“JENNA.” “Well,” said Equinox, “who has Sorrow saved for you? It must be something deadly…” He looked down, and his face took on a look of shock and dread. “Oh, Sorrow…” The message was not a name. It said “I WILL HANDLE THIS ONE MYSELF.” Next to this message was another picture, one of Balto and Jenna standing in a dark place, light refracting through broken bottles on a mound of dirt in the background and casting beautiful rainbow beams over them. They were just standing there, looking at each other, their faces filled with love. Beneath the picture, a message was scrawled on the wall, which read “LOVE IS EXPLOITABLE. THIS IS PLAN A.” Equinox lowered and shook his head. “Balto…” he said darkly. “If only you knew what was about to happen to you. To your friends. To her…” He looked back up at the picture of Jenna, thinking out loud. “If Sorrow takes her…” he said, pausing for a moment, “…it will be inevitable. Somehow, it will happen.” The Hanta didn’t know what Equinox was talking about, but didn’t ask, as the advance form was already headed for the door. “I know what I must do now. Send Necrosis and Immolator here, and have them bring the ripper. Need I tell you not to come back after you contact them?” “I understand,” said the Hanta, going quickly on its errand. Equinox looked back at the picture of Balto and Jenna. “I am so sorry for you,” he said. “Please, listen to me.”

“As my most loyal partners, I am trusting you with a deep secret.” Necrosis, a Lassa advance form, and Immolator, a Hantavirus advance form, stood before Equinox in Sorrow’s lair. Equinox spoke seriously to the point of being threatening, in a hushed voice. “No viruses, and definitely no bacteria are to know of this. Is that clear?” The two advance forms nodded. “Alright, then. I believe Sorrow has found his target.” This startled the others. “Are you serious?” said Necrosis. “Completely.” He held up the DVD. “Interesting,” said Immolator. “Quite unexpected.” Equinox nodded. “I am going to interfere with Sorrow’s plan. I shall go back to this place before he does and warn the target.” “When will you do this?” said Immolator. “Sorrow was last seen speaking to Nemesis. Needless to say, I only have a little time.” “Do you expect the target to be able to escape death even if you warn him?” said Necrosis. “That depends on whether or not he takes my advice.” Equinox turned toward the dimension ripper. Truly a marvelous invention, it increased a contained energy-matter vibration until it reached the ideal frequency of the space-time spectrum, bursting a hole in it. “Now listen,” he said. “This is going to require careful timing. I will go back. When I do, listen for my communication. If I do not contact you within five minutes, you can assume something has gone wrong. If that happens, you must destroy the ripper immediately. If I fail, Sorrow succeeds, and that cannot be allowed to happen. Understood?” The others nodded, and he continued. “If I do communicate within five minutes, you must put the ripper back where its new storage place is, not the old one. I want Sorrow to be able to find it. If it is moved again, he will become suspicious. I cannot have him becoming suspicious of me at all, until a certain moment, which will only come if this ‘Balto’ takes my advice.” “What is your plan?” asked Immolator. “That I will tell no one…except him. I hope he listens.” Equinox pressed the Activate button on the ripper after entering the date and location. A deep thrum resonated around the room, and they could almost see space buckling under the pressure. The thrum built to a whine, and there was a loud splitting sound. A visible crack appeared out of thin air in the middle of the ripper, and Equinox walked up to it. “We wish you luck,” said Necrosis. “No,” said Equinox, nodding at the DVD. “Wish him luck.” He stepped into the crack, and was yanked into it by a tremendous force. He flew at breakneck speed through time and space, in a small tunnel that had been opened through them both. As he flew, he saw that white bands, lining the tunnel, were bending, gradually becoming rings about it. When they were perpendicular to the direction of the tunnel, there was a violent wham, and Equinox was floating down through space only, not time, but still being transported by the ripper. For a moment, he saw it below: a great white land, extending as far as he could see, aside from the ocean. He could see a little town, and he was drifting toward it. Suddenly, he was sucked into a silvery funnel, which pulled him down much faster…

