Well in very late news, David Bowie is confirmed dead. The world of music is now in mourning. Hopefully this chapter will cheer someone up.

Dinner was deathly quiet—at least from Sherman's end.

Boring, too, which wasn't an adjective you'd expect from someone taken hostage, yet there it was.

Eris—or Janet as she 'kindly' suggested Sherman to call her— filled the uncomfortable silence with her own words, as if she either could not sense the child's discomfort or disregarded it. Stories about past crimes, how she and her husband started out, and their rise to the top.

Honestly Sherman was getting tired of hearing her constant hints on the benefits of villainy, especially since they only reminded him of his current situation; would this lady ever shut up?

The delicious food and drinks could do nothing to distract him either.

Janet put a hand to her mouth once she caught the child's bored glance into empty space. "Oh, here I am rambling on and on about myself! What about you?"

Hearing that question made Sherman face her with an inquisitive countenance.

"Oh c'mon, there has to be something you'd like to add to the conversation. Other than the expected 'I'd like to go home' bit. You've been quiet ever since dinner started."

Like he didn't have a good reason to be? Still, Sherman looked away, pondering his next question, before cautiously eyeing Janet. "Is my dad here, too? My birth one, I mean."

The woman waved a hand at the question as she answered, almost as if replying cost too much of her attention span and patience. "Oh yeah, he's here, too."

"How come he hasn't joined us yet?"

Because last time Sherman checked there were two people in the cockpit. Couldn't the man let his associate take over while he had dinner with his family? To the boy's confusion, Janet let out a tinkling laugh. "Honey, if only he could. You see, the couple we struck a deal with is less than trustworthy and if Natasha had her hands on the wheel, we'd soaring all over the place looking for Boris."

Wait a second. Sherman's mind needed a moment to review what happened tonight. "That creepy lady that gagged me?" He winced at the memory of the cold gaunt hands grabbing him, tight enough to elicit a cry of pain if not for the cloth.

Janet pointed at him in a 'you got it' manner. "That's the one! Her hubby's the one who ended up landing in a pig pen somewhere off of Albany after Jameson shotput him into the upper troposphere. Good thing we tagged him with a tracker!"

Sherman simply stared, blank-faced.

"I know. Crazy, right? Bud's shrink ray seems to have different effects on people when it comes to size. I wouldn't be surprised if Boris ended up looking like a disembodied head once the effects started wearing off. In which case, I would've tossed his tiny butt out as soon as possible, too."

Okay. That was not an image Sherman needed. Visuals aside, the boy still felt the need to critique this woman and her husband's decisions as parents, at least on Mr. Peabody's behalf. "If they're not so trustworthy, then you oughta be careful. You shouldn't have even gotten their help in the first place."

Mouth set in a fake coo, Janet put a hand to her heart as the other reached over and pinched Sherman's cheek, much to the child's chagrin. "Oh that's so sweet of you to be concerned for us, but we can handle ourselves just fine." Her hand pulled back in a flourish. "Just so you know; your other dad and his nosy little friends aren't the only ones keeping an eye out for you."

Weren't the only ones? Did this lady mean herself and her compatriots? Because if so the very idea would have sent Sherman into snorting laughter if he weren't as confused as heck. He tilted his head, brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, why else would we—ACK!"

"WHOA!"

The plane suddenly started rocking, throwing both Sherman and Janet off their chairs and their food and drinks to the floor, staining the carpet. After steadying herself back onto her feet, Janet glared into her watch. "Bud! What the hell is going on?! That better be some turbulence doing this!"

A grunt broke through the static moments (and another tremulous thud) later. "Sweetie, I think we've picked up an unwanted passenger!"

"How can you be sure?" As if on cue, a brief yet blinding explosion burst the main door open, the smoke concealing a small tailed figure holding something in its upraised hand. Except when the smoke cleared, nobody was there.

Janet rolled her eyes, unimpressed. 'Invisibility tech? How old school.'

Pulling out her cellphone, she tapped a number that sent out a neon-blue dome field. Sherman flinched when it touched him, only to realize it wasn't affecting him. The figure, however, reacted instantly upon contact, twitching as a neon-blue silhouette, Sherman shielding his eyes from the brightness, before—

POP!

The two humans could only gawk at the melted plastic remains lying on the floor. Janet shook her head in denial. 'Wait a second! That worked on a dummy but not the real thing? Then where's—'

"Hey, who are—wait!"

Janet's head swiveled in the direction of Sherman's shout. Before the woman knew what for, her offspring vanished before her very eyes, his scream vanishing into the night. Resisting the urge to gnash her teeth, she begrudgingly spoke into her watch again.

Natasha's voice beat her to the punch.

"We know, we saw. That puny squirrel," the sound of the other woman gritting her teeth clashed against the static. "He helped that little twerp escape!"

Janet heard Buddy huff in lukewarm annoyance then the sound of him pointedly wrestling the microphone away from the Pottsylvanian woman's grip.

"So he has. This could be a problem."

His wife clucked her tongue in mild disappointment. "Tell me about it. He'll blab everything to his dad the second they reunite. He does have your mouth, after all."

