Author note :
Baggaid (Galak0) and Cimar of Turalis WildeHopps have done their best to provide you with a quick translation of this chapter (and with an undeniable quality, of course). Many thanks to them for their fantastic work.
And a big thank you to all the new followers and those who take a little bit of their time to leave a review. It makes us extremely happy and motivates us a lot.
See'you soon, I hope, for Chapter 11!
Chapter 10 : Media immunity
In his lifetime, Nick Wilde had practiced a lot of illicit actions; scams of all kinds, shameless cheating and low blows. And if he was quite honest with himself, he didn't regret most of them. Sometimes, he was even praising himself for his technique, his flexibility, and his intelligence. In short; his skills for this kind of thing were nearly above reproach. In fact, shame and regret were not really feelings to which he was accustomed. It was, however, under the control of these detestable emotions that he crossed the gates of the main police station about two o'clock in the morning, surrounded by officer Fangmeyer and Lieutenant Delgato. They didn't need to guide him, nor handcuff him. They only respected the regulations that required them to closely watch over any suspect they were leading to detention.
Fortunately for Nick, at such a late hour, there were not many mammal to witness his decline. Not that it really mattered for him, anyway. There was only one mammal he was afraid of meeting at that moment, and of course it had to happen…
Judy was standing beside Benjamin Clawhauser at the reception. Nick saw her looking at him as soon as he had entered into the building. At first he had read in her eyes a deep relief, and thought for a second that she would run in his direction to throw herself into his arms. If he had the impression that the impulse of this movement had been initiated in the rabbit's thin body, she nevertheless repressed it violently, walling herself behind a more closed expression.
The fox would have accepted any judgment, any condemnation, criticism, bawling, a score settling, even a good pair of slaps...but what he got was much worse than that. Judy's look expressed absolutely nothing. No anger, no rancor, no sadness...only a deep disinterest. Was she doing it knowingly? He wasn't sure…but it was the best way to tear Nicholas Wilde apart.
While Delgato left Nick to Fangmeyer's responsibility, the latter took the initiative of passing a bit closer to the reception than necessary. No doubt the wolf hoped to give both the fox and rabbit a service, if he gave them the opportunity of exchanging a few words.
Nick tried his luck, as he passed about a yard away from Judy: "Listen, Carrots, I..."
"Not now," was the only answer he got from her.
Her voice was dry, cold and sharp...but he also perceived the slight vibration of an emotion hardly contained. Nick pitifully lowered his head, realizing that because of his careless acts, his extreme decision-making, and his lack of communication, he had hurt his friend. Never let them see that they get to you. Judy was respecting the rule literally, as she hid everything of her emotional condition from Nick. She would not let him see that he had hurt her...but that didn't prevent the fox from knowing it, despite everything. And, undoubtedly, this punishment was much worse.
Fangmeyer cleared his throat, apparently feeling uneasy by this short exchange, and shook his head before taking Nick away. As they went up the corridor leading to the cells, the wolf tried to comfort the fox.
"You know, she's been worried sick about you when she got to the precinct, earlier. She can't be that worried for someone she doesn't care... "
"I know, Fangmeyer..." Nick answered in a low voice. "But, I went too far tonight. She had warned me, I knew she was right...but I still did as I pleased, knowing that I risked to mess things up."
"You only thought it was the right thing to do. It turned against you...we all make mistakes."
"Yeah, that's right. But in general, a mistake stems from an accident. I knew that I was heading for disaster. Anyway, what is done is done. Let's not talk about it any more."
Fangmeyer found nothing to answer, on this point. Anything he could say would only push Nick down further, even if he tried to clear his name or to cheer him up. Unfortunately, the fox was in the right. The consequences of this story seemed rather bad, especially if he intended to be integrated within the police in the incoming times. Such a mess was really a pity. When the white wolf closed the grid of the cell, leaving Nick to the solitude he seemed to seek, he could not suppress a growl of frustration. Sometimes, a twist of fate could really be disgusting.
When Fangmeyer was back at the reception desk, Judy was slumped against the outside of the counter, her knees raised against her chest, the head down and her ears down behind her back. Clawhauser stood beside her, handing her a steaming cup, which, by the aroma, had to contain black tea. The white wolf approached with a light step, before stopping next to them.
"Are you okay, Hopps?" he asked in a concerned voice.
"I suppose..." she replied in a sore voice, accepting the drink the cheetah offered to her.
"Don't be too rude to him, okay?" the officer said, glancing over his shoulder. "He didn't think badly, you know..."
"Oh! I know that," Judy replied in a more frustrated look. "But I hoped he would have understood that this was the worst decision to make on every points. But still, I wasn't able to hold him back. I don't know if I have to hold a grudge against him, or upon myself."
Clawhauser nervously rubbed his nape before proposing his idea. "Neither to the one nor the other, it would be for the best...but I suspect that it is not that simple."
"Benji! He could have been killed tonight!" Judy shouted instantly "...or been involved in something much more serious than a simple bar fight! We've seen some vendettas go much worse off, and for less than that. He was really stupid! Just a….a dumb fox!"
"Wow, calm down!" Fangmeyer said, straightening both paws in a defensive gesture before the sudden anger expressed by the rabbit on an explosive tone. "You know what? It would be better if you told him that. We know very well what you think, and what you want. We're not fool, are we, Ben?"
