Adopted by The Pack

Chapter 49

Jerome's POV
We had spent the rest of Wednesday practicing as cockroaches, and we were finally tired out, and went off to bed.
**The Dream**
I still find it amazing that we get any sleep while having these. Lachlan said.
I know, right? But we probably need to see if we can find Ashley right now. Vikk, will you try and tell her to meet us in that clearing we first began meeting? I asked. Vikk nodded, and we all headed over there.
On the way there, Rob began to think aloud.
So, I wonder if she can still shift other people, just not herself? He said. We pondered that, and before we could decide, we were at the clearing. Except, it wasn't completely clear, because in the middle of it was a small brown mouse, looking right at us.
Ashley's POV
As soon as I received the message from Vikk, I quickly managed to get to sleep, and I was soon in the dream.
**The Dream**
Stretching in my cage, I realized that I still didn't have a way out.
Hey Vikk, will you ask Lachlan to teleport me to the clearing? If you need, I can think about where I am, if it would make it easier. I thought. Soon I felt that familiar tingling sensation before I was in the clearing.

Upon hearing approaching voices, I tried to hide, until I realized I was just hearing the rest of the Pack. Listening more attentively, I heard Rob asking if I would still be able to shift others. Come to think of it, if I can shift them into mice, we could all easily talk. Before I could try it though, the grass in front of moved like there were two pairs of shoes there, but I could only see Preston's shoes. He bent down, and began to whisper, as not to hurt my delicate ears.
Is this you Ash? If it is, please do something to show us. He whispered. I began to concentrate on Mitch, since he's been a mouse before, but when I was certain that it had worked, he was still nowhere to be seen. Looking down though, neither was I. I began to panic. What if Preston accidentally steps on me? Why am I invisible? Did it work with Mitch being a mouse? What if- Before I could finished that thought, a pair of hands picked me up, and tossed- no, slung, me into a bag. As soon as I had felt the hands grab me, I had closed my eyes. Too busy having flashbacks from this day with Jessica, I didn't notice that the hands were invisible.
~~Flashback~~
As Jessica held me, I began to get stressed, and squirmed. She evidently hadn't been expecting that, and I soon found myself plummeting down to the hardwood flooring. I started squeaking for her, but she was still stunned as to why I would squirm. I managed to not hit the floor, but rather fell inside of one of her shoes, when there was a thundering voice from the door.

"Jessica!!" Mrs. Rodriguez shouted. Maybe to Jessica, it was just a normal voice, but it left my ears ringing. Still partially deaf, I didn't notice when she said something else to Jessica, or that Jessica would put her shoes on. Or that I had fallen into her favorite pair.

Luckily, they were still a little too big, and when I smelled her foot coming in, I was able to scramble over to the toe of the shoe. You want a big roller coaster? Just take a joy ride in a 7 year olds shoe. It was terrifying, and when she jumped down the stairs, it was all I could do to not scream out of fear. If this was unintentional torture, then I'd hate to receive intentional punishment. From what I remembered about her from my life at the orphanage, she was very bipolar, and when she was upset, there was no telling what could happen.
~~End of Flashback~~
Did they think I was a fake or something? I wondered to myself as I was jostled in the bag.
Wait, who's a fake? Ashley, can you hear me? Vikk's voice suddenly said in my brain.
I don't know. All I know is that I'm stuck as a mouse, and I'm in a leather bag. I replied. Suddenly I heard Vikk speaking to someone else.
Hey Mitch, will you let Ashley out of your bag? We found the right mouse at the clearing. He said. Finally I saw moonlight after being in that bag for what seemed ages.
Hey Ash, I was curious, are you able to still shift other people even when you can't shift yourself? Rob asked me. For the third time that night, I tried, and for the first time that night, I was successful. They were all mice with me.
Yes, now we can all easily communicate! I squeaked as we all huddled together. Before we were all done talking, we noticed that it was beginning to to get brighter from the sun rising.
**End of Dream**
Preston's POV
When I woke up, I found myself in a cage in a little white lab. Lookin down at myself, I noticed that I was still a mouse from last night in the dream. Suddenly a pair of hands entered the cage, and weak from hunger and stress, I allowed them to pick me up.
Lachlan's POV
After the dream, I woke up, and found myself in the shape of a mouse. Glancing around, I realized that I was in a cage in a white lab, when all of the sudden a pair of hands grabbed me. They kept me from seeing the identity of my kidnapper though.
Mitch, Jerome, and Rob all see a similar thing.
Vikk's POV
As I open my eyes, I find myself in a cage, in the body of a mouse. Liam must have betrayed us! I thought to myself. Why did we trust him? Suddenly a pair of boyish hands reached into my cage and grabbed me. I felt myself grow tired, and succumbed to the darkness.
Mitch's POV
When I woke up after being freed from my cage, I realized by myself anymore. There were five other mice with me, and we began to chat.

