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Dirty Laundry

Chapter Sixteen

By Roofles

“Mikhail,” Vinnie called out. “The hell is this,” he pointed at the scene before the two. The fat black rat was busying himself munching on some crackers from the school cafeteria. He always ate when he was nervous or concerned adding to his ample size.

The tiger just chuffed a laugh, resting against the back of the school’s brick building and looking over at the rodent.

“What?” The tiger asked with a smug grin spreading over his face, unable to contain the excitement as he watched. The high schoolers just enjoying their after school program… “Logan just found who was picking on his brother, is all…” The tiger’s tail swayed lazily behind him like a flag in the wind out behind their high school.

It was final period, so not even after school. The tiger didn’t mind. He found ways of entertaining himself even during class.

Mikhail had told Logan “Everything” about the opossum picking on and teasing his younger brother Robbie in class. Singling him out and making fun of him for being “special.” The tiger was trying not to laugh as the human punched the opossum once more, knocking him to the ground after forcing the crying child to stand back up before knocking him back down.

“That’s not what,” Vinnie started up, the black rat gaining some weight into his senior year. He had a bad habit of sneaking treats for himself during, between and after classes.

The three of them had skipped gym, their final period, in order to deal with the “bully.” Or rather, Vinnie had come to track down where the other three students had went, missing from the class not even half way into it.

The opossum whimpered pitifully, blood trickling from his nose as he held up both hands trying to get the human to stop. The marsupial trying to protect his face as his shirt was pulled up again, forcing him onto his wobbly feet.

“Please, s-stop…” The high school student just cried, snot and blood dripping from his nose by this point.

Logan didn’t even waver at his desperate pleas as his fist connected with their stomach, nearly making Joseph Conwell throw up behind the school. Logan snagged the opossum’s hair, holding him up by it as he coughed out several times before whimpering pitifully.

“Aim for the trash,” Logan just said coldly turning the marsupial to his side before kicking him over into several black trash bags stacked up next to the dumpster. “I don’t want any chunks on my new shoes.” The human dusted his hands off, glaring at their fallen classmate without remorse.

And Mikhail laughed, the tiger unable to help himself as he chuckled watching the smaller human pick on the larger opossum. Logan wasn’t exactly a large guy and yet here he was, beating the shit out of their classmate without even breaking a sweat.

Mikhail marveled at that. Wondering if there was anything Logan couldn’t do.

Logan rolled a shoulder, cracked his neck to the side before taking a step forward planning on finishing this. It would be bad if they didn’t get back before the school bell rang. That’s usually when coach Conwell, Joseph’s father, showed back up.

If Joseph wasn’t there at the end of the period, he’d get in double trouble and they all knew his father wouldn’t give two shits if the opossum had been in a fight. After all, all that mattered was if he won it or not and Logan wasn’t about to have that.

“Logan!” Vinnie finally stepped in, the rat getting sick of watching this. He’d have, ironically, ratted them out if he didn’t know better. The two of them were the top students in school. They were on the football team, they were popular and beloved by the teachers and principle alike.

And Vinnie? Vinnie was just some New York rat that had washed up on the shores of the west coast after his family had moved here. No one cared for a rat or even liked him. It was a wonder that Logan and Mikhail tolerated him as much as they did.

“What?” Logan asked shaking the blood off his knuckles. He glanced over at the rat making Vinnie back down. The human, however, wasn’t threatening Vinnie. Logan wasn’t some loose cannon, no, Mikhail knew that.

The tiger was just grooming the human to be exactly like him. To point him towards the right target, to focus that anger and hate towards them and let his fists do the rest of the work. Mikhail just needed to use the right… fuel, to fan the fire.

“Yeah, Vincent,” Mikhail growled low turning on the black rat. “What cha’ got to say, buddy?” The tiger pushed Vinnie against the wall and was about to follow it up with another shove following Logan’s example when the human stepped in to stop him.

“Milo.” Logan stated flatly and the tiger stopped, lowering his arm back to his side. “Vinnie didn’t have anything to do with this.” The human just stated as if it were a fact. In a way, it was true. Vinnie hadn’t been the one to supposedly pick on his kid brother.

Logan was bringing justice to where it was due. Or so he thought, listening to what his friend Mikhail told him without questioning it.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” Joseph whimpered, covering his face with an arm and curling in on himself. His furless long pink tail curling around his body as he instinctively tried to protect his face and core.

“Did I say you can talk?” Logan spat viciously, glaring at the opossum that just flinched at his voice. “Milo?” Logan asked, without looking at the tiger or the rat.

“No one’s coming.” The tiger just smiled giving a single shrug. “The only one who knows is me, you, our good friend Joseph here,” the tiger gestured at the bloody snout opossum. “And of course,” the tiger turned back to the cornered rat. “Vincent.” Mikhail mocked the rat, leaning down to almost get up in his face.

Mikhail would never though.

The tiger would never lower himself below… others. He liked to flaunt his size above them, literally. Picking on the small guys in class, teasing them in the locker room and harassing them in the hallways. Beating them up behind the school… And the best part was? No one seemed to give a damn! They were the popular kids. They were on the honor roll. They were taking, and acing, all the advanced placement courses and even were working on a few college classes in their senior year.

No one bothered Mikhail or Logan. As far as the school was concerned, they were the perfect students with squeaky clean records.

So what if they picked on the fat, nerdy losers in the class? All it was, was keeping the pecking order in check. Making sure they knew their place in the grand scheme of things. Better learn now and prepare themselves for adulthood rather than walking into it blind…

The very idea made the tiger’s tail curl as he grinned toothily at the scene. Seeing this human, a human of all things! Be on top of the school, with Mikhail just above him of course… it was a treat. A delight. Logan was always someone who disrupted the natural order of things.

Mikhail knew better. He was the only person alive who could see Logan for who he truly was.

A predator. A monster. Just like the tiger standing behind him. They might as well be two peas in a pod together.

“Vinnie doesn’t have anything to do with this,” Logan just said crouching back down in front of the opossum. He picked up the marsupials cap and turned it around to look at the logo. It was of a popular game he knew his brother liked. “I’ll take this as an apology.” Logan stood up.

“Aw, come on. Is that it?” Mikhail asked walking over as if to take his turn at the school’s punching bag. The tiger rolled one of his arms, getting ready for a good work out.

“That’s enough,” Logan said once more and everyone there listened. “If you talk to or even look at my brother again, Joseph.” Logan said placing the cap on his head as he glanced down at the trash before him. “You won’t end up at the hospital, you won’t end up in a casket, no. No, no one will ever know where you’ll end up. Got me?” The human asked and the crying opossum just nodded his head. “Good. Milo, Vinnie, let’s go. I want to hit the arcade with Robbie after school…”

And walking ahead of the two, Logan lead the way back towards gym class. So long as they showed up at the end no one would dare say anything about it. Logan had perfect grades, he didn’t have any marks on his record and he planned to keep it that way.

Mikhail? Mikhail had other ways of keeping the student body from poking their noses where it didn’t belong. If it weren’t for Logan, Mikhail would’ve put Vinnie Westco in his place as well. But that was fine, all in due time the tiger decided.

