by KC Frantzen
I’ve had it. She knows I’m here.
Rukan’s gaze coarsens. “Thank you for joining us, Section Leader. To continue. Our analysts placed a keylogger into the system. They will access the block up converter and backup systems to disrupt failover and redundant equipment. We will strike. They will hear our demands.”
“To the Cause!” cries Director.
“To the Cause!” cries Miss Sandy.
“To the Cause… Maintain silence until you receive the code. That is all.” The monitor display darkens and reverts to the painting.
Sassy signals Miss Sandy. I didn’t get all of it, but she knows I’ve been here. Or… Shudder. Maybe she said I AM here. Wish I could signal Léonce…
Sassy starts sniffing around the passage, then pushes. She’s too large to go in so the stone doesn’t move far. That’s one good thing.
Miss Sandy steps nearby, concern in her voice. “What’d you find, girl?”
Director yells, “Look what your rotten dog has done. The wall needs repairing before we can safely meet again.”
Miss Sandy – I mean Section Leader – glares at Director while Sassy continues searching.
Hans will just be heartbroken… They endangered Dad and Mom. They tricked April. They lied to me, to everyone. They betrayed my country!
I burst from my hidey-hole and snarl, “You… You… MOLES!”
Director looks up, shocked. Miss Sandy too. Sassy scowls and starts towards me.
Yikes! Did I jeopardize everything?
I race to the hatch and push for all I’m worth. Through clenched teeth Sassy yelps, “All is not as it seems,” as she grabs me by the back leg and pulls me into the room.
Click. A weapon being cocked!
In an icy tone Director says, “I will claim the reward and the promotion for killing the dog that stopped the DC operation.”
I hear Miss Sandy running. Sassy flips me over in time to see Léonce soaring through the air. He howls and slams into Director’s head. The weapon fires and clatters to the floor.
Chapter 28
That shot was loud enough to wake the lady Marie.
Miss Sandy grabs the weapon. Léonce howls and leaps, scratching her with all he’s got. Sassy releases me and jumps to protect Miss Sandy.
Léonce roars, “Proceed!”
What does he mean… With the plan, the secondary location?
“Run!”
My legs start working. I yelp over my shoulder, “What about you?”
“LEAVE!”
I scramble through the hatch and out. Do I…? No, must be open for his escape.
BANG.
Sassy growls, the humans shout, the door creaks open.
I dash two tombs over, dive down the steps, roll, bank off the side and through the cracked wall. Thump thump. This is no drill. I jerk the small concrete piece. It clunks into place with finality.
I’ll die if Léonce doesn’t come. I don’t want to think about that – or who else is inside here. I’ll sit next to the entrance, at the ready.
C’mon Léonce. Hurry.
Sounds are muffled. All I smell is mold and rot. And spiders. Rats. Crawly things. Slimy things.
STOP IT.
Second year trainees told us about solitary confinement, how their minds started playing tricks when they were left alone a long time. They said to get through you have to “focus on a principle, a fundamental truth.”
I’ll focus on home. That’ll help.
Lobbie! Hans and the doggie door. Pestering April. Cuddling with Mom. Dad yawning real big on purpose to make me yawn.
He’s fun but serious too. He’s already taught me so much. He said, “Learn the lesson and pass the test because if not, you get the fine opportunity to repeat it.”
Here I am, repeating this darkness test again.
Alright, enough already!
“I detest the dark.”
There. I said it. Out loud.
Sigh.
It’s just me and the Creator again. I admit, I’m in the dark and it doesn’t look good. I have no way to know when it’s safe to come out, or if I can even get out.
Light gleams in my mind like in Le Panthéon corridor.
Alpha and Omega.
That’s right. The Creator knows where I am. The plan could still work. Things have changed, but they haven’t stopped.
Rukan hasn’t stopped either.
I’m still alive and… And… I’m sure I’m imagining that sniffing on the other side of the wall.
“May?”
Sassy’s voice!
