.9.

At the same time Gin and Charon are travelling to Detroit, Gene and Val are navigating the lower curve of Lake Michigan, and have entered a small town in Michigan known as Benton Harbor.

Val sniffed the air, scanning various road signs. "East. Your little journey is supposed to take us east." "That's good, right? That means not too much longer?" The Saint Bernard mix huffed. "I don't know how you plan to find one dog in a city. There are probably hundreds of dogs, if not thousands, and who's to say how many are pit bulls."

Gene bumped into her shoulder. "You're kinda cranky today. Why is that?" She set her jaw, trying to look stern. "What does that have to do with the question at hand?" "I'unno, you just seem cranky today." He sniffed her. "And you smell real good all of a sudden!"

She shoulder-checked him. "Are you implying that I've smelled bad this entire trip?!" He stumbled. "Of course not, it's just that today you smell faaaaantastic!" "Yeah, well, don't go getting any ideas in that pointy little head of yours." "What? What kind of ideas?!"

"Ideas like - "

"HALT!" Three Siberian Husky mixes suddenly surrounded them. Their leader was larger, black-and-white in coloring. The one to his left was red-and-white, and the one to his right gold-and-white.

Val snorted. "What's this about? You own this raggedy-ass bunch of weeds?" The black-and-white dog grinned, eyes gleaming. "That's right. But for payment, we'll take that bitch in heat you're travelling with." He looked to his left. "See? That way even you get a shot, Troy!" The red-and-white bitch named Troy snapped at her the other dog: "Shut up, Stark, she's not even my type!" "Stark, Troy, can you two just...not?" The gold-and-white dog just sighed, completely exasperated. "Ugh, fine, Ranger." Stark refocused his gaze on Gene.

"How 'bout you, little lady? You wanna ditch this bruiser and come travel with in my pack?" Gene blinked. "I'm not a girl." He looked at Val. "But she is!" "Ah...s...she..." He looked from Val to Gene. "She."

"That's right, 'she', and if you say one more thing about it, I'll knock you so far into Lake Michigan you'll never resurface!" "Sorry to have taken your time, ma'am, sir." The three dogs began backing away into the weeds.

"Hey, wait!" Stark turned back. "What? We didn't say anything, don't hurt us!" "I don't wanna hurt you – and I won't let her, either." Val huffed pointedly. "Uh...Do you guys know where Detroit is?" Ranger snorted. Troy smacked him. "Shut it. He's not from here, he probably doesn't know." "Know what?" Val snapped. Stark lowered his head. "Well...Detroit's kind of a no-man's-land..."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" "Well, reports coming out aren't good. Word is, there's a big dog – bigger than you girlfriend -" Val grumbled. " - and his name is Bartleby. They say he's half Newfoundland, and half wolf – one of those big ones from the Upper Peninsula. Those who've escape say he's into some seriously weird shit – rituals and stuff."

Val huffed. "Sounds like made-up stories to scare puppies. But since you guys seem to know a lot about the Bartleby guy, and you're from the area...you're gonna take us there." Stark protested, "B...but! Bartleby..." Val got right in his face. "You three can go with us and show the way, or I'll see which on of you I can chuck halfway across the lake to Chicago!"

Grumbling and in fear for their lives, they agreed.

Night.

Val found Gene sitting on the roof of an abandoned house. Stark, Ranger and Troy slept below in a pile. "What are you doing up here?" "Huh? Oh, not much...Just watching the stars...Wondering..." "What are you wondering about?" "Where I came from. Y'know, I had to have had a life before I rescued Gin and hit my head."

Val was silent for a moment. "Well, wherever you came from, I'm glad you're in my life." He looked to her, shocked. "Valkyrie..." She smiled. "C'mon, this roof is gonna cave in any minute, especially if I'm up here."

The two dogs jumped back down, and began walking side-by-side, not in any direction in particular. Finally, they came to an abandoned building near the shore. Val lay down, looking up at the moon through the broken ceiling.

Gene hesitantly came and sat beside her. "You can lay down." He did as she said, and she smiled down at him. "You're a good guy, you know that, right?" She licked him on the nose as she said it. Gene couldn't speak, all he felt was an electric shock go through his body. Val smiled at him. "You're a weird little guy, but you'd make an excellent father."

Gene was getting it now. He leaned his head against Val's. The two dogs lay there for a moment, heads pressed together, before Val got up, heading for the beach. Wordlessly, Gene followed.

====

It was before dawn when Gin and Charon passed into the city of Hamtramck. Unbeknownst to them, they'd been followed ever since they'd crossed into Royal Oak.

Exhausted, they sought shelter in an abandoned factory. About 30 minutes, after they'd settled down, Charon suddenly got up. He seemed extremely agitated, turning and peering into corners that were still dark.

Gin got up as well, staying back-to-back with Charon. Enough light finally hit the building that they could see what had made Charon so nervous.

Dogs.

Dogs hung by leash, rope or chain, their desiccated corpses hung on every surface available. Some were completely skeletonized, others only partially. Some looked fresh, their bellies ripped open and stuffed with feathers and rocks.

Charon tried to growl, but no sounds came out, so Gin growled for the both of them. Charon turned, looking at Gin, eyes pleading. If there's a fight, run. You need to protect those pups – I don't care if they're mine or Riot's, you have to protect them!

Sure enough, from various corners, ragged-looking dogs appeared, some with feathers woven into their coats, or scarred in specific areas. Still others were covered in blood as body paint.

They chuckled, low and menacingly, as Charon shoved Gin away with his head. RUN! I'll meet up with you again, don't worry! I...I love you...

Tears streaming from her eyes, Gin complied, and in the background, she could hear a battle raging. She ran without looking back.

Unbeknownst to her, a large figure had watched her escape, a cruel grin curling over his muzzle as as left his perch to go 'meet' Charon.