The Night Shift
Inside the apartment, Athena was… different.
She didn’t sleep. She paced the hallways all night, her nails clicking on the floorboards. Whenever a police siren wailed in the distance, Athena would freeze and stare at the door, trembling.
Anna figured it was just PTSD from the force. As long as the dog was protective on the street, she didn’t care.
One Tuesday night, Anna ran out of cash. She had to go to the ATM. The only one nearby was in a dimly lit parking lot—a notorious spot for muggings.
She took Athena and marched into the night.
When she got there, the lot was empty, except for one figure. A man in a thick hoodie, standing in the shadows, watching.
⚠️ EXPERT NOTE: K9 units are trained to sense “threat indicators” like adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) in humans from up to 40 feet away. If a dog stiffens, they smell your intentions.