Chapter 3:
The recent news of the overflowing waterways quickly summoned the Paw Patrol for their next mission. Chase couldn't contain his excitement, his tail wagging furiously, as the team raced away from the recently resolved intersection problems to their new location in a distant part of the city.
Raindrops began to fall steadily during the morning hours, transforming the large city into a wet, blanket-like landscape. The reflections of their cars danced in the growing puddles at the corners of the roads, their wavy forms rippling as they splashed water from their wheels while speeding off.
The raindrops shimmered on Chase's fur, yet he stayed relatively dry, the water not yet reaching his skin.
"Okay, pups," Ryder told them, raising his voice so the team could hear him over the increasingly heavy rainfall, "It looks like the waterfront is having issues. There's a water treatment plant in an urban part of the city. It sounds like several storm drains are backfilling, causing some flooding in the streets." Chase listened intently to Ryder as they flew past a group of cars waving their thanks from the previous assignment at the street lights.
"Oh, great," Rocky replied over the radio with an exasperated sigh, "More water; I thought the rain was bad! I hope I don't have to get too soaked."
Chase heard Ryder chuckle on the other end. "I'm afraid you might have to, Rocky. We need your skills to find out what's wrong." Ryder finished his sentence as they came around a bend in the street and continued straight: "As you know, the caller said the flooding is getting worse; we don't know all the details about the situation, so stay alert!"
"Don't worry, Ryder!" Chase chimed in, "We always have your back!"
"Thanks, Chase!" Ryder replied, "When we reach the water plant, I'll let you pups know what to do."
The team barked their approval as they navigated the city's main parts. They still had a way to go before they reached their destination, but they were making good time. Eventually, the team moved to a more secluded area of the city. Small houses were frequent, and the large buildings once so present in the central city were now scarce.
It wasn't long before a large water treatment building appeared several blocks away. "There it is!" Ryder announced as the team neared its destination, a large crackling of thunder roaring overhead, "That's the water treatment plant; down this road should be the flooding. Skye, stay safe up there!"
"I can handle a little turbulence!" Skye replied, "But I'll stay low so I'm not too big of a target."
They continued driving, and as time went on, the rain began to fall harder. Ryder led the team, who were following closely behind him. It wasn't long before they reached the long stretch of road near the water treatment plant. Chase noticed water bubbling up from the storm drains, with significant pooling in some areas. The heavy rainfall only worsened the situation. "With how hard it's raining, these streets will fill up quickly!" Chase thought.
He surveyed the situation, though his visibility was limited due to heavy rain. Although the water treatment plant was located in an urban area, several small houses and low-rise apartments nearby were at risk of flooding if the Paw Patrol didn't act quickly.
To their left stood the large treatment plant, its entrance blocked by a long fence. The facility contained several buildings and large tanks, with pipes and machinery visible outside the fence. Chase noticed water flowing irregularly down the hill around the piping.
Chase eyed the building and the housing around, sniffing the air to see if he could catch any fresh scents, but the water was too strong, and he couldn't catch a whiff of anything.
"Chase! Start by blocking off these streets; let's ensure no cars come down these blocks!" Ryder shouted over the heavy rainfall, interrupting Chase's thoughts.
"These paws uphold the laws!" Chase barked as he turned to Ryder. "Arf! Shields!" He pressed his paws against a button, and heavy metal shielding plates moved up and around his car. The outside sounds faded away, and he could hear the heavy raindrops pattering against his windshield. He shook himself to clear the water droplets from his fur.
"Hey, no fair, Chase!" Rocky's voice came through the pup tag and into his car, "You get to stay out of the rain!"
"Dude, the water feels great; why would you want to?!" Zuma added.
"This car is amazing, right?!" Chase snickered in reply to Rocky before putting on a serious face as he focused on the task.
"Arf! Tape!" A police tape dispenser shot from the back of his car and onto a nearby pole. He then pressed hard on his pedal and raced down the street, blocking several streets so others would stay clear of the flooding areas.
The rain continued to fall as Ryder took control of the situation. "Okay, pups. This water will only get worse. Rocky and Zuma, we need to find out what is causing these clogs. Head down to the drains and see if we can figure out what's going on."
"No problem, Ryder!" Zuma shouted over the rain. Gliding on his hovercraft over to Ryder.
Rocky drove over, his dissatisfaction evident in the way his shoulders slumped. The water was beginning to affect him as it came down.
