KC Frantzen - May the K9 Spy 03 - May Leads the Way: Trouble Near Tofino (4 page)

Chapter 8

I
n the blackness Dad yells, “Babe, you okay?”

Mom moans. “Uu-uu-uggghhhffff. Something. Long. And. Cold. Was. On. Me.”

Sniff.
Snake? My mind says not possible. I woof, “Copperhead Sentinel?”

“Yesss
ssss
ssss
sssss
…”

He doesn’t sound good.

Mom’s voice quivers. “Is that hissing? Oh. My. Gosh. That was a snake?”

I yip, “It’s okay. He’s one of us. (Drat, wish I could see.) CHS? Where are you?”
Sniff.

Dad says, “Anyone near the bin containing the lights?”

Hans woofs, “May, where’s your special collar?”

Piffle! What good is equipment if you don’t remember to use it? I promptly turn my light on to wide angle and point it towards the high ceiling.

In a split second, the space is lit and I look around.

Mom is standing on a chair, frantically using her hands to brush her shoulders and head, with April standing guard. Hans is stalking a snake, splayed on the floor. Dad runs to the shelves and grabs the Mighty Bright Lantern. He disengages several of the parts and positions them around the room.

“CHS!” Oh gosh, he looks kind of scorched.

The Copperhead lifts his head, barely. “Agent May…”

“You’re hurt. How’d you get in?”

He slowly coils and hisses, “I’ve been trying to dissscover a way of contact. Near dusssk, I noticed a ssscreen and ssslithered inssside. There were barriersss, but I gnawed through. Sssoon I felt intenssse vibrationsss, dangerousss yet fassscinating. When I moved near, a wire touched the machine, fire–”

I yip, “That must have been when our generator shorted out.”

“–and I began to ssslide. I ssslammed againssst metal, then dropped into darknesss, onto the lady. Will ssshe accept my apology?”

I look at Mom, who is staring, eyes huge. “Let her get used to you first.” I give him a little kiss.
Thlbpt.

He smiles as only a snake can, all fangs and flicking tongue. “I wasss okay, until thisss.”

“Have you been in contact with HQ?”

“No transssmisssionsss from anyone.”

Dad and Mom don’t move very close but display good manners. After I make introductions, except to April – they’ve already met – I ask what it’s like on the outside.

“No vibrationsss from machinesss, no lighted objectsss. Otherwissse, sssun ssstill risssesss, hawksss ssstill fly, cricketsss chirp, sssquirrelsss romp.”

After I translate, Dad says, “Uhm hmm. Like Agent Doherty said, unprotected power equipment was rendered useless.”

Mom seems panicky. “Now
our
generator is dead. What will happen to us?”

I give her a look. “CHS may have had something to do with the generator going out but I’m glad he’s here.”

Mom’s expression softens. She shifts to Mom-mode and administers first aid for the snake’s burns, then Dad calls a family meeting.

“From what our new friend shared, reptile, mammal, insect and avian life seem okay. We hope humans too. While we’re glad for this news, the fact remains… I’m unsure about the impact of a blown generator. It’s time we find a way out.”

I step forward. “If I can reach the shaft, maybe I can get out the way CHS got in.”

After reviewing the schematics, we agree to try something radical. I retrieve the field glasses from my collar.

Mom seems pleased. “Thank you, May. This’ll be a big help.” She adjusts one eyepiece to focus on the formerly-incognito ventilation grate, high in the center of the ceiling. “Mmm hmmm. Okay.” She heads for the tool bin.

When Dad starts moving furniture, Hans makes for his rug.

I look around the room at those I love most then ask, “You okay about this, CHS?”

Copperhead Sentinel flicks his tongue. “Mussst be done.”

Dad grinds his teeth and cautiously drapes the snake across his shoulders. After climbing onto the chair, he allows my friend to slither down an arm and coil like a spring in his cupped hands.

Mom holds me. “I love you May Muffin. Be safe. We’ll see you soon, okay?”

Thlbpt.
“Okay Mom.” I kiss her again to remove a salty tear.

She gives me a screwdriver and Dad says, “Ready?”

I woof, “Ready.”

Hope this works.

Chapter 9

D
ad squats then slings the snake high, towards the ventilation grate. After two more tries, CHS locks his jaw around a slat. The snake twists sideways and up, hissing from the pain, forcing his tail between slats. He wraps himself once around for extra support.

Now the chancy part.

Mom quickly hands me to Dad, who tosses me straight up. I stretch-reach-grab, wrapping all four legs around the snake, and try to not stab him with the screwdriver.

Joyous barks and applause from below. Oh NO! Lost focus – slipping!

CHS hurriedly crooks his charred body around me.

I gasp, “Quick thinking. I know you’re in pain.”

He grimaces, “Make hassste.”

I scootch up and up and reach the grate. Hope Mom was right. I smoosh my whiskers to the slats and see what I’m looking for. Using a paw and my mouth, I wriggle the screwdriver and prepare to push a lever.

“Hang on!” I yip.

The grate flings open –
yikes
– and we sweep downward but hold.

I climb over my friend, onto the slats and into the shaft, spreading all four paws to secure myself.
Wshew.
Readjusting the screwdriver in my mouth, I slip it into my collar and woof, “Ready.”

Like a gymnast, CHS arcs his tail end towards me. I grab it gently but firmly with my lips. He lets go of the slat, telling my family, “One or both of usss ssshall return for you.”

