Dirty Laundry

Chapter Seventeen

By Roofles

It was just Clem and Logan, as it should be.

The two were positioned outside the police station, of all places, on a stakeout. Just as how the two of them had met, had become partners and ended up on the same case tailing after Sloan, a member of The Pride; so too, now, were the two doing the very same.

Just, this time, it was against the very job they both were working for. The two, seemingly, working for Reese as they camped out waiting for their moment. Waiting for the dog to come out of the building so they could tail him, follow him and get the answers to the questions they had.

Hoping to find something out.

Hoping to know where the police chief had gotten off too.

And where the mayor of the city was locked away at.

All they needed was a lead…

Police chief Barnard was MIA since the attack on town hall, just a couple of days ago. The city was under lockdown and police officers had been brought in from other, neighboring, cities to help out. The state officials said the National Guard had been called in but there were no signs of that happening, yet.

Logan knew it was just a pretense to show that the city was doing something about the recent mob activities going on. The attack on the town hall couldn’t be ignored and everyone seemed to be taking notice of all the dark dealings going on in the past couple of months. The media were finally addressing and talking about the fires, the attacks and raids on separate seemingly unconnected parts of the city. The news anchors, radio hosts and talk shows all were speculating about what the future would hold for them and who to blame. There had been an increase in crime, in missing persons as well as the actual attacks on the night clubs, bars and second hand used stores The Pack had used as fronts for their criminal dealings.

All seemingly unconnected until they were lined up together to show that the Elysium Pack had owned each and everyone, contributing to them in some form or fashion. A front for their illegal dealings around the city. And who was to blame for it but the new mafia moving in to claim the turf left behind.

Every spot in the city, which seemed to be every non-human section, had some kind of dealings with The Pack. The wolves had been calculative, embedding themselves into the heart of the city and attaching themselves to all those who had been ignored over the years; the predators, the carnivores, omnivores that couldn’t say no to meat…

Until it all fell apart one late night, last year, when their mansion up on the hills burned to the ground. And the wake of that one incident had a rippling effect on the city as a whole. Other groups tried to move in. Scavengers picking at the pieces left behind.

None had succeeded. Imploding in on themselves or being taken out by rival gangs or simply not having the manpower in order to hold the key, strategically positions around the city.

But then there was the lion pride.

The Kincaid family, The Pride, that was more than happy to fill the void left in the wolves wake. And the revenge they had been planning to take on those left behind. Weakened, broken, spread out and few in numbers… they were easy pickings, once the information was leaked to them about where they had scurried off too to lick their wounds.

Logan suspected, without proof, it had been Vicky – Diamond’s ex lover – who had leaked the information out to The Pride. Why? He could only guess. It was hard enough to think like a predator, let alone a coked up one on so many drugs her fur was falling out in places.

It was hard to overlook the fires the lions had started and caused. Yet, at first, the news tried too. That was until city hall, and human lives, had been affected. They were just blowing smoke, the detective knew. This, along with everything else, had been a cruel, planned out move not only to disparage the police force but also to reshape the very city they all lived in.

The first step, as it were, for them to official take over and replace The Pack as the head mafia in the city and the west coast as a whole.

Logan was sure The Pride was doing it out of some sort of vendetta against the wolves, partially, for breaking the already turbulent truce they had between the two gangs. Getting back at them in the very same fashion the wolves had done to the lions on the docks. With fire. Molotov cocktails and gunned down like the dogs they were.

It was clear The Pride had the resources and money to use far more efficient means of killing the wolves off. This, however, had been personal. They wanted the wolves to burn just as the canines had done to them. Woman, children, old and young alike… none had been spared by their scorching wrath. An endless cycle of violence until one side was completely wiped out.

Such scars ran deep and weren’t easily mended or overlooked.

What Vicky could gain from it? Logan didn’t know, not yet. She was playing with fire and was sure to be consumed in the ensuing war that was bound to break out any day now. Logan just hoped he could contain it, the best he could. He just needed to use them, to know their weaknesses and exploit it, these scars, to everyone else’s benefit.

After all, Logan of all people would know what it was liked to be scarred. Marked. And reminded of the pain each and every waking day.

Would the city be scarred after their feud finally came to an end? Logan hoped not and was already working on ways of keeping damage to a minimum as he sent out another text. Much as Vicky was, Logan was playing multiple sides of the field, pitting them against each other in hopes of controlling the damage done.

Vicky was using the lions, lying to the wolves and was most likely in connections to key figures around the city. If some coked up wanna be alpha wolf could do it, why couldn’t Logan?

Logan’s phone buzzed again, and with a quick glance, saw that it was Barreth. The wolf, whom lost his sister at the club, was sure to have a personal interest in the things Logan had to say. The human couldn’t trust him, not that he trusted anyone anymore. Still, it was a means to an end. Even if Barreth found out about everything Logan knew and who he was… it would be worth the sacrifice, if it meant the wolves would take out the pride and vice versa.

It wasn’t like Logan had anyone left to lose these days…

“Here,” the boxer offered over the silver thermos to the human in the passenger seat of the boxer’s beat up truck.

Clem was surprised the truck still worked after everything it had been through over the years. He didn’t have the heart to give the thing up and the crummy looking rust bucket was a perfect disguise for the two, dressed in loose casual clothes this afternoon, to get lost in a crowd. Hide a tree in a forest. Hide a beat up truck in a parking garage full of matching vehicles as they continued their stakeout.

“It’s chicken noodle.” The canine just grinned at Logan’s unasked question.

Logan stopped at that, giving the canine a look.

“What?” Clem just growled back. “My chicken noodle too good for you fancy boy?” The boxer bared his teeth, jowls lifting up but the two knew Clem was all bark and little bite.

“I think your noodle,” Logan just teased back taking the thermos and pouring himself a cup in the lid for lunch. “Is amazing. Thank you.” The human just smiled, not even taking a sip of the soup before looking back at the police station across the street from them.

The parking garage was one of many in the down town area, along the main road. It was impossible to see into each and every level and to think that some human and his dog friend were on a lookout for anything or anyone as they shared lunch together was preposterous and paranoid. It worked great, in their favor. A human and dog hanging out like this was the perfect cover for the police officers.

“Logan.” Clem finally said after a minute of watching the human, sitting there next to him staring at the police station hardly blinking.

Logan looked tired. He’d lost weight and his hair didn’t have the same luster it normally did.

“You see him?” Logan asked, looking over at the boxer before trying to follow Clem’s eyes to wherever the boxer must be looking.

“You need to eat.” Clem chided him with a shake of his head. Acting more like a mother than a police officer on the job. The boxer was used to taking care of those back at the house whenever Reese would up and leave them for a week or so; this was before Alan had shown up though. Clem able to finally focus on his job, or rather, his coworkers instead of the dogs back home.

Knowing, at least they would be ok.

“I am.” Logan lied so easily the boxer would’ve believed it if he hadn’t been watching the human the entire time.

“Logan.” Clem stated once more, a growl creeping up into his voice. “I’ll drive back to the house if you don’t.” The boxer warned, reaching forward to grab hold of the key still in the ignition as if threatening to turn the truck back on.

Logan took a second on that before finally obliging, giving in and taking a long dramatic sip of the soup. It scolded his mouth but he tried not to let Clem see it.

“Good. Happy now?” Logan just said about to turn back when the boxer crunched a couple of crackers over the soup in the human’s hand. “The hell are you doing…” Logan could only frown as the boxer dusted his hands off not caring that it only messed up the truck further.

“Need a bit more heft and body, I say.” Clem just gave Logan a smile before sipping directly from the canister. He let out a content sigh after and smacked his lips. “Delicious. Almost as good as mama’s back home.”

