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A Matter of Survival
A modern Spontoon Island story
© 2022 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
rabbi-tom
Four.
The next morning, Jasper emerged from the bathroom still toweling himself off in time to hear his phone start ringing. Shaking a little excess water from his ears, he brought the device to his ear. “Wu here.”
“Mr. Wu? Mr. Han.”
The canine smiled. “Mr. Han, good morning. What can I do for you?”
“Could you be here at the office at, say, nine o’clock?”
The smile broadened, and he sent a silent prayer of gratitude to the gods. “I’ll be there, Sir.” The call ended, and he continued drying off his fur. Water sometimes collected in his wrinkles, and skin infections were something that he didn’t want to have happen.
He got dressed, but paused in the act of tying his tie when he realized that he needed a ride. The li hua mau hadn’t mentioned that he would be picking up the canine. After finishing with his tie, Jasper picked up his phone, opened the ride-sharing app, and was pleased to see that there was a car nearby. He asked for the car to meet him at the hotel, received an acknowledgement, and put his suit jacket on before picking up his briefcase and heading down to the lobby.
While he waited outside the front doors, he saw a thin doe swaddled in layers of grubby clothing walking by on unsteady hooves clutching a piece of cardboard bearing the paw-written legend Please Help God Bless.
Jasper frowned. Spontoon would have found a way a help the cervine femme, rather than simply abandoning her to eke out what life she could on the street. Without thinking too much about it, he fished into a pocket, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill, and stepped toward the doe. She flinched, recovered when she saw the money, and snatched it out of his paw with a jerky nod before making her way up the street.
He watched her go, and with the ambient traffic noise failed to see his ride approaching until a horn honked and he turned. “Hello!” he said as the passenger side window lowered.
It was the same red panda femme who had driven him into the city from the airport. “Well! Small world, isn’t it?” Lucy asked cheerfully as she unlocked the doors and Jasper took a seat. “Where to?”
“Far East Investments,” he replied, and gave her the address. She entered the address into her phone, nodded, and the car pulled into traffic. He noted a number of shopping bags on the passenger seat beside her and said, “I hope I haven’t interfered in your day.”
“Hm? Oh! I was just doing some shopping when the app pinged me. I was pretty close by,” Lucy said. She glanced up at the rear view mirror, and their eyes met. “You were giving that girl the eye.”
He shook his head. “I’m married – “
“That doesn’t stop some guys, you know.”
“I know, but she appeared to be homeless, maybe mentally ill. I gave her some money.” He sighed. “Homeless aren’t something we generally see back on Spontoon.”
“Smaller country,” the red panda remarked. “Everyone looks out for each other.”
It reminded him that she’d mentioned having met a few Spontoonies while at college, and he nodded. “Exactly.”
She pulled to a stop in front of the building, and he got out. “Should I wait?” Lucy asked as he paid her.
“No, thank you,” Jasper said. “You should get your shopping put up.”
“You’re right. See you around,” and the Kendo sedan moved off while the Shar Pei-wolf canine entered the building.
Mr. Han was waiting for him. “My friend,” he said as they shook paws. “Thank you for coming.”
“Thank you, Mr. Han. Is it good news?”
The feline grinned. “Let’s go upstairs, and you can see for yourself.”
The same directors were waiting for him in the boardroom, but more of them were smiling. The oldest members had carefully neutral expressions.
Well, at least they’re not frowning, Jasper thought.
The Shar Pei-wolf bowed before taking his seat. “Gentlemen.”
“Mr. Wu,” one of them said, and the feline turned to look toward the head of the table.
The aged canine had the copy of the proposal before him. “Mr. Wu,” he said, “the Board has discussed – at length - the papers you have presented us, and we agree that the offers being made by Golden Dawn, as well as the projected returns on the investment, are very attractive.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Wait for it . . .
“There is a condition,” the very elderly red panda grumbled. The canine at the head of the table nodded.
