KC Frantzen - May the K9 Spy 03 - May Leads the Way: Trouble Near Tofino (12 page)

Chapter 26

M
ust keep moving, but I need to solve this puzzle. Rukan’s tracks, and deer tracks too. Hmm. An empty basket that smells of deer hoof behind a tiny door at the root of a tree. I take another look. It’s as if the deer was walking upright, on two hooves instead of four, with
sniff
just the faintest Rukan scent on them. I’ll follow where these tracks lead.

Yip-yip-yip
aaaAAAAAOOOOOooooooo.

Wolves, looking for a Schnauzer snack. Maybe four or five, and not those puppies either.

I pick up the pace, nose to ground, ears alert, chasing the peculiar deer marks through the underbrush. I’m so glad to have a built-in compass…

Pant, pant.
How do I know if Rukan will even be there when I get to the end? Maybe he left with the enemy sub.

Rain patters from above but few drops make it to the forest floor. Birds begin chattering about the wolves getting closer.

This was a bad idea. I don’t know where I am. If it rains much, I can’t track Rukan. Seriously. How can I, only a small Schnauzer, hope to catch him anyway?

AaaaaaOOOOOOoooo.

Don’t know but a more pressing issue is how to escape wolves should I need to. Even April couldn’t climb these humongous trees. Where can I hide? Must keep moving. And quickly.

At the base of one ancient tree, abruptly, the strange hoof tracks stop.

Another small door, with Rukan’s foul scent.

When I open it, there’s a basket, with slightly muddy cloven deer-hoof “shoes” inside. Hey. Maybe I’m finally closing in on his lair!

Justice is coming for you, Rukan. Swift and certain.

Quietly I close the door and examine the trunk. Hmmm. There are small protrusions I could use to climb, like the paw holds on the rock wall in boot camp. We had a harness to wear during practice, but no such amenities in the field. Where’s a snake rope when you need it?

Well as Dad says, “No time like the present.” Let’s go.

I jump and spread my toes, extending my nails into claws, and do my best to catch onto the lowest bump. After several tries, I manage to make contact and hang on.

Sniff.
Yep. Rukan was here. Okay, made the first paw hold, I should be fine… If I don’t think about looking down.

Yip, yip-yip,
aaaAAAAaaaaoooOOOOOO!

Climb, climb! I struggle up and up and up until
pant pant
I have to stop.

Dear Creator, I know I was kinda giving up hope earlier, but You have a plan. I’m still hanging on, but just by a claw. Might you give me some direction please? Thank you.

Ear flick. Canine paws approach. I look down, way down, over my shoulder
gulp
as the wolves lope into view, baying and howling.

One eager young wolf snaps, “I can get her, watch me.”

“But is it worth the effort?” yips another.

“You have a point. She’s certainly a runt.”

May be, young wolves, but that’s one reason I’m effective.

They back away when a fierce female advances. She spots me, high on the trunk, and growls, “Stay far from my cubs, tame dog. You will be a snack should we catch you again, eh? Leave. Return to your soft life, groveling before your master.”

I didn’t disturb your cubs. I only checked when I heard the whimpering. But I don’t think you’ll understand, even if I try and explain.

She circles and growls.

I wet my lips and think. I know better. Must focus only on my mission. Track Rukan. Leave beacon. Alert team.

I look up. Paw holds are more difficult to find, but still I manage to grip the thick bark. I hardly breathe as I climb higher and higher.

The young wolf sneers, “Good move, runt. You have been warned.”

The pack howls, long and low, then dashes away.

Uh oh.

Drizzle begins running down the tree beneath my paws. This is getting slippery. Yikes. Losing traction here… I push out my claws as far as they will go and snag a big knot. Never thought about how to get down, other than the obvious, and that’s not such a great alternative. There must be a way.

As I look for opportunities, a little sunlight breaks through and glints on a vine below, or… Is that a rope? I ever-so-carefully work to keep my balance and shift my gaze, to get the light just right. It’s unmistakable. Like we learned, there aren’t straight lines of any great length in nature.

It’s some sort of rope bridge from this tree to the other. Could it be– Ear flick.

A door opens then I spy a little movement in the shimmer. An evil scent wafts towards me…

Rukan. This is his lair. Definitely.

Maybe he won’t look up. Most don’t “unless prompted by noise or movement.” Just in case, I utilize good camo technique by showing only one eye and not looking directly at him, so I won’t appear like anything in particular. Takes discipline, but doable.

This building must use the same NAST technology as the plane. No wonder it’s never been found. It’s almost invisible and built high off the forest floor, using that tree and its massive branches as a foundation. Rukan must climb this tree, then cross the bridge to his base.

He looks far below to the ground and shouts curses after the wolves for disturbing his sleep.

Yikes! Slipping! I swallow a gasp and re-grip the trunk. Bark pieces float down and smack the bridge. Oh no…

I hear scurrying and several rattling barks. There’s quick movement in the tree just above Rukan then pine cone pieces rain down too. A few are direct hits. Pawsome!

He scans the area and grumbles “Blasted squirrels,” then I hear his footsteps and a door shuts.

Gracious that was close.

Whooooosshhhh.
A reddish furry squirrel leaps nearby, completely bypassing the bridge. What a jump!

He races down the trunk like it’s nothing and stops beside me. I try to maintain my focus so I don’t fall. What’s he up to?

After a screech and a buzz, he says, “Got the interloper I did, eh? He doesn’t belong here. Most humans walk through my territory but this one built a drey–”

“Pardon?”

“‘Nest’ in your dialect. He uses us for target practice, knocking us out of the great trees. He plans to stay but I’m not having any of it. We shall pelt him until he leaves.” The squirrel growls and chirps. “What brings you high into the trees? Never seen anything like it.”

