FSE

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My eyes opened slowly to the sun shining in my face. I grumbled in annoyance and started to roll over, but something was sitting on my right leg. My hand touched the pistol under my pillow and gripped the quivering handle of the gun as I sat up, putting the barrel against Regina's head.

She looked startled. It was understandable.

"What are you doing in here?" I growled. I was not a morning person.

"I... I just thought I could... repay you for working that case for me."

I blinked in surprise at the feel of her hand on my crotch; gripping, squeezing. She didn't have to work very hard. I clenched my teeth and pushed the gun against her temple with more urgency.

"Knock it off," I said, "You already paid me yesterday."

She didn't stop, though and I was getting stiffer by the second.

"Then let me repay you for letting me stay the night at least."

She was a sly rabbit. All assumptions of her being innocent that I might have had the night before were completely obliterated by this point. Her hands massaged me gently and I couldn't help a shiver run down my spine. God damn primal urges. I should have said no. I should have told her to get the hell out. But it had been so long since I had any real sex and this felt so much better than using my hand already. I let my gun arm relax slowly, putting the whimpering pistol back under the pillow behind me and laying back down on the bed. She pulled the sheets off of me and smiled. It was a sweet smile, but for all I knew, it could have been part of an act. I grunted back at her, opening the antique bedside table drawer and pulling out a bottle of RefreshAM pills. My brain was still foggy from sleep and these would take care of it. I popped one of the RefreshAM capsules into my mouth and swallowed, handing Regina another bottle of meds from the same drawer.

"Take one of these," I said, "I don't want any little me's running around in nine months."

She smirked as she swallowed a contraceptive pill from the bottle and tossed it aside. I watched her excellent, white bosom bounce as she moved to straddle my waist. I quivered in anticipation, gripping her hips and gently pulling her down onto me. She planted her hands on my brown-furred chest, small claws slightly digging in as she gasped. Her breasts lifted as she sucked in air, her pink nose twitching as her long ears stood up on her head. The RefreshAM pills were kicking in and I welcomed the surge of energy that the medicine brought. I groaned in pleasure, sitting up and placing my right hand in the center of her back. Quickly I turned, my arm keeping her from falling as we switched places. I looked down at her face as she opened her blue eyes, pink nose still twitching. She lifted her arms around my wide neck and locked her legs behind me. My lips pressed themselves against hers as we moved together. Our gasping and grunting, groaning and panting would have alerted the neighbors I was certain, but I didn't give a shit. She felt wonderful against me, her warm body grinding against mine. We were more like animals in that moment than any other. I growled and bit her shoulder gently in my canine mouth as we broke the kiss. She cried out and clutched me as if I was her only lifeline, claws digging into my flesh.

It was a moment later that I rolled off of her, chest heaving as I clawed at my bedside table for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. My tongue lolled from my mouth in exertion. She panted in bliss next to me as I stuck the fag between my lips and lit it. I offered one to her, but she shook her head, sitting up on the side of my bed. We spoke no words as I took a long drag from the cig and she stood, wandering into my living room on shaky feet. I must have really done a number on her. Either that or she was a very good actress. I guessed it was the latter. Following her and leaning against the door frame, I watched her start to get dressed.

"Feel free to use my shower," I said, but she shook her head, smiling.

"Thanks, but I'm going to be late for work if I don't leave soon."

I breathed smoke in and let it out through my nose as I watched her bend over to slip her panties up those long, white, slender legs. Damn, it had been a while indeed. The stiffness between my legs gradually receded as I smoked. I was hoping that this would be it; that it would be strictly business between us from here on out. I hoped that she wouldn't be cliché.

"I don't usually do this kind of thing with clients." I said, trying to drop a hint.

"Well I should think not considering that most of your previous clients have been older businessmen."

She had a point.

"Wait, how do you know that?" I asked.

Her rabbit nose twitched mischievously and I frowned at her.

"It's not difficult information to come by if you ask Chief Burke. He speaks very highly of you, you know."

"Does he?" I hadn't given it much thought.

Regina nodded and finished dressing as I walked toward the bathroom, tossing my burnt out cig in the sink as I splashed some cold water on my face. I would have been miserable without those RefreshAM pills. Thank God for modern medicine. Regina appeared next to me, fiddling with her hair in the mirror.

"So when should I expect to see you again?" She asked.

"Whenever I find enough information on your case to warrant telling you about it." I replied in my best businesslike tone.

She frowned as I stood up next to her and reached for a towel on the rack near her head.

"That's too bad. I was hoping we could have each other another time."

Her eyes twinkled. It was not a request and that was emphasized as she lightly ran her soft fingers over my crotch. My teeth clenched against the pleasure and I swatted her away with the towel.

"Not likely." I hissed as she released me and left the bathroom, giggling. "Aren't you going to be late for work?"

I didn't get a response, but the sound of my apartment door closing told me she had left. I nodded in smug satisfaction and stepped into the ReadyWash, sighing as the automatic shower spat a cascade of pleasantly warm water over me. In the process of washing myself I wondered briefly if Regina was that forward with her bosses. It would have made for an extremely awkward work environment.

