Their greenhouse is really amazing. That was the thought on Legoshi's head as he walked in and saw how big the place was, and all of the plants inside. Some of them looking like they would not handle in a cold climate like the one outside.

Luckily, the greenhouse kept the inside at a very warm climate, when compared to the one outside. It certainly helped the many plants, some of which would not be as green and blooming at this stage of Animerican autumn.

Of course, the bugs also found it welcoming.

Legoshi sensed them as soon as he came inside. The basic of his entomancy allowed him to know the bugs were there. He could feel their presence. More precisely, he could smell them.

As a wolf, Legoshi had a very sensitive nose. In fact, his nose was quite sensitive, even for a wolf, or so they told him. Legoshi was very good in picking up scents. For example, the scents of bugs.

They were hard to pick up among the scents of the plants of the greenhouse, but Legoshi could pick up their natural scent. The scent of their pheromones. A scent that he learned to recognize on his studies of entomancy. This characteristic bug smell that Legoshi grew used to, and that he now could recognize as well as the scent of his own family. And that house was clearly full of bugs.

Legoshi could not precise how many and which kinds of bugs they were, but he knew that the bugs were there and that there were many, as he could pick up their scent. Good thing the jewelry box was big.

Legoshi walked into the greenhouse, looking around and determining a good spot to place the box. It had to be in one where all of the bugs of the greenhouse would reach it. It also had to be in a place where it would not be in the immediate view of someone, once Chandler-sama requested it to be in a way that people would not see the "parade of bugs going into the box".

Eventually, Legoshi placed the box into a certain area of the greenhouse, on the ground and near a small tree of someone species Legoshi was not able to identify. Legoshi placed the box in there with the lid open and, just a few seconds later, two beetles had flew over and landed into the box.

It was already working. The beacon that he prepared inside of the box was really working to attract the bugs to the inside of the box, and Melon's bounded field would keep them from getting out.

Now, Legoshi just had to add the last part of the trap, and hope that the job would be all done by tonight, or the Manechesters would be mad at him again...

Melor stood on the other side of the wooden door while Legoshi walked into the glass corridor that would lead him to the second door of the glass house that contained all the plants that the mare loved to collect.

And all the bugs inside.

No way in hell the hybrid was going to go through that door unless he had to.

Melor really hated bugs.

"Mr. Horne." A voice said, causing the hybrid to look to the side. Euphemia was coming his way, her hooves clopping on the hardwood floor as she walked in direction to the hybrid.

"Hey." Melor said, looking at the mare who walked to his direction.

"So, is your partner inside?" Euphemia asked, and the hybrid nodded.

"Setting the trap for the bugs as we speak."

Euphemia stopped, looking at the hybrid, and asked:

"So, this trap you have prepared will get the greenhouse rid of the bugs?"

"It will be bug free by tonight." Melor said, and the mare nodded at him.

"I hope so. Some of those plants are very sensitive to infestations. I don't want to imagine the greenhouse infested by bugs that would devour all the plants. Some of them are brought from other countries."

"Oh, so you like plants, huh?" Melor asked, and the hybrid looked at the mare. "Don't worry, Effie. We will rescue all of your babies."

Euphemia looked at the hybrid, before she said:

"I'm glad to hear that... Melon."

For a single second, the hybrid glared at the mare with hatred, but Euphemia didn't flinched at all as the hybrid looked at her like that.

It only lasted for a second, before his features softened, but they still seemed hard as he looked at the mare.

"Only Legoshi calls me 'Melon'." He said.

"And only my brother calls me 'Effie'." Euphemia said back, and they looked at each other for a few more seconds, before Melor shrugged.

"Yeah, that's fair, I guess..." Melor said very casually, as if he hadn't just projected a great quantity of hatred towards the mare. "Anyways, your plants will all be okay, don't worry. Legoshi is making sure that all the bugs will be caught."

"And you're not helping him?" Euphemia asked, to what the hybrid shook his head.

"Legoshi wants to catch the bugs alive, and I'd probably start killing them as soon as I see the creepy crawlies." He said, sounding very casual as he said that, and the mare looked at him.

"You don't like bugs, Mr. Horne?"

