The small force of swat members recoiled from the offensive aroma that poured from the tank after the man and dog had unloaded.
"What's that smell? Get me a light!"
An industrial flashlight was hoisted into the air, balancing on a shoulder. It lulled about and became steady. The swat officer that had crawled in the vehicle shied away with a dry heave.
"Shiiiit! That's spiteful! Get me environmental services! Son of a bitch, that's disgusting!" He hopped out of the vehicle and groaned. The rest of the men kept their distance.
Dog and man paced side by side, into the bowels of the building. Lined with cell after empty cell, it would really feel like isolation. The off white interior reminded Adam of the dog's coat. It was a Vanilla white, but at times it could blend in with the fog outside. Adam turned his head to the left a smidge. The dog was on this side, but he was shying into the man, forcefully. Anger twisted a knot in the man's stomach.
"Rear, left flank, touch the dog's ass again and I'll make sure you can't feel yours for a year."
"Drop the attitude and keep your mouth shut!" A man replied from the rear.
Adam smiled with a chuckle. Their voice had exhibited some fear, but it was dangerous at that point. If these men were scared, they could do something horrible that would upset the man or the dog or both. If anything happened to Adam, the dog would go postal. If anything happened to the dog that was cruel, the man would rampage like a striped-assed ape. He'd like to see them take him down. They hadn't confiscated his weapons yet, which was a good sign. It might not be for long if the chief forced him to hand them over.
"You're in my house, now, Jensen."
Adam folded his hands in his lap. The tall man slouched back in the uncomfortable plastic, blue chair. The chief was safely isolated on the other side of the translucent bullet proof glass a few feet before him. Adam had five swat members fully outfitted and loaded with EMP grenades to disable the man and the dog placed all around his cell room. The seasoned man on the other side of the glass wasn't ready to kill out of spite yet.
Kubwa had lain himself over Adam's shoes, swallowing them with his upper body. His face remained friendly, for a dog. Blank and expressionless. The dog was cooled by the jacket. He never did exhibit the urge to pant.
"Don't get smug, officer. You'll stay for weeks if I want you too."
"You don't have a choice, Byran," Adam reminded the man in an annoyed tone. "Are you going to hear me out or not?" Adam leaned his head on his left hand on the arm rests.
Byran stood with his arms folded. "The files aren't enough."
"I have a proposal."
"I'm not providing food for this belly-busting carcass!"
He's so mad he sounds stupid. Kubwa grunted.
Adam sighed in boredom. I know.
"Chief, you're pissing me off. Either hear me out or leave the dog alone."
"The dog? I'm talking to you, Jensen."
"Byran, the dog isn't deaf."
"He doesn't have the intelligence to know what he's done."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Don't get a smart-ass. You know nothing about what the hell has happened. I've got more than fourteen homicides."
"If you read the damn e-book, it says where the dog has been in the past month!" Adam sharply replied.
Kubwa growled at Adam to ease his mood. The man was running the risk of making himself sick. He didn't need to project an image like that at this time.
"When you decide, talk to me."
"You can't speak for the dog, Jensen. You're a fool."
"I'm his lawyer the last time I checked. He can't help himself, you know?"
"Neither can Sarif."
"He's not part of this."
"Oh, I insist. He can't get his head out of his ass and take charge over something he's manufactured! The hits were all at his factories, his supplies, with his dogs! Because of his recklessness, innocent people have died!"
Adam sat forward. "He only has one, Chief. Get it right."
"There are two more that are unaccounted for."
"I don't know what you're talking about," was Adam's sharp retort.
"Don't play dumb. This is all on the inside."
"You don't have proof."
Before the man knew it, swat guards were posting security pictures, reports, and footage all over the glass divider. Adam went to get up. The dog moved from detection alone. He stood and sidled away. The swat in the room raised their guns. Communication was exchanged and the dog drew back his ears. The mane on his back bristled.
"Lie down, Kubwa!" Adam walked along the glass wall,
The dog obeyed with an objectionable growl.
"They won't bother you. Ignore them."
"Unbelievable. You're convinced this training will take?"
Adam stopped and stared passed the glass at the Chief. "So you did read it."
"Briefly."
"It has been successful whether you think so or not. Science says so."
"Sir, the media is waiting for your word." An officer in a black dress shirt and dress pants poked his head into the room.
The chief waded over to the glass. "Make yourself comfortable." He left his side of the room.
Adam placed a black hand on the glass, drawing his finger about to identify the locations of the factories. Rayne had been very busy and so had his dogs and his soldiers. The police were surprisingly up to date. Footage of Kubwa at the Icro plantation had been taken.
"Damn." Adam's hand slid from the glass pane and he rubbed his chin. He'd have to explain this somehow.
Kubwa yowled at the man. Adam winced under his shades. His ears pulsated with the pressure of the sound waves.
"Knock it off. I get it!"
"Keep the dumb animal quiet. I don't get paid to hear whiney bitches!" One of the swat guards remarked.
The voice was familiar. It was the same man that had held their rear on their escort.
"Kubwa, I hear a whiney bitch, louder than you."
The white animal grunted in offense.
"Funny, shit. I thought the caretaker was trained to keep his mouth shut."
"You're pissing the dog off."
"Is that a threat?"
"Tims, shut the hell up!" Another officer across the room moved from his assigned spot in frustration.
"Bite me, Gavin!" Tims spat.
"It's loud enough in here as it is. If you make the damn dog nervous, we could have some trouble."
Tims grumbled and said no more.
"Everything is under control. We have one of the animals in custody and a representative is being questioned about the nature and whereabouts of the animal. That's all I can tell you for now. I have to get back to my job and make sure you are all safe. Thank you." Byran departed. The wave of the media pushed into his men who held them at bay with stern warnings.
"But, sir, what about the other dogs? What is going to be done about them?"
Rayne rubbed his tan skin and pulled at his graying hair. "Avis, I cannot believe that you were outgunned by a misfit tinker-soldier and a renegade piss-poor excuse for a guard dog!"
Avis folded his bulging augmented arms. The factory reverberated with the anger of the man. Avis shrugged.
"Don't you shrug at me. I'll hack both of your shoulders off myself!" Rayne jumped down from the 24 foot tall walkway. He landed on one knee and stood. "Do I have to do everything around here? I can't! I'm getting older all the time!" He stopped before Avis. "Where's Stark?"
"He's with Draco."
Rayne chuckled. "He does realize he'll have a new asshole by morning."
"It's not for nursing. He's trying to find out more about your "tinker-soldier"."
"Enlighten me."
"The device that beat the shit out of us was the goddamn typhoon Sarif Industries developed. He blew up with it."
The older man took a deep breath. "He works for Sarif, then. I suspected he was very sharp-looking, even for a bodyguard. He's probably Adam Jensen. I've heard some things about him. He lived after Sarif's labs were destroyed. The man is smart. He'll know where the woman is."
"Stark says that Kubwa's not talking. The dog no longer belongs to you. The dogs have been bitching for months about how that woman has ruined him."
"Cori? I'm making a few phone calls. If Jensen's had her this whole time, she's still breathing!"