I want to say something about April but instead woof, “We have many skills, Mr. Squirrel. Sorry to intrude, but maybe I can help. I’m here to make this human leave.”

Red Squirrel gives me a look. “You’re not moving into his drey are you?”

“No, I already have a home with other humans. Most are wonderful. This one is evil and must be brought to justice. Shall we help each other?”

The squirrel eyes me a moment, then chatters, “What should I do?”

“I need to get to his drey, then to the forest floor. Maybe some cover once the plan goes into action. You’re well-equipped to climb down as well as up, but me? Not so much.”

“Then jump.”

“I can but not like you.”

“Can you swing?”

“Pardon?”

“Swing, from a vine.”

“I think so. At least I sorta did with a snake.”

The squirrel springs to a branch above and scolds me.

I woof, “Special circumstance, special snake I assure you. Seriously. I can’t hold on much longer. Will you lend a paw?”

He screeches from his perch. Others join him for a quick chat, then scatter.

“If you will evict the human, we’ll help.”

I nod. Squirrels leap limb to limb, chattering and chirping about vines.

I need to think on something else besides falling. Okay. After I’m safely off the trunk, I’ll set the beacon in case something happens to me. Then I’ll be Mullet again, leading Rukan into the ocean so we can reel him in.

So, how to execute?

I’ll cross the bridge, when I figure a way to it. And be extra stealthy so he won’t detect me before I’m ready.

Quick as a sniff, my red squirrel friend whooshes past, clinging to a lengthy vine with three paws. With the other, he grabs some bark beside me and stops.

He chatters, “Can you do that?”

“Guess we’ll find out,” I yip, with more enthusiasm than I feel.

Other squirrels jump onto my tree and get into position under my hind-end for support. Red Squirrel controls the substantial vine so I can lock onto it first with my jaws. As soon as I have hold, I let go and instantly wrap myself around it. So far, so good.

And knowing Rukan, he might have gone back to sleep. I’ll set the beacon, then prepare the next phase from the ground.

Sounds like a plan.

Red Squirrel says, “Ready?”

I nod as he lets go. The others bark and screech, cheering me on.

Wind in my whiskers, I swing towards Rukan’s base with a fleeting thought…

How do I stop?

Chapter 27

G
ripping with all I’ve got, I swing past Rukan’s base. Too high!

I retract my claws, slide down some and swing back like Mom’s pendulum clock. When I pass a window, I spot Rukan as he spots me… Yikes! Wish I could savor his expression, mouth open, tea cup in hand.

He hurls the cup against the window, shouting, “This time I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!”

You’ve not succeeded yet.

Using my new squirrel technique, I hold out a paw and watch for something to stop my swing. That corner structure stabilizer looks perfect for double duty.

I grasp it then unsnap my beacon collar. The secure signal will alert Agent Michael and team. I’ll set it for seven minutes, time to lead Rukan away so he can’t disarm it.

Once attached onto the stabilizer, the beacon zips along the line and stops against a nearby tree. Now the team can locate his lair by following the cable if I don’t make it. But I must.

The door heaves open and Rukan dashes out, still screaming. His pitch changes as pine cones and nuts hit their mark. Way to go squirrels!

Oh no! He grabs for me but I push off, his fingers brushing the vine.

Move-move-move!

I hear him racing across the bridge as I loosen my grip and slide down the vine, dropping faster and faster, leaves shredding in all directions.

I hit the forest floor, roll, and come up running. I bark to my new friends, still on the attack. “Thanks squirrels, may you have a peaceful existence forevermore!”

I glance over my shoulder and see Rukan dropping down in a basket from the bridge. He’s ranting, eyes bulging. He smells
angry.

As soon as he’s at the bottom, I bark again. “Hey Rukan. Think you can catch me?” I know he won’t understand the words but my tone is unmistakable.

He roars, jumps out of the basket and starts after me, not stopping to put on his deer clogs. Not that those will help him now. The beacon will soon bring the team.

Nose to the ground, I locate my own scent and take off at a dead run. Even if he can’t see me as I sprint through the forest, with all the debris clutching my fur, surely he can hear me.

At the split I pause to listen. Waves. This way.

The ground is rain-soaked and muddy but I run awhile longer. Boot camp sure whipped me into shape.

Hmmm, it’s terribly quiet behind me. I stop to listen again.

No human sounds, other than up ahead, which I hope means the ‘kayakers’ are in place.

Did I lose him? Drat. What if he went for the plane instead of me?

I get off the trail and rapidly remove pine cones and needles best as I can. Now I’ll be a bit quieter, whichever way I go.

So. If I make for the plane, how will I stop him if he’s there? It’s possible he’s still tracking me and I just can’t detect him.
Shudder.
We have such a connection, I’d already know if his eyes were on me.

Did he backtrack to his lair?

Okay think. If I was Rukan… Ear flick.

AaaaaAAAAAOOOooooo.

The wolves aren’t anywhere near… but I can feel him now. Oh gosh
thump thump
he’s close.

Whoosh.
Netting entangles my hind legs but one part is draped over a fallen log, thank the Creator. If I can just make it under before he pulls the trap closed…

I leap with my two front paws, dragging net with me, and dive under the log. I lie for a moment, working the mesh off my back paws.

Behind me Rukan threatens through clenched teeth. “I shall kill you with my own hands this time, to ensure you no longer spoil my plans.”

I kick into high gear and burst out from under the log into the underbrush.

He howls in frustration.

Which way? I’m turned around. Hear that? Waves. RUN!

C’mon Rukan. Follow the Mullet…

In a flash I dash out of the trees onto the sand, and stop short. Is this the wrong beach? There’s only one kayak, and it’s empty.