Prologue
The day had begun just like any other day in the quaint city-life of Manhattan. Passersby were scurrying about the stretches of 5th avenue to get a glimpse of what the new day had to offer; smells of cherry, licorice, and mint wafted throughout the air as the summer heat wave progressed to scorch upon the masses. A stray pup, by the name of Angel, found herself amidst the commotion until something peculiar caught the dog's attention. " Swiss chocolate would be great right about now," Angel salivated relentlessly while watching Lindt's bakers keep enthusiastically to their work. "No! I can't. I'll have to find Lookout first, before anything else," Angel mentally berated herself for having lost her composure. Where would she be if nightfall descended and she found herself amongst the mentally deranged folk of her kind? Angel continued throughout the borough of Manhattan.
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A breathing, mangy, determined mutt Terrier covered with sporadic patches of soil-tinted fur gazed solemnly inside Wempe's jewelry and watch store, fascinated by the contents the shop beheld. "All those jewels," thought the Terrier to himself, "are ours for the taking. Hell, even Fagin could make quadruple the income than Sykes with those pearls," "Dodger, baby," came the sing-song voice of a sienna-colored Saluki "we're going back now,". "Yeah, all right Rita, give me a sec," the Terrier replied. "Dodge'?" Rita interrupted Dodger's state-of-mind. "What are you doing, baby?" Rita asked.
"See those jewels, Rita?" Dodger gestured towards Wempe's jewelry and watch store with a swift motion from an ear.
"Yeah, I see them. But what does jewelry have to do with this conversation, Dodger?" Rita inquired.
"I'm takin' the loot," Dodger smiled mischievously.
"Dodge'," Rita scorned, feeling a sudden burden overcome her slim shoulders.
"What happened the last time you tried playing Robin Hood?"
"Take it easy, Rita, no one's going to get hurt," Dodger protested.
"Dodge', promise me you won't rob that man's store," Rita pleaded.
"How about I make it up to you," Dodger looked the Saluki directly in the eyes "with some diadéme, fit for a princess! You'd like that, huh Rita?"
"Whatever you want, Dodge'," Rita scoffed "but we're heading back,"
"All right, I'll catch up with y'all later," Dodger hollered as the Saluki and his friends made way in a different direction.
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"This can't be right," cried Angel in her thoughts, "I should have been by Sixth Ave by now," Angel frantically paced to and fro, searching for her specific whereabouts with no avail from the people around her.
"Dang," Dodger muttered under his breath. "Who's this pretty, fine thing?"
Black orbs scanned a young female by the age of 12 from head-to-tail, 20 years old in human years should he have pondered, but by the looks of the frail creature, Dodger assumed that the female was in need of professional guidance.
Chapter One
The Terrier mix hopped off the parasol he was laying on and landed with a dull thump on New York's unkempt streets. He proceeded to move towards the Pomeranian mix with savoir-faire; neither a cat nor fly penetrated his mind.
"Hiya toots," Dodger ushered in "you look a little lost. Mind if I lend you a paw?"
"I'll be fine on my own, thanks," Angel turned away from the stranger.
"You've been shuffling about for the past five minutes, doll. You could use my help whether you admit it or not,"
"Excuse me?" Angel said flustered.
"It's New York, babe. Let me lend you a paw,"
"I'm sorry, I should get going,"
"You don't even know where you are,"
"Please, just leave me alone," Angel dismissed the chuckling Terrier mix.
"Listen, doll, you're better off in the hands of a human than you are roaming the streets of Fifth Avenue. You'll end up as someone's house pet by the end of the day, guaranteed. Just give 'em the old puppy-dog eyes and-"
"Why are we still talking?"
"Why are you so uptight?"
Angel sighed exasperatedly.
"Come on beautiful, let me show you around. Where're you headed to anyway?"
"Don't make me laugh. That's Chestnut Ridge,"
"Dang baby, why so far?" "Why are you interested?" "Lighten up, dollface,"
"I have a name, dog. It's Angel."
