"So, you want me to train this little puppy?" Gabriel asked, knelling down and petting d'Artagnan as the puppy jumped up and down barking and wagging his tail.
"Yes I do. He can help us out by picking out who's lying or might be good or not," Athos said.
"Alright. How's about a test?" Gabriel asked. He pulled his phone out and made a quick call before hanging up. "Alright guys, if you could step over by that tree and I'll take d'Artagnan over here. I called in some buddies of mine and we'll see how well d'Artagnan can scent something different about one of the guys."
Aramis, Athos, and Porthos walked over to the tree and sat down in the shade, watched as other officers pilled out of the building and stood in a single file line before Gabriel and d'Artagnan. There was a good ten men all out of uniform and dressed in casual clothes.
"Alright you no-good-sorry-excuse for humans. I want that bag of weed and I want it right now," Gabriel demanded, looking at the other officers. He then walked up to them one by one and demanded the bag of weed.
"I don't have it sir. He does."
"No I don't, he does."
"I don't think so. The one on the end has it."
"Fool, there is no way I'm taking the fall for you."
d'Artagnan just followed the officer as he demanded something from these men. He didn't know what but the officer needed answers but from what he can understand, these men in line were not answering him. This would not do. This man was a police officer like Athos and his friends and demanded full cooperation. He started forward and sniffed these men as he went. Some could use a shower but other than that he didn't smell anything off…Until now. He sniffed extra long at the eighth man and smelled something that wasn't right. Something smelled wrong.
"What you got d'Artagnan?" Gabriel asked.
d'Artagnan backed up and growled at the eighth man and bark dangerously loud, as if informing Gabriel that something was wrong with this man. He kept growling at the man as Gabriel walked up to him and glared at him.
"I would start talking buddy. What is this dog smelling on you?"
The man dropped his shoulders and pulled out a bag of weed from his back pocket and handed it over.
"Very good d'Artagnan," Gabriel praised. He knelt down and scratched d'Artagnan behind the ear. "You did a very good job."
Aramis, Athos, and Porthos started to clap, though they knew d'Artagnan could do it. They smiled when the other officers all clapped and some even knelt down to pet d'Artagnan on the head.
"d'Artagnan, come," Athos said, clapping his hands and knelling down.
d'Artagnan turned his head at his name and ran over to his master barking in excitement at all the attention he was getting. He ran around in circles around his master and friends, wanting to play some more.
"You have a very smart dog," Gabriel said. "This was one of the many tests we give our dogs in training and he passed with flying colors. How is he on commands?"
"Oh he's very good at commands," Porthos said. "Watch. d'Artagnan sit."
d'Artagnan stopped and sat right in front of Porthos, looking up at his friend.
"Very good. d'Artagnan down," Aramis said. He smiled when d'Artagnan laid down.
"Good boy."
"I must say, he's a very smart puppy for commands and to be sniffing out drugs like that," Gabriel said. "We can start some training right now if you three like to help."
"What do you have in mind?" Porthos asked.
"Let's try to see how long he can latch onto a person if that person is swing him to let go," Gabriel said, walking over to grab the stuff he brought out for training. He picked up a bunch of padded sleeves and legs and held them out. "Any takers?"
Porthos stepped forward and took the padded outfit and put them on. Once he had those on he thought for a moment and then went through Gabriel's stuff and pulled out a mask. "Just incase it doesn't work because it's me," Porthos said, getting a look from his friends. He put the mask on and looked down at d'Artagnan, backing up when the puppy suddenly growled at him.
"Well, we can clearly say d'Artagnan doesn't masks," Aramis said with a laugh.
"Alright Porthos, I want you to attack Athos and lets see what this little guy can do," Gabriel suggested.
Athos stepped forward and nodded for Porthos to attack him. He ducked as his friend swung his fist towards his head and heard d'Artagnan's warning bark as he dodged and stepped aside of Porthos attacks. He had missed Porthos foot hooking around his ankles and he fell to the ground, d'Artagnan jumping in front of him as if protecting him.
"Come on runt," Porthos growled. He reached down to grab d'Artagnan by the scruff of the neck when the puppy jumped at him and bit his padded leg, growling between the fabrics and shaking his head like he was shaking one of his toys.
"Hey let go." Porthos lifted his leg and shook it to get d'Artagnan loose but nothing was working.
d'Artagnan was determined to save his master from this masked man no matter what. He tightened his jaw if possible as the masked man kept trying to shake him off.
"d'Artagnan, let him go," Gabriel said with a smile.
Athos grinned when d'Artagnan let Porthos go and back up towards him, growling and snapping as he went. He was one protective puppy that was sure. "Okay Porthos, take the mask off."
d'Artagnan stopped barking when the masked man took his mask off and then Porthos happy face was looking down at him. Porthos! d'Artagnan barked happily and jumped up at Porthos, wanting the big man to pick him up so he could lick him. Once he was in his strong arms he licked him all over the face, thanking him for coming to help him protect his master.
Aramis clapped his hands and helped Athos up with a laugh. "Might I suggest from this point on that none of us wears a mask around d'Artagnan."
"I agree," Athos said with a grin. He shook Gabriel's hand with a nod. "I trust you can train d'Artagnan further from here on?"
"Yes sir. I believe d'Artagnan will be the best police dog we have on the team."
d'Artagnan barked from his place in Porthos arms with a smile. Of course he was going to be the best police dog on the team. He was Athos put after all.