KC Frantzen - May the K9 Spy 02 - May Finds a Way: Peril in Paris (14 page)

I
sneak through the front gate at the Cimetière de Passy. What about Léonce? I dare not return to the lady Marie’s to check. Not yet anyway. I’ve got to alert someone this is happening tomorrow morning.

Footsteps. I drift back into the shadows.

Alexis! I try to contain myself until I discover if he’s alone. He is!

Hi hi!

“Hey Mutt, how you doing?”

I’m so glad to see you!
Thlllbbbppttt.
You don’t want to know how I am. Actually, scratch that. I’m better. I’m working on my dark phobia.

Alexis gives me a wrinkled forehead look. “Sorry, didn’t catch your last part. Anyway, I’m glad to see you. The cell phones and radios are out there. And yes, I put in your CFC code. They’ll know it’s from you. Did you figure out a way to alert the authorities?”

I think so.

“Good. Hey, I brought something to share.”

Smells delicious!

“Director had pizza for everyone. I said I wasn’t hungry but I’d eat it later. Here.”

MMM
–
Cooked food.

“Dig in.”

No Alexis, I don’t know where Léonce is. Last I saw him… He saved my life!

“Oh!”

I came looking for you. I thought we could search together.

“But you haven’t eaten in awhile right?”

No…

“It’s okay. We’ll eat a little, then look.”

Maybe just a little.

Alexis continues while I nibble. “Director liked my equipment modifications, the ones she knows about anyway. But I didn’t get close enough to use the bug and tracker.”

You did what you could.

“So what’s next? The drones right?”

That’s just it. I had to leave the lady Marie’s in a hurry. Thanks to Léonce, I didn’t get shot!

“Shot?”

I nod but he still doesn’t seem to believe me.

“You want me to get the drones and other equipment?”

Oui. Please bring my vest. Maybe you can find out about Léonce too.

“I’ll come right back.”

Alexis is grinning, carrying my vest.

Thanks for bringing it!

“Look who I brought along.”

I woof, “Léonce, you’re okay! There was more gunfire!”

“Oui.
Miss Sandy was furious. Director almost shot Sassy while aiming at you.”

Gulp.

The cat continues. “I knew Sassy would release you when I jumped from Director onto Miss Sandy. While ze humans scuffled over ze weapon, I hid. I heard Miss Sandy threaten to tell Rukan of Director’s defiance. She backed down.”

Léonce comes close and rubs his cheek on mine. “After they left, I couldn’t find you and feared the worst.”

“I did okay, and got out. But if it’s all the same, I’d prefer a different secondary location next time.”

Alexis shakes his head. “Wow. That explains a lot. I didn’t know who Miss Sandy and Sassy were. Director said they worked for her. Sounds like that’s not quite true. She twists things with part of the truth. How can I ever trust what she says?”

I still don’t want to tell him Miss Sandy and Sassy recruited me into the Service.

“May Mutt, the bee drones are in my pocket. I should get them programmed and synchronized, now that we have some time.”

Synchronized?
My ears drop a notch.

“Matched up, to the controllers. You have them, right?”

A
lexis and Léonce seem to be sleeping.

I flip to my other side for the umpteenth time. How’d I miss the controllers? I’m so embarrassed. Our bee drones are useless. And the clocks you wear on your arm? Would have been nice to have since we will split up. Night vision. Could’ve used that.

Not to mention this camera bob. Edgrr told me not to touch the toggles and switches in this little compartment. I understand how to activate lots of things… The hologram feature, audio… But on and off? Simple but important.

Sigh.
I have a long way to go to be a real agent. A long, long way. I have so much to learn, but how did I know I’d be dognapped?

Yawn.
Might as well get up, it’s getting light anyway. I stand and stretch.

Something’s still bothering me. What are we missing?

Once more, all the way through.

When Rukan makes the call, the clock starts ticking. 47 minutes. Alexis will activate the tracking devices on the radios and phones, which should transmit using my CFC code. At least HQ will know I’m around.

Nothing to be done about Rukan’s hackers. Hopefully, the Embassy failsafe systems hold.

Three of us, seven opportunities: Four decoy teams –
Gare du Nord Métro
, fashion houses along
Avenue Montaigne
, exhibitions at
Grand Palais,
and the market
Les Puces
, though a market that sells fleas seems like a good place to shut down. Two satellite take-down teams – Director and Pack Leader, Miss Sandy, Sassy and Alexis. Contact with Miss Coralee at the US Embassy.

I hope we chose the best strategy.

Léonce will monitor the
Métro
since he is already familiar with it. Instead of meeting Miss Sandy and Sassy, Alexis will take a map marked where the attacks will take place and contact Miss Coralee at the US Embassy. He should have better success communicating with the guard than I did. Hopefully Miss Coralee can track and stop the decoy teams. And Director, thanks to Léonce. Brilliant how he planted a bug during the scuffle. He would be a fantastic operative. Maybe there’s a French Feline Service.

I’m to maintain a visual on Miss Sandy and Sassy. If – I mean when – I get my camera bob working, I’ll transmit audio and visual of those
grrrr
–
MOLES!
– along with my commentary, maybe plant a bug in case they escape should the opportunity present itself. When their drones deploy to take down the satellites…

Oh no. How are we going to stop their drones?

Rattle, clatter, chirp.

Instantly, Alexis and Léonce are up. We look at each other as the cell phone vibrates again on the stone.

Alexis reads the text. “This is it.”

I pray silently about the drones, then woof, “If I don’t see you here…”

Mmm, smells good, but no time for breakfast, I must intercept Miss Sandy and Sassy. I pass Mr. Benjamin’s statue and the
Métro
stop. Wonder if those bees found a good home? It seems like the queen was okay with enough worker drones to make a go of it.

