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Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. I'd like

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Speaker 1: to say hello to Amirah, Selma and Camelia, Hello to Maddie,

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Speaker 1: Kiara and Athena, and hello to Anika, who is four.

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Speaker 1: Thank you so much for supporting us. In the last

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Speaker 1: chapter we read, Susan was in the city center and

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Speaker 1: the council was listening to Tucker explain why he brought

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Speaker 1: her to cat City. When Tucker said the word rats,

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Speaker 1: the silence was broken and the crowd went wild. In

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Speaker 1: this chapter, we find out what happened with Tucker when

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Speaker 1: they entered city center and Susan went to see the

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Speaker 1: council with his mom. Tucker thinks back about the reaction

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Speaker 1: that councilor Kai had when he mentioned the rats. Kai

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Speaker 1: had seen them before. Why hasn't anything been done? Chapter seven?

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Speaker 1: Tucker thought he was ready for anything when he entered

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Speaker 1: the square. He was wrong. The last thing he expected

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Speaker 1: was to be taken hostage by a group of guards

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Speaker 1: and and whisked off to the side without the chance

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Speaker 1: to tell Susan what was happening. Tucker's attempts to escape

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Speaker 1: were immediately shut down by the largest of the guards,

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Speaker 1: who grabbed him harshly, by the scruff of the neck.

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Speaker 1: You'll be staying out of this mess you made, boy, Harold,

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Speaker 1: the leader of Tucker's least favorite gang of guards, said,

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Speaker 1: harshly round a mouthful of Tucker's fur. He was horrified.

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Speaker 1: It was Harold and his crew appointed to escort Susan

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Speaker 1: to the square. The other guards all hissed at Tucker,

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Speaker 1: who sagged for a moment in the strong grip of

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Speaker 1: his captor. They were obviously angry. He recruited Vinnie to

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Speaker 1: dismiss them, and knew if they had a chance, they

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Speaker 1: would take him somewhere private where they could show him

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Speaker 1: just how upset they were. But Tucker wasn't thinking of himself.

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Speaker 1: In fact, for the first time in a long time,

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Speaker 1: he was far more concerned with someone else's welfare. He

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Speaker 1: always had Vinnie to look out for him when the

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Speaker 1: pure bred bullies came calling, but Susan had no one

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Speaker 1: he needed to be with her. None of this was

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Speaker 1: her fault. Tucker's heart pounded with anxiety as he managed

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Speaker 1: to wriggle slightly sideways in Harold's strong grip, winning himself

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Speaker 1: a clear, if slim view of the center of the square.

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Speaker 1: Between one guard and a stone pillar. He watched Susan

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Speaker 1: being led to the pedestal, saw Vinnie sit and let

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Speaker 1: her continue on alone. Knowing his friend already did way

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Speaker 1: more than he was supposed to do keep Susan's safe,

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Speaker 1: Tucker held out little hope as the counselors leaped up

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Speaker 1: and took their places, that his mother would do much

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Speaker 1: to defend his human friend. When the gong sounded, Tucker tensed,

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Speaker 1: gathering his strength. He knew if he was going to

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Speaker 1: break free of the guards, he would have to do

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Speaker 1: it in his first attempt. He held still, waiting for

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Speaker 1: the right moment, determined to tell what he had been

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Speaker 1: asked to keep to himself. Tucker was still shocked by

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Speaker 1: Kay's reaction the night before, You've seen the rats? Tucker

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Speaker 1: had stared open mouthed at the counselor for a long time,

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Speaker 1: unable to speak any further. I have Kai had said,

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Speaker 1: much more calmly than Tucker was feeling. He finally found

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Speaker 1: his voice again. If you've seen them, Tucker said, why

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Speaker 1: hasn't anyone done anything about it? Kai slowly blinked his

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Speaker 1: huge golden eyes. Why do you think nothing is being done?

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Speaker 1: He asked his own question. Tucker was embarrassed. Of course,

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Speaker 1: the council were planning something. Oh that's a big relief,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, feeling the most optimistic he had since he

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Speaker 1: discovered the first rat two and a half weeks earlier.

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Speaker 1: I didn't know who to tell, and no one wanted

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Speaker 1: to listen to me, because because of your half blood,

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Speaker 1: Kai said softly, exactly, Tucker said. Kai moved closer, large ears,

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Speaker 1: sharply forward. This is very important, the counselor said to Tucker,

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Speaker 1: I need to know who you told, or tried to tell.