It was ten o'clock in the morning when I left the packed transport car and muscled my way through the throng of pedestrians and tourists to the police station. The bottle of RefreshAM and a Peanut-Butter Breakfast Bar were clutched firmly in my hands as I made my way to my office. I threw my hat and coat onto the hangar near my desk and I sat down heavily in the chair behind it after I made it through the door. The RefreshAM pills were the only thing keeping me awake when I turned on my Readydesk console to check my messages. Regina had left me a message. No doubt it was something she thought was important. I was about to open it when a knock sounded on my door.

"Come in." I grumbled, un-wrapping the bar and nibbling on it.

Officer Stephen Germaine stuck his head around the door and nodded in my direction. He was wearing his police uniform. He wasn't a young human by any means, but his face was kind behind the lines of age. He had graying hair because he couldn't afford the cosmetic gene procedure to add more color. I wouldn't have wanted to pay for anything like that either.

"Hey, Nate..." He paused when his eyes met my face. "Jesus you look like hell."

I smirked. "Thanks, Steve. I had a late night last night and a... an exciting morning. What do you want?"

"Er, sorry. Chief Burke wants to see you."

I threw up my hands in frustration.

"Why does he want to see me now? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

Germaine shrugged.

"How should I know? I'm just the messenger. I also have that info you wanted about Taylor. We can talk about it when the chief's done with you."

"Right," I sighed. "I'll go see him after I finish checking my messages."

"It probably would be best to not keep him waiting. Good luck when you get in there."

I waved Germaine away and he closed the door. Turning back to my terminal; I opened the message quickly. The subject line read: known Sweeney Campaign rallies. It was a list of upcoming rallies that the Sweeney camp would be holding in support of her election. Regina had written, "Be careful. They don't like us very much," on the top of the message. I saved the chart and decided to take a few moments to do some research on the candidates I was to investigate.

I had to keep in mind that Regina was probably extremely biased in this case; the fact that she was baiting me with sex was proof of that. So I decided that a look at Taylor wouldn't hurt. It wasn't difficult to find the main website for the Taylor campaign or a list of upcoming rallies in Meridian City. Chief Burk was probably going to castrate me if I took any more time getting to his office. I printed out a copy of both rally schedules and made sure to lock my door on my way out. The walk down the hallway to the police station proper was eerily quiet. The only sound was the click clack of the secretary's keyboard. I pushed open the door to the police station proper and was shocked to see that it was practically empty. Germaine and Tina, the secretary, were the only people in the room. Tina stopped typing when I entered, making everything fall silent. Germaine stared at me as I walked in. The cubicles were all made of metal, as usual. It was some kind of aluminum alloy probably. The floor was made of tiled, white plastic and the lighting made everything sparkle cleanly. The modernity of the room made me feel ill.

"Where is everybody?" I asked as I stood in the middle of the room. "It's not usually this quiet."

"The Sweeney campaign asked us to step up security for their rally downtown today. Practically every district in the city has been called out to help," Tina said.

"That's weird," I replied. "How much did they pay?"

"That would be a question for the chief." She smiled at me.

"Right. Maybe I'll just ask him then."

The chief's office door slid open as I approached and I stepped inside. Chief Burke's office was made of metal and glass bookshelves. They were on the walls on either side of me and under the window on the far side. The door closed behind me and Burke spun around to face me in his leather chair. He was smoking a large cigar. How cliché, I thought, as he took a large puff of the smoke before looking up at me. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows so that his large forearms were visible. He wore black suspenders and had a bushy mustache that twitched as he took the large drag. His face, like Germaine's wore lines of age, but there was no silver in his full head of hair; another miracle of modern genetic engineering. He stood up from his desk to look out of his window. His pants were dark gray. He was trying to intimidate me. It wasn't working. I had been in trouble with him before, but every one of those times I had at least known what I was in trouble for. The desk he had been sitting behind was full of papers. Criminal records, case reports, warrant requests, and court subpoenas were all mixed together like some legal textbooks had exploded. I wondered how he could work in such a cluttered environment.

"Sit down, Wesson." He finally said.

"I'd rather stand, Chief, if that's alr-"

"No. Sit down." He turned around and pointed to one of the high-backed leather chairs in front of his desk. I reluctantly sat in the one on the right.

"Do you know why I called you in here, Nathaniel?"

I grimaced. Only my father had called me by my full name.

"I don't have the slightest idea."

"Why do you think that is?" Burke was testing me now. I hated when he did that. I shrugged.

"I don't know, Will. You like picking on me, maybe?"

Burke frowned as he picked up a file from his desk.

"Read that." He said as he handed it to me.

The folder was titled: "R. Domingo." That was not a good sign. I gulped. Opening the folder, I found several photographs taken at odd angles of the inside of Ronnie Domingo's club as well as a few night vision shots of the alley I had been in the night before. I breathed a small sigh when I saw that I wasn't in any of them. The file itself described the inside of the club to a tee, even Ronnie's private lounge. I knew where this conversation was headed now.

"Enlightened, Wesson?"

"You know, it would probably be good policy to inform the rest of the force that you have someone working undercover in a place like that. What if I had been stupid and went in there guns blazing? I might have killed this g-"

Burke planted both hands loudly on his desk, interrupting me. He blew a puff of smoke into my face.

