whatnot…”

Colonel McIntyre then closed up the duralumin case and set it down on the floor. Balto walked up to Kodi and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, giving him a slight smile.

“Dad… If… If I don’t come back- tell Mom that-”

“Stop right there… Kodiak, you’re a very skilled, impressive young agent… Don’t talk like you know you’re going to die…” Balto said, handing Kodi a single bullet, “This bullet I had made special… Use it only when you’re certain you can kill Niju…” Balto took Kodi’s hand and left the bullet in it. Kodi gripped the single brass bullet tightly, eyes shining brightly as he nodded to his father.

“I understand Dad… I won’t fail… I won’t let you down…” Kodi said before saluting Balto. Balto smiled and saluted Kodi back.

Kodi and Kirby nodded to one another before they walked out of sight. Balto sighed heavily and looked around the Operations Room. This was the first time he’d ever been in here out of his stealth suit. Turning back to the large monitor on the wall, Balto watched it, staring at the information displayed on the screen. On the left side of the screen was a vertical gray rectangle, a picture of Kodi in it and stats on Kodi’s current condition, heart-rate, blood pressure, and vital signs.

“Please Kodi… Be safe…” Balto whispered to the display of his son, slowly closing his eyes in silent prayer, then spotted something on the topography map of the region the military base was on, “Colonel, zoom in on those five dots there…”

“Good God…” Colonel McIntyre said as they zoomed in, “Those are anti-aircraft turrets…”

“They won’t have a chance getting in… I’m going…” Balto said, quickly turning to leave.

“Balto, you can’t! You weren’t approved for the mission!”

“I can’t just sit by and watch my son get blown to pieces by the enemy! There has to be something we can do!” Balto argued, walking back up to the colonel, “Anything, Colonel… Isn’t there anything we can do?” Colonel McIntyre thought for a moment, then sighed heavily.

“All we can do is warn the pilot… Other than that, it’s too late for anything else…” McIntyre explained, “We’ll just have to trust their skills and wish them the best of luck…” Balto looked utterly terror-stricken, only able to stare at the large wall monitor in distress and hope for the best…

Balto slid out of the air shaft behind Brad, sighing softly. Only ten minutes ago, Brad had picked the lock to his cell and killed the guard watching them before setting Balto free. Everything had just been so tough for Balto so far and he didn’t know how much more he could take. Walking off into a room while Brad inspected some files, Balto smiled as he saw something interesting.

“Hey Brad! I think I may have found him!” Balto shouted to his teammate and mentor. Brad rushed in and found Balto holding his handgun to a soldier’s head. “Now, tell my teammate what you just told me…”

“C-Commander Baker’s in the Mapping Room!” the guard said, then looked at Brad, “Y-you! What’re you doing here? I thought the Commander-”

Brad’s eyes widened slightly and his hand shot up, putting a round through the guard’s head. The dog fell against the wall and slid down to the floor. Balto stared at the body of his hostage, then shot a glare at Brad.

“What the Hell was that all about?!” Balto asked in a near shout, now very irritated with Brad’s actions and methods, “You’ve interrogated no one, killed everyone we’ve come across, and even killed the one guy who had information for us! I don’t know what methods you use, but they’re insane!”

“Balto, listen to me… I’ve never interrogated one guard in my six years of being an agent… and I’ve accomplished every single mission I’ve gone on…” Brad said, growling lowly at Balto, “If you don’t like my methods, then that’s your problem, but for now we have to work together just to stay alive, because if we fail this mission, we die, understood?” Balto opened his mouth to protest some more, but sighed heavily and dropped his arms.

“Alright… I’m sorry Brad… I didn’t mean to yell… I’m just- a little irritated, is all… and stressed! This is my first mission and I guess I’m a little nervous right now…” Balto admitted, ears lowering against his forehead.

“It’s alright Balto… I understand that feeling… Everyone’s been a rookie at one time or another…” Brad said, patting the wolfdog’s shoulders, “Now c’mon, let’s go find that Mapping Room…”

Balto smiled slightly at Brad. The wolf opened the door and Balto walked out, gun raised as he sweeped the halls for soldiers. He motioned to Brad and both agents set off down the hallways. After searching for close to an hour, they finally found a room marked Mapping Room. Balto nodded to Brad and the wolf swiftly kicked the door down, walking in coolly and spotting the Golden Retriever who was their objective. He gave them a shocked look and took a few steps back.

