Ruby and the Ruby 2 (4): Necessary Nuisance

The snow cracked under the feet of the detective and client as the two made their way across town, away from Ruby's home.  They didn't talk because there was nothing to talk about.  Jacques Hammer may have been more inclined to make conversation had he not known of Ruby's suspicious, but perhaps innocent, activities over the past few weeks.

Indeed, in the dark of the desolate night, Jacques continued to think about the information he had learned about the lady to his right.  In fact, he nearly disregarded the case he had been hired to do.  He theorized about possible explanations and outcomes, each time trying to make the situation out to be one where Ruby was a good guy, or, at the very least, the victim of the world around her.  But, each time he came back to the plausible possibility that taking on this case was him entering a trap woven by the hands of either Ruby's boss or the woman in the shiny dress herself.  But what could he have done to get someone - or even her - angry with him?

His racing thoughts subsided as he entered the building they had been trekking to.  Its name was the Sports Shop, a popular location back in the 1960's world he lived in.

Hammer supposed that Ruby was confused, but, it wasn't until they entered the first changing room that she opened her mouth.  "Sir?  Why are we here?" she asked.

Hammer answered curtly.  "You'll see," is all he said.

Jacques leaned down and found a gap between the floor and the back wall.  He grabbed it, and pulled a panel, which blended in with the rest of the wall, clean off the side of the building.  Behind it was a door.  He opened it manually, as the automatic opening system that you might be familiar with was not added until the mid 2000's.  He opened door after door, pulling away curtains occasionally as well, until they entered a steel room.

The room that Jacques and Ruby had entered was the headquarters of the PSA.  In those days, the room was rather plain.  A door on the back wall led to a room that was a storage facility.  Then, there was an air vent on the far side wall that made a dreadfully annoying clattering noise that Hammer could not stand.  The rest of the room was filled with desks and accompanying chairs with penguins doing paperwork and tinkering away on inventions.  Hammer was particularly intrigued by a mini robot, a phone that looked like an eraser, and a device that looked like a then nonexistent computer, with horns, small instruments, and tools scattered around it.

"Hello, Hammer," said the curt voice of a man from the corner.  He walked towards the two.  His name was Drake Sizzle and he was the president of the PSA.  A red penguin, he always wore a black and white suit and tie.  He was clean-shaven and never bothered to put on any other accessory. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked with disinterest.

Hammer looked at him, trying to remain polite, but secretly loathing him inside.  Sizzle was an egotistical, cold man who felt that everyone else was as significant as a piece of fuzz.  Dealing with him was a dreadful thing, but it was a necessary evil in this line of work.  A detective can not work if he does not have access to certain materials and Drake Sizzle had everything at his fingertips.  As Sizzle came to a stop in front of them, Hammer reflected that, had he known of the existence of such a man, he would have never become a detective at all.  Perhaps, with the current financial state of his business in mind, that warning wouldn't have been such a bad thing.

Why had he come here if the man who stood before him was such a horrible person?  Well, Hammer valued his safety more than discomfort, and it was also a pleasure to remind Sizzle that he owed Jacques a favor.

"I need you to keep Ms. Ruby here safe while I investigate a delicate and dangerous matter for her," said Hammer.  "You do owe me a favor after what information I gave you on the Arctic case."

Sizzle looked at him, amused.  Every move he made was calculated and he knew that Hammer had slipped up and had given him the upper hand.  "Ah, yes, the Ramsey Arctic case.  And how did that one work out for you?"

Hammer bit his lip.  The Ramsey Arctic case had been one of the many ones he had been unable to solve in the last few months.  Sizzle, who needed information for a completely different matter, had looked over the files Hammer had from the case and had solved both his problem and the one that Hammer had been unable to deduce for weeks within three minutes.

Jacques trudged forward.  "Regardless," he said, still addressing Drake, "a favor is a favor."

"Fine, fine," said Drake and he called over another agent.  "Carl, please take Ms. Ruby here to our lounge," he said, and the two walked away.

"Goodbye, Mr. Hammer," said Ruby over her shoulder as the two left the room and went to the place where one day, Gary the Gadget Guy would set up his lab above the Sports Shop.

Hammer turned back to Sizzle, who was clearly anxious to move on from this conversation.  Then, Jacques took a risk.  "Have you been watching, Ms. Ruby?  Is she up to something?"

Sizzle looked at him for a moment.  "Jacques, I don't owe you any more favors.  Now go off on your little adventure.  Collect your girl in the next hour or we'll have to let her go and fend for herself."

"You wouldn't," said Jacques, slightly perplexed.

"Try me," said Sizzle calmly, and he walked away.

Hammer did not want to spend another moment in the agency.  Sizzle had always been rather cruel, but this was a new low.

And, so, he went.

The time was 11:53, and Jacques Hammer was going solo.

To Be Continued