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Chapter 8 - Oh, Brothers

"What do you mean you're 'part of the Black Sock Gang'?" I said, sitting up straighter and leaning over the table, both hands on it and looking between the twins. Rut looked passive and Fiz looked amused. This was how it always was with them and it made me growl under my breath.

"It's as I said," Rut said, leaning back in his chair and sipping some of his tea. "We're employed by the Black Sock Gang here in New York. I work as an information broker, counterfeiter, and once in a while a lookout."

I couldn't believe this. Rut, the quiet, calm Rut, was with a gang? It did answer a lot of questions though, namely who they worked for and why Rut always had a wad of money in his pocket. He had said it was for Fiz. The black fox got arrested and needed to make bail often, but that was a lot of money for someone living in the tenements in Five Points to be walking around with.

"And you?" I said, looking at Fiz who was chewing on one of his claws. I seemed to have surprised him because he looked caught off guard.

"Stab. Fight," he said so casually, going back to chewing on one of his nails.

"Rut," I said with an exasperated sigh. He knew I was asking for a translation.

"Fiz isn't far from the truth," Rut commented, glancing at his twin. "He's often part of the muscle for the gang. He makes people relaxed and when he fights he does it with a skill not many expect. Our leader loves him for that and takes him on missions all the time. He doesn't usually fight lately. Not good for business."

"Everyone use guns," Fiz said with a frown.

"He hates guns," Rut added. "He says there's no real skill in it. Maybe he has bad eyesight and isn't confident in his shooting skills."

"Perfect eyes," Fiz said defiantly. "Guns just boring."

It took me a while for the information to really sink in. I knew they weren't lying to me. There was no reason to. They knew my secrets, had lived with me, had meals with me, had seen me cry. There was nothing to be gained by lying now, so they had to be telling the truth. I just didn't expect my roommates to be gangsters.

Then again, I had been with a street gang leader back in London.

But that was different! The Howlers were nothing like the gangs here. The gangs in New York were adult, almost professional, with deep pockets. I had always been warned to stay away from the Black Socks Gang -- the Fox Gang in the city. They were deadly. Siro had even warned me to keep my distance from them at one point. Was he talking about Rut? He knew we were roommates and friends... so why didn't he say anything?

I had questions for that white wolf.

"Okay, OKAY!" I said, yelling over their bickering about how boring guns were. I got them to be quiet and both look at me at the same time. I leaned back in my chair and stared at them. "So what do we do now?"

"Now you get to meet our boss," Rut said with a serious face. "And hope he can help you."

---

The Black Sock Gang was the vulpine gang in New York. Unlike the Howlers in London, gangs here seemed to be based on species. Wolves, foxes, coyotes, etc. Tigers were the only species on the feline side of things that had their own gang. The rest of the cats were all together and were easily the biggest in the city. Wolves were trying to consolidate all the canines but it seemed to not be going anywhere.

The Black Sock Gang had a wide territory in this part of the city and kept order. Everyone knew to keep them happy and pay their dues, my boss included. I had seen a few of them up close; they always wore cheap suits but strutted like they were a million bucks. Some dressed down like me but not always. They were trying to look nice. Rumors in the city was that they were linked to some people in politics and so the gang leader was working hard to keep their image as professional as they could.

The gang's headquarters was down St. James Street, twin buildings sandwiched together and partially painted in garish colors. On one side it was bright blue, the other side was the very basic brick and wood color you came to expect from the city. This was known as the Southpaw Cafe on one side and the Southpaw Athletics Club on the other. I had been told never to go here, and now I was stepping inside.

It was not at all what I expected. The building was old and not the best maintained in places, but it had high ceilings with corridors branching off and stairs going up. It made me think of tunnels of some kind. It had nice cast iron railings. At the entrance was a desk and a perky vixen sitting behind it. Lounging about in "the lounge" area near the fully stocked bar were several men who looked to be playing bored but keeping an eye on me. I saw Rut walk up to the desk and smile politely.

"Afternoon Rosey," he said with a smile I had not seen him make. Ever. It was... charming and warm. Was he acting? He was! He took her hand and kissed it. "Is the boss in?"

The vixen named Rosie giggled a little and fixed her skirt. She batted her eyelashes at Rut and swayed her plush tail his way. If Rut wanted he could have this woman right now, on the desk.

"Oh Ruttiger!" she teased him, bopping him lightly on his arm. "You and your charm. You knows I don't date anyone in the gang."

"Doesn't mean a fella can't try," I heard Rut say. It took everything in my power to not balk. What the hell was this? "But besides my futile efforts, is the boss...?"

"Oh!" she sat up and pulled a notebook closer to her, flipping through it and tapped her fingers on a small square three times. "You're in luck! He's here today." Her gaze turned to me. "Is this about your friend there? He looks like your brother."

