ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL
Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.
Interesting note; the original script for Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) was called Simon Says, and it wasn't even going to be a Die Hard movie at all. Joel Silver (the producer for the first Die Hard and the Lethal Weapon movies) actually considered using the script for the third Lethal Weapon movie, but 20th Century Fox didn't want to sell the script, so it was kept and later re-written to feature John McClane as the protagonist. Also, the first hour of the movie is actually the original script, but with some names changed and the character of Zeus Carver changed from a woman to a man played by Samuel L. Motherfucking Jackson. I just think that's kind of interesting, especially considering what I'm doing with this piece of fan fiction.
Chapter 08: Simon Says / Reckless Endangerment With A Vengeance
Date: Monday, July 16th, 2030
The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central
Judith Laverne Wilde groggily stepped out of the bathroom and made her way down the hallway, slowly taking a turn to go down the stairs and enter the living room before heading into the kitchen. Reaching around the wall, she eventually found the low-level switches for the lights, flicking them on as she made her way over to fridge. Opening the door, she reached in and pulled out a half-eaten head of lettuce before taking a bite out of it, chewing the green leafy bits slowly before swallowing and taking another bite.
A few minutes later, the lettuce was gone, except for the short stump. Depositing the stump in the trash can, Judy walked over to the sink and washed her paws. She soon heard the sound of the upstairs toilet being flushed, followed by a brief period of rushing water. A minute later, Judy turned around and watched as Nicholas Piberius Wilde walked down the stairs before making a B-Line through the living room for the kitchen.
"Morning, Beautiful," Nick said with a smile as he gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Same to you, Handsome," Judy said back with a peck of her own. "Kids are still in bed?" Nick asked her. Judy nodded her head in response. "How long until they get up?" he asked her. "Not too long," she answered.
Walking over to the fridge, Nick looked at the calendar and work schedule underneath said calendar. "Let's see... who's watching the kids today?" Nick asked aloud. "Janet has the day off today," Judy replied as she opened a cupboard and retrieved a box of cereal before getting some spoons and bowls.
"Will she be here before we have to leave?" Nick asked as he opened the fridge doors and retrieved a carton of soy milk. "We need to get more milk after work. This carton's almost empty," Nick said as he poured the soy milk into both of their bowls. "Mm-hm," Judy said in response as she handed him a spoon before pouring the cereal into their bowls.
Both animals quickly sat down and ate their breakfast in silence, before the sound of the upstairs bathroom door being shut alerted them to the fact that their children were now awake. They both heard the sound of paws on the stairs as Ben made his way down and ran over to the first floor bathroom near the entrance to the basement. A few minutes later, after hearing the sound of the upstairs toilet flushing and the rushing water of the sink, Victoria made her way downstairs in a nimble fashion before running over to the kitchen.
Victoria quickly latched her arms around her mother in a hug. "Vicky, is something wrong?" Judy asked her. "We woke up before you left!" Vicky replied with a smile. Judy smiled at her daughter with a sigh. "Vicky, Vicky, Vicky," Judy said as she lifted her orange-furred daughter up onto her lap.
"Are you gonna be a good girl for Miss Clayworth today?" Judy asked her. "Janet's watching us?" Vicky asked excitedly. "Yep!" Judy replied with a nod and a smile. "Janet's gonna be here!? All right!" Ben could be heard yelling from inside the bathroom.
"Ben likes Janet! He has a crush on her," Victoria practically sang to her parents. "I-I do not!" Ben shouted from inside the bathroom, before flushing the toilet and opening the door to come out. "Ben, wash your paws," Nick said quickly. Ben nodded his head and turned around before climbing onto a stepping stool to reach the sink. He quickly washed his paws and turned off the light before exiting the bathroom.
"You like Janet!" Victoria sang again. "Sh-Shut up!" Ben pouted defensively. "Vicky, stop teasing your brother," Judy said as she put her daughter down on the floor. "But it's true!" Vicky said. "It-It is not!" Ben cried in his defense, blushing. "Vicky, come on. Stop embarrassing your brother," Nick said.
The rest of the morning passed without incident as Nick and Judy waited for Janet Clayworth to arrive, dressing up in their blue uniforms and sitting downstairs with their kids on the couch after they ate their breakfast. When Janet finally did arrive, Ben was joyous and Vicky teased him about it. "Well, you know where the emergency contact numbers are located, and there's a big pan of macaroni & cheese in the fridge, along with some vegetarian lasagna. Be sure to help yourself to some, and the TV has the parental locks set on it," Nick said.
"And the cupboard next to the TV has those board games in it, right?" Janet asked them. "Yep. You can let the kids outside to play in the backyard as long as it doesn't rain, and make sure that they clean themselves up after coming back inside," Judy said. "Oh, and make sure that Ben and Vicky remember to wash their paws after using the bathroom. Ben has been a little negligent about that lately," Nick chimed in.
"Got it. So, basically it's gonna be same old same old, right?" Janet asked them. "Pretty much," Nick said. "There's also some money and a coupon for pizza on the counter," Judy added as she and Nick prepared to leave. "Ben, Vicky; Come here before we leave," Judy called out. Ben and Victoria both ran over to the door and gave their parents hugs before they left. "Okay, we'll see you guys when we get home tonight. Be good for Janet, and make sure to clean up your messes, okay? We love you, bye!" Judy said with a smile before closing the door behind her.
Judy and Nick quickly made their way over to their car and got inside. "Ready to make the world a better place?" Judy asked her husband as he buckled his seat belt. "Aren't I always?" he asked her in return with a smirk. Judy rolled her eyes before starting the engine and pulling out of the driveway.
Curlton & Associates Corporate Office, Downtown Savanna Central...
John Bosworth quickly made his way to the elevator inside the parking garage after locking his car doors. He quietly waited for the doors to slide open before stepping inside and selecting his destination floor. Taking a breath, he checked the watch on his left wrist before the elevator arrived at the third floor and let him out.
Bosworth quickly made his way through the halls, passing by several coworkers, including two hippos engaging in conversation by a water fountain, three male springbok being lectured by an older kudu about something important, two female gemsbok walking through the hallway while discussing their finances, a male and female lechwe sneaking into a supply closet, a leopard entering the male's restroom, and two female impala entering a break room. Bosworth quietly nodded his head when a coworker said hello to him or waved. He had only one goal in mind as he made his way over to his office and signed the check-in sheet.
Quickly closing the door behind him, Bosworth made his way over to his computer, turned it on, and prepared to log in. As he waited for the machine to boot up, he felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out to see an unfamiliar number. "Hello?" he asked as he answered the call.
"Hello, John," the voice on the other end said. "Who is this?" Bosworth asked. "I'm Mister Shark and Mister Fire's boss. I know you must be having a rough time with the death of your daughter, John, but I'm afraid that your actions over the weekend have made it clear that you can no longer be trusted," the voice said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bosworth asked as he desperately began logging into his computer. "You have outlived your usefulness, John. Besides, I don't really need you or your bank as a front anyway. Goodbye, John. Oh, one more thing. Simon says die," the voice on the other end said, just ten seconds before Bosworth saw a flashing red glow appear from underneath his desk.