"Hey, so who all is in here?" I asked.

"Lachlan, Jerome, Vikk, Rob, and Preston." One of them said, gesturing to each of them in turn.

"So, you should be Mitch, right? Unless a random mouse was put in here instead..." One of them, Jerome I think, said.

"Yep. It's me, or Bajancanadian here!" I said, chuckling.

Just then a pair of hands reached in and grabbed one of us. We all watched as the person gave him a shot of something. Suddenly we saw Rob standing there, and the mouse gone. When the hands came back, we all clambered around trying to be next. Except for one, who I think always Vikk. Hey Vikk? I thought to myself, hoping he'd hear.

Yes? He said.

Are you the mouse over away from the rest of us? If so, why? I asked.

Yes, that's me. I don't really trust Liam right now. How else would we have ended up in those cages if we weren't sold out? He answered.

Ok, suit yourself then. I responded, when he lifted me up.
Jerome's POV
Once we had all received the serum, Vikk with some difficulty, we began to head out to get Ashley.

"Hey Preston, you know where we're going?" I asked him.

"Yep. Are we taking the car or Lachlan?" He said.

"Probably Lachlan, since he'd be more space efficient." Rob said. Soon we were at a nice, well kept, brick building.

"Is this the place?" Lachlan asked Preston, who nodded.

"Hey Mitch, if you could turn everyone but Preston invisible, that would be helpful." Vikk asked Mitch. In just a second, we were all invisible and trooping in.

"May I speak to Jessica again? In the same fashion that I did with Ashley?" Preston asked the lady at the reception desk.

"Of course Mr. Arsement." The lady said. On the way up there, the lady, who introduced herself as Mrs. Rodriguez, began to ask about Ash.

"So, how has Ashley opened up? I know that when she was here I rarely saw her, and she almost always cross." Mrs. Rodriguez said.

"Really? I've never seen her cross. What do you mean?" Preston asked.

"Oh, she must like you then. She has a hard time trusting people, you know? Ok, we're here." She said, opening a door. Inside was a little girl holding a mouse. Hey Vikk, is that Ash? I asked him.

Yep. Now we just have to figure out how to get her. Vikk responded.

Since we're invisible, why don't we have Liam shift into a mouse, and then maybe you could influence the girl to think that she doesn't actually have a pet mouse? I suggested.

That might work. I don't know if I can influence her, but I'll try. Vikk replied. Will you use your telekinesis to put Liam in her hands, and take Ashley out?

Sure. I said, and began to focus. My telekinesis was cool, because even if the thing is invisible, I can still "see" it. It was like having invisible hands that were able to identify whatever it touched. Reaching out, I located Mitch, Vikk, Lachlan, and finally Liam. Assuming he already knew the plan, I lifted him up until he shifted into a mouse. After he had done that, I carried him over with one "hand" and with the other lifted Ash up. Evidently Mitch had been informed about the plan, and Liam became visible just as Ashley disappeared. I brought her over to me, and holding her, began to try and ask Vikk something. Hey, so- I began.

Hush, I'm trying to concentrate! Vikk snapped, and I quickly went silent. Preston was still talking to Jessica, and when Vikk had finished influencing her, I took Liam away too after he went invisible.

Standing up, Preston said he might be back, and holding the door for us, turned and thanked Mrs. Rodriguez for her time. Once we were all outside the orphanage, Mitch turned us visible again, and Lachlan quickly teleported is back so we could give Ashley the serum.

A/N
One chapter left! I'm glad that the book is ending, yet it's like a child growing up (not like I'd know lol) you're glad they're out of the house, but you miss them all the same.