by M. A. Owens
“Thank you, Brutus, Buddy.”
“Don’t thank me just yet, Trigger,” Buddy said. “It’s best I keep my involvement to a minimum. Remember, I was a colonel just recently, and I quit yesterday. They’re going to be watching me closely, but I’ve been boxing in Brutus’s gym lately, before any of this started, so me being out with him sometimes shouldn’t set off any alarm bells.”
“Only one problem. How are you going to get us out of here without being noticed?” Kerdy asked.
It was a good question that I’d been hesitating to ask.
Buddy scratched his chin. “Believe it or not, Trigger will be the straightforward one. It’s getting late. A pair of three dog pals coming home looking a little worse for wear after and evening of partying isn’t an unusual sight in this part of the district. As for you…” He looked toward Kerdy.
“Not leaving her behind, Buddy,” I said, shaking my head.
“How about you let me finish, Trigger? Anyway, we’re going to be moving a few bags of equipment into the old gym tomorrow morning, just to make the whole thing look legit. We’ll hide Kerdy in one of the alleys here and swing by to pick her up in the morning. That is, if she doesn’t mind being stuffed into a bag and pretending to be gym equipment for a bit.”
Kerdy grinned. “I’ve been through worse, believe me. Thank you.”
Brutus looked down at his watch. “We can’t stay here for long. Buddy, hide Kerdy away, and meet Trigger and I over behind the Easy Three bar in five minutes. I’ll give Trigger a key to the gym’s back door. We’ll get him oriented and then split up. Buddy will only be able to stay a few minutes, but the three of us will reunite in the morning. There is a place to sleep in the upstairs office, Trigger, and a shower in the locker room.”
Shower. Music to my ears.
“Sounds great,” I said. “See you soon, Kerdy. Be safe.”
Kerdy nodded with a hint of a smile. “You too, little dog. See you soon.”
16
After having the best shower of my entire life, and lying in an actual bed again, I wasn’t sure anything could wake me. I was wrong, of course, because the sounds coming from the gym below could probably wake the dead. I jumped to my feet, rushing over to the window that overlooked the boxing ring below, to find Kerdy and Brutus rolling around on the mat, Brutus flailing his arms wildly trying to hit Kerdy who had him in some kind of strange hold from behind. One of them must’ve insulted the other, and they handled it the way they both like to handle things. Great.
I ran out of the office and down the stairs, shouting and flailing my arms as I did. “Knock it off! Stop fighting!”
They stopped, looking up at me in surprise as I tripped on the last step, falling flat on my face. I scrambled to my feet, dusting off the gym shorts and tank top I was wearing.
“What’s happened?” Brutus asked, his eyes wide.
I almost answered, but Kerdy’s clenched teeth and glare were clearing everything up just fine. She wasn’t looking at Brutus that way. She was looking at me that way. A wave of embarrassment shot through me.
“Ah, forget it,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “I thought…”
Brutus burst out laughing. “Oh, you thought we were fighting! Sorry, Trigger. We’d have warned you, but as loud as you were snoring when we got started, we thought maybe you’d drown us out. Since you were sleeping in, we decided to pass the time. Kerdy is a warrior through and through. If I had a fighter like her, we’d sweep every title. I offered to let her name her price for just one week of training my fighters, and she refused.”
“Gee, that’s too bad,” I said, glaring back at Kerdy. “She could use some of that money to actually pay me for this burning garbage pile of a case. I think I’m going to go the way of Buddy and retire after all of this is over. Maybe I can come pop the popcorn in your theater.”
“Oh, you don’t mean that,” Brutus said, glancing between Kerdy and I.
Kerdy grinned and shook her head, standing up with the help of her new leg. Just how long was I out, anyway?
“No, of course he doesn’t mean it. He couldn’t retire if he died,” she said, holding her paw out to help Brutus up from the mat.