The cheetah merely nodded, his only response, leaving his colleague free to continue.
"But don't worry, he already feels pretty bad...and I think he had understood his mistake."
"That's no good to us, now that he had committed it!" Judy contested with more vehemence than necessary.
"Shall I remind you of a certain press conference, which you held three months ago?" Fangmeyer asked. The question was perhaps a bit crafty, but it had at least the merit of stunning the rabbit. Every hint of anger faded away from her expression, and all was left was a form of grief tinged with exhaustion.
"You're right, Simon," Judy answered in a weak voice, as she rose her knees against her chin. "I just thought that Nick would be smart enough to not fall into the same kind of trap I had."
"Don't worry, Judy. I think that all these stories of conflict between prey and predators cause us to say or do something completely stupid from time to time. Every time we feel like we are doing well, and then the boomerang effect! Paf! It turns against us. It is probably because there is no good way to behave, in this kind of situation. It's only necessary to remain truthful, and keep your mind clear. Nick certainly understood it the hard way. He doesn't need that you add more fuel to the guilt that he likely already feels."
Judy knew that Fangmeyer was right. The circumstances had prompted Nick to make choices related to his own experience. Even if his vision of the world had evolved, he nonetheless had never experienced any other way of managing a problem than by dealing with it in this dissident, biased, and of course illegal manner. She would have wished for him to listen, and to respect her decision to let hatred fade away on its own. In Judy's eyes, even though she had been directly attacked, things did not go so wrong. The Herd Guardians looked like some sick extremists in search of publicity and media coverage. Confronting them on their own field meant giving them what they wanted, while being blind to their actions and deaf to their hateful speech seemed the best way, in her opinion, to weaken the impact of what they could represent. Judy sincerely believed that most mammals were in total opposition to these despicable individuals. All that was needed was to focus on this immense percentage of the population, which, if it didn't manifest itself openly, was nonetheless integral and were simply seeking to live in peace, in the harmony symbolized by Zootopia.
But Nick's cynicism prevented him from seeing the glass as half full, and, above all, she had been targeted. She had understood the chivalrous behavior of the fox, in reaction to the aggression she had suffered, was proof of the deep bond he had for her. This only made her feel more guilty. She had the feeling, somehow, that she had motivated him to embark on this crusade that made no sense, and she suffered from seeing him now pay for its inevitable consequences. She should have been stronger, found the right words to hold him back. When he had left the apartment to join Finnick, she should not have sank into the dejection and consternation that had monopolized her mind for nearly an hour, preventing her from acting as she would have done under normal circumstances. She should have run after Nick, even if she had to catch him by the skin of his nape and drag him into the apartment and tie him to a chair, until that stupid idea of vengeance wouldn't cross his mind again. But she had done nothing. She had had a moment of weakness, when, compromised by the strength of her feelings for him, she had been incapable of doing anything to stop him.
And now he was going to spend the night in a cell, and she would cogitate on all the possible and imaginable 'ifs', and all the disastrous consequences that could result from the catastrophe that symbolized in her eyes the events of the evening. Tomorrow, Chief Bogo would have a one-on-one confrontation with the fox that would seal his destiny. Oh, of course, there was no risk for Nick to be worried, legally speaking. Technically, in the strictest sense of the term, he had done nothing concretely illegal. But this constant flirtation with the limits of legality might push the chief to reject Nick's request for assignment to the Zootopia Police Departmental.
Anyway, Judy was not persuaded that Nick really wished to be a member of the security forces, given this tendency to not be able to detach himself from his clandestine habits. She assumed that after a whole life of living this way, it would be difficult for him to leave everything behind to begin something diametrically opposite to what he had known for decades. The proof was his way of taking matters into his own paws, as shown by his actions tonight.
The bunny breathed a sigh of weariness. She felt totally lost. She wanted to help Nick, but on the other paw she felt too tired and angry to be clear and coherent with herself.
"I feel so tired…" she whispered.
Clawhauser held out her paw to help her get up delicately. Once she was upright, he pushed her gently towards the corridor leading to the offices and administration quarters.
"You should go to sleep in the rest room," the cheetah said in a soft voice. "At this hour, the only colleagues in attendance are those on duty for the night...I'm afraid no one can take you back to Nick's home."
"And there's no way for you to go all alone in your condition," Fangmeyer added in a firm voice.
"I've left all my stuff back there," Judy tried to protest in a low-spirited voice.
The truth was that her body was in agony. She was already exhausted by the time Nick left the apartment. Now she was working on autopilot, yet the slightest gesture aroused a burning pain in her chest which she could still feel.
"I finish my service around nine o'clock tomorrow morning," Clawhauser reassured her, in a still soothing tone. "I'll bring you to Nick's place when going back home." The cheetah then had a slight start, and uttered a little cry of surprise, as if the idea which had just passed through his head had been the cause of some electroshock. "Hey! But now that I think about it! Tomorrow is a day-off! If you want, we can spend the day together, Judy! It will take your mind off things!"
Judy smiled a bit on hearing this proposal. She was sincerely touched by Clawhauser's solicitude. It was true that having someone to talk to and to be able to distract her mind for the incoming day seemed for her a good thing. She was afraid to only think about what Nick would have to deal with in the course of that day… Interrogations, reports, shaking things up. In short, he was going to have a hard, long day, that was for sure.
