Rubble's kennel lurched violently, another powerful slam ricocheting off the inner walls. Zuma jumped backward, confused and terrified, feral instincts screaming at him to run yet he remained paralyzed in fear. Marshall and Rocky quickly withdrew back into their own kennels as the noise sounded again. Whatever was inside Rubble's den, it was angry and powerful, charging itself into every surface to break free from the prison. The shutter door that acted as the entrance to the kennel would've been an easy option, but it defiled such a simple path. The creature wanted to break out, tear down the walls, and rip its scaffolding to shreds. It wanted entertainment from the destruction, and it cared little for a simple door.

Chase could hardly believe what he was hearing, and with every effort in his small body, he pushed back the crippling horror inside and called out to the Labrador, "Zuma! Get back!"

The Lab finally came to, snapping back to reality as he shook his head. He quickly turned tail and run, charging away from the kennel and diving into his own. Chase took a few steps back, looking to the door of the tower, mind racing if he could run there in time.

Another bang. The kennel's walls began to jut out awkwardly, slightly bending. A lingering feeling began to possess the air around them, a horrific shriek of confusion and terror. Chase's heartbeat increased, its own thumps feeling like punches to the head, his breathing intensifying as his mind fought to keep control of his body. For a moment, his vision seemed to blur, but this time, he knew he wasn't going crazy. The threat was real, and it was finally here. He couldn't abandon his friends, not now. Holding his breath, the Shepherd turned and charged as fast as he could to Marshall's kennel. The Dalmation was cowering in the back of the kennel, keeping his face hidden in his paws as if looking up was a death sentence.

Chase entered the kennel swiftly and nearly threw himself against the wall, almost attempting to flatten himself against it. His heart beating like mad, he slowly moved his head, looking out from the firefighter's den. The banging had stopped, and the creature went silent. What was Feroxmalis now? A dog, a human? He thought back to the image Cyrus had slipped him so long ago, he remembered seeing what he only assumed was a normal dog. Only the head was visible in the photo, but it was assumed to be the only part of the body intact. Everything from the neck down was all bone, blood, veins, and muscle, that was what Cyrus had said. Chase couldn't say anything from his view, just the still-standing kennel that had belonged to a now-deceased Bulldog.

"What's it doing...?" Chase muttered to himself, daring to push himself a little farther out, was the monster truly unable to escape the kennel?

"Chase," he heard behind him, nearly making him jump. Marshall had picked his head up ever so slightly, exposing his vulnerable blue eyes, "what is that thing?" His voice could barely keep up with his own breaths,

"I-" the Shepherd tried to explain, "um... stay here. I need to contact the ACG..."

The sentence had barely left his mouth when Chase stopped cold, a realization hitting him like a car on the road. The only way to contact the ACG now was through the special pup tag they had given him.

A pup tag which he had thrown aside in the Boiler Room, along with his only weapon.

"Shit-" Chase said quietly, darting his eyes around as he cursed himself over and over for discarding the only means of communication he had. He had to get back to Skye, get back and retrieve his gun and tag, he just had to get back to the elevator.

"Chase," Marshall quivered, starting to hyperventilate,

"Just stay in here," growled the Shepherd, as he took a step outside the kennel into the rain.

The most violent, brutal clanging sound suddenly howled through the air, deafening all four dogs as a metal roof was kicked out, steel bolts and fillings flying off and dropping to the floor like used cigarettes. The rest of Rubble's kennel quickly caved in, crashing to the ground into a large scrap heap as dust filled the air. Chase nearly instantly retracted back into Marshall's den like a fearful turtle. There was a solid moment of silence in the air, nothing but the rain hitting the roofs able to be heard. Swallowing his instincts, Chase crept forward again, peeking outside. From his position, he could see the ruins of the yellow kennel, nothing more than a massive pile of wood and metal. Keeping as low as he could, Chase couldn't take his eyes off the wreckage, too fearful to make the smallest move.

A distant hissing sound filled the air of the clearing, which quickly turned into a darker, lower sound that only be described as the growling of a feral bear.

Then it stood up.

