CHAPTER 9

The Bluffer

Maybe it was the much-too-comfortable bed, or the warm blankets. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the previous day, both physical and emotional. Or maybe it was the simple fact that she'd forgotten to set her alarm the night before. Whatever the reason, Judy found herself sleeping well past her usual schedule, her eyes cracking open slowly as her mind began to wake.

The soft patter of water hitting tile was barely audible through the wall. What came as a surprise was the fact that the mammal occupying the shower seldom woke up before her. Judy disentangled her body from the sheets of Nick's bed and groped around in search of her phone. The bright light from her display shone against her still-sleepy eyes and she groaned in pain. 10 AM.

Slowly, she pushed herself off the bed as her mind clamored to jump right back under the covers. But no matter how comfortable the bed, she knew there was work to be done. As she stretched out her body as per her usual morning routine, she heard the shower come to an abrupt end, followed by the squishy noise of wet paws on hardwood floors. Nick must have left the bathroom, which meant it was up for grabs. Growing up with a couple hundred siblings, she'd learned to appreciate the comforts of a private bathroom.

She slowly opened the bedroom door and peered outside, spotting the tip of a bright orange tail disappearing behind a corner. She took the opportunity to dash into the bathroom, hoping Nick wouldn't get the chance to catch her looking like she was: Bed-furred and weary-eyed, with drool dried up on the edge of her mouth. She usually tried to maintain her appearance, and now it felt like it was more important than ever.

A long, relaxing shower helped ease her racing mind, and she allowed herself a few minutes of clarity. The warm water calmed her, running through her fur and washing away all her worries about Nick and the case. It was bliss, if only for a few minutes.

A quick tussle with a fur-drier and a few towels later, she was once more crisp and clean. Yet one important detail was missing. Cursing her absent-mindedness, she wrapped the larger of the towels around her body and eased her way out of the bathroom, tiptoeing towards the kitchen where she could hear Nick humming to himself amidst the clatter of pots and pans.

"Um, Nick?" She said, her eyes widening when she finally caught sight of her target. Nick had his back turned to her, but that didn't spare her the view of much more fur than she'd expected. Much like herself, he'd apparently run into a similar problem, as all that covered his body was a small beige towel wrapped modestly around his waist, his tail protruding from underneath the thin fabric.

He turned around with a smirk, further revealing his bare chest and leaving Judy blushing furiously as she did her best to look away, hoping not to attract any unwanted attention to her own situation.

"Mornin' Carrots. Looking good." He said easily, earning a glare from Judy which he ignored. "As much as I'm loving your new look, I don't think modern society is ready for something so daring."

"Hilarious," Judy drawled, thankful that her embarrassment had mostly gone unnoticed as Nick turned back towards the kitchen, flipping something around on a skillet. On the bright side, she got a free peek at Nick's lean, scarlet back, her eyes slowly drifting downwards towards his… "I don't suppose I could ask you to run over to my place and fetch me a change of clothes, could I?"

"No need," Nick replied, moving through the kitchen fluidly as he cooked their breakfast, providing with Judy of even more of a show. "Check the closet in my room. There should be some female clothes in the far right side near the back."

"Female… Nick, is there something you're not telling me?" Judy teased. "Should I be concerned about this?"

"Only if you're afraid of a little competition." Nick replied, turning to give her a wink and cocking his hip. With a hearty chuckle and clutching at her towel lest it betray her modesty, Judy quickly made her way back into Nick's room.

Opening the closet revealed a myriad of clothes of all shapes and sizes, and a lazily flitting moth. And just like Nick had said, there was a wide variety of female's clothes, all jumbled together against the back. Making a mental note to ask Nick about it later, she rummaged for a few minutes before finding what she needed. A pair of plain black leggings and a turquoise top were the only things that might allow her some sort of mobility in the event of a chase; the rest of the clothes seemed to be designed with another purpose in mind. The only thing that had her slightly unsettled was the lack of any sort of modest underwear, having resigned herself to a black lace thong that would probably rip if someone so much as winked at it.

Still, better than a towel.

As she left the room and turned towards the hallway, her view was blocked by a large patch of cream-colored fur. She jumped back, smacking her head against the wall in an attempt to avoid Nick's bare chest.

