Rumpleteazer dashed away, eager to begin her errand. Yes, she'd get Jenny what she'd asked for. But she was sure that a quick search for Mungojerrie could be worked into her schedule. She looked at Victoria Grove; he wasn't there. She looked at all their usual hangouts, and even at some of the more unlikely places for him to be, but he wasn't to be found. Sadly, she headed downtown to get Jenny what she needed. As she walked along the riverside, she spottedJerrie a ways up the bank.
"Jerrie!" she called excitedly, racing towards him at top speed. Jerrie turned his head a second too late. Teazer had already tackled him and was strangling him in a hug.
"Whe'd you come from?" he asked in surprise.
"Oi'm 'untin' somethin' fo' Jenny," Teazer said. She couldn't manage to keep still; she was so glad she'd found her brother!
"Oi got an 'unch you's 'untin' somethin' else too," Jerrie teased. Teazer gave him another hug.
"Cou'se Oi wos!" she said. "Oi wos 'untin' you!"
"Oi though' so," Jerrie told her. "But…could ya get off me?"
"Sorry," Teazer apologized. "But Oi jus' couldn' 'elp moyself…Oi'm so 'appy!"
"Oi knows, an' Oi am too, but Oi can't go back with ya. 'Memba?" Jerrie said, not at all pleased to have to add that sour note to their joyful reunion.
"Yeh, Oi 'memba," Teazer said sadly. "But ya'll come back soon, roight?"
"Oi promised, didn' Oi?" said Jerrie, though in reality he wasn't all too sure. "Betta git back ta the Junkya'd b'fo' they sends ou' a sea'ch pa'ty."
Teazer gave Jerrie a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried off. She couldn't believe her good luck! Finding a wandering Jerrie in the big city of London had the potential of being an extremely difficult task, but she'd pulled it off with relative ease.
She ran at top speed back toward the Junkyard, hoping to get there soon enough to avoid suspicion. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm from behind, nearly yanking it out of socket. Teazer gave a little yelp as the someone whirled her around, and then she found herself face-to-face with one of the largest alley toms she'd ever seen. Several other rough-looking toms stood behind him. The tom that had a hold on her was a dark gray color with a single, golden-yellow, zigzagging stripe down his back.
"W-who a' you?" she stammered out. This cat had a particularly intimidating air about him.
"I'm Zeus," the alley tom said simply.
"You's who?" Teazer asked, dumbfounded. This strange cat named Zeus didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed Teazer about the waist and turned her in a circle.
"Yes, I think she'll do nicely," he said. Teazer didn't like the sound of that.
"Wot'n the 'Eavyside Laya a' ya tolkin' 'bout?" she asked.
"My dear…" Zeus began. Teazer definitely didn't like the sound of that. Then, all at once, she recognized him.
"You's tha' tom who jumped me 'n Jerrie the otha noight!" she exclaimed.
Zeus smiled wickedly. "Yes, that was me. And now I finally have you alone, without your overprotective brother around."
Teazer shivered. Judging from his attitude toward her the night he'd surprised she and Jerrie, she could guess what he'd meant by "she'll do nicely". However, she decided to pretend she didn't.
"Tell me jus' wot Oi'll do noicely fo'," she demanded.
"You'll figure that out with time," Zeus replied.
"Tha' doesn' soun' good," Teazer muttered.
"Now, my dear…" Zeus told her. Teazer angrily slapped him.
"Stop callin' me tha'!" she said. "Oi ain't yer dea', an' Oi neva will be!"
Zeus didn't reply. He just gave her another wicked smile and led her away towards Macavity's Lair. Teazer struggled and called for help, but in vain.
What was a queen to do?
Rumpleteazer was not missed at the Junkyard until late that afternoon, when Jenny told Munkustrap that she'd sent Teazer on an errand and she hadn't returned. As the Jellicles were realizing that one of their number was missing, Mungojerrie was running silently through the alley towards the Jellicle Junkyard. He intended to take a peek into the yard to see what everyone was up to, but he didn't expect to arrive just as the Jellicles were discussing the disappearance of his sister. When he heard them talking about Teazer, he jumped up on a pile of junk that was hidden behind the Junkyard fence to listen.
"When exactly did you send her on this errand, Jenny?" Munkustrap was asking.
"Very early in the morning…about six," Jenny told him.
"What was the errand?" Munkustrap asked.
"She was getting me an ingredient for one of my medicines," said Jenny. "I don't think it should've taken this long."
