Hi everyone. The delay was a bit longer this time because I wanted to start working on another new short story I hope to publish soon and to enjoy my summer a bit.
I've also red several Paw Patrol fanfictions recently, written by Havochound, and they are good.

Now, let's get back to buisness. Chapter 5.
Read and enjoy.

But first, I have a review I need to respond too.

Stanley (guest): Thank you. I will do my best to keep you intertained :).

Marshall, Skye and Zuma were sitting in front of the Lookout, waiting as there was nothing else they could do. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't find a way to get inside and stop the robbery. Skye and Zuma were becoming more and more impatient with each passing minute while Marshall, anxious, kept looking at the road. Never had something like this happened before. Sirens were heard and they stood up when they saw their teammates and leader approach.

"Everest did it. They're back," Marshall shouted excitedly.

Ryder and the others stopped their vehicles in front of them and the three pups immediately ran toward him.

"Finally," Zuma said just before they noticed Ryder was covered in dust and the new pup riding behind him who was staring at the Lookout. "Who's that?"

"Pups, meet Race. She saved my life at the construction site and might know who our robber is."

"What!" they shouted.

They looked at said pup who looked back at them and awkwardly shook her paw to say hello, her eyes staying on Skye a bit longer than the others. The pups wanted to know more, especially about the part where Ryder's life had to be saved, but their owner told them they needed to focus on the robber first.

"Where is he now," he asked.

"He's been walking everywhere in the Lookout. He started with the basement, then the ground floor," explained Skye. "It's like he's searching for something, but we can't get in to stop him."

"I know, Everest told me everything."

Looking inside, they could see the robber entering Ryder workshop. As soon as she saw him, Race growled.

"I knew it was him. He can easily deactivate everything electronic with his EMP."

"It's a good explanation," Ryder said. "Okay. Rocky, I need a battery and two wires. I can use it to short circuit the control of the door and open it. Once it's done, Chase, you and I are going to capture the robber with your net. You guys stay behind us and get ready to help."

Rocky ran to his truck to get the materials while Ryder used the screwdriver he took from the Mixed Breed pup pack to open the panel control next to the door. While the two worked, Chase turned to Race.

"Anything to share before we go in. We need to know what we're up against."

"Hum…If he has recharged his EMP, he might use it again, so better act fast. Avoid any red balls of light that come out of his bracelet or drone. Oh, he'll probably try to become invisible to escape, so better be even quicker. That's all…I think."

"Invisible? So that's why he appeared out of nowhere. I didn't know this kind of technology existed," Marshall said.

"Me neither," Rubble said.

"Same for me," Ryder, who was listening while working, thought. "I never heard of energy shields either. Where did such advanced tech come from?" He knew full well he wasn't the only one on Earth who developed high technology for his own use, but this went beyond everything he ever heard or saw. He finally managed to short-circuit the control panel and the door opened like he predicted.

"Come on," he told his pups.

"(Bark) Net," Chase said, reading his net launcher, as they all followed him.

They ran to Ryder workshop whose door was left open by the robber. Chase went in first, ready to capture the thief, only to discover the room was empty. No one was there.

"Where did he go," Ryder asked. "Did someone saw him leave?"

"Invisibility, remember," Zuma said. "He must have walked out right under our nose."

"Indeed, though I haven't left yet." Everyone jumped in fright and turned to see the man standing just outside of the froon door. "Hello again Race. Should have known I'd find you here."

"Can't say the same about you, Jeremy. If you're here, does it mean Blaze is in Adventure Bay too?"

Ryder and his pups stood silently, watching as the two talked.

"How should I know? I have more pressing concerns right now." The man then looked at Ryder. "I saw your pup take what I'm searching for this morning. Just give me back what is mine and I'll go back to my time period as quickly as possible."

Ryder blinked, not sure what that man was talking about. What is his? Time period? However, Race reacted first.

"(Bark) Multi-net."

A device came out from her pup pack and shot a disk from which deployed a net composed not of ropes but some kind of electric energy and heading straight for the robber Jeremy. Seemingly to catch him, like a net. Before it could reach him, his drone appeared. Jeremy grabbed a handlebar that deployed under it, allowing him to fly away. They all ran outside and looked up, but he was already gone. Probably invisible again. The disk Race threw flew back into her pup pack. She was so disappointed to have missed him that she didn't notice the Paw Patrol staring at her until she looked at them.

