if you think i can do better let me know how. also there may not be as many posts next week i have a lot of work to do.

Chapter ten : unfortunate truths

She only had one day left to find and get Nick before she walked headlong into a trap. In last few days, McHorn and her had only managed to arrest three of Dark's underlings, none of whom knew anything about Nick. The badger that they managed to interrogate the day before claimed he didn't know anything about Nick other then he pulled a few guys away from their normal work to 'babysit' him. She felt trapped and unsure with nothing to do but fill the silence of desk work by listing to music. After lunch they were going to go on patrol again and make a last ditch effort to find nick before the meeting tomorrow. The day started slow, then she looked down at her phone.

Message from Nick

She stopped in her tracks, dropping the pen she held in her hand. This must be a trap, if nick could send a message he would earlier. This is probably just dark trying to get his money back again. She mentally prepared herself for pictures of her mutilated boyfriend, threats of violence or anything else that would come at her. She would get him, she would find him, she couldn't let nick down. With this mental blockade prepared she opened the message.

Judy Hopps, I know you don't know me but I know Nick. I am the one currently feeding him and tending to his wounds. I am sending you this message for two reasons. The first is to urge you to go along with the trade that dark has put forward. If he is planning to double cross you I have no knowledge of it. The second is to let you know that dark is afraid of you. I haven't worked out the specifics because I still want my hands on the rest of my body but I can tell you that as long as you are alive I don't believe he is going to kill Nick.

- Guardian Angel

... this must be another trap ...

Send message: Nick

If you believe that I'll fall for that you are sorely mistaken. I might not find where you are before I have to walk into the trap you set tomorrow but be warned I will never give up.

Sent

she put her phone down on the table, hoping that whoever had sent the first message would give up. They did not.

Judy Hopps, I understand how you do not trust me. If I was in your position I wouldn't either but I do need you to trust me, it might be the only way for you to save Nick. In order to gain your trust I would like to ask you to quiz me on nick and his relationship with you. Before you respond with ' how do I know you won't torture him' I need to remind you that I will have information acquired over a week and torture doesn't work when it comes to small details like the texture of your fur or the anger he felt to your parents after they found you two together. You know this. I realize you are stubborn enough to completely ignore what I just wrote, that what he likes about you but please consider it.

Ps. which one do you sounds better Guardian Angel or Guardian?

-Guardian Angel

This was impossible, he couldn't be trusted, it must be dark. When did dark ever think things that far out? When had nick told him about her parents? Was Nick mad at them? he never showed it. He never told her about it. Then again he never did show much to other people and he always hated seeing her in pain. Judy had a lot to think about before lunch. luckily for her she had enough experience with filling out paperwork to make thinking while writing a easy task.

Years ago

Mark McHorn looked at the rushing street in front of him and asked himself for the third time that day the only question that mattered to the young rhino. What is stopping me... It's what I deserve... What is stopping me from ending it... The traffic whizzed pass at speeds that would most likely kill him, their head lights mocked him from across the pavement. He leaned up a wall of an ally as he thought it over. He blamed himself for the gruesome murder of his parents and in part he was at fault. One unlooked door was all it took on some nights, it was just the wrong time and the wrong place. His parents loved him and they made sure he understood that, that was part of the problem. They trusted him to lock the door when he left and he betrayed that trust. He had rushed out the door to meet a girl that didn't even like him that much and killed his parents in the process. nothing could be worse than this.

He walked with purpose, content in the justification for his actions. A life for a life. The wet sidewalk echoed his footsteps in the eerily silent rain. He walked with righteous purpose to the curb and waited beside a car for the perfect time to step out. He saw it. A semi-truck sped down the street heading right for him. He would carry out the sentence which he dammed himself too. He had been responsible. As he stepped out into oncoming traffic he closed his eyes and waited for oblivion, waited for its cold embrace, waited for the fog of what came after no matter what it was *SLAM*... Despite everything he waited for he found himself very much alive. To his surprise a bear in a police uniform had stopped him. He would learn later that the mysterious bear had seen him from the other side of the four lane highway and had rushed across all four active lanes to tackle him out of the way of the oncoming truck.

