Chapter Five

My parent's ranch became a fortified compound. Drones flew overhead and armed guards patrolled the area. All the squads loved Alpha Dog's training center. There were six computer workstations, a lunchroom with all the amenities, lockers, showers, and a fitness center. Mom had even given them permission to use the pool. All they needed to do was stay out of the pasture.

Charlie-30, aka Bunny, a petite blonde in her twenties, raised her hand. "What's in the pasture?"

I always cringed when she used her sexy voice. She was a police officer for God's sake, not a porn star.

"A bad-tempered Brahma bull named Bodacious who has put a dozen people in the hospital. Stay out of the field." Mom looked around the room. "Any more questions?"

Charlie-34, aka Gramps, raised his hand. "Why do you have holding cells?"

"From time to time, the Alpha Dogs are asked to bring in high-risk criminals for certain law enforcement agencies and we need somewhere to put them until transportation can be arranged."

Frank stood up. "Ma'am, have you thought about installing a vending machine in the lunchroom?"

Sergeant Bergman stepped up to the podium. "No, she has not. Sit down."

"Yes, sir." Frank sat.

"Remember to check your cars for explosive devices. Stone and Garza you will be riding together until Thompson and Valdez are captured. Be safe. Dismissed."

"I need my snacks," Frank complained.

Mom patted him on the shoulder. "That's why God created convenience markets."

"Yes, ma'am." Frank eyed my briefcase. "What are you packing?"

"I am not giving you any of my chocolate."

"It'll just melt," Frank countered.

Julie gave him the stink eye. "You ate your lunch again, didn't you?"

"Hey, I was hungry."

Bodacious's furious bellow was followed quickly by someone shouting, "Help! It's trying to kill me!"

Mom, Julie, and I exchanged exasperated looks and ran outside.

Charlie-32, aka Bart Wilson, a rookie from Chicago, was running for his life.

Julie shook her head in disbelief. "You just told him Bodacious had put a dozen people in the hospital."

"You can't cure stupid," Mom replied.

The Brahma bull chased Bart around a cottonwood tree.

The squad joined us at the gate.

"Run, Forrest, run," Frank hollered.

Mom rolled her eyes. "I'll go get some oats."

"I bet Sergeant Bergman will stick him with every garbage detail he can find for the next six-months," Julie commented.

"If he lasts that long," Sergeant Bergman said from behind us.

I stifled a yelp. I really needed to put a bell on that man.

Bart pulled his gun.

"You shoot my bull, and they'll never find your body," Dad shouted.

Bunny's eyes widened. "He's joking, right?"

"Nope, he's dead serious," I said.

Bart holstered his pistol.

Mom handed me a bucket of oats and opened the gate.

I trotted across the pasture. "Bodacious! Leave him."

The Brahma bull came to an abrupt halt and pawed the grass.

Bart quickly climbed the tree.

Bodacious bellowed loudly and butted the cottonwood tree.

"Bad bull!" I pointed my finger at him. "Barn. Go to the barn. Now!"

Bodacious snorted and tossed his head.

"How about for an ear scritch?"

Bodacious's head came up, his butt wiggled, and he ambled over to me.

"Good boy." I glanced up at Bart. "You were told to stay out of the pasture."

Bart tightened his grip on the tree. "Yes, ma'am, but I have never seen a cow before, and I just wanted to pet him. Where I come from cows are harmless."

"He's not a cow. He's a Brahma bull and dangerous as hell." I scratched Bodacious's ears. "Who's a good boy."

He snorted and angled his head for more.

"Is it safe to come down?"

"No! Stay put until we get him in the corral."

"Yes, ma'am."

I poured the oats on the ground. "Lookie Bodacious, yummy oats."

The bull happily chowed down.

Dad rode out of the barn on Max, his highly trained cutting horse, and herded Bodacious into a corral.

"It's safe to come down now."

Bart dropped out of the tree. "Thanks. I guess I need to apologize to your parents."

"That would be a yes." A sudden thought hit me. "What would you do if you came across a rattlesnake?"

"I don't know. Throw a rock at it or shoot it," Bart answered.

"It's illegal to shoot rattlesnakes and throwing a rock at it will only piss it off. Rattlesnakes will chase you."

"I didn't know that."

I resisted the urge to smack him. "It's in your training manual."

Bart stared at his feet. "I kinda misplaced it."

"Misplaced it," Sergeant Bergman growled.

One look at Sergeant Bergman's expression and I hurried out of the pasture.

"The sarge looks pissed," Gramps said, stroking his long white mustache.

"He is."

"What did my knucklehead rookie do now?"

I quickly filled him in.

Gramps sighed. "I'm his third training officer."

"What seems to be the problem?" Call me curious.

"He has the attention span of a gnat."

"Gotcha."

Julie waved at me and raised the hood on our patrol car.

"Good luck Gramps."

"I'll need it."

I hurried over to Julie. "What's up?"

"Our calls are stacking. I'll check the engine compartment if you'll do the rest."

"Sure." Grabbing the inspection mirror out of the trunk, I carefully examined the undercarriage of our car for bombs. "All clear."

Julie closed the hood. "I'm driving."

"What?"

A loud alert sounded from our computer console.

Julie jumped in the driver's seat. "Unknown trouble over on 8840 Vogel Lane."

Shutting the trunk, I slid into the passenger seat, and quickly fastened my seatbelt as Julie tore off. "This isn't the Indy 500," I shouted over the sirens.