Police Draw the Line

At the far end of the corridor, one of the officers stepped away to speak into his radio. Moments later, he returned, jaw tight. “Animal control’s en route. ETA fifteen minutes. Our orders are to secure the hallway and wait.” Hana’s stomach turned. That meant tranquilizers, forced removal, maybe worse.

Peter frowned. “Tranquilizing a bear near a pup could go bad fast.” Steve agreed. “If she panics, people get hurt. She’s stayed calm because we’ve respected the space.” Hana turned to the officers. “We can’t let them charge in. There’s a better way.” One officer gave her a quiet nod. “Then hurry.”