The Woodlands Boogie's apartment

"Uh, so tasteless. Headless wouldn't aprove." >.>

Poking jokes at Headless was a privilage that came with being his boss.

"If you don't hear it from me you'll eventually hear it from someone else. Earlier today one of my girls was found in a coma just before her shift started. She had used a new type of drug, most call it dust right now. Don't know enough about it to know if it's just a street name. Apperantly it's highly effective on fables. Bigby swung by to look for clues.....he missed something though."

Max smirked.

"Let's just say he is bad at his job. Later on he went to Mickeys, I went there as well after the wolf left. That's were I learned something happened to Bigby....and I got a lead on how to get in touch with whoever got the wolf. Let's get it streight. All this trouble has me hungry for some extra security, people who are fables and can take care of my girls and keep an eye on them. If you want to take on the extra job however, like I said I will do everything to help you and pay you extra plus all expenses in the investigation BUT..."

Crossed his hands.

"If the drug is so effective on fables I am almost 100% sure we are dealing with a fellow fable. And he or she probably has connections with the black market and shady fucks that deal with it. If that happens we are going to dig up a lot of dirt that may or may not lead to our man. You are not allowed to speak about this....sensitive information with anyone. The information we reveal and use is decided by me. I am sure you understand."

The Woodlands Boogie's apartment

Boogie crossed his arms as he listened to Max. "Okay lets iron some stuff out before hand. First I can manage a bar, handle the rabble be it Mundies or fables, I can protect a few girls, but I am not dealing in drugs Boy learn that now." He said in a business like tone. "And you know me well enough that I'm going to have to do something about this 'dust' thing." He said with a slight sigh in his voice. "I doubt Bigby is dead though, that old dog is going to out live all of use." Boogie said with a light smirk, though who he was trying to convince was anyone's guess. He stood in silence for a few moments as he analyzed the situation. Not only were fables falling into comas from some new drug, but another fable may be behind it, not to mention apparently Bigby was missing. This was the kind of shit that he would scar people with but now that it was real... well he had to do something even if this job went to hell. "Don't worry about me talking, spending hundreds of years under beds teaches a guy how to keep to himself."

The Woodlands

Max smiled.

"I knew you were the right man for the job. Get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow at The Double D's. I'll make sure to inform the staff about you so just ask them where my office is. We'll continue our talk there. You are going to be pretty busy starting tomorrow."

Max checked his watch and murmured to himself.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked......but you already know that don't you Boogie? He he. I'll see myself out."

After one last chuckle Max left Boogie's place. He wasn't even out of the building by the time he lit his smoke.

"Mmmmm, cancer. So good."

After going back to his car he took out the file again and started going through it. For Max it was going to be a long a night.

Little Miss Muffet's

Rozalin chuckled "Yeah, I guess you are right. Not everyone can have one, not everyone has one ever after their ever after. Heh." After that the two finished their meal and coffee before they left the small Cafe, allowing Rozalin to once again to use the device, aiming to use the remaining time within it to be able to just fly home instead of getting the cab. With a wave she whooshed up into the sky towards.

By the time she had reached the woodlands she was walking into the empty hall and a sleeping guard, as normal for this place. However she did notice something was off; Bigby had mail... Picking up the letter, as she did not give a damn about personal propriety and this was already fishy. After opening the letting she looked more than a little shocked. She needed to get to a phone so she borrowed the gaurds one and started to call Boogie.

The Woodlands Boogie's apartment

Boogie let out a groan after Max left. "I'm going to have to take up drinking again to just get through this crap aren't I?" He asked himself as he walked over and locked his door. He ran a hand through his dark hair and let out a breath of exasperation. This is some serious crap. I swear Bigby if you went and got yourself killed I'm going to kick your ass. He thought to himself with a slight frown on his face as he walked over and neatly fell into an arm chair. A few moments later he had pulled out his lighter and put a cigarette in his mouth. He was just about to light it when he heard Snow's voice in the back of his mind. "Boogie you know I don't like you smoking in here." Boogie let out a groan before he put the smoke and lighter back in his pocket. He was about to flip on his T.V when suddenly a series wolf howls and ghostly moans escaped from his pocket. He let out a light sigh as he pulled out his cell phone and answered it. "Booker Matthews."

