clean it" she said, starting to lick the wound clean. Elliot winced in pain, but didn't pull away.

"What I want to know," Dingo started. "Is what he'd want with you two"

"How do you mean?" Heather asked, finishing cleaning Elliot's wound.

"I understand why I'm here, but I can't think of a reason why he'd kidnap you two as well" Dingo replied, his forehead creased in thought.

"Why are you here anyway?" Ellliot asked.

Dingo sighed "I...I had an encounter with his brother that didn't go down too well. He's getting at me for revenge"

Elliot raised an eyebrow "Revenge? What for?"

"It's a long story" Dingo replied.

Elliot huffed "Well from the looks of it, we've got plenty of time to hear it"

Heather smiled at him "Go ahead, tell us"

Dingo forced a smile "Okay, I'll tell you"

He sat down on the floor.

"By the way, my names Dingo"

--------------------------------------------

Balto heard the sound of scratching at the door. He padded over to the door.

"Wonder who this could be" he thought as he nudged the door open.

Kaltag was standing on the porch, a sombre expression on his face. Balto had seen that expression on his friends face a lot in the last few months.

"Kaltag? What are you doing here?" he asked as Kaltag padded inside.

"I hate to be the bringer of bad news Balto, and Lord knows I've been doing that a lot recently. I swear, sometimes its the most difficult, most stressful, most straining job in the world"

Balto frowned in concern "What bad news?"

Kaltag sighed "Doc wishes to see you at the hospital, most urgent. I'm afraid its a very serious matter indeed"

"It's not about Kodi is it? Or Dingo? Or..." Balto asked.

Kaltag cut him off with a shake of the head "No, it's not about them"

"Then who?" Balto looked at Kaltag sternly.

"It's Lance" Kaltag replied dejectedly.

"What about Lance?" Balto asked.

--------------------------------------------

Balto ran towards the hospital as fast as his legs would carry him. As he approached, he saw Doc waiting for him.

"Balto, thank you for coming so quickly" the St. Bernard said, looking extremely embarrassed and awkward.

"Kaltag told me about Lance," Balto replied. "Doc, what is all this about?"

Doc sighed "Balto, I'm your friend. You do know that don't you?"

Balto nodded, a confused expression on his face "Yes, but what does that have to do with Lance?"

"Follow me. I need to show you something" Doc answered.

Doc nudged open the door, and gestured to Balto to follow. This he did, and he found himself in one of the main operating rooms of the vets. His focus turned to one fo the nearby cots.

"Lance!"

Balto ran up to the cot, where Lance was lay upon. The black and tan husky was wrapped in bandages, most of them blood-stained. He was unconscious, obviously drugged.

Balto turned to Doc "Who did this to him?" he demanded.

Doc sighed "We found him in the boiler room, along with an unknown female"

"Have you questioned her?" Balto asked.

"We would, but that's impossible given the circumstances" the St Bernard replied sadly.

Balto frowned "What circumstances?"

"She's dead" Doc answered. Balto froze.

"Dead?"

Doc nodded "Torn apart. She must have suffered terribly before she died"

Balto turned to Lance's unconscous form "What does this have to do with Lance?"

"He was the only other occupant in the boiler room when we found them. As there were no witnesses to the crime, he is the only suspect" Doc replied.

Balto stared at Doc "You can't be serious Doc, surely?"

"More serious than I've ever been in my life Balto. Lance was the only other dog in that room with that poor girl, and that puts him top of the list of suspects" Doc replied firmly.

Balto shook his head "But...why would Lance kill that girl? He's never been willingly violent towards anyone all the time I've known him!"

Doc sighed "Believe me Balto, I don't like this any more than you do. But I have a duty to bring the perpotrator of this...heinous crime to justice"

Balto frowned "So, you think Lance did it? With no evidence at all, you accuse him of murder?"

"Yes, and I have all the evidence I need with that poor child's body!" Doc replied sharply. "And when Lance regains consciousness, I'll begin the necessary legal arrangements"

"Doc, he could die! Just look at him!" Balto pointed at Lance. "How could he sustain such injuries and still murder that girl?"