"I'm very glad you didn't do something that stupid, Wesson. But you did do something else stupid. You endangered this entire operation by showing up there in your old fashioned private eye clothes. You were like a fucking neon holo-sign advertising for the police."

"So sue me, I like my trench coat."

Burke looked like his ears were going to start releasing smoke.

"I don't fucking care! You were hired to investigate cases we give you. Taking side jobs is a privilege."

"So you just want me to sit on my ass and not investigate shit that you don't want me to?"

Burke nodded as he took another long puff.

"No, you're free to investigate what you like as long as you're getting paid to do it, but just try to be a little bit more... tactful about your approach."

"I thought I was being pretty tactful about my approach when I bribed the bouncer with drugs to get in."

Burke brought his hand to his forehead.

"You bought some of Domingo's drugs just to get into the club? Wouldn't it have been easier to just dress like a party animal and get in that way?"

I ignored his pun.

"I didn't buy them from Domingo. And with the line like it was last night I wouldn't have been able to get in anyway. Besides one of my contacts was in there and I needed to tell him to lay off a case I just closed. Or would you rather I let him go on thinking I still need him until he digs so far deep he winds up dead in an alley somewhere?"

The chief shook his head.

"Look, as long as you didn't cause a huge ruckus in there, then all our boy has to do is lay low for a while until Ronnie becomes comfortable again. Just warn me next time you're going to visit The Wolf, alright?"

I nodded.

"I'll do what I can, chief."

Burke sucked in another large puff from his cigar.

"There is something else." He let the smoke go above my head.

"What is it?"

"Your boy, Rocky has been hanging around Domingo a bit too much lately."

"I've already talked to him about that," I said.

"He's gotten pretty close to The Wolf without trying very hard. The information he could provide may help finally nail The Wolf and his father."

I shook my head.

"Rocky would never tell us anything. He thinks of The Wolf as practically a brother."

"He would only have to tell you, Nate, not us."

I blinked as realization set in.

"No way, Burke. I'm not going to betray Rocky like that."

"Even if it means putting this criminal away for good?"

"Oh come on, Burke. You know as well as I do that the Domingos own practically everything in this city. Ronnie would just get let off with a warning or something."

"He wouldn't if we put the squeeze on Anthony Domingo."

I raised an eyebrow.

"And how are you suggesting we do that?"

"I have measures currently in place, but they could be easily disturbed by someone who is good at being nosey."

I threw up my hands defensively.

"Ok, ok I can take a hint. But it would be easier to avoid said measures if I knew what they were."

"Sorry Wesson, you'll just have to stay away from the Domingos for a while. I can't risk messing up the plans the city's police force has in store."

"Holy shit, chief. How many precincts are in on this?"

"A lot."

He turned around to face the window, still puffing on his cigar.

"You're dismissed Wesson."

I gave him a half hearted salute and stood up from my chair to leave. As I touched the door handle, Burke spoke again.

"By the way, Wesson good luck on that Taylor case."

"Uh... thanks, I guess."

I opened the door and left Burke's office. Germaine must have told the chief about my new case. How else could he have known about Taylor? Tina was watching the news on her Readydesk console when I left the office. Germaine waved me over to his desk and I made my way there, keeping and ear open for mention of Taylor on the news. I figured if that case file I found was the slander that Regina was afraid of, then the story would have to break fairly soon. Germaine's desk was not much cleaner than Burke's. Steve had left multiple files open and in a pile on one side while on the other were several printed pages that were stacked neatly. He had barely enough room to use his console.

"Hey Nate. How did everything go in there?"

"Not bad. The chief just gave me a verbal slap on the wrist, that's all. Did you find anything out about Taylor?"

"Well it's weird, Nate. There's no mention of Franklin Taylor in politics at all until five years ago, when he first ran for governor."

"Ok, why is that weird?"

"Well he ran as a human the first time. He didn't win because people thought he was too young and his ideas were ‘too radical.'"

"So you think he might have been animalized on purpose in order to win votes?"

"It's possible. I don't doubt that the notion was far from his mind when he made the decision to go in for alteration. Because, look at this."

Germaine pulled up a search engine page on his console and pointed out the two news articles.

"This one shows Taylor losing the race as a human in 2242, and this one is about his announcement to run for mayor in 2246. There are no other news stories in between. He completely fell off of the political and media radar until the announcement a year ago."

"Interesting." I patted Germaine on the back. "Good work Steve. Did you get any information on his campaign advisors?"

"He has two, but the campaign has kept that pretty hush, hush for media reasons."

"But you did find out who they are, right?"

"I know who one of them is. You aren't going to like it, though."

"Just tell me who his advisor is, Steve."

"It's Senator Benjamin Harris."

My fists clenched.

"That son of a bitch."

Harris was the only reason the genetics experiments were conducted on members of The Knights. He had pushed the legislation through using his ex-military pull. I hated that mother fucker.

"Why in hell would a candidate who supports equal rights for animalized humans be advised by a guy who is in favor of torture and experimentation on animalized humans?" I asked.

Germaine shrugged.

