Changing Paths-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Eighteen

Dom began opening his eyes. He looked around and realized he was in a dark room. The German Shepherd found himself facing steel bars in every direction. The only light came from a torch hanging on the far wall.

Dom rubbed his head. His left foreleg ached as if someone stabbed a hot needle into it. Dom looked down and realized that was the case. Dom grabbed the syringe sticking out of his fur and tossed it aside. Dom couldn't remember how or why he was in that cage. Dom grasped at his mind, trying to remember what happened.

The only thing Dom remembered was that he was driving towards Barkingburg in Chase's cruiser at night. After a few minutes, he noticed something flash on the side of the road. His curiosity got the best of him, and Dom stopped the car to check it out. He took a closer look at the strange piece of metal before everything went dark. He remembered a glimpse of Sweetie and someone else next to her, but the memory was foggy and unclear.

Dom heard some shuffling to his left. He turned his head and noticed the shape of a puppy curled up in a ball, snoring softly.

Dom crawled over closer to the other cage, despite the pain in his foreleg. "Hey," he said. "Are you okay? What's your name?"

The puppy moved its head towards the sound of Dom's voice, who was just as shocked to see her. "Dom? Is that you?"

"Skye," Dom said. "What happened? Do you remember anything?"

Skye struggled to sit up and looked around the room. "Where . . . Where are we?"

"I don't know," Dom replied. "But I need you to answer me. Do you remember anything?"

Skye put her paw against her forehead. "Uh, not much," she said. "I remember Chase sending us to sleep, laying down on my bed, falling asleep, and waking up here?" Skye looked around. "Wait, is Chase here? Where is everyone?"

"I think it's just you and me here."

Skye tried to get up. "We have to get back to them." Her paw slipped, and she fell.

"Woah," Dom said. "Skye, take it easy. We're in no condition to do anything."

Immediately, the door swung open, and a boy stepped in with his hand behind his back. Dom remembered him. It was the same one he saw with Sweetie.

"Oh, you're awake," the boy said. "How wonderful."

"What do you want, Duke?" Sweetie growled.

So, that's the Duke of Flappington, Dom thought. So, why was he with Sweetie? Dom remembered the others telling him that Sweetie allied herself with the Duke during their first encounter. But Sweetie said she changed. Why would she do it again?

"You know what I want, Skye," the Duke said. "The kingdom. As a cousin to the Princess, I have the right to sit on the throne, which I plan on doing."

"Not unless the Paw Patrol stops you."

A shriek echoed down the corridor, and an eagle flew into the room, landing on Skye's cage. "How will you do that, Skye?" the Duke asked. "Without you, who will lead the team in the air? And without Chase, well, that's a lot of pressure on the others without two of their best members."

"Chase?" Skye asked, eyeing the giant bird. "What are you going to do to him?"

The Duke sat down on a nearby chair and got comfortable as if they were having a friendly chat. "I don't know," he confessed.

"You don't know?" Skye repeated.

"Yeah," the Duke sighed. "I don't care much for Chase. He's here for Sweetie." The Duke looked at Dom. "Your past with Sweetie will hopefully keep her in check. At least until my plan fulfills its destiny."

Dom got nervous. At first, he thought that the Duke knew about his feelings for the terrier. But, suddenly, it hit him that the Duke that Dom was Chase. The boy couldn't see Dom well because of the darkness, so the Duke must believe he caught the other German Shepherd.

Dom looked at Skye and realized that she figured out the same thing. They looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. Keep the Duke talking to find out more about his master plan.

"What's your plan?" asked Skye.

"Why do you wanna know?" asked the Duke.

"Just . . . out of curiosity," she replied.

The Duke considered it. "Alright, then. I plan to become the ruler of the kingdom."

"You mean you and Sweetie, right?" asked Skye.

"Don't be absurd. I'm not sharing leadership with that mutt. I have bigger things planned."

Dom made the mistake of asking a question. "So, what do you plan on doing to Sweetie after."

"My, Chase," the Duke said, leaning forward. "You sound odd."

"Oh, uh, I . . . got a sore throat," Dom replied quickly. He coughed to back up his fake claim. The Duke seemed to buy it.

"I see," he said. "Well, anyway, I won't need Sweetie after that. I'll just send her on her way, free of royal duties." Dom felt like the Duke was hiding something, but he said nothing. "Do you know why I'm fond of the eagle?"

"Because you look like one?" Skye asked.

"Very funny," the Duke said. "Their independence. They're brave, independent, and strong, which are traits I admire. I was lucky enough to make a connection with Jean-Claude here." The golden eagle screeched in agreement.

"Please," Skye said. "I've seen more independence from a chicken. And you're going to get away with this."

"I think I might," the Duke said as he got up. "But enough talk. I have things to plan. So get comfortable because you might be here for a while. Oh, and don't think of telling Sweetie. I mean, she probably won't believe you if you tell her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a kingdom to rule."