A/N- Hi, everyone! Thank you to those who have been patient about this fanfic; I know I barely work on it, but I am doing my best to keep it going. Anyways, I just have to say I am beyond amazed with how many followers and favs I now have on this. If you would've told me I would have this many favs and followers, I'd have been laughing my head off, but the fact that those of you took the opportunity to read this, fav it, follow it, and review it means a lot to me so thank you from the bottom of my heart! You're all amazing, so here are internet hugs for you all! *HUGS*
With how many reviews I've been getting, I decided to do something a little different: replying to your guys' reviews in my upcoming chapters like this one! Have never done this before, so this is definitely an excellent opportunity to do something like this.
Lelouch-Strife: Thanks!
William RP: Thank you so much! I'm happy to hear that this is one of your favorite stories so far! Don't worry. I will be trying to update this story as soon as I can whenever I'm not too busy ;)
Guest: I'm glad to hear!
godzillafan1: You can guarantee that ^^
Mixable: I'm happy to hear that you love this story! Thank you very much for your kind words :D
Fan Boy 101: Thank you! I'm glad you think so! I will definitely be trying to work on this whenever I can *Thumbs up*
Alduin: Chapter 13 is now here! Enjoy!
Bailey Radcliff: Aww, thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear what you said! Lol, it definitely would've been interesting if my OC had been in the movie, that's for sure XD
Alright, well, now you guys can get to the good stuff! Enjoy this chapter, and I will see you all in the next chapter ^^
Chapter 13
The Rats
Nicodemus observed Christopher, Mrs. Brisby, and Mr. Ages through his sphere in the darkness of his chambers. Electricity hissed through it like a ripple in a river as a green color glowed around the smooth, round surface. Wonder and questions were lit in the tiny human and field mouse's eyes and voices as they spoke with the old mouse and kept up with him—never once lagging. It was only the beginning for those two, as they were now in rat territory, and it wouldn't be long until the rest of the colony knew of their presence.
"Jonathon, your wife has come at last with Christopher Fitzgibbons," mused the prophet. "Perhaps now I can repay for your kindness to me. Yet they, who served the rats of NIMH far more than we them, Jenner I fear may do them harm…"
The image in the sphere converted to a dark, shape-featured rat, with a sinister handsomeness to him. He was whispering to someone not shown in Nicodemus's view, whispers of a dark plan. A plan which he was sure would work.
"...He is consumed by a lust for power." Nicodemus then averted his gaze to the amulet with the red stone he had cradled in his hands, his reflection on it. "Thus far, the amulets have remained safely hidden and guarded." As he said those words, the visualization on the sphere shifted to the amulet with the gleaming blue stone hanging from Chris's neck. "But if he finds them and gets his hands on them…" the prophet webbed his hands around the red jewel, fearing the worst. "Heaven help us."
Mr. Ages led them down a long twisting passageway more plunging into the earth, and pitch blackness encompassed them as eerie sounds were made. Chris had to get his flashlight out to see where the old mouse was going, but following him had not been fun at all. Mr. Ages was moving very slowly—due to the crutch having to assist him—and he had to stop and take a break sometimes before they could continue on their way. Chris was trying to be patient like Mrs. Brisby was, but it felt like they'd been going on a neverending path.
Dirt flecked Chris's brown hair and crusted his skin, and his clothes weren't any better either. There were mud stains on his jean jacket to his shoes—from when he and Mrs. Brisby escaped that rat Mr. Ages said was named Brutus—and he still felt wet in places. Moreover, he was freezing from the damp clothes, and if there had been extra pairs of clothes deserted on the ground, Chris probably would've thrown them on for extra warmth.