All in good time…

Vinnie looked back at the opossum bawling like a baby behind them before shaking his head as he caught up with the two; so long as the fat black rat hung out with Logan, more so than Mikhail, the other football players left him alone. He could be the captain of the newspaper club, getting his foot in the door for college while also not having to deal with this kind of shit.

It was just the natural order of things. The strong picked on the weak.

After all, if you weren’t getting bullied you tended to be just another innocent bystander. No one would hold you accountable for not doing… anything. Not lifting a single finger to help.

“Can’t believe that fucker,” Logan grumbled bitterly to himself. Getting it out of his system before he had to put on the fake act of being the happy go lucky, likeable guy everyone seemed to know him as. “Robbie has… special needs,” the human frowned trying to say it tactfully while just bluntly stating it. “What kind of sick fuck picks on a guy in the special ed class?”

Logan took a second at that, balling his fist tightly. He was shaking and Vinnie made sure to keep out of reach; Logan had never done anything to him. In fact, the human was always nice to him. Open and friendly, including him in things. There was a reason why he was the second most popular guy at school.

There was just this other side to him; the rat had only begun to see. A side that only reared its ugly head when people talked bad about or picked on his kid brother. They didn’t do it for long once Logan found out. And, behind all of it, Mikhail was always there. Whispering in Logan’s ear about whoever it was.

Vinnie had noticed it right away. How all the guys that were “Talking bad about” his brother tended to be the very ones Mikhail didn’t like. The ones who acted too high for their britches, the ones who were loud and obnoxious in class; disrupting the “natural order” of things the tiger seemed to covet. Knocking them down a peg or two for his own amusement and entertainment half the time.

While Logan was seemingly oblivious to the strings being pulled from behind. The rat wished had the courage to cut those strings so Logan could see how it really was and who he needed to really keep an eye on.

Vinnie was just glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of that look. Logan could be extremely intimidating for a human; something the rat had never once thought about. A human scaring the carnivores of the class? It was almost laughable how silly that even sounded. And Vinnie wouldn’t have believed it for a single second, if he hadn’t seen it firsthand.

There was a reason why Logan was just seen as another “innocent bystander.”

“I want to tell him,” the rat cursed, muttering under his breath as the three of them split apart. Vinnie lurked behind, wanting to following after Logan and explain that it wasn’t Joseph who had said those things.

In fact, no one had!

And this hadn’t even been the first time this had happened! The tiger, that tiger… he was so smooth, his words so charming and trustworthy as they purred into your ear… Logan was completely oblivious to the threat behind him and Vinnie? Vinnie was just too much of a coward to say anything about it.

Mikhail? Well, Mikhail had just gotten bored, again, in class. Vinnie could practically see the tiger hatching the plan and singling out the nerdy opossum that always had his nose in a book for the fall guy. It was disgusting and Vinnie couldn’t comprehend why Logan couldn’t see it.

It was like he had blinders on whenever Robbie was involved, his kid brother. Something Mikhail seemed to have picked up on, and despised Robbie for…

“Logan,” Vinnie said catching up to the human as the bell rang and Mikhail was pulled off with several of the other football students. The tiger glancing back with a frown but needing to keep up the act around all the others.

Predators walking, talking and stalking with their fellow classmate, unaware of the knives and daggers hidden behind their backs.

“Hey, Vinnie. What’s up?” Logan asked with that pleasant smile on his face as if he hadn’t just bashed someone’s face in. “Did you need something?” And there it was. That smile, those warm caring eyes. If Vinnie asked for help, he knew Logan would drop everything to do so.

All Vinnie had to do was tell him, right? Tell Logan about Mikhail and all of this could just… just what? The rat’s tail curled around his leg, unsure what to do or say. Mikhail wouldn’t just sit quietly by if Vinnie ratted him out; he hated the saying but would eventually go to make it his job to do just that.

Vinnie wanted to be a reporter! To find out the truth and rat those bastards out. TO expose them for the world to see. As a rat, he’d seen the darker side of things and had always been told to stay on the side lines or he’d “lose his head.” Vinnie didn’t find that to be amusing.

Yet, at times like these, Vinnie worried such words were true…

“Did you need something?” Logan had asked back then… “Is someone picking on you?” The human smiled. “Or is it the math homework? Heh, I know you struggle on that. I can come over after school, if you don’t mind Robbie coming too. We can work on it together.” Logan smile had reached his eyes back then.

He seemed so… happy.

Vinnie. Vinnie didn’t want to be the one to take that smile away. He didn’t want to ruin things for his friend, even if he seemed to be the only one who saw the truth behind it all. Maybe after high school Mikhail and Logan would fall out of touch and Vinnie could be Logan’s friend instead.

That would be, okay, wouldn’t it? If he just waited a little longer…

…

And five years later, in the back alleyway he was asked again.

That very same question.

“Did you need something?” Logan inquired from his informant on the press.

Vinnie Westco was a sleazy fat rat reporter that always had his nose buried in something or other, trying to sniff out the best story to slip to his editor. He was a terrible paparazzi that had been responsible for leaking one of the starlets dirty secrets and crashing her entire career. He’d been the guy to hint at the fact the mayor was seeing her bodyguard; something that only the side tabloids bothering picking up and running with.

Vinnie didn’t care. He wanted to get the truth out there, at any cost. Not wanting to let things just slip by again… and suffer the consequences of being that “innocent bystander” again. Not wanting to see anyone else lose their smile…

He was a no good rat and Logan was the only guy in this whole damn city who seemed to give a damn, even now. After everything. After five whole years, the human was still asking if he needed something…

And in the cesspool of a city, a world, they lived in, Vinnie could respect that.

“Mikhail’s back in town.” Vinnie started with, coming out of the shadows to talk to the detective. He was wearing a brown overcoat that had been buttoned up the front with a fedora dipped down over his face. The coat was straining to contain his ample stomach and the hat did little to hide who he was.

Logan didn’t point either out. Just letting Vinnie believe he was somehow hiding his identity.

“I, unfortunately, know.” Logan chuckled lightly though there was a pained look in his eyes as the two stood there, not looking at the either. “Did he…?” The human asked and the rat’s whiskers twitched as his tail curled around his leg.

“Of course.” Vinnie grumbled, letting out the breath he’d been containing and nearly popping a button in the process. The rat grumbled at that instead, checking his coat to make sure he didn’t lose another button.

“Of course he did.” Logan took a moment, as if feeling… bad that he had. That, somehow, Mikhail had seen him as the only special guy out there to send a gift too. But no, Logan had learned Mikhail had a whole string of people he was playing with.

Just as he used to play with Logan back then.

“What was yours…?” Logan asked.

“A bunch of severed rat heads. The small, vermin kind.” Vinnie shrugged not seeming to be bothered by the twisted, fucked up gift he’d received from their old class mate checking in. “Threatening me, as usual, to keep my mouth shut. You?”

“I got roses.” Logan shrugged in reply. Vinnie wasn’t sure which of the two things were more dreadful to receive from their old… acquaintance. “How are your scars?” Logan frowned, mentioning the card he had received.

