Rubble snored happily, dreaming about food and feasting on everything in an all-you-can-eat buffet. That is, before he woke up to the sound of his own stomach rumbling.

"Urgh, all right..."

The bulldog rolled out of bed.

"Hey Zuma, I'm gonna sneak down to the kitchens, wanna join me?"

Silence.

"Zuma?"

There wasn't even a snore from the bulge under the blankets.

"Someone's awake, huh? And asking for a belly flop!" shouted Rubble as he leapt onto his friend. But instead of feeling Zuma squirming around in slight pain, the bulldog realized he had just jumped onto a pillow.

"...Zuma? Zums? Quit playing around. Ohhh, wait. He beat me to the kitchens, the rascal!" exclaimed Rubble before sneaking out the door.

"No, no, no... this wasn't supposed to happen!" shouted Zuma as he repeatedly leapt at the bars, trying to squeeze through or break them with determination. No avail.

"Well, well. If it isn't the PAW Patrol's water pup!" said a voice that was too familiar to Zuma.

"S-Sweetie?!"

"That's right," said the Terrier from the other side of a barred window.

"I should have known! You are so screwed when I get out... in a minute..."

"Oh no, stop it, you're killing me. So scared," mocked Sweetie before pressing down on a button that brought more bars into the gap, closing it off completely.

Zuma couldn't help but groan in displeasure.

"Just wait! One call from my pup tag, and you're done! The Krystal will be back with the Princess, and, and..."

"Oh, don't bother," scoffed Sweetie. "I just closed off your internet connection."

"My pup tag requires internet?"

"Everything requires internet! Enough whining. You know something, don't you? You were onto me like ants on a rotting apple."

"Actually I was looking for Claw. But thanks for bringing me closer to solving this little puzzle, I guess?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"I guess you could say that, dude. I mean, not to-"

Zuma was cut off by the walls, which shook slightly. Sweetie had pulled a lever to enclose the sewage containment, and a chocolate pup shook with fear.

"Don't bite the paw that feeds you," said Sweetie with a mischievous giggle.

Zuma felt that the end was drawing near. But it wasn't the walls that scared him in that moment. It was a memory.

Little Zuma sat at the step, eating some treats. He had offered to help deliver mail, and as a reward his mailman had given him some liver-flavored pup treats. They were not very enjoyable or tasty, but he accepted and ate them gladly near his last house. The moment was cut short, however. A paw had come near and crushed his last pup treat to bits.

"Hey, wh..."

Zuma trailed off after realizing who stood in front of him.

Sparrow. His ugly grin and brown, unforgiving eyes glaring at the little pup.

"Hey, lil guy. Having a good day?"

"Uh, yeah. My mail woute-"

"I can see that. Do you wanna know how much Jake bet I couldn't welt you, all by myself?"

"Um, I-"

"A lot! Let's prove him wrong, huh?"

"I... um, don't..."

Sparrow bit the runt on the back, lifting and throwing him into an alley and against a wall.

Zuma whimpered and slowly stood, feeling the scar on his back leg from the other day's "playtime".

Sparrow had no hesitation as he swung his paw, striking Zuma across the maw as his face hit the wall.

Zuma looked at his big brother, realizing that nothing could help him now but himself.

"I said... sto-"

Zuma was interrupted by a bite on his back, causing him to cry out. Sparrow once again threw Zuma against the wall, repeatedly bashing his face into it.

Despite the blows, despite how many bruises and cuts he got in his fur, Zuma never stopped seeing the wall... that stupid brick wall...

"No... no, pwease," whined Zuma quietly.

The Chocolate Lab grew teary-eyed and fell to his side, sobbing.

"Ha! Had enough? That's why... you..."

The Terrier had trouble bringing herself to say something. The walls had only moved a few inches, and he was already a sobbing, trembling mess. What Sweetie saw was no longer a threat to her plans, or even a PAW Patrol member. She saw a tortured creature, deprived of mercy or basic decency. The Terrier yanked a lever to the left, stopping the walls.

She wanted him to hurt. Bleed, even. But she never wanted to make him cry. As much as she hated the PAW Patrol and everything they stood for, she couldn't bare to see a creature in such agony.

Rubble had pigged out in the kitchens for a full 30 minutes before thinking to himself...

Where's Zuma? Not in here. Not sleeping. Maybe a swim? No, he doesn't swim at night.

The bulldog could no longer resist his curiosity. He called Zuma on his pup tag. 30 seconds had passed. Nothing.

"Okay, fine," grumbled Rubble as he walked to the sleeping quarters. He opened one, going in to see Chase, Ryder and Skye sleeping in it.

"EARTHQUAKE!" he shouted, waking the trio up.

"Rubble, what... what is it?" asked a grumbling Chase as he snuggled against a pillow.

"Zuma's missing."

"What?" asked Skye.

"He's not in our room, he's not anywhere in the castle. He must've been pupnapped!"

"Rubble," snickered Ryder. "Zuma hasn't been pupnapped. He... he..." Ryder trailed off. It suddenly hit him. He had really wanted to help on this mission.

"Oh no."

"What?" asked Chase.

"He has been pupnapped! We've gotta get the others and scout for him."

Zuma had slowly gotten to his paws. He shook the memory away. He turned and saw Sweetie in the barred window.

"I'm... ick, sorry..."

"What?"

"I SAID SORRY, TAKE IT BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!"

"Okay, dude... jeez."

"Just stay here. I... I have to do something."

Before Zuma could ask, the Terrier sped off.

The only thing he heard was the sound of Skye's copter blades above and Chase's sirens in the distance.