I dare not glance down while April translates.

CHS wraps himself around me and I inch my way up, up, up the narrow shaft. We pass filters and sound barriers then–

Ear flick. “Hear those early morning sounds?”

“Almossst there.”

When a tiny breeze tickles my whiskers I yip, “I see the grate!”

He latches on then twists to prop me in place. My entire body aches but this is no time to quit. I retrieve the screwdriver but it slips. I bark, “Incoming!”

The tool rattles, clangs and clatters, then silence.

Dad shouts from below. “Y’all okay?”

“Almost out!” Holding position with three paws, I use the other to tinker. Thank the Creator it’s easy work to flip the small lever and toss the grate aside.

After CHS repositions, I gather myself to jump.

Up, over… And grass under paws!

Wonder of wonders, it feels so good. When I look closely, it’s amazing – ventilation shaft inside, camouflaged tree branch outside. I don’t think it would be detected even when looking from the clearing. Clever.

I shake it off then breathe deeply, enjoying the damp morning air. MMMM. I missed crickets and the scent of the woods. Nothing seems awry. Maybe Rukan’s scheme didn’t work.

Nah. The missile launched for sure. Plus CHS said he didn’t sense equipment vibrations. I glance and see my friend slithering in a wide circle, hissing and weaving in celebration. He and Hans could put on quite a show.

Okay. Time to get my family out. I wonder what the impact–
Bzzzzt. Bzzt.
My collar! I wiggle my whole self and growl my secure agent code into the comm unit.

“Agent May, your Crisis Frequency Code detected. Over.”

“Agent Bart, acknowledged, acknowledged!”

“Status report.”

“Copperhead Sentinel helped me escape through a ventilation shaft. I’m near the shed.”

“Give your family the okay to exit. No biological matter release was detected.”

“Sir, they’re sealed inside. Rukan booby-trapped the doors.”

“HUA. I’ll alert the team.” In the background I hear my name mentioned, and something about change of team members, deploying other personnel… I can’t quite make it all out.
Whoop-whoop-whoop
– warning alarm!

“Agent Bart, how bad are… things?”

“HQ has relocated. After analyzing radar reports coupled with enemy chatter, Intelligence notified us the missile changed trajectory.”

Maybe turning the dials helped. Best keep quiet though.

“Instead of power outages across the entire United States, only portions are affected. Of the major cities in the radius, Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, and St. Louis are dark. Washington, DC, Little Rock, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Detroit are partially affected. Rioters linger, necessitating deployment of National Guardsmen. But we are Americans. Citizens are banding together. Transportation remains a challenge, but local volunteers and charities are coordinating logistics.

“In brief, Rukan activated several sleeper cells, attempting breaches on secured locations, including Resolute Mountain.”

That’s awful. We heard whispers about that place in boot camp. Security never breached. Hush-hush military designs. Sole source files. Super top secret stuff.

“Your orders are pre-approved, Agent May. You will deploy with the strike force.”

“But Sir, my family is stuck and the generator is destroyed. I can’t leave yet.”

“You have your orders. Be ready. Further information en route. Bart, out.”

Chapter 10

W
hat am I going to do? I can’t leave with my family trapped!

Following our scent trail, I dash to the camouflaged tree and howl down the shaft.

Dad’s voice. “May, did you find a way to get us out?”

I bark, “In progress. Until then, stay put.”

“What else can we do?”

Leave it to Dad to joke at a time like this.

Okay, maybe I can find a way in through the shed. I squeeze through an enlarged mouse hole, run under the bed and yank the lever. As the bookcase slides out, I click my light source then jump down the steps.

BARK BARK HOWL BARK BARK BARK!

Silence.

Quick inspection reveals scorching around the door, globs of melted wires and plastic at the switch box. The vehicle elevator garage door too. And the missile hatch is shut tight. Need to blast a way in. Maybe I could get into our house and find something to use.

Keeping alert for hawks, I run to the house. Locked. Garage too. How can I get them out?

Whopwhopwhopwhop.
A helicopter.

I race towards it. When the door opens I bark, “I can’t go yet. My family… they’re trapped!”

The pilot motions me inside. “We’re on a schedule. You have your orders.”

As the door closes, I place my paws on the window.

Oh my family… The generator is out. What about the air supply? The water? How do I know you’ll make it?

Fighting tears, I watch till I can see no more.

We accelerate east, rising above the forest of tulip poplar, shortleaf pine, and white oak, then swoop lower to follow a river. As I adjust my headset, I think about the past weeks and months. Things have not quite been as expected but me being me, it’s how life usually happens.

I’m still queasy thinking of Agent Doherty, his sacrifice. Will I be brave enough when called upon? I’m still not sure if he altered the missile or I did. Whatever happened, thank the Creator it didn’t go as Rukan planned.

He was always no good. He was abusive when his wife bought me as a puppy. He’s abusive now. But I can never forgive him for…
Shudder.
I shake off dark thoughts of survival at his house.

House. Didn’t have a home until Dad and Mom adopted me.

Grrrrff.
Now Rukan’s attacked my family and my country!

I watch the ground whiz past.
Sigh.
I want to do a good job and make everyone proud. If I study hard and am clever enough, and if the Creator gives me favor, then I will. But most of all, I want to catch Rukan – or help catch him. However it happens… Just bring him to justice.