Chapter 7
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A few knocks on the door, and Carmelita was surprised to see another skunk today. This one though had the double tail stripes of the most common species of such, and a far friendlier demeanor. "Ah, Dr Reyna. You may have caught us while we were a bit busy, I hope you don't mind if we just…"
"No, no, of course," she said softly, entering in. The room in question was set out much more as a lab space than anything else, large bulky instruments filling up the walls and two desks arranged in the corners. The smaller one, evidently used by the skunk, was fairly empty. The larger one, at the back, held a blonde she-wolf, jotting down at her notepad. As the skunk hurried back to her own desk, resuming what must have been an urgent zoo call, the wolf got up, paw out to shake.
"Dr Clara Bloom."
"Dr Tiffani Reyna," Carmelita said softly.
"So you say," the wolf said, tail flicking. "Which institution?"
"Universite de la Sourbenne Nouvelle, Paris, doctorate in history. I also have a criminology degree from the University of Zooragoza."
"So interested in crime history," the wolf mused. "Odd for you to be sent here."
Carm shrugged, not liking the vibes she was receiving. "Given the museum I work at, I do not see why."
"I suppose odder things have happened," she remarked, before pointing to herself. "UoZ, Doctorate of physics."
"And I would say it is odd for you to be sent here," Carmelita retorted, only for a voice from behind to cut in.
"Radiocarbon dating," Dr Soren remarked, walking over. "Or at least that was why I came over. -I may be a misplaced paleontologist in this department, but when we put a higher emphasis on those technical aspects, those looking into the social aspects are oft to outsource their work to us. And what was supposed to be a box tick, turned out into something far more interesting."
"At which point my colleague chose to charge forward the favour," Dr Bloom stated.
"That's a less enthused reaction than I remember you starting with," the skunk chittered on, beginning to sort through a bunch of papers. "You've been more than interested in this enigma, to the point where I'm almost considering this little prank was made entirely for mammals like us. Be it entertainment purposes or what the young call trolling, I can't tell at the moment, but…" She paused, looking up at Carmelita. "Sorry if I get a bit distracted here, Dr Reyna, when given a stimulating task like this I can tend to overfocus."
"No apology needed."
"Well, let me give you an introduction instead," she smiled, as she made her way over to the corner of the room. The police vixen rooting herself behind her, she looked up to see the large sheet covered figure that loomed in the corner. Paws holding on, Soren gave the covering a heave, and what was beneath revealed itself.
'Well, if that doesn't confirm it…'
"So," Bloom began. "Your initial observations about Sylvester?"
"Huh…" Carmelita almost yipped, thankful that she was able to stop a more natural 'qué' from squeaking out instead.
"If you're wondering, that tacky name came from the previous-previous owner of this tacky item," Dr Soren said, patting the metal sarcophagus on its side.
"Well, I wouldn't describe it as tacky," Bloom said.
"Terrifying?" Soren offered. "I understand that many mammals, even larger ones, have some form of latent Strigiphobia." She gave a glance up at the owl-faced visage of the 'antique'. "Though naturally it is most acute in small rodents… It's Kristen, by the way."
"So… You call 'Sylvester' Kristen?" Caremlita asked.
"-Sorry, my name is Kristen," the skunk explained. "Realised that while my colleague had introduced herself on a first name basis, I had not. Should have made that clearer."
"Oh, no worries," the red fox said, walking up to it. Paw out, she felt a deeply odd trepidation as she raised her paw to it and planted down her pads, the cold seeping in. That she wanted to open it, but what might be inside wasn't what she would be expecting. Not necessarily bad, but… "The contents?"
"Unknown," Kristen huffed. "Both X-ray and magnetic imaging were unable to penetrate its metal outer layers, and the lack of any visible seam or latch mechanism…"
"Or permission from above," Bloom added, holding up an angle grinder.
"I mean, the idea that it's of any historical significance is a moot point," the skunk carried on. "Which was why it was all ready to be put into storage, just after I gave a rough carbon date and some fellow partners did a mineral analysis. Which was when I discovered the abnormality."
"What abnormality?"
"Carbon fourteen," Clara explained. "At levels roughly nought point five per trillion." And with that, she gave a long gaze at Carmelita, the fox's left ear ticking up ever so slightly.
"Apologies for my colleague, it's quite easy to assume we all know the minutiae of every technique," Soren cut in, the fox unable to not notice the slight sweep of the wolf's tail. "In short, it's half the level we'd usually expect. One full half life passed, which equates to an age of five-thousand seven hundred years. Or… If I remember correctly, about a millennia before they built the sphinx."