"Honey, let's not start. Anyway, I'd rather not worry about him getting too far. Even if he does reach Peabody, it's not like there's anything the kid will be able to do to stop what comes next."

She had to give her hubby that. If the main part of the plan went on as planned, Peabody's secret would remain their ace in the hole.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Wind whistling in his ears, lights rushing by, and concrete coming closer: yeah, not fun—and for someone who succeeded (temporarily) in piloting Leonardo's first aircraft, this was quite a statement.

At least with the craft, Sherman had some sense of control. Here he could only cling to his furry savior's neck tight for what felt like eons, hoping this squirrel knew about landing better than he did.

Fortunately, touchdown came rather smoothly and easily for the squirrel, and Sherman, visibly relieved, hopped off the mammal's arms, only to start shivering from the cold. The squirrel, noticing the child's discomfort, wrapped his tail over Sherman's shoulders to help with warmth, a gesture the boy acknowledged with a thankful nod, before they walked down the empty streets together.

At the first crosswalk, Sherman looked to the squirrel. "Thanks for saving me."

The gray-furred tree-dweller shrugged with a smile. "Gee wilikers, it's no problem. Just doing my job."

"Who are you, by the way?"

Chest puffing out proudly, the squirrel smiled and thumbed his chest with his free hand. "Rocky. Rocky J. Squirrel! It's nice ta meet ya, although it woulda been nicer to meet ya without all o' this."

True.

Sherman looked around to the scarce number of people straggling around them at this time of night. He frowned worriedly at a shady fellow in a trench-coat walking past them...only to grow confused when not a single glance got tossed their way.

'Are we still invisible?'

Rocky must have caught the question in his eyes because, after checking over his shoulder for any eavesdroppers, he whispered, "Special vest—bulletproof, EMP proof, and a bunch of other proofs. Your dad made this himself!"

That was one question answered alright, but now a thousand more were left in its wake.

"So you guys know each other?"

Rocky rubbed his nape sheepishly, appearing as though he let the cat out of the bag. "Uh, kind of. Have you ever watched that show with the world-saving cheerleader? What's her name again? Kim Possible?"

Sherman nodded, wondering at the relevance of that question.

"Mmm," Rocky counted out with his fingers, "Pearl's like Kim; Keanu is Ron; your dad is Wade; and I guess Bullwinkle and I switch off on being Rufus. It can get pretty intense sometimes, but it can pretty fun as long as you keep an open mind and stay in one piece! Anyway we gotta get you someplace safe."

But where, Sherman pondered in concern. If Janet and her friends could infiltrate his home—the home heavily guarded by his father's security with Pearl's added measures, no less—then where else would he be safe?

Rather than answering, Rocky patted his shoulder and guided him further down the street until they stopped before a navy-blue building with modest neon lights reading Moose n' Squirrel Bar.

Okay, uh. Sherman needed a moment to take in this place. Tossing a perplexed look to his companion, he watched Rocky open the doors and promptly followed him in.

"Aw, Rocky my boy!" a moose that had been behind the counter, routinely washing cups with a cheery whistle, greeted them in a deep yet dopily friendly voice, "I was getting' worried that ya wouldn't—," he paused with a bemused expression and pointed to his wrist.

Flashing a hasty sorry to his friend, Rocky flicked a knob and reappeared into view along with Sherman, who gawked at the beautiful tropical décor and massive unlit 70's-style dance floor, wondering what this place was like during business hours. He snapped to attention at Rocky's perky exclamation.

"Mission success, Bullwinkle!"

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about, Rocky ol' buddy!" Bullwinkle turned to Sherman and offered a hearty handshake. "You must be Peabody's boy, Sherman, eh? Nice to finally meet ya! He's told us all a lot about ya!"

Huh, good to know! Sherman blushed and smiled as he returned the gesture. "Really? Thanks!" He looked around again. "I take it you guys own this place, right?"

"Yipperdoo!" Bullwinkle gestured to the whole facility. "Pearl pulled some strings and got us this shindig for a steal! Folks from all around show up to partake in fantastic food and entertainment! Speaking of which, you look like you could use something to calm your nerves. Care to partake in one of our kid-friendly drinks?"

Finger to his chin, Sherman hummed in thought. He supposed he could use something to take the edge off of tonight, especially after the craziness that happened. When he nodded, Bullwinkle snappily snatched off a cup from the shelves behind him and asked the boy which drink he'd like.

Five minutes later, Sherman was sitting on a stool facing the dance-floor, sipping a sugar-free cherry-lime shake in between conversing with his new companions, who turned out to be quite spirited and interesting much to his delight.

"So you guys are secret agents?"

Rocky, seated next to Sherman and nursing a glass of water, stuck a finger in the air. "Freelance, to be precise. Ya could say we're a secret weapon. Cuz we got somethin' Eris and her friends don't!"

"Janet." Both mammals blinked at the boy's soft-spoken assertion. "That's her real name, um," he fiddled with his straw and looked away in shame, "and she's my mom, I just found out." Though why she'd just share her real name with him made no tactical sense.

Hopefully, knowing would not backfire in the future.

