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- Chapter 10: I'M COMING BENJI!

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• BENJI -

Benji had given up. Given up on ever seeing Bolt again, given up on that brief glimpse of happiness he had found before everything just gone to hell... given up on any hopes he had for whatever the rest of his miserable life had in store for him.

He had been so close ... so extremely, absurdly, tremendously close to reunite with Bolt again and to finally make it work between them- to finally tell him the truth! But that godforsaken cat had gotten between them. He had lost control, screwed up and gotten himself captured. And now he was alone in a cage, leaving Bolt and that last chance of a happier life in eighty miles per hour.

He had pushed, kicked, gnawed, clawed and bashed his head against the metal door of his car cage, and all he'd managed to do was give himself a pretty severe headache. On top of that, the throbbing pain had returned to his wounded paw and it wouldn't go away no matter how much he licked.

So now he was ready to die, ready to just quietly fade away. To leave behind all desolation... all fears... all hunting thoughts and that gnawing, fretting knowledge that he would have been with Bolt right now if he just hadn't barked so loud. That's the knowledge that was going to eat away at him for the rest of his life. He would never see Rhino again, never see his family again, and significantly worse, he would never see Bolt again.

At least that's what he thought...

Just has he lied there with his eyes shut, he heard a quiet, affectionate whine. He looked up and saw a stranger in the darkness. His canine visitor opened his cage and came into light, making Benji gasp in surprise as he stared, wide-eyed, at familiar white shepherd whose happy tail was whipping the confines of the dark car.

"Bolt, is that you? He flew up so fast be banged his head in the cage top. "Bolt!? How is this possible?"

• "Sshhh, they'll hear us". Bolt just whispered as he lied down next to the Labrador who overwhelmed him with zealous happy nuzzles and tender licks. Neither said anything else as they reunited in the dark. Benji nuzzled up to Bolt's warm chest, wiping tears secretly in his fur, disappearing completely into his world of softness, warmth and safety. Bolt just smiled and wrapped a paw over his back and held him protectively. Several more licks followed as they pressed close. Benji's ears tuned in to the quiet rhythm of his heartbeats. His breathes synced with the steady rise and fall of Bolt's chest. He hugged around him tightly, legs and forelegs wrapped around his personal superdog. He would never let go again.

A rough shake of the car forced him awake, surrounding him instantly in the cold, metal steel-box which he fell asleep him, and on top of that, knocking his sleep-drunken head against the roof of the cage. He looked down and saw that instead of Bolt, he was hugging a couple of dirty rugs the caretakers in the thoughtfulness and left inside his mobile cage. He let out a deep sigh.

He never wanted to have another dream like that again. He never wanted to think, or even dream, of Bolt again. Waking up was simply too painful.

He found himself wondering how many dogs had been inside this very cage, inside this very animal control van, scared, lonely and heading to places unknown.Maybe they too had someone they missed desperately and knew they would never see again?

He wanted to stretch out, but the cage was too small. He wanted to look up to see where they were, but all he could see were trees and signs swishing by. They must be on the highway. Probably on the way to some dog pound, perhaps the one he had escaped from before he met Bolt. How long since he got captured? Hours probably. He had lost count.

He just wanted to fall asleep again, but he knew he wasn't going to. So when the truck finally came to a stop and the workers opened up his cage, forced a leash on him and pulled him along, he figured there was no point in resisting. He was half dragged, half-carried inside a building and through white sterile corridors. Yet, he didn't do much in the way of repelling, at least not until two caretakers held him down on a metal table while a woman in a white apron who smelled like soap started to squeeze and investigate him.

It wasn't Benji's first encounter with a vet, and at least she spoke with a kind voice so he decided not to bite her. Although he did demonstratively show his discontent with flat ears and a quiet growl when the vet got too touchy, especially when she started probing his sore paw. She then went on to clean and wrap it in a white bandage which made him think of Bolt. Because it was white, and because Bolt had wrapped it up too. And it made his paw hurt a little bit less, like Bolt had done. His heart hurt again, and once again, he reminded himself not to think of him.

