Chapter 5 – The offer
But, just before Wolf could even hope to say or come up with something to respond on Reds question about his real name, someone however had interrupted. "Looks like still the same snack stand, for all these years as usual. Is it not, Wolf?"
Wolf got totally stunned and taken aback suddenly by hearing that voice, and so Twitchy as well, the slightly deep monotone voice, which however was quite familiar to them both, during their previous story by their good old journalist reporting job and which they also had not heard for years since they both joined HEA. That voice.
"No. Could it be?" Wolf muttered awkwardly, looking to Twitchy and slowly turning around behind themselves in order to locate the source of the voice. "Frank?" Wolf murmured again.
They had looked behind themselves and saw the same guy from the stage and who was secretly tailing them, of strong and rather chubby figure wearing a light brown coat and dark brown press hat denying a joyful smile on them. And that was nobody else then publisher and editor Frank Barker of Once Upon A Time himself.
"It has been a long time, boys." The bulldog remarked modestly.
Wolf and Twitchy had been speechless with and astonishment only their mouths opened, but of course Red had mounted in to this as well and so the rest of the gang. "Hey, Wolf? Twitchy? What is going on here?" Red wondered.
"Who is that fellow?" Granny asked.
"I know." However, Nicky though chuckled a bit, like actually knowing or at least recognizing the bulldog.
Just right then Wolf, recuperated and waking from his daydreaming, stood up from the chair and eventually trailed out joyfully with a laugh. "Frank!"
"Hey there, old friend!" The bulldog replied joyfully with a laughing as well as both canines gave themselves a friendly tight hug each other, as meanwhile Red, Granny and Nicky were only staring in collective awe.
"So what, you old dog?" Wolf had asked in a very amused and joyous fashion, which by the way was quite rare from someone that stoic and rather blunt like Wolf himself, as both canines apparent old friends eventually parted. "Are you still overdoing this with coffee and donuts, or have you finally decided to lose some weight?"
Surprised and quite taken aback by his former employees response Frank then glanced upon his average-big noticeable paunch, scoffing with a hint of sarcasm yet not necessarily upset at all. "Chmm. Of course, Wolf. You are also so witty as always."
"And how else?" Wolf scoffed in response.
"Well, and where is your little partner, Twitchy?" Mr. Barker asked honestly.
"Mr Barker!" Twitchy squeaked joyfully and jumped from his chair.
"Twitchy!" The bulldog publisher replied joyfully as he shake his hand with the squirrels. "What is wrong with your voice, kid?" Frank asked quite astonished. "Have you actually finally reduced drinking caffeine or what?"
"Well…..Not quite, Mr. Barker" Twitchy remarked with his usual, chipmunk like, however yet calm, average-quick talking tone "Actually, I still drink a caffeine at times, but I am trying to drink more a coffee without a caffeine now as Wolf usually watches over me. Besides, I like some other drinks, like Martini."
Frank smiled for himself rolling his eyes a bit. "This is all you."
"Hey, boys!" Red right then called out by cutting both canines discussion short. "Can you just tell us what is going on here?"
Wolf paused for now by a realization. "Oh, right! Chm, where are my manners? Red, Granny, Nicky, allow me to introduce you Frank Barker. Frank those are my friends, Red Riding Hood, yet also more likely knows as Red, her Granny Puckett and Nicky Flippers."
"Good evening to you, ladies." Frank Barker replied happily yet taking his hat off his head to introduce and greet himself with the rest of the gang.
"Good evening." Red greeted the bulldog politely as well-mannered girl.
"Hello." Granny greeted politely as well.
"Evening." The bulldog replied by politely making the acquittance with both Red and Granny. "The pleasure is all my to meet Wolfs friends."
"Frank Barker." Nicky however and on the other hand then spoke off quite astounded by the bulldogs presence. "If it is not the publisher and editor of Once Upon A Time himself. What a surprise."
The bulldog shifted his attention to Mr. Flippers now. "Nicky Flippers? The famous private detective? What are you doing here?" The bulldog asked quite astonished by the frog detectives presence alike.
"Well, I am resting, drinking a good drink, hanging out and having a very good time with my friends here, you see Mr. Barker. Even a detective needs to take some rest at times." Nicky commented honestly.