"It's really sweet of you, Benji..." she finally replied. "But I don't want for you to sacrifice your day-off for that. Besides, I must seriously start looking for a new apartment."
"Well, so tomorrow's activity is all planned! I will serve as your driver, and we will tour the nearby agencies. We will visit a few apartments, and I will give you my expert opinion!"
It looked like the cheetah was sincerely rejoiced at the possibility of spending the day with her. His amiability and solicitude wasn't forced at all. Besides, Judy saw no reason to decline his offer, especially since she particularly liked the cheetah. He had been one of the few colleagues to accept her without reservation when she arrived at the main precinct, and one of the few mammals from whom she received an unconditional support.
"All right, Ben," she finally replied with a smile. "It would be my pleasure."
"Oh ! Great!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down while clapping his paws to show his excitement. "Can't wait 'til tomorrow comes! I'm so eager that my nightly service will seem even more endless now."
The three colleagues exchanged a few words again, before finally leaving each other. Clawhauser would stay at the reception until the early morning, while Judy would sleep on the enormous bench that occupied the back of the rest room. As for Fangmeyer, he had a certain hare to interrogate...and he was not going to give him any mercy, no, not after his attempt to assassinate Nick Wilde.
It had been a long and stressful night for Nick. Not that he wasn't accustomed to the discomfort providing by the detention cells of the ZPD…he had already been locked there once or twice for various reasons, although in the end he never had to be worried. It was better to sleep on the floor than on the so-called available bed, of which the mattress was so hard that it seemed to have been overstuffed with bricks, but it was not really the lack of comfort that had disrupted his sleep. Obviously, his busy mind had kept him awake, as well as his ever-growing apprehension of the delicate incoming situation. He didn't know what had happened to Finnick and Mr. Big's two hencmmammals, and even if there was no chance for one of these three to declare anything compromising, he was not entirely reassured by the turn of events.
Because Nick knew it well: this time, he had gone way too far. He had pushed the scam up to turn it into a devilish trap, and he had celebrated seeing it closing itself on his victims. However, he had planned big, therefore, the failure seemed even more serious. A disastrous finality that could have been much worse if the police had not intervened. For the second time in his life he had been happy to see the blue cavalry stepping in. The first time was after the confrontation with Bellwether. It was only a few days ago, but he had the impression that several weeks have gone by. The last seventy-two hours had really been intense. But he hadn't found sleep.
What remained was the feeling of guilt, obviously. Judy's look had put the last touch of black paint in the monochrome of his deplorable state of mind. The whole thing wasn't really glorious, for sure. He had no doubt she could forgive him if he sincerely apologized...but the problem was not that. Mere apologies would not be enough for him to forgive himself. He had disappointed the one he loved, and he had thwarted his chances of turning the page of his doubtful past into a new life full of possibilities. Why would he realize what he was endangering only once it was already too late? Not quite true, dumb fox. You knew very well what you were doing, and that's why you did it. Because, basically, you're not sure you want it to change, right? And what if this little cynical voice was right? What if Nick had ruined his chances knowingly, simply because seeing his everyday life changing completely terrified him more than he really wanted to admit it? You're afraid of being happy, Nick Wilde. How pathetic.
He was drawn out of his gloomy thoughts by the sudden opening of the cell's grill. Nick had no idea what time it was. His fur was all messy and the dark circles under his eyes were guarantors of his refusal to fall asleep. He was still wearing Lupin's costume, but he had removed the jacket and unbuttoned the shirt. He was looking like a rich reveler waking up in the bathroom after a restless party.
He pitifully straightened his head to see officer Teddy Delgato standing in front of him, severely staring at him. At his side, was Judy. She was looking better than the moment he had met her when entering into the precinct. At least, now, her gaze was expressing something...but when Nick saw that it was full of anxiety, it didn't comfort him too much.
"Nicholas Wilde, Chief Bogo is willing to speak with you." Delgato said in a rough, professional voice. "Please follow me."
Nick nodded and stood up while grumbling. He had stood in an awkward position, leaning against the wall at the back of his cell for a good part of the night and his body was making him pay for it, now, but that was the least of his worries.
"Hi, Carrots," he said as he left the cell.
"Hi, Nick," she replied, without daring to look at him.
"You came to escort the condemned mammal up to the block?" the fox asked in a cynical voice, trying to ease the atmosphere with a joke. Of course, it was a full fiasco.
"Think you're funny?" she questioned with virulence.
And now she was baring her teeth. Nick had expected it, knowing the temper of the rabbit. It was a good thing in his opinion: anger was better than indifference.
"We need to talk, Carrots..." he tried in an uncertain voice.
"Oh yes, definitely! Some things need to be said." she agreed in a tone that was still so rude and short. "But not now. Tonight, if they let you out...and that's not a guarantee."
At this thought, the anger that Judy displayed was transformed into a form of sadness which she had trouble dissimulating. She gave a slight sigh and strengthened her position, straight as an arrow, while crossing her arms over her little chest. Nick could not refrain a smile at seeing her so combative.
"I just want you to know that I'm genuinely sorry..." the fox finally declared with sincerity, and with a disarming hint of shyness. Since Nick was aware that Delgato was still looking at him, and seemed to play the chaperone on that moment, it didn't help to put him at ease.
