(12:41 A.M.)
(July 5, 2011)

After I had hung up the call with Scar's captors, I sat for a moment, thinking. Kate was volgende to me and the rest of the rescue party was still in the living room.
A minuut of two later, a thought occurred to me. I picked my phone up and dialed a number, hoping that she was still awake.
"Hello?"
I sat bolt upright. "Pen, it's Colby."
"What's up, bro? I haven't heard from u of Scar in a while. How is she, anyway?"
I chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, that's what I'm calling about, Pen. She's gone missing."
"Oh no! What happened?" she asked.
"I left the house for a bit to go grab her something and when I got back, she was gone. Anyway, I'm putting together a rescue and I need your boy and his powers to help."
She sighed. "That's the fourth time in six months that you've needed him up there."
"Yeah, I know, but this time we really need his help."
"What were all those other times?" she asked, curious.
"Scar and I appreciate his company."
"Ah."
Another thought occurred to me.
"Look, if u want, u can tag along, make sure everything's copacetic. How good are u with a gun?"
"There's guns involved? I'm not sure I want him up there with that going on."
"Remember that dag out in L.A.? I saved both of you. I never collected on that debt. And now I need him, and you, and u don't want to help?"
She sighed again. "Alright. We'll both come. What time should we be ready?"
"I'm sending Trudy to pick u up."
"I'll be ready for her."
"Thanks, Pen."
I disconnected the call and immediately made another.

I could tell door one word that I had woken someone up.
"Hello?" zei a voice blurred door sleep.
"Trud, it's Colby. I need your help," I zei urgently.
I heard her start to come online. "What do u need?" she asked.
"I need you, the Merlin, any guns u can get your paws on, which I know is a lot, and I need u to stop in Oklahoma for a pickup."
Her sigh sounded like a hiss of static.
"I swear, if it's that girl and her boy, I'm gonna stempel, punch u when I get there," she zei with a laugh.
She was serious.
"Well, I'll get ready for the hit, cause that's who I need."
"Hot damn, Colby, what do u need me and the guns for?"
I told her the very condensed version of what had happened with Scar.
Her voice reflected her instant awareness.
"I'll get in the air right now. Did u tell them that I'd be picking u up?"
"You know I did, Trudy."
"Acknowledged. Trudy, out." she zei and hung up.
I turned to the assembled wolves and humans.
"Alright, I got us a little extra help. My friend Trudy is a pilot for the Air Force and she's bringing a bird and some guns up."
"What about this Pen and her boy?" asked Sweets, who had calmed down after her shortsighted outburst.
"They're friends," I said. "The very best."
I smiled.