The office smelled like burnt coffee and frustration, a combination as familiar as it was unpleasant. Rex leaned against the chipped door frame of Chief Greer’s office, his arms crossed over his chest as the Hawk rifled through a chaotic stack of papers. The chief didn’t look up before snapping, “Sit down Calder, before I decide you’re not worth the trouble.”

  Rex didn’t move. “I’ll stand, thanks. Harder target if I have to avoid one of your mugs again.”

  Raymond’s feathers ruffled visibly, and his sharp gaze locked on Rex. “This is exactly why you’ve been filing reports all week, Calder. You don’t know when to shut that smart mouth of yours.”

  “Can’t make the big bucks, without quick thinking and a smart mouth, Sir,” Rex said, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

  Duke, sighed heavily. “Hey!” He made a chopping motion in front of Rex. “Fuel! Fire! Knock it off!” He rolled his eyes, and took a begrudging seat in front of Greer’s desk.

  Greer didn’t miss a beat. His chair scraped back as he rose, wings twitching, eyes locked on Rex. “Oh no, let him talk,” he said, voice cold. “Let’s hear all about his problems.”

  He yanked a folder out from the stack, and slapped it on the desk. Loose papers scattering out across the surface and onto the floor. He pointed an accusing finger at Rex, “You want problems, Calder? Let’s talk about problems.”

  Greer slammed his finger into the folder with every point, “The Maysberry Bypass is still a disaster zone. The mayor has been pacing holes in their carpet and the board is still breathing fire because a simple bust turned into a demolition derby! The gridlock, crushed storefronts, three lawsuits, and one very traumatized food cart vendor.” Greer slammed both palms onto his desk to emphasize his point, “Do I need to continue?”

  Rex rolled his eyes, “I gave you my report, Chief. What is so hard for them to understand? There are dangerous animals that exist in this city, and we can only do so much to stop them.”

  Greer responded with a moment of silence and a deadpan look. “Calder... under normal circumstances, the public and the animals who speak for them might be sympathetic to what we’re up against. However,” he continued, fishing through the mess of papers without breaking eye contact, “when the citizens of Athelun keep getting caught in the crossfire…” His voice rose. “Or worse, when they’re victims of their own police force!”

  He slapped a folder open. The front page showed a very familiar wide-eyed raccoon cradling parts next to a mangled motorcycle.

  Rex threw up his hands and rolled his eyes, “Stars above! Chief, I’ve seen enough of that racoon already. Would you feel better if I go find him and pay for his bike?”

  “No!” Greer snapped, his voice a sharp crack. “I wouldn’t, and that callous disregard for others is why I am tempted to keep you stapling papers even after this whole mess blows over. Your tail is always in the wind, Calder. The amount of times I have had to clean up a mess cause your furry butt went rogue…”

  Rex quickly moved from the door and pressed his finger on the desk, leaning in toward Greer as he interrupted, “I get results.”

  The hawk turned to Duke, pointedly ignoring Rex. “You’ve got three minutes to convince me why letting him back on the street isn’t the dumbest idea since I agreed to manage this precinct.”

  Duke’s voice was calm, and a counterbalance to the storm brewing in the room. “We’ve made significant progress on the Wyldfire case, Chief. The ampules we found on Roadie, as you know, were just the start. The dealer we’re tracking, Jasper Thorn, also known as ‘Quills’ isn’t just another mid-tier hustler. He’s connected directly to one of the Silken Veil’s enforcers.”

  Greer rolled his eyes and scoffed, “They make such stupid names…”

  Rex smirked as he planted his fists on the desk, “It keeps things confusing for members of our profession.”

  Greer squinted his eyes at Rex, “Get off my desk Rex.” Rex pulled back and crossed his arms. Satisfied, Greer turned his attention back to Duke, “And?”

  “We need Rex back in the field,” Duke continued. “His aetheric capabilities are critical. We know of two enforcers now, and one of them, Gnash, is clearly a very potent aetherborn threat on his own. The tiger Ilya is also going to be a serious problem if he ends up being a manifold. You want results, Chief? Rex helps me get results. We are a team and we work best together.”

  Greer leaned back in his chair, tapping his nails on the desk. For a moment, the office fell silent, save for the faint hum of the overhead lights. Then his gaze shifted to Rex.

  “You get one chance, Calder. You’re on probation. Every move you make, every step you take, I want a report on my desk before you even think about clocking out. You step out of line and you’re done.”

