The World Has Fallen
Chapter 12
Demonic Wolf King: Here is chapter 12 of The World Has Fallen. I hope everyone is still with us.
Atlas: Sorry for the long wait. I just needed a good relaxing break. This will start to ramp up.
Somewhere in California, United States
After carefully driving into the United States and out of Mexico, Dijak was still holding Sweetie in his arms in the back seat of the black Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat with Cyanide sitting next to him. Up in front were Shadow and Smokey; Shadow was driving while Smokey kept his eyes peeled for any signs of friendlies or enemies. Deckard looked at him and saw that his clothes were torn and covered in blood, the same thing with Shadow and Smokey. Seeing that they're in the middle of nowhere, Deckard thought it was a good idea to stop and clear their heads before returning to Adventure Bay's FOB.
"Shade, pull off to the side of the road, please," said Dijak.
Shade did what he was told and pulled the car off the road. Smokey and Shadow turned around to face their friend.
"What's on your mind, Dijak?" Asked Smokey.
During the trip, Deckard had asked Shadow and Smokey to call him by his real name, Dijak. Of course, they understood why, but they still wondered what was happening to their friends and agreed they needed to get to the FOB in Adventure Bay as quickly as possible. So stopping in the middle of nowhere didn't make sense.
"The car's almost out of gas, and we're also near another one of my secret underground bases," said Dijak.
Shadow looked at the gas meter on the car and saw that the needle was almost at zero, "Oh shit," said Shadow as he looked at the gas meter.
"So, what do you have in mind?" Asked Smokey.
"Let me take the wheel, and I'll drive us to my secret base. While we're there, we can clean ourselves up, get some food, and get some proper sleep," said Dijak.
"Go idea, because the food they gave us was disgusting, plus I don't think any of us have gotten a proper sleep since before we left for that mission in the Indus Valley Desert," said Smokey.
Shadow and Dijak switch positions and Dijak drives them to a mountainside where a secret door opens up, and Dijak drives right on through. Dijak parked the car next to a modified 1969 Dodge Charger with a BDS blower that was also parked in there and exited the vehicle with the others following him. Shadow handed him Sweetie's dead body, which he set on a clean table and put a purple blanket over her.
"Go get cleaned up. I'll find us some new clothes to wear," said Dijack as he went to find some new clothes. Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide cleaned themselves off, and boy, did it feel good to them for the warm water to wash over their bodies. Dijak soon later joined them, and he felt instant relief as the water washed all the blood and dirt away. After the four of them were done getting cleaned up. Dijak, Shadow, and Smokey all now had clean-cut fur, and Dijak had finally removed his contact lenses after years of wearing them and revealed his dark magenta color eyes, Cyanide's scales sparkled like jewels making him look shiny.
Dijak then handed out new uniforms to all of them, for Dijak, Shadow, and Smokey had on a black jacket, black pants, black combat shoes on their hind paws, and black fingerless gloves for their front paws. For Cyanide, all Dijak had was a black vest that fitted him perfectly. Dijak hoped that Chase could help get a proper military outfit for the snake.
"Now that we're all cleaned up and with fresh clothes on, it's chow time," said Dijak as he led them to a kitchen where Dijak pulled out tubs of all sorts of meats and began cooking with everyone helping.
After Dijak and the others had full bellies, they cleaned everything up and went to bed with Shadow and Smokey sharing a couch, Cyanide curling up in an arm in the recliner, and Dijak sleeping on another couch. They all said goodnight to each other before drifting off into a dreamless sleep. It was a few hours later that Dijak and the others woke up. They grabbed Elena from the trunk of the Hellcat and threw her in the trunk of the charger. Smokey and Cyanide climb into the back seats with Sweetie's body before Shadow and Dijak get in, with Dijak behind the wheel.
"Let's go pay a visit to ourselves," said Dijak as he started the car and drove out of the base towards the FOB of Adventure Bay.
During the drive, the four of them discuss their plan.
"So, what exactly is the plan when we arrive?" Asked Smokey.
"I haven't come up with one yet, so let's start brainstorming so that we have one when we get there," said Dijak.
"Our best option would be to park the car and try to sneak in, but that seems highly unlikely," said Cyanide.
"We should pray that Chase and his Nightwatchers found out about the deception before we get there," said Smokey.
"So we need a plan on what to do when we get there, but how will we tell everyone that the others are dead?" Asked Shadow.
"I don't know Shade, but I'm hoping our friend in the trunk could give us some insight into Storm's plan," said Dijak.
"Also, we all heard that the Lookout was attacked, and only Rocky, Everest, Stark, and Koda are alive. Do you think they were telling the truth, or were they just messing with our heads?" Asked Shadow.
Dijak and Smokey looked at their friend, "I don't know. I highly doubt that Storm would lie about something like that, but in all honesty, I really hope that it's not true," said Dijak.
"If it's true, that means Chase lost Skye, Everest lost Marshall, and you just lost Sweetie. I mean, are any of us allowed to be with the ones we love?" Asked Smokey as he slammed his front left paw on the inside of the car.
"A good question there, my friend, sadly, I don't have any answers to that. This is war, and in war, anything can happen, and unfortunately, things have not been going our way at all in this god-forsaken war," said Dijak.
"Do you think any of us will make it to the end? Will any of us have a quiet life of peace?" Asked Cyanide, "I mean, you three saw your entire team die in front of you as I saw my two friends that I have come to call my brothers die in front of me, and I never got to say anything to them when I finally found them after searching for so long."
Dijak, Shadow, and Smokey felt bad for their companion. Of course, they didn't know him well, but after spending the last few hours with him, they learn that he was a close friend to Killshot and Sidian which means they consider him a member of their family.
"Hey Cyanide, we may not know each other all that well, but by spending the last few hours with you and seeing how close you were to Sidian and Killshot, I consider you a member of this family," said Dijak.
Smokey gave Cyanide a hug as the snake smiled at their kindness.
"Thank you, all of you," said Cyanide.
"Welcome to the family," said Shadow.
Adventure Bay FOB, Washington, USA.
