.12.

Several weeks passed. There was no sign of Bartleby and his pack. Gin's pups were growing, learning to walk and talk, which was driving Ranger up the wall. The pups always seemed to flock to him. It became a common sight to see him bolting across the building, excited pups in hot pursuit.

They'd been named. The black female was Chess. The male who looked like Gin, Dodge. The red brindle male, Rook. And finally, the small brown and white female was named Gina. "After her uncle, of course," Gin had told Gene.

Gene doted on the pups. He let them crawl all over him, biting his ears, feigning horror as they "attacked" him. Val watched all this with a relaxed smile. He's going to be an excellent father.

But the period of quiet came to an abrupt halt. Troy had come back from a scavenging trip. "Four….four blocks away, in an alley. A dog...crucified upside down…"

Gene had left with her, to see it with his own eyes. He'd come back, his expression grim. "It was a female pit bull. She looked a lot like you, Gin." He pressed his head against Gin's, eyes shut tightly.

"I don't want you to leave. Not until Bartleby's dead. I can't lose you. Not again." "I won't, Gene."

"Stark."

"Yeah, Gene?"

"I need you to go into Canada with me." "Canada?!" "We need dogs who haven't been brainwashed or forced under threat of death into Bartleby's service. He has an iron grip on Detroit, but there's still a chance over the border."

The Sibe nodded. "When do we leave?" "Before dawn. We'll cross that big bridge." "Understood."

-

The sun began to peek over the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the city.

Val got up with them. She stood there, head pressed against Gene's for a long while.

"Be careful." "I will."

He turned away, then turned back.

"I love you. We'll be back by tonight." "I love you, too."

The two dogs took off at a brisk trot, quickly leaving their sanctuary. "Gene." "Yes?" Stark turned his head to look at him. "You think this will work?"

He was silent for a moment. "It has to. We need more dogs to even have a chance.". Stark was silent for another few moments.

"Where will our fight take place?" "I don't know, but…". He stopped, and slowed. "There. That's where Bartleby dies.*

He gestured with his nose towards the enormous, abandoned Michigan central station. "There? How are you going to even get him there?"

Gene narrowed his eyes. "I challenge him in a fight to the death." "A fight to the-?!" The other dog shook his head. "I won't- I mean Val won't allow it!"

His gaze flicked over to Stark. "That's the only way this is going to end. That's why we need more dogs, to break through his line of defense."

"And what did you mean by you won't allow it?" "All I meant was, I'd rather you not die." "You threatened to throw me off the roof a few weeks ago." "Only because I care!"

He began moving again, Stark sticking to his flank. They were on approach to the bridge. Without looking back, Gene spoke.

"We're being followed."

"I'm aware. How many you sense?"

"At least four. Think we can take 'em?"

"Possibly."

They broke into a dead run. They could hear angry snarls behind them, as their pursuers gave chase. Nearing the middle of the bridge, they turned. The dogs all went for Gene, ignoring Stark.

Stark snarled, shoving his way into the pile. "Fight fair, you cowards! Fight me, too!". In response, a Bloodhound mix kicked him square in the face, and out of the fray.

Undaunted, he leapt back in, and pulled Gene out. The Toller mix was battered and bloody. Stark bolted, but was soon overtaken by the four dogs.

A German Shepherd stepped forward. "Be a good dog. Hand him over."

"Stark….run….Let me go…." Tears sprang to Stark"s eyes. "I won't!" "That's an order! As your leader-!" "NO!"

Stark looked around, trying to find a solution. Then, he saw it. "Gene…." The other dog began struggling. "Let go of me, Stark!" "Gene, I...I love you…" "Wait, what?! Why are you confessing things to me?!"

"Because!" Stark flung him over the bridge railing. "I won't be able to say it when I'm dead!"

Gene screamed. "STARK! GODDAMMIT, WHY?!" Stark now turned to face the four dogs. They piled on him, inches away from the traffic that was beginning to pick up on the bridge.

Sorry, Gene. I couldn't let you be the one to die. You've got a wife and kids on the way. He grinned as he snarled and slashed at the dogs. I did mean what I said. Sorry I was such an asshole so much of the time. Maybe in another lifetime…

He picked up on the list rumble of an 18-wheeler. His eyes flashed. The dogs clung to him. So. This is the way it ends. He gathered all his strength, and lunged forward, taking them all directly under the wheels.

The was searing pain, a bright flash of light overtook his vision, then Stark knew nothing more.

-

Gene blacked out halfway through his descent. He was completely unaware when his body impacted another dog.

The other dog, a Saluki mix, gasped, bobbed underwater, and let go of the fish he was holding. "Oh. Oh, goddammit!"

Then he noticed that the thing that had hit him was another dog, who was rapidly sinking. He dove down, and grabbed the other dog by the neck. "C'mon, you."

Slowly, he began paddling back to shore. A Great Dane met him there, laying next to a dented bucket full of fish.

"That's not a fish, Saul." "I know, Lono. He fell on me." "Fell on you?" "Yeah, from the bridge."

The Dane was quiet. "Sounds like an issue with Bartleby's pack." "I'm so sick of that asshole. I hope someone kills him." "And then what? He doesn't cross the border. We could get someone even worse."

Saul dropped Gene. "What makes you think he won't start when his pack gets big enough? And how can you get worse than a ritualistic nutbag?!" Lono was silent. "I don't like war."

The Saluki mix gestured towards Gene. "I think war might have just fallen on me." He stepped forward, licking Lono's muzzle. "We'd better get back. I'll get the fish. You carry him."

The two set off, Gene still unconscious.

-

Night came for Gene's pack. Worried, Val had sent Troy and Ranger off to see if they were on their way back. Val stayed with Gin, fearful of what news might come back.

Stark's siblings had returned, crying. "Blood. So much blood and mangled flesh…". Troy had to stop so she could vomit. "Their scent was all over the area. But Gene...We couldn't find his body."

Val stood there, staring at the floor, tears streaming down her face, biting her lip so hard it drew blood. She began breathing heavily, then suddenly whipped around. "I'll kill him!"

The two Sibes and Gin rushed forward, stopping her. "Val! He could still be alive! He could have made it to Canada!"

Val screamed, fighting them. They kept holding her back, until she finally sank to the ground, sobbing angrily.

She eventually fell asleep, emotionally exhausted. Troy and Ranger fell asleep near her.

Gin remained awake. Her pups slept next to her. Her mood darkened, and she made up her mind. One by one, she picked up her pups, and placed them by Val's side.

She turned to leave.

"Mommy?"

She turned back. Her smallest, Gina, was sitting up. "Where are you going?" Gin opened her mouth, than shut it. She shut her eyes. "I have to help your uncle Gene.". She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Why?" She pressed her head to her daughter's. "You'll understand when you're older. Go back to sleep, dear."

The puppy laid back down. "I love you, mommy." "I love you, too."

Turning away, Gin ran off into the night, the only thing on her mind being to kill Bartleby.