Hunter and Colleen were flying in the Cloud Rover alone together. In a way it was sweet and rather intimate to be alone together in the sky, just the two of them. Colleen looked tenderly at Hunter. Hunter returned her gaze, reached over for her hand and kissed it gentily. Colleen couldn't help but notice, though, that his gaze was a mixture of love and guilt. "What's on your mind, Huntie?"

"He sighed. "I'm still so sorry it took me so long to fully see how I feel about you, Colleen. We were together all the time, and I never told you about these feelings that were growing cause I had to be so sure. Now we only have a few months together, and now I know! "

Colleen squeezed his hand . "It's not your fault, Huntie. Please don't keep saying that. Neither one of us really knew what was going to happen." She leaned back against the seat. "I've been talking to Exile, and he said that you and I should just concentrate on spending as much time together as we possibly can! We should take every moment we can get together."

Hunter smiled and turned to Colleen. He pulled the plane up higher so he could put it on auto-pilot and turned to Colleen. He took her paws in his and gazed into her eyes. "I really do love you, Colleen. I know it took me so long to say that, and I'm sorry we don't have a lot of time left. But I want to show you just how much I really do care."

"Oh, Huntie, you've always shown me that! All the times we've worked together,. The times you helped me and you allowed me to help you. Just the times we watched movies together and jogged together. I knew you cared about me, Huntie, just as much as I care about you." Hunter reached over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, being careful not to let it last too long, reminding himself they were still on a plane.

"Colleen," he whispered. "Have dinner with me tonight. "

"Where?"

"Right on the front porch, I can set up a small table, ask Shag to cook up something really special..and watch the sunset. Just you and me. Then we can hold hands and walk on the beach."

Colleen smiled. "I'd love that, Huntie. "

"It's a date then!" Hunter said, as he turned his attention to the plane once more. When they landed they got out and met Exile and Blitz who were coming out of the Sky Rover. "OK, Rovers, let's try to pick up the scent. Both Hunter and Shag began to sniff the air. "I smell guards, coming down that way!" He pointed to the right. "Let's lie low so we can spy on them better. " The Rovers ducked behind a huge boulder, being quiet so they can hear. Two groups of soldiers were coming from the right holding unique looking guns and equipment. They stood there, waiting. A while later two other soliders came from the left and stood just in front of the two first ones.

"So, here we are?"

"Yes. Did you bring the money?"

One of the soldiers that came from the left held out a huge bag. "Here's the right amount. 10,000, just the right amount the Havoc wanted."

"And here are your weapons. It's been an absolutle pleasure doing business with you. We do hope you will come again!" With a devious grin, the soldiers turned to leave.

"Let's follow those soldiers Rovers!" Hunter said. "They'll lead us right to Havoc!" The Rovers quietly went into their vehicles and took off, being very careful to follow the soldiers, but high up so they could not be seen. Soon the soldiers entered a high up metal fortress that was closely guarded with heavily armed sentries. They landed their vehicles near the back of the fortress and all climbed out. Hunter took in the situation in front of him. "OK, Rovers. I'll keep the guards busy, you al sneak in." The Rovers nodded.

Hunter used his super speed to race up to the sentries and grabbed one of their guns. Quickly he took off, causing the guards to run after him. The other Rovers raced into the back room as Hunter joined them with the gun in his hand. They all took off down the bright white hallway, with Hunter sniffing the air. "There are more guards all over the place. We'd better split up. Exile, Blitz, take Muzzle and go down the left. Shag, you're with me and Colleen."

"Right," Shag said, following behind. When they had gona good ways down, Hunter and Colleen stopped when they heard voices.

"That's the one good thing about the world, where one war ends, you can always find another!' Havoc said. "And this place is so far away, no one can ever find us! we'll sell all these weapons in no time, then sit back and watch the show! Once this land is trash, we sneak in and we claim the ENTIRE land!" Hunter and Colleen exchanged a 'don't be so sure' look as they quietly followed the voice. But soon the way was blocked by at least 30 humungous soldiers. Hunter immediately distracted them by running super fast. Several soliders started chasing them, but Hunter was so fast they immediately lost him. Stopping to ponder where he could have gone, Hunter than took a flying leap from his hiding place on the corner of the celing and punched them out.

