What's goin' on, everyone? I'm back once again with Chapter 4. I've left you waiting long enough, so I'd better take advantage of what free time I currently have. As you guys have already figured out, Bolt's father is somewhere in the city. This is his one chance to get to know where he came from. How will he take meeting him for the first time? Will he be upset? Confused? Disappointed? It's time to find out.

A/N: I do now own Bolt or any of its characters. All characters are the property of Disney and its subsidiaries.

Street Slang

Walking down a dark alleyway at who knows what time of night, Bolt peered his head around the corner of a building to see 3 men standing next to a dumpster. As they speak with one another, his ears try to pick up the conversation.

"You got the money?" One man asked in a heavy Brooklyn accent.

"You got the photos?" asked another man in an accent just as thick.

"Don't play around with me! This is an even trade! $50,000 for the pictures! If you don't got it, I know plenty of others that can get it for me… and they won't mess around."

"What you need these pictures for so bad for anyway?" asked the 3rd man.

"You don't need to know."

"It's our job to know where our money comes from, cuz you know the fuz. They're getting' better at trackin' it"

"Well, you're gonna have to let this one slide. It doesn't matter anyway. It don't affect you."

"It's my business to…" said the last man before Bolt's hearing was cut off. The reason came in the form of something pulling him backwards by the collar and throwing him against a brick wall. Bolt fell to the ground, and looked up slowly to see what had just thrown him.

"Who… who are you?" Bolt asked starting to shake a little.

"Your worst nightmare, kid!" answered the figure. As it walked into the light, Bolt noticed that it was a white shepherd, who continued to speak shortly after appearing.

"Who the hell are you? The fez?" asked the unknown dog as he came close to Bolt's head. Afraid to answer, Bolt kept his mouth shut.

"I asked you a question, kid. Who… the hell… do you work for?" he asked with more emphasis.

"Read the collar." Bolt finally answered. The canine leant down to read Bolt's tag, and saw his name, along with the GGE plate. Seeing this, the shepherd took a couple steps back in shock.

"You work for GGE?"

"No, I'm just a helping hand. I'm here for something else. I'm looking for you." Bolt said finally standing on his feet.

"What do you want?"

"You!" Bolt answered blatantly. The mystery dog looked at Bolt with curiosity, and backed up a couple steps in fear.

"Someone called a hit on me, didn't they?" he asked

"No. I came to New York to FIND you, not KILL you."

"Whattaya want from me?"

"To meet you…. Dad!" Bolt said glaring at his father. The other dog was frozen in place, showing absolutely no emotion whatsoever. Until…

"What?" he asked quietly. All of a sudden, a gunshot rang out from about 15 feet away. The three men had finished their talk and turned the corner to see the 2 talking dogs. Knowing that there was only one way they could talk, they panicked. Bolt ran towards the trio of criminals head on, racing past even more shots before jumping for the gunman. The force of the blow knocked him backwards, causing him to trip over a pipe and fall to the ground below, where the concrete knocked him out. Bolt then turned around to see the other assailants backing up slowly.

"Laser 1, FIRE!" Bolt shouted as the ballpoint pen laser shot forward, with both men dodging the shot by mere millimeters.

Holy Shit! Let's get outta here!" shouted one of the men as they ran the other direction and out of the alleyway. Bolt let out a sigh of relief before drawing his attention back to his 'father', who by now was clutching his side. He had been shot by the 1st bullet.

"NO!" Bolt shouted as he ran to his father's aid.

"You gotta get outta here." his father said starting to cough up blood.

"I'm not leaving you." Bolt said in desperation. Before he knew it, his father was lying on the ground and barely moving. Within minutes, he would be dead.

"No, NO, NOOOOO!" Bolt's head jolted forward as he rolled a few feet. He was completely out of breath, and didn't know why.

"Bolt, calm down. What happened?" Preston said holding his friend still. It didn't take long for Bolt to realize that he had just come out of a dream, even if it felt more like a nightmare. His breathing was still heavy, but he was now able to hold still. Beverly and Eli walked up seconds later to find out what happened.

"It was a dream… It was just a dream." Bolt said somewhat out of it.

"Baby, are you okay?" Mittens asked from right next to him.

"I've felt better."

"What happened?" Preston asked again.

"I had this….dream. I was listening to these guys talking in an alley, and… I saw my father." Bolt explained still short of breath. Preston watched his friend squirm in place, and it killed him to wonder what he must've been feeling. None of them could do anything for Bolt at the moment but back away and let him breath. The only one who didn't step away was Mittens, just wanting to lay against his shoulder and let him know, as best she could, that he was safe. It wasn't long before Trigger and Nova joined the crowd, wondering what caused the ruckus.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Nova asked

"It's okay, I'm fine. Just a scary as hell dream." Bolt explained letting his daughter know that he was gonna be alright. All of a sudden, Bolt felt the ground shake underneath his body. His head turned in every direction possible, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Whoa! Was that a tremor?" Bolt asked. The rest of them looked at the shepherd, wondering what he meant.

