Authors note: My first Zootopia fanfic, whoo. Truth is I had a Zootopia rp forum up for a bit, so, kind of borrowing from my idea for that sometime ago. Anyway will start us off with a bit of backstory, least my version of backstory as I am sure others have done this before me, note I am not stealing any ideas as these are my own along with original characters I have made, if you feel this idea or anything in this fanfic is too on the nose with yours…I wouldn't know, I do not read a lot of fanfics these days so just putting that out there. This fanfic stems on the idea of dark and uncertain times in Zootopia and some violent themes. If you thought the movie prepared you, be shaken, be fearful. No one is safe.

Zootopia: Edge of crime

CH.1: Wilde at heart

Ryan Wilde and his lovely wife were to be proud parents. It was a joyous occasion but given he was fired from his job it meant a lot of bills. Ryan was desperate and so a meeting was set up with someone who could help him out. Standing there as he was he notices the huge polar bears who acted as bodyguards for the one he was to meet. Rumors had first reached him at his old job and some mix up or blame was pinned on him getting him fired.

Ryan was a fox just for the record. So no matter what he did trying to convince his boss it wasn't him did not go through too well. Fidgeting a bit he adjusts his tie as he looks around the room anxiously awaiting the appearance of… . "So…you guys talk much?"

The polar bears turn to look at him and he immediately gets the message and shuts up. Suddenly a bigger polar bear comes into view and Ryan swallows again as he finds his eyes settling on a rather tiny figure seated in a chair. This was Mr. Big?

"Ryan S. Wilde…to what do I owe this pleasure? I know of you…in fact you worked for Oscar at the plant, correct?" Ryan nods his head. "I am sorry about your dismissal, quite a shame really to be judged on one's fur."

"And claws, and teeth, but that is beside the point. Listen Mr. Big…I need help. I have a baby on the way and my wife can't work right now so I need something to do to make ends meet. I heard about you at work…maybe you could line me up with something, it would only be for nine months and after that I could maybe look elsewhere. I know I may not look it but I am a hard worker."

Ryan once again adjusts his tie as he doesn't know what to make of this meeting. How did he wind up getting mixed up with Mr. Big of all figures? Rumors of Mr. Big icing predator and prey alike who crossed him had reached his ears but he always shrugged it away at work as just rumors. Still…what if they were true? No, he could not turn back now, his wife and son or daughter needed him.

"Mr. Wilde…I appreciate you coming to see me in person. However you must know…this line of work is not for everyone. Once you start down this path it will change you…and I will have you do things you normally wouldn't do. True the pay is quite good and you do get protection from…competitors, still, you seem like a nice fox…which is rare as foxes aren't honorable."

He spoke like he had experience dealing with such foxes. No matter, fine, if he changed it wasn't like he would become some rotten no good scoundrel. It wasn't like he was being asked to kill…cause Zootopia seemed done with all that violence of the past. Mr. Big though was studying him all this time.

"I will give you a test…you pass it you are in. If you fail…I ice you. I do not kid." He nods his head and one of the polar bears goes to remove a floorboard where icy water could be seen.

"I see. And…what will my first job be?" Ryan could see the polar bears smiling jagged rows of teeth and he felt like he wasn't going to like his answer.

Ryan was set to collect money from someone who owed Mr. Big. An enforcer like role that required him to harm, well, if it came to it; honestly, he should turn away before it mars his image. Ryan prided himself on being an honorable and trustworthy fox…nothing like how predators were painted. Here in Zootopia one could be anything and he wanted that to be true when his son or daughter was brought into this world.

Tundratown was almost always freezing and Ryan being out this far from his home made him want to finish this up fast. He found who he was looking for as they appeared nervous and pacing about. "Mr. Andrews, um, I've come here on behalf of Mr. Big to collect what you owe him."

"Here, take it and just…go." He hands some cash to him but Ryan can already tell he was light some. Call it what you will, a gift or some curse but he knew he couldn't turn up with only half.

"What…is this all you have? C'mon Mr. Andrews, surely you have some more hidden away somewhere. You know who I work for right? Course you do I said so, still, I need this job and you are not making it easy on me-."

"Yeah well you think I want to do this? I got in deep…and times got tough, payments were getting harder to procure. Look you can tell him it'll be a week till I can get the rest…you can do that right?" Ryan stashed the money away but even so part of him was inclined to walk away. The only problem was that water…it was a reminder of his fate if he didn't pull this off.

Ryan looked at the Otter before him and he approaches him. Suddenly his hand reaches out and he grips onto his throat dragging him kicking up, his eyes intensifying somehow. "You will give me the rest or so help me…I will strangle your neck where you are hanging."

"Ugh…ok…ok…it is in my store…" Ryan drops the otter down as he flexes his hand feeling like he had just crossed the line. Why had he snapped? Following the otter inside his work place he notices how he reaches under the counter procuring the rest of the amount needed.

