Hod was panicking, his paws sticking deeper into the trap with each desperate attempt to escape.
He barely registered that Clark was also fighting his own battle to keep his boss from finding Hod and the little rat wasn't helping things with all the noise he was making.
“Hey! Hey! Shut up will you?” suddenly Memo was in front of him, careful not to step in the glue trap, “Be quiet or you'll risk everyone's safety!” she hissed.
Hod tried to calm himself, grateful for Memos presence despite her previous indifference.
“I'm trying,” He breathed, “Why are you here?”
Memo looked incredulous, “I'm trying to save your life, Hod. Ask questions later.”
Hod breathed in and out, focusing on his heart rate.
He calmed down enough to listen to Clark's voice, it sounded like he was trying to make a distraction.
“The exterminators did a good job...” he bluffed, “Oh! Come check out the...uh, new display paperwork that came in. It looks cool...”
Good job Clark, Hod nodded to himself as the heeled footsteps walked away.
“I'm glad to hear my investment isn't going to waste this time. I hope you're right. Now show me the new display info...” her voice faded and Hod sighed again.
“What did I just tell you?” Memo snarled, “You really are hopeless, Skittles.”
Hod closed his eyes, “Please don't call me that.”
There.
He said it.
She raised a whiskered brow, “Really?”
Hod nodded, “Yeah, I really hate being called that.”
“Oh.” Memo looked sheepish, “Sorry about that. I didn't think about it really. Everyone just calls you that. I didn't know you didn't like it.”
Hod was surprised she didn't make fun of him, but considering he was stuck in a trap probably made her a little more sympathetic.
“I don't really like being reminded of all that.” Hod stated, feeling too tired to filter his conversation.
Memo chewed her lip thoughtfully, “You're kind of making me feel like an asshole, you know. I didn't think of it from your perspective.” she gestured to his small body in the trap, “You look pathetic right now too, so I feel extra bad.”
Hod rolled his eyes but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He actually did it!
He stood up for himself and it wasn't awful.
He knew he was in more danger now than he'd ever been but he couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted.
Finally Clark's voice rang from outside the shelf.
“You okay little dude?” He asked and Memos eyes widened when she realized he was talking to Hod.
“Uh, not really,” Hod replied and Memo dropped her jaw, surprise taking over her expression, “I'm stuck in a glue trap.” Then to Memo he whispered,
“It's okay. He's helping.”
Clark swore colorfully and Hod saw his feet pacing, “I don't know what to do, I can't reach you.”
“I can help!” Memo spoke up, this time surprising Hod.
Clark stopped pacing, “No way! There's two of you now?”
Memo ignored him. “What should I do?”
Clark knelt down, “Can you push him out without getting stuck too?”
Memo circled the trap, “I think so?”
Hod yelped when she pushed him from behind,
“Hey! A little warning next time?” he cried.
“Oh save it Ski...uh, Hod. I'm saving your life, remember?” Memo pushed until the edge of the trap was within Clark's reach.
“I got him!” He cried, gentle pulling the rat from under the shelf.
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“Hi” Hod whispered sheepishly.
“Lets get you out of there.” Clark responded.
He turned to Memo, “Need a lift?”
She eyed him suspiciously for a moment but nodded and let him carry her to the counter where he laid Hod down carefully and let her off to join him.
“Whats your name?” he asked while grabbing a bottle of baby oil off the shelf.
“I'm Memo.” she responded, “Hod and I are the same rank in the pack. Both of us are soldiers.”
Clark returned with the bottle, “Whoa! He hasn't told me all that kinda stuff. We're just trying to stop those exterminators from making your lives hell.”
“They're technically pest control, but same idea.” Memo corrected, “Can you get him free?” she asked, watching Clark drizzle the oil over Hods paws.
“I hope so!” Clark set his phone down so he could see it; a video of how to free rodents from glue was playing.
After some labor and time, Hod was free.
He was oily and sore but he was able to move his toes even though they were a bit sticky.
He glanced at the furred outline of where his body had been trapped and thanked Clark profusely.
“That was incredible!” Memo cheered, “I thought he was a goner!”
“Hey!” Hod reprimanded but he still had a smile on his face.
Clark put the baby oil away and sighed, “We got lucky you weren't trapped any longer. I'm so glad I was there to help but please be careful!” he looked sad, “Y'know, maybe this is a bad idea.”
Hod and Memo startled.
“I can do it!” Hod cried.
