The Heart Thief

Chapter Thirteen

I ran out of stuff to say... hello.

"How are you?" A sinister smile carved from Zuma's face.

Chase lowered his guard down, "Zuma?" he took heavy breaths. Before Zuma could answer, Chase dashed towards him, running Zuma in a deep embrace.

Zuma's response was cold. He jumped away from Chase and sanitized himself like Chase was contaminated.

Like Chase and the rest of the PAW Patrol, Zuma had his own gear – looking more highly advanced than that of Chase's and the others. He barked and activated something that seemed to be a sanitizer and sprayed the area where Chase brushed.

"Come in, Chase," Skye called from Chase's collar, "There's no sign of anyone suspicious around the diameter."

"Increase range by a kilometer, Skye," Chase responded monotonously and cut off the signal immediately.

"Zuma," Chase called, "Help us find someone who is terrorizing our city." Chase swallowed and his eyes remained fixed on Zuma. He knew that Zuma was the culprit. He just didn't want to accept the fact that's why he's repressing the truth.

"How stupid can you be?" Zuma spat, "and I thought I was the stupid one who thought there was a magic box."

Chase took a few steps towards Zuma, "No... you can't do something like this... I know you can't."

Zuma growled, "Why? You still think I'm weak? You'll regret ever thinking that.

For a moment, Chase didn't respond which made Zuma think that Chase really thought he was weak.

"Oh... let's see how weak I still am after I terrorize your city." Zuma's collar glowed and he sent a message to his comrades, "I'm at the back part of the fruit store. Pick me up."

After a few seconds, a chopper hovered above them and Zuma climbed the walls with his suctioned boots. He shot a connecting line in the chopper from his pup pack and hoisted himself up.
Chase watched as Zuma disappeared into the sky.

"Chase!" Skye yelled, "I spotted a chopper headed to the beach. I need authorization to tail them, what's your command?"

Chase didn't answer.

"Chase? Chase?" Skye repeated and was disconnected.

Ryder's message interrupted the signal, "Pups, after your missions, there will be a meeting at the lookout. Ready your reports regarding the mission."

The pups finished their missions in night and immediately after that, they headed to the lookout on Ryder's call.

"Marshall, how many are the casualties?" Ryder asked.

Marshall voice-activated his pup-pack and handed Ryder a list of all casualties. There were no deaths but there were a lot of injuries. The infirmary of Adventure Bay hospital is crowded.

"Chase and Skye, did you find out the culprit?"

Skye spoke firmly in front, stomping her paw on the floor, "There's no identification, Ryder but I was able to spot a chopper exit to Adventure Bay Ocean. I was supposed to tail them but due to communication problems, I wasn't authorized by Chase."

Ryder massaged his temple, "The chopper, where do you think it emerged?"

Skye's gaze dropped on the ground, "I saw it when it was already in the beach... but estimating from its speed and direction, I could say it was near the crime scene."