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Broken Pieces

Chapter Thirty-Three

By Roofles

“You know you can trust me, right, Logan?"

The words rung in the air as if Bosch had said them. The ringing might've been from the bullet that had been fired. Logan life flashing before his eyes as he stared at the jaguar, his mentor and friend, pointing a gun at him.

“If there's ever an issue in the future, just come to me. I'll be there."

“Bosch?" Bosch, where did things go wrong? Didn't I do everything you asked? How did they end up like this? Words that Logan wanted to ask but couldn't as his body jerked involuntarily as the bullet punctured his shoulder, piercing through the other side and embedded in the wall behind.

It felt both hot and cold. The searing pain of the wound and the cold numbness that ran down his arm as if he dipped it into a bucket of ice.

“If anything happens, just call me." Logan stared at the jaguar, tears burning in the corner of his eyes. Unsure if it was from the act of betrayal or from the pain.

A shot that seemed to last a lifetime.

The shot hit the same shoulder Ginger had bitten into it. The top torn open, weeping blood, was soon joined with the bullet hole that made Logan's arm go rigid. His grip loosened on the pistol as he jerked from the shot, wincing as he refused to take his eyes off the man standing before him.

The jaguar didn't even hesitate. Looking at him with cold, empty eyes.

“Dammit…" Logan tried to lift his arm but was finding it difficult as he rested his weight on his stronger side.

Bosch didn't even wait for Logan as he moved in. Closing the distance between them in a second as the jaguar's claws sprung out and he swiped at Logan's face, seemingly aiming for Logan's exposed neck. Logan jerked backwards, barely dodging those deadly claws from tearing into him. His reflexes still sharp from all the times the jaguar and him had sparred. From all the fights he'd been in. His body, traumatized by the scars it'd received, was a pro at dodging attacks.

For Logan knew how painful it was to receive the claws of a large feline.

Panicked and desperate, Logan fired. It shot next to the jaguar's feet, missing by several inches. It was enough to deter Bosch from going in for another swipe. The jaguar instead gave a swift kick to Logan's arm, knocking the pistol from his grip. Hitting the same spot Ginger had but with far more force. His arm flew to the side, the pistol going sailing through the air and skidding across the floor as Logan watched his last hope go.

Unlike the rabbit, the jaguar was a born killer and it showed as Bosch spun around and brought a close fist on the side of the human's face. Sending Logan to the other side. The impact left him shaken and confused, the force knocking him off his feet and sliding across the floor until the far wall stopped him. His ears were ringing as he tried to get back up.

Logan slipped and fell, barely catching himself as he puked on the spot. The room was spinning, and he gasped for air, trying to stay conscious from the blow.

“You shouldn't hesitate, Logan. I taught you better than that." Bosch said as he adjusted his sleeves. Pulling one up slowly, rolling it in on itself before doing the other. All the way up to his large biceps. “Apparently, I've been too soft on you. I need to fix that. To make sure this lesson sticks…"

The jaguar strode over towards him, tail swaying back and forth with every step he took. Bosch didn't make a sound. Even as large as he was, the jaguar's bare feline steps were perfect for dampening the sound he made. Walking over to the human lying there on the ground. Logan was half curled against the wall as held the side of his head. He could feel blood dripping from the inside of his ear and his head was still ringing from the blow.

“Rather disorienting, isn't it? A strike to the jaw can knock even a bull out. The strike to an ear? Can disorientate even an elephant. With enough force." Bosch crouched down in front of him. “Fast. Simple. Effective. That's what I taught you." The jaguar growled as he grabbed Logan's ankle and pulled him away from the wall.

Dragging the dazed and confused human away from the “safety net" in this ring. Bosch planning to pummel some sense into Logan before he left the human there. Alive? Dead? Even Bosch wasn't sure yet.

The jaguar… was pissed. His fur was standing up and his heavy breaths were hot as Bosch tried to hold the anger inside. Angry at the betrayal Barnes and Ginger tried to commit. For his plans being ruined. For the fact that people just wouldn't follow the very specific script he written out for them.

