Contrasting Meetings

(If "Behind Blue Eyes" by Limp Bizkit is compatible with your device, please press play now)

Plymouth Street, Universal District, New Haven (Purgatory), 6:30P.M

Jake stared at the street sign with empty sadness...and an unbridled anger.

12 years...It's been twelve years since he had been here and escaped with his little sister, Jennifer, who was just 6 years old at the time.

Jake begrudgingly took a step forward, making sure to keep a cautious pace. It was a cleanly and sanitized neighborhood, no graffiti or vandalized buildings, dilapidated or deteriorating infrastructure...everything was pretty much pristine.

But that's what made this place so dangerous, and why Jake had remained so cautious upon entering this part of the Universal District. The buildings had remained completely untouched, as if they were constructed yesterday; new shingles and siding still remained in its place, even though the buildings had been there for decades...a fairly useful side effect of being in New Haven: Nothing ever deteriorates or decays.

As far as the authorities knew about this part of the metropolitan area of New Haven, everything was legal. Building permits were cleared, clean identification papers, residents had no criminal records...but Jake knew the real sinister secret this neighborhood held: Gangs...and all of them under the command of Nate Drexler.

Nate had an innate ability to avoid the unwanted attention of Death's authorities by making subtle, inconspicuous threats to those who were possibly gaining an edge or possibly exposing his criminal underworld. Anyone who even saw an illicit activity under Drexler's name: stolen property, magic laundering, fraudulent identification papers, etc. Well, let's just say his former "father" figure had some persuasive methods to ensure that witnesses never talked to the police, but even these methods were subtle and left little trace of violence or suspicion. Sometimes a photo would be taken of a victim's house, and note would be attached to a rock on the front porch of a victims house, indicating that one of Drexler's gangs had surveyed the area, letting the victim know that if they enact on their evidence...they or the people close to them would be endangered.

Just before he departed Nate Drexler's authority, Jake was made privy to a blackmail scheme, that involved a father possum who had accidentally stumbled into the wrong alleyway...and saw one of Drexler's fraudulent I.D exchanges. He was kidnapped from his wife and child, and repeatedly tortured psychologically until he swore that he wouldn't tell anyone what he saw in that alleyway. Jake and Jennifer were only kits, and Jake tried his best to cover his little sister's eyes from the evil deeds of their "Guardian", but nothing could mask the blood curdling screams they both heard that day...Guardian...that was the exact opposite of who he and his sister had been with in their childhood...he was nothing more than a monster.

The possum father was eventually reunited with his family, but not without mental scars that took years to heal from the trauma he had endured.

Jake to this day, wonders if that Possum family is still safe, and moved onto Eternity once their sentence or necessity in purgatory was no longer needed...and they finally found peace.

Jake steadied his pace further, trying to hide the anger and contempt for the man he was about to see again after escaping from him over a decade ago...

Eventually, Jake stepped in front of a convenience store, with bright incandescent and LED lighting, that poured onto the sidewalk of the entrance...this was the place...and it hadn't changed one bit since he left as a kid.

Jake stared into the windows of the shop, and once more looking the neon sign above the store which read: "24 Hours of Convenience"

"Such a cliché name...but it's amicable enough to divert the attention from the authorities..."

The young male fox snickered to himself subconsciously, before noticing the male rattlesnake cashier that was staring at him through the window behind the magic register, visibly shifting around a toothpick that had been in his mouth, as Jake stared at him with caution. The snake was wearing a black hoodie and tattered jeans, and also had a visible tattoo on the right side of his neck, the signature mark Jake had seen in his early childhood that all of Nate's members wore...along with Jake and Jennifer had they stayed until adolescence to be sworn in. It had bore the skull of a wolf, which represented who led the entire criminal organization: Nate.

Jake slowly opened the door to the convenience store entrance, not breaking eye contact with the male rattlesnake, who was clearly one of Nate's goons.

*BEE-BOO*

The door sensor chimed, as Jake scuffed his feet along the entrance mat.

"Looking to buy, sir?"

The snake hissed at him, slowly rattling his tail as he crossed his arms, and had his legs leant against the wall behind the cashier counter.

"No...no I'm not actually...well at least, not in this part of your shop..."

The snake soon gave a suspicious glare, and soon stepped forward and leant against the front counter with intrigue.

