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Plot summary: The infamous leader of The Bad Guys finds himself in a vexing situation, confronted by a wayward fan who tries blackmailing him into taking them on as an apprentice. Part one in the series "About a Boy and a Wolf".
The background:
Update Oct 2022: I never expected this spur-on-the-moment creation to be anything other than a one-shot. Well, sometimes things just happen and it is now part 1 in a series I affectionally named "About a Boy and a Wolf", or AaBaaW for short.
In a most unexpected development I got inspired to write something, after years and years of hiatus. Even more unexpectedly the source of inspiration turned out being The Bad Guys movie of 2022!
I wanted to explore what the normally jovial and self-controlled (for the most part) Mr. Wolf would do when pushed into a situation where he 1) can't afford acting BAD; 2) can't just leave; 3) is forced into acting somewhat like a role model.
I made it a point to try staying faithful to the way the Wolf character speaks in the movie.
I also wish to give a shout out to the excellent rgibson whose works have inspired me to write as well as I possibly could. If you can handle dark and broody, go read up on any of her stories about Jack Salem or maybe Griffin Ranger (look them up at Amazon). They are excellent! I should also add Roz DOES NOT write fanfiction, unlike me, all her works are original - which is really the best thing there is.
DISCLAIMER! This work is not affiliated with DreamWorks in any way. I do not claim ownership of any characters from the movie. All events herein are purely fictional and sprung from the writer's imagination. The mirror Earth where the story takes place is different from ours (although there are overlaps), so if you enjoy things “dark and realistic” do not continue reading as you may find this disheartening.
This story plays out approximately five years prior to the events of the movie.
Mr. Wolf casually pushed open the entrance door to an Italian downtown café. He wore hat, a white suit, dark vest, white shirt with a black bowtie, chalk-white pants and polished black shoes. A pair of yellow pilot sunglasses hid his eyes, providing the look of a sun-loving savvy gentleman. The tiny fake moustache was the finishing touch to mask his true identity as a nefarious criminal on the rise to infamy.
After taking a seat at the furthermost stall, conveniently close to the fire exit while also providing a full view of the café entrance, he allowed himself the luxury to relax in public and ordered a double-espresso.
Today's coup had gone as smooth as ever. The pursuing police were dispersing from the city centre like a swarm of angry wasps, chasing the multiple false trails just as predicted. Never would the police have guessed today's haul was hanging cheekily under the shirt of a well-dressed dandy in a nearby café.
Wolf stretched, delivered a kind smile and thank-you to the waitress coming with his order. Then he drank slowly to the day's success, savouring the finest coffee in the area.
The entrance doorbell tingled and Wolf threw a quick glance in the direction of the sound. Some kid with a camera had entered the café, probably intending to buy an ice-cream and having missed the sign on the front door stating: We DON'T sell ice-cream here!
Wolf smirked and resumed sipping on his espresso, pondering what the news extras were saying about the fancy royal European necklace being nicked on the very first day it was displayed. A sudden movement in the immediate vicinity pulled him out of his reverie.
The camera kid had rudely decided to occupy the seat facing his and sat staring at Wolf with determination. He looked to be in his early teens and wore an impeccable upper-class attire befitting someone who had attended today's royal necklace reveal. The most prominent feature about the youngster was his very curly hair the colour of August straw. It hung over a serious, intense face that was way too pale. Obviously this kid was a bit sun-shy.
"Hello." the boy said.
"Hello yourself." Wolf answered in a polite voice despite being utterly puzzled. "I don't believe we know each other. Do we know each other?"
"You don't know me but I know a great deal about you," the boy said and leaned forward, adding in a quiet voice, "mister Wolf."
"I beg your pardon? Who?"
Wolf's eyes scanned the premises real quick. Had something about his disguise been giving him away? Impossible! The waitress had been positively charmed like everybody else whenever he put this act on, hadn't she? The atmosphere in the place was as calm as a summer's lake.
The boy's expression of determination did not waver.
"I knew you were going to go after Queen Beatrix's necklace, what with all their boasting on the news about using the 'latest and greatest' security and what-not. I have been keeping a vigilant watch over that showroom all day." The boy patted his camera which had a long lens attached to its body. "Watching you work was great fun. I should have brought popcorn. Is it heavy to wear?"
"Look kid, I am not really in the mood for..."
"Your recent coups in Paris and Amsterdam were also impressive." the boy continued, speaking in the same quiet, pompous, precocious manner. "Those European bigwigs were seething with fury already and now one more indignity to top it all off! That's bound to propel them into orbit any time now."
"Well thanks, I guess." Wolf replied, scratching the back of his head and feeling bemused by the bizarre situation. "And you are...?"
