Sorry for the late update; I had to help my family get down our decorations. Here's chapter 5.
"Bed, pups!"
There were groans from the pups, but Rubble gratefully went into his room.
"Can't we play fetch a second longer?" whined Marshall, eying the ball.
"Guys, we need to rest," said Chase calmly. "Axton could be anywhere, and we need to be ready." He was looking at Rocky as he said this, who looked away and started trotted off to his room. Slowly they all went in to their rooms.
"Thanks," Ryder said, relieved, as he, too, walked to his room. Chase heard, by the sound of his creaking mattress, that he had retired.
The dog wasn't sleepy, and yet he wanted to rest.
And wherever was Axton?
"They're all tied up, sir."
"And knocked out cold?"
"Yes, Master."
Thank you, Humdinger. And when they awake, we will kill them." Axton let out a high, mirthless laugh that could've woken up the entire village—but he dare not.
Evil has its limits.
"And, do the the others know about it?"
"No, sir. I've taken their communication devices."
"Thank you. And are the Sweets here?"
"Coming, sir. Yes, Cousin, come...ah." The mayor smiled gleefully as the Sweets all sat in front of Axton, in age order, their eyes full of evil as they determined to kill the PAW Patrol.
"Sweetnum, go to the palace and pretend to be their friend. Pretend to help the pups to find Sweetie, and then attack. Chase first. Then we'll show that ugly McAttention these guys"— Axton gestured to the fallen PAW Patrol pups —"and he'll have to help us get the others. Then I pretend to apologize and then—wham, we kill 'em."
"Perfect sir," saiid Sweetins, the second-youngest.
"Yes, and I have hidden a map in a secret room in the castle. You know how to get there, just check the map hidden in your clothes with your weapons. But before getting them there, check with me. That will only be when you cannot attack them, no matter what you try. The fake map will lead the PAW Patrol to a warehouse with more powerful weapons inside. But don't kill them; I want to do the job. Just tranquilize them and get them here. If that doesn't work, just let them go back to the castle.
"If you fail even at the warehouse, Sweetnum, I will send Sweetest with you. It is only fair, as she is second oldest," he barked at Sweeter, who had growled and started to object. The Terrier shrank down at once. "Thank you. Sweetnum, call yourself Cruz Atkinson. Show romantic feelings to Chase, so Rocky will feel like he can't have Chase. Now leave, Sweetnum." Axton waved the Terrier out.
The Terrier left, and Evil rejoiced.
Chase groaned as the timer went off. He quickly changed with the others and headed out.
"Sweetie?!" Rocky cried.
It was a Terrier that had remarkable resemblance to their unknown fiend. He was in the arms of Ryder, but it wasn't really her.
"I'm Cruz, Cruz Atkinson," he said in a heavily accented voice. "I got lost on my way to escape the pound. And I know that Sweetie is gone, and you're helping the royals find her. So...can I help?"
"We do need some help," Chase said slowly.
"He's okay..." Rex said apprehensively.
"Can you handle gear?" asked Ryder.
"Oh, yes," said Cruz, his eyes shining. "I used to watch construction workers, and I kind of learned how to treat everything. It was good, life before the pound. So can I help?"
"I guess so," said Ryder, not sounding altogether assured. "You can sleep with any group of the pups."
"Can I go with Chase's?" Cruz asked excitedly. "I really want to, I mean...I think he's really cool." He was blushing mad as he said this, which made Chase very uncomfortable.
"Is he really gonna be okay?" Rocky hissed to Chase.
"I guess he's alright," shrugged Chase, just as quietly.
"Does he seem to kinda like you?"
"Kind of."
The pups went out to play, as it was Sunday. Today, they only searched at after lunch til 4 o'clock, which was a relief to all of them—except for Chase. Multiple times had he volunteered to search on his own, but Ryder wouldn't let him.
"Gotcha!" cried Rocky, tagging Zuma, who counted to ten then started chasing Skye.
"Chase someone else!" laughed the cockapoo, who had had to do some kind of a front flip+jump to avoid the brown dog's paw.
"You're too fast anyway!" giggled Zuma, then turned direction and followed Tracker.
"No puedes atraparme!" bragged Tracker. "You can't catch me!" he translated, grinning as he suddenly turned right.
"You're fast for a small pup," panted Zuma, finally managing to tag the chihuahua.
They went to the pool and grabbed some rafts to relax. The fun time was topped by glasses of nice fruit juice and doggy biscuits (chocolate chip cookies for Ryder).
"Yum," said Everest happily. "This is so relaxing..."
"I know," said Sweetnum, and secretly he was getting out his knock-out darts. He shot one in Ryder's direction; luckily, it just missed a few inches.
"What was that?" asked Ryder, shocked, as the dart hit the wall.
"I don't know, what happened?" asked Chase, while Sweetnum hastily stowed the darts in his swimming gear. "Do you think the kidnapper or his accomplice might be hiding here?"
"Uh, maybe, said Sweetnum, who did not want to drive attention to himself.
"We'd better get out, just in case," Ryder said nervously, and they went outside to play fetch.
For the whole day, Sweetnum tried to attack them, but it did not work. He finally decided to lead the PAW Patrol to the fake map.
"Sounds good." Axton said, when Sweetnum told him.
And though Evil should not win, sometimes it defeats Good almost subconsciously, with 1 point to spare, but Good defeats it after, and it leads to worse problems.
Death.