Chapter 14 - ONE LAST COMMAND
Titan dropped.
I fired.
Martin screamed and fell backward, his gun skidding across the wet concrete.
For one terrible second, I saw nothing except Titan on the ground.
“Titan!”
I fell beside him.
“Buddy!”
He lifted his head.
Alive.
The bullet had torn through the side of his medical vest.
No blood.
Missed him by inches.
I laughed so hard it sounded like crying.
“You impossible animal.”
Titan licked my chin.
Behind me, Harris cuffed Martin.
“You’re under arrest.”
Martin stared at Titan with pure hatred.
“He should’ve died in the park.”
I stood slowly.
“No.”
Martin looked at me.
“That’s where you made your biggest mistake.”
“What?”
“You thought he was just a dog.”
Federal agents secured the container yard.
Animal control recovered eleven venomous reptiles.
The biomedical crate turned out to contain illegally harvested venom and unlicensed lab cultures used in experimental antivenom research.
Dangerous.
Illegal.
But contained.
By sunrise, Martin Voss was in federal custody.
Cole was charged.
Pike agreed to cooperate.
Cascade Pest Solutions collapsed overnight.
Investigators eventually found records showing at least nine staged wildlife emergencies over eighteen months.
Businesses had paid tens of thousands of dollars to remove dangerous animals Martin’s own people had planted.
He had built a business by manufacturing fear.
And he would have gotten away with it longer if Titan hadn’t chased a yellow Frisbee toward a little girl in a pink coat.
Three weeks later, Titan received full medical clearance.
The first morning he returned to the K9 unit, every officer in the building was waiting.
Someone had taped a sign over his kennel.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
Titan sniffed it.
Then tried to eat the corner.
“Very dignified.”
Harris laughed.
“Hero behavior.”
Our official review had one final step.
A public commendation ceremony.
I hated ceremonies.
Titan hated staying still.
Perfect combination.
The auditorium was packed.
Chief.
Mayor.
Reporters.
Officers.
Families.
Then Lucy walked onto the stage.
Pink coat again.
She carried a small box.
Titan immediately stood.
His tail went wild.
The audience laughed.
Lucy knelt.
Titan crossed the stage before I gave permission.
“Titan.”
He ignored me.
Again.
He buried his face against Lucy’s shoulder.
She laughed.
“See? He likes me better.”
“Apparently.”
She opened the box.
Inside was a medal.
The chief stepped toward the microphone.
“For extraordinary courage in defense of human life…”
Lucy interrupted.
“Can I say something?”
The chief smiled.
“Of course.”
She looked at the audience.
“The first time Titan saved me, everybody thought he was bad.”
The room became quiet.
“Even Officer Mercer was scared.”
Thanks, kid.
“But Titan knew something we didn’t.”
She touched his head.
“So maybe being brave doesn’t always look nice at first.”
I swallowed hard.
Lucy clipped the medal onto Titan’s collar.
The entire room stood.
Applause thundered around us.
Titan didn’t care.
He was looking at Lucy’s hand.
She was holding a dog treat.
Then my radio crackled.
“K9 Unit, possible armed suspect fleeing northbound near Lake Avenue.”
I looked at Titan.
Titan looked at me.
The applause faded behind us.
I smiled.
“You ready to work?”
May you like
Titan barked once.
And we ran.