So much for this necklace… Chris bitterly thought as he stared at the amulet that hung off the shiny gold chain around his neck. It was hard to tell when that trinket would do its hocus pocus. Still, the tiny human wanted to figure out how to get the damn thing working at some points, especially in rocky situations that could get him killed, like what almost happened with Brutus—which he was still pissed about, if anything. If Chris was to grow back to his original size, he needed to hack its secret. If he ever would…
Today had not been a good start for him or Mrs. Brisby, but somehow they'd been blessed with help from Mr. Ages.
As the duo followed the old mouse, Chris couldn't help but eye Mr. Ages's casted leg at some points. His leg had been in perfect condition the last time he and Mrs. Brisby saw him, and now it couldn't even lay a single toe on the ground. Chris knew it wasn't his business, but he couldn't help but blurt out: "So, Mr. Ages. I couldn't help but notice that cast on your leg and–"
"That's none of your affair," Mr. Ages interrupted Chris, waving him off as he carefully descended a slope.
"I hope it doesn't hurt," Mrs. Brisby kindly spoke as she and Chris made their way down the slope after the old mouse did, trying not to slip.
"It is mending. But I can walk only slowly and need to rest frequently." He then directed his gaze to the tiny human and field mouse with his dour face when they finally reached the smooth surface. "Now, to what you are about to see and hear, you must swear absolute secrecy."
Chris cocked his head curiously. "Why would that be?"
Mr. Ages sighed, frustrated. "Just swear it."
Chris and Mrs. Brisby looked at each other. What else could the rats possibly have that they weren't used to? Well, Chris supposed he shouldn't question that in a way as he and his friend came to witness some odd things so far during their stride in the rats' territory. So it was only 'natural' that they got surprised more.
It did get Chris a little suspicious, but he decided to try and go along with what Mr. Ages said. He and Mrs. Brisby would only be forced to leave this place if they did not comply with the old mouse's request. "Yes," Chris answered.
"Yes," Mrs. Brisby too replied, "we unders–"
"Swear it!" Mr. Ages demanded as he pointed his crutch at them slightly.
Chris could see that the old mouse was mainly aiming his words at him, and with him being a human, that was probably why. He wasn't sure what else these rats had, but whatever it was, it was clear as day they held their secrets with such care.
"I promise," Mrs. Brisby swore.
Mr. Ages narrowed his eyes at Chris, waiting for his answer. The tiny human sighed and nodded. "I cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."
The old mouse hummed but nodded, turned away, and rounded a corner in their path inside a tunnel that slanted down in a curve, and the duo followed suit. "If any of this got out to your kind, Mr. Fitzgibbons, we'd have them bulldozing their way down here to… to blow the place apart."
"Do you really think so?" Chris asked. "Even if I were to speak of this to anyone, I'd be a laughing stock."
"I don't think so," Mr. Ages responded as they made their way out of the other end of the tunnel. "I know so." He looked over his shoulder at Chris. "Take my word for it, young man: even if a story were looked upon as reality or make-believe, there will always be someone who will take it seriously. Even one who may betray you."
The old mouse continued on their path, and as he did, Chris could only blink his green eyes as Mrs. Brisby looked at him. That was… something, the little human thought.
Before Chris could even contemplate what Mr. Ages said any further, he and Mrs. Brisby noticed flickering shining nearby until the area around them flooded with brightness. What they saw made them gasp in mesmerization. Once so hollow and dark, the corridor was replaced with the most stunning, colorful lights. They reflected off an assortment of junk (most of it appearing to be children's toys), making them glitter like starlight, and all that made the tiny human turn off his flashlight—since he could now see properly. These lights up close—that were actually Christmas decorations—were almost like looking at will-o'-the-wisps: ghostly and ethereal.
"It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen!" Mrs. Brisby breathed.
Chris nodded in agreement, and when he looked at his friend, the lights dancing on her managed to evaporate his voice like smoke, especially as her blue eyes were gleaming. They looked more beautiful than ever, making his heart beat faster than a horse on a racetrack. However, his voice still had a hold on his larynx, so he said nothing—even though his mind practically yelled at him to speak. What was up with him?