The Woodlands reception

Rozalin looked down to the sheet of paper in her hands, thinking on if it was a good idea to get more people involved or not but at the motom Boogie picked up she had little choice but to tell him what she knew. "Boogie, it is Roza. Something has happened to Bigby , something to do with the 'Scarlet Hand'"

The Scarlet hand were known to be the grandest assassin guilds known to villains across all fables, as even the huntsmen from snow white use to be one of these red hooded assassins... A good heart tends to get in the way of such jobs however. They all wore roods of red and signed their threats with a letter that had a wax crimson hand print on it. Whatever happened caused Bigby to get a little too close and he was now being helds, which she knew given there were no body parts with the letter. "This must be related to what he was talking about before... I dont know what to do with this. Should I go and see Cole?"

Boogie nearly jumped out of his seat when the words Scarlet Hand meet his ears. "What? Wait hold on where are you Roz?" He said in a strained tone. He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to deal with everything that had happened to night. First he found Mickey shaking down miss M, then Max had not only broke into his house but he offered him a job and told him about a new drug hurting fables, now here was Rozalin telling him that the Scarlet Hand might be hind Bigby going missing. Boogie walked out of his apartment and locked the door behind him. "Stay where you are I'm coming." He said as he headed towards the elevator.

"Ok, I will wait for you in the lobby... Oh" By the time she had said that Boogie was already coming out of the elevator to meet her in the lobby... Maybe it would have been better if she had just walked up to his apartment instead of calling him, bu either way it was done now. Turning around and putting down the phone she walked over to where Boogie was and handed over the letter with the crimson red wax hand print on it. "I have no idea what to do now... IF they have him they could be connected to what he was looking into right? Wouldn't others want to know about this?"

Like always the quick elevator ride gave Boogie no time to think before it opened up and he walked out into the lobby. At least I can deal with the crap storm sooner. He thought to himself as he walked over to Rozalin. It wasn't long until she handed him the letter and he started to run a hand through his hair. Dammit I'm the one that's suppose to come up with the nightmares around here. He thought as he looked over the letter. Boogie let out a slight sigh as he looked back to Rozalin. "Yeah we need to tell Cole about this... but give me a minute before you go up." He said before he pulled out his phone and dialed a quick number. "You better pick up your damn phone Max.." He mumbled to himself as he waited for an answer.

"The road I walk is paved in gold, to glorify my platinum soul, I'll buy my way to talk to god, so he.....

''Damn phone, what now?"

Max murmered as he had not even left the parking lot when his phone rang.

"Yes?"

He answered it while still going through the file on his lap.

"Boy, I think I got something about what's been going on around here. Get back to the Woodlands now." Boogie said in a business like tone, not taking his eyes off the letter in his hands. He was rereading it as many times as he could before he looked at Rozalin. "Where did you find this?" He asked as softly as he could.

"Well that won't be hard."

Max hung up and put the file away. He got out of his car and locked it, after which he headed back inside the woodlands. He expected Boogie to be useful, but even he didn't expect it would pay off so soon. Good to know Boogie was a man of his word. The honorable ones were the easiest to manipulate and predict after all. With his usual cheerful look, Max stepped back inside and it didn't took him long to spot Boogie and Rozalin.

"There's an odd couple if ever I saw one."

Cole's Office

Gideon scratched his chin in thought, failing to hear a response from the obviously shocked Momo. He began pacing the office floor, first contemplating in general and then directing his attention back to Mayor Cole.

"Obviously Bigby was getting close to something big, because somebody, or a group of somebodies have tried to remove him which have a invested interest in keeping this illegal trade in "Dust" or "Fairy Dust" as my constituents are telling me its being called, running smoothly. Who, or where exactly was Bigby investigating, Cole? Did he tell you where he was going last? That may give us a clue as to where he may be, or at least who could possibly be implicated."

"This is gettin' fookin' worse by the minute." Mickey grumbled sourly as he spat out the stub of his cigar onto his office floor, starting the first throws of a fit as he heard the goblin's story. Seemed like half the Woodlands building was out investigating the Dust trade, and it was pissing him off to no end. The stuff's profit margin was freaking amazing, but now he couldn't sell a damn ounce of the stuff with these little turds all going about sticking their noble noses into other people's business. Mickey swore up a blue streak as he fished out another cigar, cliping it and doing his best to light it while he went over the plan for how the hell he was going to deal with this.

