Backbone II: Scourge

HOUSE OF CARDS

CHAPTER IV - HOUSE OF CARDS

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"Alright, Larry, it's been a blast but I believe you've gotta get going soon thanks to the visiting hours. At least, on a weekend, you're allowed to stay around until 8 PM. I am a little worried about Renee, though. The last time I heard from her was around four hours ago and it's now seven-thirty. I hope she didn't get caught." Howard flatly stated, already feeling much better with a fresh set of re-wrapped bandages all the while Caresworth walked into the room bearing news. "Nurse Caresworth? I thought you were off shift today! I haven't seen you around," He commented whilst his hazel eyes lit up thanks to her analysing his eyes.

"I'm here to conduct a final assessment because you're being discharged tomorrow morning! Apologies, busy day, I've been working downstairs. I would've taken care of you and you would've been free from today onwards but we had a slight supply shortage. We may be one of the finest institutions that this grand city may have to offer but that doesn't exactly make us exempt from your usual delays. Now, please sit up straight and hang your legs over the side of the bed, I need to assess your reflexes," Without wishing to question Caresworth and enlightened by the news, Howard gently shifted across the bed to hang his legs off the side, which is when he found his knees hammered at by some apparatus with a black rubber tip as he noticed his knees reacting without him looking. "Fantastic, now, I need to assess your eyes next. Follow the light, please."

"This is great news, Howie! You're gonna be out there to shock the world once again! You and Renee can get back to solving cases and unravelling this huge web you've been talking about! I just hope you get some time to check in on your old buddy occasionally!" Larry was practically cheering from behind Caresworth's back as Howard gave his long-standing friend a thumbs up.

"I still would like to know where she went off to, I assume she got a little busy with sleuthing. I have no clue what she could've found but if she's been gone for that long and hasn't called back in yet then I can understand if she found something big. It was apparently a huge pain in the ass to get into the Tops via a taxi driver so there's a chance she's having trouble convincing one to drive from the Tops to the Docks to drop her off here," Howard did his best to distract himself from the very real possibility that Renee could've gotten herself in some form of trouble as the sun started to grace the horizon outside. It may have been the summer and the sun was destined to remain up for another two hours but with a kiss of the horizon indicated the inevitable slumber that would be nightfall... At least it wasn't storming like it was earlier on.

"Are you expecting someone to phone in? The landlines closed an hour ago considering they're hard to operate late at night. There's a chance your friend may have tried to call but would've been intercepted by the fact the lines have already closed for the night," Caresworth advised as she finished shining a light into Howard's eyes, satisfied with Howard's performance. "Now, I am going to hit this thing with a metal stick and it's going to vibrate whilst ringing, I need to make sure that you can hear it whilst using your hand to point towards where it is. Think of it as an instinctual exercise. Don't worry, this is your final test," Howard nodded in understanding as Caresworth struck two metal sticks which looked like an oversized pair of tweezers, prompting them to ring and vibrate to which Howard closed his eyes and followed along with his finger to perfection, even in spite of the mild damage his other ear had faced from a relatively recent injury.

"What are the results, nurse?" Howard's curiosity got the better of him after a blanket of silence had descended upon them as Caresworth placed her apparatus back into the pocket of her pink uniform.

"Your senses are intact without any deficits, which is surprising considering the vast amount of deeply rooted trauma you experienced thanks to the tumour which grew on your shoulder. You will be free to go tomorrow morning, although you are expected to check in two weeks later to have some of the stitches removed. Mr. Lotor, you've made quite the remarkable recovery given the circumstances, passing many of our unconscious tests, too," Caresworth elaborated as Howard smiled with pride. "I'd say for someone surviving the clutches of death, you look great and your body has healed remarkably in the past week. We have also found no evidence of any form of parasite, tumour, infection, fungus; nothing of the sorts. We are still attempting to identify what exactly caused all of this other than the tumour itself yet its genetic makeup appears to be from chemicals, minerals and substances we have yet to find anything about. On the upside, we have found no trace of those aforementioned chemicals, minerals and substances. It seems as if the professors at Science City are correct in their assumptions that it expunged itself from your body upon death, although not much else has been revealed to me," Caresworth put Howard's mind to ease the instant Renee stumbled through the door, missing most of the aforementioned disguise dye whilst collapsing down onto a seat.

"Renee?" Howard leaned forward, concerned for his partner in crime as well as his dear friend as she took a massive breath before reaching for a granola bar in her pocket, taking a bite before elaborating as she seemed rather shaken up. "What a way to make an entrance but I'm glad you're okay, that you're alive and you're here! Did you find anything?" He inquired as he sat back down on his bed due to a condescending glare from Caresworth reminding him of his place as well as her desire for him to take care of himself.

