Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2004.
After Bigby informed me that he had discovered that Bluebeard was dead and that Prince Charming was responsible for killing him, I was less than happy since not only do I despise vigilante justice, but I was also pissed that King Cole had known about it and lied about it all this time while we were building a case against Bluebeard. As the weeks passed by, we've been trying to speak to King Cole about it but he was avoiding us due to other matters, then we finally managed to approach King Cole in Bluebeard's former apartment while he and Boy Blue were busy looking through Bluebeard's account book.
"Mayor Cole, we need to speak to you right now," Bigby said bluntly as we approached the desk where King Cole and Boy Blue were at.
"Of course Bigby, of course, but not now because I'm too busy at the moment," King Cole refused and I sighed quietly.
"I'm afraid it can't wait, sir, because you've been avoiding us for weeks and this is something that needs to come to your attention," I stated seriously.
"Very well, I can spare you two a few minutes then I need to deal with Lord Bluebeard's accounts," King Cole accepted and we headed back to the Sheriff's office where Bigby and I showed just how unhappy we were at the fact that Charming was declared innocent.
"You let Prince Charming get away with killing Bluebeard," I accused sternly and King Cole looked taken aback.
"I did no such thing because I convened a hearing where he was charged with the crime of premeditated murder, though I had no recourse other than to find him not guilty after lacking any evidence to contest his claim of self-defense," King Cole defended and I shot him an unamused expression.
"All of which was done with maximum expedition so that you could get to the much more vital business of taking his wealth," Bigby stated and King Cole looked insulted.
"Watch yourself, Sheriff," King Cole warned and I sighed in frustration.
"We were going to take down Bluebeard legally by quietly building a case against him that proved he continued with extorting Fables he rescued long after signing onto the General Amnesty, but Charming killed him so everything we worked hard for to bring down Bluebeard is completely useless now," I explained in displeasure.
"A case that you two have been building for how many years without finding any admissible evidence?" King Cole remarked sarcastically and I shot a glare at him for his smart-ass comment.
"The law isn't perfect and working in the Justice System takes time," Bigby reasoned.
"So, Charming saved you two additional years of effort, now accept it and move on. Miss White tells me that both of you are adequate in your duties, so don't force me to start questioning her judgment," King Cole lectured firmly.
I decided to let it go since there was nothing to be done about it anymore, so Bigby and I left the office and headed to the front doors of the building. We left the building and took a walk to clear our heads until we eventually arrived back at the front gate of the Woodland, where we had the displeasure of seeing Charming and Hobbes leave the building.
"Well, if it isn't the very two people we'd hope to see today," Bigby said with a fake smile as he lit up a smoke, catching Charming and Hobbes' attention.
"Sheriff, Deputy, what business could you both possibly want with me?" Charming wondered while I glared at him.
"You made sure we couldn't bring down Bluebeard and your manipulation with our Mayor has made you safe, for now. Not you Mr. Hobbes, you're still indictable for your involvement in the conspiracy to commit murder," I declared and Charming chuckled in amusement.
"Actually, no, he isn't since I gave him blanket amnesty in return for his invaluable help in exposing his employer's crimes," Charming told us smugly and I gritted my teeth.
"You don't have the authorization to make that decision," Bigby growled while he was going through his pack of smokes quickly.
"I'm about to be since Hobbes and I are embarking on the first stages of that very thing even now. Now, if you'll excuse me, we have five hundred signatures to collect so good day to you Sheriff, Deputy," Charming said as he and Hobbes passed us, going down the street and leaving our line of sight.
"God, fucking asshole! No wonder Snow hates him...I have half a mind to beat that smug grin right off his face and ruin his good looks," I snarled viciously while I tried to calm myself down, just as a taxi pulled up next to the curb and Snow got out before she paid the driver.
"Hey," Bigby greeted and Snow looked surprised to see us.
"Bigby, Nate, what are you two doing out here?" Snow questioned in confusion.
"I've been waiting for you because we need to talk and my Deputy came out here just to clear his head," Bigby explained and he looked at me with a hidden gesture in his eyes.
I nodded slightly and went inside the building to let them have some privacy, then I arrived at the Business Office and waited as Bufkin flew down onto the desk I was leaning against.
"How are you today, Deputy?" Bufkin asked cheerfully and I shrugged.
"I'm doing okay," I replied just as I heard two people running and Snow burst into the Business Office with Bigby right behind her, startling me slightly and I shot them a look of surprise.
"Snow, Bigby, what the hell is going on?" I questioned but Bigby sent me an expression that told me he was just as confused while Snow held up a hand.