"HIYA! DONNA KARAN!! SHANIA TWAIN!!" Colleen cried out, executing her battle moves upon the soldiers. The closest ones were quickly knocked out cold, but the other in the back immediately began to pick up weapons and surround her. "JULIA ROBERTS!! MACARENNA! GEORGE FOREMAN!!" She flipped and kicked, knocking out all the weapons, and knocking THEM out cold. Shag was cowering behind an edge, too late noticing that more soldiers were surrounding him. Hunter raced over to him. "Shag, get your launcher." Shag pulled it out of his fur, but aimed it the wrong way. "No, turn it around!" Shag turned his whole body around and shot. The soldiers that were about to pounce ran off…but not before they got singed by the launcher.

Meanwhile Exile and Blitz were surrounded by their own group of soldiers. "Let the tushie biting begin!" Blitz said, getting out his claws as he began to chase the soliders away. Exile faced his own attackers.

"Bulshinoi! Let's see if they can skate as well as they can attack. "Exile aimed his eyes at the floor as soon a stream of ice formed which the soldiers slid on and quickly got knocked unconscious. They soon moved…until even more soliders surrounded them. Exile and Blitz looked at each other. "The time has come," Exile said.

"I agree," Blitz said as they loosed Muzzle. "LET'S MUZZLE THEM!" thy both said. Muzle quickly went to work. "The horror," Blitz said, covering his eyes.

"Mother Russia," Exile said. Soon Muzzle's work was done and the soliders ran for cover. "I do not think they be bothering us anymore!" Exile said.

Hunter pulled out his headphones. "Exile, come in. We're near where Havoc is. Try to come meet us here as soon as you can."

"Doakie Oakie, Comrade!" Exile said.

Meanwhile Hunter, Shag, and Colleen made their way to the main room. Havoc was sitting in a huge room filled with monitors and buttons. He was on the phone. "Yes, Buddy, oh yes, no problem, I can have those weapons sent over to you tomorrow morning We meet at our usual place? Yes..oh yes I almost forgot to tell you, the price has gone up a notch. How much? About twice the amount Well yes, I know, but there are prime CALIBER weapons! Made of the finest steel with super firing power! Oh yes, all right, se you then!" As soon as he hung up he turned back to his papers. Hunter than gav a signal and he, Colleen, and Shag made their way inside. Havoc looked up. "YOU again?!"

"Afraid so, Havoc! I'm afraid it's over."

"Hah, you did not think I learned my lesson from last time?" He pressed a button on his desk. "Gentilemen, NOW!' Immidiately more doors opened and hundreds of other soldiers began to come out. Fortunately Blitz And Exile joined them.

"I would not have predicted this! OK, Rovers, get them!" All the Rovers quickly engaged in their powersl Blitz took out his claws and began the chase. Exile froze several of them in their tracks. Hunter grabbed his tennis bal shooter and fired several gas covered balls knocking them all out cold.

Colleen, with cries of "SHARON STONE! TOM HANKS!" began knocking all the soldiers out cold. But out of the corner of his eye he saw Havoc starting to sneak out. Hunter quickly used his speed to block the door.

"Going somewhere?" he askd. Havoc turned to run, but Exile stared at him and froze his feet. Hunter grabbed him. "Quick, we'll summon the authorities who'll be happy to give this nut a good home! To The Power of the Pack!" Quickly all the Rovers joined in a group howl. But Exile and Colleen's harts definitely weren't in it. They did a really good job, but they knew they had done it with Hunter's brilliant Leadership./ What would they DO without him?

"You've done a great job Rovers. You're good, good dogs!" Master said when they got home.

"Yes, especially Hunter, Master," Exile said quickly, trying to drop a hint. "He is fantastic Leader! He always knows what to do and we would be nothing without him!"

"I agree, Hunter is a gifted Leader," Master said.

"Aw, that's so nice, Exile," Hunter said, feeling a mixture of being touched beyond belief and so sad he felt like crying when he thought of how much this team meant to him…and how he'd have to leave them soon.

Later that night, Hunter and Colleen were enjoying a beautiful romantic dinner on the front porch of the Headquarters. They were in casual clothes, cause Hunter said he didn't want it being too formal, and he had asked Shag to cook up the most delicious dinner he could find. Hunter stared at the lovely Collie sitting before him. Her freshly washed hair seemed to radiantly glow in the light of the setting sun and her eyes were a lovely piercing blue. He took hr hand gentile and kissed it as he stared a her lovely smile A smile he wouldn't mind seeing again and again. "I'd do anything for you, Colleen." he thought suddenly. "Nothing on Earth is too good for you!"