"There, now was that hard?" Ryan took the cash and counted it out as he went to turn his back on the otter.

"I was going to use that to buy my daughter a present. What do I tell her when she has no present? Do you have kids? What would they think of you doing this?" Ryan did not turn around and kept walking…still it was a question he struggled to answer.

"Very good Ryan. You have proven yourself worthy of this position and starting from today till your little one is born you will serve as my official enforcer. Do well and you will get paid…cross me and you will be iced." Ryan felt his paw weighed down by money and he walked off. He had paid the amount needed to Mr. Big and though it might have cost that otter…it would help him and his wife through the days ahead.

Ryan left Mr. Big with high hopes of things to come. He would arrive home later that day informing his wife that they wouldn't have to worry about making ends meet. Now of course he could not outright inform her of his…new employment, simply that he was making contacts and taking it from there. His wife appeared suspicious and perhaps this was the first time in their marriage and union where he was hiding something from her.

It was better this way though. Ryan could not afford for her to find out he worked for the criminal mind of Mr. Big and that his job involved roughing up animals for money or doing far worse. His first day of the job involved just a simple task; get the money, but there would be those who fought back…and when that came…what would he do then?

Work continued as it did for Ryan and he did what was told of him. Mr. Big wanted him to shake down someone for holding up on payment, so, he went. He wound up in a fight against a skunk and his eye wound up sunk in from the skunk's attacks and even some bruising and cracked ribs. Skunks were anything but docile as they used their stench to disarm their opponent and it wasn't like he couldn't breathe the entire time.

Another line of work involved stealing and sly as a fox sort of matched his infiltration and learning the routine the guards kept up. So far he had yet to kill anyone…still…each day he was beginning to forget who he was before any of this happened. Would his child be proud of all the sacrifices he made or would he truly want no part of his life?

Yes…he found out he was having a son. His wife was starting to ask around about his job but no one seemed to know where he was earning such cash. It was only a matter of time till he was found out and then he imagined she would talk him out of doing it. Did anyone walk away from Mr. Big? Ryan was starting to get nervous as the day was approaching where he would have to call it quits.

His wife gave birth and his son, Nicholas P. Wilde was brought into the world happy and healthy. Having held his son he looked down at those innocent features, unaware of what he had committed to get him the best things in life. Ryan had never been a father…he never really gave raising a family a second thought till his wife told him she was pregnant.

Ryan was on the job one day when he met some resistance. A scuffle broke out, he was rolling around on the ground as both of them refused to give in. Ryan was sent back and he reached for the closest thing to him. This fight happened in a restaurant and now had wound up in the kitchen. Ryan lunged forward as the guy came at him…his eyes though appeared panic stricken and as his eyes descended to where he had lunged Ryan felt a warmth spreading over his paw.

"What the-?" Ryan realized then he was holding a knife…the blade itself lodged inside of the animal who crashed backwards as pans and bowls crashed to the ground. Ryan was realizing what an error he made…his very actions had cost him everything. The sound of sirens could be heard and Ryan fled the scene knowing he had to reach Mr. Big and tell him what had happened.

Mr. Big told him to go home and he would settle things. Ryan did so but he couldn't sleep that night. His wife had been nursing their child and he looked on with adoration for his wife for managing all this while he was away. She was truly a treasure among treasures and as each day past he did the best he could helping to raise their son, reading to him, telling him about Zootopia and the opportunities he would have.

When the time came to meet with Mr. Big he kissed his wife and stroked the cheek of his sun. So much life, so much youth…he hoped his son did not make the same mistakes he did. Perhaps his son would never know of his deeds, still, before leaving he made sure to leave a note accounting for his absences and being a bad husband and father. If she chose to leave him out of his son's life he would not blame her.

"Mr. Big…I came as soon you called. Is everything settled?" He noticed they were at the dock and there was a cold breeze in the air. Night had fallen and the moon was out.

"Ryan, you have served me well…but you have messed up. The one you killed…he belongs to an important family…and…they have sought retribution. This was the only way. You understand, it is all business-."

"Wait, Mr. Big…I have a family, a son to think of…what happened was out of my hands-." Ryan looks around but finds himself weighed down and he is carried over to the water.

"You have disappointed me, like the disappointment a father faces when their child does something wrong. This is goodbye Ryan, go sleep with the fishes." He nods his head and Ryan is dropped into the freezing cold water as he struggles and looks up at the faces memorizing each and every detail. His body descends and he thinks of his son, his wife…and how vengeance would be his if he ever got out of here…he swore it.

Authors note: And so ends my longest backstory yet of a fox lost to history, lost to time…his story untold till now. Set long before the events of Zootopia and who can say if we'll see him again or not, for now though next chapter we pick up with Judy and Nick. In the future I might expand this more but I merely wanted to paint a picture of a fox who would do anything for his family…and it cost him in the end.