Munkustrap and Alonzo had Mungojerrie pinned to the ground. The tabby thief looked up at them. "We're wasting time you idiots," he hissed. "Can it fingers," Alonzo snarled. "I'm not the cat you're after," Mungojerrie exclaimed. "I know where Rumpleteazer is. I need your help to rescue her." Munkustrap beckoned Tamoline over. "Can you do that mind thing that Coricopat did?" he asked. "To see if he's lying?" Tamoline nodded, gently placing her paws on either side of Mungojerrie's head. "I'm sorry about this Mungo. Just relax," she said apologetically, before closing her eyes. They flickered open a second later. "He's telling the truth. He didn't catnap Rumpleteazer." Alonzo and Munkustrap released Mungojerrie, as Plato and Erik helped him up. "Thank you," the tom spat, glaring at the protectors.
"Why did you disappear?" Munkustrap demanded. "When Rumpleteazer disappeared, I knew you'd blame me. I was trying to find her. Maybe even rescue her to prove I was innocent." "Why didn't you just talk to us?" Jenny said. "You're like one of the family." Mungojerrie snorted with derision. "No I'm not. After everything I've done for you, for the Jellicles, you all just see a thief. How many of you doubted that I would have catnapped Rumpleteazer?" Munkustrap shifted uncomfortably. "Erik, Plato and Jemima believed you," Tamoline said softly. "My brother and I, along with Exotica thought you were innocent. Even Munkustrap didn't like it. No one wanted to believe it, but a cat resembling you was seen. They were just being cautious Mungojerrie. We're your friends." The tabby thief scowled. Exotica flicked her tail.
"We can debate just how guilty you are of jumping the gun later," Mungojerrie snarled. "Right now, Rumpleteazer is being held captive by Griddlebone and her guards." "Coricopat and I only saw two guards, Griddlebone and a tom posing as you," Tamoline filled Mungo in as the cats started moving again. "Gribblebone has at least eight henchcats guarding her," Mungojerrie corrected her. "There's also an escape tunnel out the back. Anyone tries to make a move on the den, Griddlebone will be out of there in a flash." Munkustrap processed this new information. "Mungo take Tugger, Victor, Morgan and Honoria. Show them this escape route and make sure they don't come out that way." The thief snorted. "Do you think they're that stupid? The tunnel comes out on the other side of the river. We could never get there in time." "So we're going to burst into Griddlebone's den, knowing she can get away?" Tugger sneered. "Griddlebone is not the reason we are here," Skimbleshanks cut in. "We are here to rescue Rumpleteazer, not capture the white queen." Mungo nodded. "If we catch her, good. If not, no use crying. We rescue Rupleteazer before anything else."
The Cats crept up to the entrance of the den. It was a sheet of corrugated metal, heavily locked from the inside. Quaxo laid his paws on the cold, rusted metal. He took a deep breath, readying himself. "Presto," the tuxedo muttered. The door exploded, flying inwards as if fired out of a cannon. Before the smoke had even started to clear, the rescue party flooded in. All was almost instantly claws, biting and whirling combat. The broken, bloody figure of a guard was lying, unmoving, under the twisted wreckage of the door. The protectors spearheaded the attack, engaging the stunned henchcats. Tugger and Quaxo fought back to back. It was clear that Growltiger had greatly improved the protection for his mistress, as a small army of brutal looking cats tried to repel the attackers. Mungojerrie lashed out, sending one of the thugs stumbling away with blood leaking from his face. A pair of the fallen cat's companions rounded on him, before Plato shoulder charged them. Erik was like a black hurricane of fury, disabling cats right left and centre. He dived between Tamoline and a bulky cat with only three paws, bring his opponent down with a blow to the throat. "Let's get Rumpleteazer," the shadowy cat snarled. Tamoline nodded, and Erik, Mungojerrie and Jenny followed her down to the cells.
The cats raced around corners, until they reached the segment of the block that held prisoners. When Tamoline and Coricopat had been her their vision had been restricted by the ethereal mists, but now she could see the whole horrible complex. Pitiful shells of cats lay still in cages and cells, only their faint, ragged breathing confirming that they were still alive. Jenny looked around in horror, while Erik seemed close to tears. "We have to get them out of here," he croaked. Mungojerrie nodded, seizing a ring of keys from the wall. "I'll do it," Tamoline said, taking the keys from him. "She's at the end. Go get Rumpleteazer."
They found her at the end of the corridor, still chained to the wall. If anything, she seemed more bruised and beaten than the last time Tamoline had seen her. Mungojerrie bounded up to her, trying to shake her away. "Wake up. Wake up," he whispered. Rumpleteazer stirred slightly. "Please … don't … not again," he whimpered. Mungo had tears in his eyes as her undid the chains that held her, taking the queen in his arms. "You're going to be ok," he whispered, kissing her delicately. Jenny stormed over. "How is she," the Gumbie cat asked as she took her daughter from Mungojerrie. "She's alive," came a voice from the shadows. The cats rounded on the voice as the speaker emerged from the gloom. It was Mungojerrie. Erik looked from his friend, back to the newcomer and back again. "What in Bast's name!" the fighter hissed. Mungojerrie didn't speak. He leapt at the other tom, bowling him over.
The identical cats rolled on the floor, clawing at each other. Mungojerrie pulled his doppelganger to his feet, before throwing the offending cat into the earth wall of the tunnel. The tom pulled himself up, laughing through blood stained teeth. Erik saw chunks of hardened earth coming away in his claws as a spider web of cracks emanated from the point of impact and started to spread. The black cat joined his friend in attacking the imposter. Mungojerrie went flying, a kick to the stomach having winded him. The attacker sprang after him, pinning him to the ground. But at that point jenny joined the fray.
The motherly queen seized the offending tom and lifted him like a kitten by the scruff of the neck. "You hurt my daughter," she snarled, fire in her usually kind eyes. The impersonator spat out a tooth, before sneering at her. "You can win here missy," he drawled. "But you're all doomed. The boss is goin' wipe the Jellicles out. And der's nuffin you can do 'bout it." Jenny smiled, but her eyes were still aflame with rage. She closed a paw around the throat of her captive. "Your boss will never lay a claw on us again," she snarled. "And you won't be there to see us take him down." With that she spun the criminal around, before launching him head first into the wall. A resounding "CRACK," echoed through the tunnel, and then silence fell.