Mission 19

Keith readies his knife and orders Kurt, who has hold of Anya, to silence her before she can expose the group. The command triggers Bond, who slams into Kurt and plants himself between the girl and her captors. One student moves against the dog, but Keith forbids harming their asset, and another notes that barking near the adoption fair will draw no attention today.

At the fair, Yor combs the crowds asking after Anya until she accepts the girl is gone. A news story about young women abducted into forced marriages surfaces in her memory and sends her into a panic, pacing and wishing Loid would return from the restroom.

Loid, in reality, is sweeping the terrorists' known hideouts with WISE. Both locations from Kris's confession stand empty, but Loid reports two white vans rented under the alias "Kevin Knowles," and Handler moves to trace the plates. She also shares what WISE has learned about the dogs: they come from Project Apple, a program under Ostania's previous regime that bred animals of unusual intelligence for military use, whose test subjects were sold off on the black market instead of being destroyed. She cautions that the animals may retain those enhanced minds.

Back at the hideout, Keith tells Bond to move aside so he can finish Anya quickly. Through Bond's mind, Anya glimpses a premonition of a telephone ringing, and seconds later the real phone rings, startling everyone. The caller, a conspirator named Kim, warns that their safehouses have been raided. Realizing Kris talked, Keith announces a switch to Plan B, and in the confusion Anya and Bond vanish.

Riding on the big dog's back, Anya works out that his visions show the future. She tries to steer him toward Yor for protection, but Bond charges his own course, and the ride starts to feel like fun. Her attempt to redirect him toward the police instead loops them straight back into Keith and Kurt. The terrorists' dog Aaron attacks, Keith seizes Bond's leash, and Kurt is told to kill the girl. Before he can, Yor drops on him from behind with a kick that knocks him out cold, then declares her daughter far too young for marriage, having pegged the men as the kidnappers from the news. Keith can only stare.

Bond attacks Kurt and shields Anya from the terrorists' attempt to silence her.

Handler reveals the dogs originate from Project Apple, a defunct Ostanian military-animal experiment whose subjects were sold on the black market.

A premonition of a ringing phone confirms Bond's precognition and covers Anya's escape.

Yor unknowingly rescues Anya by flattening Kurt, believing she has foiled a bridal kidnapping.

Editor Shihei Lin asked Endo to put special care into the image of Anya riding on Bond's back, reasoning that it captures a dream every child shares.

The chapter continues the Doggy Crisis Arc and is adapted in Episode 13 of the anime. The cover features Kurt, Anya, Keith Kepler, and Bond.