"Good job boy." Ann whispered, pulling out a treat for him. As Jack chomped down with joy, Ann called in that they'd found the woman.
Jack finished the treat, but felt somewhat conflicted. The feeling of joy was actually pleasant, but not...it felt alien and discomforting. It seemed to be encouraging him to just...be in the moment....and not think about the craziness of it all.
Meanwhile, as Jack thought about this on the way back, watching the two legged dogs out the window, Ann was happy the end of her day was near. As they entered the station, heading toward the kennel in the back, Ann was stopped by a St. Bernard Lieutenant...
"Taylor....good work out there today," Jack heard him tell her. Jack had never gotten that sort of praise.
"Well, I can't take all the credit, sir...my partner is the one with the nose," Ann said.
"And before you started working with him, none of the others could control him. And look at him now..."
"Thank you, sir....Jackie just needs the right partner to help him do his job, I guess."
Jack was shocked again. She was giving him credit...he would have never done that.
"Well, good work...umm...both of us. Carry on."
Ann headed to the back, where the humans were housed. Jack got to see the other humans there for the first time. He recognized most of them as the other officers of the K-9 unit. It was the first time he'd gotten to see other humans at close range since this happened.
Ann walked him past Officer Bradley....he couldn't remember her first name, only how she'd nearly slapped him once. And look at her now, chubby cheeks, fluffy hair, tongue hanging out of her mouth, panting and grinning like an idiot...