Vinnie wanted to smile at that, make a joke but couldn’t bring himself too as he rested against the dirty alleyway wall and looked up at the crack of sky above between the buildings. It was going to rain again.

“Not exactly subtle, for a cat.” The rat pointed out, pulling out a thin cigarette and lighting the end of it. He offered Logan it but the human declined.

“Not while I’m on duty.” Logan just offered a one shoulder shrug in reply, the two taking a moment on that.

“Of course.” Vinnie just continued look up, taking a large breath and letting it out through his nostrils. “When aren’t you on duty?” The rat wanted to laugh. But didn’t. He knew why Logan was the way he was.

And Vinnie blamed himself for it. Maybe, maybe if he had said something sooner… pointed it out? Done something? Then maybe… or would Logan be receiving his head as a gift instead?

“I have a very active social life, I’ll have you know.” Logan rested against the wall next to him with a forced chuckle. Vinnie could tell. He knew Logan was lying. He knew how much his brother’s death had affected him, and never once faulted Logan for it.

Logan… Logan wasn’t the same man who had grown up with them. After losing his smile, Logan wasn’t the Logan the rat once knew.

“Sure. Active.” Vinnie rolled his eyes. “I never would’ve thought you’d be such a… player? Do the kids say that nowadays? Or is it just ‘damn boy’?” The rat spat to the side, his nasty yellow teeth biting the cigarette in two before tossing it into the alley as well. “You still get more action than I ever did.”

Logan laughed at that. “I couldn’t tell you, even if I cared to know. I prefer the company of men, not boys.” The human just teased. It was as forced as ever, once you saw the signs of it .

Vinnie rolled his eyes at that. “Ew, first of all. Secondly, we both know what kind of… company, you like to keep.” The rat flicked his hairless pink tail at the thought.

“The fanged, clawed kind yeah.” Logan just nodded, taking a moment. “I get off on fear?” He offered as if trying to explain why he was the way he was.

“Would explain a few things.” Vinnie nodded. “You never once hit on me.” The rat said almost dejected on the matter.

“You’re straight.” Logan felt the need to point out. The two shared a soft laugh at that. “Besides, you’re too good for me. I need to get down and dirty. It’d feel… wrong, to do something with you.” Logan just shrugged. “Some guys should be so lucky. While others end up with me.”

“And, what, not get anything in return?” Vinnie looked over at the human. “What did you want?” He finally asked.

“Was just checking in on my bestest buddy ol’ pal.” Logan gave him a smile.

Vinnie didn’t buy it for a single second.

“I need to know when the next Market is being held.” Logan just shrugged as if he were just asking when the next weekend Saturday market was; in a sick sort of way, he was.

Vinnie frowned at that, the black rat grumbling as he flicked the cigarette bud down the alley and pulled out a chocolate bar to replace it. One vice for another. The rat greedily munched on it, barely pulling the wrapping back enough before sinking his incisors into it devouring the whole thing in seconds.

“I’ll have to check a few sources,” Vinnie said licking his fingers clean. Logan was already offering him another choco bar and the rat swiped it out of his hand. “You think you can pay me with chocolate?” Vinnie never said no though.

“The police chief is responsible for the mayor’s disappearance.” Logan just divulged making the rat nearly drop his sweet treat.

“What? Whatwhatwhat?” Vinnie fumbled with the chocobar, trying to pull out his pen and notepad to grill Logan for the details while not letting the sweet treat escape his grasp.

“You give me the time and place for the next Market and I’ll fill you in on everything. First hand experience. Off the record, of course.” Logan added slyly with a wink.

“Of course.” The rat just grinned back. Like Logan, Vinnie had never divulged his sources to anyone. Not the editor or police when they came knocking. Not even gang members who tied him up and tossed him into freezers.

It was the least he could do. After failing Logan all those years ago.

“Just keep an eye out, okay?” Logan said before they parted ways. “Please. For my sake.”

Vinnie rolled his eyes. “I didn’t go into this line of work to be safe. I would’ve been a freaking nurse maid if I wanted that!”

“Careful what you wish for,” Logan laughed along though and for once, Vinnie saw that smile if only briefly pass the human’s tired face.

“I’ll check into my sources, sniff around a bit and get back to you…” The fat black rat stopped. “Logan,” Vinnie said.

The human stopped long enough to look back at him.

“If you…” Vinnie faltered though. “Never mind,” the rat waved it off as Logan said his final goodbye. The human disappeared around the corner of the winding back alleyway of the downtown warehouse district as Vinnie made his way out the other way.

The two missing the flash of orange that passed between them.

….

….

Logan opened his eyes.

He wasn’t at the apartment. Sloan wasn’t there sleeping heavily at his side. His back was twisted slightly and the kink in his neck told him he hadn’t fallen asleep on a flat surface. The bumpy road startled the human, if only for a second, as Logan quickly looked around to get his barring.

“You okay?” Clem asked, the boxer in the driver seat of his old beat up pickup truck. Logan was in the passenger seat.

Logan couldn’t recall when Clem had gotten him, or rather, when he’d fallen asleep.

Logan had been trying to keep on the down low, not even bothering to use his own car and just leaving it in one of the extra spaces at Sloan’s ritzy apartment. It helped keep up the illusion that Logan was living there and it helped trick Sloan about it as well…

Something that was becoming harder to do by the day.

Not because Logan figured the lion was catching on, it was more so because Logan didn’t want to keep lying to the lion. Sloan had become far closer, far faster than either of the two had been planning for and it was making things… complicated.

“Don’t get ties. Don’t get attached.” Logan had always told himself. “You can only get hurt… when you do…” And he could practically feel the scars on his back, despite them healing over four years ago.

They were on the road, Logan was in the passenger seat and the canine was driving them out of the city. It took Logan another minute to try and sort his fragmented thoughts and memories of the previous night.

He’d been at Sloan’s. The two of them were growing closer, talking about things… things Logan thought he’d never waste breath on again. Things he rather ignore, forget instead of talking about. Pulling out into the open and laying his hand down on the table… Showing all his cards.

Fearful Sloan would pull away from him, to abandon him as so many others had and having every right to… only for the large, older lion to scoop him up in a hug and just… hold him.

When was the last time Logan had just been held like that? The warm, gentle, tender touch without the pretense of it just leading to something more. Something else. Sex. Sex was a good relief, a good distraction, it was a rush of endorphins in the body that helped Logan forget the pain inside. Working himself raw with his job while trying to keep everyone in the dark… while trying to protect them…

Logan was the one feeling tired, these days.

Meeting up with his contact, Vinnie, to check in on things before going with Clem back to the dog house.

Running on pure adrenaline had a nasty side effect of crashing, hard, once it left your system.

With the raid on city hall, the betrayal of the police chief and having to do certain… things to get out of their alive, let alone lying to the lion… it had overworked the human system until he finally had just passed out. They had dropped Bosch off at the hospital the previous night, something Logan needed to follow up on today, not wanting to be found out or connected to the officers at city hall. It would’ve been dangerous if Logan’s face and name were all over the news and Clem didn’t want any part of that either.