  Rex straightened, a spark of defiance in his eyes.

  Greer wasted no time in response, and hammered his fist on the desk, “And no damn fireworks! Stars above, I cannot take another PR disaster like this if you obliterate a city block. Keep your aetherics in check!“

  Rex, gave a brief salute, “Got it, Chief. What about sparklers?”

  Greer slammed a talon onto the desk, his feathers puffing out in pure exasperation. “Get. Out.”

  Duke’s hand clamped down on Rex’s shoulder before he could fire back.

  “Outside,” he muttered, guiding him firmly toward the door.

  They passed through the bullpen, eyes and whispers tracking them as they moved. Rex yanked his shoulder free with a smirk, brushing imaginary dust off his jacket.

  “See? That wasn’t so bad.” Rex shrugged.

  Duke gave him a long, unimpressed look. “You have an uncanny ability to make a bad situation worse. If you spent half as much time just listening to Greer as you do running your mouth—”

  “I’d be boring,” Rex finished.

  Duke stopped in the hall, turning to face him. “No, Rex.” His voice was low, but tight. “You joke. You act like none of it sticks. But it sticks to me. To Greer. To the whole damn unit. When you act out, we all get to ‘eat it’.”

  Rex blinked, caught off-guard by the edge in Duke’s voice.

  “We’ve been partners for over five years, Rex.” Duke went on. “I have your back. We clean up your messes. You have had the support from us,” he waved back toward the bullpen. “Even begrudgingly from some, because we all know that things happen, and we, as you said, can only do so much.”

  Duke’s eyes thinned as he took a breath, “I probably have far more patience for your attitude, because I have clocked more hours with you than anyone else in this precinct. I see who you are, I trust you, I believe in you. But I am very tired of watching you project ego and one liners instead of your talent and dedication to your work.

  For a beat, Rex said nothing. He returned Duke’s glare back to him as he gauged his response.

  Duke adjusted his tie, “You keep acting like you don’t care. At this point I am convinced you, in some part, act this way because you want to be punished for the things you can’t control.”

  They stood there, the tension between them cooling just enough to breathe.

  Rex exhaled through his nose, “Alright,” he said. “I hear you.”

  Duke gave a short nod, “Good. Let’s just make sure Greer hears it too. In your actions, not your mouth.”

  The rain came down in heavy sheets as Rex and Duke stepped out of Brickwork Station, the weather seeming to mock them with its sudden intensity. Water pooled along the edges of the cobblestone steps, forming streams that cascaded down into the street below. A crack of thunder rumbled overhead, shaking the air.

  Duke stopped at the top of the steps and glared at the sky, his broad shoulders already damp from the downpour. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it pick up the second we step outside?”

  Rex, trailing behind him, held up his hands to let the rain splash against his palms. “Free shower, big guy. Perks of living in Athelun, right?”

  Duke shot him a sidelong glance. “Next time, remind me to pack an umbrella.”

  Rex snorted. “I can head back in and borrow Maybel’s, you know, that floral monstrosity?” He smirked at Duke, “Might give you at least one dry shoulder.”

  Duke didn’t bother responding. Instead, he reached into his coat pocket, producing a pair of bright green tennis balls. Without a word, he uncapped his horns with a practiced motion, the rubber balls fitting snugly over the sharp points.

  Rex chuckled. “Practical and stylish.”

  Duke grunted, tossing Rex the cruiser’s keys. “You drive. I’m not about to squeeze into that seat and have to adjust it again.”

  Rex caught the keys midair with a smirk. “Generous of you.”

  Rex climbed into the driver’s seat, the leather creaking beneath him. Duke followed, carefully maneuvering his bulk into the passenger side. With a series of grunts, he reclined the seat back as far as it would go to avoid scraping his horns and puncturing the roof.

  “You comfortable there, big guy?” Rex asked, firing up the engine. The car rumbled to life, a low growl that filled the rainy air.

  Duke gave him a flat look. “Just drive.”

  Rex pulled out of the lot, flicking on the windshield wipers as the rain continued to fall. The cruiser’s tires splashed through puddles as they descended from the upper-class area of Wildweald into the grittier, denser streets below.

  The storm had rolled in fast, turning the roads of Athelun into slick ribbons of asphalt. Rain hammered against the windshield of the police cruiser, as the rhythmic squeak of the wipers kept pace.

  Rows of old brick buildings gave way to a denser cluster of mid-rise apartments, their faded facades darkened further by the rain.