"I know you are," Judy answered in a softer voice. "But this is not what matters the most. Nick… Do not hide anything to Bogo, okay? Be honest. This is the best way for avoiding the worst."
"Outch...attenuations formulas. Not a good sign, those understatements. Not very encouraging, Carrots..."
"This is the best I can offer you for now. Let me warn you though, when the time of our little conversation comes, you're going to remember it as a very bad moment."
"At least you have the merit of warning me...it's fair play."
"It would be better for one of us to behave this way," she replied aggressively.
Nick cringed. That one, he deserved it.
Judy seemed to evaluate his expression of uneasiness, mingled with fatigue and apprehension. She shook her head, then softly smiled. With both paws, she readjusted his jacket and buttoned his shirt up, before dusting it a bit. Nick just watched her, looking incredulous.
"I doubt that having a good look will be of any help before Bogo," she commented as she finished her fixing of his clothes. "But at least we will have put all the chance we can on your side."
"Well. We have to go now," Delgato declared while clearing his throat, as if to remind the other two of his presence.
Judy turned towards him and nodded. "Thank you for letting me see him, Teddy."
"No problem, Hopps," the tiger replied, while offering her a sincere smile, which broke a little of the severe cop mask he had worn until now. However, this composition immediately reformed when he turned his attention back to Nick. "Come on, Wilde. This way."
The fox nodded, and followed Delgato, who was leading the way. The moment he left Judy behind him, he felt the rabbit's paw touching his. A light touch, which lasted only a second, but was nevertheless enough to give him the solace he needed. He gave her a last glance over his shoulder. Despite her terribly worried expression, she managed to offer him a smile. He returned it to her, hoping that he had succeeded in making it a minimum convincing.
Delgato led Nick through the corridors of the precinct. There was now a certain amount of activity, a sign that the morning was undoubtedly already well started. As they briefly passed through the reception area going from the detention corridor to the interrogation room, the fox had enough time to take a look at the large wall clock that dominated the whole area: it was sixteen to ten. A giraffe was standing behind the reception desk, instead of Officer Clawhauser. Clearly, the cheetah had finished his service and had switched with his substitute.
As they walked up the long corridor serving the various interrogation rooms, they met Fangmeyer, who was coming in the opposite direction, with an enormous file under his arm. Lieutenant Delgato stopped his march to gather some information from his subordinate.
"So? Did he give some information on his superiors?"
"No, lieutenant," Fangmeyer replied, then nervously looked at Nick. "He spent a good part of the night blathering horrible stuff about predators, and prophesying a fatal destiny for our 'species', as he said. In short, nothing constructive. But I was able to take out of him a bit of information about the hierarchical system of the Herd Guardians."
"Good," the tiger commented, without being able to hide a slight note of disappointment. "Nice job, officer. Give me your report before finishing your service."
"I'll see to it, lieutenant."
Fangmeyer left their company, not without looking back at Nick one last time, accompanied by a smile which was meant to be encouraging. The fox remained impassive, but appreciated the gesture of solidarity nevertheless. If after all that it would still be possible for him to get to the end of things and be part of law enforcement, he was happy to know that he would have some great colleagues working with him. This thought only made the situation more bitter, as things were becoming more and more concrete and now that Lieutenant Delgato stopped in front of the last interrogation room, which was at the end of the corridor. The tiger knocked at the door. The moment of truth, thought Nick. Try not to make things worse than they already are.
"Come in." A deep, strong voice called, which the fox recognized as belonging to Chief Bogo. Buffalo-butt, he had nicknamed him once. He wasn't as much overconfident, now, and all the nicknames of the world would not change anything: the buffalo had his destiny between his hooves.
Delgato led Nick inside. The fox was surprised to find that Chief Bogo was not alone. He was sitting behind the table, but two other mammals sitting right next to him, one on each side. He recognized the one on the right as Karen Jumcorn, ZPD's communication manager. The mammal on the left was an okapi that looked great in his magnificent blue-navy suit. A pair of thin glasses rested on his muzzle. Of all the mammal in the room, he was the only one who seemed calm and relaxed. Indeed, Bogo's expression was even more closed and opaque than usual, while Karen seemed lost in a kind of regretful state of mind, tinged with stress. It didn't augur well.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Bogo declared. "You may leave."
"Chief," The tiger replied while saluting him, before leaving the room without further ado, closing the door behind him.
Nick remained pensive and motionless. Being intimidated was not a sensation he was used to feeling. After a few seconds, as no one said anything, but all eyes were nonetheless turned towards him, he could not help trying to get rid of his discomfort with a bit of humor.
"Well..." he began. "There's more vibes here than in Furstar Academy. I prefer to warn you, I am a very bad dancer. As for singing...well, my mother always told me that I had an angelic voice, but the head of the choir didn't really agree with it, so…"
"Close your muzzle, Wilde! And put your tail on that chair!" Bogo ordered in a voice as firm as it was loud.
"Yes sir," Nick replied again before rushing into the chair on the other side of the large table. He pitifully sat down before putting his paws on the table. He really felt like the heretic condemned, ready to hear his sentence from an inquisitorial tribunal.