The trio started to pass by a line of toy soldiers standing at attention, and their upper parts were obscured in darkness. Chris and Mrs. Brisby glanced at them briefly before moving on, and unbeknownst to them and Mr. Ages, one of the toy soldiers was out of place in a very physical way. His eyes followed the trio until they were far enough ahead for him to break out of rank and stalk them as silently as a grave. He seemed to be after a particular someone.
For some reason, Chris had the strangest feeling that they were being followed, making a chill slither down his spine. He noticed Mrs. Brisby was feeling the same way, but Mr. Ages didn't seem to take heed to anything. Without realizing it, the tiny human and the field mouse held each other's hands. Whether out of fear or not, they started to feel relaxed by their touch.
Out of nowhere, arms reached out toward Mr. Ages, putting him in a headlock, and the old mouse's eyes were covered by a furry hand. Chris and Mrs. Brisby were stunned when they saw one of the toy soldiers was… alive! "Reveal thy name!" the soldier hissed.
Chris began fumbling for his pocket knife to save the old mouse, but before he could even pull it out of his pocket, Mr. Ages shouted, annoyed. "Justin, you featherhead! Get your hands off me!" He then pushed away the stranger, and his specs fell off his face as he did.
Chris opened his mouth but then closed it. When he got a better look at the soldier, he realized that it wasn't a toy that came to life. It was a rat. The stranger's thick fur was brown as caramel, and he was wearing a blue velvet tunic with yellow puffy sleeves, a collar of the same color with a golden brooch to compliment it, and a black belt fastened around his waist. The rat was taller than the others, but unlike Brutus, he didn't have a threatening look. Instead, he had a rather friendly-looking expression, and judging by the surprise welcoming he gave to Mr. Ages, he seemed to have had a good sense of humor as well.
"Okay, okay," the rat named Justin said as he lifted his hands with a toothy smile, "just a joke! I didn't mean any harm." He brought his hands down and lifted his head slightly down the corridor as he pointed at it for a few seconds and said: "The meeting's already in progress."
"What's this all about?" Mr. Ages questioned, still not forgiving Justin's action as he placed his specs back on his face.
Before Justin could even answer, he noticed Chris and Mrs. Brisby—and it was apparent he was slightly put off when he caught sight of the tiny human. "Who, may I ask?"
"Yes, yes, they can be trusted," Mr. Ages assured Justin. "They're no strangers." He then looked at Chris and Mrs. Brisby as his hand indicated to the rat. "May I present Justin, the Captain of the Guard."
Captain? Chris spoke in his thoughts. Who would've thought?
Mr. Ages directed his attention back to Justin. "Justin, this is Mrs. Brisby and Christopher Fitzgibbons."
Justin's eyes widened at those names. "You mean…"
"Yes, they're the same."
Chris then noticed Justin catching onto something. The necklace. The rat suddenly started to smile at him and Mrs. Brisby, and unexpectedly, he grandly bowed to them as he removed the toy soldier hat from his head. "It is an honor and a privilege." Then, he stood straight up and extended his hand to Chris. "Forgive me for being startled by your presence, Mr. Fitzgibbons. Small humans are not something everyone encounters nowadays, but I hope we can start off on the right foot."
Chris stared at Justin's hand. Of course, he never would've imagined a rat offering a handshake, let alone a Captain of the Guard. Justin seemed harmless enough, though, and he at least didn't try to stab him and Mrs. Brisby with some sort of weapon.
With a considering smile, Chris shook Justin's hand with a firm grip. "No worries, I've been getting these sorts of reactions a lot recently anyway. And you can call me Chris for short."
Justin looked satisfied, but Mr. Ages then interrupted their conversation. "If we could dispense with the formalities…?" He said sharply before turning away and continuing on the path.
Chris started to follow the old mouse, but as he did, he became aware that Mrs. Brisby and Justin were staring at each other… in a particular way. "How beautiful…" the field mouse said a little shyly.
