The rest of Shaggy’s evening passed mundanely. He got the buildings planned out around the grove of trees and then left to help the Lackeys build them. With the regrowing trees and the constant stream of resources from Under-Town, they were well on their way to building their own small town. But then something unexpected occurred when night fell. The Lackeys started to call it a day and went back to their dorm.

Checking the terminal again, Shaggy found that the stamina of every Lackey on the building squad was almost zero. Which meant they barely had enough to cover nightly guard duty, let alone go robbing. Thankfully, Shaggy’s pack still had plenty of energy. But it was going to be just them out running tonight. Shaggy had to rework all the Lackey’s schedules to make sure that they had a constant flow of workers and guards.

It took the remainder of the evening, and Levy had to help. But once they were done, Shaggy had the pack take the newbies out robbing. Rin, Vud, and Sybil brought two vans, and the pack drove off into the night, excited and happy. Which meant that Shaggy had to have that in the back of his skull while visiting a bunch of stuck-up business-people.

“It hasn’t been that bad,” Levy argued as they walked down the dark street.

Shaggy snorted. “Did you see the way the fat one looked at me when I refused his ‘alien whiskey that’ll put hair on your chest’?”

“You didn’t have to say no quite so aggressively.”

“And he didn’t have to infer that drinking alcohol would make me grow taller. But we’re assholes all around, ain’t we?”

They had been visiting business owners for the past three hours. Jumping from one business venue to the next. Restaurants, clothing shops, liquor stores, and every other shop that was holding out against the HLO. Shaggy and Levy quickly became aware that some shop-owners weren’t holding out because of any loyalty to the neighborhood. They just wanted more money. They figured that if the HLO really wanted them gone, then the Super Hero Agency would pay them an exorbitantly high payout. When Shaggy or Levy brought up the increased gang activity, they were waved off. Why would a company try to kill them if they could just spend a little money instead? That was when Shaggy checked out mentally.

The last guy they met was the owner of a ‘high-end’ liquor store. It was an alien by the name of Yulavik Torl. Old Vik treated the entire meeting as one long drinking party, complete with scantily clad men and women. They had only stayed for forty minutes, but Shaggy knew he didn’t like the man from the first few seconds. The man was rude, loud, obnoxious, and seemed to think that the HLO scaring off the ‘riff-raff’ was a good idea. Of course, Riff-raff was anyone from a different tax bracket than Yulavik.

“I’m going to rob the fuck out of the bastard’s store. Then set it on fire.”

Levy sighed. “Love, did you not see the protections he had in place?”

“Fourteen guards posing as strippers, some kind of electronic lock on a very visible safe, and a literally mutant guard dog?”

“All of them had silver weapons, too. Including the two women he kept at his side all night. They smiled and tittered like normal hookers, but those two were trained.”

“Yeah, yeah. They were included in my count. Besides, silver doesn’t do shit to me.”

“I know. But Yulavik doesn’t. He was making a show of force. Letting you know that he knows what you are, and he is prepared for it. Or at least he thinks he is. Then there were the magical protections.”

“Wards, barriers and traps?”

“Out the wazoo. The alien was ready for both of us and he wants us to know it.”

“And I want to prove that he ain’t ready for shit.”

Levy rubbed his shoulders as they walked and chuckled. “I know, dear. But how about we settle things with the HLO before we go rearranging the neighborhood? Besides, I think you’ll like this next stop.”

Shaggy raised an eyebrow as Levy stopped what she was doing and grabbed his arm. Tugging him up the street, she smiled at him as they started jogging. Soon Shaggy was chasing Levy down the road, laughing and smiling as they went. Shaggy could have easily caught up to her, but the sheer joy of the chase made him pull back. They traveled a few blocks to the west like that, before Levy surrendered. She still wouldn’t tell him where they were going. But as they got to the end of the next block, Shaggy knew.

The lights in Nuc’s corner shop were blazing bright and from their position across the street, Shaggy could see people inside. The Goblin/Gnome was obviously hosting a little get together for them. Shaggy smiled up at Levy and tilted his head at the lively store.

“We need to talk to Nuc, do we?”

Levy smiled back. “Well, her associates. They still haven’t properly met you. And I figured you’d like to have a part of the evening where you weren’t grinding your teeth in annoyance.”

“One of the many reasons I love you.”

Shaggy smiled as they made their way across the street. As they went, Levy filled him in on the details of Nuc’s associates.

“They aren’t like the rest of the neighborhood. Most of them came from the Bunch’s turf and they are looking for a better deal. Of course, none of them would tell me what that was. But I think something similar to what we offered Nuc should do.”

“What are their stores?”

“Alien clothes, alien foodstuffs, a Holovid store, and a VR Arcade.”

“Shit. Did they bring any stock with them, or are they starting from scratch?”