Lookout Plateau
Time: 1100 Hours UTC -8
The rubble from the attack was cleared at this point. The sad part is that the Lookout that stood proud at this location will not be rebuilt again. Because this time, there would be no one to live in it.
Also, due to WWIII starting, Adventure Bay got an influx of supplies and soldiers. An entire Division has now made base camps all over the town, and martial law has been announced for the region.
With all this, they still allow Lupe and some of his forces to post here just off the shore, acting as a coast guard with Lupe and his flagship, the Esquel. The Esquel was a heavily modified and weaponized luxury yacht that Lupe purchased. Some would say it is more armed than some of China's and Russia's corvettes, yet is just as fast as a patrol boat with its more powerful Rolls Royce diesel-electric engines.
It was posted just a few miles off the shore of Adventure Bay, just a bit closer to Seal Island. Lupe, Artemis, and Redstone were not on the ship but instead on the shore with some of their personal guards to talk with the new Brigadier General that was now in charge of this whole operation of the defense on the Pacific Wall.
"My ships and forces have been posted just off the shore like you asked, sir," Lupe said as he entered the new military headquarters built in the same place as the Lookout. This time the build was reinforced with Crusader steel making it much harder to destroy with a simple missile barrage.
"Good, and good to have you with us this time Lupe. With someone like you on our side, I can safely bet that we will eventually win this forsaken war," the General said as he looked up to see the wolf and his mate enter the command and control room.
"I have had enough backstabbing for one life. I just hope the United States continues to honor our deal," Lupe concluded.
"Indeed," the General agreed.
As they finished their conversation, Lupe's new dog tag came to life, indicating there was a call that he had to take, "Excuse me generally, this is an important incoming call," Lupe excused himself from the room.
Once out of the CIC and in a private room just to the side, Lupe and Artemis would open the line of communication, "This is Lupe."
"Lupe, what I am about to say is going to make you very angry and want to kill something, but I ask that you don't," It was Chase on the other end.
Lupe chuckled and said back, "What do you mean?"
"I mean that we have been fooled into believing that Dijak was Dijak and not an imposter," Chase explained.
Lupe would go from chuckling to serious, "You're kidding. Please tell me you are kidding."
"Believe me, I wish I was too. But Dijak is somewhere out there and most likely in great danger. What I have here at Fort Jackson is nothing but imposters that only acted as Dijak and his team. I don't know how this was possible, but it has my brother written all over it. Rocky, Delta, Danny, and Smoke were the only ones who were themselves and had no idea in the deception plan they were unknowingly a part of," Chase explained the situation as he saw it, "We gassed them out, and they are under heavy guard, and we expect an attack by Storm at any moment. Because of this, I plead that you find where Dijak is. He is out there, and he needs to be found at all costs. Can I count on you?"
"Of course, Chase," Lupe replied, "I will let you know as soon as we have a lead. Do you need anything else?"
"You have forces everywhere, have them be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary and heading to Fort Jackson or anything major for that matter," Chase added.
"Will do, Chase. I'm glad you found out before it was too late," Lupe encouraged the Nightwatcher.
"I'm afraid it was too late. But better late than never," Chase somberly said on the other end, "I now go have to deal with imposters and possibly get the chance to kill them in rage for everything that has been done. Atlas condemned them to death as soon as I get anything out of them."
Lupe chuckled, "Have fun with that. You need to kill something with those new weapons of yours. Just don't kill them all at once. Make them hurt for all the pain you and your team have gone through. Make them pay."
"I have every plan to do so. Talk later, Lupe," Chase ended the call with that.
Lupe then left the room and the HQ to the outside. There he would contact his subordinates and tell them about the situation. Many would be angry with this turn of events but would follow their new orders. The hunt for Dijak and whatever is left of his true team is now in effect. Thanks to Atlas, Dijak has also been made missing, and anyone in the military is to find him shelter and get him into protective custody.
All major assets would be looking for Dijak, but Lupe never guessed what would happen next. Dijak was heading his way to Adventure Bay right now.
XXX
Dijak was behind the wheel of his modified 1969 Dodge Charger with a BDS blower. Cyanide was right next to him, curled up and asleep. Smokey and Shadow were both asleep in the back, and Sweetie's dead body was resting on the floor in the back. Dijak rubbed his front paws over his face to try and keep the tiredness from taking over because he's been driving for who knows how long. Dijak suddenly saw Adventure Bay come into view.
"Rise and shine, boys," said Dijak as he shook Cyanide awake.
Cyanide, Shadow, and Smokey groan as they stretch their bodies as much as possible. As Dijak approached the gate, a guard came over and immediately recognized the ASF markings on the uniforms they were wearing and proceeded to let them through as Dijak drove through the once peaceful town that had now become a militarized base. Dijak, Shadow, and Smokey saw how much had changed since the last time they visited and immediately felt guilt build up that they weren't here when they should have been. Dijak found a spot to park his car. The four remaining Task Force Wild Card members got out; Dijak pulled Sweetie's dead body out before laying her on the ground with tears in his eyes. Dijak removed her collar and proceeded to take his jacket off and covered her body with it. Cyanide, Shadow, and Smokey looked all around them as soldiers went by some of them saw them but paid no attention to them. Shadow and Smokey saw where the Lookout used to be, and instead of seeing the tower, they saw a building that looked like some sort of military headquarters.
"Smokey, the Lookout's gone," Shadow pointed to the building.
"My God," said Smokey as he looked at the building where the Lookout once stood.
Dijak heard what Shadow and Smokey said, but right now, he didn't care. All he felt was pain, the pain of losing his entire team except Shadow and Smokey, and the pain of his wife dying in his forearms as they escaped from Storm. Dijak was grateful that they gained a new friend, but with his wife and more than half of Task Force Wild Card dead, he just didn't know what to do anymore. A guard would recognize Dijak and send a report to tell Lupe, Artemis, and Redstone that Dijak and three others had arrived at the base.
Dijak then saw two wolves and a red fox come running down from where the Lookout used to be. Behind them would be several Atlas Wolves Militia members clad in new Crusader gear. Soon enough, Lupe, Artemis, and Redstone would be right behind the four of them. No weapons drawn, no teeth shown, nothing aggressive but, instead, worriedness.