"I have no idea. Why would a human candidate disappear for four years only to return animalized? But then again, that's technically your department, inspector."

"Yeah I know. I was being rhetorical. Germaine, do me a favor, would you?"

"Sure, Nate. What do you need?"

"If it doesn't interfere with your normal police work, could you do a bit of staking out at the Sweeney campaign headquarters? I have a feeling something big is going to go down in that area in the next few days."

He nodded and turned off his Readydesk terminal.

"I think I can do that for you, Nate."

"Thanks, pal. Call me if anything urgent comes up."

"Sure thing."

I turned away from the desk in time for my ears to catch Taylor's name on the news. I hurried over to Tina's desk to see what it was about, but I had a feeling I already knew. The words: "Breaking News" scrolled across the bottom of the screen. The reporter was talking with an urgent tone in his voice. Germaine looked over my shoulder.

"We just received word that a scandal may be knocking at the door of mayoral candidate, Franklin Taylor's campaign. These photographs were sent anonymously to several news stations around the city and show the candidate in some very revealing activities with what appears to be a prostitute."

The photos on the screen were very different from the picture I had of Alice. But nonetheless, she was in the pictures clearly having sex with a fox. The lighting of the photographs made the identity of the fox difficult to figure out for sure, but the media would assume and viewers would infer. The reporter continued.

"It seems that Taylor refuses to marry because he likes the freedom to do things like this. It just goes to show how little we actually know about him and his experience."

Tina shook her head as she closed the video window.

"I was going to vote for him, too," she said.

"You still could," I offered. "That fox in the photos could be someone else. You should know how difficult it is to tell us animalized humans apart."

"True, but this will probably damn his chances of winning completely." Germaine scratched his chin as he spoke.

"Yeah it is pretty politically damaging. Knowing that Harris is his advisor means Taylor won't be getting my vote anyhow. But this is why I asked you to stake out Sweeney and Kurbin headquarters, Steve."

"You think they have something to do with this?" He asked.

I reached into my trench coat pocket for the photo of Alice, but came back empty-handed.

"What the hell?"

"Is something wrong?"

"yeah... I think I got pick-pocketed." I frowned. It could have happened anywhere, honestly. The station was crowded enough and last night's allies were seedy enough. But who would want a picture of a deadbeat prostitute?

"Whatever, take this instead." I handed him the business card for Services and Exports Limited.

"What is it?"

"I want you to go there and check that place out. Both Jack Kurbin and Douglas Finch have something to do with it."

"Sure thing, pal. I'll call you if I find anything out."

Germaine put on his coat over his uniform and walked out of the office.

"I should make some calls myself." I said, following him out the door.

Back in my office, I gave Regina a ring. I was expecting her to be a bit more agitated, but she answered her cell quite pleasantly.

"Hello, Regina Smith speaking."

"Hey again, Regina, this is Nate Wesson. I wanted to talk to you about the news story that just broke."

"Hello, Mr. Wesson. I was expecting to hear from you."

"You sound unusually calm for someone who is part of a campaign that could be destroyed by this news."

"Are you kidding me?" I heard her laugh. "That was clearly not Taylor in those photographs. They did an awful job when they picked his double."

"I see. And you're not worried at all that most humans won't notice the difference?"

"I'm confident that the voters will listen to what Taylor has to say about the subject and make an educated decision. They will have to try harder than that to crush our spirit."

"Who is ‘they?'"

"Why, Sweeney and Kurbin of course. They are the ones who orchestrated all of this. Haven't you figured that out by now?"

"Look all I found in Kurbin's office was a case file that was dated for next week along with a picture of that prostitute alone on a couch in it."

"Well that's practically incriminating right there!"

"Not exactly. There was no mention of Taylor anywhere in the file or in his entire office. For all I know, Kurbin just might be a pawn in this like Taylor."

"The accusation that Taylor has been seeing a whore is simply ridiculous." Regina said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he's..." She trailed off as if she had been about to say something.

"He's what?" I asked.

"It's not my place to say."

"Look Regina, if there's something I should know about Taylor that you're not telling me, it could help my case. Are you two... you know, seeing each other?"

"What? Of course not! I'm sorry, but Sweeney and Kurbin should pay for slandering Taylor's good name like they have attempted to do."

"With an advisor like Harris, Taylor won't need enemies to slander him." I mumbled.

"How do you know about that?" She sounded livid.

"It's readily available information for those who know where to look. Have a nice day." I hung up before she could respond.

That's just what I needed, a client who was a fanatic supporter of a guy I was supposed to investigate. I wouldn't be getting any accurate information from Regina, that's for sure. Since I had been to the Sweeney camp, I didn't see any harm in paying Taylor a visit. I left my coat and hat on the hangar. The Taylor headquarters was only a few blocks away, near my apartment. If I could get into Taylor's office like I had Kurbin's then I maybe could find some clues as to his political vanishing act. As soon as I walked out of the front door of the station, I regretted leaving my coat behind. A bitter cold wind had sprung up since the morning. I stuffed my hands into my pockets. Of all of the canine species in the world, I had to get stuck with one that had short fur.

