Different Horizons-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Eight

Ryder and the pups prepared for the Paw Patrol Day celebrations. Zuma, Marshall, Skye, and Everest helped set up the tables. Rocky and Rubble used their vehicles to set the lights up and lift the banners. Chase made sure that everything ran smoothly, while Ryder oversaw everything.

"Ryder," Chase said. "How much longer do we have until the party begins?"

Ryder checked his pup pad. "About two hours."

"Have you heard anything from the other members like Tracker, Rex, and Liberty?"

"Liberty told me she and the triplets won't be coming this time. Rex and Tracker will be arriving at the same time, but they won't be here until it's about to start."

"Okay," Chase asked. He couldn't wait to see his old friends again.

In the distance, they heard a crash. Chase and Ryder turned their heads to see Marshall on the ground with decorations piled on top of him. A cake was upside down on the grass, and the table was on its side. "Chase, could you help out over there?" Ryder asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Sure can do, Ryder, sir," Chase said as he walked to the Dalmatian.

"Ryder," someone said from behind him.

Ryder turned around to see a blonde girl in a pink dress. "Hey, Katie," he replied. "What can I do for you?"

"I have some boxes at the clinic. I wondered if you or the pups could help me bring them over."

"Of course," Ryder said. "Let me call . . . " he noticed that Rubble was using his crane to raise the light beams while Rocky bolted them in place. "Nevermind. Rubble's busy, but I can still help you."

"That would be perfect," Katie exclaimed.

Ryder walked over to his ATV and got on it. "Hop in," he told Katie. Katie got on the ATV behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and drove towards the pet clinic.

A half-hour passed when Mayor Humdinger showed up to the preparations. He parked his kitty carrier on the street. After telling his kittens to stay, he walked towards the celebrations.

As Mayor Humdinger walked through the crowd, he scanned the party before realizing that Ryder was not there. "Where could that boy be?" he asked himself.

"Let's move these boxes out of the way," he heard a familiar voice say. Mayor Humdinger turned to see Chase and the pups pushing boxes of decorations away from the mass of people. The mayor figured that if anyone knew where Ryder was, it was Chase.

"Chase," the mayor said as he walked to the German Shepherd.

Chase turned to see the mayor and put on a smile. "Hello, Mayor Humdinger. Are you here for the celebration?"

"No, you wouldn't find me willingly coming to the town's sorry attempt to boost your team's ego."

"Oh," Chase exclaimed, his smiling fading. "So, what can I help you with?"

"I need to talk to Ryder. I have some urgent business to talk with him about. Have you seen him?"

Chase scanned the party. "No. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen Ryder. Would you like me to help you find him?"

"That would be great," the mayor said with no emotion in his tone.

Chase and the mayor walked around the party until they found Ryder. Ryder and Katie carried some boxes and placed them next to the nearest table.

"Thanks again for all the help, Ryder," Katie said.

"You're welcome, Katie," Ryder said. "I didn't mind at all."

"Ryder," Mayor Humdinger said aloud.

Ryder turned and saw the mayor and Chase walking towards him. "Mayor Humdinger," Ryder said, "I must say, I'm surprised to see you here."

"Can't say the feeling is mutual," the mayor said. "Anyway, I came to warn you. The Copycat and Harold know about your little teleportation device."

Chase and Ryder looked at each other. "How do they know about it?" Ryder asked.

"They spied on you and your pups."

"Mayor Humdinger, spying on others is not . . . "

"Yes, of course. I'll do community service later. But that's beside the point. The Copycat grew tired of losing and has vowed to get rid of you once and for all."

"I thought it didn't have enough power to move multiple items?" Chase asked Ryder.

"It doesn't," Ryder said.

"They are going to use a crystal," the mayor continued, "The Copycat has convinced Harold to get rid of you and anyone who stands in their way."

"A crystal has too much energy to use on the machine," Ryder said. "If that energy isn't harnessed and controlled, the machine can be unstable."

"Now you see why I'm telling you this?" the mayor asked. "You must stop them and return my nephew to me."

"We will, Mayor Humdinger," Ryder said. "You know. Doing the right thing is good for a change."

Mayor Humdinger brushed the statement away. "I'm not doing this because it's right. I'm doing it for Harold. I have never taught him to injure others to get what he wants. That is not the Humdinger way."

"You mean like in Adventure City?" Chase asked. "Where you endangered everyone in town and tried to crush me under your foot?"

"That was different," the mayor replied. "The first time, I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt. And the crystal fed on my hatred for all you pups and made me do unethical things. How about we forgive and forget the whole ordeal?"

"Well, if it means anything, I have forgiven you," Chase said.

"And what about forgetting?" the mayor asked, but Chase stayed silent with a blank face. "Message clear," the mayor muttered.

Ryder's pup pad pinged. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. "What is it, Ryder?" Chase asked.

"The Copycat and Harold," Ryder said. "They broke into the Lookout."

"I'll gather up the rest of the pups," Chase said before he ran off.

"Now that's a leader of men, or pups, per se. Hey, Ryder, tell me. What do you bring to your team, from one powerless leader to another, except for someone else to save?" Before Ryder could answer, the mayor continued. "Well, I better get going. My kitties hate being in their cage for too long." He looked over Ryder's shoulder at the banquet table. "Is the blueberry pie? On second thought, I could stay for a little while longer."

Ryder sighed and put his pup pad away. He thought about what the mayor said about Chase, but Ryder brushed it off. Chase returned with the others. "We're ready for action, Ryder, sir," Chase said.

"Good," Ryder replied. "We are all going to work together on this one."