"Of course no mammals that long ago could build something like this," Clara carried on. "Gold or bronze, maybe, just... But this includes a number of far rarer elements, many of which were not discovered back then. So the only explanation is that someone went to the effort of manipulating the levels of C-14."
"At which point," Kristen explained, "I contacted Clara, given her expertise in physics."
"And what I found out was that the C-14 wasn't the only isotype that has seemingly been tampered with," the wolf carried on. "In order to test whether this item was built recently or not, I looked for levels of radionuclides produced as a result of atmospheric nuclear testing. Or rather, as most of the cobalt sixty has decayed by now, the prevalence of excess amounts of nickel sixty. That, along with the relevant decay chains from caesium and other artificial isotopes, would give us a marker for which period of history this was built in."
"And?" Carmelita asked.
The wolf shrugged. "There are none."
"So pre-trinity?"
"Not radionucleides," Bloom said. "Periods of history, there are none."
"What do you mean, there are none?"
"I am saying that the radioactive isotopies and decay chains are there… But at vastly lower and higher levels than would occur naturally, far more decay having occurred. So, along with reducing the levels of carbon fourteen to levels that would indicate this was built several thousand years ago… The other radionuclides are at levels you wouldn't expect for several thousand years."
"And what does it mean," Carmelita asked, confused herself.
"It means someone had far too much money and time on their paws, and wanted to annoy us," Kristen huffed, running her fingers along its bodywork.
"Or a few things that are too strange or ridiculous to suggest," Clara added. "Yet…"
Carmelita gave a glance back, a voice in her head chirping up. 'Keep an eye on that one, she's a sharp one.' "Such as?"
Clara snorted. "Well, not really worth discussing, is it? After all, you're in the camp that it's a very interesting counterfeit for your institute to look at."
"Well, not necessarily."
"As I said," Kristen explained, as she pulled the tarp back over. "It's very likely someone's form of a joke or some kind. Heck, when I emailed the hieroglyphs over to a linguistics professor, he replied back with 'ha, good one, thanks for trying to cheer me up' or something to that effect."
"He was having a bad day?" Carmelita asked.
Kristen froze for a second. "I think that's about right," she said. "Anyhow! These interesting developments meant we've been looking over it, though from the sound of it it's still due for shipping out. Hopefully it will find a much more appreciative home at your institute."
"Indeed, I believe it shall," Carmelita said. "Indeed, what we might have here is an attempt to fake date such an item, trying to create your own ancient antique… Had they focused on small golden trinkets or items and such, then they could have certainly made a business in fake antiques. As it was though… they seemingly went overboard. Little Eiffel towers made of gold are one thing, a life size model another."
"I guess so," Kristen agreed, walking back over with her cloth, ready to slip it over once more. "Anyway, it has been a pleasure to meet you, and I'm glad that this item will keep some fellow academics interested moving on in its life. If I am ever in the city of light, I'll make sure to come visit. No better tour guide than a local, as the general wisdom goes."
"That would be a great pleasure," Carmelita agreed, inwardly knowing that however much it was the case, it wouldn't come to be. A shame, really. "-In any case, do you have any idea on when the delivery could be made."
"Well, I wanted four weeks to carry on my investigations, Dr Orshank said he planned to send it off in two, I proposed a compromise of three. Naturally, we've recently been informed that it'll be five."
"Hopefully there will be no more delay," Carmelita said.
"Well, this was due to organising the right mammals to transport it, so fingers crossed it is all set to go. I'm certain your superiors will be relieved at the news."
"A little frustrated by the delay," she said. "But ultimately relieved. Merci, you have both been very helpful."
'Some more than others,' she let herself think, in an old but familiar voice.
And, as if taking it as a challenge, the wolf at the back of the room stood up. "Mind if I show you out," Clara asked.
"Merci, but there really is no need…"
"Oh no, I insist," she said, smiling as she walked up to her. "I'm sure there are a few things we could pass that you'll find interesting."
"Well," Carm said, forcing a smile on her muzzle. "That would be appreciated, even if I am on a tight schedule."
"We'll walk and talk," the wolf said, walking past and opening the door. Waving the way through, Carmelita took her exit, saying au-revoir to the skunk, and following the wolf along the hallway.
Turning, making their way down a set of steps, the wolf spoke out. "¿Qué tal?"
The vixen shrugged. "Buen."
"Nice french…"
Carmelita's ears flickered, she shouldn't have fallen for that one anywhere near as easily as she did. Then again, there was a solid reason she'd built herself an out at the start. "No, it is Spanish. When living in Zooragoza you tend to pick it up, no?"
