Breaking Creed

64

Creed’s second cell phone started to vibrate. Diesel’s crew had tripped the motion sensor at the back door of the main house.

Creed grabbed his iPad. He punched the app that brought up all the dog collars and their communication devices. He opened Grace’s and tapped three times. She didn’t have a camera — just the communication gadget. He’d be able to watch her from the cameras already in the house. He touched the app for the interior and brought up the camera views from inside. And sure enough, he saw Grace scurrying into position.

The two men entered the kitchen at a crouch. Diesel knew not to follow them inside unless or until Creed gave the command. From Diesel’s camera, he watched the men disappear inside. And from the kitchen camera, he saw them moving in.

The lights were on in the house. In every room, every possible bulb burned bright, so the two men removed their infrared goggles. From camera to camera Creed watched them sneak from room to room. He adjusted his earbud. The microphones on the cameras in the house were much more sensitive.

“Did you hear that?” the man in the lead asked his partner.

“Sounded like it came from that way.”

Just at that moment, Creed saw Grace peek around the corner, letting the men see her.

“It’s a dog.”

Gunfire blasted in Creed’s ear, sending him to his feet.

Damn it!

Frantically, he punched at icons, bringing up cameras to follow the men when he really just wanted to run to the house. As soon as they got to the hallway that Grace had disappeared down, Creed pulled out the remote from his pocket and began clicking buttons, one after another, sending the entire house into darkness.

“Holy crap! What the hell!”

He could hear the men as he watched them screech to a halt. There were only two doors down this way. He kept a faint light on in the room at the end of the hall, which had been Amanda’s room. But it was difficult to see because the other door halfway down the hall was fully open and obstructed the view of the rest of the hallway.

“This is the way the dog went.”

“Come on, let’s get this little bastard.”

The one in a hurry raced to the open doorway with his friend close behind. He rushed through and the scream and crash stopped his buddy in the threshold.

“Craig, what the hell happened?”

Too late! The heavy metal door swung into the man’s back, sending him down. Creed turned the lights back on in time to see Bolo, with his big front paws still on the door, keeping it closed as Creed hit a button and heard the bolt slide and click into place.

“Sorry, guys. Hannah’s been nagging me forever to put steps down to that storm cellar.”

Then he turned on his microphone for the communication system in the dogs’ collars and said, “Good job, Bolo.”

He saw Grace come from the end of the hallway to join the big dog.

“Good job, Grace.”

He watched their ears go back and he knew they had heard him.

“Grace, Bolo, go hide.”

Both of them stood there a moment, as if they expected him to come into the house. That was the only part of this that he hadn’t perfected — no pats, no rewards. Only audio praise. Not until the end… if there was an end.

They still hadn’t moved.

“Grace, Bolo, go hide.” He used a sterner voice and the two took off.

Two down, Creed thought. Five to go.

And his cell phone began to vibrate again. One of the groups had just breached the motion sensor at the corner of the kennel warehouse.

Creed readjusted his gadgets and wiped his forehead.

Come on in, guys.