Ryder's wrists burned where the rope cut into him.

He was tied to a chair in a dim room that smelled like dust and old coffee, his ribs still aching every time he breathed. Across from him, a screen glowed—showing Adventure Bay live, like it was some kind of cruel movie.

Jim leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking way too satisfied with himself.

"You did a great job," Jim said, voice thick with mockery. "Built the very robots that are going to destroy your town... and take out your precious pups."

Ryder's jaw tightened. Even with his hands tied, he sat as straight as he could. "My pups are smarter than you," he snapped. "They'll shut them down. I know they will—because I built them."

Jim's smile twisted.

Ryder barely had time to blink before Jim stepped forward and landed a hard punch across Ryder's face.

Pain flashed, bright and sharp.

"We'll see," Jim said quietly, like it was a promise.

Foggy Bottom.

Mayor Humdinger was practically bouncing with excitement as he watched the robots stomp and clank through Adventure Bay on his monitors. His kitties inside the robots, proud they were the ones controlling everything.

Katie sat trapped in her cage in the corner, hands gripping the bars so hard her fingers hurt.

This is my fault, she thought bitterly. I'm the reason Ryder got taken again.

Her stomach twisted.

I have to fix this.

She forced herself to stand tall and called out, "Excuse me, Mayor Humdinger?"

Humdinger didn't even look away from his screen. "What?!" he snapped. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

Katie swallowed her fear. "I—I need to use the bathroom."

Humdinger waved a hand like she was a fly. "Too bad. I'm busy."

Then he turned and walked out, muttering to himself about his "perfect plan."

Katie exhaled hard through her nose, furious.

And then she remembered.

Her phone.

It was still in her pocket.

Katie pulled it out quickly, hands shaking, and tried calling Ryder.

No answer.

Of course.

She switched calls and dialed the one pup she knew would answer even in chaos.

Chase.

"PAW Patrol—Chase here," he said, breathless and annoyed, like he was in the middle of something big.

Katie's voice cracked. "Chase—it's Katie. I'm trapped... in a cage... in Mayor Humdinger's hideout." She swallowed hard. "And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I got Ryder kidnapped again."

Chase didn't even hesitate.

"It's not your fault," he said firmly, voice steady over the noise of battle. "We'll get you as soon as we can, Katie. I promise."

Katie let out a shaky breath. "Okay... just—be careful."

The call ended.

Katie pressed her forehead against the bars and whispered, "Please don't let him get hurt because of me."

In Adventure Bay, the robots were tearing through the streets like they owned them.

Chase darted around one, barking orders while trying to keep civilians out of the way. Marshall blasted foam to slow the robot's joints. Rubble shoved debris aside to keep streets clear. Skye swooped overhead, trying to spot weak points. Zuma kept people moving toward safety. Rocky... Rocky watched.

Watched the way the robots moved.

Watched the way they reacted.

And then his brain clicked into place.

Ryder built these.

There has to be a way to stop them.

Rocky sprinted up behind one robot and examined it quickly—scanning seams, panels, anything that looked like an access point.

Then he saw it.

A small red button tucked into the back panel, almost hidden.

Rocky's eyes widened. "Uh... Kitty Rocky?" he called out sharply.

Kitty Rocky looked up from where he was perched in the robot's shoulder like a tiny king.

Rocky pointed at the button. "I'd evacuate if I were you."

Kitty Rocky froze, then yowled and leapt out just as Rocky slammed his paw down on the button.

BOOM.

The robot broke apart in a burst of metal and smoke.

Rocky blinked once, then yelled into his tag, "Pups! There's a red button on the back! It shuts them down—HARD!"

Chase turned instantly. "You heard him! Find the button!"

Skye swooped low. Zuma darted in. Marshall ran point. Rubble climbed up debris. Within minutes, the pups were slapping red buttons like it was a mission designed by Ryder himself.

Robots dropped one by one.

On the Foggy Bottom monitor, Mayor Humdinger shrieked, "Evacuate! Evacuate! My kitties!"

The kittens bailed from their robot perches immediately, tail-flying and panicked.

The last robot exploded into harmless scrap.

Adventure Bay went quiet again—smoky, shaken, but standing.

And Ryder wasn't there to see it.

Back in Foggy Bottom, Jim didn't care that Humdinger's robot plan was falling apart.

The robots were always just a distraction to him.

He only cared about one thing.

Ryder's money.

On the screen, he watched the pups win.

Jim's face darkened.

Frustration snapped into anger.

He stepped forward, grabbed Ryder by the hair, and struck him hard enough that Ryder's head snapped sideways and his vision went dark.

Ryder slumped.

Jim muttered, "Tired of this."

He untied Ryder, dragged him out, shoved him into the trunk of his car like it was nothing, then slammed it shut.

And drove.

Far.

The pups reached Foggy Bottom fast once the robots were down.

They stormed Humdinger's hideout, found the cage, and Rocky popped the lock in seconds.

