It had warmed up considerably since that morning. The sun relentlessly beat down onto the concrete below it, and Blake was beginning to feel the effects. After all, Blake was an arctic fox, a winter mammal. And as much as he loved the summer, the heat would always get to him. He tried his best to avoid the sun's rays by walking in the shade cast by the tall buildings. As the sun rose higher into the sky as the day rolled on, shade was becoming scarce. He had ended up removing his hoodie and tying around his waist. It cooled him down, but it didn't stop it from being unseasonably warm that afternoon.
The police station came into view after twenty minutes of walking. Blake sighed in relief, he could already feel his car's air conditioner cooling him off. Once past the gate, Blake began the search for his vehicle. The lot wasn't particularly full, so it was no challenge to spot his little black hatchback amongst the other impounded cars. His car was easily in the best condition, since the others were either mangled from being in a wreck, or were just poorly maintained. Blake pressed a button on his remote starter and the car responded by unlocking its doors. He pressed another and the car started.
The vehicle was just as he had left it. He got behind the wheel and buckled his seat belt. He waved at the employee at the gate as he passed through and onto the street. After driving down the busy city streets for a couple minutes, Blake remembered what he had to do next. He was requested by Chief Maxwell at his place at 1059 Bell Crescent. Blake did not know the occasion, but he was asked to remove the Chief's contact from his phone afterwards. Already having did so, Blake quickly input the address into his phone's Maps application and followed the route laid out for him.
The GPS took him to nicer part of town. A part where many upscale townhouses were built and being built. The oldest building in the development couldn't be older than five years. As he navigated the winding streets, he had remembered coming here as a teen, especially during his senior year of high school. He would walk the newly paved streets in the early hours of the morning and just think. Whether it be about an upcoming test or exam, or just to get some fresh air, the forever under construction neighborhood of Arbor was where he would go. He hadn't visited since he started attending college, and seeing it just about done was a surreal experience for Blake.
Blake observed the house numbers, looking for the one he needed. After a few minutes of driving, he was rewarded with the house number he was looking for: number 1059. Blake pulled his car over to the curb and cut the engine. Blake left his vehicle and began walking up the stone pathway through the front yard to the door. He observed that the shades were drawn in every window he could see. When he reached the door, he slowly lifted his paw to the knocker on the door. He knocked twice.
A few seconds passed before he could hear movement inside the townhouse. He listened as the steps grew louder as they approached the door. The door opened a smidge, emitting a slow creak as it did. The door hung open for a few seconds as a single, unblinking eye stared at him through the crack. In an instant, an arm shot out of the crack and grabbed Blake's shoulder. Blake's eyes widened, and he let out a little yelp as he was pulled into the townhouse. The door closed behind him with a thud.
Blake took a few seconds to gather his bearings as the mammal who yanked him in backed up. The house was nicely decorated and nearly spotless. Chief Maxwell looked down at Blake as he stood in front of the door, taking in his surroundings.
"You made it, good," said Maxwell. Blake groaned.
"Yeah. Did you have to pull me in like that, though?" Blake replied, rubbing his shoulder. Maxwell's expression remained unchanged.
"Yes. I don't want anyone to know that you came here. I sent my wife out to run some errands, and the kids are at school, so this is the perfect time for us to talk. I don't know when she'll be back so we need to make this quick," Maxwell rambled.
"Okay, so tell me, what's going on? Why did you ask me to delete your number like that? Why the cryptic messages?" Blake asked, crossing his arms. Maxwell waved an arm and disappeared into his living room. Blake followed. Maxwell took a seat on the leftmost side of the couch, Blake took the other.
"I sent the messages that way and I made you delete the number because I didn't want it anyone to know you had contact with me if your phone were to ever go missing," said Maxwell. Blake raised an eyebrow, confused. He lifted his phone from his pocket and stared for a few seconds before returning to Maxwell.
"Okay? Who's gonna care that I have your number? What does that have to do with anything?" Blake asked. Maxwell sighed. He leaned in toward Blake, Blake leaning back reflexively.
"I've been sacked," Maxwell said quickly. It took a few seconds to register, and when it did, Blake didn't believe him. Blake asked Maxwell to repeat himself, and he did. It was clear that Blake did, in fact, hear him correctly. Maxwell had been removed from his position as Chief of Police.
"What? How? Who?" Blake asked all at once. Maxwell lifted a finger and hushed him up instantly.
"I was approached by one of the suits in my office today. I was handed a paper that essentially stated that I was to be replaced as Chief of Police and that there were to be some changes made," Maxwell explained. Blake stared at Maxwell for a few seconds, mouth agape in silent shock.
"They're onto us, aren't they," Blake said dejectedly. Maxwell stared at the ground. He recalled that he had just recently shared his theory about the Night Howler attacks with him.