The creature stood on four legs and reared up to its full, terrifying height, no longer bound by the low ceiling of the kennel. It loomed at seven feet tall, rising high above the kennels as it picked its head up. Chase stood horrified at the sight, the monster's body resembled that of a degloved, four-legged monster. It was composed entirely of a long, thin skeleton, crudely wrapped in bleeding raw muscles and pulsating organs that shone in the wet rain. Blue veins wrapped around its torso, bleeding down its arms and up its neck like netting. Intestine-like organs wrapped down its legs like ribbons as if it had stolen Rubble's insides to build up its body. It was a creature that haunted nightmares, a sentient monster of gore and innards that lurked within the darkness of the mind.

Its head was the only vaguely normal feature. It was the head of a Shepherd-like dog, only it was torn and shredded along the mouth and around the eye sockets. One of its tall ears was ripped apart, making one wonder if it was merely a skin mask for the grotesque animal that wore it. Chase briefly questioned how a monster that erupted from a Bulldog would look like a Shepherd, until he remembered that Feroxmalis likely carried the DNA of anyone and everyone it infected, even between different bodies. For all he knew, the face it wore could've belonged to a poor dog that fell victim to the monster a long time ago. It was near impossible to see any trace of Rubble in the monster. For all they knew, his organs and innards had been assimilated into Feroxmalis's body, with the rest of Rubble's remains long absorbed within it.

Feroxmalis quivered in place for a moment, seemingly twitching as if it was getting accustomed to being exposed again. Chase swore it was a trick of the eyes, but he drew back in horror as intestine-like tentacles began to emit from the monster's back. They writhed like living worms, almost with a mind of their own, tearing out of Feroxmalis like it was bringing out its own limbs. Taking a deep breath of air, Feroxmalis raised its elongated front leg, so thin it couldn't have been more than a few inches in diameter, and planted it down in the mud, its paws built from clumps of muscle mass, with long, razor-like claws jutting out.

"Dear God-" Chase could barely whisper as he watched from Marshall's kennel, sounding more like a cry,

Taking a few large, slow steps forward, Feroxmalis growled as it turned its head, scanning the clearing, pricking its "ears" as blood escaped its mouth. Its body emitted sounds as it moved, the "paws" would scrunch into the ground, tapping its claws like it was impatiently searching for its prey. Its bones almost constantly popped, each movement, each step, radiating the same sound anyone would when cracking their back. The body had an unnatural physicality, lacking skin and being a mere amalgamation of bone and muscle, yet functioning to near perfection. It was no wonder this creature was heavily studied until it escaped.

After a moment, it reared back its head, taking in a large gulp of air, then snapped forward, opening its fanged mouth and releasing the most distressing, most inhumane, animalistic roar to ever enter the air. Its screech was loud, cutting into Chase's eardrums and forcing them open, reaching its claws in and gripping his brain. Marshall threw himself under his bed as the scream filled the air and Rocky retracted under his table. Zuma stood in his den wide-eyed, the monster's roar freezing him in place, swirling around him like a tornado of fire.

The scream Feroxmalis emitted was an unholy combination of several noises: the sounds of people screaming for their lives, old and young, dogs, and cats wailing in agony as they were cornered, and other screams from countless living that would be impossible to label. All victims, all their voices and tongues were stolen away to produce one terrible sound emitted from its maw. And yet, the roar seemed to have an effect on those around it, Chase for a moment felt oddly calm, but he quickly snapped back to reality as he watched the creature.

The monster of gore breathed out a feral snarl, then began walking out of view, its long, wormlike tail following behind it. Chase quickly eyed the elevator to the tower, the urge to sprint for it was incredible. Blinking, he realized Feroxmalis had completely left his field of vision, leaving him with Marshall in a storm of terror and uncertainty. Looking back, Chase spotted the small head of a Dalmation peeking under a bed.

"What's happening?" Marshall squeaked, tears flowing down from his eyes,

Grimacing, Chase crept over to his friend and tried to speak as softly as he could, "Marshall, do you remember those drills we practiced? Where I would make everyone get under a table and be quiet?"

