Chapter 4

A few flakes of pristine, white, snow fell lazily from the sky above. Each one unique, but currently Balto could not have cared less about the tiny ice crystals falling around him. He had on objective, and that was to make it home and stop the atrocity he knew only as, Bolt, from destroying it. To be truthful Balto really had no idea of whether or not Bolt had any intention of bothering the small city of Nome, Alaska, but Balto couldn't hesitate and simply trust his new advisory under good faith. He knew so little about the white American Sheppard, other than the fact that he had once been a famous actor whose career had ended due to a personal tragedy.

"Maybe if I find out what it was that ended Bolt's career I can uncover some information about him?" Balto said to himself from behind the wheel of the very same jeep Charlie had driven earlier that day.

Thinking of Charlie brought Balto a slight pang of sorrow in his heart. His late friend's life had been cut so tragically short by the day's earlier events. In the Military it was common knowledge that the job was almost always dangerous and the possibility of a fatal mistake lay behind every doorway, but Balto would never have thought in a hundred years that he'd be making this trip home all alone.

"Finally." Balto sighed as he eyed Nome in the distance. "Well it's not burning to the ground, Thankfully."

Balto's first intention was to head straight home and warn his family, then attempt to uncover as much information on Bolt as he could. Balto already knew the files pertaining to the Phantom Project's specifics would be classified to even him so the next best thing to do seemed to be find out as much about Bolt the dog and handle Bolt the Superdog from there.

"Now how exactly am I supposed to explain this to Jenna?" This next question had been plaguing Balto's thoughts the whole ride. Jenna was not fond of Balto's job as it was, there was no doubt she was proud of him and it kept food on the table, but she never did take a liking to the idea that Balto was willing to voluntarily but himself in harm's way. He assumed that as soon as he told Jenna what happened she would immediately try to hold him back and force him to call for back up.

"And that's just not an option right now" Balto needed this operation to go as quietly as possible, honestly, he did not approve of the Phantom Project, Bolt's seeming unwillingness to participate in the project was a clear sign that some corners where cut on ethics in this operation. Balto's thought's quickly turned back to Jenna as he stopped the jeep in front of his modest two-story home just inside the city limits of Nome.

Bolt sat down on a bench some where in Nome. He really had no clue of where he was or even how to get where he needed to go.

'I have on where to go' Bolt thought to himself as he stared up at the grey sky, powdering him with snowflakes. He thought back to the first time he had seen snow and thought back to…her.

'hmm...Mittens,' Bolt mused as he thought of the onyx and ivory feline companion he once had.

It had been some time since Bolt had seen her and considering how long he had been in that god-awful lab he doubted she wanted any part of him now.

'Besides… after all this time, she may not even remember me.' This last thought made Bolt place his head in his hands. Now he began to question why he had even tried to escape.

'No…I can second guess something like that…god knows what else those twisted freaks would have done to me…' Bolt hadn't noticed but this last part he spoke out loud "besides I was only defending my self!"

His last outburst attracted the attention of a few pedestrians, none of which Bolt paid any mind, except one. She was a dark brown, almost red colored Irish Setter who was staring intently at Bolt, who unintentionally was returning the gesture with a stare of his own only while hers was one of curiosity, his one of pure annoyance.

"What!" Bolt's barked out at her which caused her to jump slightly but instead of turning her head and leaving as Bolt has hoped she walk toward him.

"Oh Nothing, you just look really familiar…sorry for staring, by the way my names Sasha LaFleur." Sasha extended a paw for Bolt to accept but he rudely refused.

"Trust me whoever you think I am I'm not…and never will be again." Bolt looked down and spoke the last half under his breath.

"Aww, come on things can't be that bad" Sasha replied she had indeed heard Bolt's last comment despite his mumbling.

"Ha! I'd beg to differ, how would you like it if everything that was Important to you was taken from right under that cute little nose of yours?" Bolt questioned

'Why am I even talking to this woman?' Bolt managed to think before Sasha's reply came.

"Well I suppose I wouldn't have much of a choice but to keep on living regardless of how much it hurts and no matter how long it takes before things get better." Sasha said this and at the same time sat down next to Bolt on the bench. "At least that's what my mate Charlie always says."

