Peg was starting to regain consciousness and she found herself in a weird room. Besides the bed she was on, she saw others in similar beds along the room's walls. Some were being attended by nurses and some were getting some extra rest. As she tried to move, she felt a sharp pain in her left arm which turns out was bandaged and in a cast. But where was Petropolis? Last she remembered, Zero was invading and in the commotion, she had a blow to the cranium and blacked out. Just as she got herself into a sitting position, a white malamute walked over. Besides the blueish gray sneaking suit he was wearing, he also wore a pair of black combat boots, a utility belt, black gloves and a black headband held his brown hair in place. The malamute walked over, pulled up a chair beside her, and looked Peg right in the eye with his own dark blue ones across his pointy nose.
"Who are you?", she asked him eager to know.
"Call me J for now Mrs. Puppy."
"So..J. Where exactly am I?"
"You're in the hospital wing of a secure location. You've had a terrible accident during the evacuation."
"Hospital wing? J, is everything going to be alright?"
"I don't know. I just hope it will be."
J saw that he had hurt Peg so he quickly changed the subject hoping that it would calm her.
"We'll do what we can. For now we just hang on."
Peg started to settle. Hey, it was a pretty weird place, but at least she was safe. Then a thought crossed her mind.
"Hey J. My son Dudley. Did he-"
"I know where he is", J informed her, "Don't worry about him. He's safe."
Peg sighed in relief. Then she got back into her resting position with J's help. And as J pulled the covers up, a couple nurses came by and J took that as a signal that his services were not required for now. Peg would have other questions later, but for now she had to rest and regain her health and she knew that too. As the nurses changed Peg's bandages, the lights dimmed so that they would know it was time to turn in for the night and J was walking toward the doors.
Outside the doors, J encountered his feline partner Iris Patra. She was in her true cat self now(which is an Abyssinian) and looked around J's age by a year. She outfitted a similar fashion though she sported a crimson sneaking suit, black high heels and white gloves that came to her elbows. She paused a minute and J decided to strike a conversation up.
"What's up?"
"Excuse me J. I hope I'm not intruding, but I just wanted to be sure our hospital residents were not too badly hurt."
She had a purr in her silky voice though it was spiced with sass. Her gorgeous blonde hair seemed to compliment her fawn coat. But those eyes were her strong suit. Beautiful deep blue as though they were carved from lapis lazuli stones. She was certainly a beautiful sight.
"They seem to be okay for now.", J stated looking back into the darkened room window, " I really hope some make it. Those injuries were pretty severe."
Iris knew better than to just jump in to main subjects right away. She had worked with J for quite a while. There was a time they could always talk even if it was brief.
"Hey Iris? Any word from Dark Wolf?"
"Oh yeah. He's expecting us shortly. We should get a move on."
J and Iris then walked down the long halls of the base they were residing in. It wasn't the real base where most of their work was, but at least it was a good recovery point. Being members of ULTRA, they understood the most valuable of assignments. They were the finest and everybody in the agency knew it. As they walked down the halls and passed several exam rooms, Iris felt like she should tell J about his encounter earlier. Dudley really roughed him up that time (and the time before I might add). She knew he could hold his own at times, but that time she actually worried that Dudley's new form might be enough to beat J if he wasn't careful. Although most of the agency knew J's real name, they still called him J since it was shorter. Soon they arrived at the landing area where several mechanics were busy polishing and tuning up J's motorcycle. It was the same one he used in Petropolis, although it was under strict supervision. As J and Iris approached, the mechanics parted showing they had completed the work( for now). J then made a radio call.
"Hey Doc, any alterations these amateurs could have made?"
"95% unlikely.", said a voice on the other end, "My calculations are monitored and well thoroughly tested. Your cycle is still the best as always. See you momentarily."
"Same to you Doc", J answered as he hung up.
"Can you believe we're patrolling the landing bay, keeping an eye out for J and all in the dead of night?", a watchmen( a gecko) asked his partner( a raven).
These watchmen were patrolling the landing bay Z. A landing pad not normally used at this time. The doors that lead out( and let the aircraft fly out for that matter) were closed and the watchers outside kept a lookout. They had to be sure that the enemy wasn't getting near the base's location. Just then the loudspeakers rang out.
"Attention. Attention. Agent J approaching landing pad Z. All units prepare the arrival."
Special crane like machines immediately started up. They moved other aircraft( such as planes and helicopters and the like) into a neat and orderly row along the pad's sides as the huge bay doors slowly started opening after the alarms went off to signal just that. The watchmen ran to the doors that lead to the base and stood and ready to salute as the doors continued to open. When the doors were completely open, J flew in on his cycle( in it's flight mode) with Iris seated right behind him on the leather seat. The watchmen came over as the bay doors began closing and J landed his cycle near them while shifting it into it's land mode. After that, Iris and him dismounted, and the cycle shifted back into it's cube state which J picked up and pocketed in one of his belt compartments.
