Adam and the Arkonauts (4 page)

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CHAPTER 5

Even with their ears covered it was deafening. It rang out across the whole city, over each narrow street and white house, through the main square and onwards and upwards into the hills and the mountains, echoing and intensifying as it bounced off sheer rock faces. It drove Adam and the Doctor and the Mayor off the balcony and back into the Mayor's office, where they cringed under its assault, their fingers jammed in their ears. It rang until Adam and the Doctor were convinced their ears could bear it no more and then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped, its echoes drifting over the harbour and out to sea. All was quiet for a moment apart from the distant hum which seems to linger after a great noise.

‘Wow!' said Adam. ‘That was really loud.'

‘Two weeks ago this started,' said the Mayor sadly, ‘and now, every day it happens. And every day it is getting louder and longer.'

‘It's certainly very annoying,' agreed the Doctor. ‘But things could be worse.'

‘Worse?' said the Mayor. ‘Forgive me, Doctor, but how could things be worse?'

‘Imagine if it was three thirty in the morning. Everyone would be asleep.'

The Mayor's brow furrowed and his dark brown eyes flashed with anger. He poked a stubby finger at the Doctor.

‘Are you joking?' he demanded, his moustache quivering in anger. ‘Have you not heard of the siesta?'

‘Ah, yes,' said the Doctor awkwardly. ‘How could I have forgotten?'

‘What's a siesta?' asked Adam.

The Mayor turned to him in disbelief.

‘The siesta is the most important part of the day in Buenos Sueños. In the morning you work. But in the afternoon it is too hot to work so you return to your home, eat a big lunch and then have a siesta.'

‘Is it like a pudding?'

‘A pudding?' said the Mayor in horror.

‘I thought you said it came after lunch,' explained Adam. ‘I'm a big fan of custard.'

‘Boy, a siesta is a sleep.'

‘A sleep?' Adam repeated.

‘Of course.' The Mayor nodded. ‘Here in Buenos Sueños we pride ourselves on being the best sleepers in the whole world. We have a saying: “Any man can get up, but it takes a clever man to stay in bed.”'

‘Most inspiring,' said the Doctor drily.

‘In his later years,' continued the Mayor proudly, ‘my own father slept almost constantly.'

‘Really?'

‘May the saints forgive me,' the Mayor added sadly, ‘but I am almost glad that he did not live to see these terrible days. The Dreadful Alarm has destroyed the siesta.'

‘But why can't you stop it?' asked the Doctor.

‘We would if we could,' said the Mayor, ‘but you must remember that Buenos Sueños is an isolated city without many modern resources. Still, of course I have done everything I could. I asked the police to investigate but they had almost no success.' The Mayor shook his head. ‘In fact they seemed more concerned with minor offences than with the appalling sound that was plaguing the city. So instead I asked Fidel Guavera, my chief political adviser, to try to discover what was happening. He was convinced he was close to finding the source of this Dreadful Alarm, but then, without warning, the police arrested him.'

‘What for?' said the Doctor.

‘He apparently acted in contravention of Law 478, which bans “brandishing a pole in the street”.'

‘I suppose that could be dangerous.'

‘It was an opinion poll! I have protested, but he is still in jail. So with the police failing and my own best man failing, I have been forced to beg for outside assistance. Without your help, I fear the city will be lost.'

‘Lost?'

‘Lost,' repeated the Mayor. ‘The election is coming and if my opponent, a man whose name I will not speak within these walls, is victorious, then the city will return to the dark ages.'

‘I don't understand,' said the Doctor. ‘Surely the people would not vote for such a candidate. Surely they would not vote against their own interests.'

‘That was true once,' the Mayor replied solemnly. ‘But then the Dreadful Alarm came. The citizens have not had a proper siesta for weeks. In their sleep-deprived state anything could happen . . .' His speech trailed off. He seemed almost on the point of tears.

The Doctor coughed awkwardly.

‘Mr Mayor, if you can produce the letter from my wife, then . . . I give you my word to do what I can to help you.'

