The following morning came fast as Cole faintly heard the rooster crowing in the distance. He got up and got his bed and pillow put away before seeing Mrs. Brisby heading out. Cole thought about following her, but then the three older children got up.
"Good morning everyone.", Cole said pleasantly.
Teresa looked a bit curious.
"Cole, where's Mom going?", she asked.
Cole looked her way sympathetically.
"She's going to get that help which will move your house, don't you remember?", he asked.
Martin and Cynthia looked assured as Cole served their breakfast.
"Now listen up children.", Cole informed, "I'm going to go help your mother, and we'll come back with help to move your house okay?"
The children looked curious as they ate their breakfast, but all nodded as if understanding. Cole then felt under his shirt and felt the amulet that he had found in the Great Owl's lair still hanging there.
"Good, it's still there.", he muttered.
"What's still there?", Martin asked.
Cole thought fast.
"Nothing.", he answered, "Just… just a feeling. I wonder if Auntie Shrew will be around?"
Martin groaned, but Teresa looked thoughtful.
"Cole, be careful out there."
Cole gave a sympathetic smile and then looked firm at Martin.
"Your brother better behave.", he stated, "I hear the plow might be up tomorrow morning and if your mother and I can't find the help we need, I'll be happy to let the plow take him before it takes the house."
That was enough to get Martin to reconsider as Cole walked out of the house after Mrs. Brisby. The morning air was fresh and chilly, but Cole knew that it would pass soon enough. He turned to the plow standing near the Brisby house like an ominous warning.
"Time is at hand and illness gives you pause.", Cole said to himself remembering the rhyme, "A secret of the past can help the cause."
He then took out the amulet around his neck and the sapphire reflected his own face and noticed a slight spark flicker in the middle of it before going dim and fading.
"That's odd.", he muttered, "I wonder if it shares a connection with the charms I had?"
He chose to put it out of his mind as he knew that he had to find Mrs. Brisby and see this Nicodemus character or else Timmy would surely be in grave danger. The tractor fuel line replacement will take time to get to the farm, but not long and he certainly didn't want an innocent life to be cut short knowing he had what it took to save it. By the time he had gotten to the farmhouse, the air had warmed up and Cole was about to go forward when he paused as a thought came to mind.
"I just hope that Dragon isn't out at this hour.", he prayed.
He took a breath and cautiously made his way into the opening when the front door of the house opened and Cole ducked back into the grass before peeking out to see a woman who he guessed was the farmer's wife with a basket of laundry. She walked by hardly noticing anything so as soon as her back was turned, Cole bolted and saw no sign of Dragon. He hurried along before he heard breathing. Freezing, he turned around slowly to see Dragon stagger out of the farmhouse before collapsing near the porch on the lawn and stayed down while snoozing. Cole then saw the rosebush not far away and headed over there knowing that Dragon wasn't going to chase him.
/
Farmer Fitzgibbons' wife was in the middle of doing laundry. She had hung up several towels and pants so she was too busy to notice a pair of light purple bloomers fold up and creep away. It paused and peeked out behind the basket to see Mrs. Fitzgibbons too busy so it moved onward across the yard. Dragon was still sleeping near the porch and the bloomers came over him where it paused. It lifted its hood and revealed it was Jeremy who started to sniffle, but he hurried away before he could sneeze and hurried to the rosebush.
"Mrs. Bris?", he whispered as if Dragon was listening, "Cole?"
Cole and Mrs. Brisby were looking around the rosebush for some kind of entrance, but having no luck since the thorns were so dense as if to tell anyone who wandered near to get lost. They were doing another look around the bush when they notice Jeremy though Cole looked more confused than Mrs. Brisby.
"Jeremy, what are you doing?", Mrs. Brisby asked.
"And why are you wearing a pair of woman's bloomers like a cloak?", Cole added.
Jeremy snickered as if he was playing a prank and lowered his voice to a whisper.
"I'm in disguise.", he said before snickering again.
Cole rolled his eyes.
"Seriously?"
"Jeremy, not now.", Mrs. Brisby said in a quieted tone as she turned to look around the rosebush again, "We're trying to find the entrance. And these thorns are very dense."
"Here, let me help you.", Jeremy said eagerly.
He stood up and unfortunately stuck his head into a tangle of brambles which made him yelp and fall down. Cole quickly snapped Jeremy's beak shut as Mrs. Brisby looked around to see if anyone noticed anything. Luckily, Mrs. Fitzgibbons was still busy with the laundry and Dragon was still sleeping.
