Chapter 2

Mickey led Minnie, Donald, and Goofy towards the strange futuristic building, glancing behind himself to hold his finger up to his lips. He turned back towards the building as they got closer to the door and slowed down. He looked around the wall and saw two men with guns in their hands, the two men in black and white prison garb as they guarded the door from within the glass. He turned back to his friends and whispered, "Go back, we've gotta find another way in."

"We could just try the back door, huchyuck," Goofy said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder toward the alley beside the building.

The four made their way down the alley as Mickey asked, "But where is it?" "Maybe it's on the other side?" Minnie suggested. "They have to have some way of getting things in here that are bigger than the normal door way."

"There it is!" Donald exclaimed, seeing a big double door. He rushed over to it and started to pull on the handle only for it not to open. "WwrrraaahhhH!"

"Donald, I think it's a push door," Minnie suggested.

Donald stopped to look at the mouse before the door was taken out from under his weight.

"Donald! How'd you get free!?" a female voice asked as she feel down to her knees to hug the duck as the doors closed behind her.

"Why, hello toots. Free from what?" Donald asked, smiling at the hug.

"Free from the gang down in the basement," the girl said, pulling him away so she could look him in the eyes. "Donald, what's going on? I saw them beat you up."

"Uh, lady, I think you're thinking about the wrong Donald Duck," Mickey tried to explain, stepping over to the two ducks. "Your Donald's still down in the basement."

"Huh?" she asked, looking at Mickey. "What do you mean? Mickey what's going on? Minnie? Goofy? How'd you get out?"

"We're not from this time," Minnie tried to explain. "We're from 1938."

"1938!?" she asked, dropping Donald in surprise. "No wonder you don't remember me."

"Your name might help," Goofy offered.

"No, I mean, arg! This isn't the time for that!" Daisy exclaimed, her hands in fists as she stood up.

"Can we find a safe place so you can fill us in?" Mickey asked, looking at the strange duck. "And we're supposed to find an Oswald?"

"Yeah, Oswald was able to get his kids next door. Come on," Daisy said, leading back the way they'd come around the building. The group of four followed her silently through a parking lot, ducking and diving through the cars left there from the show. Daisy led them to the neighboring café, unlocking the backdoor with a key from under the door mat. Once everyone was inside, she locked the door behind them and turned to see Mickey helping Minnie up onto the counter to sit, all avoiding the heard of blue bunny children.

"Mick, what's going on?" a voice asked as a black rabbit appeared through the sea of blue. He saw the whole gang only to scratch his head.

"Somehow we've got the past catching up with us," Daisy offered.

"Your time's Mickey sent for us," Minnie informed.

"What is he going to do next? Call my younger self?" Oswald asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He turned to Daisy and said, "Sometimes I really wonder about that mouse."

"Okay, toots, what's going on?" Goofy asked, leaning against the fridge.

"All we know is that your Mickey is locked up by Julius, whoever that is," Mickey explained.

"Julius is from Walt's past," Oswald explained. "He's had a grudge against Mick and me for reasons you'll find out later on."

"Why don't you just tell us?" Mickey asked, eyeing the rabbit.

"Some things you shouldn't know until you're older," Oswald said, eyeing him back.

"Oswald, you sure do complicate things more then they need to be," Daisy grumbled. She turned to the group from the past and said, "It's cause Julius blames Mickey and Oswald for taking his stardom."

"So what happened here?" Minnie asked, a bunny child resting in her lap.

"It started when Mickey wanted to re-open the House of Mouse, I guess," Daisy admitted. She told them about the day's happenings before finishing with, "I managed to get away while his gang was tying Minnie up in Mickey's dressing room. Horace had distracted them long enough for us to get the bunny children out but..."

Oswald had turned to look out the window, keeping himself as hidden as he could as he kept an eye on the building next door. "Ortensia's still in there," he mumbled, worried for his wife.

"You poor dears," Minnie exclaimed, putting a hand over her mouth in surprise.

"So six guys with guns against us," Mickey said, trying to work out a plan. He put a hand to his chin as he thought.

"At least," Oswald said, turning to look at the four. "There might be more that we just didn't see. And we still don't know where Pete is."

The room was quiet a moment before Minnie asked, "There's not another way into the basement, is there? Like a cellar door or fire exit?"

"Well there is, but only our Minnie or Pluto know their way around down there," Daisy admitted, leaning against the rim of the sink. "It's a maze for anyone else."

"If ther's guns involved, maybe the youngins should be sent home," Goofy offered shaking a bunny child off of his shoe.

"Been working on finding the safest way out of here," a bunny child called out from beyond the kitchen. A blue bunny holding a phone walked into the kitchen and added, "Dad, we think we found one."

"Let me see," Oswald said, making his way carefully out of the kitchen.

"I don't wanna retreat," a girl grumbled.

"94, I know you could hold your own," Oswald said as he took the phone from her sibling. "But think about your siblings that can't fight." He knelt down beside the girl with her arms crossed over her chest and put his free hand on her shoulder. "I need you to be able to protect your siblings and take them back home. Can I ask you to do that?"

94 dropped her arms as she gave him a nod. "Yes sir."

"That's my girl," Oswald said, giving her a hug. He rose back to his feet and looked at the satellite map of the area, following the line drawn in for the kid's path home. He looked back at the child that had given him the phone and asked, "52, who came up with the idea of climbing over the building?"

"I did," 52 admitted. Quickly he added, "I know it seems dangerous, but I made sure all the roofs were connected and that both the deli here and the butcher had fire escapes from the roof. This will keep us out of the bad guy's sight and as safe as possible."

"Have you talked to 57 about your plan?" Oswald asked, handing the phone back.

"167 has already offered to carry him," 52 said with a nod.

Oswald let out a sigh before nodding his head. "Alright." He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and handed them to 52. "This was your idea so I'm putting you in charge. Lock up the house when you're all inside." He looked around at the crowd before calling out, "Where's Oswald Junior 11?"

"Here Papa!" a girl's voice called out as a hand rose up.

"You're in charge once you get home," Oswald informed. "Anyone who wants cocoa can have it. If we're not home by ten, start up the night time routine, okay?"

"Yes, sir," 11 said with a nod.

Oswald turned to 52 and said, "Go ahead and get going."

"Yes, sir." 52 turned to 11 and said, "I'll lead, you watch the rear, alright?"

"Like always," 11 mumbled as he started calling out for Steve, the oldest.

"You're not gonna make them do this on their own, are you?" Minnie asked as she dropped to her feet, watching the children file out in an order she couldn't make out.

"You have another plan? I'm all ears," Oswald offered.

"At least let me go with them," Minnie offered. "I'll make sure they all get inside." She looked around before asking, "How many are there?"

"Four-twenty," Oswald said without thinking as he kept his eyes on the kids filing out of the back door of the deli. He threw her a look and asked, "Are you sure."

"Yeah Minnie, what if you don't make it back in time?" Mickey asked, worry furling his brows.

"Don't worry, I will," Minnie said with a smile.

"Alright," Oswald said, throwing a look at how many of his children had left. "You'd better get going then, you'll be about middle of them all now."

"Stay safe," Minnie wished as she turned towards Mickey. She gave him a quick kiss before adding herself into the line of bunny children.

"You too," Mickey offered as her tail disappeared out the door.

"Huyuck! You think it'll work?" Goofy asked, drawing the brothers' attention.

"Oswald, Mickey, I think we've got a plan," Daisy announced with a smile on her beak.