They both wanted their obscurity from the world. It was the way Logan preferred to work and it was how Clem had survived doing what they did. Working from the inside to protect those outside.

The dark orange fur, floppy eared boxer mentioned something about leaving the force once this was all taken care of. Become a pickle farmer or something, Logan couldn’t recall fully. He was sure Clem had been joking when he’d closed his eyes; planning only to take a five minute breather in the car.

And Logan had just zonked out on the spot. Being there, with the boxer watching over him… Logan had managed to fall asleep. Not just pass out as he’d normally do, but was able to close his eyes and let his guard down for a change.

All thanks to Clem.

“How long was I out for?” Logan groggily asked. His mouth felt like a used condom and he wished he had some mints at least for that nasty after taste.

“Since you got in the car.” Clem chuckled but there was a hint of concern in his tone and the human could tell the boxer was sniffing him once more, making sure Logan wasn’t about to pass out again. “You whores really know how to get a job done.”

Logan was sure Clem was trying to make a joke of their situation, to lighten the heavy mood that had set over them ever since they’d learned they couldn’t just up and call the police to handle things. Seeing as how the police, or those in charge, were in on it.

How much was Police Chief Barnard in on it? Who was he connected too? Logan was sure the large saint Bernard was connected to both the Pride and the remnants of the Pack… or maybe, worse. Logan had never liked calling his fellow officers, never fully trusting them… now he had a reason why.

Even if more than half the force was sure to be left in the dark, Logan couldn’t trust them. He couldn’t trust anyone. He was alone. That was how it should be and he… he…

“You ok?” Clem asked as the human shook the thoughts away.

“Yeah, just…” Logan took a moment to ease his breathing. He was sure Clem had smelled his anxiety. Tricky thing in this line of work. Smells were something you always had to keep in mind. You could trick their senses with the right deodorant or perfumes but otherwise they could be used against you if you lost your cool.

It was bad enough needing to rely on someone else. Another thing to know one of your safety nets turned out to be a pitfall with spikes at the bottom of it. Logan had been worried about the police chief ever since he accidentally stumbled on an undeleted text from the canine; bad mouthing and talking about the mayor of the city and her bill…

“Sorry…” Logan managed to sit up, holding his head. He needed about five Tylenol and a half pot of coffee before getting back out there.

He could sleep when he was dead.

“It’s fine. For now.” Clem just said flatly, staring forward. The canine’s face was scrunched up a bit as he mulled over his own thoughts on everything. “You… we, need some rest. Let Reese know what’s up and then we can figure out where to go from here.”

“Right.” Logan said, yet planned on ditching the boxer the first chance he got. No need to pull Clem into this any further than he had. Logan could handle it, he’d take care of things and let the boxer go home and sleep.

The locks on the door clicked and the human glanced at them before over at the boxer.

“Don’t even think about it.” Clem growled and for once, he meant it. Clem was a tough dog. He was a lot of bark and little bite though in the end of things. Yet, there were rare times like now that even Logan knew not to push his luck with the canine.

“Think about what?” Logan just offered with a shrug, playing it off. He felt it though. Felt how sore and tired he was. Even if he… trusted Sloan, Logan couldn’t get a proper night’s sleep besides the large predator.

He was still a carnivore after all. Sleeping next to one peacefully usually ended up getting you hurt in the end. Or killed.

Logan had been running for the past forty eight hours with little to no sleep and way too much coffee in his system. It wasn’t like he could easily sleep next to a lion, a predator and a member of The Pride; as accommodating as Sloan had been, that logical fearful part of Logan’s mind always kept him on edge.

That edge had saved his life more than once. However, that edge also made it impossible to get a full night worth of sleep what with one eye staying open.

And here Logan had fallen asleep next to the boxer driver…

At first, Logan just assumed the past forty eight hours had caught up to him. He was only human after all. Even in the prime of his life, he couldn’t just keep going without eventually running out of steam.

It was the fact Logan had, while the boxer was here, that caught his attention more than anything else.

Logan had worked with Clem for the past couple years on the force. Directly out of high school, and during his last year of it after losing his brother… Logan began working to enroll in the police force. Logan was just using the force. He needed to get intel on Mikhail’s whereabouts, planning on using whatever means necessary in order to track down his ex. Joining the police force was supposed to be the first stop; he didn’t realize it’d be his only stop along the way.

Milo wasn’t trying to stay as hidden as Logan figured he would after what he had done… the tiger, however, was always one step ahead of him. Leaving Logan small clues along the way, bread crumbs for him to follow and even dropping by his place a couple of times to “check in.”

Logan wasn’t sure how many times he had to move. Every time Mikhail had found him. It was one reason why Logan didn’t like sleeping at home.

Being stalked by his ex like some kind of piece of meat.

Logan had managed to slip into the shadier crowds of the city, seeing the other side the city tried to hide away in its ugly underbelly. A twisted backwards world full of backstabbers, drug addicts, junkies of other kinds trying to get their fix in and enough bloodshed to last the twenty-two year old a lifetime. Blood was exchanged just as much as cash and drugs were.

And the tiger had nearly cost him just as much.

Logan had accidentally stumbled abound the location of the previous Market three years ago and had nearly ended up losing his life there. The place changed locations and never stayed around long enough to get raided; something Logan was planning on changing.

No matter who he had to sleep with or use to get it done. To burn that place to the ground just like every other shady place in this city had been.

He’d been working ever since to make that happen. Logan had originally planned to use Diamond’s club, Vicky’s ex-lover, to find the location of the Market again before that all went south. At the time, Logan had been planning to drop the information off to the police chief and get the cops to handle it…

That was no longer an option, though.

And here he was, devising something even more insane than the previous one while sleeping like a baby as the boxer drove.

Logan couldn’t recall the last time he felt comfortable enough just to fall asleep, peacefully, next to someone before. He made sure to wake up before whatever partner he’d slept with the previous night did, getting out of there even before his morning coffee. Never letting the predator wake up before he did.

Never leaving himself vulnerable, open.

Not again… Not after everything he’d been through and everything he lost…

And yet, there was always those rare few that slipped through Logan’s defenses.

Like Clem.

This dog from the police force. Clem was the guy he was able to finally be relaxed enough around to fall asleep in front of. Put down his guard and just… sleep. Something that seemed so foreign and alien in and of itself.

Logan was just glad he was still young and healthy or he was sure the bags under his eyes would ruin the persona he put on around others. A persona, a mask, that seemed to be slipping away further with every day that passed by.

“Thanks.” Logan just said, looking out the window covering a large yawn. Clem lifted an eyebrow at that.

“Thanks for?” The canine asked, a bit confused over the matter. Clem did a lot for others without them ever knowing it. Reese being the perfect example of it.

“Just… thanks.” Logan wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t used to thanking someone, honestly and truly thanking someone for… anything. He didn’t like to be indebted to anyone. Or open. Or honest. Or… “I wish you were a predator.”

Clem laughed at that.

“What?” The canine was really confused, and concerned, for the human now.

“You’re the only guy I’ve ever been… comfortable with, you know?” Logan rested back. “But like, not attracted too?”

