KC Frantzen - May the K9 Spy 03 - May Leads the Way: Trouble Near Tofino (14 page)

Chapter 30

N
o question.
Snuffle.
Rukan’s scent leads to this hatch. Agent Michael’s too.

I woof at the armed submariner stationed outside the lock-out chamber. He signals Agent Michael inside. He looks through the small round window in the door and nods. I don’t think he saw me though.

This is it. As the submariner opens the hatch, I compel my empty stomach to not flip-flop. We must turn Rukan to our side so we can catch Overlord and save lives. And I must find a way to forgive, to be free of his hold on my spirit.

Agent Michael appears confident as he steps into the passageway. The submariner closes the hatch.

I yip, “Here, Sir.”

He bends down. “Agent May. I was wondering if they’d send you.”

Sir, I came on my own.

“Good girl.” He motions for the submariner to re-open the hatch, and steps through.

Can I do what I must do?

I jump inside. Along one wall I notice SCUBA gear and equipment marked CRRC. Combat Reconnaissance Raiding Craft aka “Zodiac.” Odd. The submariner salutes, then seals the three of us inside the small air-tight chamber.

When I force myself to look, Rukan is irate, eyes frenzied, hair mussed, damp keffiyeh around his neck. He’s seated with hands and feet cuffed and attached to the ladder with short chains. Through clenched teeth he menaces, “Remove that filthy dog.”

I swallow my
grrr
and try to maintain the proper expression.

I cannot do this. But I cannot leave. I
will
pass this test and be free of his control.

Agent Michael ignores Rukan’s statement. “To review, we will manipulate the information you provide to seem like it came from another, should you be exposed.”

“And my son?” Rukan asks, still glaring at me.

“As I said, free to accompany you to Regnadistan.”

Rukan turns to challenge Agent Michael. “You guarantee no harm will come to him and he will keep his American citizenship?”

Agent Michael projects certainty. “Correct… IF you take the necessary steps that lead us to Overlord.”

That’s the answer! If I can lead… and make the first step towards forgiveness, I can make another… towards Rukan. Suddenly that song Dad and Mom sing pops into my mind. “…Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.”

Thank you, Creator.

Making my eyes as round as possible, I take a cautious step.

Rukan turns to watch me.

I take another, then another, and another, to close the distance. With a wave of peace and confidence, I place both paws on his leg.

His eyes flicker – less than an instant – then darkness again.

Am I imagining it?

Wonder of wonders. He reaches out, but the short chain stops him. Every bone of my being says run, but I stay. His action says reconciled, but his scent is pure hatred and evil. And the nose knows.

Before I can warn him, Agent Michael says, “Then we are agreed. Here is the tracking device along with the key to the cuffs.” As he sets them onto one of the ladder steps, I want to bark.

But it’s too late. A superior officer made a decision and I mustn’t mess it up.

Agent Michael motions me to the hatch. “We’ll leave. When you’re ready, give a thumbs up and we’ll flood the chamber. Remember to launch the Zodiac only when you’re clear of the sub.”

Rukan smiles through his wicked stench. “I will go to the island and use my secondary system to contact Overlord. You can track me as I go.”

“We will.”

As soon as the guard closes the hatch, I start barking, “But Agent Michael, Rukan hasn’t–”

Agent Michael commands, “Hush. That’s an order.”

This isn’t going to be easy.

He picks me up and holds me close to the little round window. Together we watch Rukan ready the equipment and signal. His look tells me all I need to know.

But Sir, he hasn’t changed.

“Agent May. You and Rukan have a long history but you must let it go. He has agreed to this deal and he will keep the bargain. Why? Because his son is more important than this leader.”

He may have a point there. In Rukan’s eyes, Monster can do no wrong.

Sigh.
Grudgingly I yip, “If you say so.”

“I do.” Then Agent Michael nods.

The submariner flips the switch and the chamber begins to fill with seawater.

Agent Michael and I join the Commander in his quarters, watching for action on the surface.

Though I have a sense of peace, Rukan has given me every reason not to trust him. Agent Michael may be experienced at psy ops, but his sense of smell isn’t like mine.

The comm chirps, “Asset away.”

Rukan appears on the surface and inflates the Zodiac. Without a glance back, he revs the engine full-throttle.

Some dolphins leap nearby. Rukan seems to ignore them, heading quickly towards the island.

Nolly’s kind are so beautiful, playing in the open sea. Such joy.

Speaking of joy, I’m glad I decided to forgive Rukan, with the Creator’s help. Now if I can stick with it so I don’t have to keep repeating the lesson. But I must remain vigilant. Forgiveness doesn’t mean I forget what Rukan did, either.

I honestly don’t think he’s changed.

The Skipper chuckles at a particularly exuberant dolphin. “They’re curious about sounds and often accompany us as we leave the base. In fact, tourists on cruises are encouraged to applaud. If dolphins are nearby, they’ll investigate and put on quite a show.”

Soon there’s an entire pod, clicking and leaping fast, away from the Zodiac.