“Your scent leads here. Can you hear me? Please listen. There’s little time to clarify. You don’t know–”
Sirens! Voices and running feet.
She’s gone, the traitor. Maybe the authorities will catch her and Miss Sandy since I’m stuck in here. Alone. In the DARK.
Sigh. Focus. Think fundamental truth.
“Creator, you hear my voice… I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” And…
Piffle. Wish I could remember more of Psalm 5. Note to self: pay more attention when Dad and Mom are working on memorization.
Righty-o. Rukan’s call will come tomorrow morning if he’s not stopped. But Alexis seemed ready for his part. I’d better be ready for mine, when opportunity comes and I find a way. Lots of people are depending on us. Maybe whole countries.
The wail of sirens intensifies, then stops. Voices on a radio. A passing pulse of light, then another. Odd. I turn around and notice color bursts in the distance.
That light is coming from somewhere. Maybe there’s a police vehicle… outside the wall! Right. If I’m underground in the cemetery, that’s street level on the other side. Maybe that opening is big enough for a small Schnauzer to escape. Action is better than sulking. Let’s go!
When the light flashes I can see my paws. One step, two step, three step, four step.
I’m not the only one to use this route but I’m the only one at the moment. The mold is stifling. WACHOO. Up ahead – a split in the concrete! Leaves!
I silently squeeze through the wall opening behind some shrubbery.
There are a few police cars in the rue, lights flashing, doors open, but no one’s around. I’ve got to be sure somebody knows in case I don’t make it.
Look, an inkpad they make pawprints for humans with. Thank you, Creator! I might not have thumbs, but I can still leave a message.
I carefully open the inkpad with my underbite and use my puppy pads to write in Mr. Louis Braille’s language: US Emb hit morn by TDN2 Rukan.
Chapter 29
I sneak through the front gate at the Cimetière de Passy. What about Léonce? I dare not return to the lady Marie’s to check. Not yet anyway. I’ve got to alert someone this is happening tomorrow morning.
Footsteps. I drift back into the shadows.
Alexis! I try to contain myself until I discover if he’s alone. He is!
Hi hi!
“Hey Mutt, how you doing?”
I’m so glad to see you! Thlllbbbppttt. You don’t want to know how I am. Actually, scratch that. I’m better. I’m working on my dark phobia.
Alexis gives me a wrinkled forehead look. “Sorry, didn’t catch your last part. Anyway, I’m glad to see you. The cell phones and radios are out there. And yes, I put in your CFC code. They’ll know it’s from you. Did you figure out a way to alert the authorities?”
I think so.
“Good. Hey, I brought something to share.”
Smells delicious!
“Director had pizza for everyone. I said I wasn’t hungry but I’d eat it later. Here.”
MMM – Cooked food.
“Dig in.”
No Alexis, I don’t know where Léonce is. Last I saw him… He saved my life!
“Oh!”
I came looking for you. I thought we could search together.
“But you haven’t eaten in awhile right?”
No…
“It’s okay. We’ll eat a litt
le, then look.”
Maybe just a little.
Alexis continues while I nibble. “Director liked my equipment modifications, the ones she knows about anyway. But I didn’t get close enough to use the bug and tracker.”
You did what you could.
“So what’s next? The drones right?”
That’s just it. I had to leave the lady Marie’s in a hurry. Thanks to Léonce, I didn’t get shot!
“Shot?”
I nod but he still doesn’t seem to believe me.
“You want me to get the drones and other equipment?”
Oui. Please bring my vest. Maybe you can find out about Léonce too.
“I’ll come right back.”
Alexis is grinning, carrying my vest.
Thanks for bringing it!
“Look who I brought along.”
I woof, “Léonce, you’re okay! There was more gunfire!”
“Oui. Miss Sandy was furious. Director almost shot Sassy while aiming at you.”
Gulp.