He allowed her to help him up and then looked to me and shot his paw into the air. “Oh, that’s right! Speaking of Buddy, he apologized for not sticking around. He couldn’t be sure how closely he was being watched and wanted to stay away for now. He delivered something for you. He said it was from Rick. Something he’d had sent over to him the morning before they arrested him. Oh, and I put a copy of the paper up there too, along with a bowl of oats for breakfast. Coffee maker is on, so the coffee’s hot. Help yourself and just come down when you’re ready.”
“Thanks,” I said, turning and walking back up the stairs into the office. Of course Rick left something. Seemed like there was nothing he didn’t plan for. He was the brains behind most of the few noteworthy accomplishments I had here in the city. Not sure how I’d manage all this without him. Not to mention how he’d be treated in prison. No doubt they’ll throw him right in with Mr. B, just so the two can go at each other. Sugarplum basically said as much.
I picked up the first item on the stack lying on the table, which was the morning paper. I’d use this thing to wipe myself after a trip to the restroom so it could at least be useful for something, but there was too much crap on the pages already. Few things in this city did I hate more than this joke of a paper, and now that I knew more, I liked it even less. I held it up, reading the headline.
The Legend’s Farewell
Arc City legend and infamous master thief Rico was exposed and promptly arrested due to an anonymous tip to the ACPD, Adria Division. Authorities arrived at the business of reclusive millionaire mogul Rick and were shocked by what they found. Dozens of items, thought lost forever, sat comfortably in the Beagle’s enormous personal safe. Officers also found the notorious items associated with the fiend’s persona, namely his sword, mask, and cape. A judge issued a rare order for the offender to be held in the Arc City Prison sub levels awaiting trial, which could be many months or years away.
Arc City’s mayor had this to say:
I crumpled the paper up and flung it against the opposite wall. Arc City’s mayor could eat my dirty nail clippings! He could choke on them for all I care.
I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm myself before picking up the next item. A package. I opened it carefully, to find that it was a suit, and not just any suit, but a really nice suit. Why would Rick buy this for me?
I opened the letter attached to the box and read it over.
Trigger,
Always possible this letter gets stolen before you can read it, so you may have to figure out a few things by reading between the lines. I’m sure you’re up to the task. Didn’t think I’d make it easy, did you?
We had a lot of fun, didn’t we, these last couple of years? I know I did. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, and I’m sure we made some mistakes along the way. Just remember, you’re never too old to admit when you’re wrong. Dogs and cats change, usually for the worse in this city, but occasionally for the better. I hope the people of the city remember me as a friend, rather than an enemy. If not today, then someday.
Have little time to write, so this’ll be short. I hope you like the suit and hat I ordered for you. I picked a hat I saw that looked just like your regular one, minus all the stains and wear. I’m sure you realize it wasn’t cheap, but the city will seize most of my assets soon anyway, and goodness knows if you have any hope of looking good, you’re going to need all the help you can get. You’ll need to look good for your photo.
My photo? Must be one of those reading between the lines things he hinted at, but it’s over my head at the moment. I’ve had my photo taken a lot by the press since the Mr. B case. Does he really think I’m going to wrap all of this up and wind up in the paper again? Seems a little too optimistic, even for Rick. I continued reading.
Knowing you, yo
u’re blaming yourself or feeling guilty about my situation. Now’s not the time for that. You’ve got some of the best friends a dog can have in this rotten city, so rely on them. Even though I can’t help you anymore, I know they’ll come through for you when you need them most. I know what a cynic you are and how you assume the worst with motivations, even from your friends, but just this once I’m asking you to look deeper into their reasons. Maybe you’ll realize something you missed before. Try being an optimist for a day and see if the different angle gives you some results.
I hope we’ll see each other again someday. Knowing you and your tendency to get into trouble, maybe soon. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, am I right? I hear the food’s not so bad in the sub-levels of Arc City Prison, and I always wanted a personal chef!