Logan rolled his eyes at that but did try the soup once more, sipping on it as he stared blankly forward lost in his own thoughts. His own world. Knowing what this meant, here and now. Once they found out the location of the black market, it would mean… Logan would have to go back there.

Back to that place.

With all the nightmares that kept him awake at night.

…

…

“Fuckin’ a, it’s cold in here…”

…

“I swear when I find that tiger…”

…

“Robbie…”

…

Logan stopped on that. In the empty stairwell, leading down deep underground. The stone steps were slippery and the lack of light made it hard to see; the police officer holding up his flashlight in front of him, holding one hand against the moss strewn stone wall.

There was a stale smell in the air as if this place hadn’t ever been disturbed, like a crypt long since sealed and forgotten. He wasn’t sure if this was the right spot. He thought it might be… Logan wanted to turn back. Every fiber of his being, every cell in his body telling him too.

But he couldn’t.

Not when he was this close.

After two years of searching none stop for any trace of Mikhail, the now police officer couldn’t just tuck tail and run away. He had to face this. Whatever that meant for him. If he’d ever see the light of day again as he took another weary step forward, trying not to slip on the slimy steps.

It didn’t matter. His life didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but finding him. Find the tiger that had stolen everything from him.

Underneath one of the overpasses, there was a spot the teens liked to hang out. It was along the river and the muddy, rocky area was shielded by the sun and those driving overhead. It was the perfect spot for those not wanting to be found to hang out at.

It was where Mikhail had dragged Logan along too for their first time together. Unable to be together in front of either of their parents. Forced to hide their relationship. It had been there spot. The tiger and his after Mikhail had scared off the other teenagers.

That was until Logan had told Robbie about it, something that had irked the tiger even back then.

It was the place Logan had met up with Vinnie and Robbie to try their first beer. The rat tagging along with him even after school and classes. The two planning on going to the same college. It was where they had tried their first cigarette together. The three of them, Mikhail refusing to hang out with so many there. The tiger claiming it was too crowded and that he wanted it to just be him and Logan.

Mikhail had wanted to talk to Logan, about something. Something private. Something that would be their first… together. Something the human never got a chance too. Something, that just not being there, had changed the tiger in a way. That his boyfriend, his best friend… wasn’t there for his first kill.  

There were plenty of firsts done here.

Logan never thought that the rusted, metal door sealed against the paved overpass would lead to a place like this. It would explain so much. How Mikhail had found this spot. Why he’d know about it and what was done here in the dark of the night when no one was around.

It had been late at night when Logan had gotten Mikhail’s message. The tiger had left him another “care package” at his doorway with a ripped note attached to it, like the others. Even after moving, the tiger seemed to have tracked him down. Along with the other notes Logan had received the past several months, the human was able to piece together a location for the tiger and him to meet up.

To finish this…

Or so a young nineteen year old Logan had thought. Had wanted.

Maybe then, after it was dealt with, he could begin his life. What he would do? What he wanted to do… Logan didn’t know. Even to this day, Logan wasn’t sure if he really had a future to look forward too.

He’d invested everything into Mikahil, no… back then, the tiger was known by another name. A name reserved for him. Something only Logan had called him.

“Milo…”

Logan had wanted to run away with him. To declare their love to his parents. To go to college together. A future together. A dream that would never come true stained in blood as it became.

The signs had been there and still Logan had ignored them. Vinnie had warned him. His parents had warned him… And he had ignored them all. He had gone out of his way not to listen to their desperate pleas.

“He’s a tiger, so what!” Logan had always come to Mikhail, no… Milo’s defense. He’d been there, on his side. Defending his friend, his lover and the man he wanted to have a future with. “Yeah? He’s getting bigger… he’s a tiger! It’s genetic. Don’t be speciest!”

That was still, only the start.

“He didn’t mean to hurt the neighbor’s kid. The punk ass bitch had it coming anyways.” Logan would come to his defense even when the red flags were waving in warning. “He didn’t mean to use his claws.” It was a lie. “He… he fell down the stairs, that’s all.” Ignoring even his brother’s own injuries, not wanting to believe it could be Mikhail’s doing.

The tiger would lie to him. Tell him it was someone else and Logan had believed him because the human had so desperately wanted to believe, that just because Mikhail was a tiger… didn’t make him a predator.

How many times had Logan fought with his parents about it, about him? He’d lost friends one by one as Mikhail seemed to steal them away, wanting that attention focused only on him from the human. Possessive wouldn’t have begun to describe it. More like an… obsession.

Wanting all of Logan’s attention.

And removing anyone who got in the way of it.

Even as those nails dug down his back and blood wept like tears as Logan cried out, he could still recall the words the tiger spoke to him with a purr.

“To never forget me by…” Milo had said the last night they had been together. When the tiger had spelled it all out for the human who had helped him hide away from the police after his brother had went missing.

And the moment when Logan truly saw the tiger for what he was. A predator. A monster. A beast. Just like the rest of them…

He wouldn’t make that same mistake again. Not ever. No one else had to die for his ignorance.

Logan was packing heat and even brought the police issues stun gun along just in case. He was still familiarizing himself with the stun baton and riot gear and hadn’t brought either. He wasn’t sure what he planned to do when he met Mikhail, he wasn’t sure if he had it in him to pull the trigger or make the arrest…

Logan wasn’t sure of a lot of things until after that fateful night.

The stairwell was a winding mess with various tunnels jutting out of the sides, most likely for some kind of maintenance work. He was underneath the city that was the only thing the human knew as he breathed in the stale air around him.

It was hard to breathe down here and Logan was breathing heavier and heavier as he went, unsure if it was because of his nerves or this place.

Mikhail was hiding underneath the city as the police kept looking for him? What else was hiding down here… in these dark, dank, winding depths?

Logan wasn’t sure. He wished he’d looked the place up before venture down into this hell.

It was a labyrinth underneath the city. The air was rank and there was a wetness about it that made Logan shiver underneath his uniform. He could be underneath one of the bays for all he knew. The air rushed past him every now and then reminding him of a breath as if this place were alive. It made him shiver and not just from the cold.

“Just a little further,” he told himself unable to turn around. To back down. To let this one chance slip past him. This was the place, he was sure, where he’d find Mikhail.

Logan would make sure; that’s all he was doing here, yeah. He’d make sure this was the right spot and that it wasn’t some kind of wild goose chase. Then he’d go back to the station and let the police chief know; he was a burly man with a short temper but had always been a reliable fellow. His assistant, a rather large Saint Bernard, was never too far away.

Logan hadn’t liked Bernard as much as he did Stanley. Stanley was one of the reasons why Logan had stayed on the force. A good, hard working man that truly, truly wanted to make a difference in the world. To fix this city. To clean up the crime but also… help those people renter society.

Logan had learned a lot from him while he secretly worked on his side project of tracking the tiger down as he worked for the force.

Stanley Briggs was a good man and so long as he was police chief, Logan would stay with the force even after he took care of Mikhail. He was a man that didn’t see species, just situations. Stanley saw people and the lives they were living and the difficulties they had been through. It didn’t mean he wasn’t strict or lenient, just understanding.

Something that was unheard of.

Logan couldn’t help but wonder if he had gone to Stanley, maybe then… maybe then the police chief would’ve helped him in his search. To find this criminal that would go down in the history books.  

Logan just wished he’d let them know where he was as he stopped at, yet another, dead end.

“The fuck?” Logan could only say as he reached out to touch the wall.

It shifted and moved under his touch and he quickly withdrew his hand.

