It was the duty of local law enforcement to uphold and defend the people of Adventure Bay, to protect them from harm and bring peace into their hearts that the streets were safe. Marshall stopped raging fires, Rocky cleaned up the environment and restored beaches, Skye patrolled the clouds and watched the weather while Zuma raced to help those at sea. Rubble was the construction dog, always volunteering his help when things had to get a little hands-on, and Chase was the sworn police dog who pledged to keep the streets safe.

A few days before the death of the Paw Patrol organization, Feroxmalis was unleashed into the wild. It tore through the mountains, wreaking havoc on anything it came across before coming to Adventure Bay. The ACG was dispatched shortly afterward to keep the monster in check, not realizing the shady foundation they were taking orders from, nor the persistence of the six puppies determined to do their part. The good die young, and in a stroke of tragedy several dogs were killed off, yet still, they persisted.

It wasn't until Chase was burned in the explosion that he finally understood where he went wrong. He foolishly believed that he understood the severity of the situation and that he was more than ready to handle something greater than he ever was. After rising up from the ruins of the Lookout, Chase gave up trying to rebuild the Paw Patrol. Rubble and Skye were gone, Zuma had gone mad and was abandoned down below. There was no way they'd ever function again, and the shepherd didn't care to try anymore.

He was so sure that he was going to die in the forest. As Chase sat down next to the fallen Cyrus, he silently made peace in his heart, ready to give up the fighting. Feroxmalis was dead, the horrible monster who ruined everything was finally put down and destroyed. That fact alone was good enough for him, and he surrendered his life. Unfortunately, his remaining family was not fond of losing him and convinced the ACG soldiers to retrieve him from the burned forest.

He was laying on something soft and puffy, his body cradled in gentle warmth. Chase stirred slightly as his consciousness returned to him, his ears picking up voices nearby.

"Huh..?" He slowly opened his eyes with a pained breath, and instantly regretted it as a bright light flashed onto his pupils. "Where am I?" He breathed out, trying to focus his vision in the highly lit room. Blinking his eyes against the light, he realized he was sitting in a dog bed, a blue blanket lovingly draped over him. He was in a room with white walls and tile floors, multiple desks of odd equipment set up against the walls. Confused, he sat up a little, when a voice suddenly emitted from his left.

Rocky leaned in, gently nudging his paw at Chase's side, "hey." His voice was calm and collected, but the pure joy hiding inside it was threatening to break out.

The injured shepherd whipped his head around in surprise, then suddenly groaned as a blistering pain shot through him.

The mix drew his paw back, "woah, take it easy. You're not all that healed yet."

"Rocky?" Chase blinked, "I... where am I?"

"Katie's pet parlor."

"What?" The shepherd said as his ears perked up, appalled that the building was still standing. "You... you got me out of there?"

"Of course we did," Rocky's voice went soft, smiling gently, "did you think we were leaving you to die?"

Chase took a moment to answer, sighing with light contempt. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you did."

"Oh don't say things like that," the mix shook his head slightly, affectionately patting Chase's burned paw, "I'd never leave you anywhere if I could help it." He shrugged, smiling, "there may not be much left of us but... we're still a team."

Moved by Rocky's kindness, Chase felt he was about to cry. Even after everything he had done, the atrocities he pulled, his old friends still refused to give up on him. He realized right then how much he didn't deserve such a loving family, and the shepherd was forced to turn his head away so his brother wouldn't see the tears. Unfortunately for him, Rocky knew him better than anyone.

"Hey," the mix lowered his voice, moving a little closer to his emotional friend, "it's okay man, it's gonna be okay." He draped his grey arm around the shepherd, not caring about the rough patches of hairless skin he was brushing against. Chase had suffered great physical damage to his body, and even if the blisters dried and healed, it was unlikely that the missing portions of fur would ever grow back. A caring soul at heart, Rocky hugged his brother closely, and Chase fought with every fiber in his being to not completely break down. It was an almost celebratory embrace, that after all the terror and bloodshed, the family still remained together. Half of them were gone, maybe, but they had each other nonetheless.