After a few more minutes of semi-involuntarily examination, he was shoved into yet another cage where the caretakers finally left him alone. Sitting on his hunches, he investigated what would be his home for a long time to come. It was cold, but it had a couple of blankets and it wasn't as cramped as the cage in the car. There was also a bowl of water and some dry food next to it he had no interest in eating. The room was dimly lit and the walls was made out with stacked cages, identical to his.

He could see no other dogs in any of the other cages. This was not his old dog pound, he realized. This was some other place. Of course, it didn't matter much to him. All of these places were the same anyway, and it was not like he expected his old family to come pick him up. In fact, he didn't expect anyone to come take him out of this place. Not even Bolt. Once again, he had to remind himself not to think of him. He also tried hard not to think of_the cat_, because it made his entire body quiver in hate.

But most of all, he hated himself for leaving Bolt and the others that night. Just one conversation, just one simple question with Bolt could have been enough to set him straight, to expose_the cat_, to make him realize that he was making the biggest mistake of his life.

But instead, he had left while they were all sleeping. Perhaps he had thought it was in Bolt's best interest. Perhaps he had done it simply to save himself from being abandoned again. It didn't matter now. Benji decided it was best not to think about that either.

Most of all though, he tried not to think of the fact that he would probably spend the rest of his life in this very cage.

• MITTENS -

As Rhino told his story, Mittens felt herself getting smaller and smaller until she wanted to sink through the ground. Even worse, with every word from the hamster's mouth, she could see Bolt's expression growing more and more serious as he stared at her with chilling intensity - the warmth and kindness they usually exhaled having been replaced with something else - something sharp and piercing that Mittens had never seen in his eyes before.

When Rhino was finally finished, Bolt simply walked up to her, looking the cat straight in her eyes, his ears flat against his head. He seemed so strong, so large, even larger than normal. It frightened her, and she realized, she wasn't sure what he would do to her.

"Mittens. This is one of those times when it's very important that you tell the truth..."

His voice was calm and collected, as if he was holding something back.

"Do you understand?" he asked.

She nodded quickly.

"Is what Rhino's saying true?"

Mittens was about to answer him, but an anxious lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to form words.

"I... I didn't mean to..."

"Didn't mean what? Didn't mean to get him captured? Didn't mean to lie to us? To me!?" Bolt raised his voice, something he hadn't done in a long while. Every word felt like a sharp stab for Mittens.

• "I... I didn't..." She looked up and saw him towering over her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the blow - or the bite - or attack that she assumed would come. But when she opened her eyes again, all she saw was the saddest, most miserable dog she had ever seen, looking at his muddy paws. He stood like that, silently for what must have been minutes, before some determination returned to his eyes. He abruptly turned, making his way back towards the highway.

"Where you going?" she called after him.

He turned and looked at her.

• "You got what you wanted, cat. You won't ever see me or Benji again."

"Wait! What are you gonna do Bolt?" Rhino's small voice echoed. He had stayed quiet through most of this, but he couldn't stay quiet when he saw his hero leaving.

• "I'm gonna get him back"

• "I'll help you!"

• "Sorry, buddy." he looked back at the hamster, sadness in his brown eyes. "You'd only slow me down".

And then he started running, disappearing down the road.

Mittens and Rhino stared after him until he was nothing but a white dot in the distance, steadily moving away from them.

• RHINO -

Rhino just stood there, awkwardly looking at the highway, as if some part of him still believed Bolt would come back. Any second know, he'd see those fluffy ears appear down the road. He'd say something heroic like:

_ I changed my mind Rhino! I really need you._

Or:

_ You know I was wrong. I can't do this without you._

Maybe:

_ I'm sorry for leaving you behind, buddy!_

But even he, as foolish and small as he often felt, knew that Bolt wasn't going to come back. His hero had left him behind ...left him wondering what he had done wrong... where he had screwed up... when his idol had decided he was just a liability. The little hamster turned his attention to Mittens who was burying her head with his paws, looking very sad.