I arrived at the building that housed Taylor's campaign headquarters in barely any time at all. A large banner similar to the one at Sweeney's headquarters hung just inside the glass of the first floor. I decided to avoid the front door as Regina would recognize me. I walked into the alley next to the building, like I had at the Kurbin Law Firm. But this building was more secure it seemed. There were no doors to be seen. Damn it. I would have to try sneaking in through the front entrance after all. I was about to turn around when I noticed a window slide open a few feet from my head. I pressed myself up against the wall to make myself less visible as the head of a red fox poked itself out of the window. Maybe luck was on my side after all. The fox quickly leaped out of the window and straightened the blue suit he was wearing. He reached back into the building and pulled out a long grey coat and a matching hat. He threw the coat over his shoulders and put the hat on his head, taking one step away from me. It was now or never.

"Mr. Taylor?" I said.

The fox jumped and spun around quickly, lifting his hand as if in defense. He was thin, but not stick-like. His build was more athletic than mine. The suit fit him perfectly; no doubt it was tailored for him. There were very few distinguishing features on his face that would separate him from any other animalized fox. I wondered if that had been intentional. I supposed I didn't look much different than any other animalized rottweiler either.

"What-? Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Nate. Aren't you supposed to be preparing for a debate soon?"

He seemed to relax slightly.

"I can't stand the press," He smiled. "I needed to get out of there."

"Well maybe I could help you out. My apartment's not that far from here."

He gave me a predatory look that made my neck fur bristle apprehensively.

"Sure, Nate," he said after a moment's appraisal. "Lead the way. I could use a short walk." He smiled a slimy, lawyer-like smile and I grimaced.

Maybe inviting him to my apartment wasn't such a good idea, but now I was committed.

I was surprised how few people recognized Taylor on the street. They just treated him like another, regular animalized human. My apartment building was devoid of people, which was a good thing. We made our way up to my place. Taylor stood a little too close behind me as I fumbled with the lock. As we entered, he practically threw off the coat and hat he had been wearing as a mediocre disguise. I put my keys back in my pocket.

"So this is it," I said. "Do you want anything? Like water or scotch?"

"No thank you," he said as he took a seat on my couch. "Kind of sparse in here, isn't it?"

I chuckled; sitting next to him.

"You could say that. Most of my furniture is at my office. I usually just use this place for sleep."

"And other things, I bet."

He winked at me. Why did creepy people keep doing that?

"Uh, Mr. Taylor, could I ask you some questions about your campaign?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Ah, crap. Are you a member of the press in disguise or something?"

"No, sir. I'm just a curious person at heart."

"There are no notebooks or recording devices around here, right?"

"None. If it makes you feel more comfortable we could walk and talk."

He shuddered.

"Outside? Hell no. The media has ears everywhere."

I was beginning to see how he had avoided the news after his first political loss.

"Well I can assure you, Mr. Taylor, that there aren't any reporters around here."

He waved his hand at me dismissively.

"Please, Nate. Call me Frank."

"Alright, Frank. So can I ask you a few questions?"

"You know, I've been answering questions all day," He said, eyeing the door into my bedroom. "I just want to kick back and relax for a few hours."

"Forgive me for being blunt, but isn't it the mayor's job to answer the peoples' questions? I mean what kind of leader avoids trouble at the first sign of it."

He laughed. It was a noise I was not expecting.

"Well you've got me there." He ran a hand through the orange fur on his head, ears twitching. "It's just a lot of pressure, you know? Everyone watching your every move, waiting for you to fuck up. I mean I just want to be myself."

"What's wrong with being yourself?" I asked.

"I'd lose votes," he said. "Religious vote? Out the window. Did you know I ran to be governor and lost once?"

I nodded.

"Yeah I heard about that."

"I was being too much like myself. That's the reason I lost. They weren't ready for me."

"And you don't think the country has changed enough in four years?"

"Nate, the country hasn't changed enough in three hundred years. What difference would four make?"

I shrugged.

"I think you would be surprised. Besides I think I already know what you're talking about."

His eyes widened and his ears laid back on his head.

"You do?"

"Yeah, but I won't tell anyone."

"How did you figure it out? I spent years trying to learn to hide it."

"I don't think it's something that you can cover up as easily as you'd like. But I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure many voters would still vote for you if they knew. I'm not sure about your advisor, though."

His eyes seemed to light up; his ears standing straight again.

"Ah ha! You must be part of the campaign if you know who is advising me."

I nodded, not wanting to correct him.

"Well you're the first volunteer I've met who seems to have a decent head on his shoulders. All of the others just seem to be there to make us look good."

"So why is Harris your advisor anyway?" I asked. "Doesn't a guy like that kind of go against what you're preaching in your speeches?"

"Ben has some rough edges, it's true, but he's got far more experience than I do with some things."

"Things like torture and genetic experiments no doubt."

"Yes, those are a few of his rough edges, but the public will believe whatever the media tells them. Just like they're believing this crap about me and that whore right now. Can you understand that? Because I can't."

"Yeah it does seem kind of silly now that I've met you."

He smiled.

"Thanks for helping me escape for a while, Nate."

"No problem."

"Though, you know what would make this better?"

He turned towards me and I hesitated to speak.

