MFM5: The Canine Key

This story is part of the MFM series.
First released on May 24, 2021.
Edited and Corrected by Ben243.



The hunt

It was the middle of the night, the air unforgivingly cold. His uniform was partly ripped, and soaking wet from sweat, rain and mud. On his way down the hills, through the deep dark woods, he often slipped on fallen leaves, collecting bruises and scratches. He felt a brutal pain in his chest and back, yet he dared not to stop. He knew they would catch up, sooner or later. There was no place, no way to hide from them.


Zimmerman entered deep into the forest, in hope of reaching the wall. And then? The poor man had no idea how to get over it, and even if he had, there was nothing but wilderness for miles. He was in the middle of nowhere. It was hopeless!


A sudden howl tore him from his thoughts. They were here! Zimmerman could see their eyes glowing in the dark, everywhere. He stopped, turned around and drew his gun. There were no bullets left, but maybe, just maybe, he could fool them. "BACK OFF!!!" he yelled. "LEAVE ME ALONE OR I SWEAR..."


Something leaped out of the bushes, and tackled him from behind. He crashed head forward into a tree and fell hard onto the ground. When he came back to his senses, he felt a little dizzy, kind of numb. He was surrounded by the whole pack. German Shepherds, Pitbulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and so forth, dangerously growling at him. He dared not to move a muscle, the taste of blood in his mouth made it not better.


"I'm sorry!" he cried in desperation, "Please, I... I never meant you any harm!" - "You lied to us!" A familiar deep, intimidating voice said. "You betrayed us, spied on us!" - "I was!" cried Zimmerman, "I admit it, okay! I was supposed to, but I changed my mind. Please... I’ll do anything to make up for it, but please... please...!" He began to cry.


"Anything?" the voice asked. He looked up, and unable to talk, shook his head. The dogs looked at each other, they seemed to consider his words. "Alright!" the voice spoke. "We give you a second chance. Let's start over!" - "Yes yes, thank you! I’ll do anything!" he answered relieved, unaware of what he'd just agreed too.


To his great bewilderment he saw one of the male dogs approaching one of the female ones, mounting her and ramming his already swollen dick into her. Zimmerman was puzzled over what he saw. What had it to do with anything? Suddenly he realized, he couldn't move. "Wha... what's going on?" A dark gray German Shepherd stood out of the shadow, lowered his face and looked deep into his eyes. He was, as a matter of fact, the source of the voice: "As I said: We start over!"


Zimmerman was helplessly locked onto the canine's gaze, unable to look away, nervously shaking. He fell on his side, paralyzed. Over the aroused grunts of the fucking Dogs, he realized what was about to happen and a single tear ran off his cheek. Some of the Dogs began to lie over him, giving him warmth for the following nights and days. They wouldn't feed him - there was no reason too! His human body was about to die. Slowly and painful. It wasn't the end, though! It was just a new beginning...




An unpleasant Reunion

Professor Hartford was in a bad mood. He'd made it clear he had no intention to see that cursed Woman ever again. Yet he knew there was no way around it: He needed the crystalline alloy for new MFM implants and without the access to his old Lab at the Institute, he'd been banned from all this years ago, there was only one way to get it. From the very person that stole his formula in the first place, that betrayed and discredited him: His former friend and colleague Dr. Rebecca Chambers.

He drove the black van through a beautiful landside, towards a group of hills and mountains surrounded by a deep, dark forest. The sun was setting and gave the sky a breathtaking red color. After driving for what seemed an eternity he encountered the first rows of a huge, metallic border wall. Following it for a while, he found his way to the Main gate of what's called ChamTec, a multimillion dollar facility Chambers had started to develop technology for the Military, while surreptitiously doing her own devious projects.

Hartford pressed the button of the Intercom. A young guard answered and the Professor insisted to speak with Dr. Chambers. "My name is Professor Dr. Allen Hartford - Hotel, Alfa, Romeo, Tango, Foxtrot, Oscar, Romeo, Delta." - "Do you have an appointment?" - "No!" - "Then sorry, Professor, I can't let you in! This is a Restricted Area." - "Dammit, it's urgent! Just call her up, she will vouch for me!" Instead he got the silent treatment. Good start, Hartford thought and began to abuse his horns. The actual building seemed to be another mile away, so there was no way someone would hear him up there, yet he was in the mood to let off some steam.

After a minute or so he gave up. He leaned back in his seat, and started chewing a bar of chocolate while contemplating his next move. It was already pitch black out there, the gate illuminated by just a single light source. The whole idea was bad - incredibly bad! He was considering returning back to the Motel, when his eyes caught a glimpse of something through the lengthy bars of the wall, beyond the darkness. A pair of glowing eyes, starring at him, emitting an unmistakeable sense of utter threat...

"Professor Hartford?" The old man was startled by the suddenly returning voice of the Guard. "Yes, I'm still here!" he answered. "Have you spoken to Dr. Chambers yet?" - "She awaits you at the parking lot. I have to inform you, we're ordered to shoot if you come even near the building." - "Copy that!" Charming, he thought. When the massive entrance gate opened, it reminded him of Jurassic Park. He took a last look back where the eyes he thought he saw had been. They were gone.

He drove up a curvy, barely lit path, towards a huge, modern building partly embedded into the mountain wall behind it. And there he saw her: The same red locks of hair, the same round glasses, but she'd aged nonetheless. Under her lab coat she wore one of her typical hoodies and jeans that were way too tight for her. She looked more like a middle-aged mom that never learned to let go of her youth, then a serious Scientist. She should really think bout dressing more professionally, Hartford mused. On the other hand: It was her Lab, and they were in the middle of nowhere so she could wear whatever pleases her.

He parked as ordered, in the parking space in front of her. The looks from the heavily armed guards at the entrance of the building made it clear they would take it seriously should he try anything funny. Hartford decided to ignore them and to approach Chambers, who was accompanied by another, rather plumpish guard. "What an unexpected surprise!" she said, a little smile on her face. Oh, how he'd missed that smile - it hurt!

"You look good, Rebecca! Except for the Crocs. At this time of year and with the weather, you can't be serious!" - "Look who's talking! Get rid of that beard, old man, before you look like Grizzly Adams!" Their laughter was short lived and followed by an awkward pause. "How are you, Becs?" - "Same old, same old: Always working! And you?" - "Travelling, mostly! How's George?" - "He died last year!" - "Sorry to hear that!" - "He was old! " - "Was he?! I never noticed!"


"Enough small talk! What do you want, Professor?" - "Isn't it obvious?" She shook her head and replied: "Of course, what else! Has it, by any chance, to do with the incident in Chicago?" - "What incident?" - "All those people at this exploding warehouse, no memory how they got there - ringing any bells?" - "You owe me, Rebecca!"

She looked at him for a moment, hesitant. Then she just turned around and said: "I owe you nothing, Allen!" Hartford had enough, he reached out for her, but the guard on her side put him in a headlock. The Professor looked up at him in disbelief. "What the..." The guard interrupted him, whispering in his ear: "Not here! In your pocket!" Dr. Chambers ordered: "That's enough, Mister Bates!" and the guard let the old man go.

Hartford caughed as he was released from Bates' grip. He gave him and Chambers a last long, grim look before he returned to his van and drove off. What the hell was going on? Bates' whole task had been to infiltrate ChamTec, steal that damn alloy and get the hell out of there. What was he still doing there? Why had he send him a cryptic message to come? Just to humiliate him?


No, there was clearly more about it! Once out of sight, he searched his pockets, until he found a small USB stick.


***


Back at the Motel, two miles outside the small town of Williams Pond, he put the USB device into his laptop. The data was encrypted, but the Professor knew how to get passed that. What he found was a short report from his dear partner...


First of all, Bates hadn't managed to get a grasp on the alloy yet. He needed access to Section 3 where it was kept, but they were in luck: One of his colleagues from Section 2, John Zimmerman, went missing a few days ago, and there were already talks to replace him. Not the holy grail, but a good start!


For the same reason the Guards were unfortunately ordered to stay on the compound while investigations were underway. The additional precautions made it hard to communicate with the outside world, without raising suspicion. Bates had a hard time to even send a short text message without anyone noticing. He apologized for the inconvenience he'd caused Hartford, but despite the news regarding the alloy, there was something else he needed his help with.


Something was odd about the whole Zimmerman case! There was no indication why he ran away just like that. Neither were there any serious attempts to search for him, in spite of the latest safety measures. His colleagues expressed their believe he wasn't even on the property anymore. Now why would they say that? The forest was huge, full of corners, nooks and crannies! Enough space to get lost, even under the best conditions. And the surrounding border wall was impossible to climb, especially at this cold weather. The only way out were the gates and they were under constant surveillance. If Zimmerman had left, they would know for sure!

Speaking of cameras: There were hardly any! Enough to monitor the gates, yes, the building and the parking lot, but nowhere else! The whole system was horribly outdated and barely functional. With all the expensive and dangerous stuff they had lying around here, one would expect a little more effort than that! Budget was definitely not the problem, Dr. Chambers had more than enough cash to keep SIX such facilities up and running!

There was clearly something fishy going on and with the alloy as one of the puzzle pieces, they were good adviced to look further into it. He asked Hartford to research Zimmerman's past, maybe there was another reason he went missing.

Hartford was slightly annoyed. They had more pressing matters than a Crime case. He stood up from his desk and looked out of the Motel window. It had begun to snow. The slowly whirling flakes made him a little dizzy.


What if Zimmerman's vanishing WAS related to Dr. Chamber's research? The research on HIS alloy, that she had stolen from him all those years ago! He couldn't do much else at the moment anyway. So the case seemed like a welcome distraction after all...





Bates and Decker

Bates met up with his colleague Decker in the locker room, a shorter but sportier looking guard he befriended on his first day. He reminded him of his old roommate from the university, the type that was far too friendly for his own good. They were changing out of their uniforms, chatting, joking, laughing... Bates was in a good mood. Until Decker revealed his plans to apply for the vacant job at Section 2 himself.


He misinterpreted Bates' awkward silence for disappointment, tried to defend his decision: "I know we're always joking about that guys in Section 2, and don't get me wrong, Bates, I like working shifts with you. It's just... I need this! I really do!" Decker had lost everything due to a devastating hurrican a couple of years ago. His house, his company. Even his wife and children. They weren't dead, but left him when he couldn't provide for them anymore, at least in the way they'd grown accustomed too.