"Good Lord," Lupe said, "What the hell happened to you?"
"We got led into a trap, our commanding officer, Major General Carter Wulfric, sent us to Russia to retrieve classified CIA documents-" He was cut off.
"Just stop," Lupe said as he approached closer, "There is no need to explain right now. What matters is that you are found. Not necessarily safe but found just the same."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to bring everyone home, but only me, Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide are left. Everyone else is gone," said Dijak as he started to cry again.
Artemis broke rank and hugged Dijak. He needed it, and she saw a broken dog just like Chase. Just like Everest. She could see that he had lost not only his team but someone he held dearly, "I'm so sorry, Dijak," She said softly and quietly.
"I couldn't save her. I held her as she died, and I felt as if someone tore my heart out," said Dijak. Artemis held him and kept hugging the poor dog.
Artemis looked to Lupe. Both his and her ears were pinned to their head in sadness. Even Redstone was showing some emotion, "Come with us," was all the gray wolf could say to Dijak and his comrades.
Shadow and Smokey helped Dijak up to his paws, and the four members of Task Force Wild Card followed the AWM members to the top of the hill where the Lookout once stood. They would walk up to where the old oak tree that the PAW Patrol always played near. By some miracle, it was still standing after all the terrible things that had happened, but what stood beneath it was another story.
In the shade of the oak tree were five tombstones in a row. Dijak would notice that these were someone's graves. As he looked, he would see red, orange, yellow, white, and pink on each of the stones. First, Marshall, "Here lies a brave pup who would do anything to protect his friends from fire. Marshall Wood. 'I'm Fired Up!' 2013-2026."
They moved on. The next one was Zuma's. "A pup who enjoyed the water. Loved by many and always had time to help others. Zuma Cove. 'Let's Dive In!' 2014-2026."
Rubble's was next, "A young pup who always enjoyed helping and eating. He was too brave for his good. Rubble Stone. 'Rubble on the Double!' 2016-2026."
After that was Tracker's, "New but still willing to help. Always there to lend a paw or cable. Tracker Tiras. 'I'm all ears / Soy todos oidos!' 2014-2026."
Finally, there was Skye's, "One who won the heart of a fierce leader. Always cheerful in the darkest of times. Helped Adventure Bay but also the world. Skye Cadieux. 'Let's take to the Sky!' 2015-2026."
"This probably wasn't the best of ideas," Redstone whispered to Lupe, who watched Dijak look over the graves.
"I know, but he was going to see them in one way or another," Lupe refuted.
"Where's Rocky, Stark, and Koda?" Asked Dijak as he finished looking at the graves.
Lupe took a breath, "Rocky was with your imposter but now is safe under Chase and his Nightwatchers at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Last I checked, Stark and Koda are in Washington DC," Lupe calmly answered.
"What's going to happen to the canines that were as imposing as us?" Asked Dijak, who felt his body heat up.
Seeing this, Artemis would back off and Lupe said, "Cool your jets. They have been captured by Chase and his Nightwatchers," the wolf then made sure no one was listening and continued, "He is going to give them the most painful, agonizing, gruesome death possible while also extracting as much information out of them as possible. He is taking a page right out of your book."
"Sorry if I'm freaking you out, but my demon form has finally reached the final evolution stage, and it's a little intense. However, I think Chase would like a present that I got him. It's in the trunk of my car," said Dijak.
"What are you getting at," Redstone asked, curious as to what the mix was implying.
Dijak smiled and disappeared, only to reappear with a black jacket on and with the unconscious body of a female wolf, and dropped it to the ground before retracting the chain from her body and wrapping it diagonally around his body.
"Lupe, Artemis, Redstone, I would like to introduce you three to Elena Blackskull, the former Monarch of the Diablo Blackskull Cartel. She was working with Storm to exact her revenge on me for destroying her family's criminal empire many years ago," said Dijak as he looked at Elena, who was finally waking up after being knocked out by Nightmare.
Cyanide hissed at Elena for causing the death of the two best friends that he had ever known. Shadow and Smokey each put a paw on Cyanide to calm him down, but deep down, Cyanide would relish in pleasure in stabbing Elena multiple times with his blade-shaped tail.
"Well, if it isn't my old nemesis. It has been a while, Mrs. Blackskull, or should I say. Sister," Lupe said with venom in his voice.
"WHAT!" Artemis and Redstone shouted in surprise.
Dijak's ears perked up at Lupe mentioning Elena to be his sister, but surprisingly no anger came out of him, for he knew that Lupe was nothing like his psychopathic sister. Of course, Lupe used to be an enemy, but apparently, Lupe has been with the good guys for quite a while now and has earned Dijak's respect.
"I had a feeling you were behind these along with Storm. You always did look up to him and him to you. Match made in hell, I'd say, just like the year 2020 and Satan meme, but your previous mate. Mr. Blackskull. Oh boy, he was a joy to kill," Lupe mocked Elena
Elena snarled at Lupe and tried to attack him, but Dijak transformed into Nightmare and wrapped his chain around her body, and forced her onto her knees.
"Behave yourself, and I might convince them to give you a semi-painless death," said Nightmare as he kept a firm grip on his chain.
Lupe would chuckle his old evil maniacal laugh. He was a fucking madman, "So, now at the mercy of a no-so-merciful, vengeful, hate-filled freakshow." Lupe looked to Nightmare and said, "forgive me," then looked back to Elena, "Mother always did worry about you and what you'd become. Now, look at you. Pathetic."
"Oh, please. Spare me the insults, but since I'm going to die, I might as well pull my last mind string-" Lupe would cut her off
"Oh, please. Before you do that, I have something for you. A gift from Father and Mother," Lupe would quickly pull his Makarov pistol and shoot Elena in the paw. He would do it so quickly with the draw, shot, and holstering that you would confuse him for a wild west outlaw. She would scream in pain, and Lupe would then, like any brother, kiss Elena on the cheek. "The bullet was from Father. The kiss was from Mother after the fact."