"No, what?" I said reluctantly.

He opened his mouth, but there was a loud banging on my door instead. I took the opportunity to leap to my feet. I had no idea who it could be, but I was looking for an excuse out of that conversation anyway. Taylor frowned as I left him on the couch.

"Maybe I should hide. I don't exactly want to risk the media finding me right now." He mumbled.

I raised an eyebrow at him, but he did have a point.

"The bedroom has a closet you could hide in..."

"Good, I'm used to it anyway." He joked.

I laughed weakly.

Taylor grabbed his coat and hat as he hurried across the room and into my bedroom. It was kind of strange telling him to go in there, but it was the only hiding place I had. I opened the door a crack, the metal chain stopping it from going any further. Michelle stood there, foot raised to kick the door again and her arms full with my old music collection. She was still as beautiful as I remembered. Her green eyes looked out at me from under her red hair and over the large stack of records in her arms. She would have been my wife if I hadn't joined the military.

"Hello Nate." She said.

"Michelle. What's the occasion?" I asked.

"I didn't think you'd come by and pick these up yourself so I figured I'd drop them off for you."

I nodded.

"Can I come in?" She asked.

"Yeah, sorry." I said, undoing the chain on the door and opening it for her. She walked into the living room and dropped the albums onto the couch. As she turned back to me I noticed that she was wearing the necklace I had bought for her before I left. It had two silver hearts intertwined in a silver chain. It was tacky, but she had liked it when we were together. Apparently she still liked it.

"Nate I want to apologize for what I said to you over the phone yesterday."

"You don't have to," I said gruffly. "I was being a prick."

"What happened to us, Nate?"

I shrugged. I didn't want to start this conversation again.

"I don't know. I was being a prick I guess."

She smirked at me and folded her arms over her chest. The black dress she was wearing was an informal one, but it still made her look beautiful.

"I'm getting married in three days..." She said it like one would make a proclamation.

I just nodded. What could I say? I didn't want to go to the wedding. It would have just made it difficult for both me and her.

"I won't be going." I told her.

"I thought not."

There was an awkward pause as we stood there, looking each other over. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted her again. I wanted to feel her against me, taste her lips, and whisper softly into her ear.

"I don't suppose we could..." She began. I hadn't thought that she felt the same way until that moment. My hopes rose despite her marriage announcement. I decided to run with it.

"Well we could, but I doubt Robert would approve," I finished.

She frowned.

"It wouldn't mean anything," she said.

"Of course not," I replied, looking at the floor next to me. "Just two former lovers, loving each other one last time."

"I just want to know what it would feel like..." she whispered.

I hadn't noticed her getting closer to me until her lips were pressed against mine. My heart skipped a beat in my chest and I looked at her closed eyes. A familiar sensation began in the pit of my stomach and I wrapped my arms around her...

But then I remembered Taylor.

I pulled myself away from her and shook my head.

"I can't do this right now, Michelle, I've... got company."

She looked confused at first, but then she slapped me. I wasn't sure I deserved it.

"Goodbye, Nate." She said as she stormed passed me and closed my apartment door angrily behind her. Taylor opened my bedroom door moments later.

"Is everything ok?" He asked.

"No. But it's not your problem." I replied, adjusting my pants to be more comfortable.

He very obviously looked down at my crotch.

"I might be able to help you with that." He grinned.

I snorted.

"Sorry, but I don't swing that way," I mumbled. "Besides, this is getting pretty awkward."

"Er... right, sorry," he said, staring at his feet.

"You know," I said, changing the subject. "The only way out of this hooker scandal might be to tell everyone about the real you."

He nodded, frowning.

"I'm not exactly comfortable with that," he said. "Plus, my campaign advisor would never agree to it."

"Why would Harris care?"

"Not him. My other advisor, Regina Smith. She used to be a Hollywood agent before the entertainment industry merger several years ago."

"Oh really," I said. That explained her deceptive actions earlier. "Look, Frank. I have to be honest with you. I'm not actually one of your volunteers."

He smiled at me. It was a tired, disillusioned smile.

"I figured not, though you did have me fooled for a while."

"What gave me away?" I asked.

"The way you act," Taylor said. "You hold yourself like a man who has his life mostly figured out already."

I laughed.

"That's just for show mostly. I don't have anything figured out for sure yet; believe me."

"So, if you're not a volunteer, then who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Nate Wesson. I'm an investigator for this district's police department. I was actually hired by Regina Smith to investigate the possibility of a slanderous attack on your campaign."

"Well at least she was right about that."

"Yeah," I said. "Almost like she knew it would happen. Can you make it back on your own? I need to finish cleaning this shit up." I gestured to the records on my couch.

"I think I can. Thank you again for letting me escape from work with you. Here, take my card and call me if you find out anything else."

Taylor handed me a small piece of paper with various phone numbers on it.

"I don't think you should be worrying about it. My advice? Ditch Smith and Harris then come up with your own campaign based around who you are, not who you want the public to see you as."

"It's a bit late to do all of that. I might as well hand Sweeney the win by dropping out of the race."

I shrugged.

"It's your call I suppose."

"Thanks for the advice. I'll see what I can do. Also..."

