Somewhere else, in a room Chase didn't recognize, the air smelled like metal and sweat and cheap cologne.

Chase threw his shoulder into the cage again.

The bars rattled. It didn't budge.

He panted hard, eyes burning.

I have to try. I have to do something. They need to know I'm alive.

Chase pressed his nose to the bars, ears back, thinking fast.

Who even is this kid?

Why does he keep calling Ryder a dork?

Does he know Ryder?

Chase's thoughts churned until something snapped into place so sharply it made his stomach drop.

"Oh my god..." Chase whispered.

Then louder, out loud, before he could stop himself:

"Oh my god—Josh."

A voice from across the room answered immediately.

"What?"

Chase's head snapped toward the sound. His fur lifted. "HOLY CRAP—" His eyes narrowed. "I didn't know you were in here."

Josh stepped into view, startled... and that split second of surprise told Chase everything.

Chase's lips curled.

"So you are Josh."

Josh blinked, trying to recover. "What? No I'm not—"

"Too late," Chase growled. "You already blew that cover."

Josh's eyes hardened. "Shut up."

Chase took one step closer to the bars, voice low and dangerous. "You're the bully I growled at when Ryder was in school. You can't be doing this alone."

Josh's mouth opened—then shut.

Chase's eyes sharpened. "Who else is involved?"

"No one," Josh snapped. "It's just me."

Chase barked a short laugh. "I don't believe you. What do you even gain out of this?"

Josh stared at him like Chase was stupid. "Nothing. I just hate Ryder."

Chase's fury spiked. "Why? Because he was smarter than you? Seriously—who cares? He never did anything to you."

Josh stepped forward. "Watch your mouth, mutt. I'm the one running things here. I can kill you."

Chase didn't flinch. "Then why haven't you?"

Josh's phone rang.

He turned away, annoyed, answering fast. "What?"

Chase held completely still, ears sharp.

Josh paced as he spoke, frustration rising. "No, I don't want to keep him here—he knows who I am now."

Chase's eyes widened.

Josh scowled. "I never told him who you were—no, he figured it out because he's a smart dog, okay?"

Josh stopped pacing. "I'll handle it. Bye, Har—"

He froze.

His eyes flicked toward Chase.

"...I mean—shit—sorry!"

The call ended.

Chase went very, very still.

Harold.

Harold is involved.

And if Harold is involved—

Chase's stomach twisted.

"That means Mayor Humdinger," Chase whispered.

Josh's face tightened. "You didn't hear anything."

Chase snapped his gaze up. "Humdinger is in jail."

Josh smiled slowly, like he'd been waiting to say it.

"Oh, you didn't hear?" he mocked. "Mayor Humdinger was released a week ago."

Chase's mouth dropped open.

Josh leaned closer to the cage, voice cruel and pleased. "Your family is falling apart without you. Ryder hasn't left his room since you disappeared. Skye hasn't been seen either. There's a funeral being planned for you."

Chase's breathing hitched.

"No..." he whispered. "No—there can't be—"

Josh's grin widened. "Oh, there can."

Chase surged forward to the bars, desperation shredding through his anger. "Let me go. Please."

Josh laughed. "No."

Chase's eyes were wet. "They can't have a funeral. I'm not dead. Josh, PLEASE—"

Josh's expression went cold.

"This is part of the plan."

Chase's throat tightened. "What plan?"

Josh didn't answer. He pulled out a syringe.

Chase backed up instinctively, fur bristling. "What are you—"

"You're talking too much."

Josh shoved the needle through the bars and injected Chase before he could dodge.

Chase yelped, stumbling backward.

His legs immediately went weak.

His vision blurred.

"No... no, please..." he tried, voice slurring.

Josh watched him fall like it was entertainment.

"Night night, mutt."

Chase hit the floor of the cage, eyes heavy, heart racing and then everything went black.

Back at the lookout, Jake was on the phone with Mayor Goodway.

"No one can get through to him," Jake said, voice tight. "He's barricaded in his room."

Mayor Goodway's voice came through, worried. "That boy has been through so much..."

Jake swallowed. "Can you try?"

There was a pause, then: "I will. I'll see what I can do."

Jake hung up and looked at Katie and Carlos. "She's coming."

Carlos exhaled like he'd been holding his breath. "Okay. That helps."

Katie's voice cracked again. "And Skye..."

Jake looked toward Skye's pup house. "We'll keep trying."

Katie wiped her face hard. "She lost her boyfriend. I know he's not—" She couldn't say dead. She just couldn't. "I feel like I lost mine too. Even though Ryder is still here... he's not here."

Marshall was in the infirmary, sitting on the floor with his back against a cabinet, hands covering his face.

Everest crouched beside him, rubbing his shoulder gently. "Marshall..."

He didn't look up.

"I should have found him," Marshall whispered. "I should have—"

Everest's voice sharpened. "Stop."

Marshall's shoulders shook. "Ev, I should have gone for him first. Chase was farther in than Ryder. I could've saved them both."

Everest grabbed his face gently, forcing him to look at her. "No."

Marshall's eyes were red. "He was my brother."

Everest's own eyes filled. "He is your brother, yes. But you did not kill him."