"Not one bit." Melor said.

"Any reason in particular?" Euphemia asked, and Melor looked back at her with interest, before shrugging.

"They are creepy." The hybrid said very casually. "And the way they move when they are walking and crawling gives me the creeps. Especially if there are a lot of them, crawling all around and over each other..."

The hybrid visibly shuddered.

"Bugs are way too creepy. Honestly, I don't understand how Legoshi can honestly like those things. Seriously, if he wasn't my friend already you can bet I would have nothing with him."

Euphemia looked at him, and she said:

"But you two are friends already."

"Yeah, we are." Melor said "We have been ever since we were seven and five. And we still are now that we are twenty-four and twenty-two."

Euphemia looked at the hybrid and, for a moment.

"You two have been friends for this long?" She asked, looking at the hybrid, who smiled at her with a roguish smile.

"You can bet we are." He said to her, nearly making it sound like a challenge. "Even after three years apart when he went to live in Nippon, he and I are still as close as we were when we were just two brats running around pretending those sticks we were holding were swords."

"We pulled out all kinds of hecks, got into all kinds of troubles, and got out of them together." Melor continued, "And that served to make us friends for life."

"I can imagine." Euphemia said, trying to imagine what kinds of "hecks" a wolf and a gazelle-leopard hybrid could get into at the ages of seven and five, especially imagining the fact that they were both mages.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can't." Melor said to her. "Don't take me wrong, but you don't seem like the kind who knows what is like to form a bond with someone who might be the only mammal in the world who has ever truly understood you."

Euphemia didn't said anything. She just continued to look at the hybrid, who continued:

"This is what one would call true companionship. You two bond through mutual understanding and then strengthen this bond by going through many things together. That is what happened with Legoshi and me. To understand this kind of thing, you need to have gone through it as well. And I just don't think you did."

For a single moment, a spark of something passed through Euphemia's eyes. Her hooves clenched into fists, squeezing her fingers together as she looked at the hybrid. However, as of this time, it seemed that Melor had completely ignored what was happening with Euphemia by his side. He had his eyes closed and a smug smirk on his lips. By the time he looked at the mare again, she had fully recovered control of her emotions, and showed no sign of the sudden emotion that she had just felt.

"Legoshi has my back, and I have his'. We will cover each other and we won't ever leave the other hanging." The hybrid said smugly, "You can be sure that, if one of us is in trouble, then the other will be there to help. That is how partnership goes. That's how brotherhood goes. That is something you can be absolutely sure of."

For a long moment, Euphemia and Melor looked at each other, before the mare nodded.

"I see... it really seems you two have a strong bond." She said, "It is quite admirable, this bond you two have. However, the same cannot be said about your performance so far."

Melor looked at her.

"Let me guess, you have been talking to your dad. Haven't you?"

Before Euphemia could answer, the door opened, and the wolf came from the other side saying:

"Melon, I have just finished... O-oh! Euphemia-sama."

Legoshi soon turned to look at the mare as soon as he noticed her presence, and he was now talking to her, as respectfully as he did to her father and grandfather.

"I-I was just telling Melon that I finished setting the trap. I will have all of the bugs captured by the night."

"Well, those are good news." Euphemia said, and Melor looked at her with that same smug expression.

"See, we are not as incompetent as your father said." The hybrid announced proudly, looking at the mare as if he was daring her to say anything about it. Euphemia apparently had taken upon the challenge, for she said:

"I will believe on this when this specific problem has been solved efficiently. It will be the first problem you actually solve properly."

Legoshi looked down, his ears flattening on his skull, while Melor continued to look at the mare with crossed arms.

"You know, you sound just like your father when you speak like that." Melor said to the mare, who looked back at him.

"Well, my father and I don't have exactly the same opinions. But based on what I heard recently, I guess this is one of the occasions in which I can agree with him fully." Euphemia said, "You two have showed a number of times that you are prone to failure. You have failed to prevent others from invading the house two times already."

"Hey." Melor said, "One of them was not our fault."