He wished for a lot of things right there and then as something hard, stiff and blunt hit the back of his head knocking the human unconscious against the wall. His body falling limb and lifeless as his legs were grabbed by two grime covered hands and dragged further into the depths of the city that would devour him as it had done so many others…

…

“Logan,” Clem said making the human snap out of it as he looked over at the boxer, sitting there with him this sunny afternoon. “You… okay?” The boxer asked, reaching out a hand to touch the human. He felt cold. Logan felt unnaturally cold to the touch. “Fuck, let me get my coat.”

The boxer was already reaching into the back seat. Tossing things aside, Clem was pulling out a rather large moth eaten coat that had to be older than Logan was; maybe it had belonged to Clem’s father? It was hard to say. It defiantly smelled like the canine that was for sure.

“I’m fine.” Logan just said with a smile, forcing it through behind the tears burning the corner of his eyes. “You said he’d be here today, right?”

“Well… he is scheduled to be, yeah.” Clem nodded, grumbling a bit as he glanced over at the human once more. “Logan…?” The boxer hesitated, not letting go of the jacket and yet not giving it to the human as if fighting internally if he should force it on him or not.

“Hm?” The human didn’t even look over at him. Logan was just staring blankly forward, as he’d done all morning. Lost in his own thoughts.

“I…” Clem took a second, fiddling with the thermos in his hands. Rolling it back and forth and feeling the warmth of it against his paw pads. The smooth metal helped relax the tension building up inside. “The other night, when you saw Dom… what you said to him?”

“Yeah? What about it?” Logan just asked still looking at the station across the street. “Want me to say it to you, too?” The human chuckled, the tensioning easing off his face but not off his shoulders. Clem was beginning to see past the mask Logan wore so well. At the broken shattered pieces of a man underneath.

The boxer set the jacket back down before reaching over to touch the human’s arm once more as he’d done before.

“Has anyone… ever said that, to you?” Clem asked getting the human to finally stop and look at him.

“What?” Logan was the one perplexed now, trying to think of an answer. To think if anyone had or, rather, what Clem was trying to get at.

The boxer frowned seeing the look on Logan’s face. His nose twitched, sniffing at the human. Logan was wearing a strong, yet subtle cologne that made it hard to smell what the human was thinking or rather, feeling. It wasn’t like a dog’s nose could read someone’s mind, no. Just what they were feeling or exuding, rather, from their pores.

It was one reason why dogs made such great police officers. Able to sniff out a perp, literally.

Combined with the deodorant the human had put on from the stash in his car, it was hard to tell what Logan was thinking exactly. And the mask he wore was impenetrable when he was being careful, cautious like he was now. Clem could only guess, and so, from the heart, Clem reached out his hand to touch the human’s cold arm once more.

“Logan.” Clem just said getting that look again. “I’m glad you’re alive. I’m glad you’re the one I’m doing this with…”

“I… what?” Logan asked, pulling back a bit.

“I know I’m just some dumb dog that you work with. It’s not like we’re really friends or nothin’… all this, here and now? It’s just another job for you, to you… and I understand. I don’t take it personally.” The boxer shook his head as he got it out of his system. “Reese is the same way. Sort of. Different but… the same? Either way, you’re a good guy. And I’m glad to be your partner in all this… and I’m glad you’re here. I don’t want to see you go.”

Logan took a second on that, his mind going into overdrive to figure out what Clem wanted out of all this.

It wasn’t like the boxer wanted sex from him, like most did. It wasn’t like Logan was super rich or anything. It couldn’t be money Clem was after. Sure, Logan always thought of himself as good looking but not enough for people to daunt on him and give him whatever he wanted. He was just…

“You know, after all this shit has blown over, like it always does...” Clem chuckled, still touching Logan’s arm. “You can come back to the house. Or, like, whenever you feel like it. You can. I’m sure Reese won’t mind, much. And Alan seems to like you already! It could be like your… home, away from home. Like it is for me. And the rest of us dogs.”

Clem gave him a broad smile that made his jowls lift up and show his drool covered teeth. His breath still smelled like chicken noodle soup and there were some on the boxer’s whiskers from when he dipped his snout into the thermos.

But it was genuine, that smile. That face. His words. Genuine as Clementine was.

Clem was an average blue collar joe. It was one reason why Logan had liked him so much. He was a salt of the earth kind of guy that wanted a cold beer and someone to chat with more than anything else. He did what he did for his friend, risking criminal charges being pressed against him all in the hope of keeping Reese safe…

To make sure the wolf was okay, that he could try and fit into society. Instead of being forced to hide in the shadows, as so many others did. Clem was the most trustworthy, was one of the most dependable people to have watching your back and here Clem was, offering to have Logan in his corner…

“That sounds nice…” Logan muttered in reply, looking down at the forgotten soup still in the lid he’d been holding.

Clem had made it for them, for this.

Maybe, in the end, Logan really did… have others he was afraid to lose. Just as he’d lost so many in his life.

He just wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, yet.

…

Cold water hit Logan in the face and he jerked back to consciousness with a gasp. A chill ran down his spine as he struggled to move. His arms were bound and chained above his head as he hung a foot off the ground in the dark room. Dangling like a piece of meat.  

“The fuck!” Logan spat out the cold, foul tasting water and kicked upwards at the shadowed figure before him. The light swung over head with his movement. There was a rattle of chains and a cold shiver ran down his body.

Logan was stark naked.

He’d been stripped of his clothes, of his badge, his gun and everything he’d brought with him. Knocked unconscious to be locked up in some random room underground, strung up like a piñata for others to point and laugh at. Hopefully, not to hit.

“The fuck!” He said again, louder this time. “Where are my clothes, you perverted mother fuckers!” Logan egged whoever was there on, hoping they’d draw a bit closer for him to kick their face in for doing this to him. “Just wait until I get my hands on you…” He snarled like some kind of wild animals, glaring at the figure standing just out of view.

They shifted from one foot to the other, regarding him.

“He’s defiantly someone he’d be interested in…” The voice spoke with a smooth baritone that ended in a purr. Logan recognized them to be sort of large feline, having been very intimately familiar with the sound before.

But it wasn’t him, it wasn’t Milo. That, Logan knew. Logan knew the tiger’s voice better than anyone else.

“He does have his beauty mark,” someone cackled behind Logan and the officer didn’t need to turn around to know they were a hyena. “Defiantly, his work.” They said admiring Logan’s back as if it were a work of art.

Logan could feel the blood drain from his face as they stared unabashedly at the marks left by his ex. Staring at them, talking about them, seeming to know what they meant…

Logan kicked outwards, flexing his legs to pull himself upwards as if to try and rip the chain from the ceiling. That wasn’t the case as he took the two off guard, using the momentum to swing around and kick out at the hyena who’d mocked his mark. Mikhail’s mark, on Logan’s back.

“The fuck you know about him!” Logan shouted at the hyena who barely managed to scramble out of the way. Logan’s foot connected with the stone wall and, without shoes on, Logan could only let a string of curses out as he curled his toes.

The pain fueled him to ask again.

“Where is he!” Logan shouted out. “Where the fuck is Milo?” The human was breathing heavily, eyes wide, brow furrowed as he glared at the striped hyena staring at him as if he were the mad man here.

“The fuck…” The hyena muttered before glancing over at his compatriots in all this. “What’s he talking about? Who’s Milo?” The hyena seemed confused, lost in it all as Logan slowly spun around to face towards the shadow in the corner.

“Milo?” The voice asked, stepping forward.

The feline had dark ashy black fur like a fire pit that had long burned out. The rosetta on his body were outlined in gray and Logan recognized them to be some sort of jaguar. The feline approached the human, regarding him as he looked over his body like a piece of meat one might inspect before buying at the local grocery store.

