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The cemetery was empty this late at night. Only silence and moon kept the hundreds of gravestones company in this dreary night. The clouds overhead were thick and black filling the air with moisture as they came close of letting loose a coming rain. The moon gave off a faint glow that allowed anyone to navigate through the maze of marble slabs.

Standing among the stones was Danny Tripe. He stood swaying side to side barely able to keep ahold of the whiskey bottle in his hand in front of the gravestone that marked his brothers final resting place. Danny took another drink from the bottle finishing off in a few hard gulps. He fell to his knees onto the thick grass and dropping the bottle in front of him too drunk to even speak. He stared at the stone not coherent enough to read it but he knew what was written upon it.

William Daniel Tripe, or Billy as his friends and family knew him, was killed a year ago serving his country in the Middle East. Danny was powerless to help his brother as he bleed to death in his arms. The event tortured Danny to the point that he was deemed unfit for duty due to post-traumatic stress. Danny came back to the states and tried to settle in to life back into the civilian life but nightmares and flashback of Billy haunted HE found solace in whisky, beer, vodka, what ever he could afford on his disability check at the time. With his drinking problem it became very hard for him to hold a job.

Danny managed to pick up the bottle again and lifted it up begging for another drop of peace. HE received none throwing the bottle against Billy's gravestone in a fit of annoyance shattering it dozens of pieces. His anger died away quickly realizing what he done he began to cry mumbling to the stone as if he actually hit Billy with the bottle.

"I m sorry bro. I did not mean to do that," his words slurred over an over.

He began to sob violently hugging the tombstone hoping to find the comfort he once felt from his bothers flesh from the cold marble. HE went on like this for several minutes until he felt the first drop of the evening rain. He looked up into the sky just in time to see a bolt of lighting streak across horizon followed by a loud clap of thunder. The moon was gone now the earth blackened the only light now came from the lighting flashes. Danny gathered his senses and stood up in front of the stone and leaning down to kiss the stone.

"I miss you Billy," he said his words much more collected and clears now, "and I won't forget my promise. I will find her for you. I see later bro," Danny left kissing his paw as he set it on the headstone.

Danny turned and slowly made is way out of the cemetery his paws in his pockets and his head drawn into his jacket trying to keep his body a little dry as he made down the darkened streets. He lived a couple miles away from the cemetery and he didn't mind the walk.

On his way he passed by a bar that was well lit up with a neon sign with what looked like a Bloodhound with a beer mug in his paw. Writing below the sign said: THE Drunken Hound Best beer in Texas. Danny huffed at this thinking the statement was stupid. In his experience beer from tap was the same everywhere. He didn't care if there was beer was the best he just wanted another drink.

He slowly walked across the street to the heavy red door of the bar, pushing it open with his forearm the scent of alcohol already soothing his mind. He stopped before entering the doorway something telling he was being watched. He looked out onto the street seeing only a few parked cars a black van, and a red truck with a lift kit. His need for booze over came his nerve as he walked inside.

The warm air filled his nostrils with blood, sweat, sweat and booze. The place was not as packed as he thought it was. Three stools where open at the bar and only half the tables were filled and half a dozen anthro dog and cat couples. The bartender was a very broad shouldered pit-bull cleaning a mug in the sink just behind the bar. As Danny made his way to the nearest empty stool at the bar the bartender giving a quick glance before stopping what he was doing and coming up in front of him.

"What can I get ya?" He said in a loud deep voice.

"Beer be nice" Danny said straining to note slur his words.

However it came out it must have sufficed. The bartender nodded and went to the cooler just below the counter and puled out the stock beer of choice in the place opening it for Danny as he set it down.

Danny smiled saying thanks and then taking a quick needy drink not savoring the taste but relishing in the feeling of more alcohol easing his mind. It wasn't long that everything around him was tuned out. He felt peace again until a group of 4 anrthro male dogs came through the door. Two sat on his right and one took the last open seat at the bar to his left. The fourth one eyed Danny from the side with a cocky grin. Danny felt his stare and turned to face him annoyed.