"Whoa, you okay Fluff?" Nick asked, reaching a paw towards her head. Blushing furiously, and now with a growing lump on the back of her head, Judy avoided his paw and slipped past him, feeling his fur brush against her as she tried to escape.

"I'm fine. Fine." She muttered, ignoring his worried gaze and marching quickly towards the kitchen. She searched the cupboards for a mug, making as much noise as possible until she heard his bedroom door close and she relaxed, releasing a pent up breath. Grabbing an old ZPD mug, she waddled towards the coffee maker, pouring herself a steaming cup of dark, bitter coffee. It would probably make her heart explode, but she figured it wouldn't make much difference by now.

Judy had discussed the matter at length with her pillow. She'd thought long and hard about all the ups and down, the pros and cons. The benefits and the complications. And while the benefits made her toes curl up with eager anticipation, she knew the possible repercussions of trying to make something more out of their relationship, and they were none too pleasant. Their careers could come to a grinding halt, their private lives would be open to the scrutiny of countless others, and their families would probably disown them. Or at least, hers might.

And that was only if her feelings were reciprocated. She took a large gulp of the bitter concoction, her paws trembling slightly. She didn't know what would be worse. If Nick returned her feelings, or if he didn't. On one paw, soul-crushing rejection. On the other, their lives would go from complicated to complete chaos.

She dug into the pancakes Nick had left her with gusto, finding a certain catharsis in stabbing the fluffy mounds of dough. It wasn't their fault. But it certainly wasn't hers either. As Nick changed, Judy sat pensively, contemplating whether stabbing Nick with a fork might ease her troubles.

She was fairly certain it would.

The remainder of the day was spent locked up inside of Nick's apartment as they pored over every detail of every possible plan. While Judy wanted to go for a more straightforward dash-and-bash, as per standard raid procedure, Nick was in favor of maintaining a low profile. It took some convincing and promises of foot rubs, but he eventually got his way. Her plan would serve as a glorified backup.

The rest of the day consisted of a similar back and forth, as they prepared for their grand mission.

As the sun began to set on the horizon, flooding the apartment with a reddish tint, Nick prepared a fresh batch of coffee in anticipation of the long night ahead of them. He risked a glance at the bunny sitting on his couch, staring defiantly at the papers strewn before her. Case files and bios peppered a gigantic map of Zootopia, each relevant detail connected to a location by a series of pins and red string.

But what caught his eye wasn't the masterpiece of detective work laying on his coffee table, but rather the frail-looking Judy. Her pose was as defensive as he'd ever seen her, curled into herself, her ears tucked at the sides of her head, hiding her eyes. Eyes were truly the window into a mammal's soul, and in Judy's case, they had always been her weakness. Or was it his? Whichever the case, her eyes always betrayed her true emotions, regardless of her body language or considerable acting skills.

Yet all day long, she'd avoided his gaze. Whenever he'd sat next to her, she'd lean away, distancing herself from him. She tried to cover it up with smiles and meaningless chatter every once in awhile, but he knew the difference by now. He wouldn't normally mind, but it was out of character for his usually-affectionate best friend. Something was bothering her, and all he knew was that it had something to do with him. What it was, he could only guess.

Pouring the coffee, Nick almost missed his mug, escaping a nasty burn by mere centimeters as his mind wandered. A soft growl escaped him, his patience by now wearing thin. They were on one of the most important cases of their careers, and despite their efforts, they'd made little if any progress. Bogo had leaned on him hard when he'd called to inform him about their plans for that night. Hopefully, this "raid" might set them up for a clear shot at the head honcho. Bogo was counting on it. Nursing his warm cup of coffee, Nick allowed himself a small, hope-filled smile.

The echo of the doorbell snapped him out of his brief reverie, and both he and Judy jumped at the sudden noise. As she looked at him, they seemed to be sharing the same thought.

It was time.

With swift steps, Nick placed the cup of coffee on the table next to Judy's pen, offering a quick nod before heading downstairs.