Bates knew that. Decker had told him the whole heartbreaking story on an excursion to the nearest bar, a couple of days ago. For a small guy he was an exceptional drinker, who unfortunately got very sentimental and needy for love. Much to the dismay of a young brunette, who's boyfriend, in an act of sudden theatrics, tried to break his Beer bottle on the counter, to ram the rest into Decker's chest. Only to fail and pour the remaining content onto the leather jacket of the guy behind him, which in the end resulted in a Mass brawl.


He rescued Decker and drove him home. The remorseful drunkard said no word, he just looked out of the window, watching the passing landside. Yet Bates could hear him sniffle. Was he crying? Maybe! Bates thought of that moment now, well aware his friend was right: He needed that job, despite the fact he hadn't even the faintest idea what it was all about. Bates sighed. Under other circumstances he'd supported Decker full-heartedly, but his mission had priority.

"They’ll never take a weak dwarf like you, Decker!" said another 6 foot 2, muscle packed guard who had overheard them. His name was Dean Jacks, he looked like a bald version of Hulk Hogan with his blond walrus beard. Bates couldn't stand him, he was always a complete douchebag. Decker was about to say something, but when he saw it was Jacks, he hesitated. Decker could be a tough guy himself! He'd proven that back in the bar, when he kicked some asses in the end, before being dragged out by Bates. But he was wise enough to avoid trouble with a Juggernaut like Jacks. Bates... not so much!

"Shut the fuck up, Jacks! No one asked for your opinion!" Decker starred at him in disbelief. Jacks was known to loose his temper pretty quickly. For now he just grinned: "Look at that: Paul Blart here is risking a lip. Stick to your donuts, fatso, it's better for your health!" Bates turned around, but Decker took his arm and gave him a warning look that said: Leave it!

He was right! This Neanderthal wasn't worth getting in trouble and loosing his job. Both men were about to leave the locker room, when Jacks added: "Thought so! I really wonder how you became guards in the first place. A tiny weakling and a walking pudding!" Bates stopped, turned around once more, and with an ironic tone, he said: "Funny! I asked myself the same question about you, Toilette face!"

Jacks was furious. "You goddamn motherf..." he grunted, reaching out for Bates, with his massive right hand. That was exactly what Bates had been waiting for. He grabbed Jack's wrist with just one hand, hit with the palm of the other the crook of his elbow, turned the arm around the back and forced him down to his knees. Within seconds Jacks was completely helpless and crying for help. Decker yelled at his friend to stop, but it was too late. One of their Superiors, Emmerson, had entered the room and demanded to know what was going on.

Bates realized he'd just risked the whole operation. He was about to deescalate the situation, when Decker cried: "It's my fault, Sir!" - "Decker, no!" - "Jacks and I had an argument! Things escalated and Bates just tried to help. I take full responsibility!" - "Decker!" Emmerson ordered Bates to stop and let Jacks go, who immediately stood up to salute his savior.

Emmerson asked: "What was this argument about?" Decker was reluctant, but Jacks held nothing back: "Decker said he wanted Zimmerman's job! I just allowed myself to be realistic about it." The Superior took a good look at Decker, then Bates, before asking the latter: "And what is YOUR opinion on that matter, Bates?" - "Sir?" - "Do you think Decker is the right man to join Section 2?" - "Yes sir! He may be short, but he is the bravest and most loyal man I have ever worked with!"

Decker gave him a slightly embarrassed smile, before Emmerson continued: "And what about you, Bates?" - "What about me, Sir?!" - "Would you like to work in Section 2? After all you seem as brave and loyal as Mister Decker, AND you overwhelmed Mister Jacks here without even a scratch!" Bates had to admit, he was indeed interested, which earned him another more worried look from Decker. Jacks was obviously waiting to be asked as well, but Emmerson was still with Bates:

"Okay then, you have the choice, Bates!" - "Sir?!" - "One of you gets the job! Either you or Decker!" Jacks looked at him and asked: "What about me, Sir?" - "You're dismissed, Jacks!" - "But Sir, I..." - "DISMISSED!!!" Jacks saluted and ran outside, clearly disappointed about how things turned out. Bates in the meantime had a chance to make an important decision: Either he agreed to give the job to Decker who deserved it or to himself who needed it. On the other hand this could all be a test to see how loyal he really was.

"Your answer, Mister Bates! I don't have all day!" - "Decker! Give it to Decker!" He would find another way, there was no reason for him to betray his friend. Emmerson was about to shake Decker's hand and congratulate him to his new job, when Decker said something rather unexpected. He refused. "I had no idea Bates wanted this job too! It's not fair he has to choose between me and him. Please, take him, I can wait a little longer!" Bates wanted to talk his friend out of it, but Emmerson interrupted them and announced: "It's exactly this kind of bravery and loyalty we're looking for in the Pack. I tell you what... We take both of you!"

The two guards were excited and thankful for Emmerson's choice. He ordered them to meet with Doctor Lombardi for a health inspection at 0700 before meeting up in front of the entrance to Section 2 at 0800. They shook his hand, saluted him and left the room to return to their quarters. Bates was especially grateful for how things turned out. He had no way of knowing what severe consequences this turn of events would have.





Who is Zimmerman?

Hartford decided to pay a visit to Zimmerman's apartment. There had been something fishy about the vanished guard indeed. The website of his alleged former employer for example, a Security company in Savannah, Georgia. It even had a group photo of Zimmerman and his old colleagues. As it turned out, the domain was barely two months old and after further examination of the photo it was clear someone had tampered with it.

It had been a while since Hartford had a chance to use his lock picking skills, but it was the middle of the night, and the building barely inhabited, so chances were good he would get away with it. Once he got the door open, (Third try!) he found some quite comfortable rooms, almost too big and fancy for a simple guard's salary.


The wooden floor was smooth and flawless, barely a scratch on its surface, although Zimmerman was supposed to have lived here for quite some time. The furniture looked also new, expensive. Not exactly antique, but surely not from IKEA either. All the dust and the withering plants on the other hand made it clear Zimmerman hadn't been home for a while. There was no indication, a neighbor would have been taking care of the place.

Hartford looked around. There were no pictures of Zimmerman, nor friends or family, just some random stuff, photographs and paintings. He went to the kitchen next, to check the fridge for expired groceries, just to be sure. It was then he discovered the bowl at the floor, which seemed to belong to a big dog, judging by its size. There was no indication he had to deal with that beast though. Maybe Zimmerman had taken it with him to work. Bates hadn't mentioned anything. Maybe he had no idea!

Hartford approached the writing desk, where he found the supposed guard's computer. He sat himself in front of it and began to examine it a bit. There was the normal Admin account, which offered suspiciously little data: A VLC player, but nothing to play with it? Interesting! It took him a minute to hack the system and open a hidden partition. He wasn't able to crack the password, but its encryption was far too sophisticated for someone who worked in the private sector.

He shut down the computer and stood up to leave. He hadn’t even reached for the door when he heard an inimitable rumble outside. "Shit!" he whispered - the Cops! Hartford panicked, his heart was racing. He fled in the bedroom on the backside, where he'd seen a window before, from where he could escape. BANGBANGBANGBANG. The damn thing was jammed!

A couple of cops kicked the door open and swarmed into the apartment. Hartford tried to hide under the bed, but found it was already occupied by a Dog bed and some boxes. It had been a ridiculous idea anyway! He stood up, raised his arms and yelled: "Please, don't shoot! I'm unarmed!"

He was handcuffed, searched and formally arrested. Minutes later he found himself on the rear end of a Police car, sure he would spend the night in a cell. How was he supposed to get out of this?




Welcome to the pack

The very next day, after Bates and Decker had been properly examined by Doctor Lombardi - who gave Bates the clear, but advised him to make a proper diet - they met up with Emmerson in front of a metal door that was leading to Section 2. "Good morning, Gentlemen!" he said, handing them two Clipboards with their necessary papers, "First of all the formalities: Read them carefully and sign above the dotted lines!"


Bates skimmed over the paragraphs, he was already familiar with these kind of documents. Decker was more conscientious and read through them with particular care.

They signed the papers, Emmerson gave them a firm nod, took their Clipboards and handed them their Key cards. Before they were fully activated though, both Guards had to look into a round glass panel on the side of the entrance, to get their eyes scanned. With this they had finally access too Section 2.


Their superior showed them around and answered their questions - or at least, some of them. They had clearance for Section 2 now, which didn't meant they had access to every individual project. 80 percent of Chamtec's scientist were assigned to work here, at the biggest part of the building. Heavily armed guards everywhere and expensive equipment Bates hadn't even seen in his time as Adlin.


Section 1 was tiny in comparison. It contained the more harmless and health-related projects, as well as some offices, the cantine and the quarters for the Guards. In Section 2 they stored and worked on the more dangerous stuff, on weapons and technology for the Military as well as some projects the world wasn't ready yet, according to Dr. Chambers at least. One of those was the 'Pack project' they were assigned too.


"What about THAT room?" Decker asked, pointing at another metal door, heavily guarded, that seemed to led directly into the mountain the building was partly embedded in. Emmerson, who had spoken with a firm but friendly voice so far, got serious all of a sudden: "That's Section 3. It contains Dr. Chamber's biggest project. I suggest you avoid the subject, she fired the last guard that spread rumors about it!" Bates got a little distracted. He knew about Section 3. Not much, but he'd heard these rumors. And he knew, he had to find a way to get in there. "BATES!!!" - "Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!"




***




The next room held another big surprise for Bates and Decker: It was a kennel! Something they had no idea they even had at ChamTec. Another big hall with rows upon rows of cages. Underneath each and everyone of them was a mechanic trapdoor that, according to Emmerson, led to a long concrete tunnel that ended right in the middle of the forrest.


"You mean, you let them roam free out there?" Decker asked surprised. There were barely any dogs left, and the few that were furiously barking, throwing themselves against the cage walls, eager to bite a good chunk out of their guts. Aggressive, ill-bred, total nervous-wrecks. "I know!" Emmerson laughed. "They don't seem like the kind you would pet for all the money in the world, but they are, as a matter of fact, our Guard dogs! And we have over 100 of them patrolling the surrounding area right now!" - "But... why?" - "Because they were cheap!"


No wonder Zimmerman went missing, Decker thought, that beasts must have shredded him to pieces. Oh god! It just dawned on him: Were they supposed to work with them? Emmerson had made a joke of course. He assured them these Dogs were quite harmless, at least as soon as they were connected. "Connected?" Bates asked. Emmerson took his radio and called someone: "Greyhound 1 to Greyhound 7, do you copy?" - "Greyhound 7 here!" - "Would you mind to give us a short demonstration? I see 89 is here!" - "No problem, Sir!"