Zuma jumped out of his vehicle as the water rose, already reaching his paws. "These streets are going to fill up quickly. At least this road leads to the coast, so some of the water can drain away!" he said to Ryder, who nodded in response. Zuma cautiously moved toward the drains, carefully avoiding slipping in the water.
Rocky stayed in his vehicle momentarily before taking a deep breath and jumping onto the street. He drenched his paws in the cold rainwater, now steadily filling the streets.
"Oh, ya, I'm definitely getting soaked!" He complained, splashing over to Zuma and examining the grates.
Moving back to his mic, Ryder continued to give directions. "Skye, I need you to see how things are from up there. Can you get a clear view of how far this flood goes?" Ryder asked her through the radio.
Skye was flying above the treatment plant as the rain poured down. Strong gusts of wind buffeted her helicopter, soaking her and the aircraft. The heavy rain made it difficult for her to see much from her vantage point.
"I'll try, Ryder," Skye began, "But I don't think I'll have much luck with how bad this storm is getting!"
"Understood," Ryder replied, "In that case, Chase, head down the road and see how far this goes; let me know what you find!"
Chase was nearly at the end of the street when he heard Ryder's voice on the radio. Due to the heavy rain on Ryder's end, it was difficult to make out everything he said, but he believed he had the picture.
"Yes, sir! Ryder, sir!" Chase replied. He continued down the street in the same direction and soon realized he was getting closer to the shoreline. He pressed a button to wrap police tape around a pole to secure the area, then drove over to get a better look at what was happening. Through the slits in his shielding, he saw water rushing down the street and over a barricade that led to the shore.
Turning to look through the treatment plant fence for a clearer view, he found it challenging to see due to the fence, rain, and the shields on his car.
"Arf shields!" he exclaimed. He pressed the button again, and the shields retracted, allowing him to see better. As they did, a gust of wind ripped through his fur, spraying him with water. Chase shivered and gritted his teeth as he squinted through the fence. "It's getting cold! But you have to focus!" Chase thought, shaking his head.
He noticed a large pipe, partially buried in the ground, leading directly to the water's edge. The rising water around it indicated that something was amiss. He saw water bubbling up from the ground around his vehicle and across the fence.
"Ryder!" Chase exclaimed as he settled back into his waterlogged seat. The rain soaked his rump, and water was seeping through his fur to his skin. "It looks like a part of the water treatment plant isn't functioning properly. There's a large pipe that doesn't seem to be draining, whatever the issue might be."
"Good work, Chase," Ryder's voice echoed through his radio, "I'll have Zuma come down and take a look at it with you."
At the top of the street, Ryder continued to direct the pups as the storm raged on. "Zuma, Rocky, what have you found?"
Zuma and Rocky were wading through deep water while Rubble had positioned his bulldozer behind them to block the flow of incoming water. Both Rocky and Zuma had their vest lights on and were focused on a grate.
They raised their eyebrows in surprise when they noticed tricky bits of cement obstructing the water's entry into the storm drain.
"Ryder!" Zuma called out, lifting his nose from the grate. His muzzle was now soaked and dripping. "Someone has put some sort of hard concrete or cement over this; it's badly clogged!"
"Concrete? How did that get there?" Ryder said, puzzled, "Rubble, see if you can drill through that and get the water flowing. Rocky, I need you to use your car's crane arms and remove that grating."
"Rubble on the double!" Rubble shouted loud enough the team could hear him over the distant thunder.
"Green means go!" Rocky said, trying to find some enthusiasm despite having to remain in the rain. Rocky jumped back into his vehicle and used his crane arms to remove the metal grating.
"Alright, Rubble, it's all yours!" Rocky barked as he moved and let Rubble in.
Rubble barked excitedly as the back of his bulldozer transformed into a large drill arm. Carefully, he began to turn it, eating away at the thick layer of cement covering the drain. Water sprayed from the drill as it spun, but eventually, Rubble broke through the obstruction.
Zuma splashed in to inspect the grate again after Rubble had finished. "It looks better! The water seems to be flowing through again, at least a little bit."
"There are probably others," Ryder said. "Zuma, head over to Chase and see if you can find out what's wrong with the pipe. Rubble and Rocky, keep inspecting these grates to see how many are still clogged."
Rocky and Rubble nodded. Moving their vehicles down the street, inspecting the different grates individually for further obstructions.
