CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: JENNER'S PLAN

Ian and Justin were escorted into the town, with the sharp tip of the guard's lance at their backs. The guard addressed them respectfully, but it was distressingly clear that they were his captives.

Night was falling when they entered the town. Occasionally they passed other rats, singly or in small groups, going about their business quite in the open. There really didn't seem to be any reason for secrecy, since there was no sign of a human to be seen anywhere.

The first guard turned Ian and Justin over to another pair of guards. "Take them to headquarters," he told them. "They want to see Jenner."

Headquarters turned out to be the Fitzgibbons farm, which was on the far side of town, so Ian and Justin, together with their armed escort, spent another couple of hours walking. By the time they reached the farm, they were both cold and exhausted. The guards took them into the house and up to a second-story bedroom. There they found Jenner.

The lights in the room were on, but it was still plain to see that the stone around Jenner's neck was glowing brightly. He was dressed in his usual splendid garments, and seemed to have the bedroom all to himself.

"Sir, these two were found wandering around on the outskirts of town," said one guard. "We thought you'd want to see them."

Jenner gazed coldly at Ian and Justin. "Wait in the hall," he told the guards. Obediently they left the room.

"Well, well," Jenner approached his prisoners. "You've certainly been keeping low profiles for yourselves. I was beginning to think you'd left the county."

"Why would we have done a thing like that?" Ian asked rhetorically.

"Why indeed?" Jenner clasped his forepaws together. "You were wise to stay hidden for so long. If you had been brought before me earlier, I certainly would have had you both killed."

"You mean, you're not now?" said Justin.

"Why should I? You cannot harm me now. And, after all, we are still brothers, despite our differences."

"I would implore you not to call me 'brother,'" Justin snarled.

"But we are. You are not my enemies - the human race is." Jenner spread his arms. "Our day of triumph draws near. I offer you both one last chance to join me now. Accept, and enjoy the fruits of our victory."

"What victory?" snapped Justin. "Just because you were able to kill a small town of humans, what makes you think you can destroy them all?"

"Kill a town?" Jenner laughed. "The humans in this town aren't dead! They sleep, because I will them to!" Jenner held up the glowing amulet. "With the power of the stone, I can control them as easily as I can control you. No humans will oppose us if I order them not to."

Ian, physically drained from all the walking he had been forced to do, was struggling to keep his eyes open and began to sway on his weakened legs.

"I see the old doctor is tired," Jenner smiled, and called to the guards. "Take them to the basement and see that they get a place to sleep," he ordered. "And keep them under guard at all times." Jenner turned back to Ian and Justin. "As a token of my good faith, I will let you spend the night here. I will talk with you more in the morning."

Ian and Justin were led to the basement, which seemed to be where all the rats slept, and given a couple of mats to sleep on. They lay down, and a guard took watch over them a few inches away. Justin whispered to Ian, "What do you make of the situation?"

"It's good that the humans of the town aren't all dead. But the other rats are more under Jenner's spell than ever."

"Why didn't he kill us?"

"I think he's become convinced of his own indestructibility," Ian answered. "He thinks he's a god. He didn't even take your sword away, that's how sure he is of himself."

"My sword! Why didn't I think of that? I could have killed him just now!"

"No," Ian shook his head, "we were under his control. I had my crossbow, and I wanted to plant a bolt between his eyes, but Jenner wouldn't let me. We have to figure out some other way to stop him. Let's sleep on it. I'm exhausted, and you need rest too, with that headwound."

The two of them slept uneasily. In the morning, they were given a meager breakfast, then instructed to follow a guard to see Jenner again.

The guard took them through the house and up onto the roof. A lookout platform had been built on to the highest peak. Jenner stood upon it, gazing out over his newly-acquired domain. Ian and Justin were brought to him.

Jenner drew a deep breath. "Glorious morning! Don't you agree?"

"Glorious," Justin hollowly echoed.

"Have you decided to join with me?" Jenner asked.

"I swore that I would kill you if I ever got the chance," said Justin, "and that's an oath I intend to make good on if I can."

"Oh." Jenner turned to Ian. "And what about you?"