"I guess you do," she said, turning her eyes down at her, "Inspector Fox."
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"Ten-hut!"
Kris pulled back slightly from the sound of feet standing to attention, the crowd of biker wolves arranging their honour guard before letting loose.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
Kris' smile was interrupted somewhat by an ear flicker.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
He turned to Ash. "They're going up to twenty one, aren't they?"
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
Who raised an eyebrow. "And?"
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Not that I don't appreciate it…"
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"-But it feels a little excessive."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"-I'm not a head of state, after all."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Not with that attitude you aren't."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
Kris raised a finger to protest, Ash raising his eyebrow further.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Right. Just live it," he said.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
Managing a smile.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
Walking on, through the crowd, paw meeting his father's.
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"You did well son."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Maybe… -yeah," he said, "I guess I did."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Want to talk about it?"
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"I guess, I…" Kris mumbled. "I had a lot of feelings during it."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"I'm not sure how to work them out, or control them."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"Well," his father said, stepping down to hold him. "There's a reason why you'll be seeing your therapist after this."
AWOOOOOOOOOOO…
"I guess so, work it through," Kris agreed, pausing as he saw the wolves step down, their leader coming up to the front.
"You did good, Kit," he said. "Now, we know touch might be touchy for you but... -the good boy want pets or not?"
"I'm…" he began, not sure. "-It'll likely go that way anyway, so I guess yes."
"Heh, good call fox," he said, stepping forward and fussing the top of Kris' head. "You aced this."
"-You showed that hare," another added, patting his head.
"Keep up the fight, soldier…"
"Bet he regrets trying to hurt a real pred…"
And so Kris' honour guard departed, making sure 'the goodest boy' knew just how good he was.
Standing back, Ash looked on, smiling as he saw Kris' winced up and embarrassed face. And the wagging tail betraying his true feelings.
Only to pause as a capybara stood next to him, dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a Che Gatovara T-shirt, arms crossed and smug grin across his square face. "Ha… Not into that stuff my tail…"
The red fox looked at him for a second or so, before walking around and planting himself in front. "You are?"
"And you are?"
A swish of a red furred tail. "I asked first."
"Does it look like I give a cuss?"
Ash grumbled. "This isn't going to get anywhere like this."
"I know," he smirked. "So, you are?"
Grrrrrr… "I know not to play dumb games like this," he mumbled, a tense silence cutting between them.
Much to his irritation.
And the rodents' amusement.
Ash closed his eyes, squinting up. "Why do I think I should know who you are, you…"
"-Armando!?" came a call from behind.
"Armando," Ash recounted proudly, then pausing, still as confused as ever. "Now why am I still confused?"
"What are you doing here?" Kris asked, making his way over. He looked at the capybara, not sure if he was seeing it right.
"So you're his friend," his cousin summarised, "which I don't know about, so unless you met him…" He trailed off, looking up at the increasingly smug rodent. "You're that Armando?"
"Brought here 'specially to testify for prude foxes favour," he said, pulling a surprised Kris into a shoulder grip. "I hear you screwed up the screwer, huh!?"
"No… Not really, I…"
"Ahhhh, you still showed him something 'Posa," Armando said, letting go and crossing his arms. "I heard he's cussed himself up. Again. Dumb bunny…"
"It was scary," Kris admitted. "But I got through it. You were the brave one, though."
He blinked for a second or two. "Wait, you got to watch me? Damn, score out of ten?"
"No," Kris said, shaking his head. "Back in the showers, you went in knowing you'd get your tail kicked. You weren't scared or anything, not like me."
"Pfffff, read the room why don't you? -Wait, I forgot you literally can't." He placed a paw on his shoulder. "C'mon, back then we both did what we hadda do. You don't overthink that. And Luke? There's a reason he's scum of the earth. Don't screw yourself more than he already did." There was a pause as he wagged his eyebrows. "Unless you're like my Sammy and enjoy it, of course."
One of Kris' ears semaphored down, a hesitant response cut off completely as Ash inserted himself between the two. "What crime?"
"... Man 'Posa," Armando sniggered. "Your baby brother's cute when he's mad."
"I'm…" Ash started to growl, only to close his eyes, draw a sharp breath in, then let it out. He carried on glaring back, ears giving the odd flick.
Kris cleared his throat. "He, uhhhh… -Yeeted a mouse."
Ash blinked, staring back. "Why would you yeet a mouse?"
"I don't know, ask him."