"Well Sasha, no offence, but I sounds to me like neither you nor your mate, Charlie, Have ever lost someone close to you." Bolt's somber reply was followed by turning his head away from her.

"Well how about this I'll tell you how I lost something and you tell me just what it is your so upset about" Sasha said this with a kind smile and Placed her paw on Bolt's shoulder.

"Jenna! I don't have time to discuss this!" Balto's worst fear had been realized. His explanation to Jenna about his predicament had dissolved into nothing more than a shouting match.

"Look, Jenna, the longer I stand here to discuss this the more time I give this whole situation to get worse." Balto sighed he realized Jenna was angry, not with him but with what he'd inadvertently gotten himself into.

As Balto stared at Jenna awaiting her obvious reply he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was, even while she was mad. Her crimson red fur that ran across her back accented by the cream on her front. While simply dressed in a black sweater and tan khaki pants, no shoes.

"You know, Balto, just…go" Jenna said looking away from Balto and stepping away from him.

'What? She gave up...okay something's wrong.'

"Look Jenna I'm sorry…sorry I have to put you through this but really this is important. Like I said if I ignore this it'll only get worse." Balto said walking up so he was directly behind his mate.

"I know Balto," Jenna said this and then turned to look Balto straight in the eyes. Her amber orbs ablaze as they met his golden eyes. "But…for me…make this the last one."

A smile played across Balto's face "Alright Jen, just for you when this is all over I'm through with this job, this position and the military."

'Good thing she didn't know I planned that as soon as I saw what Bolt did to that lab.'

Just then Balto and Jenna's son and daughter, Kodi and Aleu, came through the front door.

"Oh hey dad I didn't know you'd be home yet." Aleu said walking over to her father and giving him a toothy grin. Her well kept gray fur and bright blue eyes clearly showcased the wolf blood in her.

"Well I didn't expect to be home so early either, seems I've gotten myself into something I don't now that I can get out of." Balto said a little dejectedly looking back at his now 17-year old son and daughter, he thought back briefly to when they had both been young, there lives so carefree and simple, his life was carefree and simple.

"Why dad? What's wrong?" Kodi asked, his fur almost exactly like his mother's.

"Well, I don't have time to fully explain it but remember that show you two used to watch as pups, Bolt the Superdog?" Balto asked

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with you?" Aleu replied with her own question.

"Well long story short, he's become a government experiment and all those powers he had on T.V. only now it's my job to stop him." Balto didn't look at his children as he said this he stared passed them at the snow falling outside. The monumental task that he was faced with was beginning to wear on his emotions.

"Just use Styrofoam." Kodi said almost nonchalantly.

"Styrofoam? What in the hell is that gunna do?" Balto looked intently at his son as he said this.

"Oh yeah! Bolt's one weakness is Styrofoam he can't use his powers when he's in contact with it." Aleu said with a voice of realization.

Balto thought about this for a moment and remembered something Charlie had given him the other day. And for the second time that day he smiled.

"Kodi head upstairs and get that metal briefcase off my dresser and meet me outside by the jeep…I think I know exactly how to handle my problem" Balto turned to Jenna and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry Jen I've got it all figured out now."

With that Balto headed outside Kodi had by this time retrieved the briefcase and was following his father out.

"So dad…what's in this case any way" Kodi asked his father as Balto opened the trunk of the jeep revealing his .50 caliber sniper rifle.

"Well just open it up and we'll both find out" Balto said as Kodi gave him a strange look before placing the case down and opening it up revealing a large assortment of ammo clips each with a strange label.

"Uranium…explosive tip…ah here we go Styrofoam." Balto said as he lifted out the clip and loaded the weapon carefully.

"Why would the military develop a round made out of something as harmless as Styrofoam?" Kodi questioned the strangely convenient solution.

"Well your uncle Charlie gave these to me yesterday I think each one corresponds to a very specific situation" As Balto said this he thought of his fallen comrade and it made him realize this mission wasn't just for him but to avenge the death of his life long friend. "Well kiddo I've got to go take care of Bolt…so wish me luck."

"Oh come on dad you don't need luck I'm sure you can handle this!" Kodi said trying to reinvigorate his father's confidence in himself.

"Thanks son" Balto smiled at his son and then placed the gun back in the jeep. Balto closed the trunk and was ready to face off against an enemy he knew virtually nothing about.

'Let's hope this really works.'