"And what exactly do you mean by that, buddy?"

The noticeable change from indifferent courtesy, to passive aggressive hostility, was apparent in the snake's hissing tone, as Jake stepped forward to the counter; showing the reptile that he clearly wasn't intimidated by his informal tone and bullying tactics.

"Just tell Nate Drexler that Jake has to speak with him."

The slits in the snake's eyes were soon flaring, as he heard that name.

"Well, well, well...this is a welcome surprise after all...follow me..."

The fanged grin of the reptile could be faintly seen, before he turned to face the "Employees Only", slowly opening the knob and gesturing for Jake to enter as well.

Jake circulated around the counter, and lifted the flip top of the counter, before gently flipping it back down.

He turned to see that the snake still bore a devious grin, as Jake stepped ahead of him, the young male fox a few inches taller in height and much more built than the rather measly male snake. But none of that mattered to Jake, not here, not now...especially knowing the danger and prowess these gang members possessed.

Jake passed through a bunch of dimly lit service hallways, before reaching a back door that led to a short alley clearing, blocked on all 4 sides.

"Right this way, kid."

The snake goon gestured to a staircase that stretched downwards into the ground and sewer networks of New Haven.

Jake acquiescently made his way down the staircase, with the snake standing next to him, rattling his tail every now and then as they walked past heaps of other anthro guards and henchmen through the tunnels.

Bears, hawks, snakes, lizards, wolves, lions, tigers, males, females, it didn't matter who you were or where you came from...if Nate wanted to acquire a predator into his flock that he saw potential in, they were quickly trained in hand to hand combat and melee weapons.

Firearms were strictly non existent in purgatory, even for the authorities, who were limited to just tasers; so many crude methods came into play like hand-to-hand combat, melee weapons...and if worse came to worse, the abilities of each species' ancestors: Claws and Teeth.

Herbivores were generally less confrontational, but still posed a danger nonetheless, given that they also had the potential to murder and commit violence. The only thing that kept Purgatory fearful of the repercussions of their acts, was the police force, which held highly trained combatants and peacekeepers, and Death himself, which held absolute power over the realm and was untouchable to any of the dwellers of New Haven.

Jake was given snarls and low guttural growls from male and female gang members, with some female members providing devious smiles, sultry glares, and butterfly kisses, all of which made Jake internally uncomfortable...he just wanted to get what he came for, and to get out of here.

Finally, after what seemed like a never ending walk, they finally made it to a heavily reinforced steel door, which had a plaque bearing the name: Nate Drexler.

The rather athletic male snake opened the door to a room with a poker table in the middle, with 4 wolf bodyguards standing at each corner of the room's walls.

"God fucking DAMN IT!"

A scream of frustration from one of Drexler's henchmen echoed throughout the room, as a rather bulky and intimidating wolf figure sat at the middle of the poker table.

"Paulie! Paulie! Calm doooooown, buddy! It's justa freaking game, huh?! If this were a real game over magical currency, I would have kicked your ass a lot sooner!"

A rouse of cynical laughter emanated from the table and the surrounding room, before soon turning their attention to the doorway, where Jake and the rattlesnake henchmen were standing.

"Who's this Jackie?"

"Some random ped who entered the shop saying he wanted to speak with you, boss."

"Does he have a name?"

"Jake."

Upon hearing the name slither out of the serpents lips and tongue, the formidable wolf crime lord stood up from his chair slowly with a toothy grin. His green eyes blue eyes clashing with Jake's own, both predators staring each other down, while Jake gave an expression that conveyed: "I hate your guts...but I need a favor from you..."

"So the prodigal son returns to make his presence known to me once more after all of these years..."

The grey wolf clasped his paws together, wearing a black zip up jacket and green cargo pants, his eyes having noticeable scars, along with other parts of his face. He was 32 the last time Jake and Jennifer were here, but for being 44 years old, he hadn't aged a day...perks of being in Purgatory as an immortal.

"Gentlemen, ladies...would you please vacate the room for Jake and I? We need some catching up to do..."

The gang members soon stood from their chairs, all of different species, male and female, but all apex predators.

As they passed Jake, he could hear their whispering with his enhanced hearing abilities, being a fox.

