by Chris Coppel
“Nice one, Goldie,” Rex said, impressed.
She grinned smugly back at him just as one of the interior doors flew open. There, standing before them, was Fat Man. His face was bruised in a few places and appeared burned in others, but he was alive. Alive, and at that moment very angry.
As he stepped into the entry hall, Rex and Hans both dropped low to the ground and began growling with menacing intensity. Fat Man reached cautiously into his pocket and produced an odd-looking, black, cylindrical object. Suddenly, the object sprouted a thin metal blade that momentarily caught a shaft of light, causing it to glint in the biped’s hand.
Lucy had no idea what made her do it, but she found herself suddenly in the air, having launched herself directly at the human. He raised his weapon to counter her move, but Lucy was not going for his body. She shot between his legs and through the open doorway. She heard the biped yell out with a mixture of fury and surprise then change to vicious obscenities aimed towards the others, who had clearly used Lucy’s distraction as an opportunity to move a step or two nearer to their prey.
Lucy found herself in her old cellblock. The door through which she’d dived, led down a couple of worn, and sagging wooden steps to the smelly and cold passageway floor. She turned back to make certain she was not being pursued, only to see the heavy door swing hard on its squeaky hinges and slam shut separating her from the others.
She felt the icy tendrils of fear begin to creep along her body and fought to keep herself focused on the job at hand. She began walking slowly down the passageway, checking each enclosure as she came to it.
She didn’t recognise any of the dogs. Many seemed to be newcomers. Lucy had a vivid flash of her first day in this cold and heartless place. She could clearly remember the fear and disorientation she’d felt, as well as the pain. She could still feel the hurt caused to her by Fat Man and his club.
With difficulty, she forced herself to shake off these memories as she continued along the gloomy passageway. She raised her head and saw the door to the exercise yard. It was closed, as she had expected it would be.
Some of the inmates were starting to take notice of her arrival and began barking excitedly. Others, especially the newcomers, greeted Lucy with mad enthusiasm, throwing themselves at the rusty mesh barriers as they asked all sorts of naive and hopeful questions.
Lucy managed to calm them down with guarantees of their impending rescue. The newcomers accepted her word with complete faith, whereas the others, those who had spent serious time in the place, gave her words little credence and remained calmly unimpressed.
It melted her heart to see one scared dog face after another, pressed up against the barriers, gazing back at her with desperate hope. She found time to give every single one an encouraging word or nod. She was beginning to feel very concerned about not having located Rodney. She’d never considered for even the briefest of moments that perhaps he wouldn’t be here. That he’d been too seriously injured to justify the biped’s returning him to the prison. What if he had been so badly hurt that they . . . they . . .?
“Lucy?” came a familiar, though weak voice. “Lucy is that you?”
Lucy looked anxiously down the passageway hoping to see the small terrier, but instead only saw cell after cell with each occupant pressed up against the wire mesh.
“Rodney, where are you?” Lucy called excitedly.
“I’m not exactly sure but you sound quite close.” Lucy couldn’t help but notice the weak quality of her friend’s voice.
She picked up her pace and practically ran down the remaining length of the passageway. She reached the far door but still couldn’t see him. She was about to retrace her steps, when Rodney’s little voice came at her from only a few paws away.
Lucy turned and looked into the nearest enclosure. As before, she thought it empty, until to her surprise, she saw movement at the very back of the cell. There, blanketed in shadow was Rodney. He looked terribly small from her vantage point. Lucy felt a sudden almost overwhelming urge to hold and comfort her dear friend.
“Hello, Goldie,” he said. “I’d get up and greet you properly but . . . well I’m not doing too well, actually. I’m a little weak.”
“Don’t you move! I’ll come in,” she replied, despite not having a clue as to how she would actually carry out that promise.
She took a step back and examined the metal-framed gate with a careful and critical eye. She was by no means an expert on the subject, but had, by instinct alone, managed to foil many door latches back at the cottage. Sadly, her limited memory couldn’t recall the specifics of how she’d managed it in the past, only that she somehow had.
She tried a variety of pushes and nose lifts and even one hard head butt, all to no avail.
“Goldie if you . . . ,” Rodney tried to speak.
“You just stay quiet and rest,” she ordered. “I’ll work this out.”
She continued with every door manoeuvre she could think of, but the thing just wouldn’t budge.
“Goldie?” Rodney voiced, gently.
“Yes what?” she answered with growing frustration.
“I think you’ll find you just need to pull it, not push it. It’s not locked.”
She closed her eyes for a moment in a gesture of annoyance, frustration and embarrassment, then took the rusted metal handle in her teeth and pulled it open. She approached Rodney with anxious concern, wanting desperately to know what was wrong with him.
As she stepped closer, she was finally able to see the Terrier through the gloom and was shocked by what she saw. His usually shiny coat was matted and dull and he had clearly lost weight. His eyes still had a small trace of their normal sparkle, but nothing like their usual radiance.
She leant her head down and gave him a couple of gentle licks hoping to reassure him of his soon to be restored safety and health.
“It’s my leg, Goldie,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I think I broke it when the vehicle tipped over.”
