Disclaimer: Garfield and all related characters are the intellectual property of Paws Inc. and Paramount Global/Nickelodeon at the time this story was written.
Chapter 9: The Message
*BOOOOOOOOOOM*
Thunder continuously roars through the dark clouds. Rain continuously pouring down as a red car speeds its way across the city, its driver not caring about any of the speed limits he passes, for the only thing he cares about at this very moment is to find his pets and bring them home…where they belong.
Liz, the car's passenger, scrolls through her phone to see if there's any updates on the interwebs regarding Garfield and Odie's current whereabouts.
"Anything on the news?" Jon asks, his eyes solely focused on the foggy road.
"Nope." Liz replies. "Just a bunch of crap about inflation and some guy having found his hat on top of a tree this morning after it blew away."
"Hmm mmm mmm, they call that news?" Jon can't help but laugh upon hearing such a cheesy drabble that they call news. His brief moment of laughter puts a smile on the veterinarian's face, for it was the first time he shared a laugh with anyone after everything that's happened to him these last two days.
"I know, right?" Liz amusingly asks, further lightening the mood. "What's next, they're gonna make a breaking report about a cockroach slipping into some guy's sweater?"
The two humans burst out laughing, giving themselves a much needed break from thinking about their current predicament…
…but all good things must come to an end, for after they've finished with their humorous juncture, Jon returns all his attention back to the road. The veterinarian can't help but feel depressed seeing her best friend like this, for it really does remind her to appreciate all the good times, even if they're very brief moments, before they've inevitably come and gone.
Turning her attention back to her device, Liz eventually finds a peculiar article, one describing a fatal shooting that has just occurred over at The Village a few minutes ago.
"Oh my god!" Liz said, shocked by the disturbing information relayed by the article.
"What is it!?" Jon asks.
"It says here that there was a shooting over at The Village just now, and at least eight cats have been killed." The veterinarian explains, her voice becoming more anxious. "Jon, you don't think-"
"No!" He immediately said before she could finish her question. "Garfield's not one of them. I know he's still alive and needs my help."
"But what makes you-" Liz is about to ask, but doesn't want to risk flaring up any tensions between them. "Never mind."
*BEEP BEEP*
Her phone suddenly goes off, indicating that a new video has just been posted on Chatter.
*GASP*
"What!?" Jon asks, startled.
Without any hesitation, the veterinarian shows him the video…
*GASP*
…a video that no pet owner should ever have to see…
…or anyone with a heart, for that matter.
The cartoonist now feels the imprudent desire to gouge his eyes out, for the disturbing video relaying in front of him shows the unconscious body of a cat…
…his cat…
…being suspended in the air, strung to a flying drone with nothing more but a leash for all to see.
As Jon's mind attempts to subsist itself with what little substance of sanity it has left, subtitles begin to display over the footage:
DOG,
IF YOU TRULY CARE FOR YOUR FRIEND,
YOU WILL RETURN TO ME.
ALONE.
"Oh my God." Liz whispers as the video mercifully comes to an abrupt end. Comments flood into the chat as Jon struggles to fully comprehend what he just saw, only barely attempting to maintain his composure.
"WHERE!?" Jon shouts.
"C'mon, c'mon!" The veterinarian immediately begins searching through the hundreds of oncoming comments being posted all at once, until eventually coming across one describing where exactly it was recorded. "The Village!"
*SCREEEEEEEEEEECH*
The tires let out a piercing cry for mercy as the vehicle bolts through the city, leaving behind only a trail of harsh smoke for miles.
Among those who've just finished viewing the video are Becky, who nearly dropped her phone in utter shock, and Odie, who remains silent after subjecting his eyes to all 15 seconds of the footage…
…15 seconds that he can't fully comprehend apart from its cryptic message:
DOG,
IF YOU TRULY CARE FOR YOUR FRIEND,
YOU WILL RETURN TO ME.
ALONE.
"W-Who…" Becky asks, tears starting to pour out of her eyes. "Who would even think of doing such a thing!?"
The dog's body remains completely frozen in place…
…his mind shutting down…
…resetting itself…
…the only hint of movement coming from his blinking eyes…
…the subtitles they've just read replaying in his mind over and over again:
IF YOU TRULY CARE FOR YOUR FRIEND,
RETURN TO ME.
ALONE.
"P-Puppy?"
…
"He's not referring to…y-...you…is he?"
Odie doesn't respond to her. For what seemed like an eternity, the room was completely silent…
…right as he leaps off the bed and heads straight for the door!
"Puppy! Come back!" The girl shouts, chasing after the dog as he bolts out of the bedroom and into the nearby elevator.
"NOOOOOOO!" Becky shouts right as the elevator door closes on her, frantically pressing the button to bring it back. "C'mon, C'MON!"
"Is something the matter, Miss Berger!?" Jeeves asks whilst approaching her, becoming very concerned with her recent behavior like her father.
The girl doesn't respond to his question, let alone bother to even face him. With no more time to spare, she pushes through the door leading to the penthouse's stairs, not letting anything stand between her and her new best friend.
"*SIGH* Perhaps I should consider finding a more stable family to serve." The chauffeur said to the reader, doubting if the pay is even worth all the trouble.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
Odie hardly takes notice of the thunder roaring right above him, nor the rain of the intense storm drenching all over his fur as he runs across the entire city, refusing to stop for anything, not even for a millisecond…
…for saving Garfield is the only thing that matters to him right now.
Luckily, someone commented online that he's currently being suspended above The Village, which is all the information he needs.
Not too far away, a drone flying over the city spots the stouthearted canine heading west towards The Village…
…exactly as planned.
Jon speeds right past the memorial hospital as he steadily approaches his destination. Both him and Liz remain completely silent, for they won't let anything distract them from rescuing Garfield…
…if he's even still alive.
"NO!" Jon furiously shouts in his mind, refusing to let such a thought become a reality. "He has to be ali-"
*BANG BANG BANG*
*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH*
*BAAAAAAAM*
…
…
The drone observes the crash, making it absolutely certain that everyone inside the vehicle is dead…
…as is the case.
With all human threats out of the way, the drone flies off towards The Village, its mission met with complete success…
…or, at least it thought it was…
*COUGH COUGH COUGH*
…for it didn't take into account just how resilient a human can be when truly determined.
Liz miraculously squeezes out of the passenger's seat, carefully pulling Jon out through the car's shattered front window. Dialing 911 from her cracked phone, the veterinarian could only pray to the heavens that she can get him to the hospital as fast as possible…
…that is, if the heavens haven't already taken his soul.
As Odie arrives at The Village with nothing but wet feet and the sheer willpower to carry himself through the intense storm, he keeps his eyes solely focused on the sky, not even letting the drops falling into his eyes stop him from finding his best friend. Soon enough, he manages to find Garfield, his unconscious body still being suspended in the air by the drone.
*AROOOOOOOOOOO* He howls, catching the machine's attention.
Having found its target, the drone flies back down, the dog staring intensely at it.
*GRRRRRRRRRRRR*
*BANG*
A tranquilizer dart lands directly on Odie's back, once again rendering him unconscious. Another drone reveals itself from behind him, having waited for the exact moment to make its move. Now that the troublesome dog is finally within their grasp, the professor will be quite pleased...
...for Project K-9 will soon reach its completion.