"And you have also failed to apprehend that creature." Euphemia said, making it clear that she knew the truth about the creature, unlike what her father had said to the guests and continued to sustain even after the confrontation of Joshua Clawhauser. "This is yet another failure to your track records. As well as the fact you didn't noticed the approach of the creature when we were all playing my brother's game."

"The fact that you have failed so many times in a row, and that you haven't prevented more events from happening on the house at all, certainly makes both of you seem less competent than you have claimed to be." Euphemia concluded, concluding something that seemed to be obvious, at least from her point of view, "It almost makes me question if you actually lied about how competent you actually were."

Legoshi perked for a moment, his eyes widening in what seemed to be a moment of panic. Something that was definitely not lost to Euphemia. However, before she could say anything to the wolf:

"What, saying we are liars?" Melon said, "You know, it is not very polite to call people lying like that. Especially if they are mages. We don't really like to be questioned by others."

"Not even the ones who sign your paychecks?" Euphemia asked, looking at the hybrid with a neutral expression. "You might be mages, but you are also mercenaries. I mean, that is what it means to be a freelancer, am I right?"

Melor looked at her for a few moments, and Legoshi stood by his side, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

Suddenly, a fourth voice came into the mix:

"You speak as if being a freelancer is a bad thing."

All eyes turned to see Josh walking in direction to them, arms crossed over his broad chest and a smile on his muzzle as he walked in direction to the three.

"My sister is a freelancer, and I don't see any problem with it." He said, looking at the mare, "What, do you look down on my sister for her profession? Ain't that bigoted behavior? Which would be a violation of Mammal Rights?"

Euphemia looked at him as he approached, and she nodded.

"Mr. Clawhauser." She said, looking at the cheetah, who stopped a few feet away, and was looking at her expectantly.

"I assure you, this was not what I meant." She said, looking at him, and he looked back at her.

"Yeah, you didn't gave me that impression." Josh said, looking at her, "But still, some could think that this was what you actually meant. So, you might want to phrase your thoughts better."

Euphemia looked at the cheetah, who then gestured to the two with her.

"Now, if you are done with those two, do you mind if I borrow them for a while?"

The hybrid and wolf looked at the cheetah.

"Borrow...?" Legoshi said, and Euphemia looked at them, and then at Josh, before she nodded.

"She you all soon." She said, turning to walk down on the hallway, and leaving the three other mammals to look at her departing form, before Josh talked to the two:

"Close one, huh?"

The two looked at him.

"Excuse me?" Legoshi asked, as he and the hybrid looked at the cheetah for a few moments, and Josh said:

"That mare was about to give you guys a chewing up. At least, that was what seemed to be from where I was standing."

They looked at him for a few moments, and Melor smiled at the cheetah.

"Yeah, it looked like we would have a little problem. Seriously, with the amount of scolding her father gives us, I's hate to now have his daughter start to yell at us as well." The hybrid said, "I guess it is true that the apple doesn't falls far from the tree."

"That depends on the apple." Josh said, "As well as the tree."

Melor looked at him.

"Like, if the tree has a branch that is too long, or the apple is just round enough to roll really far from the tree?"

"Among other things." Josh said, "Of course, no matter what happens, the apple will grow into a new tree. Similar to the one that sprouted it, but fundamentally different."

"It might be a better tree than the other one?" Melor asked.

"Or a worse one."

There was a brief silence, and Melor said:

"You know what? Let's stop talking about apples and trees. Thanks for getting us out of that."

"You're welcome." Josh said, smiling at the hybrid. "I am only happy to help."

"Oh, really?" Melor said, "So, this means I owe you nothing for the save?"

"I didn't said that." Josh said, smiling at him. The cheetah's smile took in a naughty look. "If you want to give me some thanks, I'm willing to accept it."

"That's good to hear. Because I'm thinking of a few ways to thank you." Melor said, licking his lips, and Josh flashed him his pearly white fangs. Legoshi was on the middle of the two, looking from the hybrid to the cheetah, and he awkwardly pulled his lips back, showing off a toothy smile at the two, in an attempt to get in the middle of whatever it was, even though he kind of felt like he should leave while he still could...

Meanwhile, Euphemia had stopped on the end of the hallway, and she was looking over at the three mammals.