“Haven’t the biped’s seen to it?” she asked with growing annoyance.
“No, they tossed me in here as soon as we got back and just left me”.
“Do you mean they haven’t even fed you or watered you?” she asked incredulously.
The tiny terrier shook his head as his eyes began to mist over with emotion.
“Oh Lucy,” he suddenly cried. “I’ve been so scared. I never thought I’d see you again and I was certain I was going to die here.”
“Well, that’s just nonsense. I’m here now with the others, and you are leaving with us.”
“You came back here for me?” he asked in amazement.
“No. I missed the fine food and company. Of course, it was for you silly! Now, I suggest we get you out of here and have that leg seen to.”
“If you insist,” he whispered, forcing a brave little smile. “But I can’t walk.”
“But I can,” Lucy said as she gently took him by the scruff of the neck and easily lifted him into the air.
“Comfortable?” she asked, her full mouth.
“Fine thank you,” he replied with slight hesitation.
Lucy was about to turn and leave the cell when a large shadow fell across them. Lucy felt pure terror for the first time in her life.
“So,” said the all too familiar voice. “Isn’t this a pretty picture!”
Lucy gently placed Rodney back onto the stone floor so as to free her jaws for what was coming. She had never used her teeth against a biped in any serious way, and the very thought of now having to do so filled her with dread.
The Squat Lady stepped into the cell and as Lucy turned to face her, she saw that the female was holding the everpresent club, not in a state of readiness, but in an almost casual manner at her side. This sight, instead of relaxing Lucy, made her feel even more uncomfortable knowing that it could only mean that the biped had some
thing far worse in store for them.
Careful to not put any weight on his bad leg, Rodney got shakily to his feet. Unseen by Lucy, he took a tentative step forward and began growling in as menacing a fashion as his tiny, damaged frame could muster.
“You get behind me, Goldie,” he said with great gallantry. “I’ll protect you from this . . . this . . . monster!”
Lucy was touched by his show of concern and bravery and was about to gently dissuade him from continuing his efforts when the Squat Lady suddenly stepped aside. For a moment they couldn’t see anything. Then Champ appeared, and as they looked on in dread, he stepped confidently into the cell and positioned himself next to the human.
“You!” Lucy exclaimed in shock. “But I thought you . . . you . . .”
“You thought I’d got what I deserved back in the tunnel?”
She nodded back at him in stunned silence. It was not just seeing him here, alive, that she found so amazing. It was his voice as well. It was the first time she could recall hearing it do more than utter threats or snap single word commands. She was utterly astonished to find it not to be the voice of a common canine criminal, rather to be rich in timbre, and unquestionably belonging to a dog of intelligence and breeding.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the Squat Lady grabbed hold of the gate and violently slammed it shut with herself and the three dogs inside. She lowered the metal horseshoe-shaped fastener into place then turned, and with a malicious sneer fixed to her already hideous features, glared at the trapped animals. She reached into her dirty, charcoal coloured sweater and retrieved a small box from which she shook out a white tubular object. She placed the thing between her puffy lips then, with the aid of another object she retrieved from her pocket, made fire, and set it alight.
Lucy could smell the odour of burning leaves and felt the smoke as it began to sting her eyes. She watched in fearful fascination as the biped inhaled a large cloud of the smoke then, after a moment’s pause, blew it back out into the air.
Squat Lady continued to look down at Lucy and Rodney and began to smile in what can only be described as a truly grotesque display of yellowed teeth and unhealthy gums. She suddenly turned to the Boxer as her face took on a cold and lethal expression.
“Kill them,” she commanded, “Kill them both!”
She pointed a pudgy finger directly at the pair to emphasise her point. Champ looked to her then to Lucy and Rodney but didn’t move. In fact, he looked very perturbed by the entire situation.
“I said, kill them, you stupid beast. Now do it!” her voice was now raised and terribly angry.
As if to enforce her command she began to raise the club from her side.
“Kill them now, I say!” she shrieked, almost hysterically.
The Boxer took a step towards Lucy and Rodney and began to bare his teeth. As the two huddled closer together, they watched in horrified fascination as the dog prepared himself to strike. His muscles began to swell and ripple as he lowered his hindquarters, readying himself to spring into attack position.
“I’m not scared of you,” Lucy cried defiantly at the Boxer.
“Neither am I,” Rodney weakly concurred.
“I’ve noticed,” Champ replied with a gleam in his eye.
He then sprang into the air.
CHAPTER 33
Lucy and Rodney had never seen anything like it before.
Champ did indeed launch himself into the air, but only after he’d suddenly spun his muscular body around so that he was facing Squat Lady. She hardly had time to even scream before he struck her, full force in the chest. She fell backwards and hit her head with a loud crack against the brick wall. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she slid to the floor. The Boxer ran to her side ready to pursue the attack if needed, but after a quick inspection of her condition, announced, “She’s out cold!”
The other two looked on in open-mouthed astonishment. Champ stepped over the prostrate figure of the Squat Lady and approached them with a warm and endearing smile.
“You stay back,” Rodney said defiantly.
“Perhaps I should introduce myself,” he responded with calm self-assurance. “My name’s Sergeant Bonzo.”
