"Thank you all." "That's it for tonight." "See you Tuesday." "Mr. Chase, I believe we have a private lesson." "How manyclasseshaveyoutakensofar, Mr.Chase?" "Ten in six weeks, but I could always do with more." "You know I'm only part-time." "You'll have to see another instructor." "Who would you recommend?" "Tim Roberts is a very good instructor." "I heard he has a mean streak." "What about Jenny Morris?" "She's no good for you." "Why not?" "She's too..." "Pretty." "Alice, that really hurt." "l'm sorry, honey." "Where?" "Everywhere." "Should I kiss it better?" "Better?" "The pain is lower down." "No, doni get up. I need medical attention." "Come on." "S o, to nig ht." "7:" "O O." "My mother is so looking forward to it." "Good for your mom. I am, too." "What have you told her about me?" "Just that your leg kicks need work." "That's true." "Spare some change, ma'am?" "No, but I've got these." "No" "Nope_" "Absolutely no." "Where are these from?" "Kokatah i ." "Where's that?" "Is that Hawaii?" "New Zealand ." "Oh, nice." "If Daddy's in New Zealand, maybe I'll go looking for him myself." "Well, he's not in Kokatahi." "Should I bring out the fine china?" "I thought you were excited to meet him." "I am. I only hope it's not the kiss of death again." "What are you talking about?" "Alice, you know it's true." "You no sooner bring a guy home than you come up with a million reasons why he should never come back." "This one's different." "Goodevening." "The roses, please." "Thank you." "Hey, you." "We were just talking about you." "Need more time?" "No, I think we covered it." "Comein." "for me?" "for both of you ." "How lovely_" "This is my mom, Carol." "And Jack." "Jack, wonderful to meet you at last." "Same here." "I'm gonna put these in water." "Hang on." "This one is for you." "Dinner's gonna be 20 minutes, so you two entertain yourselves." "Thank you." "And then we'll redo the floors sometime this fall." "Well, you have a beautiful home." "Thank you." "It feels like we've been here forever, because we have." "It's been the two of us for, what?" "I guess almost 10 years now." "Ten years, March 23rd." "Alice is meticulous with dates." "Yeah." "Well, that one." "That's when..." "Her father disappeared on us." "Yes,ofcourse." "Listen, my show is about to start, and I th ink the two of you can hand le being without me for a little while, so I'm going to say good night." "Thank you for dinner." "It was a treat." "You're very welcome." "All right, sweetheart." "You can just leave everything on the table." "Good night, Mom." "Good night." "I didni mean to do the family baggage thing." "No, it's fine. I want to know all about you." "What's up?" "How would you like to meet my family?" "Are they coming to town?" "No, we'd have to go there." "Okay, when?" "How about tonight?" "Are you crazy?" "lt'll be an adventure." "Some things are more exciting on the spu r of the moment, doni you th ink?" "No" "Not when they involve meeting your parents." "Jack, I wou Id have to get myself together..." "Alice, you're perfect as you are, and we could be back by Monday morning." "But I know nothing about them. I'm..." "Whatiftheydoniapproveofme?" "They'll..." "They' l l approve of you when they see you with this." "It's got a hidden catch." "Wow, it looks really old." "lt's been in my family a very long time." "Are you giving me this?" "Would you like to try it on?" "Jack, a ring means something." "This is too fast." "No, it's way too fast." "Okay. I'm sorry I got the wrong idea." "Maybe after you've seen my home, met my friends..." "No, I cani come with you, Jack." "Not tonight." "Maybe we should just take it easy for a while." "See how we feel in a few days and..." "Alice, I..." "Just give me some time." "G oodbye, Jack." "Was it a diamond ring?" "No." "But it looked incredibly valuable." "So after weighing all the possible cons with the all the unlikely pros," "you just kicked him out?" "l doni need the lecture." "A__ce" "Honey, listen." "Just because Daddy left doesni mean they all will." "The ring!" "He slipped it in my pocket." "There's no way." "Jack." "Jack!" "I'm afraid he's gone." "Who are you?" "A friend of Jack's." "l'm here to help him." "Then why didni you?" "Whoarethoseguys?" "Jack took something that didni belong to him." "We need it back." "What are you talking about?" "The ring, Alice." "Howdoyouknowmyname?" "Where have you taken Jack?" "He's quite safe." "Then bring him back, and let him tell me himself." "I'm afraid he's got to go back with me to face charges." "So, you do have it." "No!" "Where have you taken Jack?" "Wait!" "Hey!" "Stop!" "Hello7" "Hey!" "Wait!" "What is this place?" "Hey_" "Wait!" "Jack?" "Come on." "Oh,my God." "Spare some change, ma'am?" "No, but I've got these." "What's happened to you?" "Hey!" "Sto p!" "Sto p!" "Good." "We have her." "Take them away." "Let me out of th is th ing !" "Temper, temper." "What the hell is this place?" "You shouldni have come after me, little Oyster." "Hey!" "Come back here!" "Must dash." "Running late." "Doni even think about it, buddy." "You're an Oyster." "Just put the knife away." "I doni want nothing to do with you." "You hear?" "I'm a working man. I doni want no trouble." "Suits see us together, we both be dead." "Wait. I need directions, sir." "Go away. I cani help no Oyster." "But I'll pay you." "Look, I have some money." "What's that?" "Twenty bucks." "Bucks?" "I'm looking for a man who was kidnapped and brought here." "If you help me find h im, it's you rs." "An Oyster like you?" "Yeah." "l'm Alice." "The Alice?" "The Alice of legend?" "Look, you're kind of freaking me out." "The guy that I'm looking for, he's probably locked inside that flying beetle thing." "Do you know where it's headed?" "You, come with me." "quick, quick." "Thanks, but no." "No, I'm good." "They see you, Oyster, you dead." "They?" "Who's they?" "first, I go." "Count 10, then follow." "Okay?" "No, what's in there?" "A man who knows." "Knows what?" "Wait!" "Ten for Beauty." "Beauty, Beauty!" "Excitement, Excitement." "Come on, come on." "What do you want?" "Okay,okay,okay." "I'll give you a half-measure of Hope for it." "Hope's yesterday's wonder." "Come on." "How about a little bit of Serenity?" "How much is a little?" "ohcay_" "S witch." "Ihaveanimportantannouncement." "A new tea has just come on the market." "Ever get that guilty feeling?" "Maybe you?" "Abandoned the wife and kids and left them without a crumb to split between them?" "Or maybe you killed someone." "A relative, or a neighbor?" "And it's left that niggling feeling in the pit of you r stomach that's growing, little by little, into a dull, throbbing pain." "Gnawing away at you." "Undermining your confidence, and making you feel sick and worthless and fearful." "Well, fear no longer, because Clear Conscience has finally arrived." "The latest wonder of wonders from that remarkable wonder of all wonders, the Hearts Casino." "This way." "Wou Id you I ike a cup of tea?" "No,thank you." "Who are you?" "A friend, I hope." "l run the tea shop." "See?" "How d id you break out of the Scarab?" "What, the beetle thing?" "l used my hairpin and..." "fell." "As you can see,I'm drenched." "This place." "Where..." "What is it?" "Wonderland." "That's a story in a kid's book." "Does this look like a kid's story to you?" "No." "lt's changed a lot since then." "So you're saying that it was real?" "You Oysters doni know how to find us, so..." "Excuse me." "You tel l you rself that we doni exist, and quite frankly, I'd like to keep it that way." "Why am I an Oyster?" "This?" "That's not gonna come off." "sorry_" "Only people from your world turn green when burnt by the light." "It's the Suits' way of branding their catch." "And they call you "Oysters"" "because of the sh iny, I ittle pearls that you all carry inside." "What do you mean, pearls?" "She's Alice." "Tell him who you are." "wow" "Really?" "Ratty here thinks you're Alice of legend." "Who?" "The last time a girl called Alice came here from your world," "she brought down the whole house of cards." "Oh, yeah ." "Made quite an impression." "Although it was 150 years ago." "It cani be the same girl." "Oysters doni even live that long." "l still want a good price." "Wait a minute. I am not for sale." "Not on the grass." "R_9ht_" "Here we are." "Pink nectar." "filled with the thrill of human excitement." "fifty Oysters were drained of every last drop of hullabaloo so that you, Ratty, can taste what it feels like to win just once." "Warning, doni take it on an empty stomach and only one tiny, little drop at a time, otherwise the experience might burst your shriveled-up, little heart." "Got it?" "Got it." "Good." "Go." "He really smells." "Oysters were drained?" "What do you mean, "drained"?" "Ratty tells me you're looking for someone." "His name is Jack Chase." "He was taken by a man with a white rabbit on his lapel." "I see." "The White Rabbit is an organization controlled by the Suits." "They travel back and forth through the Looking Glass and vanish people from your world to ours." "Why?" "To use in the casino." "use7" "Did I say "use"?" "S I ip of the tongue." "They're fine." "You know, they keep them alive and moderately happy." "How do I get to this casino?" "That's the thing." "You doni." "Way too dangerous." "But I know some people who know some, well, other people." "Ifyouknow whatlmean." "It's one of the privi leges of running a tea shop." "Lighten up." "you should wear