They approached cage # 89. Inside was a specially grim looking Doberman, that barked and growled at them ever since they had dared to enter the room. Suddenly he stopped, sat down and raised his right arm at his head like to simulate a salute. Bates and Decker were speechless, but as Emmerson stepped forward to open the cage, they were immediately alarmed. "It's okay!" he assure them. "89 is no threat to us, just watch..." Indeed, as he opened the door the Doberman walked out calmly and obedient.


Emmerson kneeled down to touch his neck, not to give him a good stroke, but to reveal a small bump underneath his fur. "Each and everyone of our Dogs was injected with a small implant that connects them with a Neural network." - "I see!" Decker guessed, "You brainwashed him, to make him as soft as a little lamb!" - "No, not exactly! Wait a second, I show you..." with this Emmerson led the elegant animal back to the cage and closed the door behind it. Soon after the Doberman returned to his aggressive behavior.


The guards went back to the corridor they came from and Emmerson began to explain: "Dr. Chambers searched for the most mistreated, bad tempered and psychotic Dogs she could find, from all over the place. Not to simply repair them, but to find the destructive parts in their brain that cause their negative behavior and replace them with something constructive. Follow me, Gentlemen!"


Shortly after they found themselves in one of a couple of darkened auditoriums. They saw a whole bunch of their colleagues, sitting in futuristic chairs, strange headsets on their heads, seemingly sleeping. Decker was still completely puzzled of course, Bates on the other hand finally catching up: "They are linked with these dogs!"


"Very good, Mister Bates! They replace all the anger, fear and hatered that had these poor creatures in their grasp and take over, guide them..." Decker interrupted him: "Waitwaitwait! You mean they are INSIDE the dogs?" - "Well, Decker, in a way they ARE these dogs! Quite literally a pack." - "But... that's insane! What's the reasoning behind this, Sir?"


Emmerson turned to Bates. "A few days ago you asked me about our Surveillance system, warned me how outdated and broken it was. That's because it's just our secondary system! The Pack project allows us not just to have our eyes and ears everywhere, we have the whole spectrum of the Canine sensoritory at our disposal: Their ability to take in scents, to hear, see and smell over huge distances, their unique instincts... They're sneaky, fast and armed with sharp fangs. Combine that with the human ability to assess situations rationaly, to get creative in sticky situations, and you have the most sophisticated Security system on the planet. Perfect to patrol huge forest areas like ours!"


"Just Security, Sir?!" Bates asked. "I know what you mean!" Emmerson answered, once more a serious look on his face. "They would surely make perfect soldiers, spies and assassins, but that's exactly what we don't want! Dr. Chambers made it clear, from the very start of the project, that she doesn't want this technology to be exploited for lower motives like Warfare and Espionage. The Pack project is far too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands! But as a form of protection and security, it can do much good!"


He saw both his men approving the idea. Bates was still sceptic, but he appreciated the notion to help others and although he wasn't that much a fan of Dr. Rebecca Chambers for stealing Hartford's formula, he couldn't help but to sympathise with her. A bit at least!

"It's also a profitable market!" Emmerson added. Aaaaand ruined, Bates thought, rolling his eyes behind his back.


Decker was sceptic too, although for other reasons. He couldn't believe someone could just enter a Dog's body and move along with it. Emmerson grinned. "Time to find out!" he said. "Decker, you take seat 35! You, Bates, take 36!" Decker was surprised to find a candle on the desk in front of him, until he realized, 35 had been Zimmerman's seat. Emmerson informed them about the plan for today. They were awaited by his Second in command Quinn, and were ordered to do some routine patrols in the North-Eastern area.

The seats were not as comfortable as they first seemed, which according to Emmerson wasn't that much of a problem, they would be outside their bodies anyway. Both men attached their headsets. They emitted a strange buzzing sound already, although they weren't even activated yet. Emmerson in the meantime approached a panel in front of his desk at the other end of the auditorium.


"These headsets are Neural interfaces. To turn them off just think: 'Disconnect!' But please, wait until you returned your Host bodies to their respective cages or we have a rampaging problem on our hands! I count to 5, everyone ready?" - "Ready!" his men said. "1... 2..." the buzzing intensified. "3... 4..." Bates felt a sudden itch in his neck. He just now remembered the MFM chip and realised it may cause some issues. "5..." He tried to speak up, but was too late. "GO!!!"




***

For the blink of an eye he felt a heavy vibration, seemingly shaking him out of his body, before grasping for a new one, that was far away, beyond a barrier of light. An intense experience from which he recovered immediately, just to find himself in the next one: He felt the cold, metal floor under his feet, not in a way he'd ever felt something before. Especially because he was on all fours, in one of the cages in the kennel. Seemingly naked, yet covered from top to bottom in a warm coat of fur.


His complete anatomy was shifted, shortened in parts, elongated in others. Everything was new, yet it seemed just natural. He hadn't been fully in control of his movements, was after all inside a Dog's mind now and had to let his canine side do its thing! Yet somehow he managed to direct him where he wanted to go. 'This isn't surveillance!' he thought. 'This is Being John Malkovich!'


Before he could fully comprehend the situation, he heard Emmerson's voice in his head: "Can you hear me, 36?" He tried to reply with his thoughts: "Erm... yes, sir!" - "I open the trap door for you, just follow your nose. Good luck!" - "Thank you, Sir!"


He heard a loud CLACK and as promised the trapdoor underneath him opened up. He jumped down and found himself inside a long, barely lightened tunnel. "Bates! Is that you?" a familiar voice said. He turned around and saw a huge, black Rottweiler. "Decker?! Yeah, it's me!" - "How do I look?" - "Intimidating!" - "Not a weakling anymore, ey?" - "Hehe! Let's get out of here..." They ran down the tunnel and after a while found themselves in the middle of the forest.


Once outside they felt the cold snow, mud and tiny pebbles under their paws. Bates smelled the fresh air like he'd never been able to. No, it was more than just smell, almost... taste, touch. He was able to see through the dark, hear even the tiniest branch cracking. He also heard his colleagues communicating with each other telepathically, as if there was a radio in his head.


It was very impressive and incredibly unlikely, as far as he knew. He found a small pond and went over to look at himself. And couldn't believe his eyes, as he looked down at the baffled face of a German Shepherd.


"Wow!" he said and heard another voice responding: "Impressive isn't it!" Bates turned around. There was a huge black and white Huskey with pale blue eyes. "So you must be Quinn! My name is Bates and that black devil here is Decker!" - "Welcome to the pack, both of you! Now that you're here we can get started."


They headed North-East. On their way down the hills they discovered more of their enhanced abilities. It was amazing what they were capable of. "Try running," said Quinn. "It will blow your mind!" With this he accelerate his speed. His colleagues did as they were told and began to sprint through the forest.


They felt the cold wind blowing against their muzzles, flying through their fur. The excitement pumping through their veins, their senses even more intensifying. Quinn was right, this was amazing! They encountered other Dogs on their path, who ran with them. At this point, Bates felt something he hadn't experienced for a very long time: He felt at home!




Trust no agent

Hartford in the meantime was still locked up in a cell at the Williams Pond Police Department. He'd slept poorly on an uncomfortable bunk with not more then an itchy blanket and his jacket as a pillow. His fingers were still a bit black from yesterday, when his fingerprints were taken. What cheap ink were they using here, he wondered.


He was about to finish his breakfast - some baked beans with eggs and a slice of dry bread - when one of the Officers came, to escort him to the Interrogation room. Hartford had thought long and hard about what to say:


"I worked with Zimmerman in Savannah, we're old friends! Haven't heard of him for a while, so I came to pay him a visit. And what did I found instead: His apartment door open, no sign of old Zimmy and a goddamn burglar about to rob him. As soon as that bastard saw me he threw his Lockpick equipment at me and fled out of the window..."


It wasn't quite convincing. He hoped the Police could be fooled by his Harmless old man routine. The officer opened the door and unceremoniously pushed the Professor inside, before closing it again. Hartford hadn't much time to get upset about this rude behavior, because there was a strange figure waiting for him, that immediately caught his attention.


The man sitting on the other side of the desk wasn't what he'd expected. He seemed far to official for a simple law enforcer, let alone a lawyer. Pale head, black suit, dark glasses. "Professor Hartford!" he said. "I'm glad to finally make your acquaintance!" This sentence alarmed Hartford. "Should I know you?!" he asked. The stranger showed his ID card: "Agent Hanson, CIA. Please, take a seat!"


Hartford felt like the proverbial rabbit in front of the snake, but did as he was told. Instead of asking the obvious questions, of which Hanson already knew the answers, he confronted the old man with the truth, just to see how he would react: "I'm investigating some mysterious occurrences that have happened lately. For example: The mess you caused in Chicago!" - "I have no idea what you're talking about!" - "Is that so? What about your so called Mandela Field Manipulator?"


The elderly scientist was now almost as pale as the Agent. "How... how do you know about that?" - "The man you left behind to die, Jordan Greenwald! He survived and told me everything." - "Everything?!" - "About his home world. The AIO. Their invasion. The people they, erm... 'infiltrated'. How you fought and defeated them... Everything! Thanks by the way!"

He gave the old man time to digest it all and decided to try a different tactic: "Here's the thing, Professor! I have barely told anyone about this so far. You and I know how dangerous this technology of yours can be in the wrong hands. The problem is: I'm not quite convinced you're the best candidate either."

This revelation tore Hartford out of his thoughts and he yelled at the Government agent: "I beg your pardon?! We single-handedly destroyed a whole interdimensional Invasion force! I spent years fighting those guys, and you tell me, I can't be trusted with my own..." He stopped.


Hanson kept his cool: "Of all the countless universes they could have invaded... why this one? I tell you: Because they were after YOU! People have died, because YOU led them here!" He had a point, unfortunately.


Hartford who had been on the edge of his seat leaned back again, embarrased and dumbfounded. About Hanson's words, but also the fact how easy it was to provoke the truth out of him. For heaven's sake, he'd just confessed a genocide! What if Hanson was right?

"Listen, Hartford..." Hanson continued, a bit friendlier. "You did what you thought was the only way given the circumstances, I recognize that! But this isn't my first rodeo and I tell you, it's unwise to be on opposite sides on this. So how about that: Let's work together! What do you know about Dr. Chambers, and Agent Zimmerman?" - "Agent?!" - "He's one of us, a good man, investigating the facility. We lost contact a while ago!" - "I figured that much, but why?" - "As I said: Greenwald told me EVERYTHING!"