“Which is?” Jasper asked.
“Who is the current leader of the Ni Family?” the canine asked.
Jasper thought for a moment. “The overall head of the clan, Sir, or the CEO of Golden Dawn Investments?”
The red panda coughed. “The head of the clan,” he replied.
“Ni Xia,” the Shar Pei-wolf said.
“She must come here,” the canine said, “to apologize on behalf of her family and clan for their slight toward us.”
“I understand.” The group here, and the organizations they were affiliated with, had all lost face when the Nis had severed ties. All of the Nis understood the concept of face, and to facilitate a deal he privately thought that Xia would swim to San Francisco if necessary. “I’m sure she would come.”
“Then we will sign onto this agreement that you offer,” the canine said, and he smiled. The others did as well.
Jasper felt himself relax, just a bit.
The red panda peered at him, recognizing the pattern on his tie. “Jade Phoenix?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You are kin to Hai Fat, then?” the oldster asked, naming a revered former head of one of Hong Kong’s Tongs.
“On my mother’s side, Sir,” Jasper replied. “My grandfather was Hai Wei.”
The man nodded, seemingly impressed. “The only fur to ever completely deceive the Bǒxíng zhēntàn. You come from a worthy family, young man.”
Jasper nodded, accepting the compliment. His maternal grandfather had been a sergeant in the Spontoon Constabulary back in the late 1930s when the head of the Detective Bureau at the time, a whitetail buck with a maimed hoof, had enlisted him to become an informant within the criminal community. Inspector Stagg hadn’t known that Hai was a Tong member and associated with the Ni Family. Although the plan had borne fruit, none of the Nis’ interests had ever been affected.
Their competitors, however, were usually at a loss as to where Stagg was getting his information.
Tea was brought in, and the conversation switched to somewhat lighter subjects. With the red panda slumped in his chair asleep, Wu was eventually ushered out of the room, where Mr. Han was waiting.
“You were successful,” the feline said, “I see it in your face.”
“Provisionally,” Jasper pointed out. “One of the bosses has to come here to face your board in person.”
“Ah, I see. Would you be interested in lunch?” Han asked as they headed for the elevator.
“Yes, I would.”
“Excellent. San Francisco boasts the best Chinese cuisine outside of Asia.”
The canine grinned. “I look forward to it.”
***
The food been very good, and Jasper suppressed a belch as he took a cab back to his hotel. The stark shadows cast by the buildings in the afternoon sunlight made looking around a little tricky, but the driver knew the place like the back of his paw, and the canine made a point of giving the rabbit a good tip. The driver smiled at the amount before giving Jasper a cheerful nod and driving off.
As he walked across the lobby to the elevators, a pronghorn antelope stepped up to him. “Mr. Jasper Wu?”
“Yes?”
The antelope produced a wallet and displayed a seven-pointed star of engraved silver-toned metal. “I’m Detective Sergeant Carson, San Francisco Police,” he said. “And this is Detective Sanders,” he said as a thin, almost gaunt wolf strolled up and flashed his own badge. “We need to ask you a few questions.”
“What about?”
“You ever see this girl?” Sanders asked, holding up his cell phone to show a poorly-framed picture of a young cervine doe.
Jasper tipped his head and looked before snapping his fingers and saying, “Yes, I saw her this morning.”
“Where?” Carson asked.
“Out there on the sidewalk,” and the canine nodded in the direction he’d come from. “What’s all this about?”
“We need you to come down to our station and answer some questions,” Sanders said.
“Okay,” Jasper said. “What for?”
“This girl was just found in your hotel room,” the wolf said.
“Dead,” the pronghorn added.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
A modern Spontoon Island story
© 2022 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
rabbi-tomFour.
The next morning, Jasper emerged from the bathroom still toweling himself off in time to hear his phone start ringing. Shaking a little excess water from his ears, he brought the device to his ear. “Wu here.”
“Mr. Wu? Mr. Han.”