"I apologise. My name is Ethan and my mother is a loyal customer of that jeweller. She and all her snooty, posh friends. You have no idea how paranoid they are going to be once the news breaks, thinking you will soon be coming for their fancy necklaces, bracelets, rings and what have you. At every mind-withering dinner I have ever been forced to attend someone would be bemoaning your latest deeds. Your very reputation strikes terror in them."
"And what about YOU?" Wolf asked smoothly, grinning a bit toothier than usual.
"I admire you. Your dexterity and daring. Your freedom and non-conformism."
"Ooo-kay." Wolf's eyebrows raised a notch. "Well, thanks for the praise kid. Guess we should start a fan club next. You'd be first in line for the club presidency, huh?"
"Don't be facetious with me."
Wolf started and leaned forward.
"Excuse me whatwasthat?!"
He wasn't completely sure what "facetious" meant, but the impertinent way this pup had spoken left little doubt about it being an insolent sneer.
"For your record I am not a fool. Please don't treat me as one." The boy leaned forward in turn and hissed: "You may well pull the blinds over the eyes of the moronic adults with that disguise, but I can see you coming a mile away!"
"Is that so?" Wolf grinned again, only this time not so nicely.
"It is and I want YOU to hear me out."
Wolf felt he was on the verge of losing his temper. What was the deal with this word-painting, disrespectful little prim punk challenging him? Why wasn't he in the slightest bit afraid? Too bad he had to be mindful not to blow his cover by freaking this brat out! Better to back off and reassert the cool composure.
"Okay!" He leaned back into the seat, trying to appear nonchalant, and then threw a sidelong glance in the direction of the waitress. She was eyeing them. Damn.
"Hey, waitress!" Wolf waved a paw, smiling brightly. "A coke please for this...young journalist here. Put it down on me, alright?"
"Sure, un momento." The waitress soon came out carrying a frosted coke bottle and a straw, setting it down in front of the kid with a warm smile. "So young and already a giornalista!"
"Grazie." the boy answered in a polite voice, not looking altogether pleased.
Wolf half-suppressed a grin and said: "Go ahead. It's a free gift. No hooks, no tricks! You have a lot more to say, right? Can't do that on a dry throat!"
"Thought you were pretty clever now, don't you?"
"I have my moments. Come on! I promise it's not poisoned."
The boy scowled, removed the straw and drank a small gulp from the bottle before putting it down again.
"I never intend to blow your cover. I am not here to blackmail you if that's what you're thinking."
"Oh yeah?"
"Besides, that would be a petty thing to do over you pricking my pride."
Wolf raised his double-espresso in a mock toast and flashed a sarcastic smile. The boy immediately returned the gesture with his coke.
They drank for a while without speaking.
"Ethan, was it? How old are you?"
"Thirteen years, two months and eighteen days. Would have to look up the hours and minutes."
"You don't talk like it."
"Books are a good teacher."
"Let me guess, you're a..." Wolf twirled his paw dramatically, "...straight-A student, am I right?"
"I am."
"And here you are in this rustic Italian diner," Wolf leaned forward and whispered, "chatting with a wanted and feared master criminal. Why?"
"Why not?"
"All right, cut the sass kid! You asked me to hear you out. I'm ALL ears!"
"I'd like you to teach me your craft."
"Huh?"
"I have had it all planned out!" the boy spoke eagerly again. "When school ends I will write a note saying I ran away. Mother will be too embarrassed to let it be known in public. She will cook up some story about me receiving tutorship at the hands of some distant relative on the other side of the Atlantic. I am going to have to learn how to make it living underground. Then I can run away in earnest, hone my skills and return on terms that I dictate!"
"Come on, seriously? Listen up kid, I'm no teacher and I'm definitely not a counsellor but...uh...don't head down that road, hear me? You've got, what, expensive clothing, a fancy camera. You belong to a privileged upper class. When I was your age I had nothing."
"You had the freedom to live as you pleased."
"Not really. In this gig you only stay free by running and never stopping. Had I ever slackened my pace or strayed for a second I'd have ended up in the slammer. Finito! Jailwolf!"
Wolf felt his annoyance being blended with a string of sympathy. This kid clearly had some serious issues but he was trying to make them HIS problem to deal with! The talk had also reminded Wolf of his more brooding recollections and snuffed out the triumphant feeling he used to bask in after a successful heist.
"Look," he said and inclined forward, "what I'm trying to tell you is... (damn, I suck at this!) You've got a choice in life: the easy way or the hard way, okay? And you're looking to choose the easy way out."
"Yet YOU chose that path and now you are playing wise sage discouraging me from doing what you do so well. Afraid of new competition?"
"Don't toot your horn, you're just a kid. Besides, where are your friends? You gonna go, what, solo thief, without anyone watching your back? How long do you expect you'll last?"
