The League of Remarkable Individuals (Chapter 1)
Parsley, 04/26/04
Encyclopedia Brown and the Man in the Black Suit
It was a slow day for Encyclopedia Brown. He and his partner, Sally, had been sitting in Encyclopedia’s garage all day waiting for a case to materialize, but so far nothing was happening.
No crime went unsolved in Encyclopedia Brown’s city. When his father, the chief of police, was stumped, he would turn to Encyclopedia, whose real name was Leroy, for help. Kids called Leroy “Encyclopedia” because he was so smart that he seemed to know every fact in the encyclopedia. With his knowledge and powers of observation, Encyclopedia could solve any mystery. Along with his friend Sally, the toughest girl in school, he ran a detective agency in his garage where he solved cases for 25¢, plus expenses.
Sally and Encyclopedia were about to quit for the day when a man in a dark suit and sunglasses walked up the driveway.
“Excuse me sir, are you Leroy Brown?,” asked the man in the dark suit.
“Yes, I am,” replied Encyclopedia. “Do you have a mystery for us to solve?”
“Yes, I suppose you could say that I do,” answered the man. “My employer has directed me to contact you and arrange for your services in a matter of some urgency. I must ask you to come with me to a secure location where you can be given more information.”
“Not so fast, buster!,” shouted Sally, rising to her feet. “Can’t you read the sign? If you want us to solve your case, it’ll cost you 25 cents — plus expenses!”
“Ah,” the man in the suit said as a smile crossed his face. “I understand. Very well, Mr. Brown. Here is the 25¢ your partner has requested.” The man reached into the pocket of his suit and then held up a shiny new quarter. “But I am afraid my employer requests only your services, Mr. Brown, and not those of your associate.”
“Well, I don’t like to work on mysteries without Sally, and dinner is in half an hour, but I suppose I can go with you,” Encyclopedia said. “No case is too small, after all. Sally, you wait here.”
The man pulled Encyclopedia Brown aside and whisked him towards a black towncar that was waiting across the street. “I am glad you have decided to join us,” he said to Encyclopedia. “My employer will be most pleased.” Encyclopedia was beginning to wonder who this man worked for and what case he wanted Encyclopedia to solve. But he got into the black car anyway and waved goodbye to Sally as the car pulled away.
After the car had been driving for a few hours, Encyclopedia turned to the man in the dark suit and said “So, what is this all about, exactly? What’s my case?”
The man laughed. “All will be explained once we reach our destination. For now it is enough to know that my employer is assembling a group of talented individuals like yourself to take part in a matter of great consequence.”
“Talented individuals?,” asked Encyclopedia Brown.
“Occasionally a situation arises in which only individuals possessing remarkable skills can ensure a positive outcome. You are one such individual, and soon you will meet others. Your country, and indeed the whole world, has great need of your talents at this time. That is why you have been selected to join the League of Remarkable Individuals.”
Encyclopedia was puzzled. The League of Remarkable Individuals? What could that be? But he resolved to wait until he met the others who the man in the suit had mentioned. As the man said, there would be plenty of time for explanations later.
After many hours, the car stopped and Encyclopedia and the man in the suit got out. They did not seem to be in any kind of city or town, as there were no buildings in sight. Judging by the landscape and the vegetation around them, Encyclopedia deduced that the man had brought him to the swamps of Louisiana. “What are we doing here?,” he asked.
“This is the hidden headquarters of my employer,” the man in the suit replied. “The large tree to your left hides a secret elevator that will take us underground. Are you ready?” Encyclopedia nodded affirmatively and the two entered the tree through a large, cleverly camouflaged door he had not previously seen. Inside was a large elevator, made of polished wood and brass, with only one button. The man in the dark suit pushed it and the tree-elevator began to move. It travelled for several minutes. When it finally stopped, another door opened and the man led Encyclopedia out into an incredibly beautiful foyer. There were antique paintings and stuffed animal heads on all the walls, and some leather couches that looked very comfortable. But the man led Encyclopedia on until they reached a huge pair of wooden doors.
“Inside this room the other members of the League of Remarkable Individuals are assembling. I will now introduce them to you,” the man whispered. He swung the doors open, revealing a great library with a large table and several chairs scattered throughout the room.
Sitting at the table was an unkempt-looking boy with a slightly nauseous expression on his face. With one hand he was twirling a thin wooden rod and with the other he was attempting to pat down his unruly hair. Encyclopedia noticed a strange mark on the boy’s forehead. He noted to himself that would have to remember that detail, as it might prove important later. Across from the nervous boy was an older boy in a red cap, slouching in his seat and carving something (Encyclopedia couldn’t see what) into the fine wooden table with a pocketknife. And between them, at the head of the table, was a very tall woman who appeared to be wearing a traditional maid’s uniform. Encyclopedia was puzzled to see that she was sitting on top of several pillows and adjusting a lavender scented mask over her eyes.
