Page 1 of So Savage

PROLOGUE

“Go, Shadow.”

The German Shepherd shot off like a rocket.He stayed quiet and soon disappeared from view in the darkness.Master Sergeant Thomas Reeves silently counted to four.When he reached five, a light flashed in the distance, alerting him that Shadow had reached the target.

He smiled.Good boy, Shadow.

Another flash told him that Shadow had dropped the target, and then the dog barked loudly and enthusiastically to tell Reeves the exact same thing.A fine performance.

“To me, Shadow.”

He raised his voice a little, but less than he would need to for a human.Shadow’s hearing was far more sensitive, and as soon as his handler’s voice reached him, he released the target and bounded toward Thomas.

Thomas pointed to his side, and Shadow came to a stop exactly where he was told.He looked up at Thomas, and Thomas reminded him, “Be alert.”

Shadow’s eyes instantly trained outward, ready to identify and address any threat as soon as it revealed itself.Thomas reached down and ruffled his fur.“Good boy, Shadow.Good boy.”

The physical contact let Shadow know that the exercise was over.The affirmation let him know that he had done well.He wagged his tail and grinned up at Thomas, his eyes bright, and his lips pulled back from his teeth.The effect was gruesome and terrifying, but Thomas knew his dog well enough to know that the pup’s clumsy attempt to imitate a human expression of joy was done out of love and a desire to please his handler.

“All right, boy.Let’s go get something to eat.What do you say?”

Shadow barked his strong approval of that idea.Thomas laughed, ruffled his fur again, then started back toward the base's central courtyard.Mess was closed for the day, and the commissary would be closed too, but there were vending machines that served a passable selection of pastries, packaged nuts, candy bars and chips along with the typical assortment of drinks both healthy and not-so-healthy.Georgia would be very displeased to discover that her forty-four-year-old husband still ate like a recruit, sneaking snacks in between drills.

“So we just won’t tell her, right, boy?”

Shadow wasn’t sure exactly what he was supposed to keep a secret, but he barked affirmatively.Thomas chuckled and ruffled the dog’s fur again.Shadow was seven years old and would be eligible for retirement in two years, one year after Thomas.That meant that he would have another handler for his final year in the Corps.

That cast a pall over Thomas’s mood, but he pushed it away.Combat had taught him to enjoy the good moments when they came without worrying about the bad moments that might come later.For now, Shadow was his dog, and he would enjoy every moment he could with him.

He got a candy bar with chocolate, nougat, and peanuts, a bag of roasted almonds, a lemon loaf, and a bottle of cola.

“Breakfast of champions, am I right?”he said to Shadow.Shadow cocked his head, and Thomas rolled his eyes.“Okay, fine.Dinner of champions.”He checked his phone.“Late night snack of champions.Well, whatever, you get the point.”

Shadow very much didn’t get the point, but his handler seemed satisfied, so he barked affirmative again.

Thomas grinned at him, then looked around.“Sure is quiet out here.Those National Guard boys have the life.You’d never catch a Marine Corps station this empty.”

Shadow looked around but didn’t find anything interesting.He looked at Thomas’s candy bar and fixed Thomas with a plaintive look.”

“Hell no,” Thomas said.“Chocolate’s not good for you, buddy.”

Shadow whined and tried again, this time pawing at the lemon loaf.Thomas chuckled.“No, but I’ll tell you what.Give me another good run, and I’ll buy you one of your own.”

Shadow barked enthusiastically and walked toward the door.He turned and whined toward Thomas, and Thomas got to his feet.“All right.I guess I’ll be saving the rest of my food for later.”

He headed for the door, reaching Shadow right outside the entrance.He expected his dog to rush forward again the moment he reached him, but instead, Shadow stayed where he was, looking into the darkness ahead and whining softly.

“What’s going on, boy?”Thomas asked.“You see something?”

He looked around, scanning the area ahead.He didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean nothing was there.

“Smell something?”he asked Shadow.

Shadow whined and switched his tail back and forth.He took a hesitant few steps forward, put his nose to the ground, then barked and sprinted ahead.

Thomas started right behind him.“Shadow!Wait!”

Shadow barked in reply, and then a moment later, Thomas heard screeching.A pheasant jumped into the air, leaving behind a few feathers, now caught in Shadow’s teeth.

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