"The Crimson Paw acts solo, and he is the best."
"Then what're you doing here pestering me if he is 'the best'?!"
"He is impossible to track down, unlike you."
"Y-y...know what?! I have had just about enough of you! You're not even dry behind the ears and are perfectly set up to become whatever you want and your GREAT PLAN is throwing it all away and go 'master thief' to spite, what, your family?! Are you for real kid?"
"My name is Ethan – not kid!" the boy hissed between his teeth.
"Yeah, Ethan, whatever! You're not out in the cold like I was at your age. You weren't born a wolf. You're in!"
"Got that right! I am so in it's practically a prison. You talk about easy and my life is anything but! I wear this mask like a stage play performer! Writing braindead essays teachers think are gonna teach me anything about real life. I endure their quizzes that are so simple I finish them within fifteen minutes, only to be told to sit back down instead of handing them in too early. I humour the teachers so they won't make a fuss and report home and it's boring me to death! If that's what it means to be 'in' then I absolutely want out!"
Wolf wasn't sure what to answer, being unused to human pups to begin with, let alone earnest outbursts. He cleared his throat.
"Um, uh, you never talked to...anybody about this?"
"I'm doing it now, don't I? And all I hear is the same old tripe! Don't stray from your path. Go with the flow. Not what I ever expected hearing from you!"
"That's not..."
"Fine!" The boy stood up. "I have made a big mistake and deserve an F grade on this assignment! I was so sure you weren't what you are."
"What?"
"Just another adult of the same mould. Sorry about taking up your time and thanks for the drink."
He walked out of the stall.
"Wait, hold on!"
The boy stopped and looked back at Wolf.
"I can't say I understand where you are coming from because I didn't. I do what I do because those were the cards I've been dealt. Ever thought about your cards? You got some real good ones but you ain't playing them right. You're gunning for that royal straight flush when a two-pair can win you the game, you know?"
Returning to the stall, the boy sat down opposite of Wolf and raised an eyebrow.
"What are you TALKING about?"
Wolf sighed, removed the sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. This was painful. All the same, he found this wayward youngster intriguing. He exhaled, leaned forward and established steady eye contact.
"What I am talking about," Wolf spoke slowly and with deliberation, "is you being dead-set on making it big in a fashion you've decided on beforehand, without really understanding the stakes, and you only want to play for that BIG WIN. I'm telling you, there are ways to play and win you've never even thought of because all you want is to lay down that fancy straight flush and wipe the smirks off everybody's face. Do you think...uh...I am all sunshine because of what I do? Well, tell you what, I ain't! Having people always running away from you screaming is kinda a bummer sometimes. Save for my buds, the only person ever to talk to me, who wasn't completely fooled, is YOU. And why the heck am I telling you all this? Because I'd hate seeing a bright kid waste his life for bad reasons. I'm not good at these kind of things, talking to pups and giving advice, but if you wanna break conformity why not start by buying a t-shirt your mom won't like? Ever tried that?"
"You are changing the subject. You think I would be too much for you to handle!"
"Ki... Ethan! Just tell it to my face straight: what is it you really want?"
"An adult who can tell me something worth listening to."
"About committing crimes?"
"There aren't many books on the topic."
"And tell me why I should care about what you want."
"You've been caring enough to listen to me so far. Why?"
"HEY! I'm seriously trying to help you out here but it ain't VERY EASY when you just try acting tough all the time! Bantering with Snake is easier than talking to you! Say I did help you the way you want me to, what do you think's gonna happen? Huh?! What do you think you can offer me and my crew besides trouble? Our team is solid because we make the most of what and who we are! Ever stopped to think about what sort of attention we'd draw if we whisked away a kid and turned him into a criminal? Our street cred would drop through the street! Someone as smart as you would have given thought to that, right? Or maybe you've become so lost in your own angry world you never think that far ahead! There're loads of kids who've had it way worse than you and made it through okay! You can't even make friends, can you?!"
Wolf drew a deep breath after this long venting bout.
Having broken eye contact the boy was staring down at his coke bottle, frowning. He appeared to have lost his rapid tongue.
"Look," Wolf continued in a softer tone, "you're obviously a smart and tenacious kid and I don't want to see you end up in juvie – or worse. You can do so much better than that. I'm not lying to you! And if you think people are so dumb, go teach them to be less dumb, because if not you – who?"
"No adult tells me things like that." the boy said at last. "Least of all my mother. I don't have anyone worth talking or listening to, let alone telling me off like you just did."
He slowly raised his head and met Wolf's eyes.
"Mother's posh acquaintances may be kind to me but they act as if I am a stage prop. It's like they never see or care for the real me beyond fancy clothes and appropriate manners."
"Did you ever step up to show them the real you? Maybe you're the one waiting for others to take the initiative?"