"Can I help you?" Danny said coldly.

"Yeah," he said, "your in my seat it seems."

"I think you mistaken."

"Oh, know I don't! I think your going to move," the male dog said grabbing Danny by the shoulder.

"Get off me!" Danny said throwing his arm around pushing the male dog off him, "Don't fuck with me! Leave me alone," Danny slurred all his suppressed sadness and despair rising to the surface unable to keep them down because of the alcohol.

A sorrowful memory went through his head about his brother Billy then one of his mother. Tears filled his eyes followed by a soft sob and sniffle. The me dog started to chuckle and started to point out what as going with Danny without knowing why he just found it amusing to see a grown male cry.

"Ha ha, look this guy! Balling like a baby. You want me to get you a bottle?" the male said.

Danny looked up at him already angry at his insult but either through rage or lowered judgment from the alcohol the male dog started to look like Lt. Smalls. His commanding officer, the man that got his whole squad killed. Danny balled his fist and threw a hard punch to the laughing males nose breaking it as the male fell back knocked out cold into an empty table.

The other three stopped their laughing seeing their friend being punched in the face giving them all the excuse they needed to jump Danny. The closets one to his right blindsided him in the temple as he stumbled the one to his left tackled him to the floor. Instinct took over Danny his body reacting to things that Danny own mind could not realize at the time. His foot jutted into the dog's chest that tackled him as he went down with him and as they landed Danny kicked and threw the dog off him sending him flying into his knocked out friend breaking the table under their weight.

The last two both pulled knives from their jackets waiting for Danny top get up before the struck. Danny saw the knives as he got up and barely was able to move out of the way as the one tom his right lunged forth thrusting his knife at Danny's gut. Either on purpose or by accident Danny was able to trip his assailant sending him stumbling to the floor. This let Danny focus on the other dog to his left who was holding his knife reverse icepick style high in the air bringing it down in a stab. Danny fluidly stepped forward his forearm raised up stopping the dogs arm from coming down on him and then turning his body so his back is to the dog then kneeling down and pulling on the arm with both paws. This lifted the dog off his feet and over Danny's shoulder in a textbook shoulder throw. The impact left the dog too dazed to react in anyway on top knocking the breath out of him.

The dog that had tripped had got back up from his fall and started for Danny again in blind anger. He yelled as he slashed his knife at Danny's chest. Danny simply stepped out of the way bringing his forceful punch into the forward momentum of the dog's lunge. The powerful blow struck the dog in nose breaking it easily. Despite his forward movement, the recoil of the blow sent the dog's head back in a quick snap making him fall knocked out on the floor.

Danny stood amongst the four would be attackers confused and disoriented. He remembered the first punch to the dog that mocked him but the rest he could not recollect. He wanted to hit the first one but why did the rest happen? Even if it was self defense Danny in drunken state would have rather take a beating then to have done this.

The two dogs that were thrown groaned on the floor in too much pain to do anything else. Broken glass and wood was scattered across the floor. Blood trickled out of the dog on the floor broken nose on to the floor mixing with the booze the knife still in his paw. The dog that was thrown onto the table and his friend rolled off the pile of broken wood only lay there in a somewhat more comfortable position.

Danny was lost in his own thoughts that he didn't realize a random cat coming up behind him a smashing a beer bottle over the back of his head. Danny fell to the ground face first out cold. The bartender came around cursing under his breath about his broken table and wasted drinks. He grabbed Danny by his jacket collar and dragged him out the back door that lead to the back alley. He tossed Danny into a deep cold puddle making him come back to consienous. The bartender cursed at him before slamming the door leaving Danny alone in the dark alley way the rain still coming down in heavy drops.

Danny's head was throbbing too bad to stand. He only managed to crawl underneath the narrow over hang of the neighboring building still not fully out of the rain. Amongst the pile of trash that piled next to him Danny found a cardboard box that he lifted over his head at least giving him some peace to sleep the recent ordeal off.