The Dalmation nodded,

"Well, this is what we practiced for," he sighed, trying to hide his own fearfulness, "hide, and do not come out until I say so,"

The smaller dog nodded, as he further hid under the bed, "okay,"

Trying to regain his composure, Chase turned and took a step outside. A pounding "thump" suddenly sounded, directly above him on the kennel, so abrasive and quick the whole den swayed. The Shepherd froze mid-step, turning back to see Marshall about to scream, already opening his mouth. Within a second Chase jumped across the floor and clamped his paw over the Dalmation's mouth, suppressing his cry.

The sound of something large slowly dragged itself onto the roof above them, scratching its claws along the metal roof, hissing to itself as it gained higher ground. Chase had to nearly suffocate Marshall as he drove his paw into the Dalmation's mouth, the smaller dog was shaking, losing control of himself, and in one wrong move, he would panic and doom them all.

A long, slithering appendage of intestine suddenly escaped from its front leg, dropping down in front of the entrance right before the puppies' eyes. Marshall fell silent, but his eyes went wide, and Chase couldn't help but draw back himself. They stood motionless as the worm-like organ slowly contracted around, briefly grazing over the floor of the kennel. It was recalled shortly after, pulling back up as Feroxmalis drew it back into its body. Unsatisfied, Feroxmalis growled and moved off the kennel, Chase continuing to hold his friend down as they witnessed its legs step down in front of them.

It was hunting them. It would not leave the area until every single living creature in the area was ripped apart and consumed. It was unclear just how intelligent it was. Was it truly overlooking its prey in the obvious kennels, or was it merely toying with them? Feroxmalis was a malicious creature, but was it so sadistic it basked in the fear and suffering of others?

Chase watched it skulk away, walking off as it went around the back of the tower, its tentacles trailing behind it like bloodied, floating ribbons. The creature was unnaturally fast, its slow-moving at the beginning merely being its "morning stretch." It moved quick, walking past through clearing in only a few seconds. Chase shuddered at the thought of it running. Now was the ideal time to make a run for it.

"I'm going," Chase released Marshall, who collapsed to the floor,

Marshall attempted to respond, but he made a small choking noise, then suddenly threw up. The intense terror and confusion had taken control of his stomach from him.

"Like I said, hide," the Shepherd repeated one last time,

Taking a deep breath, Chase walked out of the kennel into the rain, exposing himself in the open. At first, he tried to stay low, walking past each kennel and getting glimpses of the other's hiding. He couldn't hear or see Feroxmalis, and all he did hear were distant growls and noises. Moving felt like ages, but the Shepherd didn't dare to do anything more than a crouched walk. Even his tail dragging in the mud behind him was making him paranoid, a sudden urge to cough tickling up his throat.

Heart beating seemingly louder than the overhead thunder, Chase crawled through the open doors of the elevator. He had to get back to the Boiler Room, retrieve his gun and radio, and it would all be over. He cursed himself for not seeing it in Rubble earlier, surely there had been some early warning sign that he was not himself? Whatever it had been, it completely flew over the Shepherd's head. Careful to not make a sound, he reached a paw out to the buttons.

The sound of busting metal filled the air yet again, making Chase jump. He snapped away and looked around fearfully, but he saw nothing. In that instance, the lights of the elevator flickered, before completely going dead, bathing him in darkness.

"Wha- what?" the puppy quivered, racing to the buttons and pressing them. The elevator was unresponsive, even as he hit every button he could. "No," he breathed out, beginning to panic, "you... bastard,"

It cut the power and completely blocked off the elevator access. Feroxmalis had actually found the outside breaker box, the hub for all electric systems of the tower, and destroyed it. How in the world did it know to do that? How would it even know what a breaker box was? How would it even have the cognitive understanding to know to destroy it? Chase shuddered as he realized just what kind of creature this was. Feroxmalis was more than any kind of animal the world had ever seen. Its physical ability was terrifying, the power behind its methods of attacking and consuming, the sheer amount of hysteria it caused just from emerging, and its intelligence was just as frightening if not more. It clearly possessed a high cognitive, almost human level of understanding and problem-solving. To deliberately recognize enemy advantages and cut them off, hunting with its dreaded strength, and its ability to hide within bodies as a mere cell.