Idea! We don’t have drones but maybe there’s a way to deploy the real thing?

S
everal steps, stop, sniff, listen. Repeat. Glad I remembered to track Miss Sandy and Sassy
after
they accessed the roof. Sassy would have known had I come through first. Though this is cutting it close. About three or four minutes to go.

A few more stairs and I’ll be at the roof access door. There’s a warning sign above the handle: No re-entry. Maybe that’s why their backpack has the door partly open. I slink near the wall for visual confirmation.

There they are.

Alexis didn’t receive the abort code so it’s on. Though Sassy didn’t capture me, maybe they think I’m working on my own and can’t stop them. They know I’m here in Paris.
Gasp!
Maybe they were part of the dognapping.

But I can’t think about it now. We – Alexis, Léonce and I – have an incident to stop.

Idea! If I mess up and the moles see me, maybe they’ll notice my earpiece and think I’m plugged in.

I head back down a few steps and insert it.

“…come in. Over. Agent May. Do you read? Come in.”

A K9 voice I don’t recognize. Should I answer? Human voices murmur in the background then, “May, do you copy? Please, please come in. May. Do you copy?”

Miss Coralee!

Thank the Creator, Alexis made contact! I whisper, “This is May. Over.”

The K9 voice responds. “Situation update. Less than two minutes before operations commence. Your equipment was activated from HQ. Police deployed to intercept decoy teams. Agents arrive your location approximately four minutes.”

I groan quietly. “But the mission will be in play.”

“Affirmative. Can’t be helped. Can you get onto the roof undetected?”

“I think so.”

The K9 continues. “Move now. I will confirm when your camera is in proper position.”

Using my best Léonce leap, I bound over the backpack and land to the side of the doorway.

“Several inches left. Hold position.”

Here we go. We watch Miss Sandy’s drones lift off to attack the embassy satellite dishes on the roof across the avenue. It appears they will cut the cables. If Rukan’s hackers can take down the failsafe system, communications will be completely severed.

BBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

“What’s happening? What’s that noise? May, come in.”

I hear Miss Coralee in the background. “Must be interference. Try connecting again.”

I woof, “No! It’s okay!”

HQ and I watch a huge swarm of bees split into groups. The largest zooms towards the drones then wrestles them to the roof. Smaller swarms swoop at Miss Sandy and Sassy, stinging at every opportunity.

They’re running for cover. Towards me!

I race through the door, grabbing the backpack on the way down the first set of stairs. As I leap for the landing, the door slams loudly behind me.

Oh no. Footsteps coming up the stairs. Nowhere to run.

“May, are you here?”

Mr. Vince!

“We’ve been trying to find you!”

In a flash I spring into his arms, smothering him with kisses.
Thlbpt thlbpttt thlbbpptt.
I yip, “I was lost, now I’m found, like that song!”
Thlbpt thlbpttt.

Schnauzer-monium may not be proper, but I don’t care.

Agents rush past us, weapons drawn, and smash through the access door.

Mr. Vince cuddles me close to his chest. “Shh, be calm,” he laughs. “Smart you left a bug for Coralee to find. She checked the storeroom and found the missing inventory. When your friend arrived this morning with a map and a story, coupled with the clever message you left for police, they knew it was for real and activated the missing equipment immediately.”

Thlbpt. Thank you but please. I need to see what’s going on.

When we get onto the roof, Miss Sandy and Sassy are in custody. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I’m glad to see swelling red welts. Moles. Traitors. Serves them right.

An agent’s radio blares, “Mission update. We’ve never seen anything like it. Successful bee attacks downed enemy drones. Satellite communications intact. Due to excellent intel from our field team, police tracked most decoy groups, though not all. Some smoke and explosions occurred. Initial reports suggest some decoys deployed their weapons early. However, there has not been the wide-spread panic the Movement hoped for.”

I indicate to Mr. Vince that I want down. He sets me on all fours and pats my head. “Such a good girl!” He moves to join a group of agents holding tablet computers. His phone chirps. Sounds like Miss Coralee.

I march over to my
former
friends. I still can hardly believe it. Really. But at least there’s video so I can show April. Unless it’s classified.

When we make eye contact, Miss Sandy gives me a peculiar look, like she’s sort of proud of me but sort of melancholy.

You’re just sad you’re caught. Serves you right, you traitor.

Sassy softly whines, “You don’t know what you’ve done.”

“Do too. You moles are exposed! How could you work for that evil Rukan? You don’t know him like I do.”

“We do.”

Doubt flickers, then is quickly whisked away by vibrations and an overpowering sound.

Whopwhopwhopwhop.
A helicopter is approaching.

Good. These traitors won’t get away.

Miss Sandy looks grim in handcuffs. Agents flank either side while she walks to the helicopter. When others approach Sassy, she snarls making it clear she will follow. They give her space, allowing her to jump in unassisted.

I’m not sure why, but I start to cry.

Okay. I do know.
Sniffle.
They were my friends. I feel like I betrayed them, but they betrayed my family and our country. It hurts, but I’m glad justice has been served.

The helicopter lifts off, barely clearing the rail headed east. Quick movement on the adjacent rooftop grabs my attention. It’s Rukan’s woman from the plane with Pack Leader… What’s he doing? Aiming a shoulder-fired missile!

Before I can blink, Sassy dives from the helicopter.

Screams.

Flashing teeth – arms striking out – they tumble over the side.

We race to the edge and peer down to the street. The humans are sprawled in a heap with Sassy’s body crumpled on top.

As the helicopter rushes away, an urgent voice blasts into my earpiece, “Status report. Update immediately.”

I do my best to explain, but I’m not completely sure myself.