“Where. Is. He?” Logan just spat into their face, not backing down. Naked, wet, chained up… and still that fire inside hadn’t burnt out as he human glared into the jaguar’s face.

“And what would you do when you found him?” The jaguar just asked, ignoring the hyena waving at him to get his attention.

“I’ll string him up like you did me… and beat some answers out of him, for starts.” Logan spat to the side, not daring pissing the jaguar off further by spitting in their face. He knew what large felines were capable of and this jaguar had to be at least ten years older than him.

Far more experience seeing his own scars hidden underneath that tangled mess of black fur as if it were a jungle.

“Leave.” The jaguar said, standing there, before the human.

At first, Logan thought he was talking to him.

“What do you mean, leave? I’m the one who found him!” The hyena snapped back, standing up fully and coming over towards the feline. “I brought him to you, Bosch! Come on!”

“And I’ve given you your reward,” the jaguar just shot back glaring at the hyena who backed down before him. “If you want more? Well… bring me something else, that’s useful…”

“Fine. Whatever. Don’t kill him! He’s got a pretty face, and a nice ass.” The hyena cackled. “He’d sell for a pretty penny or ten!” And the hyena, who found the joke to be incredible humorous, burst into a fit of giggling laughter that filled the small room.

The jaguar just closed his eyes, wincing slightly from the sound.

“Bartholomew!” Bosch snapped his jaws at the hyena making both the other men shirk away. A jaguar’s bite was something of legend and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of it. Where the hyena’s jaws could break bone, jaguars could snap necks…

“Fine. FINE! Whatever. Don’t want your leftovers anyways…” The hyena grumbled, saying the word with a tone that Logan picked up with. Leftovers? That could only mean…

And the door slammed behind him, leaving the jaguar and Logan alone in the room.

“Mikhail will be here shortly…” Bosch just started with, getting Logan’s focus. “I’m sure word has gotten out to him by now. I assume, you’re here, because of him, too?”

“What…” Logan stopped himself, thinking about it. He felt the chains with his fingers, finding the combination lock. It wasn’t something he could easily free himself from. Maybe if he dislocated his thumbs…

“We have about fifteen minutes before he does. Maybe less.” Bosch just went on, letting Logan process the news before continuing. “You have his mark…” The jaguar just frowned, looking at the human with a mix of disgust and… pity. “How do you know him? You called him Milo earlier…”

“He’s my ex.” Logan just said, wanting to laugh. Mikhail was only a year older than he was and these people were treating the tiger as if he were some kind of legend. “Free me from these chains and get lost… I have a personal score to settle with him…”

Bosch smirked at that, a laugh leaving the ashen jaguar as he turned to the side.

“Do you even know where you are, right now?” The jaguar glanced over at the strung up human.

“Underneath the city.” Logan stated as a fact. Technically, it was true.

“And you’re a, what, meter maid?” The jaguar picked up Logan’s discarded badge and looked it over.

“Nah, just some dumb street cop in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Logan lied easily enough. He’d been lying since he could talk. It came natural to him, something he didn’t like to think too much about.

“You got a lip to you, huh?” Bosch frowned as he reached up to grab the human’s face.

“I’m better with my tongue.” Logan just offered in reply. The jaguar flicked his tail at that, his bright eyes seeming to glow in the dark room. Apparently Bart had been correct about Bosch’s interests in a piece of meat like Logan. “Unchain me and I’ll happily show you a thing or two I can do with it.”

Bosch took a second on that before letting go, taking a step back and actually laughing. The jaguar bending over, covering his mouth with a hand and just laughed.

“Do you even understand the situation you’re in?” Bosch wiped a tear from his eye, standing back up. “You’re just some dumb street cop, walking around down here with a badge on? Seriously? DO you even know what’s down here…?” The jaguar took a step forward, closing what little distance there was between the two once more. There was a purr creeping into his voice as his hand drifted lower, down Logan’s naked body.

“Well,” Logan just said staring right back into those eyes. “I wasn’t aware there was such a fine piece, like yourself, down here.” And the human bent his head down to lick and nip at the jaguar’s ear. “I’ve always had a thing… for big kitties.”

Bosch faltered at that, taking a step away. Here he was planning on threatening the officer before letting him go. Some dumb kid ending up down here on the chopping block wasn’t something the jaguar could easily sleep with. Bosch would rough him up, make Logan wish he’d never been born before dumping him somewhere in the city after getting it out of Logan how he found this place to begin with.

It was the first altercation Logan ever had with a criminal where the other party wasn’t a lost cause from the start. That maybe, Stanley Briggs, was right and that crime needed to be reformed rather than exterminated from the city. That it was an illness needing to be cured rather than mercilessly wiped out.

Logan’s mentor, and friend, led him here to this man who’d end up being something similar for the ignorant human on how things really worked in the coming years. Bosch would teach him more than just a few tricks in the bedroom but also the inner workings of the city he lived in.  

“You know? Dying doesn’t sound so bad if the last thing I saw was those pretty eyes of yours.” Logan just went on with a soft, husky voice. “I wished I got a chance to see you naked, you’ve seen me! It’s only fair.” The human just went on. Strung up, naked and helpless before the hungry jungle cat.

“I bite.” Bosch said in warning.

“Good. I’ve had worse.” Logan just admitted and they both knew what he meant by that. “If I suck your dick, will you let me go?” The human just offered as if he were in a place to do so.

Bosch, once more, laughed at that.

“What about… Milo?” Bosch inquired, thumbing the police officers badge again, glancing over at the naked human not seeming to mind what he was looking at.

“We’ve been broken up ever since he killed my brother.” Logan just frowned in reply. Bosch gave him a look. “I’ll suck your dick as many times as your pretty face likes, if you’ll tell me everything you know about him.” Logan just offered up, giving the feline a once over. “And a couple of times, just for fun.” And the smirk of a smile that crossed the officer’s face might as well have sealed the deal.

“There are plenty of things I’d like you to answer, as well, in regards to our… mutual, acquaintance.” Bosch just said with a single nod as he reached up to spin the lock. “Don’t try anything. We don’t got the time for me to put you in your place.”

“I figured we’d wait until we got back to your apartment to do that.” Logan just replied smartly, leaning close enough to give the jaguar’s nose a soft peck of a kiss.

There was a deep rumbling growl that filled the room from the jaguar as his tail lashed behind him. Logan could only guess how long it’d been since the jaguar had gotten his rocks off, and not by his own hands. Someone like him must have a hard time keeping company with a face like that. Battered and scared up, seeing his own fair share of life’s hard comings.

“Why are you helping me?” Logan only asked after the lock was undone and his hands were freed. He landed on his feet and nearly lost his footing. The jaguar grabbed his arm, holding him securely as the human face him.

“I’m not.” Bosch just stated. “I was never here…” The jaguar just gave him a look and Logan understood what he meant. If Logan was ever caught, the jaguar would deny ever knowing him. This was his once in a lifetime opportunity.

Bosch, seemingly, had helped many escape just as he had done with Logan. Those who didn’t belong here. Who didn’t deserve this fate that befell them.

“So… your place or mine?” Logan just asked as he put his pants back on and stashed his badge in the back pocket, planning to never wear the damn thing again after this.

“There’s something I have to show you first. So you get what kind of position you were just in.” Bosch just clarified as he peaked out the door, looking one way before the other quickly. He turned back to Logan before frowning at the human’s hand offered to him.

“I’m Logan.” He just smiled, shirtless, before the jaguar.

