Chapter 1.
AN: So as some will know this is the third part of a series following on from 'A Night Out in Zootopia' and 'Buffalo Bogo & the Detective's Dilemma'. For new readers you don't have to read those to get what's going on here. That said both stories are pretty good if I do say so myself. This chapter is mostly setting the scene for a darker story to follow so that's your warning. Much love and thanks for reading!
"Radio silence," Officer Nick Wilde ordered. "No talking."
His breath came sharply through the muzzle vents on his Kevlar SWAT helmet and he sweated beneath the layers of flexible blue body armour. Five other officers accompanied him. Officer Hugo McHorn was in front holding a huge rhino sized shield in front of himself. Four others stood behind Nick in a line all heavily armoured and bristling with assault weapons. Officer Edward Snowdon, a polar bear; Officer Lucy Schwartz, a panther; Officer Judy Hopps and Officer Trent Buckton, a stag made up the rear of the line. The apartment corridor smelt like piss, mould and a dozen different animal scents.
Number nineteen, third floor. They were here. Nick reached behind and clapped Snowdon on the shoulder as the other officers took positions on either side of the door with McHorn standing in front. As Snowdon placed an explosive breaching charge on the door Officers Wilde and Hopps popped the pins on the tear gas canisters they both held. Snowdon crouched behind McHorn and gave Nick the thumbs up. The fox nodded and the polar bear pressed the detonator. The explosive charge was designed to blow through concrete with ease so the poorly made wooden door stood no chance. With an audible 'whump' the door split in half and blew inwards in a shower of splinters. The door's remains were followed closely by the tear gas.
"Go! Go! Go!" ordered Nick over the ringing in his ears. McHorn advanced as the others formed a line behind him again. The cheap assault rifles used by the Animalian separatists they were raiding were already chattering loudly. Rounds impacted on McHorn's large shield and off the wall. Through the smoke Nick spied shadows moving erratically. Some were bent double while others were doing their best to fire at the rapidly advancing SWAT team.
"Take 'em down," snapped Nick. "Fire at will."
All five officers rolled out from behind McHorn and took standing and crouching positions where they landed. The ZPD officers opened fire as McHorn dropped the shield and went wild with the huge shotgun strapped to his back. The well-trained officers were careful in selecting their targets only firing at those that held identifiable weapons. One otter in a balaclava and khaki combats was sent flying by a shotgun blast. Hopps riddled an elephant before hitting a buffalo with a shot between the eyes. Nick was the first to notice the giraffe step out of the grimy kitchen, a grenade launcher in her hands.
"McHorn, shield at two o'clock!" Nick snapped.
McHorn moved with incredible agility for a two tonne rhino. In the time it took the giraffe to fire McHorn had already retrieved the shield and had it ready with his feet braced against the floor. The grenade exploded against it as five assault rifles turned to pepper the giraffe with rounds. McHorn fell backwards, dazed but alive as the giraffe shrieked, her neck flopping from side to side in the high apartment.
"Clear," shouted Hopps as the gas dissipated from the room.
"Check the rest of the rooms," ordered Nick.
It wasn't over yet. They were here to rescue a hostage. Detective Fangmeyer of the ZPD's first precinct had been abducted by the ALF or Animalia Liberation Front, a domestic terrorist group bent on eliminating national and federal borders within the United States of Animalia. Nick and his team were here to rescue the wolf.
"Clear!" called Schwartz from the kitchen.
"Clear!" shouted Buckton from the bathroom.
Two shots rang out followed by a high pitched yelp from the bedroom.
"Officer Hopps what's your status?" radioed Nick. "Status Hopps!"
God damn it, he thought rushing to the bedroom. This wasn't part of the plan. His nerves were set alight by the fear of losing her as he and the others hotfooted it to the bedroom. Sweat poured into his eyes as images of their all too brief time together flashed before his eyes. Their first meeting at the ice-cream parlour. Her arresting him for tax evasion. Nearly getting iced by Mr Big. Putting Bellweather away together. Joining the force. Becoming partners. Confessing his feelings. Making love. It all blurred together in the seven seconds it took them to get to the bedroom.
Nick's panic turned to laughter as he looked in. The other officers joined in when they saw the sight before them. Even the supposedly dead terrorist, played by Officer Wolford, was having trouble keeping the laughter in. On the bed was an unimpressed Fangmeyer spread-eagled and bound by rope to the posts. He was only wearing a construction hat and leather hot-pants.
"Clear," said Officer Hopps before bursting out laughing.
