Their hackles bristled with anticipation, Dodger and Rita slunk around the side of the house, already picking up the scents and sounds of the fighting dogs beyond the fence. Sniffing at the fence line, Dodger carefully picked out a safe place to go over, and suddenly felt nervous. He was relying heavily on the fighters being secured as they'd been when he saw them last- and it wasn't just his own life he was putting on the line. He glanced behind him at Rita. She was tough and could be a fierce fighter, but there was no escaping the fact that she was lightly built and certainly no match for those broad, heavily jawed dogs who had spent their whole lives being trained to kill.
"Right here," he whispered, sure that they were far enough from the fighters to keep out of trouble.
Rita breathed deeply, her heart pounding. "Here goes… good luck, Dodge."
Using a trashcan as a step up, Dodger scaled the fence, with Rita a right at his heels. For a second or two, the fighting dogs didn't take in the presence of intruders, but then, as if a light switch went off, all four rose at once, issuing ferocious barks and snarls, their mouths soon frothing in fury. To Dodger's immense relief, they were all penned in, but then with a wave of horror, he saw that the bull terrier had gone from the chain, and a petrified looking Scout had taken her place.
Charging up and down the yard, barking to torment the fighters, Rita finally caught sight of the shepherd who was tied to a tree. He was a shadow of the dog she'd once been close to, his face full of fear and desperation, his body hunched. "Scout, Scout…" she breathed, skidding to a stop in disbelief. Dodger hadn't said a thing about Scout being here; had he been in so much of a hurry that it had slipped his mind?
"Rita? What the hell are you doing here?" Scout barked, lifting his head and stunned to recognise the intruders. "Get outta here!" He glared at Dodger, unable to belief that he'd willingly lead her straight into danger.
Boldly, Dodger charged up to the pens holding the fight dogs and jumped at the mesh, further tormenting the captives. They were in a frenzy, and it could only be a matter of time before the human would come running. Elsewhere, Rita ran to Scout's side, and began to pull at the collar that was tight around his neck. She whined; those evil humans were almost choking him. Shaking, she fiddled the buckle, but it was heavy and hard to dislodge. Desperate as she was to get Scout loose, progress was slow, the leather strap barely budging.
"Hey!" screamed the man, racing out into the yard, apparently only just noticing that there were unwanted visitors. Swearing angrily, be picked up a rusted rake that had been leaning against the house and waved it threateningly at Dodger, a look of recognition and fury on his face.
Dodger jumped down from the pens and snarled, unafraid of the human. He wasn't going to be taken by this creep a second time. Just then, a car alarm blared. Dodger grinned; it seemed that Einstein taken the cue and smashed through the windows. He lurched forward, biting at the leg of the man's pants, slowing him down as he moved to run to the van. For Tito to have a real chance of making some proper damage, he'd need a little time. After a couple of minutes of struggling, the man yanked himself free. Dodger ran ahead, hoping that his being in the way would help Einstein and Tito stay safe- he knew that Tito for one would show little caution the face of the threat.
Meanwhile, Rita continued to struggle with Scout's collar, ignoring the increasingly enraged growls and shouts of the fight dogs behind her. Even knowing they were secured, she wanted to be away from them as soon as possible. "How long have you been here?" she asked Scout, who was quivering.
"Must have been at least a week," the shepherd replied. It was odd to be seeing Rita again in these circumstances after their fall-out, but despite his fears for her safety, to see a familiar face who wanted to help him was hugely comforting after his ordeal. "They tied me up here this morning; the dog they used before me, a bull terrier- she didn't make it. So, I guess they thought they'd let Brutus have a go at me as I'm larger."
Rita glanced up from the collar, taking in the scarred appearance of the largest dog. It seemed his name was fitting. "We'll get you out, promise."
Back in the house, Dodger darted under the feet of the man who was swearing as he saw the damage to the van. To his immense relief, his friends were already out of the way, and when the man opened the door, completely distracted by the state of his vehicle, they were able to sneak right into the house.
"All right, come on!" Dodger called to them, leading the way to the basement. He knew that it wouldn't be long before the man would be back after them, and that every moment was critical. They came to the basement door, the cries from within giving a clear signal to Einstein and Tito that they were in the right place.
"Knock it down, Einy!" Tito shouted, jumping up and down. "We're coming, Frankie!" He bared his teeth, letting it be known to the world that he'd let nothing stand between himself and his friend.
