Wolf & Coyote Mercenary Services [Looney Tunes AU]

Episode 11: The Weight of One's Heart

Back in the present, shortly after his serendipitous run-in, Wile sets out on his grand scheme. With the help of Sylvester's connections and the team's discoveries, he manages to forge a working ID card to prove his position as a member of ACME Corp. Looking down at the face on it, a well of mixed emotions stir in his heart. Dad and I really look alike, don't we?

His chest puffed out with confidence, he struts towards the library's front desk. "Excuse me, I would like to obtain the Special Membership," he orders the receptionist while displaying the ID. "The name's Trick E. Coyote."

The receptionist inspects the card, typing something in the PC at the same time. Their face contorts with bewilderment, and they look at it once again. "I'm sorry, but it appears your employee benefits expired recently. You'll have to contact ACME Corp's HR department to check on your employment status and ask for a renewal."

Shocked by the news, he asks them to check again, to no avail. Fighting back the urge to protest, he pockets the card and walks off, shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Treading down the library steps, he stops short when he feels a tug on his jacket sleeve. He turns around and finds himself locking eyes with the grey coyote from the other day. The coyote's tablet reads, "Any luck with getting the membership?"

"No luck. Higher ups must've terminated Dad's contract to keep me out of the archives." The coyote cocked his head, then, suddenly struck with an idea, typed rapidly on his tablet. "If you need anything, I can get it for you. You know the bookstore café on NQ Main St.?"

Recognizing the street's name, Wile cracks a smile. "Yeah. I go there often in my free time. Shall we meet over the weekend?"

The coyote nods, then he digs through his bag, swapping out his tablet for a notebook. He writes something down and rips out the page for Wile E. to see. On it is the name "Calamity", followed by a phone number and email address. Calamity gives Wile a thumbs-up and walks off.

***

The next few days pass by, with Wile E. and Calamity exchanging texts and emails between work shifts. As it turns out, the two have a lot in common, despite their differing backgrounds and occupations. In the short time they've been corresponding, they have grown close enough that Wile treats him like the brother he never had.

Of course, there is still business to be had, and much to still learn. About ACME, about Illudium, about Sapient-kind as a whole. He read through every book tangentially related to Sapient history, but eventually hit a wall when it came to the history surrounding ACME Corp's creation. Aside from what Ralph mentioned about its start as an animal sanctuary, much of the company's past is shrouded in mystery. Cal theorizes ACME might be covering up something important, but refuses to elaborate out of fear of losing his job security. An understandable reason, but a frustrating situation regardless.

Coming back home from their most recent meeting, he tosses himself on the couch and cracks open a book on Ancient Egypt that he bought from the store. While flipping through its pages, he stumbles across a familiar face. An aged painting of a bipedal figure with a black canine's head. Curious, he reads the short blurb beside it.

"Anubis was a jackal-headed deity with close ties to death and the afterlife. Once known as god of the underworld, he later served a role in funerary rites, most famously as a guardian and guide for the dead."

He lets out a heavy sigh. Try as he might, he cannot stop thinking about the strange encounter from his youth. Could he have met a god of death that day, or was it a mere coincidence? Then again, if the documentary was true, then perhaps he met a descendant, or even saw an image of a past life. He shakes his head. What nonsense, he grumbles to himself. I must be losing my mind if I'm coming up with outlandish theories.

As he lies, staring aimlessly at the ceiling, his ears pick up Pepé's voice from behind the lab door. "Yes, I'll have someone bring it over right away," he says. The door opens, and the skunk's head peeks out. "Wile, I need to run some errands in the West Quarter. Would you mind joining me?"

"Of course. I don't have anything else going on, anyway." Wile stands up and looks around. "Where did Ralph go off to?"

Pepé shrugs. "All he told me is he's going to visit a friend."