The laughter kept on and on as Detective Fangmeyer looked on, his face gradually growing redder and redder the more they laughed. Wolford wasn't even trying to pretend anymore. He clutched his balaclava in his paws as he howled along with the rest of them. They were soon joined by the rest of the paint splattered 'terrorists' namely Chief Bogo, Officer Kelly Long, Officer Otto Schwimm, Officer Bill Trumpet and Detective Del Gato Delgado. Altogether more than ten of his fellow police officers were pointing and laughing at Detective Fangmeyer.
"Alright, alright already!" he shouted. "Now can you please untie me?! For fuck's sake this is supposed to be an exam!"
Eventually they all calmed down long enough to untie the wolf but as soon as he stood up the laughter started all over again. Not dignifying them with a response Fangmeyer strode out of the room. The cacophony eventually dissolved into tired panting accompanied by the occasional chuckle.
"Well guys," said Nick. "And girl. All six terrorists dead, hostage secure and we got a good laugh out of it. I'd say we passed no matter what Fangmeyer says."
"Correct Officer Wilde," said the loudspeaker. It was the grizzled voice of Captain Frank Hoof, the horse police captain in charge of detective training. "And with flying colours I might add. Now hit the showers, all of you, and report to the debriefing at exactly 1700 hours. No late entries this time, Wilde."
DEBRIEFING ROOM, 1659 HOURS.
"Just in time Wilde," said Captain Hoof as the fox took his seat beside Judy. "Now to business. Here are your grades for the SWAT practical exam. All of you passed which puts you at a third of the way through the course."
The ninety trainee detectives, six from each precinct, all grinned at each other before turning back to the horse. It wasn't over yet; SWAT was the easy part the exams would only get harder from here on in. Still that was why they'd all endured three weeks of intensive training before this final week of exams.
"Two exams remain," continued the Captain. "One is a series of short written tests designed to test your knowledge of the ZPD; it's history, it's procedures as well as a final aptitude test. The next exam is one that focusses exclusively on interviewing suspects. Each of you, should you pass these exams, will spend at least sixty percent of your time as detectives interviewing both witnesses and suspects. The hours will be unsociable, long and the interviewees will likely be hostile, afraid or traumatised. Perhaps even all three. It is without a doubt the hardest part of the job and that is why we have no time for those who cannot cope with the conditions I have listed off. Make no mistake this exam will be the deciding factor for all of you. Am I clear?"
The combined shouts of "Sir Yes Sir!" nearly deafened Nick.
"Good. Dismissed!"
The lecture hall cleared rapidly as the various mammals rushed off to make use of their limited down time. Nick and Judy were the last to leave. Trying to push past all the much larger mammals was quite likely a death sentence so they held back and ambled out at their own pace.
"Officer Hopps," called Captain Hoof before they closed the door. "A moment of your time please?"
"Go on," said Judy to Nick. "I'll see you in the canteen."
Nick shrugged and made his way to the canteen. Detective training was held rarely and always during the ZPD Academy's off season. All of the huge compound's facilities were available for use but most of the trainee detectives stuck to the gym and rec room. It was a good thing too because Nick had spent the first week figuring out the security cameras' blind spots and the second week convincing Judy that while a broom closet wasn't exactly romantic it was certainly adventurous. Eventually she had caved in to Nick's suggestions and her own burning sex drive. The third week had been far easier for both of them thanks to Nick's ingenuity.
The canteen was nearly empty. A hyena and a black bear from precinct thirteen were down in the far corner talking over donuts. Nick grabbed a coffee and sat in a spot where he'd be easy to see. While he waited his thoughts drifted back to the exam. What had happened back there? A delay in Judy's status update had nearly driven him over the edge. His brain knew that the worst thing that could have happened was Wolford shooting Judy with a red paintball but his body had acted as if the whole thing was real. He supposed it was good that his response times were that quick but it had scared him nonetheless.
I can't protect her. The thought came to him suddenly like a bolt from the blue. No matter how much he tried to shake the thought he couldn't deny the truth of it. Instinct demanded he jump in front of every bullet and break anyone that touched her against her will. Nick knew it was impossible and more importantly that Judy would hate him for it. The rabbit was fiercely independent and more than capable of looking after herself. Had that been a real raid Nick wasn't so sure he would have reacted the same way.
The old Nick was a part of him that had never truly gone away. Not the hustling street fox but the one before that. The one who'd left home at fourteen. The one who'd seen friends killed in deals gone bad. The one who'd seen his fellow foxes crippled by addiction. The one who'd nearly been crippled by the same addiction. He was the one that threatened to break the façade and spill all the demons out into the light. Nick shuddered and sipped his coffee. The sound of quiet pawsteps drove the dark thoughts away as he smiled.
"Try all you like Carrots," he said. "That trick is never going to work."
"It works in the morning," came the reply.
"That's because I'm either asleep or enjoying it too much for it to stop."
"Nick this is hardly the time to talk about morning sex."
