Dog Days of Summer
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N:
Chapter 21 (The Deadline Approaches)
As the days passed Tori grew more and more interested in the intricate tunnels created by Raul, but nobody wanted to explore them with her. Aside from those tunnels, the possibility of being a dog forever now weighed heavily on all of their minds.
On what must have been the last day of the month, Trina was excited that Jason was returning home with the money to purchase a new deed to the farm. Tori could not be happier for her sister, but that joy was fleeting for her. "What are we going to do now?" Jade asked while sitting beside Tori and Beck on the porch. "We've spent so much time helping with the farm, that now we don't even have time to figure out how to be human again."
"There must be something we've been missing," Beck replied with a firm and tired voice. "It can't just be so simple."
Tori rolled her head to the side and glanced up as Trina walked out the front door. "I don't know guys. I remember the last thing Shadow told me was to follow my instincts."
"Where have those been leading you?" Jade's eyebrow rose and her voice grew terse. "All you've been concerned with was wanting to explore those tunnels."
"I know." She glanced over her shoulder and into the distance with a deep frown. In her heart she knew something important was down there. Clarence used to tell stories about the 'family treasure', whatever that was. In time she thought he was always referring to the pets and animals buried inside those tunnels. "There's something there, calling to me."
"Yeah, that doesn't sound freaky at all. It's the last day of the curse, and only Trina's shown any concern for any of us." A car pulled up in front of the house. Tori stood up and watched as Cat and Robbie stepped outside. Jade whined and bowed her head. "I just wish that I could try and talk to Cat, tell her I'm sorry for making her feel like she wasn't valued." Jade laid on her stomach and her mouth flaps flew out with a huff. "She is a good friend, they all are."
"Yeah." Beck jumped off the porch and walked over to Robbie. He looked up and shook his tail, catching the man's attention. Robbie reached down and gently pat Beck on the head.
"Hey boy, Ophelia is doing just fine." Beck let out a joyous bark and looked over his shoulder at the girls.
"At least I did something right." He lifted his head up and beamed with pride. "I'd like to go hunting with Robbie again some time, it's fun." Tori looked to Jade and snickered when she saw her eyes wide with horror. Beck laughed and threw on an innocent smile. "I promise not to fight any packs of coyotes or bears, Jade."
"I hope you guys haven't resigned yourselves to being dogs." Her friends glanced at her with suspicion. Tori stood up and watched as Trina led Robbie and Cat off to talk to them. "I mean we still have today."
Beck returned to the porch and sat in front of her. "Tori what else is there?" Her eyes dipped down and she started to shrug. "We all regret treating our friends like doormats, we all want to be better people and stuff like that. Hell, out of my own desire to help, I helped rescue Robbie's sister."
"True," Jade sighed heavily and turned her eyes to the corners. "And I was the one that managed to get Sam and Cat to talk about Madame Fontane…and to tell Trina how you'd been feeling lately." Tori closed her eyes and smiled softly, she'd already figured out it had to be Jade.
"I should thank you for that too because at least I think I can talk to Trina, but only if I ever end up being human." They'd all done something to help each other and doing selfless acts, there was nothing left to do. "Well, if we're going to be stuck as dogs, maybe we should go ahead and try to find that land deed?"
"We don't know the first place to start looking, Tori. If I could help your sister keep this farm, I would, but we'd have to figure out where your grandpa put that deed. If Grandpa Clarence and your sister couldn't find it after all this time, what makes you think that we could?"
"I don't know, but we have to try something. Even if we never found it, then Trina would have to move off the farm-we'd all be going separate ways probably." The door flap sounded off behind them and they looked to see Ares now seated nearby.
"You pups worry far too much," He responded, "If you want to look for it, then look. It's got to be somewhere on the farm, does it not?" Certainly it would be, and if it was ever found, then she would suggest putting it in a safety deposit box. "Jason will be buying the land. Did Trina not say his plane touched ground an hour ago?"
"Then why isn't he here yet?" Beck inquired. It was a good question considering Jason had yet to arrive. The airport itself was only twenty minutes away. "If he's not here when those businessmen and Mr. Vega show up…"
"He'll be here," Tori stated abruptly. "He has to be. He wouldn't let Trina down."