Gently breaking the hug, Rocky tried to give Chase a reassuring smile, but still the shepherd tried to avoid his gaze. Yet even as he desired to stay quiet, he knew what needed to be said, something he was itching to get off his chest. But first, he had other questions that plagued his mind. "So where's everyone else?"

"Outside the room, I believe," Rocky flicked his ear to the door, "Marshall, Bella, and a whole lot of soldiers."

"Bella? She's alive?"

"Suffered a beating, but yes."

Chase felt guilty, the memory of Cyrus's death flashing before his eyes. His mind was broken, and his unstable mental state wasn't going away anytime soon.

"Katie isn't there?" He asked, wondering about the owner of the pet parlor.

The mix gave a sad sigh, "we couldn't find her, she's gone without a trace."

It was a further stab in the gut to realize that even more ulterior motives could be at work, but Chase chose not to think about it. "Rocky, I-" he hesitated, and the mix instantly gave him his full attention, "I don't think I... I don't think I'm fit to be the leader of the Paw Patrol."

"Of course you are," the mix replied quickly, "we need you, and..." he trailed off for a moment, "well... we just need you. You're one of us."

"And I need you," Chase confessed with a sigh, "and Marshall, but I..." he shook his head, hating the words leaving his muzzle, "but I just can't go on after all this. I don't have it in me anymore."

The mix frowned as he listened, looking to the ground in confusion and slightly hurt inside, "but... we're the Paw Patrol."

"Rocky... the Paw Patrol doesn't exist anymore."

The grey dog pulled a mortified face, drawing his ears back in shock. He opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out, because deep down he knew, Rocky knew just as well that their lifelong occupations were now laid to ruin along with the tower. He hated admitting it, but he silently nodded. "I guess so, but..." he chuckled slightly, "I'm just used to... well, you. You lead us, you were the one that we looked up to." His words carried heavy sorrow, almost mournful, "if you're not the leader... then who is?"

Chase smiled at his brother, resting his chin down on the edge of the bed, "I already told you back in Ryder's garage, didn't I?"

"Wha- no," Rocky suddenly drew back, "Chase, I thought you were... look I can't-" he stuttered over himself.

"Rocky, up to this point, you've been everything that I was supposed to be," Chase explained, sighing to himself, "you're caring, you listened to reason, you kept us together, and you stayed strong through it all." He was talking freely now, "And I was... well, arrogant, you saw what I did. I made rash decisions, put others in danger, and... and I'm not in a good place mentally."

"Chase..."

"You," he cut the mix off, "are the leader that we need and deserve." He pushed himself up slightly, meeting Rocky's gaze, "in fact, with what few flickers of the Paw Patrol still remain, let my last notion as the leader..." he choked over his own words, not wanting to give up what he worked so hard to uphold, "be that I give up my title, and grant it to you."

Rocky was stunned, sitting wide-eyed yet he remained quiet.

"Congrats," Chase shrugged with a smile, "you're in command now. In fact, I think you always were, now that I think about it..."

It was official, the police dog had tossed his badge away and given up his position. He didn't dare say it out loud in front of Rocky, but for all intents and purposes, he considered "Chase" to be already dead, burned to death in Zuma's explosion. The shepherd didn't even care to think of himself as still alive, knowing he was nothing like the dog he used to be. Whatever Paw Patrol could possibly remain, it was all Rocky's to shape and mold.

"I..." the mix was dumbfounded, "I don't-"

He was interrupted as the door swung open, prompting both dogs to turn their heads in response.

"Chase!" Marshall bounded in, overjoyed.

The shepherd froze, flinching, "wait- please don't-"

To his relief, the dalmatian skidded to a halt, coming to a stop before him, "don't worry, I'm not gonna grab you or... crash, you're probably really tired of that." He said with a nervous chuckle, "I'm... glad to see you're okay. I was worried." Unable to contain his joy, Marshall leaned forward and licked Chase across the cheek.

He instantly flung his tongue away, making a disgusted face, "ugh!" He gagged, his tongue freely hanging out, "you taste awful!"

Rocky snickered, "dude, he was in like, two fires, then ran through a burning forest. I'm pretty sure his body is covered in ash and debris and... whatever shit you get covered in when you catch on fire."