“That sounds like an excellent question for them.”

They stepped through the wide entrance to Nuc’s shop and everyone inside went quiet. Shaggy could feel the tension in the air, even as Nuc smiled and waved at him from her front counter. Shaggy waved back to the orange hybrid and nodded at the other aliens in the room. They all regarded him as he led Levy over to Nuc and said hello.

“How’s the evening treating you Nuc? Everything going well?”

“It was until you walked in and all these cowards went mum. Is that your woman’s spell or just your natural charisma?”

“Well, my WIFE has been known to knock people senseless with her looks. But I think this time it’s more them not knowing how to act around me.”

“There’s a scary werewolf within five feet of them.” Said a creaky old woman’s voice. “So you’ll have to forgive their hesitancy.”

The old crone from the business meeting pushed her way past a few of Nuc’s store owners and smiled up at Levy and Shaggy. She carried a gnarled, black cane that set Shaggy’s hair on end. He didn’t know what the damn thing was, but his instincts didn’t like it. Levy, however, practically cooed with delight.

“Oh, Mama Agnes, it’s so good to see you. How have you been, darling?”

Levy wrapped the smaller woman in a big hug as the old crone cackled merrily.

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“I’m fine, young necromancer. I see you’re still dragging your husband around to scare the townsfolk.”

“I’m not scary.” Shaggy smiled as the two women ceased their hug.

Mama Agnes grunted. “Ha! Right. And how’s that leaflet campaign going at the checkpoints? Or perhaps you’ve streamed some interesting videos to tell the rest of Texas what’s going on.”

“Well, you see, I was going to start those initiatives. But it seems that some trouble up north has got the cops and the HLO troops at logger heads. Last I heard, they were thinking of withdrawing some people from those checkpoints. Apparently they were letting in dangerous animals.”

“Hahahaha! We both know the most dangerous animal here is you.”

Shaggy merely smiled and shrugged as the old woman grinned at him. The old woman held eye contact with him for a long time until she ended up snorting and looking away. She and Levy fell into conversation as Nuc tapped his shoulder. Shaggy turned around and addressed the small hybrid standing on her counter. She had a drink in her hand as was glancing about at her fellow store owners.

“So that business up north was you?”

Shaggy put a hand on his chest and looked shocked. “Why? Ms. Nuc, I do not know what you mean. I was busy making leaflets and preparing for a large streaming campaign.”

“Why do you do that? We all know you’re a criminal. Why pretend?” said a large humanoid alien with brown skin.

Shaggy eyes traveled up the massive alien’s frame before he answered. “Plausible deniability for y’all for one. For another, I don’t enjoy discussing that part of my business with people who want no part in it. Nuc has been adamant that she stay out of my other business, and I wish to honor that.”

The brown-skinned alien ran a hand through his short bright-green hair. He started out glaring into Shaggy’s eyes. But as Shaggy explained his position, the alien seemed to become more cagey. A purple alien that looked like a human-sized plate of jello asked their own question next. Their voice was high and squeaky and Shaggy winced in pain.

“What about us? Will we be offered the same courtesy?”

Shaggy sighed and looked at Nuc. The goblin/gnome merely shrugged her small shoulders and tipped back her drink. Shaggy rolled his eyes and turned back to the nervous-looking group of business owners.

“Yes. As I explained to Nuc, all early-adopters that she brings me get the same deal as her. Five percent for protection. To be kicked up monthly. That gets you random patrols and two or three guards. I have plans to give added benefits for higher cuts, though.”

The group of shop-owners looked excited when Shaggy explained the deal. But when he mentioned added benefits, they reverted to being cautious of his every word. But when he didn’t continue, Nuc smacked his arm.

“Well, go on, what kind of benefits?”

Shaggy shrugged. “I figured I could work with y’all about that. But for starters, more guards, shipment protection, maybe some added workers. But that’s just off the top of my head. Why don’t y’all decide what you want and we can set up a pay-scale based on that?”

“All coming out of our profits?” Another alien asked, this one with a dark-skin tone and wild blue hair.

“Yep. You payout for protection and you get benefits.”

“What if we don’t want to pay for protection?”

“Then you don’t pay and you don’t get the benefits. I will not force anyone into dealing with me. But I am looking at the long-term prospects for the neighborhood. My… associates are going to be in the neighborhood, anyway. Why not pay for some protection?”

“Why wasn’t this offer floated out during our previous meetings?” Mama Agnes asked. “Is this an exclusive deal for your friends?”

Levy chuckled. “Well, for starters, my dear husband didn’t tell me about this tiered-benefit system. But really, he handles the more physical side of things. My talents are more magical in nature.”

“And are those talents also part of this benefits package?” The old crone asked.