"Ready set, get wet!" Zuma yelped as he hopped aboard his hovercraft and began to make his way over to Chase.
At the end of the road, Chase was waiting for Zuma to arrive and inspect the pipe. Skye was up above him, hovering in the rain, waiting patiently for Zuma to show. Just then, he turned his head and heard Zuma's large propellers approaching. "Zuma!" Chase shouted.
"Hey, dude!" Zuma barked loudly.
Chase smiled and pointed his soaked paw. "Let's get into the water and make our way over to that pipe. There must be something causing an issue with it."
Zuma glanced in the direction Chase was pointing and stared for a moment through the rain before responding, "I see what you mean! That's an outfall pipe, and something's not right! Come hop on my raft, dude!"
Chase didn't hesitate; he jumped out of his car and splashed through the street before leaping onto Zuma's hovercraft. He settled into his seat behind Zuma, resting his paws on his shoulders.
Both were now soaked, fur clinging to their bodies, dripping water everywhere inside the vehicle, but they shrugged off the cold as Zuma boosted over the railing and onto the sand below. The shore was narrow, and they quickly made their way to the water.
The wind whipped the water into Chase's eyes, and he kept blinking to clear the liquid from them. His blue vest had grown dark from the constant water and no longer provided ample protection as it seeped down to his fur. "I'm glad you can see what's going on, Zuma!" Chase confessed, "Because I can barely see!"
"Oh, yeah, dude!" Zuma replied as they approached the pipe entrance. "I'm in my element! Not to mention, this visor helps, too." They both snickered at that. As they got closer, the entrance became visible. It was partially underwater, but Chase didn't see any apparent problems.
"Okay, Chase!" Zuma started, loud enough that Chase could hear him over the propellers and rainfall, "I'm going to head under; give me some light!"
"Chase is on the case!" Chase returned. Zuma barked, and a light came from the side of his craft.
"Okay, I'm going in! Arf, Scuba Suit!" A breathing unit positioned itself around Zuma's mouth as he dove close to the mouth of the pipe. Still soaked, he leaned his head forward to shield himself from the rain with the cap of his hat, trying to keep the water from his eyes. He moved the vehicle forward, keeping the spotlight directed on Zuma's position underwater. "Good luck, Zuma!" he thought to himself.
Zuma took charge of the situation underwater as Chase illuminated the area behind him with a heavy-duty light so he could see better. "Thanks, Chase! Let's figure out what's wrong!" Zuma thought as he navigated through the water. It was pretty shallow in this area, but the fog made visibility difficult. The cold water sent a chill through Zuma's exposed paws and ears, but his scuba suit provided protection against the frigid temperatures.
He pressed a paw to the side of his suit to activate the lights on his vest and moved toward the pipe's opening. As he scanned the entrance, he noticed the inside had been damaged. Large debris, including trash and branches, had clogged the outfall, preventing water from flowing through it.
"This explains a lot about the flooding," Zuma thought. He turned and headed toward the light that Chase was shining in his direction. Breaking through the surface, he removed the regulator from his mouth.
"Chase, it looks like a lot of debris and dirt are stuck in the pipe! On top of that, it's a little torn. Help me back up, and I'll take my submarine underneath!" Zuma yelled to Chase, who was on his craft, looking over the edge. Zuma noticed Chase's brown fur was now dark and soggy, clinging to his body. Unlike Zuma, most of Chase's body was exposed to elements other than his torso and head. Still, his brown eyes reflected nothing but the determination that Zuma had grown so accustomed to seeing. "He's one dedicated police pup!" Zuma thought with a smile.
He swam close, and Chase helped haul him up onto the craft with his teeth. Zuma scrambled in and touched his pup tag, relaying the same message to Ryder over their communications.
"Got it, Zuma; see if you can unclog that pipe. Rubble, Rocky, and I are getting close to finishing over here!" Ryder replied over the radio.
"You got it, Ryder," Zuma said as he turned to Chase.
"Alright, Zuma," Chase started, "Let's split into your sub; I'll stay on light duty!
"Okay, dude!" Zuma shouted as he returned to the controls. "Stay back! You're going to have to jump to the raft as this thing splits!" Zuma directed. "Arf, submarine!" He pressed a button on the dashboard, and the vehicle's top half separated from the bottom. Chase climbed onto the back and leaped down just as his vehicle divided. The bottom half transformed into a raft that floated steadily on the water, while the top half became a submarine diving underwater. Once Chase landed safely on the raft, he grabbed the rotating floodlight and aimed it toward Zuma's sub beneath the surface.