‘Thank you,' said the Mayor, suddenly pulling himself together. He rushed round the desk, grabbed the Doctor's hand and pumped it enthusiastically to demonstrate his gratitude.

‘But,' the Doctor added, withdrawing his hand as quickly as he could without seeming rude, ‘I can offer no guarantees.'

‘Of course not, of course not,' said the Mayor. ‘But now that you, a wise and worldly man of science, are here, I feel there is hope for us.'

‘And now,' said the Doctor more sternly, ‘if I might have the message that my wife left with you.'

‘Of course,' said the Mayor. ‘Whatever must you think of me?'

He hurried to a picture behind his desk. He pulled it back to reveal a dull metal safe. Instinctively, the Doctor and Adam leant forward in their chairs.

‘Now what was that combination?' the Mayor muttered, scratching his head.

However, he was distracted by a knock on the door. Señorita Ratti poked her head round.

‘We have found your daughter, Señor Mayor. She is waiting outside.'

At the mention of his daughter, the Mayor's face darkened.

‘Send her in!' he said.

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CHAPTER 6

The door to the Mayor's office swung open and through it came a pretty girl with dark hair and a mischievous look in her eyes. She was about the same age as Adam.

‘This is my daughter, Anna,' said the Mayor.

Anna winked at Adam.

‘She is the only person in the whole of Buenos Sueños who has not been affected by the Dreadful Alarm,' he continued.

‘Why's that?' Adam asked.

‘Because she's deaf,' said the Mayor.

‘Oh,' said Adam. ‘I was going to say hello.'

‘Please do. She can lipread every word you say and speaks with her hands.'

‘Hello!'

Anna winked once more.

‘Unfortunately,' continued the Mayor, ‘my daughter has been up to her tricks again. I have just had to listen to yet another complaint from the Chief of Police about her behaviour. Anna, can you explain to me why it was necessary to put itching powder in his underpants?'

Adam couldn't help himself. He'd lived a sheltered life with the Doctor and he'd never heard of a trick as audacious as that. He burst out laughing.

‘Adam!' the Doctor snapped.

Anna signed an answer to the Mayor.

‘An accident?' shouted the Mayor. ‘You deliberately sneaked into the laundrette and found his underpants.'

Anna signed something else.

‘It was an accident because you meant to put the itching powder into his pyjamas?' cried the Mayor in disbelief.

Anna nodded.

‘You are a very bad girl!'

Anna signed once more, her hands and fingers moving rapidly.

‘Don't try and shift the blame on to me. I may not like the man, but that doesn't justify this sort of behaviour,' interrupted the Mayor. ‘You must not do this again.'

Anna nodded.

The Mayor turned to the Doctor with a sigh.

‘What can you do with these unruly children?'

The Doctor made a sympathetic noise.

‘I do what I can, but still she seems to get into trouble.'

As soon as the Mayor had turned away, Anna's solemn nod of regret became a defiant shake of the head and a bright grin. The moment the Mayor turned back to look at her, the nod of regret returned. The timing was so perfect that Adam couldn't help bursting into laughter again.

‘Adam,' the Doctor warned sternly.

With the Doctor and the Mayor's attention fixed on Adam, Anna took the opportunity to pull an extraordinarily strange face behind their backs. It made Adam laugh even more.

But the Mayor, who knew his daughter well, suspected she could be at the root of Adam's laughter and swung round, to find his daughter not only looking remorseful but also seeming to wipe away the beginnings of a sorrowful tear. The Mayor was not wholly convinced.

‘Perhaps an afternoon in your room will be enough if you promise not to misbehave again. Do you promise?'

Anna nodded solemnly.

‘Good,' said the Mayor. ‘Off you to go to your room to think about what you've done.'

Anna turned to go, but as she did so Adam was sure he caught the very slightest hint of a wink in his direction.

‘I apologise for the delay,' said the Mayor. ‘Now, where were we?'

‘You were about to give me the –' began the Doctor, but yet another knock at the door interrupted him. Señorita Ratti came into the room.

‘You told me to pass on any news relating to Felipe Felipez and the election straight away,' she said, holding out a piece of paper for the Mayor to read.

