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Jack’s hand was starting to cramp from holding the grocery bags too tight but he couldn’t relax. His head was on the swivel as he looked for threats and flinched at every sound. Too many people were around even thought it was early morning. It has been two months since he got shipped home from the Sandbox, but he still wasn’t adjusting. The only reason he had even left his house this morning was because he had eaten the last of his food last night. So, four am run to the corner store it was.
Treat it like a mission. He had told himself before leaving. Have a plan, get in, grab the things on the list, get out. Simple. Still it had taken him three hours just to gear up (was four knives and two guns too much… probably… four knives and one gun… better) and by then the sky was starting to lighten and he knew he had to go before true dawn to avoid the morning rush. He wasn’t sure what day of the week it was but in L.A. there was always a morning rush.
The walk to the store was a bit of a blur. The store its self was bad. There was a tricky bit as he was grabbing bread when some random guy walked behind him (Jack stopped before he pulled his gun). Then by the ice cream the same guy opened a freezer just next to Jack (the knife was in his hand and he was half turned to face the threat before he stopped). Then at check out he made sure the stupid idiotic (he should be thankful he’s still breathing) guy was in line ahead of him, but Jack had over looked an early morning jogger coming in. Jack had jumped and did a 180 when said jogger coughed. The clerk and both other rondos in line had stared wide eyed at Jack with a knife in one hand and his grocery basket in the other (thank god no one called the cops). Jack paid and hightailed it out as fast as he could.
Now he was half a block from his apartment (he could see the light he had left on in the living room), and he considered just sprinting the rest of the way, when something in the alley next to him crashed. Jack dropped his groceries and pulled his gun, spinning to face the threat. Down the street a trash can rocked back and forth. Jack cursed and holstered his weapon, but when he leaned over to gather his groceries he stopped. A bag was missing.
Jack straightened and spun around, but for once there was no one near him. There was however a trail of egg goo that led down the street and around the corner. Pulling his gun Jack tracked the egg thief. But when Jack rounded the corner, he lowered his gun and sighed.
Half way down the street was a dog, it’s head suck in Jack’s grocery bag as it lapped up the broken eggs.
“Seriously?” Jack asked the dog. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
The dog, some kind of shaggy haired hound, looked up at Jack obviously startled. Jack took a step towards the dog and the dog took three steps back. It was obvious that if Jack had been startled, the dog was straight out scared.
“Easy bud, I just want my groceries back.”
Jack took another step forward and the dog took off down the street. Grabbing the grocery bag Jack grimaced, egg goo was everywhere. Sighing Jack turned back and went to grab the rest of his groceries and finished walking to his apartment, but once he got to his door he knew something was wrong.
The door was open just a crack and Jack could hear people moving around inside his apartment. Gently, Jack set his bags down and yet again drew his gun.
Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t really out to get you. Jack told himself as he pushed the door open.
Whoever was robbing his place was smart. As soon as the door opened something clattered to the floor to let the thieves know that Jack was there. There was a shout as Jack raised his gun and someone dashed from the kitchen to the back room (Jack’s bedroom). Muttering curses Jack ran after the thieves and would have caught up to them, but as he rounded the kitchen table something knocked him behind the knees and he stumbled.
Turning to face whoever was behind him Jack blinked. He stared, dumbfounded, and blinked again at the mutt from the alley.
“What the hell dog?” Jack yelled.
The dog ducked his head and watched as Jack stood up. Turning back to follow the thieves (who were probably long gone thanks to the dumb dog) Jack took a step towards his bedroom door only to be stopped again. This time the dog stepped in front of Jack and blocked the path.
“Seriously dog, whose side are you on?”
Jack took a step the side but the dog mirrored him, blocking his path.
“Listen, I like dogs. Most animals in fact. But you’re really getting on my nerve.” Jack growled.
The dog growled back, but kept his ears up. Not really a threat just a warning,
Jack sighed. He couldn’t hear the thieves anymore. “Great. Their gone.” Jack looked around his apartment; it was trashed. “Happy dog. They got away.”
The dog sat down where he was, still blocking Jack’s room. Jack threw up his hands. “Fine stay there, see if I care. I’m going to put my groceries away.”
Jack grabbed the bags from the hall but left his door open hoping the dog would decide to leave. He started putting things away, leaving the bag of eggs till last. He had just put away a few frozen pizzas when he realized the dog had come into the kitchen to investigate. Jack grabbed something, as if he was going to put it away and stepped around the table and the dog. He took three quick steps towards his room before the dog cut him off again.