Zuma's submarine dove into the shallow water and gently brushed against the surface of the sand. "Alright, these should do the trick!" Zuma exclaimed excitedly as two long robotic arms extended from his sub. He carefully maneuvered one of the robotic arms into the pipe and began to grab pieces of debris, pulling them out one by one.
Heavy bits of debris broke free from the pipe and sank to rest on the sand. "There is a lot of junk in this pipe," Zuma thought, turning to his collar radio. "Rocky! I need you here with your truck, dude; this stuff from the pipe needs to be thrown away."
"Green means go!" Rocky said, confirming his report, the heavy sound of thunder echoing through the mic, "I'll be on my way in just a moment."
While Zuma continued to clear debris from the drain, Rocky and Rubble were busy completing the road repairs on land. Rocky had just finished collecting scattered pieces of cement that had been tossed around by Rubble's large drill bit. "Ryder," Rocky said as he picked up the last of the debris, still trying to maintain a brave face despite the harsh weather, "I think that's all the drains!"
"Good job, Rocky and Rubble!" Ryder stated.
Rubble barked happily as he returned his drill bit to the truck. Ryder and the team watched the storm drains start to function more efficiently. Water flowed into the drains, helping clear larger water pools from the streets. Heavy rain continued to pour onto the roads, covering everything with a cold sheen.
"Zuma, is the water flowing better from that outfill?" Ryder asked as he beckoned the other pups to follow him toward the end of the street.
"Yes, Ryder. It looks like everything is being cleared from down here. The water is coming out better. We need Rocky's truck here to help pick things up!" Zuma replied.
Ryder acknowledged him and, with Rocky in tow, headed for the beach.
Chase's ears perked up as Ryder approached, their engines revving and lights blazing from over the barricade that Zuma had jumped. "Zuma, they're here," Chase informed him through the radio.
"Got it; I'm going to bring up some of this junk," Zuma responded.
"Chase," Ryder began as Zuma ended his communication, "I can't see over this barricade. Take over the situation from that side; Rocky will be ready when you arrive."
"Yes, sir, Ryder!" Chase barked proudly, "Skye, Zuma will bring up this junk from the bottom. Can you scoop it and bring it to Rocky?" He turned his head to look up, rain swiftly hitting his eyes.
"No problem, Chase, moving my helicopter over now!" Skye responded.
He could see Skye above him, her spotlight filtered through the raindrops that fell elegantly into the sea. Her helicopter blades whirred, cutting through the rain above him and splitting them through the sky.
"Arf, basket!" Skye shouted over her radio, and Chase watched as a hook and bag descended from the sky. It came down slowly while Zuma lifted a large mechanical armful of scrap he had found in the pipe. She held it low as the arm extended and placed the scrap inside. Once it was full, she pulled it from the water and moved it over the sand and barricade to Rocky's truck.
"Here it is!" Skye barked as she lowered it down toward Rocky.
"Don't lose it, reuse it!" Rocky yelped through the downpour as he grabbed the bag with his mechanical arms and flipped it over his head and into his truck. "Crush 'em!" Chase heard Rocky yell as the back of his truck compacted and crushed the contents inside his truck.
Skye repeated the process a time or two more. Zuma then reported there was no more.
"That's the last of it, Ryder!" Chase said.
Ryder's voice came back through the mic, "Good work everyone! Let's gather back here!"
"Okay, I'm bringing my sub back to the raft. Chase, watch out," Zuma told him, "I'm moving my sub back into position, and I'll need you to get off the raft, dude!"
Chase nodded to himself. "I might have to swim back," he thought, frowning, "Driving the raft back to shore won't work; the water is too shallow." He sighed, mentally preparing for the cold water, and jumped from the raft into the shallow depths. The water was chilly, and as he paddled toward the nearby shore, his sodden fur felt like it was trying to make him sink.
Behind him, Zuma had returned from the water with his submarine and back onto his raft. The raft bonded back into place with a satisfying click, signifying it was again whole.
