The Silent Fox

Art by Ian Piexoto - 2024

Introduction

Why, hello! It's me, The Vagrant. Here's another piece I've managed to dig out of the archive from my high school years. This post features both episodes one and two from what was originally envisioned as a long-form series. For reflection, commentary, and bonus content, please check out the companion article for this piece!

And remember, all typos, errors, and formatting is pulled exactly from the original source!

Archive Data

*Episode 1

Year Written: 2018

Author's Age: 15

Original Format: Google Docs

Length: 1320 words

I slowly walk through a darkened alleyway, my hat hung low over my head and my trench-coat collar pulled up high to cover my face. I check my watch. My associate is late.

I take a quick look around. The alley is grimy and dirty. A few loose trash cans are dotted around and a single metal door is on the side of a brick building. The pitch black night and continuous drizzle of rain makes it hard to see.

I am, of course, on a mission. The Observer told us this was the place where we’d finally find some answers to the mystery and ongoing threat that is known simply as The Silent Fox. The Silent Fox is a secret organization who holds Melas City in their fist of terror and corruption. They’ve constantly been outwitting and escaping our efforts. Even The Observer, the best detective I know, still seems to be stumped by those ominous three words.

And now they could very well be in possession of some of the most powerful objects in the world: the SPK’s.

A blinding light suddenly shines through the alley. I look to my right and see a figure approach me, flashlight in hand. It’s my trainee and associate, Agent S.

“Turn that off!” I hiss, “We’re going to be seen!”

“Oh,”  S turns off the flashlight, “Sorry, Wolf.”

I roll my eyes, then continue surveying the area, “You’re late!”

“Sorry,” he mutters.

“That’s the third time this last week.”

“Have you found anything yet?” S changes the subject as I investigate the nearby wall.

“Not yet…” I drift off as my eyes fall upon three initials engraved into the building’s bricks.

“What’s that?” S asks as he looks over my shoulder.

“It reads TSF,” I search the wall again, “Which means that… yes… here it is!”

I feel a loose brick on the wall. I push it inwards and a whirring noise sounds as a small doorway-sized portion of the building collapses and reveals a small passageway.

“Ooh!” S looks into the passageway, “Fancy!”

“Alright,” I take a step towards the doorway, “You ready?”

S took a deep breath “I guess so.”

I enter the doorway and take a quick look around. It appears to be empty. I signal for S to follow me and continue onwards. The passage goes on for a bit then descends down a steep staircase. The only source of light is from a small lightbulb hanging from the ceiling so I watch my step carefully. After a while, the staircase ends at a wooden door with a metal keypad lock.

“Well, guess we can’t get through the door,” S remarks, “See ya later!” He starts to walk away but I grab him by the collar.

“Don’t you dare chicken out,” I warn.

I reach into my coat and pull out a small device the size of my hand. I press a button on its front and ten tiny spikes poke out from the bottom. I place the device on the keypad. It whirs and clicks for a while as it flashes a red light. Finally, the light turns green and the noises stop. I take off the device and turn the door’s handle. It’s now unlocked.

“Can I get one of those?” S asks.

“No.”

I open the door and take a step inside. S follows. The room is completely dark so S and I pull out our flashlights. As we scan the room, there’s little to see. A table here, a chair there, and the faint smell of… 

“This is it,” I whisper. “Can you smell that?”

S replies with a silent nod.

“Now where are they hiding them…” I take a cautious step forward.

A voice calls out from the dark, “Oh, that is something you’ll never find out, Agent Wolf.”

I swing my flashlight around to where the voice had come from and draw my gun. No one’s there.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!” I called out.

I hear a soft chuckle echo throughout the room, “Still as innocent as ever, aren’t you Wolfie?”

S draws his gun and scans the room as well. “Sh-show y-yourself!” He calls out.

“Oh… and it seems that you’ve brought your little friend,” the voice seems mildly amused.

We’re both turning around now, desperately trying to find the source of the voice. My heart is pounding and I start feeling dizzy.

“Where are the SPK’s?” I demand, “Where have you hidden them?”

“Still looking for your precious treasure aren’t you, Wolfie?” the voice chuckles again, “How are they so dear to you that you would go all the way to a secluded alley to confront an innocent man such as I?”

“You know exactly the power they possess,” I look around, desperately trying to find the source of the voice, “And you are far from innocent.”

 “Why, you barely know who I am…”

I hear a soft click and the lights switch on. S and I flinch as our eyes are exposed to the blinding light.

“But then again,” the voice continues, “Nobody knows…”

Before my eyes have time to focus, I suddenly feel myself knocked to the ground. My gun is sent flying to the floor. I open my eyes and look up. Staring down at me is a bearded man holding a gun to my head.

“Like I said, Wolfie,” he places a foot on my chest and digs the barrel into my temple, “You know nothing--”

I hear a crunching sound and the man suddenly cries out in pain. S stands over him, his flashlight raised over his head.

“One more move and you’ll be getting hit in a much worse place!” he warns

I seize the opportunity and reach over to my gun I’d dropped. I raise it to the man’s face.

“You heard him, hand them over!” I push the gun closer to his face.

The man’s eyes seem to grow wider, his grin grows even larger, “You’ll never find them! You’re too late!”

Before I have a chance to react, he bites a small object pinned to his wrist. He collapses to the ground, his eyes still wide with insanity.

