ZOOTOPIA: RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Disclaimer: Once again, Zootopia is property of Disney.
Chapter 10: Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Date: Saturday, May 28th, 2019
When Judy woke up, she found a furry red tail curled around her, along with red arms, courtesy of Nick cuddling her. She smiled up at him and rested her head against his chest, feeling the rise and fall with each breath that he took. "Hey," she whispered before looking around. They were inside another overnight room in the station, and they were both on a bench. After Maulia had escaped, neither of them had been permitted to go back to Nick's apartment. Bogo had insisted that they stay inside the station until the dingo could be found.
"Nick, we need to get up," Judy said quietly. Nick hugged her closer to him, as though he wee afraid that she might disappear if he let her go. "Nick... I have to use the bathroom, please!" Judy whined. Nick's ears twitched and he let go. "Back soon," he asked of her. "I will. Promise," she said as he kissed him on the cheek before dropping to the floor and leaving the room.
Maulia Barbaros let out a defeated sigh as she sat on the bed of her hotel room. She'd already soaked the other bed with her tears after learning of Zack Bandit's death, and she was now emotionally drained. Her mate was dead, both of her quarry had escaped her and humiliated her, and now the police were probably looking for her. Fortunately for her, she and Zack had checked in using fake ID's, so the police wouldn't come knocking just yet.
"That... fucking... rabbit," Maulia hissed venomously. I've lost my sword, most of my guns, my mate, my prize... everything. I only have my loyalty to Komo now, and he won't care about that if I don't complete the mission. Maulia sighed. Going back to Reptaelia without completing her assignment was NOT an option. Especially when someone like Komo Domo was waiting for results and proof of a job well done.
"If I go back now... he'll kill me. He'll eat me alive... or feed me to his pet salties," Maulia said, remembering how Komo had once fed a disloyal worker of his to a group of salt water crocodiles he kept as pets in his home. There was no way to get at the lizard and the rabbit now, especially since they were both being kept in the First Precinct under careful watch.
Maulia closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling for a few minutes, under she heard something vibrating. Getting down on the floor, she reached into her lackadaisically deposited jacket and retrieved a cell phone from a pocket inside. "I forgot I still had this," Maulia said to herself as she looked at the missed message alert on the phone.
She began looking up the rabbit's contact list, seeing that her contacts were someone named Fru Fru, the fox, a cheetah named Clawhauser, and her parents. Maulia looked at the missed message and read it. She was about to toss the phone back at the floor when an idea began to form in her head. A wicked smile slowly began to creep upon her maw as she looked at the phone's contact list once more. "It'll work," she said to herself as she began plotting her revenge.
Wilbur McKenzie yawned as he looked around the large gray room he was in. It was an interrogation room, which meant that the mirror to his right was a one-way window, allowing the animals on the other side to see him while could only see his reflection. The koala studied his reflection in the mirror, wondering if anyone was already behind it, watching him.
Wilbur's attention was drawn from the mirror as soon as he heard the door opening. He watched as a large female elephant entered the room and sat down in front of him in the chair on the opposite end of the table. Wilbur briefly glanced down at his cuffs before looking back up at the elephant.
She looked down at him with a neutral expression on her face, although her trunk had a slightly angry sway to it. "Okay, given how chaotic last night was, it is unknown if your rights were read to you. Therefore, I will say them now. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, then the lowest-scoring recent graduate from the least reputable law school in the region will be provided for you," she said with a sneer.
"How thoughtful," Wilbur quipped sarcastically. The elephant, whose name tag read Trunkaby, glared at him. "Do you know why you're here?" she asked him. "You tell me," Wilbur responded tersely. "You were caught attempting to murder a police officer and a civilian, not to mention that there's a serious implication that you were involved in the deaths of four other police officers last night. You were also speeding," she said.
Wilbur chuckled at the last charge. "Is something funny?" she asked him. Wilbur shrugged in response. "Now, what is your name?" she asked him. Wilbur remained silent. "The passport we found on you last night states that your name is Barry Callahan, but I don't think that's accurate," Francine stated.
"For starters, the koala named Barry Callahan died seven years ago. His cause of death was listed as drowning, and dental records proved his identity. You aren't Barry Callahan. Who are you, really?" Francine asked him. Wilbur remained silent.
"Look, when your friend was taken by the ambulance-" "He's dead. The crash killed him," Wilbur interrupted her. "Well-" "If you were going to play that game where you say that one partner ratted me out so I should talk too, then forget it. He's dead, and all you have nothing else on me," Wilbur said.
"Your high-speed chase was captured by surveillance cameras," Francine said. "Did they now? And what about the lizard and dingo who stole the police cruiser? That's grand theft auto," Wilbur retorted. "Given the circumstances, their actions can be viewed as a necessary evil for the sake of survival," Francine said.
"Hn," Wilbur muttered. "Now, given the circumstances surrounding the incident, it's quite clear that you were attempting to hamper a police investigation by killing a key witness. It is highly plausible, possible, and likely, that you work for someone who would benefit from Mr. Albigul being silenced," Francine said. "And?" Wilbur asked her. "Who paid you to kill Mr. Albigul and his police detail?" Francine asked him.
"Do you have proof that I am directly responsible for their deaths?" Wilbur asked her. "You were driving that jeep! You were deliberately chasing Officer Matheson and Mr. Albigul with the intent to kill, and we can prove it," Francine said. "Hmm, am I under arrest?" Wilbur asked her. "Of course you are. You were caught at the scene of the crash, with weaponry on your person. And your fur samples are being compared with those found at the scene of the abduction of Officer Judy Hopps," Francine said.
"You might as well lock me up then," Wilbur said. "At least tell us who you're working for," Francine asked him. "I shall neither confirm nor deny the identities of any individuals who may or may not benefit from the murder or attempted murder of Mr. Lawrence Albigul," Wilbur said in a neutral tone. Getting locked up is probably the best option for me at this point. They already suspect that I'm working for Komo, and all they would need is my word as confirmation. If he finds out that I've talked, then I'm dead, no matter where I go, Wilbur thought.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mirror, Chief Bogo stood alongside Elizabeth Matheson, Judy Hopps, and Nick Wilde as they watched Francine try to probe the koala for more information. "He's not talking," Nick said. He'd seen animals like this before he became a cop.
