against one another nearly every time, every other time the attacks were dodged. After a few more minutes, Kodi got a lucky strike and sliced across Niju’s arm, causing him to drop his knife briefly. Kodi took this advantage and leapt at Niju, missing as the wolf dove and recovered his fallen blade.

Both fighters got back to their feet, circling each other again. Another exchange of deflected blows occurred before Niju feigned an attack on Kodi’s torso and went for his throat, going to high and cutting across the left side of Kodi’s muzzle instead. Kodi yelped and cried out in pain, backing up and placing a hand to his muzzle, pulling it back and seeing the scarlet blood on his palm. Kodi growled and threw his knife at Niju. Niju grunted softly as the knife hit his leg, sending him down to the floor again.

Kodi ran up to Niju and skidded beside him, twisting Niju’s right arm until he dropped his knife. Kodi picked up the dropped knife and tossed it aside, pulling his out of Niju’s leg and pulling back quickly. Niju lay on the floor for a while, his leg bleeding profusely. After a few more minutes, he drew his handgun and pointed it at Kodi, grinning at the Husky’s surprised look.

“You cheater… You said only close-quarter combat!” Kodi said angrily, not feeling very reassured when Niju scoffed and chuckled darkly.

“So I cheated… But it’s not my life about to end now, is it?” Niju asked, beginning to squeeze the trigger. Above, Kirby saw what was happening and went to shoot Niju first and save Kodi. However, Niju saw Kirby and changed his target, aiming at Kirby and firing. Kirby cried out as the bullet struck him just to the left of his stomach, sending the Malamute doubling over and off the edge of the catwalk, crashing into the concrete floor.

“KIRBY!!!” Kodi yelled out, then growled at Niju who just laughed evilly, “You bastard! You deserve death!” Kodi kicked the gun from the wolf’s hands and took several steps back, pulling out his Beretta. Niju laughed and shook his head.

“What, are you going to shoot me now?” Niju asked, laughing again, “Go ahead! I’m pretty much dead anyways!” Kodi growled and went to pull the trigger- and stopped. He ejected his current magazine and pulled out a single brass bullet, the one Balto had given him at the beginning of his mission,

“I promised, Dad… And now, I’m keeping that promise…” Kodi whispered, placing the bullet first in the magazine and reloading it, pulling the slide of his Beretta back and aiming it at Niju. He pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting Niju’s chest. The wolf cried out- and then exploded. Kodi nearly fell back in surprise. Balto had said that the bullet had been made special. It was filled with a small amount of napalm! Kodi thought with surprise, a large grin spreading over his muzzle, When Dad talked about the ultimate revenge on Niju, he really wasn’t kidding!

Kodi quickly holstered his weapons and ran to where Kirby had fallen, spotting his teammate lying face-up. A small puddle of blood had begun to form beneath his body. He ran up and knelt beside Kirby, looking him over. Aside from the bullet-wound, Kirby looked fine, just unconscious. Kodi tapped Kirby’s face and the agent began to wake up again.

“Kodi?” Kirby asked uncertainly as he slowly sat up, “W-what happened? Where’s Niju gone?” Kodi smirked and chuckled.

“Dead, Kirby… Niju’s dead… His body exploded from a napalm bullet given to me by my Dad…” Kodi explained, “Now c’mon… You still have those C4 charges to rig around this room before we can get out of here…”

“Y-yeah… You’re right… I still do have them…” Kirby said, slowly getting to his feet and pulling out four small black boxes from his belt. He walked from one corner of the hangar to the other, planting the C4 charges next to racks of missiles and placing a small transmitter on each one.

“Now let’s get out of here, partner…” Kodi said, taking Kirby’s arm around his shoulder and helping him walk slightly. As they made their way through the hallways following signs that said ‘Exit’, a small group of guards saw them.

“Hey, you two! Freeze!” one shouted. Kodi glared at them and raised his handgun, firing and dropping them like flies.

“We’re almost out, Kirby…” Kodi said softly as they approached a pair of metal doors that slid open as they came close to them, “We’re at the exit now…”

The exit was a large, sort of underground parking lot, a tunnel leading out. Rows of desert-attuned jeeps and vehicles lined the walls. Kodi walked Kirby over to a jeep and lay him out across the back, closing the door and then climbing into the driver’s side. As Kodi started the jeep, a few gunshots hit the side of the vehicle. Looking out the window, Kodi saw another group of guards running toward them.

