go enough that I could wiggle away.
I backed up, rubbing my nose and wondering why he hadn't taken it clean off.
Baron flipped to his feet. He touched his side where I had first stuck him, then his face, and then his middle where my feet had hit him, cataloging the list of hurts I'd given him. His paw reached up to rub his nose, and with a start I realized he was mimicking me. Baron was a person!
'Holy crap!' I squeaked, and Baron bobbed his head once. My breath came fast and my gaze darted to the surrounding walls and the people pressed against them. Together we might get out where alone we couldn't. Baron made soft noises at me, and the crowd went quiet.
There was no way I was going to lose this chance. He twitched his whiskers and I lunged. We rolled about the floor in a harmless tussle. All I had to do was figure out how to get out of there and communicate it to Baron without Trent realizing it.
We knocked into an exercise wheel and broke apart. I found my feet and turned, looking for him. Nothing. 'Baron!' I shouted. But he was gone! I spun, wondering if a descending hand had plucked him out. A rhythmic scratching came from a nearby tower of blocks. I fought the urge to turn. Relief flooded me. He was still here. And now I had an idea.
The only time the hands came down was when the game was over. One of us was going to have to pretend to die.
'Hey!' I shouted as Baron crashed down on me. Sharp teeth latched onto my ear, tearing it. Blood coursed into my eyes, half blinding me. Furious, I flung him over my shoulder. 'What the hell is wrong with you?' I cried as he tumbled to a halt. The crowd cheered wildly, clearly dismissing our previous unrodentlike behavior.
Baron started in with a long series of squeaks, no doubt trying to explain his thinking. I lunged, latching on to his windpipe and shutting him up. His hind feet pummeled me as I cut off his air supply. Twisting, he reached my nose, gouging it with his nails. I eased my grip under the needles of his claws, allowing air to him.
He went limp in understanding. 'You're not supposed to be dead yet,' I said, my squeaks mangled from his fur in my mouth. I clamped down until he squealed and began to inefficiently struggle. The crowd surged into noise, presumably thinking Angel was going to score her first win. I glanced at Trent. My heart gave a thump at his suspicious look. This wasn't going to work. Baron might escape, but not me. I was going to have to die, not Baron.
'Fight me,' I squeaked, knowing he wouldn't understand. I loosened my hold until my jaws were slipping. Not understanding, Baron went limp. I jabbed a hind foot into his crotch.
He yelped in pain, yanking from my loose grip. I rolled away. 'Fight me. Kill me,' I chittered. Baron's head wove as he tried to focus. I gave my head a toss toward the crowd. He blinked, seeming to get it, and attacked. His jaws clamped about my windpipe, cutting off my air. I flailed about, sending us crashing into the walls. I heard the shouts of the people over the sound of the blood pulsing in my head.
His grip was tight, too tight to breathe.
I started to struggle in earnest. His grip tightened. My head felt as if it was going to explode. My blood pounded. I twisted and squirmed, clawing at an eye until the tears ran, but still he wouldn't let up. Flipping wildly, I sent us crashing into the walls. I found his neck and clamped down. Immediately he loosened his grip. I took a grateful gulp of air.
Furious, I bit hard, tasting his blood on my teeth. He bit me back, and I squeaked in pain. I eased my grip. He did the same. The noise of the crowd pressed down, almost as strong as the heat from the lights. We lay on the floor in the sawdust, struggling to slow our breathing so as to look as though we were suffocating each other. I finally understood. His owner knew he was a person as well. We both had to die.
The crowd was shouting, wanting to know who won or if we were both dead. I looked through cracked eyelids to find Trent. He didn't look happy, and I knew our ruse was halfway to being successful. Baron lay very still. A tiny squeak slipped from him, and I carefully answered. A pulse of excitement raced through me and was gone.
'Ladies! Gentlemen!' Jim's professional voice layered over the noise. 'It seems we have a draw. Will the owners please retrieve their animals?' The crowd hushed. 'We will have a short break to determine if either contestant is alive.'
My heart raced as the shadows of hands came closer. Baron made three short squeaks and exploded into motion. I belatedly followed, grasping the first hand I found.
'Look out!' someone shouted. I was flung into the air as a hand jerked away. I arched through the air, tail whipping in frantic circles. I glimpsed a surprised face and landed on a man's chest. He screamed like a girl and brushed me off. I hit the floor hard, stunned. I took three quick breaths, then lurched under his chair.
The noise was astounding. One would think a lion was loose, not two rodents. People scattered. The rush of feet past the chair was unreal. Someone smelling of wood chips reached down. I bared my teeth and he drew back.
'I've got the mink,' an official shouted over the noise. 'Get me a net.' He glanced away, and I ran. Pulse so fast it was almost a hum, I dodged feet and chairs, nearly slamming head first into the far wall. The blood from my ear was dripping into my eye, blurring my vision. How was I going to get out of there?
'Everyone remain calm!' came Jim's voice over the loudspeaker. 'Please return to the lobby for refreshments while a search is made. We ask that you keep the outer doors closed until we have regained the contestants.' There was a pause. 'And somebody get that dog out of here,' he finished loudly.
'Rachel!' came a call from above me. I squeaked as Jenks landed on my shoulders with a light thump. 'You look like crap,' he shouted into my torn ear. 'I thought that rat nacked you. When you jumped up and grabbed Jonathan's hand, I nearly pissed my pants!'
'Where's the door?' I tried to ask. How he found me would have to wait.
'Don't have a hissy,' he said defensively. 'I left like you said. I just came back. When Trent left with that cat box, I knew you were in it. I hitched a ride under the bumper. Betcha didn't know that's how pixies get around the city, did you? You'd better get your furry ass moving before someone sees you.'
'Where!' I squeaked. 'Where do I go!'
'There's a back way out. I did a survey during the first fight. Man, those rats are vicious. Did you see that one bite the other's foot right off? If you follow this wall for about twenty feet, then down three stairs, you'll come to a hallway.'
I started moving. Jenks gripped my fur tighter.
'Ugh. Your ear is a mess,' he said as I flowed down the three stairs. 'Okay. Go down the hallway to the right. There's an opening—No! Don't take it,' he shouted as I did just that. 'It's the kitchen.'
I turned, freezing at the sound of feet on the stairs. My pulse raced. I wouldn't be caught. I wouldn't.
'The sink,' Jenks whispered. 'The cupboard door isn't closed. Hurry!'
Spotting it, I scurried across the tile floor, my claws scraping softly. I wedged myself inside. Jenks flitted to peek around the door. Backing away to hide behind a bucket, I listened.
'They aren't in the kitchen,' a voice shouted, sounding muffled. I felt a knot of worry loosen. He had said 'they.' Baron was still free.
Jenks turned, his wings an unseen blur as he stood in the cupboard. 'Damn, it's good to see you. Ivy's done nothing but stare at a map of Trent's compound she dug up,' he whispered. 'All night muttering and scribbling on paper. Every sheet ends up crumpled in the corner. My kids are having a blast playing hide-and-seek in the pile she's made. I don't think she knows I'm gone. She just sits at that map of hers, drinking orange juice.'
I smelled dirt. As Jenks babbled like a Brimstone addict needing his fix, I explored the smelly cupboard to find that the pipe from the sink went under the house through a wood floor. The crack between the iron and the floor was just wide enough for my shoulder. I started chewing.
'I said, get that dog out of here,' a muffled voice shouted. 'No. Wait. You have a lead for him? He can find them.'
Jenks came close. 'Hey, the floor. That's a good idea! Let me help.' Jenks alighted next to me, getting in my way.
