Chapter 23: Meeting the Sergeant
Back at the station, the K-9 dogs' eyes seemed to glow with murder in Ralph's face- their homicidal growling only getting more vicious by the second as they continued to force the huge, submissive dog to back up.
Finally getting to the point where he was completely pressed against the fence line, the mastiff began to panic.
This is it, he thought dramatically, merely waiting for his throat to get multiple sets of puncture holes it. This is how I die...Someone tell Mr.Litwak I love him-
When suddenly the back door of the station dramatically swung opened once again, hitting the side of the building with a loud, demanding clang.
At the alarming noise, each member of the threatening pack closing in on Ralph suddenly halted in their tracts, freezing in their attack. Quickly beginning to crane their necks around, the dogs' stiff, tense bodies blocked Ralph's visual of what was happening by the door.
"All of you mutts need to get front and center. Now!" A rough canine voice demanded as the door slammed shut once again, making Ralph jump a bit in his place.
All at once, every pooch that had Ralph cornered abruptly abandoned him at the other canine's order, scurrying like field mice in order to obey the intimidating and strict command...
All except Ralph, still sitting on his hindquarters as he perplexingly watched the mutts retreat.
Each pooch -from Macro to Marge, even little Maddox- immediately scrambled into their supposed posts down in a line, everyone's backs turned towards Ralph as he watched in awe. How one order from a demanding voice could cause such a frenzy, he had no clue.
Hey, at least their off my hide now, the mastiff finally shrugged- before realizing this might be his only chance to escape the prison-like nightmare he'd found himself in.
Gulping, Ralph hesitantly knew that if he really left, though, he'd be back to square one- no real direction, no real idea of how to get a collar. But at the mere mental image of literally getting his tail ripped off by the insane group of dogs just a few feet over, he quickly figured having no collar was better than being dead. He'd just have to find another way to get a collar, he knew- one that didn't prove to be so...dog-gone deadly.
Eyeing around him, the mastiff saw that the entire area he and the other dogs were in was completely fenced in, a high metal fence keeping each police dog in and any intruding creature out. With no chance of sneaking back into the station -or jumping or climbing over such a high fence- Ralph decided the only way out was started digging at the fence line. And to dig fast- before the nutcase mutts decided to attack him again.
As quickly and quietly as he could, the mastiff started shelving dirt with his large front paws, careful not to send dirt flying all over the very dogs he didn't care to gain attention again.
Though I don't know if I have to worry too much about that, he reasoned as he briefly peered over his shoulder. It looks like their eyes are too busy being glued to that other canine...whoever he is...
"Alright, pussycats. We're down TWO soldiers as of today; both Kohut and Markowski are missing in action," the stern canine's voice called out as if reading Ralph's mind- although this time, it was clearer that the owner of the voice was actually a female pooch. "We are still awaiting our arrival to take their place..."
Her words suddenly seemed to taper off in Ralph's mind for a split second. He paused his frantic digging, being completely and utterly perplexed at the canines' heavy words.
Wait...that Croft lady didn't mention anything about me out loud to this pooch? he pondered before shrugging slightly. Aw well- I'm sure these psycho dogs will jump at a chance to explain everything before she can even finish in her rambling...
Slightly curious to see just what their reaction would be, the mastiff abandoned his digging and leaned back, listening for one of the canines to raise the objection that Markowski's (and kinda, sorta Kohut's) fill-in was already here now...
But no one said a peep. Not one word.
All the dogs -who had earlier been so snarky, quick to interrupt, and dead set on attacking Ralph- were silently frozen in place. Their slender, vested backs were straight as pole- and somehow got even tenser as the female dog rushed on, her words reaching Ralph's ears again.
"...Thus, until we get our fill-in from the dandy little playground of Sugar Russia," her heavy voice hissed, "I expect each and every one of you mutts to pull more weight than usual. Got that?"
At the female K-9's words, Ralph couldn't help but mockingly roll his eyes.