"I always hated you and Father. You two thought you were better than everyone else and that you could do whatever you wanted," said Elena before turning toward Nightmare. "May I please talk to Dijak?"
Nightmare narrowed his eyes before turning back into Dijak. Dijak shook his head as if trying to clear his blurry vision.
"Damn! It's going to be a while before I get used to having the flesh on my head and tail get burned off and then reappear, woof," said Dijak before glaring at Elena. "Now, Elena, what the fuck do you want?"
"To tell you a little secret," said Elena with her smudged look even though her left paw was bleeding from the gunshot wound.
"A secret? Oh please, what could you possibly have that would be so important to me?" Asked Dijak.
"Oh, it's not just about you. It's about you and your brother, Rocky," said Elena.
Lupe interrupted, saying, "I would patch that paw up if I were you. Hate for my sister to bleed out before we have some fun," He then chuckled deviously like a psycho.
Elena glared at her brother and stuck her tongue out at him, "Anyway, as I was saying, this little secret involves you and Rocky. In the official report, it was said that Raven Crossfang and Eclipse Crossfang died in a car crash and that their two sons magically disappeared, but what if I were to tell that two very important but tiny details were left out."
Dijak narrowed his eyes while the others did the same; something was wrong here.
"What do you mean?" Asked Dijak, who was growing impatient with Elena's riddles
"Oh, for the love of God, Elena. You and your secrets. JUST FUCKING SPIL IT!" Lupe would be annoyed at his sister, "You are always such a riddle."
"Well, fine, since my brother has to ruin the fun. I'm trying to say that you and Rocky have a little brother named Valor who was left at the hospital by Ethan and Maria," said Elena.
"YOU LIAR!" yelled Dijak.
"Sorry to tell you the ugly truth, but it's true. Ethan and Maria told Storm all about it, who then told me," Elena finished.
"Glacier and Ash, where the hell spawns of Ethan and Maria, who I may add are still alive. Not much for Glacier and Ash, but still. What evidence do you have to back up your claim, sister? You know that I know you are a serial liar," Lupe told his sister.
"Storm showed me what Ethan and Maria showed him, but the only ones who have the golden evidence to prove that this is real are Ethan and Maria, and they said that they'll only reveal the truth if Dijak and Rocky meet with them in France alone, nobody else. All you have to do is call them and tell them the time," said Elena as she began to laugh.
Lupe would finally lose his cool and patients and tackle Elena to the ground and pin her. Easily gained the upper paw on her due to his superior strength, "Give me one good reason not to rip out your guts and hang your head on my wall. Then have your spine as a fucking trophy on my desk and your bones made into dust. All the while, I keep you alive as long as possible for you to feel each and every part of yourself be separated," Yep, Lupe has gone insane again. But no one could stop him.
"Well, what about Dijak? I nearly took his entire team away from him. What if he wants some revenge?" Asked Elena in a sweet tone.
"Oh come on, Elena, I can't have all the bloody fun, besides it might be fun to watch someone kill another person in a bloody violent rage," said Dijak with a chuckle.
"You are the reason Mother and Father are dead. You are the root of why Skye, Marshall, Rubble, Zuma, and Tracker are all dead. You have been pulling Storm's strings. You are the cause of so much death, grief, and crimes against Earth herself," Lupe continued, "You called in that false report that night. You framed our father, and as a result, it got him, and Mother killed. All before it was called a false report. Thinking about it, you're the reason why I defected to Russia. Why I killed so many people and dogs. Women, Children, Pups, Men. Innocence. People who I had no business killing or ruining their lives. You used so many dogs and people to get your way," Lupe kept her pinned and then calmed down, "Then I should thank you. If it was not for you, I would not have become as powerful as I am now. Because of you, I am one of the most powerful canines in the world."
"Ah yes, You, Chase, and Dijak here are like the three musketeers. The top three deadliest and most powerful canines in the world, and you three waste your abilities to protect meaningless lives when you have the power to take whatever you want whenever you desire. Truthfully it makes me sick to see dogs like you, Chase, and Dijak acting all heroic when you can be ruling over people and animals like gods," said Elena as she spat in her brother's face, "And to top it all off, you got with this whore."
Dijak and his buddies heard the insult that Elena had just called Artemis, and to be honest, all of them were kind of scared of what was going to happen. Hell, even Redstone took a few steps back, not wanting to be near Lupe or Artemis.
Lupe would remain silent, but his fur would start to stand on edge like a cat. The same would happen to Artemis, and she would have a scowl on her face that if looks could kill, everyone would be dead, "So, honey," Lupe would say calmly, "Have you ever tasted wolf?"
Dijak, remembering that he still had Elena wrapped in his chain, carefully unwrapped her, and he, along with Redstone, Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide, all walked to a spot a good few feet away and sat together like they were about to see a show.
"He wouldn't eat his sister, would he?" Redstone would ask, still looking at the three wolves. Two of them are about to have a feast, while the other is going to be the feast.
"I have no idea, but if he does, it will be slow, painful, and bloody. However, do you think she was telling the truth about Rocky and me having another brother, or was she just trying to mess with my head again?" Asked Dijak.
"Well, I guess look into it. There is always a paper trail. In the meantime, Elena is not going to be long for this world," Redstone concluded.
"It's num num time," said Dijak as the others burst out laughing, ready to see Lupe and Artemis eat a pain-in-the-ass bitch alive.
"You didn't say what I think you just said," Lupe would want Elena to repeat what she said.
Elena would just stare at her brother, "You wouldn't. You fucking animal."
"Well, we are deep down. I'm pretty sure we wolves were cannibals and ate those who didn't belong. Artemis always says I taste good, and I wonder how well your flesh and blood taste," Lupe had no filter anymore. He was long gone, and not one person could stop him now. Let alone that Artemis was going to join him.
Elena then would have a face of pure fear. A face she never showed anyone, but the fact that her brother was about to slaughter her was terrifying. Also, don't forget that Lupe became a master of torture and always, if not most of the time, got what he wanted from his victims.