So he knew about the alloy too - damn! "Why should I trust you?" Hartford asked. "Because," replied Hanson, making an effectual pause, "the same thing that happened to poor Zimmerman, could happen to your partner Bates too, right at this moment!" - "He has nothing to do with this!" - "Come on, Professor! We know about your history with Dr. Chambers, so there's no chance you're directly involved, and yet you were caught in Zimmerman's Apartment, shortly after he vanished..." - "Alright, alright!"

Hanson continued: "You need backup to get him out of there. I can provide that, but I need a reason to justify a raid. Any little piece of information you can give me." - "Isn't Zimmerman vanishing enough?" - "This operation wasn't exactly... official! As I said, there aren't many people I share these secrets with."

Thinking about it for a bit, Hartford asked his opponent: "What if I refuse to cooperate? Are you gonna take me to Guantanamo Bay? Torture me? Force me to do your bidding?" - "I prefer to earn your trust! You're far too valuable for us to be an enemy!"


Hartford said nothing. The Agent took a long thoughtful look at him. He leaned back and said: "I have all the time in the world! Remember, it's not MY partner who's in imminent danger, it's yours!" The Professor wasn't buying it. Bates was able to take care of himself!

This was going nowhere, Hanson decided. He stood up, walked over to the door and knocked three times. The officer from before opened the door to receive the most unexpected order: "Let him go, he's harmless." The baffled Law enforcer had a different opinion, but Hanson told him the apartment had been a CIA Safe house and the Agency had no interest in pressing charges against Professor Hartford. And just like that, Hartford was free!

Hanson escorted him to the exit. He said: “I’ll let you off the hook - this time! In return I expect you to keep this," giving the Professor his card, "and at least consider to give me a call." Hartford, a little hesitant, took it and left, relieved to let the Police Department as far behind him as he could. Hanson in the meantime pulled out his phone and called for reinforcements. He had a gut feeling they would soon be needed.




Being Dogs

Quinn, Bates and Decker spent the morning patrolling the forest, sneaking up on critters to train their hunting skills and despite staying as professional as possible under the given circumstances, having a lot of fun. It reminded Bates a bit of his time as Adlin in the Military, but this was different. He wasn't a soldier anymore, but an animal, roaming around in the wild, being one with his pack, one with nature.


They reached a part of the North-East border wall, where an old tree had been weighed down by the snow and collapsed across parts of the wall, damaging it in the process. Quinn found some tracks of a canine and decided to follow them, just in case. He ordered the other two to stay back and guard the breach, he would call them if he needed their help.


Although at the edge of the property they were still deep in the forest, far away from any civilisation, so there wasn't much of a chance they would encounter human trespassers. Wild animals on the other hand... "We're unarmed!" Decker argued. "How are we supposed to fend off... a bear?" - "They're hibernating at this time of year!" - "A Mountain lion then! All we can do is bark and bite!" - "Have you seen yourself lately? You're a freakin' Rottweiler! A breed of dog that even a hot-headed idiot like Jacks wouldn't dare to upset. Your teeth are strong enough to crush a human bone in one bite!" The last claim was a bit of a stretch, but it gave Decker a much needed confidence boost.


For a while none of them said a word, they just guarded the wall. Until Decker started anew: "Bates!" - "Hm?!" - "Thank you for standing up for me yesterday!" - "Don't mention it!" - "No, honestly! If it hadn't been for you, I would have missed this! I never felt this... this..." - "Ascended!" - "Right?! Who had thought it would be that amazing to be a Dog! I've never felt this good in my entire life. I could stay this way forever!"


Bates was concerned: "Wouldn't you miss being a human?" - "There isn't much left! All I have is the job and some Netflix in the evening. My family doesn't want me anymore!" - "I can't imagine that's true..." - "You're right! They still want my money!" He paused. Then suddenly asked: "What about your family?" This caught Bates on the wrong foot.


"They..." he started, feeling a bit of nausea coming up, as he thought of his beloved husband Burt and their beautiful daughter Emily. Who weren't aware he was gone! Who weren't even aware who he'd really been all this time. "It's complicated! I... lost them!" Decker felt a sudden impulse to comfort his friend, by rubbing his snout against his. Bates let it happen."How?" - "I... I was replaced!" Bates simply said. He suddenly felt Decker's long wet tongue on his furry face, who sprang back immediately. "Sorry!" Decker mumbled. "I'm so sorry, I've no idea what came over me!"


Bates and Decker starred at each other, locked onto the depths of each others eyes, taking in their musky, animalistic scent, like some sort of aphrodisiac. What was this? Had it been there before, all this time, hidden in plain sight? Or was it their canine bodies, that suddenly acted up? Anyway, Bates felt his member growing and could see it was the same with Decker. So he began, very slowly, to nuzzle him, to nestle and lick his face, and from one moment to the other, they began to cuddle.


They felt the rough, yet soft facial hair of the other, a strange warm sensation flooding their senses, electrifying their spines, washing all sadness and grief away. Enlightened with joy, and untamed sexual tension. Hot and lingering like a volcano, ready to burst. Decker mounted his partner, moving his lusty hips, penetrated him, again and again, until his knot was so swollen he could barely move it. Heavy breath, steaming in the cold winter air. Senses maxed out to their fullest potential, overwhelming their puny human minds with powerful, unrestrained ecstasy. If there was something like heaven on earth, it was this!


Decker came and they both collapsed. They had to wait, until Decker's member had shrunken down to a size, that allowed him to free himself. Before that happened they were unfortunately interupted by a sudden loud bark. It was Quinn, accompanied by Gomez, a fierce looking Bullmastiff. Quinn was furious, even showing his teeth. "What the fuck are you doing!? You're supposed to guard the damn wall!!!" - "Sorry, sir!" they said unison and incredibily embarrased, and tried to explain, they had lost control over their canine instincts for a second.


Gomez who seemed strangely familiar with this kind of thing, managed to calm Quinn down, who sighed and agreed to let it slide this time. But he insisted to split them up, just in case. Emmerson was sending someone to check on the wall, so they had to retreat. Decker and Gomez relocated towards the main entrance, while Quinn and Bates continued their patrols elsewhere.




***


He and Quinn ran along the snowy wilderness for quite a while. None of them had said a word. Bates tried his best to concentrate on the task ahead, he had an important mission after all, but he couldn't help thinking about Decker and how awkward things were right now. Quinn recognized the elephant in the room, stopped and began to reassure him: "Listen Bates! I don't mind you and Decker having... whatever it is you have, I'm not judging. To be honest, you're not the first and unfortunately, you're probably not the last! What I'm saying is: I need you focussed! I need you professional! I have to be able to trust you! Understood?" - "Yes, Sir! I won't let you down again, Sir!" - "Good, then... what is it?!"


Bates had suddenly looked up into another direction. The wind had just dragged a suspicious scent to his nose. A mix of blood, sweat, piss, dirt... and after shave? "I think it's Zimmerman!" he said. Quinn replied: "Are you sure?" - "Not entirely, but it's worth investigating!" - "Okay then, let's go!"


They ran towards the stench. It seemed there were already other members of the pack, at least according to their sharp noses. How odd, they heard nothing about it on the coms! Bates asked Quinn, but he didn't answer. He just ran, focussed on their target. "Emmerson, I seem to have problems with communications!" He wasn't answering either. There was little Bates could do then to press on.


After a while they reached a clearing in the middle of nowhere. What he saw there made him stop immediately. He'd seen a lot of messed up stuff in his life, but nothing prepared him for what he was witnessing right now: It was indeed Zimmerman. In bad condition, yet still alive. Motionless, barely breathing, dehydrated and, strangely enough, kept warm by a bunch of Dogs.

Bates was furious: "What are you doing? He needs medical attention, we must call for..." They ignored him. He looked at Quinn, who stepped up to urinate into Zimmerman's mouth, to hydrate him at least a little bit and then took the place of one of the Dogs on top of the poor man's body. Bates was shocked. He tried to speak some sense into Quinn, who just barked at him, like the Dog he resembled. Something was horribly wrong!


Suddenly a dark gray German Shepherd stepped up, whom Bates, strangely enough, hadn't been aware of before. More then that: He couldn't even take his scent! "Who are you?" he asked. "No... WHAT are you?" - "I'm the Alpha, leader of the pack!" - "What have you done to them?" - "Nothing! They just learnt to accept the truth." - "Which truth?" - "That they're dogs, of course!" Bates looked around. There was indeed no one even remotely behaving like a human anymore. "And Zimmerman?" he asked. "I did nothing to him, that hadn't been done before!" - "What's that supposed to..."

The Shepherd barked to stop his questions, having one of his own though: "How are you still resisting me?" - "I... I don't know!" This was a lie. Bates knew very well it had probably to do with the MFM chip. The gray Shepherd lowered his face and looked him deep in the eyes. Bates felt a sharp agonizing pain in his neck. Within seconds that seemed like an eternity, he had the same vibrating sensation as before, this time pulling him back into his now shaking body. Emmerson leaned over him, pulling off his headset. Bates, bleeding out of his nose and ears, lost consciousness. His superior made sure he was halfway stable and called for Dr. Lombardi.






The Darkness left behind


Dr. Chamber's was doing some calculations in her lab, occasionally sipping on a cup of her favorite herbal tea, when she got interrupted by a phone call. She took her time, writing down the last numbers, before answering: "Chambers!" - "This is unethically, Rebecca!!! Utter madness!!! Have you lost your mind?!!" It was Dr. Lombardi, incredibly pissed off for some reason. She was surprised by his tone, but little impressed. "Careful Eugene, I'm still your boss! Now what are you talking about?"


He took a deep breath through his nose and started: "One of the new Pack members had a seizure. Emmerson brought him to my office and I examined him to determine what could've gone wrong..." He paused, as if to wait for a reaction. "And?!" Chambers simply asked. The lack of interest in her voice unsettled Lombardi and he continued a little less confident: "I... I found one of our implants... in his neck!"


Chambers, who'd given him a minimum of attention before, was immediately alarmed. "YOU FOUND WHAT!??" - "So, you didn't...?" - "Of course not!!! What do you think I am, a fucking Bond villain?!!" - "No, of course not...!" - "You're sure it's one of ours?" - "Well, the readings indicate it's made of the same alloy, and who else would have access to it!?" Struck by a sudden realisation she asked: "What's his name?" - "Excuse me?" - "WHAT IS HIS FUCKING NAME, EUGENE?" - "Bates! His name is Bates!"


Of course, the same guard that offered to accompany her to Hartford yesterday! "Allen, you clever bastard!" she muttered, continuing to ask: "Where is he now?" - "In my office, still unconscious!" - "Alright then! Tie him up and call me, when he wakes up. There are some questions I want answered!" She hung up.


