War Dog

Chapter 51

"Cacharro." Ale's voice echoed down the hallway chasing me. I turned to look, Ghost pausing along side me. "I remember that you mentioned the masks that help protect you from smells and other chemicals prohibit your ability to bite and use your teeth on missions. Well, I had some members of our team who came up with a little something that could maybe solve that problem for you."

He raised he box up and handed it over to me. "It has similar technology based on your doggles and earbuds." I glanced at him confused. "Ghost told us, and we've been interested since."

"Sorry Wolf, I grabbed your doggles to show him how they worked."

"It's alright, I don't mind overly much. But you managed to apply that to the mask too?" I turn to look at Ale.

"I think so. Like you said the other week, the explanation could have been telling me how to build a rocket ship for all I understand. Basics are, there is a chemical sensor built into the mask and the filters will activate, and then deactivate when it is safe to do so. That's my understanding of how it works."

"How did your team manage to do this so quickly?" 

"Well, Ghost said your earbuds are based on sound detection technology that is already on the market, just to a more specialised degree. We took that concept and applied it to chemical detection. The actual creation of the mask was harder to create with the chemical detection than the concept creation of it all."

At that, I opened up the box that seemed surprisingly heavy for a mask and my jaw dropped open at what was in the box. It was the jaw bones and muzzle of a wolf. I could feel the excitement oozing from Ale as he looked like a kid who just got told Christmas was coming early.

"Rudy thought it would be great to match you up with Ghost. It's two pieces. So the top part fits in over your muzzle, and fits snugly up against your nose so it's completely covered leaving your teeth free but nose protected. The bottom of the jaw, well obviously goes under your jaw. It has some limited protection against bullets, but it's actually designed as protection against knife attacks from straight up into your jaw. It just clicks into the other piece like so." He picks up both pieces and clicks them together smoothly. I notice the strap on the main piece, and realise it would be worn similar to wearing a muzzle. 

"Damn, Ale. You gonna make me a cool mask like that too?" Ghost mutters, and I can feel a hint of envy lifting from him as he admires the craftmanship of the mask. He pulls off his gloves and picks up the mask roughly. He pushes and bends on the mask, not hard enough to guarantee breakage, but enough to determine that my rough nature won't send it splintering on first impact. Grunting in satisfaction, he hands it to me. 

"Take off that one Wolf," Ghost motions to the fancy gift the scientists had given me. "If Dr. Cooper says it's faulty, I'd rather go with this one. It sounds like it will give you your skills back in terms of defence, but also the ability to scent more clearly when you need to."

I nod, eager to change over the masks. I pull off the much heavier metal one, and hand it to Ale to hold for me, and put on the shiny new gift Ale had given to me. It sat snugly and comfortably on the bridge of my nose, with the design of the cheekbones following the curve of my own perfectly. I spun for Ghost to clasp it securely behind my head so I didn't catch my hair or fur in the clasp. Ghost grabbed the lower half out of the box I still held and clicked it into place for me. I grinned, baring my teeth and Ale shuddered at the sight. 

"Aye, Cacharro. Maybe your teeth really are as sharp as you maintain. Truly a Pequeño Lobo."

"Thanks Ale." And I didn't just mean for the words. "It's not going to kill me is it, by failing?"

"Madre de Dios. ¿Por qué me tomas?" I saw the irritation cross Alejandros face.

"Sorry, but it wouldn't be the first time you sent me into an operation under prepared." I say poking him in the ribs.