The tension in the Lookout was so thick with anticipation, even a saw couldn't cut it. Ryder was sure to go over the plan multiple times covering all angels to make sure everyone knew what to do if something went south. But before any of them knew it, the sun started to set over the ocean horizon.
"Everyone knows what the plan is right?" Ryder asked as he yawned.
"I think so." Rocky said nervously.
"I do." Tuck and Ella said in unison.
"I think so." Added Marshall.
"Just remember, when Ember sees the fake Tuck sleeping in Chase's pup house, she will assume we haven't snuck the real Tuck into Rocky's fur." Ryder said before yawning again.
"But Ryder, how am I supposed to keep my powers for so long?" Tuck asked confused. "They only last for a few hours."
"Easy, I made you this." Ryder said as he pulled out a pup tag from his pocket. "It looks identical to the one you have now, but it is able to channel the meteor's energy longer."
Ryder then walked over and knelt down in front of Tuck and switched pup tags.
"Thanks Ryder!" Tuck said with a huge smile.
"Don't worry about it." Ryder said as he smiled back.
The room had become dead silent as everyone stared at Tuck. Tuck realized that everyone including Ryder was looking at him.
"What?" Tuck asked confused.
"You aren't gonna try it out?" Ryder asked.
"Try what?" Parroted Tuck.
"Try to shrink, see if it works." Ryder said with a chuckle. "That tag gives you your powers all the time, you just have to channel it."
"Oh." Tuck said as his face turned a shade of scarlet from embarrassment.
Tuck closed his eyes and concentrated on his powers, with it being almost two years since he has done this, it took a little while. But finally the Golden Retriever started to shrink down in size. When Tuck was about the size of a bird he stopped.
"How you feel Tuck?" Ryder asked as he reached and picked him up.
"Pretty good Ryder." Tuck said with a smile.
"Do you think you could go smaller?" Asked Ryder.
"I don't think I can go any smaller." Answered Tuck. "I never could before."
"You have to try Tuck." Said Ella. "There's no way you could hide in Rocky's fur at that size."
"Ella is right." Added Rocky. "There is no way you could hide."
"Just give it a try Tuck." Ryder said with a smile. "The result may shock you."
Tuck closed his eyes again and concentrated on shrinking again and to his amazement, he started to shrink even smaller. When he was down to the size of an ant, he stopped.
"Now am I small enough?" Tuck squeaked.
"I think that will do." Ryder said with a chuckle. "How do you feel?"
"I still feel fine." Squeaked Tuck.
"Alright, now can you unshrink?" Ryder asked as he set Tuck back on the floor.
Tuck didn't have to concentrate as long to grow back to his normal size, soon he was back to normal standing in front of everyone.
"I think I got the hang of it again." Tuck said with a smile.
"That's good Tuck." Ella said as she smiled back.
"Now for your spy outfit." Ryder said as he started for the elevator.
"My spy outfit?" Repeated Tuck as a look of confusion grew across his face.
"Yeah, your spy outfit." Ryder said again with more enthusiasm. "Your golden fur gives away your position too easily."
"I guess you are right." Tuck said in an agreeing tone.
"It's upstairs still, think the rest of you pups can wait here?" Ryder said as he stepped into the elevator.
"Sure!" Answered Ella, Marshall, Tracker, and Rocky.
Tuck ran over to the elevator, more excited than he had been in a while, soon the elevator carried Ryder and Tuck up to the Lookout's top floor.
"I sure hope this plan works." Tracker said in a worried tone.
"Don't worry Tracker." Marshall said as he laid a paw on his back. "It will work.
"I hope you're right." Added Ella.
Before any of them knew it, the elevator started to descend back down, but only Ryder was in the elevator.
"Where's Tuck?" Asked Ella.
"Right behind you sis." Tuck yelled causing Ella to jump.
"Tuck, where are you?" Ella asked as she started to look around frantically.
"Right here." Tuck answered as he started to grow to his normal size.
As Tuck grew back to his normal size, the other pups looked in awe at his new uniform.
"Wow, Tuck, black looks good on you." Ella said with a giggle.
"You think so?" Tuck asked as he walked around in circles.
"I think so." Added Marshall.
"Si amigo." Tracker added with a smile.
But before anyone could compliment Tuck anymore, the clock struck ten O'clock and started to chime.
"Wow, that time already." Marshall said nervously.
"I guess so." Ryder said as he scratched his head. "Alright pups, remember the plan.
"Right!" Answered everyone in unison before walking out the Lookout's doors.
Soon everyone was fast asleep except for Ryder. Tuck was nestled in Rocky's fur, Ella was sleeping in Skye's pup house, and Tracker was asleep in Chase's. Ryder laid on his bed listening for when Ember would show up. Before Ryder knew it, it was half-past midnight, and he heard tree leaves rustling.
"It's a good thing I came back tonight." Ember said to herself as she looked down from the tree. "Those pesky Mighty Twins are already here, but Tuck is still his normal size." All well, looks like I will just have to take Rocky and Ella."
Ember hopped out of her tree and got to work. Once she was sure the sleeping powder had its effect on all of the pups, she got Rocky and Ella cuffed up and into their sacks. Ember carried Rocky across the bridge first, then Ella. With both pups in her car, Ember chuckled to herself and drove off back to Foggy Bottom. As Ember made her way back to Foggy Bottom, she began to think about something that was bothering her.
"Tonight felt different." Ember said to herself. "It felt like I was being watched by someone."
Ember didn't think of it too much more before she shrugged it off and let out a chuckle. But little to her, she was being watched by Ryder.
Soon it was morning, and the sun began to rise over Adventure Bay. Ryder was the first one up, even though he didn't sleep most of the night. He slowly walked downstairs to wake the others, only to his surprise, everyone was already awake.
"It worked Ryder!" Marshall said excitedly. "Ember took Rocky!"
"I know Marshall, I watched her do it." Ryder said with a yawn.
With Ryder saying that Marshall's excitement vanished and was replaced with confusion.
"What do you mean you watched her?" Questioned Marshall.
"I snuck up on the roof last night and peeked over the edge and watched her take Rocky and Ella." Ryder said with another yawn.
"So our plan worked?" Asked Tracker.
"Si amigo." Ryder said with a smile. "It did."