The Perfect Pair
Chief Bogo sat at his desk for several minutes, focusing his mind after the strange encounter. And all the insinuations. The contemplative frown never left his muzzle as he framed the implications and possibilities together, overlaying them in his mind. He hadn't become Chief of police by being stupid or passive, and his intellect was quickly pushing his right half of brain into overdrive to crack this enigma. He could smell a threat, no matter how subtle or how well dressed and polite the threat's orator. He knew this was going to happen, either directly through him or indirectly through the mayor's office. He accepted that. But how to make the ZPD come out on top, not just second best. If even there. His thoughts were a dark jumble, and he needed clarity. Taking a deep breathe, followed by the quick swallow of his now cold coffee, he stood to get more of the warm, life giving liquid. When he opened his door, Rachel's vixen head turned toward him, a warm smile to match her naturally sweet disposition.
"Hello Chief, anything I can help you with?" she quipped quiet and direct, her delicate claws never stopping the click on keys denoting her finishing touches on a report. Her reddish-orange fur contained by her chic yet professional navy blue feminine suit jacket and matching skirt. Her ever present bracelets of silver and gold numbered only four per wrist today, and her flowery perfume was light, and pleasant. Her golden eyes complemented the lighter creamy fur of her chin as well as the few ear piercings she had, always with small classic hoops in gold.
"No Rachel, just needed to get up and move a little." Bogo gestured with his empty coffee mug. "Besides, I needed some fresh coffee." He added a small smile. Rachel was always pleasant and warm, he tried to be the same with her. Everyone else, though…
"Very well Chief." she responded, glancing back to the screen and her work.
Bogo made his way to the lounge, acknowledging the occasional officer on his way absently, gesturing with a nod or his empty mug. His mind churned while he moved, fresh air to fire the lightning and get the grey mass moving. Thinking about George, and his request, Bogo quickly realized that they needed this. And at the bargain cost of only two officers being away from duty, to clear three weeks of dead ends and frustration, not to mention the press pushed as far up his tail as they could get, looking for the scoop. He snorted to himself, his eyes turning toward the red as he worked to suppress his growing ire. After shaking his head, horn to horn, he sighed. He pushed all that down in his mind, and focused on his most pressing task: who to send with the little gray? As he pondered that thought, he reached the lounge and fresh coffee. So focused on the deep brown liquid mixed with his inner brooding, he had completely missed Judy's upbeat greeting. Blinking twice, he turned to her as she rushed up to him, presenting her abnormally happy self to him, wrapped in officer blue.
"I said good morning Chief! And how is the day treating you, Sir?" Lavender eyes filling her light gray face as her erect ears showed her honest enthusiasm for the morning. Her tail even wagged a little. Bogo was stopped dead in his tracks, his mind just catching up with the abrupt change in his morning. An orange fox stood up from a break table much slower than his partner had, his shades tucked neatly in his uniform pocket and a phone discreetly slipping into his pocket. His perfect uniform broken only by the trademark half done tie that only Nick would dare try, and succeed at, while still looking professional. His green eyes regarded the chief evenly, with much more reserve than Judy's openness would ever allow.
"Hey Carrots, get out of the Chief's way. He looks like he needs that coffee." Nick delivered with a self assured grin. "Unlike you, my bouncy bunny."
"Nick!" was all Judy could utter in an offended voice, her eyelids and ears dropping dangerously as she closed on her intended prey, Nick's belly quickly becoming her new punching bag. A surprised and tolerant 'ooof' was the satisfactory response from her target, bringing a victorious grin to her animated muzzle. The light bickering snapped Bogo back to reality.
"What are you two doing here? I thought I assigned you to patrol Tundra District?" Bogo's iron coming out in his rough voice. His tone brooked no nonsense complimenting his angry face as he crossed his massive arms together, waiting.
