as well. Colonel McIntyre turned to see Jenna’s expression and knew what Kodi has asked her.

“Kodi… I don’t know how to tell you this… Your father was shot… several times…” Jenna said, tears welling up in her eyes, “He’s alive, but just barely… The doctors say he won’t make it…” Kodi just stood there for a long moment, stunned by what Jenna had just told him. His expression got dead-serious, then sorrowful.

“Mom…” Kodi said softly, “Which hospital is he in?”

            Kodi ran as fast as he could down the clean, white hallways of the hospital, avoiding as many patients, nurses, and doctors as he could. When he at last arrived at the room Jenna had said Balto was in, Kodi didn’t know what to do next. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst, if it came to it. Gathering up all his remaining courage, Kodi opened the door and walked inside. Balto lay in the hospital bed, deep in sleep. His heart-rate was being recorded on a cardio-vascular monitor.

Kodi felt his heart wrench upon seeing his father, bandaged up and unconscious. He choked back a sob of regret and slowly walked over to his father’s side and sitting down in the chair at the side of his bed. He sighed sadly and placed his hand gently on top of Balto’s. Balto’s eyes began to slowly open, a soft groan emitting from his throat before he looked over, seeing a crimson and cream colored male Husky sitting beside him, a small smile on his face. Balto smiled back as he recognized the dog.

“Kodi…” Balto whispered softly, smiling weakly back at his son, “… You made it back… Well done, son… And a Medal of Honor as well…” Kodi smiled widely at his father and sniffled softly.

“Dad… Dad, I…” Kodi began, looking away and taking a deep breath before looking back at Balto, tears pouring from his burgundy eyes, “Dad, I’m so, so sorry for what I said to you before! I was… I just always thought that I’d make you so proud of me if I was like you… But now, I feel like I’ve let you down… I’m sorry, Dad… Sorry that I let you down…”

Kodi closed his eyes, sobbing softly. Balto sighed softly and placed his hand on Kodi’s cheek, turning his son’s head to face him. The sorrowful Husky slowly opened his eyes, both of them sparkling with his crystalline tears. Balto gave his son a warm, loving smile as he wiped Kodi’s tears away.

“Kodi… you could never let me down… I’ve always been proud of you… no matter what you’ve done…” Balto replied softly, “I’ve always believed in you, Kodi… And you’ve- never had to prove yourself to me… I’m sorry if I made you feel that way…” Kodi smiled weakly back at his father, still sniffling as he put something in Balto’s hand. His dog-tags. Jenna slowly walked into the room, sitting down on the other side of Balto’s bed.

“Dad… I… I want to thank you… for everything you’ve ever done for me…” Kodi said softly, hugging Balto lovingly, “I’m so sorry for anything I’ve ever done wrong… I promise, I’ll be just as good an agent as you are…” Balto grinned slightly and chuckled lowly.

“Kodi, you are already a better agent than I could ever hope to be…” Balto said, his voice softer than before, his eyes beginning to glaze over and dilate, “… Keep up our legacy… I know, you can do it Kodi… I know you’ll do justice to the title of an agent…” Balto’s heart-rate began to decrease, Jenna and Kodi exchanging looks of worry.

“Balto, why are you saying things like this?” Jenna asked, giving her wounded husband a look of great distress and concern, “Why are you telling Kodi these sorts of things?” Balto looked at Jenna and smiled faintly up at her.

“Jenna… Look at me… You know I’m not going to last much longer… I can… barely speak as it is…” Balto replied, his voice barely audible, his heart-rate still slowly decreasing as his strength waned, “Jenna… Know that, no matter what… I loved you, and I’ll always love you… Kodi… Do your best… No one could ever… ask more of you…”

“Balto, don’t talk that way! You aren’t going to die! Not here, not like this!” Jenna said, placing a hand gently on his cheek, tears cascading from her amber eyes, “You’re going to make it through this, you hear me? You can’t die… You just can’t…”

“Please Dad… Don’t die on us… Not now…” Kodi said, hugging his father again, “Please… Don’t leave me… I still need your advice…”

“Do your best, Kodi…” Balto whispered into Kodi’s ear, his gold and brown eyes slowly closing, “I… have… faith… in… you…”

Balto’s grip on Kodi’s hand weakened to nothing, a soft sigh escaping the wolfdog’s muzzle one last time before his chest ceased to rise anymore. The cardio-vascular monitor attacked to Balto went off, a continuous high-pitched beep filling the room. Jenna burst into sobs, wrapping her arms around Balto as well and holding him tightly. Kodi stood up and walked to the door, shouting for the doctors. Four dogs in white coats ran into the room, one charging up a defibrillator while the others tried desperately to resuscitate Balto.

