Chapter 56 - Waiting
"Sure. Let's go."
The two of them left, being waved off by Kyuu who was on door duty. The trip to the surface was silent, just the sounds of their footsteps.
Louis was a bit nervous but also...excited? They were doing a good thing, after all.
Roku slipped on his mask before opening the hatch to the surface, and Louis followed suit. They climbed up into the small yard and the horse set off quickly.
Louis quickly followed after him. "Slow down! My legs are shorter than yours."
Roku brought his finger to his mask in a 'shh' motion and continued, albeit a bit slower. Louis recalled the red line on the map and tried to visualize how it applied to them at the moment. He knew at one point they'd find a building that they would get to the roof of.
He continued to stay silent as they went along. Of course, he would much rather be home in bed naked with his beloved wolf than lay under a blanket with some stranger for ten hours.
Just like the way to the tower, the two kept to shadows and alleys, avoiding the carnivores that were out and about. In one particular alley, Roku pushed open a heavy metal door and stepped inside.
Louis followed, looking around.
The building was seemingly abandoned, with a thick layer of dust over the strewn around furniture. Their footsteps were loud on the old floorboards. Roku headed into a hallway, out of sight.
The buck moved behind him. "What is this place?"
"Abandoned," his voice sounded more gruff from behind the mask. "May be squatters in here, though. They probably won't bother us if there are."
This made Louis move faster. "Is this the building we're ascending from?"
"Yes. There's a roof access door a few floors up." Lo and behold, the first flight of stairs showed itself.
They began ascending and thanks to the aching from the previous training, Louis made small grunts. "I really need to get into shape..."
"You will. Ugh, I guess I really will have to jump across the gaps with you on my back, huh."
"I apologize...I can try to do it on my own..."
"Well, you'll take a look at the gaps yourself and determine that."
They reached the top floor and saw a pair of eyes poking out from a doorway in the hallway. It soon retreated back into the room once Roku and Louis stopped at the top of the stairs.
"Alright, just walk past the room and don't look in. Just keep looking forward."
Louis swallowed, keeping his hand on his satchel as he continued moving forward.
They moved forward briskly, a feeling of eyes on them as they passed the doorway, but then it was gone. They came to a door which opened out onto the cracked, concrete roof. A pleasant breeze blew across it as Roku stepped out.
Louis came out after him, looking around. "Jumping across roofs...This really is vigilante work..."
"Yep. It's what I was doing before all of this. So don't feel too bad when you see how good I am at it." Roku sauntered over to the edge of the building, peering down.
"As if," Louis chuckled, going to the edge and peering down. Then, his heart dropped. "Oh."
"Yeah, I probably should have told you not to look." Roku indicated the gap between the buildings, which was around 3 meters wide. "So how do you feel about this one?"
"Uh...Uh...No, I don't think I can..."
"Figured," Roku sighed and took his backpack off. He tossed it over the gap before presenting his back to the deer and crouching down. "Get on, kid."
Louis approached and mounted the horse, wrapping his legs around me. "Please be careful."
"Only if you remain as polite as you've been today," Roku chuckled. He walked over to the middle of the roof and then turned to the gap. "Hang on tighter."
The buck squeezed him. "Alright, I'm...ready."
The stallion took off in a flash, and Louis suddenly remembered all of the images of horse foot races he had seen in his life. It looked much faster on the back of one, however.
In one clean leap, Roku cleared the gap and landed with minimal impact. He leaned down and scooped the backpack up, handing it back to Louis. "Probably best if you just stay there. I was right, you weigh about nothing."
"Lucky us..." Louis mumbled. "Sorry, I know carrying someone you don't like isn't the best..."
"I'll live. Ichi gave me this job, after all." Roku set off, jogging across the new roof and jumping over a decidedly smaller gap.
Louis yelped, clutching tighter. "Sheesh!"
"What?" Roku didn't break his stride.
"Nothing! Just a little scary!"
"Wow! You've got a long way to go, bud." Another leap, this one the longest yet.
"Ha!"
"Oh, so now you're having fun?"
"It's...not so bad. I don't think."
A few more leaps and bounds and finally Roku stopped and let Louis down. He grabbed the backpack and plopped down with his back against an air unit. He peeled his mask off and dug into the bag for a bottle of water, which he greedily drank from.