this." "It'll cover the glow and stop you from catching a cold." "I have a little money," "but I understand you doni use that here." "Pieces of paper." "Pointless." "Then why would you help me?" "Do I need a reason to help a pretty girl in a very wet dress?" "I see." "You doni trust me." "fine. I'm genuinely hurt." "Do you know why they call me Hatter?" "Becauseyou wearahat?" "No,becausel'm alwaysthere whentheypassthehat, sotospeak." "Ph i lanth ropy." "Gene ros ity." "I mean, you can call it what you will." "It's who I am, and right now, looking at you there, there's nothing I want more than to help you find..." "Jack." "Jack!" "And return you both to your charming world of children's stories." "l doni believe you." "l know what you're thinking." "If I'm the frying pan, then that out there is the fire." "I'll be square with you." "I know people who like to help your kind." "And if every once in a while I scratch their back..." "They'll scratch yours." "Precisely." "A lot of scratching." "Do try to keep up." "You're late." "l know." "I'm sorry." "Blackjack." "Blackjack." "Blackjack." "Everyone's a winner." "The time has come, Walrus, old friend, to test our many stills." "The oohs, the ahs, the healing drops, the passions, the thrills, and see how joy and awe and lust" "can all be turned" "to pills." "What is it?" "The King requests your presence, Carpenter." "Thank you." "What's the matter?" "Got a thing about heights." "Why couldni you guys build the city on the ground?" "Lookatme." "A__ce" "Try not to look down, okay?" "The Scarab just brought in the last shipment of Oysters." "How many?" "Twenty." "Make the most of them ." "We wonl be getting any more until we find that ring and restart the Looking Glass." "There was just enough juice left in it for the last sortie." "And the Queen would like you to harvest more unusual emotions." "It's difficult enough getting the simple ones." "You know it takes 1,OOO thrills to make just the tiniest drop." "People want to experience more exotic wonders." "S u rp rise." "Ado rat ion ." "Ecstasy." "Calm." "Elatio n." "Now, keeping the masses happy is a very great responsibility, Carpenter, and one that weighs heavy on my shoulders." "If our people doni feel what they want to feel, when they want to feel it, the whole system breaks down." "I nstant g rat ificat ion is a very complex business." "That's why we have to keep moving forward." "forever discovering more exotic wonders." "There you are." "Oh, joy!" "Oh, bright day!" "finally, and at last." "How do you open this thing?" "l doni know, Majesty." "Well, there's a hidden catch somewhere, but I can never remember." "H ere." "Summon the queen." "Twenty-three, 17, 54, and 10." "Everyone's a winner!" "This is such a rush." "That one talked." "Oh, my God, what's the time?" "I gotta pick up my kids." "We have a conscious one here." "l better see if I can find the car." "I cani move my..." "What's going on here?" "Ma'am." "Hello." "My feet seem to be stuck." "There's nothing wrong with your feet, ma'am." "I'll tell you what, why doni you come with us?" "We'll help you find what you're looking for." "My kids. I think I have kids, family." "I'm pretty sure my husband's a Taurus." "Do you know my name?" "I cani remember my name for some reason." "You doni need to bother with technical things like that, ma'am." "ohcay_" "What's wrong?" "She's regaining her faculties." "Do you know my name?" "Something beginning with a "B," l think." "Take her to the waiting room." "Come with us." "Did you talk?" "You shouldni have talked." "l was worried about my kids." "We all have family somewhere." "l gotta find my car." "You cani leave." "None of us can." "I'm returning a library book." "It's a work of Edwin and Morcar." "How does the little crocodile improve his shining tail?" "He pou rs water of the N i le on every golden scale." "Go on, be quick." "Hello, Duck." "It's all right." "Wait." "Why doni we just put these things away?" "Come on, you know me well enough." "We have our orders." "Keep that right hand where we can see it." "lt's just flesh and blood." "Right." "We've all seen what you can do with that sledgehammer." "Did you like the box of confits I brought you guys last week?" "The cured meats and the cheese?" "They're all gone." "Wel l, if you doni treat me with a little respect, you wonl get another crumb." "Sorry, Hatter." "Everyone's a little jumpy." "Everyone's always a little jumpy." "Where are we?" "The Great Library." "There's 5,OOO years of history hidden here." "Art, literature, law." "Rescued whenthe QueenofHearts seized power." "She'd like nothing more than to see this burned to nothing." "Who's the Queen of Hearts?" "She doesn't know the Queen?" "Who the hell is she, Hatter?" "Could you just relax, Owl?" "Calm." "She's led a sheltered life, that's all." "Back to the elevator, both of you." "Watch that right hand." "Have you two not learned to trust me yet?" "ls that a bribe?" "Yes." "Two bribes." "Tasty, delicious, yummy ones." "So hard to make a sensible decision on an empty stomach, doni you think?" "You better be on the level, Hatter, or you wonl make it out of here alive, this time." "These are the guys who are gonna help me find Jack?" "Doni worry, their boss is a little more savvy." "Who are those poor people?" "Refugees." "Those who doni want to be a part of the Queen's world of instant gratification." "Just another drop." "We give them shelter and try to feed them the best we can, but it is dangerous." "If the Queen found out, they wouldni stand a chance." "Why does she want to destroy al l of th is?" "Wisdom's her biggest threat." "She controls people with a quick fix." "How are all my lovely Suits today?" "We are very happy, ma'am." "How nice." "You're all so clever and pretty." "We found the Stone of Wonderland ." "Where is it?" "We'll have the Looking Glass up and running in no time." "This time we'll pull in 50 or 100 Oysters a day." "What a charming practical joke." "My dear?" "Why am I not surprised?" "The girl." "The ring, Alice." "Girl?" "Agent White took the box from a girl, an Oyster." "She must have the ring." "Yes." "Where is she now?" "She escaped." "What exactly do you mean, "escaped"?" "Some of the honeycomb containers are getting a little old." "We have renovations planned in next year's budget, but..." "An Oyster is running around Wonderland with my ring?" "We'll find her." "We'll find her, all right." "But you, Agent White, will take no further part." "His head, ma'am?" "Yes, of course, what else?" "His foot?" "l'll put all Suits on standby." "No." "It will only alert the resistance." "The last thing we want is to feed that riffraff a grain of encouragement." "No, we need someone who can work quietly behind the scenes." "Someone cold-blooded, ruthless, criminally insane." "Is Mad March alive, yet?" "She's looking for her boyfriend, a Jack Chance." "Chase." "His name is Jack Chase." "She needs help. I thought of you, Dodo." "Really?" "And why would I want to help your Oyster, when you know that bringing her here puts us all at risk?" "Oh, please." "I've spent years smuggling more dangerous things than this down here." "You know what rankles most about blood-sucking carpetbaggers like you, Hatter?" "Your gall." "You think you can play both sides of the cou rt and come away with two trophies." "I haveni seen daylight for three years, and Owl here has forgotten what a vegetable tastes like." "I remember kumquat." "Is that a vegetable?" "While we risk our lives trying to bring freedom to ungrateful leeches like you, you swan about" "living the good life." "Stop your crowing." "You know I'm on your side." "l'm sure you say that to all your enemies." "l do what's necessary." "I kiss what butts need kissing so your machine stays oiled." "Look, if you cani help me, I' l l just leave." "Headstrong, isni she?" "Can you help me get Jack out of the casino?" "I doni see how." "The resistance has contacts inside the casino, right?" "No comment." "Use them to find her guy." "She can pay you." "But I want my usual cut, upfront." "Pay me?" "Pay me with what?" "Show him the rock, Alice." "What?" "The ring on your finger." "Look, that is off-limits." "lt's all you have, Alice." "No" "It's not possible." "Where did you get it?" "lt's none of you r business." "It's not for sale." "Where did you get it?" "What is it?" "Your Oyster is wearing the Stone of Wonderland ." "That's i m poss i b le." "l'm never wrong." "Where did you get it, Alice?" "Jack gave it to me." "Jack?" "Jack Chase, the guy we're looking for." "Well, where did he get it?" "l doni know." "Give it to me." "No." "Take her out." "Are you crazy?" "Stop." "Just wait." "You're in way over your head, Hatter." "Just give me one second to talk to her, okay?" "It controls the Looking Glass." "You know that." "Calm down." "Put the gun away." "I'm sure we can all get what we want here." "Look, no one is getting this ring." "We've been waiting for years for a break like this," "and now it falls into our laps." "Stop waving that thing around." "You're scaring everyone." "If we can retu rn the Oysters back to their world," "maybe wecansaveours." "Just putthe gun down!" "Think about it, the Queen reduced to mopping floors." "It will be just like the old days." "Justice, reason, and the rule of law." "_stoNpot_h _ s _" "You've shot Hatter!" "We doni need him anymore." "The ring is our ticket out of here." "Leave her alone, or believe me, the