Animals who worked for other animals with power, and knew that their lives depended on their silence, kept quiet even if they still ended up going to prison. Despite being an assassin, the koala still feared retribution from Mr. Domo if he were to say the wrong thing. Nick figured out that much. "Chief, let me have a shot," Judy implored. "What? Carrots, this guy kidnapped you," Nick said.
"He had help, and besides, he's in cuffs now. When he sees me, he'll know that I've told you guys about everything that I've seen and heard around him and the other mercenaries. He'll give himself up," Judy said. "Okay. I'll let you have a shot, but don't lose your cool. One sign that you're emotionally compromised by what happened, and I'll pulling you out of there," Bogo said firmly. Judy nodded her head. "I understand."
Nick watched as Judy walked out of the viewing room and closed the door. A minute later, the door to the interrogation room opened and Judy walked inside. Francine stayed where she was while Judy grabbed a chair to sit down on next to her. Nick saw the koala's features change for a few seconds before returning to normal. The koala recognized Judy.
Inside the interrogation room, Wilbur took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Judy stared at him, silent and patient. "Um, should I go?" Francine asked the rabbit. "No. Stay," Judy said.
"So... Wilbur, right?" Judy asked. Wilbur raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, but Judy caught it. "That's what Maulia and Bandit, the dingoes, called you back in the basement," Judy said. "Even Roland, the wallaby, called you that. So it's either your real name or a very familiar alias for your companions," Judy said.
"Is there a point to this?" Wilbur asked her. "Yes. I know who you are. I know who your companions are. There's no point in you keeping quiet anymore. So come on, talk. We can still try to work something out if you cooperate with us," Judy said. "I find that highly unlikely, given what I've been charged with," Wilbur said.
"Please, Mr. Wilbur, work with us on this. We can at least make sure that Komo Domo doesn't touch you if you help us," Judy said. Wilbur looked at her thoughtfully, before sighing. "Even after everything you've gone through because of me, you actually think that there's hope for me? You are incredibly naive, little rabbit," Wilbur said. "It doesn't matter if I talk or not," Wilbur continued, "I'm never going to walk outside a free man ever again. Whether I stay silent and go to prison, or talk and go to prison, my fate is sealed."
"Then what do you have to lose by talking to us?" Judy asked him. "My life," he replied curtly, looking Judy directly in the eyes as he said this. "I will admit to attempting to kill Mr. Albigul, but for my own personal reasons. For the official record, I mistook Mr. Albigul for someone who wronged me in the past, and I have a very nasty temper that caused me to do some very terrible things," Wilbur said.
"What about the others?" Judy asked him. "I don't know about them. I joined them for the ride, and that's all I can say," Wilbur lied with a smile. "Come on, tell us the truth," Judy implored him. "I already did. Take it or leave it," Wilbur replied. Judy stared at him with a frown before sighing in frustration.
"The other two are dead, and the last one is missing, can't you at least tell us something about her?" Judy asked him. "From the time I spent around her... she's very aggressive, sadistic, driven, merciless, ruthless, cunning, and all around unlikable, she's also but very affectionate towards Bandit, her mate. At least, until he died, which you told me about just a minute ago. How'd it happen?" Wilbur asked her.
"I... I mean, he fell out of a stolen vehicle and was subsequently... run over," Judy said. "You pushed him out," Wilbur said with a smirk. "Kicked him or pushed him, you did it," Wilbur continued. "It looks like we're both in danger then," Wilbur said. Judy raised an eyebrow.
"You're responsible for her mate's death, and she'll come after you once she figures that out," Wilbur said. Judy pushed her chair back and prepared to get up. "You probably think that you can lock her up if you catch her, don't you?" Wilbur asked her. "You can try, but she'll find a way to get after you eventually. You'll be better off just killing her if she comes after you. It probably doesn't sound right to someone like you, but when someone like Maulia puts her mind to something, she'll do whatever it takes to get it done, even if it gets her killed in the process, and if you play nice with her, she will kill you," Wilbur said.
Judy looked away before hopping out of the chair and walking away. "One more thing, Hopps," Wilbur said. Judy paused and looked back at him. "I can't lie to you about your chances of survival, especially against someone like Maulia, but... you have my sympathies," Wilbur finished with a smirk.
Bonnie Hopps was busy cutting up some vegetables for that nights dinner when her cell phone rang. Looking over at the counter where she'd left it plugged in, she walked over and picked it up, seeing that she had a text message from her daughter. Bonnie tapped on the icon on the screen of the phone and read the message.
"Mom, I am visiting Bunnyburrow for the weekend. Please meet me at the train station by yourself. I have something personal to talk about. See you around one, love Judy," Bonnie read out loud. "Something personal?" she then asked herself.
"Huh? You say somethin'?" Stu Hopps asked as he walked into the kitchen. "Oh, it's Judy. She's coming to visit us today and just sent me a text message asking me to meet her at the station," Bonnie replied. "Just you? Not both of us?" Stu asked her. "Mmhmm. She said she has something personal that she wants to talk about," Bonnie explained.
"You don't think it's about that fox she's partner's with, do ya?" Stu asked her. "Well, he's a male and she's a female. And she is staying with him at his place since her apartment was damaged," Bonnie said, trying not to think too much about the words 'explosion' and 'blowing up' in connection to her daughter. "And he's a fox," Stu said uncomfortably.
"Now, Stu, we've talked about this. Judy isn't a kitten anymore. And... we'd be hypocrites since we've been working with Gideon Grey," Bonnie said. "Alright, alright," Stu said. "Did she say if she'll be arriving by herself or with... Nick? That's her partner's name, right?" Stu asked.
"That's right," Bonnie said. "What time is she arriving at the station?" Stu asked her. "Around one in the afternoon," Bonnie replied. "Well, you've got a couple hours to get ready," Stu said as he looked up at the clock on the wall. "Does the truck have a full tank?" Bonnie asked him.
"You're driving by yourself?" Stu asked her. "Well, Judy does want to meet me alone. Girl talk, remember?" Bonnie reminded him. "Alright. Just be careful," Stu said as he gave his wife a peck on the cheek.
