Chapter 3
Balto padded over to his boat. Boris was waiting on the deck. "Vhat is it?"
"What?" Balto asked. "Can't I stay here?"
"Every time you stay here you are troubled." Boris said. "Vhat is wrong?"
Balto sighed. "I'm chasing a dog who until tonight I thought was the Butcher of Nome. But…he saved my life Boris."
Boris waddled over to the wolf dog. "He saved your life?"
Balto nodded. "And I let him go. I'm wondering if I'll regret that."
Bolt sniffed the air. He wasn't alone. "Need a place to stay?"
He turned on his heels, instantly alert.
"Cool it dog. It's me." Seamus padded out of the shadows.
"Oh. Thanks for telling me how to escape."
"Don't mention it."
"But…"
"No really. Don't mention it to anyone. I could lose my post."
Bolt followed him to the small farmhouse. It was not a large house. Or in good shape. But it would do.
He padded inside. Bolt collapsed on the floor.
Seamus looked at him. "I'm sorry you've had to go through all this."
"It's fine. I've gone through worse." Bolt said. "But…I have to tell you something. I'm…not from this time. I'm from…well, the year 2009."
Seamus stared oddly at the small dog. "You're from where?"
"I remember…touching these bottles. Then…I was running after some dog. And it was 1929."
Seamus was staring wide eyed at the dog. Bolt sighed. "You think I'm crazy don't you?"
Seamus shrugged. "Maybe you had a crazy dream. Listen, I need to go to a meeting at the old mill. If anyone comes by STAY HIDDEN."
Bolt nodded. "Thanks again."
Seamus nodded. "See ya."
Bolt watched him leave. Then he fell asleep.
Back in 2009 Penny was missing. Bolt was missing. The family was looking for them desperately.
Mittens was the third of the family to notice the broken bottles. She touched one and was sent to 1929.
Rhino came rolling by in his ball. "Cat? Are you here?"
There was no sign of the black cat. He began rolling towards the monument. He noticed the bottles.
"What do we have here?"The ball smashed into the bottles. He disappeared to 1929.
That night was a tragic one in Nome. Two animals were found dead.
The Butcher of Nome was back. And he was still at work.
Balto stormed back onto the deck of the ship. "He killed two dogs."
Boris watched as Balto slammed his paw angrily on the deck of the boat.
"I let him go! And he killed someone!" He put his head in his paws.
"Balto, it's not your fault."
"Bullshit! It's my fault! I let him go! I had an injured killer. An easy catch. And I let him go."
He slammed his head on the deck.
Bolt slept well. He woke up to see Seamus standing over him.
"Did you leave the house last night?"
Bolt yawned. "No. Why?"
"The Butcher struck last night. Two dogs were killed."
Bolt's eyes widened. "Do they think I did it?"
"Hell yeah. I tried telling Balto what I thought about you but he was so upset with himself. He blames himself for letting you go."
Bolt got up and headed for the window. "I've gotta leave. I can't be seen here. They'll arrest you."
Bolt went out the door. Seamus watched him go.
Bolt was padding down the street. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey wags."
Bolt turned. "Mittens? What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you and…stuff happened."
Bolt looked around. "Listen, we gotta get out of here. There are too many…uh…complications. Come on."
He led her into an alleyway. "Where's Rhino?"
"He's…I don't know."
Balto was lying on the deck of the boat. Suddenly something bumped into his face. He opened his eyes.
"Morning Goldeneye."
Bolt saw a ball in front of him. It was made of a strange clear substance.
"Whoah!" He cried, backing away. "What is that?"
Rhino frowned. "This? This is my ball."
Balto stared at the clear plastic. "Ingenious."
Rhino nodded. "I prefer be-awesome."
"Where did you get this?"
Rhino scratched his head. "Petsmart."
Balto frowned. "Never heard of it."
"You've obviously never been to west Hollywood. Listen Goldeneye, I need to find my friends and…"
He noticed that Balto was paying no attention and was staring at the ball.
"Okay." Rhino opened the hatch and stepped out of the ball. He pushed it to the side. "As I was saying, I need to find my friends."
"What do they look like?"
"Well one is a skinny black cat with gigantic and I mean gigantic eyes. And the other is a medium sized white dog with a gigantic and I mean gigantic head."
Balto was about to respond when another dog shouted his name.
"Yeah?"
"Bolt's been sighted in town."
"Thanks Kaltag."
Balto turned to leave. "Sorry uh…"
"Rhino."
"Rhino the hamster?"
"I get that a lot."
Balto turned and ran down the ramp.
"Wait a second." Rhino muttered. "Bolt!"
He got in his ball and rolled down the ramp after the wolf dog.