Shaggy raised an eyebrow at his wife and she nodded happily before responding. “Of course. I can offer protection runes and warding spells. I even have a few talented mages with me who are looking for an excuse to stretch their magical muscles.”

A low murmur went through Nuc’s friends, and Shaggy could see he had a couple of them. Nuc handed him a glass of something and Shaggy sniffed it. It burned his nostrils, and he glanced up at Nuc. The goblin/gnome smiled at him and tilted her own glass back as she drained it. He sighed and took a swig of his own drink and settled in. The shop-owners were starting to ask questions and with the way Levy was moving away, Shaggy knew he would be the one answering them.

It was a good hour before they let go. By then Shaggy had contractual deals down with three of the five shop owners and Nuc had even increased her payment for added guards. Nuc had apparently thought ahead and had several contracts written up beforehand for her friends to sign. They were a mess of scribbles and cross-outs when they were done. But they at least had something down for now. Even Mama Agnes decided to payout for some mage muscle. Although she was adamant that they be female mages. Shaggy didn’t ask, and all Levy wanted was assurances she would get her mage’s back.

Shaggy stretched as they walked down the street. “Now that was a productive evening.”

“Yes, it was. We managed to snag a percentage off of a few businesses and I talked Mama Agnes into a discount for spell ingredients. Now we just need to make sure the HLO stops messing with this neighborhood and then our deals will go into effect. Can’t make money off businesses that aren’t working.”

“True. But all we can do there is wait for Ruby. I’m sure that cat will dig up something.”

“Oh yes, your little cat-girl. I’m sure she will- Shaggy?”

Shaggy stopped on the sidewalk as a weird scent caught his nose. Levy moved closer to him and summoned her staff. He tried to parse out the scent, but it was too muted. It was an odd mix of blood and leather. But soon the streetlights started to go out. They didn’t sputter and die like an electrical failure; they burst as though hit with something.

Shaggy shifted his hands into their clawed form and waited. The streetlights all around them burst and Levy yanked the skull head off her staff. In one hand she held the skull and in the other her staff. She was whispering into the skull when Rita’s voice slammed into Shaggy’s mind.

“Boss? Are you okay? You feel tense over the link.”

“I think Levy and I are about to be attacked. Keep your noses up and get back home.”

“What about you two?!”

“If we need help, I’ll call for it. But I need you to secure the home front.”

“Fine.”

Rita cut their mental connection just as a person was stepping from the darkness. Only their street was cast in darkness. So the silhouette approaching them was backlit by the light further down the street. It was an alien. An alien in a white suit. But now the suit was disheveled, the tie askew, the collar opened, and his coat gone. Now Mr. White was in a white vest on a white top. His white slacks were torn and dirty in places. His sleeves were pulled up his white arms and bunched at the elbow. The alien was shooting Shaggy an evil look as he stalked down the street.

“Mr. White! So good to see you. Out for a late night stroll?”

The moon and starlight from above cast an eerie shadow over the disgruntled-looking alien. Mr. White stopped after getting within twenty feet of Shaggy and Levy’s sidewalk. He loosened his tie even more and glared daggers at Shaggy.

“Mr. Robertson, I really have no time for your antics or your snide comments. You have proven a thorn in the side of some very important people. Not only that, but you have angered a third party. A third party who blames us for his misfortune. Now I have two packs of wild animals to put down and a limited time to do it in.”

“Aw, was Mr. Ryall pissed at you, Whitey? Is he the one that torn up your nice clean suit?”

Mr. White’s black eyes narrowed and Shaggy felt a wave of something pass over him. He shook it off and glared back at the HLO lapdog.

“Mr. Ryall will be dealt with later. Now I have to make an example of you. Out of this whole damn neighborhood. This has gone on long enough and you are a dog that needs to be put down.”

Shaggy chuckled as he stared at the lone Mr. White in the middle of the street. “Well, I hope you brought friends. Because otherwise me and the missus are going to rip you apart.”

“Damn it, Shaggy. You had to say it.” Levy groaned.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Robertson. I’ve come prepared.”

Mr. White raised an arm and snapped his fingers as Shaggy braced himself. When nothing hit him, Shaggy looked around and almost celebrated. That’s when he noticed a blue glow flash on top of one of the nearby buildings. Then another. And another. Soon, blue flashes were happening all across the rooftops and in the street. After the flash, a white-armored trooper would appear, standing ready with an energy rifle. They filled the street and nearby rooftops as Shaggy growled low in his throat.

“Your fault.” Levy whispered to him.

Shaggy snorted. “Pfft. Right. So, I’m going to ask you to run away and you’re going to tell me to…”

“Fuck off.”

“Thought so. Love you, babe.”

“Love you too, dear. Now let’s kill these bastards.”

“Rita, we’re going to need all the backup.”