"Now we had better get home ourselves," said Kenny. "There's something freaky going on, I'm sure, but It'll have to wait 'till we get up."

They started up the stairs again, with mostly a renewed sense of purpose and determination. However, the element of fear was still among them.



Long ago Jacob Brauznytzyl had sailed across the Long Island sound from New York, a poor man from Poland, bent on living in a land where the streets were paved with gold, yadda yadda yadda (but we all know the truth, don't we?). His name had been changed to Brownolow at Ellis Island, and when he landed in Connecticut, he began to build "Brandy Hall", which was then a mere inn. But as the turn of the century neared, it kept expanding until it was the 84-story apartment building it is today. Most of the Brownolows still live there, and in fact much of the top 6 floors (including Mr. B's penthouse) are still in Brownolow custody. The building was also run by Brownolows year in, year out, and often the cuurent Mr. B (or, in some cases, Ms. B) was regarded as the mayor of a small city. The Brownolow family also had a VERY strong influence in the affairs of the Shire, due mostly to their money and (pretty much) hereditary charisma.

But they were also a cultured and well-travelled family, which was quite unusual in the Shire, and some of the more conformist and settled families regarded them as outsiders, being polite in public, but insulting the family when among themselves. My guess is that they both feared and respected the Brownolows, due to their money (for the latter) and how they spent it (for the former). As was said, Fred's parents (David Baggins and Patricia Brownolow) were killed in a plane crash on their way back from Cancun, when Fred was 4 years old. He lived with the Brownolows for 2 years, until the Westdale Bagginses took him in at the bidding of William, who rather liked little Freddy.

For one reason or another.



When they finally reached Kenny's apartament, the boys definitely needed to clean up. 84 flights of stairs is hard work! Luckily, the Penthouse had 3 showers (seperate, of course), and Fred, Sam, and Pip were very nearly shoved into them.

Pip decided to serenade the entire house (yes, his voice was that resonant) with a few choruses of "A New Argentina" from "Evita" (he got many of the words mixed up, though. Probably due to the fact that he had recently read a parody of it at some Tolkien-site), until on the remark about establishing authority; he slipped and ended up soaking the Brownolow's bathroom with Herbal Essences. Kenny had to tell him to mop it up before he could eat; Ben had ordered out for Italian.

They had a (late) dinner in the kitchen: pizza and caesar salad, and Mrs. Maggot's chocolate knicknacks were in the fridge, waiting for the eager boys. Mr. Brownolow had hit the sack soon after Pippin's musical escapade, and the boys were talking about their rather odd journey across town. Kenny and Ben were rather curious about those creepy bikers.

"So they're just these bundles of leather?" Merry asked, intrigued.

"Looks like." said Sam.

"Did Saylor send them?"

Fred's jaw dropped.

Sam continued. "We think so. Dr. Grey warned me that they'd be looking for us, and the book points to it."

"Y--y--you know about Saylor?"

He was surrounded by smirking faces. "Thanks mostly to Sam."

"Traitor."

"I prefer conspirator."

"Et tu, Gardener?"

"Believe me, if the ring weren't yours, you would be under Pompey's statue now. Bleeding."

Fred scowled. Trying to save face, he went back to the topic. "So, you know everything, huh?"

Sam smiled. "That's the way it's supposed to be, Freddy."

"And you're all going with me?"

"Nope. Ben here is staying behind. To cover for the rest of us."

Pippin asked Kenny, "How are we going to slip out?"

"At the party after finals. I plan to take a hint from good old Bill."

"You mean we're gonna fake our own deaths?"

Kenny smiled. "No. But it'll be talked about just as much. I just hope the Bagginses agree to our taking Fred on a little trip...."



"CANCUN?!"

"That's right, Mrs. Baggins. Kenny and the boys are going to Cancun for a few weeks. And Dad said I could go too."

"Did our little Freddy agree to this?"

"Actually, he was quite enthusiastic. They're leaving on Saturday morning. They leave from Laguardia. I know it'll be a burden for you to drive, so we'll take a limo to the airport. You can say goodbye at the party on Friday."

"Sam...this is such a shock."

"I know. It's so hot in Cancun this time of year!"



Friday came and went. As Fred lay in bed, he couldn't sleep for some time. He was so afraid of what might happen to him, to his family, to his family's money while he was gone. Maybe they would really give it to the S-O'Bs....

Eventually he fell into a vague dream, in which he seemed to be looking out of a high window over a dark sea of rooftops. In the backroads below he could sense people looking for him. He was sure they would smell him out sooner or later.

Then he heard a noise in the distance. At first he thought it was rustling leaves, but then he realized it was the faraway sound of the ocean. There were no buildings after all, just the waves, and the call of the people riding them. He had never seen the ocean....

...Not even the Long Island sound....

He was standing on a wooden platform, and could only move toward the sound of the crashing waves. He started to struggle to reach them....but suddenly light came into the sky, and a noise like a single burst of thunder....