Hardboiled Mouse

Rain.

It never seemed to be sunny-side up in Gnawnia.  At least, not whenever I was working a case.  This one was a doozie but I knew I was close to cracking it.

Like everything else in this crazy world, it all came down to a doe.  Easy enough on the eyes, I suppose, but when you're talking about eyes, you have to be careful.  This doe had crazy eyes, and a crazy plan hatching behind them.

Situations like this never go over-easy. See, she'd gotten ahold of the last free Golden Egg in Gnawnia, and wired up this crazy contraption to it.

"A scrambler, get it?" she asked, eyes rolling.  And then she laughed.  That laugh.  Like loose nails rattling around in a jar.  Or on reflection, loose screws.

Her plan as I figured it, was to scramble up all the Eggscavators in the land and throw mice and hunters alike into wild confusion.  Her motivation, however, was about as clear as runny yolk.

I had tracked her through Gnawnia's back alleys, from Cheese Bars to Mad Scientist Surplus Shoppes, and finally cornered her here.  Still, she didn't seem upset.  More pleased, actually.  Perhaps at the opportunity to show off.

"I'm going to Scramble everything, do you understand?  Everything! Ah ha ha ha ha!"  That laugh again.

"Look, sister," I said, stepping carefully closer.  "I know you think you have a job to do, but I do too.  I'm here to bring you in, and you can come peacefully with me, or well, I know there's a few hunters around looking for you too, and you're gonna get poached if you're not careful."

At the mention of hunters, she flinched visibly. Her shell was crumbling, but breaking her so close to the frying pan was risky.  I decided to take it easier on her.  "If you hand over the device and come along quietly, we can put you in the Hunter Protection Program.  You'll get a new name, a new house, a new job..."

"No!" she cried.  "No new job!  Science, mad science forever!"  Then she pulled another strange-looking device from inside her tinfoil jacket, thumbed a button on top, and threw it at me.  I ducked, there was a bright flash, and when I looked again, she was gone.

As my vision recovered, I noticed a trail of oil, nuts, and bolts leading away. My keen detective sense told me she'd gone that way, so I decided to follow.

She couldn't escape me for long.