Oddly, it was the perfect creature. A true predator in every sense of the word.

Chase frantically looked around, trying to find anywhere to go. He was a sitting duck in the opened, deactivated elevator, all it would take is a passing glance inside to see him. If the monster was truly toying with them, how long until it ended the game, forcing into the kennels and tearing them apart one by one? Without thinking, Chase ran, jumping out of the elevator and running to the nearest kennel.

He sprinted into Zuma's kennel, quickly getting against the wall.

"Ahh!" Zuma jumped, quickly recoiling "dude, don't do that!"

"Quiet!" snapped the Shepherd, motioning for him to shut up, "I need to get upstairs,"

"Why? You can't leave us down here!"

"I left- ... there's a radio in the Boiler Room," he quickly corrected himself, "if I get it back, I can alert the ACG and get them here to contain that thing,"

"So why don't you?" Zuma looked around fearfully, hearing the distant sound of growling, and he quickly lowered himself and moved into a corner.

"Because that thing cut the power!"

Zuma's eyes went wide, "it can do that?"

"Rubble would've known where it was," Chase thought aloud, "if that thing came out of him, it probably gained his knowledge in the process, that could be how it knew,"

"Well, now what?" the Lab protested, "are we just going to die here?"

"No no, I have a plan," he reassured, "stay here,"

"I wasn't fuckin' going anywhere else," Zuma growled, retracting further,

Taking a brief look outside, Chase caught a glimpse of what he thought were tentacles disappearing behind some trees. The rain made it difficult to see, and he knew Feroxmalis had no intention of leaving. Slipping outside, he quickly made his way his way over to Rocky's kennel, trying to ignore the pounding distress in his heart. He tried as hard as he could to show the other dogs he wasn't afraid, yet a part of them wanted to crawl under a bed and hide until all the noises seized for good. He came to the front of the green kennel and saw that the door had been closed.

Looking around fearfully, Chase tapped the door, "Rocky, it's me, open the door,"

No response.

"Rocky, come on!" he hissed, knowing how vulnerable he was out in the open, "it's me!"

After several uncomfortable seconds outside, he heard the mix shuffle up to the door and nose it open, "Chase-" he was interrupted as the Shepherd wedged his own nose under the door and forced it open, jumping inside, "I can't just sit out there forever you know!"

"Sorry," Rocky lowered his head, then looked out, "that... thing. What is it?"

"I don't really know," Chase looked over at Rocky's tools, "but it's lethal, and pissed off."

"What are we supposed to do?" the mix silently started hyperventilating, "we're just puppies!"

"I have a plan," Chase nodded, then turned back to his friend, "but I need your help."

"My help?"

The Shepherd came forward to the mix and sat down in front of him. He suddenly reached out with his front paws and grabbed Rocky's shoulders, pulling him close, "Rocky, you need to listen to me."

The mix nodded, although uncertain,

"I don't know anyone better with machines than you," he explained, "I need you to go out there,"

"Wh-" Rocky recoiled, "what?!"

"It's really simple," Chase assured him, keeping a hold on the mix, "I need you to look at the breaker box, and find out how we can fix it. We need power back in the tower, it's imperative. There's no one else here who would know how to do something like that. I'd go with you, but two would draw more attention and get us both killed,"

"Go... out there," Rocky breathed, "with that creature?!"

"If you see, or hear it, hide," the Shepherd explained, "be as quiet as possible, do not run unless absolutely necessary."

Chase didn't want to scare the mix any more than he probably already had been, but running was likely a death sentence. If Feroxmalis was truly as fast as he believed, trying to run from it was not survivable.

"I-" Rocky stammered, shaking,

"Get over there," Chase instructed, "look over the breakers, come back and tell me how you can fix it, hide if you see or hear anything, got it?"

After a moment, Rocky nodded fearfully.

"I'm counting on you," Chase licked his friend's nose, trying to get his tail wagging, smiling, or anything to ease the mixed breed's fears.