This turn of events made her nervous. Hartford had somehow managed to place a spy in her facility. And this spy had already made his way to Section 2 and the Pack project. What if he knew how to bypass the Security measurements of Section 3? She emptied her cup and stormed out of the lab. If there had been even the slightest chance someone like Bates could break into this chamber, she had to find out and eliminate the problem.


On her way down the corridors she was surprised by two Guards fighting each other like dumb school boys. Groaning and screaming, leaving scratches and bruises on their faces and skin. One of them was bleeding out of his nose. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!!" she yelled and tried to get in-between them, but instead got pushed aside and fell painfully on her bum. Chambers was furious: "Okay that's it, YOU BOTH ARE SOOO FIRED!!!" It seemed of no concern to them.


A group of other guards arrived and finally managed to split them up, not without massive resistance. Commander Nguyen, who led the reenforcement, ordered her men to lock them up, before helping Dr. Chambers back on her feet. "Two of yours?" Chambers asked, still a bit grumpy. "No, Ma'am!" Nguyen replied. "Rest assured I have my men under control! These knuckleheads are Emmerson's responsibility!"


"Emmerson?! You mean... they're part of the Pack project?!" - "I guess, Ma'am! Is there a problem?" Chambers thought about it for a second, then asked if there had been any other incidents with Pack members. "Now that you mention it," Nguyen said, "they all seem a bit... under the weather... moody even! But nothing like..." She was interupted by a urgent radio message. There was another incident!


Dr. Chambers dismissed her and went on her way in the opposite direction. The Pack project had clearly been compromised - with possibly catastrophical results. But she risked a lot, if she began to quarantine everyone involved, and there were still other options to consider. First of all she would deactivate the Field generator. If that failed, well, she would come up with something eventually! She was after all the boss, the most clever person in the facility!


The only thing really puzzling her was, how Bates and Hardford could've pulled this off. She knew 'why', of course: To blackmail her, to give them the alloy! But how could they've known about the Pack project? Why would Bates risk his life for that? It made no sense! Either way, if she never saw that damn Professor ever again, it was still too soon...




***




Ironically that was exactly Hartford's intention at this moment. After a warm shower and a proper meal, he had decided to try and speak with Dr. Chambers again, warn her of Agent Hanson and his plan to get a grasp on the alloy himself. This was more important than his own mission after all! He drove back up the mountains, the new layers of snow made it a little harder than yesterday. Finally arriving at the main gate, he pressed the button for the intercom.


He waited a few moments, but nothing happened. He stood outside, positioned himself in front of the camera and waved around, but it had no use. At first! "Who is there?" he heard a voice, whispering from the intercom. "I'm Professor Hartford, I..." - "Please, call for help, we're in... no... NO... AAAAARGH..." something was loudly growling in the background and seemed to attack the man, who screamed in complete agony, before the connection broke. Hartford was shocked.

He stepped back and looked around in panic. What was that? And what was he supposed to do? Even if he had a chance to get in, what would await him? There was no time for hesitation. First he fetched his toolbox and tried opening the intercom's casing, to see if there was a way to hack the gate's opening mechanism. Bad luck! He then tried to climb the wall, which obviously was too hard for him.

As if the whole endeavor hadn't been difficult enough, he was suddenly surprised by a trio of mean looking Guard dogs. He barely escaped them by letting himself fall on the hard asphalt. One of them left a big scratch on his leg. Not with his teeth fortunately, but nevertheless one of his still massive claws.


Hartford re-entered the van, took care of his wound and tried to come up with a plan. He was a scientist, dammit! A genius! He'd built a machine to travel in-between Realities! And yet he failed to present a solution for a problem that, at least on paper, was nothing compared to his previous struggles. "Fuck fuck fuck..." he yelled and hit the steering wheel in anger.


He looked outside the window. The dogs were still there, aggressively barking at him, showing their sharp unforgiving fangs. A blond German Shepherd, an ugly Bullmastiff and a specially grim Rottweiler. Great!

Suddenly he remembered Agent Hanson's card in his pocket and took it out. How the tables had turned, he thought. Should he call him for help? Risking to let dangerous technology fall into the wrong hands? What if it already was? He had no idea what happened up there. All he knew was the potential of his alloy and the great harm it could cause. Not to forget all the lifes in stake: Bates! Rebecca! Hundreds of innocent people! Hartford had no choice. He began to dial the number...






A bad awakening

Darkness. Warmth. A loud beat, resonating around him. Through him. He was barely able to move and incredibly tired. What was this place? Was it real? Was it a dream? A memory? His OWN memory? He couldn't tell anymore. There was more: Flashes of fire, blood, clouds of dust. Soldiers. And a longing, for something. Or someone...

***

A loud bang woke him up. He had a bad headache. Bates recognized Dr. Lombardi's office. Only the good doctor wasn't alone. A group of Guards and Scientists tried to barricade the door, to prevent, whatever horribly screaming monstrosities were on the other side, scratching and hammering against it. Bates had the impulse to help, but found himself tied to his sickbed.


"Dr. Lombardi!!!" he yelled. "What's going on here?" He hadn't anticipated the grim look on the Doctor's face, who instead of simply answering him, yelled: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!" - "What I...? I don't even know what's happening!" - "Enough of your lies, Bates! I found the implant in your neck!" Bates had just one word in his head: Fuck! He tried to come up with a good explonation, which depended on one thing: "Have you spoken with Dr. Chambers about it?" - "Yes, and it seemed she had some theories who you're really working for!" Damn! So much for that, Bates thought.


Lombardi continued: "Just tell us what you've done and how to reverse it!" - "Alright, alright!" Bates replied. It made clearly no sense to deny it anymore. They knew he was a spy. The bad thing was: They also thought he was a saboteur! He tried to explain who he really was, that he was working with Professor Hartford to get the alloy, but that he'd nothing to do with whatever was going on out there. Lombardi took his tablet and showed Bates some footage from the security cameras.


There were Guards running around nearly on all fours, their faces twisted into angry grimaces, their torn Uniforms full of dirt and blood. Bates witnessed in horror how they injured and killed staff members with their bare hands and teeth, some of them were even able to still use weapons and slaughter everyone they encountered. The normal Guards tried to stop them, even by shooting real bullets, but the wrath of this beasts was bigger and stronger then any pain.


Bates was devastated. He recognized the Berserks as members of the Pack project. Including Decker, who looked gravely injured. Dr. Lombardi figured his reaction was genuine, calmed down and took a seat beside him. Bates told him what had happened in the forest. That he had found Zimmerman, all paralysed and nearly dead. And that an entity named 'The Alpha' had taken control over the pack.


"How do you explain these Berserks?" Lombardi asked calmly. Bates thought about it and asked: "The destructive parts the pack members replace in this dogs, they're not just gone, right!?" - "Well, they rest in the human bodies in the meantime, that's why we keep them dormant during the shifts! You're not seriously suggesting this 'Alpha' uses our own system against us?" - "That's exactly what I think! And if I'm right it won't help just to deactivate the system. We have to negotiate with the entity!"


Dr. Lombardi considered his words. He made the decision to trust Bates and let him free. "How do we contact that thing, whatever it is?" the Doctor asked, while Bates was rubbing his wrists. "We can't use the auditoriums, they are overrun by the Berserks!" - "We have to find Dr. Chambers, she might know what to do! Where is she?" Lombardi was hesitant, which told Bates all he had to know: "It's Section 3, isn't it?"



***


"I'm on my way!" Hanson said. "Stay where you are and don't interfere, we're handling this!" Hartford ended the call, wondering if he had made a mistake. He looked out the window and discovered one of the guard dogs watching him. Almost as if the animal knew. It just now dawned on the Professor: Where were their handlers? Maybe it were the dogs that had attacked the man on the intercom? Maybe they had disposed of him and his colleagues the same way, they had with Zimmerman! Maybe one of them even was Zimmerman's dog!

Hartford had unconsciously rubbed his wound, which burned a bit. "Quite a scratch", he thought out loud, "with claws like that I wouldn't let my dog run around in my apartment! The floor would..." Wait! THE FLOOR IN ZIMMERMAN'S APARTMENT, OF COURSE!!! A wooden floor, smooth and flawless, barely a scratch on it! Only it wouldn't look like that if there really had been a dog! Then why was there a bowl in the kitchen and a Dog bed under Zimmerman's bed? There was only one answer and it blew Hartford's mind.


The question was: Why? Some sort of fetish or delusion? Or maybe, just maybe, a side effect of certain experiments with a certain alloy on certain animals, like those that were still waiting beyond that wall and watching. Was it possible to project a human mind into a canine? No, their brainpattern weren't compatible! Still, Hartford had to try...


The old man stepped out of his van again. Decker, Gomez and Wallace, unsure if he'd grabbed a weapon, backed down and made themself ready to run, if necessary. But when the elderly man came back, he was empty handed, just a strangely hopeful expression on his face. And to their great surprise he began to talk to them:


"I know you're not all dogs! I'm convinced you understand what I'm saying, so listen carefully, because there are lives in stake!" The Dogs were baffled and did as they were told. Hartford explained, he was an old colleague of Dr. Chambers and that it seemed the facility was under attack. Wallace and Gomez were sceptic, but Decker who was concerned for Bates believed him. He tried to contact Emmerson, with no result, and despite the dangers he'd been warned about, closed his eyes and thought 'Disconnect!'

Nothing happened! This finally convinced the others. They too tried to return back to their human bodies. Needless to say it didn't work. Hartford was right: Something WAS happening up there! Although they weren't sure if the old man hadn't something to do with it. The scientist made a suggestion: "Why don't you run up to the facility and look for yourself. If you see something you need my help with - and believe me I CAN HELP - let me in!" The Dogs looked at each other. "Okay!" said Wallace. "Gomez and I check the situation. Decker, you stay with the Professor and keep an eye on him!"


The two dogs ran off, up the hills, towards the facility building. Hartford was glad his plan seemed to work. He had seen a lot in his live. A Dog with a human mind was... he wasn't even sure what the right word was. Impossible? Maybe, but there they were! He and the remaining Rottweiler looked at each other, like there was some kind of unspoken bond between them. As a matter of fact, they were both concerned for a friend. And unbeknownst to them at the time, it was the same person.




The ChamTec Massacre


Bates and Lombardi gathered the scientists to come up with a plan to escape. There were no windows they could glimb out and the walls were too thick to break through. The only way out was were they came in, but on the other side of the door they had a bunch of Berserks, eager to shred them to pieces.


The Berserks may have had the strategical advantage, but were headless, impulsive. Which made them easy to distract - probably. All that's needed was something these monsters wanted more than anything else. "Why are they here in the first place?" someone asked. "That 'Alpha' could've send them the whole time! Why now?"