" We are going to have a serious talk," he grunted, getting up from on top of Mark and holding his back. "God that hurt."

"Why..." was the only word McHorn could muster after he had been saved by the stranger.

"I'm getting out of this rain, your coming with me. If you resist I'm going to arrest you and still lecture you so what is it going to be?" the gruff, quite old bear demanded from the confused puddle of self hatred on the ground. The bear was obviously mad at McHorn, his eyes were slits and he tried desperately not to punch the rhino.

"Ok.." mark said weakly.

He walked McHorn a block down the street and forced him into a restaurant. It was eastern teamed and reminded McHorn of some of the kung fu movies he watched as a kid. He watched as his 'savior' led him to a booth at the back of the store and without letting McHorn out of his sight left to order something. When he returned he was followed by a female bengal tiger who carried two cups and a tea pot. After pouring both of them a cup she left without a word.

McHorn did not look up from the cup in front of him, he knew he would find the bears judging glare. It didn't matter though, he didn't know what had happened. If he did he would have left him to die like he deserved.

"We are going to stay here for as long as it takes," the bear announced calmly after taking a sip of the jasmine tea. When the large mammal in front of him said nothing in response he knew he had a lot of work to do. He had seen so many people die for stupid reasons and had promised himself earlier in life that he would try everything to ebb the flow of corpses to the grave. Now sitting before him was just another tragic story and just another mammal who thought the world would be better without him.

"You shouldn't have stopped me" McHorn whispered just loud enough to hear. He was devastated and confused, if the bear knew what a horrendous excuse for a son he was he would not have risked his life to save him.

"Let me guess, you thought that either you deserved some sort of punishment for something you did or you believed that the world would be much better off without you." His accusation received no response. he had been right and the officer knew it.

"how did you know?" McHorn mumbled. his tea still untouched.

"I've seen it before, most of which I managed to stop. " most. " Now tell me what is wrong," he ordered.

"I... killed my parents."

"So your McHorn?"

"How did-"

"Your parents were good people. They told me about you once, they are the only parents killed in recent memory around here. The thing is I distinctly remember that we caught the s.o.b that did it."

"It was me," he defended his guilt harshly. " I didn't lock the door," he whispered.

"So? You made a mistake," he said, waiting for the outburst that he expected.

" I killed them," McHorn yelled, slamming his fists on the table and spilling some of the scorching hot over himself. He was mad at the cop for not seeming how wrong he was and how much he needed to be punished.

"No, you didn't. You made a mistake that helped someone else kill them. You don't deserve to die for that. You are not to blame."

"How can you be sure," he spat, now looming over the calm bear which was occasionally sipping his tea.

"The only people you are guilty of wronging are your parents so I ask you this question: Would they want you to die?"

McHorn's, couldn't remember most of the rest of the evening. He only remembered standing there for close to a minute thinking over the bears words before realizing he was right. He was the only legacy his parents left and he wanted to end that because he thought he deserved it. His parents wouldn't have been angry with him but they never wanted him to die, he knew that. His world cracked around him and the thread that held his mind together came apart at the seams. He collapsed back into his seat and started to cry. He would cry harder today then he had up to this point and it would be the most painful memory that he would ever hold. After seeing how broken the mammal in front of him was he played the waiter fifty dollars and walked out the door. He would return shortly later with his police cruiser. Eventually he managed to carry the sobbing rhino to his car, to his house and onto his couch. McHorn eventually fell asleep on the bears couch, he was exhausted and could not bear to hold his red, bloodshot eyes open any longer. That bear had saved his life, had changed his life and had made him see the truth. Years later he would laugh at this moment when he realized that he didn't know the bears name at first, he was just a uniform, just a badge, just a mammal trying to do right. After a week of sleeping on the bears couch he left to join the ZPD police academy. He no longer was a youth fated to wander life aimlessly anymore. His Indefatigable purpose would lead him to be one of the ZPD's best officers. He would guard people from evil, he would be the shield that his parents so needed in their darkest hour. He would not let Injustice go unpunished and he would be the guiding hand that could deliver lost souls from causing irreversible harm before it was too late. He became the stoic mammal the ZPD would know that day, and that was a day he would never forget.