"I think it's time for you to answer some questions," Chase said.

Half an hour later, he, his pups and Race were on the top floor of the tower. Thankfully, the robber, who was gone, had reactivated the elevator during his search. Ryder and Rocky laid down their backs on the floor under the main control panel (the one under the big screen). From there, they were able to reboot the system and soon, the Lookout was operational again. They had already done the same for the vehicles, pup tags and pup packs. Since they had wore them for a while, Ryder accepted that the pups took off their uniform and pup packs. Race took off her pup pack, though she kept it close to her, but kept her uniform.

"And done. Everything is fixed," Rocky said as he and Ryder stood up.

"And none too soon," Ryder said before looking at Race. As much as he had wanted answers to his questions, he had prefered to repair their equipment first in case there would be an emergency or another robbery. "Now we can talk Race."

"Great," she responded sarcastically. Honestly, she didn't want to because she wasn't sure what to say, but after what happened she knew there was no way she could avoid it, or them, now. Yet, a part of her was still curious and even eager to spend time with them. Rubble already told the others what she did for Ryder at the construction site and since she helped get rid of the robber, they seemed willing to trust her. "What do you want to know?"

"Where did you get your pup pack?" Rubble asked excitedly, interrupting Ryder. "It's awesome and I want one like that. Please Ryder!"

"This is not the type of question we usually begin with Rubble," Chase said remembering what he knew about interrogations even if this looked more like a serious friendly discussion.

"And I don't think I could make gadgets like hers even if I tried," Ryder confessed, still wondering where she and the robber could have gotten them. That's when something the robber, Jeremy, said came back to his mind. It seemed foolish, impossible, yet could explain some things. Even if the odds were almost nonexistent, he had to ask. "Race, what did that Jeremy guy meant by "go back to my time period"?"

Race gulped and looked away. Of course, of all the things he could have said, he had to talk about that. She was almost certain he did it on purpose. Would they even believe her if she told them the truth?

"What are you implying Ryder," Skye said giggling. "That he's some kind of time traveler?"

Rubble and Rocky's eyes widened, excited about such a thing being possible. One thinking about movies, the other science. Chase frowned, understanding Ryder's reasoning that led him to ask that. Marshall, Everest and Zuma held their laughter, finding the idea ridiculous.

"I know how it sounds, but wit's the only explanation that could make sense with. Unless Race has a better one," Ryder said.

Everyone looked back at her. Her eyes kept looking everywhere as she was searching for something to say, a way out. But the longer she stayed silent, the more it looked suspicious and she couldn't think of anything that could fool them. Finally, she sighed.

"It's true. The man that tried to rob you came from the future. And so do I."

The other eyes widened and their mouths dropped as they heard those words. For a few minutes there was no reaction as their brains processed what Race just said. Some had trouble believing it, others were shocked to hear time travel was a reality and the rest were just lost. Another couple of minutes passed without anything happening.

"Okayyy," said Race to herself. "Still processing."

"WHAAAAAAAAT!"

Poor Race had to cover her ears. The pups began to talk continuously and simultaneously. So much and so loud it wasn't possible to understand what anyone was saying. Ryder had to yell to calm everyone down.

"Hey, hey, one at the time. Seriously pups. Stop."

One by one, they obeyed.

"Thank you," Race told him.

"You're welcome. But let's start back at the beginning. Who are you and where do you come from?"

"Well," she began hesitantly. "I'm not really from here as I already told you. I'm…or will be in twenty two years…an operative dog in a team of rescuers, like yours. I was in the middle of a mission when I accidentally ended up in the forest next to Adventure Bay."

"The burned zone Jake and I found, that was you" asked Everest.

"It was dark so I didn't notice anything burned at first. I'm sorry for the damage."

"What was your mission? And how is it tied to that robber, Jeremy, or that Blaze you mentioned?" Chase asked.

"Blaze is a dog. He's my partner and my best friend," Race answered with a bit of sadness as she looked at the ground. "I lost contact with him when the mission went sour, because of Jeremy. He's a thief. Blaze and I were tasked to retrieve a…special object…when he came to steal it. We tried to stop him, but it didn't end well. The object suddenly activated and next thing I knew, I woke up this morning in Adventure bay on this day. You wouldn't happen to have found anything related to him by any chance?"

The pups and Ryder looked at each other and shook their heads, sincerely sad that Race had lost her friend.

