Chapter 6

"Swift," Chase growled into his collar, "How were you able to contact me?"

"Through the dalmatian's collar, the other's broke," Swift explained, probably wearing the most devilish smirk.

Chase barked sharply. "What did you do to Skye?!"

"I haven't done anything to her. Well, not yet anyway..."

Chase growled, "You'll pay for this!"

"Oh no... I will soon get justice for what you did to me." Chase had a definite growl to his voice, as if reliving bitter memories.

"Justice would have been Dad's turning you in. This is insane!"

"What you call insane, I call just desserts."

"Swift, if you-"

The communication link was cut-off, and a loud beep followed.

"Urgh!" Chase kicked at the ground frustratedly. This caused him to wince in pain. "Grr!"

"I'll get the painkillers," Miracle said quickly, taking several quick steps towards the Lookout, "But this is why I don't want you out there right now. You really need to take it easy right now."

"What I want is for Swift to be taken off of the streets."

"Well… You can help by explaining what made him act this way," Rocky said, stepping towards the German Shepherd and putting a supportive gray paw on his shoulder.

Chase was silent for a minute.

"If you don't want to, Chase," Ryder said, "You don't have to."

Chase started to look in Ryder's direction, but he noticed two adult german shepherds approaching out of the corner of his eye. He turned towards them and squinted through the dark, trying to make them out. No, it can't be…! His eyes widened as the pair came into the light. He said, in awe, "Mom? Dad?"

This caught everyone's attention. They all looked at the two adults.

"Is that Pace?" Rubble asked, bouncing up to the male German shepherd. "Chase's dad? The ORIGINAL PAW Patrol pup?!"

Pace nodded and grinned. "Yeah; the one and only, kiddo. You're Rubble, right?"

The bulldog bobbed his head in a nod. "Yes… oh pup, I'm so excited I could just burst with joy!"

"Well, I wish we were here on a social visit," Chase's mom pointed out, "We're here to help… deal with Swift."

"Where have you been living? How far has the news spread?" Zuma asked, exchanging a glance Rocky, who was just in front of him.

Rocky shrugged in response to Zuma's glance. Ryder answered. "Well, Pace and Shayla have been living just across Adventure Bay, not far from the beach. They live at the owner of the animal shelter's house, and they help out the people and pups there."

"And what made you quit the PAW Patrol?" Rubble asked.

"Well, I suffer from arthritic pain after I went through an accident that resulted from the flood. I was already tired and stuff from the flood, and saved lives left and right, but… eventually I slipped on a rock, and…" He wiggled his left hind leg. He sighed wistfully. "I went a little too far that day. My joints have never been the same again, and this here paw is pure metal. Arthritis keeps me from doing much of anything today. I even had to rest several times on the way here."

"Oh...I'm sorry…" Miracle said, approaching with some painkillers for Chase. "Arthritis is tough. But if it helps any, I've heard of you guys. You are quite the talk amongst the strays."

"Speaking of which…" Pace turned towards Storm and Lightning. "I don't remember you telling me about these two pups."

"Oh, no, I'm just doing this temporarily." Storm explained.

Pace grinned. "Too bad. I really smell potential here; on both of you."

"Tell that to my sister," Lightning said with a roll of her eyes. "I'd LOVE to be a part of the PAW Patrol."

"Well, I think you'd do well." Pace smiled. "It's been a long time since we had a search-and-rescue pup. Or a guidance one adding to that."

"But we just added a medical pup," Rocky said. His eyes were a bit sad as he looked at Miracle.

"Well, if there's one thing I learned during the flood, it's that you can never have too many helping paws." Once again, he gave his hind leg a wave. "A lot less damage woulda been done if there were more PAWs on the case."

"Yup. That's why we got her… That and the fact that she has serious skills."

"Yeah. Speaking of medical pups…" she tapped the top of the painkiller container emphatically. "You are taking two of these to start."

"Alright, alright," Chase replied before pushing a button on the top. Two of the huge blue and green pills dispensed themselves into his paw, and he put them in his mouth all at once.

"Don't chew them," Miracle reminded him just as Chase started the jaw movement.

Chase looked at Miracle as he swallowed. "...There. All better?"

"Yes. If you still feel in pain after a little bit… tell me."

"Okay."

"Guys, I think we should get some sleep," Rocky suddenly said, reluctantly. "I mean, I'm worried about Marshall, and Skye, and what Swift could do, but…" He looked over to the ground by his hind paw to see Rubble and Zuma sleeping on top of each other, the latter snoring gently. "I think we'd be more productive in the morning," he said before a colossal yawn.

"I agree," Shayla added. "We should all get to searching for clues first thing tomorrow morning. Swift can't stay up forever, and I doubt he'll do anything else tonight."

"It's much more likely he wants Chase there to see it," Pace added, "I just don't understand where we went wrong."

Shayla gave Pace a soft nuzzle, "It's not your fault. We just didn't know that any of this was going on."

"I know, but I should have been keeping an eye on him. And then when he pressured Chase…"

"I know, but we were lucky that he exposed Swift when he did, otherwise things would have been a lot worse."

Ryder nodded his own agreement. His own eyes were starting to bag underneath with lack of sleep, and he held an energy drink behind his back. "Yeah. Pups, bring your rigs inside the Lookout and then transform them; we aren't sleeping out here tonight. Pace, Shayla, Lightning and Storm, I'll get you guys your own doghouses in the morning; we have a temporary sheltering floor that should be good enough."

