Chapter 7.

AN: Apologies for the delay but my new job is a killer. Still better than no chapter at all right? Keep reviewing guys, it's what pushes me and these stories forward!

The bullpen was louder than usual on their first morning back. A tense atmosphere could be felt throughout the first precinct. Behind Bogo's podium was a map of Zootopia with every abductee's photo taped to it. Red thread linked each one before drawing it back to the only grainy picture of the Monochrome Gang in the centre. Judy was getting a severe sense of déjà vu as she tried to ingrain each image onto her brain.

It was raining outside. The summer storms had taken Zootopia by force in the week they'd been away. Every storm drain in the city had been opened and hundreds of homeless mammals were evacuated from the tunnels and sewers that ran beneath the city. Little Rodentia had been carefully waterproofed as a precaution. The monsoon weather showed no signs of abating either. Zootopia would be harder to patrol in pouring rain and howling winds. Especially at a time when the ZPD were feeling the pressure to find the kidnapped mammals and their kidnappers.

Judy jumped as the door burst open and Chief Bogo barged in. The chanting grew in volume as all those assembled pounded their fists on the tables. Bogo let it go on for a few moments as his eyes scanned the room. His ears were standing straight up and his gaze burned with righteous fury. Judy could see something else in there as well; worry.

"Alright, alright," he shouted. The chanting died down.

"Now," he continued before noticing Nick start to open his mouth. "Shut your mouth Wilde! As you all know we've had five double kidnappings in three months and barely any leads. The Monochrome Gang are responsible, that much we do know, but there have been no demands made as yet. We've pulled up every snow leopard, zebra, panda and skunk in our database but that's taking a while to work through."

"So what's the plan Chief?" asked Wolford.

"The plan is a bad one," snapped the Chief. "City Hall have decided to put their noses into police business once again. They have 'proposed' that a citywide taskforce be assembled, spearheaded by our 'best and brightest' officers."

Judy instinctively knew that meant her and Nick as well as some more experienced detectives.

"Guess that's you out Fangs," called Grizzoli.

"Fuck off Grizz!" snapped the wolf.

Laughter broke out throughout the bullpen and even Bogo cracked a smile. He tapped a pile of folders against the desk and cleared his throat before beginning to hand out the files.

"Detectives Hopps and Wilde are assigned to the City Hall crime scene," stated Bogo. "Delgado and Fangmeyer are to link up with the second team from precinct three. Wolford and Trumpet are assigned to Gobiburg. The rest of you are to assist in whatever ways you possibly can. The hours will be long on this case. Anything before I go?"

There was nothing. The buffalo snorted in approval and marched out. Judy flipped through the files. It reminded her of the Emmet Otterton casefile. Basically empty though it at least had more than one page.

"Ready to humiliate all these chumps and solve this in forty-eight hours again?" asked Nick, smirking.

"You bet!" said Judy as convincingly as she could.

Something felt off about this. The media storm, the ALF and the case in general all seemed wrong but Judy couldn't put her finger on it. Nothing fit. It was like a complicated masterplan that only made sense once all the pieces were in place. Right now though it seemed like one unholy mess of a case.

CITY HALL. SAME MORNING.

"Damn it," complained Judy. "I should've known the vultures would be out."

Camped outside City Hall's steps were around thirty reporters dressed in rain jackets and battling to hold umbrellas steady in the wind. Slowly they all turned to forlornly watch the police cruiser descend into the underground carpark. Security had been beefed up across the city since they had left. If the kidnapping in Tundra Town hadn't been a wakeup call than the most recent one definitely had been.

"So why are we here Carrots?" asked Nick stepping out of the car.

"Well according to the file Leon Shrewsbury, a shrew, and Angela Billworth, a platypus, were kidnapped from their shared office," read Judy. "If I had to guess I'd say Chief Bogo was hoping we'd spot something the other investigating officers didn't."

"Do you really think that's it?" asked Nick with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you think all those reporters outside have something to do with us being here?"

"No. Chief Bogo wouldn't do something like that. Would he? He knows how bad I am with the press. Hell the whole city knows. Then again this whole Dream Team narrative the ZPD's got going for us might have something to do with it."

"Now you're reading between the lines Carrots. For what it's worth I don't think Bogo likes this anymore than we do. I think it's something those vipers upstairs cooked up."

Judy didn't respond but thought about what Nick said as they hurried up the stairs. The crime scene was on the third floor forcing Nick and Judy to trek through a winding maze of corridors, cubicles and conference rooms to get there. Nick felt eyes on them wherever they went. Some curious, others supportive and a few disgusted. He tried to shake it from his mind but couldn't quite clear away the cobwebs. It was only when they met Bucky and Pronk, who both worked in City Hall, that the pieces fell into place.

"Judy! Nick!" called Pronk, hurrying over. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Working the Monochrome Gang case," answered Judy. "What about you?"

