The barking came first. Old. Hoarse. But full of life. Then the golden retriever limped into the room, tail wagging unevenly, eyes cloudy with age. Ethan fell to his knees, his chains clinking. Rusty pressed his gray muzzle against Ethan’s chest, whining softly like he’d been waiting all these years. Even the guards turned away, pretending not to wipe their eyes. Five minutes. That’s all they were given. But Rusty wasn’t leaving. He barked toward the door, then back at Ethan, pacing nervously. S