The cat continues. “I knew Sassy would release you when I jumped from Director onto Miss Sandy. While ze humans scuffled over ze weapon, I hid. I heard Miss Sandy threaten to tell Rukan of Director’s defiance. She backed down.”
Léonce comes close and rubs his cheek on mine. “After they left, I couldn’t find you and feared the worst.”
“I did okay, and got out. But if it’s all the same, I’d prefer a different secondary location next time.”
Alexis shakes his head. “Wow. That explains a lot. I didn’t know who Miss Sandy and Sassy were. Director said they worked for her. Sounds like that’s not quite true. She twists things with part of the truth. How can I ever trust what she says?”
I still don’t want to tell him Miss Sandy and Sassy recruited me into the Service.
“May Mutt, the bee drones are in my pocket. I should get them programmed and synchronized, now that we have some time.”
Synchronized? My ears drop a notch.
“Matched up, to the controllers. You have them, right?”
Chapter 30
Alexis and Léonce seem to be sleeping.
I flip to my other side for the umpteenth time. How’d I miss the controllers? I’m so embarrassed. Our bee drones are useless. And the clocks you wear on your arm? Would have been nice to have since we will split up. Night vision. Could’ve used that.
Not to mention this camera bob. Edgrr told me not to touch the toggles and switches in this little compartment. I understand how to activate lots of things… The hologram feature, audio… But on and off? Simple but important.
Sigh. I have a long way to go to be a real agent. A long, long way. I have so much to learn, but how did I know I’d be dognapped?
Yawn. Might as well get up, it’s getting light anyway. I stand and stretch.
Something’s still bothering me. What are we missing?
Once more, all the way through.
When Rukan makes the call, the clock starts ticking. 47 minutes. Alexis will activate the tracking devices on the radios and phones, which should transmit using my CFC code. At least HQ will know I’m around.
Nothing to be done about Rukan’s hackers. Hopefully, the Embassy failsafe systems hold.
Three of us, seven opportunities: Four decoy teams – Gare du Nord Métro, fashion houses along Avenue Montaigne, exhibitions at Grand Palais, and the market Les Puces, though a market that sells fleas seems like a good place to shut down. Two satellite take-down teams – Director and Pack Leader, Miss Sandy, Sassy and Alexis. Contact with Miss Coralee at the US Embassy.
I hope we chose the best strategy.
Léonce will monitor the Métro since he is already familiar with it. Instead of meeting Miss Sandy and Sassy, Alexis will take a map marked where the attacks will take place and contact Miss Coralee at the US Embassy. He should have better success communicating with the guard than I did. Hopefully Miss Coralee can track and stop the decoy teams. And Director, thanks to Léonce. Brilliant how he planted a bug during the scuffle. He would be a fantastic operative. Maybe there’s a French Feline Service.
I’m to maintain a visual on Miss Sandy and Sassy. If – I mean when – I get my camera bob working, I’ll transmit audio and visual of those grrrr – MOLES! – along with my commentary, maybe plant a bug in case they escape should the opportunity present itself. When their drones deploy to take down the satellites…
Oh no. How are we going to stop their drones?
Rattle, clatter, chirp.
Instantly, Alexis and Léonce are up. We look at each other as the cell phone vibrates again on the stone.
Alexis reads the text. “This is it.”
I pray silently about the drones, then woof, “If I don’t see you here…”
Mmm, smells good, but no time for breakfast, I must intercept Miss Sandy and Sassy. I pass Mr. Benjamin’s statue and the Métro stop. Wonder if those bees found a good home? It seems like the queen was okay with enough worker drones to make a go of it.
Idea! We don’t have drones but maybe there’s a way to deploy the real thing?
Chapter 31
Several steps, stop, sniff, listen. Repeat. Glad I remembered to track Miss Sandy and Sassy after they accessed the roof. Sassy would have known had I come through first. Though this is cutting it close. About three or four minutes to go.
A few more stairs and I’ll be at the roof access door. There’s a warning sign above the handle: No re-entry. Maybe that’s why their backpack has the door partly open. I slink near the wall for visual confirmation.
