‘Well? Have you decided what to do
yet?' Wendy asked.

Justin looked up to his wife. He
was only able to see her silhouette in the dim light.

‘I'd have to discuss that with
other rats, Wendy.'

‘Why? You are the Leader.'

‘It's the protocol. I'm sorry...'

‘Mrs. Brisby and her kids might
already be dead!'

‘Look, I wish that I can do
something for them, but I have no idea what!'

‘Justin, I'm sorry. But I just
cannot bare the thought that they are there because of me!'

‘No, because of Jenner, not
because of you! Please don't feel guilty about this....'

Justin took a deep breath and got
up from the bed. He walked over to his desk and lit a candle. Soft light filled
the room instantly. Justin moved a pile of paper and sat down. He started
writing down, but scratched the words immediately.

‘What are you doing?' Wendy asked
as she approached Justin carefully. She knew that if he was in a bad mood,
she'd better stay out of his way.

‘It's a stupid idea, forget about
it.' Justin answered while he shook his head, but before he was able to throw
it away, Wendy had already taken the paper of his desk.

‘You're writing a letter to
Jenner?' Wendy asked while she frowned.

‘Give it back, Wendy! I never said
you could read that!' Justin angrily said.

‘Good God Justin, look at us! We
ought to be having the most beautiful time of our lives and the only thing we
do nowadays is argue!' Wendy shouted back and threw the paper at her husband.
She walked back towards the bed, took off her bathrobe and stepped inside the
bed on her bedside.

‘Sweetness... I'm sorry. I
overreacted....' Justin got up and slowly walked towards the bed.

‘Wendy?' Still no answer. Justin
sat down on her bedside and pulled away a piece of the blanket. When she pulled
it back immediately, he realized that she was angry. She was probably also
crying.

‘Wendy... I said I was sorry.'
Justin tried, but it still didn't work.

He stood up and walked towards the
desk again. He threw away the paper, blew out the candle and took off his
bathrobe as well. He laid beside her and softly kissed Wendy's neck. When he
realized his wife wasn't going to talk to him again, at least not that night,
he turned over to his side of the bed and tried to sleep.

 

‘I know what to do.' Wendy
whispered.

Justin slowly opened his eyes. He
was almost asleep and quite weary.

‘I'm going to Jenner.' Wendy
whispered again.

This time Justin's weariness was
instantly gone.

‘You what?!' He stumbled.

‘I am going to talk to Jenner.'
Wendy repeated.

Justin sat up and winked his eyes
a couple of times.

‘No, Wendy... Please say you won't.
Please...'

‘I have to do it. It's the only
way to get him to release the Brisby's. I'm not scared of him, he won't hurt
me. I'll talk to him and tell him that this is not the way. He'll release me.'

‘Yeah, right. He'll release you
alright... when you're dead.'

‘What? Is this going to result
into an argument again?'

‘It'll result in a lock-up again
if you decide to push that idiotic idea of yours through!'

‘It's not idiotic, Justin! Think
about it! It's the best solution for everyone.'

‘Not it's not! Not for you, not
for the baby, not for me and not for the Brisby's either!'

‘Why not for the Brisby's?' Wendy
wondered.

‘See? You only mention the
Brisby's now. So it's not at all good for our family! Do you want our baby to
be raised in that place?!'

‘Justin... I don't know what to do,
either!' She sighed and softly touched her stomach.

‘Wendy... If this hostage taking is
really all because of you, he'll probably show up soon to negotiate. Then we
can decide what to do next. Right now, there's nothing we can do but wait and
hope for the best.' Justin said, and he placed his hand over Wendy's hand which
was still resting on her stomach.

Wendy nodded and she placed her
head on Justin's shoulder. Justin checked in Nicodemus who was pretending to be
sleeping. Justin couldn't imagine that he was able to sleep through their
arguments. He felt sad, he felt like he let anyone who mattered to him down. He
looked at his wife and gave her a tired, but sincere smile.