Kodi stood off to the side, watching everything as it seemed to go by in slow-motion to him. Jenna was sobbing uncontrollably, watching desperately as the doctors fought to bring Balto back to life. But after five minutes passed and nothing happened, the one replaced the defibrillator and the others exchanged mournful looks. Jenna lost it, falling to her knees beside Balto and wrapping her arms around him.

“Balto, please come back! Please! Please come back!” she choked out between sobs, kissing his cheek while holding him tightly. Kodi felt like his whole body was frozen in this state of complete shock. His mind just couldn’t register the fact that his father, his mentor, and his hero was gone… Gone forever…

Washington D.C., June 1st 2026, 1000 hours.

            A large funeral service had gathered in the Memorial Cemetery to mourn the death of Balto. Out of all who showed up, none looked or felt more devastated by his death than Jenna, Jason, and Kodi. All of the agents from the agency had shown up, everyone working for the agency dressed in a navy blue uniform, including Kodi. The many dogs who had shown up gathered around the wooden coffin containing the body of the wolfdog everyone loved so dearly. After the priest had presided over the traditional ceremonies, Colonel McIntyre stepped forward, bowing his head with respect to his fallen friend.

“Balto Harrand lived a life of threat and danger as a government agent for the United States of America… But he always knew the risks and, for over twenty years, he continued to serve and protect his country loyally, willing to lay his life down in the line of duty…” Jason said, staring down at the photograph of Balto placed on top of the coffin, “He was an inspiration to all who serve to defend their homeland… His life and his sacrifice were a symbol of patriotism, of loyalty, and of love and dedication… He will be missed terribly, but he will never be forgotten…”

Colonel McIntyre sniffled and covered his eyes with his hand for a moment. He then looked up, eyes shimmering with tears. He took a slow, deep breath before continuing on with his eulogy.

“Balto stood up for what he believed was right… even at the cost of his own life… He willingly gave his life helping to lead to the preservation of our country’s life and liberty…” he continued, taking another deep breath, “He was my good friend, and I knew more than anyone how much he loved what he did… No one ever loved protecting anything more than he had… Farewell Balto, my friend… We’ll meet again…”

Colonel McIntyre took a few steps backward. Jenna then stepped forward, tears slowly running down her cream-colored muzzle. She took a shaky breath and looked up to begin her eulogy to her husband and beloved.

“Balto was my love, my world, my life… I can’t accept the fact that he’s gone, because he isn’t gone… He’ll live on, in our memories and hearts… His legacy won’t die and his acts of bravery will never be forgotten…” Jenna said sorrowfully, still crying as she spoke, “… Balto had always told me he’d hoped to die protecting whatever he held dear… Originally it was the United States, but after Kodiak was born, he dedicated his life to protecting us, and he died doing just that… I know that wherever Balto is, he’s smiling down at us, glad that he gave his life for what he had believed so strongly in… Goodbye, Balto… I’ll see you again, I promise…”

Jenna covered her eyes and broke down into sobs again. Jason walked up beside her and slowly brought her back into the crowd. He stepped forward again and stood proudly, eyes serious and steely. He straightened out his military official’s hat and stared out over the lines of decorated agents.

“In memorial of Agent Balto Harrand… Agents, attention!” he said in a commanding voice, every agent save for the two who had just returned from a mission standing tall and saluting, Kodi and Kirby watching on quietly.

“Present arms!” he said in his authorative voice. The ten agents that were holding rifles held them out in front of them, presenting them with the same saddened, yet serious look in their eyes.

“Fire one!” he said, the agents firing off into the sky in salute to Balto’s legacy of honor. They pulled the bolt back, reloading their rifles.

“Fire two!” Bang! Kodi’s burgundy eyes shone with the sadness and sorrow as he stared at the photograph of his father, grinning in his ceremonial navy uniform, similar to the one Kodi was wearing.

“Fire three!” Bang! Kodi’s heart wrenched in his chest, making him feel sick to his stomach. Never in all his life had he expected to be standing where he was now, before his