next one will be aimed at your head." "Look, Hatter, this is a game changer." "I'll give you three times your price..." "five, 10, you name it." "Back off!" "If you let her leave with the ring, I' l l have every member of the resistance hunting you down." "You'll be dead before teatime." "And that's the thanks I get for keeping you bums fed and watered all these years?" "Hatter!" "It's the blue button." "Go, Alice." "Hurry up and push the blue button." "Lucky?" "Come on, Hatter." "How did you do that?" "No_" "How bad is it?" "Body armor?" "You're not even wounded." "You lied to me!" "l was trying to help you." "By selling my ring." "I didni know it was the Stone of Wonderland, d id l?" "Well, you could have asked me before bringing me here." "You wouldni have come." "You're damn right, I wouldni." "He almost killed me." "Yeah, well, he actually shot me!" "Tell me the truth." "What is the Stone of Wonderland?" "It's a big deal." "It was mined by the ancient knights to power the Looking Glass, the door that connects our world to yours." "Knl9hts7_" "They were wiped out a long time ago by the Queen ." "She took the Looking Glass and, of course, the Stone." "How did Jack get hold of it?" "What now?" "The Queen wishes to know whether you have revived Mad March ." "The Queen's favorite assassin." "Yes, of course." "No, I'm still working on it." "Where is he?" "Where's his head?" "That's the part I'm still working on." "Well, I'll try to arrange an extension of, say, an hour." "Are you kidding?" "This will take weeks." "Well, the Queen wants him now." "Tou9h_" "Biomolecular trans-dystrophia is a delicate and complex process, which requires time." "Besides which, the subject is dead." "Is that what you'd like me to tell the Queen? "Tough."" "No, but..." "Good,thenhavehim readyinanhour." "Where do you think you're going?" "Anywhere but here." "There are no-go areas in this town." "I doni believe this is happening." "I mean, this place, you people..." "This is all too weird." "Listen, calm down." "I'm gonna try and get you home, okay?" "Really?" "Yes." "Really, I could..." "Could you just keep still?" "And what's in it for you?" "Let me guess, you want your usual cut upfront?" "I doni blame you for being angry." "I acted impetuously." "No, selfishly." "You acted selfishly." "Whatever word you wanna use." "Let me make it up to you." "Alice, this is a dangerous place." "Trust me, you're gonna need my help." "Well, where is he?" "I doni see him." "Before I present Mad March, I feel I should warn..." "Prepare you..." "What?" "In the interest of expediency, I've had to make some technical adjustments." "What are you talking about?" "Sho rtcuts." "How short?" "What on earth have you done to him?" "Think of him as a hybrid, Majesty." "In many ways he is better than before." "We doni need a user manual, do we?" "I hate user manuals." "Not too close." "He's still finding his way." "Does he have all his old skills?" "fo rens ics?" "T racki ng?" "Homicidal mania?" "l believe so." "Believe so?" "There wasni much time for testing." "Doeshespeak?" "Let's try him out then." "Mad March, how are you today?" "Piss off, you cow," "Excellent." "He's good as new." "Now then, Marchy, I need you to find someone." "A girl." "Not interested, I see." "How disappointing." "Well, in that case, we'll just have to find another use for you." "Let's put him in the gaming room, where the geeks can have fun with him." "What?" "What else am I to do with you?" "I'm devastated, truly." "That's too bad," "Take him away." "He's obviously passed his prime." "Ohay, Ohay, tell me about this broad," "The Looking Glass is the only way to get you back home." "And it is here in the city, but it's the most heavily guarded piece of kit in Wonderland." "l've got to find Jack first." "Have you not heard a word I've said?" "I doni know how he got mixed up in this, but I know that he's not a thief." "He was trying to surprise me, or sweep me off my feet, and so, somehow, he got a hold of th is ring, and it has landed h im in a pi le of trouble." "If it wasni for me, he would be home safe." "How did he get hold of it?" "Well, I doni know." "The point is, I'm the only one who can get h im out of th is mess." "How'd you figure that out?" "Well, I've got the ring." "I can use it to negotiate his release." "Oh, no." "No.You..." "No?" "No, you cani negotiate with the Queen." "She's crazy." "You have to cut your losses." "You get the hell out of here" "while you still can." "No, I cani just abandon Jack." "I mean, he's innocent." "And besides, I like him." "Oh, you like him?" "Yes." "A lot!" "Trust me, I know a thing or two about liking people, and, in time, after much chocolate and cream cake," "like turns into "What was his name again?"" "No, not in my world." "Look, I have a bad record with liking guys..." "There's a shock." "And this is the first one that has meant anything." "There's no way that I'm going to give him up now." "Stay close." "Hey, Hey!" "Looh at me!" "Did you see her?" "Get out of here!" "Hey, You!" "Whataboutyou?" "Did you see her?" "Wait, wait, wait, wait." "So, I ask her..." "She told you she was Alice?" "Yeah." "You work with rats long enough and you turn into one, eh?" "What is that?" "Nothing I've ever seen before." "Wait..." "It cani be." "slr7" "Sir?" "Suits!" "slr7" "What?" "We should run." "Run!" "Qulchcly__" "Come on!" "That way_" "Down here!" "My smuggling boat." "Quickly!" "Hang on." "There's a knack to this." "Which, apparently, I've never learned." "Come on!" "Bla st." "I'll call for a Scarab." "Where is the casino?" "l've already told you, you cani negotiate with the Queen." "BUt..." "The White Rabbit is a different kettle of onions." "Perhaps they'll do a deal." "It's a long shot, but it's the only one we've got." "we7" "I doni know if you noticed, Al ice, but my shop was ransacked. I'm homeless." "I am a target not only for the Suits, but for the resistance as well, and there's only so many places in Wonderland I can hide." "The way I see it, I've only got one option." "Which is?" "Go back with you to your world." "Before we do anything, we have to shake that royal flush." "They are heading for the shore." "I doni know who that weirdo is leading the posse, but he's got one hell of a nose for blood." "And this is the place to find it." "What was that?" "There's things in these woods that defy imagination." "Come on, we haveni got much time." "Look, we cani shake the posse." "We cani fight them, either." "There's only one thing left to try." "What's that?" "Lead them into a trap." "Keep your breathing shallow." "Did you hear that?" "Yep, you should find a tree that you can climb." "What?" "Why?" "The trap we talked about?" "This is it." "I'm the bait." "Go." "Wait!" "What is it?" "Tell me!" "lt's a Jabberwock." "What?" "Al ice, less of the questions." "Just get going ." "You're going to lead this thing back to the posse?" "Yes, after he gets a good look at me." "Now, could you just please go?" "That's your plan?" "lf you doni.. ." "Run" "Not that way!" "Alice!" "Comeon!" "Youokay?" "Yeah." "Good." "Come on!" "You okay?" "Just about." "Stay still." "Vermin!" "Saboteurs!" "Anarchists!" "I was this close to catching him." "This close." "Degenerate bag-heads." "That's it." "This way," "Subve rte rs !" "Pig-pushing..." "B ug-bashers!" "Who the hell are you?" "I am a knight." "The White Knight, to be precise." "Sir Charles Eustace fotheringhay Le Malvoy the Third." "Who are you?" "I'm Alice." "Alice?" "The Alice?" "The Alice?" "No." "Just Alice." "Just Alice." "I thought all you guys were wiped out years ago." "Well, you thOU9ht WrOn9." "As you can see, I'm as fit as a butcher's dog." "Are there any others like you?" "Certainly not!" "I'm a one-off." "My nan used to say that if I was the only eligible bachelor left in the world, there wasni a warthog or wallflower who'd polish my escutcheon." "No, I meant, are there any other knights in these woods?" "Yourcomradesinarms?" "Heavens,no.Areyou mad?" "We were all wiped out years ago." "You dug that pit on your own?" "You think I'm too old?" "Well, let me tell you something, nugface." "Youth is vastly overrated." "I may have put on a few years, but I'm crafty." "I have a very inventive and calculating mind, stacked high with groundbreaking, state of the art ideas." "I invent al l sorts of th ings." "The beehive mousetrap, for instance." "This here pit, as you so rudely call it, is in fact my third attempt at the gravity-assisted snare, Mark 4." "He's mad as a box of frogs." "How the hell have you survived?" "Oh, yes!" "I am a knight." "And I'm an inventor, as I said, although, if I'm honest, it's strictly on a part-time basis." "You doni say." "And I dabble in the black arts, now and then." "Soothsaying, toenail readings, that sort of th ing ." "Here, let me show you!" "Give me your palm." "Get off." "What's that on your finger?" "Nothing." "lt's the sacred ring." "The Stone of Wonderland." "Ou r ring ." "Doni get too excited, Granddad." "The ring stays on the lady's finger, okay?" "It is meant to be!" "This time, this place, this meeting in the woods..." "Okay, we need to get away from him before he gets us killed." "But maybe he can help us." "Have you forgotten about the weirdo that's tailing us?" "This freak show is going to draw his attention for sure." "If th is kn ight has su rvived out here for this long, maybe he knows a thing or two." "Listen, Charlie, we have some very bad