"To begin with, I want the facts in every detail, but without any frills or unclear words," Bogo began. "I don't care about the reasons that caused you to make such a mess, or if you believed that your were doing something right. We're not here for that. So make yourself at ease and spit everything out. Do not waste our time."
Nick nodded before taking a deep breath. Judy's voice advising him to be utterly honest and transparent resonated in his mind, and he decided to follow her sage advice.
He gave Bogo a detailed recital of how the plan had been set up, how he had worked with his friend and associate Finnick in the concoction of a scam that would enable them to put an end to this little Herd Guardians group. He explained everything in every detail, every step of the plan, how the meeting with the speciest group went, how the trap had slowly closed itself on them, their reaction, and the ensuing consequences. He nevertheless took care of not pronouncing Mr Big's name, and to not inform them of the mafia's responsibility in this case. He claimed that the two polar bears were former associates, who were now working as private bodyguards, and had agreed to be in to put pressure on the Herd Guardians. In short, he didn't lie, but kept away the involvement of the mafia godfather…because it would be better for him to avoid being part of any kind of serious investigation. The consequences could be disastrous to him, and Judy. He guessed that the two polar bears, as well as Finnick, would play the same game as him and would hold a similar speech. It was a well-known technique in the business. If one got caught, he denied having any connection with the network, and pretended to act for himself. It was also a way to protect Judy, obviously. The police leader didn't need to know that one of his best officers was so closely affiliated with one of Zootopia most dangerous gangs.
The chief asked two or three questions, to get further details which seemed important to him, but fortunately didn't direct his interrogation in a direction which might have led him to Mr. Big. In the end, the interrogation went quite fast. Since Nick hadn't tried to duck out, and had been prolific in his explanations, as well in the intentions which had been his, without trying to neglect his involvement or guiltiness, there was not much more to add.
And so, Bogo took off his glasses, while falling back in his seat before sighing. He remained silent for a few seconds, then declared: "Saying that this plan was totally stupid and unreasonable would be an euphemism, Wilde."
"I'm perfectly aware, Chief," Nick replied, trying his best to not let himself be dismantled.
"Then why did you do that?"
"Because I...I thought I had to do something...but I didn't know how to act otherwise, you know? I've done this almost all my life...that's how I've always dealt with this kind of problem in the past."
As soon as he had pronounced these words, the fox was already regretting them...but it was the truth. He knew nothing but these methods to get through troublesome situations. This was the veracity of his daily life, his reality, the challenges he had to face everyday.
"You must understand that I'm dealing with several big problems," Bogo began, before leaning forward to join his hooves above the table. Even bend over like this, he still dominated Nick with an impressive height.
"The first is that because of your nonsense, we missed an opportunity to put behind bars one of the leader of this extremist group."
Fangmeyer had already mentioned this point, during the night. Of course, this information had only made Nick more ashamed of his unfortunate initiative. He had hoped to trace the leaders of the Herd Guardians by compelling their subordinates to cooperate. He had hoped to make them kneel down, to make them squeal, to make them speak. However, the only one who would have been able to inform him would rather die for the cause, than revealing a single name. Dead end. Failure. Or rather a double failure then, since the police would have had the means to arrest a bigger threat…but because of his fault, they would probably never catch him, now.
"I know it will not change the gravity of the situation, Chief..." Nick commented pitifully. "But I sincerely regret what I did. Judy had told me to trust all of you, that you were going to do your job properly and find these bastards…but I doubted it, and this is the result."
"This logically leads me to the second big problem that this whole affair is posing," Bogo resumed in a darker voice, before pulling a sheet out of a folder that Nick immediately recognized. His heart froze while his ZPD integration application form was put before him.
"A few days ago, when you handed me this paper...I was divided by several contradictory feelings. On one hoof, I was worried… A fox? We have never seen one within the police before. But we had never seen a rabbit either. And when you see what kind of cop Hopps is, you tend to start thinking that the never-seen may be pretty successful, after all. So, whatever, I thought, 'Why not?'. Another concerning matter...your past. I didn't have to look too far to find out what kind of life you had up to now, and the rather semi-illegal activities you practiced, always on the border of the law, but nonetheless still within the legal framework. However, the worthless rascals of your kind make excellent cops, when they decide to stand on the right side of the law. Since they have lived inside the deprived areas for long, they have a kind of particular instinct, which allows them to see things from a different angle. Moreover, they come to think like criminals, and thus to corner them more effectively. Unfortunately, it is quite uncommon for such candidates to have a clean record, which prevent them from getting to the bottom of things. Strangely, yours is clean, which is quite exceptional given your obvious tendency to go into the most dishonest of tricks. So, I thought that your candidacy was a real lucky strike, and that you could make an excellent cop, who would be very useful here."
Bogo allowed a few seconds to allow Nick to digest everything he had just heard. The fox seemed particularly uncomfortable. It looked like the buffalo had a real talent to see right through people, and especially to identify their weaknesses. Nick felt like Bogo was going to bring the hammer down on him soon, which of course happened. The chief slid the integration application form towards Nick. The fox could see that Bogo had already circulated the document through the administration, as the approbation stamp from the municipality had been affixed to it. Only one single thing was missing for the request to be ratified.
"After what happened last night," the chief resumed, in a slow and severe voice. "Give me one good reason to sign this document."