"We're sorry. There only three burned zones in Advenure Bay and around. Maybe he's back home safe and sound," Skye said.

"Maybe." Race hoped it was the case. Even if it meant she was alone, it was better than him being hurt or lost somewhere completely alone. "I was trying to find him and our cargo when I came across Chase and later you four at the construction site."

"Then why did you ran away only to help us later," Chase asked still septic.

"Well...I...(sigh) I didn't want to involve anyone. This my mission and it's duty to complete it. But, that isn't a reason to let someone die."

"I see. And that object you were delivering. That is what Jeremy was searching here. He said that he saw one of us take it, but the only thing we brought back is…".

"The sundial," Ryder concluded. "Chase's right. It must be what he was after."

"You mean you found it," Race asked.

"Did he get it," Zuma asked too.

"My workshop." Ryder was about to run to it but Rocky stopped it.

"Ryder, wait. I know where it is and I don't think he got it. Come with me."

Everyone followed Rocky to his pup house that was parked at his usual spot. He turned it in his recycling truck and jumped in the rear compartment. After a little digging, he came out with the sundial in his mouth and gave it to Ryder.

"Way to go Rocky," exclaimed Rubble. "A chance you kept it with you."

"Yeah. Otherwise, the bad guy would have stolen it." Zuma laughed.

"I can't believe you found the sundial. That resolves so many problems," Race said, all happy, as she got closer. "Now I can go back home. Ugh, just have to catch Jeremy first." Her mood changed as she thought of that. She knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"So you mean that sundial is a time machine. It's…kinda hard to believe," Marshall said.

"Harder than a meteorite giving super powers or pearls turning pups into mer-pups," retorted Rubble.

"...Touché."

"I had trouble believing too at first , but it's true. Here, give it to me and I'll show you."

The pups looked at Ryder, wondering if they should. It was still difficult for some of them to believe Race's story, so it would be useful if she could prove it. But if the sundial had some kind of power, time travel or else, it could be dangerous especially in the wrong hands. Ryder looked back at them, seeing and understanding their concerns. He shared the same. This mission was becoming complicated. They needed to be sure of what was happening and Race didn't seem like a bad pup, quite the contrary.

"You want to make a time jump in front of us," he asked her.

"No, I'm still not sure how to do it. Something else I need to work on. But I can activate it to prove it's not a normal sundial."

"Well, this is better. I guess," he thought before setting the sundial at his feet. Race smiled and walked to it. Despite their reservation, the pups came closer, not wanting to miss this. Race grabbed the cylinder and turned it three times. This made the four lines and symbols lit up, making everyone except her jump back in fright. It didn't look like anything technologic. The yellows lights sparkled, like embers. After a few seconds, they went off.

"Strange, last time it stayed active for a longer time," Race thought out loud, worried.

"We owe you an apology, Race," Chase said. "You were telling the truth."

She smiled. "It's okay, I would have probably reacted the same way had the roles been reversed."

"So, just to be sure we're all on the same page. There is a pup, a thief and a sundial who came from the future, burning the places where they landed in the process, because of an accident that happened when they fought. I guess now we have to help a bad dude with more evolved technology and get Race back to the future?" said Zuma.

"Are you sure? Nothing force you to help me." Her voice was hesitant as she was still torn between her fear of involving them and her desire to do so. A part of her wanted to tell...but she forced herself not to do so.

"Of course. All this might be as strange to us as it is to you…" Ryder began.

"You have no idea," Race thought.

"...and we know it's your mission, but the Paw Patrol always help those in need. Right pups?"

"Yeah! Aou aouuuuuuu," they shouted excitedly.

"If you accept of course," Ryder added.

Sincerely, Race knew she should have expected this. After an umpteenth debate in her head, Race finally smiled and nodded. Accepting. She was still afraid, yet she couldn't help but feel happy. She wasn't alone here anymore. Was she making a mistake? She didn't know, but she swore to do anything to make sure it doesn't become one.

So, we have more information about the mysterious Race and Jeremy. I hope you like them so far. I didn't want to hide the fact time travel aspect of the story for longer because I wanted to focus on others one. You'll see what I mean when we get there. Also, there wasn't really any point to doing so since it is announced in the title and resume.

As usual, don't hesitate to leave a comment or show you like the story.

Take care, until next time.

Edit: I made minor adjustment in the dialogues of this chapter, because I felt it made them better.