It was a shame he had to turn on Gristle like that. The wolf was poking his nose into things best left undisturbed. Not wanting to follow along to a “government suit." Not that Bosch minded such a basic insult. He was bothered by the fact Gristle had tried to contact Logan behind his back.

Or maybe, it was Logan who had tried to contact him.

It was the incentive Bosch needed to teach Logan a lesson as he dropped him back in the middle of the room and turned to reach for him. Claws out, Bosch reached for the human's neck.

“Wait-," Bosch realized a second to late a Logan moved.

As if waiting for it, Logan spun his body, wrapping his other leg around Bosch's arm, and took the jaguar by surprise as he twisted his entire body around with it. Bosch lost his footing and Logan went in for an arm bar the second the jaguar's back hit the ground with a loud thud.

Grabbing the arm with his own, Logan wrapping his leg's around the jaguar. One over the front of his neck and the other underneath the arm along his chest. Pulling as he squeezed with all his strength around Bosch. Making sure to keep the jaguar's sharp nails facing upwards and away from his face.

Logan did not want to experience such a thing.

It would've worked on someone of similar size or strength, but Logan soon learned, just as Ginger had with him, that a human could never match a born predator in raw strength. If he had been able to get Bosch in a different hold, then maybe.

Logan hadn't and was instantly “punished" for it.

Bosch lifted him off the ground and smashed his body against the side of the desk with a tackle. Crushing Logan between him and the half-circled desk in the office. They hit it with enough force to knock the computer's monitor off.

The jaguar didn't stop there. Pulling back, Bosch repeated the motion. Three more times he smashed Logan's body into it until the human was forced to let go of his arm. Bosch pulled back just as quickly as Logan let go as a foot swung for his face.

Bracing himself on his hands, Logan kicked out at the retreating jaguar who dodged the attack. The space allowed Logan to get back to his unsteady feet. Breathing heavily, Logan held his chest and knew it would be bruised in the morning as he gritted his teeth at Bosch.

Logan could taste blood.

“At least you remember somethings." Bosch said as if impressed. The jaguar rolled his shoulder, looking as if he could keep this up for the rest of the night without breaking a sweat. “This is why I told you," before he could even finish Logan was pulling out his knife.

The Cat's Claw was a brass knuckled knife with a curved dark metal blade. It looked like a fang and the jaguar's smile spread across his face, baring his own fangs at the human. Logan favored his left side as he weakly held the knife.

Just as how he had taught Logan, the second the human failed at taking him down with judo? Logan switched over to a more lethal means. Switching things up, adapting to a situation, analyzing, and predicting the opponents next move.

“Good." Bosch smiled as he stripped his shirt off. Tossing it to the side, the jaguar pulled out a similar, matching knife as Logan's. “The twin fangs are reunited." The jaguar purred. Bosch's blade was larger than the human's was. It was made for someone of Bosch's size and strength, whereas Logan's was a cheap replica of his. It had been a gift from the jaguar after all when Logan graduated his extensive training program. “That's more like it. Show me what you've learned these past three years."

Logan ducked down, running at him close to the ground before swiping upwards. Using the length of the blade along Bosch's body to try and do the most damage possible. Aiming to cut from the jaguar's inner thigh, over his groin, along his belly and up his chest. It would've been a lethal move if it had hit.

Bosch easily moved to the side, bringing his dagger down from above. Like an ice pick, he drove it down towards Logan's skull. The human closed what little distance there was between them, and the blade swiped along his back as Logan pulled out another blade with his left arm. Going in to stab at Bosch along his ribs.

The jaguar caught his arm with his own, blocking the movement of it and locking it in place as Logan tried to pull back. Spinning around the way he could move, Logan swung the first blade wide, and Bosch met it with his own. The sharp blade slide down to the brass knuckle hilt and the jaguar snarled in his face as Logan gritted his bloody teeth.