The streets of Nome were dark by the current time of the evening, and the night air was beginning to stir and snuff out any remainder of the warmth provided by the sun, which had already sunk below the mountains in the distance. It was around this time that the dogs of the town often came out from their homes, or left other business, and gathered in one special place. It was an old storage building, long since abandoned by the people of the town, which the dogs had converted into a restaurant, complete with a bar, lounge, and dance floor, swiping food to serve and gathering old furniture, which they crudely modified to accommodate the customers. A radio connected to a makeshift sound system made of several more radios allowed music to be dispersed throughout the building. Here, the dogs made an intoxicating nightlife, which always passed unnoticed under the very noses of the humans, eating good food, drinking fruit juice, and dancing to the always-playing music. At the moment, Balto didn’t feel much interest in those things. No, he was slightly more interested in something else, or rather someone else. He walked through the restaurant, dimly lit by various colored lights and candles, navigating around the patrons and the dance floor. He looked around, hoping to spot her…there she was, lying on one of the cushion-laden chairs in the lounge, which was permanently leaned back to make it long enough to recline on comfortably. She didn’t see him at first, because she wasn’t looking in his direction, but when he stopped, just after he saw her, she looked his way and saw him. She smiled, dulcet sweetness crossing her face, and he winked at her, grinning. She let her left hind leg hang over the side of the chair, and he stared, admiring its appealing curves. He walked toward her, and she broke into a grin as she watched him move, thinking of the contact she would soon be having with the muscles that continually showed and hid themselves as he walked. He went around the chair, observing the small space remaining for him to lie on, which would, of course, directly result in a physically intimate position. She turned over to face him, and he lay down. “Hey, Jenna babe,” he said. “Hi, sweetheart,” she replied. They kissed softly and nuzzled each other. They put their paws around one another, pulling each other closer, and Jenna drew a heavy breath as a rush of passion shot through her, rising from the feel of Balto squeezing her body gently. She nuzzled his neck, pressing her muzzle against him, her breath stirring his fur, and it was his turn to gasp. “The low light does wonders,” Jenna whispered. Balto nodded. “You bet,” he replied. “It’s perfect here now; dimmed lights, hot music, a soft chair…” “And a very handsome lover,” Jenna said. “Hey,” Balto said, “who’s this telling me that I’m good looking? Most guys in this town would kill to be in this position with someone as beautiful as you.” He caressed Jenna, and she giggled. “That can still give me chills.” She pressed up against Balto and kissed him, running her paws over his neck and shoulders, and he shivered. “Likewise. Let’s have some more of this…” They shared two passionate kisses. Balto kissed Jenna’s chest and neck, and she titled her head back, breathing hard, loving the sensation. They moved to where their noses were nearly touching, and Balto saw that Jenna was gasping for breath. “Are you gonna go all euphoric on me, baby?” he asked. Jenna nodded. “Yeah, love,” she panted, then kissed him hard on the lips. “And you’re gonna be behind me all the way.” She licked his face romantically. Balto began to pant, his passion flaring up strongly. They locked eyes for a moment, then pulled each other close and began kissing and stroking one another, falling into a glimmering, sweet mini-world of pleasure-drunk ecstasy, acknowledging nothing else around them but each other as being of any consequence, or worthy of attention. They came back to the restaurant after a few overwhelming moments, both trembling from the rush. “That is so good…” Balto said. “When I kiss you, I can taste…” “Maple syrup. Thick, rich maple syrup.” “How’d you know?” “What do you think you taste like?” “I love you, Jenna.” “I love you, Balto.” They nuzzled each other, just enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed so close, the fine touch of each other’s fur. Finally, they each looked into the other’s eyes again. “I think I’ll have more syrup,” Jenna said. “Only if you share,” Balto said. “That’s fine,” Jenna said. “You know it’ll never run out.” “Then I’ll just keep taking it.” They moved toward each other and kissed delicately, their lips touching ever so gently, holding it for several seconds. They moved apart, barely an inch, and whispered their love to each other again.

A few minutes later, Balto and Jenna were walking close, heading home. “How was your day?” Balto asked. “Can’t complain,” Jenna replied. “Yours?” “Okay, I guess. It wasn’t nearly as good without you.” They nuzzled each other. “At least you’re here now,” said Jenna. She kissed Balto’s neck, and he pulled her in to him with one paw. “Whoa, now. We should at least go inside instead of doing this out in the street.” “You’re right. Let’s go.” They walked into the boiler room and shut the door behind them. For a moment, they were happy just to stare into each other’s eyes,