Author's Note : Thank you, people, for reviewing! It helps to hear people's critiques, which are very important to me. And as we move on to another chapter, I hope you find this one as enjoyable. Hehe.

...

~Chapter 10~

Sypher, across the street from Bolt's house, looked up and down the calm road. There was no sign of anyone.

The only light came from the few street lights and covered lightbulbs attached to some of the houses. Shadows reigned, the glow unable to dispel them, a great hiding place for any of Volt's agents.

Narrowing his eyes, he started across the street, stopping when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Sypher's heart skipped for a moment, a thousand thoughts and possibilities of who might be there.

He turned around slowly, taking in a deep breath and preparing for anything that could happen, be it the best of the worst.

There was a dog, standing in the shadows behind him, hidden but for a gray colored muzzle and the tips of his paws. He was nearly Sypher's height, about as tall as Volt was, btu Sypher could see nothing else.

Neither made a move or said anything.

"Well, well, well," The dog chuckled, his voice faintly familiar. "Is this my luck or what?"

Before the dog even stepped out from the shadows, Sypher's eyes had already widened. He gasped in surprise at who was standing not but a few feet away from him, smiling as if he was amused by Sypher's reaction.

"Surprised?" Rain shrugged, now almost fully visible by taking a step forward. "Honestly, Sypher, what are you doing out at this time of night? Taking an evening stroll?"

Rain patiently waited as Sypher, still in surprise and shock, registered what he had said. In a matter of moments, Sypher quickly deduced that Rain had not changed much in the past months that they had been apart, in appearance, mainly. He still had his distinct, stormy colored pelt with eyes that looked as though they reflected storm clouds. The only change was that the ever-constant paw-cam that used to be on one of his front paws was gone, replaced with a small black computer box with a V on the top.

"Rain," Sypher turned his head to the side, staring at the other dog with a dread. "What - what are you doing out here? You . . ."

Rain looked up to the night sky as if to ponder his question, as if he had to give it some thought in order to answer. "Well, the thing is, Syph, I kind of have a job to do. And while you know I would love to sit and catch up and maybe even go a few rounds with you, I have to get going."

Sypher glanced down again at the new, different device on Rain's paw. It might have looked new on his paw, but it was something that Sypher had seen numerous times in his life. V for Volt. And on the band that was holding it on his leg, Sypher knew that it had the initials V.A.D.D. Volt's Allegiance of Dark Dogs.

"Rain." Sypher started, looking around behind him so that he was sure the street was empty. "Rain, you -? You work for Volt?"

"Exactly," Rain looked around with a wide smile. "Give the dog a prize!"

Sypher stared at him, narrowing his eyes. After more than half a year, after that long of missing and thinking of him every single day, they met again, but in the worst way imaginable.

Because Rain was obviously on his way to do something bad to Bolt, to do something that Volt had ordered him to. And Sypher had been on his way to protect Bolt from any of Volt's minions, even if it meant a fight. He had raced to the neighborhood with that in mind, but now, as he stood face to face with his once-friend, he wasn't sure he would be able to do that.

"Well, it was great seeing you again, old pal," Rain stepped to the side, going to walk around the other dog. "Maybe our paths will cross again soon. But as for now, I must complete my mission."

Sypher, in one smooth motion, moved and blocked his way to Bolt's house again. He might not be able to hurt Rain, but he was not going to let him get across the street.

Rain's smile faltered for half a second as he stared into Sypher's eyes, but when it returned, Sypher could see that the other dog was ready for a challenge. The way Rain always had been, whenever they came across something unnormal.

"Let me guess, Syph," said Rain, glancing past him. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

"And let you complete your mission, which I am sure has something to do with Bolt?"

Rain nodded. "Quite right. But if you're not . . ."

Sypher growled low, returning Rain's challenging look. "I'm not letting you. I don't know what has changed you in these past six months, but you are not going through with Volt's plans."

"As if you know them," The smile vanished from Rain's face, leaving behind something between a scowl and a snarl. "I bet you didn't even expect Master Volt to go to such lengths, especially as far as knocking out the entire S.S.A.O.N.A system."

This didn't surprise the Cattle Dog, who had already known as much as soon as it had happened, whether he had been able to place the feeling or not at the time. Now he knew, there was actual proof from one of Volt's own agents - he couldn't see this dog as Rain, not the Rain he had known - that is was one of the dark dog's projects.

Narrowing his eyes, Rain leaned forward and said, "Move."

"I'm not moving."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Bring it."

...

Bolt had started to drift off to sleep, after Rhino had found a romantic drama that he was growing quite attached to. Not that it was late, but Bolt found himself pulled into sleep as soon as he had closed his eyes.

