Maybe not mutated rats of unusual size, but rats running back and forth from the contaminated zones bringing all sorts of radioactive crap with them?

And yet now he talks to them -- damnit, I want Wally to actually talk to Piper and realize that his friend has gotten a) scarily powerful and b) loopy, and maybe Wally should try talking him down, you know? Or Linda, to do the same and thump Wally upside the head when he's a bit slow on the uptake.

Hee. I want to see Rip, Michelle and Wally's reactions. Rip will be annoyed with the interuption of the mission, Michelle will be 'wee, my brother has a honey! And he's cute! Good for them!' and Wally will probably be appalled that Piper is dating such an shameless jerk.