The canine smiled. “Mr. Han, good morning. What can I do for you?”
“Could you be here at the office at, say, nine o’clock?”
The smile broadened, and he sent a silent prayer of gratitude to the gods. “I’ll be there, Sir.” The call ended, and he continued drying off his fur. Water sometimes collected in his wrinkles, and skin infections were something that he didn’t want to have happen.
He got dressed, but paused in the act of tying his tie when he realized that he needed a ride. The li hua mau hadn’t mentioned that he would be picking up the canine. After finishing with his tie, Jasper picked up his phone, opened the ride-sharing app, and was pleased to see that there was a car nearby. He asked for the car to meet him at the hotel, received an acknowledgement, and put his suit jacket on before picking up his briefcase and heading down to the lobby.
While he waited outside the front doors, he saw a thin doe swaddled in layers of grubby clothing walking by on unsteady hooves clutching a piece of cardboard bearing the paw-written legend Please Help God Bless.
Jasper frowned. Spontoon would have found a way a help the cervine femme, rather than simply abandoning her to eke out what life she could on the street. Without thinking too much about it, he fished into a pocket, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill, and stepped toward the doe. She flinched, recovered when she saw the money, and snatched it out of his paw with a jerky nod before making her way up the street.
He watched her go, and with the ambient traffic noise failed to see his ride approaching until a horn honked and he turned. “Hello!” he said as the passenger side window lowered.
It was the same red panda femme who had driven him into the city from the airport. “Well! Small world, isn’t it?” Lucy asked cheerfully as she unlocked the doors and Jasper took a seat. “Where to?”
“Far East Investments,” he replied, and gave her the address. She entered the address into her phone, nodded, and the car pulled into traffic. He noted a number of shopping bags on the passenger seat beside her and said, “I hope I haven’t interfered in your day.”
“Hm? Oh! I was just doing some shopping when the app pinged me. I was pretty close by,” Lucy said. She glanced up at the rear view mirror, and their eyes met. “You were giving that girl the eye.”
He shook his head. “I’m married – “
“That doesn’t stop some guys, you know.”
“I know, but she appeared to be homeless, maybe mentally ill. I gave her some money.” He sighed. “Homeless aren’t something we generally see back on Spontoon.”
“Smaller country,” the red panda remarked. “Everyone looks out for each other.”
It reminded him that she’d mentioned having met a few Spontoonies while at college, and he nodded. “Exactly.”
She pulled to a stop in front of the building, and he got out. “Should I wait?” Lucy asked as he paid her.
“No, thank you,” Jasper said. “You should get your shopping put up.”
“You’re right. See you around,” and the Kendo sedan moved off while the Shar Pei-wolf canine entered the building.
Mr. Han was waiting for him. “My friend,” he said as they shook paws. “Thank you for coming.”
“Thank you, Mr. Han. Is it good news?”
The feline grinned. “Let’s go upstairs, and you can see for yourself.”
The same directors were waiting for him in the boardroom, but more of them were smiling. The oldest members had carefully neutral expressions.
Well, at least they’re not frowning, Jasper thought.
The Shar Pei-wolf bowed before taking his seat. “Gentlemen.”
“Mr. Wu,” one of them said, and the feline turned to look toward the head of the table.
The aged canine had the copy of the proposal before him. “Mr. Wu,” he said, “the Board has discussed – at length - the papers you have presented us, and we agree that the offers being made by Golden Dawn, as well as the projected returns on the investment, are very attractive.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Wait for it . . .
“There is a condition,” the very elderly red panda grumbled. The canine at the head of the table nodded.
“Which is?” Jasper asked.
“Who is the current leader of the Ni Family?” the canine asked.
Jasper thought for a moment. “The overall head of the clan, Sir, or the CEO of Golden Dawn Investments?”
The red panda coughed. “The head of the clan,” he replied.
“Ni Xia,” the Shar Pei-wolf said.
