Changing Paths-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Nineteen

Chase turned off the siren as they entered the city limits but left the police lights on for passing vehicles. Sweetie was in the back, looking around the city. She's never been to Adventure Bay, so she was seeing it all for the first time.

Chase got a call, so he answered through his dashboard. "Chase, here," he said. 

"Hey, Chase," said Ryder. "Are you on your way back?"

"Yes, sir," Chase responded.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"If by that you mean Dom and Skye, then no. But I have some more information."

"Okay," Ryder said. "Head back to the Lookout. I'm helping Mayor Goodway with something. I will be there soon, though."

"Yes, sir, Ryder, sir," Chase said as he hung up.

Chase took a turn onto the bridge and turned off the lights. "Okay, Sweetie," Chase said. "Once we get to the Lookout, I need you to stay close, okay?"

"Why?" asked the terrier.

"Well, the others may not trust you," Chase replied, thinking back to their argument. "They won't like it if you're wandering around, okay?"

"But there's so much I want to see," Sweetie said, staring at the large tower.

"And you will see it all," Chase promised. "But right now, I need you to do as I say. Can you do that?"

"Um, I guess so," Sweetie replied.

"Good." Chase drove around the Lookout and parked his cruiser in its designated spot. Once Chase and Sweetie hopped off, Chase pressed a button, and the cruiser transformed back into a puphouse.

"Cool," Sweetie commented.

"Uh, thanks," Chase said. He looked around and noticed no one was outside. Chase guessed they would be in their puphouses since it passed sunset. "Okay, walk with me," he told Sweetie.

"Okay," Sweetie said.

Chase and Sweetie walked around the Lookout. As they walked, Chase was looking at the puphouses. He found it odd that he couldn't hear anything inside them. Marshall talked in his sleep, and Rubble snored loudly. When he passed Zuma's puphouse, Chase noticed that he wasn't there. Zuma liked to sleep with the door open. Inside his puphouse were all of the chocolate lab's belongings, but Zuma was nowhere in sight.

Where is he? he thought. Where is everyone? Chase couldn't imagine losing all of his teammates. The thought made him want to drive up to Barkingburg and confront the Duke himself.

"Chase," Sweetie said.

"Huh?" Chase said. "You say something?"

"I lost you there for a second," she said. "I called your name like five times before you responded. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chase said. "Come on."

Chase walked to the entrance of the Lookout with Sweetie at his tail. She had to enter a small sprint from time to time because Chase was walking quickly.

Chase and Sweetie entered the Lookout. Sweetie followed Chase around, her head turning in every direction. She was in awe of everything she saw. The glass elevator, the treat dispenser, the giant tv, and even the large bean bags amazed her.

"Over there," Chase said with a sigh of relief. The other pups were inside the Lookout watching television. As Chase and Sweetie got closer, the bulldog turned his head.

"Oh, hey, Chase," Rubble said. "We're watching Apollo the Super Pup. Do you want to watch it with us?"

"Um, maybe later, Rubble," Chase replied.

"Okay," Rubble said. Rubble's eyes drifted to the white terrier standing behind Chase, watching the show. "What's Sweetie doing here?"

The question grabbed the attention of the others. Marshall, Rubble, Rocky, and Zuma got up and walked over to Chase and Sweetie.

"She's going to help us," Chase replied.

"But we can't trust her," Marshall said. "She was probably in on the pup napping." 

"I didn't take Dom and Skye," Sweetie said.

"How can we be sure?' Rubble asked.

"You have to trust us," Chase said.

"Us?" Rocky asked. "Why are you helping her?"

"Because she proved her innocence," Chase replied.

"If she didn't do it, then who did?" asked Marshall.

"The Duke of Flappington," Sweetie said.

"The Duke of Flappington?!" the other exclaimed.

"What would he want with Dom or Skye?" Rubble asked.

"He must have wanted revenge for the last encounter," Rocky thought.

"Okay, that makes sense," Rubble said. "But why Dom? He's never even met him."

"He didn't want Dom," Sweetie said, gaining the attention. "He wanted Chase."

"How do you know all this, Sweetie?" Marshall asked accusingly.

"Uh, I . . ."

"That doesn't matter right now," Chase stepped in. "The point is, she knows what he wants. Because of last time, the Duke thinks they're on the same team."

"And we're supposed to believe they're not?" Rubble asked.

"Yes," Chase said. "She's going to help us rescue Dom and Skye. She knows her way around the kingdom better than all of us combined."

"So what?" Rocky asked. "We're supposed to believe that she's changing paths just like that?"

"Just like that," Chase repeated. "Come on, guys, trust me on this."

"And if things go sideways?" Zuma asked.

"Then I will take the blame for it," Chase replied. "We'll find a new way to save them, with or without Sweetie." Chase glared at Sweetie as if warning her not to prove him wrong.

Chase hasn't looked at Sweetie the entire conversation, which made her uncomfortable. He was standing up against his team for her sake. Sweetie knew that she better do everything she can to help. Out of all the ones there, she didn't want to see Chase against her.

"Okay," Marshall said. "We'll help, but you better be right?"

"He is," Sweetie blurted out, uncertain where she got the boost of confidence. "I'll prove it."

"What does Ryder have to say about it?" Rubble asked.

"I say let's go for it," Ryder said. He was leaning against the front door of the Lookout. "I think Sweetie may be our best bet in rescuing Skye and Dom. Sweetie, can we trust you?"

"Yes, Ryder," she replied. "I'm changing paths. You can count on me."