"Is that the kid who escaped from Drexler with his sister years ago? The boss hardly ever mentioned him besides the photo and that story..."

"Wow...he certainly grew in that time since the picture...not to mention more handsome too..."

"The boss won't let him out of this room..."

Jake bore his teeth slightly in a low growl, hoping that this would be an indication not to trifle with him once he's done with this meeting.

Some of the female and male members were startled, while others were too indifferent to the fox's presence to notice, and simply exited the room without uttering another word.

The four bodyguards protecting Nate, remained in the room, as Jake slowly and cautiously approached the poker table, the light fixture providing the only illumination within the walls and confines of the office room.

"Jakey! My dear boy, how have you been?! It's been far too long, care to have a drink?"

The male fox soon took a seat adjacent to the male grey wolf, as Nate snickered.

"Not fond of the pleasantries, are we?"

"Cut it out, I'm only here for a small favor, and I'll be out of your fur once more for a very long time..."

Nate gave smirk and affirmative glare.

"My, my...you have grown into an assertive lad since you left here...your sister and you were going to be my finest students...such a shame that you decided to throw it away for the dull life up there..."

"Dull life?! Whatever life it may be up there, it's a hell of a lot better than what it would have been down here with YOU!"

Jake's voice roared throughout the room, having some of the bodyguards start to inch forward assuming that there could be physical confrontation looming, before Nate raised his paw to call them off.

"What I may have done to your sister and you, it was only to train you to be better, stronger, more resilient..."

"Despite all of the scars and blood you spilled between her and I?!"

Jake's venomous tone filled the room, the hatred for the man in front of him at the table starting to spill out in his words.

Nate simply shuffled a deck of 52 cards, each card folding into the other, as the grey middle aged wolf stared back up towards the adolescent male fox.

"As I already said...it made you tougher than what you would have been had I not trained you...speaking of, how is your sister doing?"

Nate continued to shuffle the deck meticulously and slowly, keeping his eyes trained on Jake.

"She's happy, she's not in fear of seeing her older brother being nearly beaten to death in his "training", or having herself being thrown into the midst of violence for "Becoming stronger"..."

Nate chuckled, almost as if to antagonize the young male fox to draw more anger from within himself.

"Well...I'm glad to hear she is doing well..."

Nate then finally glanced back down at the deck he was shuffling.

"You ever play poker, Jake?"

Jake snarled, as he looked at the cards as well.

"Once or twice back at my place with Jen, why?"

"Care for a game? Nothing but a friendly match, no currency on the line or anything like that...for old times sake."

Jake raised an eyebrow, as Nate gave a neutral expression to the fox, their searing blue eyes almost burning into the other's very soul.

"...Will it get me my favor that I came for?"

"It will."

Jake was acquiescent to accept, knowing what Nate was capable of. Just as he was physically intimidating, he was equally as mentally intimidating in his capabilities to manipulate others for his own sick games.

"...Fine."

Nate was pleased to hear this, as he began dealing the cards onto the green accented poker table.

"Perfect! But, I have a small favor to ask of you as well..."

"That being?"

"In order for me to commit to my end of our little deal here, I need you to answer every question I have while we have this game...don't forget your playing chips by the way..."

Nate pointed to a stack of poker chips that was next to Jake, as the male fox placed the chips directly beside him at the table.

"...You promise to fulfill your end of the bargain?"

"I may be questionable in my methods, Jake, but I am not one to be disingenuous when it pertains to business."

Jake raised an eyebrow of suspicion, as Nate fiddled with his poker chips across the table, continuing to stare back.

"Okay."

Nate nodded.

"Wise decision."

Nate then placed the first three playing cards on the table.

Both fox and wolf checked.

"So, how is life going currently with you and your sister living together?"

"How did you-"

"I have eyes and ears everywhere Jake, you should know this by now."

Jake's face soured once more...Nate knew exactly where he and Jennifer were living for all of these years, he probably knew much sooner than Jake had probably anticipated, and probably knew that Jennifer had a boyfriend...

"Life is fine."

"Oh come now, you can do better than that! Details my dear boy, I need details!"

Jake hated the idea of divulging sensitive information to the grey wolf, it put his entire world in danger and those who he cared for most in harm's way. He probably shouldn't have come to see this man again...but then again, he didn't know that Nate was still spying on him and his sister for God knows how long...at least that paranoid thought was put to rest, and was confirmed.

