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Glick clung to the leg of the cabinet, trembling as the two hated Guards attacked McBrid. He should help, but what could he do? He was too little. If he ran out there, he’d be squished.
“Hold him.” Scottsmoor walked across the room and closed the door. “You’re a fool.”
“Get off me.” McBrid tried to get up off the floor but Stink punched him in the face.
Blood flew from McBrid’s cheek, landing next to Glick’s feet. It was warm and smelled delicious. He reached out his finger but stopped as his eyes met McBrid’s.
“Do what you want with me, but let my Guards go. Charlie and Louis. Set them free.” McBrid’s eyes bore into his.
“Why should I do anything you ask? I won. You lost,” said Scottsmoor.
“They don’t deserve to be transformed into rats. They’re locked in a cage in a room to the left of this one, three doors down on the right side of the hallway.”
“Who are you talking to?” Scottsmoor strode to McBrid, his feet inches from the Almighty’s face. “Stink, check the hallway.”
Glick shifted back into the shadows where it was safe, but McBrid’s eyes followed him.
Topper adjusted his weight so he was lying on top of McBrid as Stink stood. The Guard gave McBrid a quick kick in the side as he walked away.
“You can go now and set them free. No one will know.” McBrid’s eyes darted toward the door and then back to Glick.
“Why would I do that?” Stink paused.
“I think we hit him too hard,” said Topper.
“Let them go before it’s too late,” said McBrid.
“Shut him up,” snapped Scottsmoor.
Topper’s hand came down over McBrid’s mouth but the Almighty found a burst of strength from somewhere and lurched upward, unseating the Guard for one moment.
“You owe Charlie. He’s your fr...”
“Shut up.” Scottsmoor’s shoe connected with McBrid’s face.
The Almighty’s eyes lost focus and blood dripped from his lips to the floor in a soft pat. “Pl..ease.” He whispered as his head hit the tile.
Glick sunk farther into the shadows, his body shaking so hard he bumped against the leg of the cabinet. He couldn’t do it. He’d never make it out of this room and to the other one without being caught. His gaze moved from McBrid to Stink’s large boot. He’d be squished like the hatchlings or worse. If they caught him, they might tear him apart like they did to Flea. Flea. His friend. He could’ve helped her if he’d gone to her right away, but he’d waited, too scared to try.
“Did he kill him?” asked Stink.
“Nah. He’s just unconscious,” said Topper.
Glick moved toward the front of the cabinet in halting steps. It was time for him to be brave. He hesitated at the edge of the shadow.
“Check the hallway and be quick,” said Scottsmoor. “If he has someone waiting, we need to catch him.”
Stink started for the door.
This was his chance. He wasn’t ready to die, but he wasn’t ready to lose his friends again either. Charlie needed him. He had to try. He heard Bumpers in his mind, cheering him on, encouraging him like always. He could do this. He darted forward, refusing to think about what might happen. He ran along with Stink’s steps, staying on the far side of the shoe, away from eyes.
The Guard opened the door and Glick followed the boot, forward and back. The Guard peered down the hallway and Glick hurried out the door, throwing himself flush against the wall.
“No one out here,” said Stink.
“Close the door and get him up,” said Scottsmoor.
Stink turned, disappearing into the room.
As soon as the door closed, Glick ran. Even with his uneven gate, his legs were a whirlwind of motion. He had to save his friend. This time he wouldn’t fail. He passed one door. Two more to go. He stayed close to the wall in the vast corridor. No one was around, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He passed the second door, his chest heaving but he pushed onward.
He stopped in front of the third door. Like the others, it was closed but unlike the Brush-Men room there was a small opening at the bottom—plenty big enough for him to slip under. He dropped to his knees. The creatures in this room were probably too big to escape through such a tiny crack. He hesitated. What if they were loose on the other side of that door? McBrid said Louis and Charlie were in a cage but he didn’t say the rat-monsters were locked up. He peeked under the door. Everything was quiet. He crawled forward until he could see the entire room. There were several cages but nothing was moving. Nope, that wasn’t true. Something with long, hairy, narrow feet paced but it was inside an enclosure—safe behind bars.