Vicky greeted him with her usual charisma, peppering him with kisses as he subtly tried to disengage himself from the vixen. Though part of him certainly enjoyed the affection, there was work to be done. They could revisit the past once they'd brought down their target, and not a minute before. No matter how tempting her scent may have become.

His mind muddled by a mixture of thoughts, he couldn't focus on Victoria's chatter as he made his way up the stairs, guiding her into his apartment. He wasn't nearly distracted enough to not notice the defensive postures both females adopted once their eyes met, and he wisely stepped aside, hoping not to add to the situation.

"Well then, now that we're all here, let's go over the plan one last time and get everything ready." Nick said, hoping to turn the focus on something productive and away from whatever rivalry had popped up between the two females glaring at each other.

Vicky's cheerful consent mirrored Judy's less-than-enthusiastic one as they settled around the sprawling map of the city. Already Nick could feel the first signs of adrenaline pumping through his blood: the anticipation of the hunt. Judy's voice was a much needed anchor, drawing his attention back to the present.

"So far, we only have a rough layout of the place. It's an old parking garage that's been mostly abandoned for the past few months. Several points of entry as well as several escape routes. Closed staircase, service elevator, and a small guard outpost every other floor." Judy said, laying out several pictures and diagrams they'd managed to dig up from the internet.

"Seeing as how we can't go charging in, guns a-blazing," Nick said, giving Judy a pointed look; she simply huffed and turned away, shuffling some papers. "We're going to have to play it smart. Undercover."

"Great. What's my part?" Victoria asked, bouncing in her seat on the couch next to a miffed Judy. If anything, the rabbit became sulkier at the vixen's proximity.

"I was thinking Bluffer with an Oddjob, with Judy as the slider."

"I'm the Bluffer?" Vicky asked with a mischievous smile. "I wish you'd have told me sooner. I'd have dressed for the part."

"Check the closet," Nick nodded towards his bedroom, ignoring Judy's now-persistent stare. "While you're at it, mind setting out my outfit?"

With silent assent, Victoria glided past him, her paw rubbing against him in a none-too-subtle fashion. Nick flinched, quickly seeking refuge in the kitchen as Victoria closed the bedroom door behind her and Judy cleared her throat. Ignoring her, Nick poured himself a second cup of coffee, seeing as how his first was now in the clutches of the rabbit on his couch.

"What?" Despite having his back to her, he could feel her eyes boring into the back of his skull.

"I didn't say anything." She muttered.

"No, but I can practically hear your thoughts." Nick said, turning around to face her, a warm cup of joe now the only simple thing in his life. "What's bugging you, Carrots?"

"Nothing."

"Is it about tonight? Worried about something?" He asked, taking a step towards her. "We've gone over it a couple hundred times by now…"

"No, it's nothing like that..."

"You're worried about something …" He asked softly, settling down beside her. This time he noticed her look at him briefly before flinching away.

"I'm fine, Nick... I'm just…"

"Did I do something?" He asked, taking a risk. Her wide eyes and slightly-gaping mouth told him he'd hit a nerve, or at least he was getting warmer. "Or did I say something? You've been giving me the cold shoulder all day, Jude. I just wanna know what I have to apologize for before actually apologizing."

Judy stammered for a few seconds before smiling, her saddened eyes a stark contrast. "No, Nick. I'm sorry, I just…" She seemed to be struggling with something, and all at once, her body relaxed in resignation, making her look like a frail kit and not the formidable police officer he knew she was. Whatever troubled her had broken through her dedicated exterior,leaving her vulnerable. Her eyes, however, shone with determination when she finally worked through whatever had her tongue tied. "I… I've been thinking, lately, and I... I've sort of realized…"

"Well? How do I look?" Victoria's voice echoed through the apartment, interrupting Judy' words and promptly causing her to tense up, her expression turning bitter as she looked back towards the table. Whatever she'd been planning on saying, she clearly didn't want the vixen involved. Nick sighed and turned to inspect Victoria's disguise. He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you've aged better than I have, that's for sure." NIck said, taking in the vixen's cornflower-blue skirt suit and trying not to ogle any more than absolutely necessary. "I'll be honest, I'm surprised that still fits you."