Perhaps...he could lie?

"Oh, and just in case you think of skewing details or lying, I would advise against that. I may believe you now, but I receive informant reports every other day about specific persons of interest I have tagged in the various districts of New Haven and Greater Purgatory, and eventually...I always find out the truth."

"That idea is out the window..."

Jake thought subconsciously, as he sighed.

"I work as an archivist at the New Haven library, assisting in data and information storage there."

Nate smirked.

"Yes, I recall one of my people here telling me that you're quite proficient as well, dedicated, despite it not being necessary to even have a job in Purgatory...it seems my ethics of working hard rubbed off on you more than you realize..."

Ethics...what would this man know about ethics?! Jake knew better than anyone that ethics was only a punchline to Nate, rather than something you abide by...a mask for an opportunist to bend someone's kind nature to his will...before resorting to other "methods" if the victim didn't comply.

"I'm only doing it to help my sister save up for a place of her own with the magical currency I earn at my job...she has a boyfriend, Eddie, and despite my qualms with the guy...they seem quite happy with one another...I want to ensure that she can have that quiet life there until they reach Eternity..."

"And how are you so sure about that, Jake? How do you know that's the case...that your sister will end up in Eternity? You and I both know that she shares a similar past to you...you're both more valuable assets to me than you both will ever know..."

Jake's eyes soon flared with a fiery rage, his sister...him...just mere assets to this man?! A commodity that was to be used like pawns on a chess board.

"You don't know a thing about my sister you bastard! She's a more kind and virtuous soul than you'll ever be!"

Nate laughed, as he placed the fourth playing card of the round on the table.

"I'm only kidding Jake, calm down...surely we can joke like when you were just kids. Remember, I was the one who saved you from the fate your parents also suffered..."

Jake still had a contemptuous expression, as he glared at the grey wolf.

"A fate you still won't share with me! Jen and I deserve answers about what happened to our parents!"

"And perhaps one day you shall! But the details of it are still too gruesome to recall for me...even now..."

Nate had a slightly somber tone, as Jake scoffed.

"A Crime boss...having empathy? That's a new one..."

"Hey! Even guys like me have standards you sniveling little shit! I suggest you start talking with more courtesy to me for the rest of this evening, or consider your little favor revoked..."

Jake sat back in his chair, and lowered his ears, not out of fear...but out of respect for Nicole's sake...he wanted to see her and fulfill their date tomorrow.

"That's better..."

Nate viewed his cards for a moment and then the community cards, before checking once more as did Jake.

"So...if I may ask, what exactly is this favor you wanted to ask of me?"

"A pass into the feline district, my sister visits her boyfriend there, and she's been asking me to see her for the past while. But, as you know district passes have slightly increased their magical fees and I was hoping to get a pass from you this time...if that's not too much to ask."

Nate smirked, with one of his fangs showing.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, if this line of business has taught me anything Jakey boy, it's when to spot a liar...and you're caught as red handed as your fur right now. My informants tell me your sister has never wanted you to accompany her to the feline district with her boyfriend to...unless you have met someone else that lives there...a possible...new friend?"

Jake tried to maintain an unfazed expression, he did NOT want to drag Nicole into this mess...the last thing he needed was a possible friend being caught in his past...

"That too, but I have been meaning to visit my sis and her boyfriend to hang out sometime...so tell your informants to feed you more accurate intel sometime..."

Nate snickered with a sinister laugh, as he dealt the final community card.

"Any raises?"

Jake shook his head, as Nate smirked.

"Very well...all in."

The grey wolf soon placed all of the playing chips towards the pot, or next to the community cards.

Jake rolled his eyes.

"Must have a good hand..."

"Maybe, it's not always about the hand you're dealt sometimes though...it's about fooling the other players into the fact that you could have a greater hand than you."

Jake soon pushed forward all of his chips.

"Ooooooooo...I can see that you haven't lost your balls kid!"

"I just want to get this over with, I have more important things to attend to than sit at a poker table with you."

Nate once again bellowed a laugh, as the four surrounding body guards also silently snickered.

"Well Jake, may the odds be in your favor..."

Both men flipped their hands.

Nate held a pair of Jacks, one on the table and one in his hand, the other card of has hand being a 5 of hearts.

