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He’ll come to trust you in time, but for now, I wouldn’t make any sudden gestures around him.  Brando is about the smartest dog I’ve ever known, but he’s damn protective of me too.  Kinda funny people call you Bear.  Brando here chased one out from behind the barn just last summer. Tore into that big old bear and didn’t let up until the poor bastard was running back up into the hills.  Seems like Brando wants to do the same to you about now.”
     
    Mac leaned down and slowly reached his hand out to pat the dog’s head.  Brando sniffed his hand briefly before giving it a lick.
     
    “Not too common a dog for Alaska.  Short haired and all, must not handle the winter months too well.”
     
    Cooper smiled down at Brando.
     
    “Oh, he does all right.  He prefers a good fire for sure, but if we have to be outside during a cold spell, he puts up with it.  Seems to like you well enough, Mac.”
     
    Mac shook his head slightly.
     
    “Guess that makes him a piss-poor judge of character then.”
     
    Mac stood back up and looked from one end of the covered farmhouse porch to the other, before his eyes settled back onto the still seated Cooper Wyse.
     
    “So, we heading out first thing in the morning, I suppose?  You told me you had all the supplies we would need for the trip.  Mind if I confirm that about now?  I like to be prepared.”
     
    Cooper stood up and pointed toward the large dilapidated barn that sat nearly a hundred yards from the ranch house.  It had been painted red at one time, but only remnants of that paint remained.  Most of the wood was fully exposed and weather aged a dull grey color. 
     
    “Supplies are in the barn.  Like I said, everything we’ll need.  And then some.  C’mon, let’s go take a look then.”
     
    The four Dominatus survivors followed behind Cooper Wyse as he made the walk to the barn structure with Brando following closely on Cooper’s right side.  The barn’s entrance was a large wooden sliding door that had single metallic lock to keep it secured.  Cooper removed a key from a coat pocket and turned the locking mechanism and then slid the door open.  Inside were six stables likely used to house the horses during the cold Alaskan winter.  A single light above the middle of those stables offered faint illumination.  On both sides of the barn large bales of hay were stacked nearly to the ceiling some twenty feet above their heads.
     
    Mac turned to Cooper while pointing toward the six horse stables.
     
    “Which one is the access, Coop?  One on the far right?
     
    Cooper Wyse’s eyes widened slightly at the question.
     
    “Access?”
     
    Mac gave a sly smile.
     
    “Yeah – c’mon now, did you think someone like me wouldn’t do their homework on you?  That I’d spend all day making my way here without having some idea what you’re about?”
     
    Cooper remained silent, looking back at Mac without expression.
     
    Mac walked to the stable farthest to the right of the barn.
     
    “The wood is hardly worn.  The straw on the ground is too uniform.  Hasn’t been a horse in here for a long time.  Look how the wall in the back, it’s slightly different color than the other stables’ back wall.  Guessing it’s a bit more substantial than the other walls, right?  And notice how that one light up above isn’t actually centered above the six stables – it’s right of center.  You wanted more light on that particular stable.”
     
    Cooper Wyse again ran his fingers across the stubble on his face.
     
    “Well, Mac, I see you’re already living up to your reputation.  C’mon then, let me show you what we got.”
     
    Dublin and Reese looked at one another, silently communicating their confusion over what was just said.  Bear was focused on that sixth stable, trying to figure out what Mac was seeing that remained unknown to him.  The three of them followed behind Mac, who in turn was following Cooper.
     
    Once inside the stable,