"Now, now, what sort of backhanded compliment is that?" Vicky teased, twirling around and flaring her tail dramatically. The cerulean ensemble looked magnificent on her, but he wasn't about to fall into the trap of complimenting anyone so long as both females were present. He'd already learned that lesson the hard way.

Hoping his lack of a response would go unnoticed, Nick stood, brushing nonexistent dust off of his slacks, and tugged at one of Judy's ears, earning him a shocked glare from the bunny. He waved her protest off and made his way to the bedroom.

"You certainly look the part, that's for sure." Nick said as he passed Victoria who smiled at him with an almost uncomfortable tenderness. "Why don't you and Judy go over the plan one last time while I get ready?"

Not waiting for an answer, Nick dashed into his room and slammed the door shut behind him, creating a safe barrier between him and the two most dangerous mammals currently in his life. With any luck, he might just escape the situation unscathed. The way things were going, though, he figured he'd be safer back with Roughpelt.

A drab black three piece suit and white dress shirt were neatly laid out on his bed, along with a pair of dark sunglasses and a shoulder holster. His handgun lay on his pillow, along with a box of rounds and two empty magazines. A smile tugged at the edge of his lips, the sight of the old gun bringing back bittersweet memories. Though he'd never fired a round in his life before joining the academy, the irony of it all was not lost on him. Even more so, having to carry around a handgun loaded with blanks seemed trivial considering he carried a much more lethal version in his usual day to day routine now.

Still, he doubted Judy would approve of his "prop". She'd almost made a scandal out of the night vision goggles; she was bound to flip if she learned he had an unregistered firearm stashed in his apartment. And if Bogo knew… Nick shuddered. Some things were better left hypothetical.

As he changed into his bodyguard disguise, Nick at least took comfort in the fact that his apartment was seemingly still standing, and there were no signs of a fire anywhere.

That didn't stop him from glancing at the smoke detector every few seconds.

The night was dark and foreboding, the moon hidden behind thick layers of ominous stormclouds. The air was thick and humid, and unnaturally warm for the time of year, which only confirmed the impending downpour. If Nick had been a superstitious mammal, he might have considered it an omen.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, filling his lungs and focusing only on a steady release of air. A bit of impromptu meditation came in handy before an immersive performance like the one they were heading into. The silence in the car aided in his concentration. He chose to ignore the fact that it was caused by the palpable tension between the two females accompanying him.

He wasn't sure what problem the rabbit and vixen had with one another, but it was clear that they enjoyed each other's' company about as much as he enjoyed honest manual labor. They had definitely exchanged some words in the apartment while he'd been changing, but by the time he'd emerged, they were both on opposite sides of the apartment, each skillfully pretending the other didn't exist. For the time being, he deemed it wise to ignore it and go on with the plan. He'd have to have a little chat with Vicky once they'd dealt with the sting. Sooner rather than later, if Judy's increasingly-erratic behaviour was anything to go by.

"Showtime," he muttered, drawing the attention of the females. The abandoned building where the transaction was about to take place loomed ahead of them. The garage looked like it had seen better days, and only recently. Its modern architecture and smooth pavement was marred only by a layer of graffiti and debris.

It was odd that what seemed like a perfectly functioning parking garage would go unused, especially so close to downtown. Already it made Nick suspect that something wasn't quite as clear cut as they'd thought.

"Alright, Santos said he used to deal from the lower levels. We'll head down to the first sub-level and take it from there. They know we're coming." Nick said, straightening his tie with one paw as he slowly turned the wheel.

"They do?" Judy asked from the backseat, her paws clutching at his headrest as he pulled into the garage.

"Wolf on the second floor." Nick answered, nodding upwards as they passed through the empty entry gate. "Binoculars and an automatic rifle. He'll probably have signaled ahead. These are the big leagues, Judy. They're not gonna risk getting caught with their pants down by a bunch of curious cubs on a joyride."

Judy remained silent, but he could tell he hadn't done anything to help her nerves. At least by now she had probably given up on the idea of charging in with the SWAT team. Victoria, meanwhile, seemed unfazed, quietly humming to herself and fixing her fur with the help of a mirror and a small comb. Like Nick, she had a different mindset and had an easier time entering these sorts of situations.