Maulia Barbaros stepped out of the gas station dressed in a gray jumpsuit. It was one that she'd used on an assignment that Komo Domo had sent her on two years prior, and she had taken it with her on almost every assignment since then. She walked over to the pickup truck that she had stolen last night after ditching the car owned by the badgers, before driving over to Kelso's place to grab as much gear as she could before heading back to her hotel room.
She looked down at the phone in her paws and read the text message that had just been received. "Yeah," Maulia said with a smirk as she got into the truck and buckled her seat belt, "I'll see you soon." She then started the engine and drove away, heading for Bunnyburrow.
Elizabeth Matheson looked at the injured goanna lying in the hospital bed. "Spence?" she asked cautiously. She watched as his chest rose up and down with each breath. "Spence? Curtis?" she asked again. "Yes?" Curtis Spencer asked tiredly. "You... you made it," Elizabeth said.
"Narrowly," he replied. "At least you did at all. The local police have that koala detained, but he isn't talking," Elizabeth said. "What happened to the cops... guarding the house in the cars?" Curtis asked her. "They... they were killed by the mercs," Elizabeth replied.
"That... explains a lot," he said. "What about the rabbit? Did the police find her yet?" Curtis asked her. "Yes. She escaped and managed to take out one of the bastards," Elizabeth replied with a relived exhale. "Oi, we're the only ones allowed to kill fellow Reptaelians," Curtis joked.
"I'll be sure to let her know that," Elizabeth replied with a chuckle. "You'd better. How did the merc go out?" Curtis asked. "She shoved him out of a car and he got run over," Elizabeth replied. "Really? I kind of expected... I don't know, something a bit less mundane than that, given what all we've gone through," Curtis said.
"What about the wallaby?" Curtis then asked her. "He did in a crash. Broke his neck and smashed his head against the wind screen," Elizabeth said. "Crash?" Curtis asked. "We had a bit of a car chase after escaping the house. I stopped the car and they rear-ended us at full speed, killing the wallaby and injuring the koala," Elizabeth said.
"So, where's the fourth one?" Curtis asked her. "We don't know. The bitch escaped police custody last night and stole a car before ditching it and stealing off to who-knows-where," Elizabeth replied. "That... that doesn't sound good. Do you think she'll try to get back at the rabbit for the other dingo?" Curtis asked. "I don't know yet," Elizabeth said.
It was 01:20 pm when Clawhauser heard his phone ringing. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Judy. That's strange. Judy's here in the station. Maybe she dialed by accident? Clawhauser answered the call. "Hello?" he asked. "Officer Clawhauser?" a female voice asked with a hint of nervousness. It wasn't Judy.
"May I ask who this is?" Clawhauser replied. "It's me, Bonnie. Judy's mother," the female replied. "Oh! Mrs. Hopps! I'm so sorry. It's just that, well, the caller ID on my phone lists you as calling from Judy's phone, so I didn't realize that it was you," Clawhauser responded.
"Anyway, what can I help you with?" he asked the rabbit on the other end. "I... I need to speak with Judy," she said with a tone that was clearly uncomfortable. Immediately, Clawhauser knew that something was very, very wrong. "Has something happened at home?" he asked.
"Um, you could say that. But, please, I need to speak with Judy," Bonnie said urgently. "Okay. I'll go find her. Just give me a minute," Clawhauser said. He buzzed Bogo's office through the intercom. "Hey, Chief? Are Hopps and Wilde in your office right now?" he asked. "Yes. Why?" Bogo asked. "Um, Judy's mother is calling and... she needs to speak with her daughter," Clawhauser said.
"Why didn't she call Hopps on her own phone?" Bogo asked him. "Chief," Clawhauser said while covering the phone, "I think something's wrong. The caller ID lists Judy's phone as the device calling mine, but her mother is the one speaking. Something is very wrong here," Clawhauser whispered into the intercom. "Okay. Get your butt into my office," Bogo said.
A minute later, Clawhauser opened the door to Bogo's office, panting from the running he had done to get there. "Clawhauser?" Judy asked as she looked up from a map of Zootopia that was spread out on a desk. She, Nick, Matheson, and Bogo had all been trying to determine where Maulia could have been hiding.
"It's... It's for you," Clawhauser said, almost out of breath. "I-I need to exercise more," he whispered to himself as Judy took the phone. "Hello?" Judy asked. "Judy?" Bonnie asked her with a mixture of relief and worry. "Mom? What's going on?" Judy asked. There was a rustling sound in the background before another voice spoke through the phone.
"Hello, Jude the dude," an accented female voice said. Judy's eyes widened in recognition of the voice. "Maulia," Judy gasped. Everyone else turned their heads to look at Judy. "Oh, goodie! You remembered my name. That saves me a lot of trouble. Anyway, You have until nine pm tonight to arrive here in Bunnyburrow," Maulia said. "Why should I?" Judy asked.
"Gee, holding you upside down must've down something to your brain. I have your mother at gunpoint, Judith, and if you don't capitulate, she won't be speaking again for... oh, ever, I suppose?" Maulia replied. Judy put the phone on speaker mode. "Now, you will meet me tonight in Bunnyburrow, by yourself. Wait, scratch that. You may bring the lizard with you. I still have that bit of business to take care of, but bring anyone else, and I mean ANYONE, and your mother will see what her organs look like outside of her body," Maulia warned.
"You... bitch," Judy hissed. "Oh good, you've recognized that I'm a canid. How perceptive of you," Maulia retorted. "Why are you doing this?" Judy asked her. "We are both professionals in our fields, but this matter is personal. You killed Zack. So, I'm either going to kill you or someone you love. There is no way out of this, Judy. if you don't meet me by yourself or with the lizard, then your mother dies. Come alone or with the lizard, and I'll let her go and kill you in her place," Maulia replied.
"Where at?" Judy asked her. "Huh?" Maulia asked in return. "In Bunnyburrow. Where do you want to meet specifically down there?" Judy asked her. "At the train station itself. You can either come by train or some other means, but you must arrive by nine o'clock. I'll wait until nine fifteen, but arrive any later than that and your mother dies. If I see even one sign of ZPD presence accompanying you or arriving in the interim, your mother dies. And don't even think about contacting powers outside of the police. You know what I'm talking, Little Miss Godmother. Contact any of them, and not only will your mother die, but your precious utopia will become a sea of fire. That is the deal. There is no negotiating. Goodbye," Maulia said before hanging up.