"Ma'am?" Justin asked.
Mrs. Brisby shook her head in embarrassment. "Oh! Er…" She immediately pointed to the scattered colorful bulbs. "The lights! They're quite lovely."
For some reason, Chris felt his heart twist and a muscle in his jawline tighten at how they spoke. Finally, he decided to look back ahead and keep his mouth shut. They were just socializing, after all… but why couldn't he shake off this weird feeling of his?
"Yes, they are," Justin agreed as he tossed the hat in his hand to the side. "We've had electricity for four years now."
"Five," Mr. Ages corrected.
"Five, yes." Justin cleared his throat. "The lights we found used to be on trees. In fact, most of our lights come from trees. Not until after Christmas, of course—about New Year's. The big light bulbs we have trouble handling."
"So, in a way, you stole them," Chris said, breaking his silence. It made him think back to yesterday when he saw rats dragging cable into the rosebush. They were thieves.
"Technically, they were thrown out by humans who didn't want them anymore," Mr. Ages piped in. "We've used them well and were careful to take only a few."
"It was like picking fruit," Justin said rather dreamily. "The annual light bulb harvest. We had to go quite far up the road before we had enough. Even so, it took two Christmasses."
"Jonathan often spoke of electricity," Mrs. Brisby mentioned.
Justin folded his arms behind his back. "But you see, our shame is that we're stealing it from Farmer Fitzgibbons."
Chris looked over his shoulder at Justin, not expecting to hear they were ashamed of what they did. "You admit you steal from my Uncle? And you feel guilty about doing that?"
Justin sighed heavily but nodded. "We're not very proud of what we do. We were burdened with doing that for quite some time."
"All of that is going to change," Mr. Ages proclaimed as they all entered a deep hole with a waterfall splashing down to a pool, and a lantern was suspended from a cable moored at the edge. Were they… going to go underwater? It seemed so as the old mouse boarded the lantern, and Chris wondered how exactly this would work.
"He means we're working on a Plan," Justin explained.
"I mean, that we have a Plan." Chris and Mrs. Brisby got in the lantern while Justin cast off the cable, and after he did, he leaped inside the lantern as it swung away from the edge. "And this stealing will stop, that I can say for sure, Mr. Fitzgibbons." Mr. Ages promised.
The door-like glass was gingerly shut with a squeak, and brightness awakened inside, revealing everything around them. It looked like a closet with a lumpy-looking patched carpet stuck to the sides of the floor, and red rope clipped to the borders of the lantern. The lantern suddenly dropped towards the pool after a few swings, and as it did, Chris and Mrs. Brisby gasped as they held onto the rope for dear life, even as their ride finally splashed into the water and sank deep into it.
"It's alright," Justin reassured the two. "We should have warned you."
"What if we drown?" Mrs. Brisby spoke, her voice wavering.
Justin calmly smiled. "Not to worry, Mrs. Brisby. We ran a few tests on this to perfection—thanks to mostly our Chief engineer, Arthur. You'd be surprised by what else he can make happen."
"I'll admit, he does have a brilliant mind," Mr. Ages chimed in.
Chris was astounded by what these rats were able to pull off. This was an underwater elevator—something any human would've loved to design—and it was almost like they were going on an adventure in a submarine. They were able to breathe normally, and what's more, there were no signs of cracks on these glass walls that would indicate needed repair. Bubbles floated as the lantern passed by rock structures, and all the while, Chris couldn't stop staring at this incredible view.
"This is amazing," Chris admired. "How long did this take you to develop?"
"About a few weeks at the most," Mr. Ages responded. "We were able to study the elevators your kind has made, and with enough understanding, our twist of this–" he indicated to the lantern with his head "–came to be."
