A case of confessions
On a boring afternoon in the city of Zootopia, there were two officers who were patrolling the streets with open eyes and ears (one was a bunny the other was a fox). As their duty for the afternoon was to stop and prevent crimes from happening. However to their dismay there was not a single crime to be noticed, nor was there an individual that looked suspicious. To the officers, it was as if they had stumbled into an alternate dimension where crimes rates are so low that they're now none existent.
The officers were somewhat dumbfounded by this. Since throughout the past year and a half they have been assigned to this post, there was always something going on. Whether there was a corner shop robbery or a high-speed drag race. They were masters at reading in between the lines of a crime and rarely assumed anything without gathering all the evidence and questioning eyewitnesses first.
"Do you see anything?" one of the officers asked her partner.
"Nope. Still nothing carrots" The other replied.
Annoyed, the bunny grunted, stepped on the brakes so the car stopped in its tracks. Stopped the engine. And then smashed her paws against the steering wheel of the car they were driving.
"Whoa whoa. Calm down Judy just take a few deep breaths and continue being the cute bunny I know." Nick said to her partner, as she was at this point ready blow steam out of her ears. Judy shortly after gave Nick a glare. "You're not helping!" She spat at him.
'Ok. I'm sorry" Nick replied "Look. I'm sure we'll find something, let's keep our eyes peeled". His tone of voice was calm and reassuring. Since he didn't like seeing his friend distraught.
Judy took one big sigh and exhaled whilst relaxing her body and to stop being tense. "I'm the one who should be sorry Nick. I just want to make this city better for everyone."
"You are carrots. Don't worry about it."
"Well when you're a bunny who can't sleep at night unless she has done something to make someone else's life better, it's hard not to worry about it." Judy said with a smile trying to make fun of herself.
"Trust me you've done so much this week. I mean most officers would call what you have done more than enough to be honest. Personally I think you're too hard on yourself" Nick said with a small smiled whilst looking at her.
Judy then looked away from her lap and towards her friends' eyes. And as soon as their eyes made contact. Judy suddenly felt as though she could speak her mind freely and let all her fears and anxieties all wash away. Like soap being washed down the drain.
"You're right. But I didn't have a choice. If I had to achieve my lifelong dream in becoming the first bunny cop than I my top priority was trying to prove everyone who discouraged me that they were wrong, And that I was meant something."
"And the best thing about that is you've done that. And that was all by yourself." Nick added, "Now that is not what I call a dumb bunny is it?"
A slight smile crept on Judy's face and she then replied" I guess not. Thanks for understanding Nick."
Nick nodded at the bunny "You're welcome. But still today is nothing to worry too much about. We're probably having one of those off days."
"I guess you're right." Judy replied, as she was ready to start the car again.
"I'm sure that today will be those days where nothing will happen then tomorrow everything will be back to the way it wa-"
Suddenly the car radio went off. Officer Delgato's voice was heard." All units we have a 10-15(burglary) in progress at convenient store in south side downtown please respond." Within a millisecond. Judy quickly grabbed the radio and responded.
"This is officer hopps I'm on my way."
And within a few seconds the car started and speeded towards where the crime was taking place.
Nick and Judy reached the corner shop in ten minutes (a personal record for the both of them). As they both were ready to step out of their vehicle. The suspect was seen running out of the store with a gym bag on one of his shoulders. The suspect was a bandicoot who was wearing black cargo trousers with a dark blue hoodie.
The bandicoot fled the area to a nearby alley towards the block to his left as soon as he had noticed the two officers in a police car. Judy quickly hopped out the car and the two then gave chase. Nick was slightly taken back by his partner's sudden actions.
"Hey carrots I can help!" Nick shouted at Judy, who was a few feet away from the car at this point.
"I've got this don't worry! Just stay here!" She replied.
"But I ca-"
"I've got this!"
And just like that. Nick listened to her and remained in the car and shortly after decided to talk to the shopkeeper to see if he was ok.
Judy was in a hot pursuit with the bandicoot. Since he was pretty fast. This Made Judy push to her limit in order to catch the suspect. The bandicoot decided to knock rubbish bins over in order to slow Judy down. However that plan of his didn't work as she jumped and vaulted over the bins and rubbish bags.
Judy was inches away from her target. She could practically feel the air that was being pushed by the bandicoot's arms and legs. That quickly changed for as the bandicoot found a civilian who was an armadillo that was standing in front of him on his phone. As the armadillo was getting closer to the bandicoot. He grabbed the civilian and threw him towards Judy. Causing a collision between the armadillo and Judy.