Once they reached the end of the first floor, their headlights caught a tall, ominous figure standing at the intersection to the ramps leading to the different levels.

"Oh look, they even have valet service." Nick said, earning a chuckle from Victoria while Judy hid herself beneath the back seat. As they approached, he recognized the hulking mammal as a bison, its massive horns and threatening glare reminding him of a certain cape buffalo.

Once beside the beastly mammal, he lowered the window and leaned out, resting his elbow on the frame. Before he could open his mouth, the bison beat him to it.

"Garage's closed. Best turn around, friend ." the bison spoke with a gruff, accented voice, and absolutely no signs of any sort of friendliness despite his choice of words. In response, Nick flashed a toothy smile and raised his voice a few octaves, if only to disguise his voice.

"Ah, I'm sorry. We're here on business, looking to buy a certain product we were told can be procured here. Pulse ." Nick's smile widened as one of the bison's ears flicked. They were most definitely in the right place. "Do you have any idea where we might be able to find someone selling that sort of thing? Hypothetically speaking, of course."

The bison snorted, narrowing his eyes as he examined Nick and Victoria.

"Maybe. Let's see some ID."

What he assumed was Judy's foot hit the back of his seat, making him flinch. He recovered before the bison could notice, pretending to shift in his seat. Turning around, he muttered a few gibberish words in a made up language to Vic, and leaned in the back to grab the shiny steel briefcase lying on the backseat. Without any additional fanfare, he inserted a small key and it swiftly clicked open. Nick leaned it towards the window, revealing several stacks of hundred dollar bills. Close enough for the bison to gauge their authenticity, but still well out of his range. His motion also served to part his jacket a ways and reveal the nine millimeter strapped to his side. The bison saw both, and seemed to understand, nodding his massive head.

"Fair enough. Head down two levels. Leave your car on the far side of the garage and walk to the booth. They'll get you your fix."

With a curt thank-you, Nick closed the briefcase and shifted the car back into drive, schooling his features so as not to betray the anxiety he felt within. Judy was having no such luck, however. As soon as he'd raised the tinted window, her foot tapped against the back of his seat as he accelerated down the ramp towards the lower levels.

"Holy carrots, Nick, please tell me that's not real." Judy said. Nick glanced at the rearview mirror, spotting Judy's new position in the backseat.

"That's some eyesight you've got there, Fluff."

"Don't change the subject and answer my question, Nick!" She demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Relax, it's about as dangerous as Clawhauser. They're blanks." Nick said, rolling his eyes. "Consider it a necessary evil, fluff."

"An illegal evil, Nick. We're not allowed to carry firearms during suspension!"

"Judy, we're literally on our way to buy two hundred thousand dollars' worth of illegal drugs with fake cash, and you're worried about a carry permit?"

Nick took Judy's grumblings as acquiescence, though he didn't miss the stifled giggle coming from the vixen sitting next to him. The last thing he needed was a catfight in the middle of cartel territory.

"Ready for this, Vic?"

"Just like old times, isn't it Nick?" She responded, mirth in her tone. Contagious as it was, he allowed himself a small smile. He'd never say it within earshot of the rabbit sitting behind him, but it felt good to scam once more, even if it was for a non-profit like justice.

"Sure, except this time I have a badge that says I'm allowed to do this."

"I thought they made you leave the badge with your gun?" The vixen asked innocently, the smug look she directed at him saying otherwise. Nick cleared his throat, ignoring both the chuckling fox and the glaring rabbit.

Once they rounded the curve and glided out unto the second sub-level, Nick spotted the security outpost immediately, a dim yellowish light glowing behind the frosted glass windows. He promptly veered left, and with a deft maneuver parked the car against the far wall, facing the outpost. Their position left them with a clear vision of their surroundings, making it virtually impossible for anyone to sneak up on them. At the same time, they were completely exposed from all three sides. Still, for the time being, none of that mattered.

"Alright, everyone remembers the plan, right? Vic, you just mumble in Purrussian, I'll take care of the translation. Judy…"

"Yeah, I know." She interrupted, her face twisted in a scowl. "Keep a lookout and text you if something goes wrong."

