That done, she led the three dogs back outside.
Evening had fallen, and the sky was streaked orange and pink. Golden twilight stretched long shadows down the pristine streets of the small town, and sparkling fireflies glittered and darted through the air.
Most of the town’s dogs and cats lounged on the lawn in front of the vet’s office, grooming themselves or chatting. Some of the younger dogs wrestled near the empty food dishes, watched over by narrow-eyed cats.
As soon as they saw Dr. Lynn, all the pets snapped to attention.
“She’s back!” shouted a small dog that seemed more fur than animal—its coat hung down to its feet. A Lhasa Apso, Max recalled.
“Is it playtime?” a brown-furred mutt asked, its tail wagging.
Excitement flowed like a wave through the crowd of animals. The cats tried to act nonchalant as they stretched and opened their mouths in wide yawns—but Max could see the excited glint in their eyes.
Two of the police dogs paced along the sidewalk, keeping watch over the crowd. Max didn’t recognize either one by name—Julep and Dixie must have been patrolling elsewhere.
“All right, all right,” one of the Shepherds barked. “Keep calm, friends.”
“Anyone who oversteps their bounds spends a night in the kennel,” the other Shepherd called out. “We don’t need another incident like with Porky.”
An enormously fat, striped tan cat flattened his ears. “That was an accident. And the name is Porgy.”
Max, Rocky, and Gizmo sat down on the porch as Dr. Lynn took in all the animals with a smile.
“Looks like you have been waiting patiently,” she said. “You definitely deserve some new toys!”
She reached into the box and tossed a ball into the crowd. A giant shape—Georgie—leaped up and caught it in his jaws. He bounded off toward the street, chased by several of the bigger dogs.
Dr. Lynn tossed another ball, and another, until her box was empty and all the dogs on the lawn were racing off to play. Then she set down the box and reached into her pockets. The cats approached now, and she tossed the fake mice at them one by one. Some of the cats tossed their toy mice in the air, to dash wildly after them and then pounce, while others were content simply to chew on the little furry things.
The two German Shepherds came to Dr. Lynn, wagging their tails. She scratched beneath their chins, then produced two bone-shaped doggy biscuits from a pocket. “You two did a wonderful job of keeping the peace,” she said as the police dogs gobbled up their treats. “If I see your human partners, I’ll be sure to tell them how well trained you are.”
Turning back, Dr. Lynn whistled. “Come on, Max, Rocky, and Jane,” she called. “My temporary home is just up the street.”
One of the German Shepherds narrowed his eyes at Max. “Where is she taking you?”
“We don’t know,” Max said. “She just wants us to follow her.”
“Don’t go too far,” the other Shepherd said. “Julep wants to talk to you.”
Max nodded. “We won’t. Don’t worry.”
The two dogs didn’t say anything further, just glared.
“Yeesh, what’s with them?” Rocky asked as they continued up the sidewalk.
Max shook his head. “You saw how Dixie acted when she learned we could understand humans. They must consider it a big deal.”
“Well, it is a big deal,” Gizmo said. “I don’t blame Dixie for wanting to talk to humans, too.”
“Yeah,” Rocky said. “But I hope it doesn’t lead to anything bad. Just think, if dogs like the Chairman knew about Praxis, they’d get even more power hungry than they already are. Who knows what these police dogs might do now that they know about it?”
Gizmo’s tufted ears drooped. “Oh, but they seem so nice. I hope they stay nice.”
An iron gate creaked, and the dogs looked up to find Dr. Lynn had led them to a big home surrounded by a tall black iron fence. The fence enclosed a huge lawn with twin weeping willows.
The dogs followed the woman along the stone pathway between the flowing, swaying willows. Hidden behind one of the trees was a green lawn mower.
“You should have seen how this town looked when I arrived,” said Dr. Lynn. “Grass as tall as my waist.” She shook her head. “I suppose that’s what it will return to when I move on, but I hope it looks lovely for a little while longer.”