"I see. Especially although your own reputation precedes you Mr. Flippers." The bulldog replied by getting the idea.
"Hey, wait Nicky..." Red interrupted suddenly the whole astonished. "Have you said the publisher and editor of…..?"
However Wolf jumped in the speech and completed with a proud tone. "That is right, Red. Frank Barker is the publisher and editor of Once Upon A Time, the biggest and the most read newspaper in the all Forest. And actually…..my and Twitchys former employer and ex-boss. Is that right, Twitch?"
"Yup." The squirrel squeaked joyously.
"Really?!" Red muttered quite astonished by hearing so.
"But do not tell us, Wolfie." Granny replied also astonished alike by hearing about Wolfs and Twitchys former boss.
"Wolfie?" Mr. Barker murmured quite by surprised and awe, unable to chuckle a bit by haring rather hilarious nickname. "Is that a new one?"
"Chmm. Thanks very much Grann." Wolf replied sarcastically and little bit embarrassed about rather quirky nickname Granny used against him.
"Ehm, is there any place free here to sit?" Frank by clearing his thoughts asked by checking out all although all occupied chairs at the bar he could sit to.
"Of course, Frank." Wolf commented and turned on his little squirrel friend. "Ehm, Twitchy? Would you mind….."
"No prob!" Twitchy exclaimed without a second though and swiftly jumping right on the bar.
"Thanks." The bulldog thanked modestly, sitting down as Wolf also sat down beside him.
"Would you like some drink, Frank?" Wolf offered hospitably.
"No, thanks." Bulldog refused honestly "I have been drinking a lot of coffee lately and actually this morning anyway."
"Chmmm." Twitchy stammered softly by the mention of caffeine.
"So, whats up?" Frank started. "How are you still doing, boys?"
Wolf and Twitchy looked at each other and they replied. "Well..." Wolf started. "We are doing…..great. You know, we are settled down, having a new great and quite exciting job, having a lot good friends, and especially, we are trying to do our bests. Right, Twitch?" Wolf completed modestly and turning to Twitchy now.
"Yeah. We are both fine. Though, not always the things are going in our expectations and it is not easy, we are doing our bests." Twitchy confirmed.
However, Wolf nudged his little squirrel friend a bit. "Chm. I will take it as a compliment, little buddy." Wolf remarked softly yet also with an undercurrent of sarcasm vocally present in canines voice.
"Well..." Mr. Barker went on. "I have also seen that whole basketball match, between you and that girl...ehm...?" Quite unsure dog turned to Red. "I am sorry, kid. How have you just said it is your name again, please?"
"Red Riding Hood, Mr." Red replied modestly. "But friends just call me Red, because of the red hood I am wearing."
"Alright." The Bulldog stated in agreement by getting the nae right. "I have seen that performance, which you and Red played. And I must say, that the way you played, was really awesome. It is just bad, that the wrong calculations and timing have just ruined your possible victory by that great stunt of yours. But still, it had been a great show, really worth to watch anyway, Wolf. I suppose even Los Angeles Lakers would be more than impressed by your effort."
"Echchm." Wolf chuckled and muttered both charmed and embarrassed alike. "Thanks, Franks. It is just as I said, I am just trying to do my best by moving on with my life."
Red, Granny and Nicky were watching and listening the conversation with an arousing interest. "They look like a longtime and very good old friend, do not they?" Red asked whispering over Granny.
"It looks like this way." Granny agreed nodding her head in agreement.
"They actually are." Nicky stated with an honest smile. "Wolf and Twitchy have been working for Mr. Barker and Once Upon A Time as reporters for over ten years, actually."
"That is quite a respectable time." Granny added.
"Hmm." Red however murmured, her voice slightly filled with a mild suspicion. "I rather wonder, what is Mr. Frank Barker doing here out of the sudden, and what does he mean with Wolf and Twitchy anyway?"
"Well?" Wolf and Twitchy continued the conversation with their former employer and ex-boss as well as old friend in the same time. "And what about you, old dog? How are you doing? How are things back in Once Upon A Time anyway?"
