Chapter 10: Under Arrest

Tucker fought bitterly with his mother all the way home.

"We have to let her go!" Tucker hounded Cynthia and George, struggling against the guards who kept him pinned in and moving in the direction of his house. "She's in danger if she stays here!"

Cynthia continued to ignore him as she walked, fur bristling, tail thrashing from side to side.

"Let it go, Tucker," George finally said, voice soft and the saddest Tucker ever heard. "Please."

"I can't, Dad," Tucker pleaded with his father to understand. "You know I'm right. If the wrong cats decide she is too much trouble, we'll never see her again."

George nodded heavily. "Please, son, just stop. Please."

Tucker howled in frustration. "Let me go, then," he said. "I'll take care of her myself!"

"Yeah right," one of the guards muttered. "Look how well that's turned out so far."

Tucker hissed at him and the guard actually recoiled. "I didn't ask you," he snarled before turning back to his mother. "Mom, come on, please!"

Cynthia waited until they were at their front door before turning on Tucker, her fury written all over her face."You will go to your room," she said very quietly, "and you will stay there until I say otherwise."

Tucker was shocked. He had never seen his mother so angry and never heard her speak to him that way before.

"I can't," he said. "This is too important."

"It was not a request," Cynthia said. She nodded to the guards. "Make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

"Cynthia!" George sounded shocked. "You can't lock up your own son!"

"I can if it's for his own good," she snapped at her husband. "Stay out of this, George."

Tucker watched as his father gave in. Surprise, surprise, Tucker thought bitterly.

When has my dad ever taken my side in anything? "And if I refuse?" Tucker faced down Cynthia. "Don't," she said grimly. "You will regret it."

Tucker fought years of obeying her. "Try me," he said. Cynthia nodded. "Take him."

Tucker was seized from all sides by the guards. He struggled, but not very hard. He only wanted to know how far Cynthia would go, and now he knew.

"I'm doing this to protect you, don't you see?" She told him as the guards dragged him inside and upstairs. "You need to be safe, Tucker!"

As his bedroom door slammed and locked behind him, Tucker heard his mother's last words.

"I love you," she whispered through the door. And then, she was gone and he was left to pace his room, wracking his brain for a plan to escape and rescue Susan.

Several hours and many desperate ideas discarded later, he curled up on the foot of his bed and started to cry. He had done everything he could and still there was no way out. No way to save the girl he already cared about so much.

My Susan, he thought. Is this what it feels like to have an owner? Tucker shook his head. No, he told himself, this is what it feels like to really love someone.Tucker had almost completely given himself over to despair when he heard the lock on his door release and the door itself swing open. He opened his eyes a crack, then looked up, surprised to see his father standing at the end of the bed.

"They're gone," George said. "Your mother too. I told them I'd watch you."

Tucker rested his head back on his paws, tail covering his face so he wouldn't have to look at his father.

"Great," Tucker said. "Thanks a lot, Dad."

"If you're going to go," George's tongue swept over his son's ears, "you'd better do it now before they come back to check."

He looked up suddenly into eyes the same color as his.

"Dad!" He leaped from the bed. "Really? You're letting me go?" George nodded. Tucker was stunned.

"But, why?" He asked, silently adding, you've never done anything for me before, especially when it came to Mom.

He was pretty sure George knew what he was thinking.

"Because I believe you," his father said softly, "and because no matter what your mother may think, you are old enough to make your own choices."

"Dad," Tucker choked on some tears, "thanks." He head-butted his father hard, purring so loud he felt he might shake apart.

"Enough of that," George said gruffly after a moment. "Get going before your mother catches us."

"Thanks, Dad," Tucker said, already bounding for the door. "Be careful, son," George said as Tucker raced off.