"Hey, language," Marshall quipped, trying to brush off his tongue, "I just wanted to show I was happy to see you again."

Chase smiled at the endearing firefighter, "I'm glad for it, really."

"You're always the over-affectionate type," Rocky rolled his eyes, although was trying to hide a smile.

Marshall fired back swiftly, "am not!"

"Ehh..."

"Oh really?" The dalmatian said with sass in his voice, "we're dogs, I thought licking was our thing."

Chase sat up in his bed, "it has many meanings. Some see it as a greeting, could be a sign of care or love..."

"Okay, then that," Marshall pointed out his words, "I care, that's it. That's what I'm showing, I'm not being mushy or whatever."

Rocky stifled his laughter, "oh yes, because no one is worthy of the great Marshall's love." He laughed at his own comment and even more when he saw Chase trying to hide his own amusement.

"Wha-" the dalmatian drew back, a shocked expression on his face.

The shepherd between them chuckled, "you're gonna have a helluva time finding a mate, dude, narcissism ain't attractive."

"I'm not a narcissist!"

"Well guess what?" Rocky lowered his chest to the floor, getting into a playful stance as he wagged his tail, "as the leader, I declare you the patrol narcissist."

"You can't just-" Marshall quickly stopped, catching the first part of the sentence, "wait... what?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're not the leader."

Chase cleared his throat, speaking softly with a faint hint of shame, "yes... he is. I've decided to give him the title."

"You did?"

"I hope this isn't too difficult for you," the shepherd winced, "the last thing I want is to tear us apart even more, but please understand.

Rocky nodded calmly, trying to maintain his composure. Marshall seemed aback, and the dalmatian kept flicking his eyes between each dog like he was struggling to comprehend the statement. For a moment Chase was worried he wouldn't take the news well when the firefighter spoke again.

"Are you... leaving?"

"No, no!" Chase insisted, "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. I'll always be here." He smiled softly, praying he sounded sincere enough. It was unheard of for anyone else other than the signature German shepherd to lead the squad, yet Chase sometimes wondered how he got the title in the first place.

After some time, Marshall spoke up again, lightening up, "ugh, god, I have to take orders from you?" He joked, "What, are you gonna make me use environment-friendly firehoses?"

The three of them broke into uncontrollable laughter, celebrating their unity as a trio. It was the first time they shared a good laugh in days, and it felt as refreshing as a cold glass of water in the middle of the night.

"Well," Rocky giggled, flicking a tear from his eye, "it wouldn't be a bad start."

As they bickered and joked among themselves, the door to the room gently creaked open as another dog pushed through. The three dogs turned to look as a Labrador retriever entered their midst.

"Bella!" Chase perked up, "you're okay!"

The soldier gave a faint laugh as she walked up to them, "uh... I suppose, heh." Her fur was incredibly disheveled and cut in several places, as her body was slowly recovering from being thrown into a tree. "I'm just glad that you're alive, things were... terrible back there."

Despite wanting to laugh it off, Chase frowned as the memories of the burning forest circulated around him. To say things were terrible was an understatement, especially with the tragic loss of the ACG captain, Cyrus. The malinois made every attempt to stop Chase from opening the door to catastrophe, and even afterward he still fought tooth and nail to save his life. The death of the noble dog plagued him into a field of guilt, believing for a moment it was all his fault, and it technically was.

"I'm... sorry about Cyrus," he bowed his head.

With a sigh, Bella sadly nodded, "don't... don't blame yourself. We're soldiers... we die so people can sleep soundly, and without him, Feroxmalis would still be alive."

"It's dead?" Rocky piped up, perking his ears, "it's all over?"

Bella gave a gentle nod, although in the back of her mind, a sinking feeling was threatening to come up. There was something she wasn't telling them, something she was directly withholding. The truth that Feroxmalis may be dead, but things were far from over. The Archline Foundation was coming for them, seeking to reclaim anything they could to compensate for the loss of the monster. Chase, Marshall, and Rocky were assets to them now, and the research facility would fight to capture them. They weren't safe in Adventure Bay, and far as Bella could see, there was only one safe place for them to go.

"Actually," she admitted, "I need to talk with you three about something."