With an almighty crash, Einstein broke through, and he tumbled forward down the stairs. Grunting as he staggered to his feet, he looked up to see twenty-two dogs in cages, all barking hysterically… and there, in the middle of the top row, was Francis.
"Frankie!" Tito exclaimed, rushing forward.
"D-Dodger," Francis stammered, a look of happy bewilderment on his broad face, "I almost didn't believe you'd come back for me."
Dodger grinned, overjoyed to see that the bulldog was still safe. "'Course I did. Just had to get the team together first- Rita's busy springin' Scout right now." He clambered up and fiddled with the latches; the cages were old and came open easily, and soon all twenty-two dogs were free. Unbeknownst to him, Tito had gone running back upstairs as soon as he'd greeted Francis- he hadn't come all this way not to have a pop at those moron fighting dogs.
"You really are something, Dodger," Scrap said, jumping down from his cage, his tail wagging wildly. He was stunned and amazed at the sheer nerve of this young terrier.
"Absitively posolutely I am," Dodger winked. "Now let's get outta here, fast."
A screaming yelp filled the air, causing the four of them to lift their heads in surprise. Something was wrong.
Standing beside Brutus' pen, the rusted door now hanging open, the man laughed as he watched the commotion, oblivious to the escape taking place inside. Intent as she'd been on freeing Scout, Rita hadn't been quick enough to move when she'd heard the clanging of the pen opening, and had been winded as the crazed Brutus slammed heavily into her side. Scrambling to her feet, she knew she'd have to be fast- it was the only advantage she had over this monstrous dog. She dodged out the way and ran across the yard, but Brutus was too clever to be lured into a chase. Instead, he went for Scout, the cowering shepherd who had no means of escape whatsoever. Rita's whole body shook as Scout's scream filled the air, and seeing no other option, she ran forward. If the fighter was enough of a coward that he'd target a chained dog, then he'd just have to take on the two of them at once. Rita dived in and bit ferociously at any part of the fighter that she could reach, but as he retaliated, she was left in no doubt as to why her adversary was so prized as a killer. He was strong, using his full weight to pull his opponents into vulnerable positions. It was all Rita could do to prevent herself getting dragged down, let alone make some damage to him. But she had to get to Scout's collar…
Slam! Rita was sent onto her back with a thud, pinned down by the heavier dog and at his mercy. She snarled defiantly, giving him the deepest look of hatred she could muster, and kicked out with her hind leg, just managing to clip him between his. It wasn't a strong blow, but it sent the message that she'd be going down fighting.
"You made a grave mistake wandering into my yard, princess," Brutus growled, his voice raspy and fangs dripping with saliva. Then suddenly, he yet out an almighty yelp, and flung himself away from his opponent.
Instinctively, Rita scrambled to her feet and back to Scout. Finally, miraculously, she managed to loosen the collar just enough for him to squirm free. As he made a run for it, the shepherd rammed his body into Brutus', knocking him sideways and revealing what was causing the fighter's pain. It was Tito, hanging on tight to the larger dog's sensitive posterior area with his sharp little teeth. Relieved though she was to have survived this long without serious injury, Rita knew that she couldn't make a getaway herself until she'd gotten the Chihuahua to safety.
"Tito, hang on!" she cried, and launched herself back into the fray. Within seconds though, Tito had been sent flying, and Brutus snapped at him hard.
Tito gave a high pitched yelp as his ear was badly torn, but he turned courageously back to his opponent, ready to keep fighting until the end.
Rita had had enough. If the pup wasn't bright enough to know when to make a run for it, then she'd make his mind up for him. She swiftly darted in and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, ignoring his screaming protests. Now, with no one else to look out for, she could comfortably outrun the likes of Brutus.
"Stop messing around, Brutus," the man screamed, "get them!"
At the moment that Rita scrambled up to the safety of the roof, the yard filled with dogs. Holding on tight to the struggling Tito, she peered down, and happily saw Dodger and Einstein among what looked like about ten others. But where was Francis?
Dodger charged forward, and looked on with a dreadful sinking feeling as the man angrily threw a brick at the nearest dog and then… opened the next two pens. There was mayhem. Dogs barking, screaming, yelping as they ran frantically to find an escape route. Amid the confusion, Dodger managed to keep track of Einstein, but he'd lost Francis in the chaos, and there was no sign of Rita or Tito. His heart in his throat, he looked around desperately. Scout had been freed… so surely Rita was safe too?