“Again," Bosch said or was it back then? When was it that Bosch had trained him? Logan couldn't think. He couldn't recall such things as he swung wide and the jaguar easily countered, only for Logan to bring up the other knife. “Ambidextrous is a good ace to have up your sleeve. Carry a second blade with you. When the opponent let's their guard down thinking they blocked the right, go in with the left!"

And Logan did. Swiping in a far more controlled manner than his weakened right arm could manage. One was a clear distraction for the other as the duel wielding human tried to go toe-to-toe with the single blade jaguar.

Metal hit metal as the two fought.

A dance of knives that clashed off one another over and over again.

“Why didn't you just tell me!" Logan shouted at the jaguar as he went for Bosch's thick muscular neck. The jaguar ducked down, and Logan's swipe went wide as he was tackled in the front. He coughed blood.

Landing with a grunt on his back, Logan had brought up his knees to stop the full force of the jaguar's tackle. Pushing off with his legs, he aimed for Bosch's groin forcing the jaguar to roll off him or risk getting his family jewels knocked in.

Bosch was already leaping back to his feet and Logan had to roll backwards to miss being skewered again on his blade. The thick dagger dug deep into the floor and the jaguar easily ripped it back out, taking a chunk of the carpet with him.

“You could've just told me, Bosch." Logan panted, glaring at the other man.

“You were too close to the case!" Bosch was laughing as he jumped back to his feet. Logan stumbled as he tried to follow, unable to ever match the fluid grace a feline had. He looked clumsy and awkward compared to the perfect movements of Bosch's body.

A feline was made for this. Bosch was a jaguar, and his body was made for this, and that thought was hammered into Logan as the jaguar attacked him. Every swipe of his knife felt as if he were swinging a hammer. The strength behind the blows made Logan's fingers feel numb, forcing him back against the wall.

Forcing Logan to block with both his blades just to match one of Bosch's.

Logan bloodied back hit the wall hard. He didn't give himself the chance to catch his breath as the human ducked down as Bosch followed it up with a straight punch to where his face had been. The drywall caved in from the jaguar's punch and Logan rolled out from under him, creating some space between them and stumbled again, nearly falling over.

His limbs were feeling weak taking such a beating. His muscles hurt. Logan's bones were hurting as he grabbed his wounded shoulder.

“Too close? You knew what that case meant to me!" Logan spat back as he huffed and panted, sweating as he tried to match the predator who pulled his fist from the wall.

“You hesitated against me, again…" Bosch said as he looked down at the dust on his fist. He blew it off before wiping the rest on the dark olive tactical pants he wore, turning to face Logan after. “You hesitated to pull the trigger. You hesitate to go for my throat. Even now, you underestimate me. If you don't fight like you're trying to kill me, you'll die." The jaguar stated as a fact. “Every fight is a game of life and death."

And Logan knew it.

Despite it all, Logan hesitated at the last second. He drew his gun on the jaguar as he had been trained to do as a police officer. Most officers don't just open fire. No one wants to pull the trigger and kill someone. Let alone someone they knew and cared for and…

Logan didn't want to kill Bosch and the jaguar knew that. It was why he had hit Logan in the shoulder.

“Is that why you missed…?" Logan said the words aloud. “You missed putting a bullet in my chest or head… you know how to kill a man, Bosch. You're the one who taught me how to do it… And you missed." Logan stated back.

“Mikhail wouldn't." Bosch inspected his knife, looking at the bloody edge of it and wiped a finger along the flat of it. He rubbed Logan's blood between two fingers, inspecting and sniffing it. “Mikhail wouldn't have hesitated, and I'd have lost you then... If I had told you back then or even now? I'd have lost, yet another, team member."

Coming from anyone else, Logan might've felt comforted by those words. Bosch wasn't anyone. He was a trained killer and…

“Then you'd have lost another one of your pawns." Logan spat out the words, breathing heavily. The room was getting blurry, and he tried to focus. “You needed me to kill Sloan. After that? What? The Alpha?"

“And if I did?" The jaguar eyebrow rose, waiting for an answer to that. “Would you have been able to do it? What with you hunting after ghosts… even now, you're preoccupied by other things during our fight."

