Even the Pup is an Unmentionable by Debra8652
Chapter 1
Ranger's POV
Things have been quiet by Rangeman standards. High bond skips brought in with only minimal scrapes and bruises to my team. The only personnel change has been the addition of a then 4-month old Border Collie that Diesel came across in one of his "special" apprehensions.
Diesel had popped into the 5th floor control room a month ago - not unusual, as he and Babe are tight. This time he is carrying a male Border Collie pup. Diesel said the pup is an Unmentionable and Babe agrees. Who am I to argue with their Spidey Senses - if either one of them sneezes, the other one's nose runs. Diesel turned his dimples on Steph and and she turned her blue eyes on me. Bottom line, the newest Rangeman has a cold, wet nose and wears a black Rangeman vest, size extra small.
The pup didn't seem to answer to the name that Diesel found among his papers. The guys wanted to give him a name befitting the work we do. Babe sat the pup in front of her and tried out a few names on him. No reaction to Colt, Magnum, Winchester, Ruger, Beretta, or Sig Sauer. She finally got his attention when she said Remington. Now he's Remy for short.
Border Collies are a working breed plus he's a pup. The guys have taught him to pick up their empty water bottles and put them in the recycling bin. Ella made him a bag with handles and Steph has him deliver search requests. He knows all the guys' names even if they sit in different places from day to day. He can even distinguish between Zip and Zero, which isn't easy to do.
Things have progressed well until, approximately a month later, I got an intercom call from the control room at 6:45am. Steph is lacing up her Cat boots as we await the arrival of breakfast prepared by Ella. Gene is caling from his monitor duty station on 5th floor. I can hear Ram laughing in the background. Ram is one of the finest snipers to ever wear the Army uniform and he's giggling.
"Sir, this is Gene. Sorry to call so early but could Stephanie come down to 5? There's an issue with Remy."
"Is he sick?", I ask, although Ram's laughter tells me that he isn't.
"No, sir, we just need Steph to call him off."
I turned to Steph. "Come on, Babe. Remy needs you on 5."
Steph hightails it down the stairs with me on her heels. Ram is still giggling but manages to point to the 5th floor breakroom.
Steph's eyes go wide and she clamps both hands over her mouth. Rangeman's 5-month old Border Collie has herded 5 of the biggest Rangeman badasses, armed to the hilt, into a corner of the breakroom.
"Let me get a photo of this before you call him off, Babe."
I snap a photo of an inordinately proud Remy and my men, who are being held captive. It will be a big hit at the end of year Rangeman holiday party. There's no way we could send it out to our clients - no one would ever hire us.