“Thanks…?” Clem wasn’t sure what this was about and worried Logan had hit his head sometime that night. The canine was feeling it too and it was taking all his willpower in order to keep his eyes open.

“It’s just like…” Logan trailed off, faltering in what he was going to say. “Thanks, for back there too. For having my back…” Logan voice was soft and Clem frowned at that.

“It’s what partners do. Even if I won’t be part of the force for much longer,” Clem chuckled lightly. “This shit is just too… close to home.” He frowned. “There were a lot of bad dogs, like the police chief, mutts usually, back home in Cali that were like this. Like that. Messed up, in the head like. History? Their life? What humans had done to them. How they view and see them…” Clem glanced over at him. “With some exceptions, of course.”

Clem had seen his fair share of dogs gone bad and the other night, back at city hall, was just another reminder of that. The world was burning around them and those canines were trying to reap what they could from all the chaos.

“Of course.” Logan just chuckled.

“What the man did to them. Messes you up, you know? Inside. Inside your head. Makes you feel strange,” Clem continued as if speaking from experience at this point. “Am I a good dog for following orders? Or a bad dog for trying to be… myself? To protect my friends and family?” The boxer frowned at the thought. “Which one let’s society… accept me? And which makes me happy?” Clem just shrugged it away, trying not to think about it.

A hand touched his arm and Clementine looked over at Logan.

“I think you’re the best damn dog that ever was, Clem. I’m happy to have you as my partner, even if we both quit this shitty job.” Logan just smiled at him. “Without you, I’d have been dead a long time ago.”

Clem smiled in return before rolling his eyes, shaking the human’s hand off and trying not to let his stubby tail wagging show how much that meant to him.

“Alive? I didn’t do shit back there! The other day when Chief…” Clem growled, getting all worked up again. Logan knew it was an act in itself but didn’t point it out.

“Last weekend, back there? With the chief? If it wasn’t for the fact I told him you had gone back at my request? He’d most likely of had me bound and gagged just as he had done the mayor!” Logan shook his head. “Because of you, because he knew I trusted you…” Logan said honestly and it was hard too. Hard to even say those simple words to the canine. “He knew he couldn’t just toss me in some cage without consequences. Because I… trust you, Clem.”

The boxer took a moment on that. He could smell it. Smell how hard that had been for Logan to say and knew the human meant it.

Clem snorted at that. “I figured the BJ was enough of a reason for him not to.” The boxer joked and teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“Well,” Logan frowned still smelling it on his breath, practically even a day later. “The thing is, he’d have done that because I was, uh, the way I am?” Logan shrugged.

“The hell does that mean?”

“I like big guys.” Logan stated with a frown.

“Yeah, and?” The boxer wasn’t following.

“NO, I mean…” Logan sighed. “The reason I’m so good at what I do? Be it with Domino or the Chief back there? Or Sloan…” Logan just frowned, looking out the window. “Is because, on some level… a part of me does enjoy it. Just like with Milo… And they can tell. They know I like getting on my knees and just…” He threw his arms out there before laughing. “Service with a smile!” Logan laughed.

“Usually they’re the ones who,” Clem threw an arm out there before barking a laugh. Logan punched him for it. “Who enjoys it.” The boxer finished up with, sticking out the tip of his tongue mockingly.

“Yeah, well, true.” Logan admitted. “You know how many fucking assholes don’t get me off afterwards? Seriously! Who the fuck does that,” Logan shook his head. “Anyways though… if you weren’t there, I doubt I’d have been able to help Bosch. So thank you, Clem, for that. For being you…”

Clem’s dark orange floppy ears splayed out, his white fur on his face darkening as he blushed. The boxer muttered something to himself with a growl.

“Just glad you’re ok, or whatever.” Clem muttered before speeding up. The boxer deciding to finally just ask something that’d been plaguing about all this. And where things were going. “So which of the two are you going to choose?”

“Huh?” Logan was the one confused now.

“Like, Domino or Sloan. Or Bosch, I guess? Or is that off the table?” Clem tried to think it over before shaking his head.

“Oh,” Logan chuckled. “No, no. Bosch was my first… time, with someone on the job. He was a special case and means…” Logan didn’t finish the thought, not letting it in. “I owe Bosch my life and would do whatever I could for him, is all.”

“Right…” Clem glanced over at the human as he continued to drive. “SO? Which of the other two did you choose? Or plan too?”

“Uh, neither.” Logan just looked over at him.

“Wait, what? Just like that? Neither of them? Do they know that?” Clem snorted a laugh and shook his head. “Damn, bro. You cold.”

“Yeah, what did you think? Did you think I’d date one of them?” Logan rolled his eyes. “No, not because they’re predators. But… But because they’re both criminals… Duh.” Logan said the last part under his breath before looking out the window. “That’s why I can’t be with either of them…”

Clem frowned on that, nose twitching as he looked at the human once more.

“Sure, dude. Whatever you need to tell yourself…” Clem just left it at that, grumbling under his breath as they headed home.

They had hit the fields outside the city and were heading for the gated area out in the open space. A plot of land that had been planned for development but having never gotten, fully, underway. A single road had been paved and houses had been built as if it were the very first piece of a much greater puzzle; a puzzle that had been neglected and abandoned even before it fully got started.

This one road was all that was out here, in these fields, worth any value. Houses had been built on either side and it was where the wolves had garrisoned themselves for the time being. Fencing off the whole road with wired fencing and barbed wire along the top; several patrolled the borders like guards as if it were a prison instead of a neighborhood.

“When did they even have time to do this?” Logan frowned as the car came up to a stop in front of one of the two gates. Two wolves came over, one with a flashlight in hand.

“Uh… is Reese home?” Clem just asked, cracking the window without fully rolling it down. The two wolves, a brown and gray furred one, looked at each other. One radioed it in leaving a nervous boxer and a tired human to sit there and wait before they finally got a reply. The brown furred wolf motioned for someone to open the gate and stepped aside, letting the AK sag on its strap over his front ready for use.

Logan noted the heavy weaponry they were carrying as if preparing for a war.

“The hell did they even get half this stuff?” Clem muttered as they drove through the gate that shut behind them, putting them both on edge. Logan was just glad he got his power nap in before coming back here; though he defiantly needed to hit the showers and get some mouthwash before talking to anyone stinking of a certain lion.

Logan had washed up and kept a side set of clothes to wear before Clem picked him up the following day. Logan had been planning on checking up on a few of his contacts but had only managed to hit up Vinnie.

“Who knows?” Logan just said and left it at that, already fully aware of how much stuff Vicky and her pack had stocked away for a rainy day like this. He could only imagine what all the other wolves had stowed away for winter… and what they had been planning to use it for.

Several of the closest houses had been fortified even further with sand bags out front and bars over the windows as if expecting a tank to roll through the street. There were several watch posts set up and check points the two had to cross before they reached the middle houses where Reese was.

Clem came to an abrupt stop as a wolf motioned for him to go into the driveway. The boxer had parked his truck here numerous times and Reese had helped him take care of the old girl throughout many a summer. This, however, was the first time Clem felt uncomfortably coming home.