Katie stumbled out, eyes wide with relief. "Thank you," she breathed. "Now—please—we have to find Ryder."

Humdinger came back at the worst possible time, saw them, and let out an ugly laugh.

"You'll never find him," he sneered. "Never."

Chase's growl was low, dangerous.

But they didn't waste time.

They regrouped at the Lookout.

At the Lookout, Chase paced back and forth like a storm trapped inside a pup.

His paws wore a path into the floor.

The pups watched him quietly, all of them worried, all of them exhausted.

Zuma finally spoke. "Chase... you're the only one who really knows Ryder's dad." His voice was careful. "Can you think of anywhere he would take him?"

Chase snapped so fast it shocked even him.

"IF I KNEW THAT," he barked, voice breaking, "WE'D HAVE RYDER BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Silence fell.

Skye's eyes flashed. "Chase! Don't yell—this isn't our fault."

Chase froze, guilt slamming into him. His ears dropped.

"I'm... sorry," he whispered, voice suddenly small. "I'm just—" He swallowed. "I feel helpless."

He collapsed onto the floor and started crying again.

Skye laid beside him immediately, pressing close. Zuma lowered his head too, voice soft.

"We're all worried," Zuma murmured. "We'll figure it out. We have to."

Katie stood in the doorway, hearing all of it.

Guilt hit her like a punch.

She stepped inside slowly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "This is all my fault."

Rubble looked up at her, eyes wide and sincere. "No it's not, Katie." His voice shook a little. "Ryder would never let anything bad happen to you. He... he loves you."

Katie blinked. "He... what?"

The pups collectively rolled their eyes like they'd been waiting for her to catch up for years.

Marshall snorted. "Yes, Katie. He's always had a crush on you. It's extremely obvious."

Katie's cheeks turned pink. "Oh."

That was all she managed.

But the smallest spark of hope lit in her chest too.

If Ryder loved her... he wouldn't stop fighting.

Neither would they.

Meanwhile...

Ryder woke up with a pounding headache and a mouth full of dryness.

He blinked rapidly, vision blurry, and realized he wasn't in Foggy Bottom anymore.

This room had windows.

That was new.

Outside, the sky was darkening. Evening.

Ryder pushed himself up slowly, wincing, and stared at the door.

He reached for the knob—

And it turned.

Unlocked.

Ryder's heart thudded.

He opened the door a crack and listened.

Quiet.

He stepped out, moving carefully down the hall. Voices drifted from somewhere ahead.

Ryder paused.

Listened.

Then realized it wasn't voices at all.

It was a TV.

He crept forward until he could see into the living room.

Jim was sprawled on the couch, watching TV with a beer in his hand like this was just another normal night.

Ryder's stomach turned.

Jim didn't even look surprised.

"Nice of you to wake up," Jim said casually. "You're not as quiet as you think you are."

Ryder froze.

Jim turned his head slowly, eyes sharp. "Thought you weren't afraid of me anymore?"

Ryder forced himself to step into the room. "I'm not," he lied, because his body didn't believe it yet. "Why won't you let me go?"

Jim laughed like Ryder asked the dumbest question in the world. "I told you. I want your money. I want the life I deserve."

Ryder's fists clenched. "Mom gave it to me. You don't deserve it."

Ryder darted toward the front door.

But Jim was faster.

He grabbed Ryder's arm and yanked him back so hard Ryder stumbled onto the couch.

"Listen to me," Jim snarled. "You will give me what I want." His voice went cold. "Or I'll take it."

Ryder scrambled off the couch and tried for the door again, fingers shaking as he fumbled the lock—

Jim shoved him hard into the wood.

Pain shot through Ryder's shoulder as Jim twisted his arm behind him.

"If you try that again," Jim hissed in Ryder's ear, "I'll make sure you can't use that arm at all."

Ryder gasped and dropped.

Jim tossed him to the floor.

Ryder tried to crawl away, but Jim grabbed his belt—

Ryder's breath hitched.

He screamed, loud and desperate, hoping someone—anyone—might hear.

Jim snapped, "Shut up!" and struck again.

Ryder cried, breath shaking, vision blurring.

Then Jim stopped suddenly, as if Ryder's fear was entertaining him now.

He laughed.

And turned away to go to the kitchen for another beer.

Ryder lay there shaking.

Then his eyes flicked to the umbrella stand by the door.

A baseball bat.

Ryder's heart pounded.

He crawled toward it, every movement quiet, controlled, desperate. He wrapped his fingers around the bat, forced himself up, and stepped toward the kitchen.

Jim's back was turned.

Ryder lifted the bat with both hands.

And swung.

The bat connected with a solid thud.

Jim crumpled, dropping to the floor unconscious.

Ryder stood there shaking, breath ragged, staring at what he'd just done.

His throat burned.

His hands trembled.

But for the first time in a long time...

Jim wasn't moving.

Ryder whispered, barely audible—

"...Now I run."