Chapter 25: Sidewalks

With the Bad Hams...

Caitlin leaned up against the wall outside of the dining room. She, Natsu, and Megan were waiting for Mike to tell them what they were going to do for the day.

"Do you figure we'll get anything else out of Chad today?" Natsu asked.

"Maybe," Megan replied.

"If we try hard enough, that is," Caitlin added.

At that moment, Mike came walking down the hallway with vexation on his face. He came up to Caitlin and remarked, "I really do figure you should call your husband."

"...Why? What happened?" Caitlin's voice sounded with angst.

"You called him from one of our phones, right?"

"...Yes..."

"Well, you all must have Caller ID, which you do because I know practically everything about the clubhouse, because he keeps on trying to call us. You better thank God it says 'Unknown Caller' on the Caller ID instead of 'The Bad Hams'. He keeps on trying to call this number, and everyone knows, and I've had to keep the Numbers from answering the phone when he does call and telling him everything about you being a double agent. You better thank me, too."

Caitlin turned pallid. Boss had been trying to call her, and she didn't know it. She bowed her head and whispered, "Thank you, Mike. When should I call him?"

"Hmm... Probably right after I talk to you all about what you're going to do today."

"Say it."

"Well, Natalie and Dilla, you're going to be staying here for today, and I shall explain why. Dilla, since you say you're all so smart, I figured you could help me plan my big plan's small details, and Roger and Becky are also helping, and Becky told me that she wanted you, Natalie, to help her. The Numbers are off training up so they can be like body guards around the building. ...CC, why I'm not involving you in this is because you have to keep talking to this Chad guy and see what all you can find out. You're our main source of info, and you can do it good, I know. So, after you run along and go call your 'hubby', you go and find that Chad again and try to find out more. Everything clear? If you have any questions, this is the time to ask them."

"So I'm gonna be alone all day?" Caitlin inquired.

"Yes, but it'll be worth it if you get more out of him."

"What does Becky need me to help her with?" Natsu asked.

"...I don't know. Any more questions?"

"Yes." Megan walked up to Mike and glared into his bold brown eyes with her hazel eyes. She glanced back at Caitlin and remarked, "CC said-"

"ANYHOO...," Caitlin shouted as she pushed Megan away from Mike. "No, no, and no. You aren't saying what I said."

Mike puffed up his cheeks and remarked, "And you said what?"

Caitlin turned pale and whispered, "Uh, nothing. Nothing at all."

Mike shrugged. "Whatever," he muttered. "Dilla. Natalie. Follow me." He beckoned the two girl hams as he walked away down the hallway. Natsu and Megan looked at each other before they walked down the hallway after Mike.

Caitlin let out a big breath. Megan had almost told Mike that she thought he was cute. Caitlin shrugged and thought she ought to wait until later that night to call Boss because she knew she'd go on for an hour with him. She walked down the hallway after a minute and out the door.

It was still a gloomy day, but it wasn't raining at least. The gray sky let no sunlight through its thick clouds, and the river was a dark midnight blue. Caitlin walked to the bridge that crossed the river into Hamster City and crossed it. When she got into the city, she spent a few minutes searching for Chad.

"I wonder where the enthusiastic idiot went?" Caitlin inquired herself as she walked through the suburbs on the outside of the heart of the city. She sauntered around until she came to a large street sign that read 'Brach Street'. Caitlin glanced around and saw a beige hamster with four light brown spots that had large, green eyes. She looked at him for a moment before asking, "Who are you?"

The hamster continued to look at her as he hissed, "Who are you?"

Caitlin glanced around for a minute before inquiring, "Um, do you live around here?"

"Do you?"

"No. I live in a place four hours away. It's a nice little place, actually. You know where I'm talking about?"

The hamster hesitated before replying, "I was over there a few nights ago looking for someone."

"Oh? Whom were you looking for?"

"You know the Bad Hams?"

"Yes. Who doesn't?"

"Well, uh, they're out to get me, I believe."

"Haha, why do you think they're out to get you? I believe they're out to get everyone!"

"Well, er..."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know you, so I cannot and will not tell you."

Caitlin shrugged. "Akay... You know the Ham-Hams?"

"The goody-two-shoes Ham-Hams?"

"Yes, them."

"Yes, I do know them. Why?"

"I'm one of them." Caitlin nodded convincingly. "I'm Boss's wife, but I just have all this annoying dye in my fur... My fur is really brown. I just dyed it black today."

