"Senior Special Agent Brisco, please raise your right paw before this Committee"
Brisco stood from his seat slowly, looking up at from a small table just a few feet from a podium, there sat Executives and High Ranks within the Central Intelligence Agency. They all stared down the Feline with Patience but with no sorrow for his actions he was called to private testify for.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth before this Committee, So help you God?"
"Yes"
"As well as that, You have willingly accepted the terms of the hearing regarding your actions in Cuba exactly one year ago on a mission to rescue an American Prisoner"
"Yes"
"Further acknowledging that you have independently wavered your fifth amendment rights before agreeing to this hearing, Is that so?"
"Yeah, I'm aware"
"Please have a seat then" He request, motioning forward down his hand seeing Brisco lower his paw and sit back in his seat before the selection of Officials. Brisco knew either one way or another, he couldn't dodge or deny what he had done. It may have been a full year since it happened, but he never forgot. In fact everyday he'd think about it.
"Brisco, How did the American Prisoner die?"
"I shot him, In self-defense, He tried to- "Brisco went on to defend his actions, even if his words in hindsight would fall on deaf ears. However, him being stopped at the Official questioning him raised his hand, palm facing up facing toward the Orange Cat, letting him know to stop talking.
"This was also the same for the Boat Driver, Correct?"
"Y-Yeah, That's Correct" He responded.
The Official slouched back in his seat, looking to his side for one of his other Colleagues to have a question to be asked. "Who was this third individual you apparently Illegally brought into the United States?"
"A Female Cat, just like me but Black and White, I dropped her off that night in the Florida Everglades. After that I married her and had a small kitten with her"
"And please explain to this Committee the reasons for your actions that night"
"What else there needs to be said, He tried to take her and do God knows what with her. I couldn't just watch, so I did something about it. I didn't want to do it, but I had to the right thing"
"Mr. Brisco, You were admitted to the CIA not because we wanted to you to do the right thing, you were admitted to this agency to follow orders. Nothing more and nothing less, besides this Committee isn't here about her, It's about you. According to all the evidence we have collectively agreed on the decision is made to formally discharge you of all duties regarding the CIA"
"So you're firing me basically" Brisco asked to clarify.
"Yes, In simple terms. However, we all recognize that simply firing you wouldn't be a smart move" he said, catching the Feline off guard as he looked at the officials with a confused look. "E-Excuse me?"
"If we come out with a statement to the rest of the CIA that you were fired, this would start an investigation that would inevitably lead to the Press finding out. Finding out you killed two Americans on Cuban soil, one of which was in Cuban Military Custody. This matter will be kept a secret and we as a committee will be offering you an accord" He stated.
"I'm listening" Brisco responded.
"The United States Government would properly provide you and your newly formed family with all the funds and commodities you would need and want. In return, you are to never speak of this event ever again"
"Everything?" Brisco asked, tilting his head to the side as if he had misheard the Executive. "Everything" The Official responded stoically. Brisco laid back in his chair, pondering the deal given to him. Thinking over what It could mean to him and his family. No more Infiltrating Enemy Bases, No more assassinating foreign public officials, No more Espionage for the Government. A day that Brisco knew was coming but didn't think it would come like this.
"Housing, Job Opportunities, New Identities?"
"Like I stated before, everything necessary will be provided so long as you hold up your end of the deal" he said.
"This also includes Safety, Both my Family and me. I'm not talking about some crack head burglar busting down my door, I'm talking about from the Government. If I'm going to be left out of Agency Operations indefinitely from now on, this goes for my Wife and Son as well"
"Sure, we can squeeze that into our deal"
"I accept then" Brisco responded leaning over to the small microphone in front of him, Two words that he didn't know he would be thankful for in the future or deeply regret.
"Excellent, The Committee has agreed to host a fake ceremony in your name. You will be awarded a medal for your 'Excellence' and 'Honour'. You can bring your Family there if you so choose, after that, you will be expelled from the agency in private notice" He explained.
"Understood"
PRESENT DAY
Laika looked up at the Night sky, gently tossing his paws back and forth as her mind felt at ease. Just bliss in her mind as no urgent thoughts ran through her brain, only soft thoughts of her homeland. "Расцветали яблони и груши, Поплыли туманы над рекой" (Apple and pear trees bloomed, Mists floated over the river) She softly sang, slowly with each Russian word had so much passion and heart in it.
"Выходила на берег Катюша, На высокий берег на крутой" (Katyusha went on the bank
On the high and the steep bank) She soothingly sang as he caressed the large burn mark across her muzzle, now nothing but a ping gash now. Laika stood up before the moon as she walked off in its direction, mesmerized by its glow.