“Leroy ‘Encyclopedia’ Brown,” the man announced, “it is my pleasure to introduce you to the League of Remarkable Individuals. On the left, from Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the famous Harry Potter.” The man pointed to the nervous looking boy. “Harry’s skill in the mystical arts should prove very useful to your mission.” Harry looked up with a smile and Encyclopedia Brown saw that the mark on his forehead was shaped like a lightning bolt. Seeing Encyclopedia look at the mark, Harry Potter quickly turned his head, apparently angry with the newest arrival.
Next the suited man looked at the boy in the hat, who was still slumped over and pretending not to notice the commotion of Encyclopedia’s entry. “The delinquent to your right is Mr. Holden Caufield of New York,” explained the man as he glared disapprovingly at Holden’s knife. Holden did not look up. “And the lovely young woman at the end of the table is Ms. Amelia Bedelia,” the man in the suit said. As he said that, he noticed that Amelia was fluffing the pillows underneath her and pulling a thick afghan over herself. “Ms. Bedelia!,” he exclaimed, “whatever are you doing?”
“Well,” said Amelia Bedelia, “you did say we should make ourselves comfortable until you returned!” Encyclopedia remarked to himself that this was a rather unusual woman. But before Encyclopedia could exchange greetings with Amelia, the man in the dark suit gestured towards a dimly lit corner of the room where a large figure Encyclopedia hadn’t noticed before was sitting in the shadows.
“And now,” the man said, “I present His Majesty Babar, King of the Elephants!”
The figure stood up slowly and Encyclopedia Brown was stunned to see that it was a gigantic elephant, standing on two legs like a human and wearing a very sharp Brooks Brothers suit. On top of the elephant’s head was a crown. The elephant bowed deeply, then, rising, said in a deep baritone voice, “What a pleasure it is to meet you, Mr. Brown. News of your brilliance has reached me even in the land of the elephants. But tell me, does anyone know when the rest of our party will be arriving?”
Just then a very loud, very deep voice came booming from the hallway: “Very soon, your highness! Very soon indeed!”
The double doors opened, and through the massive doorway, stooping to fit, came the largest robot anyone in the room had ever seen. The robot was red and blue. His body appeared to be made out of truck parts, and on top of the truck’s body his head looked sternly but approvingly at all those in the room. “I came as soon as I received your message,” said the robot to the man in the dark suit.
“And we appreciate your presence,” the man replied. Then he turned to Encyclopedia and the others. “Gentlemen, Ms. Bedelia, meet Optimus Prime, leader of the heroic Autobots and a longtime ally of my employer. His strength, speed, and moral fortitude have saved the world from many a disaster. Optimus Prime, this is the League of Remarkable Individuals.”
“Greetings, friends,” said Optimus Prime. Encyclopedia was glad to have this robot as a member of the League. Somehow he sensed that Prime was a trustworthy leader.
“Well,” said the man in the suit as he clapped his hands together, “it would appear we are only waiting for one latecomer. Where is Hagar?”
At that moment a bearded man dashed in through the doors wearing a horned Viking helmet and brandishing a sword. “It is I, Hagar the Horrible!,” he shouted. Sensing his lateness, Hagar quickly took a seat and with the rest of the group.
“Hagar is a famed Viking chieftain,” the man in the dark suit explained. “He has survived battle, torture, and an overbearing wife, all the while keeping his legendary sense of humor intact. Hagar will be a most welcome addition to the team, and with his arrival our little group is complete.”
“Great,” said Harry Potter. “So when do we find out what we’re doing here? If I don’t make it back to Hogwart’s in a week we’ll lose the House Cup for sure.”
“Patience, young Mr. Potter, all will be explained in due time,” repeated the man. “For now, we must leave this meeting place and travel to one of my employer’s safe houses near the coast.”
“Adventure, Ho!,” shouted Hagar the Horrible. “Anything is better than this endless waiting. Let me match steel with the enemy, and fight for the honor of my people and their gods! For Thor, for Cuchulain and Odin! To battle!”
Even Holden seemed to be stirred by Hagar’s rousing speech. At a signal from the man in the suit, there was a great frenzy of whirring and clanking as, before their very eyes, Optimus Prime folded in upon himself and transformed from a robot to a massive tractor trailer truck. The door that had previously been his shoulder swung open and from somewhere under the hood Optimus’ voice called “Get in everyone! I can have us to the safe house in no time!” As the man in the suit looked on, Harry, Amelia, Babar, and Holden climbed in. But as Hagar the Horrible went to enter the truck, Encyclopedia tugged frantically on the sleeve of their host’s suit:
“Sir, wait! You can’t let Hagar come on this mission! That man is a fraud, and I can prove it!”
How did Encyclopedia Brown know “Hagar the Horrible” was an imposter? Turn to page 68 to find out.