men following us who want to kill us and steal the ring." "Do you know anywhere we could lay low for a while?" "The stars are aligned in a cosmic ray of hope." "And you want to put your faith in him?" "Yes." "He might be nuts and 150 years old and dressed like a car crash, but he's a survivor." "And I'm not deaf." "Just Alice, I, Sir Charles Eustace fotheringhay Le Malvoy the Third," "White Knight and guard ian of the cu rtsey.. ." "Very nice." "...will be honored to escort you, yourgoodsandvassal to my sacred kingdom." "Did he just call me a vessel?" "Quickly, quickly, sacroiliac." "for crying out loud." "Straighten, straighten, straighten, hard, hard." "Good-o." "Why wou Id they enter the forest of Wabe?" "No one has ever come out alive." "That's what they want you to thinh," "They were here a short while ago, The shadows are still warm," "Shadows?" "But the footprints stop here," "There are on Iy two sets ofprints, his and hers," "They got out of the trap here, and then came here and faced this area here," "Who dug the pit, I wonder?" "And they marched off o_er there and came bach," "Must have taken 10 men a week, or one man 10 weeks." "Perhaps they were swallowed whole by the beast itself." "That would explain it." "I doni thinh so," "The prints tell a different story, Somebody he Iped them," "Even works over mud." "It's wiping the tracks clean away." "Maybe Senile Sam does have a trick or two up his escutcheon." "Areyoucomfy?" "No." "Ofcoursenot." "Why doni you just lean forward and put your arms around my waist" "and let my body take the weight?" "Yeah, I'm good." "Welcome to the Kingdom of the Kn ights." "Well, well, what do you know." "Before the war with the Queen of Hearts, this was once the greatest city in the realm." "The Red King and his elected council ruled Wonderland with the wisdom of the ages." "And the Hearts destroyed everything?" "We lived in harmony for 1,OOO years, but when the Queen came to power, she just wanted to feel the good, not the bad." "Believe it or not, this was once the throne room." "Sadly, all that's left now is the throne." "That was good, Charlie." "What was it?" "A barbecued borogove." "They are the devil to catch, but well worth the trouble." "Doni you think?" "When in Rome..." "Shani belong." "What I want to know is how we're going to cut a deal with the White Rabbit." "Is it really possible?" "I know a girl, Carlotta St. Delaware," "who dates this guy who used to play cards with a rich kid, who once studied law with an electrician, who works part-time with one of the techn ical staff." "I did say it was a long shot, but as long as you got that ring, you've got a chance." "You?" "What happened to "we"?" "I cani leave, Alice." "Wonderland's my home." "I cani just abandon it, despite what I said." "I have to stay and fight." "What?" "Seeing all this..." "Look!" "This great kingdom and what's become of it." "It's a wake-up call, to be honest." "My people, I mean the hundreds of refugees that are all hiding underground, they're all counting on me." "Didni that Dodo guy say that he was going to have you hunted down and killed?" "yep_" "But I'm thinking if I turn up with the ring, he might forgive me." "So that's what this is about." "Doni worry, I'll get you home safe and sound first." "And Jack?" "You have to forget about Jack." "We' l l never get h im out of the casino al ive, and trying is only going to set off alarm bells." "It will make your escape impossible!" "Okay, so you were just leading me on, back there?" "Just believe me." "It will be suicide." "Jack's a lucky guy." "What?" "Nothing." "Look, it's late, and we all need our rest." "We can argue about this tomorrow." "Yeah?" "Dinah?" "Dinah." "You're alive." "What are you doing here?" "Dinah." "Dinah." "0ad7" "0ad7" "Daddy?" "0ad7" "What was that?" "That's the Early Warning System!" "Someone has broken through the perimeter!" "Where is Alice?" "Battle stations!" "Sound the Order of the Seraph im !" "Drum !" "No." "No!" "I need a horse." "Which way should we go?" "You doni have to come, Charlie." "This isni your fight." "You couldni be more wrong!" "You led the Alice of legend to me for a reason." "Call it what you will, divinity, fate, an alignment of forces beyond mortal understanding." "In time, you'll see that I am the true paladin here and you are merely a harbinger." "Besides, you'll never find her without my help." "Remember, I'm also well-versed in the black arts." "We shall be guided by my psychic connection to the mysterious sinews that bind mankind to the outer realm." "You're going the wrong way, harbinger." "We should go west." "You go west. I'm going east." "Why?" "She's going to the Hearts Casino." "But that's certain death." "Why would she go there?" "hello, alice, You Iooh Iihe you can use a little company," "I think I've made enough to pay off my mortgage, but they wonl let me cash in." "Youtwo." "This way." "They' re half-as leep ." "She's lying, of course." "We could search her again, of course." "More thoroughly." "ltwoni do anygood." "Oh,ldoniknow aboutthat." "Winston!" "Where did you hide it, girl?" "I told you, I doni know what you're talking about." "I've never worn a ring in my life." "We know Jack gave you the ring, Alice." "The White Rabbit told us, heaven rest his soul." "But the question is, did you leave it in your world?" "Winston, you idiot!" "Nowsheknowswedoniknow whethershebroughtitwithher." "That's right." "Sorry, dearest." "This interrogation business is very tricky." "Wait!" "Is she really that clever?" "Oh, yes. I think she just may be." "You walked into Mad March's trap on purpose, didni you?" "You wanted himto catchyou becauseyou didni know yourwayhere." "You'd only do that, of course, if you'd h idden the ring fi rst." "Somewhere very discreet." "Am I right?" "Your plan was to cut a deal with one of my cohorts, make your demands, and return the ring only when they'd been met." "But suddenly you find yourself face to face with the Queen of Hearts herself, the most powerful woman in the history of literature, and you doni know whetheryoucangothrough withit." "You've lost your nerve." "That about sums it up, doesni it?" "_NNoo7_ I haveni lost my nerve." "Now we've got her where we want her." "So, then, Alice, my dear, what are your demands?" "I want you to free my boyfriend, Jack Chase, and send us both home." "When we're certain that we're safe, I'll tell you where the ring is." "I see." "Number 9, go fetch this Jack Chase." "But, ma'am." "Do as you're told." "What a coincidence." "It appears that Jack Chase was waiting just outside the door." "Me wonders why." "Jack!" "Are you all right?" "l'm fine." "What are you doing here?" "We found her running around the forest all on her tod, so I brought her here." "I was very cu rious to see what sort of tart my son is hanging around with these days." "Son?" "You're her son?" "His real name is Jack Heart." "He lied to you about that, too." "Mother..." "Doni "Mother" me, you odious quisling." "Your girlfriend has hidden the Stone of Wonderland out there in the bushes somewhere." "She's not my girlfriend." "She's nothing to me." "Jack?" "So why did you give her my ring?" "As I've said a thousand times before, I didni give it to her." "She took it." "She was an affair, that's all." "Someone to pass the time with while I explored her world." "I took the ring so as to be certain I'd have the power to return." "Little did I know she'd go through my things while I slept." "Alice, tell us where you hid the ring." "What?" "l didni ask you to come here." "I certainly didni ask you to hide the ring, so, come on, tell everyone where it is." "I wonl tell anyone where it is until you've taken me home." "Perhaps that's not such a bad idea." "If I take her home, you'll be sure to get it back." "Brilliant." "The only little niggle is..." "Well, I wouldni trust you if you told me the sun was round ." "Sadly, we've had to shut the Looking Glass altogether now." "I'm sure we can win over the lovely girl without having to go all the way back to smelly old home-sweet-home." "Look who's here." "Duchess." "Majesty." "Jack, have you nothing to say to your fiancėe?" "What?" "Doni tell me Jack forgot to mention his life-long love, his wildly romantic engagement and upcoming wedding?" "So this is..." "l'm afraid so." "Really?" "I'm starting to wonder about your taste, Jack." "I mean, if you th ink she's pretty, what must you think of me?" "He thinks you're the most gorgeous creature in the world." "That's why he's marrying you." "You see, Alice, dear, Jack's been engaged for months now." "His flight through the Looking Glass was no more than a diversion, a stag spree, a wave goodbye to his mischievous youth." "You're going to tell us where you hid the ring, and then you're going to wish you had never laid eyes on my son." "Well, I'd better run." "Goodbye, Alice." "I forgive you for taking the ring." "I know you're upset with me." "Andldoniblameyou." "He's here." "Goodbye.Duchess." "Take her to the Truth Room." "Yes, ma'am." "Dad." "Daddy!" "Keep moving." "He's here." "Who is she, Jack?" "Jealous?" "Of course I am." "Then help get me out of here." "You know I cani do that." "Maybe if you tel l me what you' re up to." "l'm not up to anything." "Darling, we really shouldni have any secrets between us." "I know what you're thinking, but it isni so, know how." "Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be, and if were so, it wou Id