KC Frantzen - May the K9 Spy 03 - May Leads the Way: Trouble Near Tofino (11 page)

Chapter 24

D
o they have a rodent problem on the USS Tennessee? The Commander just ordered “midrats.”

Oh… Come to find out, tonight’s “midnight rations” are leftovers from dinner. Steak and mixed vegetables for me, pancakes and eggs for the Skipper.

Nolly’s Handler delivers the meals himself with an update on Operation Fish & Chip, an action requiring precision and timing. And it sounds like they’re about ready.

While one of the crew painted the tip of a special torpedo like a mullet – Hey! – Pharmacy Man placed an ampule of acid alongside the deadly microchip to neutralize the sarin, then loaded the package into the torpedo. As it launches, we will go completely silent, dive deep, turn 70 degrees and move quietly away.

We hope to trick the enemy sub into thinking the torpedo is the USS Tennessee.

“See to it.” “Battle stations.” “Launch.” “Torpedo away.” “Dive, dive.” “All quiet.”

Seated next to the Commander, I’m in awe. These men execute their duties with precision.

The Operations team notices an anomaly on the sonar. Confirmed! The enemy submarine has left the vicinity!

I want to bark sooo much but dare not as we’re still on stealth mode.

The Skipper gives the all clear to resume deterrent patrol, then signals me. “To my office.”

Once inside, he picks me up – feels good to be held – then we sit at his desk to review. Phase one complete. On to phase two, nabbing Rukan.

After a quick review I woof. “Sir, I think he is confident, or arrogant, enough to assume his base remains invincible.”
Yawn.
“Oops.”

“Time for a little shut-eye before your phase kicks in?”

I nod.

The Commander sets me down, then spreads a towel near his bunk. Maybe I remind him of his Schnauzer back home. From the looks of things, it doesn’t appear the man sleeps much.

Ready for bed too, Sir?

He shakes his head. “Go ahead. You’ll need some rest.”

Aye aye.
I make for the towel and circle.

He may seem stern, but I enjoy his enthusiastic laugh as he pats my head.

About the time my head hits the towel it’s time to get up. When I get to the pool room, Nolly greets me with a small splash.

“Glad to see you too. Ready?”

“Clickity
click
.”

Nolly’s Handler motions me to his side. “As the old salts say, ‘Red sky at morning, sailor’s warning. Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.’ Be prepared, there’s a potential storm in the forecast. I’ve devised a modified canvas strap and a waterproof secure tracking beacon attached to this collar.
Snap.
Nolly hasn’t lost a passenger yet so don’t be too worried. When you make it to shore, use the beacon as instructed.”

Sir?

“I’m on a need-to-know basis only. You were instructed on the plan, weren’t you?”

I yip, “Aye aye.” Wish I could speak with a little more gusto. I don’t relish the thought of being tossed into that frigid ocean, but I must lead the way to Rukan.

Nolly’s Handler brings a device with a small cylinder he calls Scooby.

Sir, you left off Doo.

He grins. “No no. SCUBA – self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. Here’s how it works…”

When he’s finished, he checks his watch. “Forty-three minutes before dawn. Time to make way.”

“Clickity
click
click cliiicckkkkittty click cliiick.”

“You too my girl… uh, girls.” He pats Nolly’s back, and mine.

I woof, “If I don’t see you here…”

Nolly’s Handler gives me two thumbs up and heads out. When the door latches, my water limo motions me aboard. Time to insert my breathing apparatus and hold on.

The outer hatch opens and with a roar, the chamber begins to fill with cold water.
Shudder.

Think calm. Maybe ocean water is good for sutures.

In moments the room is flooded. With a flip of the tail Nolly jets through the open door and into the dark ocean, me hanging onto her strap, panting for air through the breathing apparatus.

Nolly makes for the surface then straight for the southwestern-most beach on Vargas Island.

Before long, we’re joined by a pack, I mean pod, of her kind. Nice to have company on the journey. I’m having a little trouble breathing though.

Pant, pant, pant.
Something is wrong. My tank is running out of air!

Wait. On the surface I don’t even need it. Sheesh. I pull the mask down. Must relax and focus on the mission.

I look to the eastern sky as it begins to brighten. Angry storm clouds in the west are unmistakable. Oh joy.

“Clickclick ccllliiickity ccllliickitttyyy clickckck ity click.”

I hear waves, battering the rocks. Maybe that means land ahead. Look, tree tops and yes, there’s our destination!

After a powerful push, Nolly surges onto the sand. That’s unexpected.

“Clicckkitttyy. Click clicckkk.” She arcs her tail and beak. What does that mean?

A reminder to remove the Scooby apparatus and attach it to her strap?

After I finish I hear “Clickity
click
.” Yes!

After another few clicks I wonder, is she saying, “If I don’t see you here…” But with the next wave, she pushes back and is gone.

Okay then. Lots to do before Agent Michael arrives. First things first, locate Rukan’s plane.

Using my stealthy cat walk, but with a limp so if he tracks me in the sand he’ll assume I’m injured, I pick my way through debris. Maybe my buoy will wash up one day. It’s amazing how far things travel. There were hitchhikers – barnacles and plants – that floated along. I’d get a ride too instead of swimming that far myself.

You know, we can explain lots of things humans don’t understand. But they rarely ask.

