The call cut off so suddenly the control room went silent for half a second—like even the Lookout didn't know what to do with the emptiness.

Then Rocky lost it.

"AHHH!" he shouted, slamming his paws on the console as code and signal lines blinked across the screen. "Come on—come on!"

Chase stood behind him, jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

Rocky's paws flew over the controls, trying to grab the last shred of Ryder's signal before it vanished completely. He ran the trace again. And again. And again.

Nothing locked.

It was like Ryder had been a ghost on the line.

Chase's voice came out quieter than he meant it to. "Did you find him?"

Rocky's ears flattened. His eyes shined, furious and helpless at the same time. "No," he choked out. "The call was too short. I—I don't know."

His voice cracked, and the frustration finally spilled over into tears.

Zuma padded closer and pressed his shoulder against Rocky's side. "It's okay," he said softly. "You did everything you could."

One by one, the other pups filtered in—sleepy, worried, and instantly tense when they saw Rocky crying and Chase standing frozen beside the map.

Katie stepped into the doorway too, looking like she hadn't really slept in days.

Her hand covered her mouth as she took in the scene. Her eyes watered fast.

Where are you, Ryder? she thought. Please... just be alive.

Somewhere far away from Adventure Bay, a steel door opened.

The young woman slipped inside quickly, her face pale.

She froze the moment she saw Ryder on the floor.

"Ryder," she whispered, rushing over. "Ryder—wake up. Are you okay?"

Ryder groaned as she gently shook his shoulder. His eyes opened slowly, unfocused. "Wh... what happened?"

Her jaw tightened with guilt. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't think he'd take it that far."

Ryder tried to push himself up, but pain flashed through him and he hissed, sinking back.

The woman swallowed, then forced herself to speak, like she'd been holding it back for days.

"He's making you build that robot," she said, voice shaking, "because he wants to use it to destroy things. He plans on hurting Adventure Bay—your pups—everything you built. Then he'll take your money and... he thinks he can take over."

Ryder's blood went cold all over again. "Who is he?" Ryder demanded, voice raw. "Why is he doing this?"

The woman's eyes filled. "Ryder... I don't know why," she whispered. "And I can't tell you who he is."

Ryder stared at her, anger cutting through fear. "Why? Do you know?"

She looked away, shaking. "Yes," she admitted. "But if I say it... he'll kill my daughter." Her voice broke. "He threatened her. I can't risk her life. I'm sorry."

Ryder went still.

That wasn't an excuse. That was a trap.

He swallowed the rest of what he wanted to say. "Okay," he managed, even though the word tasted like defeat.

"If he wants my money," Ryder asked, forcing his brain to keep working, "why doesn't he just steal it? Why make me do all this?"

The woman let out a bitter laugh. "Because he wants power," she said. "And because he can't do it alone." She leaned in, speaking fast. "He wants to make it look like you helped him. Like you built the thing that destroys your town. Then he'll get rid of you and take everything."

Ryder's stomach twisted.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, voice urgent now. "I shouldn't have said that much. I have to go."

She rushed for the door.

And as she left, something small slipped from her pocket and hit the floor with a soft clatter.

Ryder blinked, confused—then his heart nearly stopped.

His pup pad.

For half a second, he couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Then his hands shook as he grabbed it and turned his body so the camera wouldn't catch the screen.

Please... please work.

The screen lit up.

Ryder almost sobbed with relief.

He didn't waste time.

In the middle of the night at the Lookout, Chase was dozing when the pup pad crackled.

He jerked awake. "PAW Patrol here," he yawned automatically.

"Chase," Ryder whispered—fast, urgent. "It's me. I don't have time. I have my pup pad. Trace it. I can't talk."

The line went dead.

Chase stared at the tag like the world had just restarted.

Then he snapped into motion.

"Rocky!" Chase practically shouted into his tag. "Rocky, can you hear me?"

Rocky's voice came instantly, groggy and startled. "Chase? What's—"

"Come to the control room right now," Chase said. "Now."

Rocky didn't ask questions.

Seconds later, he came sprinting into the room, still half-asleep, fur messy—but the moment he saw the signal spike on the screen, his whole expression changed.

"What's going on?" he asked, already moving to the console.

"Ryder called," Chase said, voice shaking with adrenaline. "He has his pup pad back. He wants us to trace him."

Rocky's eyes widened. "On it."

His paws flew.

He locked onto the signal, ran the trace, pulled coordinates—

And the map lit up with a marker.

Rocky froze for one stunned second.