"Will you keep it down?", Cole hissed, "You're going to get us caught."
"We've got to find this Nicodemus before the farmer gets that tractor fixed.", Mrs. Brisby said as Cole slowly loosened his grip on Jeremy's beak.
"I'll keep a lookout.", Jeremy stated.
He flapped up and unfortunately one of the leggings of his "disguise" got caught and whipped him back upside down like a caught bird.
"This bird is going to get us killed if he keeps this up.", Cole said as he rolled his eyes again, "Somebody is going to hear."
"I don't see anybody coming.", Jeremy reported before he flopped down to the ground again.
"If you really want to help us, you'd go away.", Mrs. Brisby told Jeremy.
Jeremy got to his feet.
"Well, I can't leave you both here like this.", Jeremy stated, "Why if anything were to happen to…why, think of the children."
Cole suddenly had an idea and looked to Jeremy smiling.
"Jeremy, somebody should be protecting Mrs. Brisby's children in case that tractor starts up again."
Jeremy suddenly looked a bit confused, but then eager.
"Hey, how about me?"
/
Mrs. Brisby looked to Cole who gave her a sly wink and she caught on.
"Oh, would you?", she asked the crow appearing to be grateful.
"Yes, sure.", Jeremy stated before going on, "That'd be terrific practice."
"I'm sure.", Cole said to the crow hoping to feed the bird's ego, "Girls are total suckers for a guy who's good with kids."
"I know.", Jeremy agreed, "You know, the domestic type, play games, help out, domestic."
"Yes, yes, domestic.", Mrs. Brisby put in, "Now whatever you do, don't tell them where I am."
"My lips are sealed Mrs. Bris.", Jeremy said before heading off.
"Bye.", Mrs. Brisby said.
"Good luck with the rats.", Jeremy stated before saluting like a soldier and heading off.
Cole couldn't help but chuckle as he turned to help Mrs. Brisby through the bush before Jeremy's voice made them pause and turn again to see Jeremy come up to them.
"Where do you live?", he asked.
"By that big stone in the garden.", Mrs. Brisby told him.
"Just try and stay out of trouble.", Cole added.
"Don't worry Mrs. Bris and Mr. Cole.", Jeremy said before I love kids and kids love me."
Jeremy started waltzing away unaware that he was dancing right towards the sleeping Dragon. He was just about to sing another verse when he suddenly saw Dragon and stumbled into the cat's arms before the sleeping cat started cuddling while still asleep. Jeremy started to panic and managed to fly up a bit before he felt a sneeze coming on. He quickly pulled the fabric over himself and Cole could make out a muffled sneeze before the fabric opened and Jeremy went flying over the bush and then into the sky.
"Bless you.", Cole whispered to himself.
Cole then observed as Mrs. Fitzgibbons came up and looked firm at Dragon.
"Dragon, you lazy kitty.", she said as she retrieved the pants off the cat, "Go catch some of those rats out in the barn."
Dragon lazily opened an eye slowly and then fell back asleep as Mrs. Fitzgibbons rolled her eyes and went back to the laundry.
"I've never seen a cat sleep so much."
Cole was a bit frightened, but he helped Mrs. Brisby as they looked around a bit when Cole noticed a particular twig with a rope tied to it.
"This looks like some kind of mechanism.", he muttered.
Mrs. Brisby observed as Cole pushed on the twig which swung like a hinge. Mrs. Brisby gave a gasp of surprise as Cole observed what looked like a door further in creak open as if welcoming them.
"Well, ladies first.", he said turning to Mrs. Brisby and gesturing like a gentleman.
Mrs. Brisby didn't move at first, but she went in with Cole following. After they were both in the door, it closed as if on its own accord.
/
Cole and Mrs. Brisby kept going through the tangle as thrums of electrical energy rang around them. Just then, a couple brambles came down and Cole helped Mrs. Brisby avoid them and observe as they moved as if alive to pull some larger brambles together making a wall.
"Guess we don't go out that way.", Cole commented.
As they moved along, Cole noticed something metal and spherical as he and Mrs. Brisby passed while it lit up and crackled with energy.
"Wonder where all this electricity is coming from?", Cole muttered to himself.
"What?", Mrs. Brisby asked.
Cole thought fast.
"Um, I said…that I hope the rats have a plan to help."
Mrs. Brisby seemed to let it slide before Cole and her went to a ledge and a glowing face of what Cole might guess was supposed to be a goblin lit up and they both flinched before Cole saw it was just a light.
"It's okay Mrs. Brisby.", he said to her as she held on to him, "It's just a light."