Judy looked up from the phone and saw the concerned faces of everyone else in the room. "I... I have no other options. I'll... I'll..." Nick walked over and brought her into a hug to console her.
"It's okay, Carrots. We'll figure something out," Nick said. "We can send a SWAT team down there to-" "No. Maulia said that if she sees even on sign of ZPD presence other than myself, she'll kill my mother. She isn't bluffing," Judy said, remembering the various twisted tortures that Maulia and Zack had put her through yesterday.
"Wait... she didn't say that you couldn't go unarmed," Clawhauser spoke up, surprising everybody. "B-Ben?" Judy asked. "Well, she didn't. She just said arrive unaccompanied by anyone... except for Mr. Albigul. She didn't say that you had to arrive unarmed," he explained. "But... what would I arm myself with? Everything in our arsenal is supposed to incapacitate animals, not kill them," Judy replied.
"Maulia has lethal weaponry with her. Actual bullets and knives," Judy continued. "Even if I were to taser her, she could still get off a shot at me, my mother, or Mr. Albigul in that time. In the time it would take me to get my defense ready, she could easily kill all three of us, even without a gun or a knife. She's a living weapon. She could kill all of us in a heartbeat," Judy said. "Not if someone were to take her out from afar," Nick said.
"And who would do that? Maulia might notice the presence of a sniper team," Bogo said, clearly deep in thought. "Wait... she specifically mentioned ZPD presence," Matheson said, drawing everyone's attention. "Please, she'll still think of it as police other than Judy," Bogo said. "But I'm not ZPD. I could go down there with Officer Hopps and-" "Get sniffed out? I don't think that dingoes are very common in Bunnyburrow. If Maulia notices your scent, my mother's dead," Judy said.
Slowly, the door to the room opened and Lawrence Albigul walked inside. "I can do something," he said. "What?" Nick asked him. "I'll go," he said. "No. We need you alive or else Mr. Domo remains at large. We can't sacrifice you," Matheson said firmly. "Math, you've put my life in just as much danger as the mercenaries this week, so shut up," Lawrence snapped at her. "Now, I'm not saying I'm giving myself up, but I'll make sure that my presence is there," Lawrence said.
"And what if she shoots you on sight?" Judy asked him. "She won't. She'll be focusing her attention on you," Lawrence replied. "You're the one who killed her mate, and civilized dingoes are very attached to their mates. I haven't done anything to her. To her, I'm just a paycheck, but you... well, you're something personal to her," he elaborated.
"But, it's too risky," Judy said. "Look, you can either go alone or take me with you, but you'll have better luck with me by your side. Now, do any foxes live in Bunnyburrow?" Lawrence asked her. "Yeah. There are a few families, why?" Judy replied. "Because we can still have Officer Wilde here come with us. We can take his car, and he can jump out when we're a certain distance away," Lawrence said.
"She'd still smell him," Matheson said. "Yes, but since the car belongs to Officer Wilde, she won't suspect that he'd been traveling with us, since his scent would've been in there when she and Bandit were chasing you in it yesterday, right? I mean, she would've noticed his scent in there before, so she won't think anything's out of place, right?" Lawrence asked.
"I... suppose," Nick said. "That's right, and since there are already foxes living in Bunnyburrow, that means Wilde's scent won't stick out right away. There are already other foxes in that area, so she still won't suspect anything," Lawrence said with a smile. "He has a point," Clawhauser said. "I hate to admit it, but Mr. Albigul is right. Playing dirty isn't appealing, but in this case it's our only option," Bogo said.
"Okay, but Mr. Albigul, you must wear a protective vest and helmet at all times," Matheson said to the monitor. "Fine, but only if I get to drive the car," Lawrence said. "What?" Nick and Judy asked him. "It's my plan, so I want to drive the car. All that I've done so far this week is get kidnapped or have people drive me around. I want to do something under my own power for once. So, I want to drive the car," Lawrence said firmly.
"Fine, you can drive. But don't scratch that car up. I still have loan payments to make on it," Nick warned him. "Don't tempt me," Lawrence replied with a smirk. "Wait, Hopps," Bogo started, "I can't help but wonder... what did Maulia mean when she called you Miss Godmother?" Bogo asked her curiously. Nick and Judy both turned to look at Bogo.
"Um, see, Chief, do you remember my first week here, when I chased Duke Weaselton through Little Rodentia?" Judy asked. "Yes. I remember that. He was carrying those un-bloomed Night Howlers, although we thought they were onions at first," Bogo said. "Um, anyway, I may have, kind of... saved the life of a certain someone's daughter," Judy said.
"Hopps... just tell me who you saved," Bogo said. "I saved the life of Fru Fru Big, the daughter of... Mr. Big," Judy said. "Big? The crime boss?" Bogo asked her. "Y-Yes," Judy said sheepishly. "She was about to be crushed by that giant donut and I stopped it from hitting her, so when Nick and I were investigating the disappearance of Mr. Otterton, we got captured by Mr. Big's henchmen because the vehicle we were looking at belonged to him," Judy explained.
"And?" Bogo asked curtly. "Mr. Big was about to kill us until his daughter saw me and recognized me, telling her father that I saved her life. That's... why I was made the godmother of Fru Fru's child; you know, Mr. Big's granddaughter," Judy explained. "I see," Bogo said through clenched teeth.
"And in the time since then, have you been-" "Chief, he owed her the favor, not the other way around," Nick said. "Be that as it may, I know what these kind of relationships can lead to. You do something for them, they do something for you, and then you start getting chummy. Then you start being asked to look the other way, and then things get deeper," Bogo said.
"But that's not how it is," Judy retorted. "Mr. Big hasn't asked me for any favors since Bellwether's arrest, and I'm only really in contact with his daughter, and she wants nothing to do with his criminal empire," she explained. "It's true," Nick said.
"Hopps, Wilde, when you get back, we are all going to have a very long talk," Bogo said with a firm tone that brokered no argument. "Um, hey, if we don't start planning this thing right now, then we're gonna be screwed when it comes time to meet with the psycho-bitch," Lawrence said. "Right. Let's... let's get on that," Nick said with a sigh.
