Episode 45: Meet someone
One by one, they descended into the dark abyss, their paws gripping the rungs tightly as they lowered themselves into the unknown.
The air grew colder and damper with each step, and the sound of dripping water echoed off the stone walls.
Their pup-tag lights illuminated the way, casting eerie shadows that danced with every movement.
At the bottom of the ladder, they found themselves in an ancient chamber, filled with dust and the faint smell of decay. The room was vast, with archways leading to other corridors that stretched into the darkness.
The only sound was the distant drip of water and the thud of their own hearts.
"This place is giving me the creeps," Hershell whispered, his paws trembling slightly.
"Sssshhhhh," Anna hushed him, her nose to the ground, sniffing the air for any signs of life "we have to be quiet."
The pups crept through the chamber, their pup-tag lights casting eerie shadows on the ancient walls.
The air was thick with dust, and the smell of mold and decay grew stronger with every step.
They could feel the weight of centuries above them, the secrets of the ruins seemingly holding their breath as they passed.
Maxtone took flight, his eyes searching for any movement or signs of danger. The soft hum of his wings jet engine was the only sound in the stillness, except for the occasional pebble rolling beneath their paws.
Svara stuck close to Anna, her spontaneous nature now replaced with a sharp focus, her nose sniffing the air for any clues.
Suddenly, when they entered a room which was illuminated by the torch on each side of the wall, they can see a figure standing facing the wall. Immediately, they took the alert position.
"Rufff... Weapons activated!!!" The puppies barked in unison.
Suddenly, a high -tech weapons emerged from their pup-packs, the light reflecting off the gleaming metal.
"Turned around!!!!" Anna growling, her teeth bared, ready to defend her pack.
The figure slowly pivoted, and their hearts nearly stopped as they recognized the familiar form of their beloved master, Jerony. He was dressed in his usual CIA suit, but it was tattered and dirty.
"Welcome back... My puppies," Jerony said with a smile on his face, the joy in his eyes was unmistakable "you came... I knew you would."
But the puppies kept growling alertly. They don't just believe it immediately. This could be a trick, a trap, or maybe a robotic replica of their master.
"Are you sure you are our Master?" Anna asked, her voice filled with suspicion and hope "prove it!!!"
Jerony then pulled something from his pocket with a shaky hand, holding it out towards the pups. It was a CIA official badge, with a small photo of him on it. The badge was slightly damaged, but it was unmistakably their master's.
However, the puppies still don't want to believe because it could be a trap. They are trained spy puppies, after all. They need more than just a visual proof to ensure their master's identity.
"That's not enough to proving it," Svara said, her voice steady but wary "we need something more personal, something that only our true Master would know."
"Tell us, what Lynna's full name?" Luna asked, her tail wagging slightly, hinting at the hope in her voice.
"Louisiana Yoona Novo Nykita Allysiana," Jerony replied without missing a beat, a faint smile playing on his lips "now, can you lower your weapons, pups?"
"No... It's still not enough to prove that you are our Master... Tell us when was the first time The Pups Gang was formed," Maxtone spoke, his calm demeanor replaced with a hint of challenge.
"7 Jully 2021, when the covid-19 still spreading like wildfire," Jerony murmured, his smile growing a little wider.
"Okay, last question... If you could answer it right, we'll know it's really you... But if it's not, be ready... Our weapons are ready to protect us," Seca spoke, his voice filled with caution.
"Yeah... Tell us, who's my best friend?" Seca's voice was shaky, but his eyes never left the figure in the shadows.
"Hey, that's not a question, silly!!!" Anna shouted, almost bite Seca's muzzle "the right question is... What the password for our encrypted data... Which is also become our official catchphrase!"
"In the darkest night... The Pups Gang..."
Hearing that, the puppies hold their breath, their eyes locked on the figure.
For a moment, it felt like the very air in the chamber was waiting for the response.
Then, with a sigh, Jerony whispered the final words, "mysterious like a shadow, impossible to be seen."
Hearing that catchphrases, the puppies' tension melted away. Their tails began to wag in excitement as they realized it was indeed their master, Jerony.
The puppies' tails began to wag faster, their barks turning into whines of relief and excitement.
"Master!!!!!" The puppies squealed in joy as they rushed towards Jerony, their weapons retracting back into their pup-packs.
They surrounded him, their tails wagging with excitement as they nuzzled and licking him.
"Okay okay, pups, okay..." Jerony said with a chuckle "stop licking me, okay... Ouh, you make me full of... Drools!"
The puppies stepped back, their tails still wagging wildly. They couldn't believe their master was standing right in front of them.
Hershell was the first to speak up, his voice quivering with excitement, "Master, we thought we'd never see you again!"
"Hey, instead I thought you were dead after you jumped out of the jet, Hershell," Jerony said with a weak smile, ruffling the young pup's fur.
His eyes searched the group, looking for any signs of injuries or distress.
"Master, what happened? Why are you here?" Anna asked, her voice filled with concern as she stepped closer to him.
"Well... After I survived the crash two years ago, I asked Andra for help to find me and bring me home to Indonesia," Jerony began, his eyes misting over with emotion "I spent two years of treatment so that later I was ready to meet you again."
"Two years?" Svara gasped, her spots blending together as she approached him "you've been through so much, Master."
Jerony nodded, his eyes filled with a mix of pain and determination, "but I never gave up on you, my little spies... I knew you'd come looking for me."
The room grew silent as the pups took in the gravity of the situation. Their master had been through so much, and they hadn't been there to protect him.
"Master, why did you keep it a secret?" Luna asked, her hacker instincts on high alert.
Jerony looked down at her, "I wanted to protect you... The people who shot down the jet are dangerous, and they might still be looking for me... I didn't want to put you in any more danger than you already face as spy pups."
"The missile is a nuclear ballistic missile between continents, it was launched from Rome and you know who launched it, Master?!??" Luna spoke quickly.
"Let me guess... Cooper, Elena's fox pet," Jerony said, his smile widening as he recognized the fox pup.
"Yes, that's right, Master," Maxtone said, his ears perked up with excitement "but we're glad to see you're okay!"
"Okay... Get prepared, puppies... Tomorrow morning, we go home to Adventure City," Jerony announced, his voice filled with excitement and anticipation "we've got to keep this reunion on the down-low... We don't know who might be looking for us."