“Bosch…” The jaguar said, taking his hand and instead of leading him out, lead him deeper into this subterranean hell.

….

….

“There he is!” Clem pointed out, which wasn’t exactly necessary. From their distance it was fruitless to point anyone out and have Logan be able to pin point their location in the crowd. “Heading out at five thirty, just as I said.”

“Then why did we get here so early?” Logan only asked as the boxer turned his truck on and began pulling out, planning on following their vehicle.

“TO get us out of there!” Clem rolled his eyes as he sped up, heading out of the parking garage to tail after their target. “That place isn’t home with all them wolves there…”

“You don’t seem to mind Reese.” Logan chuckled lightly, keeping his eyes on the road for the vehicle. “And Dom isn’t too bad either.”

“Reese is a special case. In more ways than one.” Clem rolled his eyes. “He’s bad but doesn’t want to be? If that makes sense.”

“Nah, I understand…” Logan nodded, thinking about the jaguar who had saved his life.

“Reese was just born unlucky. His family… has issues. Like a lot of issues. People always talk about wolf packs being all close and friendly and shit. Those people have never been in one!” Clem shook his head. “It’s a fight from birth to death. TO get your place in the pack, earn your keep and, if you’re lucky, find someone to be with. Maybe.”

“What do you mean by that?” Logan asked, a bit confused over the matter. He knew about the hierarchy and infighting. That was common knowledge.

“Wolves aren’t allowed to… breed, with just anyone. They have to get the alpha’s permission and it can only ever be for the betterment of the pack. Strongest offspring and all that.” The boxer just stated.

“Wait… are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Logan frowned now, not wanting to know all of this but realizing this explained a lot of things about Domino that had been left unanswered.

“Reese never knew his mother. She was just some fuck slut for his father. A tool, used to breed and produce the best offspring. Sure, his dad was the previous previous Alpha of the pack but that doesn’t really mean shit unless you, well, develop into something. Siblings? Family? None of that shit matters. Only the pack…” Clem shook his head. “Bale never did and look where he ended up…”

“Six feet under, right. Eaten alive by his own pack,” Logan frowned wishing that was only a metaphor. “So, Reese? Domino? All of them…?”

“They hate us, right? Dogs. Wolves and dogs are mortal enemies. For the longest time, I thought it was because we ended up helping humans, right? In the past, during the whole civil war and shit…” Clem frowned a bit. “I think they were jealous, to an extent. In the end…”

“Jealous?” Logan laughed at the idea. “Of what?”

The boxer gave him a sideways glance before looking back at the road. “Of you.”

“Me?” Logan did laugh at that.

“Of humans.” Clem just nodded though. “Of our relationship with you guys. Of us, here and now. How a human and a dog can drive down the street without anyone turning their heads to look. People. People don’t do that… they don’t just… hang out with wolves. They have only their pack…”

“Which isn’t even a family, according to you. Not biologically, at least.” Logan faltered a bit at that. And here he thought he was the damaged one.

“It’s a dog eat dog world, they say.” Clem shook his head. “No. It’s a wolf eat wolf world out there. That’s why Reese doesn’t deal with other wolves. It only ends… bad.” Clem grimaced.

“And here I am bringing a small army to his doorstep, fuck.” Logan cursed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, Clem.”

“You couldn’t know. Not fully.” Clem just offered in return with a half hearted shrug. “That kind of thing? Wolves? Dogs? Hell, even humans? You can only know them, if you are one.”

“And what do you know?” Logan just asked with a wry smile.

“I know dogs.” Clem just stated matter-of-factly as he pointed towards their designation.

Chains N’ Collars.

It was a dog bar downtown and also a place known for kink play as well as a store to buy the equipment to bring back home with you; and usually a place to find someone to bring home too. There were several officers who liked to come here. Logan only ever had once or twice. And that was for work. He tended to work more often than anything else he did.

“And you’re saying…” Logan frowned, looking at the boxer grinning at him.

“You get to be my bitch, tonight!” Clem barked out happily.

Within the hour the two were walking in the bar. Or rather, Clem was walking into the bar holding a leash as Logan walked on all fours of ahead of him.

The boxer was wearing a black leather studded harness with a hefty collar that sagged in the front a bit, showing off his natural born thick neck. He was shirtless, wearing a tight fitting pair of pants that left very little to the imagination as, on bare paws, he walked into the bar. Clem didn’t mind showing off his body. He was proud of it, even in the assless chaps he wore. Rich dark orange fur with white markings on the front and the inner part of his legs and face.

Logan had on a pup mask, rubber play paws and was in no more than a speedo that left even less hidden. The two managed to agree to get something for Logan’s back, the human refusing to go shirtless even in front of the boxer who still seemingly was unaware of what Logan had been through. They ended up with a tight black shirt with sparkling letters on the back reading “butt sniffer.” It was a play on the classic drug sniffing dog but in a far more lewd, gay way.

The cops at the bar loved it.

This was, after all, a cop bar… of sorts. Plenty of dogs came here in uniform and left, usually, without them. Dogs had always been part of the hard working jobs of America. From construction workers to fire fighters, police officers and electricians, plumbers and mechanics. And that still was just scratching the surface. They tended to own property like apartment complexes and other places that held “land.” Logan only knew it had something to do with the whole canine territory thing.

And this was a place for them to bring work with them and then leave it behind.

And the man they were looking for was no different.

Hugo was a German Shepherd that was a newer member of the force. Whereas Clem had been there for over ten years, Logan his junior, Hugo was Logan’s junior. The canine was just following in his father’s paw prints as the two knew. He was a yes man kind of dog that was eager to please and saw what he was doing as some sort of  great achievement the other two didn’t.

A very canine mentality. Doing what he was told in hopes of being the “good boy” he believed himself to be.

And here he was, even now, bragging about his job to whoever would listen to him at the bar up front.

“You want to be bad cop or bark bark cop?” Logan asked, still on all fours. He was uncomfortably familiar with the position and didn’t let his sore knees show.

“Relax,” Clem just patted Logan on the head. “We already got him where we want him. Just got to get him to notice us now. We can wait for a bit. Get a few drinks, talk with some cuties and…” The boxer wagged his tail, clearly taking advantage of their situation.

Logan rolled his eyes at that and stopped in his tracks, Clem nearly stepping on the human in the process. Tilting his head back, Logan let out a very crude “Awoooo” and wiggled his ass for every single dog there to see. If that didn’t get Hugo’s attention, nothing would.

“Logan!” Clem said, blushing for the human who seemed to be immune to shame.

“Logan?” Hugo yipped. “Clem!” The German Shepherd jumped to his feet, ears perking up as he paced in place as if about to make a run for it on the spot.

“Don’t let him get away!” Logan was already jumping to his feet, pointing at the canine as he pulled Clem along by the leash the boxer, for some reason, hadn’t let go. “Get him!”

That did make Hugo yip and the German Shepherd turned on his heel and tried to make a run for it as the two half naked men chased after the canine. In any other establishment, this might’ve looked odd or strange. It was just another Wednesday night for everyone there who turned back to their own business as the two ran down the carpeted hallway after their fellow police officer.

They bumped and pushed past other humans but mostly canines as they made their way after the officer. They were lucky the canine kept turning down dead ends as they finally caught up to him, Clem seeming to know the place like the back of his hand.

“Hugo!” The two said in unison, each grabbing one of the German Shepherd’s arms and pulling him into a side room. Clem shut the door behind them. The room appeared to be where they kept most of the products sold here.

It didn’t take much for the German Shepherd to get on his knees as the two stood over him, cross armed looking down at him.

“Long time no see… guys.” Hugo just offered a weak smile at the two.