be." "But as it isni, it aini." "That's logic." "I am Dr. Dee, and this is my brother..." "Dr. Dum." "Ou r job is to open you up, pull everything out..." "Until we find the very thing we're looking for." "Relax." "Let your mind go." "Al low you rself to fal l into a deep sleep." "0ad7" "How old are you?" "10." "But you are alone in the house." "Why have you been left alone?" "Dad's left." "Mom_ asking the neighbor to take care of me so that she can look for him." "Did he say goodbye?" "No" "Why doni you see if he's left you something in his study?" "No" "Why not?" "I'm scared to go in there." "Nonsense." "Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall," "Humpty Dumpty had a great fall." "All the King's horses and all the King's men couldni put Humpty together again." "Now it's time for a battle." "Let's see if we can find a l ittle lever.. ." "And prize the tasty Oyster open." "No!" "Please, no!" "Well, now, it looks like Daddy left you with a fear of heights." "This isni happening." "It's all in my head." "It's just a dream." "It's just a dream." "I just have to wake up." "It's real!" "Of course it's real." "But I'll die!" "Undoubtedly." "But doni you want to know where l've hidden the ring?" "Not really." "This is much more fun." "Are you crazy?" "Cynically insane." "She's back up." "If you ki l l me, the Queen wonl get her ring ." "So, tell us where it is." "Not until you get me out of here." "If you doni tel l us, we may as wel l ki l l you ." "And then we'll just have to tell the Queen it was an accident." "It happens all the time." "So, who is this girl?" "Who's Alice?" "Have another little sip of Honesty, Jack." "Tell me everything about her." "Alice?" "Yes." "Alice is innocent." "Ofcoursesheis." "So whydidyouchooseher,Jack?" "I.. ." "What?" "_____7Yes." "I mean, you went there for a reason, didni you?" "Come on." "l needed her." "To?" "What?" "What?" "What?" "Th eQueenwantsyou.NOW." "I almost had it, you idiot." "The board's holding her up." "So it is." "What would happen if it disappeared, I wonder?" "Sto p!" ""We're awfully sorry, Your Majesty, but the girl just wouldni cooperate." ""We tried everything," ""shrunk her down to size, tickled her darkest fear..."" "Wait!" "I'll tell you where it is." "You'd better be quick!" "It has a mind of its own." "I have to write it down." "It's complicated." "l need to draw a map." "A map?" "lt's the only way you'll find it." "Ho-hum." "Very wel l." "If you must." "Hi." "Who the hell are you?" "We're the new act." "Robinson and Duckworth." "He's Robinson, I'm Duckworth." "We're guardians to the mesmeric portals of the cosmos." "Stage hypnotists." "This is good fun." "He means the act." "It's good fun, when we do it." "You got clearance for stage hypnotists?" "You've had Jack for three days now and got nothing out of him." "The whole point of having you marry the rebellious toad is so that I can keep an eye on him." "If you cani handle him, I'll marry him to someone who can." "I just need a little bit more" "u n i nte rru pted t i me ." "Your son has a very strong heart, and if I didni know any better, I think he just fell in love with this Alice." "No." "He singled her out for a reason." "He wouldni have spent so much time wooing her unless she was useful to him." "I'm certain of it." "Perhaps your skills are fading." "Well, the Duchess is our very best, my sweet." "Defending her, Big Bear?" "Not at all." "Perhapsyes.lsupposelam." "l wonder why." "Please." "You know you're the only strawberry in my shortcake." "You have until morning, Duchess." "Would it upset you, Winston, if she lost her head?" "You flatter me, my dear." "How does she make you feel?" "Young, is that it?" "She makes you feel young?" "As I said, you are all I need." "You have more power in your little finger..." "Then get me some of that feel ing." "I want to try it." "I'm afraid there areni enough Oysters." "Until we find the ring and restart the Looking Glass, we're going to have to make do with the feelings we have." "You're such a disappointment, Winston." "Ladies." "We're in, but we doni have much time." "We should split up and search intermediate floors." "W hy?" "W hy?" "Because we doni know where she is." "I shall reach into the mist to lift the heavy veil that shrouds the oracle." "What are you doing?" "Down here!" "Take the second left at the stairs that lead up to the third floor, then after the double doors, take the third walkway on the right, over the fitness center to Reception B, and ask Sheila!" "Sheila?" "Maybe it's Shakena." "Come on!" "Hatter!" "Who's that?" "Go away!" "This is a private session!" "Jump!" "Get rid of him!" "How did you get in here?" "l doni know." "Ask Charlie." "Believe it or not, we're in your head." "What?" "Doni ask." "Sound the alarm!" "Call the guard!" "We have it!" "We have it!" "Come on!" "This way!" "Up?" "Why up?" "Do we have a choice?" "Alice of legend, your presence in this world is no accident." "You are here for a reason." "Please, Charlie, it's just plain Alice." "Just Plain Alice, I will stand at your side, shoulder-to-shoulder," "knee-to..." "Charlie..." "...wobblyknee." "Now'snotsuchagoodtime." "You guys shouldni have come." "You could get yourselves killed." "Did you give the ring up, Alice?" "Look, I have things under control." "You tried to cut a deal with the Queen, didni you?" "l was getting close." ""Gett i ng close"?" "Maybe I'm wrong, but negotiations didni appear to be going so well." "Well, I need more time." "for what?" "Do you really think the Queen's just gonna send you and your boyfriend home?" "No." "No, of course not!" "Becausehe'sherson." "The Prince?" "Jack Heart?" "Jack Heart is your boyfriend?" "Behind me, Alice." "Bow to the hand of Diocles!" "What now?" "We get on one of those." "Get on ." "Articu lated bi rds of the Empyrean !" "What genius!" "These things fly?" "We doni have time to think, Alice." "Just get on." "l am not getting on that." "You doni have another choice." "You doni understand." "I'm not getting on that." "It's perfectly safe." "Safe-ish." "No, I have a thing about flying." "Yeah, I've got a thing about bullets." "Look, I'll do the flying." "All you have to do is hold on." "Look at me. I wouldni let you do it if I didni think you'd be okay." "How do you get it to fly?" "Like that, I suppose." "That's fast!" "Oh, yeah." "Hold on." "A knight?" "Alice?" "I suppose it's his lofty airs and graces, huh?" "He doesni have "airs and graces."" "Really?" "Well, what then?" "Just shut up and drive!" "We are angels!" "The wind and clouds at our command!" "Oh, heavenlyjoy!" "I'm going down." "No!" "Charlie!" "Alice, hold on!" "Jack." "Jack!" "Jack!" "Jack!" "Is he poisoned?" "Darling, I'm afraid I'm going to have to tie you up." "I have Alice's confession." "Confession?" "The whereabouts of the ring ." "Hurry." "Hurry." "Myreading glasses." "My reading glasses." "My reading glasses!" "l'll get them." "You read it, Winston." "Hurry up." ""Locker 208, Central Station, fourth Avenue," ""across the road from Plush Platforms and Pumps."" "What?" ""Locker 208," " " Ce nt ra l Stat i o n... "" "She left it in her world." "Why would she do that?" "Well, now we'll never get it back." "The Looking Glass wonl work without it." "Bring her here immediately." "Whathaveyoudone?" "Shesortofescaped." "A crack team of commandoes, 70 at least, overwhelmed our valiant Suits, and then fled from the roof on flamingoes." "find her." "Bring her back if she's alive." "And in the meantime, summon Jack so I can ask him about this Central Station." "What now?" "Number 10, you explain." "No, but Your Majesty is so good at explaining things." "Number 10!" "W ell, you see, Jackappearstohavedisappeared." "How?" "No, doni tell me." "I doni want to know." "Pigmy commandoes, hobgoblins, whatever..." "Ma'am." "Now look what you've done." "You clumsy club." "Off with h is head ." "No, no, no." "No." "Bring him back." "Tomorrow she'll have forgotten she killed him." "And summon Mad March." "If Al ice and Jack are al ive, he' l l find them ." "Of course." "Right away." "And you'd better go with him." "To keep an eye on things." "Charlie!" "If he's made it, there should be some tracks." "Charlie!" "We're sitting ducks on this beach." "Where's the ring?" "Safe." "Where?" "You still doni trust me after I just..." "I risked my neck getting you out of there." "Whydidyouriskyourneck?" "Unbelievable." "Why are you being so ungrateful?" "I doni blame you." "Your people need you, and the ring may make all the difference." "Is that why you think I did this?" "So I could get my hands on the ring?" "No, I respect that." "It shows you're a man of integrity after all." "But first I need to use it to get my father out." "Your father?" "He's here." "l doni understand." "Jack slipped me his watch." ""R.H." Robert Hamilton." "I remember this watch." "It's his for sure." "Look, it is stuck on the exact date and time that he disappeared." "Look, March 23rd." "He's in the casino somewhere." "He's lying." "Jack took a big risk passing this to me." "And you believe him?" "Why wouldni I?" "Because he's lied to you about everything." "He had his reasons." "l'm stunned." "Why are you even defending him?" "Because he's trying to help me." "Really?" "Well, let's just think about that." "He took the ring from his mother." "He gave it to you." "Why?" "It made you a target, Alice." "Well, he wasni expecting me to follow him." "I screwed up bringing the ring