"No… it's turbulence." Beverly answered.

"Say what?" Bolt asked again, thinking he heard her wrong.

"We're flying, Bolt…. in a Gulfstream… to New York, remember?" Beverly said trying to job Bolt's memory.

"I… I don't remember getting on the plane." Bolt said

"Not surprising." Kurt said from the seat behind them. He turned the swivel chair around so he could speak to the whole group; even though Bolt was the only one who needed an answer.

"We had to put a chewable tranquilizer in your dinner. Because you and Mittens have no genetic enhancement, your bodies won't be able to handle the sudden change of altitude during take-off. When we land, it's no big deal. It's getting up in the air that wouldn't be good for you. Mittens woke up about 20 minutes ago, and we told her the same thing I'm telling you." Kurt explained

"Uh-huh. Okay." Bolt said vaguely, not really knowing how to answer Kurt.

"The stuff we gave you can sometimes cause weird dreams. I apologize for that." Kurt said

"No biggy!" Bolt said still as vague as before. By now, everyone else had gone back to their spots on the couch.

"So, how much further?" Bolt asked Kurt.

"We got about… another 4 hours. We're just passing over Oklahoma, and need to make a stop in Tulsa soon before we go all the way. But in the meantime, get as much sleep as you can. It's 3:30 in the morning, so it shouldn't be too big of a problem." Kurt said laughing a little, which Bolt just smiled at. It didn't take long at all for Bolt to fall asleep once again.

(8:00AM: New York City)

"Bolt, Bolt wake up! We're here." Mittens said, nuzzling Bolt's neck.

"Mmmm… you keep that up, we might as well just stay on the plane." Bolt said in a seductive voice as he opened his eyes.

"Not the time, Wags!" Mittens said sarcastically, to which Bolt just shook his head a little before following her down the hallway of the plane, and towards the runway exit to the airport. The rest of the group was waiting for them near the cockpit, where Kurt was talking with the pilot.

"Go ahead and take the plane to Hanger 2. We'll be here about one week, so enjoy yourself a little. That's an order!" Kurt said handing his pilot his pay with a smile.

"Yes, sir!" said the pilot, who took his check and unlatched the door. All 10 of them followed one another out the door, and through the hallway towards the gate.

"Alright, guys. You know the drill!" Kurt said to the agents, who all nodded and walked to a set of animal crates that were waiting for them before they entered the actual airport. Bolt and Mittens just followed them, not knowing where to go.

"Do we follow you guys?" Bolt asked Eli.

"Yep. We need to look as inconspicuous as possible, so posing as pets is the best way. Didn't Trigger brief you on this?" Eli answered and asked.

"No." Bolt answered back.

"What DID he brief you on?" Eli asked curiously.

"Um… how to reuse the vest, and drive the van again. That was pretty much it!" Bolt said, wondering if Trigger did everything he was supposed to. Eli just lowered his head, shaking it a little.

"What?" Bolt asked

"I'll explain in the crates." Eli said leading the dog and cat couple to their kennels. As soon as they were in place and the cages were locked, the animals were wheeled towards the exit with Eli explaining what was 'supposed' to happen, but never did.

"Okay, Trigger should've informed the two of you about the crates, along with where we'll be staying. We'll all be briefed on what we need to do at the apartment, so that's not an issue. When it came to the tranquilizer pills, he should have told you about those too; which is why I was really surprised when you woke up and didn't know where you were at first. Kurt basically stepped in to save the day and explain it FOR him." Eli said. Bolt looked at Mittens, and thought about why that necessary information was never told to them.

"Well, we never heard any of this." Bolt said

"Well, I hope this doesn't happen again." Eli said seeming agitated.

"Eli, don't make too big of a deal outta this." Bolt said pleading with him to look past it.

"Unfortunately, I have to. This is 'need to know' information, and can mean the difference between life and death. What if you had gotten lost in this airport? It's not like you can use your collar, because dogs shouldn't talk. People would freak out, and you could get hurt. Every little detail is as important as the big ones." Eli explained quietly. Not being able to speak in a normal dog tongue, he had to keep his voice down; unlike Bolt, who had the option of shutting off his collar.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Bolt asked

"I have to tell Preston and Kurt what you just told me. They'll keep an eye on him, and make sure he does his job. Until then, I want you to tell me everything HE tells you. If it's accurate and detailed, then we shouldn't have any more issues; but, if he keeps it vague or says nothing at all, we may have to change around the chain of command… We can't afford to lose you guys, and I don't want to." Eli said staring at Bolt and Mittens.