"Hmm... May I ask why?" the hamster asked.

"Uh, no."

"Oh." The hamster sighed. "I'm having trouble...can you help?"

"I can try." Caitlin's sapphire blue eyes flashed in the sunlight. "What's the matter?"

"I got a friend, you see? He says I should get this ham girl to marry me, and I really want to marry her because I love her SO much, but she really dislikes me. Well, she hates me. I asked her if she would, and she only told me off. How do I get her to like me?" The hamster sighed and looked at Caitlin desperately.

Caitlin shrugged. "I'll give you advice if you answer a question of mine later."

"Deal."

"Well, akay... Lemme think... So, in other words, you like a girl, but she hates you? Oh, that's so common, I tell you! Haha, well, lessee... You treat her right? Have you done anything to her in the past?"

"Well, I treat her right. She still hates me."

"Hmm... Does she like anyone else?"

The hamster hesitated. "Yes."

"Hmm... Wellys, there's not much hope in getting her to like you." Caitlin shrugged. "But look on the positive side, you've always got someone who likes you somewhere. Every night, at least one person lies down and thinks of you. Remember that."

"Oh my, ma'am, you've saved my suicidal soul!"

"...EH?" Caitlin turned pale. "But I have two questions since I also saved your 'suicidal soul'..."

"Alright. Anything!" The hamster laughed shyly.

"Who are you?" Caitlin smiled as she thought the hamster's description fit the description of Jake.

"Oh, me? Ha ha ha. Ha. Uh, my name? Oh, yeah. Ha ha ha. Ha. My name...ha ha ha. Ha. Um..."

"Is it really that hard to just tell me your name? Well, my name is Cait."

"Oh, really? Ha ha ha. Ha."

"Tell me your name. I saved your 'suicidal soul'."

"Oh, sorry... I'm just really shy around new people."

"You look like someone I know..."

"Who?"

"Well, dear, that doesn't matter right now. Just tell me your name."

"Okay. My name's Jake." The hamster shrugged frankly. "I'm just your average 'Oh My God, I'm a Servant for Other Hamsters' hamster. That's how I plainly say it."

Caitlin turned pale. This was Jake she was talking to, and this was the hamster that was supposed to be all big and bad?! Oh my God, Caitlin thought. He called himself suicidal. WHAT DOES HE DO TO HIMSELF?! Oh wellys. Maybe I can talk to him about all that's been going on... I'll tell Mike, and everything will be all fine and dandy!

"Oh, and my next question. You know Chad?" Caitlin inquired.

Jake glanced down at the ground and replied, "Yeah. He was talking about you and two other girl hamsters, I believe."

Caitlin nodded. "Do you know where I might find him and maybe you later?"

"Oh, you'll see him somewhere in the alleys talking to a big group of hamsters. You can't miss him. As for me, I'll see you later." Jake nodded toward her as he jolted away before she could reply.

Caitlin glanced at the street sign that read 'Brach Street'. She tried her best to keep that name in mind as she walked down the sidewalk toward the heart of Hamster City. Once on the street where she, Natsu, and Megan first met Chad, Caitlin walked down the sidewalk on the street until she came to the alley they had met Chad in. And sure enough, there was Chad with a large group of hamsters around him. He was standing on a metal garbage can talking in a loud voice. Caitlin had no idea what he was talking about but she raised her paw in the air and waved it while shouting, "Chad, it's me, Cait!"

Chad stopped in the middle of a sentence and spun around toward her. "Cait, glad to see you! Where are the other Shoxxi gals?"

Caitlin paused. She just couldn't tell him, "Oh, they're helping Mike with his plan on how to kill Jake." "Um, they had plans today, so I'm just out here alone." Caitlin nodded convincingly as a sweatdrop formed on her forehead.

Chad beckoned her to come closer to him. Caitlin pushed her way through the crowd of hamsters until she came almost nose-to-nose to him. Chad held down his paw toward her and shouted, "Cait, grab my paw, and I'll pull you up."

Caitlin shrugged as she grabbed his paw, and he pulled her atop of the trash can lid. "Actually, Chad, I should be the one pulling you atop of this trash can."

Chad blushed and responded, "It's not my fault I'm short!"

"You sound a bit like..." Caitlin paused before she dared to say Mike's name.

"Who?" Chad inquired.

"Um, someone I know, but I can't remember their name...," Caitlin lied.

Chad shrugged. "Oh well."