Munkustrap turned to say something to Alonzo, and Jenny thought about her answer. She knew that Teazer had probably found Jerrie and spoken to him. But certainly a queen as street smart as Teazer would know to return before she was missed! Jenny hesitated. This information could get Teazer into trouble. But would it be worse trouble than she was already in? Jenny thought not.
"Munkustrap," she said. "In sending Teazer on the errand, I had a second purpose. I'm almost certain that she intended to search Jerrie out and speak to him. I permitted it because I just couldn't bring myself to believe him guilty of the theft!"
Munkustrap was surprised at such an action from Jenny.
"But even so," Jenny continued. "She certainly would've returned by now."
Jerrie jumped silently from one junk pile to the next, circling the yard. So much for Teazah bein' safe, he thought. She would've been better off with him after all.
"What should we do?" Demeter asked Munkustrap. Munkustrap frowned as he tried to think up a solution.
"Do you have any idea what could've happened to her?" he asked Jenny.
"She could've been kidnapped by Macavity, or attacked by Pollicles…any number of things could've happened!" said Jenny.
Mungojerrie, however, knew exactly what had happened. He'd find his sister at Macavity's Lair with Zeus. He slid down from the junk pile and raced off in the direction of the Lair, which was an abandoned building that Macavity had fixed for his use.
Jerrie had gotten about halfway to Macavity's Lair when he spied a group of agents standing on a street corner. He heard Teazer's name mentioned, and he quickly picked a well-hidden spot so he could eavesdrop.
"I hear Zeus netted himself another queen," one said. "Mungojerrie's sister, if the rumors are true."
"Mungojerrie?" asked another, looking a bit confused.
"You remember!" the first exclaimed. "The tabby tom that quit on Macavity awhile back; you know, the Cockney? The one who had the…ahem…affair with Griddlebone."
"Oh yeah, Mungojerrie," the other tom said, musing over the comment about Griddlebone. "I heard they sent him away for stealing those jewels from the jewel shop. Too bad they don't know Zeus did it!"
"They sent Mungojerrie away?" the largest of the agents asked, sounding very interested. Jerrie remembered him well: Daine, a tall, strong tom and one of Macavity's very best agents. Daine held him in extremely bitter contempt. Jerrie wasn't quite sure of the reason, but he was smart enough to know to stay well out of Daine's way if it was possible. Daine, it was said, possessed extraordinary mystical powers.
"I've heard talk of it," the first cat said. "They say they sent him into exile…and based on inconclusive evidence! What cowards!"
"Is Macavity aware of this?" Daine asked.
"I don't know that anyone's reported it yet," said the first agent.
"Macavity will want that information. He'll want Mungojerrie back," Daine said, moving hastily away from the group as though he was leaving.
"I thought you didn't like Mungojerrie," the other agent reminded him. "He's the one who got on Macavity's good side and worked his way up to the top. Remember?"
"Of course I remember," Daine snapped. "What do you take me for?"
"I was just making sure…" the other tom mumbled.
"If you must know, I have my own fight to pick with that Cockney," said Daine in an exasperated tone. "It's none of Macavity's affair. I'll return shortly."
Mungojerrie's mind worked quickly. He'd have to pick the fight Daine wanted before he got to Macavity. If he could prevent Daine from reaching Macavity, perhaps Macavity would never find out that he'd been exiled. At the very least, his finding out would be delayed. He could infiltrate the Lair, rescue Teazer, and escape before Macavity had even been reminded to think about him!
However, there was a large catch. In order for his plan to work, he'd have to win the fight. Though he didn't see how he could do it, given that Daine was twice as tall and had dangerously beneficial mystical powers, he decided to have a go at it. He followed Daine into a deserted, dark alley, where no one would see or hear them.
"Stop whe' you a'," he ordered. Too late, he realized that he should've at least tried to disguise his accent. He saw a sneer form on Daine's face.
"Why, if it isn't Mungojerrie, the very notorious Cockney traitor," Daine laughed wickedly.
"Oi shoulda known ya'd throw an insult a' me first thing," Jerrie countered. "It always wos the fav'rite pastoime at the Lair."
"And where's that slutty little tagalong sister of yours?" Daine asked, a cruel grin forming on his face. He knew Mungojerrie himself could stand a taunt, but he wouldn't tolerate anything bad said of his twin.
"Taike tha' back!" Jerrie growled.
Daine just stared, daring Jerrie to pick a fight. Jerrie raised a threatening paw.
"You draw the line at murder, remember that, Mungojerrie," Daine said. "Although, I'm saying this as though you could actually even hurt me. You always were so much weaker than I am."