"Likewise." the boy retorted with a subtle nod.
"Hmpf!"
Silence fell again as the wolf and the boy stared down at their respective beverages without touching them.
Wolf thought about his coffee getting colder by the minute. He wouldn't be able to enjoy it now. Sneaking a glance across the table he could see the kid looking downcast and pensive.
"Look, Ethan..." Wolf sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I won't take you on. You can forget about that. What I can do, and my friends are gonna think I'm losing it, is treating you to a coffee whenever I've got some time to spare. You like coffee, don't you? I wanna know how you're getting on. But only on the condition that you drop those silly ideas and come up with something better. Deal?"
"You are willing to take the risk to get found out in public, just to meet up with me?"
"I think you're sharp enough to spot a trail and act the part. You impressed me today and seeing how you opened up it'd be damn near criminal if I turned my tail to that. Pun not intended."
The boy's face brightened and the effect was remarkable. He suddenly resembled a kid his age and not a miniature professor.
"You mean it?"
"Every word. But remember, all I'm offering you is some moral support. And if you must ever refer to me, not that you ever SHOULD, I'm mister Oliver Poodleton, traveling businessman and coach of young bright people. How is that?"
The boy grinned.
"I thought you said you were no counsellor."
"Guess I'm giving it a try."
Wolf produced a pen, scribbled on his table napkin and then turned it to the boy. It was an e-mail address, BBW91 followed by an anonymous mail service domain name.
"Memorised that?"
Ethan nodded and Wolf stuffed the napkin into the pocket of his jacket.
"Register your own account there then ping me. And for the record, a certain miss Webs will figure out all about you, so don't spam. Got it?"
"Yeah, okay."
Wolf put his sunglasses back onto his snout and peeked across the café to the front windows.
"Well, it's about time I got moving. Looks a lot cooler outside now, don't you think? Keep that head of yours out of the dark places until next time."
"I'll try."
"Be seeing ya, Ethan." Wolf stood up, touched the brim of his hat, winked and put down a wad of dollar notes on the table. He quickly adjusted his jacket and walked out on the sun laded street, passing a final wave to the staff calling out amiably: "Keep the change!"
Another Italian café in another part of L.A. at a later time
Wolf was sitting alone by a four-person table enjoying a quite excellent, hot caffè macchiato.
For the occasion he wore a snappy dark gray linen jacket, a paisley patterned silver tie over a shirt the hue of twilight, white pants and brown shoes. Over his head and ears rested a wide-brimmed Panama hat and for variety he'd put blue reflective shades on his muzzle.
His friends had been surprised and slightly alarmed when told the abridged summary of what had transpired one month prior, with the exception of Piranha who thought starting a Bad Guys Fan Club would be a great idea.
"Imagine man, our posters in kids' bedrooms! Madres and padres furious, ha-ha!"
"I always said kids these days are up to no good." Snake muttered. "Hope you're not plotting to corrupt and recruit this upper-class brat because if you bring him here he'll be my evening snack, fan or not!"
"Relaaaaax, it's only a bit of fun! Doing something different, you know?"
"I don't know, Wolf. You don't know anything about kids in the first place, do you?"
"Exactly! And that's what I'm going to learn now, see? Besides, this kid might be sitting on some upper-class gossip we could use to our advantage. I'll bring back delicious Italian pastries for you all!"
"I'm warning you, Wolf!" Snake called after him as he exited the hideout, twirling the car keys on one digit. "Don't let some runt make you go soft!"
"Good afternoon, mister Poodleton."
"Ethan! How are you coming along? Have a seat! Hey, waitress! Can we have a Latte for this young man here? You drink Latte, don't you?"
"I am willing to try it."
Ethan's smile was a bright one, stretching all the way to his eyes. Wolf smiled kindly in return and studied the boy from behind the shades. He did look a great deal happier this time around. Expectant, even. He was still in school uniform, but instead of a monocoloured shirt as one would expect, he sported a t-shirt with a large print featuring a grotesque, grinning human face. Not bad!
Probably because someone who didn't have to care chose to do so. Wolf thought to himself. I've got to remember asking if he wore that t-shirt in school today, and got into trouble for it.
The waitress came over with a glass of creamy Latte and Ethan thanked her with polite Italian words.
Wolf removed the shades and leaned forward, grinning appreciatively at the youngster when all by a sudden something was moving behind him. To his horror he found that his tail had started wagging on its own accord! With a considerable effort Wolf managed to stuff the happy appendix right back up the back of his jacket and quench its movements through sheer will power. Then he cleared his throat.
"So... Uh... How have things been going with you?"
Ethan began laughing. A long, merry laugh.
Wolf couldn't help but join, his tail wagging again. He decided to let it do its thing.
For the time being.