“You could've just told me, Bosch. Didn't you trust me enough for that…? Told me you killed Mikhail. That he was dead and gone and…" Logan stopped as it dawned on him, his jaw falling open.

“If I told you," Bosch said Logan's thoughts aloud. “Then you would have never agreed to join my team. Never agreed to watch that lion for me… I did needed you Logan. That's the one thing about humans I love… they adapt so quickly to new situations. The one thing I don't love about them? How you need a reason to kill. Sure, you'll create countless random, various reasons to kill someone… Be it their religion or some duty to country… but you aren't like me. You need a reason to kill. Unlike me…" Bosch repeated, staring down at the dagger. Looking at the cold eyes reflecting back up at him.

The jaguar toyed with the tip of the blade, licking his fangs.

“Some of us are just born killers. We enjoy it. It doesn't need to be personal. Or for some noble reason. Screw family, country. Screw god. None of that matters." Bosch lifted his knife back up. “Some of us just love the hunt."

“What? You were just born a killer then? Just naturally skilled?" Logan scoffed as he got back into position, the two facing each other as if they were training again. Together. In that studio right after a session of rough love making or maybe right before.

The two getting hot and sweaty before jumping each other and…

“Well yes but no," Bosch chuckled as he rolled his thick neck and looked at Logan. “You really took to my training. Unlike most people. You. You were a natural. It was rather frightening. How quickly you picked things up. Me? I had to go in for training to learn what I did. What I do know now? It's all thanks to the government. Joined the military, was hand picked from my unit and was assigned to a special team of throwaways. We didn't even have a name… that was how expendable we were. They trained me. Beat it into me."

“As you did me." Logan laughed. “And here I thought you just got off on hurting people."

“Hurting? Oh, Logan. You think you understand what pain is?" Bosch face fell. “You are still so very green."

“Is that why you refused to tell me about Mikhail? Why you kept putting him off? He was the god damn Butcher of Seattle, Bosch!" Logan shouted. “And you didn't do a thing…"

“And…?" Bosch asked and Logan took a second on that.

“He was a mass murderer. A serial killer. He was sick and twisted and…" Logan wasn't sure why Bosch wasn't getting this.

“Exactly." Bosch laughed openly at Logan's confusion. “That's why I put him there."

“What…?" Logan took a shaky breath. “W-what do you mean? You turned him into the butcher? He butchered people! People! Just because you can eat them d-doesn't mean anyone should!" Logan stammered out, unsure if this was the same man he used to know.

Used to trust.

“Logan… and here I thought you were smart." Bosch snorted, shaking his muzzle back and forth as if disappointed. “Logan, there is already another in place. It was done shortly after the first was… taken care of."

“Another… Another butcher?" Logan's eyes widened at that. He hadn't heard anyone else replacing Mikhail after the tiger's disappearance but didn't doubt Bosch words. Even now, a part of him trusted the jaguar.

“Of course there is, Logan! Butchers? Every major city around the world has a butcher! There isn't anything special about it really. Not in the end of things.... Every major city around the world has a market. That has a butcher. The feeds meat to the populace…" Bosch explained, watching as it sunk in.

“No. M-Mikhail, he. I mean I, he…" Logan stammered, unable to say anything to that.

“Butcher of this or Butcher of that? It doesn't matter. It's just a title. They're all the same. I gave him a title to make that tiger feel special. His own special little snowflake title. There is nothing special about being a Butcher, Logan. There will always be those who need to eat… and there will always be someone who needs to cut the meat." Bosch just told him. “Mikhail just happened to match all the criteria needed to fill such a role at the time. Then? When he wasn't needed any longer? I took care of him. I'm the man they hire who butchers The Butcher."

“You had him butcher and kill people you needed to take out…" Logan glared, gritting his teeth as it sunk in finally. “How many people? How are you any different than he was!"