"Yeah." Now Twitchy asked again, curious and excited. "What about Winnie, Becky and the others?"
However, the honest smile on the bulldogs face suddenly vanished along with a happy expression as Frank released a quite deep sigh."Chmm. It is too bad, that the same, like about you two, I just cant exactly say about myself and the others back in Once Upon A Time, boys."
Wolfs and Twitchys honest smiles with a sudden surprise and awe vanished as well and they both stare at Frank quite in shock by hearing the bulldog out. "Say what?"
Red, Granny and Nicky had straightened up in their seats. "What is wrong?" Red asked.
Frank had sighed again, paused for a while and then he started. "We had been having a several serious problems lately. Once Upon A Time fall in to the hard times. Since you, guys left, the things had never been the same as there had not been a lot of occasions for some great stories, significant or special events, impressive pictures, simply nothing extra what would be worth to place on the Front Page."
"Go on." Wolf prompted bulldog to go on patiently, still a bit wondering.
"Also because of that, unfortunately our budget had not been exactly doing very well too: very little incomes and very lots of expenditures for last seven years. For that while, we also had been losing on popularity and we forced our employees to work for drastically declined salary. Plus many of them had even quit and retired because of that." Mr. Barker continued.
More and more he had been confessing, the more Wolf and Twitchy were taking in, and Red, Granny and Nicky straightening up. "And like it would not get any worse, there even had came in such situation, that if we sooner or later, well, in fact better as soon as possible, do not do something about that mess, the newspaper will be sold and we all will get jobless." Bulldog completed depressed.
Wolf and Twitchy now absolutely wondered and surprised both widened their eyes open in almost sort of terror. "What?!" They both jerked out, like they saw a ghost or what.
"Yeah. I am afraid it is so" Frank sighed sadly.
"Really?" Now Mr. Flippers stated, his voice sounded quite concerned. "Well, I have myself heard, that you guys in redaction had some problems and issues, about your legitimation, but I had not thought it would be this bad."
"It is terrible." Red stated now, slightly horrified by hearing the news.
"How unfortunate, Mr. Barker." Granny murmured with a regret.
Though, for a while depressed bulldog brightened up a little bit. "However, you know what they say – while there is life, there is hope. And…..we have just obtained a promising info a few days ago, from the secret intelligence services itself, which might be a real blockbuster on the Front Page of the year as well as our only hope to save Once Upon A Time."
"Secret intelligence services?" Red whispered curiously to Granny and Nicky, who also got an interest about that.
"What is it all about Frank?" Wolf asked curiously as well, wondering what it might be.
Frank paused for a few moments, and then he spoke up with the quite exciting tone. "It is about Jack Frost and his business activities and motives."
"Jack Frost?!" Everybody, Wolf, Twitchy, Red, Granny along with Nicky exclaimed collectively out astonished.
"That is right." The dog replied convincing everybody to hear that right. "Jack Frost, you guys."
"Wow! Jack Frost! Really?" Wolf stated quite in astonishment. "That billionaire and the internationally respected businessman and philanthropist, the founder and head of his own so called Frost International Corporation company? Yeah, a great and charismatic guy with huge ecological activities from what I have heard. He along with that company also makes a regenerative and ecological activities all around the globe, such a….such a…. the fight against the climate change and preventing the pollution of the environment, conservation, the conservation and careful use of energy, the waste recycling and especially the fight against and preventing the Global Warming."
"Looks like you are still well informed as ever, Wolf." Mr. Barker stated after a moment of quite astonishment as well as still admitting his respect for Wolfs resourcefulness and being well informed.
"Wolf is apparently right about this." Now Nicky stated as the news also attracted frog detectives attention. "However, Jack Frost had also been the greatest villain of Scott Calvin, alias Santa Clause. Being the legendary figure, responsible for snow, ice and cold weather. The guy who was extremely jealous of Santa, because of his popularity with the little children, and so he goes back in time to where Santa accidentally kills the original and puts on the coat and takes over the North Pole and makes it a shop and he actually wanted to overthrow Santa (Scott) and ruin the Christmas. The extremely evil man for freezing the girl's parents, or freezing Hawaii. He was referred to as deceitful and malicious which he refers to as skilful and delicious. He was able to get Santa to give up his role and take over the North Pole and reverse time."