Yeah right, lady, he ridiculed in his mind. Those psycho mutts aren't going to go a thing you just-
"YES, MA'AM!" the other dog shook slightly and all chimed in unison- causing Ralph to become slack-jawed.
Did all of those mutts really just agree to her orders?! he mentally gawked. How in the world did she get all of these dogs to obey her?!
His curiosity beyond peeked, Ralph finally decided he had to see just what this intense female dog looked like. She had to be a saint bernard or a rottweiler- or maybe she was even bull mastiff like him. Either way, this pooch had to be a big dog to own a rough-and-tough voice like that- and to give so many bold orders as she did.
Cautiously crawling up to the back of the group, Ralph peered over the top of their heads. Somehow he went unnoticed by most the pooches in front of him; only one of them acknowledged his very presence. And that was Marco, giving Ralph a side-eyed updown...as the mastiff began to openly gawk, not fully believing just what he was seeing.
A doberman pinscher -a little on the small side, Ralph had to admit- was pacing in front of the group, a look of intense seriousness on her face. And before any doubt could swim into Ralph's mind on who exactly this pooch was, the booming, demanding voice came bursting from the doberman's small, scowling mouth.
"And we've got to be ready for action, none of this puppy play," the doberman hissed. Her voice was sharp and demanding as she continued to pace back and forth- on an indented dirt trail she had clearly created before. "We've got a big agenda to fill, mutts..."
His eyes blinking repeatedly, Ralph began to block out the grueling words that followed. All he could think about was how it didn't even seem possible that such a rough, aggressive voice belonged to a such a small dog in comparison -or that all the eyes of these fierce dogs were glued attentively to her.
Slyly peering around him, it took the mastiff no time to realize that this doberman before them was indeed the one leading this force, the one giving orders to the out-of-control group.
But it was quickly undeniable to Ralph as to why.
Precariously getting closer to look at the doberman pinscher's face, Ralph saw that her small, pointed ears stood straight up, showing her sharp, undivided attention towards the group. Her eyes glistened with leadership, dignity, and determination- all in the strongest degree the mastiff had ever seen.
Her light brown eyebrows were hunched down, making her appear even more fierce and daunting. On her tan mouth was a permanent grimace, made that much more intimidating with a sharp snarl that began to appear on her lips as she spoke.
Her long, slender body and strong body language were just as intimidating: her long, strong legs were intensely holding up her equally strong muscles. Her petite paws were clearly ready to power into a gallop at any second if needed- and she looked like she could easily pin down any small animal...or even larger ones...with her long, sharp nails. Even her tiny stub tail -one that somewhat remember Ralph of Felix'- was somehow intimidating as well.
It was clear she was ready to fight at a moment's notice, like she could turn on a dime and attack at any second; it was just in her training...or even in her very DNA...
Whatever the reason, she was no doubt the toughest, most intimidating dog Ralph had ever seen- female dog or not...and for the first time in his life, he somehow felt smaller than a flea on comparison to another dog.
After taking in her rough physical appearance, Ralph began to notice her attire. He noticed that she had also had a police vest on- although hers was noticeably different from the others. Hers was a darker shade of blue, and the yellow straps on it were even more neon in color. The words Sergeant Calhoun were distinctly engraved on the side- making it undeniable as to what her identity was.
Gulping, the mastiff shrunk back a bit in his place.
This lady as the actual sergeant of this psycho group, he thought in growing panic. There is no telling how crazy she is, then...and I don't really care to find out.
Deciding it was best that he'd retreat back to his desperate digging while he still had the chance, Ralph was about ready to make a break for it...
But just then his eyes caught the glimpse of something reflecting the slowing upcoming sun, bouncing off of it like a shining mirror. Curiously, Ralph peered closer in yet again- and couldn't help but finally notice a whole different part of the sergeant's attire he had somehow missed before...
That of a very bright, shiny, flat-out gorgeous good dog collar that hung loosely around her neck.