There they are.
Alexis didn’t receive the abort code so it’s on. Though Sassy didn’t capture me, maybe they think I’m working on my own and can’t stop them. They know I’m here in Paris. Gasp! Maybe they were part of the dognapping.
But I can’t think about it now. We – Alexis, Léonce and I – have an incident to stop.
Idea! If I mess up and the moles see me, maybe they’ll notice my earpiece and think I’m plugged in.
I head back down a few steps and insert it.
“…come in. Over. Agent May. Do you read? Come in.”
A K9 voice I don’t recognize. Should I answer? Human voices murmur in the background then, “May, do you copy? Please, please come in. May. Do you copy?”
Miss Coralee!
Thank the Creator, Alexis made contact! I whisper, “This is May. Over.”
The K9 voice responds. “Situation update. Less than two minutes before operations commence. Your equipment was activated from HQ. Police deployed to intercept decoy teams. Agents arrive your location approximately four minutes.”
I groan quietly. “But the mission will be in play.”
“Affirmative. Can’t be helped. Can you get onto the roof undetected?”
“I think so.”
The K9 continues. “Move now. I will confirm when your camera is in proper position.”
Using my best Léonce leap, I bound over the backpack and land to the side of the doorway.
“Several inches left. Hold position.”
Here we go. We watch Miss Sandy’s drones lift off to attack the embassy satellite dishes on the roof across the avenue. It appears they will cut the cables. If Rukan’s hackers can take down the failsafe system, communications will be completely severed.
BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
“What’s happening? What’s that noise? May, come in.”
I hear Miss Coralee in the background. “Must be interference. Try connecting again.”
I woof, “No! It’s okay!”
HQ and I watch a huge swarm of bees split into groups. The largest zooms towards the drones then wrestles them to the roof. Smaller swarms swoop at Miss Sandy and Sassy, stinging at every opportunity.
They’re running for cover. Towards me!
I race through the door, grabbing the backpack on the way down the first set of stairs. As I leap for the landing, the door slams loudly behind me.
Oh no. Footsteps coming up the stairs. Nowhere to run.
“May, are you here?”
Mr. Vince!
“We’ve been trying to find you!”
In a flash I spring into his arms, smothering him with kisses. Thlbpt thlbpttt thlbbpptt. I yip, “I was lost, now I’m found, like that song!” Thlbpt thlbpttt.
Schnauzer-monium may not be proper, but I don’t care.
Agents rush past us, weapons drawn, and smash through the access door.
Mr. Vince cuddles me close to his chest. “Shh, be calm,” he laughs. “Smart you left a bug for Coralee to find. She checked the storeroom and found the missing inventory. When your friend arrived this morning with a map and a story, coupled with the clever message you left for police, they knew it was for real and activated the missing equipment immediately.”
Thlbpt. Thank you but please. I need to see what’s going on.
When we get onto the roof, Miss Sandy and Sassy are in custody. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I’m glad to see swelling red welts. Moles. Traitors. Serves them right.
An agent’s radio blares, “Mission update. We’ve never seen anything like it. Successful bee attacks downed enemy drones. Satellite communications intact. Due to excellent intel from our field team, police tracked most decoy groups, though not all. Some smoke and explosions occurred. Initial reports suggest some decoys deployed their weapons early. However, there has not been the wide-spread panic the Movement hoped for.”
I indicate to Mr. Vince that I want down. He sets me on all fours and pats my head. “Such a good girl!” He moves to join a group of agents holding tablet computers. His phone chirps. Sounds like Miss Coralee.
I march over to my former friends. I still can hardly believe it. Really. But at least there’s video so I can show April. Unless it’s classified.
When we make eye contact, Miss Sandy gives me a peculiar look, like she’s sort of proud of me but sort of melancholy.
You’re just sad you’re caught. Serves you right, you traitor.
Sassy softly whines, “You don’t know what you’ve done.”