Nothing else was gained to improve his hand from the community set.

Jake then flipped his cards, this being the first time he actually checked his cards the entire game thus far.

An ace of clubs in his hand, and the eight of spades...as well as a pair of such cards on the community table deck.

"Either you are the luckiest, or unluckiest guy in purgatory right now Jake...the dead man's hand...you win."

Jake soon nodded slowly, how eerily coincidental it was to have that specific hand be dealt...and for it to be the winning hand...surely it was just fate...right?

"Well, here's your feline district pass, free of charge."

Nate soon placed the district pass on the table, as Jake quickly swiped the card from the table.

"Hope we see each other soon, Jake...this meeting has been...educational."

Jake soon started walking towards the door behind him to start making his way out of the bunker.

"Oh! And one more question Jake!"

Two of Nate's bodyguards blocked the doorway.

"Why didn't you just buy a regular pass? Rates didn't increase that much that it warranted a visit to me..."

The grey wolf folded his paws and claws together in intrigue, as Jake turned back.

"To help Jen save up for a place of her own, I didn't want her to wait any longer than she had to...she deserves a happier life than the one she had here years ago...and I'm going to help her get there...and from there, she'll go to Eternity and carry that progress with her...to maybe start a family of her own..."

Jake glanced down at the floor for a moment, before Nate nodded with a grunt of contemplation.

"You know...despite the hollowness of my heart...that is rather commendable of you, Jake."

The guards soon stepped aside from the door, as Nate gestured with his paw in a "shoo!" motion.

"Now...I suggest you run along...it is getting rather late..."

Jake soon turned to open the door, as he walked down the service hallways and corridors once more of the bunker. Gang members still providing glares and staring at him as he walked past them on his way to the bunker exit staircase.

As Jake continued to walk up the staircase to the cool night air of purgatory above him, all he could think about...was how strangely short that poker game was...too short...

The very next day, Nicole's Apartment, Feline District, 11:00A.M, New Haven

"Ow! Watch it Liz!"

"Sorry! Sorry! It's just your fur is rather thick, and styling it into curls is rather hard to do Nicky!"

Alyssa carefully placing a brush on a fur strand of Nicole, to help loosen a mat she had found, that was causing Nicole visible and audible discomfort.

"It's fine, I'm glad you're doing this for me. It's just that the last pull was a little...discomforting."

"No worries! I totally understand, and I'm more than glad to do this! I mean, what's a guardian angel if she cannot help her client style their fur for a date, am I right?!"

Both young women chuckled, as Alyssa picked up a spray bottle full of water, to help flatten some loose strands of fur that were standing on end.

The snow leopard then carefully adjusted a blow dryer she had next to her to the appropriate setting, as she concentrated on brushing and drying.

Once she had finished, she once again began her styling process.

"Soooooooooo?"

"So, what?"

Nicole chuckled, as the snow leopard asked in a curious and enthusiastic tone.

"So, what's Jake like?"

Nicole giggled, as the snow leopard smirked.

"I'm serious girl! What's he like? Is he cute? Does he have dreamy eyes? Is he sweet?"

"Liz, I've only just met the guy! This little date today is hopefully one that helps us understand what we have in common and if we share some kind of connection together..."

Nicole glanced down at her lap, as she nervously twiddled her thumbs and fingers with her claws.

Alyssa smiled teasingly, before rolling her eyes.

"Well, obviously! I just meant in terms of first impressions! You know, joking around, gives an aura of friendliness, you know; the usual stuff!"

The snow leopard waved the curler around in the air as she was speaking, as Nicole looked into the mirror to meet eyes with the other feline, as she squirmed in her seat a little.

"Well...he was super helpful yesterday! He was able to teach me a little about how New Haven operated, how magic works, we shared a little bit about ourselves and how we ended up here, but I'm hoping to get him to open up a little bit more when I meet him at the coffee shop on Yarnball Avenue!"

Alyssa continued to brush Nicole's fur, before she looked at her in the mirror again.

"You...did tell Jake which coffee shop you're going to in the feline district...right?!"

Nicole's eyes widened, as she quickly grabbed her phone.

"Uhhhh...well, now that you mention it...no? Hehe..."