Rut chuckled and answered, "I keep him around as a stand-in, in case Fiz ever gets caught." Fiz scowled dramatically and I was still in shock. I must have had my muzzle hanging open.

"Not too bright, ain't he?" she said, turning back to Rut.

"He's... special, Rosey. And yeah, it's about him."

Rosie waved her small hand at me. I waved back. "I hope you don't join the gang," she said to me as I approached.

"Why?" I said, inwardly wincing when I knew the answer the moment I asked the question.

"So I can have a crack at you, honey. You're a looker and a half," she said with eyes that made me feel naked. I had never met a woman so open about desire, especially about me no less. It was very... different. I just blushed and rubbed the back of my head.

"Boss is on the third floor playing pool," Rosey said to Rut. "Just try not to make him mad, he's had a long week and wanted to unwind tonight."

"I'll do my best," Rut said and started up the stairs. Fiz followed and so did I. I wanted to ask so many questions. Rut looked as passive as he always did as we cleared the landings and I just kept staring at him, not even minding we were in a den of gangsters, pimps, and other ne'er do wells.

Up on the third level we found a large room with another bar and a pool table, along with some sofas, chairs, and other various soft things to sit on. It looked like any regular bar, the air thick with smoke and someone playing piano in the corner. I coughed a little bit as we headed inside.

"Renaldo," Rut said loudly but not too loud, and the balls cracked on the pool table. The man who stood up turned around slowly and I got my first real look at the leader of Black Sock Gang.

He was a red fox. Not orange, not burnt orange, but real red. I had never seen a fox with his bright fur color before. He was taller, and older, than the twins and I. He had that kind of physique that was wiry but also strong, the kind of coiled muscles you got when you worked really hard. My body had looked like that when I had started sailing. I wondered if the gang leader was a sailor.

"Ruttiger," the man said, and then cracked into a grin when Fiz rushed up and they slapped hands, then the backs of their hands, then touching their chest. A secret handshake? Was I dead now because I saw it?

"Fizzy!" the older fox said, throwing one of his long arms around Fiz and smirking. "I thought you two had the day off today."

"Off," Fiz said with a nod. He then looked to Rut. "Talk to you. Important."

"Important you say? Ruts, he speakin' the truth?" Renaldo said as he came over to the white fox, repeating the handshake. He turned and looked at me and the joy in his face washed away. I felt eyes that were sizing me up, determining if I was a liability, and if I could be trusted. This man was deciding if I should be killed before I left.

"Ruts, who's that kid?" Renaldo said, walking over to me. I looked away but his black furred hand grabbed my chin and turned my face up to look at him. I looked him in the eye for a moment before glancing away. "Not very brave, are ya?"

"I just don't want to make you angry, sir," I said meekly. It was true. I didn't want to make him mad. There was a time in my life when I would have gone out of my way to push his buttons because I just believed I was invincible. I didn't believe that anymore.

"Smart kid," he said and slapped me on the shoulder, turning back to Rut. "So how important is this, Ruts?"

"Important enough I came here on my day off, and I think you should at least hear us out. In private."

"You don't pussy-foot around, do you, Ruts?" The rhetorical question got no response from my friend. The red fox looked at me for another moment before putting two fingers in his mouth and blowing a sharp whistle with two of his fingers. "ALL RIGHT, clear out! Havin' a meetin' here!"

When the room cleared out, Fiz went behind the bar and came back with a few opened beer bottles. He put one in front of each of us, making sure Renaldo got his first. We sat around the poker table, and the red fox bore into me with his eyes once again. "So, what's your name?"

"Simon King," I said, not even bothering to try and hide my last name. They probably knew something about me already, especially if Rut had been telling them about me.

"Not from around here, are ya? Your Majesty," he said with a smirk. I had been called that so many times and I had to resist rolling my eyes. I nodded my head.

"Yes, sir," I swallowed. "From London."

"Simon King from London," the red fox mused, leaning back in his chair and sipping his beer. "So, Simon, this is your one chance to back out of this. I'm going to listen to my boys here, and if I think you're going to get either of them hurt, or worse, you and I are going to go for a walk."

"But--" Fiz started, but was silenced when Renaldo glared at him. Why was Fiz listening to this man? Was he more dangerous than Fiz?

I gulped but kept myself from shaking. "I figured, one way or another, my problems would have a solution before I left here. So that's fine. I trust Rut and he says to see if you can help."

Renaldo grinned and spread his hands, kicking his feet up on the table and leaned back with his beer, sipping it idly. "Well, let's hear it."

---

By the time my story was done, the red fox was no longer sitting relaxed like. He had both his feet squarely planted on the floor and was leaning forward on his elbows, listening with rapt attention. He didn't interrupt but for a couple clarifying questions, and when we were done he cursed loudly.

"God dammit Ruts," Renaldo said, glaring at the white fox. "What makes you think I'm going to believe some random kid off the street? What makes you think he isn't lying to you right now, just to get to me?"