Bates made a regretful face and answered: "I think... it's because of me! Because he couldn't manipulate me like the others! Because I escaped! He knew I would tell on him, spoil his plans..." One of the guards who was still suspicious of Bates suggested: "Then let us hand him over, maybe they leave once they have what they came for!"


Lombardi sprang up his chair and yelled: "WE'RE NOT SACRIFICING PEOPLE!!! It wouldn't work anyway, now that we're in the know too!" - "Why would they expose themselves just to prevent BEING exposed?" asked one of the Scientists. Bates had to admit, that was a good question, but before he was able to reply, they were interupted by the noise of gun fire, coming from the corridor.


"DOWN!!!" Bates yelled, before the first round of Bullets penetrated the door. Everyone ducked just in time. The Berserks screamed in agony, then... silence. Everyone starred at the door. They heard heavy steps, a knock and a somehow familiar voice: "Everyone okay in there?!!" It was Jacks!


The guards cleared the doorway to let him in. Jacks had a AK-47 under his arm and was dressed like Rambo, just wearing a tank top and a red piece of cloth around his head. He clearly enjoyed himself being the great Action hero: "Come with me if you want to live!" Bates rolled his eyes, but stood up to accompany the others, that were eager to leave the room.


Jacks saw and suddenly aimed at him. Dr. Lombardi stopped the hotheaded idiot just in time: "What do you think you're doing, Jacks?!!" - "He's one of them, Doc!!! He's part of Emmerson's unit!!!" - "But he's unaffected, can't you see!" - "Maybe he's spying for them!" Bates expected for Lombardi to defend him. Certainly not to consider Jacks' words. The medic looked at him, unsure what to believe and what not.


Bates had enough: "You're not seriously suggesting...?" - "I can't risk it, Bates! You ARE a spy! You lied to us once! The safety of these people has priority!" - "Now what? You let him execute me?" For a moment no one said a word. It seemed that was exactly what they were planning to do. Jacks gave him a sadistic grin and was about to raise his weapon, when...


"AAAAARGHH!!!" Lombardi screamed. One of the Berserks had survived and was biting him in the right leg. Jacks, startled by this, turned around to kill it. Bates used the distraction to knock him out with a hard right and run down the corridor, for his very live.


He barely made it around the corner, when he saw the most traumatizing thing in his entire live. All the years in the military as Adlin, all the stuff he experienced before and after that, couldn't prepare him for this:


He saw the others, being attacked and brutally murdered by Berserks. Whole chunks of flesh bitten out of their necks and scratched off their skin. Limbs being broken with bare hands. Screams of agony. And blood... blood everywhere. "Bates... help... Aaaaargh!!!" he heard one of the scientists yell on the top of her lungs, before getting her gut opened with knifes.


Bates was shocked, but the fear of being the next made him run again, in the opposite direction. He had no intention to reach Section 3 anymore. All he wanted was to get out. To escape this hell hole.


***


Wallace and Gomez finally made their way up to the facility. They were disgusted about what they were seeing and smelling: Blood spilled against the windows. Some humanlike creatures, also full of with blood and barely recognizable made their ways through the corridors, behaving like monsters without sense or reason. "That's Lumley! What happened to her?" - "Quinn!" - "They're all from the pack!" - "Oh my god!" - "What?" - "That's... you!!" - "No! NOOO!!! DISCONNECT!!! DISCONNECT!!!"


"We need to get in there!" - "You're not serious? That's a slaughterhouse in there!" - "If the old man is right, he might be able to undo this mess!" - "Who's to tell he's not responsible for it in the first place?" - "Do you have a better plan?!" - "No!" - "Then let's go on with it!" - "How? The entrance is locked!" - "Damn, I forgot about that!" - "The tunnel?" - "No use if we can't open our cages!"

They ran to the left side of the building and discovered an open window in Section 1, but it was too high up. "Okay, Gomez! I need you to make me a ramp. Up on two feet, front legs against the wall!" Gomez did as he was told. Wallace then took a big run-up, leaped on Gomez' back and jumped as high as he could up to the window, which he barely managed.


He then climbed inside the room, examined it for a moment. Took a quick look out of the door. His senses gave him a good picture about what was happening. He returned to the window sill and looked down at Gomez. "There are still people trapped here, we have to evacuate them! Fetch the others, I'll open the entrance for you!" - "Copy that!"


And with that, Gomez ran back to the forest. Wallace in the meantime sneaked down the corridor, the stairs and past one of the blood soaked Berserks, into the Control room beside the entrance door.

***

Down at the main gate, Hartford was relieved to see it finally opened. He stepped back into his van and drove inside. As he passed Decker and saw his sad, concerned face, he stopped for a moment, considering what to do. "Dammit!" he growled and opened the passenger door, to invite Decker inside. "Hurry! They might need our help!" Decker, first a little hesitant, took place beside the Professor.


***

Bates felt dizzy, puked, stumbled down the corridors, shaking. He'd made it towards the main entrance. On his right was a long Glass front, that had been clean this morning, but was now tainted with more blood. Behind that he saw the parking lot and the forest.


He was totally out of breath, fell to his knees and tried to digest, what he just witnessed. It was a nightmare! A total nightmare! And it was all his fault! He should've never come here, his task to search for that damn alloy had killed hundreds of innocent people. They had a live! They had a family! They had a future!


Suddenly there was a sniffing noise nearby and a deep dangerous growl. Bates looked up: It was another one of the Berserks, creeping towards him. This time he wouldn't run. He was exhausted, just closed his eyes and was about to let it happen.

A loud crash interrupted the scenario and startled Bates, who fell backwards. The shredding pieces of glass and debris barely missed him. The Berserk on the other hand got smashed to a bloody pulp in-between the wall and the front of Hartford's van.

The door opened and the Professor came tumbling out of it, kneeling down to his friend to see if he got hurt. Bates made a defensive gesture. "I'm alright, stop it!" - "What happened here? This place looks like the set of a bad Zombie movie!" - "I tell you what happened: WE happened! Everywhere we fucking go, we bring death and distruction!"


Hartford stopped and looked at him. He'd never seen his partner that... angry. "People died horrible deaths today," Bates continued. "all because YOU had me infiltrate your fucking ex! AND FOR WHAT?!! TO STEAL A FUCKING PIECE OF JUNK!!!" He was interrupted by a sudden, strangely familiar noise. A mean growling. Looking behind the Professor, inside the van, he saw the head of a big, black and very pissed off Rottweiler. "Decker?!"


Bates tried to say something, but struggled to find the right words. Nothing he could say at the moment would excuse what he'd just confessed too. He was a liar! A spy! A thief! And worst of all, he had betrayed his friend, who had thought the world of him.


They heard another dog barking from the other side of the van. It was Wallace, who called Decker over to help him free the other trapped staff members. The grim Rottweiler considered for a moment if he should bite his former best friend instead, decided against it and left through the broken window on the other side of the van.


Hartford tried to comfort his partner. "A friend of yours?!" he asked. Bates wiped a tear from his eye. "Please, just... let us go!" - "I'm sorry, we can't! The government is on its way!" - "Wha... why?!" - "Erm... It's a long story!"




Inside Section 3


Agent Hanson overlooked the mountains from his helicopter. Somewhere in-between the snow-covered trees, he knew, was a small convoy of Military trucks forcing their way upwards the icy terrain. All he needed was a phone call with the Pentagon and General Stephenson from the nearby Fort Donovan gathered the necessary manpower for his mission.


Hanson knew into how much trouble he could get, if it turned out there had been no emergency at all, that he'd been lied to by Hartford. Yet he believed the old man - he WANTED to believe him. Because it meant Hartford trusted him enough to call him for help! It was of utmost importance for Hanson and the people he was working for to earn his trust, to come to an agreement with him.


Something about the smile on the pale Agent's face made the pilot feel uncomfortable. Hanson noticed it and just spoke it out: "He called me! That son of a bitch really called me!" - "May I ask who you mean, Sir?" - "The most dangerous man on the planet, Captain!" - "And that's a good thing?" - "How's the old saying: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer!" - "Isn't that from the Simpsons, Sir?" - "Sun Zhu, The Art of Warfare! What are they teaching you guys these days?"


***

Meanwhile at ChamTec, the last survivors of the Massacre tried to escape through the corridors of Section 1. They had not the faintest idea what had happened to these Guards. The existence of the Pack project was as unknown to them, as the existence of something called the Mandela Field. All they had been concerned about were their little projects, their workplaces, the finances and the menu for the coming week. Although there would clearly not be another week in this hell hole!


They unfortunately crossed paths with more of the Berserks, tried to escape them, but found they had been surrounded. They screamed for their lives. One closed his eyes and began to pray. The situation seemed hopeless, there was no way out of this. They were going to die... or so they thought! Suddenly two Dogs arrived, a Rottweiler and a blond German Shepherd. They sprang in-between them and the Berserks, violently growling and barking at the latter, fending them of.


It worked, the Berserks retreated, intimidated by the canines. Decker and Wallace were releaved this was working. It could have ended horribly otherwise! Suddenly Decker felt a hand on the top of his head, petting him. "Good boys! You safed us!" He had slipped his mind that he had still the appearance of a dog and that people could react that way towards him. It felt inappropriate, but just for a second, before he enjoyed the warm, tingling sensation it send through his body. It was one of the greatest experiences he ever had and let him, for a moment, forget what Bates had done. All he was concerned about now was to get these good people out of here, to bring them somewhere safe!



***



Bates led Hartford to the entrance of Section 3, which was still closed off. He pressed a button on the rightside panel to contact whoever was on the inside. As it turned out it was naturally Dr. Rebecca Chambers herself. "Becs, let us in!" Hartford whispered, while Bates gave him cover in case there were more Berserks coming. "Hartford!" she replied, a grim tone in her voice. "I knew it! This is all your work, just to force me to give you the alloy!"


This angered Hartford, who raised his voice and had to be reminded by Bates to be quiet: "HOW DARE... sorry... how dare you implying I had anything to do with this tragedy! I wasn't even here when it started!" - "But your spy was! This plump excuse of a Guard, Bates!" The mentioned replied: "I'm here too, you know!" - "I figured!" she said. "You rat! You traitor! Saboteur! Murderer!"


Bates had enough of this: "The pack was taken over by an entity calling itself 'The Alpha'. It took the appearance of a Dark gray German Shepherd. You don't happen to know anything about it, do you?" Dr. Chambers seemed to consider his words. Hartford in the meantime made a surprised face for some reason. Bates asked him: "What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost!" - "It can't be...!" - "What do you mean?" - "She told me... no, that makes no sense..."

