diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index cc01296146..d4d5176172 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "reqwest 0.9.22 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "serde 1.0.103 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "serde_json 1.0.44 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "sfw-provider-requests 0.1.0",
  "sphinx 0.1.0",
  "tokio 0.2.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
@@ -1402,6 +1403,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "url 1.7.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "sfw-provider-requests"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "sphinx 0.1.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "sha2"
 version = "0.8.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 7125852925..b745efc446 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ pem = "0.7.0"
 reqwest = "0.9.22"
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 sphinx = { path = "../sphinx" }
+sfw-provider-requests = { path = "../nym-sfw-provider/sfw-provider-requests" }
+
 tokio = { version = "0.2", features = ["full"] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/src/clients/provider.rs b/src/clients/provider.rs
index e69de29bb2..fbf644b58c 100644
--- a/src/clients/provider.rs
+++ b/src/clients/provider.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+use sphinx::route::Node as MixNode;
+use sphinx::SphinxPacket;
+use tokio::prelude::*;
+use sfw_provider_requests::*;
+use std::net::Shutdown;
+use std::time::Duration;
+use sfw_provider_requests::requests::{PullRequest, ProviderRequest};
+use sfw_provider_requests::responses::{PullResponse, ProviderResponse};
+
+pub struct ProviderClient {}
+
+
+impl ProviderClient {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        ProviderClient {}
+    }
+
+    pub async fn retrieve_messages(
+        &self,
+//        provider: &MixNode,
+    ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+        let address = [42; 32];
+        let pull_request = PullRequest::new(address);
+        let bytes = pull_request.to_bytes();
+
+        let mut socket = tokio::net::TcpStream::connect("127.0.0.1:9000").await?;
+        println!("keep alive: {:?}", socket.keepalive());
+        socket.set_keepalive(Some(tokio::time::Duration::from_secs(2)));
+        socket.write_all(&bytes[..]).await?;
+        if let Err(e) = socket.shutdown(Shutdown::Write) {
+            eprintln!("failed to close write part of the socket; err = {:?}", e)
+        }
+
+        let mut response = Vec::new();
+        socket.read_to_end(&mut response).await?;
+        if let Err(e) = socket.shutdown(Shutdown::Read) {
+            eprintln!("failed to close read part of the socket; err = {:?}", e)
+        }
+
+        println!("Received the following response: {:?}", response);
+        let parsed_response = PullResponse::from_bytes(&response).unwrap();
+        for message in parsed_response.messages {
+            println!("Received: {:?}", String::from_utf8(message).unwrap())
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/init.rs b/src/commands/init.rs
index 3552597aae..00af80c1f5 100644
--- a/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -1,60 +1,20 @@
 use crate::banner;
+use crate::identity::mixnet;
+use crate::persistence::pathfinder::Pathfinder;
+use crate::persistence::pemstore::PemStore;
 use clap::ArgMatches;
-use dirs;
-use pem::{encode, Pem};
-use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::prelude::*;
 
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     println!("{}", banner());
     println!("Initialising client...");
 
-    let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap(); // required for now
+    let id = matches.value_of("id").unwrap().to_string(); // required for now
+    let pathfinder = Pathfinder::new(id);
 
-    // don't unwrap it, pass it as it is, if it's None, choose a random
-    let _provider_id = matches.value_of("provider");
-    let _init_local = matches.is_present("local");
-
-    let os_config_dir = dirs::config_dir().unwrap();
-    let nym_client_config_dir = os_config_dir.join("nym").join("clients").join(id);
-
-    println!("Writing keypairs to {:?}...", nym_client_config_dir);
-    write_pem_files(nym_client_config_dir);
+    println!("Writing keypairs to {:?}...", pathfinder.config_dir);
+    let mix_keys = mixnet::KeyPair::new();
+    let pem_store = PemStore::new(pathfinder);
+    pem_store.write(mix_keys);
 