“Yeah. Last time, was, what? When you almost got Logan killed!” Clem snarled, spittle flying and hitting the other canine in the face. Hugo whined and pulled back, shaking his head, practically crawling backwards as the two followed him.

Hugo’s head smacked against the wall, stopping his retreat.

“No! No, no, no! It wasn’t like that!” The German Shepherd pleaded and begged looking between the two before, strangely enough, focusing on Logan. “It wasn’t! Honest! I’m a good boy, I swear.” The dog got on his knees, walking on them towards the human as he pleaded and begged some more. “I’d never do anything that would hurt you!”

Logan gave Clem a look.

“Just go with it.” Clem mouthed as the Logan gave a small nod before turning back to the German Shepherd.

“Shhh, I know, Hugo. I know you would never do anything… bad.” Logan bent down, petting the side of the German Shepherd’s face with a hand. Hugo whined softly in turn. “I know you’re a good boy.”

“I am a good boy.” Hugo nodded quickly, his jaws clicking against each other as his muzzle bopped up and down quickly making Logan feel uncomfortable with how close that muzzle was to his groin when he did that.

“Yes. Yes you are…” Logan continued to pet over the canine. “We just need… I just need,” Logan corrected himself. “I need to know where he is.”

“W-who?” Hugo whimpered, eyes going wide as he tried to… please? Logan. It was hard to say and the human was left a bit confused about the matter. “Who do you want to know?” The canine inched closer, asking again. “Who?”

Mikahil.

“Police Chief Bernard…” Logan said. “We need to know where he is… where the next Market is being held.” The canine hesitated; ears folding back as he looked away from Logan’s face. “Please, Hugo.” The human tapped his muzzle, turning it so it faced him once more. “Please, for me. Don’t you want to be my good boy…?”

The canine whimpered at that.

“It’s tomorrow.” Hugo just answered, closing his eyes. “That’s all I really know! The police chief doesn’t tell me anything else.” He shook his head, whining as if afraid Logan was going to strike him.

Logan looked over at the boxer with a frown, still holding Hugo’s face.

The market was to be held tomorrow, during Thanksgiving. A mockery of both the holiday as well as the Equality bill the mayor had put through. It was a mockery of everything this city stood for or tried to stand for and was exactly why the criminal underbelly wanted to drag the date through the mud. To mark it in the history books as the dark, bloody day it always was.  

“What now?” Logan mouthed to Clem who just frowned.

“I’m sorry, Logan. I let you down…” Clem said, rubbing his arm and looking away. Logan was sure, to some extent; the boxer had wanted to be praised for doing something just as Hugo had wanted too.

Dogs were strange creatures and something Logan could never fully figure out.

“I know where it is.” A gruff voice spoke up from the door Clem had forgotten to lock.

Three heads turned to look at the blood hound in the doorway. Copper walked in, shutting it behind him and raising his hands up as if he were under arrest.

“Copper?” Clem asked in disbelief. They were all back together, like at the start of all this. The four officers on the case.

“Why would you help us…?” Logan asked suspicious of the bloodhound suddenly just showing up. Maybe he was here because of the scene Logan had made. Everyone in the bar had noticed and Hugo and Copper hung out just as often as Clem and Logan did.

“The chief is in way over his head. He plans to do… something, we can’t just take back. This isn’t going to help canines grow closer to humans,” Copper shook his head as he lowered his hands and walked further into the room. “He wants to remove all… connection, humans have to others. So there are only dogs…”

“Like during the war.” Logan frowned, shaking his head and rubbing his temple. Other than house cats and dogs, there were very few who sided with humans during the civil war a couple centuries ago. “Right, of course.” In a sick way, it seemed to make some sense.

Why Hugo was so willing to help them, craving his approval. Why Bernard was doing what he was and even why Copper had shown up. Dogs were an inseparable part of humanities history and would always be there, one way or another.

 “He’s going to get himself killed.” Logan just stated getting the three to look at him. “He doesn’t understand the extent they’re willing to go. What that place is!” He snapped at the bloodhound as if he were somehow to blame for this.

Logan was breathing heavy, eyes wide and he quickly pulled back, collecting himself as he covered his mouth.

“Logan…” Clem was the one to speak first.

….

….

“Logan.”

The human struggled against the jaguar’s paw over his mouth.

“Logan, shush.” Bosch hissed into his ear as he held the human. “Not yet. Not here…” He hissed into his ear. “You have to see this. If you’re going to help me take them down… You need to know what happens here.”

Logan could only look out of the locker the two had stowed away in. He couldn’t trust Bosch. The jaguar was clearly after something. He just wasn’t sure what, yet as the feline pressed against his back in the tight fitting meat locker the two had stowed away in.

They had been making their way further inside these tunnels. Hoping to avoid the tiger or, maybe, take him by surprise. Only for the two to find themselves hiding away for dear life. If Bosch was found with one of the meats, he’d be killed or worse. He’d be on the chopping block.

And the two could only watch as someone, struggling, with a brown burlap sack over their face was brought into the room. This room. When Logan had walked in, he hadn’t expect to find a place like this here.

It might as well have been an entirely different building. As if someone had plucked the room out and placed it here, underground amongst these tunnels. There were metal tables and wooden slabs, dripping with something Logan knew to be blood without having to be told such. There was a horrible stench in the air. A smell of rotting… something mixed with an overwhelming stench of iron with it.

The person, whoever they were, was brought into the room. Shoved against the table and forced, face flat, against the wooden cutting board on it. They kicked and struggled but couldn’t do much more as their muffled screams were lost on the two predators holding them down. One was a shirtless, gray skinned kimono dragon and the other was a light golden colored jackal, Logan figured them to be.

It was the last person, who walked into the room, that made him want to jump out of the locker and pull out his gun.

An orange furred tiger with black stripes and white markings came into the room. By far the youngest person there, the tiger was carrying a simple black briefcase as if he were arriving for a presentation at work.

Mikhail set it down carefully on a nearby table, clicking open the golden locks before lifting up the lid to look inside. It didn’t take long for Logan to figure out what was inside. The tiger pulled out a meat cleaver that was larger than Logan’s head and a pairing knife, soon followed up with a curved blade Logan would only later known to be called a “skinning” knife.

The tiger setting each down on the table meticulously as if these instruments of death were some kind of beloved family members.

Snapping on a pair of white gloves, the tiger turned towards the man on the table seemingly forgetting the other two were even there.

“Shall we begin?” Mikhail asked to no one in particular as he reached for the first knife…

The human’s face drained of blood as Logan watched, wide eyed as his ex walked over to the table and…

…

…

“Logan.” Clem said once more, startling the human.

“They’re going to skin her.” Logan just said, his face blanking as he said the words just loud enough for the three canines to hear him. “They’re going to cut her up and sell her… piece by piece… to the highest bidder.” Logan covered his mouth, closing his eyes. “Unless we stop them…”

Because he knew who the butcher was.

The Butcher of Seattle…

“W-what!” Hugo yipped loudly, jumping to his feet and looking at Logan. “No. No, no, no! Bernard, Chief… chief Bernard said she’d be rescued! We’re staging a… he said we were going to get the police… and we were going too…” The German Shepherd looked at his colleague. The blood hound just shook his head once. “Oh…” Was all Hugo could say before crumbling to the ground.

He was a pitiful mess and, under any other situation, Logan would’ve felt bad for him.

“We need to stop this.” Logan just stated. It wasn’t a question.

“We’re going to need a small army to do so.” Clem pointed out with a frown. “The place will be crawling with guards. How do you expect us to, what, slip inside?”