Your friend,
Rick
A couple drops of moisture hit the page. I reached up with my paw and wiped my face, sneaking in a quick sniff to remedy my runny nose too. Glad no one was around at the moment. Leave it to Rick to end possibly the last thing he ever says to me with a dumb joke. Feeling guilty was an understatement. Of the few friends I’d ever had, Rick was the best. More than that, he was my personal hero. Arc City Legend. A title no one deserved more. I wish I’d told him that. Instead, last thing I said was agreeing to sell him out to the broker, and then to whoever else took the information after that. He’d forgiven me for it. It was his plan, after all. Too bad I couldn’t.
I checked the other box, finding the hat he’d bought to go with the suit. Guessing he spent hundreds or thousands on this suit, but why? Just for photos? I guess it would be an occasion like no other if we put Saint away, but something didn’t sit well. This was going to bother me. A lot. This was definitely one of those read between the lines riddles, so the obvious answer was never the right one. I had to think.
Having gone through everything, I made quick work of the oats and coffee, before pulling the letter out again and rereading it. Then rereading it again. And again.
Maybe he’d known something about Sugarplum’s true situation, and he’s hinting at it here, with the message about seeing the best in my friends’ motivations. But if he knows about that, why didn’t he tell me? Did he learn about it after our meeting? It’s possible, given his connections. Maybe Sugarplum even slipped him a warning once she found out he was Rico. It’s plausible. That’s one mystery out of the way… maybe.
Then there’s the thing about making mistakes. He never mentioned feeling like we’d made mistakes before. With everything I’ve learned about Mr. B lately that I didn’t know before, my guess is that’s what he’s referring to. Did we take the cat out, just as he was about to turn over a new leaf? Regardless, it’s hard for me to feel sorry for him, him trying to have me killed and all. Not exactly a diplomatic approach to changing someone’s mind. Then again, would I have believed him if he told me the truth? No… not a chance. I wouldn’t have believed even a single word of it. If Mr. B told me the sky was blue, I’d question it. No, maybe Rick feels guilty hearing all these stories, but it would take a lot more than that to convince me. Putting Mr. B away was the right thing to do, and the city’s been a much better place since he’s been gone. Well… until Saint came along, that is.
Could he mean Patches? What good motivation could he possibly have by severing the Black District’s police force from the ACPD? It was going to destroy them. All city funding will be stripped, and they’ll have to rely on district funding. From the poorest district in the city? Bribes and blackmail will rule the Black District badges once again. Give me a break. If there’s some kind of silver lining to that, it requires a bigger brain than I have to see it. Unless…
I held the coffee cup to my lips and took in the last gulp.
Suddenly Brutus burst through the door, causing me to leak the remaining coffee I was about to finish onto my shirt.
“Trigger!” he yelled, before he’d even stopped sliding through the door. “Trigger. Buddy just sent word over. He heard from Petey. Saint got to Lily!”
17
Dropping my mug on the floor, I ran over to Brutus, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.
“What? When? Where is she? I swear if he lays a paw on her I’ll kill that cat!”
Brutus reached down and grabbed my wrists. “It’s alright, Trigger. We’ll figure it out. Saint will not kill her if he can use her to lure you in.”
“No, doggone it, Brutus! It’s not alright. It keeps getting less alright with each passing minute in this rotting city. At least Mr. B had the decency to come straight for me, not my friends. For once I really wish he was still here to put that hairball in his place.”
“Easy, Trigger. You don’t mean that. He tried to kill you. He put me through a lot too, as I’m sure you remember. We’ll deal with Saint. Buddy’s here and he can’t stay long. Please, pull yourself together and let’s discuss a plan.”
I slowly let go of Brutus’s shirt, putting my paws on his shoulders. “Sorry, pal. I’m just… I…”
Brutus put his big arm around my neck and guided me toward the door. “I know, Trigger. I know. That girl means a lot to you.”
A lot. Yeah, right. I did everything I could to stay away from Lily. I wanted to visit her every day, but I didn’t want something like this to happen. I didn’t want her to be used someday as a weapon to get to me. I didn’t want her to ever be put in danger on my account. Yet here we are. All that carefully calculated interaction. All that pushing her away. All for nothing.
