K9 Corp:Sabre's Tale Chapter 2

Chapter 2


I found that when I returned I had been moved from my kennel, next to Steele and had been placed between Scimitar and the Russian hybrid bitch Sasha, I could not believe my luck, I had struck the jackpot, not only was I placed next to my new friend but I also had landed next to one of the few bitches in the department. Did that mean I had been recognised for my worth or was it because someone needed to keep Steele in check?     Whatever the reason was, I did not care.  Sasha had definitely noticed me, she was looking in my direction when she thought I was not looking and when I met her gaze, she coyly turned her head and her muzzle flushed bright pink.  Yes this was it I had finally been noticed  I tried to let her know that I was interested I walked up to the mesh of  my run adjoining her run and  poked my nose through the mesh, she trotted over and we both sniffed each other. I managed to lick her muzzle through the wire mesh and she returned the greeting. That was it, it was official I now had found a girlfriend. I lay down next to the fence and she did the same we fell asleep facing each other.  A couple of hours later Stephen came in with another dog handler called Jenny, he opened my run and clipped me on my lead, to my amazement I noticed the other dog handler do the same with Sasha. Then the four of us walked out together, did that mean I was getting to go work with Sasha? What's more we were both put in the same car in the two dog crates provided; we were definitely going to work together!                                                                                                                     But then that meant danger as Sasha was an explosives dog and trained to find explosives, we were unloaded at Piccadilly tube station a man had found a suspicious package and it was down to Sasha and her handler to see if it contained volatile matter. Mine and Stephen's job was to keep the people from entering the tube station and to keep contact with Sasha's handler. I heard three staccato barks and knew with dread that she had a positive result; the bomb squad were luckily on standby and were able to safely detonate it.
Sasha and I had also picked up the scent of the man on the explosive and we both were straining at our leads barking and lunging, our handlers slipped our leashes and we ran into the night, our handlers close behind us, until we came to an old building, I decided to go to the left and Sasha to the right and we entered the building. It was dark inside and it took a second for my eyes to adjust, I saw movement and ran at the man barking to try and hold him but he ran and fled, I sprinted as fast as my four legs would carry me and launched myself into the air, the man turned around and shot at me, but the shot luckily went wide just scoring my shoulder which produced a stripe of blood I yelped once but the sting made me even more angry. I hit him full force in the chest, felling him. I supported my weight with my hind legs braced either side of him to keep my balance. I grabbed his arm in my teeth and pinched his flesh till he dropped the gun and shrieked in shock and then I saw his eyes blaze with anger. He then managed to raise his leg and aimed a savage kick between my legs which lifted me off the ground I howled and fell heavily on my side  on to  the concrete ground, which knocked  all the breath out of me, he then kicked me hard in the ribs. By this time Stephen was just behind me and he managed to apprehend the criminal, being as brutal as he could when applying the handcuffs. I could hear him call him a 'bloody savage' as I lay gasping on the concrete floor.
Sasha meanwhile had tracked down another man and had him at bay against a wall, luckily for Sasha this one was not armed and Jenny managed to get the criminal and was returning with Sasha, when they heard my yelp. Sasha's ears sprang forward and a growl rose in her throat, she ran in my direction. Sasha's handler handed over the convict to another officer and ran after her dog fearing the worst. She would have been devastated if she lost Sasha and she thought that that was Stephen's fate
I was slowly regaining my breath when I saw a blurred canine image run toward me the blow had brought tears to my eyes and I shook my head to clear them, there was Sasha running towards me, her handler hot on her heels. Sasha licked my head with her soothing tongue and then the deep graze on my shoulder, I winced with the pain, and it was not my shoulder that was bothering me but a deep ache in my ribs, stomach and sensitive areas where I had been kicked. Jenny took the criminal from Stephen and Sasha went with her growling and barking at the restrained man knowing far well that it was him who had done this to me.                                                                                                                That just left me and Stephen, we were alone in this part of the building, though I could hear other policemen working their way up the upper floors searching for evidence but that did not bother me. At that moment the only thing that I could feel was the pain and I started to retch.