"What the-"
The animals outside in the hallway were caught off guard when John Bosworth's office exploded, taking out a large amount of the floor with it. Chaos reigned supreme as the various employees of the building scrambled for safety and cried out in terror. Shortly thereafter, another bomb went off near one of the outer offices, blowing smoke and debris outside into public view.
Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One...
Chief Bogo was about to slip on his reading glasses in order to announce the morning docket to his fellow officers when the door to the briefing room was pushed open by Clawhauser. "Chief, it's urgent!" Clawhauser announced, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Bogo raised an eyebrow.
"A bomb just went off a few minutes ago at Curlton and Associates corporate headquarters, and we've got a phone call from the guy responsible!" Clawhauser continued. Everyone had now focused their attention on Clawhauser. "Where... did you say this... happened?" Bogo asked him with a hint of fear in his voice. "Curlton and Associates corporate headquarters," Clawhauser said.
"The guy on the phone wants to speak to you," Clawhauser said. "Me?" Bogo asked him. "Yes. He says he really needs to talk to you. I have him on hold, but I don't think he'll wait very long," Clawhauser said. Bogo turned his attention to all of the officers in the room. "Morning briefing has changed course today. Higgins, you're in charge of the room until I return. I want at least two pairs of officers sent on patrol, however. Everyone else is to remain on standby," Bogo announced before he followed Clawhauser out of the room.
"Yes sir," Higgins, a hippo , said with a curt nod. The hippo got out of his seat and made his way to the front as Bogo left the room with Clawhauser. Bogo followed Clawhauser down the hallway before the duo made their way to the Chief's office.
Bogo quickly picked up the phone in his office. "This is Chief Bogo speaking," Bogo said. "Good morning, Chief. I take it that you are having a pleasant day so far? Or at least a better day than your friend, John Bosworth," a gruff voice said over the phone. Bogo's eyes widened before narrowing into a glare.
"Who are you?" Bogo asked as he set up the recording feature on his office phone. "You may call me Simon. And before you start searching for me in your database, please keep in mind that this is an alias," Simon said. "Alright, what do you want?" Bogo asked him. "I want to play a little game. It's called Simon Says. However, I do not wish to play it with you. I want Sergeant Nick Wilde and Sergeant Judy Wilde. I want them on the phone in five minutes," Simon said.
"Wait, what?" Bogo asked in confusion. "I'm sorry, did I stutter? I said that I want Nicholas Piberius Wilde and Judith Laverne Wilde on the phone with me in five minutes, or do I have to blow up another building to get your cooperation?" Simon responded in a threatening manner.
"Why do you want them?" Bogo asked. "The clock is ticking, Chief. I'd get them on the phone if I were you. I'll give you more details after that happens," Simon said. Bogo looked over at Clawhauser. "Clawhauser, get the Wildes in here. Now," Bogo ordered. Clawhauser rushed over to Bogo's desk and hit the intercom button. "Attention, will Sergeants Wilde and Wilde please report to Chief Bogo's office ASAP? That's under three minutes, thank you," Clawhauser said into the intercom.
Three minutes later, Judy and Nick barged into Bogo's office, panting. "Okay, what's the emergency?" Nick asked, almost out of breath. Bogo looked over at Clawhauser and motioned for him to get closer. "Here," Bogo said as he gave the phone to Nick, putting it on the speaker setting. "Clawhauser, I need you to get Captain Glover, inform him, and have him get a team ready," Bogo whispered to the portly cheetah.
Clawhauser nodded his head in understanding before leaving the room. Meanwhile, Nick and Judy were listening to the phone. "Am I speaking to Sergeants Nicholas P. Wilde and Judith L. Wilde?" Simon asked. "Yes," Nick responded. "Good. That's a hundred innocent lives saved. Now, Sergeants, I wish to play a game with you. It's called Simon Says, and I'm Simon," Simon said.
"Oookaaaayyyyy," Nick said, raising an eyebrow. "I have a number of explosive devices hidden throughout Zootopia, and you are both going on a bit of a scavenger hunt to find them," Simon said. Nick and Judy's eyes widened. "However, I must lay out some ground rules. First, Simon says that you are not allowed to use any official police transportation, except for that little meter maid cart. You may use that, but you won't be able to reach your destinations in time," Simon said.
"That figures," Nick muttered. "Second, Simon says that you are not allowed to receive help from any other police officers after the game begins. You have only each other to rely upon. And don't get cute with trying to use undercover officers to aid you. Do that even once and I will simply detonate the bomb as soon as you arrive at the destination," Simon said.
Nick sighed, while Judy furrowed her brows. "Okay, anything else?" Judy asked him. "Yes. I want you both to go to inner Beaktown on Outback Island and wear signs that say 'I hate pig-wolves and boot-skins'," Simon said. "Wait, what about the bombs!?" Nick asked him worriedly. "Ha! I didn't say 'Simon Says', idiot. Learn to pay attention, and you might just survive what I have in store for you," Simon said.
"Why are you doing this?" Judy asked. "If you survive until nightfall, perhaps you will find out. If you don't... then it won't matter," Simon said with a chuckle. "One more thing, Simon says that you are not required to wear your patrol uniform. However, I doubt you will have much time to change into anything comfortable before the game begins. After all, you only have ten minutes to reach your first destination, where a special track phone will be waiting for you, along with the special number to reach me. It is pre-paid with a set number of minutes for talk and text, so use it wisely," Simon said.
"Where's the first destination?" Nick asked. "There is an alley about two blocks away from City Hall and near Ivory Avenue, where I have hidden a briefcase and the phone. Arrive there and call me with the phone. I would also advise that you call me before opening the briefcase," Simon replied. "What's in it; the first bomb?" Nick asked. "No, it's a collection of your mother's underwear. Of course it's a bomb, you dolt," Simon replied.
"How do we know the bomb won't simply go off the moment we arrive?" Judy asked. "Because then the game would be over too quickly. After all, I have a large assortment of bombs hidden throughout the rest of the city. It would be a shame to let those just sit there with no one to deactivate them," Simon replied. "Fine, but are we allowed to hand the bombs off to someone after we've disarmed them?" Nick asked.
"Simon says yes. BUT only after you've left for your next destination. I'd recommend using children as couriers between you and the rest of the police. They love peeking into bags and briefcases out of curiosity," Simon said with a chuckle. "Anyway, at the very least, Simon says that you should use the bathroom now, because once the game starts, there is no stopping," Simon said.
"We already went after we arrived at the station," Nick said. "Then I guess you should start running to your first destination. Remember the rules. Bye," Simon said before hanging up. Nick and Judy looked over at Chief Bogo. "Do you think he's bluffing?" Nick asked the cape buffalo. Bogo shook his head. "No. He already blew up the corporate office of Curlton & Associates. I'm not taking that risk with the rest of the city. Get moving," Bogo replied firmly.