Mrs. Brisby's nerves loosened up a little as she looked at their surroundings, but she held her breath during the descent. Seeing this, Chris's hand slowly made contact with his friend's when Mr. Ages and Justin weren't looking. Upon touch, Mrs. Brisby's nervousness seemed to resign—at least for now. When she saw Chris's hand on hers, she made eye contact with him and smiled faintly in a grateful manner, and he gave her the same smile.
"Now… Oh, yes," Mr. Ages spoke again, focussing his attention on Justin. "Why did you send for me?"
The easy-going smile Justin had vanished, and Chris and Mrs. Brisby listened in as the rat said: "It's Jenner. He's at it again."
At the name Justin mentioned, Mr. Ages's brows knitted together. "Hmmm. There blows an ill wind."
Must be having some rat problems, Chris thought to himself. Pun not intended…
"He's before the council now," Justin informed the old mouse. "This time, he's attacking Nicodemus openly."
"And the Plan, no doubt," Mr. Ages guessed flatly.
"Nothing will come of it. It'll pass."
"Beware, boy, he's dangerous. Jenner will be the undoing of the Rats of NIMH."
Chris tilted his head at the topic the two were discussing. He had so many questions, but he decided to keep them to himself for now. However, he had heard of NIMH before. The National Institute of Mental Health. He's heard talk of them from some people and even read about them in a newspaper, but he was not entirely an expert on them. But it did beg the question, what did these rats have to do with NIMH?
The lantern entered a dome-shaped room, which wasn't long until it touched the bottom with a loud thud. A door at the top irised shut around the cable, sealing the room, and the water enveloping their ride drained like someone was greedily drinking it all up. The group emerged from the lantern, and opposite from it was an entrance, and there was still some leftover water on the wet and slippery ground.
"I'm sorry we came at such a bad time," Mrs. Brisby apologized. "I suppose…"
"No, sweet lady," Justin gently said as he lifted her chin. "You're both welcome here." Mrs. Brisby smiled, relieved as Chris crossed his arms, his throat feeling like it was closing by their interaction. "Umm… heh, we tend to take ourselves a bit too seriously."
"Humph," Mr. Ages got out and limped away, and Chris turned on his heels and quickly trailed behind when he saw Justin helping Mrs. Brisby down a couple of stairs.
The tiny human cursed silently. What was wrong with him? He had never felt this way before, and it was driving him crazy. Why was this emotion of his messing with him?
The group proceeded towards a chamber. They were in huge caverns with extensive brickwork and rich appointments. The floors were paved, and Chris could see on one side a storage area with grains in it—as also clearly stated on a sign hanging above it—and on the other side, there was a small-looking pool showing the group's reflections.
As they neared the chamber with strange-looking windows flashing red in random ones, Chris could hear the sounds of argument taking place there, with one particular voice bouncing off the walls. "The Plan is nothing but folly!" The voice shouted. "A doddering old fool's fantasy! Nicodemus would have us destroy this colony only to lead us to starvation in some wilderness!"
"Ahem," Justin said, trying to make light of the situation. "Good ol' Jenner."
Sounds like a swell guy, Chris wanted to say out of sarcasm.
They came upon a set of two doors, but Mr. Ages paused outside of them and indicated to the others to stop. "Wait. Listen."
Mr. Ages then pressed his ear against one of the doors when he got close enough to them, and the other three stood behind him as the political argument on the other side raged on. "Moving to Thorn Valley is a good plan!" A voice declared.
"Fie!" The voice of Jenner's cried out. "We have everything we need right here!"
"You mean we steal everything we need."
Chris crossed his arms as he lifted an eyebrow. "I'm assuming yelling is one of Jenner's bad habits?" He said dryly.
Justin chuckled at his comment. "More than you can imagine." He then picked up Mr. Ages by the back of his shirt as he opened one of the doors. "Well, come on, you suspicious old goat!" He walked into the chamber and then deposited the old mouse back down. He then drew his attention back to Chris. "Oh, Chris. I recommend you hide that necklace." Chris furrowed his brow confused, and was about to ask why, but the rat interrupted him. "You'll thank me later." With that, he and the old mouse walked ahead.
