Flee From the Douchey Soul
Asmall crowd of officers had gathered around to watch the new dog run the course.
Malachi noted the way Luna kept glancing at them warily.
You got this, Lunafish; just ignore them.
Don’t try to beat my time; it wouldn’t make sense.
Just focus on getting through it. One or two mistakes aren’t a big deal; you just need to prove that you can do it.
Alright? You got this! Although it was necessary to help her through this, he still hated having to be helpful. It made his fur twitch uncomfortably.
Glancing at Chuck, he grumbled deep in his throat, shaking his paws like he was flicking dirt from them. I don’t like this big brother guardian shit. I need her and Jaxeline to get a psychic link soon. The quicker I’m out of this situation, the better. Just… ew.
Chuck bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
Jaxon guided Luna to the start and whispered his own words of encouragement. He stepped back and gave a nod to the trainer who flagged her to start, calling standard commands she should know.
Luna entered the course, cautiously, carefully, with dainty steps. It wasn’t too long before she gained confidence in her abilities and began to fly through the course. She came to a screeching halt at the end, almost barreling into Jaxon as he waited for her.
Laughing, Jaxon scratched her ears and cheered for her. “Good girl! Great job!”
“I agree,” Blaine nodded with a wide grin. “She did great. Here you go, girl. You like bacon too?” He slipped her some of the beloved treats.
Moaning with pleasure, Luna snapped her head toward Malachi. Dang! These are amazing!
Told ya, he smirked.
“What do you say we move on to some other skills?” Blaine asked eagerly, already pulling out his list of exercises.
As the day wore on, Chuck and Malachi excused themselves to return the stolen items to Detective Roundtree, so he could close out that part of the case.
“Ah, Malachi! I hear there’s word he’s getting a little competition!” Kassidy joked, ruffling Malachi’s ears the same way Chuck often did.
Malachi backed away, staring at the man with disdain. Gross, keep your paws off me, you sweaty ball sack from a mange-riddled gorilla. Chuck, can I bite him? Please, for the love of Lucifer, let me bite him.
“No biting!” she admonished and turned a sunshiny smile on the Detective.
“Sorry about him, Kass, he’s a little extra feisty today.
He doesn’t seem to like you for some reason.
Are you sure you aren’t harboring a fugitive somewhere?
” She waggled a finger at him playfully, feinting like she was going to jump behind him.
Blinking in surprise, his jaw working side to side, the handsome detective stared at her questioningly.
Chuckling, she waved him off. “I’m teasing.
He’s probably just irritated that we haven’t found the perpetrator of the crimes.
He’s big on fighting the good fight, you know.
Truth and justice! But at least we can return the stolen property to the churches, right?
That’s the important part.” She nodded, almost frantically, trying to convince him she was no longer needed.
Squinting, Kassidy nodded slowly. “Yeah, we’ll run this through evidence first, see if there’s anything usable on it. But that’s the plan, return the property.”
“Great, well, see ya!” Chuck called cheerfully as she spun on her heel and nearly sprinted in her haste to get away from the detective.
“Chuck, wait!” he called.
Don’t wait, flee! Malachi encouraged. Not dissuaded from her shushing him, he nipped at her fingers.
Run away! Go, save yourself! I’ll stay and defend your honor, to the death if needed.
I mean, it would be his death. Even douchey souls are tasty.
He groaned in irritation as she halted. Real talk.
If that fuck wad asks you out again, I will bite him. Non-negotiable.
“Fair,” she whispered as she faced the detective again, pasting a friendly smile on her lips.
“I just needed to get some clarity for my report. Where did you all find this?” He gestured with his free hand, holding up the sack of stolen sacramental items in the other. “You never mentioned that part.”
Chuck giggled nervously. A sound that had both man and dog raising their eyebrows.
She was a terrible liar, which was why they had rehearsed the story in advance.
No surprises. “Right,” she breathed and wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs.
“Of course you need to know that; silly me.” An uncertain smile graced her lips, and she tilted her head, her halo flickering yellow. “So… it’s like this…”
Malachi listened as she fed the detective the rehearsed story about receiving a tip regarding the missing items. Anonymous tips were a total cliché, but they came in handy when the truth was stranger than fiction.
He leaned against her legs when she faltered, pushing encouragement into her. Doing good, honey, you got this.
Chuck made a strange gurgling sound in her throat, then cleared it and finished her story, her smile too wide to be sincere.
Her aura was swirling with the orange of embarrassment and faintly sparkling again.
A strange shimmer along the edges. She shrugged and began to make flimsy excuses to leave, when the radio on her shoulder came to life, requesting her to an active scene.
“Gotta go! Bye!” she yelped and scurried away.
Malachi loped behind her, glancing over his shoulder and flashing a quick burst of Hellfire through his eyes as he glared at the detective.
The man reeled back with his shock, and his mouth hung open as he watched.
Chuckling to himself, Malachi leaped into the SUV and flopped down as Chuck slammed his door, then got herself situated behind the wheel.
“Honey?” she snapped, meeting his gaze in the mirror. “Did you seriously call me honey?”
Whaaaat? he drawled, his tone full of innocent surprise. I was trying to be supportive and encouraging. Isn’t that what a real partner should do? We’re partners in everything, Kelly. Work. Life. Love. Bondage. He batted his eyelashes and widened his eyes dramatically at her.
“Stop!” she burst out laughing. “I can’t take you seriously when you have paws.
Save that for when we’re home.” Quickly she sobered as she checked the reports coming in.
“Alright, Mal. Time to get in work mode. I’ve got an update on the call.