Mention of the election drove everything else from his mind. The Mayor grabbed the paper, then slumped into his chair with a low groan.

‘I cannot tell you how bad things are now – even my troubles have troubles.' He sighed. ‘The other candidate – Felipez – do you know what he has promised the voters now?'

The Doctor and Adam shook their heads.

‘Ear mufflers! For every citizen in Buenos Sueños. To block out the sound of the Dreadful Alarm!'

‘Is that such a terrible idea?' asked Adam.

The Mayor stared hard at him. ‘It is his idea. The people will praise Felipe Felipez.'

‘That doesn't mean you can't be the one to make it happen. Surely the job of a mayor is to do the best thing for the people of his city. That should be all that matters to him,' Adam said passionately.

‘This is why I don't do school visits,' grumbled the Mayor to himself. ‘Children are such idealists.'

But it was obvious that Adam's words had affected Mayor Puig, for a few moments later he reluctantly pressed the intercom on his grand desk.

‘Señorita Ratti,' he said to his secretary. ‘Get me Los Mufflers de Ears.'

‘Putting you through now.' Señorita Ratti spoke through the intercom.

‘Hola?' came a voice after a few seconds.

‘Ciao,' said the Mayor. ‘This is Mayor Puig. The city of Buenos Sueños wants to –'

‘This is Jordi Iniesta, head of research and development at Los Mufflers. Please state your business.'

‘If you will let me finish,' said the Mayor. ‘The city will buy your –'

‘Hola? Whoever you are, stop it with these silent phone calls. You have been doing them all day. I warn you, I will report you to the police.'

‘What do you mean silent phone calls?' said the Mayor. ‘I'm talking perfectly –'

‘They can trace your call, you know.'

Suddenly Adam realised what the problem was. He leapt out of chair and ran round to the Mayor's side of the desk.

‘TAKE YOUR MUFFLERS OFF!' he shouted as loudly as he could into the microphone.

‘What is that you're whispering?' said Jordi. ‘Take my – oh, I see. Well, that explains why we haven't been getting any business.'

‘You have all the business you need now,' said the Mayor. ‘The city of Buenos Sueños will buy your entire stock of ear mufflers immediately. Deliver them to every house in the city.'

This time there was silence on the other end of the line. Eventually Jordi spoke.

‘We may have a small problem.'

‘What is it?' asked the Mayor.

‘Our entire stock is two pairs of ear mufflers.'

‘What?' he roared.

‘You see,' said Jordi, ‘only one week ago a man called Elipe Elipez came to our factory and bought the entire stock.'

The Mayor took his finger off the intercom and crashed his fist against the table.

‘Curse Felipe Felipez,' he shouted. ‘You see what kind of devious man we are dealing with?' The Mayor looked up at the Doctor. ‘Now can you tell me what I am to do?'

The Doctor's usually well-controlled temper was beginning to shorten.

‘Give me the message from my wife that you have been promising me ever since Adam and myself arrived.'

The Mayor slapped himself on the forehead, clearly harder than he had intended.

‘Ouch,' he said.

He went to his safe and twiddled the knob left and then right, before the door swung slowly open. Reaching inside, he pulled out a letter, which he handed to the Doctor. The Doctor looked at the envelope.

‘It is her handwriting,' he said excitedly. ‘I would know it anywhere, even after all this time.'

‘I am sorry that it has taken so long –' began the Mayor, but he was interrupted by a buzzer on his intercom.

‘Chief of Police Grivas is here to see you.'

‘Send him in!'

‘Come on, Adam,' said the Doctor. ‘We will –'

‘No,' said the Mayor, holding up his hands. ‘If you are to understand Buenos Sueños at all, you must meet the Chief of Police. Just this one last thing. And then I will leave you to your letter.'

The Doctor nodded frostily just as the door opened and the uniformed figure of Chief Grivas marched into the room. He had a huge moustache and was smoking the biggest cigar Adam had ever seen.

‘Chief Grivas,' said the Mayor, ‘may I present Doctor Forest and Adam.'

