"Why is it that you and Hopps seem so...persistent in trying my patience?" Carmelita asked as Nick stepped outside the residence of Mr. Big, the cold air making him put on his jacket that he'd brought along.

Nick looked up as he zipped up the jacket, and said, "Hey, we're only trying to get you some clues that you're desperately looking for. We just have different methods of acquiring them."

"So I noticed." Carmelita said, crossing her arms, leaning against the car that Judy and Nick had drove here. "I could tell your chief right now that you two are on the borders of insubordination."

"Yeah well it wouldn't exactly be the first time, Inspector." Nick said. "Look, you might not like that Judy has connections with a known crime boss here, but as much as you may want to believe otherwise, he's not the worst guy in the world."

Carmelita replied, "I could go on about this, but I shouldn't...what. Matters is that we now know where to go, and that's that." Carmelita replied. "We'll head out tomorrow, assuming Hopps doesn't spend all night in there."

Nick smirked a bit and said, "Hey, she's a godmother, and with her line of work, she doesn't get to see the goddaughter all too often. They like each other."

Carmelita just sighed and looked up into the sky. "I don't know why Judy was ever named a godparent in this family. Mr. Big knows she's an officer, she knows he's a crime boss, it just doesn't fit."

"Well for one thing, Judy saved the life of his daughter, which made him look most favorably on her. Believe me, I didn't exactly believe it either, but once you get on his good side, you tend to forget that he's not afraid to get his paws dirty. But the ways things go around here...I believe he does more good than bad. I'll say that, and he doesn't even like me that much."

"Do I want to know why?" Carmelita asked.

"It's not important. What's important is that Judy and Mr. Big have a mutual respect and understanding for one another, and this is a huge advantage in many cases. Remember the plot that Bellwether had a year or so ago? The conspiracy against predator animals?"

"I recall the events." Carmelita said. "I read the file, heard the news, all I really know is that you and Hopps played a major role in stopping it."

"Well Mr. Big helped us more than once, giving us leads, and helping us in getting information. You may just see him as a crime boss, and you know what? Sometimes that's all I see him as to. But I do know that he has his best interests in mind for Zootopia, and those interests aren't always accomplished by getting involved in dirty work. Carmelita, when Judy suggested talking to Mr. Big, all she was thinking was getting us on the road after Sly again. She accomplished that task. "

"Yes she did." Carmelita said. "And we can indeed go after him now."

"You may not agree with how Judy and I go about this, but we are on the same side of the law, and we are working to help you apprehend your raccoon thief."

"I know." Carmelita said. "I just am not used to such measures. I don't like to associate myself with criminals for personal reasons."

"Care to share?" Nick asked. "This ex-con is curious."

Carmelita just gave Nick a bit of a glare there, but closed her eyes and just said, "Being a police officer is all I've ever really dreamed of doing. I worked extra hard at it. I didn't let discrimination, or anything stand in my way. I was under the impression that I could make the world a safer place, while upholding the sanctity of the law. I graduated at the top of the class. And my old boss Barkley, he saw true potential in me."

"See, you and Judy have more in common than you think. I mean, sure, Judy had to really work to show Bogo that she had what it took to be an officer, but she only wanted to make the world better, and she herself graduated top of the class. You and her have more in common than you think."

"Judy is an exceptional officer, and you should consider yourself lucky to have a partner such as her." Carmelita said. "Barkley was nearing retirement, and was looking for an officer to take his position. I volunteered, and we went on multiple assignments to show what I could do. Everything was going great. Then on one particular night, he assigned me the job of securing the Parisian Opera House, and protecting the Diva Diamond, a most treasured possession by opera singer, Pachyderma Tuskaninny. A simple enough job, but ironically enough...it was the night I first met Cooper."

Nick simply smirked and said, "You two really do have a history together."

Carmelita just gave him a glare, and replied, "I apprehended him on the roof, but I'd underestimated his abilities, because he escaped my apprehension. Barkley didn't take that so well. Neither did I. Before this, I had done everything in my power to satisfy my superiors at work. Cooper? I captured him, and he escaped just like that. I'd never felt so humiliated on the job before. That night, I promised myself that I'd bring him in if it was the last thing I did. And in my rush to find him...the Diva Diamond was stolen.

