“Tell me” Hod said again.

Memo fidgeted with her paws before she dove in, “So, Lord Smork sent me to find you and report back on what you were doing.”

Hod scowled, “So you're spying on me?”

Memo shook her head, “No! Well, yes at first but I realized you're doing seriously awesome stuff and trying to save us all and I want to help.”

Hod frowned, “Why didn't you tell me when I asked?”

Memo rolled her eyes, “Cause that would have made me a pretty terrible spy.”

Hod jerked his snout towards the two rats dumping poison, “Did you know about them?” he demanded.

“No, not at all but everything is making sense now.” She responded.

“What is?” Hod cried then hushed his voice, “Sorry, what is?”

“Don't you see? They're going to blame you for that” She pleaded.

Hod was grateful for Memos sharp wit. He'd never suspect they'd be so cruel.

Maybe he trusted too easily, maybe even Memo was lying to him now. Would he even know? The thought sent a pang through his chest.

Why couldn't the world just be kind?

For a moment Hod felt entirely lost.

“Think about it!” she whispered fervently, “After...well, after what happened with you on patrol they started making it public knowledge that you made a mistake.” she paused, “Oh my god, the nickname, the bullying...I'm so sorry I didn't see it sooner.”

She placed her paw on Hods shoulder, “They're making you the scapegoat. It's all a set up.”

Why? His thoughts raced. Why me?

He swallowed the lump in his throat, “But why?” he managed to choke out.

Memo looked sad, “Because you're really great, and kind, and brave and Smork feels threatened by that, I don't know.”

She took his paw, “Razr is leaving now, but before we make a plan I want you to know I'm sorry. I've been a jerk and I never gave you a chance. I can't take back the hurt, but can you accept my apology at least for now so we can do our best to fix this mess and save the pack?”

Hod wasn't sure he knew how to respond or what he really even wanted, but she was right, they needed each other now and for the sake of the innocent he would do whatever it took to save them.

Hod reached out a paw and Memo shook it.

“Let's do it.” He said.

Memo fidgeted, “Are you mad at me?”

Hod adjusted his pack, “I'm...” he tried to gather his emotions into one proverbial basket but they wouldn't fit and spilled out into his mind, coating his soul and flapping wildly around his heart.

“I'm a lot of things right now,” He settled on, “Give me time to sort it out.”

Memo nodded, “Got it.”

She turned to the space where the pellets were scattered but Razr and his minion where gone, “What should we do about the poison?”

The scent still tugged at their senses, lying to them like a sirens call.

“Clark said to wait for him but it has to be close to closing time by now. Let's give it a bit longer but if he's not back to tell us what to do, we will have to clean it up before the patrols find it.” Hod said.

Memo agreed so they waited, fighting their desire to gobble up the pellets despite knowing what they were.

“Psst! Hey, you guys in there?” Clark's muffled voice vibrated through the shelves.

“Yes!” Hod called, “We found the poison!”

“Right on!” Clark replied, “I don't have much time but tell me what it looks like.”

“Some kind of pellets. There's a lot and it smells delicious.” Memo chimed in.

“Okay well don't eat it my dudes and let me think.” Clark said, “I wish they made tiny gloves for rats...” he mumbled.

“Maybe we could use something to sweep it up onto the tissues you gave us!” Memo cried.

“That could work! Just understand you can't touch it cause if it gets in your mouth by accident it could kill you or at the very least make for a bad day.” Clark said, “Let me see if I can slide you some kind of broom.”

They heard him shuffling around and he came back, “Think it could wait until tomorrow?” he asked.

Hod shook his head despite the fact that Clark couldn't see him, “No, the patrols can't find it tonight.”

“Shit, can't someone warn them?” Clark added.

Hod and Memo didn't have time to explain.

“No, it's...complicated.” Memo said.

“Gotcha, gimme a second.” The Clerk was off again searching.

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“Okay, try this.” he said and Hod raced to the opening of the shelf to reach what Clark passed him.

It was a little paper folded broom, the handle was made from a bent paperclip with the fan shaped paper taped to the end.

“It's all I have time for,” Clark said, “I have to close up and my co-worker will be back soon. Try and use it to sweep up the pellets into the tissue. The rest is gonna have to be up to you. I'm sorry!” Clark said.

“It's okay! Thank you!!” The rats cried.

“Be safe, I'll be here tomorrow so stay alive for me, okay? I'll leave some snacks out by the register.” Clark spoke, “Gotta run!”

His footsteps faded away and Hod looked at Memo.

“Do you wanna sweep or hold the tissue?” he asked.

She shrugged, “Both options really suck so its up to you.”

He tossed her the broom, “Lets get it over with then.”

The two rats worked diligently, being careful not to touch the poison as they went along.

“Why do you think Smork is trying to blame me for this?” Hod questioned, “Why would he risk the safety of the pack just to get to me?”

Memo paused her sweeping, “Honestly I don't know. It kind of freaks me out that he'd do something like that. What if someone actually got poisoned?”

Hod was thoughtful, “We have to approach him about it at some point. We can't spend forever cleaning up this mess and hiding out.”

“Yeah, whats his plan? I wonder if he'd even tell us.” Memo responded, “Maybe we should spy on him and see how he likes it.”

Hod shrugged, “Maybe, but what good would it do us? There's still only two of us and even if he was up to something nefarious, what then?”

Memo sighed, “I didn't really think that far ahead yet.”