Chris took hold of the amulet, looked down at it, and so did Mrs. Brisby. They looked at each other, but all the tiny human could do was shrug his shoulders as he tucked the necklace behind his shirt.
Chris and Mrs. Brisby caught up with the other two and stayed behind them, taking the time to observe their surroundings. The borders of the brick walls were polished with gold and ornate with fine jewels, and hanging everywhere were finely sown banners and tapestries. The lights overlooking everything looked like lightsabers from Star Wars, shining a very bright blue. And in the very room were dozens of rats. They were on different levels, watching as the disagreement escalated between Jenner and what appeared to be council members—who were on the highest level—while guards stood by doing their job and stayed prepared for anything. Chris felt like he was in a mix of science fiction and a medieval timeline, not only because of how the chamber looked but also because of how the rats dressed in their garments.
That made him look like an outsider—especially as he was a human that shrunk.
"If we stay here, humans are bound to discover us," one of the council members firmly stated.
"They'd destroy us on the spot!" another council member chipped in.
"I agree!" came the bellow of another council member.
"He's right. We'll be killed."
"Not if we got them first!" Jenner's voice argued—which made the tiny human furrow his brow.
Chris managed to get a better look at the rat named Jenner with Mrs. Brisby. His fur was gray as thunderclouds. He had a goatee, bushy black eyebrows, and sinister green eyes. He wore a purple tunic with purple sleeves, a black belt, and a black cloak with pink being the color on the inside of it. The cloak also had a purple trim; to top it all off, it possessed a diamond, yellow brooch. He looked like a reject of Dracula.
Many of the rats got outraged by Jenner. "He means war!" One of them shouted in disgust.
"We'd be outnumbered."
"There are too many of them!"
A gavel struck the block, indicating to the rats to be silenced, and while it did, Jenner spoke again as his feet moved on the floor—that was the color of obsidian and had a design that looked like a pentagram—and his hand made his cloak billow behind him. "Hear me! The Thorn Valley Plan is the aspiration of idiots and dreamers! We…" He suddenly trailed off when he noticed Justin and Mr. Ages in the doorway and chuckled sarcastically. "We were just talking about you."
"That's refreshing, Jenner," Justin casually said, "usually you're screaming about us."
The chamber erupted into laughter—which irritated Jenner. However, when he looked past Justin and Mr. Ages, he noticed Mrs. Brisby and was about to call her out, but his eyes widened when he saw Chris and pointed at him in alarm. "Human! There's a human here!"
The rats present gasped, panicking, and Chris pressed his lips together as he saw many eyes land on him. Then, finally, Justin raised his hands and broke through all the feared voices with his own. "Everyone, you have nothing to worry about! He means no one harm!"
Jenner scowled at Justin. "Are you out of your mind? Humans are our main enemy! Have you forgotten whose side you're on?!"
Justin remained collected as he went to introduce Chris and Mrs. Brisby. "May I present… Christopher Fitzgibbons and Mrs. Jonathan Brisby."
Mrs. Brisby hesitated, but she then curtsied while Chris stood still as a statue, unsure what to say or do. A stir ran through the chamber at the sounds of their names. A short, burly rat on the floor did not look impressed as he said: "Fitzgibbons?! This is bad for us! We'll surely be discovered now! And Jonathon Brisby is dead!"
"I must agree with him," Jenner sided with the burly rat as he pointed at Mrs. Brisby. "She's not one of us!" He then pointed at Chris. "And for all we know, he could be a spy! So I propose we arrest him immediately! Otherwise, our hideout will be leaked to the other humans!"