“Simple.” Logan pulled out his phone and turned it around for the boxer to see. “We already got an army.” He said matter-of-factly as the boxer looked over his last text from Barreth. “I got a contact on the inside, anyways.” Logan didn’t elaborate as he tapped away on the device for a couple of minutes as the other three just stood there.

The human stashed his phone away as if it were a sidearm and pressed his fingers together, thinking it over. He began to pace before them.

“Police chief Bernard is doing this to get the predators to be the main focus again. To highlight them as the criminals he thinks they are and to, basically, unite everyone else against them while, at the same time, brown nosing humans.” Logan just said stopping to look at the three.

Copper nodded and Logan went on, continuing his pacing.

“In order to do that he needs to get rid of the mayor and her Equality Initiative bill.” Once more Logan stopped to get confirmation before continuing. “Thus he sided with The Pride in order to kidnap her and… sell her, at the market.” He frowned. “Making a deal with the devil…”

“Chief said it was for the greater good.” The bloodhound drolly replied as if trying to defend their captain and at the same time just offering a weak defense in his name.

Logan shook his head, though. “I know why he’s doing it. Stanley and Bernard were… best friends,” and Logan stopped to look at Clem. The boxer just quirked his head to the side before Logan continued, not wanting to think the dark thoughts behind it.

If something happened to Clem…

“Bernard couldn’t handle it. Stanley… Stan wanted to unite everyone, together, against criminals. Human? Dog? Wolf? Lion? It didn’t matter. ‘A criminal’s a criminal, Logan. Don’t matter what kind he is. A criminal is his own species.’” Logan said the end part putting on a very good impression of their former deceased captain. “He was my mentor, too…” The human paused. “I miss him…”  

“He was one of the good ones…” Clem agreed, nodding once and the four of them held a moment of silence for their deceased captain. In a way, it made sense to the four there why Bernard had done what he had done.

“When the former police chief, Stanley Briggs, was killed on duty… Bernard lost it.” Copper brought up, talking to the other two dogs before looking at Logan. “He… we. Dogs. Us. We can’t… handle, loss. Well…” Copper frowned or at least Logan thought he was, it was hard to tell. He always kind of just had a sad look on his rusty brown fur face. “He blamed the gangs. The wolves, mostly, for their turf war that had cost Stan his life.”

“And he was able to take revenge on them. Singling out wolves for the police to focus on… until the Equality Initiative bill was passed, right. Right.” Logan nodded thinking it over and connecting the dots, lining it up in his head. It was nice, for a change, to bounce thoughts and ideas off another instead of going solo.

Logan was so used to being alone he wasn’t sure how to deal with the past couple of months. Having the same people around, the same guy, Clem, watching his back like this… It was nice. He understood why Bernard had lost it, grieving in his own way.

“How do the lions fit into all this, though?” Clem was the one to ask, scratching the back of his head as he tried to keep up. “We, the police, got enough shit to deal with without these felines coming in.”

“The lions, The Pride or formally known as the Kincaid family, had a deal with the wolves or the Elysssium pack when Bale, their former Alpha, was in charge.” Logan just laid out quickly to make sure they all were on the same page. “They had a deal to ship things through the docks, getting a sixty forty cut if my sources are to be believed.” Logan just laid it out, wishing he had a white board to write on. “One sec…”

Logan would normally go over all this in their undercover surveillance van. In a way, Logan was the pack leader of the four of them when they were working together. Instead the four of them were in a strip club that catered to mostly BDSM fetishes.

So, Logan used what he had to go with.

Taking a dildo off the wall, he laid it down as a marker on the floor. Quickly following it up with whips, chains, pup masks, straps and a collection of lube to represent the different factions within the city.

“Ok, we’re these guys here.” Logan just said completely professional about it all as he placed anal beads on the ground.

“Nice.” Hugo nodded and the other three ignored him as they crouched down around it.

“We were assigned to tail after a lion by the name of Sloan Kincaid, the eldest son of the Kincaid direct line within the family.” Logan tapped a barbed dildo that looked like a lion’s slong to indicate Sloan. “He turned up clean,” Logan mostly lied about it to cover Sloan’s tracks for the other officers. “From him, however, we learned about The Pride’s movements and what happened after.” Logan motioned towards several rubber test markers to see if a costumer liked the firmness of the dildo or not; these usually were sent in the mail as a test before buying.

Each one represented a key location that had been attacked by The Pride.

“They hit the wolf bars.” Clem nodded catching on.

“Right. They hit all the wolf spots because the semi-current Alpha, Vicky, lost her marbles and sold out her own for… who knows why.” Logan shrugged it off, not really caring. There didn’t need to be a reason for everything even if he knew it was due to the loss of her previous lover, Diamond, and that she blamed the wolves for her death.

Some details didn’t need to be said. They only got in the way of things when you needed to pull the trigger...

Logan knew though. He knew about loss and what it did to people. Like what it did to Police Chief Bernard. Like what it did to Vicky. What it did to Sloan and what… what it did to him...

“The wolves are regrouping as we speak,” Clem helpfully jumped in. They had changed up the map and decided not to directly show where they were at not wanting the other two dog’s to find out about Reese’s dog house.

“Already? Damn, they work fast.” Hugo rubbed his chin. “I was kind of hoping they’d all just bite the big one, you know?” The German Shepherd shrugged. “You know. Without an Alpha anymore.”

Logan and Clem grimaced at that though neither said anything.

Wolves and dogs had a bloody history and it wasn’t a subject either of them wanted to touch on right now. They couldn’t divert their focus away from saving the mayor of the city.

“Where is the Market taking place, this time?” Logan asked, holding up a rather large equidae dildo that put them all to shame.

Copper tapped on the imaginary map in the middle of everything.

“Along the waterfront, there is an old abandon warehouse, it used to be a cheesecake factory but is mostly used as a spot for illegal fighting nowadays… that is being used, currently, by those who run the Market. Police chief… Bernard, found out about it through some contacts. It’s where he’s been meeting up with… and where we’ll find him.” Copper nodded once more. “And find the mayor.”

“A cheesecake factory, seriously?” Clem frowned before barking a laugh. “What?”

“It must have a plaza or stage to showcase the goods…” Logan frowned, thinking it over in his head. He had to mentally pull up a map of the city to find where Copper was talking about. “That’s near Bellevue… right?”

“Old Bell baking factory, yeah.” Copper nodded. “You know the place?”

Logan only frowned at that. “I had a… date there, once.” The human stood up, pulling out his phone and making a quick phone call. “Hey, Bosch. It’s me. I found the next spot.” Logan moved away from the others, even if he figured they could hear the jaguar on the other end. “No. No I don’t think you should come. You’re injured!” Logan grumbled before hanging up and rubbing his nose.

“What?” Clem was the one to ask.

“We’re going to be getting a few more members for this,” Logan just grumbled as he began tapping away on his phone. “We’re going to need a team for this or we won’t be able to extract the mayor, safely. And our own hides while we’re at it…” Logan lifted the phone up as another call went through. “It’s me.”

The other line was silent.

“Vinnie, you there? I found the spot.” Logan said, glancing back at the others. The three dogs were playing with the dildos and the human just rolled his eyes as he focused on the line.

Vinnie Westco had been one of his contacts since the two had been in high school. Each of them were keeping their ear close to the ground in hopes of finding some kind of trace of their… old, striped friend.

“Vinnie? You there? I can hear you breathing…” Logan wasn’t in the mood for one of the black rats sick games.  

“Sorry,” a voice purred from the other line. “Vincent can’t come to the phone right now.” Logan could feel his blood run cold. “Logan. It’s been a while.” The tiger voice was as smooth as ever. Like warm honey on a summer day. Logan hated how it made him feel.