"I ain't goin' back to bein' a fookin' nobody again. It's gonna be like the old days. Gonna be the damned best again. Jus' gotta deal wit' t'ese little shits..." He paused, rubbing at his stubbled chin. "Call up everyone. Hollis, Michaeles, Shrapes, Deych, Griffin, all of 'em. I want 'em payin' t'ese arseholes a visit. Want Boogey an' t'at little Nip bitch in boxes. Rozalin too if t'ey c'n manage it." The goblin was nodding vigorously with every word. He was a petty crook, desperate to keep the bills paid, and he was a good runner. Perfect for Mickey's line of work. He waited for the goon to leave the office before he picked up his phone and dialed The Boy Who Cried Wolf. He didn't bother waiting for Max to speak to deliver his message.

"Oi, laddy, best be stayin' clear of Boogey's place t'night. I'm sendin' some'a me boys t'shut him up, Momo too. Wouldn't want me best mate gettin' shot loike a fish in a barrel 'cos the trolls got trigger-happy."

Rozalin was ready to head up to Cole's office but she had a feeling that she should wait around for after Boogie finished his phone call, more than just because he said so, and thankfully she was right as she heard him calling up Max... Not the first person she would think of for helping out the wolf of all people.

After the call Rozalin pointed to the locker that housed all the mail of the residents of the woodlands. "It was stuffed into Bigby's locker, but the door was wide open for anyone to see the letter. I think I am the first to fined it given it is still here and all." At that moment Max came into the lobby, this was getting more and more crowded. "Shut up" She stated sternly. She had known max for a good long while now, mainly because he directed his girls that needed glamour towards her...

---

Cole's Office

"Well, he did mention going to see the employer of the girl. Max I think he said. Double D's is the place... Gideon my boy, be careful if you intend to follow his path, as you may end up like him" He was starting to think this was far bigger than any of them had expected, but he had little choice but to accept help from anyone willing to give it at this point... If Bigby was truly in trouble then his protection was lost for them all.

"Ha ha Boy now if you can quite being a smart ass for moment." Boogie said with a roll of his eyes before he looked back to Rozalin. "Then who ever put this there wanted someone to see it, but why?" He said looking over the letter again then looking up to Max. "Like I said I got something on what happened to Bigby, well Roz here did." Boogie said as he handed the letter to Max. "If it is the Scarlet Hand then this is a lot worse than just some new drug Boy, even you can see that." He said crossing his arms then turning to Rozalin, putting on a weak smile. "Thank you Roz, this helps a lot." He said in the cheeriest tone he could muster.

Cole's Office

Gideon adjusted his baseball hat and coat as he stops pacing and gets ready to leave the office.

"Fear not, Cole, I know if anything happens to me then the Fairies will go nuts. I don't intend to walk into a lion's den unprepared, though. There is a reason why the Ladies gave me my blade, after all. Hopefully I won't have to use it, enough shit has happened already and I doubt Swineheart or the Mundies will appreciate more bodies. Pardon my French."

Gideon then walks over to the door of Cole's Office and reaches for the handle, turning back for a final remark.

"If the Mirror shows me like Bigby in the next 24 hours...well at least you'll know I was on to something as well. Gods watch over us all."

Rozalin nodded and watched the letter be handed over to max, which was worrying to her given she knew his stance on Bigby but hopefully the threat to his girls was enough to make him take this more seriously, she was not going to bet on it though. "I was wondering something... Bigby has met someone in a red hood before right? Little Red if I am right. Was there anyone else in the story?" She asked as she did not know, she did not like fairy tal.... She did not read history. Unknown to her but who she was thinking of was in fact someone that lived at todes by the name of Woody

---

Cole's Office

"Good luck..."

Cole muttered out before he laid back into his chair with a sigh.. This was just getting worse and worse by what he could see, but hopefully these people could save Bigby and stop the drug trade in its tracks.

After hearing from Mickey, Max's mood got sugnificantly worse. Definatly no time to waste. He took the letter from Boogie and took a quick look at it.

"Roza, take this."

He handed her over some cash and a hotel card.

"Take a cab and spend the night there. Go emediatly. Tell them I send you and they should give you no trouble. I'll explain tomorrow."

With that settled he put the letter in his pocket.

"Boogie, come with me. I have your first job, you start tonight."

Without explaining much else Max headed outside towards his car. They had to get to Mickey's before stuff got really out of hand.

Boogie couldn't help but be a bit suspicious of Max and his less than ordinary reaction to the news that was given. It didn't help that he just told Rozalin to go stay in a hotel, in his experiences there were two usual things that happened in hotels when it came to men like Max and neither of them were pleasant. But none the less Boogie had to follow after Max seeing as this was the closest thing he could do to actually help. He offered Rozalin a another small smile before heading after Max. "Where we going Boy?"