"Not onto us, onto me," Maxwell replied. Blake raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Why just you?" Blake asked.
"I must have spent a little too much time on the internet looking around for anything that might help. That's probably why they wanted to see me gone. However, when I was preparing to leave, I wiped the computer of anything regarding you. As for the physical documents," Maxwell reached onto the side table and handed Blake a folder with his name and photo glued to the front. "They're gone as well," Maxwell tossed Blake a book of matches.
"What do you mean?" Blake asked. Maxwell smiled.
"They have no way of knowing that you were ever there. My guess is that they thought I was getting close to solving the case on my own. Since they don't know you're there, you can keep working on this on your own, and in addition, you won't have the co-op to worry about."
"So I can work on the case by myself, pretty much?" Blake asked. Maxwell nodded. Blake's expression lifted. "Even better, exams finish next week, so I'll have even more time to work on it after then,"
"Yes, excellent. Now, we need to get rid of this folder. Come with me to the backyard." Blake and Maxwell both rose from the couch, and Blake followed Maxwell through the townhouse and into the backyard. On the patio bricks, Maxwell gave Blake the OK. Blake tossed the folder onto the bricks. He then took a match from the box and struck it. He dropped the match onto the folder and watched as it was slowly but surely consumed by flame.
"As of now, you have never been to the Department, and you will never return." Blake stared up at Maxwell as the last of the folder was turned to ash. Maxwell reached for the garden hose and sprayed the remains of the folder into the lawn. "Remember, you can no longer contact Nick or Judy. You work alone. If I need to see you, I will call, but never save the number, and clear your calls after taking one from me. You're going to find out what's really going on here," Maxwell concluded.
The two mammals reentered the house and Maxwell walked Blake to the front door. They exchanged a glance before Blake left. He sprinted from the front door to his car and drove away as fast as he could. As he drove down the winding roads, Blake recollected what had just happened.
Okay, so Maxwell got sacked, I have no access to any police resources, including Nick and Judy. Whoever is behind this knows that Maxwell and I were onto them, and Maxwell paid the price. Not all bad, though. They don't know that I was in league with him, so while they think that their troubles are over, they're really only just beginning. Blake McInnes is still onto you, and now he has all the free time in the world to track you down and pay for what you've done.
Despite the sunny day, the light could not pierce the thick shades before the window. A mammal, a small one, sat at his oversized desk. There was minimal light in the room, so the mammal sat in shadow. The room was quiet, save for the occasional stirring to the mammal's left. The silence was disturbed by a knock on the door.
"It's open," said the mammal. Another mammal, a female, entered the room. From where he was sitting, the female could not be made out due to the bright lights from the hallway beyond the door.
"Maxwell has been taken care of, sir. He is no longer in charge of things over there," said the female voice.
"Good, but that's not what I care about. Maxwell was only half the problem," said the mammal as he glared over to his left. The light from the hallway beyond the door illuminated the corner slightly. The light cast the shadow of a beaver onto the wall behind him. "Was there anything on a 'Blake McInnes?'" the mammal asked. The female stuttered.
"No...sir, there was nothing about any 'Blake' at the station." The mammal growled. He hopped off his chair and gave a firm kick to the beaver's side. The beaver cried out.
"Why do you lie to me, Ryder? It doesn't improve your situation any." shouted the mammal.
"I swear he was working for him, sir. I swear it!" The mammal kicked Ryder again, causing Ryder to cry out once more.
"No, no, I've had enough of your lies." The mammal kicked Ryder a third time and spat on his shirt. "You sicken me." The mammal turned to the female in the doorway. "I want him out of my office." The female nodded and entered the room. She began to untie Ryder' chain; the chain that linked Ryder to the desk.
"Since this kid talks so much about him, maybe you could send him out to look for him," said the female, taking the chain in her paw. The mammal pondered for a moment before sprouting a toothy grin.
"Yes, perhaps that might be a good idea. He goes to find Blake, he brings Blake back to me, and then we can take care of him ourselves. It's brilliant." The mammal glared at Ryder, who cowered away from his stare. "Would you mind doing that for me? My opinion of you would greatly improve..." he said. Ryder nodded furiously.
"Yes! Yes, I can do this for you, sir, anything to please you," Ryder begged. The mammal flashed a wicked smile.
"Good." He turned to the female. "Take him to get cleaned up, then send him out with fresh gear." He turned back to Ryder. "You are to answer to her. What ever she wants you to do, you will do with no questions asked, is that understood?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Ryder replied weakly.
"Wonderful. Take him away, I wish not to see his face anymore, not until he returns with Blake."
Boy, am I glad I didn't promise an update schedule. -Prince