Foxtail Milieu

Many Years Ago

«How could you not see how thin she was?» Shadow slammed his hands against the table, making the silver and China clink and clatter. «Are you blind?»

«Lower your voice.» His mother glared, her immaculately curated face scrunching unpleasantly. «You’re embarrassing yourself.» She cradled a martini glass in one hand, though it was only luncheon.

«Maria did look rather frail, Mother.» Eclipse added in a placating tone. «Perhaps we could-»

«The girl has always been a waif.» Mother spoke over her younger son. «Never could keep anything down, ungrateful thing.»

«She’s sick!» Shadow growled.

Sicker than he’d ever seen her. Maria had never been especially stout of constitution, but even on her worse days, when she’d been unable to leave her bed, she’d never looked so frail as he’d seen her the previous afternoon at that farcically called ‘family’ picnic. She had been completely overwhelmed managing that red-eyed toddler while Eve sat in repose for her second pregnancy (though she hadn’t stopped smoking).

Shadow had tried to help Maria, but gotten a nasty bite for his troubles. God damned little thing had teeth like steel. The boy’s father had laughed. Shadow had taken offence, but Maria’s hand on his arm stilled his rage in the name of ‘familial unity’ or some such bullshit. What the fuck did Shadow care about who’s great-great grandfather or whatever did what to who?

«She’s always sick!» Irena laughed. «The coughing and the crying and the fever. We’re lucky someone was willing to take her given what a weakling she is. If she knows what’s good for her, she’d just get pregnant already.»

Shadow’s ears tilted back aggressively. «How can you say that about your own daughter?»

«She was never my daughter!» How good it felt to finally be able to speak so candidly! Irena had been forced to care for the spawn of that hussy for fifteen years and now that the girl had finally become useful, she had to put up with this? Her own sweet son speaking to her so rudely? Irena would never been free of the whore’s shadow, not until every speck of her was eradicated. Maybe then Black would finally see how loyal she was, how such a good mother she was, how she sacrificed everything for him…how he should have loved her and not…

Shadow was going to be sick. «I’m going over there and getting her out of that damn house!» He declared, pushing to his feet so quickly his chair screeched against the polished floor. He didn’t have to stand for this. He was sixteen and an Alpha! He didn’t have to ask permission for anything. Father said only power mattered and the world belonged to those with the will to take it. Well, he was going to take his sister back from that disgusting, fat sack of shit!

«Shadow, maybe just-» Eclipse wasn’t being heard by either his brother or mother, but that didn’t deter him. He was always in the middle and yet invisible. Shadow would grouse ruefully to him about Mother later, perhaps right after Mother had wrecked her mascara crying about how cold and brutish Shadow was. Why can’t he be more like you, my sweet, sweet boy? You love me, don’t you? Of course you do. You’re a good boy. Eclipse was glad he was a Beta and could keep a level head about these sorts of things.

«You will do no such thing.» His mother hissed, her words falling from heaven like the commandments of god. «You think you are so smart? You are a doctor now?» He was already acting like his father. He didn’t care about anyone except himself. What he wanted. What he thought was right. Where did he get off? Shadow was still a damn child. Her child!

«Mother, I-» Shadow couldn’t believe it! Mother always did this, stepping all over him. How could he keep letting this happen? He was bigger than she was, stronger…how could his mother make him feel so small? It made him so fucking mad!

«You know what is best for her more than her Alpha?» Arrogant, selfish little shit, what had she done to deserve this?

«It isn’t right how Ivo is treating her!» Heartless, old harpy, what had he done to deserve this?

Irena laughed in his face. «It isn’t right? What do you know of right and wrong?» Enough of this. She knew what he was really after. «You just want her for yourself, you disgusting little gremlin!» Alphas are all the same – led around by their peckers.

Shadow blanched and reeled back. He didn’t-! He’d never-!

«Mother!» Eclipse exclaimed. That wasn’t called for…Why did she have to say things like that? It never helped…He’d talked to her so many times about riling Shadow. They both knew how sensitive he could be, especially this close to his rut.

«Oh, nothing to say for yourself?» His mother sneered. «I saw how you looked at her, you devil. You think lying and meddling will get her back in this house, don’t you? Just so you can indulge your sinful little heart?»

Shadow’s fingers dug into the tablecloth, his claws straining against the fabric of his gloves. His anger seethed like the ocean in a storm, but there was a greater threat in the air.

Was his mother right?

Was his concern for Maria driven by something sick and disgusting?