They reached the front porch and climbed its steps. The porch stretched around the entire first floor of the house, which was covered with white shingles and seemed much fancier than any house Max had ever been in. Even the rocking chairs next to the front door seemed lush.
Dr. Lynn opened the front door and ushered the dogs into a wide foyer with a polished, dark wood floor and a staircase. To the right was a comfortable sitting room. A couch and two chairs were arranged on a red rug in front of a fireplace. The furniture reminded Max of the time he was taken with Charlie and Emma to visit a couple of elderly humans. Their couches also had carved feet and plush velvet padding, and even though the old couple were otherwise very nice, they made it clear that if Max climbed atop the furniture he’d be a very bad dog.
Dr. Lynn didn’t seem to have any such concern, though. She patted the cushions on the couch and let Max, Rocky, and Gizmo jump up and get comfortable, then kneeled in front of the fireplace to light a fire. A tall clock ticked in the corner.
Wood crackled, and the crisp scent of smoke swirled through the room. Dr. Lynn stepped back, then sat on the couch. Warmth washed over Max as he lay down on his belly and set his head on the old woman’s lap. Rocky and Gizmo crawled over Dr. Lynn’s legs. Then they, too, rested their snouts on her thigh.
“Nice place, isn’t it?” Dr. Lynn said. “I figure since no one’s around, they wouldn’t mind if I indulged in a bit of luxury. I do pride myself on leaving my surroundings better than I found them.”
She sighed. “So, my dears, you should know about Praxis. It’s the reason we’ve all found ourselves here.
“Many years ago, my partners and I sought to create cures for mental illnesses in humans, as well as birth defects and accidents that damage the brain. Through our tests and studies we created a synthetic virus that had no harmful effect on animals, but when exposed to certain conditions—like radiation or electricity—would mutate to create new, healthy brain cells. It was incredible.”
Dr. Lynn chuckled. “I know you three are smarter now, but is any of this making sense?”
Max licked the woman’s hand. “Some of it,” he said. “But there are lots of words I haven’t really heard before.”
“Hmm?” Dr. Lynn said. “Well, I can’t tell if that’s a yes or a no, so I’ll take it as a maybe. To put it simply, my partners and I found a way to use a virus to heal brains, but only in animals. The side effect was, of course, smarter animals.”
Looking back into the flames, she continued. “We gathered test subjects from many species. Most were kept at our laboratory, but we did have a dolphin named Nixie that we kept at a facility down south. I wonder what’s become of her.”
Dr. Lynn shook her head. “Anyway, we found that if we infected the animals with the virus and then exposed them to the second part of what we’d come to call the Praxis process, the animals’ intelligence would increase by leaps and bounds. They could understand human speech and writing, even if most could not speak or write themselves. It was astounding.
“The only problem was that Praxis either wouldn’t cause any noticeable change in humans, or it would give them horrible side effects. Eventually, I gave up on ever achieving our original goal. I retired to a new home—near where you lived, in fact. I thought Praxis was over, but then… the worst happened.”
Gently pushing the dogs aside, Dr. Lynn stood up and paced in front of the fireplace. The orange light cast flickering, dancing shadows. Sorrow and guilt creased her face.
“Somehow, in spite of all our safeguards, the virus escaped our facility. Carried on the wind, it began to infect many animals. Sinc
e Praxis doesn’t hurt animals, we thought everyone was safe.
“But then the virus began to spread in new ways. As though they’d sensed it happening, birds in all the affected areas migrated south. Soon after, some people whose animals were infected became infected themselves, and they fell very ill. It wasn’t long before the cause was traced to our lab and our experiments. And since no one could know which animals were infected, the only answer seemed to be to abandon all the animals and evacuate until a solution could be found.
“Some have said we should… get rid of all the animals, but my colleagues and I convinced them it wouldn’t help, that there was no way to track down every infected animal. The only answer is a cure, which I intend to find. As I mentioned before, I myself am infected with the Praxis virus. Luckily, prolonged exposure doesn’t change anything, which means I am free to work with you animals. Still, I will get sick eventually. Which is why I need to solve this problem as soon as possible.”