Nick and Judy both nodded their heads before turning around and running out the door. Bogo looked back down at phone with a glare before placing back on its holder. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath.
Seven Minutes Later, at Ivory Avenue...
Nick and Judy waited as the traffic light turned red and the walk signal activated. They both hurriedly dashed across the street, looking for the alley way. "How much time do we have left?" Nick asked Judy as they frantically looked around for the alley. "Less than a minute," Judy replied breathlessly as she looked at her watch.
"Shit!" Nick exclaimed, before he saw the alley. "Found it!" he yelled, grabbing Judy by the arm and pulling her along as he raced into the narrow space between two buildings. Trash littered the ground, with a newspaper covering half of a large briefcase. Grabbing the paper, Nick threw it to the side as he saw the track phone taped to the top of it.
Nick sliced the tape off and retrieved the phone, turning it on and waiting for the menu to load. "Come on, come on!" Nick whispered. "How much time?" he asked Judy. "Nine seconds!" she replied worriedly. "Oh shit, oh shit!" Nick muttered as the phone finally loaded its menu. He quickly tapped on the contacts list and chose the one labeled 'Simon', dialing the number quickly.
"Please pick up. Please pick up," Nick begged. A dial tone was heard, before the sound of the phone being answered came through. "Hello, Sergeant Wilde. You're ten seconds late," Simon said in a disappointed tone. "Well what do you want? You didn't say which specific alleyway!" Nick replied.
"Oh, my mistake. You haven't opened the briefcase yet, have you?" Simon asked them. "No, not yet," Nick replied. Judy listened in carefully, her sensitive ears picking up Simon's words easily. "Very good. You obeyed that part, but since you were late, that means I have to make things a little difficult for you. I want you to open the briefcase, and listen very carefully to my words. Do you understand? Listen and pay very close attention, Nicholas Wilde," Simon said.
"You didn't say 'Simon Says'," Nick replied. "So you are paying attention. Very good. Now, Simon says open the briefcase," Simon said. Judy hesitantly unlatched the small locking buckles from the top and opened the case up, revealing a small LCD screen and an alpha-numeric keypad ontop of a tiny computer system.
Opening the case the full way, Judy saw two small tubes of liquid, with clear tubes connecting them to something underneath the small screen and keypad system. Judy heard, only at the last second, a clicking and sliding sound. Looking down, she saw a small pressure pad connected to the electronic system and the containers. A message flashed on the screen.
I AM A BOMB.
YOU HAVE NOW ARMED ME.
YOU HAVE T-MINUS 120 SECONDS TO DEACTIVATE ME.
PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT DEACTIVATION CODE.
"Oh shit," Judy muttered, causing Nick to look down at the screen. "Fuck!" he hissed. "Oh, I should have warned you that there was a pressure-sensitive activation timer in there. Such a bad, naughty memory I have, slipping up like that. Bad memory! Very bad memory," Simon said, scolding himself mockingly. "What's the code to deactivate it?" Nick asked.
"Well, had you arrived on time, I would have stalled and given you the code at the last second. However, since you arrived late, I want you to solve a riddle for me. Simon says solve this riddle or die," Simon said gleefully. "We're listening," Nick said, forcing Judy's ears to twitch as she looked up at her husband.
"Are you both listening?" Simon asked. "Yes, we're both listening!" Judy replied from her spot crouched on the ground. "Good. Now, here is the riddle," Simon said, intentionally taking his time. "I was on my way to Saint Ives when I passed a lion with seven mates. Each mate had seven cubs. Each cub had seven toys. Toys, cubs, mates, how many were going to Saint Ives? The deactivation code is Seven-Five-Three, plus the answer to the riddle. Call me back when you have succeeded in disarming the bomb, otherwise I'll be listening for the explosion," Simon said before hanging up.
Nick ended the call and looked at his wife. "Did you get all of that? One guy, seven mates, seven cubs, seven toys for each. Shit, okay... the guy, the lion and his mates-" "Wait, I'm good at multiplying," Judy interrupted him. "I can do this," Nick said. "No, seven by seven is forty-nine, and forty nine by seven is... three hundred and forty-three, plus the lion and the guy, and that makes three hundred and forty-five!" Judy said.
Nick nodded his head as she reached down to enter the number. Judy had already entered 753, but there were still five spaces left. Wait... I was on my way to St. Ives when I passed- "Judy, wait!" Nick shouted at her. "Huh?" she asked him, glancing back at the countdown timer, which was now at twenty seconds. "That's not the answer! It's one! The answer is one!" Nick said.
"What? How can it be just one!?" Judy asked him incredulously. "Because, it's just the guy going to Saint Ives. He's passing the lion and his mates!" Nick explained. "You're right," she whispered in realization. "Yes, so enter four zeros and a one," Nick said. Judy quickly complied and pressed the 0-key four times before entering one.
DEACTIVATION CODE ACCEPTED.
CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU GET TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY, FLESH BAGS.
Nick and Judy both raised eyebrows at the end of the message. "Huh. Whoever programmed this thing certainly has an odd sense of humor," Nick mumbled. Judy nodded her head in agreement.
"Alright, let's call Simon," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and took the phone from Nick, dialing the number for their puppet-master. "Oh, you solved it? For someone so good at multiplying, I guess you may have been disappointed with how little you actually needed to do, weren't you?" Simon asked her with a chuckle. "Har-har," Judy said, unamused.
"Now, Simon says make sure that the briefcase is locked up tight, because if you close it and open it again, you'll have to go through this mess all over again," Simon said. Judy looked over at the briefcase. "Okay. We're locking it up good and tight now," Judy said as she grabbed the lock key from inside the case next to one of the liquid tubes. Nick closed the case and Judy used the key to lock the buckles on the outside.
"Now, are you ready for your next destination?" Simon asked them. "Wait, can't we hand off the briefcase to someone first?" Nick asked. "Hm... let me think... not yet. Simon says you'll just have to carry it with you until I say otherwise. So, your next destination is at a casino and entertainment center, a large strip of sorts, in Sahara Square. I have an animal under my pay keeping an eye on the bomb until you enter the region," Simon said.
"Why would you do that?" Judy asked him. "The bomb is meant for you. Letting someone else blow themselves up with it would be cheating," Simon said. "Anyway, the bomb is located around the Longhorn Casino, at the Oasis Strip. Simon says to call after arriving for further instructions. Simon says that you have thirty minutes to make it and call me after reaching the front doors of the casino, or else the bomb will be detonated by remote. A lot of animals will die if you don't get there in time. As stated before, official police transportation is not allowed. Your thirty minutes begin... now," Simon said before hanging up.