Lawrence looked up at the sign on the side of the road. It read 'BUNNYBURROW 12 Miles.' "We're getting close," Lawrence said as he slowed down. "Are you ready?" the lizard asked the fox sitting in the back of the car. "Yeah," Nick said as the car came to a stop on the side of the road. "You have everything?" Lawrence asked the fox. "Yeah. I have everything. Gun, badge, ID, ammunition, map, phone, chewing gum, and a lot of anxiety," Nick said.
"Good. We still have another thirty minutes before we arrive at the station, if we keep going at the speed limit," Lawrence said with a sigh. Nick opened the door and got out, reaching back inside to collect his gear. Judy watched him over her shoulder before rolling down the window. "Hey," she said. Nick turned to look at her. "Be careful," Judy told him.
"I should be saying that to you," Nick replied. He stepped forward and pulled Judy into a deep kiss. "For good luck," he said. "Both of us," he then clarified. Lawrence rolled his eyes at the display. Nick then closed the back door and turned around, running off into farmland and surrounding wilderness of the Burrow County.
"Okay, let's get back on the road. Keep that window down for a little while. We want the fox's scent in here, but we don't want too much of it," Lawrence said as he started the engine and pulled back onto the road. "It shouldn't take more than five minutes to even things out," he said. "Right," Judy said.
It was 8:15 already, meaning that they had forty-five minutes until they were supposed to arrive to meet Maulia. With this in mind, Lawrence kept the speed down so that they wouldn't arrive before Nick was able to get in position. "So... you and Wilde are... close?" Lawrence asked her in an attempt to make conversation.
"Yeah," Judy replied. "Hm. Um, listen... I want to say thanks, for saving my tail the other day," Lawrence said. "I don't remember if I thanked you or not earlier, so I wanted to thank you again to make sure. I'm... [sigh] I'm really sorry that all of this is happening to you guys because of me," Lawrence said somberly.
"It's... I forgive you," Judy said. "Thanks," Lawrence said tiredly. "So, just to be clear, taking Maulia in alive may not be possible," Lawrence said. Judy turned to look at him incredulously.
"That was a tranquilizer gun that Bogo gave us," Judy said. "Yes, but don't expect her to just give up after being hit. If she has anything hidden up her sleeves, or inside whatever she's wearing, then she'll use it against us before it kicks in," Lawrence said. "Mr. Albigul-" "Please, call me Lawrence," Lawrence asked her. "Okay. Lawrence, it's my job as a police officer to try to settle things without killing anyone," Judy said.
"Judy, Maulia is a trained killer. She was there when Komo ate that rabbit, Fagan or Flannigan or something, but she was there with Bandit and she watched the whole bloody affair from start to finish," Lawrence said. "The murder you witnessed?" Judy asked him. "Yes," Lawrence said while nodding his head.
"She and Bandit were both there that evening, along with Domo and two other Komodo Dragons. The koala and wallaby weren't there, but the two dingoes were, and they were content to watch Komo terrify that rabbit before eating him alive," Lawrence said. "He ate him alive," Lawrence reiterated. "Sometimes, I can still hear the screams when I'm asleep, and if I think back hard enough, they're just as clear as they were that night," Lawrence said.
"Then... you have to stay alive, Lawrence. Your testimony... that monster needs to be brought to justice. And if Maulia was there to witness it, maybe we can convince her to testify against Mr. Domo as well, if we take her alive," Judy said. "I wish that were possible, Judy. But, these aren't like the criminals you have here in Zootopia. Maulia is a sadistic... monster, she and her mate both. And you got her mate killed, Judy. She's not going to stop coming after you until either one or both of you have died," Lawrence said.
"Are you sure that she can't be reasoned with?" Judy asked him. "I've seen what Komo does to people, and I've seen what these mercs have done to others, and I know that Maulia must've done something awful to you if you were willing to call her a right bitch like that earlier today. I was right outside the door when I heard you say it, but the venom in your voice... nastier than a viper," Lawrence said.
"She... she and bandit tortured me," Judy said. "You don't look too bruised up... well, all things considered. You've got some cuts here and there, three on your left cheek, and some bruises on your face," Lawrence said. "The cuts on my cheek are from a bully I dealt with in my childhood. He's matured since then and we've made amends," Judy said. "Oh. But uh, you're also missing a few patches of fur here and there," Lawrence said.
"I'll get over it... in time. But if I let my mother die, I'll never forgive myself," Judy said. "I'm-" "Don't. This one isn't on you, Lawrence; it's on me. She told me to bring you along as an afterthought, and like you said, you're just a paycheck to her but I'm a personal matter," Judy said. "Right. That's right," Lawrence said as they passed another mile marker.
The rest of the ride was silent, until the pair arrived at the Bunnyburrow train station. Looking around at the platform near the tracks and in front of the main building, Judy felt around for the taser she had attached to her hip. "Where is everybody?" Lawrence asked as he scanned the empty platform.
"There are a lot of bunnies in Bunnyburrow, but not everyone travels out of it very often. The only time I saw a really large crowd here was when I was heading off to Zootopia for the first time, and my parents and most of my siblings came to see me off. Still, it's not normal for the place to be completely deserted," Judy said. There were usually at least one or two animals milling about, but this evening the station seemed abandoned.
"So, if we were to call all of your siblings out here, would there be enough to take on Maulia with numbers?" Lawrence asked. "I have 275 siblings last time I checked," Judy said. "T-Two hundred and... wow. I always thought that multiplying like rabbits was just a phrase or an exaggeration," Lawrence said in astonishment.
Judy looked at the clock on the car's radio and CD player. "It's eight fifty-eight. We still have two minutes before we need to get out there," Judy said as Lawrence turned off the engine of the vehicle. "Right. Wait a few more minutes before facing the music, eh?" Lawrence asked her. "Yeah," Judy replied.
"If you don't wanna kill her, maybe just put her in a coma instead," Lawrence said with a chuckle after a minute. Judy sighed before looking over at the clock. "It's nine o'clock. Let's go," Judy said as she and Lawrence got out of the car. "Wait, put this helmet on, in case she tries to shoot you somewhere that the vest doesn't cover you," Judy said. "Fine. I just wish it didn't look so stupid," Lawrence muttered as he put on the helmet.
