"Mayor Lionheart, please, reconsider this."
It wasn't in Chief Bogo's nature to plead. Yet this was one of the mammals he couldn't order to do the right thing.
"You need to see this is beyond any reason."
"Nonsense, Bogo. She exceeded any other cadet in her class. She's a model cop and will do great things for you, your precinct and the mammals of Zootopia."
'And your approval ratings,' Bogo added in mind. Oh, how he'd loved to yell those words into the phone. Instead he turned the speaker away for a second and let out a grumbling sigh. Running his free hoof over his face, he raised his voice again. "Mayor, we're talking about a bunny here."
"A bunny that passed the academy with flying colors."
The Chief rolled his eyes. "The academy is one thing. All that theory and practice runs are fine and nice, but they're no match for what is really going on out there."
"Are you saying your officers are ill-prepared?"
It took all his restraint not to yell at his phone. "No, I am saying a mere bunny will get herself killed on these streets."
"This bunny won't because you will make sure she won't. This bunny will be part of your force. Because this bunny is an undeniable proof that my Mammal Inclusion Initiative was a good idea and is showing exceptional results. Is that understood, Chief?"
At least he's letting his pretense go now. Grateful the Mayor couldn't see his face right now Chief Bogo replied, "Yes, Mayor Lionheart, of course it is."
"Good. And by the way, how are the missing mammal cases coming along?"
The Chief needed all his self-control not to crush the speaker in his hoof. "We're on it, sir. It's only a matter of time."
"I should hope so. Get on it. And have a nice day, Chief."
"Of course. Thank you, Mayor. You, too."
Chief Bogo waited till he heard the click before he slammed the speaker back down on the phone. He would have loved to just scream out his frustration. But he knew he just couldn't. It were moments like these when he questioned if he made the right choice becoming a police officer. No, becoming an officer was the right choice. Yet taking the promotion as Chief? That was a different matter.
Things had been so much easier when he had been out there. Catching the bad guys. Making any petty crook give themselves in just by staring them down. Now he was stuck behind this desk. Instead of upholding the law out there he was upholding order in here. Still nobody could say he wouldn't have given that his all. He kept his precinct in check, and only the best would serve under his supervision.
And now that. A bunny. A teensy bunny. A teensy, helpless, meek little bunny.
How could he stand for that? Sending her out there was like signing her death sentence. He would be damned if he'd let any of his officers run into unnecessary risks, let alone mortal dangers. And for such a tiny creature just any kind of criminal subject, no matter how laughable they might seem to him, was a dangerous threat at best. Now it was his job to make sure she wouldn't run into them.
"Chief?"
Clawhauser's voice and a knock on his door pulled him from his thought. Face still in his hooves he bellowed, "Come!"
Slowly the door was pushed open. Clawhauser carefully looked around it as if to take cover from what he expected to find inside. "Everything all right, Chief?"
Bogo took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair. He let his arms hang lump to his sides. "No, it's not. I just had a talk with the Mayor."
The chubby cheetah flinched. "Oh, I hope Snarloff isn't in too much trouble?"
The Chief cocked an eyebrow. "Why should he be in trouble?"
"Oh, never mind that." Clawhauser hastily waved his paws as if too shoo away his own words. "What was that call about?"
"They hired a bunny."
"As a secretary or what? And why do they call you for that, Chief?"
Bogo shook his head. "No, as an officer. She'll be assigned here, that's why they called me."
Clawhauser's eyes widened for a second. Then he burst into laughter. "And here I thought you had no sense of humor, Chief."
Usually, he'd have straightened out Clawhauser for such a remark. But he had trouble to disagree with him. It all sounded like one big bad joke. He rubbed his forehead and grunted, "Why did you want, Clawhauser?"
"What did I... Oh, oh, oh, right! About the missing mammals..."
Bogo closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "What about them?"
"Well...there are eleven now..."
"She did what?" Bogo growled into the speaker.
"I said-"
"I perfectly understood you the first time," the Chief bellowed. "Just send me the report."
The Chief slammed down the speaker. Who did she think she was? It was almost impressive. This damn rabbit hadn't just managed to engage with danger on her second day. No, she'd also found the one way to not just put her own health at unnecessary risk-she also put dozens of civilians into harm's way. Apparently even just parking duty was too much too handle for her
Bogo was out of his chair and pacing the room before he knew what he was doing. He should have never agreed to all this. This was nothing but madness. Clenching his hooves he fought the rising urge to just smash something. Preferably this damn desk. He'd have loved to just scream out his frustration, yet he had to keep his wits together for what was to come. In silence he cursed the Mayor. He just cursed all of politics.