Stephen left me for a while and returned with is coat; another dog handler came and assisted Stephen in lifting me onto the coat. I yelped as my ribs were touched and this alerted the handler's dog, who came running over to investigate. It was Scimitar, he came over and looked at me compassion on his scarred face, as I was carried out he called to me. "Be strong lad, I know what you did I saw everything, you were amazing not many dogs would have been able to carry that off, but next time try and remember to restrain his legs as well, that's the secret to not getting' hurt."

Stephen took me to the vets where I was examined, I had to be muzzled and the vet decided it was best if I stay in whilst she ran some tests. Stephen returned to the station rather subdued thinking of the possibilities that I might have internal injuries. He knew the force that the man had put behind the kick and heard the thud as I hit the ground. Jenny came in and she asked Stephen.
"How is Sabre?"
Stephen replied "I don't know yet, he could have internal injuries, the force in that kick threw him into the air and he landed heavily on the concrete and then he dealt him a savage kick in the ribs."
Jenny placated "He's a strong brave dog he should be alright. In all my time working on the force I have never seen a dog carry off a stunt like that and the man had a weapon as well, thank god his aim was off through shaking, or we could have lost him."               Jenny was just as worried about me as Stephen was but she tried not to how it, all dog handlers share a common bond and it brings it home to them when a dog is hurt, as they know that it could just as easily have been their dog.
At 10:00 hours Stephen got a call from the vets by this time he was very weary through doing an eleven hour shift, he did not want to go home because it would make him think the worst, so he kept busy and attended to his paperwork.
He went round to the vets and listened to his analysis. It turned out that I had no internal bleeding and that I was just badly bruised, but my ribs were cracked from where I had sustained the blow, which of course meant more time out of service. A police dog has to be physically fit; any injury in our line of work and it could be a matter of life and death, not just for the dog but also for the handler. So it was that Stephen asked if it would be alright for me to go to work with him,  because he obviously did not want to leave me at home and he had already spent three days off till I was able to walk properly again.
So I was back sleeping in the office and getting fed dog biscuits and the odd bit of sandwich from the staff canteen, but after a week I was pining for Sasha, I had not seen her for well over a week and I was starting to get bored. After Stephen had taken me for a walk, I pulled on my lead when we got near the kennel block to see Sasha and for the first time in my life I would not follow Stephen's orders to go back into the office, so he got an old blanket out of the boot of the car and laid it in my kennel, he stroked my head and left. As soon as he had gone I went up to the mesh adjoining my cage and there she was looking bored and fed up.
"What's the matter Sasha, no action?" I said.
Some times during a quiet period there is nothing for a police dog to do, nothing at all happens you are all geared up ready to go and you have a peaceful night. To us that is the most boring thing on earth we live to work and spending time in a kennel is very tedious as you have no one to entertain you. She raised her head off her paws and opened her mouth in a massive yawn showing off all her perfect teeth. She certainly was beautiful, achingly so.
"The job's been a little tedious and boring for the last three days and I have not seen that much of Jenny, too much paperwork from the last case we were on a drugs bust. We were working with Ebony, Mischa, Jack and Yeti and their partners, we managed to get ten kilograms of cocaine and catch the ringleader, but Yeti is in the doghouse for using unnecessary force on the culprit, he bit him on the bottom." Sasha sighed.   
"Duh, did someone mention my name?"  Yeti said.
"Yes, I mentioned your name Yeti, now go back to sleep" Sasha replied
"Okey-Dokey" Yeti replied and the next thing they knew all they could hear was his snores.          
"Anyway enough about me, what about you that was a terrible beating you took last week." Sasha said
"Well you know heh! Still a bit sore, from where I was kicked, badly bruised you know and I have cracked ribs, the gunshot wounds alright though as it was just a scratch."  I replied.
"Cracked ribs, but that means you won't be able to work for weeks! You poor thing, come, over here and let me comfort you. "Sasha said.
I lay down as close to her as possible so that all that was between us was the wire mesh between us. She licked my muzzle
"Yes six weeks to be exact, so just another five and a half weeks to go."  I replied                                             who I am kidding five and a half weeks it was a hell of a long time! Seeing the other dogs going out and getting results and there was me not being able to do anything. Oh well at least I had Sasha.