As Nick attempted to catch his breathe from the impromptu boxing lesson, Judy quickly began, "You did, sir. But our SUV needed an oil change. We asked for it yesterday, but the auto crew didn't get to it. We would have just gone, but we didn't want to risk cracking an engine block since the engine computer stated change required instead of needed. When weighing you being upset about the delay or a broken cruiser, we figured late was better." Her expressions changed so dramatically through her oration, that Bogo's brain fried a little in the attempt to keep up. He turned from her to regard her re-winded partner, who broke in before he could speak.
"All true, sir. We even have the paperwork to prove it." Nick affirmed after his paws left his knees during his quick recovery. "We only just came in ourselves to wait and made fresh coffee." he added with a sly grin.
Bogo drew a breath to respond, but stopped, mouth open, as a thought came to him. Single. Check,check. They both were. The pair stared at him, never knowing the Chief to be speechless. Quite the opposite, in fact. Not detectives and of medium or small species. Check, check. They couldn't see the puzzle behind Bogo's eyes, just dropping the essential pieces in place to make the enigma become clear. And a female. Bonus check. Good cops but not essential for everyday, not easy to replace, but manageable. Check. His sudden smile sat the pair before him back, like prey of old first spotting a predator. The partners exchanged quick, worried glances, green meeting purple, and shared a slight shrug at the unknown. Bogo looked them over, finishing the list of requirements given by George internally, finding them both perfectly suited to each and every one. The fact they were partners was an added bonus. Bogo's tone sweetened considerably, almost as sweet as Rachel's normal voice, as he continued smiling, "I'm glad you never left. I need a word with you both, in my office." His smile stuck, but his patience wore thin as the pair hesitated, unsure of what had come over their Chief. "Now." He barked, smile melting into a grouchy frown. They bolted for the office immediately. Sweet is good, but ire does have a way of lubricating slower moving parts into high gear.
Bogo filled his coffee mug, his smile returning as he followed behind the fleeing mismatched pair, a half minute later. He took a sip, realizing Judy had made the coffee because her's was terrible, and even that didn't diminish his upbeat temper, nor his smile.
"Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick. What did you do THIS time?" Judy's voice almost as small as she was herself, incriminating her hustling partner quietly as they both rushed toward the Chief's office. They were well ahead of him, making the risk of being overheard minimal.
"Honest Carrots, I haven't done anything today." Came the orange muzzled reply, equally as quiet, more so, since Judy's hearing was phenomenal. Nick's quick glance pleaded innocence. "Heck, Fluff, you've been with me all morning. All we've done is what we said, got an oil change and coffee. I wonder what's got buffalo butt's pants twisted sideways today?" Nick added quizzically.
As the pair rounded the corner to their unwanted destination, they both dropped silent but inquiring glances at Rachel, who only had a slight shrug and warm smile of encouragement to give the likeable pair before they disappeared behind Bogo's inner office door. They both made for the large chair, preferring the comfort of proximity to standing apart, as had become the partner's custom whenever Nick's need to fill life with practical jokes landed the pair in hot water. They barely had the chance to look at each other before the Chief entered, ending even the possibility of conversation. Two pairs of eyes, one mounted on a gray with white shot muzzle and the other on orange and cream peered apprehensively at their leader. Amethyst and emerald followed Bogo as he shut the door, a little less forcefully than normal as his thoughts brewed on George's little plan and how well it might save his back side from the media bonfire he knew was conspiring. Though his surprise smile was gone, he still looked the happiest he'd been in close to a month, since the first missing mammal report came in. He had recently looked haggard, taking the media beating a little more personal than usual. Now, however, he looked refreshed, like a thirsty mammal crossing a desert and finding the clearest, coolest spring water in the world to drink, he seemed ready to tackle the world.
For once, Nick decided to remain silent and wait for the Chief to address them first. 'It's only polite. After all, he forced us in here, and there's no way he knows the taser on the door knob was me. Didn't think it would get him, was hoping for Fangmeyer, but heck, it was still golden. Admit nothing unless completely caught.' Nick quipped to himself. Calm, cool and collected, as usual.
