CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

       The Blue Collar gang had successfully reached the

chain link fence at the rear of the institute, and began

looking for a way in. Gibraltar, running along the fence,

saw an opening. He shouted to the gang, “Here's a hole I

can slip through. I’ll open a gate.”

     “Just get us in,” Wiley encouraged.

     While Gibraltar was squeezing through the hole in the

fence and looking for a gate he could open, the gang was

being watched by one of the two remaining security guards.

Their attack dogs were gone as was everybody else. “The

little dog has broken into zone five and is running around

trying to open a gate,” reported the security guard watching

the monitor.

     Instantly the chief of security rushed over to the bank

of monitors to observe the situation. “The rest of the blue

collar dogs are outside the fence,” said the other security

guard.

     They both studied the monitors. “Open a gate and let

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them in. When they are all in, lock the rear gates and open

the gates that lead to the pit,” the chief security guard

ordered.

     “Why do you want them in the pit?” asked the other

security guard.

     “I think those motley excuses for dogs should have a

chance to meet Dr. Howl’s favorite pet,” said the chief

Security guard.

     “Titanic,” said the other security guard.

     “Yes Titanic,” answered said the chief security guard

with anticipation. “Those dogs are in for the surprise of

their lives.”

     Meantime, Gibraltar was frantically running around

inside the research facility, trying to find a gate to open,

pushing on one after another. Finally, he came up to one

gate that just swung open. The gang saw the gate and

quickly entered. “That’s strange,” said Gibraltar.

     All of the gang had made it inside, “Good work

Gibraltar,” said Wiley.

     “Follow me,” Bouncer said quietly. With Bouncer in

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in the lead, the gang continued advancing through a maze

of pens and cages at the rear of the institute. All the time,

they were being closely monitored by the two security men.

As the dogs neared the main holding area, horrible odors

and sounds engulfed them. Astro suddenly stopped for a

moment and shook from head to toe. “I remember I was

drugged here and they put something in the back of my

neck,” he said.

     “We know. You’re o.k. now Astro,” Buster assured

his friend.

     Following Bouncer, the dogs wandered into a large

pit surrounded with bars that went to the ceiling and steel

gates. The Blue Collar Gang stood in the middle of the pit

looking around. “This is too easy. Something is....,” said

Wiley.

     Buster interrupted. “Listen.” The gang froze in place.

What they heard was the clicking sound of locks to all the

gates around the pit. Then from the far side of the pit a gate

raised, and in strutted a gigantic dog with a ferocious face,

red eyes and black short hair. He looked like a mix of the

most bloodthirsty dogs in the world and was three times the

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size of Buster. His name was Titanic and he meant

business. “You have made a big mistake my little friends,”

Titanic bellowed.

     Buster could see the terror in the eyes of the Blue

Collar Gang. Since he had been in a few fights in his day,

he took over. “We have to hit him and take him down,”

Buster shouted.

     “How?” the paralyzed Blue Collar dogs shouted back.

     “Attack his feet,” ordered Buster.

     Astro, Gibraltar and Duke cried out. “We'll hit him

from behind.”

     “Bouncer, Wiley and I will take him head on,”

commanded Buster.

     “Attack!” yelled Wiley, and the fight was on. The

Blue Collar Gang flew into action. Astro, Gibraltar and

Duke went for Titanic’s rear legs, Bouncer, Wiley and

Buster attacked Titanic’s front legs. Their aggressive

charge caught Titanic off guard as they hit him with all

they had, and he went down. The gang pinned Titanic to

the ground and were in control.

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     “Keep him down,” Buster shouted.

     Titanic had never been knocked off his feet and he

didn't like it. He gathered all his strength as the Blue Collar

Gang hung on for dear life. Wiley looked around

desperately for an exit from the pit. With a loud roar,

Titanic rolled over on his side sending Buster and Duke

flying off. He sprung to his feet, shedding the dogs like

shaking water off his back, swinging his tail and hitting

Gibraltar so hard it sent the little dog crashing against the

pit wall, where he crumbled to the floor.

     Then Titanic decided to go after Buster, the biggest

Blue Collar warrior. Titanic stalked down Buster, cornered

him and attacked. Buster tried to hold off the bigger dog

but was getting mauled.

     Wiley regrouped the gang. “Buster's in trouble,” he

hollered, and ran to help his friend, followed by Bouncer,

Astro, and Duke. They flew at Titanic with all their might

and inflicted enough pain that Titanic stopped his attack on

Buster, spun around and faced them, head butting Wiley,

knocking him to the dirt floor unconscious. Then Titanic

grabbed onto Bouncer's neck, tossed him in the air, and

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crashed into Astro and Duke, sending them flying half way

across the pit.

Brad was following John around helping him hunt for

Wiley when they both heard sounds of a vicious dog fight.

“What's that?” John asked.

“Sounds like trouble,” answered Brad. The two men

ran in the direction of the howling and went right past

Maggie, who was in her cage. She noticed John and Brad,

jumped up and tried gain their attention.

“Help me!” Maggie cried out, but the two men were

focused on what sounded like a deadly battle just ahead.

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