~
To be continued...
The background:
Update Oct 2022: I never expected this spur-on-the-moment creation to be anything other than a one-shot. Well, sometimes things just happen and it is now part 1 in a series I affectionally named "About a Boy and a Wolf", or AaBaaW for short.
In a most unexpected development I got inspired to write something, after years and years of hiatus. Even more unexpectedly the source of inspiration turned out being The Bad Guys movie of 2022!
I wanted to explore what the normally jovial and self-controlled (for the most part) Mr. Wolf would do when pushed into a situation where he 1) can't afford acting BAD; 2) can't just leave; 3) is forced into acting somewhat like a role model.
I made it a point to try staying faithful to the way the Wolf character speaks in the movie.
I also wish to give a shout out to the excellent rgibson whose works have inspired me to write as well as I possibly could. If you can handle dark and broody, go read up on any of her stories about Jack Salem or maybe Griffin Ranger (look them up at Amazon). They are excellent! I should also add Roz DOES NOT write fanfiction, unlike me, all her works are original - which is really the best thing there is.
About a Boy and a Wolf
Part 1
The Fan
By Agncec, 2022DISCLAIMER! This work is not affiliated with DreamWorks in any way. I do not claim ownership of any characters from the movie. All events herein are purely fictional and sprung from the writer's imagination. The mirror Earth where the story takes place is different from ours (although there are overlaps), so if you enjoy things “dark and realistic” do not continue reading as you may find this disheartening.
This story plays out approximately five years prior to the events of the movie.
Mr. Wolf casually pushed open the entrance door to an Italian downtown café. He wore hat, a white suit, dark vest, white shirt with a black bowtie, chalk-white pants and polished black shoes. A pair of yellow pilot sunglasses hid his eyes, providing the look of a sun-loving savvy gentleman. The tiny fake moustache was the finishing touch to mask his true identity as a nefarious criminal on the rise to infamy.
After taking a seat at the furthermost stall, conveniently close to the fire exit while also providing a full view of the café entrance, he allowed himself the luxury to relax in public and ordered a double-espresso.
Today's coup had gone as smooth as ever. The pursuing police were dispersing from the city centre like a swarm of angry wasps, chasing the multiple false trails just as predicted. Never would the police have guessed today's haul was hanging cheekily under the shirt of a well-dressed dandy in a nearby café.
Wolf stretched, delivered a kind smile and thank-you to the waitress coming with his order. Then he drank slowly to the day's success, savouring the finest coffee in the area.
The entrance doorbell tingled and Wolf threw a quick glance in the direction of the sound. Some kid with a camera had entered the café, probably intending to buy an ice-cream and having missed the sign on the front door stating: We DON'T sell ice-cream here!
Wolf smirked and resumed sipping on his espresso, pondering what the news extras were saying about the fancy royal European necklace being nicked on the very first day it was displayed. A sudden movement in the immediate vicinity pulled him out of his reverie.
The camera kid had rudely decided to occupy the seat facing his and sat staring at Wolf with determination. He looked to be in his early teens and wore an impeccable upper-class attire befitting someone who had attended today's royal necklace reveal. The most prominent feature about the youngster was his very curly hair the colour of August straw. It hung over a serious, intense face that was way too pale. Obviously this kid was a bit sun-shy.
"Hello." the boy said.
"Hello yourself." Wolf answered in a polite voice despite being utterly puzzled. "I don't believe we know each other. Do we know each other?"
"You don't know me but I know a great deal about you," the boy said and leaned forward, adding in a quiet voice, "mister Wolf."
"I beg your pardon? Who?"
Wolf's eyes scanned the premises real quick. Had something about his disguise been giving him away? Impossible! The waitress had been positively charmed like everybody else whenever he put this act on, hadn't she? The atmosphere in the place was as calm as a summer's lake.
The boy's expression of determination did not waver.
"I knew you were going to go after Queen Beatrix's necklace, what with all their boasting on the news about using the 'latest and greatest' security and what-not. I have been keeping a vigilant watch over that showroom all day." The boy patted his camera which had a long lens attached to its body. "Watching you work was great fun. I should have brought popcorn. Is it heavy to wear?"
"Look kid, I am not really in the mood for..."
"Your recent coups in Paris and Amsterdam were also impressive." the boy continued, speaking in the same quiet, pompous, precocious manner. "Those European bigwigs were seething with fury already and now one more indignity to top it all off! That's bound to propel them into orbit any time now."
"Well thanks, I guess." Wolf replied, scratching the back of his head and feeling bemused by the bizarre situation. "And you are...?"