"Can we even make it there in thirty minutes on foot?" Nick asked his wife. "No. There's no way. Not on foot," she said, shaking her head. The duo rushed out of the alley and watched the traffic going by, seeing a large taxi stopping as the light at the intersection turned red. Behind it was a medium-sized taxi for smaller mammals, and it had no occupants save the driver. Judy smirked as an idea popped into her head.
"Nick," she said as she nudged his arm, "I think I found a way." "Huh?" he asked her before she pointed at the taxi. "Oh come on, there's no way that the driver will get us there in time," Nick said. "What if we're the ones driving?" Judy asked him.
"Carrots, think about what you're suggesting," Nick said. "We can't risk letting another bomb go off, Nick. We have no choice. Whatever it takes," Judy said. "God dammit," Nick muttered before Judy shot across the street. He quickly ran after her. "Judy, wait!" Nick cried out as he carried the briefcase.
Judy ran over to the driver's side door and pounded on the window. The driver, a leopard, turned his head to look at her and lowered the window. "You need a lift?" he asked her. "Yes! This is official ZPD business; we need to commandeer your vehicle!" Judy exclaimed.
The leopard raised an eyebrow. "Say what?" he asked her, confused. "We need to commandeer your taxi!" Judy shouted frantically. "Unless you can get us to Oasis Strip in under thirty minutes!" she added. "Today? Maybe in forty, but not thirty," the leopard said.
Judy frowned and leaped up at him. "Sir, please! This is a life-or-death situation!" Judy yelled as she grabbed him. "Where's your cruiser? Don't you guys have your own cop cars?" the driver asked them suspiciously as he tried to pry Judy off of him. "It was stolen! It was stolen and the suspects are heading for the Longhorn Casino! If we don't get that car back and save the passenger inside, we could lose our jobs!" Judy lied dramatically.
"Okay! Okay!" the leopard said, having been convinced by Judy's lie. "Thank you! Now, if you'll let me do the driving, then you won't get fired for any traffic violations!" Judy added. "Okay, fine. Just let me get over to the other side," the leopard said as he got out. Judy quickly leapt inside, unlocking the passenger door.
"Nick, get in the other side, now!" Judy cried out. Nick nodded his head and ran over to the other side before getting into the passenger side and closing the door. "Hey, what about me!? This is my cab!" the leopard cried out as Judy locked the doors. "Thank you for your cooperation!" Judy shouted before honking the horn, causing the leopard to run onto the sidewalk. Nick and Judy both buckled their seat belts before Judy backed up the car and pulled out around the larger taxi, rushing through traffic and making a right turn before taking another one at the nearest intersection, causing several cars to honk their horns.
"Judy, what the fuck are you doing!?" Nick asked her. "We have less than thirty minutes, Nick, and we have a long way to go," Judy replied. "Judy, we won't even have our badges after this is over," Nick said with a frown. "Nick, we can't just let this guy kill hundreds of innocent animals! If we don't get there in time, he'll detonate the bomb remotely! Didn't you hear him!?" Judy asked in response.
"Yes! But... you do realize that we might not have jobs anymore because of that stunt you just pulled, right?" Nick asked her. "I... We can't stop now, Nick! I don't like doing this either, but it's the only choice we have!" Judy replied. Nick could see the tears threatening to spill down his wife's cheek as she struggled internally with her decision.
"Alright. Let's keep going. Just don't get us killed," Nick said as Judy made ran red light after red light, narrowly missing large giraffe and elephant-sized cars and trucks as they passed through each intersection. "Put the pedal to the metal," Judy said under her breath. "Not even Gibson could get away with this shit," Nick muttered to himself.
Soon, they came across a large intersection with traffic packed too tight for them to weave straight through. Judy quickly spun the wheel and made a sharp right turn, passing several cars of all sizes before making a sharp left turn to make an illegal U-Turn between the traffic ahead of them and behind them. "What are you doing!?" Nick asked her in terror.
"Turning us around!" Judy shouted back as they passed by the back wheels of an elephant's car in the immediate left lane before passing in front of a large truck in the right lane. Judy glared at the back of a large moving van that was in front of them, seeing that there was just enough space between it and the elephant car next to it. Nick saw her line of sight and frowned. "Oh, please, Judy. Don't!" he cried out in fear.
"Trust me, Nick! I know what I'm doing!" Judy exclaimed wildly. "Judy, not even God knows what you're doing at this point!" Nick exclaimed, his heart pounding away at a million beats per minute. "Just trust me!" Judy exclaimed as she hit the gas pedal even harder, flooring the car as she sped between the two large vehicles.
"We're not even gonna live to deactivate the bomb at this rate!" Nick screamed. "Honey? Please shut up!" Judy snapped at her husband as she made a right turn at the intersection, cutting off the moving van, which honked its horn at her. "Fucking asshole!" the driver yelled as Judy and Nick passed into the lane and kept going.
Looking through a pair of binoculars from a rooftop near one of the transitional tunnels between Savanna Central and Sahara Square, Khali Sherakh smirked as he watched the taxi weave through traffic recklessly. "My, my. I should have brought popcorn," he said to himself. John Phoenix glanced over at him and chuckled slightly. "When they've left Savanna Central, we'll start getting ready for the operation," Phoenix said.
"Yes, but shouldn't we wait until they're taking care of their next task before we move? Make certain that they've reached the target, just in case? Just because they can't receive help from the rest of the ZPD doesn't mean they can't call for someone to check out a disturbance at a location they know of," Sherakh said.
"Yeah, but they don't know that," Phoenix said. "True, but I don't think we should take the risk. At least, not yet," Sherakh said. "How about we call the boss and ask him ourselves?" Phoenix suggested. "Go ahead. Let's find out what he wants us to do. After all, this is his party," Sherakh said.
"Alright, I'll call him," Phoenix said as he took out his phone and called Komo. "Phoenix? What's the situation?" Komo asked him. "Bunny and Clyde are on their way to Sahara Square. But, do you want us to begin our operation after they've entered Sahara Square, or only after they've reached the casino?" Phoenix asked him.
"Wait until I give you the order. Just keep tabs on them and the other police forces in Savanna Central until I receive the next phone call from the duo. After that, I will contact you with your orders. Until then, however, just wait and watch. Goodbye," Komo said before hanging up.
"He said he'll call us to give the order when he's ready," Phoenix relayed. "That works for me. It's probably best that neither of us take any major actions without him telling us this early on. Besides, moving too soon could give us away," Sherakh said in response. "You're getting smarter," Phoenix said. "Hn," Sherakh grunted in response.
"Judy, look out!" Nick cried as Judy swerved the taxi in front of an oncoming big rig truck. She hit the gas and passed by another car before weaving into the space in front of it, just before the truck sped past them. Nick had dug his claws into the seat as he frantically glanced around at the traffic that they were passing.
"We're gonna die," Nick whined. "We are not gonna die! No one else is going to die today! Not on my watch!" Judy exclaimed as she pulled out from behind the car in front of them and sped forward. She then saw a massive eighteen wheeler taking up two lanes of traffic. Judy frowned before turning the wheel, steering the car left into a wave on oncoming traffic. "Judy, what the fuck are you doing!?" Nick cried out in terror as multiple cars and trucks honked their horns at them.