"However…." Right then Red remarked intervening. "From what I have also heard, he also reverted to goodness later, when a warm hug of Lucy transformed him in to the „good guy" and made him want more hugs. And because of that, he had wanted to redeem himself, clean up his name and reclaim his actions and deeds in the past. And that is exactly, why he established that his own international company as Wolf mentioned, which helps people and it is specialized and makes ecological activities and motives about all that good stuff for the good of the humanity."
"Apparently…..You are quite right, kid." Frank, although being quite astonished about Reds statement about Jack Frosts background which was apparently just right, the bulldog however didn't think anything much suspicious or odd about that at all.
"So, what about that Jack Frost, Mr. Barker?" Twitchy asked curiously.
"Yeah, Frank." Wolf now stated curiously as well "What is that all about?"
"Okay..." The publisher and editor started again a bit exciting. "The secret intelligence services, who has been investigating Frosts actual activities for the last six months have the reason for suspicious, doubts and think that precisely these motives are not completely clear, as they look like. They are convinced and suspicious that all these activities are only a camouflage of something else". He pronounced now a little bit coldly, cautiously and thrillingly, just like his secretary Becky Brant once.
Red, Granny, Nicky and especially Wolf and Twitchy were just sitting like chained and staring at bulldog publisher with quite a increasing wonder as well as suspicions alike, yet listening thoroughly by analysing every single detail. However, even Nicky, a skilled and famous private detective looked like especially intrigued by hearing out this kind of information.
Frank then reached deep inside of his coat and put some ripped part of the article with a photo out and showed it to Wolf, Twitchy and even Red, Granny and Nicky could see it better. "There is he. Jack Frost and Frost International Corporation is receiving an appreciation for his recent activities, actions and deeds in the area of regeneration and ecology in the last 5 years from the mayor of Frostkow himself."
Wolf and Twitchy looked and examined the picture on the article. Jack Frost was average tall slender man, blue crystal hair with the spikes like ice, blue crystal eyes as well, curved ears upward pointed almost like elf, cheerful and a bit mischievous smile in his face wearing light grey stripped business suit with a light blue shirt, dark blue tie and a flower on the left of the chest holding a appreciation on the picture in front of the huge entrance of Frost International Corporation.
However, on the picture besides big bull walrus mayor on the right, on the Frosts left side had also stood an emperor penguin. Just like Frost, the penguin was average tall, though slightly burly shaped, wearing also, but a very elegant black business suit, white shirt underneath, an emerald green tie like scarf and vest with golden buttons, relatively stuffed black pants and wearing emerald green shoves over his fin legs as well as holding an walking cane with a diamond handle on its top. Whoever the penguin was, he looked like a real gentleman with an supposed aristocratic background.
"Hmm. Who is that guy, Frank? That emperor penguin?" Wolf asked as he pointed his clawed index finger on the penguin on the photo with quite a point of an utter interest.
"Oh. That is so called Adrian Drake. Frosts longtime and trusted business partner." The bulldog replied.
"Adrian Drake? Hmm…..That name somewhat and sure sound quite familiar to me." Nicky murmured for himself, strangely and following his detective and deduction instincts, the frog detective just couldn't help but wonder, that emperor penguin and the name, like he would actually heard about that somewhere.
Frank continued in his conversation, playing Nickys concern no mind. "Well….Here is the simple task. We just need to send one of ours the best investigative reporters to investigate and discover the truth about Jack Frost and his plans. And if everything comes well and smoothly, it just wont be our only hope to save Once Upon A Time by restoring the newspapers reputation and credibility into its former glory, but as I had also mentioned, the greatest journalist blockbuster of the year."
"Yes?" Wolf stated simply, yet like still actually not having much idea where this all was getting at.
"However, the whole thing has a one problem. As I said, many of our best people indeed quit recently, including such reporters, photographs and investigators like Lois, Clark, Barney, James, Angy, Irene and Bill, they are all gone. And the rest of the employees, they usually do paper, deck and office stuff, but they are not skilled enough in journalism in order to do some investigations. We even tried to call them, trying to convince and ask them for help, but unfortunately, they all had refused." Frank now stated disappointed again.