Dr. Lynn met the dogs’ eyes one by one. “I think you three might have helped me through a stumbling block. I still have tests running in the vet’s office, but if I’m right, after the Praxis process was completed, you were rid of the virus. That means this is curable. There is still the matter of figuring out how to eradicate the virus without making all animals abnormally smart—that would certainly lead to chaos!—but thanks to you, I am closer than ever to saving the people and bringing them home.”
Gizmo’s ears perked up. “Did you hear that? We are cured. That means our families will be safe with us!”
“Even better,” Rocky said. “The doctor said she can cure everyone. That means everything can go back to normal.”
“Normal,” Max said wistfully. “I’m not sure what normal is anymore.”
Rocky waddled across the couch cushion and licked Max’s nose.
“It means, big guy, that I go back to sleeping on a doggy bed, fat and happy. And you can run all over your farm with your pack leaders again.”
Dr. Lynn gave a slight groan. “It sounds like you three are just as excited by the cure as I am,” she said. “It will be some time yet before I know what I’m dealing with. Perhaps we should get some sleep.”
She smiled at the three dogs. “If you think this room is nice, you’ll definitely enjoy the bedroom.”
Once the flames had died, Dr. Lynn led the three dogs up the stairs and into the master bedroom. There, atop a high, plush bed, all four of them lay down to sleep. Max could hardly believe how much had happened in one day—from messing around in a car wash to fleeing from alligators to finding Dr. Lynn.
It seemed a lifetime since Max had last curled next to a human, and it felt so wonderfully right. He wanted to lie there forever, inhaling her pleasant scent and feeling her hand run absently through his fur.
Max sat in the gazebo in front of the town hall. It was a beautiful day, with bright blue skies and a few wispy clouds. Birds trilled in the trees, and though he couldn’t see them, he could hear the talking and laughter of human families eating a picnic lunch.
Next to Max, Dr. Lynn sat in a flowing floral dress, smiling beneath her wide-brim hat as she scratched Max’s ears. Rocky and Gizmo cuddled together on her lap, and Georgie lay at her feet.
It’s starting, Dr. Lynn said, her voice crystal clear even though her lips did not move.
A parade of animals marched down the street in front of the square. There was a dainty Poodle leading a pack of ragged, happy dogs, followed by a swarm of cats mewing at the top of their lungs. On their backs they carried a pillow atop which mottle-furred Raoul stood tall and proud.
The subway dogs came next, blinking in bewilderment at the bright light, then a marching band of rats wearing matching red coats with gold epaulets, singing a silly rhyme.
The parade went on, an endless stream of all the animals Max had met on his journey. There were the dogs of the Corporation with Madame and the growling Chairman. The riverboat dogs danced and twirled, raising a cheer to a triumphant Boss, who was held aloft on a plush gold doggy bed. The zoo animals made an exotic display, and the beach animals were there, too, music bursting from their radio.
The possums flipped and flew over one another, a prelude to the stately police dogs, dressed to the nines in formal navy coats and black caps.
Dr. Lynn rubbed Max’s head. Here comes the big finish, she said. Pay close attention.
A grand float appeared, and the square was filled with gasping oohs and aahs. It appeared to be a cloud brought down to earth, trailing wisps of dew. Dogs of all shapes and sizes looked up at the lone figure who stood proudly atop its highest peak. It was a Collie, her head held high and her fur glimmering in the sun. A gold scarf was tied around her neck and flowed majestically as the float moved down the road.
There she is, Georgie said. Good ol’ Belle. I can take you to her.
Max was about to respond—but as he watched the float reach the end of the street, something changed. The once-white cloud had darkened to gray, and flashes of lightning arced within.
“Something is wrong,” Max said.
Good ol’ Belle, Georgie said. Everyone just loves her.
Great gusts of wind whooshed through the street, picking up the gold scarf around Belle’s neck. The scarf shredded into tatters and tore away.
The stormy float turned the corner, and Max could make out several wispy shapes behind it. Some looked like wolves with glowing red eyes. Others, Max couldn’t recognize at all.