"I was just meeting Bucky for lunch. Congrats by the way!"

"For once we agree on something," muttered Bucky but shut up at the glare from Pronk.

"Congrats on what?" asked Nick in confusion.

"You mean you haven't seen the Zootopia Enquirer?"

"That rag? I wouldn't even use that for toilet paper."

"Well a lot of people read it and it's printed some pretty scandalous things about the ZPD's Dream Team."

"What kind of scandalous things?" asked Judy, with mounting horror.

"That you guys are, you know… together?" whispered Bucky.

Nick looked at Judy. Judy looked at Nick. Pronk looked at Bucky. Bucky looked at Pronk. Bucky took out his phone, opened it and showed them a list of most recent articles on the Zootopia Enquirer's website.

· Gazelle to Headline Zootopia Park Festival.

· Judy Hopps: Predaphile or unsuspecting victim?

· Nick Wilde: Inspiration or Savage in Disguise?

· The Hows and Whys of Interspecies Sex.

· Is the ZPD a Hive for Degeneracy?

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers!" snapped Judy. Nick pinched the bridge of his muzzle and sighed long and loud. As if the case couldn't get more complicated suddenly they had the entire city asking if they were fit to police it. It would have come out eventually, too many people at the precinct knew that they were together. But why now? No wonder Clawhauser had seemed concerned this morning. The cheetah was a gossip fiend.

"Oh it can't be that bad," assured Bucky.

"Yeah Bucky's right," agreed Pronk for the second time. "Just think of how much you too have done for the city and pred-prey relations. This is just noise you can block out."

"Besides," added Bucky in a whisper. "So far it's all just rumour and hearsay."

"He's right Carrots," said Nick. "But with all that said I think it's best if we get in and out of here quick. We don't want the reporters out there finding out it was us that drove in."

Judy looked up at him and nodded, a look of steely determination in her eyes. Bucky and Pronk had worked in the office beside the two kidnapping victims so they led the way. As soon as their office door closed Judy could hear them start to argue. Yellow police tape sealed the doorway though there was no door left in it. The Monochrome Gang had come through it and the window. Billworth's desk lay in pieces while Shrewsbury's smaller workplace had been turned into matchsticks.

A piece of damp cardboard covered the shattered window and the room was cold with the draft. The carpet was wet and the lights flickered in their sockets. Nick sniffed the air. He smelled skunk, snow leopard, zebra, panda, shrew, platypus and fear. He sniffed harder. The scent of zebra was far stronger than all the others. It meant there was DNA evidence somewhere in the room. As Judy began to probe the desk shards Nick followed his nose.

"A-ha!" he exclaimed by the window.

"Find something?" asked Judy excitedly.

"Better," replied Nick. "I found someone."

He carefully removed the tuft of zebra hair from where it was lodged in the top right corner of the window and placed in a sealed plastic bag. He held up a paw and Judy slapped him a quick high-five. He put the bag in his jacket pocket and continued the search. Other than an empty chloroform bottle there was nothing else. Forensics had swept the room pretty well.

"This'll be enough to keep Bogo happy," said Nick.

"Yeah," agreed Judy absentmindedly.

"Carrots you OK?"

"Just trying to make sure they don't get to me," she mumbled.

"You know it's not about that it's about making sure they don't see you. Does it bother you that much?"

"No but it's just another thing to worry about you know?"

"Well then let me do some of the worrying for a change Carrots. Let me carry some of the baggage for a change."

"Haven't you carried enough already?"

"What's a little more? Besides if it's for you I think I can handle it. Being partners in more than one sense means sharing the weight. Let me help you Fluff."

Judy just smiled and nodded, relief flooding her eyes.

PRECINCT ONE. THAT EVENING.

It was an hour before they were due to clock off and the rain had not yet abated. Judy typed her report furiously, her mind still reeling from today's news. She should be happy that they had made such a huge discovery but instead she was simply annoyed. Oh sure it was fine if the ZPD's best partners were a platonic crime fighting duo but Gazelle forbid they were romantically involved!

On the other side of the cubicle the quiet, calmer clack of keys came from Nick's computer. Usually his chill demeanour and unflappable manner made him a pillar of support but the only thing Judy was leaning on today was worry. She had seen something in his forest green eyes this morning. Something fragile, something that made her believe she didn't know him as well as she thought he did despite all he had told her. There was still something missing from the puzzle that was Nick Wilde.

She wouldn't find out about it this evening though. She was too mad and had too much work to do. The phone rang shrilly at her desk. She was still getting used to the new Wilde-Hopps office set up. Sighing she picked up the receiver and held it to at a reasonable distance from her sensitive ear.

"Judy?" came the voice. "It's Clawhauser. Chief Bogo wants to see you in his office as soon as possible."

"Can it wait?" she asked in exasperation. "I'm in the middle of a report."