“Different? When did I ever say I was different than Mikhail?" Bosch asked and Logan couldn't answer that. “There are always despicable people in this world Logan. People traffickers? Drug lords or King Pins? Politicians who won't play along or overstep their boundaries…? Some people are just born bad, Logan. From the best families, brought up in a loving home? They still turn out to be rotten apples that spoil the batch. They need to be plucked and removed from society to let it continue to thrive…"

“And that's where you come in, huh?" Logan wanted to laugh but could only stand there, looking at the jaguar.

Bosch just stared back without a word.

“There are always bad people, but this?" Logan said, motioning around them. “How many need to die for the rest can live ignorant and happy?"

“Enough." Bosch answered.

“Enough…? Good, bad, ugly? Whoever is needed?" Logan did laugh at that.

“Good? No, no Logan. You still aren't following. We remove the bad and then feed them to the good! Those who choose to play along. The good, well-behaved predators out there? We like them. Those who agree to wear their muzzles and pretend that they don't drool over their next-door neighbor. They can go to The Market during the night and buy a slice of lamb for dinner, while the next day talking to one in the office." Bosch shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. That he did it every single night.

“The Market was destroyed." Logan glared. “Or was that a lie as well?"

“Of course it was destroyed!" Bosch chuffed. “It all burned down before being washed away. And from the ashes? A new one was born. Like a horribly grotesque meat phoenix, surviving off the blood and death of others. It's still starting out, sure. A young hatchling right now... It's small but growing every day. Predators act like it was a good thing when it shut down. The Market came to an end but that itch, that hunger? It comes back. Like a craving, a drug. A need you can't ever stop… why not make some money off it? Like a drug you just can't quit."

“The Market is back… That place…" Logan hesitated. “And Mikhail died there…?"

“I left him to with five bullet holes in his chest, Logan." Bosch tilted his head to the side. “He was always strong, even for a tiger. But not even I could walk away after that." The jaguar chuffed. “You think I'm any different than him still…? Even knowing all this. After I told you everything you've asked me to?"

“I…" Logan closed his mouth.

“You think Sloan is..?" Bosch brought up suddenly and the human jerked at that. “Oh… Oh! This is rich. You do love him. Interesting…" The jaguar licked over his fangs. “You always did have a rather… fascination with large cats. First Mikhail, then me… heh, yes Logan. I knew you liked me like that. After all the times we've fucked? Be hard not to know… but now, you've moved on to another. Hell, maybe even that tiger Tony? Is he next? And they call me sick…"

And Bosch grew suspiciously quiet for a moment as he stared at the human with blank eyes and a mask that even Logan couldn't match. A look that no one could possibly read what was lurking behind those cold slitted feline eyes.

“Just like that? Just like this? It's over, huh? This is it…?" Logan had to ask one last thing, had to know. He didn't like burning his bridges but this… this was personal.

“If I asked you to kill Mr. Kincaid? Would you be able to do so?" Bosch toyed with his knife. “It's been a question on my mind for a long time now. He's a meat eater, like me. He's killed people, like I have. Even knowing who his family is, what they've done… you'd still hesitate. Like you did with me. Like you did with Mikhail…"

Logan stopped at that. “What…?"

“When you confronted Mikhail in the tunnels of The Market? You put on quite the show. I have to admit." Bosch licked over one of his fangs. “Barnes always had an interesting network of tunnels. He helped carve that place out. Did you know that? Or, rather, his family did. They would send those in the colony they didn't want or need any longer to The Market. Hell, they helped fund it!" The jaguar said with great amusement. “Herbivores funding The Market then feigning surprise when it kills and eats people… funny really, what people are willing to do to get ahead. For money. For power…. So funny."

“You knew all this, and you still supported Barnes's campaign?" Logan shook his head. “What do you gain from that?"

“Campaign? OH! Him running for mayor or office or whatever the fuck he was up to? Not really," Bosch said as he pulled out the USB stick to look at it. To make sure it was still on his person. “No, I was after this." He pocketed it safely away. “In those tunnels? I realized that The Noble Hares have videos and cameras all over the city, even deep within the tunnels. They don't do anything with them! Can you believe that? Always watching without ever acting. Such a waste. With this? I can do things. It opens so many doors…"

“Heh, what? Make the city a better place? Or to help some other puppet step into office next?" Logan frowned at the jaguar.