“Sergeant!” Lucy said with surprise. “Bonzo!?”
“Yes Ma’am. Scotland Yard Canine Squad. I’m a police dog.”
“What!” Rodney exclaimed. “But you were . . . I saw you . . . we thought you were . . .”
“One of them?” Sergeant Bonzo offered.
“Well . . . actually . . . yes!” Rodney stated.
“That was the whole point. I was here undercover. We’ve had our eyes on this group for a while now. Nasty bunch.”
“But you let them take me away,” Rodney exclaimed angrily. “They could have used me like the others and . . . and . . .
“Actually, they wouldn’t have gotten very far,” he replied calmly. “We were covering all the exits from the country and your description was well circulated before you’d been gone more than a couple of minutes. In fact, if you hadn’t escaped from the posh couple, we would have nabbed the lot of them days ago.”
“Well, perhaps you should have let us in on it?” Rodney said with mild annoyance. “We could have helped!”
“Maybe . . . maybe not,” Bonzo explained. “The fact is, I wasn’t the only one pretending to be someone else. You see . . .”
“Wait a minute,” Lucy interrupted. “Are you saying that while you pretended to be working with the bipeds, there was another dog that was pretending to be something else?”
“Yes, only he wasn’t a police dog; he really was a bad breed.”
“Well, what happened to him? Where did he go?” Lucy asked anxiously.
“Didn’t it ever surprise you how we were able to keep locating you no matter where you seemed to go?” Bonzo asked gently.
Lucy and Rodney glanced to each other then turned to Bonzo and nodded in unison.
“Come with me,” he voiced gently.
Bonzo stepped to the gate then nosed the fastener up and pushed it open. He led Lucy and the limping Rodney down the passageway until they reached a particular enclosure. He gestured with a flick of his muzzle for them to look inside.
All they could see was a dog standing in the shadows facing away from them. Lucy turned to Bonzo with a puzzled look.
“That’s him,” Bonzo stated.
She peered through the mesh, but couldn’t see who it was until the dog stepped into the light and turned to face her.
“I managed to trick him into the cell only a few minutes ago,” Bonzo advised.
“Hans?” Lucy exclaimed. “Not you! There’s been a mistake!”
She turned to Bonzo and was about to speak when Hans stepped to the barrier.
“Yes Goldie . . . me!” he said, coldly. “You bunch were so stupid. I tell you one story about a farm and a bunch of loving bipeds, and you fall for the whole thing. What a bunch of dim dogs.”
“Why, you . . . ,” Rodney growled through the mesh.
“Watch what you say, you little . . . ” Hans sneered back.
“Enough!” Bonzo snapped.
Lucy turned to Hans and shook her head slowly from side to side. “How could you? We were your friends.”
“I don’t have any friends. I don’t need them. They only get in the way,” he answered coldly. “I do what I do, for myself. I’m the only dog I trust and that’s the way I like it, so why don’t you take your happy, helpful, self out of here, and leave me alone.”
Bonzo nudged Lucy away from the mesh barrier and led her from Hans’ enclosure. She was clearly upset and shocked by the Rottweiler’s words.
“Don’t let him upset you. He’s not worth it,” Bonzo said.
Rodney followed slowly behind, growling to himself about what he wanted to do to the likes of Hans.
Angel, R
ex, and Lester appeared at the end of the passageway and seeing the others, began to smile until they spotted the Boxer. They began to tense until Lucy trotted over to them and calmed them down with smiles and explanations.
After introductions were exchanged, Bonzo took the dogs to a window leading off the entry hall. It was jammed open and looked out over a back alley filled with discarded trash and junk.
“Is this how we’re getting out?” Rex asked with concern.
“No, this is how I demonstrate the Canine Corp’s communication grid.” Bonzo replied proudly.
He stepped to the window and leaned his head out. He then let out a series of howls and barks for a few moments then stopped and listened.
Almost immediately, another dog could be heard somewhere in the distance repeating his signals. As the others listened on, yet another dog picked up the call and transmitted the signal still farther.
“The lads at the yard will get the word in just a few minutes,” Bonzo stated.
“Then what?” Lester asked.
“Can we eat?” Angel inquired.
“Then they’ll lead the biped squad out here and we’ll close this case.” he responded.
“We kind of messed things up for you, didn’t we?” Lucy said, apologetically.
“Not really. We have enough on these monsters to lock them up for a long time.” Bonzo gestured to the two unconscious figures of Fat Man and Skull Face.
“What will happen to us?” Lucy asked anxiously.
Bonzo turned and looked at her gentle features, then to those of the other dogs and smiled warmly. “I think you lot have had enough excitement to last you a lifetime or two. I think we need to get you back to your homes, don’t you?”
Lucy felt tears of joy suddenly well up in her eyes as she realised that the nightmare was nearly over. She looked across at the dogs that, until a few days ago, had meant nothing to her, but now were her closest and most treasured friends. As her eyes rested on Rex, she could see the pain in his face, and she realised that he had no home to return to. He had only the hard and lonely existence that had become his world. He looked over at her and tried to mask his feelings with a smile, but she knew it was only for her benefit.