"Whew! I need- I need to breathe first... Yes, I found a lot of information, but please allow me a moment, Howie!" Renee took in some deep breaths as the room spun around her all whilst she chowed down on her granola bar. "So, being a detective... It's not as easy as one would assume, is it?" Renee quipped, provoking some laughter from Howard and Larry all the while Caresworth casually stood by Howard's side. "Also, apologies for interrupting and making quite the dramatic entrance. I will allow Caresworth to finish her business with you before I discuss anything myself as I desperately need to eat."

"I was just letting your companion here know that from tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, he is permitted to leave once picking up the care package ready for him once he's up and ready to go. Howard Lotor has made a remarkable recovery and will be spending his final night at ease, knowing full well that his life will be returning- at least mostly, back to normal. I don't know if life ever goes back to normal once dodging death but it's nice to see such a remarkable recovery. The staff team will be cheering him on as he leaves the building tomorrow morning and I shall shake hands with you all for what shall hopefully be the last time," Caresworth turned her attention back to Howard with a gentle smile spreading across her face. "It's been a wonderful pleasure taking care of you, Mr. Lotor. I can only wish you the best for when you stay your final night. Speaking of which, do you have any requests that you wish to have fulfilled?"

"What's the policy like on letting someone stay a night?" Howard's intentions alongside winking at Renee told the whole story as Caresworth gave everything a thought. "Or is that not allowed? This is my only request. I would invite Larry to stay around as well but I heard he's got stuff to manage at the community slums, I would love to have Renee stay the night with me to celebrate, although I promise to be a good boy and to not do anything inappropriate," Renee grew increasingly flustered in the distance all the while Caresworth merely nodded her head in agreement.

"Deal. Renee Wilson may stay the night. I shall bring a temporary bed that parents typically use to stay the night in the children's ward up in half an hour's time. It is your final night, so it would be rude of me not to honour your request," Caresworth kindly replied, turning towards the exit with her objectives in mind.

"Thank you so much, nurse!" Howard replied, astonished that she decided to undertake such an agreement when she holds an immense amount of power.

"It's been a pleasure, Mr. Lotor!" Caresworth opened up the doors and slammed them shut for what she hoped to be the second-to-last time as she went on the prowl for a bed that Renee could use to stay the night. Meanwhile, Renee remained mostly in smitten shock that someone as reclusive as Howard actually wished to share a room with her, especially when it comes to late-night affairs. Then again, they did have a case that they were not-so-secretly undertaking behind the scenes to attend to, especially involving the intentions and goals carried by some of Clarissa's middle-men.

"Finally, i can get out of this sanitary caring home by tomorrow. As glad as I am to live, I am thankful that my stay here won't be permanent," Howard's typical, drier sense of humour shone through the moment Caresworth departed the room, his hazel orbs fixating on Renee's partially damp green suit as well as her soaked leather briefcase. "Renee, d'ya need a little more rest before continuing or have you got your breath back? I've got part of a sandwich that I never ate on a plate for you. I've got no fucking clue what's in it but I know it tastes awful to me and it will probably exchange that experience with you, too!" Howard offered the plate to Renee as Larry watched on patiently.

"I politely decline your offer, Howie... Actually, what the fuck is in that?" She inquired as she picked apart the bread with her paws, learning that none other than some tuna and some cheese was lining the inside of the slices. "Agh! Shit! Okay, I've seen enough of this thing. This has to be one of the worst sandwiches I've ever seen... You ate half of that?" Renee felt as if she had left half of her sanity as Howard merely shrugged whilst making himself comfortable.

"You do realise that's free, right? If you're not having it then I'm going to take it as a parting gift! I love tuna!" Larry chipperly snatched the sandwich from Renee's hand as he headed for the exit with his mouth stuffed full of food. "It's... Been a pleasure... Talking to ya, old friend. Seeya out there... Sometime tomorrow!" He struggled to speak for his mouth was stuffed full of the abomination that both Renee and Howard refused to eat as he picked up his bag and made a break for the outside world.

"So, Renee..." Following a long pause of silence, Howard crept his hand over to the briefcase as Renee made herself comfortable at the footing of his bed; taking a nearby food cart and repurposing it as a desk as she unclipped the silver latches belonging to her leather suitcase. "I'm guessing you saw quite a lot whilst you were out as you were gone a while. Great detective work, by the way," Howard complimented Renee all the while she respectfully nodded in acknowledgement.