“Milo…” Logan took a couple steps away from the others, trying not to be too obvious about it. “What did you do to Vinnie? Where is he!” Logan ended up yelling at the end getting the other three canines attention.

“Now, now. Logan. It sounds like you know exactly where we are…” Mikhail replied casually, inspecting his nails on the other line.

“I swear if you hurt him…” Logan clenched his fist wanting to punch something. Someone. Anything. He was shaking and was practically growling into the phone at this point.

The tiger just chuffed a laugh.

“Ah, there you are.” Mikhail said as if Logan had just picked up the line. “I miss this. That side of you. You always were so… emotional.” The tiger purred. “I love it. Others don’t know about this side of you, like I do…”

“Milo!” Logan warned loudly.

“You can fool the others, but I know. I know who you really are. What you really are.” Mikhail chuckled lightly. “You pretend to be on their side. Pretend as you dress up in your cute little blue uniform. A police officer by day? A detective at night? What, like some kind of crime fighting hero?” The tiger teased. “We’re not kids anymore. You know, the world is far more… interesting, than playing hero.”

Logan took a steady breath, exhaling before calming down. He hated how he made him feel… how Mikhail made Logan feel like they were back in high school again. Together. That voce stirred things, memories and feelings inside Logan would’ve rather lock away and throw into Lake Washington.

“I want to talk to Vinnie.” Logan just said with a deadpan tone and face.

“Sorry, Vincent can’t come to the phone right now.” The tiger chuffed. “I have a lot of work to prepare for. TO get ready for. The holiday is tomorrow. Just like in the old days, huh, Logan? Coming over for Thanksgiving… The things I want to show you. Once you see what this side has to offer, I know you. I know you’ll be interested in what I have to show you. To teach you.”

“Milo, I swear if you do anything to him…” Logan gritted his teeth.

“Good.” The tiger only answered with. “And here I thought you had forgotten about me…” The tiger words though dripped with amusement. “As if you could forget me.” Mikhail answered for the human. “The wolves? The lions? The police? None of those things matter. And you know it.”

Logan couldn’t answer him.

“How many? How many have you screwed and fucked and lied too to get here? How many are you going to trick and play into coming here tomorrow night? How many people have to die… all so you can get your hands on me, again?” The tiger might’ve sound amused but Logan knew better. He knew Mikhail too well.

Milo was proud of him. Proud of everything Logan had done and been doing. Proud this human was still thinking of him. Still going this far to get his hands on him.

“You can pretend all you want. That this? All of this is for the mayor. To save people! To stop a gang war from happening in the city. You can lie to your friends! Your colleagues! But you can’t lie to family…” Mikhail finished with. “You can’t lie to me, Logan.”

“You aren’t’… my family.” Logan spat the words out.

“Then why did you take my ring?” The tiger only asked. “Why were you going to take my last name?”

“That was before-,” Logan gritted his teeth, getting heated up again. The tiger was playing with him, he knew it.

That was why, after all these years… Mikhail had left him to do as he pleased. The tiger wouldn’t kill him. The tiger wouldn’t lock him away in a cage. He’d watch Logan. Stalk him like the prey he was for the jungle cat. Not to sate his hunger but his… curiosity. His interest in the human. To see just how far Logan would go to find him.

Always thinking of him.

Marked by him.

Cursed by him to never get a single decent night sleep again. To never forget what he had done to him. For all the things the tiger had stolen from the human and how many things he would in the future.

Logan held back, biting his finger not to just curse the tiger out. It would do no good. Nothing Logan could do, in that moment, matter. The tiger had won, again. He’d taken someone from him and all Logan could do was wait… wait to receive a care package in the mail, no matter where he moved too, Mikhail always ended up finding him. Finding him to send him one of the tiger’s “gifts.”

The phone was snatched out of his hands before Logan could stop the boxer. Clem coming on over to take away the device.

“I don’t know who the fuck this is,” Clem snarled into the phone. “But fuck off!”

There was a moment pause on the other end.

“And who is this?” They asked and the boxer just gave a look at Logan.

“Like you need to know.” Clem spat back.

“Let’s see… Logan usually hung out with that bottom bitch, the boxer from the police force… I assume this is Clementine, then?” The tiger just put together quickly enough. “My, my. You and Logan sure have grown a lot closer than I thought…” The tiger voice was empty of emotion and, if Clem knew what was good for him, he’d have hung up the phone on the spot.

“Wouldn’t you like to know ya’ sick fuck.” Clem just spat back, wishing he could trace the call. He looked at the other two dogs as if expecting them too.

“Don’t bother.” Logan just said, with a shake of his head. “I’ve tried to trace them. It never works…” The human reached back to touch his back, holding the spot for a moment. “No matter what I do… it doesn’t ever seem to be enough. No matter how much I end up hurting myself… I can’t stop him.” The human voice was shaky, a shallow of a breath that Clem had to strain to hear.

“Thank you, Clementine.” The voice said from the other line. “I wasn’t sure whom to go after next. You see, Logan has a habit of abandoning those who get close to him… it makes it hard to figure out who needs to go.” The tiger let out a single chuff of breath in a haughty laugh. “You, on the other hand, made it so easy it’s almost not even… fun.”

Then the other line cut off and that was the end of it.

The dial tone sounded in the silent room before Clem turned the phone off. His arm fell limp at his side as he thought it over.

“Logan.” Clem started with.

“I should go. This was a bad idea. I got too happy. Too comfortable! It’s my fault, I can’t let you or Alan or anyone get hurt because of me.” Logan voice was shaky and he looked towards the door as if planning to make a run from it.

“Logan!” Clem barked, stopping the human and getting him to look at him. “Is he… was he, the one, who gave you those scars?” The boxer face fell as he looked at the human.

Logan took a second on that as he just stared at the boxer, unsure what to say to that. He wasn’t sure when Clem, or the other two, had seen his scars. He was usually so good at hiding them. No one knew. None of his lovers had known and now he, this dog, knew. Logan didn’t need to tell him or confess some great sin.

Clem had known this entire time…

Logan silence was enough of an answer as Clem handed him back his phone. Logan took it tentatively as if afraid Mikhail was going to call him back. Before he could think of what to say, how to fix this, how to bury the pain away and put the mask back on… Clem had embraced him in a hug.

The boxer’s arms flexed around him as Clem pushed Logan’s head against his shoulder as he held the smaller man in his arms.

“Clem, I’m fine.” Logan just forced out, trying to weakly push the boxer away.

“I know.” Clem just said softly.

“I’m fine.” Logan reached up to grip at the boxer’s shirt as if planning to push him away. His fingers gripped him so tightly it would’ve hurt anyone else.  

“I know.” Clem repeated himself as he rested his muzzled face against the human’s own.

“I’m… fine…” Logan just closed his eyes, gritted his teeth.

“I know.” Clem rubbed the back of his head. “I know, Logan. I know you’re strong. You don’t need anyone. You’re capable and smart and able to take care of yourself…” Clem said, the very words he had told Reese so many, many, many years ago. “But it’s okay, you know… to rely on others. To need someone, at times. If only a friend.”

“I’m fine…” Logan managed to choke out.

“It’s going to be okay… I promise.” And Clem held him as Logan grip tightened on the boxer before breaking down, nearly collapsing to his knees as it all came pouring out there and then, in the back room of Collars N’ Chains.

As Clementine held the human in his arms as they ready themselves for tomorrow and what it would mean for them.

For the city.

And, maybe, most importantly… what tomorrow would mean for Logan, Clementine’s partner.

And if they could possibly recover from what was about to happen.