Chase made it to shore and ran over the beach, the sand clinging to his paws. He reached the barricade wall, jumped over it, returning to his vehicle. The seat was thoroughly soaked, but at this point, everything was. "It's so cold! I feel like my nose is going to fall off!" Chase thought, breathing heavily as he scrunched up his body and shivered, his fur no longer providing any extra warmth.
Ryder approached Chase on his ATV. "Good leading, Chase," Ryder said with a smile, a proud look gleaming in his eye. Chase smiled and nodded, happy he could make Ryder proud.
Looking up and down the roads, Chase could see that the drains were working properly now. Water flowed steadily down the streets and into the grates. The outfall pipe was no longer clogged and gave a steady outlet, protecting the residences and buildings from water damage.
"Good job pups!" Ryder told the team as they gathered together. The rain was still coming down as Ryder spoke. "Let's head back to base and find out if this wireless device holds any clues!"
"And dry off!" Rocky shouted over the downpour, and the team chuckled. Still, Rocky had a point; he was soaked, and the cold had begun to take its toll. His skin and muscles felt frigid, and he shivered as droplets continued to penetrate his fur. He looked over to his team and saw they were in the same boat he was.
Not only that, but the team was hungry, and Chase's stomach was growling, an empty gnawing in his gut. He hadn't had anything to eat since last night, and now they had run a double mission.
Chase glanced over at his friend Marshall, whose white fur was soaked, giving it a slick sheen and making it appear a dull gray as the water reflected the dark clouds above. Although he couldn't contribute much to this assignment, Marshall's face still radiated joy, a broad smile spread across it. "It's hard to get him down!" Chase thought with a grin.
The other pups looked just as drenched, but it was clear that Rocky disliked it the most. His gray fur clung tightly to his body, drenched from the constant rain. He had pulled down his cap and visor to shield himself from the downpour. The water had absorbed into his vest, which had taken on a darker shade of green. He was putting on a brave face, but Chase could tell that Rocky truly hated the wet weather.
"Hang in there, Rocky," Chase reassured him, "We are almost done!"
Rocky gave Chase a reassuring smile and a nod as Ryder rode ahead on his four-wheeler toward their headquarters. Each pup followed closely behind, ensuring they left enough space between one another. They drove slowly, taking precautions to avoid hydroplaning on the wet road. The rain continued to pour down, causing droplets to spray from their tires.
Chase tilted his head downward, allowing the brim of his cap to shield his eyes from the relentless rain and biting wind. Each drop that fell created a rhythmic pattern against the fabric. His brown fur was whipped with water, flickering in the gusts of wind, sending an icy shiver coursing down his spine. Despite the chilly discomfort, he maintained a steady pace alongside Ryder, navigating past a series of slick, glistening roads that shimmered under the muted gray sky.
After a long drive through the urban areas and back through the city, the team finally made its way back to their airship carrier HQ. "There's HQ, finally!" Chase thought, "I'm freezing, not to mention starving!" The rain was beginning to calm as they drove their vehicles up the ramp and into the parking garage. The garage was warmer than the outside air, and the small warmth felt nice on Chase's nose and skin.
The team parked their vehicles, and Chase jumped from the car with a heavy thud, splashing water across the metal floor. He shook himself to free the water droplets from his fur, spraying water across the ground. The rest of the team followed suit.
Ryder, walking nearby, received a heavy lashing of droplets from several pups. He put his arm up to his face to block the spray.
"Hey! Watch it, pups!" Ryder told them with a laugh.
"Oh, please, as if any of us could get any more wet!" Rubble said, and the team laughed.
The pups then followed Ryder through the garage and toward the doors leading to their armory. They quickly stepped onto their individual pads, and the robot arms swooped in. They grabbed their soggy outfits and took them away. A fresh breeze moved through Chase's fur as the vest was peeled off, giving him an instant rush of relief.
He shook himself once more, delighted that the damp clothing had been removed, and followed Ryder into the halls toward their washrooms.
"Pups, take a second to dry off, then let's meet at the bridge," Ryder told them as he headed for his washroom down the hall, "And good job today!"
"No problem, Ryder, sir!" Chase said with a nod as he led the team to the washroom. The pups quickly used dryers and towels around the room to remove the excess water from their fur. The heavy smell of rain, water, and wet dogs' scent permeated the air. Chase and the others snickered as Rocky continued to wrinkle his nose and sniff at the odor.
Chase finally began to warm up, and he gave a sigh of relief as an air dryer spread warmth over him again, and the tenacious cold that gripped Chase's skin began to alleviate.