"What?" Twitchy spoke up quite in shock again.
"How is that possible, that they just cant get up and do something about that?" Wolf asked growling with a slight outrage present in his voice also quite in shock.
"You know" Frank sighed in sympathy. "Because of all those events there, stress, the finance complications, resignation and deteriorating the situation lately, it had been quite enough a strain for them all, for both Winnie, Becky and actually me too. It was not a big wonder at all, yet we couldn't feel them that much bad for that. But at least we have tried that."
"Bummer, Frank. I am really sorry." Wolf murmured, feeling soryfull and sympathizing with his for his former boss and old friend.
"But, what then are you going to do, then?" Twitchy asked also feeling himself sorryful.
Frank had paused for a few moments again with his eyes closed, taking his glasses off before trailing out, with his voice tuning itself into a very serious and matter of fact one. "With this all mess, the lack of something extra on the Front Page, the money problem, our reputation and credibility tarnished along with the danger of selling the newspaper and many of our employees quit and resigned, I have just come up with the last and only possible alternative…...You two! You got to take that case, investigate and make this all clear, boys.
"WHAT?!" Both Wolf and Twitchy blurted out aloud in a collective awe and shock by hearing those words, not knowing how to respond or what to do momentarily, even Red, Granny along with Nicky looked like somewhat shocked and stunned about that.
"So wait a second, Frank…." Wolf muttered as the canine managed to get it together a little bit to focus on the matters at hand. "If we understood that correctly, do you actually want us..."
"To take that case and investigate the whole think?" Twitchy completed although still muttering slightly astonished about the news.
"Yes, you." Frank replied firmly yet his voice remained even. "Because, to investigate and reveal the truth about such person, as Jack Frost, the guy, who used to be once a bad guy and villain, but also very powerful, influential and significant man now, it will need something more, then only making interview, watching, investigating or making photos of average reporters. No. We need someone better! Much better!" Bulldog now stated aloud.
"And precisely you boys, you are those ones qualified enough to take this job. You are both honest, willing, intrepid, headstrong, adamant enough, with a heart on the right place, determined not to lose the track and get to the truth of all casts and firm to save the day, to take that job." The bulldog completed in a mild energetic manner.
Red, Granny, Nicky and especially Wolf and Twitchy still quite in shock just didn't know what to say or how to comprehend with a request Frank Bark just urged them. "Well...ehm…..Frank. This...this maybe nice of you that your are flattering and patronize to us that much. But, look…..we would like to comply as well as to help you out. But we don't know and are not sure about this."
"Yeah, we now have a new job, Mr Barker. We don't even know if it would be fitting with the rehire." Twitchy remarked also a bit uncertain.
"Boys." Frank started a little bit higher with an octave with his voice literally begging a bit. "You had been working at Once Upon A Time and being associates for the whole ten years, which is quite a long time, doing a good job at journalism, bringing me a story after story, photos after photos and we all had experienced so much, both good and bad alike yet you had never let us down. Come on, boys. You just cant let us down now. Just for this one more and last time…..Help us, please."
Watching and taking in thoroughly their former boss and old friends begging, Wolf and Twitchy doubtfully looked at each other like totally clueless and not sure what to do, yet right then they shifted back to Frank and right then again to face Red, Granny and Nicky who were only watching and listening the entire conversation still with an astonishment, also not knowing what to think about all this performance.
"Can you excuse us for a moment, Frank, please?" Wolf muttered in a rather offhanded and hesitant like tone.
"Um…..Okay." He replied rather uneasily, uncertain yet though the bulldog publisher deciding to give their former employees some space in order to think this entire thing over.
Wolf stood up from his seat as Twitchy jumped down from the bar as they both turned their attention to the rest of team: "Guys. We need to talk." The canine whispered cautiously.
"Agree. We got to." Nicky replied in a whisper yet like actually inwardly seeing that one coming.
"But not here." Now Red whispered, prompting everyone to discuss this somewhere else.
"Yeah. Lets talk over about this somewhere in the privacy." Granny suggested.
To be continued….