Judy was knocked back slightly and grabbed the armadillo so he wouldn't fall (which didn't take long at all). As soon as he regained his balance, Judy continued to pursue the bandicoot who was now slightly further away from her. The chase then lead towards the busier streets of Zootopia. Where Judy and the suspect were vaulting over cars and avoiding the many obstacles that covered the streets.
Once again Judy was mere inches away from tackling the suspect. She could feel the anticipation running through her spine at the thought of catching him.
Suddenly the bandicoot grabbed a metal pipe from a construction worker he passed by and turned around. He then smacked her over the head with it. Leaving Judy to feel dizzy. Now noticing that the officer was dazed. He kicked her hardly causing her to fly off the ground and land on a patch of wet cement the construction workers were working on.
Judy watched the bandicoot run off into the distance as she was unable to move since the cement dried and stuck her to the ground. She watched with both guilt and anger in her eyes as the criminal got away.
Before she knew it she saw Nick drive by and get out of the car to help her break free from the cement.
"Judy what happened!" Nick asked her.
"He got away." She replied in a cold tone of voice.
"Well then if you let me help you than maybe we would have caught him." Nick said with a slight smile. Judy then snapped at him.
"You would have slowed me down!"
Nick was shocked over what he heard that he didn't move or say anything for a few seconds.
"Can you please get me out of this." She said to him after the brief silence.
Without a reply or even a word. Nick help Judy get out of the dried cement with the help of the construction workers that were at the scene.
The ride back to the police station was spent in complete silence as neither of them wanted to speak to each other over the recent event that took place earlier that day. Even the radio wasn't on because Judy had a massive headache. She just looked outside her window whilst holding her forehead.
As soon as the car was parked at the station and the two hopped out it. They exchanged brief goodbyes to each other before parting ways. Which was something they never really did. They would usually exchange goodbyes with a long hug.
"Bye Nick." Judy said in a blank tone
"Bye." Nick replied in the same tone
They then turned around and walked on the paths that were behind them. Neither of them looked back.
It was 10pm. Judy had just made it home and put her keys and phone on the desk, then got undressed to put her sleeping attire on. Once that was done she plopped on her bed where she quickly fell into the arms of sleep.
It was the next day. Judy made it to the station before rush hour. As she entered through the front door and into the ZPD building, she saw Nick talking to Clawhauser, who was sitting behind his desk. She then went over to where they both were to say good morning to the both of them.
"Hi Nick"
"Hey carrots" He replied as soon as he turned around and saw her.
"Hey Judy" Clawhauser said to Judy.
"Hey" She replied. "Anything interesting being discussed?" Judy asked the both of them.
"Nope" The two of them responded in unison.
"Really?"
"Yeah. We were just talking about the best moments of his job." Nick said.
""And that is?" Judy asked.
There was a brief silence before Clawhauser took some time to think of an answer and responded.
"Well the fact that I sit here, tell people to wait for something and be able to eat all day is pretty awesome in itself."
Once again there was a brief silence.
"OK. That seems alright I guess." Judy said. To which Nick added one of his witty complements to conversation.
"Hmm. And that's what the best overall guy deserves."
"Aaawww thanks." Clawhauser replied in his signature high-pitched voice. Nick's response was his nothing but his signature smirk that everyone around the station just loved to see.
After the complement was made, and Clawhauser had already begun to feel flattered by it. Judy spoke up to ask Nick something.
"Hey Nick can I speak to you in private?"
Nick's smirk slowly disappeared and he then agreed to speak with her. Unaware of what she wanted to talk about. "Um Sure."
The two then went to the left corner of the room since no one inhabited that area of the building.
"Ok carrots what is it?"
Judy looked up to his emerald eyes and then proceeded.
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about yesterday. You were just trying to help and I just pushed you away."
"That's ok. You were stressed and tired. Don't worry."
"But I do worry." She replied "I worry about you and I worry about what you may think about me if I upset you in any way I mean I-"
"Carrots. My opinion of you hasn't changed in a couple of hours just because of a trivial argument. Look I know you want to do well. But one slip up isn't going to cost you your job."
Nick's words hit Judy hard. Hearing reassuring words from someone who deeply cared about him gave her the confidence to keep going and forget that yesterdays events ever happened.
"Ok. You're right. Nothing bad is going to happen is it?" She asked.
"I don't think it's something to get too worked up over." Nick replied with a smile. "Come on let's get to roll call."