This is not the story he would eventually tell Judy Hopps, that would be an account of his time spent at the academy. The quiet resolved rhino would take this secret to his grave but he would make his resolve incredibly clear to his partner. She was the only person to push past his stoic demeanor in a very long time. It often shocked McHorn how much she reminded him of his own mother and how much she seemed to love that fox. If it was within his power he would stop another useless death and prevent another family from being torn apart. That is why before lunch he didn't come into the ZPD, instead he slipped the right people some well placed bribes, beat up the mammals he needed to and found an address that Judy Hopps would take an interest in.

Had he crossed the line? Yes. he would not see another dead when he had the power to stop it.

Zootopia slums, a building who's address resided in the mind of McHorn.

Josh held up the napkin he used to wipe his face with only a second earlier. On it were small words that nick pondered.

Judy wont trust me, need something that we couldn't torture you for .

He had already told the deer about the night howler case, his relationship with Judy , everything except... Nick took a deep breath in before releasing it, he had only one real choice. He had only told that to three people: his sister, his mother, and Judy. No one else knew about that night. Josh was risking his life by contacting Judy, Nick knew that. He also knew Judy wouldn't believe Josh unless he told her something serious... It was his only real choice, that or feel guilt for the rest of his life if Judy ended up dead. The muzzle.

Josh was speechless after Nick had finished his somber story. The idea that he would share something that seemed so personal somewhat shocked him, not to mention that he may have shared it with anyone that was listening in. The great Nick Wilde, con artist extraordinaire, was created by a couple of bullies in a basement. To anyone else the story that he shared could have been laughable at best but the grave expression on his face told him that this was one of his deepest secrets.

After the story was over they tossed around a few jokes but the mood still refused to lift. Just when Josh was about to leave, Nick thought of something else. If Judy wouldn't listen to the muzzle story she might listen to this. The look on the deer's face was priceless, Nick had forgotten that he was trying to woo that wolf that he kept talking about.

"Do I need to.." he stammered at the shocking revelation that had been revealed to him. The deer was terrified.

"I don't know, every mammal is different," he smirked, shrugging. The mood had finally been lifted and Nick was joyful once more. He was going to have an interesting time if he ever managed to succeed.

Josh would be asked later by the guard what had he whispered and when he responded honestly everyone in earshot had burst out laughing, however Josh didn't find it very funny though.

ZPD headquarerers

After Judy had thought over the mysterious text messages that she had received earlier she came to the conclusion that whoever had Nick's phone wasn't to be trusted. If it wasn't Dark it was one of his underlings, one which had hurt nick. So when she noticed a text from nick she was ready and waiting to throw questions at him that he couldn't possibly know. She snarled at the message, it was too polite to be real. whoever it was he was lying.

Hello Judy Hopps. I am fully ready and prepared for any questions you have. please ask me as many as you want about whatever you want.

She smirked, knowing that he couldn't possibly know that much about nick, especially after only a week. However not one to take risks, Judy walked out of her office and snuck into her police cruiser. No one would bother her here, the last thing she needed is intense questioning from Bogo one day before the exchange.

Ok fine whoever you are. Let's start this.

Thank you for at least giving me a chance, Judy

Her questions came out like gun fire but to her dismay so did his responses. Even when questions started getting personal he still responded with haste.

What does nick call me? How long has nick been with the ZPD? What did nick do before becoming a cop? What the first case we cracked?

really, that's it? Carrots, one year, con-man ( however he says you caught him selling 'borrowed' ice cream), and the night howler case ( the one with the mayor and the predators going crazy)

Who's nicks best friend? What is his relationship with me? What have we been trying to accomplish in our jobs? Where does his mother live? Does he have any other family? What's his fathers name?

Trying to throw me off won't work: Finnick (however they haven't talked in a while), your his girlfriend, both of you want to become detectives (he says it's just because he likes the title), his mother is dead, his sister is a fox named Vivian who lives in tundra town, his father ditched him before he was born and he never bothered to learn the jerks name. One more set of questions before i start telling you exactly how much I know. these questions are easy.

