A Bomb
Wolf shook his head while he held his hand over his eyes. Shark looked nervously around their lair as he tapped his fins together. Piranha, Webs, and Snake all stood behind Wolf, lounging on the couch and waiting for the canine's reaction. "Let me get this straight," He muttered. "You went into a ladies' club?"
"I didn't know it was a ladies' club."
"It's called, Ladies' Delight!"
"Well, in my defense, I thought it was a spa."
"Soo... because you thought it was a spa, and you only saw some guys in trench suits going in through the back door, you didn't think it was a little suspicious?"
"Not until I got on stage and everyone uhhh whipped things out," Shark chuckled nervously.
Wolf shut his eyes and groaned while the others laughed. "Okay, that's it. I'm not leaving you guys alone ever again."
"Ah come on, Wolf. It's not all bad. Besides, it's not like we stole anything," Mr. Snake said.
"Then what about that briefcase?" Wolf asked.
"Oh, that was just some... mementos from the ladies," Piranha smirked.
"What?"
"I told them not to bother with it," Tarantula sighed. "But boys will be boys."
"Hey, I didn't want the briefcase in the first place," Snake shot back. "It was Piranha and Shark's idea."
"Alright, alright," Wolf sighed, rubbing his muzzle. "First a weird lamb, now this." Wolf plopped down on the couch and groaned. "Did you at least get something out of it?"
"You know the Lady Lifters?" Webs said, typing on her computer.
"The female crooks the size of Hercules? Yes, why?"
"One of their lackeys was there at the club. I'm sure a certain fox will want to know," Webs smirked, winking at Wolf.
The dog pulled at his white suit's collar. "Ehhh, I'll tell Diane over lunch. Speaking of which, where is Doris?"
"Over here," Snake hissed, pointing his tail to the corner. "I had a spare box from the last job, so I gave it to her."
The kitten that Wolf had befriended while under Professor Marmalade's rehabilitation was called Doris. Wolf didn't trust Snake or Shark around her at first, but the kitten seemed perfectly fine with the whole crew. The kitten jumped from her play area and cuddled up to Snake's scaly body.
Why Doris got along so well with Snake is anyone's guess. And Mr. Snake didn't seem to mind. "And where are you taking Doris?" Snake hissed suspiciously while petting Doris with his tail.
"Come on, Snake. I'm just taking her over to Diane's house. I promise I won't lose her again. I'm sure of it."
"Uh-huh. Almost as sure as there's nothing happening between you and Diane?"
"Not this again! Absolutely nothing," Wolf growled tiredly. "We're just friends." Shark, Snake, Piranha, Webs, and even Doris looked at the wolf with low-leveled eyes that didn't believe a word the wolf said. "We're just friends!"
"Yeah, and I'm a fluffy little lamb with soft wool in a black suit," Snake joked. The others laughed.
Wolf rolled his eyes and groaned. "You'd look just like Lambs then."
"Who?"
"Lillia Lambs. There was this strange sheep in a suit that was asking about Chief Luggins. I don't know, she was just weird and suspicious. Made me uneasy, you know?"
"A little sheep made you feel uneasy?" Shark said with a chuckle.
"It's just... something about her felt... off. Like she was up to something, you know?"
"You think she's dangerous?" Webs asked.
"I don't think so. She said I wasn't the person she was looking for," Wolf shrugged. "Whatever. She's not important right now."
"I think you're just a little scared at anyone that's 'innocent and helpless'," Snake smirked. "You get fooled one time by a little hamster and you start to distrust anyone that looks cute. Whatcha gonna do? Interrogate Doris next?"
Meow?
Wolf rolled his eyes as Doris snuggled at his feet. He picked up the kitten, cradling it in his arms. "I just have a bad feeling about her. That's all."
"Maybe you're overreacting," Shark said.
"Yeah, man. You've got to relax," Piranha said.
Wolf glanced at his friends and sighed onto the couch, "Yeah, maybe you're right." Just then, something on the TV got their eyes. "Webs, turn up the volume."
"We are just learning now that a bomb went off near the main police station," Said the reporter. "Chief Misty Luggins stated that the attack seemed too coordinated for normal low-level criminals like the former gang, The Bad Guys."
"Why that dirty little," Wolf grumbled. Doris's purr knocked him out of his rage; he was gripping her too tightly. "Oops, sorry Doris."
"Police are warning the people to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. One must wonder why the police station seemed to be the target. Bomb specialists suggest that the explosive wasn't built to harm, though they could not make any further conclusion at this time. Back to you, Tim."
"Uh... my name's Hank, Tiffany."
Webs turned off the TV. "Okay, that's weird."
Just then, Wolf's phone rang. "Hello? Hey Diane. I was just... huh? What do you mean? Really?!" Wolf snarled suddenly. "What evidence does she have?!" Wolf let Doris jump out of his arms. The little kitten scurried over to Snake as the canine stood up. "Oh, and we're supposed to just go over there and expect a warm welcome? You know how she'll act!" He was silent for a moment. Giving a long sigh, he motioned his fingers for the gang to start moving. "Alright, alright, we'll be there."