His stomach roiled and he felt sick. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. But why would Mother say it if it wasn’t at least a little true? Maybe he should stay away from Maria…maybe she was where she belonged…far away from him…fuck, what was he supposed to do? W-what would Father do?

«Just as I thought.» Irena sneered. Another fucking meal ruined. Why did she bother? «You’re already a scheming deviant like your father.» Black always gets what he wants even when he’s never here.

Tears pricked at Shadow’s eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry in front of her. Don’t give her the satisfaction.

Ugh, you’ve got to be kidding me! «Oh my god! Are you going to cry because I won’t tolerate your perversion? Because I won’t support your selfishness?» Irena gestured with her cocktail glass. «Get out! Go feel sorry for your wicked little self out of my sight!»

Shadow left the table, snarling against the weakness apparent on his face.

«Shadow!» Eclipse called, moving to rise himself. If they could just settle down and talk, surely then-

«Sit!» Irena commanded. «I cannot understand how selfish your brother has become.» She did not deserve this.

Now

It was with great effort that Shadow had thought of anything other than Amy every waking second since he’d parted with her at the police station. He returned home with his heart in his throat. Collapsing into bed after a quick shower expecting to blackout immediately, his ragged body remained animated by the curse of ‘Amy had not yet called him to confirm her safe arrival therefore she was unsafe and he needed to ACT’.

Just when the waiting was about to rid him of the last dregs of his sanity, she called. Shadow was delirious with exhaustion and did not remember the conversation the next morning, but the fact that he’d gotten any sleep at all had to be evidence that Amy was fine. He clung to this conclusion desperately as he drug himself through the motions of becoming acceptable for public viewing.

He refused to allow himself to regret allowing Amy to leave with la merde bleue. He could be the bigger man. He could be patient. He could show Amy that he was superior in all regards: smarter, kinder, stronger, more refined, more patient, more understanding, better in all ways-

What the fuck? Was he seriously feeling threatened by a gay man?

A gay man who’d been with Amy intimately. Putain! He needed to stop thinking. He refused to be disturbed by such an inferior, infuriating menace. He wasn’t bothered. He wouldn’t be bothered.

Shadow was really fucking bothered.

Somehow he made it into the office. His team brought him up to speed based on the all-nighter several of them had performed. He sent anyone who’d spent the night in the office home immediately. He refused to condone an unhealthy work ethic no matter what was going on. He wasn’t reveling at the loyalty at all.

Nicole had arrived prior to him – ^bless her! _damn her! – and arranged to keep everyone fed and watered for however long it took to sort shit out.

And shit needed serious sorting.

The Harvest Festival Rut-Riot largely filled the news cycle (minus – thank god or the devil or just his servant on earth, Breezie – any reference to Amy), but the Prower Report was publicly available no matter how many take-down notices were filed. It kept popping up like mushrooms after a heavy rain. The Internet had it and would never let it become lost media.

Starline Pharmaceuticals would file a lawsuit the moment the courts opened on Monday. There was simply no reality in which they would not. With Starline Pharma’s ire would come that of the Robotnik’s, either directly or via one of its many subsidiaries. Shadow needed to tread extremely cautiously, or else Gerald would personally get involved and that would attract the attention of…Father.

Shadow grit his teeth as a new question emerged from the slime of his soul. Did Father know about Amy already?

Fuck fuck fuck fuck, think of something else!

Beyond civil suits, depending on how rankled the government’s panties were, a criminal investigation was likely to be initiated. Shadow had seen firsthand how that sort of scrutiny could spiral out of control, if the number of warrants out for his father’s arrest was anything to go by. It was surprisingly easy to avoid countries with extradition treaties when one could more easily fill a swimming pool with cash than with water.

Before anything, KLS needed to have all its ducks in a row and Prower Laboratories either in lockstep or plucked, dressed, and ready to be served for dinner. Blaze was landing shortly from her aborted honeymoon, ready to channel her frustration into a legal hellfire not unlike that prophesied by several religions as part of the end times. He needed to have, at the very least, a general direction determined by the time she arrived or else it would be his ass she’d destroy. Wait a minute…

And making a decision on Prower Lab’s fate wouldn’t be that difficult if Shadow wasn’t constantly, incessantly fighting off rapid, unrelenting thoughts about Amy.

Even now, as he stared across the conference table at the fox who had made such a big god damned mess for him, he struggled to stay in his seat knowing Amy was in the building right now. He could be with her right now. He should be with her right now!