"Agent J, Agent Patra.", the watchmen informed giving a salute.
"At ease.", J instructed after Iris and him saluted back which the watchmen did, "Soldiers, you are relieved."
The watchmen sighed as the turned to the side and started walking after J and Iris as they walked to the entry door. As they marched down the halls, the watchmen followed J and Iris( their duty wasn't done just yet just so you know) past the other landing bays, several science labs where scientists were doing some last minute touch ups before turning in for the night, and offices where some agents were doing some final paperwork before clocking out. The base you understand had many wings for many different reasons. Some were research and development, some were investigation, and other things along those boarders. Finally as they were passing by the commons were agents spent when they were not working, J paused and turned to the watchmen.
"Rest easy men. May Dark Wolf lead us to victory."
The watchmen gave another salute, then turned and walked down the commons hall to where their quarters were as J continued to walk to Dark Wolf's office Which was near the base's summit. Being built inside a mountain, HQ was armed with the latest security both mechanical and natural. After climbing several stairways and levels of the base, J and Iris reached their destination with the third member of their team waiting there.
"Doc?", J asked the dingo who was almost as high as he was.
"Who else?", the Doc asked brushing his reddish brown hair out of the sight of his goggles( which he seemed to always wear here).
Doc was outfitted in his orange polo shirt, blue jeans, and gray sneakers while sporting what looked like a mechanical spine and harness across his back which held his "assistants". They were not out now, but when Doc got back to his lab, they would so for now they were safely stowed and Doc stood beside J on his left since Iris was on his right.
"Are we ready?", J asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be.", Doc informed.
"Ready when you are.", Iris stated.
With that, J knocked on the office door.
"Permission to enter?", J asked.
"Granted.", came the voice on the other side.
A minute later, J and his companions had entered the office and had taken position in front of the director's desk. Dark Wolf was the director of ULTRA and a master in the espionage art. He sported a sneaking suit similar to J and Iris though his was black and his gloves and boots were gray. As his name suggested, Dark Wolf was a dark gray timber wolf with an eye patch over his right eye. This eye patch he wore most of the day on his left eye and his right at night. His light brown hair was pure white at the base( this was caused during a mission prior). J and his companions had lined up at Dark Wolf's desk which the director was standing behind and were standing as if on duty and gave a salute. Dark Wolf had a pedestrian name, but only his top agents were allowed to know it( due to them not telling anybody else). After pulling the blinds on his windows, and securing the area outside the door, Dark Wolf pressed a button on his desk and a hologram of the materials J and his companions "retrieved" appeared and assembled themselves into images of weapons as J's group relieved their salute but kept their pose.
"Team Alpha, as you know I deployed you to the Petropolis area to retrieve supplies we needed for our war on OMEGA. You kept a low profile and our "enemy" seems to be on the rise. Although we could interfere, we had our mission on hand. Assignment 6039-beta: Retrieve components for power core improvement. Mission outcome: Successful."
The components on the hologram shimmered, then was replaced by other materials that made another weapon.
"Assignment 8721-theta: Retrieve components for our base cloaking mechanism. Mission outcome: Successful."
The image faded and another took it's place.
"Assignment 5733-tango: Retrieve components for simulation room upgrading. Mission outcome: Successful."
That image faded and the final one took it's place.
"Assignment 9254-delta: Retrieve components for the scientific snack room. Mission outcome: Successful."
The image faded and the hologram projector shut down but the blinds stayed down. Dark Wolf eyed his operatives before he continued.
"So far you have been successful in our briefing. And I have intel that a TRIPLE agent is on his way over here. J, I know you had a close encounter with Zero even if it was an image of him. He kept his face hidden, but you knew he was there. Did you not?"
"Indeed, sir.", J informed still keeping his stature.
"You also informed me that TUFF agent Dudley Puppy had been tempted and corrupted by Zero also. Disappointing on my part, but there it is. Besides that you've done well. Now all we do is keep our profile low with our operatives infiltrating other cities. Zero may be done in Petropolis, but he won't stop there. We will also be visited by TUFF's new chief executive officer: Katherine "Kitty" Katswell. I know it's weird, but that's what I got from our database."
"Sir, forgive my objection", J stated, "but is it wise to bring Dudley here? Zero still has sway over him and could force him into submission at the kazoo."
"If you know this TUFF agent like you say you do J, you'll already know the answer to your own question."
"I agree", Doc put in, "The odds would be in our favor if Dudley did find a way to violate the agreement he made with Zero down in Hades. He's got a 54% higher probability of conquering his inner turmoil as well as Zero's "influence" if he comes here."
