Early July in New York is sweltering, but it doesn't stop the city from preparing for the grandest celebration of the summer. Times Square blooms with red, white, and blue, flags billowing from most rooftops and apartment windows. Streamers hang from windows, and the handlebars of children's bicycles, flowing with absolute excitement and anticipation for the biggest event of the month.
Truly, everyone is busy—especially those that live among the New Yorkers in the most obscure of places.
In Grand Central Station, a suitcase pops open. And from out between the flaps, a little brown mouse in a quaint blue cap and carrying a suitcase, hops to the ground, making his way between the crowds waiting to board a train. From down a banister on a nearby staircase, another mouse, carrying a jacket under his arm, scurries past.
From all over the station, mice start to make their way out of hiding. They move intelligently, between people's feet, under crevices in the walls, and the cover of nightfall. Each of them has a long journey ahead of them, to reach the United Nations building. But when they do arrive there, it's a simple ride down below to the basement.
Out of sight from the humans, the mice stride single file down a pipe until they reach an upside-down suitcase. It's lit up from inside by a candle, decorated with several shelves, drawers, and match boxes that serve as seats to all the mice in attendance. Quickly, they file in, not speaking much to each other, except to ask one thing of one another: why are they here?
In other words, what sort of trouble will they need to answer to, anywhere in the world?
Once everyone is seated, a rotund mouse with a monocle walks up to an empty thread spool, rapping a gavel on it. He raps thrice, and the room quiets down.
"Order, order!" he shouts. "Thank you—this emergency meeting of the international Rescue Aid Society is now in session!" He looks around at the mice present and, feeling satisfied with the state of the room, puts down his gavel. "Now, I think you all know why we are here. It has come to the RAS Mouse Scouts' attention that someone is in distress. Therefore, it is up to us to choose a pair of competent delegates, and answer this call for help without fail."
This was met with a round of applause, and a few cheers from the mice in the crowd. At the mouse's order, who is the Chairman of the Rescue Aid Society, the mice all put their hands on their hearts, and pledge their allegiance to the RAS with their anthem.
At the closing of their anthem, the Chairman raps his gavel again twice on the podium. "Fortunately now, delegates, this situation is nothing that we haven't dealt with before," he continues. "There has been a distress call from a little girl in Indiana- inside a little town called Miles Beach. She has been under the care of some abusive parents, which our Indiana Mouse Scouts have recently discovered."
The room breaks out into whispers of surprise, and discussion over which agents of the RAS could go on this mission, although they all already have an idea about who will carry it out. Indeed, the Chairman puts his hands proudly on his suit collar, and grins.
"Would any delegates like to make a nomination for this mission's agents?" the Chairman asks the room.
Instantly, the entire room raises their hands. The Chairman points to the mouse representing Canada.
"I nominate Mister Bernard of the U.S., and Miss Bianca of Hungary," he states.
"Does anyone second the nomination?" the Chairman asks.
Once again, the entire room raises their hands.
The Chairman smiles again, turning the gleeful expression to all the room. "Very good, delegates. Will Bernard and Bianca please rise?"
At this call, two mice sitting beside each other in the seats stand up. One of them is wearing a bright red sweater, and a brown hat is perched between his white-grey ears. And the other is an elegant white mouse with a lavender scarf wrapped around her neck, and a furry hat of the same color sitting on her head. She looks more than excited to be nominated for this mission, while the mouse beside her looks a little tentative.
"Mister Bernard, Miss Bianca," the Chairman says, "will you please come forth to the podium?"
The two mice cross to the aisle nearest their seats, and step down to the podium next to the Chairman. Bianca takes the head of the podium, and raises her hands to get the attention of the applauding audience, as Bernard steps up beside her with the same unsure expression.
"Delegates of the RAS," Bianca says in her confident, elegant voice, "as the top two agents of this delegation, my partner, Bernard, and I, would be delighted to accept this mission to Indiana."
The room erupts in applause again, as Bernard and Bianca both turn their attention to the Chairman, who shakes both their paws in congratulations.
"Good show," the Chairman says gladly. "Now, it is my suggestion that you fly out to Indiana as soon as you can book a flight. Bring plenty of water and protection, too. It will be the Fourth of July in a few days, so keep a sharp eye out when you go out in human public."
"It will be no trouble at all," Bianca says to the Chairman. "It is our job to help this little girl to safety. I can promise nothing will happen."
"Not while I'm around with you," Bernard states.
Bianca laughs, as she takes Bernard's paw, kissing him on the cheek. "Absolutely, darling," she says with a sweet smile.
The Chairman gently moves the two mice along the platform towards the exit. "Yes, yes, that will do," he says fussily. "Good luck to you both, and have a happy Fourth of July."
Bernard and Bianca move along quickly enough that they don't reply to the Chairman's remark. It is time to move out!