The frigid light of the fluorescent lamps projected grayish hues across Terminal D at Otopeni Airport.
Officer Andre examined the throng with alertness that came from years of expertise. Luna, an imposing German Shepherd with a shining coat and intelligent eyes, walked alongside him.
For three years, they had been an unbreakable unit. Luna has made no mistakes in all of her life. Andrei’s gaze shifted from face to face, observing gestures, motions, and reactions.
He knew the game by heart.
But that night, something shifted.
Luna stopped abruptly. Her ears perked up, tail stiffened, and her gaze locked onto a woman pushing a stroller with a baby wrapped in a light blue blanket.
The dog’s nostrils flared, sniffing the air with an unusual intensity. Then, without warning, a low and threatening growl rumbled from her throat. Andrei detected the movement right away.
The air appeared to thicken around them, and the terminal cacophony vanished like a dream. The woman, a slender brunette with bulging eyes and a pale face, grasped the pram handle desperately and stammered:
— Get the dog away from my baby! But Luna disobeyed.
For the first time in her career, she did not respond to her handler’s commands. She leaped at the stroller with remarkable speed, ramming her huge paws on the plastic frame. The blue cover peeled away, and what emerged stunned everyone.
There was no newborn underneath the baby blanket. Instead, a thermal bag was tucked between the pillows and securely sealed. Labels in Russian and Chinese were placed on it, along with biological hazard indicators.
Shiny canisters could be seen within, emitting a pungent chemical stench. Andrei reacted immediately. He grabbed the woman by the arm and drew her aside, while Luna stayed motionless, her gaze fixed on the stroller’s contents.
Another officer dashed out to contact the anti-terrorist team. — What’s this?! Where is the child?!