“Who’re you two?” the Commander asked, back now pressed to the far wall, “How did you get in here?”

“Just remain calm… We’re not going to kill you, and we won’t harm you so long as you comply with us…” Brad said, looking to Balto and motioning to a folder on the table, “Balto, grab his files… I’ll arrest Baker…” Baker turned around and put his hands behind his back, willingly giving himself up as Brad latched handcuffs on his wrists.

“Alright, let’s get outta here…” Balto said, “More guards might show up… We’d better hurry out of here…”

“Relax, Balto…” Brad said, taking the lead and walking Baker out with them, hands firmly gripping the Retriever’s green military uniform, “Our extraction point is in the port city of Puerto Vallarta…”

“Alright, so how are we going to get there?” Balto asked, “I don’t think we can walk through a Mexican jungle…” Brad laughed as they walked out into the bright sunlight, a jeep parked off to the side of the base.

“THAT is how we’re getting out of here…” Brad replied, tossing Commander Baker forcefully into the back before climbing into the driver’s side, Balto taking the passenger seat beside him.

Brad turned the key in the ignition and the car started up, flooring the gas pedal and shooting off, turning around the base, searching for the gate to get out. The guards instantly noticed them and began opening fire. Balto fired back, managing to kill two guards before his gun ran out of bullets. As Balto reloaded, Brad began firing back, shooting down four guards and laughing as he drove.

“Ah, I love this!” Brad said to Balto, “It’s such a thrill!”

Balto merely nodded in response, not really paying attention as he jammed a fresh magazine into his Beretta as Brad circled around the base again, both agents firing at the guards this time. Concrete splintered where they shot, a few guards getting hit, but many of their shots missing their targets. Finally, Brad found the mesh gates, shut and chained up. He grinned and drove straight for them.

“Uh, Brad?” Balto asked, staring straight ahead as a blockade of guards formed before the gate.

“Trust me, Balto…” Brad replied, “That, and get your head down!” Balto and Brad ducked as a hailstorm of bullets ripped through the windshield, the jeep still going and plowing through the soldiers, ramming the gate and breaking it open as they sped off down the dirt road, destined for Puerto Vallarta…

            Kodi sat in silence as the jet soared over the Atlantic Ocean. His gaze stayed out the window as his stomach twisted about inside of him. He thought he’d been nervous on his first mission, but this fear was nearly unbearable. At least on his first mission he’d had his father to help him through it. While he trusted Kirby’s skills, he knew his father was the best in the business and that was like a safety net for him. Now Kodi felt like he was walking the high-wire with no protection.

Kirby noticed his teammate’s nervousness and tension and patted Kodi’s shoulder. Kodi looked over at him and gave him a weak smile.

“Hey Kodi, you doing alright?” Kirby asked. Kodi only nodded slowly before saying,

“Yeah, I’m fine… It’s… nothing, really…” Kodi looked back out the window. Below them, the coast of Morocco was beginning to come into view. With a heavy sigh, Kodi resigned himself to the fact that they’d be there soon… and he may not be coming back home this time…

“Well Kodi, we’re almost there…” Kirby said, taking out his handgun, a Glock, and checking to make sure it was loaded, “Don’t worry… I’m sure your Dad’s taught you enough to complete this mission… Should be nothing more than any other standard assassination/infiltration missions…”

“Yeah, it should be…” Kodi replied, glancing down and watching the ground below pass by them. Roughly ten minutes later, the beginnings of the enormous Sahara Desert began to come into view. He sighed heavily, taking out his Beretta and staring down at it. It only took them another thirty minutes before they came into the vicinity of the compound. Kodi looked out at the dark night. Due to the time exchange, it was already night there.

“Ten minutes to your D.O.P. Get ready agents…” the captain said over the intercom. Kodi grabbed his parachute and clutched it tightly, taking a deep breath. The two agents sat in silence, awaiting the green light to get going on their mission.

“Five minutes to drop-off… Get suited up, make sure you have all your equipment…” Kodi and Kirby stood up, slipping their parachutes on and checking everything was stowed safely on them. They exchanged a quick smile before waiting for the next order from the captain.

“Two minutes to drop-off… Opening the rear of the plane…” the captain said through the intercom and a moment