Annette opened a lead container next to the male test dummy and almost immediately she could hear the eagles' collars chirping like crickets on a summer night. Annette withdrew a syringe from the box. She stood up, blocking the view of her birds, and injected a modified technetium solution into the mannequin's neck, exactly where the thyroid gland would collect the gamma radioactive liquid in a human neck. The technetium was as colorless and odorless as distilled water and completely undetectable to the keen raptors without the help of their gamma sensitive collars.

Annette then moved in front of the Elise mannequin, again blocking the birds' anxious view, raised the syringe to the neck, but injected nothing. She returned the syringe to the lead container, closed and secured the top, and returned to her hungry class.
"Who will be the first?" she said, pointing to Kara and Rex one at a time with the golden eye ring on the middle finger of her right fist. Instead of a precious stone, within the polished gold ring was set an exact glass replica of an eagle eye.

To a jeweler, the ring would be considered little more than fine craftsmanship wasted on a glass marble, but within a select brotherhood of golden eagle falconers, it was one of only four in the world.

"Kara," she said, her appointing ring stopping at the female. "We'll begin today with you."
She picked up her leather gauntlet from a small folding chair behind the birds. They turned to watch. She slipped the massive glove over her left hand. The gauntlet was full-cuff, three-layer elk hide, which had remained soft yet strong after repeated wetting and drying.

The top was suede, better footing for the birds and less ripping from the talons. With a few expert movements of her gloved hand, she unleashed the straps from the perch and with the help of a customized staff in her hand, lifted the heavy Himalayan raptor to shoulder height.

With the flick of Annette's wrist, Kara was off and flying, knowing she would be fed only if the correct choice was made.