Hod looked at Memo, trying to search her face for any sign that she might be using him or lying but he gave up when she frowned,

“What are you doing?” She asked.

Hod bit his lip, “I don't know. Are you sure you're really in this to help?”

Memo raised an eyebrow, “I'm literally putting my safety on the line here, what other proof do you want?”

“I don't know,” Hod sighed, “I just feel kind of betrayed by everyone and I don't know what to do with all the emotions I'm feeling.”

Memo softened her gaze, “I'm sorry. I'm really not good with that kind of stuff but I'm here to help. I can't make you trust me but I can keep working hard to do my best here and hope I'm lucky enough to call you my friend by the end of it all.”

Hod swallowed the lump in his throat, “Hey, um, thanks.”

He knew if he said more that he'd end up crying and that felt a little too vulnerable right now, but he also imagined accidentally wiping his eyes and poisoning himself somehow and that thought chased away the emotions for now.

Memos ears twitched, “I think someone is coming...” her voice was cut off when a large rat paw clamped over her mouth and Razr stepped from the shadows, holding a stunned Memo against his body.

She started fighting him wildly and Hod launched himself at the big rat without a second thought.

“Let her go!” he screamed and Razr laughed, turning his body so Hod barely missed him.

“Calm down, Skittles.” he rasped.

He let Memo free and she whirled around to face him, teeth bared.

Razr lifted his hands in mock defeat, “Ooh, I'm so scared!” he mocked loudly, “What are you nerds doing out here.”

“Maybe we should be asking YOU that question!” Memo spat, she was trembling with barely contained rage and Hod didn't blame her.

His hackles were raised on her behalf.

Razr rolled his eyes, “I don't answer to the likes of you” he crooked his finger towards Memo, “Why don't you come closer, I'm feeling lonely without you in my arms.” he grinned and Memo spat at his feet, her eyes wild.

“If you're feeling lonely, eat this and say hello to your mother for me.” she kicked a poison pellet at the rat and Hods jaw dropped.

The pellet bounced off Razr's forehead and he grunted at the sudden impact.

The sheer power that flowed through Memo was fearsome and he couldn't believe she mentioned Razr's dead mom.

Despite the tensions, Hod grinned, Memo was a total bad-ass.

“What the fuck did you just say to me, bitch?” Razr screamed, wiping his brow where the pellet left a mark.

“Come closer and I'll tell you” Memo snarled.

Razr laughed boisterously, “You're a dead rat, nobody talks about my mother and lives.”

“Back off Razr,” Hod called, “Just go home and let it go.”

Razr snorted, “No way, this opportunity is way too perfect. The patrol is on the way and whats this? I find you two scattering poison everywhere, risking the safety of the whole pack.” He smirked, “Nobody will believe one stupid rat over me.”

“They might believe two rats though, especially one that's in the Elite ranks.” Memo announced proudly, “And lets face it, the only stupid rat here is you.”

Hod gasped in surprise, Memo was Elite? No wonder Smork had sent her, she was literally top tier, part of the personal guard. Nobody messed with an Elite.

He wondered why she'd kept that a secret?

Razr looked annoyed, “And how am I stupid?” he asked.

Memo snorted, “I don't have that much time, but it was pretty dumb to come here without any back-up.”

“I've had enough of you, little girl, you're all talk.” Razr said.

“Why are you trying to hurt the pack?” Hod cried, trying to keep things from escalating further, “There's no point in what you are doing! If you hate me, that's fine but don't bring anyone else into this.”

Razr turned towards Hod, “You have no idea what you're interfering with so just be a good pawn and play your part. It shouldn't be too hard since all you have to do is mess things up like you always do.”

“I just want to keep the rats safe!” Hod cried, all the emotions he'd been keeping inside were starting to spill out, “Why do you hate me so much that you have to hurt others just to get to me? Just tell me what you want!”

The emotions were spilling from his eyes now in great rivets of tears falling as he felt his heart aching.

“Please Razr, just tell me what to do and I'll do it.”

Razr cackled, his belly shaking with each laugh, “This is too much!” he cried, “I already told you your purpose so just accept that you're worthless and stop groveling, it's embarrassing.” he wiped his eye, pretending to catch a tear.

“Fuck this” Memo whispered just loud enough for Hod to hear before she launched herself at the overgrown rat.

Everything happened so fast then. One minute everyone was at a stand-still, the next Memo was clawing at Razr while Hod was screaming for her to wait, and Razr was tumbling backwards.

Memo cried out as Razr punched her, she she held on, stabbing him suddenly with the thumbtack Clark had given them.

Razr let out a strangled cry as the tack punctured his neck and he threw Memo off where she landed next to the poison pile with a muffled “Oof”.

Razr lost his balance and rolled, then Memo and Hod both screamed when they heard a loud snap and the sudden whoosh of Razrs last breath as it left him.

“Where the fuck did that trap come from?” Memo cried, her adrenaline raging.

Hod was shaking. He hadn't even seen it.

That could have been either of them, but now it was Razr's lifeless body clamped between the wooden plate and the metal bar.

“I think I'm going to be sick.” Hod choked.

Memo took his hand, “I think you're going to be okay. I think we both will.”

Hod shook his head, “Nope, definitely going to be sick...”

He groaned as he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

Memo sighed, “Well, that didn't go exactly as planned, what now?”

“What now indeed?” answered the voice of Lord Smork as he appeared from the shadows, his rat guards behind him.

“Is everyone going to sneak up on us today?” Hod groaned, sinking to the ground.

This was not good.