"There, happy now?" Lawrence asked her. "I've never been happier," Judy said sarcastically as she walked forward. She made her way over to the front doors of the station, looking inside the door windows and seeing the inside of the building to be abandoned, despite the lights still being turned on. Grabbing the door handle, Judy pulled it open and stepped inside the lobby.
Carefully looking around, Judy walked quietly over to the first ticket booth. The booth was closed, so Judy went over to the next one, seeing that it was also closed. She went over to the third one, and found herself staring at a rabbit with tape over his mouth and ropes around his body, tying him to a chair on the other side of the glass. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be very calm.
"Mr. Hedgeworth?" Judy asked him. "Don't bother," said a voice from behind her. Judy turned around and saw Maulia standing in front of her. "He was actually asleep when I arrived, and do you know what the first thing he did was after I tied him up? He shrugged and went right back to sleep. How am I supposed to get enjoyment out of this if he isn't afraid?" Maulia asked incredulously.
"Where's my mother?" Judy asked her. "Oh, she's alive. Let me go... fetch her," Maulia said with a grin as she walked backwards. "Don't go anywhere now," Maulia said before she disappeared behind a door marked 'EMPLOYEES ONLY'. Judy looked out of the corner of her eye as Lawrence slowly made his way over to a table with a miniature train set on it, hiding underneath it and behind the chairs.
Maulia soon exited from the door and appeared with Bonnie in her grasp. Bonnie had duct tape over her mouth and around her wrists, with a blindfold over her eyes. There was also some rope around her legs, but it was loose. Judy stepped forward, only to be stopped as Maulia raised a paw towards her. "Ah-ah-ah! First order of business: lose the taser. Gently place it on the floor," Maulia said as she pointed to the taser on Judy's hip.
"You didn't say to come unarmed," Judy said carefully as she removed the taser from its holster and placed it on the ground. Judy saw her mother's ears twitch after hearing her voice. "Okay. I've done what you've asked. Now, let her go," Judy said. "Not yet. I have to make sure that you came alone," Maulia said as she stepped forward and circled Judy, sniffing her.
"Hmm, I smell fox," Maulia said. "I came here in Nick's car," Judy replied. "Nick? Oh, the fox you've been fucking. Right," Maulia said. "Yeah, was that his car that Zack and I drove last night?" Maulia asked. "Yes," Judy said. "Well, that explains it, or else you had a quick shag before coming here," Maulia said in response.
"Now, give me your cuffs," Maulia demanded. "W-What? Why?" Judy asked. "Just give them to me," Maulia said before Judy handed the cuffs over to her. "Good. Now, did you bring the lizard?" Maulia asked her. "Do you mean your boss or Mr. Albigul?" Judy replied sharply.
"Obviously, the white-throat," Maulia said. "The what?" Judy asked her. "White-Throated monitor lizard, known as Varanis Albigularis," Maulia said. "Oh. Yes. He was back in the car when I came in here," Judy said. "Was? You didn't lock the doors to-wait, those locked from the inside; never mind. Anyway, while I was waiting for you, I had a bit of an unexpected visitor drop by," Maulia said.
Judy's heart sank. Did Nick arrive too soon and get captured? "Now, he claims to be a local, and I want to believe him, but I need to make sure that he's telling the truth. I figured you would recognize him," Maulia said as she disappeared back into the employee room. Judy immediately rushed over to Bonnie's side and removed the blindfold and then the duct tape from her mother's mouth.
"Ow!" Bonnie cried as Judy ripped the duct tape off. "I'm sorry," Judy said before hugging her mother. "Judy, you have to get out of here. We need to leave, before she comes-" "BACK!?" Maulia shouted as she walked over and threw Judy away from Bonnie. "I said that you had to WAIT!" Maulia yelled at her.
"I did everything you said!" Judy shot back. "You haven't died yet. When you're dead, I'll let her cradle your body. Until then, you have to stay away from your mother," Maulia said. "You monster!" Bonnie cried. "Shaddup!" Maulia said before backhanding Bonnie in the mouth.
"Don't touch her!" Judy yelled as she sprang to her feet. "Ah! Stay there," Maulia said as she pulled a pistol out from behind her back and aimed it at Bonnie's head. "Don't move, Judy. I'll be right back, but don't fucking move, or I'll blow your mother's brains out right now," Maulia warned before backpedaling into the room and dragging out a large red fox wearing an apron.
He had rope around his mouth. "I tried putting a muzzle on him, but he could still whistle, and that really annoyed me," Maulia said nonchalantly. "Gideon!" Judy exclaimed. "Mi mmmdy!" Gideon mm'd through the rope. He didn't seem very distressed, at least, until he saw the gun in Maulia's paw. Then his eyes widened and his breathing quickened.
"Now, this little fox went to the station to buy a ticket, but the big bad dingo caught him after he walked in on her. Now, Judy, go get the lizard and bring him into the lobby, or I will shoot one of these two right now," Maulia demanded harshly. "Fine, I'll go get him. Just-Just don't do anything until I get back," Judy said as she slowly walked over to the door.
After Judy opened the door and walked out, Maulia walked over to the lobby entrance, only to start sniffing. "Wait... I know that smell," she said to herself as she walked over to display table and looked under it, just in time to see a tail whip her in the face. Maulia fell back to the floor as Lawrence lunged at her, biting down on the arm attached to the paw holding the gun.
"Get off me you bastard!" Maulia snapped before growling at the lizard and trying to bite him on the neck. Lawrence refused to let go of the arm and sank his teeth into Maulia's fur and flesh, making her cry out in pain as she dropped the gun. "I'll kill you for that!" Maulia hissed at the lizard. Lawrence swung his tail around to whip at Maulia's face with the tip before backing off and running over to the light switches.
He was just about to hit them when Maulia grabbed him from behind and swung him over onto the floor. He looked up to see Maulia run over and kick him in the face before grabbing his head and banging it into the floor. His helmet began to crack under the repeated blows. "Get! Off! Of! Me!" Lawrence hissed before raking his claws over Maulia's face. Maulia stepped back, giving Lawrence enough time to right himself and back away from her. His tail twitched in anticipation as he and Maulia slowly circled each other.
