“Please, stop! Stop it!” she cried, her voice trembling, desperately scanning the crowd for help.

But Titan, the sleek black-and-tan security dog, remained unwavering. His deep, powerful barks reverberated through the terminal, his ody rigid and alert, eyes locked on Sarah with an intensity that suggested she was hiding something dangerous. Officer James Carter exchanged a wary glance with his team. He had worked with Titan for years and knew the dog’s instincts were rarely wrong. Trained to detect drugs, explosives, and weapons, Titan never barked unless there was a legitimate reason. But today, something felt… off.

James furrowed his brow as he observed Sarah—her pale face, frantic eyes, and hands that shook with anxiety. His sympathy for her grew, but Titan’s response kept him on edge. Was she hiding something? Was she a threat to the hundreds of passengers rushing through the duty-free shops? His mind was racing. A stocky officer with a stern expression stepped forward.

“Miss, we need to have a word,” he said, his voice calm but authoritative.Sarah’s face drained of color, her skin nearly translucent under the harsh terminal lights.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered, her voice cracking with panic. “I haven’t done anything!”

Whispers from the crowd started, some throwing her suspicious looks, others looking on in pity. A young man nearby pulled out his phone, recording the scene, which only intensified the tension in the air. James’s pulse quickened. He trusted Titan completely—three years together, and the dog had never failed him. Titan had once sniffed out drugs hidden in a businessman’s suitcase, leading to a huge arrest. But now, he stood before a visibly frightened woman, her fear so real it was hard to ignore. Was it a mistake? James clenched his jaw, torn between duty and doubt.

“We’ll have to do a quick check,” he decided, nodding to his team. “Let’s sort this out.”

Two officers in navy uniforms approached Sarah, their movements calm but assured. One gently touched her elbow to guide her forward.

“Please, this way,” he said softly, trying to soothe her.

Sarah nodded, her breathing shallow, her hands protectively cradling her belly as though she was trying to shield her unborn child from an invisible threat.

“Please,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, “I don’t know what’s happening.”

James followed closely behind, keeping Titan on a short leash. The dog’s eyes never left Sarah. His body was tense, his ears flattened, and his hackles were raised, his attention sharp. There was something almost human in the way he focused on her, like he was desperately trying to communicate a warning.

The security room at Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1, near the bustling Costa Coffee stand, felt cold and sterile. Its grey walls, metal table, and wobbly chairs gave the room a clinical, harsh atmosphere. The faint scent of antiseptic hung in the air, and the fluorescent lights buzzed above them. Sarah sat slumped in a chair, hands clasped over her stomach, her breathing shaky. Outside the glass door, Titan paced restlessly, his claws clicking on the floor, his low whines filled with concern. James stood nearby, watching Sarah and the dog, both of them on edge. Titan had never been this anxious before. The normally calm German shepherd was acting out of character, his focus intense, as if there was something the humans couldn’t see.

A young officer, Emma Wilson, searched through Sarah’s handbag, laying out its contents: a worn leather purse, a cracked iPhone, a tissue pack from Boots, and a half-drunk bottle of water from Tesco. There was nothing unusual. Emma looked up at Sarah, her expression softening.

“Any medical conditions we should know about, love?” she asked gently, her Manchester accent trying to calm Sarah.

Sarah shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Just the pregnancy. I’m seven months along,” she said, but her words were shaky, as though she wasn’t sure herself. Her fingers clenched together, and she shifted uneasily in her seat, her eyes darting to the door, where Titan’s shadow loomed.

Outside, Titan paced back and forth, his claws scratching the tiles. He let out a sharp bark and then a low growl, his nose twitching like he was tracking something invisible. James’s stomach tightened. This wasn’t right. Titan had sniffed out explosives before, ones that had slipped past every scanner. That day, the dog had saved lives. But now? If Sarah wasn’t hiding anything, what was Titan reacting to? James couldn’t shake the worry gnawing at him.

Another officer, a tall young man named Tom, readied a handheld scanner for Sarah’s body check. His movements were slow, deliberate—he could feel the odd tension in the air. The room felt thick with unease, punctuated only by Titan’s anxious whines. Suddenly, Sarah gasped, doubling over in pain. Her hands gripped her belly, her face contorting in agony. She sucked in a sharp breath, her fingers digging into her coat.