"Not too shabby for my first day, hm?~ Anyways, banter aside for a moment. I was unable to track my original target, yet I stumbled across something much larger when talking to a local businessman. He gave me some insight as to how the politics of the high society mall work. Every single establishment has a use, when it's no longer seen as viable or profitable, it is shut down. One thing I found interesting was the theme of Baxter's Bakery... It's themed around technology-shaped cookies and biscuits but I'll get into that in a minute, I need to organise some paperwork that I found first when I took a detour," Renee rummaged around her briefcase, taking a gigantic stack of sensitive documents and slamming them down on the metallic platform the food cart had on offer. "I found out pretty quickly that Lee Aleski, one of Clarissa's right hand men, happens to be hiding something when I ended up venturing to that portion of the mall district. As for the aristocrats? I managed to plant a tracking device on them but getting near them with my anxiety and their policy of not interacting with people would've been a bad combination... That and the fact that I would've blown the operation as the fur dye I was using was cheaply made and was only able to last so long," Renee was still leaving out a ton of details after she had spent the majority of her time away as she started organising the documents into different piles with them relating to different purposes.

"So, you found the aristocrats that were scheduled to be meeting with Baxter but were unable to pursue that lead, gotcha. At least, you fitted them with a tracking device considering this guy could be useful in the future. You found out that Baxter's Bakery has some form of purpose, at least based on what Clarissa wanted you to hunt down considering I just sent you out into the wilderness on your first mission with your own assignment and one of Clarissa's servants is hiding something. If I'm being honest, that last one isn't so surprising considering Clarissa most likely works with equally as shady people as the apes do," Howard's attention was more drawn to the documents instead of anything Renee had to say about her first operation, especially when Howard had given her some relatively vague instructions about finding anything out about the recession. "I did want to know something about the recession, which was why I sent you out to begin wi-"

"Aha! There was a rude badger that bumped into me! Apparently, the apes are starting to move their investments into pure material wealth and are abandoning currency, or at the very least using currency itself as a front to launder alongside clean their wealth. He was selling watches and his whole point was to try and con someone paranoid out of their money but he was very vague on what he would use the money exchanged from. My bet is that badger is working with some Monkeybutt pushing initiative and the apes are turning towards the dark economy whilst preying on those who are suffering from something they caused to turn a profit," Renee finished organising most of her sensitive documents, placing red pins on the personal memos, blue pins on bills and miscellaneous documents whilst placing gold pins on those that mattered; which there were five pieces of paper addressed to Lee himself from some form of high society organisation. "Unfortunately, my initial objective of finding out the motives behind the inflation other than suffering turned out nothing, yet I did steal a bunch of important documents when I snuck into Aleksi's private office-"

"You did what? - Why didn't you mention that sooner? Haha! That's like- hah! That's like doing something I would do! I'm guessing my craziness rubbed off on you one way or the other, huh?" Howard let off a few cackles all the while Renee merely shook her head and sighed. "What? Don't tell me you're ashamed of what you did! This is wonderful! You've gotten all of the information a man could dream of by going straight for the kill!"

"I-it gets crazier, Howard," Renee eked out all the while she felt her dignity alongside part of her moral compass melting away at the seams.

"No way..." Howard gasped in response to Renee pulling out her pager with its recording mechanism attached. "What did you find?" He asked, to which Renee replied by pressing the button on the recording device to replay what she had captured.

"As expected, boss has loaded up the compartments of the motorcycles with bricks of the stuff. We'll be cutting until close. I can't believe this place stays underneath the radar, just because we use bikes to push this stuff instead of more subtle methods? I mean, nobody is going to suspect new vehicles ready to be sold going through some unnamed warehouse for inspection to be filled with the stuff, are they? Man, this society is filled with idiots. I can't wait to save enough money to get beyond the wall, heard it's a paradise free from the capitalistic shithole practices that we've got to abide to; all in the name of Shepherd or whatever," One mysteriously commanding voice erupted through the speaker, to which Lee himself was spotted replying to this mysterious voice.

"The only reason why I am going to praise Shepherd is because that asshole led us to where we are today. Scratching, clawing, coping. I'll be glad when I can abandon Bloodworth and head south. These crime families and these apes, they know nothing about the fact that they're an asylum like many others scattered around this mindlessly hypnotised world. The only reason why I work for snobs like her is because I need the funds for the good life, and by that I need a shit ton of diamonds as well as stuff that will sustain me for the rest of my time on this lousy planet," What Renee had uncovered from eavesdropping on this conversation alone was the fact that one of Clarissa's trustworthy servants had intentions to eventually ditch her as well as the entirety of Vancouver, not to mention the fact they were pushing Monkeybutt using the inner compartments of unsold motorcycles as a disguise to traffic such drugs.