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Speaker 1: Tucker shook his head in disgust. No one, none of

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Speaker 1: them would even give me a moment to talk, not

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Speaker 1: even the gate Captain. Tucker hadn't as yet gotten over

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Speaker 1: that particular disappointment. He always trusted the judgment of the

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Speaker 1: large silver tabby with the gruff manner and big heart monster,

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Speaker 1: Tucker thought was the closest friend he had in the

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Speaker 1: gate keeper's ranks, and even he brushed off Tucker's warning,

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Speaker 1: Kai seemed to relax a little just as well, He said,

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Speaker 1: the fewer who know, the better, at least for the moment.

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Speaker 1: What is the council planning to do, Tucker asked, not

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Speaker 1: the council, Kai said, me and a few others. Tucker

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Speaker 1: was shocked. But they need to know, do they, Kai

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Speaker 1: shook his head, whiskers twitching. Do you honestly think they

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Speaker 1: will do anything? Even believe at Tucker? They will spend

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Speaker 1: hours and hours debating the truth of it, while the

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Speaker 1: rats get closer and closer, and will do nothing until

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Speaker 1: it is too late. Tucker couldn't help but agree. The

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Speaker 1: council was notorious for doing nothing. Still, he thought, they

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Speaker 1: deserve to know. This is too big. I need you

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Speaker 1: to promise me you will keep this to yourself, Kai

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Speaker 1: said to Tucker, for the good of the city. For

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Speaker 1: the first time ever, Tucker found himself doubting. Kai. I

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Speaker 1: can't do that, counselor, Tucker said, softly, but firmly. Kai

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Speaker 1: was silent for a moment. I can't change your mind.

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Speaker 1: Then I'm sorry, No, Tucker said, they need to know,

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Speaker 1: no matter what, not only to help the city, but

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Speaker 1: so they know why I had to help Susan. Her

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Speaker 1: safety is at risk because of the rats. I trust

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Speaker 1: you're doing what you can, he added, hastily, realizing how

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Speaker 1: close he was to losing the only real friend he

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Speaker 1: had on the council. But if you fail, the others

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Speaker 1: have to be prepared to pick up where you left off.

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Speaker 1: Kai nodded very well, he said. He stared at Tucker

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Speaker 1: for another long moment, so long that Tucker began to

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Speaker 1: feel uncomfortable and actually blinked himself. You have a good heart,

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Speaker 1: my boy, Kai said. Finally, I wish if only the

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Speaker 1: situation were different. Tucker tried not to be bitter. He

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Speaker 1: knew his parents decisions limited his choices. Thank you, sir,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, And now it seemed it didn't matter what

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Speaker 1: Tucker wanted. Thanks to the council's orders. He was being

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Speaker 1: kept from telling them what they needed to know, and

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Speaker 1: Kai was getting his wish after all, not if I

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Speaker 1: can help it, thought Tucker. He listened as the counselor's

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Speaker 1: demanded answers. Albert spoke, his voice carrying perfectly, as we

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Speaker 1: are all now aware. There was an event yesterday. There

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Speaker 1: was an event because the half Blood's gone nuts, one

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Speaker 1: of the guards said. The others laughed. Tucker tried not

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Speaker 1: to listen, focusing on the grip on the back of

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Speaker 1: his neck. Had he felt Harold's teeth loosen? Just a

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Speaker 1: little bit. We will hear now from the one responsible

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Speaker 1: for the perpetrator. Tucker heard from the square. He held

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Speaker 1: his breath, hoping Cynthia wouldn't just toss Susan to the crowd.

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Speaker 1: Because of her anger and ambition, Tucker knew she craved

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Speaker 1: a seat on the council, and also knew his existence

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Speaker 1: and her marriage to his common father held her back.

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Speaker 1: He wondered most of his life if she resented him

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Speaker 1: for that. I realize how troubling this is, Cynthia was saying,

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Speaker 1: but it was unavoidable, and because of Tucker's actions, the

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Speaker 1: girl is safe and sound. His mother was actually defending him.

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Speaker 1: Tucker wasn't sure if he was happy or not. What

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Speaker 1: defense would she use, and would it help Susan? And

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Speaker 1: why exactly was this child in danger in the first place.

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Speaker 1: Miku's voice was unmistakable. Tucker tried not to flinch. The

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Speaker 1: Siamese pair was notorious for their cruelty to those they

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Speaker 1: thought guilty, whether they were or not. She went into

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Speaker 1: the forest, Cynthia said, and found the grove all by herself.

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Speaker 1: Tucker recognized his aunt Tabitha's voice and knew how much

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Speaker 1: pleasure the golden Persian was getting from his mother's discomfort.