We’ve got a missing kiddo.” Hitting her siren, she gunned the large vehicle and headed toward the scene.
What’s the backstory? Fill me in! he demanded, all business now.
Chuck’s eyes narrowed as she checked the details coming in. “Shit,” she whispered. “Domestic case. Mother with supervised visitation rights snatched her son after shooting the father.” Her fingers tightened on the wheel so hard, her knuckles blanched, and the wheel creaked ominously.
Malachi flashed into human form and opened the gate, placing a hand on her shoulder and forcing calm into her body. He knew domestic situations were more difficult for her. “I know this is a hard one, but we will find that little boy and rescue him. Don’t worry. He’s going to be okay.”
Briefly, she lifted one hand and clasped it over his, giving a gentle squeeze of thanks.
She blew out a deep steady breath and nodded.
“I know we will. I just… I hate these calls. No child should be without their parent, but when a parent harms their little one…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Be there shortly, be ready.”
Shifting back to K-9 Malachi, he woofed low, I’m ready.
Pulling on scene, Chuck made a startled noise at seeing Jaxon and Luna already there, waiting.
Blaine was standing alongside them, consulting with the scene commander.
Yellow tape and flashing lights surrounded the block, while reporters gathered at one end, shouting questions and snapping photos of the heavy police presence.
Ignoring the circus of the press, Chuck quickly leashed Malachi and hurried toward the other units.
“What’s going on?” she asked, looking to Jaxon for answers as she eyed the abandoned car, parked haphazardly in the middle of the street.
“We heard about the call while running Luna through the commands. Blaine thought we should bring her, let her observe, see how she reacts.” Jaxon shrugged and gripped Luna’s leash tighter. “We won’t get in your way, just giving her some exposure.”
Nodding quickly, Chuck agreed, “Great idea! I’m going to check in!” She turned and made her way to the commander, letting him know they were ready.
After their briefing, Chuck held out the bag containing the scent object: a pair of dirty, wrinkled superhero pajamas, complete with a sad, bedraggled cape.
Her hands trembled as she waited for Malachi to get a good lock on the boy’s smell.
Glancing up, he saw the stark reminder of how fragile a child’s innocence could be, reflected in her gaze.
Her eyes were suspiciously shiny, and her aura was gray, slowly darkening to black.
It had him whining low in his throat, worried for her.
Locking her eyes with his, Chuck nodded, closed her eyes briefly, breathing slowly, and rolling her shoulders.
“Right. Got it. I’m okay, Mal.” Her eyes flew open, and her aura shimmered bright gold as it chased away the gray.
The sign of her belief in justice and her determination to protect and serve.
“Let’s find this baby and get him safe.”
Nose to the ground, Malachi followed the scent trail with fierce determination.
There was nothing he wouldn’t do to wipe the sadness from Chuck’s soul.
He hated how much this was affecting her.
She put on a brave face and wouldn’t let her emotions show, but afterward she would feel them more intensely.
She was human after all, the best of them.
It was one of the many reasons he was so enthralled by her.
Closing his eyes, he focused, sending out his senses, searching for any hint of darkness, madness, and fear.
He picked up wisps of them all, but not in high concentrations, not all at once.
Grumbling, he lowered his snout and continued following it the traditional way.
He was more than capable of using the earthly senses this body afforded; he was just anxious to find the child for Chuck and would use any advantage he could. It wasn’t cheating if it saved a life.
“C’mon, Malach, you got this,” Chuck encouraged, sensing his frustration.
Always in tune with him, her aura shone with affection, knowing how hard he worked on her behalf.
He might be a mischievous troublemaker most of the time, but he was all business now.
She glanced behind her, noting Blaine and Jaxon trailing them but at a distance, giving them room to work.
Do you smell him? Malachi sent back to Luna, chuffing slightly when she confirmed.
She’d been given a chance to sniff the source object as well.
I’m following that scent, but also I’m feeling out the emotions around us.
The mother is a drug addict and has a history of driving intoxicated with her baby in the car.
That’s why she’s not allowed custody, only supervised visits.
So, see if you pick up any darkness, fear, madness, but altogether, it will be stronger than your average human.
Dark, crazy, afraid. Got it! Luna called back, her nose following the scents as well.
Got the scent but not feeling what you’re describing.
A low whimper slipped from her throat, her voice shaking with emotion, thickened with fear as she added, Malachi, we have to find him.
That little boy must be so scared! I can tell Jaxon is, too. He’s very worried.
Malachi sighed heavily. Alright, do NOT tell him what I’m saying, but Jaxon’s actually a…
barf… good guy. He does care, a lot, and he’s just as dedicated to justice and truth as Chuck.
Which makes it hard to hold his doucheyness against him.
But I still do! Don’t you worry, Lutater, we will find that little boy and get him back to his dad.
His tone was fierce and determined; then it dropped lower as he added, if he survives the gunshot.
I hope he does, or that will wreck Chuck.
Continuing his tracking, he paused at a corner where it seemed the mother had started in one direction, then turned back and headed in another before returning to her starting point.
She seemed confused and frantic, the scent of her fear heavy on the concrete.
Huffing in frustration, he closed his eyes and put his senses out once again.
This time, he got a hit. Two strong waves of fear, one innocent and sweet.
The other heavily cloaked in madness, the sour stench of chemically induced bravado, and confusion.
This had to be them; he would bet his soul on it.
If he had one. His head automatically turned to follow the feeling, and he opened his eyes to see a tall ramshackle apartment building before him, multiple crumbling stories high.