Bridget got excited.
"At last, we're all getting together about the cats."
Cole forgot about Gussie before noticing Fieval tap her shoulder.
"Bridget, maybe now we should ask John about Fieval's family?", Cole suggested reminding Bridget of the reason they came in the first place.
"Oh, right.", Bridget said before looking John's way, "Honest John, Fillie here lost his family. By any chance do you know of the Mousekewitzes?"
Honest John came over though the look in his eye told Cole that he wasn't in his right mind. The fumes from his beverage hung around him like a foul stench that made Cole want to barf.
"Are they registered to vote?", he asked before hiccupping.
A cloud of his breath enveloped Cole and Fieval that almost made them pass out.
"They just got off the boat.", Bridget informed.
John then got up, cleared his throat and then tried to look dignified.
"Sorry, don't know them yet."
Cole felt like smacking the guy across the face as he took another swing of his drink and walked away.
"Talk about rude.", he grumbled.
Fieval looked depressed, but Cole put his hand on Fieval's shoulder.
"Hey, they're here in America and I know we're going to find them.", he said to Fieval.
Fieval felt better as Cole then turned to Bridget.
"So, you know a place where we can bunker down?"
The door opened again and Conor once again appeared.
"Post for Honest John.", he reported before heading through the room.
Bridget's eyes lit up when she saw Conor and after he delivered his letter, he saw Cole and the group.
"Man, we need to stop meeting up like this.", Conor joked as he looked Cole's way.
Cole looked a bit embarrassed.
"Conor, I know it's a lot to ask, but-"
"Do you know where we can sleep?", Bridget asked.
Conor looked thoughtful and then brightened.
"Follow me.", he instructed, "I know one of the best bunkers in New York."
Conor led the group out into the night, but Cole couldn't help but feel like talking.
"Conor, how long were you in America?", he asked.
"I don't know.", Conor answered, "My family came here from London and we've been living here ever since. Got my postman job when I was old enough to work and been learning this city inside and out."
He paused a minute to chuckle to himself.
"I even made a delivery to Old Seathan MacDhugain out on Liberty Island once."
Cole's ears perked up.
"Seathan?", he asked.
"Sure why?", Conor asked before looking interested, "Wait, you know him?"
"Kind of.", Cole answered, "He nursed me back to health when he found me nearly drowned from being sent overboard on the trip to here."
Bridget gasped and Tony whistled though Conor looked impressed.
"You are one lucky mouse Cole."
/
As the night wore on, they soon came to what looked like a large water tower and Conor pointed upward.
"There's the place.", he said, "I know it looks rundown, but it's much cozier on the inside."
Fieval yawned which told Cole that it was time to hit the hay.
"Thanks Conor.", Cole said, "You going to the rally tomorrow?"
Conor nodded.
"I want to do something about those monsters that think they own this joint.", he said, "See you at the park."
"You know which hone it is?", Tony asked.
"Sure do.", Conor answered, "Gussie ran into me while she was heading back uptown and informed me of everything so I'm going alright."
After saying goodbye and thanks, Conor headed back to his own home while the others started climbing up to get to the water tower. Once there, they climbed some rope to enter near the top. There was mostly water, but around the rim of the inside was lined with floating baskets and shelves that gave the place a decorative feel. As Cole helped Fieval get ready for bed, he saw a picture of a couple of mice that looked like adults in Bridget's hands.
"Sorry Bridget, but who are those?", Cole asked.
Bridget looked his way a bit and sighed.
"That's my mother and father.", she answered, "The cats got them two years ago November."
Cole looked sympathetic.
"Oh, my condolences."
Bridget brightened up as Tony and her headed off to what Cole could guess was another bedroom.
"Thank you.", she said before vanishing.
Fieval was by now finishing washing his face before Cole helped him into a nightshirt.
"Cole, do you really think my family is in America?"
"I know they are.", Cole said before yawning and getting his own nightshirt on, "I know so. But for now, we should sleep cause we have a big day tomorrow."
As Cole settled into the basket that would have been part of a stroller, he saw Fieval stare out the window at the full moon in the sky.
"Don't stay up too late.", Cole told him, "Early to bed, early to rise."
Fieval turned and nodded which told Cole he understood so Cole rested his head upon the giant pillow and pulled a small cloth up as a blanket while not taking his eyes off Fieval. Fieval had seated himself on the windowsill and started singing.
"Somewhere out there. Beneath the pale moonlight. Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight."
Cole couldn't help but smile and drift off as his pendent shimmered and an image of Tanya singing at the Mousekewitz's home appeared nearby.
"Somewhere out there. Someone's saying a prayer. That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there."
She paused a moment before singing again.
"And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to know we might we wishing on the same bright star."
"And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby.", Fieval sang after her, "It helps to know we might be sleeping underneath the same big sky."
That was when they sang together.
"Somewhere out there. If love can see us through. Then we'll be together somewhere out there. Out where dreams come true."
The image of Tanya vanished as Fieval came back in though Cole was sound asleep. He got under his own blanket and snuggled up to Cole before drifting off himself.
/
The next morning, the rally was underway in the park and Gussie had certainly kept her word and gathered a lot of mice from uptown and Honest John had brought who he could from downtown. Cole was seated with Fieval, Bridget and Tony near Gussie and Honest John sat on the other side. A band played music as Gussie spoke to the crowd of mice with a megaphone.
"Attention please.", she called out, "Attention please."
Everyone paused before she continued.
"You all know why we are here. We have got to do something about these cats."
The crowd applauded while one mouse spoke up.
"Not so loud, they'll hear you."
"So?", Gussie challenged, "Let them hear me."
"You can talk.", another mouse spoke up, "You're rich."
The crowd uproared, but Gussie wasn't backing down.