"Chief says the report's not important. He says Nick's is good enough but he wants to see you to discuss the evidence you found today."

"Why not both of us?"

"I don't know I guess he figured anything he tells either of you privately the other will know pretty soon after."

"Fair enough. I'm on my way."

Judy put the phone down as Nick swivelled in his chair, eyebrows raised.

"Buffalo Butt want to see you?"

"Yep."

"Cool I'll finish up here. Let me know when you're done and I'll drop you home."

Judy nodded and stepped out. Home, she thought. It sounds so… So domestic. She smiled at the thought. Even with Zootopia undergoing the worst case of paranoia since the Night Howler Incident she felt safer knowing Nick was by her side. It soothed her anger and made her love the fox even more. For so long Judy had, ironically, played the part of the lone wolf. Now it was nice to know there was someone she could totally depend on.

But can you? The voice came from inside her head and as much as she tried to shut it out it kept asking. He's hiding something else you know? What if he killed someone? He is a fox after all. They're all thieves, muggers and liars, aren't they? You think he's a pillar of strength but what if he's a pillar of sand?

It was only when she knocked on Bogo's office door and his booming baritone commanded her to enter that the voice stopped. Judy presumed it was thanks to the huge Cape buffalo's bellow that the cobwebs in her head had been blown away along with the spiders that lived in them.

"You wanted to see me sir?" she asked.

"Have a seat Detective Hopps," he said, turning away from the rain smeared window. "The results came back from the zebra hair you brought in this morning. We have a positive match for one Jackson Crossing."

"And who is that sir?" asked Judy, nonplussed.

"Jackson Crossing is presumably the only still living member of the original ALF Military Council," explained the Chief. "He's evaded capture for twenty-two years thanks to his propensity for masks and an unusually forgettable face. He was the leader of the original Monochrome Gang."

"The original sir? I thought it was the same gang as before."

"No the originals were all killed in a hostage situation gone bad two decades ago in Lynxville. Jackson escaped and now he's resurfaced with a new gang and the same stupid ideologies. I know criminals like Crossing, time only makes them more determined and crazy. He's out for blood this time Hopps."

"With respect sir, so are we."

"I know Hopps, just thought I'd warn you. But before you go I'll give you this advice: know yourself and your partner. Know each other's limits. This case could take longer than City Hall anticipates. You need to be prepared to face the physical, mental and personal costs it may raise. You've already seen what the papers are saying. This is a bad case Hopps."

Judy stood up and Chief Bogo walked her to the door. Before she left she turned and faced him. Fists clenched and eyes alight with determination.

"Bad cases get put in the Pound sir," she stated. He smiled almost sadly.

"That they do Hopps that they do."

THAT NIGHT. NICK'S APARTMENT.

Beer? Chilled. Chips? Bowled. Dip? Readied. Nick was having a few of the guys over although to be honest he had almost been too exhausted to host. Though their first day as detectives hadn't been that physically taxing it had taken an emotional toll on both of them. Nick had seen Zootopia's papers print cruel and unusual things about mammals before but it was different when it was you. So Nick had decided to do what he always did when things seemed like they were slipping; drink. He pressed play on the speaker set up he had and sat back as music filled the room.

Five minutes later they was a knock at the door. Nick stood up and ambled over as the knocking grew in volume and intensity.

"Open the fuckin door Wilde!" came the deceptively deep voice. "You keep me waitin any longer and you'll be answering the door to a fuckin skeleton!"

Nick opened the door and smirked down at the Fennec fox below him. The smaller mammal held his gaze as the snarl on his face slowly morphed into the slightly mischievous-slightly evil grin he was used to. Finnick slipped by Nick, a bottle of Quack Daniels in hand. Yawning ferociously the still suited fox slammed himself back into the cushions of Nick's couch. Nick grabbed himself a beer and gave Finnick a glass full of ice.

"So what's up?" asked Finnick, sipping at the whiskey. "You never invite me over unless you've got something on your mind."

"Nah I just need to get some stuff off my mind tonight," Nick replied. "Hence the booze. By the way there are some guys from the force coming over as well."

"Ah so it's group therapy? Wait are any of them from the fraud squad?"

"What? No."

Finnick nodded in satisfaction and tapped his foot in time to the music. They sat like that in companionable silence until another knock at the door rang out.

"Open up!" roared Fangmeyer. "Police!"

"Party police!" hollered Wolford as Nick opened the door.

Fangmeyer, Delgado, Wolford and Buckton barged in booze in hand.

"So Wilde what's the deal?" asked Wolford, once they were all settled. "Drinks on a work night? Not that I'm complaining but it doesn't seem very like you."

"I knew something was up!" crowed Finnick. "C'mon Nick, spill."

Nick sat there, beer cupped in both hands, as if in prayer.

"Well it's like this…" he began.

AN: Confessions incoming next week! Stay tuned.