The storm surged overhead as Rocky left his kennel. His legs were shaking as he stepped outside into his worst nightmare. "Rain," he breathed out, cringing to himself. He was willing to brave the water for the sake of the mission, but he was beyond uncomfortable. It was the worst experience Rocky had ever put himself into. Not only was he walking out into the groping hands of the cold rain, but there was actively a threat lurking outside, seeking to tear him to pieces. A shiver ran through his body as he was already freezing cold.

"Okay, okay," he breathed to himself, glancing behind him, "breaker box,"

Willing his paws to finally start moving, he crept past Zuma's kennel, wincing as he waded through a puddle that came up to his chest. Horrid memories returned to him the farther he sunk into the mud, creeping up his neck and staining his fur with dirty sludge. Leering static began to leech into his head as he passed the elevator, a distant ringing in his ears as his breathing quickened. Looking around, he didn't see Feroxmalis anywhere, had it walked off?

Shaking his head of the noise and static, Rocky crept behind the tower, keeping an eye out, and doing his best to mentally block out the cold. The blades of grass that brushed against his stomach as he passed over were bringing back dark memories, but all he wanted now was to prove that wasn't weak. He barely survived the ACG's brutality, Rocky knew it hard he was the patrol's weakling, that had to change. Facing death was not the method he had planned on using.

He turned the corner, checking his surroundings. Feroxmalis was again nowhere to be seen, and Rocky raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, his heart sank as a realization hit him, and he slowly looked upwards. He saw nothing but the sky, and he let out a sigh of relief, although anxiety still churned within him. Finally approaching the large breaker box that sat bolted into the wall, the mix could already see sparks flying out of it. With one final look around, Rocky hurried over in front of it and investigated the damage.

The box had been smashed inwards, likely from Feroxmalis ramming into it to break it. The damage was minimal but still left the tower powerless. The breakers for the elevator and upper tower were completely destroyed and would have to be entirely replaced. Not all the breakers had been broken, however, as Rocky could see the one labeled, "Basement Systems," was still on a green light.

"I didn't know we had a basement," he thought allowed, then realized it was likely where Ryder had been building their things all these years.

It could be repaired, but he'd need a special tool. The breakers had to be carefully removed, and possibly rewired just for good measure. He needed a particular tool to remove the breakers from the box, a tool he absolutely didn't have. But if Ryder completed most of his builds in the basement, it was a likely location to find the tool.

Rocky nodded and turned to head back.

The ground suddenly moved from beneath him, making him sway and taking the mix off guard. He stumbled to keep himself standing, his fear returning to him as he was unsure of even moving.

A large, fuzzy gopher quickly popped out of the ground, spraying dirt across a small radius. It seemed scared, and Rocky was about to approach it when a large, dirt-covered tentacle suddenly erupted from the ground, nearly grabbing the small rodent. Rocky quickly jumped back in terror as Feroxmalis birthed itself from the ground, hissing as it pulled out its squeezed, contorted body. The gopher ran away as fast as its little legs could carry it, gaining a considerable distance from the monster.

Freeing itself from the ground, Feroxmalis lowered down its backside, shuffling its front paws as it lowered its ripped head. In seconds, it suddenly sprang into the air, roaring its demonic scream as it jumped, closing the distance to the gopher in milliseconds. Rocky could hear the rodent cry out as two massive paws were planted in its back, smashing its ribcage and shattering its spine. Angered, the predator loomed over its prey as its skin mask began to peel back, baring its teeth as its jaw unhinged itself. Several thin tentacles shot out of its throat, attacking the gopher and skewering into its body.

Overcome with fear, Rocky broke into a sprint, his mind going into override and spiking his flight instinct. All he could hear was the carnage, as the gopher's screams were pulled from its vocal cords and swallowed by the monster. The static in his head seemed to explode, almost fully taking control of him as he ran dangerously close to the creature as he passed.

Rocky finally tore back into his kennel, sobbing as he dove inside. Chase quickly shut the door and wrapped the terrified mix in a hug. They had made progress now, but Feroxmalis wasn't finished with them yet.