here." "And he blames you for that?" "No." "Not exactly." "Why is he even going around pretending to be someone else, anyway?" "Well, he's hiding from them." "Why?" "I doni know!" "He's engaged" "to a duchess." "So he's two-timing you?" "I doni think it's like that." "And now, all of a sudden, he tells you that your father has been in the casino all this time." "Does that not seem a little bit fishy?" "What do you mean?" "lt's not a coincidence." "You hear that?" "I doni believe it." "Charlie!" "Thank goodness!" "I was just about to go back in the water and look for you again." "All right." "Yeah." "Okay." "How did you get ashore with all that armor on?" "I'm a knight." "Besides I invented a very useful little, whirly, jiggamathing, which I cani tell you about." "It's a classified, patent pending, very hush-hush, and that sort of th ing ." "We shou Id get off th is beach before we get spotted." "No" "Listen, guys, I'm really grateful for what you did, getting me out of the casino, but I have to go back." "Why are you still hooked on Jack?" "l told you, he was trying to help me." "Really?" "_ause it sounds to me like he was using you." "And you're not?" "Doni you care what's happening here?" "All the people's lives who are getting ripped apart by the Queen." "Of cou rse I do. I'm one of them." "Then give the resistance a chance." "l met those guys already." "One arm of the organ ization, that was." "If we get to the top man, he' l l help us." "You know him?" "Yes." "No." "Not exactly." "Nobody knows his true identity, but he goes by a code name," "C aterpillar." "Give me a few hours. I'll slip back into the city and I'll make contact." "You can..." "You can stay with Charlie in the fortress." "You'll be safe there." "If I'm not back by nightfall, do it your way." "Not the face." "Not the..." "Hatter, what do you want?" "Just keep your voice down, Dormie." "I need you to get a message to Caterpillar." "What makes you think I can do that?" "Doni get cute. I haveni got the time." "Dodo's the only one I know in the resistance." "Not even sure Caterpillar actually exists." "He's probably some mythical figure made up to keep us all treading the mill." "Then you tell Dodo to get a message to him, then." ""We still have what they want." "We're ready to make a deal."" "I'm beginning to enjoy the outdoor life." "It's funny, really, I always thought of myself as more of a city type." "Sorry, did I rattle your cage?" "I just thought since we're spending so much time together, we might as well get to know each other a little better." "Yeah." "How old were you when your father disappeared?" "Ten" "Musthavebeenquiteashock." "You know how kids are, blame themselves for stuff like that." "You okay?" "I was 10 once." "I was 10 when the armies came." "One of th ree squ i res to the real White Knight." "My job was to carry the g reat lance." "And when it mattered, when I was needed most," "I lost my nerve and I ran." "I hid for three days." "And whenlcameout, everyone wasdead." "Even the magnificent Red King up there on his throne." "At first I wished that I'd died with them, but after a while a deeper feeling took over." "Iwanted asecond chance." "I wanted to avenge them." "So, I stole the White Knight's armor," "his name," "his courage," "and I waited for the right time." "When you showed up, I knew the right time had finally arrived." "Do your feet feel weird?" "My sole really hurts." "What is your name?" "Stan." "No, Sam." "Wait, Stuart." "I'm pretty sure it's Stuart." "What is your name?" "What have you done to him?" "Take these Oysters back to the gaming rooms." "Charlie!" "You're supposed to be looking after Alice." "l know what you're thinking, but I wasni really asleep." "I simply let my soul lift out of its mortal shell to stand sentry on a higher plain." "Where's Alice?" "It's good news." "The resistance wants to help." "They're sending a special agent who will take us to see Caterpillar." "It's quite a steep hill." "You okay?" "I was beginning to think you wereni coming back." "You still doni trust me?" "How soon till he gets here?" "Those guys can move pretty fast when they need to." "You're going to join them, areni you?" "fight alongside them?" "l have to try." "As Dodo said, I have lived my life playing both sides of the cou rt." "The only way I could stay alive." "I made the Hearts think that I was working for them, while I fed their enemies." "Those days are over." "That's the West Wall." "What's the matter?" "What will I do if I get stuck here?" "Then I'll make sure you're okay." "I think your luck is finally changing." "That's right." "It is." "Hello, Alice." "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" "I know what you're thinking." "How could anyone sneak up on me, of all people?" "And in my own manor, too." "You think you can take me on with that?" "l'm not an old man." "Look, nobody is fighting unless it is me, and I am a black belt, remember?" "Who's your friend?" "He's just a friend." "Yes." "You two look pretty friendly." "You jealous, Jack?" "A little." "Did I hear that right?" "The guy who's engaged to a duchess is worried about me?" "You knowthatwasjustan act." "No,I doni." "Come, I've brought you a horse." "Let's get out of here." "She's not going anywhere with you." "You know she cani stay here." "Look, stop it, both of you." "I need to know about my dad." "ls he here?" "Yes, he's alive and well, and if you let me, I' l l take you to h im ." "Really?" "But we better get going." "Youdonihave muchtime." "Where is he?" "We're moving him into the city." "And ifwe hurry, you can see him by nightfall." "What do you mean, "moving him"?" "l have people helping me." "What people?" "Do you want to see him or not?" "Yes, of course." "Right." "Wow." "Okay." "Doni tell me you trust this guy." "He knows where my dad is." "He'll say anything to get his hands on the ring." "No, he hasni asked for the ring." "He doesni want the ring, do you, Jack?" "yesl _ do_" "You do?" "lt's just all an act." "We need the ring to get you home." "The Looking Glass wonl work without it." "Yes,ofcourse." "Doni be fooled by this, Alice." "He's working for his mother." "Blood and water, you remember?" "Then why am I alone?" "Why areni there 500 Suits at my back?" "And how did I find you here, in the m idd le of the forest?" "Do you think I just followed my nose?" "How did you find us?" "You sent for me." "Come again?" "l'm the agent who's supposed to escort you to Caterpillar." "You know Caterpillar?" "Very well." "Caterpillar recruited me into the resistance." "So I stole the ring, and escaped to your world." "It was supposed to trigger a coup." "Un fo rtunate ly.. ." "Well,yousaw whathappened." "But if you g ive us back the ring, we can give it another try." "You want to overthrow your mother?" "l've seen what she's done in close-up, and I know, perhaps better than anyone, if I doni stop her she'll destroy Wonderland." "So, who are you going to trust to get you and your father back home?" "A resistance insider and future king who's already scheduled your return trip through the Looking Glass, who cares for you more than anyone else in the world," "or this man?" "Where's the ring, Alice?" "It's where it belongs." "Well, well." "Under my very nose." "I wish you all the luck in the world, Alice." "You're coming with us, Hatter." "I doni think I figure in the future king's plans." "He's coming with us." "Caterpillar was very clear." "The resistance will only help you on their terms." "You must come alone." "But Hatter stood by me." "lt's for your own safety," "and for your father's." "Hey." "I wouldni want to go with this guy anyway." "What will you do?" "Me?" "Are you kidding?" "I'll be fine." "Bel leve me, you' re better off with th is guy." "Go" "l'm going after her." "No." "l am sworn to protect her." "Your work here is done, brave knight." "Butyou should be proud." "You'vedoneonehellofajob." "But she's in safe hands now." "So who'stheduchess?" "My mother's creature." "An arrangement." "I have no feelings for her, nor she for me." "My heart belongs to you, Alice, completely." "You believe that, doni you?" "ls someone there?" "No, I doni think so." "Let's get going." "Charlie!" "Thetan's ghost, you nearly scared me half to death ." "What you doing?" "Out taking a little jaunt." "You're following them." "So are you." "Doniyoushakeyourheadatme." "When I gave you Guinevere, you said you were going to hide out in the hills." "Well, these are not the hills." "Comeon,then." "Try to keep up." "No, harbinger." "I am the knight. I will lead." "This way." "What is this place?" "The Hospital of Dreams." "Just stay close by me." "Keep your mark covered." "If the inmates real ize what you are, I wonl be able to help you." "He's on the third floor." "What was that noise?" "The inmates." "Try not to let it get to you." "They can drive you mad." "Now, Caterpillar may seem very odd to you, but believe me, we're among friends." "Ready7_" "Hello" "You have the ring?" "Yes." "No, no, no, no." "No." "Should the moment arise, I must be able to swear under oath that I have never laid eyes on it." "Ask the girl to come closer." "Alice, come closer." "You're not as tall as I imagined." "Ask her if she's scared ." "Alice, are you..." "l heard him." "You can ask me yourself, you know, I'm right here." "When did you last see your father?" "When I was 10." "Ten." "A long time ago." "Where is he?" "Your father is a very difficult man