CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: RETURN TO NIMH

"Would somebody please tell me what's going on?" Lucy cried after the Vok had vanished.

"We were just saved by an alien," Ian replied.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Lucy, did you by any chance come in one of NIMH's vans?"

"Yes. It's parked out in front of the farmhouse."

"Good," said Ian. "Could you please go and bring one of the smaller cages in here?"

"What for?" Lucy asked.

"Jenner." Ian thumbed at the rat, who was sitting up but still obviously dazed. "He's the property of NIMH now. Call him a prisoner of war."

Lucy went over to Jenner and playfully jabbed a finger into his stomach. Jenner coughed and rolled over onto his side. "He's the cause of all this?" she said disappointedly. "He doesn't look that dangerous. Why, I could carry him in my coat pocket."

"Trust me, Lucy, you want a cage for that one."

"Okay. Be right back." She went to get the cage.

Ian turned to Secretary of State Hartman. "I'm glad you were able to come, Mr. Secretary. I knew a peaceful solution could be found. It's a shame you weren't the one who found it, though."

"I think I'll go outside and wait for my helicopter crew to wake up so I can get out of here." Hartman gathered his brief case and stood up. "I assume they will be waking up soon?"

Ian shrugged. "That's up to the Vok." Hartman started to leave. "Oh, Mr. Secretary! Don't forget to tell the President that the Vok is watching us."

The human gave Ian and Justin one long cold stare, then left. "Well," Justin laughed, "I have a feeling we won't be calling him a friend of the rats of NIMH."

"Oh, I think he's just a little shaken up by what he saw," Ian said. "Aren't you?"

"A little," Justin admitted. "So, I suppose you'll be going back with Lucy to finish having the injections?"

"No, I won't."

Justin looked at Ian, surprised. "Why not?"

"Something known in the human world as 'fallen rider syndrome.' When a person is learning to ride a horse, if they fall off, they're supposed to get right back on. If they don't, there's a chance for fear to grow inside that person, and they may never get back on a horse again."

"And you've got that feeling about the shots?"

Ian nodded. "Now that I know how terribly they hurt, I'll never be able to willingly have them again. The three sets I've had will have to do me for the rest of my life."

Jenner struggled once again into a sitting position. "Speaking of big pains … " Ian hopped over to Jenner and pulled him up to his feet. "Wake up! You're going on a little trip!"

"Wha … " Jenner's half-open lids widened at the sight of Lucy entering the shed with the cage in her hands. "Let go of me!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Ian tightened his grip, so that Jenner's feeble attempts to pull away were to no avail.

Lucy set the cage down on the shelf and opened its top. "In you go, big boy." She snatched Jenner up away from Ian and put him in the cage, locking the lid securely in place. "That ought to hold him."

Jenner pressed himself against the steel mesh of the cage's side. "Justin, you can't let them take me back to NIMH! I beg you, tell her to let me out!"

"You had your way with the humans," Justin said, "so now it's time for the humans to have their way with you."

Jenner dropped to his knees. "Justin, take your sword and kill me! You cannot be so cruel as to send me back to the tortures of NIMH. Have mercy, and kill me now!"

"Don't tempt me!"

Jenner shook at the cage's meshing. "I killed your wife! You must want to kill me now. Here I am! Run me through!"

Justin closed his eyes and said softly, "No."

Ian waved his arms. "Lucy, get him out of here!"

Jenner threw himself at the side of the cage as it was picked up and carried to the door. "Damn you, Justin! Damn you!"

Lucy stopped at the entrance to the shed. "By the way," she said over Jenner's ravings, "the whole town is waking up. Just thought you'd like to know."

"Thanks, Lucy." Ian turned to Justin. "I should imagine that's our cue to get started back to the colony."