Gasp!
I’ve heard that clicking before. I bark, “It’s a warning!”

A huge black and white creature bursts through the gentle waves, arcs high, then smashes the Zodiac. In a flash, it gobbles Rukan and… he’s gone.

Chapter 31

A
fter nearly a month, I step again onto the front porch, this time swinging Lobbie side to side, April and Hans behind me. I set down my favorite toy and woof, “Y’all look great. I’m so glad to be home! It’s different with no power, especially for our humans isn’t it? Now we can live like those wolves I mentioned, untamed and fierce.”

Hans circles. “AaaaAAAARRRRrrrrooooo…”

April says, “Almost. We supplement MRE’s with what is edible from the woods.”

Hans nods. “Plus we’re helping our neighbors with essentials they need. They help us too.”

With a toothy smile, April barks, “I help put meat on the table.”

I give her a look. “You and Léonce. I’ve learned a lot from you both. One thing is, I prefer
cooked
meat.”

April nods. “Dad and Mom also. I do not mind either way.”

Hans yips, “April, we’ve always wondered, now we know. You’re part Lab and part Wolf.”

We dogs have a good chuckle, then April turns serious. “We were relieved to exit the bunker. A crew arrived two days after you left. They assessed the situation then returned with proper equipment to extract us.”

Hans nods. “Miss Sandy said power should be restored within several months. So May. That driver who brought you home, was he in the K9 Spy Service too?”

Before I can respond, April speaks with a hint of admiration. “Of course. May is a full agent now.” She turns to me. “Remarkable about the squirrel reinforcements. Tell us again what happened after the orca ate Rukan. I did not hear it all.”

Oh yeah, she’s going deaf.

I speak loudly. “We were in the Skipper’s quarters and sat there, stunned. Agent Michael shook his head and said something like, ‘There goes that lead. Hopefully the man you know as Agent X-Ray can assist.’ Then he said, ‘Don’t want to chance another Zodiac launch just now, do we Mullet? Skipper, if we can make arrangements, I’ll have a chopper take us to Kitsap. We’ll return to HQ from there.’

“And that’s what we did. Wish I could’ve said ‘bye to Nolly, but the USS Tennessee only surfaced long enough for the helicopter to retrieve us. We took a plane from Naval Base Kitsap to temporary HQ in Kentucky where we were debriefed and they removed my stitches. Then the driver brought me here. More details will emerge, but that’ll be classified.”

Ear flick. “The Express Parcel truck is coming! C’mon!” I trot down the steps. “Hey, look who’s here!”

Copperhead Sentinel weaves and circles at the bottom. He hisses, “Agent May. Pleasssed to sssee you!”

“I was going to stop by later. Why are you here?”

“HQ sssent a messsage for me to meet you thisss afternoon.”

“Really? They sent
me
a message to watch for a special delivery. Wonder what it is?”

Dad and Mom join us on the driveway.

Mom jumps when she notices CHS. “Sorry. I’m still remembering snakes can be helpful.”

CHS smiles as only snakes can.

Dad says, “Good to see you. Looks like you’ve healed well.”

“Yesss. Thanksss for asssking.”

The driver pulls up and Mom signs for a cardboard envelope. As he leaves, she hands it to me and looks at Dad. “Wonder what it is?”

I wiggle my whole self and woof, “I just said that too. Let’s see!”

When I open it, there’s a grey velvet hinged box inside and underneath, a handwritten note. “Contact General Jim by secure comm upon receipt.”

Using my underbite I gently open the box.
Gasp.
Agent Michael remembered!

Inside a nest made of fishing line, attached to a grey-striped ribbon, is a small silver medal. There’s a likeness of me with “Mullet’s Marauders” and leaves around the edge. On the back is engraved the date and “Mazel tov on your first mission.”

Agent Michael Remembered!

“Congratulations indeed,” Dad says.

Idea! I bark, “Everyone wait here.” I race up the steps, scratch the door open and dash to Dad’s home office, jump into the swivel chair – balance – and put my paws on the desk. Gotta be one somewhere. Yep.

I leap onto the desk, taking care not to disturb any papers and grab what I came for. Quick as a shake, I’m back outside.

While Dad gets everyone together, I set up for two-way communication with HQ. When we’re all ready, I flip the switch and we look into the faces of General Jim, Agent Michael seated near Agent Brynn and Rylee, Ms. Schwind and Edgrr, Miss Sandy, even Sassy from the hospital. They seem so serious.

Then, wonder of wonders! They grin and show me
their
Mullet’s Marauder medals.

I can hardly believe it.

After recovering, I yip, “Miss Sandy, I’d like to meet Agent Doherty’s family. Let them know how much he meant to me and mine. We will never forget.”

“We shall arrange it. I’m certain they would enjoy meeting you too.”

Since I’m choked up, I just nod… then grab the pencil near my paws and face the camera.

General Jim gives me a thumbs up. “I see you learned the lesson, Agent May. God still holds the pencil.”