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McBrid stared down into the opening of the Brush-Men cage. His nightmare had come to life. If he didn’t think fast, he was going to be torn apart and eaten alive.
“You’d better start talking. Your secrets will only help you if you share them,” said Scottsmoor from the safety of the floor.
His mind raced, unable to focus on anything but the waiting beasts below. “I can’t think up here. Let me down and I’ll tell you everything.” Fersia’s face flashed through his mind—not her face now, but the bright smile and sparkling eyes from when she was a Servant. He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t betray her again.
“No. You either tell me now, or you take that one small step forward.”
Topper shook him.
“Wait. Wait.” He teetered on the edge. He had other information. “Parson. He’s been spying on everyone. That’s how he’s made such progress. He’s been stealing everyone’s secrets.” If he lived through this, he’d find a way to warn the other Almighty, but right now, it was Parson or him.
“I knew he wasn’t that smart. What else?”
The door to the lab burst open. Louis and Charlie raced into the room. Topper and Stink turned, their grip on McBrid’s arms loosening a bit. It was the only chance he was going to get. He rammed his shoulder into Topper as he threw himself backward.
“Get your hands off me,” shouted Scottsmoor.
McBrid landed on his back a few feet from the hole in the top of the cage, his arms and legs tangled with Stink’s.
“Help me!” Topper swayed on the edge of the opening, his arms flailing.
“Topper!” Stink scrambled to his feet, reaching for his friend.
“Help!” Topper’s fingers brushed against Stink’s as he tumbled into the enclosure, his screams ripping through the air.
McBrid rolled to the edge of the cage and then right over the side. He hit the floor hard, his teeth rattling from the impact.
Topper’s screams amplified and then fell silent.
McBrid rolled to his stomach, gathering his legs under him.
“You...” Stink raced down the ladder, jumping the last few feet and landing on McBrid’s back, his fists flying. “I’m going to kill you for that.”
McBrid slammed his head backward, hitting Stink in the face. The Guard grunted but kept punching. McBrid couldn’t do much with his hands tied behind his back except try and dodge the blows.
“This is your fault. Yours!” Stink hit McBrid’s face and head.
McBrid curled into a ball, protecting himself the best he could.
“Leave him alone,” shouted Louis and then Stink was gone.
McBrid sat up.
Louis held the other Guard by the shirt and punched him in the face before shoving him against the side of the cage. “Do you hear me?” He hit Stink again.
Charlie grabbed McBrid’s arm and helped him to his feet before starting to untie his hands.
“That can wait.” He tried to go toward the door, but Charlie had a firm hold on his ties. “Charlie, we need to get out of here before Scottsmoor warns—”
“Scottsmoor isn’t warning anyone.” Charlie untangled the knot and began unwinding the rope.
McBrid looked around the room for the first time and his legs buckled. The two male Rattus specimens were in the lab.
Charlie grabbed his arm, steadying him. “You okay? Stink hit you pretty hard.”
“You set them free?” he whispered.
“They helped us. Didn’t they, Glassick.” Charlie’s finger tapped his neck and the little Brush-Man poked his head from his hiding spot in the Guard’s hair.
The smaller of the two rat brothers hopped toward them. McBrid stepped in front of Charlie. The Rattus-Man paused, his small, beady eyes gleaming and his nose twitching furiously before he moved around them.
“That’s Lee. He won’t hurt us and neither will Rufus.” Charlie pointed across the room where the other Rattus-Man had Scottsmoor pinned against the front of the cage.
“They want them.” Louis grabbed Stink by the collar and half-lifted the other Guard, offering him to Lee.
“No, Louis. Don’t do this,” begged Stink. “Please. I ain’t never done anything to you.”
“No, you haven’t but”—Louis shrugged—“just like you couldn’t help me and Charlie, we can’t help you.”
Lee grabbed Stink’s shirt, replacing Louis’ large hand with his long, slender one. Stink punched at the creature, but the Rattus-Man’s paw caught the Guard’s fist as if Stink had moved in slow motion. Lee bared his teeth, bending Stink’s wrist backward.
“Ouch! Stop.” Stink dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Ruffus squeaked and Lee tightened his grip on Stink’s hand and collar, dragging the Guard across the room toward his brother.
“We need to go.” McBrid hated Scottsmoor but he had no desire to see this. He headed for the door.