"Five and a half weeks, but that's an eternity! I would go mad if I was not able to do anything for five and a half weeks!" Sasha said
"Ah well, you see I have you here when I am at work and being with you seems to make me forget about my pain. You are the most beautiful thing a dog could wish for, I could sit here staring at you all day and when I do it makes the time fly."
"When did you turn all romantic on me it's just not natural in a dog, mind you I like it all the same." Sasha replied.
I licked her ear and muzzle through the mesh; it was a little rough on the tongue and had metallic taste, the fence not her ear.
"Oi! Lovebirds knock it orf will ya some of us are trying to sleep!" Schnapps shouted grumpily.
"Heh! Sorry Schnapps, did not mean to wake you up, we'll talk quieter from now on." we replied somewhat embarrassed    
"Make sure ya do, or I'll turn ya into a can o' dog chow."   Schnapps jested.
Sasha started to get excited she bounced up and down at the door to her run and I knew that Jenny must be coming, she was about to start work.
"Goodbye, my love  I hope you have a good shift and be careful, I wouldn't like to see a pretty girl like you get hurt, here take this it might give you some luck." and I took off my gold star collar and slid it under a small gap into her run.
"I honestly can't take this, it is special to you." Sasha said
"Oh, just for tonight I just feel a bit superstitious for some reason please put it on and wear it." I begged
"Oh, alright then and thanks, no dogs been this generous before." she said.
She spread my collar out with her paws and managed to wiggle her nose in to it and then threw back her head, where it landed perfectly around her neck, she shook and I noticed how the star jangled against her collar and how her paws seemed to dance on the floor as Jenny approached. Sasha turned to me and licked me across my nose; I could feel myself getting warm, as embarrassment set in. I did not expect Sasha to show her love for me in front of her handler and I hid my nose under my paws.
Jenny opened the door, of Sasha's run and she bounded out running in a graceful circle around her and seemed to pirouette, so light was she on her feet, such a graceful canine I had never seen.
Jenny stopped and looked at Sasha and noticed that she was wearing my collar; she turned to Sasha and said, "How on earth did you get that on? Got  yourself a boyfriend I see, such a good looking dog too and I'll let you into a little secret his handler is not bad either."
We both pricked up our ears at this comment and I felt that it was not a bad idea to try and get the two of them hooked up, at the very least I'd see more of Sasha and she complimented me. I went up to the bars on my door and stood on my hind legs, my tail wagging furiously, she stopped outside my run and stroked my head, Sasha jumped up and licked me on the nose as she went past.
Jenny decided to call by the office to see Stephen and Oh boy! Was he surprised to see what Sasha was wearing?
"Did you remove that collar from Sabre and put it on Sasha?" asked Stephen
"No, why would I? She was wearing it when I came in, I think Sabre gave it to her I know that sounds ridiculous, I can't believe it either. But you have to admit they do seem as if they are in love." Jenny replied
"Hmm, now you seem to mention it he has been acting strangely every time Sasha has been around. Ah, that settles it how about a double date you, me, Sasha and Sabre I'll cook, what do you say?"
Jenny was taken aback at such a sudden offer and she gaped like a goldfish, Sasha started pulling at her trousers, and it was that which made her find her tongue. "Well..... How could I turn down such a nice offer, what day and what time?"
"How does Saturday sound, we both have a day off, maybe we could meet up late in the afternoon say three o clock and take the dogs for a walk, I'd be glad of the company and I'm sure Sabre would be happy." Stephen said.
Sasha barked and bounced up and down.
"It seems Sasha would be happy about it too." Jenny laughed, "That settles it then three o clock at your place, I'll bring dessert, oh and by the way don't tell Sabre let's keep it a secret."
"Ok, if you insist, I know Sabre likes surprises and this one will be the best. Oh and by the way I forgot isn't it a coincidence it will be a year since Sabre and I first met, I still don't know how such a clumsy puppy turned into such a great police dog."