The puppies turned their heads, giving the soldier their attention. Rocky and Marshall were still smiling, but Chase could smell that something was off.

Struggling to get the truth, Bella looked aside as her ears fell, "the ACG is pulling out of Adventure Bay. Now that the threat is gone there's no reason for us to be here anymore." A wince left her muzzle, "but... there's a pretty solid chance that Archline will come in once we're gone."

"Why?" Chase tilted his head, "everything the creature made was destroyed, there's nothing to retrieve."

"No, they want you." Clarified the soldier, drawing her ears back a little, "to them, you're valuable assets now. Also, they don't want news of this leaking to the public, and since you're the main witnesses," she growled slightly, "your capture will silence you from speaking out against them."

"Capture?" Came Rocky's alarmed voice.

"Indeed," Bella sighed, "and I'm pretty sure they did the same thing to a husky up in the mountains, see, we came across a ski lodge Feroxmalis had likely attacked prior to this town." She thought for a moment, "we informed Archline about the site, but they told us to forget about it, and now they're coming here."

Chase narrowed his eyes for a moment, thinking back, "I talked to Liberty for a moment before she vanished. She did say that Archline was coming to rescue us."

"Well that was a gigantic lie," Bella rolled her eyes, then hesitated, "well... maybe a half-lie. Maybe they were coming, but it sure wasn't a rescue."

A groan left Rocky, "ugh, it never ends. What are we supposed to do now?"

Shuffling her gloved paws a little, Bella thought over how to word what she was going to say. It wasn't going to be easy getting this out, "well, I told you the ACG was leaving, and," she sighed, deciding to just get it out, "I was wondering if... maybe you wanted to come with us?"

All three puppies reacted at the same time, a mix of confusion and surprise. Some words were said, but their voices overlapped and Bella couldn't understand them.

"Just- just listen to me," she held up a paw.

"You're telling us to leave Adventure Bay?" Marshall interrupted her, disturbed panic in his voice. "This is our home, we can't just go away forever!"

"It's not forever, per se," Bella pointed, "you'd be able to visit if we ever found ourselves back here."

Rocky's voice was filled with confusion, "but where are we going?"

"With us, like I said."

"But where?" Chase caught what his brother was implying, "where are you going to take us?"

"I don't want to go anywhere!" Marshall stamped his paw.

The puppies demanded answers, and the soldier winced knowing the answer wasn't going to be pleasant. The ACG couldn't just take three dogs under their wing, the guild didn't work that way. They were a strike team, and any "rescued" people or animals would be turned over to whoever hired them in the first place. The ACG never directly took new recruits from missions like these, but the only other option was a dark one.

"If you stay," Bella began, answering Marshall first, "the Archline Foundation will come for you. They'll either capture you quietly in the night or do a full-scale invasion. They will do anything to get what they want, no matter who gets in the way." She took the time to sit down, letting her tail rest on the floor, "we won't be there to protect you this time."

Her words hung in the air like a cloud of gloom, knowing that a depressing fate awaited the puppies if they stayed behind. Marshall was still in denial, keeping his belly low to the ground like he was trying to glue himself to the floor. Looking down, Rocky pondered the information he learned, silently fighting the love for his home over the safety of his family. Chase was oddly silent, ultimately he was indifferent to the decision, a part of him almost wanting to be left behind.

"There's another way," the larger dog continued, "if you leave with us, you'll be enrolled as a soldier in our legion."

"What?" Rocky flicked his eyes at her, "I'm not a soldier, I can't even hold a gun."

"There are plenty of jobs and roles in the ACG that don't involve combat, believe it or not." She smiled slightly, "field agents, medics, you name it."

"How would being soldiers protect us?" Marshall said, speaking up.

"It's not so much being a soldier, it has to do with giving yourself a new identity." Bella looked to the dalmatian, "by taking new allegiances, donning our colors and wearing our masks, Archline will never find you again." She said softly, "you're connected to this land, the entire Paw Patrol was. Adventure Bay made its name thanks to you, and Archline knows this. The town, the city, the islands, Foggy Bottom, the mountains, Barkingburg, they will rip them to shreds hunting you down. Because in their minds, there's nowhere else you'd be."