Alyssa rolled her eyes, before conjuring a phone book for New Haven in her hands, before licking her finger to turn the pages.

"Ah! Here he is! Jake, Universal District, Archivist, Species: Fox!"

Alyssa quickly recited the phone number to the feline, as Nicole dialed it into her new phone that Alyssa had given her as a welcoming gift to Purgatory, and as not just her guardian angel, but a friend.

A few rings could be heard, indicating that a call was trying to be established.

"And today in New Haven, you guessed it, we will be experiencing a clear sunny day with moderate temperatures-"

Jake had been prepared for the past half hour for Nicole's and his date, as he watched the New Haven News Network for the weather.

"Well, it should be a pleasant day weather wise at least...hopefully the date is just as pleasant too..."

Jake continued to watch the news for a few more moments, before his phone began to ring in his pocket.

Jake quickly checked his jean pocket, and pulled out his cell.

"Incoming Call from: Nicole Senicourt"

Jake's face soon lit up with a smile, as he accepted the call.

"Nicole! Hi! I'm so glad to get your call!"

"Jake?! Hi! Sorry to call you with such short notice, but I just wanted to let you know that the coffee shop we are going to have our date at in the feline district; it's on YarnBall avenue! Do you know where that is?"

Jake smiled, and gave soft chuckle. Nicole had such a adorably frantic tone, that he couldn't help but feel his heart melt.

"I do, actually! Jen and Eddie go there all the time on the weekends to get coffee and donuts! They have always recommended the place to me, but I never had a chance to try it out!"

Nicole could be heard sighing in relief, as she placed her ear back to the phone.

"That's wonderful! So...I'll see you there around noon?"

"I'll be there in a jiffy, and Nicole?"

"Yes, Jake?"

"Don't sweat this too much okay? I can wait, you don't have to rush yourself or feel like you're on a timer...so just take a deep breath okay? Let's have a relaxing day with each other! I look forward to the rest of our day together."

What the fox didn't know, was that on the other end the blue female feline was in shock and awe.

"T-t-take my...my time?"

Nicole's brain almost couldn't comprehend the words. She was always in a mad rush to her job to the Rainbow Factory back on Earth in Elmore, that she rarely ever had time for compromise and relaxation. It's almost as if Jake had severed something in her that kept her bound to a strict mandate of expectations.

"Th-thanks Jake...I'll see you soon."

Nicole hung up the phone, and soon gave a silent sigh of happiness. She felt relieved...free for a moment even.

Alyssa caught onto this, and smiled.

"Well, it seems like you can finally smell the roses for once in your existence, huh?"

Nicole gave a slight smile and rolled her eyes.

"I guess so Liz...How do I look?"

Nicole soon got up from her chair and twirled around in a circle, showcasing her date outfit.

"Honey...you couldn't look more beautiful if you tried! He's going to be flabbergasted!"

Nicole blushed, before giving a warm smile.

"Thanks Alyssa...but I couldn't have had half of this preparation without you...so thank you...truly."

Alyssa scoffed playfully.

"Oh Nicky! Girl! It's nothing, really! I just wished I could have done these things more often when I was your guardian angel on Earth! We could have been like...sisters!"

Both felines laughed, as Nicole soon grabbed her purse, and headed for the apartment door.

"Have fun Nicky, I'm sending blessings and prayers to you and Jake."

Nicole smiled, as she turned towards the door and turned the knob. Before she left though, she turned back to the snow leopard who was still smiling at her from the apartment living room.

"Perhaps we still can be, Liz...it's going to be an interesting three months I believe."

Alyssa's face soon lit up and she had the widest smile of happiness and pure joy Nicole had ever seen on another person.

"REALLY?! Oh this is going to be so awesome! We can share gossip, do our nail polish together, talk about boys, what our favorite bands and genres are and-"

Nicole simply rolled her eyes and softly chuckled.

"See you soon Liz..."

"OH! And then we can watch silly rom coms-"

Nicole quietly shut the door, with the female snow leopard still ecstatic that her client could forge a friendship and possible sisterhood with her. Nicole had something else to be excited about though, and turned to stare down the apartment staircase at the end of the hallway.

She made her way down the apartment complex hallway, and rapidly descended the staircase, to the exit into the feline district...starting a path that would change the entire course of these next three months forever.

*END OF CHAPTER*