He wasn't sure what made his eyes come open in a hurry, several minutes later, but he felt that something was not right. Something around him, not in the house, but near.

He lifted his head to see Rhino staring at the TV, transfixed, and then Mittens on the top of the couch, grooming her fur. He felt his heartbeat start to go faster, harder than normal.

Bolt stood up, but it didn't feel like he was controlling his body. It was like an outward force was, an instinct, a feeling. He couldn't ignore it, and he wasn't going to.

"Bolt, you going somewhere?" Mittens asked, staring down at him. "Or just, you know, stretching your legs and trying to get interested in this horribly done television show?"

Bolt smiled and shrugged, not sure what to say, not even sure what he was going to do about this feeling that was telling him to follow an invisible line to some unknown ending. Maybe it was just a random feeling, but he couldn't help being curious as to what was at the end of the line.

"Mittens," He started, jumping off the couch. "I'm going to go for a little walk outside, in the yard or something."

"Outside?" Mittens looked out the window behind her at the darkness, the shadows outside. "At this hour?"

"I just need some fresh air."

She considered for a couple of seconds before nodding her head. "Fine, but don't go out of the yard. You hear me, dog? Not out of the yard."

"Yes, ma'am," Bolt grinned and walked out of the room, heading outside.

The moment has was outside, he went to the gate and unlocked the easy latch, making sure once more that Mittens was not watching him from anywhere. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, Bolt instantly saw two dogs across the street, nearly in the shadows. The one facing him, a darker colored dog with a snarl on his face, was unfamiliar, but the other dog looked a lot like . . .

Bolt looked both ways before crossing the street, not wanting to happen what had happened with Sypher and him. Trotting up to the two dogs, his suspiscion on who the dog turned away from him was confirmed. Sypher was glaring at the other dog.

Almost at the same time did the two dogs realize Bolt was coming up to them, and both were equally surprised, staring at Bolt as he walked forward. But then Sypher's expression changed to a mix between challenging and annoyed. Annoyed, for a reason he couldn't guess, at Bolt.

"Sypher?" Bolt asked, turning between the two as he came to a stop. "What are you doing out here?"

A moment before Sypher returned his look from the gray dog back to Bolt. His voice was unusually sharp. "I was just walking around and I saw my friend, and we were just having a conversation."

Bolt glanced at the unknown dog.

"Ah, you must be Bolt," The dog said, a sickeningly fake smile starting on his face. "What a pleasant surprise, Sypher has told me so much about you."

Now confused, Bolt looked questioningly at Sypher.

"Bolt, this is Rain," Sypher said, staring at the unknown dog only. "An aquaintance of mine."

Slowly, the white dog nodded his head, understanding. "Hi, Rain. I'm Bolt. Well, as you already know."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Bolt," Rain said, but something about the way he spoke made Bolt start to feel uncomfortable at this meeting. He tried not to show it, but when he saw Rain sneak a delighted glance at the Sypher, and Sypher give him a small snarl, he knew something wasn't right.

"Bolt, what are you doing out here? I thought that you'd be inside while your owners are gone," He was trying to sound normal, but Bolt could detect something else. "I didn't think Mittens would let you oout of the house without her supervision."

Bolt grinned. "She's getting better at letting me go where I want to go, when I want to go, without having to constantly watch over me." The small look disappeared when he saw the two dogs glance again at each other. "So, yeah . . . I had better go back in before Mittens finds out that I am no longer in the yard."

He was glad when a look of slight relief came over Sypher's face, even if it was small. Rain's, however, did not look pleased or delighted anymore, but rather something Bolt couldn't place. He wasn't sure what to think, but he knew that the invisible line that had pulled him from the house had ended at the two dogs.

He didn't want to leave them, sensing something below the surface that wasn't very pleasant, but he also did not want to stay and make Sypher any more annoyed than he was.

Should I go, should I stay? What is going on? Who is Rain, and why does Sypher seem so ... tense? What's going on?

...

Volt was watching the three dogs from a screen, a good distance away from Bolt's house, snarling as he waited for Rain to make his move. He knew that the gray dog was stronger than most, very possibly stronger than even Sypher. And at this point, he was stronger than Bolt, who did not even know what was going on.

He wanted to hurry things up, to get Rain to get rid of that irritating Sypher and kidnap Bolt, so that his plan to could be one step closer to complete. Even watching his younger brother during times like this made Volt's blood broil and simmer, the edge of explosion. He wanted to go directly to Bolt, not having agents do it, and activate his plan immediately.

And then the disasters would begin and all chaos would ensue.