"Holy. Shit." Howard's jaw dropped to the floor in awe. "And I'm guessing all of these documents are relative to whatever they're talking about, right? I mean, I'm guessing you just grabbed them and went but what did I say about not leaving behind any evidence of your presence?"

"Here's the kicker, partner. I duplicated all of the documents as Lee had one of those fancy photocopiers. I was able to place the clones in their original spots. I even stole some books that had sat unused for as long as they had been down there," Renee whispered, subtly proud of her work as she felt her blood coursing through her veins. "Tales of Masonic Ancestors. Not the catchiest title but it seems to have something to do with the old way of life. It's written in a language that I can't seem to understand, either. Almost as if it's been recovered from beyond the wall," Renee poked around the book for a bit before Howard took it from her paws with haste.

"Hold on... These symbols look familiar. It's an alphabet. You're not reading it correctly," Howard flipped the book so it was facing vertically as opposed to horizontally. "I don't know what language this is but it's clear that it's written from top to bottom... Agh, I remember learning about a mythical language ages ago, or supposedly mythical, that was written completely differently. You know how you might've played a game where you draw something simple on a whiteboard and your friends have got to describe it?" A shadow of silence soon roamed around the room as Renee merely raised her eyebrow and tilted one of her deep orange ears.

"Uh, no?"

"Oh, wait, I forgot you're not the type of lady that parties hard and instead you probably worked from the moment you broke free from your childhood. Anyways-"

"Hey!" Renee gently pressed her clenched fist into Howard's thigh, firmly opposing the sentence that had just slipped from his jaw. "I knew how to have fun... Kinda. Ever tried calculating the pythagorean theorem without using a calculator?"

"You find that fun? No wonder why you saw my face in a puddle and thought I would be a good partner. Okay, I'm getting off track. There's a fictional language in one of my favourite book series; Beyond The Horizon, known as Varese. The author never finished writing his book considering he was jailed for conspiring against the members of high society considering what he wrote about was slightly controversial but it was rumoured that his books were based partially on what he had found behind the wall. He would also use a language very similar to this whenever illustrating personal documents... I know how to read some of the alphabet and it's much easier than you'd think. I can probably get to reading that book but it's important that we start with the documents first," Howard finished up his slight ramble before turning his attention to a personal memo, picking it up before reading it out loud. "Huge Monkeybutt shipment coming through the wall on the 15th. - Jules will be responsible for smuggling. Don't fuck this up. Mobilise on the 13th."

"Jules. Huh, it seems like this case just gets thicker as well as denser and this is our first note. Howard, what are your thoughts on this? You're the detective, here," Renee pulled out her notepad and wrote down a few partial fragments of the note, mainly alluding to the important information that was listed.

"Jules sounds like their guy or gal for Monkeybutt being moved beyond the wall. I have a feeling that Monkeybutt being pushed around Vancouver is not thanks to some crime syndicate based inside of the city but thanks to some smugglers who slip past the wall to get it to people who want it. I have a feeling some form of partnership exists between the crime syndicates here as well as those outside of the borders considering how potent Monkeybutt is whilst those same syndicates are producing a shittier version that just gets people hooked for an easy fix," Howard responded as Renee scribbled down what he had to say. "The 15th. The last time I was alive and well, it was the 1st, I believe it's the 11th now. That's four days away or next Wednesday... That's the same time as the Festival of Unity!" Howard further proved that his memory was as sharp as ever as he placed the note aside, instead looking towards the blue pile which was primarily made up of a list of inventory as well as bank statements.

"Those bastards! They must be using the Festival of Unity to smuggle in Monkeybutt and will most likely distribute it inside of frat houses when everyone crashes out after such an event. That profit margin is absolutely huge! But why? What's the point of getting everybody addicted to Monkeybutt and what's the objective behind the richest apes investing into material things? Wouldn't inflation just make their buying power even worse?"

"I have a feeling inflation isn't a specifically ape-related issue. I think it's a city-wide thing. The more people addicted to Monkeybutt, the less people work. The less money goes around, the more businesses lose and thanks to the bad harvests, inflation is already shooting up to new levels... It doesn't make much sense why they're buying gems and gold, unless there's some form of currency beyond the wall."