Her pager beeped and she quickly read the text.
"I have to go now another bomb scare, this one outside Buckingham Palace, bye." and then she was gone.
Jenny and Sasha drove down towards Buckingham Palace as fast as they could sirens blaring to clear the roads, they arrived and there was already quite a big police presence outside, there was also a lot of media attention. Jenny pushed her way through the newshounds and was shown where the suspected package was. Sasha sniffed at it and then continued along the tall fence, it was a hoax there was no bomb and it obviously did not contain any hazardous substances because she  would have pick that up as well. The police decided to open up the case it was full of money, ranging from £10 - £50 notes, but who would drop it? Obviously someone up to no good.
Then they heard Sasha barking from round the corner, Schnapps was also present and he strained on his lead obviously interested in what Sasha had found.
Jenny and Schnapps handler, who was called Officer Carl Bentley, decided to join up and they ran around the corner, where Sasha was indicating to a large block of marijuana. Schnapps also sniffed at it and picked up a scent, he strained on his lead and started barking frantically, before stopping at the base of a hedge, there was a man crouched there and Schnapps was keeping him at bay. The man in the hedge pulled out a knife and lunged to slash at Schnapps but he was too quick and sidestepped out of range. The man then tried again but Schnapps was ready, as the man sliced through the air in an arc in front of his face he fastened his teeth around the man's arm and jerked his head to the side, the man screamed and dropped the weapon. Carl came up and picked up the knife using rubber gloves, he then handed it to Jenny. He then told the man to come out from under the hedge and told Schnapps to release him, knowing that there was no escape and that he had been beaten the man came out where Carl handcuffed him and read him his rights.
Jenny returned with Sasha and replaced her in the kennel next to mine, she was smiling and her chest was all puffed out with pride I could tell it went well but wanting to know the details I asked her.
"Sasha my love how did your shift go did everything go to plan."
Sasha replied, "Well, it was not a bomb after all it turned out to be  a case full of money and a narcotics case, in which Schnapps came real close to being seriously injured"
"What ya talkin' about, I've encountered worse than that I 'ad it all under control, he might've 'ad a knife but he was way orf the mark!" Schnapps replied.
"A knife, but you could have been killed and then who would keep the peace in here." I replied.
"'Ey, ya forget about ol' Blaze didn't ya, he's naturally my successor and I turned out alright didn't I."
"Yes I suppose you did but you were probably just lucky." I said
"Just lucky, just lucky I knew what I was doing' ran like clockwork." Schnapps grumbled
"Oh, don't worry about the likes of us we only care about you that's all" Sasha soothed

Saturday came quickly I was sprawled out in front of the fire when the doorbell rang, I got up at once barking and running up to the door. I did not know who was behind it, it was the way I always answered the door. Stephen who was upstairs and who had just finished shaving answered the door. I could not believe it Jenny and Sasha stood on the doorstep Stephen invited them in. Then he put on his coat and grabbed my lead, I jumped up at him almost knocking him over.
"Steady Sabre, steady! I know you like your walks but sometimes you are a bit much." Stephen said and clipped me on. We went to Blackheath Park, a park where dogs are allowed to have off lead exercise. It was the first time except when I was working that I had been free with Sasha and this time it was different because we were really free.
Stephen had brought a ball for us to play with and we made several dashes after the ball, which I loved sometimes Sasha would beat me to the ball and I was left with a mouthful of dust. Then he clipped me on my lead worried that I might injure my healing ribs, so Sasha had dominion over my ball I barked my frustration wanting to join her but then sat and watched her perfect grace.
We then went home where Stephen cooked spaghetti bolognaise for him and Jenny, while me and Sasha feasted on pieces of T-bone steak after all it was a special day. They drank sparkling wine, talked and listened to music we had water which is pretty much all a dog can drink without being ill.  At last we had to bid a sad farewell the evening went far too quickly, Stephen gave Jenny a kiss on the cheek I nibbled Sasha's ear and she licked my muzzle all in all a good night. After saying goodnight to our guests Stephen went to bed, whilst I stayed up staring into the dying embers of the fire thinking about Sasha.