It wasn't long after he had fell asleep he was kicked awake but a heavy boot. Danny thought it was the same guys he fought in the bar so he threw the cardboard off his head and tried to get up as fast as he could raising his fist getting ready for a fight. He stumbled putting his back against the brick wall of the building his head throbbing his vision blurry not able to focus on the person in front of him.

Danny's first thought was he was about to get hit in the face. He waited and waited but it never came. His vision began to clear up revealing a middle-aged anthro fox standing in front of him. He was wearing a black raincoat and a baseball cap. His paws were in his coat pockets giving Danny a disappointed stare like a father would to his son when he was caught doing something wrong. Danny relaxed a little seeing as it was not one of his opponents from before. He held his head feeling that it was safe to show a sign of weakness.

"You look like hell boy," the fox said in a way that reminded Danny of his drill sergeant back in basic training.

Danny frowned not really in the mood for a stranger to make insults at him, "You isn't exactly pretty yourself," Danny replied making himself feel a little better.

"I am not the one sleeping in a dirty alley after getting his ass kicked in a drunken bar fight, son," the fox responded coldly. Danny really could not remember what happened in the bar but he did know he didn't loose to the dogs on the floor.

"I ain't your son," Danny responded the fox's insults beginning to make Danny mad.

"No, your just sad drunk excuse for a mutt," the fox said quickly before Danny could say anything else.

Danny clenched his fist trying to redirect his anger. He did not want to feet into another fight again especially with throbbing headache. The fox was making it hard for Danny to not want the beat the crap out him.

The fox began to pull something out of his coat pocket. Thinking it was some sort of weapon Danny raised his fist grabbing the fox's wrist just as his paw cleared the pocket. Danny stared down the fox with fury in his eyes thinking that the quick move would scare the fox enough to leave him alone. To his surprise the fox stared back with the same calm cold stare.

"It's just a note," said the fox.

"Danny glanced down at the fox's paw seeing a yellow piece of paper. Danny lowered his fist and released his wrist backing up a little to give himself some space from the fox to help calm down. The fox waited a few seconds before attempting handing Danny the folded note.

"Judging from what I have seen to night I wouldn't give this to you. However it's not my decision. We need good men and if Boss thinks you got something well I never doubted him before," the fox explained.

Danny had a confused look on his face. He had no idea what the fox was talking about and hesitated before taking the note. He didn't open it still a little stunned from the random statement.

"I sure hope you turn out to prove me wrong," the fox said as he turned and started to walk down the alley toward the main street.

"Hey," Danny said, "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Mac," the fox replied, "read the note it tell you what to do."

After the fox named Mac disappeared from Danny looked at the note. It felt thick seeming to be only one sheet of paper. As he opened it small bundle of $100 bills held together with a rubber band fell into his paw. Danny's eyes widened not expecting this. He immediately pocketed the money and finished opening the note.

Private Daniel Tripe,

_I have personally kept an eye on you for quiet awhile. I know you have been through some rough times the past year and offer an alternative to all. I offer a job that your skills are best suited for. Consider the money a down payment but there is much more where that came from. If you decide to just take the money and live out your life the way you have been I won't blame you. However if I have convinced you otherwise, wait for us at the old abandoned barn just out side of town in the woods in two days. That should give you time to get sobered up and to get whatever else you need to get done out of the way. Remember old barn, you should remember it, in two days. _

The only baffled Danny further. He slowly folded the note back the way it was thinking. He understood that this Boss guy was offering him a job. What kind of job Danny did not know. His thought went to the money in his pocket and replaced the note in the same pocket pulling out the money. He took off the rubber band and counted it twice just to make sure he wasn't being overzealous. His eyes steadily widen s the amount reached to $2,500. Danny's heart pounded in excitement thinking that if the unknown Boss was willing to just give him this much money, how much was willing to pay him?

Danny folded the money back up and put it in his pocket almost forgetting he was in a dark alley. Danny did know where to meat them and he was willing to try anything to get a normal life. Danny shook off the annoyance of being wet from the night rain his headache dying. Being able to think clearly again as he began to walk back home. One thought kept him uneasy about this whole idea. Could this guy be trusted?