"I apologise. My name is Ethan and my mother is a loyal customer of that jeweller. She and all her snooty, posh friends. You have no idea how paranoid they are going to be once the news breaks, thinking you will soon be coming for their fancy necklaces, bracelets, rings and what have you. At every mind-withering dinner I have ever been forced to attend someone would be bemoaning your latest deeds. Your very reputation strikes terror in them."
"And what about YOU?" Wolf asked smoothly, grinning a bit toothier than usual.
"I admire you. Your dexterity and daring. Your freedom and non-conformism."
"Ooo-kay." Wolf's eyebrows raised a notch. "Well, thanks for the praise kid. Guess we should start a fan club next. You'd be first in line for the club presidency, huh?"
"Don't be facetious with me."
Wolf started and leaned forward.
"Excuse me whatwasthat?!"
He wasn't completely sure what "facetious" meant, but the impertinent way this pup had spoken left little doubt about it being an insolent sneer.
"For your record I am not a fool. Please don't treat me as one." The boy leaned forward in turn and hissed: "You may well pull the blinds over the eyes of the moronic adults with that disguise, but I can see you coming a mile away!"
"Is that so?" Wolf grinned again, only this time not so nicely.
"It is and I want YOU to hear me out."
Wolf felt he was on the verge of losing his temper. What was the deal with this word-painting, disrespectful little prim punk challenging him? Why wasn't he in the slightest bit afraid? Too bad he had to be mindful not to blow his cover by freaking this brat out! Better to back off and reassert the cool composure.
"Okay!" He leaned back into the seat, trying to appear nonchalant, and then threw a sidelong glance in the direction of the waitress. She was eyeing them. Damn.
"Hey, waitress!" Wolf waved a paw, smiling brightly. "A coke please for this...young journalist here. Put it down on me, alright?"
"Sure, un momento." The waitress soon came out carrying a frosted coke bottle and a straw, setting it down in front of the kid with a warm smile. "So young and already a giornalista!"
"Grazie." the boy answered in a polite voice, not looking altogether pleased.
Wolf half-suppressed a grin and said: "Go ahead. It's a free gift. No hooks, no tricks! You have a lot more to say, right? Can't do that on a dry throat!"
"Thought you were pretty clever now, don't you?"
"I have my moments. Come on! I promise it's not poisoned."
The boy scowled, removed the straw and drank a small gulp from the bottle before putting it down again.
"I never intend to blow your cover. I am not here to blackmail you if that's what you're thinking."
"Oh yeah?"
"Besides, that would be a petty thing to do over you pricking my pride."
Wolf raised his double-espresso in a mock toast and flashed a sarcastic smile. The boy immediately returned the gesture with his coke.
They drank for a while without speaking.
"Ethan, was it? How old are you?"
"Thirteen years, two months and eighteen days. Would have to look up the hours and minutes."
"You don't talk like it."
"Books are a good teacher."
"Let me guess, you're a..." Wolf twirled his paw dramatically, "...straight-A student, am I right?"
"I am."
"And here you are in this rustic Italian diner," Wolf leaned forward and whispered, "chatting with a wanted and feared master criminal. Why?"
"Why not?"
"All right, cut the sass kid! You asked me to hear you out. I'm ALL ears!"
"I'd like you to teach me your craft."
"Huh?"
"I have had it all planned out!" the boy spoke eagerly again. "When school ends I will write a note saying I ran away. Mother will be too embarrassed to let it be known in public. She will cook up some story about me receiving tutorship at the hands of some distant relative on the other side of the Atlantic. I am going to have to learn how to make it living underground. Then I can run away in earnest, hone my skills and return on terms that I dictate!"
"Come on, seriously? Listen up kid, I'm no teacher and I'm definitely not a counsellor but...uh...don't head down that road, hear me? You've got, what, expensive clothing, a fancy camera. You belong to a privileged upper class. When I was your age I had nothing."
"You had the freedom to live as you pleased."
"Not really. In this gig you only stay free by running and never stopping. Had I ever slackened my pace or strayed for a second I'd have ended up in the slammer. Finito! Jailwolf!"
Wolf felt his annoyance being blended with a string of sympathy. This kid clearly had some serious issues but he was trying to make them HIS problem to deal with! The talk had also reminded Wolf of his more brooding recollections and snuffed out the triumphant feeling he used to bask in after a successful heist.
"Look," he said and inclined forward, "what I'm trying to tell you is... (damn, I suck at this!) You've got a choice in life: the easy way or the hard way, okay? And you're looking to choose the easy way out."
"Yet YOU chose that path and now you are playing wise sage discouraging me from doing what you do so well. Afraid of new competition?"
"Don't toot your horn, you're just a kid. Besides, where are your friends? You gonna go, what, solo thief, without anyone watching your back? How long do you expect you'll last?"
"The Crimson Paw acts solo, and he is the best."
"Then what're you doing here pestering me if he is 'the best'?!"