Just then, Judy re-entered the lobby. "Nobody move!" Judy said as he held a tranq-gun in her paws. Lawrence scrambled over to Bonnie and Gideon, using his claws and mouth to rip away at their bindings. "Stop, Maulia. it's over," Judy said. "No. No it isn't," Maulia retorted before bringing a syringe of some kind out of her pockets. "What is that?" Judy asked her.
"Shoot me and you'll find out," Maulia said with a grin. "What are you waiting for?" Maulia asked her. Judy looked over Maulia's shoulder and saw Lawrence and Gideon freeing Bonnie together. "Guys, get her out of here," Judy said as they made their way over to the lobby doors, staying out of Maulia's reach. "What about you?" Gideon asked her. "I'll be okay. Just call out to Nick and have him get over here," Judy replied.
"So, you didn't obey my orders after all? That's playing dirty," Maulia said. "No, it's called thinking like the enemy," Judy replied. "Hn, so you aren't as stupid as I thought," Maulia said.
"Now, I am going to place you under-" Judy stopped talking as Maulia grinned and pointed to the paw cuffs on the floor behind her. "Forgetting something? Come on, Judy, put down the gun," Maulia said. "Stay back, Maulia," Judy warned. Maulia sighed and relaxed her posture, only to quickly bring a leg up and kick the tranq-gun out of Judy's paws. "Now, we do things my way," Maulia snarled as she kicked Judy back against the door.
Judy rolled over as Maulia brought out a combat knife and slashed at the spot on the floor where she had just been. Judy righted herself and dove between Maulia's legs before spinning around and kicking her in the ass, sending Maulia tumbling forward. Maulia fell over and quickly righted herself. Both women took a fighting stance as they began circling each other.
"So tell me, Judy," Maulia began, "Have you ever killed someone with your bare paws?" Judy glared at her. "No? Of course not. You had to push Zack out of a car and let another vehicle do the job for you!" Maulia hissed as she slashed at Judy, missing by mere centimeters. Judy grabbed onto Maulia's arm and flung herself forward, kicking the dingo in the face. Maulia stumbled backwards into the door, pushing it open before grabbing Judy with her other paw and turning herself as she fell, landing on top of Judy.
Maulia bent her head down and bit into Judy's right ear before standing up and swinging the rabbit around in the air. Judy screamed in pain before Maulia let go and she was sent sailing through the air, landing on the hood of a parked car. "Judy!" Bonnie cried.
"What are you still doing here?" Maulia asked the rabbit as she turned around and took a step towards her. She brandished her combat knife and grinned as she walked toward the doe. "Well, it doesn't matter. Judy broke the agreement. That means I get to show you your intestines," Maulia said wickedly. Maulia just noticed a flashing light in the distance before she felt something embed itself in her side.
Maulia reached down and plucked out a tranquilizer dart. "Oh, you stupid bastards," Maulia said before she reached into her jumpsuit and retrieved her syringe. Carefully removing the cap, she plunged the needle into her side and pumped the fluid into her body. "Ah, sweet adrenaline," Maulia said wistfully. "What a rush," she added with a smile.
Her eyes began to dilate as the two chemical cocktails began mixing together in her body, causing her to swish her head to the side a few times. "Whoa," Maulia said to herself before taking deep breaths. "Okay. Maybe I took too much," she said to herself. "Now, time to kill da wabbit! Kill da wabbit!" Maulia sang.
"Touch her, and I'll get in touch with my natural instincts," Gideon said as he stepped in front of Bonnie, shielding her. "Oh please. You're a fox. You're natural instincts are to survive by running away from bigger animals," Maulia said condescendingly. "Now get out of my way!" she snapped as she grabbed Gideon by the throat with one paw, surprise clearly written on his face as she threw him to the side.
Gideon grabbed his throat and coughed after the rough landing. "Don't get in my way, Red," Maulia spat. "Don't... don't make me mad. Just because you're a female don't mean I won't-" "Oh, spare me the fucking chivalry!" Maulia snapped as she marched over and kicked Gideon in the side. She reached down and grabbed his shirt, lifting him by the collar, before raising her knife and cutting a thin line across Gideon's cheek.
"You feel that? See this blade?" Maulia asked him with a twisted grin on her face. "I've cut the necks of dozens of foxes like you with it, all of them fifty times tougher than you could ever hope to be, and not just foxes. I've even cut me a Komodo Dragon, a dozen rabbits, a shark, a few other dingoes, a rhino, and a wild crocodile with this here knife," Maulia said with a manic gleam in her eyes. "You'll be just another notch on the belt for me, and killin' you will be a piece of of piss, not mention fun as hell," Maulia said jovially.
"You-You're insane," Gideon whispered. "I know. It's loads of fun," Maulia said to him with a smile. She then raised the knife and prepared to plunge it into Gideon's throat when a gray blur slammed into her, knocking her off her feet. Maulia looked over and saw Judy scrambling around on all fours before lunging at her again.
Maulia raised her knife and cut Judy in the side. Judy skidded across the platform with a yelp, clutching her side before standing up and facing Maulia, panting for breath as she stared down her opponent. "You little shit. I'm gonna cut out your intestines and strangle you with 'em!" Maulia snarled. "You'll have to catch me first," Judy replied with a wry smile.
"Oh, I will," Maulia said before lunging at the rabbit. Judy leapt to the side, only for Maulia to spin around and kick her in the side before pouncing on her. Maulia raised her knife and brought it down, only for Judy to grab her arm with both paws and hold it back. Maulia grunted as she tried to force the knife down further. She then moved her other arm up and grabbed Judy by the throat, tightening her grip on the rabbit.
Judy gasped for air and almost loosened her hold on Maulia's arm. Maulia's smile widened as she saw the rabbit desperately try to keep her grip on her arm while losing consciousness as her grip tightened. "Maybe I should just rip your whole throat out while I'm at it," Maulia said.
"Rip this out!" Maulia turned her head just in time to see Nick slam the butt of the tranquilizer rifle into her, knocking her off of Judy on onto her back. "That-that made no sense!" Maulia spat at him. "Like I care," Nick retorted. "Fair enough," Maulia quipped as she stood up and faced the pair. "So, who wants to die first?" Maulia asked them.