Clark shook his head, “By yourself it's just too risky.”
Memo stepped forward, “Well, now you two have me.”
Hod smoothed his whiskers, “Are you sure you wanna help? What about the pack, won't Smork be upset if you leave us too?”
Memo shrugged and Hod narrowed his eyes, “Why are you out here during daylight hours anyway?” He asked.
Memo avoided his gaze, “Don't worry about it.” she said.
“No, tell me!” he stepped closer, “You're hiding something.”
Memo crossed her arms, “I can do whatever I want, I don't need you permission.”
“Yo! Easy there friends!” Clark interjected, “We all got a common goal here, lets relax and make a plan, k?”
He poured some trail mix onto the counter,
“Fuel up little dudes and you'll feel better.”
Hod snorted but gnawed quietly on a peanut while Memo selected a plump raisin.
Everyone munched in silence before Clark spoke again,
“Okay, so today was a close call. I think there are a few more traps but I'm mostly worried about the poison. If you two see anything that looks or smells delicious but it's in a place it shouldn't be, DON'T touch it. I'm not sure what it looks like but I'm sure we will find it and I hope its before your patrols go out tonight.”
Hod nodded, a sweet dehydrated banana slice between his paws, “I'm ready to get back out there.”
“Me too” Memo said between mouthfuls of coconut flakes.
Clark checked the clock, “I got my co-worker coming in soon so I won't be able to help as much cause they aren't as sympathetic as I am to your dilemma.”
Hod and Memo exchanged looks as if to say, “We got this” and nodded in unison,
“We'll manage, just tell us what to do.”
Clark helped them down and said, “If you find a glue trap, uh...” he grabbed some tissues and two rubber bands, “Lay these over them and push them as close to the edge as you can so I can collect them when I have time.”
The rats helped each other secure a few tissues to their backs with the rubber bands.
“Then if you find the poison, um, just try and remember where it is. Do not touch it. I'll see if I can do more research about what kind it is and what to do with it.”
Clark handed them each a paperclip and a sharp thumbtack, “just in case” he said.
“Be safe out there, and if you aren't sure what to do, just wait for me.”
Hod and Memo felt prepared as they crawled under the shelves.
“Good luck!” Clark's muffled voice called and the rats set out.
After a minute of navigating under the shelves, Hod asked, “So are you going to tell me why you're out here?”
Memo shook her head, “Nope!”
He rolled his eyes, “Whatever, as long as you're useful I guess.”
“You know, you're really not as helpless as you seem, or maybe that was just the picture Lord Smork painted of you,” Memo observed, “Maybe he's wrong cause you really seem in you element here.”
Hod frowned as he crawled along, he was still afraid but he was filled with purpose and that gave him confidence.
“Yeah I guess so,” He said but a thought popped up that gave him no comfort.
“Smork doesn't like me at all, does he?”
Memo looked sheepish, “No, not really.”
Hod shrugged, the floor beneath his paws turning colder as they padded along.
“Oh well, right?” he feigned a casual attitude but the thought still stung a bit.
“Oh shit! Quick!” Memo whispered, dragging Hod to the shelter of a shelf leg.
“What is...” Hod began.
“Shhh! Look!” she pointed ahead.
There in the dim distance were two rats and it looked like they were up to something.
“One of them...is that Razr?” Memo asked.
Hod squinted, “Yeah that's him alright.” Fear raced down his spine like an uncomfortable chill, “What are they doing out here during the day?”
As if in answer the two big rats hefted something out of a handkerchief wrap and set it down.
It was a jar of some sort or so it looked.
“What could they be up to?” Memo asked, “It feels off...”
Hod agreed and then Razr and his accomplice tilted the canister over to release some kind of pellets.
Hod and Memo exchanged glances and moved in closer, keeping to the shadows.
Something delicious smelling reached them, it was like the scent of fresh baked bread luring them.
Hods mouth watered, the smell was so warm and inviting.
“Scatter some more you useless clod!” Razr's voice reached them.
“I'm working on it!” the other rat chimed in, “It just smells so good!”
“Well don't touch it unless you want to be found belly up!” he laughed and Hod's blood ran cold.
“Poison!” he whispered to Memo, shock lacing his words.
Why on earth would they be spreading poison instead of cleaning it up?
This was very bad.
Memo met Hods horrified gaze with sad eyes and said, “Um...there's something I need to tell you.”
Hod steeled himself, “Tell me.”
Memo chewed her lip,
“Well....”