Different Horizons-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Forty-Seven

Skye walked through the vent. There was a warm breeze softly blowing, which was a relief. Skye had enough room to move and look around as a pup, but she could tell Chase would've been uncomfortable there. Skye's head almost touched the top of the vent, which meant Chase would have to crawl to move forward. For the first time in a while, Skye didn't feel upset about being the smallest on the team.

Skye scanned through the openings, looking for anything that could help them. She saw a group of men in one room playing poker. In another, a man and woman were cooking something that smelled delicious, which made Skye's stomach groan. She hadn't eaten since last night. In another room, a group of people were watching a movie.

Skye kept going until she reached the end. She peeked through the vent opening and saw a dozen men and women dressed in black clothing. Some wore black ski masks, while others wore black bandanas over their mouths. They crowded around a bulletin board, where a man was writing something in the corner. Unlike the others, he wasn't covering his face except for sunglasses. He wore a black leather jacket matching his gray shirt, pants, and shoes. He had black hair, a mustache, and a beard. He looked to be in his early thirties.

He turned to the group as he finished writing on the board. "Alright, listen up," he yelled, causing all side conversations to end. "We've been in this game for years, going after trinkets that got us through the month. But not anymore. We have one job left. One more, and we'll be set for life. Vivianne, please continue."

"Gladly," a woman said as she walked into view. She wore sunglasses, a dark gray leather trench coat with rolled-up sleeves, and black clothing. Vivianne stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of the room. "We've been tracking a shipment," she announced, her voice confident and steady. "It's going to be transported tonight, and if we pull this off, it'll be the biggest score yet. We're talking about enough treasures to retire on."

The crowd murmured, excitement mixing with anticipation. Skye watched intently, heart racing. This was the information they needed to report back to the team. But she knew she had to stay hidden, which meant she had to focus.

Vivianne continued, "The shipment is guarded. They're not going to make this easy for us. But we have the inside information. There's a weak spot in their security at the loading dock." She paused, letting it sink in. "We move in at midnight. I want everyone prepped and ready. We cannot afford any mistakes. Butcher and I will be there to oversee the operation."

The man in the leather jacket known as Butcher chimed in, "And remember to keep your faces covered. We don't want any witnesses. We've come too far to get caught now." His words hung in the air, sending a chill through Skye.

A guy's hand went up from the group. "What kinds of treasure are we seeing here?" he asked.

"We're talking cash, gold, and crystals," Vivianne replied. She and Butch reached into their pockets and pulled out a pink crystal each. "Like these."

Skye realized they were the crystals they were after. She needed to find a way to get to them. Skye looked around, wondering where Chase was. That's when she noticed him. Chase was in his human form on the ceiling, looking through a glass pane. Skye had no idea how he got there or what he was doing. She looked around the outside of the vent and pushed it open. Apparently, none of the vent covers had screws in them, so Skye had no trouble opening it. As she got out, Skye transformed into a human.

Skye quietly slid out of the vent, landing silently on the cool, concrete floor. The room was dimly lit, casting shadows against the walls. Skye quickly scanned her surroundings, spotting Chase still perched on the ceiling. He looked intent on whatever he was observing. Skye could see his expression shift from focus to surprise as he noticed her.

Skye pointed at the gang's leaders and signaled they had the crystals. Chase nodded understandingly, looking at the group. He counted the thieves and realized there were fifteen others besides the leaders. Chase turned back to Skye and pointed at her while yelling something. Since he was outside, Skye couldn't understand what he was saying until it was. She felt someone push a cold metal to the back of her head.

"Hello, Miss," a man said. "What are you doing spying on us like that?" Skye slowly lifted her hands. "Hey, Vivianne. Look what I found."

Vivianne, Butcher, and the others turned to the man and Skye. "How much did you hear?" Vivianne asked Skye as she got closer. Skye didn't say anything. "Hello. I'm talking to you." Skye remained silent. "Fine. Take her to an empty room and guard it until I'm ready to deal with her. I need to prepare for tonight."

"Yes, ma'am," the man replied. "Come on, move it." He nudged Skye forward, forcing her up. Skye quickly glanced up at Chase, who watched everything go down. He looked at them once before moving away from the glass.

The man forced Skye into an empty room. "Now, you stay here," he said rhetorically. "It's said to do this to such a pretty lady, but rules are rules." He closed the door, leaving Skye alone in the room.

Skye paced around, unsure of what she was going to do. She felt helpless and alone all over again, which terrified her. She sat on the ground and wrapped her arms around her legs, staying in that position for a few minutes.

"Hey, Bobby, whatcha got there?" the man said from outside the room.

"You won't believe it," Bobby said. "This puppy followed me inside the building and wouldn't leave me alone. What are you doing, Ray?"

"Guarding some lady," Ray replied. "Vivianne said she'll be here soon. Hey, that baby dog has the same uniform as the lady."

There was a short silence before both men gasped. "What in the world," Ray said. "That dog just . . ." He never finished his sentence. Skye heard some thuds and crashes before everything went silent again. Skye got up, ready to face whoever came through that door. Luckily, a familiar face opened the door.

"Hey, I found a way in," Chase said, smiling.

"Chase!" Skye yelled as she hugged him. "I'm so happy you found me."

"Skye, if you ever got lost, I would never stop looking for you. Now, come on." Chase guided Skye out of the room. Skye was shocked by the two men passed out on the floor. "Are they okay?"

"They're tired," Chase said. "Come on, before Vivianne and Butcher find out about this.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Vivianne said from the end of the hallway. Chase and Skye turned to see Vivianne and Butcher standing there. "We know."

"We know what you're here for," Butcher said. "We know your friends went after the Phoenix Riders and the Diamond Techs for their crystals. We figured someone would come for ours. But we've grown attached to them."

"We're taking them and leaving," Chase said. "One way or another."

"I don't think so," Vivianne said. She and Butcher revealed the glowing crystals in their hands. "But good luck." They disappeared in a shadow on the wall.

"Where did they go?" Skye asked, looking around for them.

"I don't know," Chase said. He turned to his right just in time to see Butcher materialize before him and punch Chase in the stomach, launching him backward. Butcher disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

"Chase!" Skye yelled as she ran to his side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied despite feeling slightly nauseous. "At least we know their powers. Now, let's find out how to stop them."