"You'll see!" Judy replied before she weaved around the various cars and trucks driving by them. She eventually managed to get back into their own proper lane, speeding in front of nearly a dozen other cars and the 18-Wheeler before settling back in line with the rest of traffic. "How much time do we have?" Judy asked Nick, who was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. "Nick! How much time!?" Judy asked him.
"Huh!? Oh! Uh... seventeen minutes!" Nick replied as Judy hit the pedal again and passed around more traffic before exiting the transitional tunnel. "Judy... where did you learn to drive like this!?" Nick asked her after they almost hit an oncoming minivan carrying a family of coyotes. "Does it really matter at this point!?" she asked him in response.
"I don't know!" Nick shouted in response as Judy swerved to avoid another car before passing two more on her right and pulling into the passing lane again. "Judy, this is reckless endangerment!" Nick exclaimed as she pulled out and sped between two large cars passing by each other. "I see the strip!" Judy exclaimed as they got closer. "We're still at seven to ten minutes away from it!" Nick shouted at her as he saw the buildings in the distance. Judy grinned and sped forward.
Longhorn Casino, Oasis Strip, Sahara Square, 12 Minutes Later...
Judy brought the taxi to an abrupt halt near the front doors of the Longhorn Casino. Were it not for the seat belts, she and Nick would both have been flung forward into the windshield. "J-Judy? Please, never do that again," Nick requested. "We... how much time do-do we have?" Judy asked him. Nick brought out his cell phone and looked at the clock. "We have five minutes. Shit!" Nick exclaimed before he unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the taxi, slamming the door behind him before opening it back up and grabbing the briefcase from the floor.
Judy and Nick raced over to the front doors as several animals looked at the taxi before turning their attention to the two cops. Judy quickly pulled out the phone and called "Simon." "Hello, Judith. I take it you're at the front doors of the casino?" Simon asked her. "Yes. We-We're here," Judy said. "Good. So, you have five minutes to spare. I'm impressed," Simon said. "Just tell us what you want us to do," Judy said.
"Eager, are we? Fair enough. The bomb is located inside a slot machine on the first floor of the casino. Unlike the pressure bomb, however, this one is tied to the slot machine's inner workings, so you'll have to open the back of each machine to find it. Simon says you may call for a bomb disposal team after deactivating this one, however, do not do so beforehand. If I see signs that a bomb squad is heading your way before you've called me, I will detonate the device remotely. Do you understand?" Simon asked.
"Yeah. We... we understand," Nick said. "Good. Here are your clues for finding the right machine. It is large, red, and yellow. There is no blue on it at all. There is desert imagery on it," Simon said. Nick glanced inside and saw that almost half of the machines in view had the desert theme on them. "Anything else? Any other details?" Nick asked.
"Yes. Simon says find the answer to the following question: 'X' equals two plus two, minus two, multiplied by two, and then divided by two. Add 'X' to seventeen. Simon says that will be your slot machine number. But you'd better hurry. Simon says you only have fifteen minutes to find the machine and deactivate the bomb before calling again. And there are no extensions on the deadline. One more thing. Simon says you may hand off the other bomb after you have completed this task. Have fun," Simon said.
Nick and Judy could practically hear the grin on Simon's mouth with his last words before he hung up on them. Nick and Judy walked into the casino, where an employee walked up to them. "Um, excuse me, but you are not allowed to park that vehicle there," the employee, a wildebeest, said. "Look, we're on a deadline," Nick said.
"What's in the suitcase?" the wildebeest asked. "It's... evidence. Listen, we have word that someone is using some machines here to hide and distribute counterfeit money, and we need to check the slot machines," Nick lied. "Are you serious?" the wildebeest asked him. "Trust us, this is not exactly a good day for us," Judy said.
"You may want to move your vehicle first," the employee said. "Sir, this is official ZPD business. We need to check out one of your machines," Nick said. "Well, "officers", I'd like to see some identification," the employee demanded. Nick and Judy both took out their badges and IDs, earning a nod of approval from the wildebeest.
"Is there anything else you need?" the employee asked them. "Yeah. We need you to try to keep this quiet until we're finished with our search. Just give us fifteen minutes, please," Nick requested. "Fifteen minutes. I can do that. I will, however, have to speak with the manager to let him know," the employee said. "Of course. Just give us... shit, nine minutes! Just give us nine minutes to find the bo-I mean, money," Nick said.
"D-Did you... were you about to say, 'bomb'?" the employee asked. "Listen, you have to keep this quiet. This thing has a remote control. Whoever planted it in here can detonate it at any second if he finds out that we've told anyone. Just get your manager and try to keep things under control, okay?" Nick asked.
"S-Sure. My mouth is shut," the employee said before running off. "We're fucked," Nick said forlornly as he and Judy watched the employee run through the casino. "We need to hurry," Judy said as she and Nick hurried over to the desert-themed slot machines. Judy took a minute to remember the words that "Simon" said to them. Simon said... he didn't say 'Simon says' when telling us anything but the machine's number!
"Nick, wait!" Judy said as she grabbed his arm. "What? What's wrong?" Nick asked her. "He didn't say 'Simon says' when he told us about the colors and other details of the slot machine. Only the machine's identification number," Judy explained. "Right. The ID. He said the machine number was seventeen plus X. X is... two plus two, minus two, times two, and finally divided by two," Nick said. "Okay, so... two plus two equals four. Four minus two is two again. Two multiplied by two is four again. And four divided by two is... two again," Judy said in confusion.
"The answer was always two?" Nick asked her. "He could have just told us that it was seventeen plus two," Nick grumbled. "He wants us to waste our time so that we can't find the bo-the you-know-what in time," Judy said as she noticed several animals looking at them. "Okay, so with that out of the way... we should look for a... blue slot machine," Nick said.
"Are you sure?" Judy asked him. "Yeah," Nick said as he looked at the numbers on the tops of each slot machine. "But... is it nineteen, or one-seventy-two?" he asked himself. "Um... what?" Judy asked him. "Carrots, you look for a machine numbered nineteen, and I'll look for one numbered one-seventy-two," Nick said before parting ways with her.
Judy and Nick quickly scrambled around the casino as they searched for the machines. "Where the hell did you come up with one-seventy-two?" Judy grumbled under her breath as she passed multiple slot machines, searching for the one numbered nineteen. She soon found it, with a large rhino playing it. Running over to the back, Judy saw that the paneling was slightly askew, and she noticed at least two screws lying on the floor.
She looked over at the rhino, who was also wearing a tool-belt. "Hey, do you have a screwdriver? Preferably Phillips head?" Judy asked him. "Say what?" the rhino asked her. "Do you have a Phillips head screwdriver?" Judy asked him. "Yeah. But what do you-hey!" the rhino exclaimed as Judy lunged forward and grabbed his tool-belt.