"Ya, that feels good!" Marshall said with a smile, his eyes closed, facing the dryer. He was standing next to Chase as the warm air moved through his fur, too.
"Yes," Chase agreed with a smile, "I couldn't agree more, Marshall!"
"That was so cold! Zuma, weren't you freezing?" Rocky said to Zuma behind Chase, his voice hinting at disbelief. Chase, his eyes still closed, enjoyed the dryer as he listened to the conversation.
"Dude, the water felt great! Sure, it's a little cold, but it's such a rush, right!?" Zuma responded enthusiastically.
Rocky snickered, "Well, it isn't my thing, but I'm glad we have you as the water pup, Zuma!"
Both laughed, and Chase smiled, enjoying the time spent with his team. After a few minutes, the team had finally dried enough to move on, and they all pushed through the door. The team followed Chase as they walked through the corridors to the elevator leading to the bridge.
The pups entered the elevator and made their way up to the bridge. Upon entering, they saw Ryder, who was already at the elevated desk with a holographic view of the city. He had a towel around his neck, and his hair was spiked and wet from the rain.
"Hey, pups!" Ryder greeted them as they entered. "Thanks for hurrying; I got a small head start while you were drying off." He had the small device they found on the traffic lights on the table, with a small light moving around it, seemingly analyzing whatever it was.
"What is it, Ryder?" Rubble asked as they approached.
Ryder pointed at the device. "Well, from what I can tell, this device was used to scramble the signals on the traffic box. Unfortunately, whatever was transmitting has stopped, and the signal is gone, so we can't trace it. It doesn't seem to give us much to go on, but I'll keep looking." They all huddled in closer for a better look. It was a small black device with an antenna. Unfortunately, Chase had no idea what it did, so he left it for Ryder to figure out.
"Now, as for that outfall pipe," Ryder said, pointing to a point on the holographic city map where they had just been, "It looks like we were able to handle it well; great job, pups!"
The pups all howled happily and applauded each other. Chase gave a happy yelp and paw-bumped Marshall with a smile.
"You guys got to do most of the work!" Marshall said, giggling. "But at least I didn't have to get into that cold water!" He said, looking over at Zuma.
"Dudes, you gotta get yourself a scuba suit!" Zuma said with a smile.
"Oh no," Rocky cut in, "I never want to get in that water!" They laughed together before Ryder started to speak again.
"Yes, excellent job, but we still don't know something," Ryder continued, a puzzled expression running across his face, "How did the cement and debris get there?"
Chase narrowed his eyes; he had thought something similar while he was on the scene. "Who would do something like that?" he thought.
Zuma turned to Chase, "Dude, did your super nose pick anything up while we were there?"
Chase shook his head and wrinkled his nose, trying to recall any scents he had picked up. "I don't think so. The rain was just too thick. I couldn't get a good sniff of anything."
"Bummer," Rocky added.
"But, maybe someone saw something," Rubble added afterward.
"Good point, Rubble," Ryder said, pointing a finger. "Maybe if we ask around, we can understand what happened. Or perhaps some cameras were nearby; whoever did this couldn't have been a ghost."
"Wait…ghosts!" Marshall said, jumping back with a shocked look on his face.
Ryder giggled, "No, I said it couldn't have been a ghost." The team laughed, and Marshall snickered too.
"Oh ya, I knew that," he said, smiling as he returned next to Chase around the table.
"Alright, pups, you guys have done great today. Go and relax a bit," Ryder told them all with a smirk, and the team howled happily together.
"Oh, good, I am so hungry!" Rubble announced as his stomach rumbled.
They all nodded in agreement. Chase felt his stomach churn at the thought of food. He hadn't eaten since they woke up this morning, and after today's events, he couldn't wait to eat.
They all gathered in the elevator, their stomachs collectively growling, and descended. Ryder remained upstairs to finish his work.
"Okay, Chase," Marshall said, turning to him as the elevator docked on the main floor leading to the garage, "What are your thoughts on all these problems? I know you find it weird, and I'm beginning to agree!"
The pups stepped out and headed for the pups' common room. "I do, Marshall. These problems don't seem to have any common cause. It could be anyone or different people altogether." Chase replied as they made their way through the corridors.
"Do you think it could be Mayor Humdinger?" Marshall said with a gasp.