Back in the house, Francis was lying on his belly and struggling. In the rush to escape, one of the larger dogs had knocked a bookcase which had fallen, trapping him against the floor. He was unhurt, but it was difficult to move. There was a sound that stopped his squirming in an instant- a low, rumbling growl. Freezing, Francis could tell from the dog's scent that it wasn't one of the familiar dogs from the basement. It had to be one of the fighting dogs… a killer. Thinking fast, Francis rolled his eyes up onto his head, let his tongue lol out, and then stayed completely still. He could hear the dog's heavy breath and the clicking of claws against the wooden floor, both getting increasingly and alarmingly loud as he drew closer. Francis held his breath as the dog stopped right beside him. After an agonising wait, the dog moved on. Even once the immediate danger had passed, the bulldog couldn't bring himself to move- but for how long could he just stay there?
Just as Francis went to move, there came pawsteps once again.
"Hey, you can resurrect yourself now, it's just me," came Dodger's voice.
Utterly relieved, Francis exhaled. "Oh, thank goodness! I'm afraid I'm stuck, could you…?"
"We're on it," Dodger said, and as he was joined by Einstein, they shoved at the furniture to get Francis free. "Now we really gotta move- come on, we'll go out through the upstairs window, I can show ya the way from there."
Amidst the shouts, barks and yelps coming from the yard, the three of them scaled the stairs, their paws barely touching the floor in their hurry. Dodger led the way bedroom window, his escape route from that morning. "All right, you can get over the fence easily from out this window… Einy, let Francis go ahead so you can help him out if he needs it."
Before they could disappear out the window, a rumbling growl announced the arrival of Brutus at the doorway. He was panting heavily, overwhelmed by the mass escape and determined to teach a lesson to the trouble-makers who'd brought about all the chaos.
"Get out!" Dodger shouted to his friends. It was his job to keep the safe, and he wasn't about to let them down now. His fur bristling, he squared up to Brutus. The larger dog had fresh wounds over his body, probably, Dodger figured, souvenirs left from fights with dogs fleeing the basement. He could only hope that they'd made it to safety.
And then they clashed. Dodger ducked and dived, knowing that he'd have to rely on his wits to get himself out this one- he couldn't hold off a dog like this for long. The room was cluttered, and the bulkier Brutus was at a disadvantage… just as long as Dodger didn't let him get a firm hold of him. Living up to his name, Dodger moved quickly, and managed to lure the larger dog away from the window and into the hall, putting precious distance between the attacker and Francis and Einstein. To his surprise, he looked up to see another dog charging over- Scrap.
"Shouldn't you be making a getaway?" Dodger asked between aiming bites at Brutus' shoulder.
Scrap lowered his head, glaring at Brutus- his sire. "I think I owe you one, and besides, I've got some old scores to settle." With that, he ran in, ploughing into the larger dog.
Brutus was not remotely unnerved by the new challenge. Even as he fought, he sneered at the bait dog. "I woulda thought you'd learned your lesson by now, you useless runt."
As the fight rumbled into the hall, Dodger spied an opportunity- the door of the bathroom was wide open; if they could somehow manage to shut Brutus inside, they'd have their chance to get away. It had to be soon; the man couldn't be distracted by the mayhem down in the yard forever. Dodger tried to communicate his idea with Scrap with subtle glances and movements of his head, and it seemed that his ally understood as he bit down on Brutus' ear and started to try and drag him towards the bathroom. The two of them moved Brutus, oblivious, up to the doorway, but a new challenge remained; the fight dog was strong, unflinching, and as soon as either of them backed down to make an escape, he'd have them down. In his concentration, Dodger barely noticed the creaking of wood behind him, and a rumbling growl…
Simultaneously, Rita and Tito joined in the fray; she darted in and clamped her jaws around Brutus' throat, while he went between his hind legs for a second assault. The fight dog could not stand firm against the full force of four on top of him- already he was tired from earlier altercations. He stumbled through the doorway, falling onto his side.
Dodger glanced around, and to his amazement, saw that Einstein and Francis had come back through the window, and their snarls and aggressive postures were now sending a clear signal to Brutus that it was time to back down- the fight dog was cornered and outnumbered.
"Now!" Dodger cried, and he and Scrap leapt back, with Rita and after a few moments, Tito, following their lead. "Block the door, Einy!"
Einstein was already on it, pushing forward a chest of drawers, his muscles straining with the effort. Francis joined him, puffing, and together they shoved the chest under the door handle, trapping the enraged Brutus inside.