It was not at Josh that she was looking, but at the two mammals whom he was currently having a word with.

She remained there for a few more moments, before resuming her way.

As she turned on the corner, she nearly bumped into her grandfather.

For a moment, grandfather and granddaughter looked at each other for a moment, before Yahya said:

"So...?"

There was a question in there. One that was not properly ask, but was there. Euphemia answered:

"There is something off about those two."

Her grandfather looked at her, and he then nodded.

"I agree."

Judy was still worried with Nick. The fox has had a sour expression on his face ever since the talk with Noah and Lawrence Wilde. Natural, if you think about it. After all, who wouldn't be sour after hearing to someone so openly badmouthing their mother and saying that they wished she had died?

And it was Sophie's own brother who had said those things.

Perhaps that's why Nick looked so sour, even with Judy's attempts to try and make him feel better.

"Nick, what can I do to make you feel better?" Judy said, looking at her partner, who was standing by the window, looking out on the direction of where he now knew the Wilde mansion was.

"Well..." Nick said, without looking away from the window. "You could help me get a few gallons of gasoline and setting the mansion of those arrogant bastards on fire while they sleep."

Judy looked at her partner.

"Nick, I know you don't actually want to do that."

"Don't I?" Nick asked, sounding pretty bitter as he finally turned from the window to look at Judy, who retreated a step when she saw the expression on Nick's eyes.

Nick blinked, and he immediately regretted it. The fox groaned, before looking away.

"I'm sorry, Carrots." Nick said, as he shook is head. "Is just that... I really cannot believe how those guys are."

Judy looked at her partner, before nodding.

"I don't believe it either, Nick." She said, placing a paw at the fox's arm. "I never imagined that someone could say something like that about their own relatives."

Nick let out a sound that could be mistake by a snicker, but that had a lot more of bile in it.

"You're lucky, Carrots." Nick said, looking at his partner. "Because if you can't imagine it, this means that you come from a really happy family."

Judy looked at Nick as he said that, and she had to admit that Nick was right.

After all, it was no strange to hear about families who were not happy at all. Fathers who mistreated and abandoned their children. Siblings that killed each other for jealousy or whatever other reason it was. Adult children who treated their fathers and even grandfathers without a hint of honor or respect.

Judy never considered her family the happiest, and she admitted that she didn't got along with all of her siblings (I mean, come on, she had over three hundred of them). However, Judy had to admit that they were happy. At least, happier than those families with tragic tales that you saw on movies and series, and from which you heard about on the news.

"A lot of families are definitely not like that." Nick said, looking back at the window, in direction to the big house. He could only catch a glimpse of it at the very distance and the darkening sky, too far and dark to see, but Nick could still see it from the window.

"Especially the rich ones." Nick said bitterly, "And those bastards there are no exception."

Judy looked at her partner.

"Nick, now you are generalizing it." She said, looking at her partner. "Not all rich people are like that."

"Well, most of them are." Nick said, still sounding bitter. "Trust me, Carrots. I know these kinds of things."

He looked at his partner, and she saw how serious the fox was.

"I have been a hustler for twenty years, Carrots." He said to her, "I already mingled with the worse kinds of animals one can find in this city. And I'm not talking only about low lives, drunkards and thieves that go through the gutters. I'm talking about really bad mammals out there. Mammals who are used to have everything their way because they have enough money and influence to make their own rules."

Nick turned his gaze back at the window.

"Like my own relatives apparently are, and now I'm glad that my Mom raised me far away from them, and I didn't ended up an arrogant snob who thinks the sun rises from my bellybutton and sets under my tail, and that anyone who disagrees with me is an idiot who I need to humiliate with my family's money."

The way Nick spoke that made Judy look at him with a raised eyebrow. Nick noticed it, and he looked back at her.

"My point is that a lot of those people are the worse." Nick said, "I'm pretty sure I told you that already. They live on their own little rules and their own little morals that they make up themselves."

"And one of those rules..." Nick said, "Is that family status and the morals of the family will always be more important than the well-being of the other members. They did anything that goes against their personal believes or that they think has stained the image of the family? Get rid of them right now, or kill them yourself if you have to, just make them disappear."