A very big wrath rushed up inside Rhino's small chest when he stared at the moping cat.What right did she have to be sad? She wasn't the one who had been abandoned by her hero! She wasn't the one who'd been deceived and lied to!

He approached her while trying to choose between a hundred potential insults and verbal abuses that instantly came to mind - anything to make her feel as bad as he currently felt.

However, his wrath vanished when he looked up at the pathetic, wet creature, who seemed, if possible, even more miserable than he was. And the more he looked at her, the harder it was to remain angry, and the anger he was about to blurt out at the poor cat stuck in his throat.

So instead he just sank down next to her while the cold rain splattered around them. Sitting there, he stared at Mittens, then back at the highway, the back at Mittens again, trying to think of something to say. Thinking of things to say wasn't usually this hard for him but right now he just felt completely discombobulated. The only thing he knew for sure was that his story couldn't be allowed to end like this. He had seen countless stories on the Magic Box and no endings were ever like this, especially not Bolt's adventures. He knew something else needed to happen...

It was then it struck him like a plasma cannon: This was the final act! This is the part of the story where only two things can happen - either the character who betrayed the hero must suffer the consequences. Or, the traitor may get a second chance. Not because they deserve, but because he, Rhino, knew that it was the right thing to do.

"So..." he started. "Should I forgive you for what you did?"

• "What?" Mittens looks up. "Why are you asking me that!?"

• "I really don't have anyone else to ask. And, um, because I really don't know..."

Mittens just looked down and closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"No, Rhino... you shouldn't. Nobody should."

"Why not? Is it because you're not sorry?"

"... I don't deserve forgiveness..." She answered, burying her face again.

Rhino's little heart sank, and suddenly, he wasn't sure what to do.

_ She just admitted she doesn't deserve forgiveness..._

He started pacing back and forth, trying to figure it out. "She says she doesn't deserve it..." he mumbled to himself. He did this for a few minutes before walking over to her again to continue his feline inquiry.

"Cat... are you sorry about what you did?"

• "Rhino, please just leave me alone..."

• "I need to know!"

• "I said please!" She bit back. "You're just making me feel worse than I already feel!" She turns and curls up on her side, turning her back to the meddlesome hamster in an attempt to end their conversation.

But her words repeated in Rhino's head. "Worse than she already feels"... he continued, realizing through his mumbling that she_is_ sorry and that she does feel bad about what he did.

"No." he suddenly said. "I am most certainly_not_ going to leave you alone!"

Mittens just draped over her eyes in apparent resignation._Why couldn't this hamster just hate her in silence? _

"You're SUPPOSED to feel bad!" he yelled. "But that's great because it means you regret what you did. And it means I can forgive you!"

Running over to her, he jumped back in an attempt to give her a hug, a behavior which was usually deflected with one of Mittens' paws. This time however, she just looked down at the hamster who was hugging her leg, feeling her eyes water up.

• "You what?"

• "I forgive you!"

• "... Why? I told I don't deserve it."

• "Yes you do... the traitor with remorse deserves a second chance."

Mittens' eyes started watering again. "After everything I did... all the lies I told... and after being so selfish, you actually forgive me?"

• "Yup!"

The cold world around Mittens just started to warm up. She found herself smiling a little at Rhino. Rhino smiled back. "C'mon... Bolt needs us. We gotta follow him."

• "I'm sure he just needs you." She sighed. "He's not gonna forgive me like you did."

• "Then that's something you have to live with, cat. But that doesn't change the fact that you owe it to him, and Benji, to do your best to help them!" He starts tugging on Mittens' paw. "Come on! Let's go help him!"

• Sighing, and knowing how much Bolt hates her now, she still nods. "I'll try." Raising to her paws, she followed Rhino back to the highway, ready to save the day ... more or less.

  • BOLT -

Bolt was running, faster than he had ever ran before, soaring over the cold asphalt in long, agile leaps. And he kept running, even when his paws started to ache against the asphalt, even when he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. He knew the vehicle that had captured Benji was far ahead of him, but if he could follow it far enough, fast enough, maybe he'd have a chance. He just needed to try, to run... to run and save his friend. Nothing else went through the young dogs head as leaped over the asphalt.

