AN: I finally saw the Copycat debut. I gotta say I liked having a cat villain besides Mayor Humdinger's kittens, but how is that dogs can talk in this world but not cats? Like what gives dogs the ability to speak normally to humans but cats don't get that? I know, kids cartoon show, but still makes you wonder. Also the charge up thing kinda was a dues ex machina that came out of nowhere.
Disclaimer: I do not own Paw Patrol
If you were to ask Chase if he still had feelings for Skye, even after her heartbreaking confession months ago, he would answer yes. A part of him would always care about her and he still held out hope that somewhere down the line her feelings would change. That being said, he was glad Skye finally left to look into something that Marshall and Rocky asked her help in. Because she was getting the point of overcaring too much. Seriously, I'm not so damaged that I can't eat my own food or use the bathroom.
He stared at the window of his room with frustration. The team was out there doing something and he was stuck inside recovering. The good news was he would be able to leave tomorrow, but his four legs wanted to rush out now. The sound of the door opening made Chase sigh, believing that Skye had returned just to double check on him before leaving. Instead, to his eye widening surprise, he saw that it was Blue who had entered the room.
The two half-brothers stared at each other, neither showing emotion as they observed their stance. Chase couldn't help but feel tense as he saw Blue slowly walk over to him. He would like to think that the FBI dog wouldn't assault him in bed no matter how much he hated him. Yet he could feel every blow from the fight starting to flare up again.
"Hey," Blue greeted softly.
"Hey."
The older German Shepard looked at the floor for a bit before turning his eyes to the side. "I heard you were awake. So I thought I'd come check up on you."
"Oh, thanks," Chase replied, blinking.
"...How are you feeling?"
"Like I got my butt kicked by a master of close quarters combat," Chase whispered, wincing as he felt a stinging twitch in his left ear. "Whatever they teach you at the FBI Academy must be damn good."
"Well, I was the second best combat dog in training," Blue said, smirking.
"Who was number one?" Chase asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A female dalmatian named Rosea," Blue replied, shaking his head in amusement. "She wasn't afraid to use her female charms to trick you into lowering your guard before taking you down."
Chase couldn't help but snort. "You fell for her showing you her tail?"
"Right before she spun kicked me out cold," Blue admitted with a shrug. "I lost the match, but it was worth it."
"Perv," Chase grumbled as the two smirked at each other. "Still...you really are as good as they say."
"...You're not half bad," Blue admitted, sighing. "You did get a few good blows. I guess Ryder's been teaching you well. I...I also looked up some of your cases...you're a pretty good cop."
Chase's eyes widened as he felt his heart nearly stop for a while as Blue looked down, his eyes narrowed in an emotion that the younger shepherd couldn't tell. But he could have sworn it was guilt. "You...you said I'm a good cop."
"Yeah, so?" Blue asked.
"...What happened to your previous attitude?" Chase muttered, raising an eyebrow.
Blue was silent for a while until he moved over to the window. He stared out of it. Lost in his thoughts as the only thing that made any noise was the dripping from Chase's IV. Pressing his paw against the cold glass, Blue sighed. "Do you know what I realized the moment you went down out cold?" Chase didn't answer. "I realized that I had beaten up a pup. Someone far lower than me in skill and experience. Someone way younger and is really just a child." The paw turned into a fist and banged the glass. "At that moment I didn't see you as the reason my mother died. Or the reminder of her sins and shame. I saw you just...as another dog...no different than others I've had to help in the past."
Turning around, Blue looked straight into Chase's eyes and he could see the shame inside. The pain that was beating inside his soul. "And I wondered if this is what Mom felt before she had a chance to kill you like your other siblings."
"...Blue," Chase spoke, but the older dog interrupted him.
"Don't," he said, stepping forward. Placing his front paws on the bed, he leaned forward. "Don't say anything yet because I need to say this..."
Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths. "We were...I was stupid. Blaming you for what happened with...our mother." Chase's eyes widened. "I thought about it long and hard since the fight. I thought about what you said...what you spoke deep inside of you...and I need to know..." He was now right in Chase's face. "Do you hate me? Do you hate my family?"
"...No," Chase answered honestly. He shook his head. "No, I never hated you. Any of you." There was a 'but' in the air and Chase growled while gripping his sheets. "But that doesn't mean I'm not angry. I thought I would finally find a family that day but instead I get treated like a pariah by my own blood for something I didn't even know or couldn't have known. You act like I'm the reason for our mother's actions, but the truth is she was to blame. She murdered my siblings and then herself. I'm not saying I don't feel sorry for why. I can forgive her because of the trauma she went through." He then snapped at Blue and yelled so loud he was sure the staff would rush in. "But I sure as hell don't deserve to be treated like shit because of it!"
"No, you didn't," Blue whispered, lowering his head. "It was...just easier to blame you then her."
He got off the bed and looked at the floor, his back to Chase as his voice began to crack a bit. "You have no idea what it's like to see your mother, a hero, turn into a mess and then a monster. To see that every good deed she had ever done got washed away because of one bad one. Why you have to comfort your little sister who is bullied because the boys at school said her mother was a bad dog and in hell. Watching your father become a wreck and lose his once proud character into becoming utterly depressed and lifeless slob. To support a family that was divided and hasn't recovered even to this day? I can't even remember the last time we visited her grave together."
Turning around Blue asked, "I can understand your anger, I get it, but can you really blame us for hating you? You were just so easy a target. I'm not saying it was right, but it was just better than accepting the truth. The truth...that Mom's actions were of her own."
Chase wanted to shout that yes it was. It was just plain wrong, but deep down he knew it was just mortal to do such a thing. To blame someone else and live a lie rather than face the truth. It's something we all have to go through once I guess.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry," Blue said as he made his way to the door. "I'm not ready to call you my...brother. I don't know if I ever will." He paused halfway before turning to Chase. "But...I am willing to call you comrade in this case. If you're okay with that?"
Giving a small chuckle, Chase rubbed the back of his head. "Well...sure, but on one condition." Blue tilted his head. "I...I don't know anything about...her...if it's not too hard...or too much trouble...could you tell me some stories about Mom? Good ones?"
Giving the biggest smile Chase had seen on him yet, Blue closed the door and sat down beside Chase as he began.
Ryder had to admit, for a club that was holding a prostituion ring, it didn't shy away from what it was doing out in the open. Maybe it was because they held a powerful presence in the area or maybe because people didn't give a damn? Still, the images of hot beautiful russian ladies on video screens outside the entrance, not to mention the neon sign of a warrior girl with big breasts holding an axe between them, made it clear this was the spot.
It took all of Ryder's willpower to hold down his blush. Despite his genius intelligence, he was still a young boy and growing into maturity. It was bad enough he was starting to see girl like Katie into something more then just friends, but sex...that was something he wanted to hold off for awhile.
"I don't get why human males come to these places?" Rubble asked, innocently unaware of the true nature of human desire. "What's so crazy about a bunch of women in swimsuits dancing in front of them?"
"One day, Rubble, you will learn," Ryder said, shaking his head with an amused smile. "Though I think it will be dogs instead of humans you'll be attracted too."
Because of their age, Ryder wasn't even going to begin trying to trick the bouncer up front to let them inside for a closer look. He didn't want to mess with a six foot gorilla looking thug what was obviously carrying a hidden gun in his coat pocket. That being said, that didn't mean there weren't other means to check the place out.
"So, you remember the plan?" Ryder asked, turning to Rubble.
"Yup," Rubble said with a proud smile. "I'll pretend to be the lost little doggie looking for directions to the vet while you sneak around the back alley. Then I'll wait here for you to return."
"Good," Ryder said, nodding. "If anything goes wrong contact Detective Shaw as soon as you can."