"I might, if I thought you had a chance. You're going to lose, Jenner, and I can only pray that this foolish venture you've undertaken doesn't result in the total destruction of the rats of NIMH."

Jenner looked back out over the countryside. "I like it up here. One can see the entire town." He handed Ian a spyglass. "About half a mile to the south is a railroad siding that branches off a statewide mainline. Look at it through there, and tell me what you see."

Ian trained his sights where he was told." "Good god!" he muttered, and lowered the glass. "Is that thing full?"

"To the brim," Jenner answered proudly.

"What is it?" Justin asked.

"A tank car, filled with about a hundred thousand gallons of industrial cyanide." Ian looked wonderingly at Jenner. "You could wipe out half the state with that. How ever did you get it?"

"Oh, I simply burrowed it from a passing train. The trainmen don't even remember being stopped. Right now, of course, crews of rats are working round the clock, making gas bombs."

Justin studied the tank car through the spyglass. "And what exactly do you plan to do with those bombs once they're all built?"

"Funny you should ask," Jenner grinned. "In three months, the President of the United States will give his State of the Union address. The Vice President will also be present, as will most members of Congress and the Senate. I figure twenty to thirty small bombs, concealed in the Capitol building ahead of time, will be sufficient to fumigate the lot of them."

Justin was overwhelmed. "It would never work! Ian, tell him it'll never work!"

Ian let a smile slip onto his lips and shook his head. "Brilliant! Simply brilliant! The humans wouldn't have tight enough security to keep rats out. You would make a clean sweep of this country's leaders, Jenner."

"Its human leaders," Jenner corrected. "And even more importantly, the address will be televised live, from coast to coast. The humans will see their leaders killed right before their eyes."

"And that would cause chaos throughout the nation. The whole governmental system may even collapse entirely. That's a stroke of propaganda genius."

Justin was about to take Ian aside for agreeing so wholeheartedly with Jenner when an explosion sounded from the distance and a plume of black smoke rose up from the outskirts of town. "It appears another human vehicle has found one of our mines," Jenner said. He took the spyglass from Justin and searched for the source of the smoke. "I can't tell what it was from here. No matter." Jenner folded the telescope up and and stashed it away within his robes. "What do you say now, Ian? Will you join us?"

Ian was silent a moment. Justin was shocked that he would even consider joining Jenner. Finally Ian said, "I'll let you know tonight."

Jenner chuckled, "What could possibly happen before this day is out that would make up your mind?"

Ian cocked a knowing eyebrow. "You'd be surprised what could happen in one day."

"In that case, let me show you some of our other accomplishments." Jenner motioned to the guard. "Lead us to the tool shed. Justin, you may as well come along, though don't expect to be with us for too much longer." Justin didn't have to ask Jenner what he meant by that remark.

They left the rooftop lookout and went down through the house into the backyard. Alongside the tool shed were three devices made of long, four-inch pipes on wheeled turntables. Jenner halted the procession by them.

"One day soon, we shall come out of hiding and fight the humans on their own terms. When we do, we shall need new weapons, such as these."

"Mortars?" Ian guessed.

"Basically, yes," Jenner said, "although these are far more accurate than mortars. Each one can be sighted like a rifle. And their range is up to a quarter of a mile."

"Impressive," Ian nodded. "I have a feeling you may be using them sooner than you expect."

"What does that mean?" Jenner demanded.

Ian took his time in answering. He never got a chance to, for just then a harried guard ran up to Jenner. "Sir! The humans are attacking us!"

"Attacking? What do you mean, attacking?"

"A whole line of vehicles, sir, from the east. Our mines stopped one or two, but the rest are rolling right into town. And they have guns, sir. Giant guns! They'll be here any minute!"

Jenner stared malevolently at Ian. "How did you know?"

Ian shrugged. "Lucky guess?"

"I don't think so," Jenner growled. "You're working with the humans, aren't you!" He advanced on Ian, the stone glowing brighter.

Ian stepped back from Jenner. "You're a fool if you waste your time on me, because in a few more minutes you'll have a lot more to worry about."

Jenner drew his sword, but then froze as a chugging sound filled the air. He looked over his shoulder and saw a National Guard helicopter bearing down on the farm.