The Magazine of FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION - A. Bertram Chandler

Finding a missing K9 dog is a great way to give back to both the people and the animals who have helped Cage over the years. He didn't expect his actions to help someone else—maybe even himself. Yet that's the likely outcome when he realizes the dog belongs to a little boy who suffers from spina bifida and who lost his parents in a car accident. Now Cage must save a little boy and his dog, who need each other more than ever.

Risa never should have split from Cage years ago, and seeing the man he is now just accents all she has lost. Even harder is the realization that time did not change anything between them. He is still the one for her.

Yet getting to a happy future looks less and less likely, as the two of them realize something sinister underlies this whole mess, and someone doesn't want them to survive ...