Then he spun the monitor toward Chase. "I found him."

Chase's breath caught. "Where?"

Rocky pointed. "Just outside Adventure Bay." His voice went hard. "Close to Foggy Bottom."

Chase didn't hesitate.

"PAW Patrol to the Lookout!" he and Rocky called into their tags.

"Chase and Rocky need us!" the pups echoed, stumbling awake as they rushed toward the elevator.

A minute later, they were lined up—sleepy but focused, fear burning into determination.

Marshall stood tall. "PAW Patrol ready for action, Chase sir!"

Chase's voice came out strong, even though his chest felt like it was splitting. "Pups—Ryder is alive."

Every single tail snapped up.

"He called me," Chase continued, and the word called felt like hope and pain at the same time. "Rocky traced his signal." He gestured to the map. "He's here."

The pups yipped, relief and urgency mixing into a chaotic storm of emotion.

Chase's eyes sharpened. "We don't know what we're walking into. But this is a rescue mission." His voice dropped. "All paws on deck."

One by one, the pups barked their catchphrases, and for the first time in a week... it didn't sound like a routine.

It sounded like a promise.

They launched.

The marker led them to the edge of Adventure Bay's outskirts, where the trees thinned and the land turned rougher. Foggy Bottom wasn't far. You could feel it in the air.

They parked their vehicles out of sight and crept forward, low and careful, watching for movement.

Chase's heart pounded so hard he thought it might give him away.

Please be okay, Ryder.

Inside the building, Ryder forced his hands to keep moving over the keyboard.

The program was nearly done.

The robot's operating system loaded at last—smaller than Harold's old creations, but still powerful. Still dangerous.

Ryder's stomach turned as the final line of code clicked into place.

And then—

The door flew open.

"All right," the masked man said, voice loud and satisfied. "Time's up."

Before Ryder could react, cold metal snapped around his wrists.

Handcuffs.

Ryder's breath caught. "W-where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," the man said, and yanked him forward.

Ryder stumbled, feet unsteady, body still sore from weeks in that room. He didn't fight—not because he didn't want to, but because he knew better than to waste energy when his pups might be close.

They dragged him out into the open air.

Ryder blinked hard, squinting against daylight like it was something unreal.

Wind hit his face.

Ocean salt.

And then his stomach dropped, because he recognized the cliffs.

Foggy Bottom.

His pulse spiked.

Is it Humdinger...?

The masked man raised his voice like he was speaking to the world.

"Come out, pups," he called. "I know you're here."

Ryder's heart hammered as he scanned the rocks and shadows.

Nothing moved.

The pups stayed hidden.

Good, Ryder thought desperately. Stay hidden.

The man chuckled. "I'll give you five seconds," he said, voice dripping with amusement. "Come out... or Ryder goes over the edge."

Ryder went cold.

Chase's body trembled behind cover.

Stay down, Chase told himself. Stay down. Think.

Then Chase made a decision.

He stepped into view.

"I came alone," Chase said, voice steady even as his heart tried to rip out of his chest.

Ryder's eyes widened. "Chase—"

The masked man laughed. "You're a liar." He tilted his head. "I know the rest of you are here. Do you want your boy to fall?"

Behind Chase, the pups whimpered—then one by one, they stepped out too, unable to leave Ryder alone in this.

Chase's eyes squeezed shut for one second, furious at the villain and at himself.

The masked man nodded, pleased. "Better."

Then he lifted his arms like he was presenting a show.

"I want you all to hear this," he announced. "Ryder helped me build something that will take over your town. He built the robot that will tear Adventure Bay apart." His voice turned mocking. "And when it's done... I'll rebuild the town with his money. Because Ryder is going to give me everything."

Ryder snapped, voice sharp despite the fear. "I'm not giving you anything."

The man leaned closer, smiling behind the mask. "Oh, but you will," he said softly. "If you want them safe."

Chase's fur bristled. His eyes burned with rage—pure, protective, unfiltered.

Ryder saw it.

Ryder knew Chase wanted to jump.

But Ryder also knew Chase was holding back because Chase didn't want Ryder hurt.

Ryder's fear flipped into anger.

He spit at the man.

The second it happened, Ryder knew he'd made a mistake.

The man's posture changed—controlled rage, sudden and violent.

"You ungrateful child," the man hissed. "After I said I'd let you live."

He shoved Ryder hard.

Ryder's feet slid on loose rock.

His body tipped—

"RYDER!" Chase screamed.

Ryder's stomach dropped as the cliff edge disappeared beneath him—

And the world fell away.