Bre hesitated as the pulled into Dante's parking spot inside Sky One. Dogs weren't allowed, Dante even said so. Yet... Maybe she had a tiny favor she could call in with Dante...

"Hey Dante?" She asked, glancing nervously at the dash.

There was silence for a moment, before the AI responded. "If this is about Bullet, I want to hear nothing of it. I'm not doing anything. Rules are rules, Bre, and if rules were broken all the time then what's even the point of having rules?" There was truth in what he said, of course, but about him helping? Really?

"I seem to recall a certain gray Ford Expedition owing a certain brown-haired girl a favor, am I right?" Bre asked.

"You know what you just said isn't correct, though. Jenny has brown hair as well, which technically makes it I could owe her a favor, not you."

"No, you don't owe her anything! Listen," she dropped the argument, "Just replay the video of Bullet attacking Klennor, ok? Please?"

The AI mulled it over, contemplating pros and cons, and she rolled her eyes. Seriously, couldn't he think any faster? "I will, but on one condition."

She was exasperated. "What?"

"Tell me the truth."

Its simplicity was stunning, although one thing stumped her; did he mean the truth about her past? Or what was it exactly that he meant? "What do you mean by 'Tell me the truth'?"

Dante resisted mocking her, instead, he responded with a tone that implied impatience. "Tell me the truth. Who is Klennor, and why did he try to kill you?"

She sighed. Really, she should have known that it was coming. Everyone would want to know who Klennor was, if not immediately, they would want to know later. Regardless, she would have to talk eventually. Why not tell Dante now, and at least get his take on it, and perhaps his support? "Klennor was a good man, back when he was in the Air Force with me. A fantastic pilot, and a constant supporter. He'd give his life to protect his friends."

"Then what happened?" Dante pressed, perhaps a little too harshly, because she winced as if the memory caused her pain.

"His jet got shot up by the enemy during what was supposed to be a routine mission. He ejected safely, and luckily he wasn't hurt. At least physically. After that, he was never the same. He became short tempered and angry. One of his best friends, Mack, went over to talk with him one night. Klennor broke Mack's arm, and that was when he got discharged." Running a hand through her hair, Bre looked sad.

"But why did he try to kill you?"

"He became a self-proclaimed assassin, and spent a small fortune on training equipment and weapons. Care to guess who his first target was?"

Dante could easily guess who it was, although he didn't want to brag too much. Of course, his systems were highly sophisticated. "You?"

"Exactly. Back then, I didn't have Bullet to protect me though." Bre shivered at the memory. "I was almost unprepared, although at the time I carried a heavy, as well as heavy-duty, flashlight. So I flashed it in his eyes, which blinded him temporarily, and then I knocked him unconscious. He did have a knife, though, and managed to give me a nice scar to remember him by."

"He hurt you? Why didn't you turn him in?" Dante's voice was horrified and angry, although he managed to make it more calm and arrogant towards the last few words.

"Because I'm safe, and that's all that matters. Besides, he'd just get out after a week or two and come back after me again. He's tricky, and very clever." She rested her hand on the door. "Anything else?"

"No, no, just... Good luck convincing Jenny and Kyle to keep Bullet." It was heartfelt, not arrogant, and that's when Bre knew that there was kindness inside.

"Thanks. I'll need it, I suppose." Sliding out, she shut the door behind her and opened up the passenger door. "Hey Dante, if anyone asks, the reason why we were gone so long was because we had to get a bite to eat, ok?"

"Got it."

"Alright." she acknowledged. "Bullet, out!" The German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix leaped out, muscles rippling under a glossy pelt. He truly was a sight to admire.

"BRE!" Erica screeched. "WHAT IS A DOG DOING HERE?"

Bre glared at Erica. "This is Bullet, a highly trained protection dog."

"I could care less if it could make the bed. A dog has no place here, darling, and the sooner you learn that and stop bringing all your pets here, the better. We don't even have a fish."

"Bullet, get her!" Bre said, and the canine jumped at Erica, snarling and barking, restrained only by the leather leash that was clipped to a thick leather collar.

"IT'S RABID!" Erica screamed, leaping several feet backwards. She knocked over several trays of tools in her haste to get away, and slipped. She fell to the floor, and started scrambling away, grabbing frantically at a work table in an effort to get up.

"Bullet, off." Bre murmured to Bullet, and instantly he was an obedient, well-mannered pooch again.

Sudden applause came from the stairs, where Trek was watching. Jenny stood behind him, along with Duke, her hands on her hips, frowning. Bre's heart sank. If she wanted to keep Bullet, having him *nearly* attack Erica was not good.

"Bre! Upstairs, to the communication room, now." Jenny said, looking like she was about to discipline a naughty child.

"Luck I need, indeed." Bre murmured, and unclipped Bullet's leash, securing it around her waist. "Show that video, eh, Dante?" She whispered, before saying to Bullet, "Heel." No need to use commands in other languages; if she did so now, they might mimic her in order to attempt control over Bullet. Not like that would happen, though, Bullet would respond to her and her only.

Jogging up the stairs, she met Jenny and Duke, as well as Trek, seated.

"Erica refuses to be present if your dog is here, so she'll come in via hologram." Trek explained, when Bre looked curiously at the empty seat where Erica normally sat.

Nodding, Bre took a seat across from Jenny. "Bullet isn't an ordinary dog, or an attack dog. He is a highly trained protection dog, trained to protect me in danger. Dante?"

"This is a video that I recorded this morning. A man named Klennon attempted to attack Bre while we were at the shelter gathering her belongings. He came at her with a gun, and this dog, Bullet, protected her, as well as saved her life." Dante explained, projecting the video onto the screen.

It played through, and when it was done, Bre looked at the amazed and shocked TKR members. "He will give his life to protect my own. Do you still wish to ban him from residing here with me?"

The TKR members looked at each other. Now they had a tough decision. Bend the rules, or ban Bullet forever?