No More Pink Collar

We returned to the truck and headed home. The streets were filling up with cars, and the sidewalks were filled with individuals. I rolled my window down and smelled things I'd never encountered before. It was fantastic to see that the creatures were all getting along. We continued out of the City Center and crossed into the Vampire Sector. We drove through the checkpoint without the guards stopping us, so the truck had to be registered. We drove past the low-income apartments, and there was a significant police presence. We continued to our luxurious home, and I got on the computer while Roxanne went upstairs. I checked the assigned email, which gave instructions for the next day. It highlighted bringing Merlin to training daily and said that my training had been reduced to four months due to my previous experience. It also noted that my uniform would be in a box outside the home when I woke up. I logged off the computer, and I fed Merlin. I gave him a pep talk. "While at training, behave yourself. Show you know what you are doing but don't get cocky."

Merlin nodded and wolfed down his food. Roxanne was in the shower, and I joined her. The shower was gigantic, with a rainfall feature extending the entire ceiling. The shower emitted rainfall sounds, had a bench and a large window with a mesmerizing view of the moonlight shimmering off the ocean. I sat on the bench with her, and she snuggled up close. She questioned, "I can't believe we have landed here as well as we did." I concurred, "We got lucky that this house was available, and they gave us a discount with a relatively low monthly payment." She exclaimed, "Things keep working out for us." I was shocked we recovered after how hard the second portion of our Vegas adventure hit the fan. There was rarely a part of my life when it was smooth sailing, and there was always a shitshow that brought my life to a halt. Sitting in the shower with Roxanne and watching the spectacular view chaperoned by the rainforest sounds, I believed that no matter what, my life was going to be okay. We sat silently and enjoyed the quiet time together because we knew our lives would be busy for the next few months.

The moon began to set, and the sun rose. I suggested, "We should get some sleep because we both have long evenings ahead of us." She nodded, and we got out. We dried off and climbed into bed. I set the alarm for 4:30 pm because I wanted to be at the training center early. We cuddled up, and both drifted off. Windchimes awoke us, and I turned the alarm off. I felt well-rested, and we got out of bed. I asked Roxanne, "How do you feel." She smiled. "Great! I am excited about my first day." I admitted, "I am a little nervous." She reaffirmed, "You will do great! You are a badass with a soft and cuddly side." We kissed, and then we got ready. I went to the front door, and a massive box was outside. I took it inside and opened it with Merlin by my side. It was packed with gear with a note that said, "Wear this uniform every day, and you get your weapons upon class completion." I pulled out the clothes and put them on. The uniform included a long-sleeved black shirt, a heavy ballistic vest, khaki cargo pants, and black leather boots. At the bottom of the box was a ballistic vest designed for dogs. I said to Merlin, "No more pink collar." He whined but stood still as I put it on him. He walked over to a large mirror and sat in front of it. I joined him and said, " We will kick some ass." Merlin spun around and put his paws on my chest. I said, "Noggen." and we bumped heads. Roxanne descended the stairs and proclaimed, "You two are studs." I hugged Roxanne and said, "Those scrubs make your butt look perfect." I ran my hands down hips and let them rest on her butt. She giggled, "Easy, tiger." We kissed, and I looked back in the box once we separated. There were two phones: one black and the other pink. I handed Roxanne the pink phone, and I took the black one. The phones continued the specific addresses of our training centers. I said, "Let's get going so we have plenty of time. Roxanne agreed, "Let's go."

We walked out to my truck and climbed in. I put the address of Roxanne's hospital in my truck's GPS, and we took off. It was about a 30-minute drive, and once we got there, I stated, "Good luck and have fun." She smiled. "You too." We kissed, and she got out. Merlin and I had about a 15-minute drive to our facility. Once we pulled into the lot, we saw a massive modern building, brand-new police vehicles, a helicopter on the roof, and a race track. We got out of the truck and walked inside. A vampire exited an office and kindly introduced himself, "Hello. I am Commander Corey." I responded, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Hank, and this is Merlin." Corey continued, "You two are remarkable creatures and will be vital to our cause. I read about you, Hank. After your run-in with the American Government, they compiled a folder on you and transferred it to Agent Martinez. He passed it on to me, and I decided to expedite your training. You are an expert in martial arts and highly proficient in verbal de-escalation. We will only teach you to handle firearms, defensive driving, and K9 handling."

I exclaimed, "I am excited!" Corey responded, "Me too. You and Merlin have a bright future with us." Corey instructed, "Follow me." As we walked, he continued, "This week will be dry. You will learn about our laws, how our court system functions, and our history. When you get home, get a calendar and mark four months from today." I nodded, and we proceeded into the room. I sat down, and Corey started a presentation regarding the history of Cabo De Libertad. The presentation lasted two hours, and I took notes with a pen and a notebook waiting for me. Once the presentation was over, Corey stated, "Here is your first test." He slid over a paper and announced, "I want to move this along, and I know you are capable. I saw your college test scores and want an honest answer." I stated, "Of Course." He continued, "Why would someone of your physical and mental abilities confine yourself to working in hospital security?" Confine was a strong word, but it was true. I responded, "I hadn't found my calling. I always wanted to be a police officer, but the local cops tainted my ambitions." He replied, "Good answer, but there is more." He knew I was holding back, and I decided to come clean. "I wanted to move out of the hick county but needed help. I was so used to doing things alone and set in my routine. Roxanne was the push to do what I have always wanted." He concluded, "That's better. Take this test, and once you pass, we will continue." I took the test and aced it because I was a good test taker. Corey continued, "We will start our class about the local laws and finish it tomorrow." He started the presentation, which was an information dump, but I understood most of it. I had fun relearning everything because it interested me. The four hours flew by, and at the end, Corey asked, "How are you feeling?" I responded, "Good. Most of this is a refresher, but the local codes regarding intercourse with occupants from other sectors is... distinct." He laughed, "Yes, they are different but important. The good news is that you and Merlin will be doing a particular job." I asked, "What might that be." He said, "We will review it during your K9 training. We are done for the day, and you did well." I said, "Thank you," and Merlin and I departed." I opened my phone, and it was a text from Roxanne, and it read, "No need to pick me up. They gave me a loaner car. Love you :)" We got home to find the loaner car in the driveway. We went inside and found Roxanne in the kitchen. She had a cookbook open and was slicing a big hunk of meat. A pot on the electric burner had blood, and I smelled pepper. I asked how it was going, Ms. White?"