pushed through the large ferns and undergrowth. It had been a few hours since they’d touched down and now it seemed like forever they’d been trekking. Balto checked his SOAW; it had been precisely two hours and eighteen minutes since they’d landed.

“Where the Hell is this place?” Balto asked into the small microphone clipped onto his shirt.

“It should be just a bit farther… In fact Balto, go forward about fifty feet…” Brad said, his voice coming through Balto’s old radio that he wore. Balto pushed forward and through one last large fern until he saw a small military base down in a basin before him, the beige concrete and steel mesh fence standing out from the lush green scenery around it.

“Excellent… I found it Brad… Where are you?” Balto asked, feeling someone tap him on his shoulder and instinctively spun around, pointing his handgun at Brad, “Jeez Brad, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” Brad chuckled and pointed to Balto’s gun.

“You almost made me lose my brains, but there was no harm done there, right?” he asked, chuckling again, “Come on, I can see a break in the guards’ patrol pattern… Follow me…”

Brad led Balto down through the dense jungle until they arrived on the outskirts of the base. Through the wire mesh, Balto could see the guards walking back and forth, M-16’s clutched tightly as they patrolled back and forth around the compound. Brad watched until the guards moved away, leaving a small opening in their patrolling. Brad quickly jumped onto the fence, climbing to the top and using his wire-cutters to snip through the barbed wire at the top before dropping over and hiding behind a stack of crates.

Balto took a deep breath and waited several minutes before the break reappeared again. He then followed Brad’s example, taking his route and climbing over the fence, dropping on the other side and dashing to where Brad was, taking cover next to his mentor. As they hid, a single guard walked by them and caught a quick glimpse of Balto’s jungle camouflage in contrast to the metal crates. He walked over to see what it was and spotted the two agents. Balto noticed him as well and quickly raised his handgun, pulling the trigger and listening to the gunshot echo through his ears and mind, watching the soldier clutch his chest and double-over.

Brad looked over and saw Balto kill the soldier, quickly scrambling over beside Balto and pulling the dead guard out of sight behind the crates. He examined the wound inflicted upon the guard. A direct shot to the dog’s chest. Brad nodded in approval to Balto, impressed with his marksmanship.

“Nice shot Balto… Now let’s try to find a way inside…” he whispered, looking back out over the side of the crates. Balto only stared at his handgun, then to the body, then back to his gun. He still couldn’t believe it. He had actually killed a dog…

            The Oil Processing Room wasn’t very far from where Kodi had made his first kill. Just a few minutes down the hall and they found the metal door with the label on it. Balto pulled it open and rushed inside, followed by Kodi, both scanning for enemies. They were on a metal catwalk above huge tankards of oil. A single dog, or more accurately, a wolf, stood on the catwalk a few yards away. As Balto and Kodi got closer, the black and white wolf noticed them and quickly spun around.

“Who the Hell are you two?” he asked furiously, taking a step backward.

“Niju Suarez, I presume…” Balto said, lowering his gun while Kodi kept his on the wolf, “We represent the United States government… We’re here to stop you… Now you can either come quietly or die with a fight…”

Niju, not seeing any way out of this yet, sighed and lowered his arms. He took a few slow strides forward before reaching into his jacket. Balto reacted faster and ran forward, reaching him just as the wolf pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun. Balto kicked it out of his hand, watching it fall into the oil below. Niju then laid punch after punch on Balto, knocking the wolfdog backward. Kodi tried to shoot Niju, but couldn’t pull the trigger. He didn’t want to risk his father’s life.

Balto stumbled backwards and nearly fell, but managed to stay standing. He’s got to have some kind of training… His punches are too strong and finessed to be an amateur fighter’s… he thought to himself, looking up to catch Niju running off down the catwalk to a metal door at the end.

“Get him Kodi!” Balto shouted, dashing off after Niju. Kodi obeyed and fired after the retreating canine, hitting the catwalk and rails around him and throwing sparks up behind the wolf, but never hitting him. Niju pulled the door open and rushed out, shortly followed by Balto. Kodi growled softly and ran off after them, not willing to give up the fight so easily.