Judy just continued to look at Nick, who was once more looking at the window, glaring at the direction of the mansion as if he was hoping it would spontaneously burst into flames. Judy took a moment to process everything that Nick had just said, and then, she said:

"Nick... I'm sure that you have your reasons to think like that... especially after what your uncle said... but I am pretty sure that most rich families are not like that. I mean, the Manechesters are not like that, are they?"

Nick said nothing in return. He sighed, and then looked at his partner.

"You are still as naïve and optimist as back when we first met." Nick said, "Sometimes I wish that I could have as much fate in mammaldom as you do, Carrots. But, I'm afraid mammals have showed me their ugly side way too many times."

"Nick, don't say that." Judy said, placing a hand on his arm once more. "You have been around way more than me. You have seen more things, and you know better how the world works. I know that, because you helped me see past a lot of things ever since I met you. Honestly, I wish that I could be as experienced on how things are as you."

Nick looked at her, and he let out a snicker.

"So, you are naïve and optimist, and I am experienced and pessimist." He said, looking at his partner. "I guess that's why both of us work so well together and have the greatest rate of cases solved on the Precinct, huh? We are like yin and yang, like that sculpture we are trying to win. Two halves of the same idiot."

"Oh, Nick..." Judy said, a smile on her face as she saw the smile forming on Nick's face as he looked back at her. They just looked at each other for a few moments, before they both looked away as a type of familiar awkwardness built in between the two.

"You know what? Let's stop thinking about those idiots." Nick said, getting up straight and fixing his clothes. "They think my mother is not good enough to be one of them? Well, in that case I think they are not good enough to be my family. Let them have their mansion and their money. I'm happy with the life I have now."

"Besides." Nick added, his smile taking a mischievous look, "It is not as if there is nothing I can do to them. I mean, I still know some guys from my hustling days that would not be afraid of playing some tricks on a family of mages. Some of them would even love to be able to play some tricks on a rick family."

"You better not even think about it, Nicholas." Judy said, and they both looked at each other, before starting to laugh.

Yeah, they knew Nick was just kidding (mostly), and they were both happy that the fox was now back to his usual self.

Nick himself was glad that he was back to his usual self. It was not every time that he ended up losing his cool like that and letting all of his emotions show right in the open. However, on his defense, people didn't usually went on insulting his mother. That was the kind of thing that could lead even Nick to forget about his "never let them see they got to you" rule.

But, on his defense, he was still shocked for finding out he had an uncle and two cousins he never knew about. Who wouldn't be throw off balance by finding out such a thing?

Anyway, he was glad that Judy was there to remind him that he had a friend on his side, even though he found out that the family he previously didn't knew were all a bunch of jerks. This really meant a lot for the fox. Especially when she said it to him with her own words, like she was doing just now.

"I'll help with whatever you need." Judy said to him, "You can always count on me, partner."

Nick knew that, and he would never forget it.

"So, what are you theories on who the culprit could be?" Nick asked, now turning the attention back to the game they have been playing. Judy was only happy to go back to discussing such things with her partner.

"Well, I was thinking- Woah!" Judy was saying as they passed through the door, but stopped as she prevented herself from making just another step, what would have made her foot be crush by the wheel of the wheeling cart passing right before her.

"Hey, careful there!" Judy said, and the bear who had been pushing the wheeling cart hardly gave the bunny any attention, instead continuing his wall through the hallway, being follow by another bear with a wheeling cart. Then another, and another. Each one of them pushing a wheeling cart that held speakers in them.

"This all goes to the west wing." Said another mammal. This one was a llama butler, who had a clipboard on his hoof and a pen on the other, and was making sure that everything was in order. "They will be placed on each corner of the room. Also four of them near the stage, and two by the side of each platform. But be sure that they are not near the curtains, we don't want to risk another fire like last year. The repairs bill was astronomical."

"Hey." Judy said, looking at the passing carts, and at the llama, who was overseeing everything. "Hey! Excuse me! What is happening?"