He hesitated, tapping his index fingers together in front of him as he stared at the music on the couch.

"If you like... we could maybe... go to lunch sometime or something..."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" I asked. "I already told you I'm straight."

His ears folded back on his head and he blushed. I never knew foxes could turn more red.

"Well not a date. More like a thank you for being so nice."

"I'm usually not nice. You just caught me on a more or less good day. But I'll think about it."

"All right. I'll have to settle for that, then." He smiled.

Taylor left my apartment all grins as I stacked the pile of albums in the corner of the room. I locked my apartment door as I left. A public news terminal in front of the building was talking about the Taylor scandal.

"Douglas Finch, CEO of Shurman Incorporated Insurance has made an offer to the prostitute featured in the recent photos of the Taylor scandal to pay for legal action against the mayoral candidate. Saying: ‘These frivolous meetings with ladies of the night by Franklin Taylor are simply unacceptable. Mayoral candidates must be held accountable for their actions when deceiving the people of this fine city!'"

What a load of shit. I hoped Germaine would find at least something out about Services and Exports Limited that I could link to both Kurbin and Finch. The street was crowded as I walked back towards the station. I wondered why there were so many people at first and then my stomach reminded me that it was lunch time. I ignored it. Instead, my mind focused on everything I knew so far. Regina Smith hired me to investigate Sweeney and Kurbin. I had found a note from Anthony Domingo in Kurbin's office telling him that Domingo's son needed rescuing from some dumb mistake I still didn't know anything about. In the same office I had found the future case file with Alice's picture in it. A day later the media suddenly has dozens of photographs sent anonymously of "Taylor" who refuses to marry getting it on with Alice. Regina meanwhile seduces me, in a bid to get me on her side no doubt, and she seemed not only unsurprised by the news of the scandal, but also sort of pleased about it. Now Finch has offered to pay Alice's legal fees. This was all falling neatly into place. I suspected political fraud would have been less obvious. There were still some things I didn't quite understand, though. The Domingos' involvement was one of those things. I didn't think Regina would answer any questions I asked her either so I would have to do some covert investigating. I told myself I should call Karl and see what exactly Ronnie Domingo had done for his father to risk paying for his salvation as well. Karl's name was still bugging me. I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. The phone rang as I walked and before long, a scratchy, thickly accented voice answered.

"Yes?"

My memory returned in a flash and I knew that calling had been a mistake. I hung up the phone. Mother fucker. Karl Schmidt was a hit man for the Domingo family. Supposedly, he was the best they had. There were a few run-ins I had with him on previous assignments. None of them ended well. He had given me the scar on my chest during one of them. I hated how inept the law enforcement systems were in Meridian. Karl would have been behind bars already in an older city. In any case, I would have to find another way of finding out what The Wolf had done. I supposed I could just ask him. After our last meeting, though I doubted he would tell me anything and Chief Burke had warned me to stay away. That gave me an idea. Perhaps I could enlist the help of the undercover cop in The Moon. They might not know me by sight and if I didn't dress like a detective, maybe the bouncers and patrons wouldn't recognize me either. I was confident that the undercover cop would be relatively easy to weed out if I had the time.

My phone rang as I entered the station. Germaine was calling. I waited until I was in my office before I answered it.

"What's up, Steve?"

"Hey, Nate. I just wanted to let you know that this place is practically deserted. The address isn't even a real building, more like a ruin."

"Well there has to be something there. Finch apparently dumped money into Services and Exports Limited and Rocky was telling me about shipping and receiving reports he had seen."

"How much do you really trust that kid, Nate? I mean he's been hanging around the Domingos, right?"

"He's not the type to lie to me, Steve. Not after everything I've done for him."

I heard Germaine clicking his tongue on the other side of the line.

"I dunno. Some people can surprise you. I'll keep my eyes and ears open down here for a little while longer and call you if anything comes up."

"Sure thing. Oh, before I forget, you wouldn't happen to know who's working undercover in Ronnie Domingo's club, would you?"

If anyone knew anything about it besides the people involved, it would be Germaine.

"Yeah, he's animalized to look like a kangaroo; calls himself ‘Joey' while on the job I think. His real name is Duncan, though."

"Thanks, Steve."

"No problem. Be careful in there, pal."

"Aren't I always?" I chuckled.

He laughed as he hung up the phone. I would need different clothes if I was going to infiltrate The Moon. Luckily I kept a spare set of casual ware in my wardrobe at the office. I slipped out of my work clothes and pulled on some jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket over my shoulder holster. I wasn't about to go in there unarmed. I felt confident that Ronnie and his goons wouldn't recognize me from a distance.

Church Street was crowded as usual. The sun hadn't even gone down yet, but the drug and sex peddlers were already out in force. I figured I would need to get in line early if I was actually going to be let in tonight. The Moon's regulars were already lining up outside the club as well. Some of their eyes were wide with dilation; the product of The Wolf's drug sales, no doubt. I slid into the back of the line and leaned against the wall. I was fairly close to the door and judging from the amount of people that had been in the club the night before, I was confident I could get inside. A tiger slid into line behind me as I leaned my back against the wall. He was lanky, dressed in baggy, nylon pants and a ripped white t-shirt that was made to look clawed. I recognized the shirt from the "Fang" clothing line. He probably could have created the same look himself instead of spending the three hundred credits for the shirt. He had a female mouse on his arm, or rather; he was pulling a female mouse along with him.

