Blankish Slates | Moonfall Vol. II

The Heist

One of the perks of running Jimmy's personal fetch quests over the years was that Jerry gained intimate knowledge of the labyrinthine Crystal Entertainment storage warehouse—and a uber keycard that gave him permanent access. That knowledge was pivotal when it came to seeking out some of the newer arrivals based on how inventory was cataloged and stored.

Over the past three months Jerry found himself at a loss watching Jimmy falter into a shadow of himself. Jimmy was always a wolf that was larger than life, but those months took their toll on him. Without work, he often lounged around the manor in his robe, waiting for opportunities to crop up that never did. His limited experiences with therapy so far left him more erratic than usual, his emotions frayed and raw. But Jerry stood by his side, waiting for that spark to return. For Jimmy to rediscover his purpose.

Porsha getting kicked out of the show was the last straw. Jimmy being unable to do anything more than rage at his ex-protégé and put his trust in his ex-nemesis left the wolf withering into a miserable, quiet husk tonight. Jerry refused to watch that carry on any longer and decided he was going to bring a smile to Jimmy's face.

And that's how Jerry ended up navigating through the mountainous aisles of the warehouse, sweeping about with the small but intense flashlight attached to his keychain. Following him were three strapping rhinos, the sole makeup of the Hornsby Brothers Moving Company. Jerry's harebrained scheme: Use this hired muscle to liberate some of Jimmy's possessions confiscated from his old office, hopefully to bring a bit of happiness and nostalgia to the wolf.

"A-ha!" Jerry exclaimed, his light falling on the marble façade of Jimmy Crystal. At the very edge of the aisle was a ground level cubic space, populated like a tiny apartment with items and furniture from the office, but most notably among them the collection of Jimmy's art. The way it was unceremoniously left here, no one would've known it once decorated the office of the most powerful wolf in the city.

Some of the art, mostly the busts, had been damaged, chipped or broken into pieces. Jerry wondered if they got damaged in transition or if Celeste Cassidy personally took an aluminum bat to them. Jerry had the Hornsbys haul the ones that were intact back to the moving truck, but he still hadn't found the mother lode. He remained near the intersection, a physical beacon for the Hornsbys to find their way back through the twisty maze of entertainment castoffs.

Jerry spotted a box amongst the art. Holding one of the rhinos' spare crowbars, he worked the curved end into the slot of wood under the top. Once it was in deep enough, Jerry took a step back, then leapt on top of the bar with his stomach, using his weight to pry the box open. The wood shifted with a groan and Jerry hit the floor, the bar clattering next to him. He waited on the floor for a response from security. When none came, he dusted himself off and checked the contents of the box.

Stuffed within were all the awards and commemorations Jimmy won during his tenure at Crystal Entertainment. Jerry gingerly lifted a trophy shaped like the Redshore skyline, vaguely aware of the bright smile growing along his lips reflected in the polished surface. That was the first Shories Award they'd won after he'd been hired. It was the first time his hard work and tireless dedication to Jimmy's agenda paid off in real accolades. Compared to the art, the awards were in pristine condition, and yet they'd been dumped here in this massive warehouse to rot in obscurity. Jerry felt an ember of anger igniting within just thinking about it. Every production at Crystal Entertainment was a team effort from the ground up. Cassidy was essentially erasing company history because Jimmy's name was on it.

When the Hornsbys returned, Jerry signaled that the box was part of the haul. It would be a great surprise for Jimmy, but it still wasn't the mother lode. Armed with his flashlight once more, Jerry continued his search. After a few minutes, his main fear came to pass.