The pups nodded as they made their way to their vehicles. Ryder prodded Zuma and Rubble's sides for a long time before they awoke and went after their own.

Swift was looking at his two hostages without much emotion. Marshall's collar was hanging from his own neck, and the dalmatian looked very plain without it. He was asleep in the corner of a small cage he'd had prepared for just the occasion.

Skye, however, stared at him through vigilant magenta eyes that glared at him and took in every movement he made. Her tag was almost shattered on the ground beside the cage. Wires were hanging out of the cracks. Swift remembered what he'd had to deal with to do that: Skye said some nonsense about how the PAW Patrol would save her, and that she'd call them in, but he realized she was all bark and no bite pretty quickly when he stole her collar and crushed it with his own rock-hard paw (and a rock, for extra good measure).

"You know, mi dulce, you should get some rest. I won't hurt you in the night."

Skye's voice was cold as she retorted, "And why should I believe you?"

Swift snorted and smirked slowly. "Good point; you're smarter than you look. But aren't you going to need to relax? Or have you deluded yourself into thinking Chase would stumble in here and slip up tonight?"

"Don't talk that way about my friend," Skye snapped.

"I thought he was your crush," Swift grinned. "It at least goes one way. He is in total love with you."

"Well… Why should I believe you when you say that?" Skye asked, dodging the question.

"Ay, I take back my smarter than you look comment. You really are dense."

"He, and Rocky and Rubble and Zuma, and Ryder and Miracle… they'll all save us. And they'll kick your tail until you can't even wag!"

"Ouch… Strong words for someone who's under my control."

"The PAW Patrol always tells the truth."

"Listen, cock-a-doodle doo, I see a lot of myself in you." Swift's eyes lit up just a bit with interest. "Brave. Bold. Tough. And you know, we could be friends if you'd just understand."

Skye forced back a growl. "You hurt Chase. And Mister Forrester. You're nuts if you think I'm anything like you."

"You've got a lot of pluck as well, mi rosa bella."

"And you are a monster."

"That's one pup's opinion."

"I'm pretty sure it's not just me."

Swift rolled his eyes and smiled. "Ah, cock-a-doodle doo, you know, monsters are tough. They're brave. They can get what they need."

"But they always lose."

"Not always," Swift supplied with a sneer. "There are monsters in everyday life that are left unconquered by fearful civilians. Thorns in one's side who can twist things to their favor. If I'm a monster, doesn't that mean I can get what I want? Of course I can."

"For now anyway…"

"You'll see...I always win."

Skye glared at Swift, before turning around laying down in the cage.

Swift laid down and looked into the sky. 'Soon Chase. I will have the last laugh.'

All of the PAW Patrol members were inside the Lookout. In addition to them, were Chase's parents, as well as Lightning and Storm; the latter groups were in the spare room in the Lookout, large and containing beds abound.

Most of the pups were already asleep. Chase was having trouble going to sleep because of thoughts that were lingering in his head; who wouldn't crack under the pressure? Swift had Skye and Marshall, he'd been injured to the point that Miracle wouldn't let him leave the lookout, and now his father has come out of retirement when he should be resting his arthritic leg because of Swift.

He wanted Swift to pay. He didn't care how; he just wanted Swift to pay. What Swift did to himself, Marshall, and… especially Skye… was more than uncalled for, it was illegal, and caused other pups, and humans, to suffer. Now he wanted the same thing to happen to Swift.

"Chase?"

Chase looked up at Shayla, who was just padding up to him. "Hey Mom," Chase said to her. "What are you doing down here?"

"I couldn't sleep. Are you worried about Swift?"

"Beyond…" Chase shook his head and sighed.

"We'll do our best to bring him to justice. You need to rest or you can't do anything to help tomorrow."

Chase whimpered loudly. "But I already won't do much!"

Shayla's eyes softened with understanding. "Chase, we can't really do anything while we worry about you."

"I know," Chase admitted with a sigh. "I just hope no one else gets hurt in the process… Or worse…"

"Yeah…"

"But Skye would never have been pupnapped if… something never came out of my mouth…" Chase sighed and lowered his head shamefully.

"What?" Shayla tilted her head with genuine curiosity.

"I…" Chase sighed before continuing, "While I was sedated, I admitted that I… had a crush on her."

"Oh…"

"And then she walked out to think about it… and, well, you know what happened next…" Chase buried his muzzle in his paws.

"Chase…"

"And Miracle thought it was just because I was sedated that I said that, which I don't blame her for thinking that; she did overdo it."

"But...You really do like her."

"Yeah…" Chase lifted his head. "And now I might not see her again. All because of…"

"I know…"

"Why did I have to say that…?"

"You couldn't help what came out of your mouth. You might find this hard to believe, but your father actually said some random things when he was sedated."

"Oh…"

"He was even shocked to learn that we were mates."

Chase slightly chuckled.

"But he said that I was the most beautiful dog in the room. He got that part correct."

Chase couldn't help it, and laughed.

Shayla smiled, "Well, that certainly helped."

"A little."

"We'll get her back, Chase. I know we can."

"I hope so… Just don't forget Marshall. That would be bad if we left him there."

"Yeah… We will. Just get some rest. And I'll be right here if you need anything."

"Okay. Thanks Mom."

"You're welcome, sweetie." She gave Chase a warm nuzzle before walking back to her sleeping mate.

Chase lay down and curled into a ball. "We'll save you, Skye…" He said before going to sleep.