And just like that, the two made their way to the briefing room.
Nick opened the door that lead to the briefing room with Judy where they were met with there fellow officers who were joking around with each other and were also doing arm wrestle competition. Nick didn't join in since he wasn't in that sort of stuff with mammals that were much taller than him. Out of fear of being embarrassed and to also avoid a trip to the hospital that meant he would have to stay there for a few months.
The two then walked to their seat that was around twice the size of them.. Nick went up first. Then held out his paw to help Judy get up. Which made the challenge she faced everyday much easier. Once she got up to the chair she looked up at Nick then thanked him.
"Thanks Nick" She said.
"No problem carrots" Nick replied.
A few seconds later Chief Bogo entered the room. Making everyone in the room quickly stand up straight as a way of showing respect to their chief. As he walked to his podium he cleared his throat to say a few words to his fellow officers.
"Alright. Everyone be seated." Bogo stated to everyone.
Just as those words came out of his mouth. All of the officers sat down on their chairs(except for Nick and Judy). When everyone sat back down Bogo continued to inform them on the current issue that was disturbing the well being of Zootopia and the animals that inhabit it.
"We have an issue that has worsened over the past several weeks. There has been a drug cartel that has been shipping a large supply of methamphetamine from the coast to the city where many drug dealers are selling it. We know that the cartel isn't taking one of the main roads to reach the city so they must be using a secret path. However we don't know which path."
All the officers in the room had their full attention. Not even daring to zone out for even a second. Bogo continued.
"What we have here is the amount of dealers that have been spotted selling the drug that we have stopped." He stated as he pointed at the map of Zootopia with red x's that were scattered across the districts. "However getting them to squeal is becoming really difficult since neither of them has even said a word about anything to us at all. It's almost like there tongues have been ripped out their mouths."
There was then a silence in the room so the officers could sink everything in.
"The good news is we recently know of the guys who are distributing the drugs. Even the kingpin. We know the name of him is Dallas Wolfeson, that much we do know. The bad news is we do not have an identification on him He's never been seen on our CCTV's not even once. He somehow keeps avoiding them. That is why I'm assigning all of you to split up into pairs and look for these five mammals living in different districts. And try to see if you can find out from them the cartels schedule, how many people are working with them, and most importantly what Dallas Wolfeson looks like. "
Bogo picked up five folders and called out everyone's name to assign them to look for the distributers.
"Assignments. Delgado, Higgins, Trunkson. You're going to Sahara Square. Fangmire, Wolfard. You're going to Tundra town. Snarlove, Porkson. You're going to Rainforest district. Sheepers, Dholes. Also Rainforest district" The officers who's name was called out stood up and took their assigned folders from Bogo and then left the room. Just as Bogo was about to call out Nick and Judy's names(who were the last two officers in the room at this point). He suddenly paused.
"Sir, what is it?" Judy asked the chief.
"Are you sure you're up for whatever lies ahead?" Bogo asked her.
"Of course sir." She replied.
Bogo cleared his throat then continued." Alright. You two are going to be heading towards Nocturnal district."
Judy had a confused reaction when the district was named since it didn't appear on the map.
"That not even on the map sir."
"You're right it isn't but it is here." Bogo cleared up as he pointed at where the district was. Where he pointed was at the top left towards the rainforest district. As it was just outside the border of the district." It was once on the map" He said "Until a few years ago they didn't want to be labelled under the city and wanted to be independent. So our former mayor Lionheart signed a document saying they were no longer part of the city. Since then most of the city's residents and tourist do not even know it exists. Well unless you looked at the city's history."
With that piece of information that was passed on to them. Nick and Judy then hopped of their chair and walked over to chief Bogo to take the file from him. They then were about to talk out the room until Bogo decided to tell the both of them something(especially Judy). Something he didn't really say to the other officers.
"Hopps, Before you go." Judy turned around when she heard him.
"Yes, chief?" She asked.
"I just want to tell you to be careful. This isn't your kind of place. So stick with Wilde ok." He demanded her.
"Understood, sir." She replied before her and Nick left.
As the two left the room they opened the file to see what they were dealing with. To their surprise the picture of one of the dealers they were questioning looked familiar.
"Hey carrots doesn't this guy look familiar?" Nick asked Judy. She looked at the photo for a few seconds then suddenly answered.
"You bet your tail it does. That's the guy who hit me over the head yesterday!"
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't know how many chapters I will do. It really depends on how motivated I am to get as much of the story written. Anyways until next time. Take care.