And here it is. The so feared moment for Nick had finally arrived. Since yesterday evening, even before the arrival of the police, this question had begun to become more pressing, more exact, more urgent, asking for an imperious and immediate answer. Why did he want to become a cop? Did he really want to draw a line on his past life, to embark on this new adventure full of uncertainties? Would he manage to adapt himself on a new way of life in total contradiction to what he had always lived?
At first, he thought he had done it because he wanted to spend as much time as possible with Judy. Because at her side, he was feeling strong, proud, and different. He was feeling able to change things, beyond changing who he was. To become someone better. But was it necessary to go so far to enjoy the same benefits? Even if he didn't wish to become a cop, his relationship with Judy would not have been different. They would have continued to see each other, to frequent each other, and the feelings they had for each other would probably have been the same. Therefore, the reason had to be deeper, and he was having trouble determining and understanding it, until yesterday evening.
He had understood, at the moment when the situation was slipping through his fingers, that he didn't have as much control over things as he first thought. He had realized that his beliefs could well be only illusions, and that in the end, he was not as clever and resourceful as he thought. He had understood that he was aspiring to some form of justice, but that he could not take any profit from it if he practiced it on his own, without a framework, without support, and for his sole benefit. A personal justice was a mere form of revenge, which was embellished to give oneself a good conscience. Even if he would have succeeded in dismantling all the Herd Guardians just by himself, he wouldn't have felt better, since he would have served no one else but himself in the process. That was what he had understood at that moment, when he had realized, and had been horrified to find out, that everything he had ever done before, it had been for himself only…
"I have always been selfish..." he finally declared, and was surprised to hear these words spout out of his own mouth. He hadn't controlled them, they had imposed themselves. Nick hesitated to retain the rest, but eventually let things happen on their own. Too much thinking was sometimes harmful. "I made an incredible number of mammal suffer, sometimes some close relatives, because I have always sought to preserve myself. I always felt that the whole world was working against me, that I was leading a sort of punitive crusade against a society that refused to accept me. But in reality, it was me who marginalized myself, as one might believe…"
He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to calm the burning anger he felt towards his own person. "But when I met Judy...I thought at first that she was only a plain idealist who was trying to prove something to herself. In short, I thought she was just like me: just another egoist, hiding herself behind great and beautiful ideals while refusing to see the truth in front of her eyes. But I was compelled to follow her, and I came to know her. And I saw that her convictions were genuine, that her intentions were pure. Of course, she was trying to prove her worth, but not for her own benefit. She wanted to serve, help and protect...to make the world a better place. And she was ready to sacrifice everything for that. She was ready to sacrifice her career, her future...and more recently, she even put her life in peril."
Nick opened his eyes, straightening as best as he could to look Bogo straight in the eye. The chief was staring at him with intensity, fully attentive to the slightest word. "She made me understand that this world I rejected as a whole might be worth fighting for. She trusted me, without any second thought or condition. It made me want to contribute, too, in making this damn world a better place. And when she asked me to become a member of the police force, I thought that was probably the best way to do it. Together."
The fox shrugged his shoulders, and a little smile rose on his muzzle as he was evoking this crazy partnership which seemed to be something very concrete for him. "It took me a long time to understand it all by myself, Chief. Even if it sounds simple and obvious. It's so far from what I've been up to until now, from what I've known… If I had understood it earlier, I would not have made such a mistake last night. Anyway, you wanted me to give you a good reason to sign this paper, right? I don't know if it seems good enough for you...but it is the only one I have to provide you, if I want to be totally sincere."
The chief remained silent for a few seconds, which seemed to be interminable in Nick's perspective. He finally turned his head towards the okapi who was at his side. The mammal merely nodded, briefly while smiling. Finally, Bogo heaved a deep sigh, then declared: "I think I might regret this..."
And with a quick and prompt gesture, he grabbed his pen and appended his signature to Nick's request for acceptance into the police academy.
The latter felt his heart stiffen in his chest. It was done. Despite all his wrong decision-making and the disaster he had caused the day before, the chief decided to trust him, and to let him prove his worth within his team. A deep gratitous feeling overwhelmed the fox, mixed with a sincere and unilateral respect for this buffalo, who had been able to make such a decision despite all the things that seemed to be logically opposed to it.
"T...thank you, Chief..." Nick stammered, still incredulous.
"Don't thank me too quickly, Wilde. You have some extenuating circumstances that play in your favor. Karen had to work some serious magic on me for approving your request. But I needed to get a good reason from you to do it. Let us hope that these were not just fine words, and that you will prove to me that what you have said here was honest."
Nick shook his head, slightly surprised at what he had just heard. Why did Karen support his application for assignment? As he turned a curious face towards her, the springbok feeling compelled to explain herself.
"You don't seem to have read yesterday's newspaper, Nick…nor even the morning's headlines, I suppose?"
"The news isn't wired into my cell, sorry," the fox replied at once, which earned him a reproving glance from Bogo. The chief should get along with it in the near future: there was not much of a chance for Nick to control his tongue, even once he would put on the uniform.
This didn't seem to disturb Karen, who resumed her explanations in a neutral voice. "See by yourself."
She slipped the morning newspaper into his direction. In the first column, an article was asking in the headline the following question 'Who is Nick Wilde?', accompanied by a picture perfectly framed on the moment when Judy had seized his paw at the end of the press conference. The article provided a review on Nick's contribution to the resolution of the Night Howlers investigation, while making some evocations and suggestions about the ambiguous relationship that the fox seemed to have with the heroine of the moment, Officer Judy Hopps.