"Why would you yeet a mouse"?"
"Why wouldn't you yeet a mouse?" he countered. He cut off whatever reaction Ash was going to give. "Really sucky day, real jerky mouse, just boiled me that last bit over. So I yeeted him."
"Into a thorn bush," Kris added.
"Well, not on purpose," Armando clarified. "I mean, c'mon, don't tell me you've never been tempted to do something to a really annoying tiny mammal, right?"
"No." "Yes," Kris and Ash responded, the former turning to his older cousin, paws out.
"It's more common than you think," Armando smirked.
"Well I didn't make anything worse for her," Ash laid down, keeping his eyes on the larger rodent. "She said she wanted to stay in the plant that was eating her, so I left her in the plant that was eating her. Then my dad saved her after she was eaten by a goose. I wasn't going around throwing her places, unlike you."
The capybara looked at him, slack-jawed.
Ash backed up against his cousin "See, that told him."
"No… -I… -You can't just leave it there!" he stammered. "You just can't tease that and not follow through!"
Ash shrugged. "Yes I can."
Armando was left looking at him, turning and putting his paws out to Kris who, thinking it best, just left himself out of this.
Finally, the capybara shook his head. "Right, fine, not getting anything out of this. Anyway…" He looked around. "Can't see any of the prison staff here, it's been way longer than fifteen minutes, so going by the old classroom rules, I'm supposedly free to scarper… -Don't mind if I do. See ya around, 'Posa."
And off he went, giving a not so innocent whistle as he 'sneakily' walked away. Ash paused for a second, then blinked, then turned up to Kris. "Did… He's… Hey! Kris? KRIS!"
His cousin couldn't help but smile. "Congratulations."
"Huh?" Ash went, confused. Even more so as Armando laughed, walking back.
"Gotcha good on that one."
"Huh!?"
"He's out on parole," Kris explained, "aren't you?"
"Two week, five days a free boi!" he cheered, before smirking. "Butt still a bit raw though."
Ash cringed down a bit, Kris looking unsure. "I'm sure they could have given you a pass, given…"
"They offered one, but I ain't tempting bad luck," he said, before whispering in. "You know, just for safety, you might wanna ask your girlfriend to…"
"No," Kris said, plainly.
"Well, if someone ends up back at the house of the risin' sun, you only have yourself to blame 'Posa."
"That was a house of ill repute," Ash clarified.
A new voice called over. "Oh it's been as many things as there have been versions of that song." They looked over to see the silver fox busker from outside, leaning back in a corner, applecap covering his face. "Been a prison a few times and more."
"I… Oh nice," Armando said, smirking. Ash looked at the busker for a second, before the capybara carried on. "And I mean, not like I didn't enjoy it. I woulda almost asked for more," he sniggered, before his face began to harden. "Apart from one thing. As I said before, we always invited the new kids to witness it, share the hallowed traditions. We had a few new guys watching me, really made me want to ask for a few more for good luck, so they didn't need to be all scared and all. Except for the fact that one of them… woodchuck, trembling with fear, way more than the others. I think I know why. Was he the one who framed you?"
Kris blinked. "I… I don't know..."
"Beavis, I think his name was. Spent half the time crying, made Matt look like… well not a cry baby." Armando shook his head. "I may be out now and making up for lost time with my beaver, but I promised Luka I'd still visit him every now and again. But he wants to know. Timofey really wants to know, he's mad that he, the one in charge, was foxin' doing the laundry while all this went down. Heck, I mean even Dex wanted to know, and you and me know that coon's a dick, mam."
"I… actually don't, but…"
"They're mad this happened to you, 'Posa. You should'a gone with a heroes release! Not like that. And after they swapped out everyone who stole that from you, well least we can do is make the one who put you in pay."
There was a long pause. "No."
"It wasn't him? Then who…"
"It was him," Kris said, breathing out. "But I don't want him to get hurt."
Armando blinked. "But… Why? He tried to ruin your life, 'Posa!"
"I know," he sighed, looking up. "I just don't like mammals getting hurt. I don't want anyone to get hurt." He breathed in and out, and looked into the rodent's eyes. "Especially not in my name."
…
"You sure?"
"If I…" he began. "If I want to make him hurt, I'll book a visit. I'll look him in the face. I'll tell him exactly what I think of him. I'll use my own tongue, not other mammals paws."
Armando stood there, thinking for a second, before nodding. "Yeah, I can respect that 'Posa." He looked around and shrugged. "Well, guess there's only one thing left to do."
"What's that?"