Before Bates could bring any useful sentence out of him, the huge metal door opened, allowing them access to Section 3. Inside it they found a big machine, part rising up to a tower on top of a huge cave, another part leading down a long natural shaft. It was even bigger than Hartford's MFM had ever been. In the heart of it was a huge imposing Command center on a metallic platform, with a massive glass column in the middle, surrounded by a row of consols.

Hartford tried to approach them, when Dr. Chambers stepped out behind it, a gun in her right hand. With the other she pressed a button on the console, which closed the door behind them again. They were literally trapped! "Throw your gun over the railing, Bates!" - "So we're at your disposal? No chance!" Hartford turned around and signed him to do what she said. And he did.


The noise of the falling weapon had barely faded away, when Hartford asked: "Can we finally talk?" She lowered her gun and adressed Bates: "How do you know about the Shepherd?" - "I saw him, when I was with the pack. He had no scent, so I gathered he must be in our heads somehow. He manipulated them! Forced them to behave more... no, to BE Dogs! He tortured Zimmerman, did something to him! And he tried to get to me too!"


Hartford interrupted him: "You know who he's talking about, don't you, Rebecca!" Dr. Chambers couldn't look him in the eyes. She seemed... ashamed for some reason. "I... I had no idea he would do that! He wasn't supposed to... break out!" Bates was more puzzled than ever: "What are you talking about? Who is 'he'!" - "George!" said Hartford. "He was her beloved Pet dog, back when we were still together. But he's supposed to be dead! Where is he, Rebecca? What have you done to him?"


She reached to another button on the console, with that elevating a glass container inside the column. Inside was a small brain in a clear fluid, attached with thin cables and neural implants. "I wasn't lying, Allen! He got sick, seriously sick. But I had to preserve his brain, at all costs. It's the very thing that makes this whole project possible! The interface between human and canine brain activity: The Canine Key!"



The Origin of George


"This is cold, Rebecca!" Hartford muttered, starring at the brain. "Even for your standards!" Bates who knew how much time was of essence, interrupted him, asking: "I don't understand! What was so special about George?" - "He was exceptionally intelligent," Hartford added, "but all things considered, just a normal dog!"


Dr. Chambers shook her head: "You have no idea, Allen! From the very first day he entered my garden, my life, I knew he was special." He had no collar, nobody who's missing him, just skin and bones, on the brink of starvation. She fed him, cared for the poor thing and in the end became his new Dog mommy. She gave him a good live and in return he filled her's with love and joy.


"You must've felt it too, when he ran into you! That symposium in Harvard, when he dragged me right into your arms. Thanks to him we spend some of the happiest days of our lifes - together!" - "Before you stole the alloy, my formula, and discredited me!" - "I had my reasons, GOOD reasons! I tried to win you over, but all you had in mind were your ludicrous theories about that Mandela Field of yours. You wouldn't even listen! I knew, it was just a question of time before you ruined yourself with it, I just accelerated the process, and kept the best parts for myself!" - "But why?" Hartford asked. "What could have been so important you threw everything away we had?"


Chambers turned towards the column and reached out to the brain inside, careful, like a child for a pretty little butterfly. "I grew suspitious over George's intelligence. You just played with him now and then, but I spend a good chunk of my time with that Canine and discovered him doing things a Dog shouldn't be able to..." One day she sat on the couch, reading her papers, when she found Georg looking over her shoulder. She was about to turn the page when George whined, as if to stop her. It seemed he was reading himself! At first she laughed it off, thinking it was some kind of quirk, but soon realized he was indeed capable to read and understand the words. "It was then I brought him to an old friend from college, a specialist in Neuroscience. And I discovered the sensational truth about George: His brain pattern were partially similar to that of a human being!"


Hartford and Bates exchanged looks. They had the same terrifying realisation, but the Professor shook his head, signaling his partner, to keep it to themselves. Things were already complicated enough. Bates summoned up: "So that's the reason why George became the Canine Key, because his brain has canine pattern as well as human-like ones. He's therefore able to translate from one to the other!" - "That's right: A genetic miracle!" - "Which solves the Compatibility problem! But how does the exchance itself work?" - "That was the hard part: I used the alloy to generate Morphic fields with telepathic properties!" Bates couldn't hold back his honest appreciation.


Hartford was less enthusiastic. It meant, she had to stuff every little piece of alloy she had into the machine, to keep it stable. There was not an ounce of unprocessed material left for them to salvage! Their whole operation had therefore been not only a failure, but an absolute disaster. "Okay, listen..." he began. "We have to communicate with George! He's the only one who can turn everything back to normal!" - "I'm sorry," Dr. Chambers said. "that's not how it works! His brain is just an interface, I feed with commands, I have no idea how to actually communicate with it!" -


"Well, we have to come up with something, and quick! The government is on it's way!" This news overwhelmed Dr. Chambers. "WHAT?!! WHY? THEY WOULDN'T DARE..." - "It's a long story, Becs! Zimmerman was working for them!" - "Another spy? And I thought this day couldn't get any worse!" Bates, who had time to think about it, offered himself as a temporary vessel for George: "If we recalibrate the Field generator to the frequency of my implant, we should have a good chance!"

Chambers tried to protest, but the men convinced her soon, that it was the only way: If they couldn't regain control over the situation, the Berserks were the least of their problems. The Government would get control over the facility and it's highly dangerous technology, and Dr. Chamber would be trialed for her reckless experiments.


***


Decker and Wallace had collected even more survivors from Section 1, and were about to head back for the exit, when they encountered another, bigger group of Berserks. There was no way around it, this time they all had to fight. The men and women used everything they could get a grasp on, all the Dogs had at their disposal was brute force and their fangs. Wallace got some wild scratches. One of the Berserks cut even a small piece out of Decker's ear with a long piece of scrap he used as a spear, before being shot by a Guard.


They made little progress. The Berserks got more and more, it was only a question of time before the survivors got outnumbered. Suddenly they heard a loud howl. It was Gomez, with reinforcement. A large group of dogs that stormed down the corridor and defeated the Berserks in no time. Decker was surprised to see a familiar face under them: "Bates?" - "No, Emmerson! I took his place when he collapsed!"


Together they led the survivors out to the parking lot. Once there they found themselves again ambushed by a huge crowd of Berserks. The situation seemed hopeless. The Dogs got tired and the humans had barely ammuniton left. How could they expect to survive another confrontation? The answer came from above. The Dogs were naturally the first to hear it: A military helicopter came in full flight over the tree tops and, after assessing the situation, opened fire on the Berserks.


Within seconds the last of the Berserks died. The surviving humans celebrated their victory and began to give their canine saviors some well earned strokes. They themselves were just shocked, hadn't they just watched as their human bodies got destroyed in front of them and suddenly realized they were unable to return to their old lives ever again. The trucks arrived and the soldiers within began to evacuate the remaining people, including the dogs. The helicopter landed, Agent Hanson took command. He wanted the facility to be searched and "dangerous material" to be confiscated. His eyes fell on the hole Hartford's van had left inside the building. He had a bad feeling about it.




***




Hartford made the last calibrations at the console and asked Bates: "Are you ready?" - "No?" - "Bates..." - "Just kidding! Let's get it over with!" He sat down on the floor to prevent himself from falling over, facing Dr. Chambers to calm George with a familiar face. She asked: "How do I know it's really him, Allen?" - "Just ask him something personal only he knows the answer too! Okay, on three... One... Two..." Hartford reactivated the Field generator.


For a moment Bates made a painful grimace, like he had some sort of seizure again, but he quickly recovered. He looked at Dr. Chambers with big glassy eyes and said: "Mommy?" She couldn't believe it, but an inner voice told her, it was true, no tests necessary: "George?!" - "Mommy!!!" he yelled and growled to her on all fours in excitement, hugging her feet. A little perplexed she let it happen and hesitantly kneeled down, stroking his head.

She glanced over to Hartford, who gestured for her to talk with him. "George, I'm so happy to see you again, Sweetheart! I missed you soo much!" - "I've missed you too, Mommy!" - "George, listen! It's very important you're honest with me, Baby!" - "Always!!!" - "What have you done to the people I entrusted you with?" - "What people?" - "The Pack!"


His excitement changed into slight embarrassment, as he told her: "When I lost you, I was all alone. No family! No friends! Then I found them and made them my own. My pack! I was there for them, as you were there for me! They've all been lost, not themselves. Like me! I became their Alpha. I reminded them, that they're not human! They're all dogs! I protected them, gave them a new purpose, a home."

"You told them they were Dogs?!" - "Yes!" Dr. Chambers paused and looked at Hartford for a moment. "What... what have you done to their human bodies, George?" she continued. "You've made them go... wild!" - "I know, I'm so sorry! I panicked!" - "Why, Sweetie?" - "Because I... I was afraid... to lose my pack again! I had to protect them!" - "It's okay, Sweetie," she said as he began to cry, "Can you undo what you did?" - "I tried, but I lost control! I don't know what to..." He stopped. Just now he'd realized she was looking at someone behind him the whole time, that they weren't alone.

Once George turned around and discovered who it was, Hartford tried to reassure him: "Hello, George! Do you remember me?" - "Daddy!!" This startled him. George looked at him, with the same love and appreciation like he expressed for Dr. Chambers. She was as puzzled as him: "Daddy?! What's going on here, Allen?"

The Professor, still at the console, was shocked. It was at this point he found the last piece of the puzzle and uncovered the whole picture of George's tragic origin story. The latter growled over to him and the Professor kneeled down to give him a big hug - hiding his sad old face. "Why is he calling you Daddy, Allen? You've barely spend time with each other! And yet... he always adored you, from the very start!"


Hartford took a deep breath and answered her, without loosening his grip on George. "What I've told you about the Mandela Field... it's all true! There ARE Alternate Realities out there, Rebecca. So many... you have no idea! I guess there's even one where we were a couple, long before we even met. Where we were married. Where one day... we became a Mommy and a Daddy!"


This revelation shocked her too, more than anything else that day. George was... their son? How was this possible? Hartford explained he and some of his variants had invented a machine to exchange minds across realities, yet the only permanent way was by changing into an animal. And it finally dawned on her: The reason George came to her in the first place. That he dragged her right into Hartford's arms. The strange Brain pattern. It made all sense now. "But... why?" she asked. "Why would they... would ANYONE do that to their child!?"