"What the hell are you doing!?" he asked her in surprise. "Sir, this is ZPD business! I need to use this screwdriver," Judy apologized before leaping down and unscrewing the paneling of the back of the machine. "Hey, what are you doing to the slots!?" he asked her. "Sir, please! This is ZPD business!" Judy pleaded as she fumbled twice with the screwdriver. "Come on!" she whispered to herself.
Nick soon returned to her. "Okay I couldn't-did you find it!?" he asked her as he saw her opening the paneling. "Oh. I see. You're both part of some scheme to-" "Shut the fuck up!" Nick swore at the rhino as he pulled out his badge and ID. Judy soon finished removing the paneling. "Got it! Okay, I... oh shit," Judy said with a frown.
"What?" Nick asked her. "We've only got four minutes on the timer, and I don't know where to start," Judy said, prompting Nick to kneel down behind her and look into the open space. He saw the bomb and timer, with tubes, wires, and small containers of liquid connected to each other. There was a thud as the rhino stepped behind them. "Okay, assholes, I don't know what you're... the hell is that?" he asked as he saw the device. "Um... that... is a bomb," Nick said.
The rhino's eyes widened before he stepped away. "Bomb! There's a bomb in the casino!" the rhino shouted. Nick and Judy both frowned as they realized what was going to happen soon. "Shit, someone's gonna call the ZPD any second!" Nick muttered. Judy looked back over at the rhino and saw a pair of wire cutters in his belt. She shot back over to him and grabbed the cutters before running back over and glancing at the wires and tubes.
Judy reached inside and put a paw on one of the tubes connected to the liquid. "Nick, Simon has been using the same setup for these bombs, but I don't know if I've seen these before today," Judy said. "Okay, two or more canisters of liquid. Um, that... okay, that's... uh, shit. Um, that's... it's a... bi-binary! Yeah, binary explosive! When two chemical agents meet, they react explosively. So... just keep the liquids from touching each other!" Nick explained, silently praying that he was right.
Judy reached into the machine, grabbed a tube, and yanked hard, pulling it free. The air pressure that had been inside of the tube was released, causing the liquid to shoot out onto Judy and the floor. "Fuck!" Judy cried out as Nick pulled her away. He then grabbed the cutters and crimped down on the tube just enough to bend it and hold the liquid inside before cutting the wires of the bomb.
The lights on the slot machine turned off, and an anti-theft alarm began ringing from inside, before Nick cut that as well. "Judy, give me the phone," Nick said desperately. Judy nodded her head as she heard someone dialing 911 in panic. "Hello, Simon? We found the bomb and deactivated it!" Nick said frantically.
"Very good. You are, however, twenty seconds late. Time to die," Simon said. "What!? No!" Nick and Judy cried out. They soon heard chuckling on the other end of the line. "Ha! Oh my... oh! Ha-ha! I didn't... I didn't say 'Simon says'! Ba-ha! You guys must be running on adrenaline by this point! I wish I could have seen your faces, or at least taken a picture!" Simon exclaimed over the phone.
"Uh, Simon... a patron saw the bomb and alerted the rest of the police. What does that mean for us?" Nick asked carefully. "Nothing. You weren't the ones who called them, and so you are still playing by the rules. Although... I would suggest leaving for your next destination before the rest of the police arrive. It may be difficult to tell if you've been assisted or not should they arrive when you're still in the area," Simon said.
"Okay, just let us hand off the other... device, and we'll proceed," Judy said with a sigh. "Very well. Simon says that your next destination... is Central Station. I have something very special waiting for you and all of the passengers of the Inner Loop Line when it makes its one-thirty stop. Simon says you have until that time to arrive at the platform and call me," Simon said before hanging up.
"Nick, what time is it right now?" Judy asked him. Nick looked at his watch. "It's twelve forty-five," he replied. "We have forty-five minutes to get to Central Station," Judy said. "Wait, we should get that stuff cleaned off of you," Nick said as he remembered how Judy had been splashed with the bomb's liquid. "There's no time," Judy said as she saw the crowd of panicked gamblers and casino patrons.
"Excuse me," a voice said from behind them. Nick and Judy both turned around to see a coyote wearing an employee uniform walking up to them. "Um, the manager explained to me that you are both police officers with a little problem. The rest of the police have been called and the bomb squad is on its way," the coyote said, nervously glancing over at the other patrons and employees who had been riled up and thrown into a chaotic frenzy.
"Sir, can we trust you to give this briefcase to the police when they arrive? It has a bomb inside of it that has a pressure-sensitive trigger mechanism, so don't open it," Nick said. "Absolutely. I will show this to the manager and have it placed in a secure location for the police when they arrive. However, is it locked?" the coyote asked them. "Yeah. Judy, give him the key," Nick said before Judy pulled the key out of her uniform pocket.
The coyote took the briefcase from Nick and the key from Judy. "Thank you. Now... um, which way should I hold it to keep it safe?" the coyote asked. "I don't remember. Just make sure that no one opens it," Nick said. "I most certainly will. Good luck with... wherever it is that you're going," the coyote said before Nick and Judy turned around and ran out of the casino.
Running outside, Nick and Judy saw the taxi being hitched up to a tow-truck. "We... we can find another way to get there," Nick said as he looked around the streets of Oasis Strip for another means of transportation. "Wait... how close is the nearest train station?" Judy asked Nick.
"I don't... uh... there's one near the Oasis Hotel, but that's the Bunnyburrow Line," Nick said, shaking his head in frustration. "Wait... there are two line stops by Agave Avenue. One of them is the Inner Loop Line," Nick said. "How far away is it?" Judy asked him. "On foot? A good fifteen minutes if we run," Nick said. "Then we'd better hurry," Judy said.
Fifteen Minutes Later...
Almost out of breath, Nick and Judy reached the platform for the Agave Avenue Dual Line Station. "Okay, the Inner Loop Line should be on that end of the station," Nick said as he pointed to their left. "Let's move!" Judy exclaimed as they dashed forward. The Agave Avenue Dual Line Station was a massive facility, housing platforms for both the Inner Loop and the Oasis Loop, albeit on separate ends of the station.
Nick and Judy rushed forward, panting as they made their way through a throng of animals entering and exiting the station. "At least... we don't have anyone shooting at us," Nick panted as he and Judy entered the front doors. "Amen to that," Judy said in agreement as they entered the lobby and ran down the stairs.
The train was just closing its doors as the duo reached the bottom. "Shit, run!" Nick cried. He and Judy both darted towards the closing doors of the nearest car. "We're not gonna make it!" Nick cried as Judy lunged forward and rolled into the car. He grabbed onto the doors with both paws to pause it just long enough to get inside before letting it close. Panting and almost out of breath, Nick and Judy looked around the car, seeing tigers, springbok, fallow deer, wildebeest, and coyotes looking at them in confusion.