"They're going to attack?" Chase said, aghast, "isn't there anything we can do?"

"Not right now, no." Bella sadly shook her head, "they'll just pay off the government to keep quiet. Homes will be rebuilt, police will turn a blind eye, the media will be silenced, it'll be like they were never there." She thought momentarily, "perhaps one day, we'll be hired to take them down... maybe."

The three dogs went silent at their final choice. They could stay in Adventure Bay but were doomed to run while Archline tore their way to them. But if they left with the ACG, where they'd be safe, they'd have to put down their collars and badges, surrendering their identities.

"I know this is a hard decision," Bella sighed, then stood up. Her tired legs could be heard cracking slightly from the strain, "I'll... leave you to it. I some business to attend to before we pack up our things." Turning around slowly, the soldier walked out of the room, leaving the dogs alone with their thoughts.

Marshall was the first to speak, his voice low and afraid, "are we going to die if we stay?"

Sighing, Rocky tried to find a good answer to the question, but instead decided to be honest, "most likely." He confessed. "But if we become soldiers, won't we be at just as much risk of dying on the field?"

"She did say they had other jobs besides basic assault," Chase shrugged, tapping his burned paws on the ground. "Marshall would be a good medic."

"Well-" the dalmatian opened his mouth to argue, but stopped mid-way, "I... guess, but I've never treated a bullet wound before."

"All the more reason to learn," the mix pointed, tilting his head a little.

Marshall narrowed his eyes, leaning back a little as he stared at his lifelong friend, "you're not... seriously thinking about going with them? We can't leave Adventure Bay!" When Rocky responded with only silence, the firefighter became antsy, looking toward the third dog for any support, "Chase? We can't just leave, right?"

The shepherd looked up, gazing into Marshall's blue eyes. "Marshall... if we stay... we die." He said simply, sadness dripping from his tongue.

"But- but what we don't?" The dalmatian sad, firing back almost immediately, "what if we go quietly? Maybe Archline won't so bad if we surrender..."

"Won't be so bad?" Rocky questioned, "they willingly released Feroxmalis into the wild, knowing full well it would wreak havoc, all for the sake of a field test."

"So?"

"I don't think Archline has any concept of moral standards. It won't matter if get caught or surrender peacefully, if they can create creatures like that, I shudder to imagine what they'd do to us."

Now appalled, Marshall drew back slightly, shrinking down a hair. Given how long they were exposed to the infection, one wouldn't blame Archline for writing off the dogs as infected as well. A wave of torture would soon follow, testing, prodding, sampling, experiments, tests, and horrendous acts of twisted cruelty would be inflicted on the puppies. Perhaps Marshall was right and they wouldn't die at first, but when Archline was finished with them, they'd spend the rest of their lives wishing they had.

"I want to protect yo-" Rocky stopped himself, "protect us, I want to protect all of us." He changed his sentence on the fly to include Chase, wanting to reassure the shepherd that he was still part of the family. "And since I speak for both of you now," he paused, looking to the side, "then I say we... I say we go with them." His gaze hardened, looking at Marshall in the eye, "we are joining the Assault and Containment Guild. For-" he sharply continued before the black-spotted dog could speak up, "for the sake of our safety, and to give us a better chance of living out the rest of our lives."

"So..." he concluded, sighing, "what do you two say?"

Silence, only the low hum of the overhead lighting could be heard. They stirred in awkward discomfort for a cold minute, each one refusing to meet the other in the eye.

Tapping his dull claws on the tile, Marshall looked back up to Rocky, his face going stern. Slightly puffing out his white chest a little, he spoke firmly, "I don't want to do this." He said flatly, "I know why we need to, and I understand that... but I don't want to do this."

"Marshall, I'm not leaving you behind." The mix said calmly.

Still the firefighter was quietly defiant, and he stood up completely on four legs, "well I don't want to leave my home and life behind."

"I get it, I'm not crazy about it either, but I don't see any other option."

"You're asking me to throw away everything I used to be!"

"It's not like we're changing our names or anything..."

"I don't want to do it, Rocky." The ruffled dog looked to his right, "Chase?"

"What, what about me?" The shepherd looked up suddenly, irritation written on his face, "why does this keep coming back to me?"

