Ryan looked at Claire.
“You saved Ranger.”
“Yes.”
“You saved him before I ever met him.”
“Yes.”
“And nobody told me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Claire looked toward the hallway.
“Because someone wanted the operation buried.”
Ryan’s expression hardened.
“Who?”
Claire shook her head.
“That’s classified.”
“I’m his handler.”
“You were.”
Ryan stared.
“What does that mean?”
Claire stepped closer.
“It means your assignment was never what you thought it was.”
Before Ryan could respond, Dr. Reed interrupted.
“Claire, he’s crashing.”
She immediately turned toward Ryan.
“Get him to surgery.”
Ryan tried to sit up.
“What about Ranger?”
Claire looked at the wounded dog.
“He comes with us.”
Ryan shook his head.
“You can’t take him.”
Ranger suddenly lifted his head.
He looked at Claire.
Then at Ryan.
Then back at Claire.
The dog slowly stood.
He walked to Ryan’s bedside.
And placed his head against Ryan’s hand.
Ryan’s eyes filled with tears.
“Good boy.”
Claire watched silently.
Then she whispered,
“He never forgot you either.”
Part 7 — The Operation
Ryan’s surgery lasted four hours.
Claire never left the operating room.
The doctors repaired the damage.
Blood transfusions stabilized him.
The chest tube relieved the pressure around his lung.
When Ryan finally woke, the room was dark.
His first word was:
“Ranger.”
A nurse smiled.
“Your dog is alive.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
“Where?”
“Veterinary trauma.”
He tried to sit up.
“You can’t get up yet.”
“I need to see him.”
A voice came from the doorway.
“You’ll see him.”
Ryan opened his eyes.
Claire stood there.
She was exhausted.
There was dried blood on her scrubs.
Ryan looked at her.
“You stayed.”
Claire smiled faintly.
“Of course.”
“Why?”
She looked at him.
“Because I promised him six years ago.”
“Promised who?”
“Ranger.”
Ryan stared.
“What did you promise?”
Claire’s eyes moved toward the window.
“I promised I would never let him die alone.”
Ryan swallowed.
“He remembered you.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Claire smiled.
“Because he loved me.”
Part 8 — The File
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