Marshall broke. "I left him there—"

Everest's voice turned firm, fierce. "You did not. You pulled Ryder out. You did your job. If you had stayed longer, you could have died too."

Marshall sobbed harder. "I hate this."

"I know," Everest whispered, holding him. "But you don't get to destroy yourself too. Not when the others need you."

Zuma and Rocky sat together in the corner of the TV room, both silent until Zuma finally whispered, "Why did it have to be Chase?"

Rocky's voice was rough. "I don't know."

Zuma's eyes squeezed shut. "Skye and Ryder... they're taking it the worst."

Rocky's paws clenched. "Because Chase was the center of both of them."

Zuma blinked. "What do you mean?"

Rocky swallowed. "Skye loved him. Ryder... Ryder survived because of him. Chase was Ryder's first. His anchor."

Zuma sniffed. "Someone did this on purpose."

Rocky's eyes sharpened. "I know."

Zuma frowned. "How?"

Rocky lifted his head. "Because before the second explosion... I heard Chase tell Ryder it was a bomb."

Just then, Mayor Goodway's voice cut in from the doorway.

"Murder? What do you mean, murder?"

Rocky turned, startled. Then he explained quickly. "Before the second explosion, I heard Chase tell Ryder it was a bomb. That means someone planted it. That means... whoever did this wanted someone hurt."

Mayor Goodway's face went pale.

"And I just found out Humdinger is out of prison," she said quietly.

Katie's blood turned cold.

Mayor Goodway didn't waste time. She marched upstairs and stopped in front of Ryder's door.

Her voice softened at first. "Ryder? Please come out."

No response.

"Ryder," she tried again. "You're not doing yourself any good in there. We're all here for you."

Ryder, inside, pressed his hands against his ears.

He just wanted them to leave him alone.

Chase is gone. Chase is gone because of me. They don't understand. None of them understand.

Then Mayor Goodway's tone shifted.

"Ryder, enough."

Ryder flinched.

"You need to come out and face this," she scolded. "You are not to blame for this. You are going to come out here and let us help you."

Why does it feel like my mom is yelling at me? Ryder thought, miserable.

Maybe because... she kind of is.

Mayor Goodway turned to Jake. "Have you unlocked the door?"

"We did," Jake said. "Rocky unlocked it, but Ryder barricaded it. We can't budge it."

Mayor Goodway set her jaw. "What did he barricade it with?"

Carlos stepped closer. "We can try pushing together."

Mayor Goodway nodded. "Then we push."

Inside, Ryder heard everything and panicked.

No. No, no—don't come in here—

Outside, Jake, Carlos, Mayor Goodway, and Katie pressed their shoulders to the door.

"One... two... three!"

The door shifted.

Not much, but enough.

Katie squeezed through the gap, breath hitching.

Ryder backed up on his bed, eyes red, hair messy, face hollow like he hadn't slept in days.

"Katie..." his voice was broken. "Please go away."

Katie's heart cracked. "Ryder... please talk to me."

"I don't want you here," he whispered.

Katie shook her head, tears slipping down. "No. I love you. I'm not letting you do this to yourself."

Ryder's voice turned sharp, desperate. "Katie—please don't make me say something I'll regret."

Katie swallowed hard... then reached for the barricade and dragged it away from the door completely.

The door opened wider.

Jake, Carlos, and Mayor Goodway stepped inside.

Mayor Goodway's face fell when she really saw him.

"My goodness, Ryder... you look awful."

Ryder snapped.

A scream tore out of him like a wound ripping open.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH! GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

Everyone froze, stunned.

Katie flinched like she'd been hit.

She turned and left the room, covering her mouth as she cried in the hallway.

Jake stayed, voice gentle but firm. "Dude... we know you're upset. I can't even begin to understand what you're feeling. If I lost Everest... I'd probably be doing the same thing."

Ryder's hands shook. He looked away.

"But you have five other pups who need you," Jake continued. "They're hurting too."

Ryder blinked, like the words hadn't occurred to him.

"I'm horrible," Ryder choked. "I lost my mom and now Chase. I told him to go into the building. I had him killed."

"No," Mayor Goodway said, stepping closer. "That is not true."

Ryder sobbed harder. "I don't deserve them. They're better off without me."

Mayor Goodway's voice softened again. "Ryder... you are a great leader. They love you. Chase loved you."

Ryder shook his head violently.

Mayor Goodway continued anyway. "And Chase would have gone in even if you never told him to. That's who he is. That's his job. He was brave. He was a hero."

Ryder broke down, shoulders shaking.

Katie returned quietly with a tray of food. She set it down in front of Ryder without asking.

"You can hate me," she said through tears, voice shaking but fierce, "but you are going to eat."

Then she walked out again like she didn't trust herself to stay.

Ryder stared at the tray.

He didn't hate Katie.

He didn't hate anyone.

He hated himself.

But slowly—shaking, miserable—he picked up the spoon.

He ate a few bites.

Not because it fixed anything.

Not because it made the grief smaller.

But because somewhere deep inside him, he heard Chase's voice in his head—steady, stubborn, loyal—

You don't get to give up, Ryder sir.

And Ryder didn't know if Chase was dead or alive.

But he knew one thing:

If Chase was alive...

Ryder had to be alive too.