"No time for that, Deputy. Blue, where are you?!" Snow called out and Bufkin looked at her.
"He's sleeping Miss White, due to being up all night," Bufkin stated.
"That's fine, Bufkin, you'll do so please find me the volume on Fabletown election rules," Snow suggested and Bufkin shook his head.
"I can't do that because Bluebeard's goblin butler checked it out some time ago," Bufkin explained.
"Oh, dear Lord..." Snow trailed off in horror while Bigby and I looked at each other in confusion.
"Will one of you please tell us what the hell is going on?" Bigby inquired and Snow looked at us.
"I'm not certain because it's never come up before...but if I remember correctly, any Fabletown citizen can call for a special election by collecting five hundred signatures. I think my ex-husband plans to run for Mayor," Snow told us and my eyes widened in shock while Bigby looked completely stunned.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm struggling to process what you just said...did I just hear you say that Prince Charming is planning to be Mayor of Fabletown or am I going crazy?" I questioned in denial and Snow nodded, which didn't make me feel good.
"Yes, I did say that and I'm just as shocked as you are," Snow confirmed and Bigby threw his arms up in disbelief.
"Well, isn't that just fucking perfect...let's add that to the list of problems we are currently dealing with right now. So, what the fuck do we do now?" Bigby wondered and I pinched the area between my eyes to prevent a headache from forming.
"The first thing we should do is inform Mayor Cole about this and then we'll see where to go from there," I said and everyone nodded as we went to leave the Business Office.
After we had left the Business Office, we took the elevator to King Cole's penthouse and explained the situation to him, then King Cole was far from happy to hear the bad news as we conversed in the Sheriff's office a few minutes later.
"So, what are we going to do about Prince Charming?" I questioned and everyone else shrugged.
"What can we do since he has the law on his side," Bigby pointed out irritably.
"Well, I for one have no intention of working for him, so I'll quit if he wins the election," Snow declared firmly and I didn't blame her since who would want to work for an arrogant womanizing asshole like Charming.
"Why would someone want to take my place? Haven't I done a good job?" King Cole wondered with a crestfallen expression.
"Okay, let's not go down that train of thought because he hasn't gotten the signatures yet. With all due respect though, if you hadn't given him a free pass from the Bluebeard Murder Scandal, we would've had more options right now," I stated just as someone knocked on the door and it opened to reveal Trusty John.
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's quite a commotion going on outside that I think you all should see," John informed us.
"Damn it, what now?" Bigby groaned in exasperation as we all followed John to the lobby.
"Christ, as if we aren't dealing with enough problems right now since they do come in threes," Snow grumbled and I looked at her.
"That's nothing more than superstition, Snow," I told her as we arrived in the lobby and left the building to see what was going on outside.
Once we left the building, I saw a crowd of Fables surrounding a woman with red hair and old clothes...though I couldn't help but notice that she seemed familiar to me, like I had seen her somewhere before but the memory of when and where was foggy and I had no idea how I knew her since it was hard to recall when I first encountered her.
"Hello, my name is Red Riding Hood and I've recently escaped from the Empire. I formally request sanctuary in Fabletown," Red stated with a warm smile.
I was completely stunned at the fact that I was looking at who used to be the little girl I saw briefly back in the Homelands centuries ago when I was trying to save Bigby from the Woodsman, and I looked at Bigby who was just as stunned and I cleared my throat to get Red's attention.
"Um, sure...just come with us and we'll get everything sorted," I said awkwardly and gestured for her to follow us.
After we had gotten everyone to disperse and they went about their business, we sent a message to Boy Blue and escorted Red to the Business Office before she took a seat where she explained her whole story of how she got here.
"After the fall of the keep at World's End, I was captured alive by the Emperor's soldiers and for a few weeks, they used me like soldiers always treat captured women. Then, they sent me back into slavery, which I endured for all these centuries until I eventually earned their trust again and was able to make my escape. I fled to the OZ gateway, which links to your northern land of Kanda," Red explained when I cleared my throat to get her attention.
"The area you arrived in is pronounced Can...a...da," I corrected slowly and she nodded.
"Thank you. As I was saying, I had made it into the land of Canada, where two of your Fable garrison started to accompany me from the northern gate but they were killed by goblins that ambushed us. I didn't know if anyone was still after me but they must've followed me through the gate, though Fables and goblins alike were all killed and I got away," Red finished but I narrowed my eyes slightly since her story seemed off to me.
"And you made your way here all on your own?" Snow questioned.