     println!("Client configuration completed.\n\n\n")
 }
-
-fn write_pem_files(nym_client_config_dir: std::path::PathBuf) {
-    std::fs::create_dir_all(nym_client_config_dir.clone()).unwrap();
-
-    let (private, public) = sphinx::crypto::keygen();
-    write_pem_file(
-        nym_client_config_dir.clone(),
-        String::from("private.pem"),
-        private.to_bytes().to_vec(),
-        String::from("SPHINX CURVE25519 PRIVATE KEY"),
-    );
-    write_pem_file(
-        nym_client_config_dir.clone(),
-        String::from("public.pem"),
-        public.to_bytes().to_vec(),
-        String::from("SPHINX CURVE25519 PUBLIC KEY"),
-    );
-}
-
-fn write_pem_file(
-    nym_client_config_dir: std::path::PathBuf,
-    filename: String,
-    data: Vec<u8>,
-    tag: String,
-) {
-    let pem = Pem {
-        tag,
-        contents: data,
-    };
-    let key = encode(&pem);
-
-    let full_path = nym_client_config_dir.join(filename);
-    let mut file = File::create(full_path).unwrap();
-    file.write_all(key.as_bytes()).unwrap();
-}
diff --git a/src/commands/run.rs b/src/commands/run.rs
index 0ce7a25f79..9a72186984 100644
--- a/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 use crate::clients::directory;
-use crate::clients::directory::presence::{MixNodePresence, Topology};
+use crate::clients::directory::presence::Topology;
 use crate::clients::directory::requests::presence_topology_get::PresenceTopologyGetRequester;
 use crate::clients::directory::DirectoryClient;
 use crate::clients::mix::MixClient;
+use crate::clients::provider::ProviderClient;
 use crate::utils::bytes;
 use base64;
 use clap::ArgMatches;
@@ -15,10 +16,7 @@ use tokio::time::{interval_at, Instant};
 
 pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
     let custom_cfg = matches.value_of("customCfg");
-    println!(
-        "Going to start client with custom config of: {:?}",
-        custom_cfg
-    );
+    println!("Starting client with config: {:?}", custom_cfg);
 
     // Grab the network topology from the remote directory server
     let topology = get_topology();
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
             interval.tick().await;
             let message = format!("Hello, Sphinx {}", i).as_bytes().to_vec();
 
-            let route_len = 3;
+            let route_len = 2;
 
             // data needed to generate a new Sphinx packet
             let route = route_from(&topology, route_len);
@@ -51,6 +49,14 @@ pub fn execute(matches: &ArgMatches) {
             let result = mix_client.send(packet, route.first().unwrap()).await;
             println!("packet sent:  {:?}", i);
             i += 1;
+
+            // retrieve messages every now and then
+            if i % 3 == 0 {
+                interval.tick().await;
+                println!("going to retrieve messages!");
+                let provider_client = ProviderClient::new();
+                provider_client.retrieve_messages().await.unwrap();
+            }
         }
     })
 }
@@ -76,10 +82,13 @@ fn route_from(topology: &Topology, route_len: usize) -> Vec<SphinxNode> {
         let decoded_key_bytes = base64::decode_config(&mix.pub_key, base64::URL_SAFE).unwrap();
         let key_bytes = bytes::zero_pad_to_32(decoded_key_bytes);
         let key = MontgomeryPoint(key_bytes);
-        let sphinx_node = SphinxNode {
+        let mut sphinx_node = SphinxNode {
             address: address_bytes,
             pub_key: key,
         };
+
+        // temporary to make it work locally:
+        sphinx_node.pub_key = Default::default();
         route.push(sphinx_node);
     }
     route
@@ -88,7 +97,7 @@ fn route_from(topology: &Topology, route_len: usize) -> Vec<SphinxNode> {
 // TODO: where do we retrieve this guy from?
 fn get_destination() -> Destination {
     Destination {
-        address: [0u8; 32],
-        identifier: [0u8; 16],
+        address: [42u8; 32],
+        identifier: [1u8; 16],
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/identity/mixnet.rs b/src/identity/mixnet.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..83507d7d70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/identity/mixnet.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use curve25519_dalek::montgomery::MontgomeryPoint;
+use curve25519_dalek::scalar::Scalar;
+
+// This keypair serves as the user's identity within the Mixnet
+pub struct KeyPair {
+    pub private: Scalar,
+    pub public: MontgomeryPoint,
+}
+
+impl KeyPair {
+    pub fn new() -> KeyPair {
+        let (private, public) = sphinx::crypto::keygen();
+        KeyPair { private, public }
+    }
+
+    pub fn from_bytes(private_bytes: Vec<u8>, public_bytes: Vec<u8>) -> KeyPair {
+        let mut bytes = [0; 32];
+        bytes.copy_from_slice(&private_bytes[..]);
+        let private = Scalar::from_canonical_bytes(bytes).unwrap();
+
+        let mut bytes = [0; 32];
+        bytes.copy_from_slice(&public_bytes[..]);
+        let public = MontgomeryPoint(bytes);
+
+        KeyPair { private, public }
+    }
+
+    pub fn private_bytes(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        self.private.to_bytes().to_vec()
+    }
+
+    pub fn public_bytes(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        self.public.to_bytes().to_vec()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/identity/mod.rs b/src/identity/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae7f01c0eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/identity/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pub mod mixnet;
diff --git a/src/identity/validators.rs b/src/identity/validators.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b18c85b0b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/identity/validators.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// TODO types for Validator keys will go in here once we hook this up.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index c9eaf03d40..cf053edfac 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use std::process;
 