So he kept running, as fast as his aching body could muster. But after close to an hour of none-stop running, he started feeling each step getting heavier, and soon the exhausted dog had to stop. He slowed, stumbled, lost his balance and eventually collapsed on the spot. He remained there, catching his breath, breathing quickly while heavy raindrops whipped his damp coat.

His paws ached - so he licked them. And as his tongue brushing over his sore paw pads he could taste blood once again, and he realized he had been pushing himself too hard, that he should probably slow down. His entire body was hurting now and the night was only growing colder. Tempting thoughts of maybe pausing his chase and finding shelter somewhere started to envelope him - somewhere warm and away from the rain.

But then, memories of when he himself had been captured like Benji was flashed through his mind. He remember the hard metal container he had been locked in. He could see the image of that tight, cramped, metal space in front of him, but instead of himself desperately trying to break out, he saw Benji in that cage. Alone. Trapped. Probably scared. Probably shaking. It struck him that however miserable his situation was now, Benji's situation was several times worse. And he couldn't allow himself to catch his breath, even for a second, until he found his friend again.

So he forced himself up on shaky legs again, and started running, the cold air burning in his lungs, his vision blurred with held back tears.

He ran for what felt like an eternity and in front of him, the clouds were painted orange by the rising sun. But ultimately, his chase came to a stop when the frantic canine faced the one thing that could slow him down.

A cross-road.

Bolt stopped instantly, hysterically looking from one departing road to the other, trying to figure out which one the prison vehicle might have taken. But it was impossible to know! And every second he wasted thinking about it, he could feel Benji getting further and further way. Rhino with that map would have been really useful right now. He cursed himself for forgetting about the map, and even more for leaving Rhino behind. The one friend he had left right now - and he had left him. He realized he would never see the little hamster again, and he found himself wishing his last words to him would have been kinder.

But he couldn't think about that now. Benji was captured. He looked around for a clue or any indication of the prison vehicles' direction when he saw distinctive white van parked next to a large building. Next to the building, there were two pumps and a big, illuminated roof. He knew what kind of construction it was. They had passed those many times and Mittens had called them "gas stations", even though Bolt had never seen or smelled any gas emitting from them.

However, the white van caught his attention as well as returning some slight hope to the dog. Could it be the prison vehicle he was searching was right there in front of him? He sneaked over to the parked vehicle, ears flat against his head, wary of any persons that might be around.

One thing he had learned repeatedly on his trip across the country was that where these vehicles were parked, persons of varying friendliness were usually not too far away. However, persons were usually quite inattentive and easy to sneak past. This was a good thing as it had enabled him, Mittens and Rhino to do the majority of their traveling on the back of some unknowing human's pickup truck.

As he approached the parked vehicle, he realized he had forgotten to ask Rhino what exactly an "animal control" van look like. However, it seemed large enough to contain a Labrador, and he wasn't going to take any chances. He could hear voices, human voices, approaching from the so called_gas station_. He realized it was now or never.

"Benji are you in there!?" He jumped up and pawed at one of the doors, trying to get his furry digits in under the door handle, but failing. He tried to look inside, but it was too dark to see anything. When that didn't work, he circled the vehicle and found two large doors on the vehicles backside. And there was no padlock! He bit down on the handle and pulled, and to his surprise, the door actually opened. He quickly bolted inside, frantically looking around in that dark, damp space.

"Benji!? Benji, are you there?"

But there was nothing. Nothing but a stack of boxes, not unlike the back of that van he and Mittens had found back in that first city, so many days ago. He let out a deep sigh, and was just about to jump out when suddenly, the door slammed shut in front of him, trapping him inside the vehicle. Slamming himself against the doors didn't help. It wouldn't budge.

