The agent representing the makers of the Chronivac explained that, due to problems with an underage user gaining access to a Chronivac unit, he had been dispatched to recover the device and rectify any potential problems.
"That's the biggest load I've ever heard," Andrew retorted after the man finished his officious speech.
"I assure you that it's entirely true," the man said with a thin-lipped smile. He opened a notebook, thumbed some pages, and looked at the siblings. "It seems the purchase was made by a Mr. Hiram T. O'Kelley."
"That's our great-grandfather," Cicily said.
"And, it seems the unit has been operated by an underage and hence unauthorized user," the man reiterated.
"That's our brother," Andrew acknowledged. "Always getting into trouble."
"Perhaps you should show me where you left him," the man suggested. "Mice are frequently preyed on by any number of wildlife, including owls, coyotes, feral cats, weasels..."
Cicily looked concerned. "Let's get to the vacant lot and look for him," she said.
About that time, the pizza was delivered that Cicily had ordered before the arrival of the strange agent from the makers of the Chronivac. Andrew paid the delivery guy, placed the box on the table, and lifted the lid.
"What are you doing?" Cicily asked as Andrew hungrily eyed the hot pizza.
"I'm starving!" Andrew objected.
"We'll eat once we have found Nathan!"
-----
Left alone at the vast wasteland of a vacant lot in the middle of suburbia, the little mouse that had once been an all-American teenager looked for a place to spend the night. A discarded plastic cup tossed into a clump of dry weeds offered him shelter, of a sort.
He sulked after he curled his tiny body inside the cup. "This sucks," he thought. It was Christmas Eve, and he was alone and lost, with any chance of regaining his former life looking more and more remote. As he contemplated his situation, he heard something large moving through the tall weeds, rustling the dry vegetation.
The whiskers on the side of his snout twitched as he tried to listen closer. "Just go away," he hoped to send a message to the unseen intruder.
Then, he heard his name being called. He was in disbelief, at first, until he heard both his brother and sister calling out his name. He scampered out of the cup and looked for them.
"That wasn't difficult at all," an unfamiliar voice said as Nathan felt a gloved hand close around his tiny form. He squeaked as a stranger lifted him to his face for a closer look. "Relax, Nathan," the man said. "We'll have you back to normal in no time."
-------
Minutes later, he was returned to his home, accompanied by his siblings and the strange man. The man, who had held him inside a gloved hand for the entire ride, released him onto the tabletop.
Andrew looked down at him. "Is that really Nathan?" He asked, obviously still skeptical.
"Allow me to demonstrate," the man said. He programmed the Chronivac that Cicily had found and retrieved and pressed one button.
A moment later, an extremely embarrassed Nathan found himself back in human form, albeit quite naked. Cicily, after a quick search, found a quilted throw that she offered to her brother to cover himself.
Having set things right, the agent began to pack the Chronivac.
"What do you think you're doing with that?" Nathan asked.
"If you had read the instructions, you would have noticed that the use of this device by anyone under the age of eighteen is strictly prohibited," the man said dryly.
"I'm twenty," Drew said.
"Besides, our great-grandfather paid for it, fair and square," Nathan said.
"Just let him take it," Cicily said. "It's a horrible device."
The brothers united in opposition. Finally, knowing the legality of ownership, the agent backed down. "Very well, but I must warn you against making any use of this device until your 18th birthday," he said before he departed.
He left the siblings gathered around the kitchen table. Cicily yawned. "This day has been far too dramatic," she said. "I'm going to bed." She wished them a quick "Merry Christmas" and turned to leave.
"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself?" Nathan asked.
"No," she said, pointing at the clock. "It's after midnight."
Once they were left alone, Drew grinned. "Want some cold pizza?"
"Sure," Nathan said, but he kept eyeing the shiny Chronivac, which hadn't been completely re-packed into its container.
He heard his brother laugh as he chomped down on some long-awaited pizza.
"What's so funny?"
Andrew looked at him. "I was just thinking how close I came to stomping your ass."
Nathan remembered his fright, but was left to wonder why the Chronivac still tempted him.
After two more slices of pizza, Andrew stood, punched Nathan's bare shoulder. "Good to have you back," he said.
Nathan tried to act nonchalant, but he had gotten hard although it was hidden beneath the quilted throw. "Glad to be back," he replied.
Alone, he stared at the device. He should just pack the Chronivac away and never think of it again. He closed the lid on the box holding the device.
He didn't want to get into trouble. He carried the device to his room and placed it in the back of his closet.
When he closed the closet door, he smiled. By next Christmas, he would be eighteen. He would be authorized to use the device. Until then, he would have an entire year to get ready for his next transformation.