She was in good hands. He repeated the thought in his head, over and over, until he almost believed it. Amy was in the care of the best doctors on the planet for her condition. If they couldn’t determine the nature of her malady, then it was simply beyond the grasp of modern medical science. She was safe. She was cared for. He could trust her to be outside his sight. He had to be fine with her outside his sights.

Focus.

He had an emergency to address.

Dr. Miles Prower regarded Shadow defensively, his posture straight and ice blue eyes containing the unblinking determination of the righteous. Shadow lounged back, his fingers steepled together. Neither man had said a word since they’d entered the small room after Shadow requested a private conversation. He wasn’t exactly aware of what had been communicated to get the doctor into KLS’ offices on a Sunday and Shadow didn’t care to.

Normally such talks would be held in his office, but it was cordoned off for a very detailed cleaning.

Nearby, in a much larger conference room, nearly the entire executive team waited, minus Dr. Quack, who was busy with more important matters. Everything was paused awaiting Shadow’s pleasure. He was the king of this territory and all his subjects lived and died by his judgement. Metaphorically.

“I need to know why.” Shadow said finally.

Dr. Prower hummed. “Not even entertaining the idea that the release was an accident?”

The flesh under Shadow’s eyes grew taunt. “I do not have the time to luxuriate in fantasies. If someone other than you released the report, you’d already have a head for me to display on a spike.” Dr. Prower’s tails flicked at the graphic metaphor. Not exactly a good poker player…“Now tell me why you sullied your reputation and violated our, I’m sure, ludicrously iron-clad non-disclosure agreements?”

“I was following my heart.”

Shadow narrowed his eyes. What kind of stupid fucking answer was that? Was this some sort of ridiculous joke? “You were following your heart.” He drew out the question, leeching any inquisition from it, leaving only a declarative husk.

Wait…

He’d heard that phrase recently…

Cet enculé!

“Innocent people are getting hurt and suffering.” Dr. Prower continued. “If the data my team has collected could stop the next rut-riot, then it would be wrong to withhold it a moment longer. No matter the legal ramifications, releasing the report was the right thing to do.”

“The right thing to do.” Shadow repeated. People are getting hurt. People are suffering. People like Maria.

People like Amy.

Stop it. There needed to be at least one rational person in this room. His decision on this matter would have massive direct consequences for all his employees and possibly for nearly every Omega in the City. He simply could not act on sentimentality. Shadow owed it to everyone who looked to him for leadership to ignore his feelings and make the correct decision.

Shadow closed his eyes. “Do you understand the position you’ve place us in? There was a proper way to release the report.”

“After your legal team arduously combed through every word and then only when your marketing team determined it was most profitable?” Dr. Prower grimaced. “How many Omegas would be harmed or, god forbid, dead in the meantime?”

Amy’s face, fearful and pained, appeared in his mind’s eye and with herculean effort, Shadow dismissed it.

“Do not straw man me.” Shadow growled, his voice taking on a minute strain. “No one is arguing to turn a blind eye.” He had zero fucking patience for grandstanding right now. They were on a fucking clock…but then again, Dr. Prower’s negotiations began and ended here.

Either the fox convinced Shadow to go along with his childish little display or his lab faced annihilation via KLS’ litigious carpet bombing. The owner and director had his own people’s interests to protect. Inaction was not an option for either man.

Shadow was all in or all out and he had to decide today.

“Time is of the essence,” Dr. Prower countered, “is what I mean.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Sometimes I have found myself growing remote from those who are affected by my work, locked away as I am in my lab. Perhaps you feel the same in this tower?” Shadow’s eye twitched. He had been very much in the midst of things last night.

Amy screaming his name from across the melee. Nique-toi, focus!**

“It’s easy to forget everyone is living the same minute you are. From a practical standpoint, waiting for the perfect solution is the same as doing nothing at all. Losing sight of the forest but for all the trees, is what they say, right?” Dr. Prower was trying to make an emotional appeal, a tactic for prey already on their backs. The fox’s brilliance must have thus far really shielded him from the harsh realities of corporate negotiations. “What difference do inaction and malice have once all the chips are down?” Dr. Prower smiled fondly and Shadow raised a brow. “One of my brightest researchers reminded me that things are actually really simple.”

Oh. “Is that how Sonic enters into this equation?” Shadow asked dryly.

Dr. Prower’s face hardened instantly and his tails rose behind his chair. “How do you know that name?” His snout curled, revealing carnivorous canines.