“I need a shower.” Logan just stated as he got out, acting as if he weren’t being checked out by five wolves standing nearby. “Maybe a beer. And a dick to suck.” Logan just continued and Clem had to admit, he had some balls.

The human clearly teasing the wolves eavesdropping in on their conversations. Several of them even smiled at the remark, recognizing Logan from the club. Such comments might seem crude or even crass in their situation but Clem picked up on it soon enough. Logan was back to his old self. It was hard to say if that was a relief or not?

Clem felt as if he were finally beginning to see the human behind the mask he wore.

It was soon enough for Domino to come out, the dark brown fur wolf practically jogging over to greet the two, or more so Logan. Giving Clem a half hearted wave as his tail twitched in a wag.

“Shower first, talk after.” Logan just stated not facing towards the wolf and proceeding inside. “Suck a dick,” Logan added to one of the guards blocking the way in as he pushed his way inside. “Fucking morons.” He added loud enough everyone could hear. “Not in the mood for this shit.”

It had been something had quickly picked up in such places. Act like you’re the cock of the walk, that you owned the place and most people would believe it. If you acted like you belonged, they’d buy and believe it. If you faltered though, showed signs of weakness… their teeth would happily clamp over your throat.

Clem quickly followed behind with Domino, grumbling, taking the rear. The wolf could smell it coming from Logan and wasn’t pleased to see his mate had been with someone else. Domino had a few choice words to say to the human but got the bathroom door slammed in his face instead of getting any kind of answer.

“Clem!” Logan shouted from inside. “Get me a pair of your pants.” It wasn’t a question and the boxer jumped to it.

Domino growled at that, glaring at the dog as if blaming him for all of this. Clem held the whine back as he lifted both hands in peace and made his way into the side room. Only to bark at the wolves sleeping in his bed. They ignored him.

Logan was aware of Domino pacing out front, in the hallway, and wasn’t sure where to start with him. He was hoping to pawn the wolf off on someone else, much as he had done to Bosch back in the day. He’d hooked up with jaguar during one of his more unsavory cases, following a lead on Mikhail and leading him to a place he rather never set foot in again.

The tiger having tricked him into following him into that… place.

After everything had blown over, Logan had convinced Bosch to move on and even set him up with someone else. It was easier than just breaking things off; after becoming someone’s reliable confidant, and fuck buddy, it was easier to get someone else to fill in the role that Logan had for them. Logan still had several connections around the city from those he’d entertained.

Favors he was planning to cash in on.

Most had moved on. At least in the fuck buddy department. Once they knew Logan wasn’t interested in anything more, not getting anything out of it himself, they were happy to take the replacement Logan brought in. Setting several of them up with each other along the way.

Good people, Logan liked to think, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Born into the wrong family, as it were. Not bad people, no. Just… born different.

However, Logan had miscalculated the possessiveness of a wolf and was frowning as he opened the door to see Domino standing there. It was a first, and last time, Logan would ever do this with a wolf he swore to himself.

“We need to talk.” Dom just stated with a low growl.

“Can we later?” Logan was glad there had been plenty of mouthwash in here to use, not wanting to wolf to smell the lions jizz on his breath. That was an issue in itself he’d have to address, like this, later. Or, hopefully, never.

Logan would take it to the grave that he’d sucked the police chief off in order to save not only his own skin, but that of a jaguar.

“Logan.” Domino growled low, fur rising up a bit.

Logan had half a mind to flick his nose for the action. Or maybe put Domino in his place. Or simply lay out that they weren’t together and he was nothing but a fuck buddy, he was glad to see alive! But still, just a nobody. A fuck buddy at most...

Like all the others…

Domino wasn’t special… no one was, not anymore, to Logan. They couldn’t be.

It hurt too much… to lose them too.

“I need to speak to Alpha.” Logan just pulled out the trump card again, wishing he didn’t have to resort to using Reese like this. He wasn’t sure how far he could get away with using the wolf’s infamy against the others.

What with Reese being an arm down, practically.

Dom’s ear twitched, his nose twitched, his tail twitch as his teeth gritted painfully tight as the simple act of invoking the alpha’s name was enough to get the wolf to back down, despite not wanting too.

With a snort, Domino left it at that and moved out of his way.

In a simple shirt with only a pair of loose pants Clem had gotten for him, Logan moved out into the living room. He smelled of the boxer but didn’t mind, Domino did however. He ignored the others there as he moved towards the back.

“Alpha’s upstairs.” One of them said glancing over the human. They snorted as if not seeing what the big deal was about.

“I’d fuck you so hard you wouldn’t be able to walk straight for a week, sweetheart.” Logan just replied making the wolf’s ears splay out as he turned and walked up the stairs, Logan not even giving them the time or day to look them in the face.

He could hear the others heckling and harassing them for the comment. Being told off like that by some human.

It was easier to get them to nip at each other like this than to focus on him. Just turn something around, throw it back in their face and get out of there before they could formulate a proper retort. It was still always a gamble, a dangerous game to play, but Logan didn’t exactly have much of a choice these days as he made his way up the stairs, to where the attic room was, feeling naked without his side arm.

He was running out of cards to play these days…

The room had been cleared out and Togo’s and his man things were either thrown out or just moved elsewhere. It created plenty of space for the new table brought up. Logan could see a rather large detailed map of the city and area spread out over its surface. Flags and markers were placed all over it looking like a terrible game of risk.

Logan didn’t get it. Why they didn’t just keep up with technology instead of, literally, laying everything out for others to see. Logan had to stop the urge from pulling out his phone and just taking a picture of the map. Maybe wolves were just visual learners? It was hard to say as he walked over in the empty room over to the table to give it a once over, committing the important bits to memory.

There were red X’s on the map where their hang outs, strongholds or nightclubs had been attacked. There were other markers for the lions known positions and then still other markers for where the wolves were. Most were collected where they were currently with a few exceptions positioned around the city as sentries and scouts to keep an eye on the opposition.

“Neat, huh?” Hart asked walking over to join him. The reddish furred, square faced wolf was all smiles seeing Logan again. The human glanced up at him, almost forgetting all about the wolf.

There had always been something about him that left an uneasy taste in the human’s mouth. Hart was just a little too willing to please the others, to kiss up to Reese and to rejoin this new forming pack… it was something Logan would do and that only meant Hart was the most suspicious person within the pack outside the human.

“Yeah.” Logan lied. It was stupid to keep their information out like this. Then again, this was their new… den? New home? It was hard to say but it was clear they didn’t have too many options left over after checking out the map. “Is Alpha here?” Logan asked.

“He’s up.” Hart pointed towards the ceiling and Logan just frowned at him. “Over here,” the wolf chuckled lightly in a far better mood than anyone else seemed to be.

That in itself was a red flag that Logan noted and committed to memory. If need be, Logan would have to plant evidence on the wolf to frame him for something to get rid of the risk he posed to his plan…

Walking towards the middle of the room, Hart got on his tip toes and grabbed a string Logan hadn’t seen before. With a sharp pull, the skylight opened up and with it, a ladder fell down and nearly hit the wolf in the face. Hart yipped and stepped aside, covering his head pitifully until things calmed down.