Doc frowned "I don't know! But I WILL find out!"

Balto glared at Doc, and without another word turned and walked out of the vets. Doc sighed.

"I'm sorry Balto"

--------------------------------------------

Dingo had just finished telling his story to Elliot and Heather. Both of them stared at him open mouthed in shock.

"Bloody hell!" Elliot exclaimed. "All that happened?"

Dingo nodded grimly "Every word. That's why I'm here. He's exacting his revenge for what I did to Carver, and more than likely he'll kill me too" he sighed.

"But what about us?" Heather asked. "What'll he do to us? We had no part in what you just told us"

Dingo shook his head "I don't know. Maybe...maybe you're just here to amuse him when he's finished with me"

Heather gulped, and buried her head in Elliot's shoulder "Oh Elliot, what are we going to do? He's going to kill us"

Elliot nuzzled her, attempting to hush her sobs "Over my dead body will he hurt you"

"Don't underestimate this guy, Elliot" Dingo warned. "He's tough, and angry. We all need to stick together if we're gonna get through this"

Elliot nodded "Your right"

Heather lifted her head back up "What about your father Dingo? Won't he be looking for you? Maybe he could help us get out!"

Dingo shook his head "No. No one knows I'm missing, yet"

"Then, maybe we could try to get out ourselves!" Heather padded up to the door. "What are the chances we could get this open?"

"In our condition, very slim" Dingo replied.

Elliot sighed "So, I guess we're stuck here then?"

Dingo nodded "Yeah, for now"

The three remained in silence for a while, until Heather moved up to Dingo.

"Well, since we're stuck here then, how about we be friends?"

Dingo smiled "I'd like that"

"If we stick together, we can beat him!" Elliot raised a paw towards Dingo.

"Friends?"

Dingo grasped the paw and shook it "Friends"

--------------------------------------------

Jenna padded up to the door at the sound of scratching, and Balto padded inside. She nuzzled him.

"Where've you been?" she asked. Balto sighed.

Jenna looked concerned "Balto, what's wrong?"

Balto shook his head "It's nothing. Really"

Jenna frowned "Balto, I know somethings wrong. Now are you going to tell em what it is, or not?"

Balto smiled faintly, but it quickly faded "It's Lance"

Jenna gasped "Is he okay?"

Balto shook his head "Far from it, if Doc has anything to do with it"

"What do you mean?" Jenna asked.

"They've accused him of murder Jen" Balto replied. Jenna stepped back in alarm.

"Murder?"

Balto nodded "They found him in the boiler room with a female husky. She was...dead. Torn apart by the sounds of it"

Jenna stared at him "Was Lance alone when they found them?"

"Yes, but when Doc took me to see him just now...Jen, the poor guy was nearly killed himself. How could he sustain so many injuries, and still manage to kill that girl in such a horrific way? It doesn't make sense"

"No it doesn't" Jenna agreed. "I know Lance, and he'd never do anything like that"

Balto nodded "I know. Which is why I have to prove he didn't do it"

"How are you going to do that?" Jenna asked. Balto sighed.

"I don't know...yet. But I will"

--------------------------------------------

Back in the factory, Dingo ruffled his paws in frustration. Next to him, Heather kept casting fearful looks towards the door. Elliot had been taken out a few minutes previously by Frost, and with every minute that past their worry for his safety increased.

The three of them had talked about various things to pass the time. Dingo know knew that Elliot and Heathr were drifters who had only just arrived in Nome when they had met Frost, or Drake as he had introduced himself, and had taken up his offer to show them around town. Instead, the two of them had been led into an alley, where Frost had savagely attacked them before bringing them to the factory. This had been after he himself had been captured, and he was now certain that Frost was using them as his personal toys to pre-occupy him before he brought he himself back out.

Dingo had wanted to storm the door as soon as Frost had opened it, but he wasn't in the condition to attempt it. Besides, Frost was obviously expecting such an attack, so more thought was needed to a possible escape.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and Elliot was thrown roughly inside. He bounced off the floor, before coming to a stop. Heather ran up to him.

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