The moonlight shined through the warped clouds in the cracked night sky, and Derrick slipped through the chrome doors of a lonely diner on the edge of Bliss Town. It only takes him a second to spot his target, and with quick strides and careful eyes scanning the area, he approaches a scrawny black and white spotted rabbit wearing a worn suit and ratty jacket. He is sitting alone at a table near the emergency exit, hands on his coffee mug and his bloodshot eyes staring at his drink.

Near him is a waitress, a young female rabbit, taking his order. Their words were hushed, both tired in their own way. And the windows making the world outside appear pitch black with the interior lights of the diner having uneven lumens didn’t make the scenery better.

After the waitress leaves, Derrick goes to the diner booth and sits across from Detective North Nermal. The vinyl seat squeaks under his weight and Nermal's bloodshot eyes flick up from his coffee mug, steam wafting into his twitching rabbit nose.

"This better be good, Derrick," says Nermal, voice gravelly from lack of sleep. "I don't like being out of bed at this ungodly hour."

"I wouldn't ask for your help if it wasn't important." Derrick leans in, bald eagle eyes scanning the mostly empty diner. "I need info on a guy. A ram who goes by Trafford Augustine."

“Describe him.”

“He’s tall. Wears a nice suit and golfer’s cap, and has his hair dyed metallic silver, turquoise, and cherry red. Older than us by a decade.”

Nermal nods. “The ram you’ve described… I’ve heard about him walking around town. It’s very odd to see a ram, but he seems especially odd. What’s your interest in him?”

The waitress returns and Derrick goes quiet, offering a strained smile while she holds her notepad.

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“Anything for you, mister?” she asks.

“No thank you, ma’am,” says Derrick.

The waitress nods and looks at Nermal. “Your food will be ready in a few minutes.”

“Thanks,” says Nermal.

The waitress walks away, and the two wait until she is far from the table before Derrick exhales and rubs his temples.

"Trafford found me on a rooftop this afternoon. He made me an offer. He is willing to pay me to take out Mama Bear’s cook for this area.”

“Why?” asks Nermal.

Derrick shrugs, and Nermal sips his coffee.

“You know, Derrick, it is fully possible that Trafford is a member of a rival syndicate,” says Nermal.

“What rival syndicate? Mama Bear killed them all,” says Derrick.

“Maybe it’s an up-and-coming syndicate.”

“That’s suicidal.”

“What you’re doing is suicidal, and what Trafford wants you to do will definitely get you killed. Mama Bear is only tolerating you and your pair of property wreckers. That’s why she sent two lousy fixers. If you kill her cook, then she will. Send. Someone. Else. Far, far worse.”

The waitress returns and drops off a plate of French toast, eggs, and sausage, and Nermal thanks her as she leaves while Derrick shakes his head.

“Shit, now I wish I ordered something,” says Derrick.

“There’s still time. This place is open twenty-four hours,” says Nermal as he cuts up his French toast.

“I’ll wait until I get home,” says Derrick. “But what I can’t wait on is information about Trafford Augustine. You still have access to all that information. I need you to dig up what you can about him, so I know who I’m dealing with.”

Nermal pauses, sighs heavily and looks at Derrick with wary eyes.

“You’re going to get yourself killed like Artemis,” says Nermal.

Derrick leans forward. “I’m doing all this for Artemis, anyway. And unlike you, I haven’t given up. So, please, for the love of God and Artemis, get me those files. If I know Trafford is legitimate, then I will move forward. If not, I’ll find another way to make Mama Bear pay.”

Nermal sighs, drops his silverware and wipes his hands. "Fine. Write down everything that I can use, and I'll see what I can dig up on this Trafford guy. But watch yourself, Derrick. If you go through with this, Mama Bear will kill you."

Derrick scoffs, pulls out a napkin from the table’s dispenser and pen from his pocket.

“All I have to say about that is, ‘Good luck’,” says Derrick.