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Speaker 1: There was no love lost there since they were kittens together,

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Speaker 1: and Tabitha took every chance she had to torture Cynthia

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Speaker 1: about her choice of husband. This time, when the crowd

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Speaker 1: yowled and growled, Tucker felt the guard's teeth loosen in response.

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Speaker 1: Knowing he had only one chance, Tucker prepared to take it. Indeed,

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Speaker 1: Albert said, do you have an explanation, Cynthia. As Albert finished,

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Speaker 1: Tucker felt Harold loosen one last little bit, and in

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Speaker 1: a flash he acted. Tucker twisted sideways, sharply, rolling over

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Speaker 1: on his side. Breaking free of Harold's grip, he rolled

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Speaker 1: for between one of the other guards in the stone

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Speaker 1: post he had been watching from. As Harold yowled, Tucker

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Speaker 1: leaped through the gap, not before a set of claws

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Speaker 1: locked on his tail. He couldn't help the cry that

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Speaker 1: escaped as he tore his tail free and raced to

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Speaker 1: Susan's side. I would speak to the council. Tucker's heart

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Speaker 1: raced as he landed beside his friend, Struggling to catch

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Speaker 1: his breath. He knew they could still silence him if

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Speaker 1: they chose to but hoped the council would try to

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Speaker 1: humiliate him instead giving him the time he needed to

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Speaker 1: tell them about the rats. Tucker ignored the fury in

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Speaker 1: his mother's eyes as she spun on him. She could

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Speaker 1: be angry with him later. This was too important and

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Speaker 1: he was doing what he was told. Tucker was shocked

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Speaker 1: when his gambol paid off very well. Albert said, we

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Speaker 1: will hear from Tucker, son of Cynthia, Relief flooding him.

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Speaker 1: Tucker tried to stay focused. Thank you, Tucker said. He

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Speaker 1: knew he couldn't show any affection to Susan in that moment,

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Speaker 1: for fear they wouldn't listen, but couldn't leave her feeling

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Speaker 1: so alone. Looking up at her, at the tear stains

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Speaker 1: on her face and the plain fear in her eyes,

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Speaker 1: his heart went out to his human friend and he

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Speaker 1: reached out, placing one paw on her foot. This is Susan,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, then waited. He knew how important his information was.

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Speaker 1: He wanted them to understand. When silence fell again, he

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Speaker 1: went on Susan and her parents, as you know, just

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Speaker 1: moved into the house above. Yes, Tucker, Albert said, continue, Tucker, afraid,

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Speaker 1: but knowing they needed the full truth, confessed his crime.

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Speaker 1: I have been living with them for two weeks now.

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Speaker 1: The reaction was understandable, and he tried not to reach

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Speaker 1: out to Susan in sympathy as he watched her clamp

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Speaker 1: her hands over her ears, making a face. He waited

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Speaker 1: and waited. Finally, the orderly in charge ran back up

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Speaker 1: the stairs and rang the gong for silence. Tucker was

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Speaker 1: trembling and hoped no one knew it. He did his

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Speaker 1: best to stay calm. Tucker, son of Cynthia, you have

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Speaker 1: broken one of our most important rules. Albert was visibly upset,

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Speaker 1: his fur standing on end tail twitching. We are not

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Speaker 1: common cats to be playthings of the humans. What possessed

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Speaker 1: you to do such a thing? This was it? Tucker

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Speaker 1: didn't hesitate to keep Susan safe, he said, from what?

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Speaker 1: Dear boy? Tabitha asked what threat could possibly make exposing

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Speaker 1: us to humans again worth it? Only one thing? Tucker

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Speaker 1: told them. He knew they were listening, knew they might

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Speaker 1: hear him at last. Belief might be a little longer coming,

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Speaker 1: he thought, but hopefully in time to save them all.

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Speaker 1: And that is I stared at him with his large

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Speaker 1: golden eyes, and for a moment, Tucker wondered if he

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Speaker 1: was really doing the right thing, but he shook off

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Speaker 1: any doubt and took a deep breath. Rats, Tucker said,

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Speaker 1: Kai finally blinked slowly once as the silent crowd of

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Speaker 1: casts burst into sound. Tucker the Truth finally out looked

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Speaker 1: up at his human friend and tried to keep the

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Speaker 1: fear of what would come next from her, But, knowing

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Speaker 1: the danger they all faced from their old enemy, wasn't

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Speaker 1: sure if it was fair that she had no idea

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Speaker 1: how much danger they were in. The Rats were back

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Speaker 1: and kat City was their target. Good Night, sleep Tight,