"Yes," Red affirmed and King Cole looked excited.
"That's a remarkable achievement, Miss Riding Hood because you're the first Fable to escape the Homelands in more than a century so do you have any idea what effect your arrival is going to have on the morale of the community? What effect it already has?" King Cole told her, and Red looked bashful as she smiled shyly.
"I don't expect any special attention," Red stated modestly and King Cole shook his head.
"Well, you're going to get it because you'll be the toast of the town!" King Cole declared while Bigby and I looked at each other with suspicion since Red shouldn't have crossed the gate due to it being closed for centuries by the Adversary's warlocks.
At that time, the door opened and we all looked to see Boy Blue entering the office.
"He's here," Bigby informed everyone.
"Who..." Red trailed off when she saw Blue.
"Okay guys, I'm here so what's the big...emergency?" Blue asked after his eyes widened in shock when he spotted Red.
"Blue?" Red questioned in disbelief.
"Ride?" Blue stuttered.
"I thought you were dead!" both Fables exclaimed together as Blue rushed over and gently placed his hands on Red's shoulders.
"Oh my God, I can hardly believe what I'm seeing! Is it you?" Blue questioned while his eyes started welling up.
"How is it possible that you are here because you stayed behind! I saw the boat leave without you!" Red stated breathlessly.
"It's a long story but I was able to catch up to the boat after it sailed," Blue explained happily.
"You left me to die?" Red gasped quietly in shock and Blue looked stunned.
"No, I-" Blue tried to speak and was cut off when Red pushed him away and backed up.
"Get your hands off me!" Red shouted and Blue looked hurt from the rejection.
"But, I thought you were on the boat," Blue reasoned and Red looked away from him.
"Just stay away, I need to think this through...you abandoned me, Blue, after using me for the night just like the way the Emperor's soldiers used to treat me, so at least they had the courtesy not to pretend that love had anything to do with it," Red stated distressfully and Blue looked heartbroken at hearing that.
"I never did that!" Blue exclaimed in disbelief while Bigby and I looked at each other with frowns.
"Well, this didn't exactly turn out well," Snow whispered to us.
"On the contrary, it makes perfect sense because it's precisely the right move for her to make," Bigby muttered and King Cole stepped in to break up the fight between Blue and Red.
After King Cole escorted Red out of the office, Bigby and I also left and headed back to the Sheriff's office before we sat down at our desks and got back to work while also talking about how things seemed off with Red's story and how she arrived in the Mundane World. After a while, someone knocked on the door and it opened to show Snow coming in.
"Bigby, Nate, we need to talk," Snow stated and we looked up from our paperwork.
"How's Boy Blue? Is he okay?" I inquired in concern as Snow headed to Bigby's desk.
"He was in a mild state of shock so I sent him home for today." Snow replied.
"Okay, I hope he'll be fine soon so what's on your mind, Miss White?" I asked curiously.
"You and Bigby know, or think you two know, something about Red Riding Hood and I'd like to know what it is," Snow responded and Bigby gestured to a chair.
"Sure, just have a seat because this may take a while. Do you know why I took extended leaves of absence back in 1916 and again in 1939?" Bigby inquired.
"I know the reason why since I read a calendar...it was no big secret that you went off to fight in those two Great Wars, as Nate did once when he left and fought in Vietnam for a few years. You didn't seem to want to talk about it so I never asked you about it before, and I've often wondered why you and Nate did it since it was the Mundies' fight, not ours," Snow admitted and I sighed.
"It's a short-sided way of looking at things, but...a wolf grows up knowing he needs to protect his territory or risk losing it. Snow, we've been a part of this country far longer than any Mundy in existence and some might reasonably argue that only increases our duty to fight for it," I stated.
"And in what way does this pertain to the Red Riding Hood situation?" Snow asked and Bigby took a deep breath.
"During the two Great Wars, I did my share of fighting behind enemy lines mostly on my own and occasionally worked with special forces units...before you say anything, I never revealed my true form to them so you don't need to worry.
From time to time, we gained the upper hand by placing covert agents among the enemy, mostly by having them act as defectors and one good way to make sure those men were convincing was to send them to the enemy Nazis, even to the extent of shooting them once or twice. It was a big risk, but nothing was so convincing to the enemy like some poor bastard being badly injured in the process of defecting in the middle of a warzone," Bigby explained and Snow looked uneasy.
"Oh my God, you two think that Red Riding Hood is a spy that was sent here by the Adversary," Snow gasped softly in shock.