The Doctor rose and held out his hand. The Chief of Police did not extend his. Instead, he removed his cigar and exhaled a large puff of acrid smoke in the Doctor's face.

‘I do not shake hands with criminals,' he said.

Sitting at Adam's feet, Sniffage growled. Adam had never known the spaniel to growl on meeting a stranger before. Normally he was the friendliest dog in the world.

‘Criminals?' said the Mayor. ‘What are you talking about? These are distinguished guests of Buenos Sueños who arrived only this morning.'

‘You can call them all the fancy names you like,' said Chief Grivas with a sneer. ‘But within minutes of setting foot in our proud city, a very promising young officer found them guilty of trying to destroy the transport system of Buenos Sueños and vandalising the streets.'

The Chief of Police blew more black smoke into the Doctor's face.

The Doctor stared impassively back.

‘Is this true?' asked the Mayor.

‘All we did was ask for help,' said Adam.

‘I see.' The Mayor sighed as he turned back to Chief Grivas. ‘Some more of your ludicrous laws.'

‘They are not my laws,' answered Grivas. ‘They are the laws of the city.'

The Mayor shook his head with frustration.

‘The sooner these laws are changed the better.'

‘That is a matter for you.' Chief Grivas shrugged.

‘How can I change them if I do not have access to the Buenos Sueños Crime and Punishment Code?'

‘I don't understand,' said the Doctor. ‘You are the Mayor but you don't know what the laws are in your own city?'

‘There is only one copy of the Crime and Punishment Code of Buenos Sueños,' the Mayor explained. ‘And it is in the possession of Chief of Police Grivas.'

‘But can't he make a copy?'

‘Apparently the law states that it can't be copied,' said the Mayor.

Chief Grivas nodded.

‘Can't he let you see it, then?'

‘Of course,' said Grivas. ‘The Mayor is the Mayor – he is welcome to see the Crime and Punishment Code at any time.'

The Mayor's face began to go red.

‘I have been asking to see the Crime and Punishment Code for four years.'

The Chief of Police nodded.

‘And I am hoping that any day now it will become available,' answered Grivas, taking a puff on his giant cigar. ‘In order to be a successful policeman it is necessary to learn the code by heart. And because of the number of laws we have in Buenos Sueños this takes some time, particularly as there is only one copy. My nephew, Trainee Constable Grivas, has been studying for a year now.'

‘I think he must be the officer who fined us,' Adam mused.

‘No, it is not the same man,' said Chief Grivas. ‘I am referring to Trainee Constable Paolo Grivas not Constable Jordi Grivas, who apprehended you.'

‘The entire police force of Buenos Sueños appears to be related to you, Chief Grivas,' remarked the Mayor pointedly.

‘A coincidence,' said Grivas.

‘It is also a coincidence, I suppose,' said the Mayor, ‘that the Grivas family are the only ones who have not committed a crime in the last four years.'

‘You criticise my family for abiding by the law!' shouted the Chief of Police. ‘Why not save some of your politician's breath to criticise those who break it? Without the Buenos Sueños Police Force this city would be a criminal's paradise.'

‘I didn't notice any crime,' said Adam, who was beginning to seriously dislike Chief Grivas.

‘Of course you didn't,' answered Grivas, taking a puff on his giant cigar and breathing out more choking black smoke. ‘Three years ago I introduced a policy of zero tolerance. The tiniest infringement would be clamped down upon. Thanks to that my force has these people under control. But let me tell you, underneath they are animals.'

‘You're an animal too,' remarked the Doctor mildly.

Grivas choked in indignation. He marched up to the Doctor and poked a stubby finger into his chest.

‘What did you call me?'

‘I called you an animal,' answered the Doctor. ‘Because that is what you are. Kingdom:
Animalia
. Class:
Mammalia
. Order: Primates.'

The Chief of Police spluttered with rage.

‘Are you calling me a monkey?'

‘Stop this!' the Mayor intervened. ‘I wanted to ask you about progress in the search for the source of the Dreadful Alarm.'