Judy, however, was fidgeting, rife with unearned guilt at why the Chief demanded a private audience. 'What has that dumb fox dragged me into now?' was all she could think. Her ears were lowered in shame as the million and one possibilities ran as quickly behind her purple eyes as she could pursue a fleeing mugger on any given Tuesday. Her determination kept her back straight, but she was positive parking duty was in her near future as she nervously tugged her exposed toes. She absolutely hated parking duty, boring and not making a difference in the world at large and…'
Bogo derailed the Judy thought train by clearing his throat, while making his way to his desk. He casually sipped his coffee as he sauntered slowly to his mahogany workstation, actually humming lightly to himself. The perfection the paired officers presented him almost made him purr, his guardian angel truly looking out for him today. His only pause was in deciding how to frame the possible solution so the fox wouldn't be too suspicious. As he sat in his giant padded chair, he let his muzzle slip back to it's customary slight frown. While the pair maintained their concentration on him, he took a few moments to swallow some of Judy's weak coffee flavored tea, letting the tension build in the pair for a few more moments as he spotted the case file on his desk. The most recent one of Gazelle's disappearance. Nodding to himself, his course decided, and the rabbit's nervous twitch began to include slight foot thumping he found annoying, he again cleared his throat and looked both his officers in the eye.
"Alright Chief, what's this…"Nick never got to finish, even using his best con-mammal tone.
"Shut your face, Wilde." Bogo's normal visage switching to a glare faster than lightning, his response automatic. After a brief pause to collect himself from the outburst, the Chief continued, "You're both here for a special reason, and no, Officer Hopps, it's not parking duty."
An involuntary, but quiet, "Yeesssss." with accompanied smile nearly split her muzzle.
Ignoring the interruption, Bogo continued, "I have need of you both. First, Officer Wilde. I need to know anything you know about Jonathan Card."
The statement brought a puzzled and slightly apprehensive look to the normally cool fox. Warning bells rung in Judy's rabbit brain at how her partner of eighteen months had reacted. "Mr. Card? Mr. Jonathan Card? The accountant? Chief, he's only the most known and unknown actor in the underworld of Zootopia. Nobody knows much about him accept not to cross him."
"I'm aware of all that Wilde, just tell me what little you know." Bogo sighed.
After a moment of contemplative silence, Nick continued thoughtfully, idly scratching under his chin. "Ok Chief. I know that no one has ever stuck him with anything on our side of the law. Most of that is because he deals more in information and favors than black market and general thuggery."
"Favors?"Judy asked, the quizzical look on her muzzle obvious as her ears perked and her eyes moved searched Nick's for unheard answers.
"Yeah, Carrots, like I'll scratch your back, Mr. Prosecutor with a gambling problem, you look the other way while my crew busts another rival group. It's said he has dirt on just about anyone in politics or with power. If he needs a favor, he cashes one in, like a bank deposit. Hence the nickname 'The accountant'. He knows who owes him and exactly what it will net him in return. He also works both sides to build an ever growing power network. From what I know, he's as ruthless as he is cunning."
Taking a moment to digest the little extra Nick had to offer, Bogo leans back, hot coffee mug still held as he breaks eye contact to turn his chair and stare at the still muted TV. "But what species is he, Wilde?" Bogo quietly asks, still not looking at the pair.