"Keep on livin' in the free world." Out came a paw, Kris matched it and they shook, before the giant rodent led with a fist bump, Kris following up. He wagged his eyebrows. "See you around, 'Posa. I got me some beaver tail to get back to." And with that, he walked out, into a crowd of other mammals. Many of the mammals were leaving, even the busker, who'd been standing in the corner, joining in. As he passed, the fox raised his cap, vivid orange eyes looking out.
"Say, silver-fox to Silverfox, you good?"
"Um… I guess," Kris began. "Got friends and family to…"
"Thought so," he said, pausing. "You know, I remember coming to this city. Hurt, broken, looking out the window in the dawn's light with a freshly rebuilt face, I saw it gleaming. And I had the feeling, yeah. A new chance, a new start. Life would feel so good now. -If I put the effort in of course, you follow what I'm bringing out? You may never forget this, but you'll move past it, and those who care will certainly help. Keep 'em close."
"I will," Kris said, the other fox nodding.
"Say, what was the name of that capybara?"
"Armando…"
"Thanks," he said. "Seems like a cool dude, knows his music. Worth at least one conversation, you follow what I'm bringing out." He spared a glance back at Kris. "I think my work here is done. Live a good life, kit, and keep on livin' in the free world" And off he walked, vanishing into the crowd.
"Nice chat with your… friends, there," Kris' father said, walking over.
"I suppose," he mumbled, smiling. "Gave closure at least."
"Feeling good?"
"I'm not sure," he sighed. "I'm still… unsettled." Scratching behind his ear, he looked down. "I almost feel normal, but not quite. Thinking back, I don't feel good, but some things I've heard mean I do."
"I think he means he has strongly mixed feelings," Ash surmised.
"Yes, that," he replied, pointing at his cousin.
Dr Silverfox managed a small smile. "So is that a good, overall?"
Kris' ears fell back. "No… I… I'm not sure. I just want to feel okay, and I know that I don't."
"Well, it's been a very long and hard day so far. And you've done great. And meeting with your therapist later means you can talk your feelings over with her."
"-Feelings that will be greatly boosted!" Mr Fox announced, paw out and bat hanging from it.
"Mr Messenger?" Dr Silverfox asked.
"Nice to meet you," came the reply, the winged mammal leaning forward, the elongated thumb-claw on his right wing shaking with one of the vulpine's own. "It seems that our miscreant has come to his senses, and accepted a… suffice to say far less generous version of the deal we offered him at the start. Does six more years have a nice ring to it?"
"I'd say it very much does," he agreed. "Doesn't it, son?"
Kris, looking just a bit nervous, nodded. "Yes, I suppose. But he's not the real one who…"
"I know," the bat agreed. "But now we have his testimony. And multiple others. And yours. It's easy against a bunch of convicts, with a trained judge leading it all and no jury to be swayed. Against a long serving prison officer with a jury…? Even with this, and a few bits of special evidence we've received, it'll be hard. But we have what we need to build the case. It won't be right away, it will drag on, but I promise you. She is on borrowed time."
Kris sighed. "Good…"
"You'll need to be ready," he warned. "You did well today, but she's going to be far tougher, and probably have a far more dangerous legal council than my… diligent opposite today."
"You can't just make these things heal," Dr Silverfox warned, holding his son close.
"I know," he nodded. "But you've got to try. It's not if you face her again, it's when. And when that day comes, he needs to be ready for it." He was cut off by a beeping sound, bending up to see a pager band attached to one of his legs. "Ah, duty calls. Enjoy your summer, boys."
And with that he let go of his perch and fly away, leaving the foxes there.
Kris watched him, his tail flagging. "I know I need to be," he said. "I want to be. I'm just not sure how."
His father, ears flagging, looked down at him. "I'm not sure how either son, but I think that the answer involves a lot of help." Paw around his back, he held him close. "Come on, it's time to go get some."
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AN: Dr Clara Bloom belongs to Crewefox, and comes from the wacky, exciting and comic book love letter Take a Stand series. Dr Kristen Soren belongs to Tinbuzzard and comes from the excellent political thriller fic, Sandcastles.
And sidenote, to me at least this felt like a long two weeks. And on reviewing the word count, this was a bit of a smaller chapter. The reason we're down to once a two weeks is the word limit on the proofing readthroughs I do… but this chapter could have been done in just one week. So, thinking it through, I'm going to drop the next one in just a weeks time to make up for the long wait for this one. And as I dropped a nice little cliffhanger in the middle.
I may be sadistic, but I'll have you all know I ain't just plain cruel.