“She must come here,” the canine said, “to apologize on behalf of her family and clan for their slight toward us.”
“I understand.” The group here, and the organizations they were affiliated with, had all lost face when the Nis had severed ties. All of the Nis understood the concept of face, and to facilitate a deal he privately thought that Xia would swim to San Francisco if necessary. “I’m sure she would come.”
“Then we will sign onto this agreement that you offer,” the canine said, and he smiled. The others did as well.
Jasper felt himself relax, just a bit.
The red panda peered at him, recognizing the pattern on his tie. “Jade Phoenix?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You are kin to Hai Fat, then?” the oldster asked, naming a revered former head of one of Hong Kong’s Tongs.
“On my mother’s side, Sir,” Jasper replied. “My grandfather was Hai Wei.”
The man nodded, seemingly impressed. “The only fur to ever completely deceive the Bǒxíng zhēntàn. You come from a worthy family, young man.”
Jasper nodded, accepting the compliment. His maternal grandfather had been a sergeant in the Spontoon Constabulary back in the late 1930s when the head of the Detective Bureau at the time, a whitetail buck with a maimed hoof, had enlisted him to become an informant within the criminal community. Inspector Stagg hadn’t known that Hai was a Tong member and associated with the Ni Family. Although the plan had borne fruit, none of the Nis’ interests had ever been affected.
Their competitors, however, were usually at a loss as to where Stagg was getting his information.
Tea was brought in, and the conversation switched to somewhat lighter subjects. With the red panda slumped in his chair asleep, Wu was eventually ushered out of the room, where Mr. Han was waiting.
“You were successful,” the feline said, “I see it in your face.”
“Provisionally,” Jasper pointed out. “One of the bosses has to come here to face your board in person.”
“Ah, I see. Would you be interested in lunch?” Han asked as they headed for the elevator.
“Yes, I would.”
“Excellent. San Francisco boasts the best Chinese cuisine outside of Asia.”
The canine grinned. “I look forward to it.”
***
The food been very good, and Jasper suppressed a belch as he took a cab back to his hotel. The stark shadows cast by the buildings in the afternoon sunlight made looking around a little tricky, but the driver knew the place like the back of his paw, and the canine made a point of giving the rabbit a good tip. The driver smiled at the amount before giving Jasper a cheerful nod and driving off.
As he walked across the lobby to the elevators, a pronghorn antelope stepped up to him. “Mr. Jasper Wu?”
“Yes?”
The antelope produced a wallet and displayed a seven-pointed star of engraved silver-toned metal. “I’m Detective Sergeant Carson, San Francisco Police,” he said. “And this is Detective Sanders,” he said as a thin, almost gaunt wolf strolled up and flashed his own badge. “We need to ask you a few questions.”
“What about?”
“You ever see this girl?” Sanders asked, holding up his cell phone to show a poorly-framed picture of a young cervine doe.
Jasper tipped his head and looked before snapping his fingers and saying, “Yes, I saw her this morning.”
“Where?” Carson asked.
“Out there on the sidewalk,” and the canine nodded in the direction he’d come from. “What’s all this about?”
“We need you to come down to our station and answer some questions,” Sanders said.
“Okay,” Jasper said. “What for?”
“This girl was just found in your hotel room,” the wolf said.
“Dead,” the pronghorn added.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Canine (Other)
Size 75 x 120px
File Size 46.4 kB
Listed in Folders
“My grandfather was Hai Wei.”
You bastard!! I remembered that name, before I read the accompanying paragraph summarising his exploits.
I know I've missed some stuff, but I'm proud of the above find.
Next Friday can't come soon enough...
Also...that bit at the end...
You bastard!! I remembered that name, before I read the accompanying paragraph summarising his exploits.
I know I've missed some stuff, but I'm proud of the above find.
Next Friday can't come soon enough...
Also...that bit at the end...
We first met Hai Wei in Luck of the Dragon #11: http://spontoon.rootoon.com/SPwLD11.html
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