Walking on before her ears perked up, not by their own accord, however. The Space dog slowed her breathing and coordinated all her senses at her disposal, she wasn't alone and now she knew that. Using the environment to her advantage, ever crease of grass beneath her let her know how close this person was. She was sharp, but the sharpest the world had ever seen. "Guess who" This person had said, throwing their paws over Laika's eyes in a friendly game. However, Laika's reaction wasn't as friendly, grabbing the Canine's paws throwing the dog right over Laika in a huge display of strength.
The Canine yelped outload, landing hard against the dirt. Even though it was night, it was quite east to make out the identity of the presumed attacker. "What's your Problem, I could have killed you" Laika stated, slapping the back of the Mix breed's head just to give him a little bit more of a sign of his stupidity.
"Lesson learned" Rocky said, rubbing the back of his neck in pain, suddenly feeling Laika's paw lock with his own, pulling him back up to stand. "What are you doing out here anyways?" She asked. "I couldn't sleep, So I just wanted to… you know, Talk" he said.
Laika tilted her head at his excuse, trying to piece to together the real reason why he would be out here at this hour. It couldn't be because he just wanted to talk with her, what was so interesting about her in his mind. "Why?"
"C-Cause you're just interesting to me, like your history, your stories, your scars, Stuff like that"
"My scars?"
"I mean yeah, I-If it's too personal then we can talk about something else. Or not talk at all and just listen to you singing" Rocky stated before throwing his paws to cover his mouth as if what he had just said bypassed his mental filter.
"You heard me singing earlier?" she asked, seeming to be a bit embarrassed over the fact she was caught in a state of soft emotion. "Y-Yeah, you sing like an angel. What were you singing about?"
"A song from the second world war, about a girl singing to a soldier in war"
"Oh, I-I'm sorry if that's a touchy subject"
"Its fine, you said you wanted to know about my scars, right?" she asked, seeing Rocky nod his head in response. "Fine, tell me, what do you know about me?"
"W-Well, you were the First Dog in Space, You're from the Soviet Union and you were sent up in 1957"
"That last part isn't all the way true" Laika shockingly stated, grabbing Rocky's attention seeing his head shift a bit. "What do you mean?"
"I went on 2 Voyages, The First was in 1957. The First was a test run, The Engineers didn't fully understand space, so I was their guinea pig. That first test will always haunt me" Laika said, hanging her head low as he recalled the day.
"What happened?"
"A mechanical failure in the rocket just a few moments after takeoff, The cooling system failed, and I started to pass out. I tried to stay conscious whilst the rocket was blasting out of the atmosphere. I was in space for hours after that, no food, no water, no communications, and I didn't have the energy to move at all"
"Wait, but all the sources said your rocket burned up on entry"
"Well whatever your sources were, they weren't lying. My rocket entered the atmosphere, and the entire capsule was tearing itself apart. My face was pushed up against the thick glass that let me see outside, my face was burning, and I couldn't get up, It burned a scar across my face" She said, turning her muzzle for Rocky to see the very noticeable scar.
"After the crash, I was retrieved, The Doctors said I was extremely lucky to be alive after all that. When I was under medical care, I overheard the Scientists saying they were going to prepare me for another rocket"
"Why didn't you refuse?" Rocky asked
"I had no choice; I was a poor puppy Rocky on the streets of Moscow before I was picked by the Government. I never knew my mother and I never knew my father, The State was my guardian, It was either die in space as a hero or die on the streets as a nobody"
"Wow, that's incredible. I-I mean the part about you surviving a space crash, but the sad part about you being homeless. I don't get one thing though, how have I not heard about this?"
"The Soviet Union made up the story about me dying in the crash, they didn't want the United States to catch on to our success through spies and espionage. They faked my death so they could have an advantage in the space race" She explained.
"I don't know whether to be Impressed or just straight up disgusted at the fact any Government would do that, just for the sake of looking superior"
"Personally, it meant keeping the Soviet Union ahead of the United States, it must have been worth it. I'm sure my country is years ahead of America, right?" Laika looked over to Rocky who gave an awkward look back instead of a confident one. Looking up and down at the ground and the stars trying not to look her in the eyes.
"The Soviet Union is ahead of America, Right?"
"So I uhhh….don't mean to upset you, but America kinda…sort of…planted a flag on the moon" Rocky uttered, stretching out his neck as if it caused physical pain for him to confess his statement. Laika looked with disbelief before turning around and looking up at the moon itself in all its glory.