"But there's nothing of value behind the wall from what I know except freaks of nature as well as danger... Unless-"

"Unless that's just a border made up when this city was found, restored and rescued by the apes. They probably didn't want to spend too much money when it comes to policing everything and now with their city going to shit thanks to Monkeybutt being trafficked around, they're wishing to bail and some of them might already be considering crossing the wall judging by the decisions they've made," Howard merely sighed after realising his idea was a little far-fetched. "No. That's not worth it to them, surely. Their glory hinges off this city. If not for their glory, they would be known as just another race and would be as worthless as the rest of us. Their wealth is their wallet, their achievements happen to be their prestige."

"Have you ever realised how much insight you truly have into the city? I've been working on a book to expose Clarissa as well as the apes for months now, whilst doing independent research for years and you've just come along and explained a fairly complicated principle like you were at the beach with your sunglasses on. That's... Remarkably impressive, Howard," For a moment, Renee was seriously convinced that her rather fluffy fantasies about herself and Howard living the good life with one another would end up repressing themselves indefinitely until he demonstrated his vast intelligence before her.

"Eh, I think it just comes with age as well as being shit on by society enough times to question everything above you but to never act on it. I don't want to become like the hares, their minds rotting away thanks to conspiracy theories, but I also don't want to be the snobs that debunk them like the cats and dogs do," Howard flatly stated. "Moving on. I've been looking at a few of the papers here. I don't really have a grasp on stuff at the corporate level, I've sort of been too poor to understand any of this crap but that movement of a hundred thousand loons monthly to Equilibrium Security Incorporated seems shady. The E.S.I have a history of misbehaving and taking bribes. They're one of those private quasi organisations that started policing the border and apprehending those attempting to get back in from beyond the wall or those that tried to enter without any form of clearance. I think this is one of the leads I'm going to have to pursue when I'm out of here, considering I believe Clarissa doesn't work with them. Heck, Renee. We just found our own lead right here... There are literally hundreds of these payments dating back to the beginning of this year, when Monkeybutt became an issue... And there's also some conversion fee as well, so I assume they're buying something material in exchange for the drugs."

"You seem to be informed regarding the E.S.I. I thought I was the only one who suspected them of some heinous crimes. It's relieving to know that we seem to have evidence of them being paid hush-money or at the very least some price to smuggle in Monkeybutt. However, I found this inside of the apartment of someone who seemingly worked in a bike store... Unless this guy has a shady pastime then it makes me believe that these records don't belong to him directly," Renee pointed out, to which Harold served back by pointing towards the fineprint at the bottom.

"That's because these documents come from different smuggling organisations that Lee seems to be a massive part of. He's one of Clarissa's right-hand men, so it makes sense that he's the one in charge of smuggling in Monkeybutt... I just never knew this operation was so potent. Wow, this really does make Clarissa seem a little powerless in comparison, doesn't it?" He remarked with a smug grin on his face all the while he heard the squeaky door to his ward open. Without wishing to be caught red-handed, he slipped the documents back into the metal tray belonging to the food cart, detached it from the top and stuffed it underneath his duvet. "...Caresworth?"

"Ah, hello there! Just grabbing Renee that bed you requested! Apologies for being gone for so long, there was a long line! It's getting a little late now so I will be dimming the lights when exiting," Caresworth wheeled in a small bed on wheels, lowered down the bannister on Howard's left side and did her best to match the height of Howard's bed with the temporary bed that Renee would be using for the night. "Huh, it seems like this food cart is a little dysfunctional. No matter, I'll be replacing that like always. You two should consider getting some rest soon, I was already gone for half an hour and the pair of you look like you could use some sleep. I expect to see these lights off when I run the rounds for the final time," She advised, with Howard and Renee replying with thumbs up as she dimmed the lights and respectfully made an exit.

"Fuck me, that was close," Howard breathed a sigh of relief as Renee rolled back onto the right side of Howard's bed, practically bordering her own as she sat at the base with her legs crossed. "For a moment, I completely lost track of the fact that we're in hospital and I'm still recovering from a coma. Like, I completely lost myself. I saw us inside of that apartment once again with the coffee table in front of us as we sat on the couch bouncing theories off one another. I will admit, I am getting a little tired but I'm just scratching the surface of this. - How about we check out one of the golden documents?" He calmly suggested.

"Ooh, we're getting serious now, I see! Okay, okay. Let me rummage around underneath here for a second, I know I've got a juicy document here somewhere as it was an official statement from the ministers. This guy seems to work with literally everyone. Should we be worried about a spy organisation?" Renee joked as she climbed up from her position, finding herself on her hands and knees as her tail poked high in the air. Not wanting to be a pervert, Howard simply faced the sunset-lit window as opposed to staring at the ass of his partner. "I know i had it here somewhere. It was one of the few documents I bothered to skim over before stuffing everything into my briefcase... Aha! Got it! And I'm going to be the one in charge of reading this one, detective."