“Don’t worry Kodi…” Kirby said weakly from the back of the jeep, “I’ll take care of… the rest of these bastards…” He pressed a button on his SOAW and both his and Kodi’s made a beeping sound. Kodi checked his SOAW, a five minute countdown had started. Kirby had activated the C4 charges.

“Alright Kirby, hang on… We’re getting out of this place…” Kodi said, putting the jeep into Drive and flooring the gas pedal, speeding off down the tunnel as the guards shot at the back of the jeep. For the first two minutes, everything seemed like smooth sailing. It was really just a long, straight tunnel; no turns or curves anywhere.

However, the calmness was lost as more gunshots were heard and the sounds of bullets hitting metal came along as well. Kodi glanced out the windows and saw two jeeps filled with enemy soldiers shooting at them.

“Hold on tight Kirby!” Kodi said, swerving quickly to the left and ramming the enemy’s jeep into the wall, watching with a grin as the vehicle spun out and crashed. He laughed and turned to the other one, which had fallen behind them. Just then, their SOAWs beeped. The countdown had reached 0:00.

Starting from the Missile Hangar and working its way through the whole underground and above ground compound, the explosions tore through everything. Behind them, Kodi could see the waves of flames rushing toward them in the rear-view mirror. He prayed silently, the flames catching up and engulfing the enemy jeep behind them. Just before they were caught as well, they sped out of the tunnel and into the bright morning light, the flames spewing out behind them as they drove away from them and to safety.

“Woo-hoo!” Kodi cheered loudly, a huge grin on his face as he kept on going, “We did it Kirby! Mission accomplished! Woo, what a finish! Now we can go home happy…” However, Kirby didn’t respond. Fearfully, Kodi glanced back- and sighed when he noticed Kirby was just asleep.

“This is Agent Kodi… The mission is a success… Repeat, all objectives completed and the compound has been wiped off the map…” Kodi said after turning on his radio, “… And I’ve gotta say Colonel, it was one hell of a mission as well…” From the other end of the radio, Kodi could hear cheers erupting all around.

“Hear that, Kodi? That’s all for you and Kirby, for a job well done…” Colonel McIntyre said, the joy apparent in his voice as well, “Head towards your designated Evacuation Point now… I think it’s time we brought you boys home…”

Smiling victoriously, Kodi continued driving, heading toward their Evacuation Point…

Chapter 6

The Washington Memorial, May 27th 2026, 1200 hours.

            It didn’t come as a big surprise to Kodi and Kirby that the moment they walked toward the memorial dressed in ceremonial military uniforms, the whole place erupted into cheers and applause. Kodi found it impossible to stop beaming, his wide smile reflecting the great achievement he felt within himself. It wasn’t only the knowledge that he’d saved the United States and possibly most of the world, nor was it the honor and glory he’d receive, but the knowledge that he’d completed such a difficult mission and he was now an official high-ranking agent that made him so proud of himself.

The two agents and heroes walked down the aisle to the stage set up in order for the Medals of Honor to be presented to them. On the stage stood Colonel McIntyre, Jenna, the Secretary of Defense, and the President himself. Kodi and Kirby walked up the few small steps and approached the Colonel, the Secretary, and the President, saluting them respectfully. Colonel McIntyre handed the President the two silver medals and smiled widely at Kodi and Kirby.

“Kodiak Harrand and Kirby DeVuela, for outstanding achievement in the field and line of duty, for willing to sacrifice your lives for freedom and liberty, and for protecting our land from terrorists and dangers, it is with great pride and pleasure that I present you both with the Medal of Honor…” the President said, pinning each medal to the agents’ shirts, “You two are true soldiers, loyal patriots, and honorable heroes…”

Kodi and Kirby dropped their salutes and turned to face the crowd, thunderous applause ringing through the air. Newscasters from everywhere tried to ask them questions, but were turned back by the police and the Secret Service. Kodi ran up to Jenna and embraced his mother lovingly, smiling widely.

“Oh Kodiak, you did so well!” Jenna said, beaming at her son, “I’m so proud of you, Kodi…”

“Thanks Mom…” he replied, then lost his smile, “… Mom… Where’s Dad?” Jenna lost her smile as well.