[Stansbury, England, UK]

The C-5 corridor opened, depositing its passengers in a large wood-paneled
room.

Carmen landed haphazardly on the floor. "Oh, I am glad I never used that
thing in my detective years," she remarked, rubbing her hip where she had
fallen.

Zack popped out of a cardboard box. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere in Stansbury, obviously," replied Ivy.

Mortimer surveyed the room they were in. There were bolts of cloth, scissors,
thimbles, sewing machines, buttons, sequins, and knitting needles scattered
about. Lining the wall was a rack of finished pieces of clothing. "I'd say
we're in a clothing shop or costume division of a theatre."

Suddenly, voices could be heard. The foursome sprang to attention.

Zack was the closest to the door. He slowly opened the heavy door a crack,
then peeked. He opened it all the way and slipped down the hall.

Two figures, dressed as the White Rabbit and the Mock Turtle from Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland were talking.

"I can't remember the lines! My mind is a complete blank!" cried the White
Rabbit.

"You're the White Rabbit. All you have to say is the 'I'm late for a very
important date' speech." replied the Mock Turtle.

"I wonder if this ever happened to Edwin Booth," mused the White Rabbit.

"Who?" asked the Mock Turtle.

"Only one of the greatest American actors of all time! He played Shakespeare
roles like Hamlet in the 1800s."

"The only Booth I know about was John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Abraham
Lincoln."

"He was Edwin Booth's brother. Edwin took it kind of hard and stopped acting
for a while."

Zack decided against approaching the two and turned the corner. He found
himself in an auditorium. The sight of the two actors on the stage shocked
him. He ran back to the costume room."

"Zackary? What happened? You look white as a ghost," observed Ivy.

Zack trembled. "Remember what you called Maelstrom and Lee?"

Carmen and Ivy agreed. Mortimer nodded. During the trip, his allies had
informed him about Maelstrom. The quartet went to the auditorium.

Zack's three allies gasped.

On the stage, Tweedledee and Tweedledum were reciting "The Walrus and the
"Carpenter." They were being played by actors who were none other than Lee
and Maelstrom. The two criminals were dressed in identical patched overalls,
floppy shoes, multicolored polka dot ties, and beanies with propellers on top.

"Of all things bizarre and weird, why this?" Ivy mumbled. "How does that
rhyme go?
Tweedledum and Tweedledee agreed to have a battle,
for Tweedledum said that Tweedledee had spoiled his nice new rattle."

"Just then flew a monstrous crow,
black as a tar barrel," added Carmen.

"Which frightened both our heroes so,
they quite forgot their quarrel," finished Mortimer.

"What now?" hissed Zack as the team headed back to the costume room.

"I have an idea," Carmen began. "It's risky, but it may work." She began to
rummage the costume rack. "We need to catch them unawares." She pulled out a
March Hare costume and handed it to Zack. Carmen then passed Mortimer the Mad
Hatter outfit. She then removed the Red Queen outfit for herself.

"What part can I play?" Ivy asked.

Carmen searched the costumes and removed a blue dress, white pinafore, and
white stockings.

Ivy saw the outfit. "No, no way, under no circumstances, put the pinafore
down!"

Too late. Carmen thrust the costume in Ivy's arms. "You'll be our Alice."

"What? I'm too old to play Alice!"

"Nobody's gonna notice a few inches or years," Zack reassured, trying hard
not to snicker.

"But I'm too tall!" protested Ivy.

"It'll be useful in the scenes where Alice grows," reasoned Mortimer.

Ivy thought a moment. Then a new excuse came to her."She's a blonde and I'm a
redhead."

Carmen reached in a box and pulled out a long, blond wig, which she tossed to
the dismayed detective.

Ivy groaned. "I bet Lewis Carroll; or rather, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, is
flopping over in his grave right now."

"You know, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass used to be two
of my favorite books," commented Mortimer. "There's nothing like a good
imagination."

"I prefer The Wizard of Oz, but I see your point," Carmen answered.

"As interesting this conversation is getting, I think we should just get the
inevitable over with!" griped Ivy. She then said under her breath, "We are
doomed."

She was right.

To be continued...