CHAPTER TEN: JENNER

Jenner smiled up at Justin. "So you do remember me after all! How touching!"

"But … you're dead!"

"Oh, come now," Jenner shook his head. "It would take more than a small piece of metal in my back to kill me."

"Why have you come back?"

"To claim my rightful place in this colony." Justin and the others in the hall were stunned into silence. "As you can see," Jenner went on, speaking loudly so he could be heard by all, "I am crippled, and every year my condition grows worse. I can no longer live in the wild, so I have returned to you, my own people, to spend my remaining years in peace. Would any of you deny me this?"

"I would!" Justin called out. "You are a murderer, Jenner! When you killed Nicodemus, you gave up any rights you had with us. You're not wanted here."

"So you say. But does the rest of the Council agree with you?"

"You will find that everyone in the colony agrees with me," said Justin. "You had no part in building what we've done here - in fact, you opposed the plan from the beginning, and spilled the blood of your fellow rats to prevent it. You've no home here."

"Can't you find it in your heart to forgive me for things I did in the past? I am in desperate need of help, and surely I am no threat to you now."

Justin shook his head. "You'll get no sympathy from me, Jenner. I'm even tempted to throw you out now, and let the night animals of the valley have their way with you. But I'm not cruel, so I'll wait to have you expelled until morning."

"You're too kind." Jenner's tone was sarcastic.

Justin turned to his Captain of the Guard. "Brutus, take him to the empty room on the second level. He's not to be let out for anything. I want a guard by his door at all times."

"Right, sir." Brutus roughly grabbed Jenner and practically carried him away.

"Perhaps we should let him stay," one of the Councilmembers suggested.

"I can't believe you said that." Justin spoke to the entire Council. "Jenner murdered our leader, and he tried to kill me."

"That was a long time ago," said another of the Councilmembers. "He is one of us, after all, and like he told us, he's no danger to us. He needs help."

"To take pity on him would be folly," Justin warned. "Jenner may be crippled, but he's still Jenner, and I won't rest easy as long as he's among us."

"It is your decision to make," the first Council rat said, "and we will respect whatever you judge is best to do about this situation."

Justin nodded to the Council and went with Ian back out into the corridor. When he was sure no one was around to hear them, Justin whispered, "I'm terribly sorry, Ian, but our leaving may be delayed a day or so. I want to make sure Jenner doesn't cause any trouble."

"I understand fully. As a matter of fact, if everything I've heard about this Jenner is true, I'll want to stick around myself to see how things turn out."

"Hopefully, they'll turn out fine. I'll talk to you more about the trip tomorrow. Good night, Ian."

Justin went to his chamber and told Elizabeth of Jenner's arrival. She was upset, but Justin convinced her that there was no danger and that Jenner would be out of the colony the next morning. Finally, she overcame her troubling thoughts and drifted off to sleep. Justin, however, could not sleep, and lay in bed beside his wife, staring into darkness.

Some time later Justin looked up from his pillow and saw a glowing figure enter into his chamber from the hallway. He crept out of bed as quietly as he could. Elizabeth stirred, but did not wake. Justin left the bedroom and stood before the figure, not believing his eyes. "Nicodemus!" he whispered. "It can't be!"

"Yes," said the ghostly image of the rats' first leader, "it can be. On this night, the evil have come back from the dead, and so must the good."

"Why have you come to me, your majesty?"

"I have come from a world of spirits," Nicodemus said, "a world which is in great turmoil at the moment. We need your help."

"My help? How can I help you?"

"The stone, Justin. I must take the stone to my world and use it to correct our problems there."

"I'll go get it." Justin, too overwhelmed with wonder to question whether he was dreaming, returned to his bedroom and took the pendant from the small casket that he kept it in when he slept. Elizabeth stirred again, and this time did awaken.

"Justin? What are you doing up?"

"I … I'll explain later." Justin went back out and handed the amulet to the specter of Nicodemus.

"Thank you, my friend." The ghost clutched the pendant close to him. "You have helped me more than you will ever know. But I must hurry now. I am needed elsewhere. Again, thank you." Justin watched Nicodemus step out into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

Elizabeth parted the bedroom tapestries and came into the living room. "Justin! What have you done? You gave him the stone!"

"Did you see him too?"

"I was watching from the bedroom, but I was afraid to say anything. Why did you do it, Justin? Why did you give the stone to Jenner?"

"Jenner? That wasn't Jenner, that was … " Justin suddenly stopped. "Oh, my god! Elizabeth, tell me exactly what you just saw."

"I saw you hand the stone to Jenner, and he said 'Thank you' and walked out."

"Oh, no! I've just done something terrible!" Justin rushed into the hallway and yelled, "Jenner!" His voice echoed through the corridor but the call went unanswered. No one was in sight.

Justin hurried into his bedroom and hastily pulled on his tunic. "He must have used hypnosis or something on me," he explained to Elizabeth. "I saw and heard him as Nicodemus. You stay here. I'm going to see if I can stop him."

Justin searched the passages, but there was no sign of Jenner, or of anybody else. It was as if the entire colony slept. Justin decided to check Jenner's room on the second level.

When he got there, the guard was standing outside the door as if nothing were the matter. "Is Jenner in there?" Justin asked.

"Of course, sir. Brutus ordered me not to let him out for anything."

Justin's hopes began to rise. "Let me see him."

"Yes, sir." The guard opened the door and followed Justin inside to find a room that was quite small and quite empty. The guard started to panic. "Justin, sir, I swear that I didn't let him out! Nobody's been through that door, I swear!"

"Don't worry," Justin said dejectedly, "it wasn't your fault. There's nothing you could have done." He went back into the corridor and started slowly walking to his room, his head bowed. He had barely gone anywhere when another guard stopped him.

"Justin, you're wanted in the main hall."

"By whom?"

"By, uh … " The guard nervously looked at his feet, as if he didn't want to answer. "By our new president, sir."

The guard on Jenner's room was wholly confused. "What do you mean, our new president?"

Justin knew exactly what he meant. "All right. I'll find my way myself. No need to escort me."

"Yes, sir."

Justin went to the hall and entered through the main doors. It was fairly dark inside, as it was in most of the colony, but Justin could see Jenner clearly enough, standing on the Council's platform in almost the exact spot from where Justin had earlier refused him admittance. Jenner's figure was no longer withered and bent over, and he was garbed in a magnificent violet and black robe. The stone hung around his neck, shining red even in the low light.

"I must admit I'm impressed," Justin said bitterly as he approached the platform. "Infiltrating the colony and seizing power in one night. You've actually outdone yourself, Jenner."

"You made it easy, Justin. I only hope you will continue to cooperate so fully. 'The stone is the symbol of the presidency, and he who wears it shall be president.' Do you know those words?"

"I should," Justin nodded. "I wrote them. They're part of our Constitution."

"So they are!" Jenner fingered the amulet. "I should remind you, before you try any heroics, that since you voluntarily gave me the stone, I am now quite legally your president. I will expect you to tell the others to accept my rule. I do not wish to have to resort to other means to keep the peace."

"I'll tell them," said Justin, "but only to avoid bloodshed."

"Good. Now that I am in charge, I'll be wanting to make some changes." Jenner's eyes narrowed as he gave Justin an icy stare. "Yes, some very big changes."