Detective Zander worked at his desk long into the night. Jessica had slipped tail early that afternoon leaving him work through the pile of bills, noise complaints, and back log of reports. Not to mention his trench coat. The manufacturer of his coat, Zyrbacks Armory Technologies, apologized that it had failed him, but pointed to their extensive list of clauses which included that armor piercing rounds rated to take down a dinosaur would do that. They were glad to hear that he'd survived the sniper attack and recommended various pieces of gear that would protect him better. The cloaking device and mobile shield generators would be handy, but also were way outside of his price range. They did also mention they wouldn't be replacing or repairing the coat but attached a patch kit so he could do it himself. He placed the letter and promotional papers to the side. He had to sign a large stack of disclaimers and waivers before the crate even opened.

He skipped the directions and went to work sewing the patch into place. The threading process was a bear. It required working with nanowire and a needle sharp enough to pierce through his thumb, thumbnail and all. He'd done it twice so far. He was wrapping the task up when his front door unlocked and the entrance light activated. Detective Zander grabbed his pistol from the table and left the trench draped over his desk. "Jessica. What did you forget?" He pushed his back against the wall and side stepped to the doorway and glanced out. A Hoshaness stood in his waiting room with two thugs. The thug to his left was a frostbear, but an old or unhealthy one. What should have been a thick white fur over its back and top of its head was patching and silver. A large scar ran across his back. The second thug used some terrible version of a cloaking device. Good enough to block sniper attacks but it left the area where the thug stood as a blur with the pattern of Zanders wall flipped. The cloak flickered briefly. Maybe a Sowbu, or a Gunk.

Detective Zander lowered his pistol and walked into the room. "I'm sorry, but office hours are normal, usual, business hours, if I feel like it. I'm sure that's posted somewhere on the door outside. Not to mention the security lock you seemed to have side stepped. Point is business is closed."

The Hoshaness spit out a wad of aged kalbar leaves onto the carpet. In a deep throaty voice which only a four hundred pound, slightly chubby but mostly musclely rhino faced alien in a seamless business suit could make the Hoshaness said, "My apologies. For the carpet. Kalbar leaves can stain something fierce I've been told. But your business, for your sake, should be open. I heard you shut down a colony. A human colony, that perhaps had a ... the good fortune of sitting on a healthy," The Hoshaness slapped his own large belly with the word, "supply of green diamond. A good chunk of precious metals and minerals. Very fortunate for this sector of space." The Hoshaness walked around the room and took a seat on Jessica's reception desk. Lost in his own thoughts, the Hoshaness moved a few items around on the desk, admiring a picture.

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Detective Zander took the frame from the Hoshaness. "It's not proper to go through other people's stuff." Zander took a quick glance of the picture; Jessica with her long tail wrapped around her pet dog. The dog seemed only mildly concerned but Jessica seemed quite happy."

"Quite right you are. Sorry that picture just pulled on me. Pet's are like family, right? You just want to hold them tight. Well maybe not my pet. I would if I could. He's a prized pet for sure. One of a kind, but he's missing."

Detective Zander set the picture down on Jessica's desk. He stepped back bumping into the cloaked thug. That cloaking worked better than he thought initial. "Don't sneak up on a man."

"Give him space, Franky. I mean step back. Gunk's! You got to watch what you say with them. They are very literal. If I told him, not that I am Franky, but if I said space a guy he'd drag them out of a highrise, into the street. Strap them to a rocket and light the fuse. All before he took another breath. Ain't that right Franky." The Hoshaness laughed.

The blur where the gunk was nodded. The frost bear rolled his eye's, then rolled his shoulders and flexed showing off his thick arms.

The Hoshaness said, "Easy boys. They're my security. Maybe a bit eager."

"Look, I'm not sure why you're here, but missing pets are not my thing."

"So you do know why I'm here."

"No. I understand you lost a pet and he's sentimental to you. But I don't know why you're here."

The Hoshaness stood up, Jessica's desk creaked in complaint of the abuse. "Look here detective. P. I. Mr. figure it out. I know you can understand me, without me saying a thing. I expect my pet to be found. Alive. So if someone is holding my Mochi ransom or thought they could steal a skowjam from me. I want you to find them. It's been three days since he went missing. The fish tank has exploded in snails, that was my first clue he was missing. Mochi hide's better than Franky. Names Johnny Jesse James. Clean as a whistle," Johnny tugged on his coat collar and smiled. "And I'm getting hitched. You're welcome to the wedding reception. First drinks on me. Only show up if you have my Mochi. Consider the invite my payment. Do this for me and maybe I could arrange you get better living quarters. Don't cross me. Ever. It's bad for business. Not like I could cripple this business much more." Johnny walked to the front door. "Come on boys."