Bullwinkle shook his head in sympathy as he patted Sherman's back, his smile gentle and assuring. "We know you're a good kid, Sherman. You're nowhere near as downright mean and nasty as that lady and her so-called friends. Just stick with us and you'll be with your dad again soon!"

Hearing that guarantee returned a hesitant yet thankful smile to Sherman's face. "Thanks," his gratitude dampened at a sudden thought, "but what'll happen if Janet finds me again?"

A smart twinkle flashed across the moose's eye like a shooting star. "Ah, but who would bring a kid to an empty bar at midnight to keep them safe from a criminal mastermind?"

"Someone not very smart?" Sherman answered rather slowly out of fear of offending the moose.

Instead of being insulted, Bullwinkle clapped his hands and gave a sly wink. "Exactly! Intentional stupidity, my boy! Who would expect you to make such an obvious mistake on purpose? Especially someone who's used to pulling off elaborate well-thought out schemes?"

Sherman opened his mouth to retort, only to think back over the moose's words. His eyes lit up from realization. Oh...oh wow! That strategy kind of made sense once you thought about it. "That's...pretty fantastic!"

Bullwinkle tapped the left side of his head with a wink. "One of the pros of being dim-witted is that your enemies don't take your true potential seriously. Makes it easier to surprise 'em! Now then," he strolled around the bar and gestured Sherman to follow, "while I'd like us to whittle the night away with chitchat, if I remember tonight's a school night."

"What about Mr. Peabody? You said he's coming soon."

To the boy's sudden confusion, Bullwinkle bit his cheek out of self-reproach. Maybe saying 'soon' was a bit too optimistic.

Rocky nudged the boy's shoulder to gain his attention. "Janet'll be looking for you right now, so you better lie low with us for tonight. In fact, I've gotta call Pearl and tell her what's going on. Bullwinkle, could ya show Sherman where he can sleep?"

With a crisp salute and hearty wave of his hand, the larger mammal gestured Sherman to follow, saying goodnight to his friend while doing so, Rocky happily returning the phrase over his shoulder as he fiddled with his medium blue cellphone.

"Night to you, too, Sherman!"

"Goodnight, Mr. Rocky."

Rocky paused his typing to hold back a giggle. Yep that was definitely Peabody's kid, alright.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Pearl checked the latest message on her phone's screen. Yep, right on time.

"Alright he should be safe now. He'll stick with them until tomorrow." Flipping the phone closed, she faced a worry-faced Peabody. "I'm sorry but he can't go anywhere until you've picked him up. You can't go now either or otherwise you'll end up hinting to Eris his location. Rocky removed whatever trackers they may have put on him to insure against that happening."

Peabody nodded in understanding, thankful that at least his son was with people who intended no malice. And that moose and squirrel had to be the furthest from malice than anyone else the beagle knew aside from Jameson. All the same, tonight could prove hard to bear knowing Sherman would not be home with him.

'Even after what happened,' he noted with a disheartened frown.

"You and Jameson can pick him tomorrow and drop him off at school. We can discuss our next course of action after that."

The two dogs shared a look before Peabody arched his eyebrows at Pearl in curiosity. "What about you?"

Readjusting the strap of her purse, Pearl thumbed behind herself. "There are some strings I gotta pull back at work. Speaking of which," she turned to Jameson, "tell Rocky and Bullwinkle to meet us at Templeton Tower two hours before the party starts."

Jameson thumbs-up'ed while Peabody tossed glances to and fro the two Hawaiians in wonder. What were these two planning? As much as the prodigy hated being kept out of the loop, he decided to let the matter go and trust them on this matter.

Pearl pocketed her cell-phone then checked her purse for something. A satisfied smile-less hum later, she approached Peabody and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to see him again. Just get some rest for tonight, and tomorrow will come soon enough."

Peabody chuckled as he jokingly brushed the hand off. "Hmph, you and your platitudes. Sometimes I wonder if you're still stuck in the mindset of college."

His colleague smirked at the joking assurance before saying goodnight and leaving via the elevator for the second time that night. Once she left, Peabody faced Jameson, who had been oddly silent since walking out of Sherman's bedroom.

"Jameson? Will you be alright while Sherman's at school and I'm at work?"

The larger dog waved a hand nonchalantly. "Hmm? Oh yeah, yeah, no worries. I'll know how to entertain myself 'til I gotta pick Sherman up." And considering his skillset, that task would not be hard at all. A yawn rippled from his mouth as he gave a lithe stretch, arms over his head. "Anyway I'm gonna hit the sack, too. Night, Peabs."

Peabody nodded with a terse 'goodnight'...only to pause after about three steps into the hallway. "Ja—Keanu?" Jameson paused then turned around, somewhat surprised by the use of his first name. "Thank you for talking sense into me earlier. I'm sorry for how I acted when you first came here.

At first, silence. Peabody wondered if he'd touched a sensitive subject until Keanu enveloped him into a tender hug. "I did kinda drop in out of the blue, huh? C'mon, buddy, let's not waste snooze-time being all gloomy. Things are gonna look up. Just gotta hope."

A smile manifested on Peabody's face at the sound of his friend's gentle heartbeat against his cheek as the beagle returned the hug.

'Yes. Hope.'