  “You know,” Rex said, his tone shifting to something more thoughtful, “I wouldn’t have pegged Jasper for a low profile kind of guy. Roadie’s ampules were clearly not a good idea, sure, but if Quills was peddling this stuff, he had to have deeper pockets. Place like this? You sure your intel was good on this?” He gestured vaguely out the window. “Doesn’t exactly scream ‘big fish’.”

  Duke glanced at the passing buildings. “Not every big fish flaunts it. Quills might’ve been playing it smart. Stay under the radar, don’t attract attention. Smart... or scared.”

  Rex’s expression grew dark, “Gonna level with you, I don’t think we are going to find him here. We have been chasing tails since we started, and I think we are way too far behind on this one.”

  Duke nodded grimly. “Ilya doesn’t just kill you; he sends a message. I’ve pined through a few of the files that I am starting to think may match a calling card so to speak. Gruesome stuff. I find it hard to believe Quills didn’t already get the message and is trying to figure out a way out of his situation. He’d have every reason to keep things quiet and lower his profile. And if he didn’t... Well, we’ll find out soon enough.”

  Rex tightened his grip on the wheel. “So what’s your read on Gnash? No way the veil brought him in as hired muscle.”

  Duke’s ears flicked, a sign he was considering the question carefully. “Aetherborn don’t end up in syndicates for grunt work. They’re volatile, but they’ve got smarts too or they do not last very long.”

  Rex nodded, pulling the wheel as he navigated a sharp turn. “Ilya and Gnash in the same crew... that’s a lot of teeth, and we are only peeling back the surface.”

  “Which is exactly why we need to know what Jasper knows,” Duke said pointedly. “And why you need to keep that mouth of yours in check when we get there.”

  Rex grinned, though the humor didn’t reach his eyes. “No promises.”

  Duke’s expression darkened, and he pointed aggressively at Rex, “ I am serious. I don’t think you realize just how difficult you make things when we are trying to gather information. We are not here to bust Jasper.”

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  Rex shrugged, “We make busts when the perps give us a…”

  Duke interrupted, “No… We make busts cause you run your mouth and antagonize them into taking actions we could otherwise avoid. There is a time and place for it. This is not that time or place, and you are on probation.”

  Rex scowled at the reminder, the agitation clear on his face, “He is probably safer at the station if we just kickstart our talk with that.”

  Duke responded, “He will likely be more willing to just go to the station when he hears what we already know. He will want protection.”

  Rex scoffed, “They always want our protection when they get in over their heads.”

  Rex pulled into the parking lot of a rundown apartment complex, its muted beige exterior streaked with dark water stains. The building looked like it had seen better days, but it didn’t scream “criminal hideout.” He killed the engine, letting the silence settle for a moment before they stepped out. Rain drummed on the cruiser’s roof, and the sound of distant thunder rolled through the air. Duke unfolded himself from the passenger seat with a grunt, pulling his coat tight against the downpour.

  “Doesn’t look like much,” Duke said, eyeing the building. “Almost... normal.”

  “That’s what worries me,” Rex muttered, as he scanned the windows.

  Duke rested a heavy hand on Rex’s shoulder. “Then let’s keep it quiet. No fireworks, remember?”

  Rex snorted. “Sparklers only. Got it.”

  The rain thudded like static against the awning overhead as Rex and Duke approached the apartment door. Rex raised his hand to knock, and paused.

  The door was already ajar.

  Both detectives stopped.

  Rex’s hand hovered for a second. He looked at Duke.

  Duke gave a slight nod, stepping to the side to cover the angle.

  Rex eased forward and nudged the door wider with the back of his knuckles.

  “APD,” he called out, voice calm but firm. “Jasper? We’re here to talk.”

  There was no response. No footsteps. Just the dull hiss of rain behind them and the faint creak of the door hinges.

  They drew their weapons.

  Rex moved in first, Steel low and steady, sweeping left. Duke followed, moving through the doorway and shifting right. Their movements were fluid and rehearsed. Years of practice in clearing tenements and trap houses forming muscle memory as they proceeded to sweep and clear the area.

  The smell hit first. The decay of burnt incense, mixed with a sickly sweet tinge of dirty root. There was also something else, not rotten but distinctly metallic. Rex sniffed, and the message was clear that that iron-heavy tang meant they were moving into a crime scene.