"An' ya say it as if Oi would stoop ta the murderin' level," Jerrie said. "Now taike back wot ya said 'bout Teazah!"
He never had, and never, ever would, lower himself to murder. He had more dignity than that. Even when he had been working for Macavity, he'd never even thought to murder anyone. Even though Macavity often had asked him to, he'd always said no. It was simply too awful to stoop to. To take the life of another cat was blatantly wrong.
Again, Daine just stared, this time silently. Jerrie could see it in his eyes…he wanted to fight. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, this moment when he could fight with Mungojerrie with no one to stop him or limit him in any way. It made Jerrie just a little nervous. It was clear that Daine was perfectly ready to fight to the death, but he also knew that he wouldn't, just for sport. Daine would injure him, yes, maybe even bring him dangerously close to death. But kill him, no. For Daine, this was a simple game, and Jerrie was the toy.
But Jerrie's rage at Daine's remarks about Teazer overcame his anxiety. With a growl, he pounced on Daine. Daine took a swipe at Jerrie's face that almost broke his jaw, but Mungojerrie wasn't beaten that easily. He took a flying leap off a garbage can, landing on Daine's back and digging his claws into the larger cat's fur and skin. Daine turned around quickly, throwing Jerrie into a pile of junk. Jerrie jumped up and swiped at Daine's face, leaving a thin scratch mark down his cheek. Daine, furious that Jerrie had actually done him harm, struck him with all the force he had. Jerrie stumbled backwards and fell, but recovered as Daine turned around and managed to bite Daine on the ear. Daine angrily swung his fist around and gave Jerrie another full force strike square in the face. Jerrie let out a yelp and fell back. Daine whirled and stalked away, leaving Jerrie with a bloody nose and mouth.
Jerrie groaned and put a paw to his face. It came away bloody. He dragged himself to the Thames and stuck his blood-spattered paw in the cool water as he flopped down onto the bank, exhausted. The water felt good in the blistering summer heat, and though he fought it, he fell into a fitful sleep.
WhenJerrie awoke, the sun shone brightly, its blazing heat pounding down on his back. It was about noon, he estimated. He washed the blood off his face and took a long drink as he pondered what to do next. He'd lost the fight that he'd foolishly picked with Daine, and now Macavity was almost certainly after him. But that unlucky obstacle wouldn't stop him from rescuing Rumpleteazer.
Not knowing what else to do, Jerrie started off toward Macavity's Lair. There was no other choice. He had nowhere else to take this but to open confrontation with the Hidden Paw himself, who was more dangerous and deceitful than anyone Jerrie had ever encountered. It was something he wouldn't have ever thought of doing under any other circumstance, but at the moment he was desperate.
As he sprinted down a side street, he felt something hard strike the back of his head. He groped dizzily for something to hold on to. Finding nothing, he fell to the ground. The last thing he remembered was paws and faces coming from every direction.
When Mungojerrie came around, he wasn't all that surprised to find himself inside Macavity's Lair. He was lying on a very long table surrounded by chairs, and he realized that he was in Macavity's Conference Room.
"It's about time you woke up."
Jerrie jumped to his paws, lost his balance, and fell off the table. He regained his composure as quickly as he could and turned to face Macavity, keeping his guard up.
"Oi demand tha' you release moy sista this instant," Jerrie commanded.
"Do you?" Macavity said, casually taking a seat at the long table. "Well, I've heard some rumors concerning you that I'd like to speak to you about first."
"Tha' 'as nothin' ta do with Teazah," Jerrie countered heatedly.
"Jerrie, Jerrie, don't think I don't know what your friends have done to you," said Macavity.
"Oi'm not 'ere fo' them," said Jerrie angrily. "Oi'm 'ere fo' Teazah. Now a' you gonna free 'er o' not?"
"Mungojerrie, you know me better than that," said Macavity.
"Oi wish ta the 'Eavisoide Laya tha' weren't so," Jerrie said with a touch of sadness in his voice.
"Don't make me hurt you," said Macavity fiercely. "I don't want to have to beat you to death."
"Any mo' than Oi want ta' be beat ta' death, Oi'm sure," Jerrie replied coldly. "But it looks loike Oi'll 'ave ta' foight if Oi wont ta' save moy sista."
Macavity chuckled.
"Stubborn as ever, I see," he said, settling back into his chair.
Disgusted, Jerrie turned to leave.
"You were good, Jerrie," Macavity continued. "Intelligent, quick, and good company. You were my favorite. You know that. But you left it all behind…and for what? A Tribe that's sent you into exile based on…what? Inconclusive evidence, was it?"
