The plan was clear. Well, more or less.
— Let's summarize — said Carlos as they walked along a path among pines — : eleven superintelligent dogs, possibly armed, are looking for us. Max is the key to deactivate them. And our solution is… to go towards them?
— Exactly — replied Marta — . Because if we let them loose, they will wreak havoc. Moreover, if Max manages to establish emotional contact, he can help them remember who they were.
— And if they are furry sociopaths? — asked Carlos.
Max barked indignantly.
— I wasn't talking about you, buddy — he said, petting him — . You are a sweetheart of a dog.
They had decided to divide the map into zones. The first destination was an abandoned village called Dark Valley, surrounded by mountains and dense forests. There, according to the coordinates from the Eco Tower, was unit C 7, also called Hill.
— Hill was designed for reconnaissance and camouflage — explained Elias as they reviewed their notes — . Its fur has microfibers that allow it to change color. Moreover, it can imitate sounds from the environment.
— A ninja dog — murmured Alex — . Cool.
— An enemy ninja dog — clarified Marta.
When they arrived at the village, a thick fog covered everything. The houses were destroyed, as if a tornado had caressed them with malice. There were tracks in the wet ground. Large. Dog.
— It's here — said Max, growling slightly.
— Don't separate — Alex asked him.
They advanced down a main street. Everything was silent, except for a faint murmur that seemed to come from… everywhere.
— Do you hear that? — asked Carlos.
It was like a mix of wind, creaks, and… laughter? — I think he is playing with us — whispered Marta. — Who laughs like that in an abandoned village? — growled Carlos —. This is worse than any horror movie.
Then a bark was heard. Sharp. Loud. Max tensed. His eyes shone. From among the rubble emerged a figure. A medium-sized dog, gray fur that changed shades with the light, eyes cold as steel. — Cerro — said Elias —. Hello, old friend.
Cerro did not bark. He just walked in a circle, surrounding the group. — We are not here to hurt you — said Alex —. Max is with you. He wants to help you remember.
Max moved slowly. Cerro looked at him. A couple of seconds. Then, without warning, he disappeared. — Where did he go?! — shouted Carlos. Marta activated a portable scanner. Nothing.
Suddenly, Alex felt a blow to the back. He fell to the ground. Cerro appeared behind him, growling. Max reacted immediately. He lunged at his former companion, pushed him, and barked intensely.
Cerro tried to escape, but Max immobilized him with a combat technique that surprised everyone. — Since when does he know judo? — asked Carlos. Max pressed his head against Cerro's. A blue pulse surrounded them. Like an invisible sound wave. Cerro whimpered. And then, he stopped.
Minutes later, Cerro watched them in silence. His fur no longer changed color. He seemed calmer. More alive.
— Did it work? — asked Marta.
Cerro emitted a low bark and approached Max, licking his muzzle. Then he sat down next to the group.
— It worked! — celebrated Carlos —. We have a ninja dog on the team!
Elias, however, did not smile.
— Don't let your guard down. This was one. Ten are missing. And some won't be so easy to convince.
Back at the camp, Carlos and Marta reviewed the updated data. Cerro, now with a small adapted collar, walked beside Max.
— Do you think all of them can be saved? — Marta asked Alex.
— I want to believe it. But if not… then we will fight.
Carlos approached with a bag of chips.
— Time to plan the next destination!
— And what is it? — asked Alex.
Carlos showed the map.
— An island. Code name: Castaway. There lives unit D 4… also known as Delta.
Max barked.
Cerro growled.
— That doesn't sound good — said Marta.
— Because it isn't — replied Elias —. Delta was one of the first to be modified with tactical intelligence. And the most unstable.
— How unstable? — asked Carlos.
— He was the only one who… smiled while attacking.
Uncomfortable Silence.
— Okay… Delta sounds like a dangerous date with death — murmured Alex. But it was their next destination. And they could not ignore it.
The next day, they embarked towards the island. They used an old boat, repaired by Marta and Carlos, called "The Floating One."
— Who names a boat that? — asked Alex.
— You said that "The Sinking One" was bad luck — replied Carlos.
The trip was tense, but upon arriving at the island, they knew that Delta had been waiting for them. Because as soon as they set foot on the shore… they heard laughter. Human. And a whistle. Sharp. Familiar to Max.
— That whistle… — said Alex —. Is…?
Max froze. At the top of a hill, a large dog, white as snow, with a red cybernetic eye, was watching them. And around its neck… hung a tag with a name that chilled everyone's blood: Delta. Elimination Unit.
It smiled. Literally. And then… disappeared among the trees.
— This won't be like with Cerro — said Elias —. This… enjoys the game.
Alex clenched his fist. Max growled with contained fury.
— Then, let's teach him that the game… is over.