"Go ahead and lay it on me, Renee. What sort of mystery have we got to solve with this document?" Howard moved his head over for a split second to see that Renee was in the same compromising position as she eventually grabbed hold of the document and brought it out into the broader light. "Also, to let me focus a little better. I am going to close my eyes for this one and just hone in on that soothing voice of yours," It was at this moment where Renee realised that her backside accompanied by her bushy tail had been fluttering around whilst being directly pointed at Howard.

"I'm guessing you're not a guy that engages in sightseeing often, only scanning what you discover when you've got someone else to read it for you. I guess that's another odd thing we have in common," Renee wasn't the best at flirting but she sure was sly whenever an opportunity presented itself to her.

"Well, I can't see the document from here, the sunset is slowly blinding me and the only thing I can really focus on is your tail before being impolite," He dryly replied as he cracked open his eyes once again. "Alright, fine, I'll keep my eyes open but lay it on me. Don't shoot me if my eyes wander down from your tail, though."

"It's only fair that you treat yourself to a reward after spending so long in bed," Renee surprised herself with that response whilst her partner blushed relentlessly. Her tail stiffened up shortly afterwards as she decided to instead tilt her body around slightly so Howard could make some visual contact with her face instead, which was probably a decision made for the better. "This message is addressed to those on the investment committee. Since the turn of the decade and more notably, the prelude to this summer, we have been experiencing an immense rise in the inflation for common goods. It is believed that we are starting to run out of money to exchange before we must turn to printing to fill our wallets, plus, our gold keeps mysteriously disappearing; therefore rendering the standard we have come to know and love as increasingly more unstable alongside versatile. I usually am not transparent to a committee that knows enough about their finances to make the right decision, yet I trust that you will turn your ambitions regarding currency elsewhere and will invest your stock holdings into art, gems, anything that can retain its value. There is a tremendous surplus of currency presently in circulation and it is morphing into a huge quagmire that will negatively affect all of you sooner or later as opposed to the working and middle class. Speaking of the middle class, we have found that Monkeybutt is reducing their drive to work as well as slowly thinning them out. With more workers will come more profits, although Monkeybutt poses a serious issue for us considering the working class may turn to extremes and unemployment rates will reach unprecedented levels. We must stabilise the market above all else and if we fail to do that, we will be at the mercy of the unrest that may emerge from our deep pockets. Think of this as an appeal. Plus, if some of you invest into Apestone Industries, I guarantee that you will be assessed and ascended to the board if you meet the criteria. As for those who cannot see this message, we aim to include more people in next month's newsletter. The mass increase of those moving into the Tops this month speaks volumes regarding the economy of the higher class, yet the lower and middle class continue to suffer. We must not forget about the backbone of our society, or else we will become their meals the same way that we consider them a delicacy. We have personally withdrawn our investments to focus on private matters, it is now up to the majority shareholders to migrate some of their stock to balance out the economy. If none of you are kind enough to make such a decision, we will all be facing the repercussions in a few months. Wealth is a privilege and an honour, not a tool to corrupt. Be responsible."

"Well, the Investment Committee certainly had much insight to offer this month. Believe it or not, Renee, I think they might be weakening from the inside, but it's hard to tell with their vague statements. Remember, I stole the documents belonging to that scientific minister in Science City and even then, the apes have a track record of keeping everything as vague as possible. This seems to tell a big enough story, though," Howard was more or less astonished by the length of the message alongside how openly transparent the Investment Committee was being, it was almost as if they were acting in stark contrast to their usual behaviour for a good reason.

"And what do you think that story is, Howie?" Renee finally straightened her posture out as opposed to sitting on her knees alongside forearms to read out a document she was illuminating using the sun rays beaming into the room. "Are there symptoms of a bigger picture we should be looking out for? I'm surprised that the Investment Committee seemingly cares about the lower classes yet is too lazy to invest in them, it's almost as if you've got to maintain your position as an elite by having a somewhat competent moral compass."