Louis sat down, criss crossed, next to him and took off his own mask.
Roku held his arms out to indicate the space around them. "Welp, this is it! Hope you like this spot because we're hunkering down for a while. Food and drink in the backpack by the way. Just remember, like I said, there's no bathroom up here."
Louis nodded. "Yeah. I'll make sure not to annoy you or anything..."
The large animal grumbled and looked at the city below them. "Well, it might be nice talking with someone during this."
"I know but...I already fucked up enough."
"Forget it, kid. Stop stewing in it." Roku put his water bottle down and pointed down at a building below them. "That's what we're watching tonight. It's the back of that hyperdrug building, and it's where they'd be receiving any shipments."
"So what are we specifically watching for?"
"We're gonna see if their shipment tonight contains large crates. If they're shipping kids they'll be careful about it and have them covered. However..." Roku reached into his pack and pulled out a pair of high-tech looking binoculars. "This baby right here can pick up heat signatures."
"Where did you get that?"
"One of my toys from my vigilante days. Actually it's quite expensive so I shouldn't call it a toy..."
Louis grinned. "An expensive toy."
"Ugh, don't make it dirty." Roku set them back in the bag and pulled out a rolled up cushion. "Alright, time to set up. We'll lay on this so we're at least somewhat comfortable."
The buck blinked. "Dirty? What? No!"
"We're moving on. Also actually move because I have to set this thing down." Roku stood into a crouch and unfurled the cushion.
Louis crawled out of the way and watched him. "Anything you want me to do specifically?"
"Nope. You're just here for the learning experience." Once it was laid out, the horse went back into the backpack and pulled out a large, black blanket made of a thin material. "We're going to lay with this over us. It's the same material Hachi uses, and it can mask scent."
"Mask...scent?"
"Yeah. Makes it so carnivores can't smell us. Our outfits can do that, too."
"...Huh." He removed his satchel, setting it down and then pulling up the blanket, sliding under it and laying down.
Roku pulled the backpack in and set it between them before pulling the blanket up over his head so only his snout stuck out. "Alright then. Now we just wait for nightfall. And then we wait even more after that."
"And then we wait some more."
"Yep. So if you think you have any good conversation topics, I'm all ears. Just keep a nice level voice like this."
Louis sighed. "I'll...try."
And then it was silent. Some sound from the streets was heard but it was all indistinct. It was getting louder, however.
The wait had begun.
The sun was just starting to dip low when Roku finally said something. "So, you grew up back here, huh?"
"For a while. Then I was adopted by a male red deer and was thrust into the wonderful world of not knowing what free will is."
"Yes, as you've said. I just bring it up because it gets...active at night here. You're going to hear a lot of things. Try not to let it distract you."
"You mean bad things?"
"Mixed bag. Whether you think some are bad is up to you. Overall it's just carnivores being carnivores. The good, the bad, and the ugly." Roku cracked his neck and laid his head down on the cushion.
"...Mm."
"I wonder if you'll even mind, though. I mean, you're intimate with a wolf, yeah?"
"I probably shouldn't talk about that."
"We've got a lot of time. But sure, if it's a subject you'd rather keep quiet about, I get it." Roku turned his head the other way. "Funny, considering the first day you arrived, you wouldn't shut up about it."
"I learn quickly. And something I learned that day was to shut up about it. I'm just being considerate."
"Yeah, but, how does that work?" Roku seemed to ignore what Louis had just said.
"How does what work?"
"That relationship. Between a wolf and a deer. You even said you were married? I don't get it."
"We fumble through it in our own way, I guess." He smiled, then it left his face. He didn't want to begin another of his gushes.
"But you were raised to be eaten by carnivores. It makes no sense to me..."
"But I was miserable for years surrounded by herbivores."
"But that was because of your father," Roku reasoned. "It's not like herbivores make you miserable by themselves."
"We've only ever been judged by herbivores."
"Because they see the danger. A carnivore won't say anything because they probably think they're going to blow your wolf's cover."
"Cover...?"
"Yeah, like, they think he's trying to get close to you to eat you. They don't wanna say anything because they wanna help a fellow carnivore out."
Louis snorted, and then laughed, hard.
"Hey! Keep it down!" Roku hissed.
