Author's Note : Yeah, cliff hangers. Sorry, people. I didn't want that chapter to end there, but I had to go do something and wasn't going to be able to work on it the rest of the night. Hey, but cliff hangers leave you coming back for more! :D

~Chapter 13~

Bolt yawned, exhausted from the day's trips of hopping on and off trucks, cars, or any other passing vehicle that was on the road home.

Mittens seemed dead set on teaching Bolt 'how to become a regular dog'. At first, he had seemed doubtful at it, after realizing that he did not have powers and that he had missed five years of . . . well, everything.

They were at a little park, nothing more than a couple of swing sets and a metal slide that, in the heat, would probably burn you real bad. Rhino was off investigating, looking for anything evil.

Bolt sighed and was just about to walk over to the cat - who was grooming herself - when a black lab appeared from nowhere and started wagging his tail, getting in the playing gesture on his front paws. Bolt, wide eyed from the dog's sudden appearance, looked to Mittens for help.

With a roll of her eyes, but a smile on her face, she repeated the dog's position, motioning Bolt to do the same. When Bolt did, the other dog jumped up and ran a few feet, then waited for him. Curiously, Bolt glanced back at Mittens. She tossed her paw in the direction of the other dog, making Bolt smile and cahse after black lab.

They played tag for many rounds until the dog's owner came to the edge of the playground. "Buddy, here boy!"

Buddy wagged his tail at his owner and started to leave, but stopped and looked back at Bolt. "That was fun. Good luck, pup." And then, without another word, he ran to his owner, his lady. The white dog wagged his own tail and headed back to Mittens, but heard what Buddy's owner said before she left.

"Who did you make friends with, Budster?" she cooed, opening the van door for him to jump in. "Are y'all going to play next time, puppy wuppy?"

Bolt walked back over to Mittens, joy all over his furry face. "That . . . was really fun."

"You looked like a natural out there, Wags," said Mittens, returning his giddy look. "Nobody would ever guess that you hadn't ever done that."

"Thanks, Mitts."

"I wonder where the little rodent went off to?" Mittens got up and they walked around, looking for Rhino.

Mars didn't answer them but growled instead.

"How many more of Volt's agents are here?" Arrow said, narrowing his eyes. "I know Volt never likes to leave his dogs in packs less than five. So there has to be more of you, somewhere."

"If there was," Mars said. "I wouldn't tell you."

Rain, who had been right by Sypher's side, growled as well. "You think so, dog?"

"Yeah, I think so," said Mars, looking smug even though he had a dog on top of him. "We have been trained to withstand questioning. Nothing you do will make me answer your questions."

"You're just a little feisty one, ain't you?" Arrow smiled and looked at Sypher with a shrug. "Well, you heard what he said, Syph. I allow you to do anything and everything to him in attempt to get the information."

"Yes, sir!" Sypher grinned at Mars, who had started to panick because he knew that everything Volt had said about Arrow's top defense dog was true. That Sypher could do anything to him and it most likely would not end well for him.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Mars cried, struggling against the dog. "No, wait! I . . . I will tell you! Everything! Just - just don't hurt me!"

"That's what I thought." Sypher's grin disappeared and he faked disappointment. "Oh well, there is always next time."

"Hehe, yeah, ah he." Mars pretended to laugh, but rather sounded like a dying horse. "Good one."

Ignoring his last comment, Arrow bent down closer. "How many others are in this town, besides you? And how close is Volt to finding Bolt?"

"Th-there are eight others . . . besides me, in this town. We made camp at the shafts where Shikira was going t-to take you," the dog in front of Arrow's group was not the calm and charming dog that had talked to them when Shikira was present. This dog, right before them now, was obviously hiding secrets. Volt's secrets. "And . . . well, Shikira isn't one of us, and she doesn't know . . ."

"What about the last question?" Arrow cocked an eyebrow, sensing that there was something Mars wasn't telling them. "How close is Volt to finding Bolt?"

"Well, I mean, I really can't say, um . . ." Mars looked around as if trying to wish himself to be somewhere else. "I am not sure, Volt doesn't let us - as a really small pack - know that kind of information and well -"

At this point, Arrow got up, ignoring the dog's talk, sensing that this conversation was over. No matter what, Mars could not provide any useful information other than that there were other dogs here, Volt's dogs. They couldn't stay in this town, despite the tiredness of everyone.

"Sypher, let him up," Arrow said absently, thinking about many things at once. He looked only once at Mars again, just before the dog got up, and growled, "If you try and tell your other pals about us being here, you will certainly regret it. Now go!"

Mars sprinted away without a glance back, his tail tucked tightly.

"Arrow, we really need to go," Bing said, watching the dog run away. "He will tell his other mutts, you know that, and we need to leave before they come."

"Yes," said Arrow, shaking his head. "We need to continue on. Carter, you think you will be able to live through the rest of today?"

The Dalmatian sighed loudly, overdramatically. "I guess. As long as we can rest tonight, promise?"

"We will, Carter."

"Good! Let's go then!"

The sun felt so good on his back - a little warmer than usual, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a rather nice day in the backyard. A few birds were chirping peacefully, the wind was slightly blowing the leaves on the trees.

Buddy layed right outside his doghouse, his red and white doghouse with his blue feed bowl and a red chew toy that matched the color of his collar. He let out a sigh of content.

I have a good family, it is a beautiful day, month, season. And I found Bolt, finally, and was able to make sure he was safe. When Maria tells Arrow, they will be able to find him and make sure he makes it safely back. Buddy's eyes closed all the way, and he was almost asleep when something bumped his muzzle.

"What?" Buddy jerked up his muzzle in surprise, coming face to face with another dog his size, but a black color and an evil smirk on his face. "Wha-? Who are you?"

"You know why I am here," said the dog. "And you know who I am . . . or at least who I work for. And I know who you work for."

"Wait, what?" Suddenly, it all dawned on Buddy. "You're one of Volt's Dark Dogs, aren't you?"

"You got it correct, Buddy," the dog nodded his head in fake approval. "Now tell me this - where did Bolt go?"

Buddy jumped to his feet. "You think I would tell one of you? Volt's lackeys?"

"I can make you, if you want," he shrugged, making his tail stiff and rigid. "And anyway, Volt asks. I wouldn't turn it down, it I were you."

"Well, you're not me," Buddy said defiantly, taking a step back, closer to the house with his person inside. "And I will never give away the secrets of the dog who found me a home. Never."

"We will just see about that . . ." the dog said. In one swift motion almost too quick to see, he leapt on the black lab, growling and biting at him.

Buddy fought back and had a good chance but both dogs could tell from the beginning who the strongest of the two was. And it was not the black lab who owned the yard.

"You will regret this, regret ever being one of Arrow's dogs," Volt's agent had pushed Buddy down and wasn't letting him get up. "You will -"

"Get out of my yard, you disgusting scrap of a trashcan!" Buddy's owner came running from the backdoor with a broom in her hand, shaking it and yelling curses to the intruder. :Get off of my Buddy!"

The dog jumped up and ran away, jumping over the fence and onto the other side. Buddy's owner, in a flowery apron with baking powder all over it, ran over to check the him. He got up slowly, hurting but not as much as he thought he would.

"Oh, baby boy!"

Buddy let her search all over him, thinking one urgent thing over and over. Volt is getting closer and closer, every second counts . . .