  The entryway was dim, lit only by a flickering hallway light. Faded wallpaper peeled at the corners, and water stains streaked down from the ceiling like long-forgotten fingerprints. No sound, beyond the storm outside.

  Rex pointed forward. Duke nodded, and they moved.

  Room by room.

  The living room was first. It had sparse and ugly furniture, a milk crate holding a cheap TV, and several scattered takeout cartons on a cheap coffee table. Everything was still. Nothing was overturned and there were no signs of struggle. The two detectives split without needing to signal each other. Rex took the kitchen, while Duke circled through the dining nook.

  The kitchen was cramped. Yellow tiles for the floor, with cabinets in various states of disrepair around a new fridge and poorly maintained oven. The sink dripped, slow and steady. The sound, a quiet metronome up close. Rex’s eyes swept the counters. Nothing out of place, but everything about the stillness pressed in around him. He moved back into the hallway, where Duke was waiting.

  One look was exchanged, and they continued on, weapons low and ready.

  The bathroom was next, it's door slightly ajar. Rex eased it open with his paw, before leveling the muzzle of his firearm into the room.

  It was clear.

  A cracked mirror that was fogged in the middle, a damp towel that had yet to dry after its last use. The room appeared to have seen recent use, despite no heat in the air, nor any residual humidity.

  Duke checked the spare room. Storage, clutter, and nothing important was found. Which left one door.

  The bedroom.

  At the end of the hall, the door was closed. A sliver of light bled out from beneath it. Rex felt it before he touched the knob. The stillness. The weight. The overwhelming and instinctual sense that something unpleasant was either going to be discovered or was going to happen as soon as the door was opened.

  He gave Duke a look as his fur bristled with tension.

  They both exchanged a nod, and Rex, again, moved first.

  The door creaked open slowly, its hinges whining in protest. The smell hit both of the men first.

  It was coppery and fresh enough to stick to the back of the throat, yet heavy like it had lingered too long. Rex had smelled the scent many times before. It was blood, and there was a lot of it. He stepped into the gloom cast by broken blinds and the flickering amber light from the street lamp outside.

  The jackal was slumped against the far wall, his limbs splayed in unnatural angles. His sleek fur was marred with streaks of dark crimson. The precise cuts on his body spoke to a horrifyingly calculated cruelty—nothing chaotic, nothing accidental. A portion of his neck and right shoulder was torn open. Ripped by someone's teeth.

  Ilya’s calling card.

  Rex didn’t speak. Neither did Duke. They didn’t have to.

  Above Jasper’s head, scrawled in jagged letters on the peeling wallpaper, was a single message written in blood: “BACK OFF STONE”

  Rex’s grip on his gun tightened, the reality of the warning settling in. Ilya hadn’t just killed Jasper, he’d staged this scene for Duke and it was personal.

  Duke moved in behind Rex, his expression hardening as he took in the scene. His jaw clenched, but his voice was steady. “Clear the rest of the room. Make sure he’s not hiding.”

  Rex nodded, his voice low. “If he was, we’d know by now.”

  Duke moved toward the back window, the worn floorboards creaking under his weight. The glass had been shattered out with its glass and splintered wood scattered across the ground in the back alley. The rain continued to pour, and he was left with confirmation to his expectation. The apartment was empty, save for the grim tableau left behind.

  Rex holstered Steel and crouched by Jasper’s body, his eyes narrowing as he studied the scene. Duke remained standing, his imposing frame motionless as he scanned the room for anything else that stood out as abnormal.

  “This wasn’t just a hit,” Rex muttered, his voice heavy. “This was a statement.”

  “Message received, loud and clear,” Duke replied, his tone clipped. “You catch the scent of anything else here?”

  “Other than the blood?” Rex shook his head. “No.”

  “Probably long gone,” Duke said, turning back to the room.

  Rex rose slowly, his gaze lingering on Jasper’s mangled body. “We lock it down,” he said quietly. “Then we dig.”

  Duke gave a slow nod, eyes fixed on the message scrawled above the body. “We call it in now, the scene floods. Uniforms, CSU, the press... and likely eyes from the Veil. Let’s sit on it, just a little. We might catch someone coming back.”

  Rex didn’t argue.

  The two of them moved methodically, driven by a cold and persistent instinct. The apartment was small, and the walls seemed to close in tighter with every step. The rain had eased outside, becoming a gentle hiss beyond the windows.