"Sorry! Sorry! That's just...ridiculous. He's saved me twice. I mean...I was cut up...bloody...dying..." He moved to sit up and lifted his shirt, showing scars that were there. Then, he moved some fur on his arms to show scars there, too.
Roku eyed him, but said nothing.
"He could have left me with that...wolf...to die, but he didn't."
"Hm, so you had a bad encounter with another wolf?"
"I did. He wanted to kill me and he almost did, but Legosi saved me."
"Hm." It seemed Roku was either thinking or not paying attention.
"...Nevermind," Louis shook his head, laying back down.
"I wonder what Yahya would think about that," Roku mused, mostly to himself.
"What?"
"I wonder what he'd think of that scenario," he restated.
"I heard you were a fan of his. It's nice to be passionate about things."
"He was my inspiration to start working back here. I'd love to meet him someday! I wonder what he'd think of our operation. He's only one horse, and the police don't even touch the black market, so it's hard for him to do what we're doing."
"Of course. Leave it to Ichi to figure it out."
"Yeah," Roku sighed in what sounded like fondness. "He's really inspiring. Can't believe he's only 22."
"And you are?"
"I'm 28. Now your turn."
"I'm only 19."
There was a beat before the horse's response. "Wow. I knew you were young but...wow. And how old is your wolf?"
"18."
"Ah. Well...good that he's not an old guy taking advantage of you."
"Yeah..."
"I guess you two went to school together or something?"
"Yes, we did."
"How long have you been together?" Louis wasn't sure, but Roku's tone actually sounded like he was interested.
"Half a year," Louis said, dreamily. "Yeah...we moved a little fast."
"He sounds...interesting."
"Sorry to talk your ear off about it...I didn't try to."
"It's fine," Roku assured. "I'm the one asking. I figure I might as well try to understand you."
"I just don't want any bad blood, like I told Ichi."
"Whatever," his companion mumbled.
"Not whatever. I mean it."
"I mean, don't worry about it. You don't have to be so scared of me."
"I'm not scared of you. I just don't want you hating me."
Roku reached out and punched Louis lightly on the shoulder. "I don't hate you, Shi. You just made a lousy first impression."
"And now I'm trying to atone for it!"
"Just don't be a tryhard or a kissass," Roku mumbled with a smirk.
"You say you don't want to hear about something, I'll stay away from it. Simple."
Roku squinted at him before he had a look of realization. "Oh, you're hung up over what I said the first day still. Look, I was annoyed at the time and didn't wanna hear about it. Doesn't mean it's never on the table. I was curious today, so I asked."
"But he's a carnivore...I just don't want to talk about anything sensitive."
"And I want to make sure you're not being manipulated or in danger. You're on the team now, so your safety is our business."
"No. He's lovely." He pulled out his phone and looked at the wallpaper longingly.
"I've never had a relationship," Roku commented. "Well, there was one in high school but it was stupid. I only dated her because she was hot."
Louis traced Legosi's cute face with his eye. "Yeah."
"Ever had close calls with him? How is he with his instincts?" The horse kept prying.
"There were a few times, but he's never almost eaten me. We do instinct training for each other."
"Yeah? What's that like?"
"He holds his mouth open and I keep my face close to it and we try to resist our instincts which was hard at first. I even poked my finger on his fangs..."
Roku stared at him with an expression between confusion and disgust. "What? Why would you do that?"
"Well...it was because my instincts are to get eaten by him and so I was a little entranced by his fangs." He was still staring at Legosi as he talked.
"Shouldn't that have been the proof to you that it was a bad idea? I didn't even know herbivores could feel that way."
"It just made me want to overcome it. He was still the wolf who saved me, twice."
Roku clicked his tongue. "You two certainly are the anomaly. What was the other time he saved you?"
"When my father locked me up in his home and place of work." Louis made sure to refrain from giving too much information away. "At least I know why he did it now...but even so..."
Louis' phone buzzed in his hand.
Legosi: How long will you be out tonight?
Louis: Hey, my sweet wolf. The mission is ten hours.
Roku noticed the deer tapping away on his phone, so he stayed quiet.
Legosi: TEN HOURS!?
Louis: Uh...yeah.
Legosi: Is it dangerous?
Louis: It could be if we are spotted.