Nick sighed and twisted in his seat, placing his paw on her shoulder and giving a little shake as he looked her in the eye.

"Sorry bunny, but if they see both of us, they're bound to put two and two together." He said, hoping his explanation would at least help. It hadn't worked the last fifteen times, so he wasn't too surprised when she kept her sour disposition. As he pawcuffed himself to the briefcase, he flashed her a toothy grin, opting for a different approach. "Think of it this way, Fluff. We're celebrities. A regular pop culture icon. Next thing you know, we'll be fighting off paparazzi."

That at least worked to get a stubborn grin from the rabbit. A quick tussle of her ears brought that up to a full-on smirk, laughter shining in her eyes.

"That's the spirit! Don't worry, after this, we're getting one of those carrot smoothies you like so much to celebrate. Promise." Nick felt lighter in his heart as Judy smiled genuinely at him. With one farewell wink, he tossed her the key to his pawcuffs and opened the car door. Once he stepped out of the car, Nick quickly transformed into his persona, adopting a dour expression.

With precise movements, he walked to the other side of the car and opened the door for Victoria, extending his paw. Now that they were on the outside, he was certain they'd be watched. With a firm grip on the briefcase, he helped Victoria out of the car, and promptly followed her towards the small outpost on the other side of the garage.

They made their way in silence. No words were needed to communicate between them. Despite having spent years apart, Nick found himself falling into old patterns, synchronizing with Vic's movements almost effortlessly. It was a small advantage, but he'd take whatever they could get.

Once they were some ten meters away from the door to the outpost, they stopped, holding their heads high and maintaining their rigid postures. Nick made sure to keep one paw free and close to his fake gun in case the situation necessitated it. It wasn't his first transaction, but he usually dealt with more trustworthy mammals. These were new kids on the block, and he wasn't betting on them having the same sort of code that the city's older criminals abided by.

The door opened and quickly put an end to his thoughts, his eyes now focusing on the trio of mammals that stepped out to greet them. A tall, well-groomed mountain lioness was the obvious leader of the pack, her proud strut a clear display of dominance. Her obsidian jumpsuit flowed with her movements, giving her the appearance of a shadow, the only part of her body not covered by the smooth fabric being her face. Her paw flexed beneath thick gloves, and her claws extended and retracted, clearly in an attempt to intimidate. It was working.

She was flanked on either side by two young-looking wolves, barely out of their teens. Their eyes were wild and their fangs bared menacingly. They advanced slowly towards them, letting out a series of low-pitched growls. Nick felt his paw flinch towards his hip instinctively.

The lioness stopped halfway and looked them over with sharp, critical eyes. They faced off in silence for the better part of two minutes, though it felt like fifteen at least. Finally, the lioness spoke, her voice friendly and smooth, a welcome comparison to the bison's gruff demeanor.

"I hear that you're looking to make a purchase. Is that right?" She asked, going straight to the point and skipping all preamble. Nick smirked. Just like he'd suspected. New outfit, no code.

"Depends." NIck answered, keeping his manner disinterested. "Lady van Wolfway is interested only in the best, and word around town is that you've got it. It's new, isn't it?"

The lioness looked between him and Victoria, a smile working its way unto her lips.

"Lady van Wolfway? Never heard of her."

"Good. Let's keep it that way." Nick replied instantly, smiling as his comment struck the lioness. Apparently she wasn't used to dealing with foxes with sharp tongues. Victoria chose to interrupt at that moment, making some random commentary in Purrussian while Nick nodded at her, pretending to be slightly admonished. He turned back towards the lioness with an impatient glare, noting all three mammals seemed a bit unsettled with the situation.

"The Lady wishes to inspect the merchandise before getting into the details of the transaction." Noticing hesitation in the lioness's stance, Nick patted the briefcase in his paw, twisting it in front of him. "Needless to say, we are looking to purchase in bulk."

With a nod, the lioness turned and gestured towards the booth, muttering an order under her breath while both wolves rushed to comply. Once they'd disappeared inside the small edifice, the lioness turned back towards Nick with a smile.

"Follow me." With a flick of her tail, the lioness turned and walked back towards the booth. The two foxes looked at each other before nodding, and followed with careful steps.