The plane was to the northeast, not far from the beach. I’ll keep to the tree line for cover. If it’s there, then he’s probably still on the island. Hopefully we can capture it for our side to reverse engineer their technology. Glad to know we have something similar on our submarine, I mean boomer, for countermeasure.

Then on to hunt for Rukan’s base and set the secure tracking beacon so our team can find it.

Chapter 25

A
s I sniff and snuffle, I pick up Rukan’s scent. Layers of it.

Idea. When I lived with Rukan and family, before Dad and Mom rescued me, he was gone quite a bit. Is this where he comes, when he leaves Woman and their son, Monster, alone?

In the dawn’s early light I pick my way into the underbrush. The morning chorus is tuning up and in the distance, occasional thunder.
Sniff.
Canines. Wolves. Are they friendly to tame dogs? That’d be a relief.

As the terrain changes from sand and rock, I remember we studied the movements of various critters to learn to mask our own. I shift my walk to remain stealthy through the pine needles and grass.

Once I get under the towering trees, it’s still fairly dark. Good. Now what would Rukan’s defenses be? Maybe infrared sensors along the trail. Hopefully he’ll assume I’m a native creature from the island.

Deeper in the forest it’s quite still, except now and again there’s a whiff of rain. When I look around, and up, the leaves and needles which don’t start until far,
far
above, are swaying.

As I move along, I feel small. Even the pine cones and ferns are huge. My family would enjoy visiting here very much. Wonder if they’re okay?

Focus, May. Focus.

The trail turns a little rocky. Good. Easier to move normally and still disguise my tracks.

The path splits. Which way?
Snuffle.
The waves sound louder to the southeast. When we flew through the cut in the rocks, we came from that direction. That’s the way to the plane.

It felt so strange, walking over the water. To satellite data interpreters that pond probably appears normal, fish, algae and all. But the clear covering is strong enough to support an aircraft. Ingenious.

And there’s the pond! But oh no… Did he leave?

I don’t dare move closer as I sniff the air. An engine. Doesn’t smell hot.

I look again. Still no plane.

Okay, assume nothing.

As I carefully scan the scene, I just make out the outline of the sleek aircraft. It’s extremely difficult to detect, even in this light, though I am purposely looking for it. It remains facing west, about the same position, so maybe he’s not been anywhere. So far, so good. I can definitely find this again for Agent Michael but I don’t dare tag the craft with the secure tracking beacon. It might alert Rukan and I’d blow the mission.

Must find his lair first.

When I get onto the dirt trail again, I go into disguise mode and walk with the limp I practiced.

There’s the split in the trail so I head north. This part is rougher, less traveled. Where I can, I hop onto fallen limbs to walk. The bark and moss is thick and uneven under my pads.

Every now and again I sniff the trail to be sure I’ve not lost my prey.

You are
so
going down, Rukan.

Hopefully I’m covering my tracks, but honestly, I don’t know how skilled a tracker he is. He depends solely on technology. I try to use all resources creatively, including my brain. How else will I do the unexpected and survive to win the day? If I didn’t know the principle before, the Commander taught me that with his brilliant torpedo decoy…

These dusky woods are ancient, much older even than Paris, and very different. Occasionally there’s a whiff of human, but mostly complex glorious nature.

Sniff.

Oh no.
Sniff-sniff-sniffsniffsniff.
Rukan’s scent… Vanished! Must backtrack and pick it up again. Why don’t I focus?
Sigh.

What’s that sound?
Thump thump.
I look around, eyes wide. Mustn’t get caught. Just lead Rukan to the beach like a good mullet, let the team reel him in.

Judging from the smattering of light, Agent Michael and the kayakers should be there. Not much longer and we’ll have Rukan. If I can re-find his trail.

I feel many eyes on me. And no wonder. I sound like a street-sweeper slogging through here with leaves and pine needles tangled in my fur. Time to stop and de-debris myself.

Ear flick. Freeze. Several soft whimpers, from under the roots of that huge tree. Is somebody hurt?

Sniff.
Wolf puppies! Almost big as me, but all fuzz and ears. They’ll grow into those paws soon enough.

The smallest female approaches and sniffs but the biggest male growls and pulls her back. I’m guessing their mother told them to stay for their own protection. Makes sense. I don’t hear any adults around which, come to think of it, is probably good for me.

Even the birds are quiet. Because I’m a stranger here or… Righty-o. Never get between a mom and her babies. “Bye puppies. Stay safe. I’m moving along.”

As more thunder rumbles, I backtrack, hunting for Rukan’s scent.

Ah, here it is. His trail comes from farther into the woods, about eight or nine “yards” as humans would say. I still don’t get why they measure by yards. They’re all different sizes. Some fenced, some not…

Sniff.
See how the vegetation is trampled? Rukan spent time along here and stopped near this tree, his path mixed with some odd deer-like tracks– Wow. Check it out.

Hidden in plain sight, nestled among the roots is a wooden door, nearly my size. What’s in there?

I fidget and tinker, trying this and that. Nothing works. Hmm. Dad uses pressure-latches on the cabinets in the garage. Maybe… I press my paw in several places and
creak,
the door springs open. The only thing inside is a basket. Empty. Wonder what it usually contains?
Sniff.
Rukan and deer hoof? How odd.

AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo. Yip yip yip. AaaaaOOOOOoooo
.

Uh oh, wolves on my trail. I’m only getting a few words, but it’s clear. Mama Wolf is NOT happy.