“Okay dog, I’m this close to calling animal control.” Jack warned shacking the box of pop tarts he was holding at the dog. “I’m tired, I’m stressed. My place had been burgled. And you… you are being a pain in my ass. Now let me go to my room so I can see what else they took.”
Jack took a few steps forward but the dog pushed against his legs. Growling a warning when Jack kept pushing the dog took a bite of Jack’s jacket, carefully missing catching any skin, and started to pull Jack back. Jack slipped off his jacked as the dog pulled and finally was able to get ahead of the dog and set foot in his room. The only problem was, as soon as Jack took that step into the room there was a click.
A click Jack had heard before in the sandbox. He had been overwatch for a few dozen EOD techs; he knew what a pressure plate trigger sounded like when it was activated.
“Shit.” Jack breathed.
The dog whined.
“Holy shit.” Jack said as he realized what this meant. “You knew there was a bomb didn’t you boy.”
The dog was next to Jack, but carefully hadn’t stepped into the room yet. Jack looked at the dog.
“Okay buddy.” Jack felt his pockets but they were empty and he couldn’t remember where he had left his phone. “Okay, okay. Think Jack. Some guys break into you place, trash it to look like a robbery and set up a bomb.” Jack huffed a nervous laugh. “Who the hell have I pissed off recently. And more importantly what do I do now?”
As if in answer the dog woofed and dashed away, out of Jack’s apartment.
“Seriously,” Jack called after the dog. “Now you run away?”
But even as he said the words the dog was back and was carrying…
“A stick.” Jack deadpanned. “Great I’m saved.”
The dog wisely ignored Jack as he dropped the stick next to him and dashed to the kitchen This time returning with a pair of scissors. After a few trips there was a pile of junk next to Jack and the dog looked up at him expectantly.
“Um, thanks but what exactly do you want me to do with all that?” Jack looked at the pile.
The dog huffed and Jack go the impression that if he was human the dog would have rolled his eyes.
“Hey, don’t use that tone of voice with me.” Jack warned. “If you can’t tell I’m having a bad day.”
The dog went through his pile and pushed a few items closer to Jack: the stick, duct tape and a mirror. Jack stared at the items for a long minute before it hit him.
“You want me to tape the mirror to the stick?” Jack asked even as he carefully bent over to grab the items and do as he had said. The dog wagged his tale, obviously pleased.
“Okay now what?”
And that’s how it went: the dog would push something at Jack and wait for the man to figure out what to do with the thing and the dog would bark or paw at things or point with his nose until Jack followed the instructions. Soon Jack had found the wires that led from the pressure plate to the bomb and was showing the dog the different colored wires in hopes that he would get an answer.
“Okay bud.” Jack said, sweating as he looked at all the wires leading to the bomb. “Are we thinking the red wire or the black wire? Or maybe the green one? Man, why are there so many wires on this thing.”
Jack put the green wire between the scissors but the dog growled.
“Okay not that one. How about this one?” Jack moved to the black wire.
The dog barked and was wagging his tale.
“Well, here’s hoping.” Jack shrugged, he was tired of standing with his foot on a bomb and the dog got him this far. So, he cut the wire.
Nothing happened.
Jack looked at the dog, who was smiling back expectantly.
“Um, can I move now?” Jack asked.
The dog just kept smiling and wagging his tail.
“Okay, I’m gonna take that as a yes.” Jack paused waiting for the dog to bark a warning, but when none came, he stepped off the pressure plate squeezing his eyes shut.
Jack stood for a moment, both feet safely in the hall, eyes squeezed shut, as he waited for the boom. But none came. After a second Jack peeked an eye open and saw the dog still sitting in the hall, next to his pile of stuff, smiling at Jack.
“Whoooh!” Jack whooped and jumped around to bleed of the adrenaline that had been rushing through him since he first heard that click. “Holy crap dog, I can’t believe we did it. We disarmed a bomb.”
Jack ruffled the dog’s head and scratched behind his ears. Picking up on Jack’s mood the dog danced on his paws and licked Jack’s hands and face.
“Oh man.” Jack sighed.
Then it all caught up to him. His legs wobbled and he found himself sitting on the floor, the dog, now worried licking his face.
“I’m okay.” Jack patted the dog. “Just need a minute to catch my breath.”
The dog backed off and looked at Jack, then turned and ran out of the apartment.
“No wait.” Jack reached for the dog too late. “Damn.”
Jack leaned against the wall behind him and closed his eyes.