  Duke was first to break the silence. Standing by the living room’s sagging couch, he flipped through a notepad he’d fished out from the it’s cushions. “Grocery lists. Doodles.” He tossed it onto the coffee table like it offended him.

  Rex was crouched in the spare room, sorting through boxes. “Same here,” he muttered. “Looks like Jasper was planning on moving.”

  Duke leaned against the frame, his arms folded and one brow arched. “It’s too clean. If he was moving Wyldfire, even in small batches, we’d see signs. Syringes, bags, residue—something.”

  “Maybe he scrubbed it. Knew the hammer was coming,” Rex replied, his voice thin with frustration. “Ilya clearly doesn’t do subtle. Jasper probably saw the writing on the wall and started sweeping the place.”

  Duke pushed off the doorframe, moving into the kitchen with the same deliberate rhythm they’d used to clear rooms earlier. Rex joined him. They didn’t need to coordinate aloud. They’d performed searches too many times before.

  It wasn’t until Rex crouched by the sink that something shifted. A scent, a sharp chemical scent, cut through the stale air. He pulled open the cabinet and ran his fingers along the warped interior. There. A seam in the wood. He pried it loose.

  “Got something,” he said as he pulled out a small, carefully wrapped bundle.

  Duke was beside him in seconds, casting a long shadow over the open compartment as Rex unwrapped the bundle inside: three ampules of Wyldfire, tight rolls of cash, a pair of used syringes. “Bingo,” Duke muttered.

  Rex turned an ampule over in his paw, the faint shimmer of the liquid catching what little light the kitchen offered. “This isn’t packaged like he was a user. It’s Organized. Stashed for a handoff.”

  Duke Grumbled, “Still doesn’t get us the 'who' and the 'why' or the 'what' put him on Ilya’s hit list.”

  Rex rewrapped the bundle and returned it to its hiding spot, "Yeah this isn't going to give us anything beyond evidence a dead man was doing what we suspected he was doing."

  They moved back into the bedroom. Rex took the dresser and came up empty. Duke checked the closet, and he too found nothing.

  The pieces weren’t lining up.

  “It’s too clean,” Rex growled, pacing now, tail twitching with frustration. “We’ve got blood on the walls, a body in the room, and it still feels like we’re chasing shadows.”

  Duke leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “It’s not the first time, Rex. Might not be the last. We’ve got a stash. No one has come back thus far, so we should just let the CSU do their jobs and work out what we discover after that. We still have a few other leads.”

  Rex’s eyes drifted to the wall above Jasper’s body. His claws flexed. His jaw clenched. “There is no way we just rolled up on another dead end.”

  Duke looked up at the gruesome message as well, “Yeah… It is what it is, Rex. We just keep digging. Jasper did have other places outside of this one.”

  Rex didn’t respond. His ears pinned to the back of his head as he scowled, and took another look around the room. "Of the other locations, he was ultimately found here."

  Duke noticed the shift in his partner’s posture. “Rex…I know that look.” he warned. “Don’t do it. You know as much as I do, that Ilya could have transported Jasper here to send the message.”

  Rex was already reaching for the resonants on his fingers, "Not with that shower previously used. No, there has to be something here…” His breath hissed through clenched teeth as he tapped them in sequence, and drew lines from his hands up across his muzzle and to his eyes. A soft cerulean light began to creep down his fingers, pulsing against his skin and through his fur like veins set on fire.

  “Rex,” Duke said again, firmer this time. “It’s not worth it.”

  “I’m done walking out of scenes with nothing,” Rex snapped, eyes narrowed. “This was our best lead in months.”

  Duke approached Rex, pointing to his head, “You cast that inward, it’s gonna wreck you.”

  “I know.” The light brightened, flowing into the lines of Rex’s muzzle before illuminated his eyes. His breath hitched as the magic locked into place, and every sense exploded.

  The air was no longer still. It was saturated. Layers of scents peeled back: ammonia, solvent, blood, musk , and other various residual aroma from illicit substances used prior to Jasper’s death. His hearing sharpened to the pitch of a pipe groaning beneath the floorboards.

  The world turned sharp and blinding. Every detail was too much.

  He staggered, almost collapsing against the dresser he had searched.

  Duke moved in, but Rex waved him off, one hand clinging to the edge of the dresser.

  Rex sounded drunk and on the verge of throwing up as he insisted, “I’m fine.”

  After what felt like an eternity of over stimulation, and a mind numbing headache, he caught it.