“Long live…” he gasps for air and S and I take a step backwards, “...The Silent Fox.”

He gasps one last time for air, then goes completely limp. He’s dead.

“Um… what was that?” S asks.

“Cyanide pill,” I crouch down next to his limp body, “He was willing to die to hide the location.”

S lowers his gun, “Now what?”

I lower mine as well, “I don’t know. This small hideout was The Observer’s only lead.”

I start to look around the room for any remaining clues. There appears to be a few chairs and boxes that end up being empty. I open up a small closet in the corner, hoping to find any traces of the SPK’s. I find nothing.

“Hey, Wolf. Take a look at this,” S calls.

I walk over to see what he’s found, “What is it?”

He hands me a small piece of paper that seems to have been ripped out of a small spiral notebook. It reads as follows:

I have another shipment. Revir Harbor. Follow the tracks. 7:30pm. Tomorrow. Don’t be late.

-The Black Cat

“The Black Cat,” I reread the name out loud, “Do you know that name?”

S shrugs, “Beats me.”

I fold up the paper and put it in my coat pocket, “Looks like we’ve got a new lead.” I check my watch, “It’s 3:00 AM right now. We have some time to talk to The Observer and see if she knows anything about this ‘Black Cat’.”

S scratches his head, “We don’t know how old the note is though. The shipment they’re talking about, it could’ve already been picked up”

“It’s not much,” I admit, “but it’s better than nothing.”

To be continued...

Serialized Seriousness

Very mysterious to leave off on a cliff-hanger! As a reminder, I wasn't releasing these short stories anywhere at the time of writing both of these, not even in my school's newspaper. So how exactly was I planning to release these? Who knows. Maybe I knew I'd have a website someday...

Archive Data

*Episode 2

Year Written: 2019

Author's Age: 16

Original Format: Google Docs

Length: 645 words

I walk up a staircase to an office on the second floor of a run down antique shop. This part of town doesn’t get a lot of foot traffic which is a good thing, considering the situation. SF, my associate, follows closely behind, handgun drawn. Like me, he constantly checks his surroundings to make sure we aren’t being followed.

The staircase ends with a wooden door and a sign reading “Detective O’s Office. No Trespassing!” I knock on the door softly.

A soft, tired voice answers me, “Who’s there?”

“Agent Wolf,” I reply.

“Code?”

“PM4.”

“Anyone else with you?” the voice asks.

“Agent SF,” my associate says. “Code XZ7.”

I hear a click as the door swings open and the faint smell of smoke emits from the open doorway. SF and I enter the office. A woman in her early twenties with short, blonde hair sits in a chair at a desk. The shades are drawn and various papers are scattered across the room on every clear space. The bookshelves are overflowing with a plethora of books and a single dim lightbulb hanging from the ceiling provides the only source of light in the room.

“What is it now, Wolf?” the woman asks I we close the door behind us.

“Nice to see you to, Miss Observer,” I say sarcastically, “I’ve brought you this!” I pull out a small piece of paper and place it on her desk.

“Where did you find this?” she looks the paper over.

“The hideout in the alley you informed us of. We couldn’t find the SPK’s but we did find this note,” I explained. “Do you think it’s a trap.”

“Hmmm…” She continues to scan the words on the paper, “I’m not sure. I’ve never heard of this ‘Black Cat’ before. Have you?”

“No, but it seems vaguely familiar,” I say.

“If I were you, I’d follow the note. It says 7:30? I’d arrive at 6:00 to scout out the area. It sounds like a transaction of sorts is going to take place.”

“That’s what I think…” I remark. “Do you think it’s the SPK’s?”

“No. They wouldn’t do the trade in a public place like Revir Harbor. And it seems like they’re shipping something in.”

“A new weapon?” SF asks.

“Perhaps. Manufacturers in Dornplat seem to be unusually active…” she hands the paper back to me, “Whatever it is, they clearly don’t want t be caught.”

I take the note and look it over once more, “Have you found out anything else?”

“Wolf, I’ve told you,” The Observer answered, “I haven’t heard anything about the SPK’s for almost six months now.”

“I know,” I pocket the note, “Just thought I’d check.”

“However, I have heard stories of a man who lives in the western part of town. They call him Protector,” the detective answered, “The Silent Fox hasn’t been able to touch that part of town at all since he arrived there.”

“Where’s he from?” I questioned.

“No one knows. He just showed up one day and managed to fight back against The Silent Fox’s forces with only a dozen or so followers,” she recalls fondly, “He might have some answers you're looking for.”

“Thank you, Miss Observer,” I begin to exit the office, “We’ll pay him a visit after we investigate the Revir Harbor trade.”

“Wolf,” she calls as I open the door, “Do be careful. Don’t do anything brash.”

“Observer, those SPK’s are my life’s work. I will do anything I can to retrieve them.”

And with that, I exited the room and continued off into the gloomy night, SF following closely behind me.

“The Protector?” SF asks me, “Could they be anyone we know?”

“I’m not sure,” I straighten my coat, “all I know is that we need more people like him on our side.”

To be continued...

More Mystery?

While I had very little plans for the future of the series, following episodes were to include a shoot-out and confrontation at the Revir Docks, the slippery Black Cat, more information on the Protector, and even more goofy spy codenames.