"You did a great job today, Huntie-Wuntie," Colleen said.

"So did you," Hunter agreed. "You always do a fantastic job! I love when you threw that one soldier over your shoulder and socked him right into another..and they both went flying right into the wall!"

Ccolleen laughed. "Thank you, Huntie!" She looked at hi seriously. "Ya know what I really like the most about being on this team…aside from the Leader, of course!' she touched his hand. "Even though I'm the only girl on this team, you've never been condescending to me at all! You've never said this was no place for a woman. You've never said that it's too dangerous for a woman to be here, you've never insisted I stay where I am and let the "men" handle this. You trust me, you let me go places by myself..and you treat me like one of the guys. I appreciate it, I do. You treat me like an equal. "

"You ARE equal!" Hunter said, surprised. "I'd NEVER think of talking down to you like that! In my eyes you're always an equal. You're not one of the guys..you're one of the Road Rovers."

Colleen beamed. "Thanks, Huntie. I know I never told you this, either..but you're without a doubt the nicest, kindest dog I've ever met in me life!"

"So are you," Hunter said, gazing into her eyes. He stood up. "Let's go for a walk, Colleen. The sun is setting, let's enjoy it."

"No need to ask me twice, Huntie," she said, standing up quickly. A little while later they were walking arm in arm along the beach, watching the bright colors the sun mad as is began to sink carefully and slowly in the horizon. Colleen laid her head against Hunter as he put his arm around her. She slid her arm around his waist. Hunter leaned down and kissed her gentily on the top of her head.

"I love you, Colleen," he whispered. "So much."

"I love you, too," she answered. He tilted his face up to his and kissed her on her lips. Colleen threw her arms around him and kissed him back deeply. Hunter grabbed her around her waist and lifted her in the air, kissing her with such love and passion Colleen felt like she was floating on air. "I don';t want this night to end!" she thought. "I want to stay here forever!" Hunter gazed tenderly into her eyes.

"Did anyone ever tell you, you have the most beautiful eyes in the entire world? They're like sapphires. I love how they look in the moonlight." He set her down and just gazed at her. "Colleen, you're the most wonderful dog in the world. I don't ever want to be parted from you. " He looked down. "Ive nevr told anyone this, Colleen, but all y life, I've felt like there was a part of me that's missing. Even when I was a puppy growing up with my Mom I felt like I was destined for something. When I became a Road Rover I still felt like there was something missing and I was searching y whole life for the missing part But it's not missing anymore!" He looked at Colleen. "I'm in love with you, Colleen. The minute I realized that I knew that I found the missing piece in my life! You're my soul-mate, Colleen, and I know there will never be anyone else."

"I feel the same way about you, Huntie," Colleen agreed. "I don't care if you have to leave or not…I'll never stop loving you, and there will never be another you!"

Hunter stared at her. "Come with me, Colleen!" he said suddenly."

"Huh?"

"Come with me to America, Colleen! I love you and I never want to be apart from you. Please, Colleen, come back with me to Washington DC and live with me..and then we can go wherever Clinton goes together! What I mean is.." he dropped down to one knee in the sand and took her hand in his. "Colleen, I love you more than life. Will you marry me?"

Colleen stared, shocked beyond belief. "Huntie….oh my God..I..I.." she gasped. But then she shook her head as tears filled her eyes. "I have to say no. Oh Huntie, please understand..I can't just pack up and go with you! Me home is London! Just like you can't leave your Master..I can't leave mine either! Oh Huntie, I love you so much, and believe me this is so hard for me to say…but, I can't. I can't marry you, Huntie. My home is London, and I belong there just like you belong in America with Clinton. I'm so sorry…" tears filled her eyes.

Huntr at first lookd like a punctured balloon, but he quickly stood up. "No, I'M sorry, Colleen. I mean, here I am going on and on about how I can't leav my Master and I fully expected you to pack up and leave yours! You're right, I'm a jerk!"

Colleen wiped away her tears. "No you're not, Huntie! You're wonderful!" She embraced him tightly.
'Yeah, I'm the worlds biggest jerk!"

'Oh, Don't say that!" Colleen said. "I love you, and believe me if there was any other way, I'd marry you in a minute! I would, Huntie! I understand why you did what you did! Believe me, I love you so much!"

"I love you too!" Hunter said, embracing Colleen and kissing her deeply, at the same time knowing a part of him would be dieing very soon.