Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Such a pity.
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He shouldn't be doing this. It just feels …wrong.
And yet here he is, sitting in a too small chair, at a too small table. Drinking a vastly overpriced too small cup of coffee while watching taxis bully each other for the right to race to the next light. Hurry up and wait is evidently a common denominator no matter what the profession.
So he waits...with Finch's recent comments burrowing through his mind, sparking an internal dialogue.
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"It's a simple request, Mr. Reese…"
Yeah. Real simple. And truthfully, considering some of the "jobs" he's taken on at the behest of his benefactor, this is easy-peasy. A piece of cake, a walk in the park. Or should be…
Bear snuffles at his feet, a pointed request that the human lift his shoe off of some interesting scent. Probably something food related since outdoor cafes are not particular about sweeping floor debris, perhaps with the expectation that local pigeons and other urban scavengers will undertake clean up duty.
He absently obliges the dog, moving his foot several inches to the right as Bear moves in to analyze the pavement.
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"You simply take Bear and introduce him. Socialize him. "
Socialize the dog. Like Bear isn't already the most stable canine he's ever met! He's had experience with military dogs trained for field work, and while important for pet and sport dogs, socializing is not the highest on the list of activities for dogs trained to take down the enemy. Or act as point for the more valuable human warrior.
But he also knows animals chosen for this type work are carefully bred, tested, and selected for a specific set of desired traits: mental stability, even temperaments, high energy, confidence, courage, and of course, intelligence. All genetic…
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"Yes, he's a military dog, Mr. Reese. But he has to differentiate between our friends and our enemies."
With all due respect to Finch's superior intellect, the geek doesn't know much about these type dogs, thinks Reese. Like that training starts within weeks of birth for an asset like Bear, with exercises designed to build confidence and acceptable behaviors.
Taught early in their development to recognize "normal" from "abnormal" behaviors, those working dogs are almost always quicker than humans to recognize friend from foe, scent deception and danger. Bear is no different.
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"I want to ensure he is familiar with the people important to us, ones he mustn't…hurt."
The dominant military dogs Reese met tended to bond with one person, their handler. All other humans gently tolerated or ignored, but not necessarily acknowledged as anything other than lower ranked bipeds. Reese is aware, as Finch is likely not, that most canines aggress out of anxiety and fear, and that actually the most difficult thing to train a dog is to have it ignore the instinctive fight-or-flight response and advance on command without fear as the driver. Almost without exception, that ability is either there…or it isn't.
Experienced handlers will say a genetically stable dog such as Bear, even with military training, is safer around humans than pets who are fear biters.
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"We're on a suicide mission, Mr. Reese. You understand that…"
Reese sighs. Only too well is he aware of the limitations on their future. An acronym roster of their formal enemies reads like a bowl of Post Alpha-Bits… and then there are the outliers like Elias and Root. Frankly, he is somewhat surprised he and his boss have managed to avoid the bone orchard as long as they have. Their coffins and head stones are on pre-order…Amazon Prime, free shipping. It's a grim reality.
Bear finishes investigating the odoriferous piece of real estate and now searches for other stimulation. The birds picking crumbs under the next table only hold his attention as long as it takes him to mentally measure the length of leash between his collar and human hands. It won't reach. Too bad for him.
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"If we should…disappear…we need to have a contingency for Bear."
Bear glances at his Alpha hopeful for a signal that would allow him to chase the feathered prey, but the human is fixated on something else. He turns to check out the source of that focus. Another biped. Female. Pleasing scent…
Reese stands as she approaches the café seating area. With his height, and the only customer accompanied by a large dog, she notices him immediately. Weaving her way through the table and chair obstacle course, she approaches him with a sunny smile.
"Detective Stills! How nice to see you again…!"
"Ms Hendriks. Still coming here for the incredible scones I see. But…no yellow roses this time?"
He slips on his best "harmless nice guy" persona and smiles.
At least the smile is real.
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Bear closes his mouth, pricks his ears, and locks on the woman the moment she targets his Alpha and starts her approach. As he tracks her closely, he inhales all the pertinent information needed to ID her in the future. But even before his nose confirms it, the woman's body language reveals her as 'benign'. He relaxes his jaw and pants lightly, inhaling the flavors she brings to the table.
He turns his attention to his pack leader. The Alphas reaction is familiar: former alpha-handler met with females on many occasions and his current leader is displaying recognizable behaviors while communicating with this woman: common meet-n-greet protocols humans always perform when male and female get together. Their etiquette displays will soon be over so Bear sits and patiently waits for the inevitable accolades to be bestowed upon him.
In his experience, human females are highly predictable and invariably have one of two reactions to him: instant fear or loving approval. Since he has detected no fear scent, he is confident this female will display the latter. And sure enough, the woman soon turns her attention to him…
"Oh, my! Is this your dog?" she exclaims. "He's beautiful..!"
"Ms. Hendriks, this is Bear. Bear, meet Ms. Hendriks…"
Bear singles out his cue in the montage of syllables and dutifully lifts his right paw. The female takes it gently, her face satisfactorily wreathed in signs of approval as he takes another deep breath. She smells even better close up. His Alpha has chosen well.
"He's so well trained. Have you had him since a puppy?"
She strokes his head as he nudges closer, glancing at his Alpha to assure himself that the pack leader approves this move. But the Alpha is all smiles, seemingly quite satisfied with the woman's actions.
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"Bear must get to know her, because if anything ever happens to us, he can protect her."
Reese watches and almost rolls his eyes at her cooing over this sharp-toothed, military animal trained to 'neutralize' a fully armed combatant enemy. But evidently Bear finds it all very acceptable. If Bear were a cat, the ex-op is sure the dog would be purring with pleasure.
"No, he's kind of …a rescue. And I can't take credit for the training", he answers, pulling a chair out for her. "He had all that before he came to me,"
They place their order with a young waiter who glances nervously from time to time at the canine laying at Reese's feet. Bear looks the hapless server square in the eyes and yawns widely, revealing pepsodent-white canines as he does so. Were he a cartoon character, sparkling stars would be shown shining off his teeth.
The pimply faced young man almost sprints back to the kitchen.
"Not nice, Bear." Reese says softly. "Behave…."
The woman laughs, and Bear presents his arsenal of "adorable" behaviors: cocks his head, wags his tail, twitches his nose, and offers her his best doggie smile. She's charmed, showing no fear of the animal and clearly takes pleasure in stroking the dogs ears as Bear leans into her. In return, the canine seems smitten by this gentle woman.
Reese watches closely while they pleasantly converse over coffee and scones, time quickly ticking away. This is a simple task, he reminds himself. He has only to "socialize" her with a dog she may one day inherit. And it seems 'mission accomplished' as she offers Bear another bite of her scone…which the dog removes from her fingers with all the care of a surgeon extracting a faulty heart valve from a human torso.
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"I don't understand your reluctance to do this…"
Ah, but the ex-op understands only too well. On the surface the job he's been given is a slam dunk: a simple walk to the café with a dog, play host for an hour or so, and then leave. No big deal…according to Finch.
But the issue never was about the physical task. No, the issue is the emotional one: keeping a tight rein on his own involuntary attraction to this lovely woman.
And that is one complication he will never share with his boss.
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"I offered you a job, Mr. Reese. Never said it'd be easy…"