Although J didn't show it, he had to agree. Zero could have a more difficult time trying to reach Dudley if he was here, difficult but not impossible. And Doc's calculations were accurate as always so why argue with the carefully calculations of a genius?
"With that in mind", Dark Wolf continued, "we best prepare while we can. OMEGA is not gonna wait. And why should we?"
Dark Wolf paused a minute to give a salute which J's group mirrored.
"Alright men, get a good night's sleep cause you'll need it. You're all dismissed."
J's group turned and marched out the door in orderly fashion which was J first, then Iris, and finally Doc. Dark Wolf sat in his chair which dropped through a hole in the floor and closed after him after putting a replacement chair in his place.
As J's group continued to march down the levels of the base and halls, Doc paused at one hall on the science wing.
"I'm gonna do some extra work and readings before I hit the hay. I should be done in about an hour."
"Okay Doc", J said though he looked unconvinced, "Just don't complain to me when I find out you've stayed up all night inventing or discovering."
Doc had a way of becoming addictive to inventing in his lab. And what kind of gadgets was he working on this time? I'd say if I knew. But right now J was not in the mood for arguing so as Doc walked down the hall to his lab, Iris and him continued to the commons. The Sassy Salmon night club was really in full swing when they passed by and paused for a minute.
"J, you don't suppose we should?", Iris asked him with a mischievous gleam in her eye.
"You know what I like, baby.", J answered giving the con man like look on his face.
This night club was often used by the agents as a way of relaxing and having fun after a long hard day of assignments. With the karaoke going on, and the bar a buzz with soda and freshly cooked platters, this was without a doubt, a place to have a ball. Several partners were on the dance floor busting moves, putting their "freak on", and just going wild. J and Iris made their way to the bar where the bartender( a macaw parrot) was sliding out soda and platters like hot cakes, but he paused a minute to see J and Iris.
"Well, well. The top agents. Dark Wolf working your feet off?"
"You know me.", J answered, "My team's always at the ready. By the way, how bout a couple of burgers?"
"On it's way."
While the smells of grilling filled the counter area, some agents couldn't help but notice that J and Iris were nearby. And a spot light illuminated the area J and Iris were occupying.
"Can you believe he's here?"
"I know it's him. Who else could look so devilishly charming?"
"And Iris. Oh, what an angel."
"Yeah, how could he hook a catch like her?"
J and Iris felt the waves of comments and soon they were followed by flattering.
"Hey J, how bout you bust a move?"
"Yeah, live a little. You work too long."
"Show us how to really dance."
J could feel that those burgers were gonna take a while so he turned to Iris with the same con man smile.
"Iris, may I offer you the dance?"
Well..I don't know", Iris claimed.
The other agents could tell she was playing hard to get so they started to chant out "dance" constantly. Finally Iris put her display on hold.
"Alright, Mr. Slick. I'll play along."
Iris put her gloved hand in J's and as they walked toward the middle of the dance floor, the disco ball hanging in the middle of the ceiling started to light the whole room with dazzling light as the karaoke shifted to a romantic theme. J and Iris had also changed their sneaking suits into more "appropriate" attire. Iris was still wearing her white gloves and black high heels, but she was wearing a sparkly scarlet gown that left her back exposed while the front covered her all the way up to and covering her blossoms( if you're not sure what I mean, your mother will explain). J was now in a fancy black tuxedo with the front open, sleek black trousers, and shiny shoes. As J and Iris were about to start dancing, J noticed that his reflection in the mirror above the bar counter. He then turned to Iris.
"Hey, mind if I do something fast?"
"Make it quick", she purred, "This dance isn't gonna wait."
J paused to strain his chest and next thing you knew, his chest had a tangled bushy forest of hair. J then turned to Iris who noticed.
"Taking things the extra mile?", she asked keeping herself from getting too "in the zone".
"I always go the extra mile.", he said slyly.
When they reached the center the couple started to dance and man did they look stunning. And the crowd of admirers were more than happy to join in. Soon the vibe changed in the music to a hard metal theme. Now the dance was getting wild( if it wasn't wild before). After about several more moves, J and Iris had danced their way back to their seats at the counter where the bartender was putting their burgers and a couple of sodas alongside them. The other dancers continued while J and Iris caught their breath.
"Whew, you sure know how to dance you rouge.", Iris purred at J.
"What did you expect? With this much hair, I'm a real animal."
"A real "party" animal you mean.", Iris corrected.
"Oh yeah. The wildest party animal you know."
J was flattered by Iris' little game of commenting. They then turned to polish off their burgers. Hey, for a hard working agent like him, he needed to let loose without violence somehow. And the burgers were delicious. Only the best.