"You heard her story, a bunch of goblins in a car tried to kill her during her escape to prevent her from reaching us...pretty convincing, wouldn't you agree? Not only that, but Boy Blue described that back in the Battle of the Keep at World's End, she showed up there in very similar circumstances...severely injured while trying to make it to our side of the combat zone," I told her and Snow looked pensive.
"So, you and Bigby think that she was a spy for the Adversary at that time?" Snow asked uneasily and we nodded.
"The enemy Commander back then swore that no one would survive once the Garrison fell apart, and similar threats were always carried out in previous combat situations," Bigby stated grimly.
"The biggest question of all is why did they let her and only her live? Did they need one more female slave so desperately? Also, the gate in Canada had been sealed shut for nearly two hundred years and it was closed from the other side by the Adversary's soldiers, not ours.
Who opened it again and how did she get away from the group of goblins?" I added tensely.
"She told us that she drove away after the two Fables died defending her," Snow answered.
"Yeah, and who taught her to drive a car? Who provided the pursuing goblins with a car of their own?" Bigby suggested and Snow's eyes widened in realization.
"Christ...it was all a setup?" Snow inquired hesitantly.
"Someone in the Homelands carefully prepared every player on the chessboard to carry out their part but they got sloppy," I said as we all stood up from our seats.
"This is just suppositions without any hard evidence to prove it," Snow pointed out as Bigby put on his trench coat.
"Sure, it's all just a bunch of theories so far, and my Deputy and I are always suspicious but it's worth looking into, wouldn't you agree?" Bigby told her as I put on my jacket and he opened the door with a gesture to let her go first.
So, what are you two going to do?" Snow asked as she headed to the exit.
"He's going to go to Canada to investigate while we stay here and ride hard on Mayor Cole since he's a bit too happy with our new arrival and ready to grant her immediate Fable citizenship," I instructed as we left the Sheriff's office.
"She's good news and any good news is excellent for contributions," Snow stated as Bigby lit up a smoke.
"You should know by now that in all the centuries we've known Mayor Cole, it's always been about money for him," Bigby pointed out and Snow frowned at that.
"No government can function without it so you and Deputy Pierce shouldn't judge him so quickly," Snow lectured and I nodded.
"Point taken," I said as we headed down the hallway and went our separate ways.
After I had gotten some sleep with Casey, I got up early tomorrow to prepare my investigation into Red and now I was in the Business office with Snow and Bigby while he was getting ready to leave.
"While I'm gone, make sure you two keep an eye out for Riding Hood because now that she's established herself as the distressed victim of assholes like me and Blue, she'll want to milk that advantage for special attention. She'll return sometime today, probably as soon as there's a big enough crowd here to make a good show of it," Bigby instructed and I nodded while Snow still looked uncertain.
"You two are still sure that she's a spy?" Snow asked and I looked at her.
"When you think about it, her arrival seems a bit too much of a coincidence," I stated logically.
"True, but an argument can be made that the very existence of Fabletown is one extended miracle," Snow pointed out.
"The Canadian gate has been sealed for nearly two hundred years and it was closed on the other side by the Adversary's soldiers, not ours so the biggest question is who the hell opened it again.
I'm heading up there to find out so you and my Deputy have to ride hard on Red in my absence because she'll want to know about our infrastructure, how many of us there are, what our plans are for the Homelands, and resources in terms of our military strength," Bigby said while he picked up his suitcase and puffed on his smoke.
"So, we'll answer her questions as carefully as possible to not alert her that we suspect her of being a spy for the Adversary," I agreed and Bigby nodded.
"Good, and be sure not to let her sign the Fabletown Charter because we cannot afford to give her the protection of the General Amnesty," Bigby reminded us just as the door opened and my eyes widened when I saw Jack stumbling in looking badly beaten with his clothes torn while holding a bloody wooden leg.
"Bigby, Nate, we need to talk...I want to report an assault, Sheriff, Deputy," Jack wheezed in pain as I quickly headed over to him.
"Jesus, Jack, sit down before you fall," I said in disbelief as I held him to make sure he didn't fall and looked at the others.
"Snow, get the first aid kit," I instructed as I helped Jack to one of the seats next to the desk and got him to sit down while Snow rushed to her desk to get the first aid kit.
A/N I'm back everyone, so sorry it took so damn long but I had writer's block and it was a real pain to get back to this story. Anyway, I wanted to announce that I won't be putting down the location and date anymore since it has become tedious and it would be so much easier not guessing what the date is in the Fables universe.
So, let me know how you like this chapter and stay tuned.