When do I pick nick up for work in the morning? what is his relationship with my family? Where is our favorite place to go out? What is his favorite color? what is his middle name?

Really..? that's it? also i told you tricking me won't work. You don't pick him up in the morning, you live together it is just easier to keep both apartments because of some bureaucratic bull shit, he hates your family for hurting and disassociating themselves from you, Black Ice night club, Purple, same as your eyes ( sometimes I wonder if that's just some romantic nonsense) and ,Piberius... My turn. I know that the first time you slept together was after a gazelle concert about a year ago. I know he was shot a few months ago and you didn't eat, drink or sleep for a few days. I know you almost killed his sister because he lied about her existence. I know the first time you went to black ice was the first time you got really drunk and he took video of it. I know he first met your parents when they found you sleeping together and your father tazed him. I can tell you every part of the last few cases you have been on and I can tell you every part of the night howler case that he talks about so often..

she was aghast at his intricate knowledge of nick and their relationship and for a second her iron will faltered. could he be telling the truth. The thought ran through her head like a fire, turning everything she had thought of before to ash. She looked over the message again and again but whatever she did the words were written and they weren't going away. After a moment, she closed her phone. She would deal with this later.

" Hopps," Mark called as he watched clamber out of her car.

"Yes?"

"I've been looking for you. I think I might have found Nick."

the already mad and confused bunny just stared coldly into his eyes before speaking, "Let's go get him."

McHorn filled her in on the details as they got in the cruiser and started to leave. There would be no backup, McHorn only convinced six more officers to come with them to storm the abandoned old building. With the element of surprise they could easily take out the five or so guards that they thought would be guarding the compound. As the group started to drive to the location she got another message on her phone and against her better judgment looked at it.

Judy, please believe me.

Judy, I know about the muzzle.

The last message hit like a truck. He had only ever told three people about that night and one of them was dead. Somehow he knew about it. If they really were still hurting him they couldn't have known to ask about it. It was nick's most hidden secret and he trusted whoever had his phone with it. Despite this, her somewhat idiotic level of stubbornness required that she hold strong.

Go to hell.

As a deer in love with a wolf I found it quite worrying when nick told me about the things you two get into at night. I am honestly curious, why do you like the biting? Is it a predator/ prey thing or does it give more leverage when you two are sawing in and out?

Across the city a very angry deer laughed at his own comical reply. If she ever got her paws on nick again Josh new the first thing she would do was wring his neck.

Her face was bright red by the time the message was finished, she even let out a small yelp as she recognized what he was talking about. He knew about that. no matter what remnants of resistance were left in her system they were shattered with a wave of embarrassment that even drew McHorn's attention.

"Is something wrong, Judy" he asked. She had completely forgotten about his existence, so much so that when he asked the question she jumped strait out of her seat and slammed her head against the top of the car.

"it's nothing," she lied, trying and failing to seamlessly slide back into her position before she was startled out of her seat. After a second she brought back out the phone and furiously typed away.

Ok, I believe you but your help is not necessary. We are just about to storm the compound with him in it.

YOU WHAT?

Its fine, we should be able to get nick out without that much trouble. We have eight officers. They only have a few men.

Judy Hopps you turn around right now and get out of there. There is almost thirty heavily armed mammals in that building with every one ordered to kill nick if they can't hold him. If you go in there you, your officers, and Nick will die.

She mulled over the choices before her, then she sighed deeply. If he was telling the truth she would be responsible for the deaths of eight fellow officers and nick, she couldn't do that.

" McHorn, radio the rest of the officers. We are turning around."

"What? Why?" he demanded confused.

"If we do this more people will die then if we just walk into the trap tomorrow." Despite being crushed after realizing his actions this morning were for nothing he slowly accepted it and respected the cop in front of him for not wanting to endanger any more lives. The group of cars turned around and returned to the ZPD headquarters, anxious for the next day and the trouble ahead.

so next time i think im going to write a lot more about josh and focus on his school and then the chapter after that may be the exchange. i still dont know yet. tell what you think