The Great Mouse Detection

Chapter Five

Inspired by DM's confession, it was now Dawn's turn to open up to him about her own dreams

"You say you got engaged, married and divorced in an hour during this dream?" DM asked as he poured himself another cup of coffee from the pot.

"Yes, It was to a boy I had sort of had a crush on, well over eight years it lasted" she revealed, taking a freshly served jug of orange juice and pouring it into her own glass. "I'd only ever met him about three times, one time I wanted to tell him how felt was when I lent him a DVD box set of a tv series he loved. I tucked in a note expressing my feelings, but five minutes later I pulled it out for fear I'd have to come clean to him about what my Dad did, and some of the things I'd done on my own. He probably wouldn't take to me if I knew how far along the opposite end of the tracks I was"

"So you pined for him long afterwards?" DM asked.

"Yes, that dream I had where I married and left him is only a few days old. I don't know why I would think of hurting him like that"

"You're not hurting him...you're liberating him" DM replied.

"We're all so...expendable aren't we?" Dawn lamented, "Time is precious to us, time is so little, and life for us criminals is never easy...even when we have our desires presented to us in illusion, as we advance in age, we tend to welcome in a harsher reality...the truth is we don't want an Oasis, we are as barren as the desert, and we want even our inner worlds to reflect what we experience in everything outside. As adults, the world outside our windows has never had such a more strenuous pull, that's why I prefer to stay enchased in childlike amber...only reason I look the part here is because I feel I need to be noticed this time, to be acknowledged by the wider world, to show this Princess can, if she so desired, be a queen among her peers"

"Perhaps we should concentrate on the world in here then" DM said, "Look around, how many do you think we can take?"

Dawn glanced at the huddled mass of inhumanity gathered at the tables. Reptiles, one-eyed Giraffes, well-manicured scarabs in evening wear, foxes dressed in casual light green shirts and ties indulging in a game of cards with a pack of Alsatians.

Each one giving the other dirty looks.

"You're seriously thinking of instigating a confrontation? We're here to take the Rugby diamond, not cause a ruckus"

"I'm just weighing our options" DM insisted.

"Now you're reminding me more and more of another hothead I'm usually around, the one comforting thought is he isn't here to bungle things up"

DM kept his temper in check. Now was not the time to forfeit his disguise in favour of proving Dawn's point.

"You're right...of course you're right. We ought to try something that doesn't leave too much of a a fuss...at least until we make it out of here with the diamond"

"Then listen up, because here's my strategy" Dawn began, "I'd like to whisper it in your ear if you've got a minute"

DM felt apprehensive. If he were to let his ears loose, his disguise would be compromised.

All would be lost, and much would be broken.

"I can read lips you know" DM told Dawn.

"Oh, but where's the risk in that?" she countered.

"This isn't some child's game, this is business"

"That's before I knew it was you, now we're having fun" she said, digging her foot into DM's heel