Mrs. Brisby relaxed and the duo continued on before they came past other hanging glass things before coming to an opening and looking through to see a wonderous garden like path which made Cole smile.
"Well, this is nice.", he stated as he and Mrs. Brisby continued on.
They had just gotten near the entrance on the other side when a large pike dropped in front of them making them pause. They looked up to see what Cole would guess was a rat wearing a brown tunic and a black cape while not taking its eyes off them.
"H-Hello?", Mrs. Brisby stammered trying not to look scared, "I'm Mrs. Brisby."
"We come in peace?", Cole guessed as the rat looked closer at them, "Would you know where Nicodemus is?"
The rat suddenly stabbed his pike into the ground in front of Cole and Mrs. Brisby making it spark violently as the two dropped to a ledge nearby.
"Please, I need help.", Mrs. Brisby begged.
"We don't want trouble.", Cole put in, "So, could you be so kind as to let us pass?"
The rat suddenly stabbed his pike into the ground again frightening Mrs. Brisby while Cole avoided it while trying to be brave.
"I'm guessing that's a no?", he asked.
The rat then swung his pike and that was enough to get Mrs. Brisby running and Cole chased after her with the rat on their heels until they got a good distance away, then he just paused and went back the way he came. Cole chased Mrs. Brisby and found her near the same metal sphere they went by earlier.
"Geez, talk about rude.", he grumbled, "Someone needs to tell that guy that he needs to learn some manners."
Mrs. Brisby didn't look up and Cole put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"Hey, we came here to see this Nicodemus and we are not leaving until we get an audience with the guy.", he told her.
At that moment, the sound of tapping wood came from around the sphere.
"Who goes there?"
"Mr. Ages, I think that was Cole."
/
Cole and Mrs. Brisby peeked out to see…Mr. Ages and Aiden though Mr. Ages had a leg in a cast and walking with a crutch. Cole looked relieved right away as well as Mrs. Brisby.
"Oh, it's you.", she said.
Aiden and Mr. Ages were equally surprised.
"How in thunder did you get in here?", Mr. Ages asked sounding confused.
"The plow has come early to the field.", Mrs. Brisby reported.
"You had better march straight out the way you and Cole here came.", Mr. Ages stated.
Cole looked firm as he got up to Mr. Ages.
"Hey, Mrs. Brisby and I are here to see someone. I've taken on a plow, been chased by a cat, flown a crow, and been attacked by a rat with a pike so I'm in a very bad mood.", he said firmly, "I don't care how bad you feel, but Mrs. Brisby and I are here to see Nicodemus and the Owl specifically told us to ask for him when we get here."
Mr. Ages looked just as firm.
"Well, I never knew a mouse who had such…", he started before looking to Mrs. Brisby confused, "The Owl said?"
Mrs. Brisby nodded and Aiden suddenly joined in the chat.
"What owl?", he asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Cole and I went to see the Great Owl.", Mrs. Brisby stated.
Mr. Ages suddenly went up to her and looked curious.
"The Owl.", he said before lifting his glasses so his eyes met hers, "You said you and your friend saw the Owl?"
"Yes, and he said we should ask for Nicodemus.", Mrs. Brisby stated.
"We know Nicodemus.", Aiden said eagerly, "He's the leader of the rats."
"You know him?", Mrs. Brisby asked.
"Nobody has seen the owl.", Mr. Ages said still a little surprised, "And lived to tell about it."
Cole calmed down and looked at Mr. Ages and Aiden.
"Please sir, could you take me and Mrs. Brisby to Nicodemus?"
Aiden looked onboard as he turned to Mr. Ages.
"Yeah, come on Ages, let's take them to see Nicodemus."
Mr. Ages sighed.
"Alright, but for your sake, I hope you're telling the truth.", he said before heading toward the place where the rat that chased Cole and Mrs. Brisby would be, "Come on."
"But what about the big rat at the entrance?", Mrs. Brisby asked.
"Oh, that's just Brutus.", Aiden said, "He just takes his job too seriously."
Mr. Ages gave Aiden a firm look before looking to Mrs. Brisby and Cole who followed unaware that they were being watched by Nicodemus.
"Jonathan, your wife has come at last. Perhaps now I can repay you for your kindness to me. Yet Mrs. Brisby and Cole will serve the rats of NIHM far more than we them.", he said as he held the amulet in his hands, "Jenner, I fear could do them harm. He is consumed by a lust for power. Thus far the amulet has remained safely hidden, but if he finds it, Heaven help us."