Episode 33: Bad news
A week later.
The living room was quiet, filled only with the news reporter's voice and the occasional crackle of the fireplace.
The words that followed sent a shiver down their spines.
Because they were tired of waiting for news from Breaking News, the puppies decided to go to the backyard, trying to get their minds off the tragedy.
They played fetch, chased each other's tails, and even attempted to swim in the pool, but the joy was forced, and their spirits remained low.
But suddenly, Anna dashed toward the puppies and shouted, "puppies... Puppies..."
Anna panted heavily as she reached the group.
"Anna... What happens, are they founded?" Lynna asked, her eyes wide with hope.
"Bad news!!! (panting) The SAR," Anna still trying to catch her breath, "they've... They've called off the search."
The puppies exchanged glances, their hearts sinking.
"What...?" Svara's voice was barely a whisper.
Anna's gaze fell to the ground, "the SAR team has called off the search... They did not find Masters and Hershell."
"That's mean?!?? Master... Hershell... They..." Svara's words trailed off, her voice choking with emotion.
"Yeah... (Panting) they're passed away... The search is over," Anna confirmed, her head bowed.
The backyard fell into a heavy silence as the reality of the situation set in. The puppies huddled together, their tails drooping, each lost in their own thoughts of the adventures they'd shared with Jerony and Hershell.
Anna, on the other hand, she couldn't hold back her tears.
"I can't believe... My little brother... Hershell..." She buried her face in her fur, sobbing.
The other puppies gathered around her, offering comforting licks and nuzzles.
Maxtone, the calmest of the bunch, spoke up, his voice a low rumble, "we have to keep faith, pups... Maybe they're out there, waiting for us to find them."
"No, Maxtone... They're no longer with us, they're gone," Anna's voice was filled with sorrow as she looked up, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
The puppies looked at each other, their expressions a mix of grief and determination. They knew Anna was right; they couldn't give up just because their master was gone.
They had to keep fighting for the justice and safety of the city they all loved so much.
Maxtone took a deep breath and nodded.
"Okay, we'll honor them by doing what we do best," he said, his voice steady "we're The Pups Gang, and we don't quit."
"Guys, I don't know if we are all can handle this," Svara's voice was filled with doubt "we've never done a mission without Master."
Luna, the hacker pup, looked up with a steely gaze, "we have to... We're all he has left... We're family."
The group nodded solemnly. They had to pull together, not just for the city, but for the entire world that depended on them. They had to be strong for each other.
The night, they couldn't sleep. Their thoughts were consumed with the image of the fiery jet crash, the smell of smoke that lingered in their nostrils, and the fear of never seeing Jerony or Hershell again.
At that time, Anna was at the second floor balcony, her eyes fixed on the city's lights, which now seemed dimmer.
"Sis Anna," Luna whined softly, padding up beside her "you're not sleep yet?"
"I can't sleep, little sis," Anna murmured, her eyes glistening with unshed tears "I feel like we've lost a part of ourselves."
Luna nuzzled her comfortingly.
"I know... I miss him too... Honestly, I have a married plan with Hershell in one day," her voice quivered with sadness.
"Married plan?" Anna raised an eyebrow, surprised by Luna's revelation.
Luna looked down at her paws, blushing.
"Yeah... He's... He was so cute, and I just know we were meant to be together... We talked about it a lot... But now..." her voice trailed off, and she buried her face in Anna's fur.
Anna wrapped a comforting paw around Luna.
"I know, I know... Hershell was special, but we have to keep going for him... For Master too," she took a deep breath "we're spies, Luna... We can't let our feelings get in the way of our duty."
"But it's hard," Luna whispered.
"I know," Anna said, her voice gentle "but we have each other."