What the fuck was with that blue idiot? Why was he suddenly the main goddamned antagonist in Shadow’s life? Lurking in the background like a twist villain. “It is my responsibility as CEO of this company to know.”

“Leave Sonic out of this.” Dr. Prower gestured emphatically, aggressive set remaining on his face. “All responsibility for the early release of the report lies with me.” He placed a hand against his chest.

Shadow had clearly struck a nerve. Curious, but food for thought for a later date. “That is simply impossible.” He kept his tone and expression neutral in the face of the fox’s ferocity. Watching Betas get worked up always had a cuteness quality for Shadow. An argument lacking the slam of Alpha pheromones wrestling in the air just seemed…quaint. “Maurice’s name is listed right after yours on the report. Do you think the media is stupid? I had journalists asking me about him last night.”

Dr. Prower’s ears wilted. “So quickly?” This was too easy.

Shadow made a show of sighing heavily. “That you are surprised disappoints me, Doctor. You of all peoples should understand the lengths to which one will go to satiate their curiosity.” Shadow couldn’t help himself. “The current understanding is that Maurice is the leaker.”

“T-that’s not…” Dr. Prower chewed on the revelation.

Should he let on that Shadow was aware of Sonic’s actual involvement with the report’s release? That would imply that Sonic had told Shadow what had occurred between him and Dr. Prower (which was true on some level). Stoking mistrust between the two would be a very satisfying form of revenge on the menace azure.

However, the maneuver carried a glean of Father’s approval. Take all advantages. Sink every knife into the softest flesh and twist. Shadow summarily dismissed the idea.

“If you are going to throw us to the wolves, at least have the decency of leaving Sonic and my staff out of it. I will make a public statement and take full responsibility for the leak.” His icy blue eyes were determined.

“Laudable.” Shadow said dryly. He could sympathize with the impulse for self-sacrifice but seeing it in someone else gave him a glimpse at how fucking annoying it was. He owed Rouge an apology he’d never give her. “In the meantime, are there any cardiovascular driven decisions of which I should be aware? Perhaps I should be alerted to any impulse you act upon without your brain’s approval?” Huh. There was a joke in there somewhere.

Dr. Prower glowered. “I don’t think that will be enough for you after this.” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but his face remained stoic.

“You would be correct.” Shadow shifted in his seat. “Hypothetically, were I not to take the logical and prudent action and sue both you and your lab into oblivion, I would require you to wear a leash nanometers in length.”

Dr. Prower considered his words for a moment, having sensed the change in conversational direction. “Hypothetically, I could accept that. However, I refuse to do anything that goes against my morals, no matter how prudent, logical, or otherwise the directive may be.”

“Acceptable.”

The fox’s eye narrowed. “Nor will I sit complacently and let injustice go one around me.” That sounded like an accusation…

Shadow sighed. Why did he seem to have this sinister reputation? “Could I, hypothetically, require you, at the very least, to talk to my legal team before you open your mouth publicly? Or otherwise communicate on yours or our behalf?”

“That could be acceptable to me.”

“Since you’ve already shown a disregard for written contracts, I will have to take your word on it.”

Dr. Prower made a sour face. “I am sorry for the trouble. I’m not so naive to think that my actions, no matter how good intentioned, do not adversely affect others.”

“You could have fooled me.” Shadow deadpanned. The doctor took the slight on the nose. “If we do this together, hypothetically, then we do this together.”

“Of course.” The doctor answered. “Hypothetically.”

They were coming to an agreement, but there was one particularly difficult issue to discuss.

“And you will be selling your company to me.”

“What!” Dr. Prower shot to his feet. “I will not!”

Shadow hummed. “Then you must have very good liability insurance.”

The fox’s anger wavered. “What do you mean by that? What are you getting at?”

“You, your lab, and probably everyone who’s name is on that report is about to be served. And not by KLS.”

“What for?” Dr. Prower snarled indignantly. “We’ve done nothing illegal.”

Shadow shrugged. “Guilt and illegality have little to do in civil litigation, at least not in the early stages. Starline Pharma is going to entomb you in legal red tape for years.” That is exactly what Shadow would do in Dr. Starline’s position. Father wouldn’t have even had this conversation. He’d have set Mephiles’ firebrand of a wife free to scorch the earth clean…metaphorically. Iblis’ settlements were world ending.

“My data and methods are sound. They will have no case to file.”

“You are not listening to me.” Shadow tapped the table with a forefinger. It was embarrassing how Dr. Prower continued to stand. “Lawyers do not care about what is or isn’t true. You will go bankrupt before you ever see a jury.”