to reach." "We've been tracking him for a long time, but never got close enough to pop the question." "Never once." "And do you know what it is we want to ask him?" "No." "Not even ready to hazard a little guess?" "What are you talking about?" "Horizons, my dear." "I'm talking about bright new horizons." "And that's where you come in." "Where I come in?" "Yes." "When you first met Jack, did you think it was a happy accident?" "The fickle finger of fate?" "Wasni it?" "You see, the effects of you r powerfu l emotions on our frail senses are devastating." "Patient 243 couldni get the precious high of flying high out of her system, so we're bringing her back down to earth in a controlled environment." "Patient 671 drank too much Self-lmportance, so we're shrinking his considerable ego, little by little, back to its original size." "We're all vulnerable." "Mix the wrong feelings together, the right kind of bad with the wrong kind of good, and you'll wind up with a total breakdown." "The Oysters, your people, are contaminating our world." "They must go back, dead or alive, before it's too late." "What does my dad have to do with that?" "He's the only one who can release them." "Why?" "Our undercover operatives successively smuggled him here earlier today." "It's the most dangerous operation we've ever mounted." "They're brave men." "But, I must warn you, he's not the same person you knew as a child." "What do you mean?" "He's..." "How can I put it?" "Stuck." "We're hoping that you can help clear away his cobwebs." "l doni understand." "l came to your world to find you, Alice," "because we need your help." "Only you can wake him, Alice." "So everything that we had was about my dad?" "It wasni an act, Alice. I really do love you." "But you have to understand, your father holds the key to our future." "I doni believe this." "So you have been lying to me this entire time?" "Well, would you have believed him if he had told you the truth?" "l doni know." "Maybe." "You're right, I should have been more honest, but I cani turn back the clock." "Please, Alice, will you help us?" "Alice, our world depends on it." "Daddy." "Who's this?" "lt's me, Daddy." "Another one of you r tricks, Jack Heart?" "Doni you know your own daughter?" "Daughter?" "You left when I was a kid." "The White Rabbit kidnapped you many years ago, and the doctors adjusted you to work in the laboratory." "We've missed you so much." "Mom tries not to show it, but..." "Mom?" "Carol, your wife." "You really think this charade is going to turn me against the Queen?" "Doni you remember anything?" "l remember my work at the institute, b io red uct ive enzymes, chem ical ly- i nd uced synesthes ia," "shadow theory..." "What about your family?" "Our little yellow house?" "l lived... I lived alone in an apartment." "Ray_" "You remember him." "Your friend with the boat." "What is the point of all this?" "Grapefruit and wheat germ." "That's what you liked for breakfast." "And on Sundays, sometimes we would go to that brunch place in Waverley, and you would throw chickpeas at the ducks." "Your mother will be very upset when she hears about this, Jack." "You doni even know who I am ." "Doni cry, Jellybean." "Jellybean?" "Is that your special name for Alice?" "That's what you used to call me." "And when our cat Dinah died, you held me in your arms for a whole hour, remember?" "Rocking me." "Remember this?" "What is it?" "It's your watch." "You always wore it." "I've never worn a watch." "We doni need them here." "It's kind of broken, but it never really kept good time anyway, and you didni seem to mind." "There." "Hold it right there." "Stop right there." "Doni make a move." "There he is." "Go on, freeze." "I'm a little disappointed, I expected a bit more of a struggle," "Where_ Hatter?" "Idoniknow." "Piched up your trail outside the city," "Excuse me, you wereni that difficult to trach," "Are you all right?" "They kidnapped me." "Tried to turn me against the Queen with some hogwash about being this girl's father." "You're going to break your mother's heart." "Well, well, well." "The mysterious Caterpillar." "Apprehended at last." "You realize this brings an end to the resistance." "finally, and forever." "Black day." "Okay." "Okay." "I know there are a lot of Suits out there, but if we let them get to the casino, there's going to be a whole lot more." "We have to take them now." "Are you serious?" "yes" "We've got surprise on our side, and we've got horses." "Youseethebottleneckoverthere?" "If I go in swinging and keep the Suits busy for a few seconds that might give you just enough time to get in there, grab Alice, and gallop away." "Bott leneck?" "Swi ng i ng?" "l'm going to need a sword." "No. I cani..." "Okay, show me what knights are made of." "yes _" "This is it." "You're ready?" "One, two..." "Charlie!" "What the..." "No!" "You get off him." "Hatter." "What a nice surprise," "may _7_" "The mouse that stole the cheese." "What a..." "The cat that's got the canary." "Oh, you look radiant, my peach." "Dare I say younger, too." "I'm going to wear it for at least an hour before you clever Suits whisk it away to reopen the glorious Looking Glass and kick-start that wonderful economy of ours." "Then I want it back right away, you hear?" "Loud and clear, ma'am." "Loud and crystal clear." "What is she doing in that thing?" "She's a contaminant." "A what?" "Jack discovered that she's Carpenter's daughter." "Went to fetch her so that she could turn him against you." "You know, wake him up." "So that's why he wanted the awful creature." "Evil boy." "Dad." "Dad!" "What did she say?" "Mad. I think she said she's mad." "Quite right." "But if I'm to consider her evidence, I must hear her clearly." "But Carpenter would hear, as well." "It's too risky." "Good heavens, Winston, you're paranoid." "Recognize that girl over there?" "Dearest, please." "She's an actress Jack brought here with some story about being my daughter." "Do you have a daughter?" "Of course not." "But the resistance will try anything." "Go there and take a good look at her." "Darling, please, I doni..." "Shut up, Winston." "I'm the one that wears the crown around here." "Why did Jack pick her, do you think?" "Because she is his daughter." "Quiet, ungrateful child." "Well?" "Look, I have no idea." "Perhaps because she is a very good actress." "I'm going to have her executed, you know." "So?" "Doesni that bother you, even a little?" "Why should it?" "Excellent." "Youmaygo." "My own son." "Blackest of all black sheep." "I carried you for nine painful months, suffered eight hours of agonizing labor, suckled you day and night, your sharp, little teeth gnawing at my breast, and now here you are, a grown man, with nothing but hatred and deceit in your heart." "It's unnatural." "Have you nothing to say before I pass sentence?" "Send Alice home." "She doesni deserve this." "Carpenter may seem well-adjusted now, but if he sees his daughter executed, he'll wake up for sure." "Nonsense." "She cani hurt you if she's back in her world." "Besides, you've crushed the resistance." "Their leader is dead, and the ring is back on your finger." "What more do you want?" "There is some logic to what he says." "Doni let him manipulate you, Winston." "Go ahead, then." "Risk it." "A word in your ear." "Leniency is not an option." "Heavens no!" "We're going to get rid of her, naturally." "The question is, how?" "l've always liked a good drowning." "Yes, but again, that may be the slap in the face that wakes Carpenter up." "It's too risky." "You're not falling for that, are you?" "Yes." "No!" "I mean, no." "No." "But we will have to tread warily." "This denial is a tricky business." "What do you suggest?" "Well, there's banishment." "Banishment?" "Yeah, some people even say it's worse than execution." "Banishment." "I have decided that the harsher sentence of banishment is more appropriate." "Escort her to the Looking Glass and have her dispatched as quickly as possible." "It is with a heavy heart and a clear conscience that I, Mary Elizabeth Constance Devillious Heart," "Queen of Wonderland, do sentence you, Jack frederick Heart, to be held in the Eyeron overnight," "so that al l of Wonderland may see you for who you really are." "And tomorrow morning, you shall be taken to the grand hall to face the executioner's axe." "We couldni possibly have got away." "There were too many of them." "Yes." "It'd be suicide." "I know what you're thinking." "Of all the knights to survive, it had to be me." "The gutless one." "I'm not even a knight. I'm a charlatan." "An imposter." "A big, fat fraud." "While Just Plain Alice and her harbinger are tortured to death at the casino, you sit around here eating borogove cutlets and d ream ing of the good old days." "Well, it's about time you stopped fantasizing and did something for real." "Something useful, something brave." "Something like... yes" "Lea_e us," "But..." "I said lea_e!" "When is a raven like a writing desk?" "The clockwork's not ticking properly." "Maybe crumbs in the butter." "tell me where the Great Library is," "I didni thinh you'd crach," "In that case, there_ no need to heep you all_e," "TwinhIe, twinhIe little bat, how I wonder what you_e at," "Goodbye, Hatter," "This one's gotta go back right away." "She'll have to wait." "A raiding party is returning with fresh Oysters." "The Queen's getting impatient." "She wants the ring." "We'll need it back." "The Looking Glass