(A.N. I forgot to mention last chapter that the monster encounters are based on episodes of the TV show "Lost Tapes", and I got the idea for Irene Owlson and her digging prisoners from the book/movie Holes.)
The next morning, despite the horror stories, everyone got up after a good night's sleep and went out to the start of the race on their ATVs. Every few miles on the course, they were told, would be a check point to keep track of where everyone was and in what place so far. Everyone was given food and gas for three days. Soon they were driving off into the desert. It should be noted that none of the officials had mentioned to our friends that every year at least one person goes missing, and that while the ATV and supplies are found in good condition, the bodies are never found.
The Mongol team members dogged the Tomahawks for the first day, trying to knock them off course or worse. Luckily they were all good drivers. That first night, the Tomahawks camped together while the Mongols decided to continue through the night, gaining an advantage, supposedly. The next day, at about the midpoint of the race, it was noticed that none of the Mongols had checked in. The Tomahawks had separated that morning to try and get ahead of their enemies. At each following checkpoint, a pair of Tomahawks failed to sign in. That night, Finny, Kitty and Rodey were ahead of their companions.
"Do you really think your family is cursed?" pursued Kitty as her friend rocked his daughter to sleep. "Maybe those weren't monsters, or that it's all just coincidence."
"Purty strange coincidence that near ev'ry member of the Rodentius fam'ly been attacked by somethin'," he countered, annoyed. "We've had relatives get killed by critters they didn' know what it was. After ev'ry attack, any survivors research what they saw, an' they always get results as monsters. Like Dad's pal turnin' inta a wendigo. Or the megaconda what ate cousin Mark an' a'most got Phil."
"What were you attacked by?"
"Best I could find, it was a white river monster. I'll admit, is basic'lly just a big fish. But darn big."
Kitty sat back against the ATV, giving up on trying to convince Finny that monsters were not real. "You hear somethin'?!" Finny started, the fur rising on the back of his neck.
"You've just made yourself paranoid with all those monster stories."
"No, I really heard somethin', like footsteps. Now I smell somethin'."
"How can you hear and smell something when I can't?"
"Rats have good senses, kinda like dogs. Really Kitty, somebody tryin' ta-" It was at that moment that the two were knocked unconscious.
The next morning, all of the members of teams Mongol and Tomahawk were being marched across the desert by covered figures. Questions of their destination went unanswered. All were shackled with hands behind their backs except for Finny, who was allowed to carry Rodentia to keep her from crying, and Zippy and the Chief, who were put in a small cage and carried by a guard. Finally they approached a group of buildings, with a hamster wearing blue jeans and a plaid shirt waiting for them.
"Welcome to Owlson Oasis," he started with a humorless chuckle. "This place'll be your home for the rest of your lives."