"Yeah, he doesn't seem the time to let anyone down. Voluntarily at least." Beck furrowed his brow and looked towards Trina. The girl had a worried expression on her face and was being comforted by Cat and Robbie. "She's even looking distressed. I wonder if Jason is okay."
"I'm sure he's fine." The only other issue was that Clarence's health was so far depleted that he was no longer able to deal with matters regarding his farm, and he'd left Trina as the caretaker. "If those men come by, then they'll pressure Trina into signing over that deed. Especially since this is the deadline Dad gave her. But if Jason's here, that won't be an issue. He'll be here."
Jade smirked at her and tilted her head to the right. "Well if not, you can always pee on their shoes again." Tori cleared her throat as Beck and Jade snickered, still unable to contain themselves over having heard that story.
"I had to go to the bathroom. I was pissed with those men. Therefore, I pissed on the guy's shoe. So what?"
"You've got more guts than I've given you credit for, that's for sure."
"Thanks." Tori hopped off the porch and walked over to Trina, curious what she was discussing with Cat and Jade. Before she got a chance to hear anything, the sound of an engine ripped through the air, stilling her heart.
Jade and Beck walked over, muttering about the cars. Tori whined at her father's police cruiser driving into the farm with the businessmen car directly behind his. "No," Trina muttered, "We need more time." Tori's stomach twisted as the two cars came to a stop.
Tori took note that only the brunette businessman was in the second car. When she took a step towards it, she heard Beck comment on the same fact. David closed his car door and frowned at his daughter. "Where is Jason?"
"I don't know," Trina answered, "He was supposed to be here by now. He's not answering his phone." She was grasping her cell tightly in her hand and glancing down at it with a tense expression. "I'm worried about him."
"That's a shame," the businessman asked while sliding his hands to his waist. "I don't suppose you've located the imaginary deed to the land yet?" Trina snapped her eyes up with a dangerous growl.
"I'm a little more concerned about my fiancé right now. Where's the other guy?"
"Chad stopped off at a nearby gas station to grab a snack, said he wanted to walk the rest of the way."
David raised an eyebrow at the man and folded his arms across his chest. "That's peculiar. Anyhow, don't harass my daughter." David walked over to Trina and put his hand to her shoulder. Her eyes moved up to his and her hand trembled around the phone. "I'm sure Jason's going to be just fine. Do you want to wait a little longer for him to get here? I can head out and try to find him if you want, the farm ownership isn't as important if you're concerned about him."
A putrid stench filled the air and Tori snapped her gaze over to see the second businessman walking up. His hair was a mess and his clothing ruffled. "Looks like Chad's here," she spat out. "Definitely been walking, he smells like sweat."
"Well it is hot out," Jade answered.
Chad spread his arms out as he approached the group. "Daniel, have you bought the land yet?" Tori growled and quickly perched herself in front of him. The man glanced down at her and shuddered. "It's that mutt again."
David turned with a chuckle and scratched the back of his head. "I don't know, I think that dog knows what she's doing." Tori pushed her chest forward and shook her head while leaning it back. As she looked around her, she saw Beck sniffing around Daniel and Chad's car. "Anyhow. Chad, Daniel, my daughter's fiancé is missing so we're going to have to wait a little bit. See if he shows up."
Chad dropped his hands and raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding?" Tori wanted to mock him, but seeing as though he wouldn't even realize she was, there was no point in doing so. "We came all this way to purchase that deed, we're not waiting any longer." David raised his eyebrows and his lips parted as he turned towards the man.
Daniel lifted his hand and quickly cleared his throat. "Chad relax. If the officer wishes to wait a few minutes, that's fine. We've nothing to worry about."
"There is still a chance my daughter's fiancé has purchased a new deed to the land as it is. If that's the case, it's better to wait for him rather than proceed without him."
Trina looked to her father with a surprised look on her face. She rose up and stood next to him, smiling as she wiped her eyes. "Thanks dad. I wouldn't expect that from you." Tori was shocked as well, but happy that her father was starting to be on the side of his daughter. Then again, anyone who saw how these businessmen were probably wouldn't want to be on their side anyway.
She turned her attention back to Beck, who was halfway into the businessmen's car. "What are you doing over there?" He poked his head out and replied with a grunt. His nostrils twitched and his eyes darted over to Ares.
"Ares! Come here!"
As Ares responded to Beck, Daniel let out a protest. "Keep your dogs out of my car! I just had the seats vacuumed last week." As he started towards them, Beck bared his teeth, causing Daniel to retreat.