 mod clients;
 mod commands;
+mod identity;
+mod persistence;
 mod utils;
 
 fn main() {
diff --git a/src/persistence/mod.rs b/src/persistence/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc1ad593bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/persistence/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+pub mod pathfinder;
+pub mod pemstore;
diff --git a/src/persistence/pathfinder.rs b/src/persistence/pathfinder.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08110b9ae8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/persistence/pathfinder.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+pub struct Pathfinder {
+    pub config_dir: PathBuf,
+    pub private_mix_key: PathBuf,
+    pub public_mix_key: PathBuf,
+}
+
+impl Pathfinder {
+    pub fn new(id: String) -> Pathfinder {
+        let os_config_dir = dirs::config_dir().unwrap(); // grabs the OS default config dir
+        let config_dir = os_config_dir.join("nym").join("clients").join(id);
+        let private_mix_key = config_dir.join("private.pem");
+        let public_mix_key = config_dir.join("public.pem");
+        Pathfinder {
+            config_dir,
+            private_mix_key,
+            public_mix_key,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/persistence/pemstore.rs b/src/persistence/pemstore.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c935fab437
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/persistence/pemstore.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+use crate::identity::mixnet::KeyPair;
+use crate::persistence::pathfinder::Pathfinder;
+use pem::{encode, parse, Pem};
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::prelude::*;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+pub struct PemStore {
+    config_dir: PathBuf,
+    private_mix_key: PathBuf,
+    public_mix_key: PathBuf,
+}
+
+impl PemStore {
+    pub fn new(pathfinder: Pathfinder) -> PemStore {
+        PemStore {
+            config_dir: pathfinder.config_dir,
+            private_mix_key: pathfinder.private_mix_key,
+            public_mix_key: pathfinder.public_mix_key,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn read(&self) -> KeyPair {
+        let private = self.read_file(self.private_mix_key.clone());
+        let public = self.read_file(self.public_mix_key.clone());
+
+        KeyPair::from_bytes(private, public)
+    }
+
+    fn read_file(&self, filepath: PathBuf) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let mut pem_bytes = File::open(filepath).unwrap();
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        pem_bytes.read_to_end(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        let pem = parse(&buf).unwrap();
+        pem.contents
+    }
+    // This should be refactored and made more generic for when we have other kinds of
+    // KeyPairs that we want to persist (e.g. validator keypairs, or keys for
+    // signing vs encryption). However, for the moment, it does the job.
+    pub fn write(&self, key_pair: KeyPair) {
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(self.config_dir.clone()).unwrap();
+
+        self.write_pem_file(
+            self.private_mix_key.clone(),
+            key_pair.private_bytes(),
+            String::from("SPHINX CURVE25519 PRIVATE KEY"),
+        );
+        self.write_pem_file(
+            self.public_mix_key.clone(),
+            key_pair.public_bytes(),
+            String::from("SPHINX CURVE25519 PUBLIC KEY"),
+        );
+    }
+
+    fn write_pem_file(&self, filepath: PathBuf, data: Vec<u8>, tag: String) {
+        let pem = Pem {
+            tag,
+            contents: data,
+        };
+        let key = encode(&pem);
+
+        let mut file = File::create(filepath).unwrap();
+        file.write_all(key.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/persistence/toml.rs b/src/persistence/toml.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f4f5578ad0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/persistence/toml.rs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+// TODO: we can put all the TOML config templating code in here once we get to that.