Legosi: I hate this
Louis: Are you okay?
Legosi: I don't know
Louis: Come on puppyyyy.
Legosi: You feel okay with it? If you feel safe then I will feel okay
Louis: Will you? I bet you'll still be nervous and those cute ears will be flat and your tail will dangle hehe
Legosi: The way you're talking makes me think I shouldn't be worried
Louis: Right now we are just laying under a blanket. No big deal.
Legosi: Huh? For the spying mission?
Louis: Yeah.
"That him you're talking to, huh?" Roku finally spoke.
"Mhm. It is. I think he's a little worried."
"Why's that?"
"That's just how he is. Protective canine and all that. Plus, I have a habit of getting myself into trouble."
"What'd you even tell him your job was?"
"I told him I work at a warehouse," Louis said.
"Huh, pretty smart. Would explain you getting stronger and possible injuries. I just hope you don't get shot."
"Then we'll have a real problem," the buck chuckled. He texted Legosi once more.
Louis: Thinking about you while staring at your photo.
Legosi: Which pic?
Louis: My wallpaper. You've seen it.
Legosi: Well I'm also talking to you so it's like I'm there
Legosi: That was a joke
Louis: Ouch.
"Your battery is gonna die if you're on that the whole time," his horse companion warned.
"...Then I won't be distracted, I guess."
"Yeah, well, what if something happens and you can't contact him?"
"Then, I guess that's my fault. Plus, he'll go to sleep and I'll stop messaging him."
Legosi: I'm hanging out with Sebun-san. She says hi
Louis: Oh, okay. I'll let you go. Have fun!
Legosi: Keep in touch periodically please
Louis: Oh no they are shooting at us. On no I am shot. Oh no I am dead.
Legosi: I know you think you're funny but you're not
Louis: But
Louis: You laugh all the time at my jokes
Legosi: :l
Louis: Sorry…
Legosi: haha
Louis: Now I feel bad :(
Legosi: No I was playing with you!
Louis: Bye :(
Of course, Louis was teasing at this point.
Legosi: I love you
Louis: I miss you so much. Did you know that?
Legosi: Yes
Louis: Oh. I guess I'm predictable.
Legosi: Yeah like a robot of some sort
Louis: Beep boop.
Louis: I require 50% of my life to be filled with naked wolf, it's how I keep my battery charged.
Legosi: Oh I never knew that
Legosi: Make sure to shoot your laser at the baddies if you need to, hon.
Louis snuck a quick pic and sent it to him with the caption: Can I come home yet?
Legosi: Yeah please. Also take a picture of your full outfit when you can
Louis sat up and pretended he was doing something on his phone, but really he was taking a picture of himself. He sent it to Legosi.
Roku looked over. "Hey, stay still!"
The buck slunk back down.
The horse grumbled and turned back to his book he suddenly had, reading it with a small flashlight as the sun set.
Louis looked to see if his beloved had responded.
Legosi: Wow why does it look sexy
Louis: Sexy...?
Legosi: Do you not see it
Louis: ?
Legosi: The shoulders showing like that is sexy.
Louis: How sexy...?
Legosi: I'm having thoughts and it's embarrassing because Sebun is right here
Louis: Ooh?
Legosi: Yeah. Is it supposed to distract carnivores or something
Louis: What? I don't think so…
Legosi: You should sneak it home one day
Legosi: No stupid idea. Too risky
Legosi: Sorry
Louis: Go on…
Legosi: It looks nice and I want to see it for real
Louis: Yeah? What else?
Legosi: UGH no don't make me type it out
Louis: Now you have to or I'll forget about it~
Legosi: Okay so what if you brought it home and we pretended you were working in the black market to stop hungry carnivores and I'm a untamed wolf and you catch me and tame me
Legosi: It looks really stupid typing out wow I wish I could delete it
Legosi: SEBUN IS LOOKING AT ME
Louis: You're so hot.
Legosi: AAAAAAAA
Legosi: Sorry
Legosi: This is working me up I should probably just watch this movie with Sebun. Talk later
Legosi: I just really wish you were here to fuck me right now. OKAY bye
Louis: Bye!~
Roku looked over when the deer finally put his phone away.
Louis was in the middle of snickering.
"All done now?" Roku asked.
"Yes, I am. Sorry."
