her. In fact, that was exactly what happened.

  “May I help?” a young woman asked.

  “This young lady would like me to open the treasure chest,” Ariel explained.

  “It’s important,” Wil a said in a whisper.

  Though the company had never publicly acknowledged the work the Kingdom Keepers had

  done to save the Magic Kingdom, word had spread through the community. There were few that

  didn’t know the story by now, both inside and outside the network of Park employees. A book had

  been written and published as fiction, but many knew the truth.

  “How important?” Ariel asked.

  Wil a raised the basebal cap, revealing herself. A shock of recognition overcame the girl.

  Wil a hoped this was the right thing to do. She lowered her voice. “Did you hear about Tinker Bel

  last night, during the fireworks?”

  Ariel’s eyes widened, and she nodded.

  “What is going on here?” the handler whispered hotly into Wil a’s ear.

  “What? I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Don’t give me that! First Captain Hook comes through our line nosing around where he doesn’t belong, and now you? And not fifteen minutes apart? What is it with you people?” She leaned in even closer. “Are you inspecting us or something?”

  “Captain Hook?”

  “Don’t give me that.”

  “What did he want?”

  “Captain Hook’s a walkaround. He doesn’t talk, in case you’ve forgotten. How would I know

  what he wanted?”

  “He was just here?”

  “They never used to pul surprise inspections,” the handler complained. “And I don’t like it.”

  Wil a tried to process al that she was being told. The Overtakers? Here before her? Also interested in Ariel? Why?

  “You want your picture taken with me?” Ariel asked. “It would be an honor.” She’d opened the

  treasure chest for Wil a: empty.

  Wil a felt her head spin. She had to beat Captain Hook—or whoever he was—to Mickey’s

  Philhar-Magic.

  “I’m fine!” she shouted over her shoulder, already hurrying away.

  27

  FINN ARRIVED AT HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS bone-tired, wel aware that if he or any of the other Kingdom

  Keepers fel asleep, they might not be seen again. Ever. Worse, Jez’s disappearance pressured

  al involved to find her quickly. He was going to be in trouble if this went on much longer. He didn’t put it past his parents to go looking for him at Blizzard Beach. When they failed to find him there…

  He hurried down Hol ywood Boulevard toward Mickey’s giant sorcerer hat, which towered

  one-hundred-and-twenty feet over the central plaza. He had his his own cap brim pul ed down low

  over his sunglasses as he kept an eye out for any kids recognizing him—he didn’t need that. He

  would take evasive action if necessary. He identified possible escape routes in each direction.

  While checking out a Kodak shop to his left, he spotted a large black crow on the building’s

  roof. The bird was certainly big enough to draw attention to itself, but Finn’s curiosity ran deeper: it seemed to be staring at him. The bird had its head cocked so that its large black eye was trained

  down, not just on the street but on Finn. As Finn moved, so did the bird’s head. As Finn hurried up the street, the bird flew and fol owed, building by building.

  Finn might not have taken any notice or interest in a stupid crow, but he couldn’t ignore Maybeck’s tale about being attacked outside the bat enclosure by a flock of birds. He’d been bitten badly by a parrot once and could remember it as if it were yesterday.

  Now, hurrying to the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, it seemed pretty obvious that the crow was

  fol owing him. This, in turn, made him search the area to see if there were any other animals nearby. He spotted a group of chickadees in a tree outside the Brown Derby—but they didn’t seem particularly threatening. A solo jay stood watch from a roof overlooking an icecream vendor.

  Finn’s distraction with the animals caused his attention to falter.

  He heard the voice too late. “Aren’t you… him?” A boy of ten or eleven. His parents stood a few feet back, his mother’s face bright with expectancy. Finn glanced around. How had the boy

  possibly recognized him? He didn’t want this to get out of hand; sometimes signing a single autograph could start a big line.

  “Do you like the Magic Kingdom?” Finn asked the boy, who then nodded vigorously.

  “The Kingdom Keepers,” the boy said. “You’re Finn. You beat up Maleficent.”

  Finn bit back a smirk. “Not hardly. Those are just stories,” he said, accepting an autograph

  book from the boy. “I’l sign this, but only if you promise not to tel anyone.” He lowered his voice and said conspiratorial y, “I’m here on a mission.”

  The boy’s eye went wide. He shook his head, too awed to speak.

  “Good.” Finn led the boy over to the sidewalk, where he could sign the autograph book with

  his back turned to the street. In the Disney Parks, anyone signing anything attracted attention.

  The boy fol owed. As Finn put pencil to paper, he briefly glanced up and into the reflection in

  the store window. Three brooms, one holding a bucket of water. He spun quickly around, dropping

  the autograph book. The boy bent to retrieve it.

  The brooms stood facing him.

  “Thank you!” the boy said, cherishing his autograph.

  Finn had nearly forgotten about him. “No problem.”

  Then something occurred to him. “You see those brooms over there? They look real familiar,

  but I can’t remember w
hy.…”

  “Fantasia,” the boy said.

  “Fantasia,” Finn said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one.”

  “It’s a pretty weird movie,” the boy said. “The brooms show up in ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,’I

  think. Mickey, the apprentice, can’t control the magic—you know? It gets al out of hand. The brooms are part of that.”

  Uncontrollable magic, Finn thought. Yes, he knew exactly what that was about, just like uncontrol able holograms. The brooms were there for him. He felt certain of it al of a sudden.

  Finn thanked the boy, who ran back to his mother’s side.

  Were the brooms part of Park Security? Were they going to bust him for being in the Park?

  Or were they something more sinister: uncontrollable magic?

  The brooms swept their way across the street and drew closer.

  He walked quickly away. He looked back: the brooms were definitely fol owing.

  Up ahead, he heard music from High School Musical. A huge crowd of onlookers formed a

  half moon around a street show of cheerleaders and basketbal players dancing and singing.

  Finn worked his way into the dense crowd, glad to see the brooms stop at the back. But then

  the three split up. The one with the bucket went around the crowd in one direction; one stayed put; the other swept off in the opposite direction. He was surrounded. If they weren’t Security, then they were something much worse.

  The leader of the High School Musical street show cal ed for volunteers to dance with them. A

  number of kids raised their hands. Finn fol owed one of the kids as the music started. He kept his back to the crowd and headed toward the movable stage.

  The brooms al were trapped with the crowd.

  Finn dodged his way through the cheerleaders and ducked behind the stage. He hurried

  through the plaza beneath the sorcerer’s hat, running hard now. He arrived at The Great Movie Ride.

  The brooms regrouped and moved through the crowd—but they didn’t seem to be in any

  hurry.

  Finn entered the ride. He was directed into one of the cars, joining a family of three on a long

  bench. He lowered his head to keep from being seen. But he looked up to steal a peek toward the