"I dunno," Marshall trailed his paw along the ground a little, "you usually have the final say."

Frustrated, Chase let a growl slip, "I don't have the final say. He does." A flick of his paw at Rocky was all the message he should've needed. It was obvious that still Marshall was getting used to the sudden change in leadership, but they'd have to take it in stride if they were to continue on.

"Well I-" the dalmatian started but faltered in his words. He tried to form a cohesive thought, another bite back at the situation to give himself further footing. Yet he had nothing, his fire defeated leaving his denial in shambles. With a quiet sigh, Marshall sat back down, with nothing left to spit from his tongue. "Okay," he said finally, "let's do it. Let's go with them."

Nodding in slight relief, Rocky was happy he finally had someone on board. That only left one dog to cast his voice, although he was already outvoted.

"Well, Chase?" Rocky looked to the shepherd, "where do you want to go?"

The retired officer only shrugged, "wherever you need me."

"I need you at my side."

"... then I'll follow you until the day we die."

It was decided, the three dogs all nodded at one another and took a few minutes to accustom themselves to the major decision. Although their old lives had now ceased to exist, perhaps it was time for something new to begin.

"Alright," Rocky stood up, "I'll go talk to Bella."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The light and warmth of the day almost perfectly shrouded away the terrors that occurred at The Lookout. The ruins of the destroyed tower resembled nothing more than a demolished building set to be wiped away. There was no more darkness to fear, as the sun had generously illuminated every corner and passage of the crash site, even spreading its light into exposed areas of the basement underneath. The forest that once surrounded The Lookout was completely devastated, burned into ash and charred wood that provided a lock and key for the thousands of dead bodies that lay under it.

The public took notice of the tower's demolition mere minutes after emerging from their homes. They had all been huddled under shelter from the tropical storm that had passed over, leaving minor broken windows and snapped telephone poles that were easy to fix. Upon walking outside, the people instantly realized that the distant shadow of the tower was no longer present. The ACG was forced to set up a perimeter outside town, blocking the main route to the tower to avoid any nuisances. Many lies left the tongues of the soldiers that afternoon, similar stories of the Paw Patrol being hit by the storm and needing to evacuate. While most of the general public left despite their concerns, the kind-hearted mayor of the town knew something was off. However, she could only protectively hold her dear pet chicken, backing away defeated once an ACG soldier barked at her to leave.

Many papers were written, scanned into machines, and packed into folders. Armored dogs milled about, combing the area until they were completely satisfied there were no more traces of any infection. Once their search was completed, their equipment was folded up into crates, and several military helicopters descended down from the bright sky.

A single dog was sitting before the wreckage of the tower, staring almost longingly at the life he left behind. Chase gazed at each broken piece, each snapped rod of steel, and his heart only further shattered. A small backpack was in the grass a few inches away, packed full of any essentials or objects he couldn't bear to part from. He didn't have that many valued possessions, as the backpack was mostly carrying clothes and stale treats. But there was one object safely packed within, a framed picture of the Paw Patrol, all six dogs alongside the leader, Ryder. They all had wide overjoyed smiles, a blind innocence to the horrors that occurred so naturally in the twisted, unfair world. Their kennels still stood, although some were more covered in debris than others. They resembled tombs, vessels of old memories that lay forfeited the moment Feroxmalis had invaded the area.

Chase sat for a long moment, walking through memories in his head. He revisited the loving smiles of old friends, the dogs outside of Adventure Bay they joined forces with. He almost smiled as he recalled dozens of missions and adventures all by memory, letting them play out in his mind almost as a desperate attempt to escape from reality.

The sound of paws behind him snapped him out of his thoughts, as Rocky emerged at his left.

"I packed my things," the mix said, wearing a green backpack, "it was... really painful."

Minutes earlier, Chase forced himself to walk through his kennel again, nothing looking the same anymore. He grabbed what mattered to him, the photo, and left swiftly.

"I'm sure they're going to provide us with new things anyway," Rocky sat down, "Bella told me about the need for technicians in the guild," he stated with a slight hint of excitement in his voice, "I guess that's where I'm going."

The shepherd beside him was unresponsive.