Chase snickered, "I don't think so; he's still in prison after the meteor event a few months ago, remember?"
"Oh, that's right," Marshall continued with a smile as the pups finally got into the common room.
Each of them quickly began for their bowls to get a bite to eat from the morning-long escapades.
"It's probably just a bunch of different criminals causing problems, dudes," Zuma said as he put a paw on the dispenser to fill his bowl.
"Or…" Chase heard, turning his head to see Rubble sneaking up behind Marshall, who was lapping water from his bowl. "It was a ghost!" Rubble pounced and snatched Marshall's hind legs. Marshall yelped, "Ghosts?!" and tumbled into the toy bin nearby, scattering the toys around the room.
The team laughed as Marshall picked himself up, laughing too. "I hate ghosts, and besides, Ryder said it couldn't have been one of those!" Marshall said as he flipped a rope toy from his head.
Chase smiled and filled his bowl with some fresh kibble. He moved forward to have a bite when the star on his collar lit up, immediately stopping him. "Pups, we have another problem; get ready and head up here to the bridge as fast as you can."
"Ryder needs us!" The team shouted in unison.
"Oh, but I didn't get anything to eat!" Rubble whined, looking longingly at his food bowl.
"Neither did I," Skye said, her expression mirroring Rubble's.
"Another mission? That would be three in a row!" Chase thought, perplexed by the situation. He glanced around at his group briefly and noted just how hungry he was. "I suppose it can't be helped. I need to be strong for the others. We can do this!"
"Don't worry, this hopefully won't take too long," Chase told the team, trying to cheer them up as his stomach growled again, "Take a treat for the road, and let's head over to Ryder!"
They smiled, agreeing with his sentiment. He pushed a paw against the treat dispenser, and each pup quickly grabbed a few treats in their mouths before bounding toward the door. Chase carried a few treats in his mouth as he made his way to the armory with the team.
Saliva pooled in his mouth as he savored the taste, chewing slowly to enjoy every flavor as if it were his last meal. The different flavors spread across his tongue, the delectable morsels dissolving gradually with each chew. He noticed the team doing something similar, relishing the treats, except for Rubble, who gobbled his up almost instantly. The treats were decent but not enough to quell his hunger; at least they took the edge off.
They leaped into the armory, each pup assuming their position on the pads while the arms fitted them with their vests and equipment. Chase caught a glimpse of the super crystals out of the corner of his eye, momentarily recalling when he could sprint at super speed before redirecting his attention to the task ahead. As his vest was secured back onto him, he noticed it was still slightly damp from the rain.
Once everyone was ready, the team dashed toward the ship's elevator to reach the bridge. The Paw Patrol rode the elevator up and jumped out when they arrived at the top. Ryder was there to greet them, and a loud beeping sound caught Chase's attention.
They positioned themselves in front of the table, standing tall. Chase felt ready, his determination overpowering the hunger pangs in his stomach. "Paw Patrol, ready for action, Ryder, sir!"
"Thanks for coming so quickly, pups," Ryder began as the team waited for further instructions, "I know you guys didn't get any time to relax, but we have a big problem on our hands." Ryder pointed towards the desk, and a red warning light blinked in the holographic city. "We got a call about a building that has begun to collapse!"
Chase's eyes widened, and the rest of his team looked at each other in surprise. "That doesn't happen often!" Chase thought to himself.
"I feel the same way, pups," Ryder told them with his arms outstretched, "We are going to have to go and make sure that building remains stable and save anyone who happens to be stuck inside."
The team nodded, and Chase, determined and focused, was ready for action as their stomachs grumbled once more. "I know this has been a crazy morning, pups," Ryder said compassionately, recognizing their hunger. "But these people need us. When we get back, we can enjoy some time together."
"With plenty of food!" Rubble barked, and his tongue lolled out.
"Exactly, with food!" Ryder chuckled, pointing to him, "How does that sound, pups?"
Chase nodded and glanced at the rest of the team, who appeared eager to begin. The team rose and puffed out their chests as Chase exclaimed, "The Paw Patrol is ready, Ryder, sir!"
Hi everyone!
Thanks so much for reading and being patient.
I recently started a new job and graduated, so things have been a bit crazy, but I'm writing as much as I can!
Stay tuned for more!
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You can check out the chapter art on Deviant Art. Username: Prince-Noven.
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See you all in the next chapter!
- Prince-Noven