Glick slipped inside and stood. Bright eyes fell on him from the cage. It was the creature who’d been pacing. A soft squeak drifted across the room and another set of eyes landed on him followed by tiny chirps that he couldn’t understand. A furtive rustling sounded from the cage next to it and four more eyes locked onto him. He staggered backward, pressing against the door. He wasn’t going anywhere near those things. They were looking at him like the other Brush-Men did, like he was dinner. If they got out...It was possible that he was in the wrong room. He had been in a hurry. He could’ve miscounted the doors. He should double check. He dropped to his knees to crawl under the door.
“Can you tell what they’re looking at?”
Glick froze. It was Louis’ voice.
“No. I don’t see anything by the door.” Charlie sniffed. “Don’t smell anything either.”
Glick jumped to his feet and raced across the room. No longer scared of the monsters in the other cage. All that mattered was his friend. “Charlie! Charlie!”
“What’s that sound?” asked Louis.
“Glassick? Is that you?” Charlie knelt, sticking his arm through the cage and placing his hand on the floor.
Glick ran across Charlie’s fingers and settled in the center of his friend’s palm.
“What are you doing here?” The Guard pulled his arm into the cage and raised his hand until the two were eye level. “Better yet, how did you get out of the lab?”
“McBrid. They have him. They’re going to kill him.” Glick chirped even though Charlie couldn’t understand him.
“Wasn’t he locked in the Brush-Men lab?” asked Louis.
“Yeah. I have no idea how he got out.”
“McBrid. He told me where to find you. Told me to help you,” he said.
“This doesn’t make sense,” said Charlie.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter how he got here. Tell him to get the key,” said Louis.
“What?” Charlie looked at his brother.
“You said he understands you. Tell him to get the key and give it to us.”
Charlie looked back at Glick. “Can you do that?”
“Yes.” Glick nodded, raising his right hand.
Charlie bent, lowering him to the floor. “It’s over there.”
Glick crawled off Charlie’s hand and hurried across the room, trying to ignore the bright eyes that stared hungrily at him. They were in a cage. If they could get out, they’d be gone. He stopped at the key. It was pretty big. He grabbed it and lifted, but it barely budged.
“It’s too heavy for him.” Charlie’s voice was defeated.
“Push it,” said Louis.
That might work. He walked behind the key and shoved but the only thing that moved were his feet on the slippery tile. He bent, propping it against his shoulder and tried again. Nothing. He turned around, using his back, but the key still didn’t move. He turned around again and shoved, until his legs gave out. He wasn’t strong enough. He’d failed again.
The two female rat creatures chattered quietly to each other as they moved about their cage. The two males squeaked in heated conversation.
The largest one walked to the back of his cell and then came to the front. He held up what looked like a pile of partially shredded cloth. He dropped the mess and grabbed a large, piece of material. He opened his mouth, displaying long protruding front teeth surrounded by sharp canines that filled his mouth. He bit into the cloth and tore a strand free. He did it again and then tied the two pieces together. The other male began doing the same thing.
“What are they doing?” asked Charlie.
“I have no idea,” said Louis.
Glick didn’t either, but those teeth made him even more eager to get out of that room. He shoved on the key again, but unfortunately, it hadn’t gotten any lighter.
After a few moments, the larger rat-monster squeaked. Glick glanced at him. The creature’s arm was through the bars of the cage, holding the cloth as if it were an offering.
“Do you think your little friend is strong enough to move that?” Louis pointed at the make-shift rope.
“Probably,” said Charlie.
Both Guards stared at the rat-creature with wary eagerness.
“I’m not going over by that thing.” Glick looked at Charlie, shaking his head.
“I don’t think he wants to get that close,” said Charlie.
“Toss it to him,” said Louis.
The rat-thing shook his head and tapped the lock on his cage.
“We’ll let you go as soon as we’re free,” said Charlie.
“Charlie,” Louis’ whisper was harsh. “Not all of these things are your friends.”
“We don’t have a choice.” Charlie looked around the cell. “They didn’t give us any blankets or sheets.”
“We could use our shirts.”
One end of the cloth flew across the room. Glick scurried to the side to avoid getting hit. The rat-thing pointed to the door and then to his lock.
“Do you promise to set us free when you get out?” asked Charlie.