"Money isn't everything. I know, because I have money and I have everything, but what are they worth without freedom?"
"Hear, hear!", Honest John declared.
The crowd seemed to settle as Gussie continued.
"Why did we come to America?", Gussie questioned, "For freedom! Why are they building that statue over there?"
She gestured to Liberty Island where Cole saw that the statue there looked like it would be ready very soon.
"What does it stand for? Freedom!", Gussie continued, "So, what do we want?"
"Freedom!", the crowd answered.
The band started up another round of inspiring music before settling and Gussie spoke again.
"Right. Freedom from cats. And Because this is America, we can do something about them!"
The crowd began voicing opinions.
"What do we do?"
"They're bigger than us."
"Not if we work together.", Gussie answered proudly, "What are you afraid of? Are we men or are we mice?"
"Mice!", the crowd answered.
"Mice! And proud of it!", Honest John added.
That earned another round of applause from the crowd.
"So, what are we going to do about those cats?", Gussie asked.
/
An eerie silence fell over the crowd as if all hope had suddenly drained out.
"Well?", Gussie asked, "Any ideas?"
Honest John cleared his throat as if to gain attention. But then Cole saw Fieval suddenly head up to Gussie excitedly.
"I have an idea.", he said to the aristocrate mouse.
"Yes?", Gussie asked.
Cole couldn't make out what they were saying, but Gussie put her megaphone toward Fieval as a way of hearing better and a smile came to her face. Honest John came closer and looked interested.
"What did he say?"
Gussie whispered to him and he was smiling as well.
"Cure little fellow."
"Wait a minute.", Gussie said as she helped Fieval get up on the stand, "I think this little fellow has got something here."
She then turned to the crowd and raised her voice.
"We have a plan."
The crowd cheered and applause rose around them.
"Now, meet at the pier tonight to prepare for the plan.", Gussie instructed.
Fieval got down and Cole met up with him.
"What did you tell her?", Cole asked growing interested.
"I remember Papa's story of the Mouse of Minsk.", Fieval answered as the crowd started to leave.
They left alongside Bridget and Tony as Cole grew curious.
"The who of what?", he asked.
"The Mouse of Minsk.", Fieval repeated, "He was as tall as a tree and his tail was a mile long. He was so big he scared all the cats away."
Cole whistled while Tony looked like he didn't believe it.
"A mouse that big?", he asked playfully, "Couldn't be."
Cole looked his way just as playful.
"I don't know Tony. I've seen plenty of things I wouldn't believe in before. Like a mouse who was said to be able to read minds and another who breathed fire."
Fieval gasped in amazement.
"Wow, you must have seen a lot of things Cole.", he said.
As they got back to the abode, Cole looked thoughtful.
"Bridget, maybe we should head to the pier ourselves."
Bridget nodded and turned to Tony.
"Tony, could you make sure you and Philly join us there?"
Tony gave a salute like a soldier in the army.
"You got it mame.", he said as if he was addressing his commanding officer.
"Thanks Tony.", Bridget said before she kissed his cheek.
Tony suddenly looked lovesick again before Bridget and Cole headed out into the afternoon air.
"Philly is lucky to have someone like you in his life.", Bridget told Cole as they headed to the pier.
Cole blushed.
/
As evening was in effect, the mice had gathered at the pier where Honest John handed each mouse a lit candle which they carried down the dock. Cole was there too and though the place gave him the creeps, he was determined to be brave. He then saw a large ship nearby and through the fog, he could make out the name.
"Star of Hong Kong.", he read as he passed before thinking to himself, "What does Hong Kong have to do with getting rid of cats in America?"
He chose to put it out of his mind and followed the other mice to what looked like a place that had closed down a long time ago with a sign over the door.
"Professor Digitalus' Museum of the Weird and Bizarre.", he read, "That's comforting."
As the mice filed into a small hole in the base of the door, Cole followed and passed by some glass cases filled with things from a coiled serpent, an eyeball on spider legs, and stuff that made Cole want to get out immediately, but he was here for a reason and he had to be brave.
"Look out below!", a voice called from above.
A human skull fell to the floor and shattered making some mice jump in surprise. Luckily, the scare was over as fast as it began when light suddenly lit up the room of strange and weird looking things.
"We have a plan!", Gussie called out and she appeared wearing a scarlet set of breeches, dark red boots that matched her vest that was over a light pink shirt while sporting brown gloves and raising a riding crop, "E puluribus unum!"
Cole thought it was German, but the mice suddenly got to work on the plan. Some mice gathered metal stuff while some other mice cut and sewed cloth together while the rest helped out. Cole saw some skeletons that he guessed were dinosaur bones and as he passed a case, a light lit up an enormous tyrannosaurus rex skull which frightened him a bit, but he calmed down when he saw it was just a skull.
"It wouldn't surprise me if that might be Sharptooth.", he thought to himself as he touched the amber on his necklace.
The memory of Sharptooth reared its ugly head and Cole felt a shiver run down his spine as he remembered his near-death experience when Sharptooth dragged him into the water with him. It knocked the wind out of him and he was sinking fast. A dinosaur like him couldn't swim, but he was brought out of his thoughts by Honest John calling out.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you so much for your participation. And I want to close by saying that a vote for Honest John is a vote for freedom. Freedom is what it is. And thank you again, one and all!"
Cole then saw a clock and the thought of Fieval not being there made him worried. He then saw the Mousekewitz family helping out and thought if he could get Fieval here, they could be reunited. He quickly turned to Bridget who was helping with some sewing.
"Bridget, I'm going to go get Fieval and Tony."
Bridget nodded.
"Be careful out there.", she warned,
Cole nodded and in less than five minutes, he was out the door and into the night.
(A/N: I'd like to thank LORfan2187 for the suggestion used here.)