Judy sat opposite him her nose wrinkling in frustration. The annoyance melted away as soon as he slid the carrot donut he'd been hiding beneath his paw towards her. Her eyes lit up and her mouth split in a smile. Even before they'd gotten together Nick had been great at reading Judy. He almost always knew when to draw her close or make himself step back. He still annoyed her on more than a few occasions but they were less frequent as they got to know each other better. Like every relationship however there were some things his beautiful bunny partner didn't need to know. She never quizzed him on his past and he was grateful for that at least.
"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked around a mouthful of donut.
"Oh it's all empty up here Carrots," Nick said unconvincingly before turning the conversation on her. "So what'd the Captain want?" Her nose wrinkled again.
"He wanted to know why my only misstep had been not responding to your status request," she said. "It brought me down to an A- but it was worth it just to see you guys' faces."
"To be honest Carrots I was kinda wondering that too. Why didn't you respond?"
"I didn't respond because Delgado told me beforehand what they were going to do to Fangmeyer."
"And…?"
"And I thought it'd be funnier if I didn't spoil it. I felt the best way to get everyone to see Fangmeyer was by not responding so you'd all rush in together."
That wasn't like Judy at all. She wouldn't risk losing a grade point over a joke. A very, very funny joke but just a joke nonetheless. It was careless and inconsiderate. Maybe he was overthinking it but the thought came back to him and before he could stop himself he was already saying it.
"What if it had been real?" he blurted out.
"But it wasn't Nick," she replied, taken aback by the seriousness of his tone.
"I know but what if it had been? It's not like you to abandon procedure just for a fucking laugh Judy."
"C'mon Nick you laughed along with the rest of them."
"Yeah but out of relief that you were OK more than anything else. Do you know what was going through my head when you wouldn't respond?"
She felt the softness of his paw pads on her own paw and looked at him. His eyes weren't angry and neither was his face. His touch was gentle but heavy with concern all the same. His green eyes radiated worry more than anything else. She looked away, slightly ashamed. It had just been a joke but the weight of his gaze made her realise the depth of feeling he had for her.
"You're right Nick I'm sorry," she said. "It won't happen again I promise."
"Judy I'm not angry but I was scared back there. Recklessness gets you killed I've seen it with the ZPD and back in Foxton. I've lost too many friends to see such a brilliant cop get hurt or killed over a joke. I know it won't happen again especially with you."
"I don't mean to keep us on this track Nick but how can you know?"
Nick looked away and up the smirk returning to his face. He winked before slipping a pair of aviators onto his face. Judy rolled her eyes but that was what she loved about him. His ability to go from serious to smart-alec in point three seconds.
"Because you've got me," he said, the charming mask firmly back in place.
She laughed and felt her earlier embarrassment fade away to be replaced by a loving warmth. She did have him and nothing would tear them apart. Well maybe one thing could. The ZPD required all newly graduated detectives to take a week's mandatory leave before re-joining the force. Judy was going to use that time off to go back to Bunnyburrow and she was going to bring Nick with her whether he liked it or not. However much he disliked the idea she knew Bonnie and Stu Hopps, her parents, as well as her two hundred and eighty-two siblings would like it even less. Yeah they had partnered with Gideon Grey, her old bully, but that was business this was romance…
THE NEXT DAY. INTERROGATION EXAM.
The room was bare and grey except for a table and two chairs which were even greyer. The wolf in front of him was grey too right down to the mock-up prison overalls he wore. The only colour in the room was Nick's fur. One wall was taken over by a huge mirror and Nick could feel the stares of Chief Bogo, Captain Hoof and whoever else was examining him. He felt like he was under interrogation.
"So Marcus Wolford," Nick began. "Grand theft auto, possession with intent to distribute and attempted murder. Those are the charges that could be brought against you IF you don't co-operate."
"And if I don't copper?" asked the wolf smugly.
"Then we end this interview and you do fifteen to life while I go home and sleep like a kit."
"Huh, and if I do?"
"You do ten for the first two charges, we suspend the third sentence and hey play your cards right and you might get out in six years on good behaviour."
"Might? I don't deal in mights fox."
"I know you deal in catnip, opiates and coke. You're forgetting your previous convictions Wolford. Jury ain't gonna look too kindly on that, unless we can convince them."
"Fuck off fox just cos my boss is on vacation and won't post my bail through you think you can hold me here?! No fuckin' way. You're not getting jack shit out of me fuzz!"
Nick sighed but he knew it was all part of the test. The point was to be convincing. He had to convince his superiors he could handle himself and he had to convince Wolford to give up the secret piece of information he had. He loosened his tie and pinched the bridge of his snout. It was all going according to plan so far but he couldn't let Wolford see that. The exam was a joint one. Every trainee was paired up with a potential partner, usually a more experienced detective. Nick and Judy had been placed together whether coincidentally or not Nick didn't know. What he did know was that he had never been more grateful.
