Bergamot Fury - Code Name: "Alpha" The Leader. Extensively trained to be a top operative, Alpha is both a lover and a fighter. He embodies the charm, character, and gentlemanly nature of a Boston Terrier. Bergamot provides the outward face of the group as well as being the commander.

Emrys - Code Name: "Cannon Ball" The Rookie. She's 14 lbs of lightning fast muscle. Her specialties include surveillance and demolition. Cannon Ball is the first to sound the alarm and last to settle down. She is the eyes, ears, and nose of the group.

Dad - Code Name: "Vengeance" The Driver. An ex-linebacker turned dog reclamation specialist. He's a little short on finesse and likes to solve problems the old fashioned way…with brute force and ignorance. If the situation gets sticky he's handy to have around.

Momma - Code Name: "Treats" The negotiator. Skilled in the use of persuasion and tactical maneuvering, Treats handles all communications for the group as well as scheduling, equipment, supplies, and logistics.

The Assignment:

Mr. Fury,

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to rescue a lost operative being held in a detention center in Colchester, Connecticut. Our sources tell us he is thin and in rough condition from weeks of exposure to the elements. We need the team to get in quickly and get our man out without incident. Good luck and God's speed. This email will delete itself in 30 seconds.

The Plan:
1500 hours Sunday the 2nd of February 2003. We decided to strike at late afternoon on a Sunday to take advantage of the lessened civilian traffic and lighter security detail present during off hours. Our recon team verified that 3:00PM civilian time would be the ideal time to strike due to the changing of the guards. We opted to deal with the new guards to take full advantage of the confusion that is always present at the beginning of a shift. The plan was simple; Cannon Ball and I would remain in the getaway vehicle while Vengeance and Treats made a frontal approach to the facility posing as missionaries. Once inside they would ascertain the location and condition of the subject and formulate possible rescue scenarios. Outside Cannon Ball and I would visually reconnoiter the grounds and plan the best escape route in the event of unexpected hostility. The entire group would then reconvene at the BRV (Boston Rescue Vehicle) to discuss the various possibilities and probabilities for success.

The Mission:
Everyone was silent during the entire ride to the compound. Each of us knew what he or she had to do and now was the time to focus. Cannon Ball and I were both concerned that Vengeance would lose his composure and resort to violence before a proper strategy could be formulated. We did not have long to entertain our fears, however, because in less than 30 minutes we arrived outside the target location. Despite my concerns I knew that Vengeance was a professional and I would have to trust his abilities. A quick visual inspection of the grounds and it was go time. Treats and Vengeance managed to get past the outer guard and through the fences into the compound without being seen. We could see from our vantage point that they were proceeding cautiously and that Treats was keeping Vengeance calm with reassuring gestures. They were nearly inside the main facility when they were stopped and questioned by a guard. I could see the tension on Vengeance's face as Treats skillfully managed to persuade the guard to allow her to see the prisoners. All three humans entered the main building and were gone for what seemed like an eternity. Cannon Ball and I were ready for all scenarios. If there was going to be trouble we had everything from the knees down covered.

After a few tense moments Treats and Vengeance emerged from the building with the guard following behind. We were both relieved to see that thus far everything had gone peacefully. Our primary objective was to get the Boston out, but our secondary objective was to try to get a man on the inside. Up until now we had no direct line of information coming from within the stronghold. If we could get a double agent inside, we would be able to carry on continuing rescue operations without incident. I could tell by the expression on Treats' face that she had successfully made contact and that everything had gone according to the plan. Vengeance was distracting the guard with small talk while Treats came to the BRV to brief us on the situation. As Treats opened the door she gave us the code word "Stay" to let us know that the original plan was still a go. Equipped with only a crate and her purse, Treats proceeded casually back to the fenced in area where Vengeance and the guard were swapping pleasantries. The three humans exchanged a few words and then made their way toward the main housing facility. This was a critical juncture in the operation and Cannon Ball and I were nervous because we could not hear what was being said. As our agents approached the main door, I saw Treats slip money to the guard and I knew that we were in. Vengeance stayed outside just in case there was a double cross, but I could see by the way he gestured to us to stay down that he was fairly confident of success. A few moments later Treats emerged into the afternoon sunlight carrying the crate. Judging from the way she was carrying it with both hands, I knew it was no longer empty. The guard followed Treats and Vengeance all the way to the getaway vehicle and even said, "Thanks" before he turned around and walked away. In a strange way this mission seemed to have gone too well. We had never infiltrated a government stronghold before and gotten thanked for it by the guards themselves. In any case we certainly did not hang around to ponder that thought. The prisoner's name was Bosco and he looked like he was in bad shape. Our immediate concerns revolved around getting him back to base and into a warm bed as soon as possible. Treats confirmed for the group that the guard had been very cooperative and had been enthusiastic about the idea of "working" with us in the future. We now had a man on the inside. Thanks to the skill of one of our agents we had infiltrated the enemy base and now had someone working for us on their side.

Bosco recovered quickly and is now currently awaiting reassignment to a field division. Cannon Ball and myself train constantly on our paw-to-paw combat skills while Treats is busy refitting our base to better accommodate our next Boston rescue. Vengeance is currently attending anger management seminars at a local community college. His progress thus far has been reported as "satisfactory".

* Thank you to Richard Potter and the staff of Colchester Animal Control for coming in on a Sunday to help with Bosco's adoption. Thank you all for all the kindness and compassion you have shown Bosco and all the other dogs in your care. You are the true heroes of this story.

** Update: Bosco has been re-assigned!