"He is impossible to track down, unlike you."
"Y-y...know what?! I have had just about enough of you! You're not even dry behind the ears and are perfectly set up to become whatever you want and your GREAT PLAN is throwing it all away and go 'master thief' to spite, what, your family?! Are you for real kid?"
"My name is Ethan – not kid!" the boy hissed between his teeth.
"Yeah, Ethan, whatever! You're not out in the cold like I was at your age. You weren't born a wolf. You're in!"
"Got that right! I am so in it's practically a prison. You talk about easy and my life is anything but! I wear this mask like a stage play performer! Writing braindead essays teachers think are gonna teach me anything about real life. I endure their quizzes that are so simple I finish them within fifteen minutes, only to be told to sit back down instead of handing them in too early. I humour the teachers so they won't make a fuss and report home and it's boring me to death! If that's what it means to be 'in' then I absolutely want out!"
Wolf wasn't sure what to answer, being unused to human pups to begin with, let alone earnest outbursts. He cleared his throat.
"Um, uh, you never talked to...anybody about this?"
"I'm doing it now, don't I? And all I hear is the same old tripe! Don't stray from your path. Go with the flow. Not what I ever expected hearing from you!"
"That's not..."
"Fine!" The boy stood up. "I have made a big mistake and deserve an F grade on this assignment! I was so sure you weren't what you are."
"What?"
"Just another adult of the same mould. Sorry about taking up your time and thanks for the drink."
He walked out of the stall.
"Wait, hold on!"
The boy stopped and looked back at Wolf.
"I can't say I understand where you are coming from because I didn't. I do what I do because those were the cards I've been dealt. Ever thought about your cards? You got some real good ones but you ain't playing them right. You're gunning for that royal straight flush when a two-pair can win you the game, you know?"
Returning to the stall, the boy sat down opposite of Wolf and raised an eyebrow.
"What are you TALKING about?"
Wolf sighed, removed the sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. This was painful. All the same, he found this wayward youngster intriguing. He exhaled, leaned forward and established steady eye contact.
"What I am talking about," Wolf spoke slowly and with deliberation, "is you being dead-set on making it big in a fashion you've decided on beforehand, without really understanding the stakes, and you only want to play for that BIG WIN. I'm telling you, there are ways to play and win you've never even thought of because all you want is to lay down that fancy straight flush and wipe the smirks off everybody's face. Do you think...uh...I am all sunshine because of what I do? Well, tell you what, I ain't! Having people always running away from you screaming is kinda a bummer sometimes. Save for my buds, the only person ever to talk to me, who wasn't completely fooled, is YOU. And why the heck am I telling you all this? Because I'd hate seeing a bright kid waste his life for bad reasons. I'm not good at these kind of things, talking to pups and giving advice, but if you wanna break conformity why not start by buying a t-shirt your mom won't like? Ever tried that?"
"You are changing the subject. You think I would be too much for you to handle!"
"Ki... Ethan! Just tell it to my face straight: what is it you really want?"
"An adult who can tell me something worth listening to."
"About committing crimes?"
"There aren't many books on the topic."
"And tell me why I should care about what you want."
"You've been caring enough to listen to me so far. Why?"
"HEY! I'm seriously trying to help you out here but it ain't VERY EASY when you just try acting tough all the time! Bantering with Snake is easier than talking to you! Say I did help you the way you want me to, what do you think's gonna happen? Huh?! What do you think you can offer me and my crew besides trouble? Our team is solid because we make the most of what and who we are! Ever stopped to think about what sort of attention we'd draw if we whisked away a kid and turned him into a criminal? Our street cred would drop through the street! Someone as smart as you would have given thought to that, right? Or maybe you've become so lost in your own angry world you never think that far ahead! There're loads of kids who've had it way worse than you and made it through okay! You can't even make friends, can you?!"
Wolf drew a deep breath after this long venting bout.
Having broken eye contact the boy was staring down at his coke bottle, frowning. He appeared to have lost his rapid tongue.
"Look," Wolf continued in a softer tone, "you're obviously a smart and tenacious kid and I don't want to see you end up in juvie – or worse. You can do so much better than that. I'm not lying to you! And if you think people are so dumb, go teach them to be less dumb, because if not you – who?"
"No adult tells me things like that." the boy said at last. "Least of all my mother. I don't have anyone worth talking or listening to, let alone telling me off like you just did."
He slowly raised his head and met Wolf's eyes.
"Mother's posh acquaintances may be kind to me but they act as if I am a stage prop. It's like they never see or care for the real me beyond fancy clothes and appropriate manners."
"Did you ever step up to show them the real you? Maybe you're the one waiting for others to take the initiative?"
"Likewise." the boy retorted with a subtle nod.
"Hmpf!"