Lupe growled and showed his razor-sharp teeth. Then in an instant, Lupe attacked and bit down on Elena's left front leg and crushed her bone using his jaws of 406 psi. Elena screamed in pain as she felt her leg start to lose feeling and the crushing of her bone. Lupe then yanked it off, and Elena no longer had a left foreleg but just a bleeding stump.
Elena started crying in pain and pleading, "Lupe, please."
Artemis would then bite down on Elena's tail, drag her out from Lupe, and then jump up and stand between Lupe and a crying Elena.
"Lupe, you are out of control. Who cares what she called me, for you know it is untrue," Artemis did a 180 in perspective and couldn't bring herself to kill Elena. She didn't deserve to be unscathed but not mauled to death by her brother.
Elena would pipe up, "I'm sorry, Lupe."
Artemis would growl at Elena. Telling her she is not defending her but trying to get her mate back to her. The caramel wolf would then turn back to Lupe, who had blood on his muzzle, "I know she doesn't deserve mercy, but you will be just as bad as her if you kill her right now. We have her in our custody; that is what matters. Be better than her. Please, dear."
Dijak and Redstone would lose their devilish smiles but not say a word. Deep down, they both knew that if Lupe did this, he would be no better than his sister and lose what he had gained over the past few months.
Lupe would gain some sense back into him, and he would stop growling like a savage and sit down. He would try to lick his muzzle clean, but the blood had already stained his fur.
Elena would be breathing heavily as she kept losing blood. Artemis would whistle for a medic, and one of Lupe's AWM medics would come over, "Get her back in good health and get a prosthetic leg for her missing one," Artemis ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," the medic, a female Siberian Husky like Everest but much older and also an ex-Russian soldier.
"One more thing," Artemis would walk over to Elena's fear-filled body, "Don't you think this is mercy? You don't deserve death. Not yet, at least, but also." Artemis would head over to Elena's 'area' and then jump and punch it with such force that Elena would scream in pain again, having felt her uterus and ovaries break, "Make sure she never has pups again."
The husky nodded, and then, with two other AWM guards, would take Elena to a medical tent to fix her up, put her to sleep, and then transport her to the Esquel's brig. Artemis would then head back over to Lupe, nuzzle him, and run her back and tail across his face.
It would get his attention as she lifted her tail, "Come on honey, let's get you cleaned up, and maybe you and I can have some fun at the ship." she said seductively.
Lupe would nod and follow his wife to the docks, where a boat was waiting for them to head to the Esquel.
Dijak and his team would watch as the two left and then turn to Redstone, "Is she always that seductive?" Dijak would ask the red fox.
"Uh, yeah. Before they had Curtis, it was much worse. After every execution, they would get cleaned up and go fuck in their room. If they were the ones making the killing, at least," Redstone confirmed.
"I wanted to see her die," Cyanide complained.
"Yeah, I thought they would eat her alive," Smokey joined in disappointment.
"She more than deserved it," Shadow added.
"I understand your frustration, but as Artemis said, Elena is Lupe's sister. No matter how much they hate each other, blood can't kill blood, and they do not feel guilty afterward. I'm sure if Chase was given the opportunity to kill Storm, he wouldn't, and the same for Storm, as evil as he is. He would rather have someone else make the killing," Redstone explained, "In the end, Elena will be locked up and taken everywhere where Lupe and Artemis go to keep an eye on her. By constantly being on the move, freeing her will be tricky for anyone. You will not be seeing her again and if you do, by all means, kill her."
The group of four wasn't satisfied, but they could do nothing to stop the AWM.
Dijak nodded and then said, "Come on, guys. Let's go call Chase and see how he is doing."
A Few Minutes Later
After seeing Lupe almost devouring his own sister, Dijak and his three companions got a tent where they could stay and made a call to Chase to give him a status report on what had happened to them. After getting cleaned up and having some food, Dijak and the others called Chase and the Nightwatchers. After a while, only Chase appeared on the screen.
"Surprise, we're alive," said Dijak as he and the others waved at their friend.
"Good to see the real you, Dijak. However, I have a pleasant time beating the life out of our imposter friends," said Chase. The German Shepherd would be in his uniform with the helmet retracted and blood stained everywhere.
"We can see that. Save boys and me some. Each of us is itching for a chance to go a few rounds with them," said Dijak as the others nodded in agreement.
"Calm yourselves, boys, and trust me, they'll be plenty of opportunities to get your payback on them," said Chase. He would then drop his smile. Deep down, he couldn't keep his facade up forever, so he returned to a neutral face.
"We're just a little pissed off, but we're trying to calm down. Maybe if we had something to vent our frustration on, we would feel a lot better," said Dijak.
"I understand. I felt the same way when the PAW Patrol was killed. Especially Skye," said Chase trying not to tier up from the horrific memory.
"I saw their tombstones, but I'm afraid I'll have to add something later," said Dijak, looking down from the camera.
"Why?" Asked Chase.
Chase would then notice that only Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide were with Dijak, and he didn't know if the others were just spread out around the Adventure Bay FOB or if they were asleep, but the way Dijak was talking, the look on the on three's faces made Chase think of something that he hope wasn't true.
"It's only us four. Everyone else is dead," said Dijak while the others looked down in sadness.
"My God, so you four and Sweetie that survived?" Asked Chase, "Plus, where is she?"
Dijak's breath got caught in his throat when Chase thought Sweetie had survived. Without another word, Dijak turned around and left, leaving the four Nightwatchers confused by Dijak's actions.
"Oh," Chase said when he saw Dijak leave.
"Unfortunately, just like how you lost Skye and Everest lost Marshall, Dijak lost his true love," said Shadow.
"You don't mean…" Chase said as he trailed off when Shadow and the others nodded, ' yes.'
"She died when Storm injected some type of toxin that entered her body when Storm bit, clawed, and slashed her with a knife. According to the medics here, Sweetie's death was because of the toxin in her body. The bite wounds, the claw wounds, and even the knife wounds on her body were non-lethal. It was like Storm was trying to make Sweetie's death as slow and painful as possible," Shadow explained.
"Some good news, though, we were able to bring in the former monarch of the Diablo Blackskull Cartel, Elena Blackskull, for judgment, and she is now in the custody of Lupe and Artemis," said Smokey.