George interrupted them: "There was a war... we were invaded, from the inside... it was the only way!" Dr. Chambers' glassy eyes wandered back to the brain in the column and for the first time in her entire life she felt great shame about what she'd done to another person. His parents had tried to safe their beloved child and when he tried to reconnect with his supposed mother, she treated him like a Dog! Even worse, she experimented on him, put his brain in a jar, to be a part of her monstrous machine! What had she become? A Monster!


Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud banging noise. Someone tried to break through the metal door and it was most certainly not the Berserks! She stood up, activated the Security cameras on the console and confirmed their biggest fear: "Soldiers! If they get in here we're screwed!" The alarm went off. Everywhere red lights. Hartford broke the hug and yelled at her: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" - "I did nothing!! There's something wrong with the Field generator!" Hartford turned at George, who confirmed: "It's me! I'm overloading the Field generator, destroying the machine and with it every evidence about the Pack project!" - "Stop it! It will kill you!" - "I'm already dead! I have to protect my pack... my family! I love you!" he turned to his mother "Both of you!"


With this he left Bates' body, who was baffled about all the sudden chaos and Hartford screaming at him, while tears ran down his face. The room began to shake too, fire and lightning was coming out of the machine. And Bates thought: "Oh no! Not again!"




In Extremis


Bates tried to calm his partner down. He had not the faintest idea what happened the last few minutes. One moment he was preparing to be possessed by a Ghost dog, the next hell breaks loose... again!


A loud explosion snapped Dr. Chambers out of her shock state. She turned back to the monitor, to get sure the soldiers had retreated. They had! She pressed the button, but the door wouldn't fully open. Just a little, because of the mechanic Ram the soldiers had used to get in, and which had caused the loud banging sound earlier.


The three tried their best to open it, all while caughing from the smoke that came from the ceiling. After a while it got stuck again. They got it wide enough so Hartford and Chambers could slip through. Bates, of course, was too thick. "Come ooon," he yelled, struggling to press his butt against the door. "I lost so much weight already - twice!!!"


Hartford tried pulling him out. Chambers came back to help him, which wasn't something she would normally do. The experience of meeting her alternate child had definitly changed her. It was bitter irony Hartford had to stop her: "Go, Rebecca! I handle this!" - "Don't be ridiculous, old man!" - "No seriously! Your priority is to protect the pack, at all cost!" - "The pack?! But..." - "It's what HE had wanted!"


They exchanged a long, conciliatory look, before she finally left with the old smile he'd loved on her so long ago. Bates continued his struggle to get out and had hoped Hartford would soon come up with something. Maybe shortcircuiting the panel or something like that! Instead the old man did nothing, not even helping anymore. He just sat down, leaning against the door. Awaiting death. "You are right, Bates!" he simply said. "Everywhere we go, we bring death and distruction! It's time to end it, here and now!"


Bates tried to say something. He couldn't find the right words. His own life, it had no meaning anymore. Hartford on the other hand... yet, there was nothing that seemed right. That could change his mind. And in an egoistic way, maybe, Bates was glad he don't had to die alone. Hartford continued: "My only hope is everything's alright! That Rebecca's able to safe the pack. That we truely defeated the AIO. That all the pain and suffering we've caused wasn't for nothing."


"We... could still..." - "No, Bates, enough is enough!! You were right, okay! You... and Rebecca... and that CIA agent, what was his name... Hanson!" It seemed a huge load of electricity had struck Bates, just by the mention of that one particular name. "What?! Did you just... you said HANSON, right?!!" - "You know him?!" - "What did he say to you exactly?" - "What does it matter now?" - "JUST... tell me!" He was really holding back his emotions.


The Professor told him in quick words what had happened at the Sheriff's Department. This made Bates really angry and he pressed and wiggled against the door again, furiously shouting: "THAT FUCKING MANIPULATIVE SON OF A BITCH!!!" It was of no use, so he gave it up again. While gasping for air, his head hanging in sheer helpnessless, he turned to his partner and told him: "Forget this cunt! You're a good man, Allen Hartford. Nothing that happened was your choice, it happened because the world is broken and needs to be fixed. And who would be better to do it, than someone who felt the pain, who learnt from his mistakes! Someone who cares!"


Hartford considered his words, stood up and... just ran away! No last good-byes, not even eye contact. Bates was a little hurt about it, until the Professor unexpectedly returned with a huge, lenghty piece of pipe, he could barely drag along. He placed it underneath Bates' feet and used the leverage to finally free him. And about time: The earth started heavily to shake. "We have to get out of here!" Hartford said. "You think?" came Bates' snappy reply. "You forget," tried the old man to remember him, "half of the facility is embedded into a mountain!" - "Right!"


They ran down the corridors, passing more death Berserks that had been shot by the soldiers. Headed towards the passage to Sections 1. And there he stood: Agent Hanson, a gun in his hand. Bates stopped immediately, frozen on the spot. He knew about him, a moment ago he'd just been mad about him, but to see him in flesh and blood, it was literally like seeing a ghost.


Hanson, a grim almost disappointed look on his face, shouted: "I'd really hoped we could have come to an agreement!" - "We still can!" tried Hartford to appease the Agent. Hanson wasn't having any of it: "You two are far to dangerous to be kept alive! I'm sorry..." With this, he pressed the sidepanel of the door, that closed before Bates was able to leap forward and stop it. Hanson then shot at the panel, destroying the whole mechanism in the process. They were trapped! He could hear the dull hammering of their fists, while turning around and heading to the exit and back into the helicopter. It was just a question of time before everything blew up!


***


The trucks rolled down the hills towards the Main gate. Decker sat on the lap of a young female scientist, who stroke him, more too calm herself than him. He spoke with Emmerson who sat vis a vis on the lap of a soldier, telling him about what he'd found out about Bates. Emmerson couldn't believe it: "A spy?! Really?!" - "After all we went through! I thought he was my partner, my friend!"


"Well..." Emmerson added, "he stood up for you, didn't he!" - "Yes, but..." - "And when he did so, wasn't he risking his mission?" Emmerson was right: Why would he do that, if his goal was to infiltrate ChamTec? "Yes," Decker admitted, "but he and the old man are still responisble for all that happened today! He said it himself!" - "Was he upset?" - "Yes, but... that's not the point..." - "I held him in my arms, when he collapsed! He was in a really bad shape! Why would he do that to himself? Why would he cause any of this and then be upset about it?"


He was right! Decker started to reevaluate the whole situation. "Maybe, Decker, he was both? A spy AND your friend!" Emmerson continued. "What does it matter anyway? Spies, no spies... Look at us: We're fucking Dogs now! God knows what's happening to us..." Decker came to a realisation: He had to talk to Bates, however he managed that. He used the telepatic radio to ask the rest of the pack in the other trucks, if they'd seen him or the old man. None of them had heard of them. They hadn't been evacuated it seemed.


Decker had a bad feeling about this. He freed himself from the scientist's grasp, jumped over the escapees and took a leap of faith out of the truck. He barely avoided being hit by the next truck and ran as fast as he could into the forest and back up the hills towards the facility. Only seconds after he disappeared between the trees the whole building exploded in a huge flash of fire. Followed by a dangerous Avalanche of stone, snow and ice. Meanwhile the piece of the mountain where ChamTec was embedded in collapsed, buring all what was left of Section 3 under it.



***



Once the dust had settled Decker took a cautious look out of his hideout, underneath a huge rock. He looked up the hill where the ChamTec building had been. There wasn't much left! If Bates had still been in there, he was death for sure. Decker began to whine. He would have cried, but he couldn't. Not the way he used to. And he don't felt like howling. So all he did, was laying down, mourning for his lost friend, and maybe... stay there to die! He had nothing left to live for. He hadn't even told Bates that he...


THE TUNNEL!!! Maybe... He stood up, regained his strength and ran towards the place in the forest were the exit should be. Thinking: "Please be alive! Please be alive! Please be alive!" When he found it, it looked totally different. Trees had been shredded under the Avalanche, leaving nothing but pieces of wood, snow, dirt and stones. Decker wasn't ready to give up that easily. He stuck his sensitive nose down the floor, searching for a hint, the smallest trace of Bates' scent.


He was about to give up, when he found it: Ever so soft, but it was there, like a thin piece of string. He dug down, reached out, desperate to safe his life. And he found the opening, the entrance to the tunnel. In it were Bates and Hartford, who had arrived at the kennel just in time to crawl down one of the trapdoors, that was fortunately wide enough for Bates to fit through. He'd never been more thankful for the existence of big Dogs! They were all caughing and sneezing, fought their way out, happy to see the sky and breath fresh air again.


As soon as they had reached the surface Bates tried to apologize to Decker, tried to explain everything. But the Rottweiler simply leaped forward, hugging him and licking his face. All was forgiven and forgotten. Hartford in the meantime looked up the hill, still depressed about George's sacrifize. Bates laid a hand on his shoulder. The Professor had told him everything down in the tunnel.


"So many people lost their lifes today!" Hartford said. "And for what?" - "We prevented the Government from laying their hands on dangerous technology! And they think we're dead, so they won't bother us, at least for a good while! Not to forget Decker joining us... if he wants too!" Decker barked to signal his agreement. This lightened up Hartford's mood at least a little bit. "The only question left is... where next?" - Bates and Decker looked at each over and said unison: "North-East!"



Epilogue


Hartford, Bates and Decker made it to Canada to rebuild their Mandela Field Manipulator and rejoin the interdimensional Resistance in their fight against the remaining followers of the AIO. Hartford adjusted Decker's implant, so he could also use the MFM, communicate with them, and be used as a Canine Key Interface. Without Dr. Chambers' inhumane methods and completely painless of course. Decker and Bates tried to redefine their relationship. As it turned out they had still strong feelings for each other and despite the strange circumstances, found some creative ways to make it work.


Dr. Chambers had to answer for the ChamTec Incident, for which she blamed Hartford and Bates of course. Hanson saw great potential in her and helped her out. He even offered her a new position as Chief scientist of a new project, Code name: Nelson. She agreed hesitantly, under the condition that her Dogs were unharmed and taken good care of.


The CIA had great interest in the intelligent canines. Chambers claimed all she'd done to them was some reprograming to make them less violent and more clever. She never told anyone the truth. This secured the pack a place in the CIA's very own K9 corps. Emmerson, Wallace, Gomez, Quinn and all the others were soon assigned to handlers, who took good care of them. They became a great team!


Zimmerman's body was never found. It was buried under masses of stone, mud and slag. Although his mind got fully transfered into a small pup, one of the female Pack members would soon give birth too. He was about to forget most of his old life and would grow up to become a fine specimen of a Dog. He wasn't alone though: One of his brothers had a secret past too. And this time he would keep his distance from his former parents. At least for now!