"Ms. Hopps." The llama said, looking at the bunny's direction and bowing his head slightly. "I'm sorry, but I cannot spare a word now. I have to make sure that the speakers are properly install, as well as the smoke machines and the stroboscopic lights. I also have to make sure that the bar will be in full stock, and later I have to confirm the delivery of those twelve kegs of beer and whiskey, as well as all the ingredients for the cocktails. And I also have to give a call to the DJ and to the four exotic dancers and, of course, I have to make sure that the poles are properly installed for the dancers, because they 'don't want to fall from a platform and break a bone for dancing on a badly installed pole'."

The butler said the last part with a little annoyance, before he made his way after the bears pushing the carts, leaving behind a stunned Judy.

Nick, on his end, only looked at the departing mammals and their equipment.

"Looks like they are on full gear to prepare for this year's Halloween party." Nick said very casually, "And it seems they will really make it big this year. I got a call from Fin, bragging that he got his paws on an invitation and that he will be bringing his 'new girlfriend' with him. Maybe I'll finally get to know the girl."

Judy was barely hearing what Nick was saying, as she was still wrapping her head around what she had heard the llama said.

"There will be exotic dancers at that party?" Judy asked, and nick shrugged.

"Probably just to set the mood." The fox said as if it was not a big deal at all, "But, believe me, Carrots, depending on who might show up at this party, the dancers might be the less illegal thing going on there."

Nothing illegal going on so far.

That is, if you don't count the three frustrated robberies, the attempt of a purse snatching, and the busting of the operation to sell stolen electronics.

No murders, no bank robberies, no kidnappings, nothing that could be classify as a "major crime". At least not on the end of Clawrence and Fanghanel.

Their last shift has been pretty much calm, compared to the other kinds of things a cop could find on their daily routines. All of it were things that could easily be solve, and they were solve rather quickly with a combination of their skills and training. All in all, their day had been pretty much quiet.

Like... really quiet.

Too quiet, in fact.

Gerald was not the kind who worried about too many things. However, he could not help but feel worried by the fact that his partner had been so quiet during the entire day.

It was not like Eliot Fanghanel to go an entire day without saying anything. That much Gerald knew after nearly two years of being his partner. The wolf seemed like he always had something to say on some matter. Eliot was not one to always crack a joke, like Wilde, but the wolf always seemed to have a commentary to add to a certain situation. Eliot said what came to his mind, and he always had his two cents to add to nearly any situation that could come their way.

Today, however, Fanghanel had been quiet during most of the day. Not really talking to Gerald more than necessary and only talking when someone spoke to him directly. That was very unlike the normal behavior of the wolf.

Gerald had been watching his partner, and he noticed the look on his face during most of the day, and the way that it seemed that he was upset with something as he was deep in thought. In fact, at some points Gerald had been sure that the wolf was not even hearing what has been said to him, for Gerald had to repeat a few questions to him at some points to have him answer to him.

It seemed like the wolf was with his head somewhere far away.

And he was.

Eliot had not paid very much attention to what was happening around him during that day.

Why would he care about some guy snatching a purse or about some guy stealing money from a register when his own wife was kidnapped by a crazy mage who was now threatening to kill her?

That was way more important than burglary. It was the most important thing in the entire universe to Eliot now.

That and how he would bring his Chloe back home safe and sound.

And Eliot knew that the only way for this was by giving Tasman what he wanted.

The thing that Ben's twin was protecting inside of the Manechester mansion. He had until the night of Halloween for that, what was three or four days from there. That was not a lot of time. Which was why Eliot had spent most of his day trying to figure out how to get the thing out of the mansion.

Of course, for that, he first had to figure out how to get inside of the mansion, on the first place.

Maybe he could go in there disguised as a delivery-wolf? No. Nick, Judy and Ben would be there, and they would recognize him instantly.

Maybe he could go in there saying that Bogo had a secret message for the three of them? Perhaps. But then how would he have the chance to look for the thing? Maybe he could make up some excuse and have them receive him for dinner?

Perhaps he could just show his badge to whoever he saw on the way and claim it to be a serious police matter? Dammit, at that point this actually seemed like a solid plan!

He wasn't even sure on how he would get past the gates of the Vole Gardens!

"Eliot?" A voice broke through his reverie so deeply that Eliot actually yipped and went into fighting pose as he looked back at Gerald, who was now looking fully at him.