Rocky frowned, and opened his mouth to speak up when Marshall trotted over. Dragging a red backpack in his teeth, the spotted dog was noticeably happier than usual, likely usual optimism, otherwise he was putting on a joyful mask to hide his sorrow. "I'm taking all my medical stuff, I'm sure they'll appreciate that," he paused slightly, "I hope."

Walking to Chase's right, he sat down with a sigh as he took in what remained of the tower, "at least... we're still together, right?"

Rocky nodded silently, although the shepherd between them hung his head a little. He leaned on his back paws slightly, then draped an arm around the mix's shoulders.

"Chase?" The grey dog was taken aback as he was slightly pulled in, "what are you-"

Still unresponsive, Chase held out his other arm and entangled Marshall, pulling them both into a loving embrace, "I..." he choked out, "I really love you guys." A tear ran down his cheek, "I don't care if we aren't blood, there are no other dogs I'd-" a hiccup escaped his muzzle, "I'd call my family..."

His brothers were surprised at first, but quickly met their own arms and formed a group hug, tightly holding one another. As much as Chase tried to keep himself together, the loving forgiveness of his family broke him. Quiet sobs began to leak from the shepherd, tears hopelessly streaming down. He deserved to cry, to finally let everything out that had been riding on him. Marshall wept as well, grieving for the fallen that were lost in the tower. Skye who never had a chance, Rubble who was taken in the beginning, and Zuma who was left to comeuppance in the basement. Even Rocky was beginning to feel teary-eyed himself and shedding a few tears onto the grass, a landscape plagued with blood and suffering from the night prior.

They finally released one another, looking around in contentment. Six had been severed into three, but their resolve would still survive. They were soon approached by Bella, her eyes soft with sympathy for the puppies. "Ready to go?" She asked simply, letting her eyes fall on each dog.

They were silent for a few seconds, almost as if they were thinking over their decision, but Rocky smiled and nodded. "We're ready."

Bella turned around and barked some commands to the soldiers and they swiftly loaded their equipment into the helicopters, even dismantling the road barrier. One by one, the tactical dogs climbed into their vehicles, until The Lookout's yard was empty and clear like nothing had ever happened. The helicopters roared to life, flaring their engines and spinning their rotors, the soldiers inside strapped in and removing their helmets. Still one remained, the pilot waiting up front for the signal to take flight. Bella gripped the side door and pulled it open for the puppies. With deep breaths and subtle gazes to the ground, Chase, Rocky, and Marshall all climbed in, stepping their paws on the sleek metal floor. Bella jumped in last, shutting the door and locking it, then nodding to the pilot.

The ACG armada all took to the skies in a beautiful formation, releasing their holds on the ground and rising high in the air like angels. The people of Adventure Bay all watched from below as the helicopters soared over the city like birds in the clouds. The military presence that had scourged the land was now leaving, and unbeknownst to the people, taking the remnants of the Paw Patrol with them. In a few short hours, the Archline Foundation would sweep through Adventure Bay, hunting for their prized assets only to realize they were never there. Their ultimate experiment had failed, and the blood of endless possible deaths was on their paws. Despite the work she was doing on a tablet, Bella couldn't help but flick her concerned gaze up to Chase, the shepherd was aimlessly sitting in his passenger seat with an emotionless expression.

Sitting on his chair, seatbelt firmly gripping him in place, Chase idly turned his head to look out the oval-shaped window. He watched Adventure Bay gracefully shrink away as the armada flew over the ocean, until it completely disappeared on the horizon like a blinking star in the sky. Deep in his mind, he still had questions that lingered around his head. He wanted to know where Ryder had vanished to, he wanted to know the motives for his old leader abandoning them. A sabotage had been made, an attempt to lock the pups away in the basement to be food for the creature. As much as he desired an answer, a part of him knew he could likely never get one. It mattered little, the shepherd internally scoffed at any excuse or explanation the boy could give him. Deciding he would no longer abide by a cowardly human, Chase internally damned Ryder and entirely swore his loyalty to Rocky's leadership. Dogs were to be loyal to dogs, and with the ACG, perhaps he had a chance at rebuilding something from the ashes after all.

THE END