"It's rather not a good sign…is it?" Nick asked, uncertain.
Karen shook her head with a weary sigh. Clearly, Nick didn't see things in the same perspective. "Are you kidding, Nick?" It's really a blessing in terms of image for the ZPD. It's not like we enjoy playing on romantic relationships...but under the current circumstances, it's just perfect! The tension between prey and predator needs these kinds of symbols to subside, and the fact that it is Judy, the heroine of the ZPD, who is involved with this mysterious and charming predator, makes it possible to clearly position our police force's point of view regarding all this. We are displaying a more tolerant, reassuring image, which is aiming for peace between prey and predators. And I don't expose this purely from a theoretical point of view...just see the number of positive reactions to these pictures on Furbook. The 'WildeHopps' hashtag is one of the most consulted and commented on over the past forty-eight hours."
"The 'WildeHopps' hashtag?" Nick asked in a surprised and somewhat uncomfortable look. He anxiously glanced at Bogo, who listened to all this speech with a lazy ear. "I didn't know the police were using gossip, chief. It's rather...disturbing, if I have to be quite honest."
"Oh! We will not look any further than that, you don't have to worry! We respect your privacy," Karen replied in an excited voice. "But when the citizens will learn that the ZPD is accepting Nick Wilde, the hero from the streets, who helped Judy Hopps resolve the crisis that Zootopia was going through, our popularity will explode. We need the ZPD to restore its image after this sad case, and prove its neutrality in the conflict between prey and predators. Integrity, Trust, Bravery...these are our values. And what a better way to represent them through this? Accepting a fox, and particularly this fox. It's a strong symbol in these troubled times."
Nick seemed somewhat disturbed by this point of view and feared that this was the real reason for his acceptance within the law enforcement. He didn't hesitate to express his doubt to Bogo. "So, if I understand correctly...you are accepting my request in order to earn positive media coverage?"
While Bogo was about to argue, he was outstripped by the okapi, who was speaking for the first time since Nick went inside the room. "Not at all, Mr. Wilde."
The fox turned a surprised gaze towards him, to which the speaker responded with a kindly smile. "Let me introduce myself: Donald Equitor, representative of Zootopia's municipal council. I've been assigned as the interim mayor, until the establishment of early elections that will take place in the coming months."
For good measure, Equitor held out his hoof to Nick, whom accepted after hesitating a short moment. They greeted each other cordially, before the okapi resumed. "It is up to me to deal with the administrative, political and ethical disaster that Dawn Bellwether left to us...and I tell you, it's real chaos. I am in a hurry to leave and to let the new elected mayor take my place, so that I wouldn't need to bear all this mess anymore. However, in the meantime it is up to me to try to put this city back on track, and considering the deleterious atmosphere that animates our streets lately, it's not easy task, believe me."
"Sorry for having added oil to the fire," Nick replied, referring to his previous night's activity.
"You don't have to worry, this dirty affair will remain confidential. The four Herd Guardians that you have faced will not be set free for quite a while and that will prevent them from spreading rumors that predators are beginning to react violently to their provocations."
Rumors that were true, if we looked at things from a certain angle. Nick and his companions had in fact, met the Herd Guardians expectations. Things could have been much worse, and the consequences would have been catastrophic, in terms of image for every single predator. The fox got a shiver down his spine by realizing a new degree of consciousness regarding the gravity of his actions.
"You're probably not aware of it..." Equitor said with a note of pride in the bottom of his voice. "But I was one of the main contributors to the Mammal Inclusion Initiative. It was a project which took an important place in my heart, and that Lionheart had integrated on his electoral campaign. The purpose was to make possible the access of any profession and activity to any category of mammal who had hitherto been deprived of it. I wanted to make the famous saying 'In Zootopia, anyone can be anything' much more concrete. The same goes for foxes. In fact, when Chief Bogo informed me of your request for an assignment, I thought it was important to score the point, to show that civil projects of equity, peace and stability between every species were still one of our great city's top priorities. If this can help ease tensions, it will only be for the better."
"Karen and Donald were ready to accept your request, despite what happened last night," Bogo went on. "But I needed to be sure, in spite of everything else, that you would act for good reasons, Wilde. So you can be reassured. I would have gone against their opinion if you hadn't convinced me today."
Nick merely nodded, feeling still very astonished by everything he had just learned. By bearing all alone the consequences of Judy's assault, he had come to believe that he was fighting for a lost cause, and that Zootopia was about to fall down under the hateful pressure from the extremist parties, no matter what kind of cause they were defending. But he had been wrong. There were many mammals who were making the predators rehabilitation in society a priority, and were acting to maintain a solid and lasting peace between all species. To this fragile yet real harmony that seemed to distinguish Zootopia from the rest of the world. This was the case with the ZPD, and obviously it was also the case with the provisional government led by Donald Equitor. Maybe things weren't so bad, after all…
For the first time in a long time, Nick surprised himself by hoping for a better future. And he would do everything in his might to work for its establishment.
He would help make the world a better place.