"Beautiful,"
______________________________________________________________________________
The day had begun just like any other day in the quaint city-life of Manhattan. Passersby were scurrying about the stretches of 5th avenue to get a glimpse of what the new day had to offer; smells of cherry, licorice, and mint wafted throughout the air as the summer heat wave progressed to scorch upon the masses. A stray pup, by the name of Angel, found herself amidst the commotion until something peculiar caught the dog's attention. " Swiss chocolate would be great right about now," Angel salivated relentlessly while watching Lindt's bakers keep enthusiastically to their work. "No! I can't. I'll have to find Lookout first, before anything else," Angel mentally berated herself for having lost her composure. Where would she be if nightfall descended and she found herself amongst the mentally deranged folk of her kind? Angel continued throughout the borough of Manhattan.
______________________________________________________________________________
A breathing, mangy, determined mutt Terrier covered with sporadic patches of soil-tinted fur gazed solemnly inside Wempe's jewelry and watch store, fascinated by the contents the shop beheld. "All those jewels," thought the Terrier to himself, "are ours for the taking. Hell, even Fagin could make quadruple the income than Sykes with those pearls," "Dodger, baby," came the sing-song voice of a sienna-colored Saluki "we're going back now,". "Yeah, all right Rita, give me a sec," the Terrier replied. "Dodge'?" Rita interrupted Dodger's state-of-mind. "What are you doing, baby?" Rita asked.
"See those jewels, Rita?" Dodger gestured towards Wempe's jewelry and watch store with a swift motion from an ear.
"Yeah, I see them. But what does jewelry have to do with this conversation, Dodger?" Rita inquired.
"I'm takin' the loot," Dodger smiled mischievously.
"Dodge'," Rita scorned, feeling a sudden burden overcome her slim shoulders.
"What happened the last time you tried playing Robin Hood?"
"Take it easy, Rita, no one's going to get hurt," Dodger protested.
"Dodge', promise me you won't rob that man's store," Rita pleaded.
"How about I make it up to you," Dodger looked the Saluki directly in the eyes "with some diadéme, fit for a princess! You'd like that, huh Rita?"
"Whatever you want, Dodge'," Rita scoffed "but we're heading back,"
"All right, I'll catch up with y'all later," Dodger hollered as the Saluki and his friends made way in a different direction.
______________________________________________________________________________
"This can't be right," cried Angel in her thoughts, "I should have been by Sixth Ave by now," Angel frantically paced to and fro, searching for her specific whereabouts with no avail from the people around her.
"Dang," Dodger muttered under his breath. "Who's this pretty, fine thing?"
Black orbs scanned a young female by the age of 12 from head-to-tail, 20 years old in human years should he have pondered, but by the looks of the frail creature, Dodger assumed that the female was in need of professional guidance.
Chapter One
The Terrier mix hopped off the parasol he was laying on and landed with a dull thump on New York's unkempt streets. He proceeded to move towards the Pomeranian mix with savoir-faire; neither a cat nor fly penetrated his mind.
"Hiya toots," Dodger ushered in "you look a little lost. Mind if I lend you a paw?"
"I'll be fine on my own, thanks," Angel turned away from the stranger.
"You've been shuffling about for the past five minutes, doll. You could use my help whether you admit it or not,"
"Excuse me?" Angel said flustered.
"It's New York, babe. Let me lend you a paw,"
"I'm sorry, I should get going,"
"You don't even know where you are,"
"Please, just leave me alone," Angel dismissed the chuckling Terrier mix.
"Listen, doll, you're better off in the hands of a human than you are roaming the streets of Fifth Avenue. You'll end up as someone's house pet by the end of the day, guaranteed. Just give 'em the old puppy-dog eyes and-"
"Why are we still talking?"
"Why are you so uptight?"
Angel sighed exasperatedly.
"Come on beautiful, let me show you around. Where're you headed to anyway?"
"Don't make me laugh. That's Chestnut Ridge,"
"Dang baby, why so far?" "Why are you interested?" "Lighten up, dollface,"
"I have a name, dog. It's Angel."
"Beautiful,"
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