"Well, at least that's one piece of good news," said Chase, who then asked, trying to remain stoic, "Anything else to report?"
Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide looked at each other before Cyanide spoke up, "When we were escaping, Dijak had Elena in his paws as his demon form, and he could have gone for the killing blow. I mean, he had the opportunity to kill her but instead, he took her into custody and brought her in. Then when we were about to drive on out of the compound, Storm was right there in front of us, just him, none of his men were around to protect him, and Dijak was looking at him dead in the eye, and it was an easy kill, but Dijak left him alone, and we left."
Chase was listening as Cyanide explained how Dijak refused to kill Elena and Storm when we had the perfect opportunity to do so. It was after Storm mortally wounded Sweetie, and Elena nearly killed Dijak's entire team, giving them every right to kill them both.
"Is that all?" Asked Chase.
"For now, it is," said Smokey.
"Alright, you boys, get some rest. We'll talk later," said Chase as he ended the call.
After Chase ended the call, the three Task Force Wild Card operatives left their tent to see where Dijak had disappeared to. After a while, they found him in an opening in the forest where he had gathered a bunch of white flowers and laid them on top of Sweetie's body, which was on top of bedding made up of sticks and leaves.
"What are you doing?" Asked Shadow as they came into the clearing.
"Sweetie said that when she dies, she wishes to be cremated instead of buried because she wants to feel free, so I'm fulfilling her wish," said Dijak.
Smokey, Shadow, and Cyanide watch as blue flames appear on the claws of his right front paw and with a flick of his paw, Dijak and the others watch as blue flames devour Sweetie's body. Dijak then flashbacks to the night in Rio when he and Sweetie got married as he watched the love of his life turn to ash.
Flashback
Rio de Janeiro - Three Months Ago
Dijak and Sweetie were dancing happily under the night sky of Rio. After a long time of planning it, Dijak and Sweetie finally tied the knot and got married to only the members of Cemetery Wind in attendance. After getting married, the newly married couple went to a flower field on a tall hill and danced the night away.
"Did you have a good evening, my love?" Asked Dijak as he twirled Sweetie around in his front forelegs.
"This night has been wonderful. However, I wish it didn't have to end so soon," said Sweetie.
"Yeah, I know," said Dijak.
Dijak and his team were back at the base in three days after having three weeks off. Of course, none of them were happy about it, but Dijak and Sweetie knew they would spend a long time away from each other.
"Just wait for a little while longer, and I'll see if I can convince the President to pardon you of your crimes in exchange for the data you've been collecting," said Dijak.
"I just can't wait until we can finally be together without it being a secret," said Sweetie as she and Dijak continued dancing.
"Me too. It would be wonderful to start a family, too," said Dijak.
"Have a house. Have some kids. Have that perfect family," said Sweetie.
"That sounds lovely," said Dijak.
"Have you ever thought of retiring from the military and having a normal life? You and I can go out and live a whole new life somewhere else where we don't need to worry about anyone hunting us down?" Asked Sweetie.
"To be honest, it has crossed my mind a few times, but I could never do that to the friends and family I made. I mean, what about Rocky? He's the only blood-related family member I have left, and vice versa," said Dijak.
"Your right. I just hope we can have the peaceful life we always dreamed of having," said Sweetie.
"One day, we will. Just wait, one day we'll have that life," said Dijak as he dipped Sweetie's body and kissed her on the mouth as fireworks shot up into the sky, making the pitch black sky light up like a beautiful rainbow.
On that night, the two canines celebrated their wonderful evening with each other as they looked forward to their future and the peaceful life they hoped would be waiting for them.
Flashback Ends
Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Time: 1630 Hours UTC -5
After the call with Dijak, Chase exited what he would call the torcher room and left the building that was housing the criminals. He got to his truck and then took off to the hotel. One moment he had a new office and was settled there for the next months, only to pack it all up in the back of his truck. Thankfully, Rosalie and Fuchs left to go and get their other truck, so they don't all share the same one. However, that meant the Nightwatchers were splitting up, and Chase told them to get it and immediately return on the same C-17 they left on.
Chase returned safely to the hotel and saw Rocky, Delta, Danny, and Smoke in the lobby waiting for him. He told them on his way back that he had talked with the real Dijak. Once they saw him enter, they jumped to him and started asking questions.
"Did you really talk to him?"
"Was it the real Dijak?"
"Please tell me my real brother is ok."
"What is going to happen now?"
"ENOUGH!" Chase shouted to quiet them, "If it wasn't the real Dijak, I wouldn't have said anything to you. Yes, It is your real brother this time, Rocky, and he is physically fine. However, he witnessed the rest of his real team get slaughtered as well as his secret mate Sweetie. He, Cyanide, Smokey, and Shadow are all that remains of Dijak and his team."
The four of them remained silent while Chase continued, "At this time, you four are under my protection and the rest of the base. We need to sort this out, and I will update you as soon as possible. For now, just try and entertain yourselves while I try not to kill myself from all that has happened." Chase then left for his room, where Everest and Ms. Polska would be waiting.
The German Shepherd would open the door and see the two female canines in front of him. He was expecting Everest, but Robyn was an unexpected and welcoming sight.
"Ms. Polska, what are you doing here?" Chase asked as he entered and closed the door to the room.
"She wanted to drop in and see how we were enjoying our new gear and what we thought about it," Everest answered for the White German Shepherd.
"Oh. Well, we haven't had much time to use it. Except for that one point where I thought these nasty freaks would fight back. I was too effective, and they couldn't," Chase groaned as he took off his uniform for the first time in a week, "I just need time to relax and try and process what the hell is going on. If I don't, I might as well put a bullet in my head."
"Chase!" Robyn and Everest said, flabbergasted.
"You don't mean that, right?" In her cute Polish accent, Robyn questioned that Chase and Everest thought it was nice and relaxing to hear a new friendly voice.
Chase would jump onto his bed, sprawl out, and take a deep breath before speaking again, "Most likely not. I just… I don't know how to deal with this. Things have changed so quickly, and I have done my best to keep up. We all have, but now I am falling behind."