"That, you're telling me America flew to the Moon and back?!" Laika asked in shock whilst pointing up to the moon itself. Seeing Rocky nod his head slightly. Laika giving out a defeated sigh as he lowered her paw away from the direction of moon back to her side. "I guess it was bound to happen sometime later"
"So you're not mad?" Rocky asked, looking a bit surprised at the Space Canine's calm reaction to that information. "I guess not, I am a bit disappointed though. Nevertheless, Good on America"
"I'm sorry, Did I just hear you giving congratulations to America?"
"America does seem to have a competent people if they were to reach the moon, I'll give them this one. There are something things in this country I'm willing to tolerate" She expressed, even though she said she wasn't really troubled by it. Her actions spoke louder as she looked a bit uncomfortable saying it and even fidgeted with her paws as she did.
Rocky however still finding it amusing, even seeing Laika herself give off a small smile knowing it was a bit comical to him get one over on her. "So, still not tired yet?" Laika asked, hinting back to why Rocky was out here in the first place.
"Nah, I think I'm just going to get back to work on the Rocket, only have a few days left before the time rift opens back" Rocky stated, walking away from Laika's side.
"Mind if I join?"
"Yeah…Wait I mean no, Yeah I would like that, I mean if you want to" He stuttered trying to not embarrass himself as misunderstanding her question.
"You're such an Idiot, but you're the funny kind of idiot" She proclaimed walking right behind the fellow mixed breed.
Meanwhile a few good distances away from the Lookout and Adventure Bay entirely. Along the coastline was Pebbles. Sitting down facing the water crash against the sand each moment went by.
Everything was calm around him and so was he, Reflecting more on life and his father and of course the CIA. Right behind Pebbles was a small, contained fire he had presumably made with rocks and sticks locally.
Pebbles felt like cursing out whatever God created him, what supreme entity would make him like this. Right next to him lay the same file that compiled all his father's information. Sealed properly in the orange folder and he looked down on it, revealing bad memories.
Reaching down and grasping the small folder before turning around and effortlessly tossing it right into the golden animate fire. Each page from the inside crumbled and shriveled up into black pieces. Letting that fire go higher with its 'extra fuel'.
Brisco had negotiated tooth and nail for Pebbles to stay out of the CIA, but it never worked. Pebbles still having his back turned to the sea, staring deep into the fire until he saw every piece of the folder burn onto nothingness.
"I love you Dad; you did nothing wrong" He whispered before falling to his hind legs before the fire and looking up at the sky. Although out, remaining emotionless.
Bring his paws up to neck, taking of his government collar that was decked with various spying devices that were invisible to any other civilian. Reaching inside the collar to pluck out the CIA pin which identified him as a Special Agent. The small badge that Pebbles could remember him wearing proudly just a few days ago.
The Orange feline gave a deathly look at the badge, his paw shaking as he clamped down on the golden pin shaped badge. Turning himself around in a flash of an eye and throwing it into the ocean with all the force he had.
Too angry and distraught with himself to see the badge anymore, unofficially relinquishing himself from the CIA. He was sure where it had landed or how far he had thrown it, but deep down he didn't care.
Finally spitting in the ocean's direction before walking away, leaving his collar on the beach side. Not caring if it was a threat to national security, he was done with the Government and being their little pawn for espionage just like his father.
Walking away from the beach now right next to the road, looking left and right to spot the next phase of his own plan. He was going to give up on Laika, he had his own vendetta to score with her. Right now, the thinking was over, it was time to do something about her. With the Government's help or not.
Suddenly, Pebbles spotted a large bus on the side of the road, people were present indeed but that wasn't a factor in Pebble's mind anymore. Its lights were on, and passengers were visible sitting down, asleep in their seats as some sort of mechanical issue was being fixed by the driver himself.
Seeing his opportunity, Pebbles ran full sprint toward the bus, running so fast that the wind smacked against his face, giving a sharp pain in his eyes. Unexpectedly, seeing the Driver of the Bus close the hood of the Vehicle and give a thumbs up to the passengers as he climbed back on aboard. Pebbles picked up his pace even more seeing and hearing the engine of the bus start to throttle up once more.
Seeing its head lights light up and its wheels turn back onto the main road, its speed started slow before progressively becoming faster and faster, Pebble's body now becoming more fatigued with each rapid movement of his paws. He couldn't keep running anymore, but he had to keep going whether he liked it or not.
He was almost there, bridging the gap between him and the back side of the bus, in one push; grabbing the back handle of the bus. Lifting his body up against it and using each out print of the bus to climb up. Going further up and up before reaching the top. Laying down against its roof, his back against the steel and he face turned toward the sky as he breathed heavily each second.
Pebbles turning himself over onto his stomach after, clawing his way to the front of the bus with maximum effort still in his muscles, looking down on the front display of the bus on which is displays its destination. Adventure City, just the place he was in luck for.