Silence fell again as the wolf and the boy stared down at their respective beverages without touching them.
Wolf thought about his coffee getting colder by the minute. He wouldn't be able to enjoy it now. Sneaking a glance across the table he could see the kid looking downcast and pensive.
"Look, Ethan..." Wolf sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I won't take you on. You can forget about that. What I can do, and my friends are gonna think I'm losing it, is treating you to a coffee whenever I've got some time to spare. You like coffee, don't you? I wanna know how you're getting on. But only on the condition that you drop those silly ideas and come up with something better. Deal?"
"You are willing to take the risk to get found out in public, just to meet up with me?"
"I think you're sharp enough to spot a trail and act the part. You impressed me today and seeing how you opened up it'd be damn near criminal if I turned my tail to that. Pun not intended."
The boy's face brightened and the effect was remarkable. He suddenly resembled a kid his age and not a miniature professor.
"You mean it?"
"Every word. But remember, all I'm offering you is some moral support. And if you must ever refer to me, not that you ever SHOULD, I'm mister Oliver Poodleton, traveling businessman and coach of young bright people. How is that?"
The boy grinned.
"I thought you said you were no counsellor."
"Guess I'm giving it a try."
Wolf produced a pen, scribbled on his table napkin and then turned it to the boy. It was an e-mail address, BBW91 followed by an anonymous mail service domain name.
"Memorised that?"
Ethan nodded and Wolf stuffed the napkin into the pocket of his jacket.
"Register your own account there then ping me. And for the record, a certain miss Webs will figure out all about you, so don't spam. Got it?"
"Yeah, okay."
Wolf put his sunglasses back onto his snout and peeked across the café to the front windows.
"Well, it's about time I got moving. Looks a lot cooler outside now, don't you think? Keep that head of yours out of the dark places until next time."
"I'll try."
"Be seeing ya, Ethan." Wolf stood up, touched the brim of his hat, winked and put down a wad of dollar notes on the table. He quickly adjusted his jacket and walked out on the sun laded street, passing a final wave to the staff calling out amiably: "Keep the change!"
*Another Italian café in another part of L.A. at a later time
Wolf was sitting alone by a four-person table enjoying a quite excellent, hot caffè macchiato.
For the occasion he wore a snappy dark gray linen jacket, a paisley patterned silver tie over a shirt the hue of twilight, white pants and brown shoes. Over his head and ears rested a wide-brimmed Panama hat and for variety he'd put blue reflective shades on his muzzle.
His friends had been surprised and slightly alarmed when told the abridged summary of what had transpired one month prior, with the exception of Piranha who thought starting a Bad Guys Fan Club would be a great idea.
"Imagine man, our posters in kids' bedrooms! Madres and padres furious, ha-ha!"
"I always said kids these days are up to no good." Snake muttered. "Hope you're not plotting to corrupt and recruit this upper-class brat because if you bring him here he'll be my evening snack, fan or not!"
"Relaaaaax, it's only a bit of fun! Doing something different, you know?"
"I don't know, Wolf. You don't know anything about kids in the first place, do you?"
"Exactly! And that's what I'm going to learn now, see? Besides, this kid might be sitting on some upper-class gossip we could use to our advantage. I'll bring back delicious Italian pastries for you all!"
"I'm warning you, Wolf!" Snake called after him as he exited the hideout, twirling the car keys on one digit. "Don't let some runt make you go soft!"
"Good afternoon, mister Poodleton."
"Ethan! How are you coming along? Have a seat! Hey, waitress! Can we have a Latte for this young man here? You drink Latte, don't you?"
"I am willing to try it."
Ethan's smile was a bright one, stretching all the way to his eyes. Wolf smiled kindly in return and studied the boy from behind the shades. He did look a great deal happier this time around. Expectant, even. He was still in school uniform, but instead of a monocoloured shirt as one would expect, he sported a t-shirt with a large print featuring a grotesque, grinning human face. Not bad!
Probably because someone who didn't have to care chose to do so. Wolf thought to himself. I've got to remember asking if he wore that t-shirt in school today, and got into trouble for it.
The waitress came over with a glass of creamy Latte and Ethan thanked her with polite Italian words.
Wolf removed the shades and leaned forward, grinning appreciatively at the youngster when all by a sudden something was moving behind him. To his horror he found that his tail had started wagging on its own accord! With a considerable effort Wolf managed to stuff the happy appendix right back up the back of his jacket and quench its movements through sheer will power. Then he cleared his throat.
"So... Uh... How have things been going with you?"
Ethan began laughing. A long, merry laugh.
Wolf couldn't help but join, his tail wagging again. He decided to let it do its thing.
For the time being.
~
To be continued...
Category Story / Miscellaneous
Species Unspecified / Any
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File Size 47 B
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