Balto ran through the door and found himself outside, on another catwalk on the outer walls of the oil rig. Good God! Balto thought to himself, looking down the catwalk and spotting Niju. He ran off after him, but the wolf stopped and kneed Balto in his stomach. The wolfdog groaned softly in agony and doubled over, falling to the ground. Kodi ran outside and saw what was going on. He raised his handgun and pulled the trigger- only to hear a click of an empty magazine.

Balto grabbed Niju’s leg and pulled, sending him crashing to the catwalk as well. Niju growled and kicked Balto in the head, slowly getting up again. Balto struggled to his feet, but was knocked down when Niju landed a blow on the back of his head. Kodi, unable to watch his father take such a beating, ran up and kicked Niju in his chest. The wolf flew backward, but caught himself in mid-fall, did a back-flip, and landed on his feet. Kodi ran forward again, trying to hit Niju but he blocked every attack.

Niju then dodged and grabbed Kodi’s arm, spinning the husky around and holding him as a shield. Balto got up and pointed his gun at Niju- then gasped sharply as he saw Kodi being held hostage.

“Now, Mr. American Agent, stow the gun or your son dies right here, right now…” Niju threatened, pulling out a dagger and holding it to Kodi’s neck. Balto reluctantly holstered his pistol and raised his hands.

“Alright, it’s done… Now let him go, Niju…” Balto said calmly.

“Come and get him first…” Niju said, hiding the grin he was wearing. It was obvious he had a plan, but Balto was unable to see it. As Balto came forward, Niju’s hand shot forward and grabbed the wolfdog’s dog-tags, pulling them from around his neck. He growled softly; he’d been aiming for the agent’s neck, but had missed slightly.

“He’s all yours, Mr. Agent… presuming the ocean doesn’t claim him first!” Niju shouted, tossing Kodi over the edge of the catwalk. The husky screamed as he fell hundreds of feet down into the black, cold ocean waters.

“Kodiak!” Balto shouted, willingly giving up his chance to complete the mission as he jumped off the edge, diving in after Kodi. Niju laughed and ran off down the catwalk. Despite his stealth suit’s insulation, the water was still freezing cold around Balto’s body. God, Kodi fell into this?! Balto thought, swimming underwater toward his son. He grabbed Kodi’s arms and quickly swam up to the surface. A moment later, the two agents broke the surface, Kodi coughing and sputtering.

“D-dad?” he asked, shivering terribly, “I… r-really messes up, huh?”

“Nonsense, Kodi… You didn’t mess anything up…” Balto said, holding his son close to try and warm him up slightly as they bobbed up and down in the water, Balto pressing his radio again, “This is Agent Balto. The mission is a failure. Repeat, the mission is a failure. Requesting immediate extraction. Over…” Balto looked at Kodi. “Don’t worry Kodi… It’s over now… We’ll be home soon…”

            Balto slowly and silently closed the metal door behind him. He glanced

back forward, following behind Brad as he walked down the hallway. A guard came around the corner and Brad didn’t hesitate; he drew out his knife and shoved it into the soldier’s chest before tossing him into an adjacent room.

“So Brad, aren’t we supposed to be looking for this guy, Commander Baker?” Balto asked, giving the wolf a confused look, “So shouldn’t we be interrogating these guys instead of slaughtering them?” Brad chuckled and glanced back at the young wolfdog.

“Balto, sometimes being rough and vicious gets the mission done faster…” he explained, opening a door and looking in the room before closing it and carrying on his search, “Besides, no one will miss these guys…”

Balto gave his mentor a strange look, not quite sure he approved of his methods. But the government apparently did so, so it wasn’t his place to question Brad. The two continued to walk on, Brad shooting and killing every guard they came across. Balto preferred to try and interrogate them, always getting to answer either because they refused to talk or because Brad killed them while he held them.

Balto sighed as he walked out of yet another empty room. He gave Brad a shrug and shook his head slowly.

“I have absolutely no idea where this Commander Baker guy is!” Balto said, hearing rushing bootsteps coming toward them. Balto and Brad turned and saw four guards approach them and take aim at them.

“Freeze you two! Don’t move or it’s your funeral!” one guard shouted. Balto and Brad exchanged looks before dropping their guns and raising their hands above their heads…

            Balto and Kodi continued to gently bob up and down in the water for several minutes. Nearby, a ship’s horn sliced through the serene silence. From the oil