“Something like that." Bosch agreed without giving his hand away. “Now then, it's getting late, and all hell is breaking loose out there. I still need to make sure my escape route is secure…" And the jaguar offered Logan a hand. “Now then, Logan. I'll ask again to trust me. To follow me and I'll keep this city safe. No matter how many bodies I have to leave behind."

“And all you ask in return?" Logan wasn't buying it.

“To trust me." Bosch smiled and it didn't even reach his eyes as the tip of his fangs showed. Logan knew, if he took that hand… the next thing Bosch would ask of him was to take care of The Mane of The Pride and Logan knew, if it came down between him and Sloan?

Logan would let Sloan win any day. Even if costed him his life. Something Bosch seemed to have already figured out.

“Hard pass." Logan said as he lifted up his knife. “Bosch, you are under arrest for the murder of Mikhail and, fuck, frankly countless other people."

“You are planning to arrest me?" Bosch cracked a smile that broke into a face splitting grin as he laughed. The jaguar bent over laughing. “You? Are you going to arrest me? Ah, that's rich." Bosch wiped a fake tear from his eye. “How can you arrest me?"

“Believe it or not, murder is still illegal in this city." Logan said coldly.

“Illegal?" Bosch smiled at that. “Oh, Logan. You really are so green and naïve and innocent... The same stupid man I found wandering in the tunnels of The Market. You still don't know how this world works. It's rather impressive how blind you are to it…" Bosch reached into his back pocket and pulled out his badge. “This isn't just some FBI badge, Logan." And Bosch flipped it open, showing it to him. “It's also a license to kill."

“What…?" Logan hesitated. “You… they gave you the right to kill? That's an actual thing? I thought that was just in the movies."

“Oh, it's very real Logan. They trust me to fulfill my mission… no matter the cost." And the jaguar put his badge away. “They told me to do whatever it takes to make sure it gets done. I created a team just for this purpose. All expendables, of course. Just like my time was... People with grudges that were willing to break the law. Those who would do whatever it took to get what needed to get done, done…"

“Heh," Logan almost laughed as he tried to smile at that. The pain in his eyes were clear, even to the jaguar. “I always knew it. Still fucking hurts hearing it from you." Bosch lifted an eyebrow. “You were going to kill me in the end, as well? Weren't you…? Just like Mikhail and Gristle and all the others… to erase the evidence you were even here and everything else I know. Only way to keep the peace? Is to bury the truth…"

“Something like that, yeah." Bosch said with that blank look on his face. “Shall we?"

“One last dance?" Logan crouched down.

“One last dance." And the jaguar moved in.

Logan was expecting it this time and pulled out three thin knives from within his jacket. He threw them at the approaching jaguar who blocked and deflected the thin blades before leaping at Logan. Logan knew he would. It was exactly what Bosch always did.

Watching the jaguar, studying him, admiring him at times, loving him at other times... Logan had always been aware of how capable and strong Bosch was. Logan had an interest for large feline's all his life and Bosch was a perfect sculpture of one.

Fit, strong, large, and confident. Of course, Logan was attracted to the man. And it made that much easier to watch him. Study him. Learn from him and see exactly how he moved, how long his reach was, how fast Bosch could move… Logan studying the jaguar more than anyone else alive.

That's why he knew he could pull this ridiculous move off.

Logan ducked down as the feline leapt at him. Claws outstretched; Bosch planned to tackle Logan back to the ground. Pouncing on the human before biting into him with those exposed fangs, jaws wide open. And it was exactly what he'd been waiting for…

Logan might've been the only man alive and insane enough to punch a jaguar in the mouth. Holding the spiked brass knuckle knife handle tightly, Logan met those jaws with a punch. Right into the jaguar's muzzle. The knife's blade ripped open Bosch's cheeks and the jaguar barely moved his tongue out of the way as those spiked knuckles tore into the roof of his muzzle.