"Hah, I hear you there. As for my thoughts? It sounds like the balance of power is important to them but laziness is at play. These corporate shitheads don't want to invest in the classes that matter yet they are bottlenecking those who have just made it into the one percent by forcing them to pay for the investments they should be supplying or they will be threatened and... Silenced in one way or another. I am going to keep my eye on the missing gold, that sounds like quite the concern; yet I think that's just the Investment Committee being oblivious to the fact that the gold is just being moved across the wall. It wouldn't surprise me if that's the case, at least," Howard scratched his chin as he continued to think about what Renee had said, at least what he could think about considering his eyes were mainly fixated on what lay beneath her tail for most of the time. "Apestone Industries is the jewellers the Apes use to create their fine jewels, there's a chance the investments are connected as they may wish to move those jewels across the border and start a new life entirely... Those selfish pricks, they're profiting off success and downfall! - They're even valuing Monkeybutt as a good thing so long as it's in moderation and not too many fall into that trap, it's almost as if this Investment Committee is just a shadow organisation belonging to higher society... Man, I sound like one of those conspiracy theorists right now! I still have my raccoon stripes, right?"

"And I still have my big, bushy tail. Don't worry, your sanity nor your looks are going to vanish just because you've got some big theories to push. One thing I'd like to note is how they nonchalantly praise the ascension of those that have weaselled their way into high society via manipulating everybody around them yet they are taking all of the actions that indicate the opposite is true. For example, they want to ensure that more people move into their recently constructed homes but you must invest into businesses in the worker districts as well as Apestone..." Renee scratched her ear as she found another memo which caught her attention. Not wishing to blindside Howard too much, she merely pulled out a small memo written to a yellow sticky-note. "From across the wall many profits stand tall. We are nothing but an insignificant speck wandering throughout the plains of post-apocalyptic society. We have risen from ruins after a catastrophe, it would be unnerving if we are the only ones to exist across the border from Vancouver; or if we are the only ones to exist amongst the cosmos," The handwriting was sloppily written, almost as if the original author was not familiar with the language one would communicate with, let alone how to write it.

Not too long after Renee had read out her note and Howard had let off a yawn, it was very clear to Renee that her partner had endured quite the busy day, even if she had been through a lot herself. With her tendons alongside bones worn down from a busy day at work, she turned herself around and merely nodded, reassuring her partner that work didn't have to be everything. As much as she was excited, she heard herself thinking for a moment... Her entire life, she had considered her work an obligation and a way for her to function amidst the chaos of society. On the other hand, upon Howard's rise to prominence within her own life, she saw herself valuing him above work.

Unfortunately, Renee's somewhat sentimental moment of gazing upon Howard's hazel eyes as his own face reflected against her emerald's was rudely interrupted by knocking at the door. After three knocks as well as an annoyed sigh, Clarissa opened the door whilst revealing herself to have a purple sun hat on whilst wrapped by a neatly outfitted red dress.

"Good evening, ladies," Clarissa introduced herself once more by holding her arms out whilst walking forward, slamming the door behind her with her red high-heels as she gazed upon Howard and Renee, both of which were tired and handling evidence.

"By Shepherd, you're an asshole," Howard quipped whilst feeling tense within her presence all the while Clarissa responded with a snarky chuckle.

"You do realise I'm paying for your medical bills, right? If you were useless to me, you and Renee would've been left behind the wall whilst being completely clueless as to get back into Vancouver without being shot. Before I get carried away with something that is not business-affiliated, allow me to get the digest regarding what Renee found today. Is that bastard Lee working against my back?" Clarissa, oddly enough, was straight to the point as Howard went to explain everything, which is when Renee cleared her throat to take on such a responsibility without it hindering Howard.

"Well, we haven't completed our analysis of the evidence but we have reason to suspect that Lee is working against you alongside is a part of a larger smuggling operation. There's a very prominent reason as to why Monkeybutt is such a massive problem and why he's able to make it super cheap and that's thanks to the fact that he's working with people from across the wall to smuggle it in... People who sound like they are much further away from the wall than one would think," Renee went through all of the documents she had read through, handing them to Clarissa as she pulled out a pair of square glasses to go through them independently. "I also have recorded evidence that he's not only insulting you but he also plans on escaping far beyond the wall whilst also undermining the order of society. You may take my pager and replay it yourself in your own time, I won't be needing it considering I'm not going out tomorrow, anyways."

"Well, looks like you've been coached well by Howard and provided evidence against something I've suspected for a long time. Thanks, hun. I'll have this rebellious tiger executed and served as a delicacy for the higher ups to enjoy, it might earn me some extra credit-"

"That's... Probably not a good idea," Howard protested as Clarissa rolled her eyes. "We typically need people we're investigating alive. I think killing him would spook the owner of the bicycle shop he's working at. I know they're pushing Monkeybutt, I know they're one of your suppliers but it seems like their entire warehouse is working against you. I want to investigate these people independently and see if they have any deeper connections. We might be able to bring down the entire order of high society and rewrite it ourselves with this evidence," He elaborated, to which Clarissa merely snorted in amusement.