"The market is about to become lively, so enjoy this silence." Roku turned back to his reading.
Louis closed his eye for the last bit of peace, mentally preparing himself.
It was not the sound that Louis noticed first, but the smell. A smell that he remembered from his childhood. The smell of cooked flesh. A sizzling sound accompanied it alongside growing chatter from the streets below.
The deer's nose wrinkled and he moved the blanket to cover it. "Eugh...what is that?"
"Meat." Roku closed his book and slipped it back in his bag. "That's meat."
"Right. I guess that makes sense."
"As fucked up as it sounds to say, you get used to it. Or if you're Go, you let it fuel you, but I don't think you'd do that."
"Go..."
"Yeah." Roku took a sip from his water.
"Hates me."
"Probably." The horse took a pair of regular binoculars out and peered through them.
"Unfortunately."
"Just steer clear of him. He'll come to you if he wants to give you a chance."
"So never, then."
"Go is unpredictable, so I can't say that for sure. The wolf thing is gonna set him off for a while though."
Louis dipped his head. "Mhm..."
"You know, if you had your antlers this would be impossible. You'd be holding up the blanket," Roku chuckled.
The buck laughed. "I guess we wouldn't be here, then. Ichi would probably have me on a different mission."
"Making dinner, probably." The horse handed the binoculars over. "Here, if you wanna look around. I guess it'd be better for you to use a telescope with your eye but I don't have one."
"Was that a joke? Wow." Louis shook his head and looked through with his good eye.
"Not really. It'd be a lot more practical for you I imagine."
Some howls rang out through the air as the last bit of sunlight disappeared from the sky.
The buck sighed. "Now we really have to pay attention."
They laid there in silence for a long while, and Louis let the sounds of the alley wash over him. Vendors shouting out to potential buyers, carnivores talking loudly with their deep, growly voices, the snap of bone and rip of flesh, and the sizzling of the meat. There were bouts of laughter, angry shouting, and from the alley below them there were sounds of love.
Louis sighed. He missed his carnivore. He hoped maybe something would happen soon. "It's very lively here at night, huh?"
"Told ya." The horse squinted. "Oh, smoke break."
Louis looked over to where he was looking, and saw an animal emerge from the building they were watching. As Roku said, it just seemed like a worker there taking a smoke. Louis looked at his phone and noted the time was 9:17pm.
The buck watched him closely. "Is there some significance to this?"
"Hm?" The only light trickling in came from the buildings below, reflecting slightly off the horse's eyes. "It's just a smoke break. I saw movement so I was getting ready."
Louis nodded. "What exactly do we do when we see what we're looking for?"
"Observe. We've already scouted out the place as well as we can. If we find the evidence we need to move in, we need a solid plan of attack. Nothing we'd do tonight, of course. Tonight we just observe."
"Observe," Louis repeated.
"And for now, you get to get used to the...ambience," Roku remarked, his tone sarcastic.
"I'm just a little impatient is all."
Roku turned to him and sighed. "Well I have bad news about the job you're doing tonight, kid."
"I already know! I probably just miss him, that's all."
"If he was here right now...what do you think he'd do?"
"Hold me. Talk to me. Distract me."
"Has he smelled meat before?"
"Yes he has."
"Has he eaten meat before?"
Roku breathed in sharply in surprise. "Really... Now that's odd."
"Why is that?"
"Don't you know most carnivores eat meat?"
"Of course. It's seen as a coming of age thing. I think he believes if he does so, he might hurt me."
"I wonder," Roku looked back out into the night.
"...Me, too."
"...So it's clear you two are in it for the long haul. Are you getting help?" the horse asked, still staring out of the blanket.
"Help?"
"You know, with trying to manage a relationship like that?"
"We have therapy scheduled on Monday."
"Well, that's good. I still don't agree with your relationship but it's clear you're not going to back out." Roku rested his chin on his folded arms.
"Well, that's good. I still don't agree with your relationship but it's clear you're not going to back out." Roku rested his chin on his folded arms.
"Whatever. I don't care what you think about it. I'm happy."
"Exactly. Just focus on yourself."
Silence again. Louis' phone went off a little bit after.
Legosi: Romance movies are stupid
Louis: Why is that?