Rut answered calmly, "Because in the time I've known Simon he has gone out of his way to be a good person to Fiz and I. He's only dodged questions about his old life and never lied about anything else. I know his story is crazy--"

"That's putting it mildly, Ruts," the red fox interrupted before looking back at me. "How do I know you ain't lying to me, boy?"

I frowned and thought for a moment, and then cleared my throat.

"You can't," I said, which made Rut's eyes widen. "I don't have any proof. I wish I did, but I don't. All I can tell you is that I'm being honest with you, this... monster has killed a lot of people in London, and I'm sure he's doing something here. He's after me, but I'm just a goal. He'll continue playing his stupid games and people are going to keep dying."

"You said he dressed up like a demon, do you remember what it looked like?" Renaldo asked me.

I nodded. "He looked like Spring Heeled Jack -- it's kind of a scary story you heard as a kid in London, about a demon who ran along the rooftops. Anyway, his outfit... he had this cape, and this horned mask with red eyes and fangs. He also wore this metallic glove with sharp fingers."

Renaldo sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "It's not public news yet, but the police are looking into the deaths of several people whose bodies were found with claw marks. There's also some kind of puncture wound on their necks."

"That has to be him!" I said, putting both my hands on the table.

"Hold your horses, cowboy," Renaldo said, pulling out a cigarette and his matchbook, lighting one up and taking a drag. "They was also found without a drop of blood in them. Did he do anything like that in London?"

"I... I honestly don't know. I only ever saw him kill that tiger... and the bodies we heard about, they never mentioned being bloodless. I don't think so?"

"It has been several years since you two were in London," Rut chimed in. "He could have changed tactics since then."

Renaldo sighed again and drummed his fingers on the table, then leaned forward. "All right," he said and put his cigarette out once he had taken another long puff from it. "I heard enough."

"So you don't think I'm lying?" I asked. This part would determine if I walked out or was carried out. Maybe in pieces.

"No offense, Your Majesty, but you ain't slick enough to make a lie like that work. So you're either real good at it because you got the twins here throwing their weight behind you, or you're telling me the truth, and if that's true... we got a lot of problems."

"What do you mean?" Rut asked.

"We don't get involved too much into the politics of the city, that's more our... partners. For the last few years there's been this kind of... uneasy truce, ya see? Different political groups with their own gang links. No one really wanted to upset anything."

"I'm going to guess that changed," I added.

"Bingo, kiddo," Renaldo said and leaned back in his chair. "Crossbell, you see, he gets his fingers into the city, and all of a sudden the status quo starts changin'. Money is flowing out of Crossbell like a god damn geyser and starts to much everything up. All of a sudden gangs ain't so loyal to their partners, and we got turf wars starting up again. Crossbell is making friends and buying itself the allies it wants. It's got several well connected people and... shall we say, less than happy folks from a lot of political factions working under him. Last I heard, they was even trying to get the Silent Claws to switch to them."

I cocked my head to the side slightly, and Fiz, who had been sharpening one of his knives, saw it. "Cats," he explained tersely before looking back down at his knife.

"If that happened," Renaldo continued, "it would upset the balance in this city like nothin'. A lot of people would die as the powers reshuffled. Whole gangs could be wiped out. Black Sock, we got enemies as well as friends, and I'm personally pretty addicted to living."

"So that means you'll help us?" I asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Renaldo smirked. "I'll help ya. But I don't know what I can do. I ain't as connected as the politicians, and I can put out some... inquiries, but if I make too much noise, Crossbell could get wind. There's traitors everywhere these days."

"We just need someone inside the office who can... I don't know, find evidence of what Mordecai is doing."

"It ain't like there's going to be a big red folder that says 'evil secret plan do not let police see' sitting on a desk, boy." Renaldo chuckled and drummed his fingers again. "But I may know someone on the inside. I also... ha. Hahaha." Renaldo chuckled, which then turned into a laugh. "I have... a crazy idea, boy."

When no one said anything, he continued, "If we're gonna do something this stupid, let's find us the cleanest cop in the whole god damn city. He ain't gonna like it, but I know he's been sniffing around Mordecai for a few weeks now. We keep tabs on all the detectives who don't take a bribe because they can be a problem for us later. So far that tiger hasn't done anything to piss me off yet."

"You sure that bringing a police officer into this is wise?" Rut asked, frowning from ear to ear. "What if he tries to pin this all on us?"

"My guess is he ain't interested in Black Sock. Maybe he wants that stupid cat with those stupid ears of his to come down. And if we offer him Simon here, he'll play game, and then he owes me."

I sighed in relief, leaning back in my chair. I saw Renaldo look at me with those sharp eyes of his again and he smirked. "And boy, you owe me for this." I saw Fiz visibly tense up when he heard that. "And you'll find I'm a man who collects his debts."