"Are you alright?" The panther asked, looking at the wolf, who looked back at him.

"Yes." Eliot said, without getting out of the combat pose he had put himself with the scare. "Why would you think I am not?"

"Because you are holding your paws just like a practitioner of the Southern Praying Mantis style of Kung Fu."

Eliot looked back at him for a few seconds, before putting his paws down.

"No I'm not." He said, and Gerald only continued looking at him for a few moments, before the wolf recomposed himself.

"And if I was, it was probably because you startled me by talking out of nowhere." Eliot said, actually sounding a bit upset. The panther continued looking at him.

"And you should really look at the road when driving."

"I know." Gerald said, "That is why I stopped the car by the sidewalk before turning to look at you."

Eliot blinked, and looked at the window, realizing that they were no longer moving. He hadn't even noticed that they had parked by the road.

"Oh..." Eliot said, and then he looked at Gerald.

"Any reason why we stopped?"

"Because I thought I needed to talk to you." Gerald said, still looking at his partner with an unblinking gaze.

"About...?" Eliot asked, looking at his partner.

"About how you have been behaving today." Gerald said. "You have been behaving in a way that is unusual to you, Eliot, and don't even try to deny it, because I have been near you enough to recognize when you are acting in a different way."

Eliot looked at his partner for a few moments. For a moment, he even thought about playing dumb and acting like he has no idea what the panther meant. However, he knew that Gerald did knew him well at this point, and that feigning ignorance would not work on him. The panther was too smart to fall for that.

As the wolf said nothing in return, Gerald decided to ask another question:

"Is there anything wrong, Eliot?" Gerald was asking that with genuine concern for the wolf. "Did something happened? Something that upset you?"

Yes! My wife got kidnapped and now I need to steal a thing if I want to see her alive! Was what Eliot wanted to say to the panther, right before he broke down crying and spent the rest of the night staining his shirt with tears and snot as he howled miserably on his shoulder until he slept.

However, he could not. He stopped that thought just after he thought about it, for immediately, his mind was taken by a terrifying memory, which still haunted his very waking hour since that morning.

"You try telling anyone what is happening, she dies."

"No, nothing happened." Eliot said, telling the biggest lie he believed he has ever told anyone on his entire life. "I am okay?"

"Really?" Gerald said, looking at the wolf. "Because you have been acting strange all day." The black panther insisted, and Eliot looked away.

"Eliot, if there is anything you might want to talk about, I'm here to hear it. We are partners after all. So, if there is anything you want to tell me..."

"You tell anyone about me, she dies."

"There's nothing." Eliot said, looking away. "Nothing to talk about, really."

"Eliot..." Gerald tried saying, but Eliot snapped.

"I may be just in a bad mood today, alright!" The way he spoke surprised the panther, who had a rare shocked expression on his face as he looked at the wolf.

"Maybe I'm just not on a good mood today! It happens to anyone, you know?" Eliot continued, "Maybe it was because I had a bad dream during the night and don't remember! Maybe I'm in some kind of male-period thing! Or maybe I'm having some problem with my clothes being uncomfortable! Maybe I'm just not on a good place today and there is no particular reason for that! And there is certainly no reason for you to interrogate me about it! So leave me be, okay!?"

A heavy silence followed those words, and Eliot was looking at the window.

He immediately felt horrible for talking like that to his partner. However, he was not on the mood for any of that. He could not afford to have Gerald asking too many questions and risking putting Chloe in danger. Eliot could not afford that. So, he just hoped that, after this outburst, Gerald would actually leave him be and not ask any more questions about the matter.

"Eliot." Gerald's voice came once more. Eliot didn't not answered.

"Eliot, look at me."

Don't wanna. Eliot thought, hoping that the panther would just give up and leave him alone.

"Eliot Fanghanel, I'm serious, look at me."

Dammit! The full name! Oh, how Eliot regretted telling Gerald that this was how Chloe would always call his attention when he was not listening to her...

Eliot looked at the face of his partner. He grew used to not seeing emotions on his panther partner's face. That was why he felt surprised when he looked at it and saw a genuine expression of worry on is face. Or Gerald's impression of what a worried face was like...