"We... our cruiser broke and we have to get back to Savanna Central ASAP," Nick lied with a nervous chuckle. The other patrons all nodded their heads, most of them not really caring, and resumed their prior activities and conversations with each other. Nick walked over and pulled Judy up from the floor. "You okay?" he asked her.
"Yeah. That did wonders for my back," Judy replied sarcastically. "Well... at least we made it onto the train," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and looked up at the TV attached to the wall of the car, before looking over at a digital clock mounted on another end of the car. "One O'clock," Judy said with wide eyes.
"When's the next stop?" Nick asked her. Judy pointed up at a wall-mounted digital display. "Vornoy Plaza? How long will it be stopped?" Nick asked rhetorically. Judy ran over to a small digital kiosk for public usage and accessed the train's stop schedule. "It'll be stopped for ten minutes," she said. "And when's the next stop after that?" Nick asked her. "Central Station, at one-thirty," she replied.
"Is the bomb on the train or at the station?" Nick asked her. "Simon didn't say," Judy replied with slumped shoulders. "Shit!" Nick spat. Looking over at the rest of the car, Nick saw a yellow phone box for maintenance and train staff. It was an old device, a relic of an older time, but it still had its uses under certain conditions and situations. Eyeing the box suspiciously, Nick walked over to it and saw that there was a tint to the wall next to it, which indicated that it had been moved from its original spot recently.
Gently reaching forward and nudging the box with his paw, Nick moved it slightly, before undoing the clasp on the side and opening it. Inside of the box... was a phone. "Huh. I was kind of expecting something else," Nick said to himself. "I'll guess we'll have to wait until we get to the station to ask Simon for information," Judy said reluctantly.
"At least we get a chance to breathe," Nick said as he looked at her. "Come on; let's get that stuff wiped off your uniform," he said as he saw a door to a bathroom. He motioned for Judy to follow him inside.
Inside the back of a black van moving through Savanna Central, Phoenix looked over at Sherakh from where he was sitting. "You gonna be okay there?" Phoenix asked him in a disinterested fashion. Sherakh was covering up his left eye with a bandage and sporting several gashes on his face, along with multiple bruises and cuts on his arms. Portions of his clothes were torn as well, and his left leg had several more cuts and bruises. Sherakh glanced at Phoenix and frowned at him. "Shut up," he spat in annoyance.
Phoenix chuckled in response. "Relax. It could be worse. She could've branded ya," Phoenix said with a grin. Sherakh looked at him with a grumpy half-smile and shook his head in agitation at the dingo. "If you had helped me instead of just hanging back, this wouldn't be so bad," Sherakh said. "Yeah... but I figured it was time you got yourself a bit of a battle scar of something. I mean... it's only fair," Phoenix replied with a sneer as he opened his shirt and pointed at the very brand mark that Sherakh himself had given him years earlier.
"Fuck you," Sherakh spat at him. "No, fuck you," Phoenix retorted with a grin. "Forget it. Let's just return to home base and wait for further instructions. We completed the operation," Sherakh said with a frown. "Cheer up, Khali. After all, I hear that some females are attracted to males with scars," Phoenix said with a smirk. Sherakh merely growled in response.
Approaching Central Station...
Judy watched out the window as the train entered a large tunnel that soon sloped downward before leveling out. They were nearing the underground portion of Central Station. Judy's uniform had been mostly cleaned and wiped, although it was still moist in some spots. "Okay, the phone's ready," Judy said as she looked up at the digital clock on the wall.
01:28 pm.
The train soon pulled up to the landing platform, with less than a minute to spare. Nick and Judy both rushed forward and leapt out of the doors onto the platform, pushing past several animals. "Hey, watch it!" some of them shouted at them.
Judy quickly pulled out the phone and dialed Simon's number. "Hello there, Wilde. I take it you have both reached the platform?" Simon asked. "Yeah. We're here," Judy said, with Nick listening in while looking around for any signs of the next bomb. "You continue to surprise me with your perseverance. How annoying," Simon said facetiously, not that Judy or Nick were aware of this.
"Okay, where's the bomb?" Judy asked him. "Patience, my dear. Patience. The bomb is located in a trash can next to an emergency phone on the wall. There should be a yellow line over top of it. Unfortunately, it is set to go off in three seconds," Simon said. "What!? Oh shit!" Nick and Judy asked before diving for cover. The phone skid out of Judy's paws and over onto the floor.
Not hearing or feeling anything, the duo slowly got up and looked over at the phone, hearing the sound of laughter on the other end. Nick walked over and picked up the phone, just before an oblivious elephant put his foot on the ground. Quickly holding the phone to his chest for safety, Nick turned around and look at the trash can, before turning his attention to his wife.
"Ha-ha-ha! Ah-ha! Oh, oh! Ho-ho-ho! I didn't say 'Simon Says'! You guys are terrible listeners!" Simon belted out with more raucous laughter. The laughter soon died down, and the mysterious animal began speaking again. "Okay. I'm done with the joking. But, really. I honestly do wish I had been there to see your reactions. It would have been worth getting caught. Anyway, Simon says that-" "Yeah, real funny, jerkoff!" Nick spat into the phone.
"Do not interrupt me, Nicholas. Now, as I was saying, Jerkoff, the location of the next bomb is on the ground floor above you. To aid you further, it is near a source of water used by certain species to reach to ground floor. If it is not obvious when you reach the lobby, then I feel so sorry for all of the animals in the station. Simon says call me after you've found the bomb and have deactivated it. Good luck," Simon said before hanging up.
"The ground floor lobby?" Nick asked as he looked at the large sets of stairs near an elevator. "Come on," Judy said as she grabbed Nick by the arm and pulled him along. The duo quickly made their way up the stairs and into the lobby, looking around for a source of water. "I don't... wait, over there," Nick said as he saw a hippo coming out of a water-escalator.
"I see it," Judy said. They both quickly ran over to each side of the water pool, carefully avoiding the various rodents exiting the transport tubes nearby. Judy looked all over the floor on her side of the water area, before she looked up at the raised section that was covered in plants. Her eyes widened as a light bulb in her head flickered on.
Judy quickly hopped up onto a bench before hopping onto the small atrium of soil and plants on the arch overlooking the water pool. There, sitting in the dirt, was a briefcase. Next to the briefcase were two large empty jugs. One was a five gallon jug, and the other was a three gallon jug. Judy looked down at the pool of water below. There was something in the back of her mind, an itching sensation, that made her wary of opening up the briefcase.
Nick soon crawled up and saw the jugs and the briefcase. "Okay, what the hell is this?" Nick asked her. "I don't know, but I can't decide if we should open the briefcase or not," Judy said in response. "Let's grab the jugs and the briefcase. We can get a better look on a bench," Nick said. Judy nodded her head and grabbed the jugs while Nick grabbed the briefcase.
Carefully climbing down from the plants and onto the floor, Nick placed the briefcase on the ground. "Okay, do you think the jugs are connected to this?" Judy asked him. "They have to be. Simon told us to look in an area near water, so those can't just be here by coincidence," Nick replied.