Robyn and Everest just looked at each other. Neither knew what to do with a depressed, overworked, exhausted German Shepherd like himself. Before they knew it, he was already asleep and breathing quietly.
After that, they both agreed that he needed something or just someone to lean on. Robyn was about to leave, but Everest stopped her, "You can join us if you want."
"I guess I could. I have no other obligations at this time," Robyn reasoned. Everest then jumped onto Chase's bed and lay down on his left side. Robyn would join her and lay down on Chase's right side. From there, the two of them would fall asleep, cuddling their dream boyfriend. But a broken one at that.
Adventure Bay FOB
2351 Hours (11:51 PM)
Dijak and the others returned to their room, and neither one of them made it to their beds as they all collapsed onto the floor from exhaustion. Realizing that none of them were going to move, Dijak gathered all of their pillows and blankets, and all four of them piled into one big pile before falling into an easy sleep. Redstone went to check on Dijak and his crew but what he saw was a very adorable sight. Redstone called over Lupe and Artemis, who was walking nearby, and Lupe smiled at what he saw while Artemis let out a chuckle. Dijak was curled into a ball, with Shadow resting his head on Dijak's neck. Smokey was lying on his back with his head resting on Shadow's backside. Finally, Cyanide was curled up on Smokey's chest. Artemis grabbed a big blanket and pulled it over all four of them before leaving with Lupe and Redstone.
Redstone headed to the Esquel to get some rest while Lupe and Artemis remained on land until the general summoned them to the headquarters building.
Lupe and Artemis would enter the headquarters where the general was waiting. "Lupe, you and your high ranks have a message from Atlas. I will leave for you to talk."
The General would then leave the room while a picture of Atlas appeared. He would not be pleased in the slightest. At this time, the General would have reported the findings, and Dijak and his team, at least what is left of his team, would have been safe and sound. But now, something else entirely was developing.
"Lupe, I know you have no reason to take orders from me because you are a private military. However, I am asking you. Russia, China, and their allies have finally gotten over their shock and awe but have no hope of retaking what we have advanced to. They have mustered enough of a defense to stop us and our allies." Atlas explained.
"What on God's green earth do you expect me to do?" Lupe questioned.
"I'm not finished," Atlas responded, "Winter has arrived, but this time it is serving against the Russians. The Finnish, 10th Mountain Division and the Baltics have dug in for the winter and have repelled Russia's every attack for the past three months. I want your Russian assets to get behind enemy lines, meet up with the 75th Ranger Regiment, and help destabilize Russia from the inside. Turn their people against their government. This is to save more lives, for we all know, Russia will keep sending men into the entire western front's meat grinder. We have gotten to the gates of Moscow and have taken everything, such as St. Petersburg and Kursk. Belarus has completely fallen from the capture of Minsk, and Turkey has taken Armenia with Georgia's help. Pakistan and China have started to invade India but have been beaten back by Indian and Coalition forces. Iran is trying to muster a force to take over the middle east and has constantly launched missiles into Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. Israel has taken the entire West Bank and the Gaza strip back and has helped the civilians affected by that never-ending conflict. However, it seems like your forces are beating the living shit out of any terrorist group that supports Iran, Russia, or any of those countries. Your tactics are brutal but effective."
"I only care for results. I don't care how they get them as long as they complete their task," Lupe reasoned, "And yes, I will have my Russian assets re-enter that blasted and doomed nation to help your special forces collapse from the inside."
"Thank you, Lupe," Atlas thanked the wolf, "In other news, Fuchs and Rosalin have been given new orders to stay put and prepare the Nightwatcher's bunker. Thank you for your surveillance and spies. They told us that Strom wants an all-out assault on the Nightwatchers and everyone they love and know. Crusaders had built up their defenses to the point where you would have to be a madman to attack their facilities while they kept pumping out war material and even soldiers. Washington, DC, has been fortified with National Guard and federal troops. Chase and Everest will be moved back to their bunker to reunite with Fuchs and Rosalie, for they are stronger together than alone. With their new equipment, they should be able to dispose of anyone that attacks them. They will take Rocky, Delta, Danny, and Smoke to help bolster their numbers and to help protect them." Atlas sighed, "This war is not one of the nations but one of the factions. We have the Atlas Wolves Militia, The Royal Cartel, CIA, ASF, Alpha 99, Crusader, Abstergo, and so many other terrorist, anti-terrorist factions all fighting one another. Then there is Sylvia and whatever faction she is part of that we have finally uncovered to be called the Templars."
"It is a war of all wars. Just a hell of a lot more deadly than WWI. We just have to survive to see what will happen next," Artemis said, summarizing everything.
"Indeed," Lupe agreed, "I will do what you ask, Atlas. Is that all?"
"For now. I will contact you soon. Stay alive," with that, Atlas ended the call, and Lupe and Artemis looked at each other.
"What now?" Artemis asked.
"Now, we deploy everything we have and fight off these backstabbers," Lupe stated while he walked out of the room. Artemis would follow close behind her mate.
Flashback
July 4th, 2022
Adventure Bay, Washington
The Lookout
It was a beautiful afternoon in Adventure Bay. Chase would have to agree. He was looking out over the small town at the top of the Lookout. Remembering all the rescues that he and his friends have done. From saving Chickaleta countless times, two have saved the town of Adventure Bay from a group of terrorists.
Now, all was right with the world. Ryder was alright, and so was everyone else on the team. What could go wrong, for they just did their hardest mission? Sure they are all traumatized from it, but now, they can all sleep peacefully knowing they won.
Just as the German Shepherd was about to turn and leave, a certain cockapoo mix breed would exit to the balcony right in front of him.
"Hey, Chase," she said as she saw him.
He would smile back and nuzzle her, "Hey, Skye. You doing alright?"
Skye would nod and walk past him to look out over the bay. He would join her by the railing and ask, "What is on your mind? I was just about to come and talk with you all."
She would drop her smile and look at Chase, "I don't think this is the last time terrorists are going to attack."
"What do you mean?" Chase questioned, getting concerned.