"You really think it's going to be that easy? I'll spare your victim because I'm in a good mood. However, if you're going to be working for me, your political sense is going to require a serious update," Clarissa flatly stated as she picked through the documents. "Did you find anything on Baxter's Bakery? What's the deal behind that?"

"Just some entrepreneurial establishment with some niche gimmick that attracted investor attention. I placed a tracking device inside of one of the bureaucrat's backpacks considering I think they might be dirty as well. It's almost like this entire city is built using a foundation of corruption nowadays. What on earth happened to honesty?" Renee somewhat rhetorically joked, only to be sneered at by Clarissa.

"Corruption has always remained a part of life. It's the reason why we're separated by species and interests. I plan on inevitably putting an end to that and finally burning down the old policies to ashes. After all, burning part of a decaying forest often brings rejuvenation once those wounds heal," Clarissa looked out the window as she finished analysing the documents that had a golden pin shooting through them. "You two lovebirds may hang onto the evidence and discuss it tomorrow as I am aware that Howard will be released in the morning. I do not expect to see you two tomorrow, but please try not to get killed whilst engaging with your linear forms of entertainment to fill your head with distractions that anaesthetise the suffering you've endured throughout your lifetimes. I'll be off doing productive work. I expect to see you two at 11PM on Monday night to discuss this case as well as send the pair of you on your next assignment. - That's right, you'll be working together; as a couple! Isn't that exciting?"

"You know, if there was a flashlight big enough, I would shove it so far up your ass that you'd be able to see the connection between the place your ideas come from and the method of communication between the two."

"Your empty threat is appreciated for its creativity yet ultimately meaningless, Howie. Thanks for the compliment," Clarissa mocked the pair of them by bringing her lips together as if she were kissing the air several times. "I'll be seeing you two Monday, try not to get pregnant, Renee. Goodbye, ladies!" Clarissa casually threw the documents she had been reading across the floor before rushing out the door, seemingly having her fun as Howard clenched her fist in anger.

"Relax, Howard. She's gone. She's just picking on those who work for her, nothing new," Renee physically restrained him as she looked towards the mess of documents on the floor. "I'll cover the mess on the floor, you should consider getting some sleep."

"It's not that! It's the fucking relationship jokes! Why does she feel the need to make them? We're partners, we're fucking good partners as well. If anything comes then I'm ready to accept it but it's not my main priority right now. If anything, I just want to get the fuck out of this hospital bed and actually live my life for a bit before I become a slave to her," Howard vented his anger as he reluctantly lay on his side, watching his partner clear up the paperwork Clarissa had rudely tossed across the floor. Meanwhile, Renee found it difficult to concentrate after Howard had openly admitted that he'd be open to a relationship if Renee ever wished for it. "Sorry, I'm a little hot around the collar. You know, as much as I am glad to be alive; it killed me knowing that you were out there having a bunch of fun whilst I was sitting here in my bed talking to Larry. It was awesome to have some company but do you understand how lonely it gets in here? I'm actually relieved that I'm getting out of here with you sleeping around for the final night, that's if you wish, naturally."

"Oh, I'd be honoured to sleep with you!" Renee immediately paused as her cheeks flared up thanks to a blaze of emotion bubbling to the surface. "I meant- in bed- next to one another- not like that!" Her ability to further become flustered all the while Howard raised up a hand to his chin and rested his muzzle against it further proved her inability to conceal certain emotions. "What do you think you're looking at?"

"Nothing, it's just cute to see you getting so flustered over the slip of the tongue, that's all," Before he wished to say anything else, Howard peered out of the window to see the sun was barely clinging to the horizon at that point and that tiredness was gripping over him like a vice. "Anyways, I better be getting to sleep. You can stay awake and organise stuff if you wish. Oh, just know they've got robes in the closet if you want to get out of that suit of yours. Knowing you, you probably will never wish for me to see you in such a state but miracles can happen... I am alive, after all," He deliriously chuckled as he faded into sleepiness, leaving Renee to pick up the documents and place them at the edge of her own bed.

"Rest well, Howard. Sweet dreams," Although Howard was no miracle worker, Renee certainly kept his words in mind for the future as she found herself choosing to sleep after such a busy day as opposed to bothering herself with the work she was so prideful for. Before she knew it, she found herself slipping into the same soothing slumber that Howard was experiencing, leaving behind the baggage of the day for the mattress to soak in as the pair of them rest less than half a foot away from one another's presence.

...