"What's up?" Snake asked as Wolf hung up.
"The chief wants us to come in for an investigation about the bombing."
"But we-"
"I know," Wolf interrupted Sharks. "And I'm sure almost every cop there knows that. But Diane says that Chief Luggins is serious about this."
"Why?" Tarantula asked.
"Because the bomb was underneath her car. Fortunately... I guess... it went off just moments before she got to the car."
"And she thinks we have something to do with this?" Snake hissed. Wolf nodded. The serpent shook his head. "Some people don't change."
"Come on, guys. Let's just get this over with, okay?"
"You said it yourself, Wolf. They're not gonna roll out the red carpet for us," Snake said.
"Yeah, but staying here isn't gonna help us, is it?" Wolf argued. Snake shook his head with a loud sigh. "Come on, Snake. We cleared our names once, we can do it again."
Snake stared at Wolf for a while before groaning. "Ah well, I hope they have my favorite pillow in S.U.C.M."
Wolf smiled and looked at the others. Piranha shrugged. "What we got to lose?"
"I'm pretty sure that attempted murder is a longer sentence," Webs said.
"Yeah, but it's not like she died," Shark replied.
"Yeah," Wolf scoffed, throwing on his dark blue suit with a white shirt, "Unfortunately." The others looked at each other with small frowns and nervous gazes. Snake slithered up to the canine.
"Yo, Wolf. You alright? I mean Luggins has been tough with us but-"
"I'm just tired of her, alright?" Wolf snapped. "We're here trying to set things right and everyone sees that except this one person who can send us back to jail for jaywalking."
Snake tilted his head, frowning. "I thought we did this because it felt good to do good, not because we cared about other people's thoughts."
Wolf pursed his lips together. He looked like a child pouting for a moment, and Snake's sly smirk only made it worse. Wolf let out a puff of air and sagged his shoulders. "You're right."
"Annnnnnd it might also be that you don't like that Luggins interrupted your date with Diane?" Sharks smirked behind Wolf.
"Don't start with me, Mr. Thongs."
"HaHAHA! Mr. Thongs! Hey, that's a good one, Lobo," Piranha laughed.
"Come on, let's go down to the station and see what the chief wants," Mr. Snake said. "Things go south, we run. Okay?" Wolf nodded. The five of them jumped into Wolf's car and drove out of the lair. As the car zoomed down the night street, Snake saw Wolf's frown growing the closer they got to the station. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah, just... thinking."
"About what you'll say to Officer tight bunches?"
"No," Wolf said heavily. "Someone's out there trying to snuff out the police chief. I'm pretty sure after Luggins stops yelling at us, Diane will want us to figure out who it was."
"And you already have a plan of how to figure it out, don't you?" Shark smirked.
"Hehe, you know me too well, buddy." Laughing, they drove on and rounded the corner, zooming past the nightlight streets. An easy smile rested on the dog's lips. His friends were right. Maybe he was worried about nothing. Worst case scenario was really just Diane vouching for them and saying that they weren't anywhere near the crime scene. The longer he thought about it, the more evidence he had to prove that they weren't there in the first place. Ever since the whole Marmalade incident, Tarantula put up cameras in their lair to make sure no one stole from them.
Not that they were stealing.
But who would try and bump off the police chief?
Wolf chuckled to himself. Several people actually. The majority of the prisoners, petty thieves, the gang even. The suspect list was long.
But who could bump off the police chief?
The long list suddenly turned short after that.
"I have something," said Webs. "News just came out that the bomb was a radar bomb."
"What's that?"
"It only detonates when the bomber is a certain distance. Or if the victim is close enough. But they would have to be tagged for that."
"Huh?" The team said.
Wolf tilted his head to the side, "Why not use a timed bomb?"
"Maybe they didn't want to waste it on anyone but the police chief," Snake said.
"So the detonator signal has to be on Luggins, but they'd have to be close to her," Wolf replied, rubbing his chin. "But who-"
Suddenly, his eyes widened and he slammed the brakes.
"ARGH! What the heck man? What's wrong with you?" Snake shouted. Wolf opened the window and looked out on the sidewalk. He looked up and down. Nothing. "Wolf, what's the matter?"
"I... I thought I saw someone." He sat back in his seat, staring blankly at the wheel.
"Who?" Shark asked. Wolf slowly blinked and turned his head to the others. They all looked worried. Wolf shook his head and reset his eyes on the road.
"Nothing, let's get to the station." They sped down the road. "By the way, did... did anyone see... something white on the side of the road?"
"Like what?" Snake asked.
"White like... wool. Lamb's wool."
"Wolf?"
"I... I thought I saw..." Wolf shook his head. "Never mind. It's nothing." Snake glanced at the others who had the same look of confusion and worry that he tried his best to hide.
Continued...
