Chapter 38

TINY INTRUDERS

Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters, Los Angeles, California, United States

It didn’t hurt to be transformed into the form of a mouse, as much as it felt incredibly strange. It was like Gen was being shoved into a tiny box as she shrunk down into a much smaller shape. Her body resisted at first, like her organs and body parts didn’t know where to go. But then all at once, Gen had fur and paws and whiskers.

“You did it,” Gen said, her voice scratchy as she stared in disbelief at King Rudolf, who was eye level with her and also in mouse form.

He grinned, his brown fur twitching as he flexed as he got used to his new form. “I told you. How do you think I survived the Salem Witch trials?”

“The what?” she questioned and then shook her head. “Never mind. But you said we had to be fast, right? Let’s get going.”

Gen and the king of the fae took off at once, having positioned themselves in the perfect place to start their invasion of the building. In the form of tiny mice, they scurried through the open ventilation shaft on the first floor of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. The construction had provided the perfect entry point, and they wasted no time in navigating the metal labyrinth. The air rushed past Gen’s whiskers, carrying with it the scents of dust, steel and the faint aroma of coffee from the break rooms nearby.

Gen’s tiny claws clicked against the cold metal as they raced through the ducts. Her enhanced senses guided them through the maze, along with the in-depth study that she’d done of the building beforehand. Echoes of distant conversations and the hum of machinery filled her ears.

It was a constant reminder of the danger that lurked just beyond the thin metal walls. They were rodents and not welcomed in that form or their real ones in that building. If spotted, they could be caught and killed. Gen was so vulnerable as a tiny little mouse. And worse was that she was reliant on King Rudolf to turn her back into human form—so she was stuck like that.

Feeling the danger even more so, Gen sped up closer to the fae in mouse form, not wanting him to get too far away. They took turns and twisted pathways, relying on their knowledge of the building’s layout to guide them ever upward.

As they neared the top floor, the sound of rushing air grew louder, the ventilation fans threatening to blow them off course. They pressed on, their small bodies hugging the sides of the duct as they fought against the currents. The false ceiling beckoned, a promise of safety and secrecy just beyond the flimsy tiles.

“We’re getting close,” Gen said in a squeaky voice.

Rudolf paused at a bend. Nodded. Twitched his whiskers. “I could use a drink. Charlie better have whiskey in his office.”

Gen laughed unexpectedly at this. “Let’s just get there. I believe if we take the right here then it will be twenty panels down, according to the blueprints I studied.”

Rudolf’s blue eyes were eerie in mouse form. “Fine, but you’re counting.”

She nodded, taking off when he did, again staying close to him. The hardest part was still ahead of them, but Gen tried to not get ahead of herself. This was by far the strangest mission she’d ever embarked on, but it was also exhilarating and somewhat fun, if she were honest with herself.

With a final leap, they emerged into the dark space above the Commissioner’s office. The air was stale and thick with the scent of insulation and aging wires. They paused for a moment, Gen’s tiny heart racing as she tried to catch her breath.

The king of the fae’s nose twitched. “Whiskey is close by.”

Gen giggled. “Yes, we just need to cross over to the middle of the office. That’s the safest bet to ensure we don’t dig through to the wrong space, like a hallway or a closet.”

“Let’s go,” Rudolf said, taking off once more.

Scurrying along the narrow beams, they navigated the treacherous landscape of the false ceiling. Wires and pipes crisscrossed their path. There was a tangled web of obstacles that threatened to ensnare them at every turn. Dust clung to their fur as they brushed against the insulation, their noses twitching with the urge to sneeze.

As they neared the right spot of the Commissioner’s office, the sound of muffled voices reached their ears. They froze, their tiny bodies pressing flat against the rough surface of the ceiling tile. The voices grew louder, footsteps echoing in the room below. Gen’s heart raced, the fear of discovery a tangible presence in the cramped space.

Luckily the footsteps below them receded, and the voices faded away. They were alone once more, the only sound the soft scratching of their claws against the tile. With renewed determination, it was time to start the final step to get into the office.

Gen paused. “This is it.”

“Are you certain?” King Rudolf asked through a measured breath.

“I think so,” she said, an edge of uncertainty in her voice.

“I’m only chewing through the panels once,” he warned.

“I get it,” she whispered. “And thanks. I’ll get us started.”

She dug her tiny claws into the foam of the false ceiling tile and started scratching, pulling up bits and making slow progress. At first, the idea had been to get into the Commissioner’s office through the ventilation systems. However, they couldn’t work out a way to get past the grilles covering them. That’s when King Rudolf had the idea to dig through the false ceiling. The fae was proving to be rather clever with his burglary skills.

When Gen had ripped up enough to give them something to sink their teeth into, she pulled her claws out. Digging her tiny teeth into the torn-up bits, she began making a hole. It was slow progress, but thankfully, Rudolf joined in, helping the effort. Together, they began to gnaw at the pieces of the tile, their sharp teeth tearing up the flimsy material.

The taste of plaster and dust filled Gen’s mouth as she chewed. Her jaw started to ache from the effort. It was such a weird task, one that she never considered she’d be doing. But then she remembered who was doing it alongside her and he was high royalty. The king of the fae worked with her, his own teeth flashing in the dim light. The hole grew larger, bits of tile falling away to reveal the office below.

Suddenly, the tile gave way, and they tumbled through the opening, their tiny bodies plummeting towards the floor. Gen’s stomach lurched as the world rushed up to meet her, the air whipping past her whiskers. At the last moment, they twisted in midair, their flexible bodies rotating in a complete circle. Fortunately, just like a cat, the pair landed softly on their feet.

They had made it. The Commissioner’s office lay around them. It was a treasure trove of secrets and evidence just waiting to be uncovered. But as they took in their surroundings, the enormity of their task settled upon them like a heavy weight.