“What does it mean?” Max asked.
Everything will be all right, Dr. Lynn said.
Everyone just loves Belle, Georgie repeated as the unseen humans’ laughter grew louder.
Please find her, Boss’s voice sounded.
A crack of thunder echoed through the perfect summer sky.
Max awoke.
It was dark in the bedroom. A cool breeze blew in through the open window, raising the lacy white curtains. One of the shutters had opened and had slammed against the wall—the sound Max had heard in his dream. Rocky and Gizmo snored nearby on the bed.
But the space where Dr. Lynn had lain was empty.
Max’s heart began to pound, until he heard the door creak behind him as Dr. Lynn slipped back into the room.
“Oh, Max,” she whispered when she saw him awake and watching her. “It’s true, my friend. What happened at the labs cured you. I can save everyone.” She scratched behind his ears, her eyes glimmering.
“I’d almost given up hope,” she said.
“Me, too,” Max admitted. And though his words had come out as a bark, she seemed to know what he’d meant. She leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead.
“I have something for you,” she said. “And for Rocky and Jane.” She crawled into the center of the bed and sat down. She gently shook Rocky and Gizmo until the two small dogs opened their eyes.
“What is it?” Rocky said. “I was sleeping over here.”
“Did something happen?” Gizmo asked.
Max shook his head. “She says she has something for us.”
Dr. Lynn picked up Rocky and set him gently on her lap. Producing a red collar, she attached it around Rocky’s neck.
Rocky yipped and wiggled, trying to escape. “Whoa, I don’t need a collar! I never have, and I never will!”
“Hold on, Rocky,” Dr. Lynn said in a soothing voice, even as her strong hands kept him in place. “This is very, very important. I know you don’t like it, but I need the three of you to wear these.”
“But why?” Rocky said with a whine.
Dr. Lynn finished clasping the collar around Rocky’s neck, then set him back down next to Gizmo. “These collars have GPS devices attached. That means that no matter where you go, I will be able to track you. If you remove them, then I won’t be able to find you. Understand?”
Max barked twice for yes.
“We already found her,” Rocky grumbled. “I don’t see why she needs to find us.”
“Oh, Rocky,” Gizmo said. “She
knows what she’s doing. Besides, I think you look very handsome with your new collar!”
Rocky ducked his head. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks.”
Dr. Lynn quickly attached a green collar around Gizmo’s neck, then a blue one around Max’s. Max wasn’t entirely pleased with his, either—it rubbed his fur. He hoped he’d get used to it soon.
The old woman fell quiet for a moment, then said, “I’m afraid, friends, that we have to part ways for now.”
Max stiffened. He stared at Dr. Lynn, not wanting what he’d just heard to be true.
Dr. Lynn smiled sadly. “I know you came all this way to find me. And I wish I could spend more time with you. But it’s urgent that I take the results of your blood tests to a special lab where my colleagues are working to find a cure, and if I take you with me…” She shook her head. “Many people are afraid of animals now, and even though it’s not your fault, they blame dogs like you for what has happened. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
It made sense. Max remembered the three-ringed symbols that people had spray-painted in places where there were animals.
But the idea of losing the warmth and comfort of the first kind human they’d found in months made Max want to curl up into a ball and whimper.
The three dogs watched sadly as Dr. Lynn stood and walked out the bedroom door. Max and his friends followed her, trailing behind as she left the house and made her way back to the vet’s office. Max saw a German Shepherd patrolling in the distance, but most of the other pets seemed to have turned in for the night. Some of the dogs and cats lay on the lawn and roof of the vet’s office, snoring peacefully.
Dr. Lynn collected several boxes from the vet’s office and loaded them into her white van. Max saw stacks of the orange-and-white barriers inside, ready to be laid out. The old woman also hefted out bag after bag of kibble and kitty chow, which she stacked in piles on the lawn, then filled all the empty bowls with water. Just as she had at the beach, she was leaving behind enough food for the animals to get by for a few more weeks, at least.
The Long Road Page 14