“Please McBrid, help me,” begged Scottsmoor.
McBrid spun around. “You were going to feed me to the Brush-Men.”
“No. I wasn’t. Not really. I swear. I was going to let you go as soon as you told me where my files were.”
Rufus turned to him, baring his teeth.
McBrid didn’t understand the Rattus-Men’s language, but that look was clear. “I couldn’t help you if I wanted to and I don’t want to. You deserve this.” They all deserved death like this, but he wasn’t going to add that part. He was done. He’d never mutate or kill another creature.
Rufus snapped his two, large front teeth together and Lee dragged Stink to the door of the enclosure. The Brush-Men were done with Topper and waited at the glass, clicking and chirping in excitement.
Rufus squeaked at McBrid and tapped the door of the cage.
Again, McBrid knew exactly what the Rattus-Man wanted. It was what he’d want if he were one of these creatures. “You have to move them into the other cage or”—his eyes darted to Stink—“feed them from top.”
“Please, no,” whimpered Stink.
McBrid couldn’t tamp down his pity. “The Guard only did what he had to.” He pointed at Scottsmoor. “What he made him do.”
“You traitor.” Scottsmoor lurched forward, but Rufus’ grip was strong and Scottsmoor was weak.
Lee squeaked, slamming Stink against the wall.
Rufus glanced at his brother before his eyes locked with McBrid’s as he tapped the door again.
“If you open that, they’ll kill all of us.” They needed to get out of there because the Rattus-Men didn’t care about anything but revenge.
Rufus bared his teeth and slapped the door.
“I don’t think he cares,” whispered Louis who had moved to stand behind McBrid.
“On the wall. Three buttons. First one closes the doors. Second one locks and the last one opens them.” He pointed to the controls by the door. “But I’m not lying. They will kill every one of us, including you and your brother.”
Rufus’ gaze darted to Lee and then back to McBrid.
“I know you’re siblings and...I’m sorry”—his gazed traveled to the Brush-Men and then to Glassick who was on Charlie’s shoulder—“about all of this.”
Rufus looked at his brother again and pointed to the door that led to the hallway before squeaking and wiggling his fingers.
Oddly enough, McBrid understood. “I’ll lock it behind us.” But just in case he was wrong. “Can we go now?”
Rufus nodded.
“McBrid, please. Get help,” whimpered Scottsmoor.
Lee shifted toward the door.
The selfish bastard was putting them all at risk. “I won’t do that.” He had to convince the Rattus creatures or they were all dead. “I swear. I don’t owe him or anyone anything.” He nodded at Scottsmoor. “He was going to kill me and the others...Conguise already blew up my house.”
“He did?” asked Charlie, eyes wide. “How did you survive?”
“I wasn’t home.” His gaze moved to Rufus. Charlie’s disbelief wasn’t helping him sell this. “I swear, I won’t betray you. All I want is for us three—”
Charlie cleared his throat, tipping his head toward Glassick.
“Correction. All I want is for us four to escape.”
Rufus’ beady eyes were hard as he studied McBrid, his long fingers flexing.
“Can we go?” Or did he need to beg more, because he would.
Rufus nodded.
“Thank you.” He turned toward the door. “Let’s go.”
“Glassick, get back here,” yelled Charlie.
Holy Araldo, these two were going to be his death. His hand trembled on the doorknob. His instincts screamed for him to run, get to safety. The others could follow if they wanted, but he couldn’t. The Guards and the little Brush-Man had risked everything to save him.
Glassick ran down Charlie’s body and across the room, stopping at the cabinet and pointing under it.
Charlie followed him, bending to peer underneath. “He wants his eggs.”
“Just grab them and let’s go.” He didn’t have time to worry about the world and loose Brush-Men.
Charlie grabbed the container. Glassick chirped, pointing to the vials of serum.
“It’s not ready, Glassick. That will kill them,” he said.
Glassick chirped again.
Rufus squeaked, his tone loud and irritated.
“Fine. Bring that too.”
Charlie slipped the vials into his pocket and put Glassick back on his shoulder.
McBrid peeked into the hallway. It was still quiet. “We have to move fast. The scientists and Guards will be here soon.”
“Got it,” said Louis, slipping into the hallway behind his brother. “Go to the back stairwell.”
He closed the door and hurried after the Guards, trying not to listen to Stink and Scottsmoor’s screams.