Despite the tense situation, Mickey couldn't help but smile a little as he and the others rushed through the streets. He certainly hadn't expected to see Minnie on this mission, and he couldn't deny it was a pleasant surprise. Then he shook his head, scolding himself in his mind.
Cut it out… this is a mission, not a friendly visit.
He glanced at Minnie, who was following with an arm around the merchant they had just saved. It was true, she hadn't changed a bit… still willing to do anything to help someone in need, and not afraid to bend protocol if it was needed.
Leaving the bustle of the market, the Resistance fighters led the way to a small, out of the way alley. Mickey saw Minnie glancing around in confusion before looking at him. Knowing what she was about to ask, he gave her a small grin and gestured ahead.
"Just watch."
At the end of the alley, Oswald pulled open a door leading into the back of a tavern. The Resistance fighters immediately ducked through, Minnie and the other rabbit following with confused looks.
"Owner's a friend a' ours," Mickey explained softly. "Main way t' the base is through his place."
By now they were inside the storage area of the tavern, barrels and boxes neatly stacked all throughout the space. Without hesitation, they hurried to a back wall, and two of the taller fighters immediately pushed a particularly large barrel aside to reveal another door that was barely distinguishable from the wall. Oswald opened that one too before glancing backward.
"C'mon, this way."
Mickey waved Minnie and the merchant through the door before looking at Horace, who was standing a few paces away.
"Don't think anyone followed, but keep an eye out, okay? An' let ol' Ed know we're here."
Horace nodded.
"Sure thing, Mick."
The mouse nodded back with a grin.
"Thanks, pal."
With that he turned and hurried through the doorway. The others had already nearly reached the bottom of the old stone steps, and as Mickey caught up, he heard Horace close the door behind them. But the light from below illuminated the steps enough to see, and when they reached the bottom, he glanced at Minnie and couldn't help grinning at her and the merchant's startled looks.
They were in a large, cavernous room, lit by several torches flickering across the walls. A large table sat at the center, several other dark-clad figures standing around it. They turned at the small group's entrance, and a taller mouse stepped forward to greet them.
"Glad to see you back," he said, a warm smile on his rugged face. "And you got her."
"Yep," Oswald said, pulling down his mask to reveal a grin on his own face. He looked at Minnie and the rescued merchant and gestured to the tall mouse.
"Ladies, glad t' introduce ya to Cap Dobermouse."
"Oh, no need to call me that… I haven't been a captain in quite a few years."
But realization had immediately dawned on Minnie's face.
"Captain Dobermouse! I haven't seen you since I was a little girl!"
Dobermouse's eyes moved to her, and after just a few seconds they widened.
"Princess Minerva." He swept a practiced bow. "How long it's been."
The rescued merchant's mouth fell open as she stared at Minnie for a moment, then seemed to remember herself and sank into a deep curtsy.
"Y-Your Highness! Please forgive me, I didn't…"
Minnie just smiled.
"Please, no need for that." She looked at Dobermouse again, her smile widening.
"I never thought you would be here… you retired from the Royal Guard ten years ago."
He returned her smile.
"Retired, but not quite over the hill yet. I can still serve in other ways."
Mickey stepped forward, pulling his own mask down as he gave the rescued merchant a concerned look.
"Sorry t' scare ya, ma'am… they didn't hurt ya at all?"
She shook her head, still looking awestruck. Oswald spoke up then, looking concerned as well.
"What's yer name? Any family ya got in th' city?"
"M-my name is Fanny Cottontail," she stammered. "I just moved here, my family is back in Alameda…"
Her eyes went wide with alarm.
"Oh, what if the soldiers know where they are?! If they found me, they can find them!"
Mickey quickly moved to pat her shoulder.
"It's okay, ma'am… we just heard from our network there, and it's been quiet. No arrests or people pulled in for questionin'. They probably wanted to get ya to tell them where they are."
Fanny immediately began to tremble. Mickey could hardly blame her… everyone knew what methods the King had approved to make prisoners talk. Oswald moved to place an arm around her, his voice gentle.
"But if ya tell us where they live, we can send someone t' make sure they're okay and let 'em know what happened."
As Fanny quickly told him her family's address, Mickey glanced over at Minnie. He saw a look of slight surprise on her face as she watched his brother and couldn't help but smile. Oswald could be a suspicious, gruff person, and of course would be that way with Minnie, but that wasn't the only side of him. Mickey stepped over to place a hand on Minnie's arm, drawing her attention. He gave her a grin.
"Told ya, he's a good guy," he said softly. He then moved over to Fanny and gave her an encouraging smile.
"Don't ya worry, we'll make sure yer family's okay."
That finally brought a wobbly smile to the rabbit's face.
"Oh, thank you, thank you." Then her face fell again. "But… where am I going to go? I can't go back, it might lead them to my family and…"
Mickey reached over to pat her shoulder.
"We can keep ya safe," he said. "We've got networks all over Anaheim, we'll find somewhere for ya to go."
He looked at Oswald.
"Os, can ya get someone heading to Alameda?"
The rabbit nodded, then cast an uneasy look at Minnie. Knowing what he was thinking, Mickey couldn't help but sigh.