Even as the sound of his friends panting surrounded him, Dodger knew there would be no time to catch their breath. "Let's get outta here!" he cried, and no one needed telling twice. He led the way, using his previous escape route, noticing as he did that the drama in the yard was subsiding, and the human storming into the house. There was no time to lose now.
There was a clattering of paws on the pavement as all six dogs made it safely over the fence, with Tito having been once again gathered up in Rita's jaws for safety. With a relief so strong he felt he could sing right then and there, Dodger saw that they'd all come out. Then, they ran; pushing themselves further and faster than any of them ever had before. Francis was soon gasping for breath, but even to feel the pleasantly cool night air on his face after being trapped in the basement felt wonderful, and he just kept running, knowing that he couldn't let himself be taken back. Even Scrap, who'd never known a life outside of the dog fighter's property, was keeping up as they raced over the tops of cars until they were far from the dreadful place. It was totally alien to him, but with adrenaline still pumping through his veins, he just went with it.
Finally, Dodger was satisfied that they'd put enough distance between themselves and his and Francis' captor. Panting heavily, he collapsed on the ground, a broad smile coming to his muzzle. They'd done it!
"We did it, we did it!" Tito hollered, jumping up and down on top of Francis who was still panting.
Einstein and Rita threw their heads back, howling in celebration, while Dodger got back to his feet, laughing as relief flooded over him. The air filled with the sounds of joyous barking and laughter, as the dogs jumped around, nuzzling and nipping one another as the realisation that it was all over and that Francis was safely back with them hit home. Francis was beaming as he found himself pulled in all directions by his excited friends- his family. It was strange a feeling indeed to be so overwhelmed with happiness to be back among the very ragamuffins at which he'd so recently looked down his nose.
"I can't believe I'm out of there!" Scrap exclaimed, his eyes bright. "You're one crazy pup, Dodger."
Dodger's tail was still wagging as he turned to Scrap. "Looks like crazy paid off this time," he said, smirking. The gratitude was obvious in the bait dog's eyes. "You know, I couldn't have gotten out of there without you- d'you think you'd wanna join the team full time? We can make an opening for a dog like you."
"Yeah, come on, man!" Tito cried. He and all the others looked to Scrap expectantly.
Scrap smiled but shook his head. "I'd love to, but I can't be with a human, not after what's happened. I'm sure your master is good and kind, but I could never trust a human now. I'm sorry."
Dodger was deeply disappointed, the resilient and courageous Scrap would have been a valuable addition to the gang, and after the long nights sleeping alongside the young Pit Bull in the basement, he felt a bond with him. He nodded, but his eyes gave away his eyes gave away his disappointment. "I get it. If I'm honest, I don't blame ya."
"Maybe we'll catch you round sometime," Rita said, smiling. "Thanks, by the way, for helping us out back there."
"I concur!" Francis declared.
An idea suddenly came to Dodger. "Hey, I met a dog who was lookin' for new recruits- some of his pack had been snatched by the fighters. I have a feeling he'd be happy to have you. If you're interested, I'll take you round there in the morning."
Scrap wagged his tail- delighted that he might not be left all alone and defenceless in the city after all. He barked in happiness. "I'll think I'll have to take you up on that offer," he said. "You'll meet me back here?"
"Absitively," Dodger said, and then he found himself yawning. He had no idea how late it was, but he was exhausted. All of a sudden, he wanted nothing more than to be back in the barge with Fagin. Poor Scrap just didn't know what he was missing.
Scrap gave a yawn in response to Dodger's. "Well, in that case, I'll leave you to get home. See you tomorrow." He gave the mutt a playful nip and then wandered over to lie down behind a discarded cardboard box. "Goodnight."
"'Night, Scrap," Dodger said, and then he turned back to his gang. Like himself, Tito and Rita were wounded from their run-ins with Brutus, but still, they'd all come through. He felt an incredibly strong sense of belonging as he looked over the gang, and they all looked back to him, acknowledging him as their leader. Dodger had been rejected by his own mother, and he didn't know if that pain would ever completely leave him, but he now knew that he wasn't alone. Almost all of the gang had faced the aching feelings of being unwanted, their own supposed family having turned their backs on them. That common bond drew them closer, and Dodger felt a sudden certainty that he'd found his place- it was with them, and together they could get through anything. "All right, troops, let's get back to Fagin. Time to go home."