was now, before his father’s gave and mourning his death. Kodi had expected his father to die of old age, not of an ambush on his own house.

“Fire four!” Bang! Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, but Kodi blinked them back, eyes still locked on the face of his father in the photograph. He had been the best there was, but now Kodi realized the cold, terrible truth…

“Fire five!” Bang! … Even heroes and legends die…

            Kodi stood before his father’s grave, the ceremonial funeral now long-since finished and his father buried. Yet the photograph had been left leaning against the headstone, many bouquets of flowers adorning the grave all around. Kirby leaned against a nearby tree, staring sympathetically at his best friend. Jenna stood on the path through the cemetery, watching Kodi. She walked up to him and placed a hand gently on his shoulder, giving him an empathetic look.

“Take your time, Kodiak… I’ll be back there…” Jenna said softly. When Kodi didn’t reply, she just sighed sadly and walked back to the path. Kodi’s eyes were still locked with those of Balto’s. Colonel McIntyre slowly walked up to Kodi, a briefcase held tightly in his hand. He stared down at Balto’s photograph and shook his head slowly.

“Why did he have to die?” Kodi asked softly, on the verge of tears. Jason took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

“I don’t know, Kodi… He was a good dog… Good dog’s don’t deserve things like this…” he replied softly, placing the briefcase down by Kodi’s feet, “Balto gave me this a month ago… He said he wanted you to have this when he died…”

Colonel McIntyre patted Kodi on the back before turning and walking away. Kodi glanced down at the black briefcase for a moment before back up to his father’s photograph. He choked back a sob, tears beginning to fill up his eyes once again. Slowly, his eyes traced over the inscriptions on Balto’s headstone.

Balto Harrand

June 6, 1980 – May 27, 2026

Gave his life defending what he loved

A loving father

A devoted soldier

A true patriot

A true hero

Kodi’s eyes now filled with his crystal tears, blurring most of his vision. His resolve was now stronger than ever to carry on being an agent for his father’s legacy; to keep the legend alive. Knowing now his duty wasn’t to become his father, but to protect his country in the name of his father… With that thought, Kodi felt his vigor and patriotism soar and stood proudly. Staring down at his father’s face, Kodiak raised his hand…

And saluted…

Epilogue

The Pentagon, June 30th 2026, 0930 hours.

            Kodi placed a picture of his mother and father atop the oak desk in his new office in the Pentagon. He sighed heavily, looking around. It had been the exact same office his father had had, up until he died… Kodi felt the sorrow in him still, but no longer cried. Instead, he gently touched the picture of his father, memories flooding back to him. Colonel McIntyre stepped inside with a manila folder and knocked on the door, walking up to Kodi’s desk and looking around.

“Wow, nice layout… Are you sure you weren’t destined to be an interior designer?” he asked jokingly, then cleared his throat when Kodi didn’t as much as chuckle, “Anyway, the government wanted me to assign this mission to you… I told them you’d probably need more time, but they insisted that I did…” Kodi only continued to stare at the picture of his father.

“Colonel… My father… Why was he always so unafraid to die?” Kodi asked, staring into his father’s gold and brown eyes in the photo, “What made him so hardened? So tough?” Colonel McIntyre sighed as memories came back to him.

“It was his first mission that did that, Kodi…” he answered, “You see, on his first mission, Balto had to kill his mentor, all because he had been betraying the United States… I met him at the airport when he returned, and boy, he was as tough as steel, not as much as showing any sign of emotion…”

            Jason McIntyre stood at the Arrivals area of the Washington International Airport. He checked his watch, then one of the monitors on arrivals. The flight from Mexico City had arrived, so where was he? A few minutes later, he saw the gray wolfdog walking toward him, rucksack on his back and the briefcase in his hands. He walked toward his friend, smiling widely.

“Balto, glad to see you back!” he said cheerfully, Balto just walking on and not even smiling back. Jason knew something was up. He walked beside Balto, tapping the briefcase.

“Want me to take this for you?” he asked, taking the briefcase as Balto handed it to him without a word, “Is this the files and documents you found Brad loaded with?”

“Yep…” Balto said neutrally, a steely look in his wolfish eyes. Jason had had just about enough of this. He sighed and shook his head.

“Look Balto, I know something’s up… You’ve said only one word since you’ve landed and you aren’t acting like yourself!” he remarked, grabbing Balto’s arm and stopping him, “Tell me what’s going on… What’s got you so upset?” Balto gave Jason a look of such seriousness, it sent chills up his spine.

“I killed Brad… I watched him die… I pulled the trigger, firing the bullet that ended his life… I killed the one canine I looked up to the most in life… Do you know what that feels like, Jason?” Balto hissed under his breath, “I couldn’t care less if I live or die on a mission now… As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already pulled the trigger on myself, too…”

Jason was astonished by Balto’s sudden rush of determination. Many agents he’d seen died in the field because they had been afraid to die and had gotten too cautious for their own good. Balto didn’t care anymore, which meant he was free to think clearly, taking death out of the equation. This alone would make him a more effective killer and agent. A few moments later, a hardened wolfdog and a shocked German Shepherd left the airport…

            “That one, single kill out of every shot he made on a dog changed Balto the most in his life… I don’t think he ever recovered from it…” Colonel McIntyre said softly, feeling the depth of his missing of Balto, “Kodi, do you have that briefcase I gave to you?” Kodi nodded slowly.

“Open it up…”

Kodi did as he was told, picking up the briefcase and setting it down on his desk before opening it up. Inside was Balto’s Beretta, a copy of his dog-tags, various photographs of him and Kodi, a DVD, and a letter. Picking it up, Kodi began to read it slowly, eyes riding over every single letter. It read:

Kodiak,

If you are reading this, then it means my time has come and passed and that Jason is a dog of his word… All these items in the briefcase are yours, including all the weapons that I have owned, stowed away in our house. I hope and trust that you will carry these, along with our legacy, with pride until the very end. I trust and believe in you, son.

Your loving father,

Balto

“I always wondered why your father had turned down that mission over a month ago… But now I figured it out at long last… Your father turned down the mission to protect you and your mother…” Colonel McIntyre said slowly, his voice sad and low, “He must’ve known that when Niju took his dog-tags, he’d track him down… and if he took the mission, he’d have gone alone after Niju, leaving you and your mother home and vulnerable… He let you go because he knew you’d have a partner… Then he’d be able to help you from here while protecting Jenna… By turning down the mission, he paid the ultimate price but was able to save the things he loved the most… He sacrificed his life to keep you and Jenna alive…”

Kodi put the letter back down in the briefcase and closed his eyes, placing his hands on the desk to support himself standing. He quivered a bit as he fought back another sob. Colonel McIntyre sighed sympathetically and shook his head, glancing down at the folder in his hands.

“Kodi, if you want some more time off, I could grant it to you… I don’t know what you’re going through right now, so I’d have no qualms doing it…” he offered kindly, waiting for Kodi’s response. The Husky didn’t move a muscle.

“… Kodiak…?”

After a few more moments, Kodi stood up straight again and picked up Balto’s Beretta, looking it over a few times. He jammed a fresh clip into it and aimed it around the room, eventually ejecting the clip and setting it down on the table.

“No Colonel, I’m fine…” he