I'm a little disappointed that no one has responded to the previous chapter, but I might as well submit this one now.

"Well, let's go," urged Hunter.

Alan hesitated. "I don't know if I can do this," he admitted.

"Don't worry," Exile assured him. "Everything will be dokee-okee."

"He's right," added Hunter. "I know he'll be glad to see you."

"But what could I say, after disappearing for all these years and not even letting him know I was okay?"

"Just go," urged Blitz.

Colleen patted him on the shoulder. "We'll go in ahead of you and get him ready for ya. You just wait here."

The Rovers entered the briefing room, except for Shag who stayed behind with Alan. "Master," Hunter announced. "We completed our mission."

Professor Shepherd looked shaken. "Was it… was it a success?"

"You bet-ski," grinned Exile. "Missing man is fit as rain, right as a fiddle."

The professor wiped his forehead. "Thank God for that," he whispered. Then for the first time he seemed to notice Shag's absence. "Where is Shag?"

"Ah, he's with a friend we picked up," Hunter replied. "He'll be off his feet for a couple of days, but we thought you might want to talk to him in the meantime."

Right on cue, Shag came in with the object of their discussion. Alan hobbled forward on his crutches to the man who stood there, first his eyes and then his arms wide open. "Dad," he choked slightly.

"Alan!" The Master threw his arms around his son, supporting him as the crutches clattered to the floor. Tears trickled from his eyes as he embraced the younger man. "I... I thought I'd never see you again."

Exile wiped an eye too, then broke down bawling and fell onto the nearest Rover, Hunter. "Oh, it is so, so moving!" he cried.

Colleen stepped in to pat the husky on the back. "There, there, guvnuh."

"Aren't happy endings the best?" asked Hunter.

"Sheesh, talk about mushy," grumbled Blitz.

"Shhh!" hissed the other Rovers.

They stared on at the two Shepherds, who were clearly oblivious to the exchanges. The Rovers quietly slipped out, leaving father and son to be by themselves.

"Well, it's time to do that thing again," Hunter said after they had closed the door to the briefing room.

"What thing is that?" asked Exile.

"You know, the thing we always do after a mission," replied Colleen.

Exile slapped his forehead. "Oh, dah! I completely forgot-ski."

Hunter pumped a fist in the air. "To the power of the pack!"

"ARROOOOOO!!!"

Half a world away, a huge metal object emerged from the snow. Drills whirring, a battered-but-running tank emerged from the snow.

"They th-th-think they've won," glowered Parvo inside, chattering with cold, "But like the Phoenix f-f-from the ashes, we shall r-r-r-rise again!"

"What about the yetis?" asked Groomer, arms wrapped tightly around herself for warmth.

Parvo started to answer, then broke down coughing. "Lozenge!" he cried.

Groomer fired one into his mouth, and he rolled it around his tongue a moment before answering. "We can t-take care of those walking fur coats l-l-later," he grumbled. "All I want is to finish off those miserable Ro-o-achoo!" his words ended in a violent sneeze. Wiping his nose, he added, "Right after we get the heater fixed."

For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Luke 15:24