"Oi will neva work fo' you 'gain," said Jerrie, stopping but not turning. "Oi've learned moy lesson. Oi've seen wot you are, an' wot you are isn' wot Oi want ta be."
"Ah, too good for me, is that it? You ungrateful son of a Pollicle!" Macavity thundered. "I made you what you were, and you could've been great."
"You sought ta make me a criminal, an' tha' is somethin' Oi cannot – Oi will not be!" Jerrie shouted back, whirling angrily.
"You'll always be a criminal at heart, Mungojerrie," said Macavity. "You were born to it, meant for it in every way! You cannot escape what you were destined for! You possess the Evil Eye! Face it, Jerrie. You are inherently evil."
"The's no such thing as the Evil Eye," Jerrie scoffed.
"You are nothing but a menace to your Tribe," Macavity continued, rising and slowly advancing towards Jerrie.
"No…" Jerrie said nervously, moving away from him.
"Everything you love will eventually be withered by the evil in your heart if you don't extract yourself now," Macavity continued. "Your sister, your friends…all of them, destroyed by you, you and your denial of your destiny."
"Oi control moy own destiny!" Jerrie growled, suddenly turning fierce and lunging at Macavity. Macavity grabbed him by the arm and flung him to the floor.
Pinning Jerrie's arms behind his back, Macavity said, "You'll be the ruin of yourself, Mungojerrie, and when it happens, I will watch and laugh."
So saying, Macavity dragged Jerrie up to the highest floor of prison cells and locked him up.
Meanwhile, back at the Jellicle Junkyard…
"You'll be made ta pay fo' this!" Teazer shouted over her shoulder as she streaked to the opposite corner of the room. Zeus smiled pitilessly and walked toward her.
"And who will be the debtor? Your brother? Mungojerrie is certainly dead by now," he said. "One less troublesome cat to deal with. And there's no cat more convenient to eliminate."
Zeus cornered her and held her in place with one paw.
"You loie!" Teazer told him, her eyes narrowing angrily. Zeus only laughed and stepped closer.
"I'm sure you know inside that it's true," he told her. "Don't play games with me."
"It's a bloody lie!" Teazer insisted obstinately.
But inside, she wasn't so sure anymore. Macavity was so cruel, and Teazer didn't want to think of what he just might do to her brother. Zeus chuckled again, and this time it sent a chill down Teazer's spine.
"Don't be ridiculous, Rumpleteazer," said Zeus shortly. "If I were you, I wouldn't count on Jerrie ever being seen again. And that means there isn't much hope for you, now, is there?"
He made a move as though he was going to try to kiss her, but Teazer slapped him.
"Even if Jerrie is dead, Oi'll neva dishona 'is mem'ry boy givin' in ta the loikes of you!" she hissed. For once, Zeus didn't laugh.
"You belong to me now," he hissed back. "I can do with you as I please. I suggest you keep that in mind, or someone else may end up dead!"
A half-hour later…
All was silence in Jerrie's cell as he thought about his conversation with Macavity. He tried to hold his ground firmly, but deep down, he began to doubt. Was it possible that he could truly be evil? Was he a threat to the Jellicles and Teazer? What if everything Macavity said of him was true?
"You doubt." Jerrie didn't look up as he heard Macavity enter the cell and close the door behind him. "Good."
"You're wrong," said Jerrie, trying to sound like he was in possession of the confidence he really lacked.
"Believe what you want to, Mungojerrie," said Macavity coldly. "But let me warn you, denial is the undoing of many."
Jerrie made no reply.
"I am giving you one last chance," said Macavity. "Spare yourself the pain of watching the destruction of your world by your own hand."
"The' is nothing….no one in the world wot could eva make me betray a friend," said Jerrie, feeling his confidence slowly trickling back.
"Your loyalty to others is one of your biggest faults," said Macavity. "If your only ally is yourself, you never have to worry about betrayal."
"But you 'ave no 'elp in tough toimes, eitha," Jerrie countered coolly.
"A strong tom needs no help," Macavity replied.
"No, a strong tom admits tha' 'e needs 'elp," said Jerrie. "A weak tom struggles unda a load tha's too 'eavy an' doesn't ask fo' 'elp, until 'e finally falls."
"You would do well to follow your own advice, if you truly believe in it," Macavity snickered. "You hide your past from everyone, even your own sister. Is it because it shows you for what you really are?"
"No!" Jerrie said, his voice rising defensively. "It's because it's moy own business an' no one else's!"
"Well, you'd better hope your business doesn't turn out to be someone else's tragedy," said Macavity.