"Now what's the hassle?" David slid his hands into his pockets and tucked his thumbs over his belt. He watched curiously as Beck hopped out of the car and began to sniff the air. "Looks like he's onto something." Ares sniffed the ground and quickly lifted his head, growling immediately at Chad.
"Aw shit," Chad dropped his shoulders and moved his hand up to his forehead. "Why is it every mutt around here has something against me? I don't have food, turn away."
"Beck," Ares growled, "Get him." Tori raised an eyebrow and Jade stood up, watching as she curled her eyebrows inwards. With a ferocious howl, Beck charged forward. Chad turned to run, screaming as Beck lunged forward and bit into his shirt sleeve.
"Rover! Ares!" Trina ran to grab Beck, but Ares darted in front of her, preventing access. "What are you doing?"
"Trina relax," David rubbed his chin and curved the right corner of his lip upwards. "I've seen this sort of response at the K9 training grounds. Strange that a stray German Shepherd would act this way though. Maybe he's had prior training?"
As Chad lay on the ground, Beck searched him with his nose, stopping just over his back jean pocket. There was a piece of cloth tucked into the pocket, with a silver bar hanging loosely off it. Trina caught a glimpse and started walking towards it. Her body began to tremble as she reached for the torn cloth.
"How did this get here?" Trina held up the cloth and studied it with widening eyes. "This is part of Jason's uniform!" Chad looked up and David moved his arms across his chest.
Tori froze and looked over to Beck with great concern. If that was truly Jason's uniform, then where was Jason? The cloth looked as though someone purposely stuffed it there. "I wouldn't know how that got there," Chad proclaimed.
"I've got his scent," Beck spoke lowly and started to smell the torn cloth. "Oh yeah." He chuckled nervously while his nose twitched. "Same smell Jason had that night I got stuck in the bedroom. One hell of a powerful cologne. A little bit of Gillette aftershave, and Old Spice shampoo."
David started towards Chad, but stopped as Beck began sniffing the man's body. "The scent's all over this guy." Beck snapped his head up and started to bark at David. Ares stepped beside him and looked over questionably.
"You think you might be able to track him down?"
"Yeah, I can smell it trailing off. Wherever Chad came from, that's where Jason's at. They're trying to keep him from buying the land, I'm sure of it."
"All right," David grabbed Chad from the ground and began walking towards his patrol car. He paused and pointed to Daniel, who was frozen in place. "Both of you get your asses over here. You're going to explain what and if you had anything to do with Jason, but first I'm locking you up in the back of this car until everything's situated."
"Sir," Daniel chuckled nervously and motioned to Beck, "It's just a dog going insane."
"There are reason German Shepherds are used on the K9 squads." David pushed them into the back of his car and turned to Beck. "Okay boy, if you're smelling Jason, lead on." He extended his hand to Trina and opened his palm. "Give me that cloth piece, it'll help him regain the scent if he loses it."
As Trina did so, Tori felt a shift in the energy around her followed by Jade's shuddering breath. "T-Tori, if you could come over here please?" Tori saw her friend standing at the edge of the house, looking around the corner.
"What's going on?" Tori started towards Jade, then stopped when she saw the glimpse of an elderly man with olive skin and curly grey hair. Beside him stood Clarence, and in between the men was Shadow. "No, grandpa Clarence is-"
"He passed just recently," answered Shadow's voice. "Beside us is Raul, and behind us…" Tori's ears ached as the sounds of various animals pierced them. She clenched her eyes and groaned as a variety of spirits appeared, each guarding something that lay within.
"Tori, I think they want us to go into those tunnels," Jade groaned. "Why? What's down there?"
"I don't know…" She looked over her shoulder and watched Beck and Ares take off with David in pursuit. Robbie and Cat informed Trina they'd go out and try to look around for Jason as well on the chance that maybe he was wandering around somewhere. Daniel and Chad were now sitting in the back of David's patrol car, arguing with one another. "I hope Trina's going to be okay."
She didn't want to leave Trina alone out here, but whatever reason these spirits were guiding her to the tunnels for seemed of grave importance. She took a deep breath and hurried towards the cavern entrance, instructing Jade to follow.
So Jason's missing and all the dogs are headed out for one last hurrah. Let's hope they can all find what they're looking for.