"Don't worry… she's fine, promise."
Oswald nodded, but the suspicious look never entirely left his face. As he repeated the order, sending Resistance members hurrying to follow it, Mickey looked back at Minnie to see her looking around with a curious expression.
"How did you find this place?" she asked softly. Mickey grinned.
"Old thief's den," he said. "Ed found it when he took over th' place… we're th' only ones who know about it."
A soft bark interrupted him, and he turned with a grin as a dog trotted up to him, eyes bright and tail wagging wildly.
"Hey, Pluto, ol' pal!"
With another excited bark, Pluto placed his front paws on Mickey's shoulders and started licking his face.
"Hey, take it easy!" Mickey laughed, pushing him back down. He looked to see Minnie watching, smiling but with some confusion. Still grinning, he gestured her forward.
"Meet our resident message dog," he said. "Won't find a faster one anywhere." He directed his look to Pluto.
"Pluto, meet Minnie."
The dog trotted over to her, tail still wagging, and Minnie held out a hand for him to sniff. He then rolled over on his back, waving his front paws in the air. Minnie giggled as she reached down to give his belly a few scratches. His tail began wagging faster, and Mickey chuckled.
"Looks like he likes ya."
Another chuckle made him look up to see Oswald approaching with a look of wry amusement.
"Sure, he'll roll over for anyone friendly with ya, Mick."
Pluto snorted, an offended look on his face.
"Ah, c'mon," Mickey said, reaching to pat the dog's head. "He's a smarter dog than any of 'em, he knows who's good n' who's not."
Oswald grinned as he gave Pluto's head a few pats himself, making the dog's tail wag again.
"Yeah, I know."
Minnie's smile widened before she looked curiously around the space.
"How long have you been based here?"
"A couple years," Mickey replied. "We got this whole thing going after… after our folks…"
His face had grown somber, and he saw the same look on Oswald's face. Minnie's face grew sad as well and she reached out to place a hand on Mickey's arm, looking between him and Oswald.
"I know I said in my letters, but I'm so sorry about that… for both of you."
Mickey thought he saw a look of slight surprise on Oswald's face and couldn't help feeling a tug of annoyance. Did he honestly think she wouldn't care about something like that? But quick as that the look was gone and he gave her a small nod.
"Thanks."
Minnie gave him a smile in return before looking at Mickey again.
"That woman you saved… do you do that often?"
Mickey sighed, shaking his head.
"More than we'd like. What's even worse is all the ones we haven't gotten to first."
Biting her lip, Minnie dropped her gaze to the floor. She knew well what happened to people her father suspected of treason. There was no telling by now how many were locked up in terrible conditions, and she'd heard servants whispering that those were the lucky ones. She hated to think of her father doing something so terrible, but he had done many things by now that she once never would have believed of him.
"It's very brave of you, you know," she murmured, looking up at the brothers again. "Standing up to him like this. I… I don't think I could ever be that brave."
Mickey gave her a grin, his eyes twinkling.
"Aw, sure ya could. You'd do whatever the right thing was."
That brought a smile back to Minnie's face, and she looked at him as if hearing that from him meant more than anything. His smile widened and he was just about to speak again when her eyes suddenly went wide.
"Oh, I almost forget… I said I'd be back soon. They'll start to worry if I'm gone any longer."
Mickey couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He pushed it down, though, and gave Minnie another smile.
"I can walk ya back if ya want."
He saw Oswald frown out of the corner of his eye, and Minnie looked uneasy too.
"Are you… sure someone else shouldn't do it?"
She went on quickly, certainly seeing his face fall a little.
"I mean, I wouldn't mind at all, of course. But it can't be safe for you to be so close to the castle, especially after so many people saw you back there."
Mickey gave her an encouraging look.
"Then I can walk ya as far as the edge of th' market. You can find yer way back from there, right?"
Minnie still looked uncertain, but finally nodded.
"All right… but still, maybe you should flatten your ears."
Mickey felt his face heat a little and gave a sheepish nod of his own.
"Heh, yeah… that'd prob'ly be a good idea. Hang on, be right back."
He dashed off to one of the adjoining rooms, which had been converted into a bunk for sleeping in. Opening the trunk at the foot of his own bed, he snatched a black cloak and put it on, drawing the hood up. He really needed to remember to do this more often, even if they were in a hurry.
When Mickey came back out into the main room, Minnie and Oswald were still standing where he'd left them, looking decidedly awkward. Minnie was scratching Pluto behind the ears as Oswald gazed at the floor, his foot tapping like it did when he was nervous. Both looked up as Mickey approached.
"You sure ya don't want me t' come too?" Oswald asked. "To cover ya?"
"Better follow from a distance," Mickey said with a smile. Despite the wording, he knew that hadn't been a question.
Oswald nodded, and the mouse turned back to Minnie.
"Okay then, let's go. And don't worry about Fanny, we'll get her and her family someplace safe."
Minnie returned his smile with a grateful one of her own.
"I know… they're in good hands."
Mickey's smile widened as they headed back the way they came; for some reason, knowing that Minnie had such confidence in them, in him, meant the world.