Legosi: Because there's nothing interesting about the people in them. They don't even explain why they love each other
Louis: That's because the events are supposed to show you why, Gosi.
Legosi: The events don't make sense though. Why does the girl want to date the guy if the guy treats her so mean?
Legosi: Do you like romance movies
Louis: You were that girl, Legosi.
Legosi: What?
Louis: I didn't treat you very well.
Legosi: Well you came around eventually!
Louis: After you saved me twice! Did she save the guy at all?
Legosi: No it turns out he was mean because he liked her
Legosi: So he was like Pina
Louis: I heard that's how some females are.
Legosi: Sebun says hi
Louis: Hiii. Still thinking about you.
Legosi: Oh wow Shogi just came by.
Louis: Wait, really?! I'm missing it!
Legosi: Yeah :( Well I'll let you know if anything happens I don't want to be on the phone with them here it's rude
Louis: Ok…
Once the phone was away, Roku regarded Louis again. "So...are you gay or do you like girls too?"
Louis was confused as to why the horse had so many questions. "I'm definitely gay. I threw up when I was about to have sex with my female fiance."
Roku snorted. "Wow, really? I never knew it worked that way. Sounds extreme."
"I don't know what it was, but...yeah."
Silence again, other than the sounds of the market, which were only getting louder. Louis held onto bits and pieces of conversations he could hear but nothing could be gleaned from them.
At around 10pm Legosi sent a goodnight text to Louis, which Louis returned. At 11pm he got another text.
Riley: hey i can't sleep
Louis: Do you usually have issues sleeping?
Riley: no that's why i'm i messaged you
Louis: Well, I'm here.
Riley: today was the hardest day and i thought i was doing so well
Louis: What's wrong? You can talk to me.
Riley: bad cravings today. Gouhin tried to get me some meat to stave it off but as soon as i smelled it i got really dizzy and panicked and locked him out. i don't know
Riley: he had to get a key and was really mad but understanding
Riley: i'm really hungry and nothing is cutting it but meat makes me feel sick to my stomach
Riley: and i feel really alone too like the friend i was with still hasn't come looking for me or texted me and i keep thinking how pathetic it is that my only friend now is some guy i tried to murder
Louis: Because of our talk? You ate meat before.
Riley: every time i smell or see meat i see you
Riley: eating meat i got so caught up in it i didn't think of the objective fact of what it is
Riley: but now you're just the example of what meat is. in my mind.
Louis: That must be how Legosi feels when he thinks about meat.
Riley: but he's never eaten it right?
Louis: Never!
Riley: see so i feel like i already lost
Louis: No! You didn't lose. My friend Bill used to eat meat. Now, he's dating a dall sheep and they are very active, if you know what I mean.
Riley: are you saying i need to date a herbivore to fix this
Louis: I NEVER said that! I'm just telling you you haven't lost.
Riley: i was joking! it's just frustrating and i'm venting to you
Louis: Oh hush. You're not that prideful or else you wouldn't vent to me at all.
Riley: it really was a joke. anyway what are you up to
Louis: Ah, nothing. Just out.
Riley: date with your mans?
Louis: No, he's busy hanging with a friend. Just on my own enjoying life.
Riley: well you go and enjoy it. im starting to feel sleepy talking to you so i'll keep doing it until i stop
Louis: Hahaha. I'm glad I'm helping in mote ways than one.
Riley: you are a helpful deer that's for sure
Suddenly, Roku tapped Louis' shoulder. "Okay, this might be it."
The deer immediately put his phone down. "Wow, already?"
"Don't sound so disappointed."
The deer looked down and saw a truck had pulled up behind the building. A few carnivores from inside came out, talking to the driver.
Louis blinked. "You said we are looking for something covered, right?"
"Yeah, something covered but large enough to hold kids. Just gotta wait for them to unload..."
The animals below continued to talk, making no moves to open the truck up. Roku grunted and brought the binoculars up to his eyes.
The cervid continued watching. "They're probably about to. Are we supposed to contact Ichi immediately or just go back?"
"I'll call him and then we'll head back." Roku focused and grew silent. He then blew some air out of his mouth. "Well no shit. Guess they're in on this."
Louis looked down again, seeing a group of well-dressed carnivores emerge from the building. They looked like wolves, but the distance made it hard, as did having only one eye.