He slowly moved forward to unhook the latches of the briefcase. "Wait, don't open it!" Judy implored him. "Come on, we have to," Nick retorted. "Nick, what it has a pressure timer like the first one?" Judy asked him. "And what if it doesn't? What if the countdown has already started and we need to open it to find out how to stop it?" he asked her in response.
Nick and Judy both stared into each other's eyes, terrified of both possibilities, and well aware that in either scenario, their time could be very limited. Nick reached into his uniform and took out a quarter. "Heads, we open it. Tails, we call Simon and pray that this is a dud," Nick said shakily. Judy looked at the briefcase worriedly, gulping as Nick flipped the coin into the air.
The coin flipped over and over as it rose and then descended, before Nick caught it and placed it on the op of his paw. Removing his paw from the top, he looked down at the coin. "Heads. We open it," Nick said with shaky breath. Judy and Nick both sucked in a breath of air as the fox slowly undid the latches of the briefcase and opened it, revealing another small computer and screen system, along with a scale on the bottom. Nick held the briefcase open, but not all the way. He waited with baited breath for any sign of the machine turning on.
"Maybe it's a dud," he said hopefully before he pushed the rest of the lid back, causing it to click in place. This caused a beeping noise to sound and the lights to come on, along with the screen, which showed them both a message. "Me and my big mouth," Nick muttered in dismay.
I AM A BOMB.
YOU HAVE JUST ARMED ME.
TO SURVIVE, PLACE FOUR GALLONS OF WATER ON MY SCALE BEFORE THE COUNTDOWN TIMER REACHES 00:00 MINUTES AND SECONDS.
Accompanying this message was a voice overlay. "Good job! You've entered the final lap! Now, alongside your bomb are two jugs for water. One holds five gallons and the other holds three gallons. You must place exactly four gallons of water on the scale to stop the countdown, and it must be precise. One ounce over four and it explodes, one ounce under and it explodes. Don't worry about the weight of the jug, though. That's already been programmed into the computer, meaning that you must also choose the correct jug as well. I don't need to say 'Simon Says' for you to know what will happen if you fail. Call me when you have disarmed the bomb, and have a nice day," Simon's voice said with a courteous tone.
"What the hell did we do to deserve this?" Nick asked rhetorically. "That doesn't matter right now," Judy said as she looked at the water jugs. "We have to disarm this thing," she added as she looked at the countdown timer. They only had 3.5 minutes left to disarm the bomb.
"Okay, Nick, I need you to fill the five gallon jug and then empty three gallons into the three-gallon jug. Then, empty the three-gallon jug so that only one gallon remains. There are still line markers on the three-gallon jug," Judy said. "What?" Nick asked her. "Trust me on this!" Judy said as she grabbed the three-gallon jug while Nick grabbed the five-gallon jug.
"Okay, what do I do again?" Nick asked Judy as she raced over to the water pool and began filling the jug. "Nick, get your tail over here!" Judy yelled at him. Nick quickly ran over to her side and began filling the jug.
Komo Domo sat back in his chair as the door opened. He looked over at Phoenix and Sherakh as they stepped into the room. "John. Sher-what happened to you?" Komo asked the tiger. "We had... unexpected resistance," Sherakh replied. Komo looked the dishelved tiger up and down, taking in the various scars and bruises on his arms and face, along with the torn up parts of his outfit. "I take it you had a fight with a blender?" Komo asked him humorously. "Not exactly," Sherakh said with a sigh.
"But you still accomplished the mission, right? They're in our possession now?" Komo asked him. "Yes. We've got them," Sherakh replied with a sigh. Komo nodded his head and smiled.
He remained quiet for a minute, as he closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation. He then opened his eyes again and looked at Sherakh and Phoenix. "Now, Sherakh. I just need to know one more thing," Komo said. "Yes, Boss?" Sherakh asked the dragon. "You made certain that tomorrow's bomb is properly hidden, right? No one is going to find it until we call the police and send them out?" Komo asked him.
"Positive. Besides, the only way to find it is to take apart what it's hidden inside," Sherakh replied with a firm nod. "No one questioned you when you installed it? No one asked too many questions?" Komo asked him. "I answered everything according to your script," Sherakh replied. "Good," Komo said with a smile. "Now, we just wait for the Wildes to call me, and I can send them on their final chase for the day," the dragon added with a smirk.
Back At Central Station...
"Careful, Nick! You're spilling the water!" Judy exclaimed as Nick poured the water from the three gallon jug into the five gallon jug. "I'm sorry, but this has been a very stresful day, Carrots!" Nick retorted as he tried to keep his shaking paws steady. "Almost there," Judy said before she looked over at the countdown timer.
There were only forty-five seconds left on the timer. "Shit! Move, move!" Judy implored as Nick pulled his jug away from the other one. Judy quickly stepped around the water puddles on the ground and made her way over to the briefcase, gently setting the jug down on the scale.
00:30
COUNTDOWN ABORTED.
HUZZAH.
"Who the hell programmed these things?" Nick asked rhetorically. "We'll find out when this is over," Judy said before reaching into her uniform and pulling out the track phone. She dialed Simon's number and waited for a response.
"So, you've survived again, eh? I must say, this is a bit annoying. However, I suppose it's to be expected from the two of you. Now, I have just one more destination for you today," Simon said over the phone. "Wait, just one?" Nick asked. "Yes, only one. Are you ready?" Simon asked them. "Yeah, we're ready," Judy said.
"Okay. Simon says that your destination is Four-Nineteen Evergreen Road, Savanna Central. You may take your time if you'd like," Simon said. "Wait... say that address again," Judy said as a sense of dread began to well up inside of her stomach. "The destination... is Four-Nineteen Evergreen Road, Savanna Central. You should be quite familiar with it. Call me five minutes after you've arrived. There's no rush." Simon then hung up the phone.
"Judy... please tell me I heard that wrong," Nick said. "No," she said with a lump in her throat. Judy quickly took out her other phone and dialed Janet Clayworth's number. She received only a busy signal. "Nick, you try calling Janet. Call the house phone!" Judy implored him. Nick nodded his head and tried both after each one had failed.
"No. Please, no," Nick whimpered as hundreds of horrifying scenarios ran through his head, each one worse than the last. "Judy, what's the fastest way home?" Nick asked her. "We'll call a taxi," Judy said. "Alright. Let's go," Nick said in agreement, before the two officers dismantled the bomb and closed the briefcase back up, taking it with them. They had one destination left for the day.
Author's Notes: See? This is how I merged Lethal Weapon (1987) with Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995). So, what has Komo done to Nick and Judy's home? What's the status of Janet and their children? And what is Lisker's role going to be in all of this?
Also, lechwe and gemsbok are both types of antelope species.
As always, let me know what you guys think of the chapter and/or story so far, along with your guesses and answers to the above questions, in your reviews.