  A chemical note, faint but distinct, buried in the wall near Jasper’s body. He dropped to his knees and traced the scent to a barely visible seam.

  “There,” he rasped, his speech slurred as he pointed. “Something’s behind that baseboard by the bed.”

  Duke crouched by the bed, examining the wall. “You sure?”

  Rex’s voice was frayed. “Break it.”

  Duke didn’t hesitate. One sharp shoulder-check, and the plaster crumbled inward. Behind it: a recessed compartment. Inside was another stash that was bigger than the last. Ampules, cash and a sleek black rolodex were tucked into the corner.

  Duke pulled it free, eyes widening.

  Rex collapsed backward against the wall and slid down to the floor, breath ragged. He closed his eyes and willed the connections to break for his spell as he put his palms to the sides of his head. Light faded from his body as the spell bled out. His whole body sagged like the magic had been holding him up. His breathing was labored. His head felt like a balloon as his senses felt muted and dulled.

  “You alright?” Duke asked, his tone softening.

  “I’ll live.” Rex’s voice was hoarse. “Just give me a sec.”

  Duke turned back to the find, laying it all out carefully on the bed. “This isn’t pocket change. This is supply-chain level. And this—” he held up the rolodex, “—this is the jackpot.”

  Rex blinked hard as he massaged his ears, “We crack that, we start pulling threads.”

  Duke nodded. “But first we need to call it in. CSU’ll want eyes on this before it gets worse.” Duke knelt down next to Rex, assessing his condition up close. His ears had pivoted toward the street noise filtering in through the broken window. “You stay put,” he muttered, already straightening. “I’ll call it in.”

  Rex didn’t answer. He was too busy trying to keep the room from spinning. Rex closed his eyes and fished the cruiser's keys from his coat.

  Duke took the keys and remained crouched for a moment longer, his eyes on his partner. He exhaled quietly, rose to his full height, and took one more look around the scene. The stash. The message. The body. This was going to bring attention they didn’t want.

  He glanced at Rex again.

  “I’ll be right outside,” Duke said.

  He didn’t wait for a response.

  The floorboards creaked beneath his hooves as he stepped out of the bedroom, moved down the narrow hallway, and pulled the apartment door open. The rain had softened to a mist, the air damp and cool as it rolled against his coat. The city was quieter now, the buzz of traffic muffled by wet streets and thick air. Duke made his way down the front steps and crossed to their parked cruiser, keys already in hand. He opened the driver’s door and leaned in, reaching for the mounted radio bolted beneath the dash.

  “Dispatch, this is Detective Marlowe, Special Cases Unit,” he said, his voice level but low. “We’ve got a 10-54. Homicide. Victim’s male, Jasper Thorne. Wildweald Apartments, Unit 3B. Scene is secure. Request CSU and coroner on-site.”

  The static hissed.

  “Copy that, Detective Marlowe. CSU en route. ETA fifteen. Coroner’s been notified.”

  Duke released the mic, its weight swinging back into place with a metallic clack. He stood there for a beat longer, hands braced on the car roof, rain misting across his shoulders. The tension hadn’t left him.

  He looked back toward the apartment, then pushed off the cruiser and headed up the steps again. Inside, the air was still thick with the smells he had grown accustomed to. He stepped back into the bedroom to find Rex sitting in the same spot, eyes open but distant.

  “You look like hammered trash,” Duke said.

  Rex didn’t lift his head. “Feel worse.”

  Duke slipped the rolodex into an evidence bag, sealing it tight. “Jasper appears to have been pursuing something bigger than a street-corner gig. I bet they ‘had to’ clinch him.”

  Rex nodded slightly, still catching his breath. “And now he’s a warning.”

  Duke's brow furrowed. “You good to move?”

  Rex groaned softly as he pushed to his feet. “Define ‘good.’”

  Duke smirked, “Let’s start by getting you upright.”

  Rex raised a finger, and held it in place as he closed his eyes and took a few breaths. “He knew we were close,” Rex said finally, eyes turning to the smeared letters.

  Duke nodded, his tone dropping and quiet, “We’ve been too visible. Too loud.”

  Rex sighed, “How many animals did you interview this week?”

  Duke’s expression darkened, “A problem we are going to have to get sorted soon as we get to the station. Let’s get you up and secure the site. We need to be ready in ten. I hope this evidence pans out so we can finally get ahead of these animals.”

  Rex smirked, “Yeah, I am tired of playing catch up.