will only work for a short time without it." "No" "No" "After her!" "No_" "Okay." "Okay." "Okay." "Come on, Alice." "You can do this." "ohcay_" "ohcay_" "Save the ring. I'll deal with her." "Alice, pull this thing up!" "New emotions, distilled from our most recent harvest." "See, this is what I'm talking about." "Something different, something radical." "Gratitude?" "I'm not tasting that." "Of course not, Sugarplum." "But th ink of what it wou Id do for your subjects." "What is this one?" "Empathy?" "Whoever heard of such a thing?" "Well, it would encourage understanding and tolerance." "Ridiculous." "What's this one?" "That." "That is my favorite." "Pure innocence." "Taken from the fi rst flush of youth." "That's more like it." "This is our secret weapon." "That will do more to keep the rabble in check than anything else." "At last, my ring." "This is the only tonic I need." "Majesty, we're under attack." "Attack?" "from whom?" "Outside." "There mustbeathousand ofthem." "Well, who are they?" "Knights, Majesty." "The knights." "lmpossible." "Come out, you cowards!" "Come and taste the wrath of Asclepius!" "It's as if they've risen from the dead ." "Hit them with everything we've got." "Hold your positions, men." "Doni fire until you see the wh ites of thei r beaks." "AII Suits report immediate ly to central Command," "wow_" "Where did you get the army, Charlie?" "There." "Go, go." "Hurry up." "Another wave." "I have in onions!" "S pecial ist f ishcakes !" "Get up, man." "Get up!" "This is no time to lie down on the job." "Hold the perimeter." "Make sure we're ready for them when they attack." "Easy.Easy,Jack." "l'm hereto help." "Duchess." "We have to hurry." "I bribed the guards, and the blackout only lasts a few seconds." "Put this on." "Qulchcly_" "Why are you doing this?" "lsni it obvious?" "I care about you, Jack." "l always have." "Come on." "You're working for my mother." "l did what I had to do to survive." "This way." "What's going on?" "The knights are attacking." "Knights?" "There are no knights." "Come on." "I have a bullet car waiting." "Out of the way." "Come on." "Where you think you're going?" "Get down." "Hatter, you're okay." "Yeah." "Through here." "Come on!" "Oh, my God." "lt's a few cuts and bruises. I'm fine." "I thought you were dead." "Oh, that feels good." "We should save that until we're safe." "l'm sorry I didni trust you." "You trust me now?" "Completely." "Good." "follow me. I'm getting us out of here." "_NNoo7__ I have an idea." "Do you see any more Suits in here?" "l doni think so, no." "Let's seal the other exit." "Where the hell's security?" "Everyone's been called to defend the perimeter." "Through here." "Hurry up." "find something to brace the doors." "Okay." "Something Caterpillar said," ""Mix the wrong feelings together, you wind up with a complete breakdown."" "And Charlie." "Charlie said the Queen only wanted to feel the good, not the bad, remember?" "so7" "We're gonna stir up some emotions." "What should we do?" "Deal another hand, spin another roulette wheel, and it will be your last." "Where the hell's security?" "Defending the outer wall." "Sir, we have a problem." "Hey!" "Everyone, wake up!" "This isni a dream." "This is really happening." "Lookatme." "Think." "Where are your families?" "Your kids?" "Yourhusbandsandyourwives andyourmothersandyourfathers?" "Where did I leave my keys?" "You were taken from them and brought here." "Try to think." "Your name." "What's your name?" "Taylor." "No, that's my son." "My son..." "Look down at your feet." "Try to walk away from the tables." "It's stuck. I cani move my feet." "We're getting some very negative emotions coming through." "I doni believe it." "lt's that girl again." "Wahe up," "_aheup_" "Wake up, Daddy!" "You're late." "Wake up!" "A__ce" "Oh, dear God." "What have I done?" "Keepyourhead,man.Keepyourhead." "Three, two, one..." "Take that, you evil..." "Robert!" "Comeback." "Look, they're trying to break down the door." "Do you know why?" "Because they doni want you to wake up." "Confusion, fear, panic." "This isni good." "Sto p!" "You're frightening the Oysters." "l'll deal with this." "What do you want?" "Put the gun down." "You stay right there." "It's me, Alice." "It's your father." "Youdonirememberme." "You doni remember anything." "I do." "Thanks to you, I remember everything." "I doni believe you." "This is just another trick." "You see this guy?" "He's the one who brought you here." "He hooked you up." "And when he'sdone withyou..." "When he's done with you, he' l l get rid of you." "Isni that right?" "Daddy, isni that right?" "It was a Sunday, and we'd just come back from the movies," "and you were wearing your yellow dress and those black shoes that always hurt your feet." "And Carol met us in the driveway and told us" "Dinah had been hit by a car." "And you ran into the yard and hid, and I came and found you, and held you for hours while you wept." "I should've known you the moment I saw you ." "I've been a fool, Alice." "I've missed so much." "I've wasted so much time." "Please forgive me." "I'm so sorry." "No_" "Al l of that emotion's getting th rough ." "Okay, I'm cutting them loose." "Stop!" "Wait!" "Stop!" "l'll go find help." "Please stay." "Please." "Oh, my God. I'm sorry, Daddy." "Daddy, it's my fault." "Youdidgood.l'm proud ofyou." "I kind of messed things up, though, didni I?" "We'll make it right." "l'm sorry, Jellybean." "You're on your own." "No_" "A__ce" "We've got to get out of here." "Please." "I'm sorry." "Come on, Winston." "It's time to evacuate." "You go ahead." "Doni be ridiculous." "You' l l d ie if you stay here." "What is it?" "We've felt a lot of extraordinary feelings over the years, haveni we?" "But there's one thing I never felt." "And you know what?" "It's the only thing I ever wanted." "Yourlove." "You've never loved me, have you, my dear?" "Doni you see?" "I did all this for you." "There never was anyone else." "I would've conquered the world for one smile." "Doni be so sentimental." "Have I ever said no to you?" "Stop this." "Come along now." "No" "Come on, Charlie." "One last shot." "Bull's-eye!" "Idonisuppose Icould getthathug now,huh?" "There." "She's there." "Get her." "Touch the lady, and I'll shuffle your deck." "Doni just stand there, idiots." "Arrest her." "Take a good look at your Queen first." "Make sure she's really worth fighting for." "How dare you look at me?" "She's the one you should be looking at." "l'm not the problem." "You are." "Off with her head !" "And it looks like everyone is waking up to that." "Doni listen to her." "She's just an insolent girl." "No one is frightened of you anymore." "You're just one of us now." "This is my kingdom and I am still Queen." "Look around." "No one is listening." "Your power's gone." "Jack,thank heavens you're here." "Get everyone to fall in line." "Me?" "Didni you sentence me to death?" "Doni be so sensitive." "I was just doing my job." "Come on, now, and rally the troops." "No, Mother." "It's over." "The ring." "Are you mad?" "I'd sooner have you cut off my finger." "That can be arranged." "Do you have a knife?" "Thank you." "Make sure it's a clean cut." "We doni want any blood on the ring." "Who's this?" "My sister, Cassie." "l bet you're glad you're going home." "Yep." "This place is freaky." "Alic e!" "I'm so glad you came." "You really showed them, Charlie." "Thanks to you, Alice." "I shall miss you, Alice of legend." "Thank you, Charlie." "Your Majesty." "A__ce l tried to come and say goodbye, but I guess you have a lot on your plate now that you're King." "I owe you my life, my kingdom, everything." "I tried to give this to you once before, but you didni know what it meant." "This time I ask you to wear it as my Queen." "w ill you be my Queen, alice?" "No, Jack." "I've changed." "I'm not the same girl you knew." "I want something else." "G oodbye, Jack." "Would you at least do me the honor of restarting the Looking Glass?" "wow ohcay_" "What do I do?" "Here." "Place it in there." "Hatter!" "A__ce_Hey_" "Excuse me." "Sorry. I was..." "l was afraid I might've missed you." "Yeah, well, you cut it a little close." "Yeah,Iwas..." "Guess I was trying not to think about it." "Anyways, I wanted to say goodbye." "Goodbye?" "Andifyou,youknow, everfancycoming back..." "You want me to stay?" "Hell no!" "No, you should go home." "Yeah." "Yeah, I've had enough ofWonderland for a lifetime." "Yes. I'm sure you have, right?" "Still, we had a laugh." "You know, had some good times." "Obviously among all the bad times." "Yeah." "Yeah, we did." "Yeah, right." "You doni have to." "Brilliant." "Thankyou.That'sgood." "So, we should..." "Yeah." "You know, you could always visit my world." "You might like it." "Yeah." "We could do pizza." "And lots of other things." "Alice, please." "Ready?" "l was just..." "Just force you rself to breathe." "She's over here." "Alice?" "Hey!" "He's gone." "Who's gone?" "Dad." "Sweetie, come here." "It's all right, sweetie. I'm here." "You gave me such a fright." "How long was I there?" "Almost an hour." "An hour?" "You were lucky." "A construction worker saw you run into the building." "What's this about?" "l doni need to look for Dad anymore." "It's time to move on." "I almost forgot." "Construction worker who found you." "He wanted to stop by to see how you were." "Very sweet." "Alice, come meet David." "Hatter!" "F_nally_" "You have no idea how happy I am to see you." "I missed you."