Wow, I can't believe it has been a full on year since I started this fanfic. I want to thank everyone who has stuck around. I am proud that this is my first fanfic because it gave me the courage to continue to write for other fandoms. This is the halfway mark, so that means I have another 12 to 13 chapters left for this story. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Also, remember that I don't own The Secret of NIMH or any of the characters. I only own my OC'S.
Chapter Thirteen
As we began on with the mission, I made sure I kept my distance from Justin. I would glance at him every once in awhile, but other than that I stayed close to Mr. Ages. We had discussed the plan before we had left. Right now we were all together but the moment we made it to the edge of the city, we would split up into three groups. The first group would go into NIMH itself and hide within the walls, ceilings, and vents and would watch during the entire mission. Mr. Ages would be leading that group. The second group would be the ones to be captured, I was placed in this group along with Justin. The last group would be heading to the sewers of the city to try to get help. There were millions of rats underneath the city, this would be quite beneficial for us since we needed all of the help we could get.
We all were heading towards the city, a place I had only heard about but never had actually seen. According to Mr. Ages, we were all an hour away from it and needed to stop to conserve our energy for now. We had managed to hitch a ride on the back of a truck who was heading in the same direction but not to the city, unfortunately. I sat down on the ground and watched as some of the rats gathered twigs and grass and started a small fire. It had been a long day of walking, climbing, riding, and worrying, and I was already tired. I pulled my red cape around me and grabbed onto the stone. The light of the fire was being reflected and it shined such a beautiful shade of red. "How are you feeling Mrs. Brisby?" Mr. Ages asked me as he sat down next to me. "A bit nervous, but ready to continue. How about you?" He sighed while pulling off his glasses. "I'll admit, I never wanted to go back. I've had enough memories of horror to last me a lifetime. But….I knew eventually I would have to return. This issue wasn't going to solve itself." I never really pondered how he would feel about returning. But judging by the expression on his face and what he just told me, I knew he wasn't thrilled about any of this. "You've done enough, Mr. Ages. No one would be angry if you had decided not to come." I said to him softly while placing a hand on his shoulder. He put his glasses back on and placed his hand on mine. "I won't stop until it's gone. I have lost so many battles against NIMH and have seen too many souls perish because of it. I am ready to finally win the war."
We both became silent and watched the fire glow as the sky had turned black. I couldn't help but ask him something that had haunted my thoughts ever since I reunited with the rats. "Mr. Ages, what happens if this mission fails? What if I die? Who will take care of my children?" He didn't take his eyes off the fire, "Camilla has been given specific instructions if our mission is not a success. You will return to your children, Mrs. Brisby. Neither of us will allow you to die." I guess they really did think things through when they came to me for help. What did he mean when he said 'neither'? "Um, 'neither' of you?" I asked. "Neither Justin or I will allow you to die. We have a backup plan just in case things go south during this mission. I sincerely hope that everything will go according to plan." They both had a plan for me? I couldn't help but feel touched. That's when Justin walked up to us, "We'll be continuing on at dawn." He said while looking over at Mr. Ages. "Very well." The older mouse replied. "I suggest you get some sleep, Mrs. Brisby. We have a long day ahead of us." I nodded my head in agreement because I knew fully well that by this time tomorrow I would be exhausted with worry.
-The Next Day-
My heart began to race as we were all instructed to stop. We had been traveling for what seemed like hours and the bottom of my stomach began to bubble up in anxiety. I could hear the cars honking and speeding away, along with all of the people talking to each other and every single footstep made. "We all must take off our clothes, we need to blend in and make sure no one catches us," Justin instructed. I hesitantly took off my red cape and placed it on a nearby tree where everyone else was putting their clothes. "This is where we part ways. Good luck to everybody and I hope I will see each and every one of you when this mission is over." One group immediately hightailed it into the city without another word. The other slowly made their way too and that's when I wished Mr. Ages good luck. Even though I knew he would be watching over me, I still feared for the worst. The last of us waited for Justin. "Alright, we need to let them get in before we do, that way we are guaranteed entry. So, this is how we get in. We're going to sneak into the building and go through the passages that we know are safe, that will be the first group's job. Once inside that's when we will go in an open area and 'be caught' When night comes that's when we'll be left alone and we'll continue on with the plan from there. Any questions?" I then raised my hand and Justin looked over at me. "Yes, Mrs. Brisby?" He asked. "What about the stone? I can't hide this from the humans." He nodded his head in understanding. "That is true when we do arrive you will have to hand it over to Mr. Ages. He'll hold it until night comes." Well, that seemed reasonable. "Are there any more questions?" No one said anything and he clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Remember, everyone needs to stick together. I don't want anyone to end up isolated. If someone gets left behind, somebody needs to stay with them and stick to the plan. Alright, let's head out!"
We all ran and headed towards the very busy city. We stopped and hid behind a nearby tree that was close to a road. We waited until there were no cars. Justin then stood next to me. "Stay close to me Mrs. Brisby." Oh goodness, I had been trying the complete opposite this entire time. Once there were no oncoming cars we all ran across the street. We all huddled to a nearby shrub to catch our breaths. "Good, let's keep going but remember to not be seen," Justin said as we looked around. We happened to be located next to a playground. This was good because the children were occupied with playing, this was also bad because children happen to be very curious creatures. Suddenly, a red ball came flying towards us. "Move! Move! Move!" Justin shouted as we all scurried away. Luckily we all hid in another bush and watched a child run up to the ball and kick it in the opposite direction. I sighed while looking around. This was not going to be easy.