"Well Wolford I think I've been nice enough for long enough," said Nick. "But now that I'm done stalling I'm gonna bring in some help if you don't mind? No? Good."
Nick got up and opened the door. The bunny strode in all swagger and anger. Her hands thrust deep into the pockets of a leather jacket and her ears flat against her head. She swept past Nick, hopped from the chair to the table to stare hard at Wolford. The wolf gulped.
"What have we got Brush Tail?" snapped Judy, a snarl around the toothpick in her mouth.
"Another one of Big's bootlickers Carrots," answered Nick. "Jumped up street scum looking for a shot at the big time."
"The big time huh? Plenty of preds that could show you a 'big time' in the pound. Am I right Wilde?"
"You betcha Hopps I know a lion in there that loves the smaller canines."
"Hey you can't threaten me!" yelled Wolford, slightly panicked. "I know my rights!"
"Seems you don't," said Nick. "You were told you had the right to remain silent but you seemed to have waived that cos you can't seem to shut up. You had the right to an attorney. Waived. Next thing you'll be waving is you butt for that lion. Sound fun Wolford?"
"Alright I get it I'll take the plea deal, this is definitely breaking some kind of law though!"
"I don't know Wolford… I feel like you've wasted too much of our time," mused Judy. "Maybe we never needed the deal and it seems like fifteen to life might suit you pretty well."
"No, please officer!" the wolf cried. "I have three kids! Maybe four. My last bitch was a coyote so it's possible, you know how genetics are, think of them!"
"Well if you've got nothing else for us beyond what you've already offered to testify on than your chances for this plea are pretty slim…"
"What about Gregor? Mr Big's chief enforcer? I can give you him on a silver fucking platter."
Judy looked at Nick. The fox smirked and nodded.
"Alright talk Wolfy."
"OK Hopps, Wilde," said Captain Hoof. "You pass no need for any more. I want to keep Officer Wolford from going into shock."
The wolf grinned weakly as Judy high-fived Nick.
WRITTEN TESTS. TWO DAYS LATER.
The classroom was quiet but for the scratching of pens on paper and the occasional cough. This test was the last of three. The first had covered various procedures the ZPD employed, the second had been a historical look at the ZPD and Zootopia while this one was an aptitude test. Nick was finding it harder to concentrate. He knew this was the final step on the road to his becoming a detective. He could taste the freedom of a week's leave already. Today was Thursday, final results came out tomorrow and graduation was Saturday. Judy's parents were coming up and Finnick would be attending as well.
Nick had been surprised when the smaller fox had agreed but then Finnick had always been as careful as Nick. No prior convictions, able to smooth talk or run when the situation called for either and his opinion of the ZPD had improved ever since Nick and a few other foxes had joined. He was glad someone was going to be there with him. He would have been fine with just Judy but he wasn't going to say no to the extra support all the same.
Nick looked up and watched Judy. She sat a desk to the right of him writing furiously. The classroom only held the six trainees from precinct one all of whom had a supreme look of concentration on their faces. None more so than Judy though. Her pink tongue was poking out of the corner of her mouth and her eyes were squinting at the test like she'd squinted at Wolford two days previously. Her ears stood straight up and her shoulders were hunched. Even in such an unflattering position Nick thought she looked cute. He often stared at Judy like this, in these moments of respite, just appreciating her. Everything about her: her bravery, her independence and her beauty. In moments like this Nick always reflected on something his mother had told him.
"You don't want to fall in love with someone who's perfect Nicky," she had said. "You want to fall in love with someone who's perfect for you."
All in all Nick agreed. Judy wasn't perfect and she never would be. Her close mindedness had driven them apart during the Night Howler case but her ability to learn had brought them back together. Nick wasn't perfect either despite all the airs and graces he put on. Numerous times in the past two months his mask of arrogance had stonewalled Judy's attempts to get to know the real Nick. He knew this irritated her and he was trying to let her in but how could you let someone into a room where the floor was covered in broken glass?
Nick dotted the last sentence and signed the test just as the supervisor, Detective Delgado, called time. As one Judy, Nick, McHorn, Snowdon, Schwartz and Buckton stretched and yawned. Nick winced in a combination of pain and pleasure as his joints popped and muscles went taught. He looked over at Judy whose amethyst eyes glowed with happiness. A year and a half on the force and already a detective. He supposed they had a reason to be happy but why did he feel so apprehensive? For the moment Nick pushed the feelings away and took hold of Judy's hand between their desks. He smiled right back and hoped his eyes were radiating all of the love and joy he felt.
AN: Thanks for reading guys! Be sure to fave, follow and review I'll be updating once a week hopefully.