Logan felt when the fangs bit down over his arm. Heard the bone break and watch as his sleeve turned red. Felt the jaguar teeth rip into his arm and watched as Bosch instinctively clamped down on it as the blood fell onto his tongue.

The jaguar eyes widened in surprised. Not from Logan's insane move or the fact the human's blood filled his muzzle, mixing and turning with his own. It was the fact that Logan had pulled out another knife, a switchblade gifted to him by Domino, and stabbed it into Bosch's gut.

A third dagger the jaguar hadn't been aware of. A gift from a wolf that Bosch had never known Logan had been in contact with. A blade given and never returned as Logan used his final ace to puncture the jaguar's stomach.

Bosch's eyes widened and his fangs released, pulling back and, with another two steps and a spurt, the switchblade came clean. Bosch's side began to run red.

Logan's arm fell useless at his side as he held the bloody tipped switchblade with his other hand. The tip of his knife dripping with the jaguar's blood. Logan, weak and suffering from blood loss, lifted up the switch blade as if threatening Bosch to come at him again.

“Heh, hah. Hah! Holy fuck, that stings…" Bosch winced, covering the wound with a hand. “It's been a while since I felt that kind of pain…" He stumbled back.

“I'm curious." Logan asked, wincing as he favored his left side. His right arm continued to drip blood onto the ground. “The other year? In the mayor's office? When you were shot by The Pride after they kidnapped her..?"

“Who do you think told them how to get in, when it'd be at and when to attack?" Bosch smiled back. “I'm glad you didn't inspect the wound, or you'd have realized, from the angle, that it was self-inflected." The jaguar coughed. “Gut wounds still fucking hurt," he looked down at the wound Logan had given him.

“You taught me that." Logan smiled back.

“They aren't lethal. Not all the time, if you know where to put them…" Bosch stared down at the wound. “Why…"

“Why what…?" Logan coughed, slumped against the desk, needing to use it for support.

“Why did you miss a vital? I wasn't expecting you to take my bite head on like that… You had me. You fucking had me… I was wide open and you…" The jaguar snarled.

“You were right." Logan winced as he tried to shrug. His right shoulder was bleeding profusely, and he couldn't feel his arm any longer. He slumped back against the desk even more than he already was as Logan's breaths grew heavy and heavier. “I'm too soft, in the end. I hesitated… after you missed the first shot? I thought, or hoped, maybe you wouldn't see me like the others…"

“You think you were any different?" Bosch asked. It wasn't an answer though to Logan's unasked question.

“Why do you keep protecting me then…?" Logan rested back, needing to take the weight off his weakening legs. “After it all. Everything? You kept Mikhail away from me. Put me on these safer cases. Even asked me to… heh, kill Sloan." He closed his eyes. “You knew Sloan would never kill me… Hell, he wasn't even part of The Pride at the time…"

“You still don't get it? Still don't fucking get it…" The jaguar jaws clenched tightly before he shouted, spittle flying through the air. “I'm trying to protect you! That lion? The wolf? All the others? They're just like Mikhail, Logan. No matter how you want to paint them. You can't change a tiger's stripes. They'll hurt you, in the end Logan. That's all they know how to do." Bosch growled. “Every predator in this city."

“Just like you?" Logan asked.

“Me…?" Bosch blinks, before sighing heavily. His claws extend. “Logan. I'm the worse of them all… Maybe I need to show you that. Hurt you more. For you to understand what kind of monster I am." The jaguar limped forward, still holding his side. “Make sure you can never question it again. Never question the fact…"

Logan lifted the switchblade up, but Bosch slapped it out of his hand with the back of his own.

Bosch grabbed Logan by the face, turning his neck to the side to expose the jugular as the jaguar growled.

