Chapter 4

"You're kidding me." Oswald asked after being filled in on what had happened in the past day. He looked between the two mice gathered with Daisy and Donald in Oswald's living room. "So this Miklos's done this before?"

"Ya, back in the fifties." Minnie explained. "He took Mickey's place while he and Goofy were in Africa and pinned a number of crimes on him."

"So how do we know this is the real Mickey?" Donald asked, eyeing the mouse.

"Pluto confirmed it." Minnie said, sure of herself as she looked down at the dog not leaving Mickey's side. The dog, hearing his name, barked as he pushed his head under Mickey's hand.

"So what's the plan, Mickey?" Daisy asked.

"Does anybody have a ring I could borrow?" Mickey asked, getting confused looks from his friends.

-.-.-.-

"You sure this is a good idea?" Oswald asked Mickey as the two hid behind a bush in Mickey's front lawn.

The mouse looked through to see Minnie standing at the front door and smiled. "Ya, no one wants to be on Minnie's bad side."

Minnie pressed the door bell, her tail curling up behind her in anger. The thought that Miklos had tricked her again riled her up.

The door opened and Miklos stepped out in Mickey's trademarked red shorts and yellow shoes, a scowl on his face. "Look, Minnie, I don't have time this morning. O'Hara just called to tell me Miklos escaped last night so I gotta go help him."

"Oh quit with the act, Miklos. I know it's you." Minnie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What, Min, it's me, Mickey." Miklos tried, pointing his thumb to himself only to slowly drop it as her gaze penetrated him. "Fine, sure. What'cha going to do about it?"

"What I should've done yesterday." Minnie growled before giving Miklos a hard right hook.

Miklos looked at her, surprised before anger took over his features. His hands curled into fists, ready to fight back before his eyes focused on something behind her. He quickly turned around and ran back inside, locking the door behind him.

"Come on, in the back." Mickey said, leading the two around the house. He pulled at the back door only to find it locked.

"Here, I've got my copy." Minnie said, pulling the keychain from her pocket and handed it to the mouse.

Mickey quickly took the key and unlocked the door. The three rushed inside, leaving Oswald to close the door behind them.

"Where's your guns?" Oswald asked, placing his hand over his own pistol at his hip.

"Up in my closet, but it depends on how long he's been watching me if he knows where the ammo is." Mickey whispered as the three snuck towards the stairs.

"You don't keep them together?" Oswald asked, surprised.

"Right, you haven't gone through a safety course recently." Minnie remembered. "This is why they're not kept together."

"It doesn't do any good if I've got a gun of my own, though." Miklos' voice said, getting the three to turn around. Oswald quickly pulled his gun, pointing it at the mouse. Miklos thumbed the hammer back with a smile on his face.

"It's me you want, let them leave." Mickey said, stepping in front of the two.

Oswald lowered his gun in surprise. "Mickey, are you crazy!?"

Mickey leaned close to Oswald and quickly whispered, "Protect Min."

"Fine. Oswald, give me your gun." Miklos ordered, pointing his own at the rabbit.

Oswald looked at Mickey before giving his gun up.

Miklos put Oswald's gun in his waist band before motioning with his gun towards the stairs. "You two, up the stairs. Stop on the fifth step from the top and sit down."

Minnie looked at Oswald, fear in her eyes even if her face refused to show it, before the two walked up the stairs. They stopped on the step Miklos had said and turned to look through the banister as Mickey looked down the barrel of Miklos' gun.

"So what happened to you retiring?" Mickey asked, eyeing the mouse behind the gun.

"Little problem with that." Miklos admitted. "The money ran out and so'd the women."

"At least you're no longer after marring Minnie." Mickey said, trying to slowly sneak over to the hall table.

"Hey, where are you sliding to?!" Miklos said, shooting a bullet into the hardwood floor next to Mickey's right foot. Mickey froze for fear of becoming cartoon swis cheese. "Anyway, I got bored being retired. I've had too much fun at tricking the police all over the world."

"So what's this all about then?" Mickey asked, hopping to keep stalling as in the corner of his eye he saw Oswald and Minnie were trying to help. Oswald was forcing his body through the bars with Minnie holding his ankles as the rabbit stretched down with an ear in his hand.

"Revenge." Miklos shrugged. "I promised I'd be- Hey!"

Oswald had swung his ear, hitting Miklos' gun out of his hand and knocking it to the floor.

Before Miklos could grab the gun at his waist Mickey tackled the mouse, forcing him to the ground. Mickey reached for Miklos' throat only for Miklos to force Mickey over.

"Get the guns." Oswald ordered as Mickey was able to knock Oswald's gun out of Miklos' reach. They rushed pass the two black mice fighting on the floor.

"Where is Donald and Daisy?" Minnie asked, picking up a fire arm.

The door kicked in before Casey's voice called out, "Everybody freeze!"

Minnie dropped the gun back to the floor as O'Hara and Casey barged into the house with the four state police officers behind them.

"Oh no, not this again." O'Hara moaned, eyeing the two mice frozen with one about to punch the other, who's hand was gripping his neck. "Alright, you two. Stand up and keep your hands where I can see them."

"So which one's Miklos, sir?" a state officer asked.

"I'm not." a voice said, over written by the other saying, "I'm Mickey."

"May I?" Minnie asked, walking over to the two mice. She looked at the six members of police, waiting for a sign.

"If you can, be our guess, Miss Minnie." O'Hara nodded, lowering his gun as beside him Casey did the same. Only the state police kept their guns up and at the ready.

Minnie walked over to the one that said "I'm Mickey" and pulled off his gloves. Not finding what she was after she turned to the other mouse and pulled off his gloved to show a ring. She smiled before turning back to O'Hara and pointing to the first mouse. "There's your criminal."

"Minnie!" Miklos whined, almost pleading.

"How can you be sure?" Casey asked, stepping forwards.

"This ring." Minnie said, pulling Mickey's right hand up to show a red jeweled ring.

"Mickey put it on before we went to get you." Daisy explained.

"Brilliant." O'Hara complimented. He turned to the state police and ordered, "Cuff him."

One of them walked forwards and did as ordered as Miklos growled, "You haven't seen the last of me, Mickey Mouse." The four state police officers forced the mouse out of the house, ready to lock him up for good.

"I'm still a little confused." O'Hara admitted as he watched Mickey put his gloves back on. "Did we arrest Miklos the first time, or was that you?"

"I was me." Mickey admitted. "Miklos knocked me out yesterday and must've taken my gloves off to put on these jells of his fingerprints. After that he powdered my fur gray and died his fur to make the switch."

"What about the missing objects?" Casey asked, pulling out a notepad from his inside jacket pocket. "While we though t we had Miklos locked up a list of things disappeared."

"They might be around here somewhere." Mickey offered with a shrug.

"Well, I guess that's everything." O'Hara nodded. "And hopefully Miklos will stay in jail for a long time."

The End

AN: sorry about this one being so short…

OSWALD: Oh no, she's getting short in her stories! Start to panic! *looks at me with a sarcastic look*

AN: Thanks for that. We always need Captain Sarcastic around. Hopefully Oswald Adventures 05: Mickey Unknown will turn out better and longer.