Welcome back, are we ready for another chapter? Me too. Okay.
Chapter 4: A stranger's mercy.
The sun raised upon the beach and the rays of light shined on Cloud's face. He squinted his eyes and slowly woke up stretching himself and opened his eyes slowly. He stood up and walked outside the cave. He had his eyes squinted, the sunlight was too strong for his eyes. He usually would wake up from his comfy bed under a roof. His eyes were never adjusted to morning sunlight. Cloud just kept his head down and searched for some water around. Obviously he didn't know how salty was the beach's water when his tongue touched that salty water he immediately spit and backed away.
Cloud: Bad water, bad water.
He had his tongue out and kept searching for some water. He kept walking around and noticed a house with a dog bowl, he sneaked around it and saw it had water. He approached it and started to drink from it. He spent some time drinking it and left the bowl empty. He walked away from the house and kept roaming around the streets. People often tried to scare him away, he was easily scared by a lot of them. He sometimes wished he had his collar. That way the people wouldn't try to do anything to him. He kept walking and in the distance he saw Marshall and Everest with their kids. Cloud found a place to hide away before they could see him. Luckily they didn't.
Billy: Dad, dad! I want to go to the toy store!
Sarah: Me too.
Everest: But kids, you already have a lot of toys. We barely have a place to put them.
Billy: But there's this new cool super toy that its limited edition and if I don't get it in time, they will be sold out.
Everest: Billy, you always buy a new one and leave them there doing nothing.
Billy: I promise I will play with them more often, but I really want it.
Sarah: I want to see some too.
Both: Please?
Everest: But you have a lot of toys already.
Billy: Please daddy?
Marshall: Well…
Everest: Marshall! Come on don't do this. You always let them have them.
Marshall: But come on honey look. How can you say no to those little faces?
They put their puppy eyes. Everest gave a defeated sigh.
Everest: Fine, but you better play with them more often or we won't buy you more again.
Both: Yay!
They rushed inside the toy store while they both followed them. Cloud looked at them and instantly seeing that connection made him feel sad for not having that sort of connection anymore. He even walked up to the store's window and jumped on a small box and stood in his hind legs to look through the window. He kept stating at them, seeing Billy and Sarah smiling with them only kept reminding him of those times with his family. He sure missed those all days. He even was hoping that when he went to sleep all of this was just a horrible nightmare and that Zuma and Skye would come to comfort him and tell him that nothing will never separate them. But this was all real. He was alone and left isolated from his home and family. He got down from said box away from the window and kept walking his way. But that moment will change. The Bank's alarms goes off and he stood looking there not knowing what to do. A masked guy came out and blocked the doors of the bank to avoid the security to get him, he saw Cloud and he rushed to him and grabbed him. Cloud whined and the man put a bag around his body. He lowered Cloud and spanked him in the butt hard to make him run. Cloud ran away with said bag. Policemen arrived at the bank and got the man but they noticed he didn't had the money. To the scene arrived Chase with Ryder.
Ryder: What is happening Officer?
Officer: Ryder, thank goodness. We had a break in on the bank but we caught the Criminal. Only problem is that the money is nowhere to be seen.
Ryder: Okay, Chase get inside and investigate for any possible traps.
Chase: Roger that.
Chase got down from his vehicle and found a way in to start investigating. Ryder called for Skye to see if she got something from the air.
Ryder: Skye, find anything?
Skye: Negative Ryder. I'm still searching.
She used her goggles to see from her helicopter and she spots something moving.
Skye: Ryder I got something running with a bag.
Ryder: Good, can you identify it?
She zoomed in and the closer she got she got a better picture and her world fell when she saw who was carrying the stolen money.
Ryder: Skye, can you identify the person? Skye? Skye?
She had tears in her eyes. Could it be possible that her pup turned into a criminal, what has become of Cloud? Ryder heard her sobbing and he got the hint of why.
Ryder: Sorry Skye but we have to get him.
Skye: No please.
Ryder: I can't let him get away with it Skye. We will capture him and take him to a shelter.
Skye: No Ryder, please let him go. He is just a pup.
Ryder: Skye! There's nothing we can do. I will go to your location and get him.
Ryder ended the call leaving a crying Skye. He told some policemen to follow him to capture the getaway accomplice. Cloud kept on running, he was totally unaware that he was being use for a crime. He then reached a place close to a forest, he stopped to get a breather and shook the bag off him. He saw that it had some green stuff made out of paper. He was so curious that he got close and sniffed them thinking they could be toys. Then he was surrounded by police cars. The policemen came out and they had their tranquilizer guns aimed at him. One police officer was walking up to him with a stick ending up with a rope. He was scared, he was walking around whimpering. They noticed this puppy was a wolf so they took high precautions. Then when the officer with the stick got close enough he put the rope around Cloud's neck. Then another rushed to put a muzzle in his snout and kept his mouth from opening. Cloud was moving around a lot, freaking out. They tried to calm him down but his movements were rough and fast. They though he was about to snap or get aggressive so one of them shot him with the tranquilizer. This made Cloud to fall unconsciously.
Officer: We got the wolf. Yeah he isn't a dog. Should we put it to sleep? Understood. Get me the Euthanasia, Chief said is dangerous to have a wolf around.
One of the policemen brought the IV machine to put Cloud on seizure. They prepared the equipment and they put the tube on Cloud's leg. After getting ready, they started the machine as the substance traveled through the tube. But before the liquid reached Cloud something cut the tube in half and the officers got their guns out just to be killed in a few seconds. For Cloud everything was dark but he could faintly hear screaming and gunshots until it was all silent. After a few hours Cloud woke up and saw he was in a cabin. He looked around and noticed he was covered in a blanket but then he laid eyes on the red armored being with a hood on standing in the doorway. He hid in the blankets. The being approached him and uncovered Cloud and started to pet him.
Omega: Don't worry I have saved you from the corrupted. My name is Omega. Do you have a name?
Cloud looked at this Omega guy, he looked very scary and mysterious but he behaved so kindly to him.
Cloud: Cloud.
Omega: Neat name. Are you hungry Cloud?
Cloud: Yeah.
Omega stood up and went to get some food for Cloud. Cloud looked around and saw it was well decorated for a cabin. Omega returned with a bowl full of food as Cloud started to eat it very fast. Omega looked at Cloud and left some water to him.
Omega: You are too young to be out there by yourself. I'm glad I found you.
Cloud: Thanks sir, you saved me from the getting taken at the pound.
Omega was sure they tried to put him to sleep. The kid doesn't even know that he was close to be a goner.
Omega: Yeah the pound. That's right. I did. Well enough of that, can you stay here? I will go see something.
Cloud: Okay Mr. Omega.
Omega walked out leaving Cloud in the cabin. He saw a TV in there and turned it on and started to watch kids' cartoons on it. He then had a big smile but he got reminded that his family wasn't around. He then kept watching the TV but with a hint of sadness on him. But he had a small spark of hope knowing he was with someone now.
To be continued…