As I came down the stairs with Brutus, neither Buddy nor Kerdy would look up to meet my eyes from where they were sitting at a small wooden table in the corner. They both stared quietly at the table’s surface, Buddy’s knee bouncing nervously. Kerdy looked as serene as always, but I knew she was ready to attack at a moment’s notice. She’d been through so much that nothing phased her anymore. I’ll bet even if Buddy came and told us Lily’d been killed, Kerdy would look exactly the same as she did now. Would I end up like that someday too?
I sat down at the table.
“Wasn’t Petey’s fault, Trigger. There was a plant. Slipped sleeping powder in the other officers’ coffees, then Saul showed up. It worried a couple of officers patrolling nearby when they didn’t answer the radio, so they rushed over, and Saul nearly killed them both with his bare paws. Saint replaced the old Rottweilers at the gate with his own security, and they just let them stroll right through. Petey’s pitching a fit, but the mayor says it’s an issue that the district representative will have to take up with the mayor. As you know, Black District doesn’t have a representative right now, so it leaves us with nothing. No one wants that job, especially now that Saint will paint a large target on them.”
“Enough with the politics, Buddy. I know Petey did his best. Petey would’ve thrown himself in front of her if he was there. You would too. Let’s not even go there. Do we know where she is?”
Buddy sighed, looking down at the table again. “Not yet, but every badge that isn’t on Saint’s payroll is keeping an eye out and secretly reporting to me.”
“That you know of, Buddy. Most dogs and cats have a price, and Saint’s willing to pay it. He may be a lot different from Mr. B, but he’s employing most of the same tactics that worked for him.”
Buddy slammed his paws onto the table. “We’re past Saint. Cat’s out of our reach. He’s a district representative now. Got around the clock security detail and a blanket of legal protection. Mayor’s kissing his rear end, so clearly they’re in cahoots. Saul is the real problem right now. That cat’s a monster. He’s moving freely, performing hits for Saint, and now kidnapping. No one that’s gone toe-to-toe with him can even touch him. He’s just like Lady. Some kind of super warrior.”
Kerdy finally flinched. “Don’t dare bring up that dog’s name again.”
We all looked at her, but as Lady wasn’t the focus of the conversation and we had more important things to talk about, we complied without pressing it further.
; “What about Saul, Kerdy? Any ideas for dealing with him?”
Kerdy shook her head. “Oh, I have a lot of ideas for dealing with him. As far as I’m concerned, he’s forfeited his right to a trial. He will have to settle for a shallow grave. If this is the path he’s chosen, there is no convincing him to abandon it. He’s well trained, so he won’t be where Lily is. He’ll have secured her somewhere and moved on to his next assignment. We should focus on locating both of them and dealing with whichever opportunity presents itself first.”
The way Kerdy’s eyebrows furrowed and her gaze lowered when she talked about killing Saul, I could see the pain she was feeling. She’d hoped to save Saul, whether or not she wanted to admit it. In her world, where comrades die in battles, how sad it must be to have to kill one of your own. Especially a student.
We sat silently for a while. None of us were sure exactly how we should go about finding either of them. The last time Kerdy and I went up against them, we barely escaped. Barely? Who am I kidding? That was a doggone miracle.
We continued sitting there, occasionally glancing up at one another, not quite knowing what to say. If only Rick was here. He always had a plan. Always knew what to do next. He’d already have a path forward laid out for me, ready to just step on and follow. He’d have made the calls, arranged the meetings, and provided the tools needed to carry out the job. City’s greatest hero, now rotting in the sub-levels of Arc City Prison. Leave it to Arc City. That’s the treatment the good guy can expect here. Bad guys sip their champagne from their high towers, sleeping on beds of money, laughing while they watch the little guys get beaten and bloodied in the streets below. I clenched my paws into fists, slamming them into the table, startling everyone.