"I was taken by surprise. A diamond under my protection was taken. Everything I had worked for, it didn't matter. Barkley made me fully aware of my mistakes. I'd never felt so crushed on the job. My hopes of becoming Inspector? I doubted I'd ever see them."

"Well you're the Inspector now, aren't you? Nick asked looking over to her.

"Yes I am...and if you ask me, it's out of pure dumb luck. As Barkley was letting everything out at me, who would drop in from the ceiling, but the thief who had made off with the diamond? All tied up. The diamond in his possession and everything. It was returned to it's owner, and I was promoted right there on the spot. To be honest, I don't know why. I barely did anything to get that promotion. That night was a complete failure in my career as an officer."

"Why would you say that?" Nick asked walking in front of her. "You got the bad guy, you showed your boss you could take on the job, and from what I've seen, you're beyond dedicated to keeping that position. So why the self doubt?"

"You're mistaken Wilde." Carmelita said. "I didn't apprehend anyone that night. Someone did the job for me, and I know who it was." She then reached into her pocket, and pulled out what appeared to be an aged folded piece of blue paper. The size and shape, all too familiar by now. "I don't know why he did it, or how he did it...but Cooper did all the dirty work, and I can't help but feel that a lot of the times he has aided me, he was only trying to toy with me. You and Hopps may think I'm obsessed with trying to catch him, but I have plenty of reasons for wanting to see that Ringtail behind bars. I believe that all criminals deserve justice, but Cooper is on a whole other level. It's like this is one big game to him. It's my goal to show him that it's far from that."

"Well Judy and I are here to help you on that." Nick replied. "There's no need to shun Mr. Big if he's perhaps got a lead on where he might be going."

"Perhaps you're right, Officer Wilde. But right now, I'd much rather just drop this conversation. No disrespect intended, but my feelings towards Cooper and others like him are not something I enjoy talking about."

Nick wanted to ask why, but dropped it out of respect. Perhaps Carmelita herself didn't like her own attitude towards criminals and their activity. Did he believe her black and white personality to be a bit unneeded? Undoubtedly. But at least she did have some believable reasons for it, even if they sounded more like personal vendettas more than anything. Perhaps it was just a challenge for both he and Judy to try and calm while they were out on this crazy case that was taking them all over the world.

Speaking of Judy, who would come out of the house at that moment, but she? The door opened and she had a bit of a smile on her face as she came out, which dropped at the sight of both Nick and Carmelita, as she said, "I figured you two would be gone by now."

Nick just gave her a playful smirk, and said, "Hey, I'm your ride home. Wouldn't be much of a partner if I just left you here."

Carmelita took a breath in and said, "Officer Hopps, despite my feelings towards Mr. Big and how I really still don't feel comfortable knowing you've willingly associated yourself with him, we have a lead. You found one where I failed to do so, and I should be more appreciative of your devotion to the case."

Judy was a bit taken aback by this, and she looked at Nick, who just kinda raised his eyebrows at her, as if to say 'Yeah, it's cool.'

Judy managed to smile nervously, and say, "Hey, sometimes, you just gotta look in places you don't wanna look for your next clue. But I should be more respectful of your wishes. You are technically my superior."

"Let's just say, I will aim to try and keep an open mind when securing our leads from here on out." Carmelita replied. "We have reason to believe that Sly is going to Mesa City, to target Muggshot. I suggest we get there as soon as possible."

"It could be dangerous." Judy said. "Word is that Muggshot's got the whole town locked down in fear. Sounds like a real challenge up ahead."

"If it's a challenge for us, it will be one for Sly." Carmelita said. "And I won't let an angry mutt keep my from closing this case once and for all."

Nick simply smiled. "Angry mutts with guns, small chance of success, in a town where we may find little help at all," Nick reached in his pocket and pulled out his aviators before snapping them open and placing them on his face. "Hey, what are we waiting for?"

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Another short one, and one I actually hadn't planned on making, and part of me is unsure if I did it right (partly because this was written in a period of three days), but some of you wanted to see a little talk between Carmelita and the other two. While it's safe to say that the tension isn't exactly gone, maybe there's some understanding at least between the two respected parties? I don't know. What I do know is that I am absolutely exited to write up Mesa City. I think Cooper has been absent a little too long, don't you? Hope to have that new chapter up soon.