"Terrorists will come to fight us again. I don't know why or how. They just are. They are going to take Foggy Bottom, then Barkingburg. We are going to be heroes, but at a cost," Skye said.
"What makes you say that?" Chase asked, confused.
"A dream."
End Flashback
November 8th, 2026
Fort Jackson Hotel
Time: 0400 Hours -5 UTC
Chase would wake up in shock. He would breathe heavily and try to shoot up from his sleep. He was trapped under something and immediately panicked, thinking he was a prisoner.
"LIGHTS!" He would holler, and the hotel room lights would turn on quickly. He realized he was still in the hotel room and started to calm down, but it went much quicker when he realized that he was flanked on both sides by two gorgeous canines. Everest to his left and Robyn to his right, for he would have rolled onto his back during his sleep.
Both began to stir and wake up from Chase's sudden panic attack. Just then, Chase and Everest's dog tags would activate, and Atlas would be on the other side.
"Chase. Everest. Come in." Atlas's voice said.
Chase would rush to the tags on the dresser, "Yes, Atlas? Chase here."
"Leave Fort Jackson now! Take Robyn, Rocky, Delta, Smoke, and Danny with you. Fuchs and Rosalie need your support at your home base immediately. Our friend Lupe has identified a full assault element closing in on them. The Colorado Army National Guard is moving as fast as possible to assist. Get ready for an Airborne Mission," Atlas ordered, "Morgan knows Robyn is with you and may even send his security forces to help."
"Copy that," Chase ended the call and started getting his gear on, "Everest. Robyn. Get your gear on. We are leaving now."
Everest would not hesitate and get out of bed and start getting dressed. Robyn would start doing the same, and the three would finish getting their gear, not leaving anything. They would then bang on Rocky, Delta, Danny, and Smoke's room waking them up and ordering them to get their gear on and get into Chase and Everest's Hercules truck.
They'd do so as fast as possible and meet the Nightwatchers and the Crusader engineer at the lobby. From there, they would get into the truck. Everest and Robyn shared the front passenger seat while the other four were in the back. MPs joined them in police cruisers and escorted them outside the base to the closest airport, where a C-17 was waiting for them. Chase drove right in and ordered the pilots to leave immediately.
The Pilots knew of the urgency of this mission and got a priority taxi, and within a minute, they were in the air going as fast as possible to the state of Colorado.
"Come on, Fuchs, you and Rosalie need to hold out until we get there," Chase said as he got the parachute attachment for his suit and calibrated it, "Storm, you have fucked with me for the last time."
Adventure Bay FOB
0900 Hours (9:00 AM)
Dijak, Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide were still sleeping in their rooms when Dijak's phone began to beep, signaling that he had received a message. Groaning, Dijak and the others got up and began to clean themselves and get dressed while Dijak went over to his phone and read the message. At first, Dijak didn't comprehend the message because he was still tired, but as he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes, he realized what he was reading.
"Hello, Dijak, yes I know who you are, but you and your brother Rocky must come to the Eiffel Tower as soon as possible to retrieve very important information and a highly dangerous device that can not fall into the hands of the Blackgate Hellfire club, the Royal Cartel, or any other terrorist cell within the world. There's not a lot that I can tell you within this message, but all I can say is that if you value the lives of your family and friends as well as the lives of billions of innocent civilians, then I urge you and Rocky to get here quickly," from Valor.
Once Dijak read the message, he ordered Shadow, Smokey, and Cyanide to grab the gear and get ready to leave. Dijak then grabbed his phone and ran out of the tent to find Lupe or Artemis, for they needed to see this important message. Shadow and the others looked at the others, who only gave confused looks in return. Dijak started with the new military headquarters building where the Lookout used to be. Still, before he could enter the building, Dijak came across Curtis and decided to ask him where his parents were, for he had something important to show them.
"Curtis, wait up. I need to talk to you," said Dijak as he caught up with the young canine.
"What do you want, Dijak?" Asked Curtis with a certain tone in his voice.
Curtis wasn't overly fond of Dijak. Of course, Dijak was considered a legend for what he had done during his time in the military, but for some reason, Curtis couldn't see how or why Dijak or his band of freaks were necessary allies in this fight. Dijak knew something was bothering the son of Lupe and Artemis, but it wasn't his place to ask questions about it.
"I need to speak with your parents. Do you know where they are?" Asked Dijak.
"Why do you want to ask them something? Or are you planning on attacking my father again, or maybe you're secretly planning to attack my mother this time around," said Curtis as he gave Dijak an ice-cold look, "Who knows, Strom probably wants to kill her anyway just like all the other partners like Skye, Marshall, and your Sweetie."
"Okay, first of all, that wasn't me who attacked your father; second, I would be asking for death if I attacked your father or mother; and lastly, if you have a problem with me, then let's talk about it," said Dijak as he stood in front of Curtis.
"My problem is that I don't trust you and want you to stay away from my family," Curtis said before walking away.
Dijak let out a huff before walking off to find Redstone to help him find Lupe and Artemis. Dijak eventually found Redstone, that's if you count Redstone and Dijak slamming into one another. After Dijak and Redstone shook the dizziness from their heads, Redstone walked past Dijak towards the military headquarters building, with Dijak quickly following him.
Redstone quickly noticed that Dijak was following him and wanted to know why, "What do you want, Dijak? I'm busy."
"I'm looking for Lupe and Artemis. I have something important to show them," said Dijak.
"What is it?" Asked Redstone.
Dijak showed Redstone the message he had received and had Redstone read the message. His eyes grew wider by the minute.
"Come on," said Redstone as he took off running with Dijak.
"What's wrong?" Asked Dijak as he and Redstone ran down the halls of the headquarters.
"Some of our scouts identified a massive force closing in on Colorado, most likely from Storm, anyway Chase, Everest, Robyn, Rocky, Delta, Smoke, and Danny are already airborne, heading for Colorado," said Redstone.
"So what do we do now? What's the plan?" Asked Dijak.
"Show that message to Lupe, Artemis, and the General, and then we think of a plan," said Redstone.
Redstone and Dijak continued running down the hall, knowing they would have to carefully make their next move.