"Okay. Do what you gotta do!" Bolt said agreeing with his friend. He didn't want one small mistake to end their lives, and with Trigger still a young agent and leader of the pack, they had a right to be nervous. The animals were rolled on their cart from the gate out to the main lobby. To all of the people waiting in their seats, they were just normal dogs. And that's exactly what they wanted. Allen and Kurt walked side by side, making sure to keep the scene as casual as possible. Within 10 minutes, they were heading for a safe house, where they would stay for the remainder of their trip. The ride there was a long one for Mittens. She didn't expect being back in New York City to be as nerve-wracking as it was, but she had Bolt around to protect her this time instead of threaten her. All of a sudden, the car came to a stop.

"We're here!" Kurt said from the passenger seat. The back door of the van opened, allowing each of the animals to jump to the curb. Kurt turned to Allen, who was in the driver's seat.

"We have a spot around back to park. Use the dark green door when you come inside, and we'll be on the 2nd floor." Kurt ordered

"Got it!" Allen said taking his orders, and driving around the block. Kurt then turned his attention back to his animal counterparts, and walked up the front steps to open the door. He led them inside and up a short flight of stairs. The building itself had a dark atmosphere, and Kurt could smell some faint mold on the corners of the ceiling; however, it was only temporary.

"I feel like I'm in some horror movie." Bolt said as they continued to walk.

"We need to blend into society while we're here, and look like we belong. Don't worry, though! The actual room is much more sanitary." Kurt stated

"Consider yourself lucky, Bolt. Some of the places we had to stay in during our years on the job make this place seem like the Taj Mahal." Beverly explained with a sarcastic smile. Bolt just smiled back, and looked forward to see that they had reached their 'home away from home.'

"Here we are. #14." Kurt said unlocking the door.

"Are pets even allowed here?" Bolt asked

"Trust me. They honestly don't care. By the way the landlord looked at me; he didn't care if I was a druglord. And if need be, we can always bribe the man." Kurt said with a chuckle in his voice. He ushered all of them into the living room, and shut the door; locking it behind him.

"There's one bedroom to the left and one down the hall. We'll be in the one down the hallway, and Kurt and Allen will take the other." Trigger informed. As they looked around, they noticed that Kurt was right. The room WAS much nicer than other parts of the complex. Bolt and Mittens walked towards the window and looked out to the see the city skyline. It was exactly as Mittens had remembered it.

"How are you feeling?" Bolt asked his mate.

"I'll be fine. It's just gonna take a little time." Mittens answered

"Well, hopefully we won't be here much longer than we have to be." Bolt added. The shepherd turned around to see Beverly walking up behind them.

"Is everything okay?" Beverly asked

"Yeah. It's just trying to get over the past that… (knock knock knock!)" Mittens began before the group heard a knock at the door. Kurt leaned his ear against the door.

"Allen, is that you?" Kurt asked

"Yep!" Allen said from behind the door. Kurt unlocked the deadbolt, and opened the door, letting in his employee.

"The car?" Kurt asked

"… in the spot you wanted." Allen said

"Great!"

"Alright, well we need to get a feel for the area. So, Kurt and Allen will send 2 of you out at a time as their pets. We have leashes in the bag, and we'll have eyes on you as far as the cameras will allow." Trigger said looking to the window, where a tripod camera was set up to watch them.

"Beverly and Eli; you guys will go with Kurt. Nova and I will go with Allen. The rest of you will stay here until we get back, which shouldn't be more than a half hour." Trigger explained again.

"Yes, sir." Preston and Simone said in sync. Bolt gave a nod, and Mittens just stood there and didn't really move. With that, each group left the apartment one after the other. Preston walked to the door and turned the deadbolt lock back upwards with his telekinesis, and then walked to the window, where he watched the street below, and waited for Kurt and Allen to exit the building.

"Hey, buddy! You lookin for somethin'?" said a voice from out of nowhere. It made Preston jump back from the window sill, and back into the living room. Simone blocked him from falling on his back.

"Whoa! Easy, baby!" Simone said trying to calm Preston down, whom never took his eyes off the window. Bolt and Mittens also stared at the window as they waited for the voice to speak again.

"Who's there?" Preston said forcefully; his laser eyes ready to strike.

"You gonna attack me?" the voice asked again. It was a thick Brooklyn accent that was easy for Mittens to recognize, having lived on the streets of the city for years. Preston rested his laser eyes and sat down.

"Just keep your distance!" Preston warned

"I got nothin' against ya's."

"Show yourself!" Simone said. After about 10 seconds of waiting, the figure came into view. Two mouths dropped at the sight of it, while the other two stayed closed.

**End of Chapter**

Well, this is interesting. A cliffhanger has been issued! Can you decipher who the mystery character is? The first person to guess the right answer will receive a special privilege. So, get those reviews in. I have 2 readers hooked on this story, and will gladly take more. Get 'em in, y'all! I have one final request from my readers: As most of us already know, Hurricane Sandy is currently sweeping through the East Coast, and directly in the path of her destruction is one of our very own…. Mike101. He lives maybe an hour away from where the epicenter of the storm will be when it hits the mainland. So keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers! Thanks everyone! Until next time…

Visso Gerro!