The Orphan and the Mouse Read Online Free Page A

reported overdue, and the colony scouts would be on alert. Sure enough, moments after her return, a squad intercepted her.
    Their leader asked questions, which Mary did her best to answer before being overwhelmed by the pain in her shoulder. “Please, Nephew, may I have a chance to rest?” she asked.
    The squad leader was firm. “You know the procedure. You have been seen. You must make your report straightaway.”
    â€œAre you detaining me?” Mary asked.
    â€œOf course not, Auntie.” The squad leader softened his tone. “What we’re doing is escorting you to meet with Chief Director Randolph.”
    Mary’s injuries were obvious and bloody. Even so, Randolph did not express concern. “What happened? Where are the pictures?” was his greeting.
    As Mary began her report, Randolph’s whiskers drooped. “Left on the rug in the boss’s office?” he said. “And what happenednext? You’re back, so apparently the predator didn’t eat you.”
    Mary ignored his callousness. “I followed protocol. I would have gotten away. But the south office portal was closed, and so was the one in the west corridor. Some mouse must have blocked them.”
    â€œBlocked them?” Randolph blinked. “That’s preposterous.”
    Mary’s mind was clear in spite of the pain. “No more preposterous than the failure of the PWS,” she said. “How is it that the predator was on the loose when the monitors reported he was safely confined?”
    â€œHow should I know?” Randolph blustered. “It happens. Probably the boss was fed up and chased him out. What is it you’re alleging, exactly?”
    Mary was surprised. “I’m not alleging anything! But the PWS failed. And two portals were blocked. There should be an investigation. And I can’t help thinking—” Her voice broke off.
    â€œThinking what?” Randolph said.
    â€œThinking something similar may explain what happened to Zelinsky.”
    Mary’s tone had been mild. Randolph’s response was explosive. “Nonsense! Wild-eyed speculation! Poppycock!”
    The chief director’s outburst provoked nervous glances among the scouts who had brought Mary to his nest. Seeing this, Randolph moderated his tone “What happened next?”
    Now came the crux of Mary’s report. She had been seen. More than that, she had been touched.
    At this revelation, Randolph exploded anew. “A human pup held you in its paw?” His eyes flashed. “I should have known! I caught the stench of human but thought it was only because you’d been abroad in their territory.”
    â€œIt was a female, and she saved my life,” Mary said.
    â€œThen released you?” Randolph was incredulous.
    â€œThere is something else,” Mary said unhappily, “something more important. Both the pup—Caro—and Matron Polly mentioned the possibility of . . . an exterminator.”
    When Randolph heard this, the pink drained from his nose and ears. He did not speak for several seconds, and when he did, his voice was changed. “I see. It would seem, in that case, that the human pup’s actions may have been a trick. She may have been using you to locate one of our portals. With this knowledge, she’ll assist the exterminator in his work.”
    â€œNo!” Mary defended Caro. “She didn’t follow me—she didn’t! I . . . I liked her.”
    Randolph ignored Mary’s protest and turned to the squad leader. “Bring me the messenger on duty. The directors must meet at once. The talk of an exterminator, the human pup’s strange behavior, the thief’s fraternizing—all pose an imminent threat to the colony.”
    â€œYes, Uncle,” said the scout.
    â€œAs for you—Randolph looked at Mary—relieved of your duties. Confined to your nest. A guard will be placed there