The mouse was in jeans and a women's t-shirt that was plain and pink. She looked at me nervously as her partner positioned them in line. I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"Hey, buddy, can I bum one of those off you? I left my pack in my other pants." The tiger asked.

I looked at him appraisingly.

"I'm not your buddy. Go buy a pack from The Alley or something."

"Come on, man. I don't want to lose my place in line."

I shrugged. The tiger growled in frustration.

"Fine!" He turned to his mouse friend. "You stay here and save my spot."

She nodded timidly as the tiger stormed off in search of a way to feed his habit.

"Um, my name's Catherine," she said to me.

I didn't know why.

"Nice to meet you," I lied.

"Is this your first time here?" She asked.

"No."

She looked around her again at the growing line of people behind us.

"It's my first time. Drake is making me really nervous too. I'm not used to this kind of crowd."

"You seem like a nice girl. Do you even know what goes on in here?"

She smiled. I wasn't expecting it. My attitude toward her and her tiger had been gruff at least.

"Hopefully dancing and some drinking if I feel up for it," she said. "I know that Drake will probably end up taking hits of something. It's my job to stay sober so we can get home alright."

"And you're ok with being his nursemaid?"

"We have fun. It's alright."

I shrugged as I watched the sun slowly sink behind the buildings and the lights of the district spring to life around us.

"It's your call I guess."

I was pulled away from the conversation as the line started to finally move forward. Drake came back, wheezing and clutching a pack of cigarettes in his paws.

"Ah fuck! Now I don't have time to smoke!"

I ignored him as I dropped my spent butt to the ground and stepped on it. The bouncer was different tonight. I supposed that made sense. It was a walrus this time. He was slightly less intimidating than the rhino from the night before, but I didn't doubt his ability to keep things under control. The uniform black suit that the rhino sported was replaced on the walrus by a simple pair of black jeans and a large black t-shirt that barely fit around his thick arms. For a walrus, he certainly was well built. I watched as people slid their credit cards through his handheld scanner. It probably doubled as an age verification system. I really hoped The Wolf hadn't put my name on the club's black list. Deciding it would be better to use my personal account instead of my office account, I pulled out a plain-looking white card with a magnetic strip on the back. The walrus held up the scanner for me and I held my breath as the plastic slid through the slot. The bouncer squinted at the tiny screen for what seemed like an eternity. I felt my lungs burn, but if I let go of the breath now he might get suspicious. The bouncer waved me through, much to my relief and I stepped through the doors.

"See you inside, maybe." Catherine called after me.

I wasn't sure but I thought I saw Drake glare at her. What a prick. A tigress offered to take my coat and I shook my head. The atmosphere of the club was different this early in the day. People were actually sitting at the tables in front of the bar and ordering food from the wait staff. The DJ booth was empty and the gorilla bartender was happily pouring drinks for a host of creatures at the bar. I decided to stay away in case he remembered me. Choosing a table that I could see most of the club from, I sat down and lifted a menu to feign interest. The club looked a lot different with most of the lights turned on. If it wasn't for the dance floor and the way many of the patrons were dressed, it would have looked pretty classy. It looked like I would have to wait for any real excitement to start. Luckily, The Wolf was no where to be found. A squirrel approached me, like the bouncer outside, he was wearing a black t-shirt and black pants. A white towel was slung over his left arm that was bent at the elbow and he carried a notepad and pencil.

"Hello, sir. Welcome to The Moonlight Embrace. My name is Terry. Can I get anything for you this evening?"

"I'll have a whisky on the rocks." I said coldly.

"What brand of whisky, sir? We have Daniel's Vintage, Livet Dry, and Crown Red."

"Daniel's, please."

"Excellent, will there be anything else this evening?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

The squirrel nodded and darted away from my table. The tree canopy balcony looked even more fake when lit. It was a shame. The place had the potential to be more than just a hangout for drunks and druggies. I sighed as Terry returned with my drink and stood near the table expectantly.

"Later, kid. I'll let you know if I want anything else." I waved my hand at him dismissively. I expected him to be insulted or something, but he just nodded; all smiles as he darted off to another table. He was one of several waiters and waitresses skirting around the patrons and the tables. He was probably grateful for less work. I sighed as I lifted the whiskey to my lips and took a sip. It was good stuff. I noticed that a kangaroo was now in the DJ booth. How had he gotten up there without my noticing? He was probably Duncan. His Hawaiian shirt was fairly out of place in the club, but I supposed that it didn't matter what the DJ was wearing as long as they did their job well. My eyes drifted lazily back to the door as I felt the heat from the liquor slide down my throat. How the hell was I supposed to get Duncan away from that booth? I would have to improvise somehow. I thought about trying to find a fire alarm, but that would have drawn too much attention. A large group of people squeezed through the doors and into the club, making their way towards the dance floor. One of them broke off from the rest and started climbing the stairs to the balcony. Why the hell was Rocky here again?