“Right.” Logan nodded his thanks before scaling the ladder up onto the roof as quickly as he could, not wanting his back to be exposed.

Climbing out of the skylight, Logan found himself on a makeshift porch… on the roof. It was a trippy experience. A wooden floor had been added, stretching out towards the backyard. Railing had been crudely installed around it and they had even managed to get a sofa up here. Something Logan wanted to laugh at if he wasn’t just glad to see no one else was up here to bother him.

Other than Reese, that is.

The jet black fur wolf was staring off towards the West with a longing look over his face.

“Alan over there?” Logan asked. One of the wolf’s ears flicked and he turned those large golden leaf eyes towards him. Logan had to force himself not to shiver in fear from the look he got.

An empty, expressionless look as if the wolf were half dead.

“I sent him and the other dogs over towards one of my other safe houses, again…” Reese frowned as he turned back towards the backyard.

The wolves had set up their base camp here, even though Logan was sure Reese wanted them all out of his house. There were more tents set up, several different cases brought out and guns and ammunition still being unloaded from several of them.

Logan noted how they were being checked over as if the weaponry were old and needed to make sure they still worked before being loaded back up, then being shipped out to those in the field. Everything had a streamline process too it. Far more calculative than some petty thugs downtown would’ve been. This was the organized crime police chief Barnard had wanted? Logan scoffed at the very idea.

It, this, was a scary thought… To let these wolves loose on the city that had neglected and forsaken them.

“You playing a good host?” Logan asked, resting against the railing. He tried not to shiver in the night air as a cold wind blew.

“The hell is your coat?” Reese just said instead with that deep set frown. He really did have a natural resting bitch face.

“In your mom’s bed,” Logan wanted to laugh but didn’t. The joke hadn’t landed, not that he was really trying. Wolves weren’t known to stay with their biological parents and thus things like mother and father were a foreign concept. Their own children being ripped away from them. “Clem tell you what happened?”

“Clem did what now?” A voice asked from inside and soon enough an orange face popped up over the skylight, the boxer soon quickly joining them with a case of beer.

Popping one open, Clem handed it to the wolf who took it without a word and drank half before Clem even got a chance to open another. The boxer handed it over to Logan who took it, just to be polite. Only after he grabbed one for himself did Clem take a seat next to the wolf on the sofa and chug half the drink himself.

“Ah, this is what I needed after today!” Clem just grinned foolishly, practically elated to get off his feet. “Hey! Be a good human and rub my paws for me.” Clem said, kicking off his work boots and lifting one of his paws up towards the human.

“Don’t make me dump this beer over your face.” Logan just smiled back. “I hate wasting good beer.” The human swirling the bottle around in hand but never took a drink of it.

“The other humans didn’t mind…” Clem grumbled, ears splaying out as a red flush took his face.

“Go fetch them, then.” Logan said teasing the canine with the word fetch. Clem growled back and before the two could get in on it Reese butted in. His words were brief but the tone of his voice made the other two back down.

Some wolves really were just born to be alpha…

“You going to talk all night or drink?” Reese was the one to ask as he watched the human, this human, here this night. Reese catching the thing Clem seemed to have missed. A simple thing that hadn’t passed by the wolf’s sharp eyes without being noticed.

That Logan hadn’t taken a single, proper, drink yet.

“I don’t drink on a case…” Logan just shrugged, not about to deny it in front of the observant wolf. There were few people out there that Logan couldn’t fool, Reese was one of them.

“Case?” Clem snorted at that. “Dude, the night’s over! We’re home,” the boxer frowned a bit not mentioning the half dozen or more wolves around them. “Just relax. Kick back, put your paws up, take off your pants and drink your damn beer!” The boxer finished his, setting it aside before grabbing another.

Logan took a moment on that before walking over and sitting next to the boxer, glad to use him as a meat shield between him and the wolf on the other side. Swirling the beer around again, Logan looked down at it.

“I don’t remember the last time I did drink,” Logan took a second before forcing himself to take a mouth full of the hoppy liquid and swallow it before wincing. “Damn, that’s strong…” Logan nearly coughed. “Been far longer than I had thought…”

“Best kind on the market right now!” Clem just barked a laugh, slapping him hard on the back. Logan winced at that. “Put some hair on your chest!”

“I already have hair on my chest, though.” Logan noted, pulling the front of his shirt down to show it off. Acting dumb in front of the boxer while being a bit slutty while he was at it.

“More hair then!” Clem just chuckled, grinning toothily at the two just glad to be away from the others there.

“You know, most humans don’t like body hair.” Logan just rested back on the sofa that smelled of mothballs and looked up towards the fading sky above. It was already getting dark out. “Some even shave their whole bodies to be smooth.” Logan laughed.

“Ew, really? That sounds so… ew,” Clem frowned at the idea as he grabbed at the fur on his own chest as if to reassure himself it was still there.

“Alan is fuzzy…” Reese joined in and left it at that.

“Good for him!” Logan just smiled back. “Fucking love that guy, platonically.” He added at the wolf’s growl. “Haven’t met such a great kid in a while.”

“He’s like ten years older than you!” Clem pointed out and Logan just shrugged.

“So what? He’s innocent and naïve.” Logan just nodded as if that was reason enough. “He needs us to make sure the world keeps spinning in his happy little fantasy.” Logan took another drink.

“I can get behind that.” Clem jumped in, clinking their bottles of beer together. Reese joined them for one single tap of his bottle against theirs and a nod without a word on the matter. The three seeming to be on the same page for once.

Drinking away with the guys, Logan wanted to laugh at the very idea. He hadn’t done this… well, ever. A normal life, even as odd as this was, was something beyond anything he thought he’d ever be able to have. Something he shouldn’t be able to have… that he didn’t deserve to have, not after all his failures in life…

“What’s the plan?” Clem asked a good half hour later after making sure they didn’t have anyone eavesdropping in on them.

“The wolves seem to be behaving.” Logan noted and Reese gave a single nod in reply. “Most likely thanks to Barreth.” The human thought about it; the wolf was the head bouncer at Vicky’s club and if she wasn’t around would’ve most likely been running it.

That is, before it burned to the ground like several of their other hide outs.

“He’s always had a good head on his shoulders…” Reese just flatly said and, once more, left it at that. It was rather difficult to hold a conversation with the guy Logan was beginning to find out and knew it was best to focus on Clem and let Reese just be the third wheel.

“They only care about getting back at Vicky for what she did.” Logan nodded, thinking it over and saying it aloud for the other two to follow his train of thought. “While she just wants revenge on the city itself…”

“The mayor was taken by the police chief.” Clem brought up, having already told Reese who let the wolves know about it.

“All the pieces are coming together.” Logan agreed. “The police chief wasn’t acting on his own. He had planned the abduction during the event… he needed the lions cooperation for that.” Logan frowned, not seeming to be able to put the final piece into the puzzle. Or afraid too. “He’s playing with fire…” Logan just muttered, thinking it over.