Ryder muttered a quick prayer in hopes that this would work. He moved out of the alley he and Rubble were hiding in across the club while Rubble was waiting until Ryder gave him the signal to go. He kept his focus away from the club while trying to relax, making sure that the bouncer didn't have any reason for him to gaze at. When he was close to the alley leading behind the club, Ryder gave a quick look back to see the bouncer's eyes in the other direction.
Jumping behind the garbage cans, Ryder quickly raised his head and waved in the direction of Rubble and let him do his magic. Watching from the side, he saw Rubble walk over, with his best pleading face, and started asking the bouncer the lines they practice. With the goon's focus occupied, Ryder rushed down the alley and jumped the steel fence, landing on his two feet.
Sneaking quietly, Ryder pressed his back against the wall of the club as he moved forward. Just as he was halfway there, he noticed a side door entrance with a wood staircase that allowed him to sneak under. He froze in place upon hearing the door open and watched through the cracks of the steps a figure walking down the stairs. It was another big looking guy and he stopped across from the wall and started to take a piss.
Ryder held his breath as he waited for the man to finish. When he was, he spat on the ground and made his way back up the stairs before closing the door behind him. Sighing in relief, the young teenager pressed forward.
When he reached the end of the alley, Ryder climbed over another steel chained fence and landed in front of a large box that he quickly hid behind. He was in some kind of outdoor parking and shipping area where he saw a bunch of guards holding guns wandering around and looking bored. There were a few cars and other boxes that he quickly used to get a better riding position. Making sure to keep as low as possible.
The guards were talking russian, but Ryder was too far to properly hear them, but what he could make out was that they were talking about some kind of shipment coming soon. The door to the backroom opened up, nearly spooking Ryder as the sound of heavy rave music echoed in the background. It was another big person, but Ryder recognized him from the photos Detective Shaw showed him. This had to be Big Nikolai due to this blond white short hair, thick beard, cold blue eyes, and wearing an expensive blue tie outfit.
Soon as he appeared, the guards quickly stood in attention. Big Nikolai walked forward with a calm but powerful presence before he addressed his men. "Владимир уже прибыл с последним грузом?"
"Пока нет, но он скоро будет здесь, босс."
Ryder was able to hear them this time and it seemed a shipment was coming in soon. Getting out his pup pad, he prepared to get video recordings whatever it was that was coming. Sure enough, a small transport truck arrived a few minutes later as it slowly parked in front of the Russians. A fat bald man came out of the driver's seat and shook hands with Big Nikolai. They spoke, Ryder unable to hear it but recorded it anyway, before Big Nikolai handed him a big envelope that the bald man took with glee.
Three of the guards went to the back of the truck and soon opened it. What it contained nearly made Ryder gasp. They were women, each being just barely in adult age with long hair and pale white skin. They were dressed in simple brown coats, all identical, and moved slowly out of the truck with emotionless expressions. They didn't try to resist or even say anything. The guards pointed to a second door, one leading downstairs, and the girls followed. It was clear the girls had no will of their own as they lined up and walked down like it was procedure to do so as the guards walked beside them.
Are they drugged? Afraid? Or broken? Ryder asked, with each theory leading to grim possibilities.
He watched as Big Nikolai told the remaining guards something while the driver started to head out. The guards followed Big Nikolai towards the back entrance he came from and Ryder kept recording until the entire coast was clear. Pressing send, he quickly sent his video to Detective Shaw's email and started making his way towards the metal fence again.
Crossing over it, he was about to call Rubble and let him know he was heading back when something hard hit him over the head and he blacked out.
Rubble was getting worried. It had been thirty minutes and Ryder still hadn't come back. He said it would only take ten minutes and it was way beyond that. He thought about calling Ryder, but he feared blowing his cover. He decided to get closer and hid near the same trash cans that Ryder had hid nearby earlier to see if he could get a better look.
While waiting, he noticed someone from the club coming outside with a trash can and hid behind one of them while holding his breath. The man dumped his trash and left while dusting his hands. Curious, Rubble looked inside and held his breath.
For at the top of the trash was Ryder's broken pup pad.