The shouter in the chamber grew with rats saying things like, 'Send her away!', 'Arrest him!', 'Let's get back to business', etc. While that was all happening, Chris started to get overwhelmed and could tell that Mrs. Brisby was feeling the same way. Not five minutes in, it was like the tiny human was put on trial for a crime he had never even committed. His stomach churned, and Chris felt a pit of regret taking place for even coming here. The atmosphere was so tense that he felt like he was trapped in a stewpot of nerves, curiosity, and fear.
"Wait, wait!" Mr. Ages tried to reason while also getting everyone's attention. "They have been to see the Great Owl!" The rats were shocked at the revelation as the old mouse continued. "...He has told them that we could move the Brisby home to safety."
Justin indicated to Mrs. Brisby as he said: "Her home was Jonathon's home."
"We have urgent problems of our own," the burly rat said in no mood. "Let the lower creatures fend for themselves! And why would a human want to help a mouse?!"
The pressure Chris felt was washed away and replaced with anger that snapped from a leash when that rat questioned him helping his friend. Before he knew it, he found himself speaking up. "Because she's my friend that I care for! Just because I'm a human doesn't mean I'm cruel to anyone, so don't you dare question my actions! If you wanna arrest me, go ahead!" He then tried to chill. "But as the saying goes, 'I'm innocent until proven guilty.'"
Another heated argument spread like wildfire with the rats about what they should do. While that all happened, the gavel held by a judge banged on the block as he called out order! Chris blocked out all these voices and turned his head to a worried Mrs. Brisby. He probably screwed up, but what else was he supposed to do?
"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," Chris spoke with shame. "I… I didn't mean to–"
"It's okay," Mrs. Brisby softly said as she touched Chris's arm. "I know you didn't… But I can't stand the thought of you getting arrested for something you'd never do…. I don't want to lose you."
Chris felt his heart skip a beat as he stared into Mrs. Brisby's eyes. He almost wished he could swim in them… Chris didn't want to get arrested either, but if so, he wanted to remember every detail of his friend… In case he would never go back home or–
"Mr. Fitzgibbons!" Jenner said as he approached the tiny human and the field mouse. "Mrs. Brisby! A thousand pardons!" He then lightly took Mrs. Brisby's hand in one of his large hands as he got to their level. "Forgive the ill temper of my colleagues. It would be an honor to assist Jonathon's widow in any way." He then made eye contact with the field mouse with a startled look on her face. "We are but your humble servants."
Like Mrs. Brisby, Chris didn't expect this at all. However, he couldn't help but notice Jenner's facial expression. Something about it didn't seem right… almost as if–
Jenner suddenly looked at Chris after Mrs. Brisby stuttered a thank you. "As for you, Mr. Fitzgibbons, you are very right. You are innocent until proven guilty." His eyes darted to all the rats around them. "I believe we should give this young man a chance! After all, he has not done anything wrong! Of course, if he tries to give away our hiding place, we will take matters into our own hands, but as long as he's willing to keep this a secret, he should be able to roam freely." He then grinned at the tiny human. "You are willing to do one simple thing, right?"
Chris felt all those eyes on him again. He was very skeptical of Jenner, but with a chamber full of rats looking fixedly at him for an answer, he couldn't focus on how that rat was staring at him. Mrs. Brisby's son depended on the rats' help, and it was in his hands to gain their trust if that were to happen.
Without any hesitation, Chris answered for all to hear. "Yes, I am."
Jenner looked pleased. "That's all we needed to hear."
One by one, many rats supported this, and as they did, Mr. Ages looked deep in thought as he eyed Jenner suspiciously. "He's up to something…" That was something Chris could agree on. Finally, the old mouse looked up at Justin. "Take Mrs. Brisby and Mr. Fitzgibbons to the library. We'll approach Nicodemus when the meeting's over."
Justin nodded and began to escort Chris and Mrs. Brisby from the chamber, and as he did, the tiny human narrowed his eyes at Jenner and hummed—who now had his back turned to him. Why would he all of a sudden want to stick up for them? Chris couldn't say for sure, but deep in his gut, he felt like Jenner couldn't be trusted.