The buck blinked. "Wait, wait, wait. Hand me the binoculars."
Roku did so and now Louis got a good look at the newcomers. In the middle of them were the same three wolves he had run into earlier that day, plus five more. The black, pelt-wearing wolf was talking with the first three animals now.
"Shit." He swallowed. "Small world."
Roku grunted. "What, they friends of your wolf?"
"No. I ran into them on the way to the tower earlier."
"You...you ran into the Okamigumi on the way here?" Roku tried his best to keep his voice down.
"...The what?"
"Mob full of wolves. They've got some clout back here and are currently butting heads with the Shishigumi. If they have their paws dug into this then there's definitely more to this place than the carnivore parts..."
"The Shishigumi? There's more?" Louis lied as if he didn't know.
"Holy shit, didn't Ichi tell you about all the crime syndicates back here? It's one of the main reason we even exist!"
"He did mention gangs...I can't believe those wolves were part of one...One of them wears a deer pelt."
"I can see that." Roku took his infrared binoculars out now, having them at the ready. "I hope your softness for wolves doesn't get in the way of this."
"...We aren't doing anything to them now, right?"
"No, but we'll likely be clashing with them in the near future."
"...Wonderful. Do we...kill?"
"Depends on who you ask. Me and San are the only members who haven't killed anyone, actually." The horse tapped his fingers.
"Wait, really? Why is that?"
"It's kill or be killed back here. They do what they have to," Roku answered, misunderstanding the question.
Louis' stomach dropped. "That means I might have to..."
"You have a fucking gun..."
"I didn't ask to be here, remember!"
Roku held up a finger to shush him. The animals were now opening up the truck.
Small boxes were being unloaded, all while the Okamigumi watched.
Louis stared, telling himself he might actually...god. What would Legosi think?
Then, just as Roku had predicted, a large box with a tarp over it was brought out. The black wolf lifted the tarp up, looking in, but what he saw was out of sight to the two on the roof.
"As if I even needed to check, yes there's heat signatures coming from that box. Probably a cage, actually."
Soon another was brought out, and then two more. They were quickly carted in before the Okamigumi followed, and then the truck drove off.
Roku sighed. "Well, that was actually pretty clean cut. We're lucky it's only a bit past midnight, I guess, but those kids..." The horse brought a hand to his face. "We can't just rush in, but we need to move fast. We now know there are definitely kids that need to be saved."
Louis took a breath. "Ichi won't send me on the mission...right?"
"For something like this, I think the whole team is gonna be needed. Although someone like you with little combat experience will probably work with San, since he does all the planning and navigating."
"I guess it all depends on what Ichi wants. We'll have to see. Are we staying or should we head back?"
"We'll stay low until everyone clears out." Roku started putting his things back into the bag. "You're upset, huh."
"I'm nervous, more than anything."
"That's normal. This is a bit big for your first mission, so Ichi might put you in a more reserved role."
Louis turned to lay on his side. "I've seen enough."
Roku sat up and took the blanket off of them. "Well, at least we didn't have to stay up here all night. I'm not sure it'll be safe going back to the main street at this time, though. Are you going to sleep at the tower?"
"Wait, what? But...I want to go home to Legosi..." He pulled out his phone to see if Riley had continued to text him.
There were no messages. Both of the canines he had been talking to were probably asleep.
"Just wondering. I can escort you out, but you need to change and shit. I don't mind, since I'm able to get to sleep earlier than I thought I'd be anyway."
"Okay. Thank you. Sorry if I bothered you at any point tonight."
The stallion snorted. "C'mon, drop the deferential act. It doesn't suit you. I'll admit I was hard on you at first, but after tonight I understand you a bit more. I think you'll come into your own with us."
Louis grinned. "Thank you. I hope we can be friends. And also I'm sorry for making you escort me out of here."
Soon everything was packed up in the backpack and the horse stood up to his impressive height, stretching his legs and back out. "It's no problem. It was easy enough getting you here." He held a hand down to help the deer up.
The buck took it and stood up. "I did have a nice time talking with you. Thank you for trying to understand me."
"Not a problem. I hope we can all come to understand each other so we can work well as a team." After adequately stretching, Roku bent down to let Louis back on his back. "Now then, let's end our first joint operation together."
The deer climbed on, and they were off.