Nick was kept inside the precinct for most of the day. He was solicited by Bogo for the report file transcription and was then entrusted to Lieutenant Delgato, who had been in charge of the Herd Guardians investigation. The fox was compelled to repeat countless times the same complete and detailed summary of the events, as he was questioned about the slightest aspect of the last evening. Obviously, Delgato was looking for any clue, even a tiny one, that would allow him to trace the hierarchy of the activist group. After all, the police had every reason to make this case a priority as one of them had been directly attacked. They could not leave such an act unpunished. Those who were responsible for this aggression should be brought to justice, and the sooner the better.
Nick's discharge papers were signed at around half past four. The fox was exhausted. He only wanted one thing besides seeing Judy again: to shower, and to sleep. His sleepless night, coupled with the intense memorial effort that had been demanded of him throughout the day, had made him completely whacked. Yet, he came out of the precinct in a relatively happy state of mind thanks to the unexpected turn of events. In the end, he would at least have some good news to announce to Judy tonight…but it nonetheless didn't take off his apprehension regarding the incoming discussion. She had promised he would live a bad moment, and there would be no use to avoid it. He only hoped that his error would not break the grown up confidence between each other.
As he climbed down the wide outdoor stairs leading to the main gates of the precinct, he was hailed by a familiar voice. Nick turned his face towards Finnick, sitting on top of a low wall, and who kept non-stop drinking WildBull's cans. The fennec had removed his young Europawan costume, to put on more usual clothes. He was wearing his enormous black glasses, which completely hid his eyes. Nick slowly joined him, then sat down at his side, willingly accepting the energy drink he offered him.
"So?" Finnick finally asked. "Should I smash your face now, or should I give you credit?"
"Honestly, I'll pass for this time..." the fox replied wearily.
"Okay. But I warn you, there will be some interest."
"I will not complain. We know that I deserve it."
Finnick nodded before emptying his can. This done, he stretched himself while yawning loudly. "Tch, cops…they all remain the same, aren't they? Our little punitive expedition ended up swirling around the bowl...but we'll get them next time, right?"
Nick remained silent at this question, he looked like he was lost in contemplation of the piece of dirt that was laying on the ground. The fennec had likely felt the tension, for he remained silent, waiting for his partner to say what he had to say. Finally, the words came out, calm and serene.
"No next time, Finnick. This guerrilla warfare is over. Like me, you know very well that we messed up, and that it would be better to stop there."
"What the hell are you talking about? These guys martyred the predators, attacked us directly, and you want to let it go?"
"No, of course not...but that's not the point." Nick replied with a slight chuckle before taking a deep breath. What would follow would be hard to spit out, but the fox had to be honest with his longtime partner and friend. "I'm stopping all this, Finn."
"Stop 'all this' what?" The fennec asked bewildered.
"The scams. Playing crook. Vendettas. The unclean stuff. I'm stopping. I'm drawing a line. In short, it's over."
Finnick frowned. In spite of his thick black glasses, Nick had no trouble guessing how stunned his expression was. "Are you kidding me or what? You're the best at it, bro! Okay, we got caught this time and the plan messed up! But that's not a reason to give up. We'll have other opportunities, don't worry!"
"It's not about what happened last night, Finnick. This is general. I don't want this life anymore." He didn't give some time for Finnick to protest, and solved his argument by the sentence which was likely to become the biggest matter. "I asked to join the police force and they agreed."
"You did what?"
Saying that Finnick looked surprised by this revelation would have been an understatement. He was completely awed, so the news, totally unpredictable in his eyes, had left him speechless.
"I'm serious. I've been thinking about it for a few months. It's done now, and that's what I want."
"This bunny really made your head spin...I don't believe you, dude! There's no way you join the cops!" the fennec exclaimed, spreading his arms apart. And his stupor gradually gave way to anger. "And our partnership, did you think about it? Are you going to leave me behind?"
"No...it's definitely better for both of us, actually. I have been the one who has restricted you all these years with these tricks. You wanted something better, back in the old days, remember?"
Indeed, Finnick had been once a student in computer programming and development. But he had been tricked by a dishonest competitor at the time he was writing his thesis, and had been fraudulently accused of cheating, which had led him to leave college. With Nick's help, he had obtained compensation by taking his revenge on the student who had caused his fall. The bastard had suffered for what he had done. But Finnick had never wanted to resume his studies, even though he had proof of his innocence. Likely because Nick had infected him with his cynicism and his pessimistic vision of the world. The fennec had finally persuaded himself that the rest of the world had tried to get rid of him because he was a predator, and especially because he was a fox. The scams he was doing along with Nick, it paid well, and it allowed him to remain embittered by what he had lost. It was a easier way of life...even if it meant living in the back of a van, and eating cold pizzas every night.
"All these days are far behind," Finnick finally replied in a dim voice. "My life isn't the same, now."
"Your life is what you do with it, Finn. For my part, I'm stopping. I only hope you will do the same."
The fennec sighed reproachfully at this reflection, but finally shook his head before giving his former partner a weak smile.
"I so want to beat you up right now..."
Instead of answering, Nick laughed, and his laugh was soon joined by Finnick's. Both foxes, way too exhausted and affected by the recent events, were undoubtedly thinking of it as a way to get themselves away from all these troubles, and they still laughed like mad for several minutes, together.
It was probably not the worst way to put an end to such a long collaboration.