There were certain… individuals, out there, you didn’t want to cross the path of. Logan was aware of a couple here in Seattle that should’ve been left alone. And he was afraid the police chief had gone looking for them. All the human could do was hope he didn’t find them.

“Well, he wants revenge for the bill or whatever, right? Blame the mayor, frame the predators… destroy the bill, right?” Clem just asked at the end and Logan was the one to nod.

“Most likely. A deluded thought but, if it stirs up enough of a commotion… one that might bear fruit.” Logan took a moment on that, thinking of who’d he talked to today. “I met up with one of my contacts around the city…”

Clem ears perked up but didn’t say anything, glancing over at Reese. Not exactly subtle but Clem wasn’t that good at lying to begin with. It was one reason why he just omitted details instead of trying to hide them like Logan did.

“They let me know a few things and I asked a few favors in return…” Logan took a moment. “If we can find out where the next Market is being held…” Logan took another second, before letting out a sigh. “I can handle the rest.”

Clem frowned at that and Reese didn’t say anything.

“I know the when, I just need to know the where…” Logan hesitated though; his voice faltering and he took a second. This was why he didn’t drink. It showed the cracks he was desperately trying to hide, to cover, the scars that he didn’t want others to see.

“And your plan is to throw the wolves at the lions, right?” Reese was the one to point out and the human’s silence was answer enough. Or it would’ve been, if Logan left it at that.

“I… originally, planned something like that… yes. But, I doubt I can do it… now.” Logan took another second on that. “I’m sorry for getting you… for getting Alan, involved, in any of this, Reese.” The human bowed his head as if waiting for the wolf’s judgment to fall.

Reese stared at him for several uncomfortable seconds before snorting out a breath and resting back.

“Like it revolves around you.” The wolf just growled twirling a finger around in the air. Logan gave him a look at that. “We all have done… things, we’re not proud of. Things we eventually have to pay for when the bell tolls, Logan. We all have dirty laundry that needs to be hung up to dry,” the wolf snorted with a shake of his head. “It just all is coming to a head, is all, finally…”

“Hopefully we can see the other side when it does.” Logan agreed, resting back and folding a leg over the other as he watched the sun set. “See what tomorrow brings…”

“If we can get the information, where the next market is…” Clem was the one to ask, looking between the two. “You guys can… end this?” The boxer ears drooped.

“Well, yeah.” Logan shrugged a shoulder as if it were that easy. “I know it takes place during Thanksgiving. It’s too obvious a choice to let slip past those fuckers…” Logan grumbled getting a look from the two, forcing him to explain further. “I’ve had… run ins, with those who run the market, before.”

Clem took a moment, and a drink, before just speaking up.

“Okay.” The boxer said, getting up and setting down his drink. “I’ll get it.”

“Get what?” Logan was the one confused now.

“The location.” Clem just offered with a weak thumb up. Logan wanted to laugh at the dorky gesture if the issue wasn’t so serious.

“How?” Logan was left confused over the matter and looked at Reese who replied with a shrug of his own.

“Just keep things settled here and get everyone ready for whatever you guys have in mind. I’ll sniff out the information.” Clem headed towards the stairs and Logan was behind him.

“Whoa, whoa. I can’t ask that of you, Clem!” Logan snagged the boxers arm and Clem stopped at that without facing him.

“If I find it… no, when I find the location you both can go back to having normal, boring lives, right?” Clem asked in a soft voice looking over at the two. “If I can do this for you, I will.” He grinned. “I got a few connections of my own, you know.” The boxer tail wagged. “I’m not some useless dog, you know!”

Logan frowned at that, not liking where this was going. He didn’t mind risking his own neck. He didn’t like to see others get involved, or hurt, however on his behalf.

“I’ll go with you.” Logan just finally agreed with stipulations. “I come with you, help you out… watch your back, and it’ll be okay. Right?” Logan was the one unsure as he looked over at Reese who gave a single nod in approval. “See! Even big daddy here is on board.”

Reese snorted at that and Clem rolled his eyes.

“I suppose you tagging along won’t hurt. Hell, it might help even.” Clem nodded as he moved towards the stairs with Logan on his heels.

“Be right down,” Logan added before looking over at Reese. The wolf cocked an eyebrow in reply. “You know you could just go to him, instead of staying here.” Reese frowned at that. “Bareth could take control of the wolves and be involved in all this… you don’t have to get any further in than you already are. Could go have Thanksgiving with Alan.”

Reese finished off his beer, standing up as he set it down to the side.

“Logan,” Reese said taking a single step to close the distance between the two. “I’m the one who’ll take down Vicky.” The wolf said and Logan stopped at that.

“Right…” Logan took a second. “You caught on faster than the others seem too…”

“It’s the only way for them have known.” Reese just stated as a fact. “The police? The lions? Doesn’t matter. She’s the only one who could’ve tipped everyone off. Tell them exactly where to be, what to do and…”

“And pull all the strings from the shadows, right.” Logan hesitated before just asking. “You think she’s still here then? In the city?”

“She’ll be at the Market, without a doubt.” Reese nodded. “She wouldn’t want to miss the… fun, she’s set up for the past year.”

“Of course,” Logan sighed having started out this case tracking her pack or rather, at the time, it had been Diamond’s. Vicky’s ex lover. Dead, killed by the old pack during a change in leadership. “That’s exactly something she’d do…”

“She knows you.” Reese pointed out.

“Thanks, dad.” Logan rolled his eyes. “You think I don’t know that?”

“Logan.” Reese said and the human gave him a look. “You’re shaking…”

And Logan looked down at his hand, and sure enough… he was. And it wasn’t from the cold.

Logan just tightened his hand into a fist, glaring down at it.

“My dad took us there once…” Reese said softly as Logan turned away. “Back then, they just called it the black market. He wanted to show us how the world really worked. What the world really ran on…”

“The red river…” Logan almost laughed at the stupid name. Blood money, literally.

“Bale… Bale changed shortly after our visit. He began seeing everyone differently. Like… packaged pieces of meat that needed to be labeled and stamped with how much they cost… My father, our father, took our life away from us.” The jet black fur wolf turned back towards the human.

“What did you learn from that… experience?” Logan dared to ask as the wolf loomed over him. He could feel the cold trickle of sweat run down his neck.

“That red river? It only flows one way, Logan…” And with a pat on the shoulder, Reese moved past him and down the ladder to join the boxer waiting for the two.

Logan took a moment on that. It almost felt nice to hear it. And it made him feel… incredible sad, hearing it as if confirming some deep seated fear he had all along.

“Flows only one way… No turning back the clock, huh, Reese?” Logan said aloud as he followed after the two. He wasn’t surprised to see Domino waiting by the top of the stairs for them. Or rather for him.

“Logan.” Domino growled as the human came over behind the other two. Clem glanced back at them, waiting to see if Logan needed some help on the matter.

“Dom.” Logan said walking over and before the wolf could say a single thing, the human gave him a big strong hug. “I’m glad you’re alive.” And left it at that, following after the other two as the brown furred wolf was left standing there at a loss for words.

“How much did you drink!” Domino snapped back, quickly catching up to the others.

And they all shared one last laugh, one last drink in the house before Clem and Logan hit the road again…