Dr. Prower sank back into his seat. “Unless you acquire my lab.” He ran his hands over his face.

“Believe me, Dr. Prower, I am not particularly thrilled myself.” Why was he even offering? He wasn’t doing himself any favors. “Managing the labyrinth of conflicting interests is going to give me an ulcer, but our fates have merged thanks to you.” Having Dr. Prower along for the duration of whatever war he’d kicked off would hopefully be worth more than it would cost…sure, that was a good enough reason.

What would Amy have him do? Would she be proud of- Stop it. Clear head. Cold calculation. Firm resolve.

Dr. Prower looked down at the table blankly, his eyes quivering, his brilliant mind churning away no doubt. “What do you get out of this? You don’t have to protect me or my people. Is that it? You’ll strip my life’s word for parts like some sort of chop-shop?”

“I do not expect this to be a sound investment.”

“Then why do it at all? Especially after the trouble I’ve caused?”

Good fucking question. “The heart leads one into strange places, as you might attest.” Shadow mused, bitterly.

“I don’t regret what I’ve done.” Finding icy blue eyes staring at him with conviction, Shadow frowned. “And I hope you don’t either.” Perhaps. Perhaps not. Shadow was only certain that he was going to sorely regret gaining any more responsibility over that putain de boule de gomme bleue fils de pute. Strange fucking places, indeed. “But I will not sell my company to you.”

Shadow arched a brow. “You seem certain.”

Dr. Miles Prower pushed to his feet once more. “I will put my faith in the hope that you are wrong. That justice and truth will prevail. I am a scientist. Ignorance and fear hold everyone back and only make problems worse. Progress requires courage and conviction. I will wager my work and my company to support my hope for the future.”

Shadow absorbed the heartfelt speech with the growing disgust born of well-backed cynicism. In the back of his mind, however, some childish notion swelled. A flicker of something he’d thought long dead, stoked back to life recently. He couldn’t help yearning for the warmth it provided. “Very well.” He relented. “I can respect that.”

Dr. Prower sank into his seat once more. “Thank you.”

Shadow took a steadying breath and closed his eyes, deliberating. This conversation was coming to an end.

Throwing Prower Laboratories to the wolves and wiping his hands of the whole affair was the right move from a purely pragmatic standpoint. He could go back to his Alpha Suppressant project and to keeping his ass out of the public eye. He and Amy could simply leave the city until the heat crisis was resolved. Surely the existence of the Prower Report would spur an investigation and the whole matter would be resolved without his involvement.

On the other hand, claiming the leak was intentional would bring the future fight his teams had been planning right to their door. Was his team ready? Was he ready? The scrutiny would be intense. The accusations insulting. The work unending. The reward…

Was this not an extension of the work he did with his foundation? Wouldn’t it be hypocritical to refuse the call to action? Wouldn’t it prove all his critics correct, that all his good works were merely performative, that at Shadow’s core he was exactly as everyone perceived him: cold, greedy, and conceited?

What would Amy say when she learned of the outcome of this meeting? Would she be proud of him? Disappointed? Disgusted? Hopeful? Would she understand? Would he be able to make her understand? Would he be able to survive her reaction?

So many fucking questions. So few fucking answers.

And if Prower was wrong? Well, KLS would cease to be, wiped out either by the fickle market and governmental sanction or by Black’s displeasure. The latter most like. What would happen after that? The hairs on the back of his neck rose and his quills bristled involuntarily. Shadow forced away the thought. No use in speculating.

Shadow did not believe Dr. Prower to be incorrect. Everything he’d read in the report, everything he’d witness with Amy, everything he’d heard from his teams indicated over and over again that something was afoot. There was simply too much evidence to ignore, but now all that had to be bundled and sold to a wide audience. Regulators, law enforcement, the public.

And Father.

Shadow grit his teeth.

He might have to convince his father to go to war with Gerald, likely opening a front across the globe as each family’s concerns went at each other’s throats. Then other governments would get involved. Little Miss Princess Acorn wasn’t very influential, but once someone started fucking with the money, priorities shifted tectonically.

This was no small decision.

But he couldn’t stand by, not this time, and allow a locked to stop him. He would beat it down, with his fists if he had to, and rescue the one sealed inside.

Fuck this was going to be expensive in many more ways than monetarily.

“I’ve made a decision.” Shadow stated, opening his eyes to gaze at the patient fox. Dr. Prower’s tails vibrated with anticipation for the verdict. “We can return to others.”

This time Shadow would do the right thing.