"No clue, Sir. Most of us on the street assume a predator, simply because of his style. But I doubt anyone on the street has any idea what or who Jonathan Card is. You could bump into him accidentally on the train and never have a clue. And since I can see where this is headed, the answer is no, I never worked for him. Was never even approached by him or his agents in the city." Nick finished with a note of displeasure, and a bit of offense. "The only lead I could give would be his base of power, in the heart of downtown, his high class club and restaurant 'The Silver Note'. It's said he wheels and deals there, and he also makes arrangements for people to meet, on neutral turf. No one in their right fur would make a move against him, especially there. He'd take it personal. Last guy I heard that offended him ended up dead, but not in a nice 'cement shoes in the bay' dead. Heard he neutered the offensive guy with a rusty pair of garden prunes." Nick paused while Judy stared at him, ears erect, muzzle open slightly, a look of disgust mixed with disbelief. Her eyes as wide as capable, completely captivated by the fox. Nick turned to face her, continuing,"Slowly. Also heard it was the only wound, probably took days to finally expire." Nick was deathly quiet, though his fluffy tail twitched with a bit of uneasiness, returning his gaze to the Chief. His years of con had heightened his sixth sense to be wary of potentially bad situations, and he felt that particular itch once Bogo had asked about Card. Never one to take it lying down, "What's this all about, Chief?" His question breaking the spell on Judy, who quickly closed her muzzle, followed by an audible swallow to suppress the rising bile.
Knowing Wilde to be quick on his feet, Bogo decided to go with simple honesty. "I need information and have recently gotten a tip. This could be a big break for the ZPD, but was hoping to have more information at my disposal to help make this call. I need two volunteers, two good cops." Both the officers in front of them were holding their breathe, one from mounting anxiety, the other from excitement. "And you two both fit the bill for the 'volunteers."
Absolutely bursting with excitement mixed with naive curiosity, completely forgetting her moment of disgust of seconds ago, Judy exclaimed, "Volunteers for what, Chief?"
Nick, however did not look pleased at the idea presented before him, the questions about Card and the 'New information'. It all mixed together to smell like two week old rotten fish heads. With a look of unease, his ears flattening with his temper, "What are you after, Chief? Why the change in mood and the 'I need two good cops' routine. You know we'll do what we need to, but I don't like being lead around by my nose. Level with us." Arms crossed and ears perked, but the tail swished, dangerously. Judy glanced from the Chief to her partner, feeling like she was missing half the conversation.
With a sigh and a quick eye rub, Bogo looked at them both briefly. "Okay Wilde, you win. I need you both to do something I can't make you do. Everything about it flies in the face of police order and tradition. In fact, I believe it to be just this side of the law." He holds up his massive hoof, with two fingers spread an inch apart. "And I can't tell you about it without strict confidentiality. In fact, neither of you can breathe even a word about this, or I'll consider it a major infraction. And yes, that is an order." He finished, looking squarely at the rabbit as she had her jaws open, preparing to speak. With the scowl on Bogo's muzzle, Judy wisely closed her tiny mouth, and nods to acknowledge the direct order. Bogo nodded once slowly, and turns to Nick, who has a slight frown of his own.
"Gag order, huh Chief?" he quips.
"Have to Wilde. In a minute you'll understand, but you have to agree to the terms." After a moment's pause, "They aren't my terms, and I don't care for them either, but please agree and trust me Nick. You'll learn why in a moment."
With his first name being so uncommon in his friendly chats with the Chief, Nick holds his eye's for three heartbeats before he simply nods in acquiescence.
With a thunderous sigh, Bogo looks at his phone intercom and taps the one marked for Clawhauser. Immediately responding, the room listens to the obese cheetah's smart answer. "Yes Chief?"
"Clawhauser, is the gray wolf still in the lobby?"
"Yes sir, he is."
"Good, please send him back to my office."
Sounding a little puzzled, Clawhouser responds a little slow, "Ok, Sir."
Turning back to the confused pair, "The mammal on his way back here has information that the ZPD can not let slip away. His name is George Coldart, a small gray wolf. He says he's an associate of Jonathan Card, hence why I was asking what you knew, Wilde." Bogo explained with a slight nod to the fox. "He wants two officers to go with him to confirm Gazelle is safe, but under extreme conditions, ones that I'll let him explain in more detail. But before he comes in, I want you to know that no matter what we could gain from this, I can't order you to go. You will each have to decide for yourself whether you want to deal with the conditions he sets forth."
The intercom tone silenced Bogo as Rachel's voice resounded through the speaker, "Mr. Coldart is back, sir. Shall I send him in?" The question hanging, Bogo looks both of his officers in the eye before responding.