He jumped in surprise when he heard another door opening and two persons stepping into the vehicle's front-seat. There was no way to sneak out now. He was trapped! He could hear the engine start and suddenly, the vehicle was moving. Bolt got scared. Very scared. Not only because I had gotten himself inadvertently imprisoned in one of these strange automobiles, but also because he had no idea where it was taking him.

The vehicle was speeding up now, driving fast on the highway. He considered attacking the two persons in the front seat. A well-delivered karate kick to the back of the driver's head would probably incapacity him long enough to take out his friend, if he was fast enough. Which he usually was. However, those karate kicks didn't seem to work too well in reality, and he wasn't sure he would be able to control the vehicle if it ever came to that. Like most things humans used, this machine seemed pretty hard to handle with paws.

He could whine and try to draw attention to himself, but he had no idea what these strangers would do if they found an intruder in the back of their van. For all he knew, they would capture him too! And even if they didn't, he wouldn't expect to be able to properly communicate his intention of finding an animal shelter to the two persons. For having invented so many fascinated things, he had learned that humans were remarkably bad at understanding him. Even Penny appeared to have this problem.

Bolt let himself sink down to the floor, feeling pretty miserable and stupid. Not to mention lonely. He started thinking about Benji, and how quickly and unspectacularly his mission to save him had ended. Benji would have never gotten himself into this situation, he thought to himself. But then he remembered that ironically, that's exactly what Benji had done. He thought about Mittens and a sharp sting of anger rushed up inside of him.How could she do that? And why would she do it?

Maybe cats were really evil, he pondered. But he couldn't believe Mittens was evil, no matter how much he wanted to. He could sense she wasn't. But then why would she do all that? It just didn't make any sense.

At least, Mittens would probably know what to do in this situation, Bolt thought to himself. He suddenly found himself missing the cat. Just a little bit. Even though he hated himself for feeling that way about the animal that betrayed him and gotten his best friend captured.

Lastly, he found himself thinking about Penny. He felt a stab of bad conscious in his heart when he realized that he'd barely thought about her in the last few days. Not since he met Benji.

But now, the white shepherd realized that he missed her. He missed his person more than anything. He missed her furless but loveable face, the strange breathless yaps and howls that was her way of laughing. He missed how her delicate fingers felt under his chin and when they folded back his soft ears. He wanted to close his eyes and imagine her being right there with him. And Benji too, and Rhino, and perhaps even Mittens. Heck, he'd even welcome the company of the Green Eyed Man if it meant he didn't have to be alone.

Just as he was about to lie down to rest, he spotted something that made his fuzzy ears spring up in surprise. On the various boxes who shared the cramped space with him, he could see an array of strange signs and character. Bolt couldn't read "human". Only Mittens seemed to have the ability to encode their language, and then only a few words.

But he _did_understand what the generic dog and cat symbol next to them meant. He had seen the same logo of a dog and cat against a white background on the building he had rescued Mittens from. The same tragic night as his self-realization so long ago. And he knew that building had been an animal shelter. And if this symbol appeared on the boxes in this vehicle, there was a good chance it was heading to an animal shelter as well!

If this van was heading to one of those shelters, it was a safe bet that the truck that had captured Benji would be heading there too. He could see the same logo on the doors, one some more boxes and on the white uniform on the driver in the front-seat. There was no question about it. He had gotten himself unintentionally trapped in some sort of supply vehicle heading exactly where he wanted to go. The white dog couldn't help but smile a bit to himself, feeling that his luck may be changing, and that he might actually see his dear friend again after all.

He got up on his back-paws, and looked out the window on the traffic, passing street-lights and miles and miles of highway outside. He could be wrong in his conclusion, but Bolt realized that for now, this trip was his best shot by far.

He could feel his eyelids getting heavier and heavier with every passing minute, but forced them to stay vigilantly open. He had been days since he last slept, but he couldn't allow himself to rest now. Any second, the vehicle could stop and he'd have to launch out, overwhelm whatever guards might be there and find his Benji. He had to be ready. So rather than lying down, the shepherds stood there, staring alertly at the doors he knew might soon open and lead him to his lost friend.

_ I'm coming Benji..._