Risking the life of one bunny that obviously didn't know her limits for a few more points on a chart in the morning news? How did he get caught up in such a web? He was a cop at heart, not a politician. His duty was to serve and protect those who needed it. And it was obvious this bunny needed his protection. And that meant getting her to understand her place. She needed to understand the scope of what she'd gotten herself into. Yet his hope that she had any kind of survival instincts just got crushed by that one phone call. This was it. The Mayor be damned, his badge be damned, anything be damned. He wouldn't stand for this madness. Either he'd make her see that parking duty was as far she'd get in this force or he'd make her quit.
"Chief, don't you think you should stay here?" Clawhauser asked as Bogo stomped past his desk.
"I said all available forces and I am very much available," Bogo growled back. He would not sit quietly in his office while that bunny had finally managed to get herself in mortal danger. On only her fourth day no less. If there was anything he could do, whoever he'd have to take out, he'd do it. Sitting back and waiting was out of the question. The Mayor's popularity stunt wouldn't end with him signing a letter of condolences to some poor carrot farmer couple who must be worried sick about their daughter anyway.
He didn't bother with the seat belt. He slammed the door shut, started the engine and hit the pedal. Sirens howling he rushed off. He didn't wait for any confirmations. If the rest of his force weren't on their way already he'd deal with them later. What mattered now was getting to the Rain Forest district. And get there fast. Her life depended on it.
What was she even doing there? That otter didn't live there. None of the other missing mammals lived there. Not a single lead ever as much as pointed there. Yet that place harbored many of Zootopia's worst. At least she wasn't at the lowest levels. Still, this was not the place for a helpless bunny.
"Yes, Mayor Bellwether, of course. We'll be on our way."
Large predator or little prey. Politicians really were all the same at heart. At least with her, Chief Bogo could be sure there was genuine appreciation in it. Yet Officer Hopps was back on the pedestal. Well earned this time, he'd freely acknowledge that. It wasn't often he had to admit fault, but Judy Hopps had defied him in every possible way. Making her the face of good police work seemed like a respectable idea, as far as he could agree with creating a PR campaign for what should be a integral part of a functioning society.
If he were completely honest with himself, he outright hated that this was necessary. Still, it undeniably was. First the missing mammals, then the revelation the Mayor himself was behind it, now the savage animal epidemic? No wonder the average mammal needed reassurance. Most didn't even care what was going to be done, as long as something got done. Even if that something was just a campaign telling them something would be done. In the end, it all was really just a shiny chain dangled in front of them for distraction.
The irony was just that now after she'd finally proven to be one of the best officers on his squad he had to take her out of most cases she could have worked on. The majority of her time would now be dedicated to public and TV show appearances as well as standing next to the Mayor smiling for the cameras. But well, that was still a way to serve and protect. Just not the one he'd have preferred for her-and he was sure she saw it the same way.
He didn't look forward to telling her. Best would be to just let the Mayor do that. Even now she had the Otterton file open as he could clearly saw as he approached her desk. How had he'd ever been able to doubt such a dedicated officer? Reluctantly he knocked on the wall of her cubicle.
No.
No.
No, no, no.
This was not happening. It couldn't be happening. This was a bad dream. A horrible joke. There just was no way this were true.
How was this even possible? The last he knew was that she moved back to her parents' farm. How did Judy Hopps end up in the museum? While it was closed, no less. He wouldn't believe till he saw it.
The Chief stormed out of the station, anybody who was able trailing him. He didn't even have to give any orders. The message that an officer-resigned or not-was down had spread like wildfire. Nobody would dare to just sit around if one of theirs was in danger right across the plaza.
The few yards from the station to the museum never felt this far. They seemed to stretch for miles. Chief Bogo's heavy steps shook the ground as he dashed on. His whole body was tense. Ready to tear limb to limb anybody who'd dared to harm one of his force. Did the museum always have so many steps in front?
Yet as he entered the building his steps slowed. He heard voices. His lifted arm made his fellowship freeze in dead silence. Those were familiar voices. The Mayor. And Judy Hopps. And a third voice that he had definitely heard before but couldn't place. The Chief just stood and listened what was going on.
A/N:
I hope you liked this short side-project of mine. I might tie it into my Parts of a Family series later on, but so far, it's a stand alone. Please leave any feedback, good or bad, below and give me a fave if you liked it!
And now, back to my Finnick project...