“Charlie, no.” Glick didn’t trust these things.
The rat-man’s eyes dropped to Glick.
“Your name is Rufus, right?” asked Charlie.
The rat-man’s head snapped toward the Guards. The smaller male squeaked, moving closer to the front of the cage.
“And you’re Lee,” said Charlie.
The smaller rat-creature nodded.
“What are you doing?” asked Louis. “How do you know this?”
“I met them before...when they were still mostly Guards.”
Rufus’ tail twitched, his nose bobbing furiously as he sniffed.
“I’m sorry about Prin. She was really nice.”
Lee quieted, his eyes now on the other male. Rufus snapped his teeth, his shaking hand caused the cloth to twitch on the floor like a dying snake.
“Will you let us out?” repeated Charlie. “We can all escape, be free.”
The rat-man stared at him, his shaking subsiding.
“We don’t have much time,” said Louis.
“I’m sure you’re mad because I didn’t help you before but I couldn’t do anything. None of us could. If they’d found out I even talked to you, they would’ve killed us both.” Charlie glanced at his brother. “He’s my brother. I couldn’t put him in danger. Please understand.”
Lee squeaked and Rufus faced him. They chittered in conversation for several moments before Rufus turned back toward the Guards. He nodded and shook the cloth.
“Okay. Good.” A fleeting smile danced across Charlie’s face. “It’s settled. We give you the key and you set us free.”
Rufus hesitated before nodding.
“That is not a good idea.” Glick didn’t like those things. He bent, pushing on the key again, but having no more luck moving it than earlier.
“You have to promise not to hurt him too.” Charlie pointed at Glick.
This time the rat-man nodded quickly.
“Tie it to the key,” said Charlie.
Glick shook his head. Big monsters like these things were not friendly.
“Please, Glassick. It’s the only chance we have,” said Charlie.
“I hope you know what you’re doing.” He lifted the cloth and carried it the rest of the way to the key. Now, came the hard part. The cloth was light but he had to get it under part of the key in order to tie a knot. He tried lifting the key a little, but it was too heavy. He placed the cloth flat on the floor and stretched out on his stomach. The key was slightly rounded, making tiny sections where it didn’t touch the tile. He shoved, pushed and wiggled the cloth through those sections. It was slow work but soon a small corner of the material was peeking from the other side. He crawled over the key, sitting and propping his feet against the side as he pulled.
“That’s it. You’re doing great,” said Charlie.
Glick’s legs shook and his arms throbbed but he was not giving up, not this time. A large section of cloth slipped under the key. He grabbed it, wrapping it around the metal and then tying the two ends together. He tugged on it again to be sure it was tight before stepping away.
Rufus began to pull the cloth, removing the slack in the make-shift rope. The key slid slowly across the floor. When it was close enough, the rat-man stuck his hand through the narrow bars of the cage, his face and shoulders seeming to squish together as if made of putty. His longer fingers latched onto the key and then he popped back into his cage.
Glick raced across the room toward Charlie and Louis. That thing...those things were going to be free soon. The safest place for him was with Charlie. The Guard scooped him up, putting him on his shoulder and Glick ducked into his friend’s hair.
The two male rat-monsters exited the cage. The females moved to the front, squeaking excitedly. Lee ran over to their enclosure. Rufus hesitated until the smaller one snapped his teeth, chittering. Rufus huffed, but hopped to the other cage and unlocked the door.
“Now, four of them are free,” whispered Louis. “I don’t like our odds.”
Rufus squeaked, stopping the others from rushing toward the door. Lee squeaked in answer and hurried to the desk, rummaging through the drawers as the two females searched the cabinets.
“What are they looking for?” whispered Charlie.
“I have no idea,” said Louis.
It seemed to Glick that they weren’t looking for anything in particular because they grabbed almost everything they found that’d fit in their pockets.
“Ah, are you going to let us out?” asked Louis.
Rufus squeaked again and they all headed for the door, moving in a fast, hopping gait.
“Hey, let us out,” said Charlie. “You promised.”
Rufus grinned at them, displaying his protruding teeth before turning and grabbing the door handle.
“I don’t think he’s going to keep his word,” said Louis.