"Eliot..." Gerald said, with all gentleness he thought was appropriate on a situation like that.

"We have been partners for two years." He said, "Before that, we were friends at the academy."

"You know, I never had many friends." Gerald said, looking at the wolf. "I never had many chances to have friends. This is why I'd really like to think that we are friends."

Eliot looked at him.

"We are." The wolf said, looking down.

"I'm glad you think that." Gerald said, "And that was why I expected that, if I asked you what the problem was, you would just tell me and I would help you feel better."

Eliot was feeling worse. Then, Gerald said:

"But, I know that friendship is more complicated than that."

Eliot looked at Gerald, who was looking back at him with that same expression.

"Relationships of any kind are always complicated, and they need work from both parts. I understood it very soon when I started living in the real world." The panther said, "That is why I know that I cannot just ask a question and hope you will tell me what is bothering you and then feel better."

"But, I do want to help you feel better." Gerald said, placing a paw on Eliot's shoulder. "Because you are my friend, Eliot."

They looked at each other, and Gerald gave him a smile.

"I'm still pretty new to this whole thing of having friends, but I know it requires trust and dedication." Gerald said to the wolf, "So, I want you to know that you can always trust me. You can trust me to hear and help you if you need, and I promise I'll do my best to help you with what you might need. Just like you can trust me to have your back while we are on duty together."

Eliot knew that.

He knew all of that.

He knew that Gerald was right. He usually was.

Eliot too considered Gerald his friend, from the first time they talked. He was not sure if Gerald thought so immediately as well, but it certainly felt like the panther had warmed up to him as they trained together, graduated together, and then were assigned to work as partners from there onwards.

Gerald was his friend, and Eliot felt like he could trust with him. He wanted to trust Gerald.

Trust him enough to tell him what was happening, so his partner could help him find a way out of this situation. Gerald was smart. He would be able to help him figure out a way of rescuing Chloe and defeating Tasman, if Eliot just explained everything to him.

Eliot opened his mouth, ready to say something to Gerald, but then, his eyes caught somehow behind Gerald.

That bird was too close to their window. Closer than birds should normally be. It had a bright plumage that was rare to see in birds around those parts.

That was not a pigeon.

Even because pigeons wouldn't look at you with such an intense gaze as if they were trying to peek inside your soul. They didn't had eyes like that.

Eyes like those of a thylacine.

Those... those were Tasman's eyes!

"You try to trick me, pass me behind, or get the best of me in any way and, guess what, he dies!"

Eliot looked at the bird, before turning his attention back at Gerald, who was still looking at him, and only looked back at him in silence, for a few seconds.

"Gerald, I..." Eliot said, "I... really appreciate that you care about me."

That much was truth, like what Eliot said next:

"Look, I am going through something right now. But... I don't want you worrying about it, okay?"

Gerald looked back at Eliot, who continued:

"It is something that just happened and... even though it bugs me, I think I can figure out how to solve it on my own. So, while I really like that you want to support me, I think it is best if I deal with it myself. Sorry dude."

Gerald looked at the wolf for a few moments, and then he nodded.

"If you say so." He said, taking a paw off Eliot's shoulder.

"But, in case you change your mind, I'll be here to listen and help." Gerald said, and Eliot nodded at him, smiling. With this, Gerald was starting the cruiser once more. The bird that was on the window flew away before Gerald could catch any sight of it. Eliot saw it fly away, but he had the feeling it would not go very far.

Eliot looked at the window.

"You succeed on the mission... and you have my word that I won't lay a single finger on Chloe."

His word didn't meant a lot.

Eliot didn't trusted Tasman to keep his word of not hurting Chloe. After all, he was a bad guy, and on the academy they taught to never really trust on the words of a kidnapper.

However, as of right now, he didn't really had any other option. Not if he wanted to have any hope of having Chloe back.

As the cruiser drove off, there was a figure standing on the shadows of an alley looking at the departing vehicle, as smirk on his muzzle.

"Eliot Fanghanel..." Cornelius Wilde said to himself, before chuckling. "Yes, you will do nicely..."