“If I'm just another expendable for you to throw away, why do you keep hesitating?" Logan asked, egging him on. Bosch's fingers tightened around his face, nails pricking his skin. “Do it. Prove to yourself that you're the monster you want every predator to be. So, YOU can sleep easy at night… knowing what you do to them. To people. To their families…"

“Oh, Logan. I killed him, Mikhail, because there was no saving what he had become. His grandparents gave him a taste of Red. And he lost himself to the cravings…" Bosch jaws opened. “I know very well. My father… was the same way. My mother never even saw him coming. That's the cruel fact this world tries to hide away. Even a taste can be irreversible…"

“Is that why you made him the butcher? Mikhail? Used him before tossing him aside?" Like me? Logan couldn't finish the words. Maybe it was too painful to ask. Or, maybe, Logan just didn't want to know. “You aren't… a butcher… like him…"

Logan kicked out. It was weak and Bosch just shook his head at the pitiful sight.

“Even now. You… heh… you…" Was all Logan could manage to say.

“I've hurt you, Logan. You're bleeding. Done. Why do you keep trying?" Bosch snarls into his face as he strangled the human with a hand. “I'm no different than them."

“B-Because," Logan gasped for air around the tightening fingers. “You missed…"

“What?" Bosch pulled back.

“Your first shot? Missed. You never miss… unless you wanted to." Logan laughed weakly.

“Even now," Bosch's nails pricked Logan's face. “Even as I make you bleed." The drops ran over Logan's eye, forcing him to close it as he looked at the jaguar the best he could. “Even as I hurt you," the claws dug deeper. “You still never would hate me." And Bosch pulled his hands down.

The scream that tore from the human filled the room as the nails ripped down the side of Logan's face and Logan covered the fresh wounds with his hands as he was let go. Bosch stepped aside as Logan keeled over on the floor, holding his face as the jaguar turned and walked towards the door. Leaving the man to scream behind him.

“Disgusting." Bosch said as he stopped at the door, looking down at his bloody nails. “There are some things, Logan. You can't talk yourself out of." And the jaguar bent down to pick up his gun, turning to point it at the bleeding human on the floor. “Hesitate? I don't hesitate. Just as a tiger can't change his stripes, a jaguar can't change his spots…"

Logan, bleeding out, was bending forward as he tried to stop the bleeding. There was so much red. It was everywhere. Bosch could taste it in his mouth. Taste Logan's blood and the sight of it…

He should've been drooling. Bosch should've felt hungry at the sight and yet, even now, his stomach turned, and the gun lowered down .

“Some scars are meant to be seen." Bosch told Logan as the human tried to use his shirt to stop the bleeding. He didn't expect a reply from the man. Bosch didn't expect anything, anymore, from anyone…

There was a crackle from his earpiece.

“This is Bosch." The jaguar said touching the earpiece.

“Sir," a voice crackled over his earpiece.

“What is it?" Bosch tapped the side of it, turning away from Logan.

“I can't get a hold of Ginger, Bernie or Logan." Dozer said from the other line. “The entire place is being raided. This is a lot more than you told us about." The rhino fired his gun on the other line making the jaguar wince. “There's no end to them. We've gathered everyone up in the presentation room in the back. Where's the exit…?"

“Exit?" Bosch asked. “There is no exit."

“Sir?" Dozer hesitating voice shook on the other end.

“Ditch them when you get a chance, Dozer. We aren't being paid to play babysitter." Bosch rubbed two fingers along the ridge of his muzzle. All he could taste was blood.

“What do I tell them?" Dozer asked, confused over it all. Bosch sighed.

“Tell them that the US government appreciates their assistance and sacrifice or some shit. I'll see you at the rendezvous point. Make sure to follow the diagram I gave you. The other rooms are hazardous. I'll meet you in five." The jaguar bent down to pick up his shirt. “And, for you Logan." The jaguar looked back at him. “You'll bleed out even if I don't pull the trigger. No one will be here to save you. Not this time…"

And Bosch turned and opened the door, leaving it ajar as he slipped out silently into the hallway and making his way towards the escape route he had planned out. Leaving Logan behind to bleed out. Letting the scent of blood fill the room, seep out into the halls, and carry it's way down to those being bathed in Primal.

The jaguar disappearing as mysteriously as he'd shown up. Rescuing Logan then and now leaving the man with his final scars, his final lessons, before vanishing from his life, forever…

“Some scars aren't meant to be hidden."