‘Let's go to sleep.' Justin said
and they both rested their heads, hoping for a quiet evening for a change....

 

‘Justin! Justin! I found a
letter!' Brutus knocked the wooden door that entered their bedroom.

Justin looked up and winked his
eyes. He lit a candle and looked at the time. It was three A.M.

‘Oh no... now what?' Justin softly
whispered and got up to open the door. Wendy sat up in her bed, hoping for some
good news.

‘I'm sorry to wake you up, sir...
but I've found a letter in the Hallway.'

‘A letter?' Justin slowly asked
while he rubbed his eyes.

‘Yes, and your name is on it!'
Brutus said, pushing the letter against Justin's chest.

Justin took the closed envelope
and pushed Brutus' arm away, annoyed by the large rat.

He turned the letter around but
there was no sender on the back side.

‘Come in, Brutus. You've probably
awakened everyone in the building right now.'

‘What is it?' Wendy softly asked,
while she sat up in bed.

‘It's a letter, probably from you
dad.' Justin said, and he started to open it and he started reading.

 

Justin,

Before I
continue, I'd like to congratulate you on your new function. I hope Nicodemus
knew what he was doing. Such a function is more suited for a somewhat more
experienced rat, someone with more knowledge and less enemies. However, I wish
you good luck, you'll need it.

Justin,
I'd like to talk to you in person, you know... man to boy. I know you'd want to
do that, too. I've got something you want, and you've got something I want.
I'll cut to the chase. You've got nine hours to say your farewells to your
wife, otherwise the Brisby Family will die. Don't worry now, she'll be in good
hands. She'll love it here. Perhaps in time she'll find a real husband in her
new home. She'll be over you in no time...

I'll meet
you at exactly 12:00 hours in front of your humble residence.

Jenner.

 

‘I'm gonna kill him!' Justin
screamed, and he ripped the letter to pieces.

‘Justin! Calm down! What did it
say?' Brutus said as he pulled the letter out of Justin's hands. Justin didn't
react straight away, he just stared in front of him with large, empty eyes.

‘I need a plan, now!' He
whispered, nearly in panic.

‘What on earth is going on?' Wendy
whispered while she pulled Justin's arm.

‘He wants to trade, doesn't he?'
Nicodemus' soft voice filled the room.

‘Yes, he wants a trade.' Justin
slowly answered as if he were numb.

‘Then we should give him what he
wants.' Nicodemus answered again.

Justin slowly turned around as the
words echoed through his mind. He started shaking his head, tears swelled in
his eyes.

‘What did you just say?!'

‘I agree. You won't lose me, I'll
get out.' Wendy softly whispered.

Justin stared at Nicodemus with a
strange look in his eyes. ‘I hate you.' He said with such a determination that
it made Wendy back away.

‘Justin! Nicodemus he doesn't mean
it! Do you?' Wendy asked, turning from Justin to Nicodemus and back.

‘Yes, my love, he does mean it.
For now. He'll be grateful in the future.'

‘Grateful? How can I be grateful
to that old nutcase?'

‘Justin stop it! You'll only make
things worse!'

‘I wish that you had died that
night.'

‘Justin stop it!' Wendy yelled.

‘I wish it was you who was in that
rotten tree instead of....'

‘Justin please! Don't do this!
There's nothing else we can do.' Wendy said through the tears and she embraced
Justin firmly.

‘Please take back those words, please.'
She pleaded while she firmed her embrace even more. Finally Justin answered her
embrace and he started to cry.

‘I don't want to lose you again.
It'll kill me.' He softly whispered.

Nicodemus gently placed his old
hand on Justin's shoulder and squeezed it carefully.

‘I'll be here for you, my son.' He
whispered.

‘But who'll be there for her?'
Justin said with a hoarse voice.

‘Her father will.' Nicodemus
replied as he walked out of the room. Brutus also left the two rats who needed
some time alone.