"Is there any way at all to make you come back with us and turn yourself in?" Nick asked the dingo. Maulia's eyes widened and she laughed. "Oh, fuck no! How stupid do you think I am!?" she asked with a laugh. "The only way that I'm going anywhere with you is in a body bag. Sure, I can probably kill Komo by myself if I feel like it, but why would I?" Maulia asked, the mix of adrenaline and tranquilizer clouding her judgement.
"So there's no chance of you cooperating with us?" Nick asked her. "You really haven't heard a single word I've said, have you?" Maulia asked him in response. "I guess we don't really have much of a choice then, do we?" Nick asked as he glanced at Judy, who had managed to stand up. "Well then... to the end," Maulia said with a smile as she held up her knife and took a combat stance.
Without warning, she sped forward, kicking at Judy before slashing at Nick, who brought up his rifle to block the blow. Judy rolled over and then grabbed Maulia's leg. Maulia quickly lifted her leg and spun around to kick Nick, sending him and Judy falling over. Maulia lunged forward and plunged the knife down, missing Nick's head by an inch as he turned just in time to avoid the blow.
Maulia was pushed back when Judy bent her knees and kicked forward. Maulia dropped to one knee before standing back and and running forward, rolling over and cutting Judy's left ear before turning and getting behind Nick, grabbing him by the throat and plunging the knife into his abdomen. "Gyaah!" Nick cried in pain.
"Oh relax. It'll be over soon. I just need to hit you in a few more places," Maulia said as she began to remove the knife, only for Nick to grab her by the wrist and keep the knife in place. "Clever boy, aren't you?" Maulia commented. "Not everyone is so smart," she said. "Fuck.. you," Nick muttered.
"Oh, piss off" Maulia spat before twisting the knife. "Nick!" Judy yelled. "You can keep the knife for a little while," Maulia said before pushing Nick away. He tumbled to the platform floor with a grunt of pain. With lightning speed, Maulia lunged forward and grabbed Judy, pinning her to the ground as she began raining blow after blow down upon the rabbit's face.
"Come on, I've got all night!" Maulia laughed as Judy's face became bloodier with each hit. "Get off of my baby!" Bonnie cried as she ran forward and jumped onto Maulia's back. Maulia reached back and easily grabbed Bonnie, pulling her over her shoulder and throwing her to the ground next to her daughter. Maulia let go of Bonnie only to rake her claws against the older doe's face, scarring her.
"Don't worry, you'll get your chance after I'm done with your daughter," Maulia said, grinning. She heard the sound of a door opening, followed by a nervous cry of "Let them go!" Maulia turned her head and looked at the lizard, Lawrence Albigul, holding her gun. Maulia narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Really? Do you even know how to use that thing?" Maulia asked him.
"Yes. Yes I do," Lawrence said with a gulp. "And I suppose you're going to shoot me? Please, you can't do it. You're a coward, and you're weak and pathetic. Go ahead and shoot. You'll probably miss anyway," Maulia said as she let go of Bonnie and Judy to stand up. She turned around and faced Lawrence, slowly walking towards him. "S-Stay back!" Lawrence said.
"M-Maulia Barbaros, this is... well, kind of a citizen's arrest, if I were a citizen of this country, which I'm not... yet, but you're still under arrest! For being an accessory to the murder of Mr. Flannigan, and the at-attempted murder of police officers Judy Hopps and-and Nicholas Wilde," Lawrence said nervously, anxiety coursing through him.
"Is that so? Well then, you'd better take me in," Maulia said mockingly with a haughty smile on her face. "Just put down the gun and I'll make your death quick," Maulia said as she came closer. "Is-Is that a-a threat on my life?" Lawrence asked her. "Well, duh! I'm going to kill you," Maulia replied. "In that case, I have the perfect legal defense: self-defense," Lawrence said.
"Say what now?" Maulia asked him. "I-I will shoot you if you come any closer," Lawrence said as Maulia soon was only a few feet away. "Well then, you'd better shoot me, or else I'll kill you," she said as she smiled and showed him her fangs. She then took a step back before lunging forward. Lawrence closed his eyes and squeezed the trigger.
Maulia stopped and stepped back, looking down at her stomach with shock. "You-You actually shot me. You're fucking dead!" Maulia roared as she lunged forward again. BANG! BANG! BANG! Lawrence fired three more times, knocking Maulia down, before lowering the gun, shuddering in revulsion, fear, and relief. Maulia gasped in shock and looked up at the night sky as her blood began to pool around her body on the platform.
Lawrence fell to his knees and looked at Maulia's dying body, taking deep breaths to calm himself. "I-I killed her," he whispered to himself in near-disbelief. "I actually... holy shit," he muttered. He closed his eyes and opened them to look at Maulia again. "When this is all over... I'm gonna have one hell of a therapy bill."
187 Beach View Lane, Outskirts of Sygnalia, Reptaelia
Date: Monday, June 2nd, 2019
Komo Domo reclined back in his chair and frowned as he read the news report on his personal computer. "So, only Wilbur remains," he said to himself. "Arjun," Komo called out. One of his personal assistants, another Komodo Dragon, entered the room, wearing a suit. "Yes, Mr. Domo?" he asked. "Our kill team has failed. Bandit and Long-Hopp are dead. Maulia is apparently in critical condition, although I suspect that she has already died and it has simply not been reported yet, and Mr. McKenzie is on his way to prison," Komo said.
"Has McKenzie tried to bite our hands, sir?" Arjun asked him. "I do not know. A statement released by the police says that the koala identified as Wilbur McKenzie... admitted to attempting to kill a monitor lizard for personal reasons due to a case of mistaken identity. He apparently mistook a Mr. Larry, an alias I'm assuming, for another monitor who had wronged him in the past. He allowed his nasty temper to get the better of him, and only cooperated with the other three killers out of a shared interest. He knows, oh this is good, he knows nothing about their own motivations, other than the dingoes being quote 'creepy' and 'possibly insane', end quote," Komo said with a laugh.
"So... he's proving his loyalty, then?" Arjun asked him. "Loyalty... or fear. Maybe both? It doesn't matter. Wilbur has accepted his fate to live the rest of his natural life in prison, without parole due to his admitted killing of two police officers," Komo said. "So... do we leave him alone?" Arjun asked Komo. "For now. Wilbur has always been one of my most loyal subordinates, and one of my best. He will prove his loyalty by staying quiet. He knows what will happen otherwise," Komo said with a sigh.
"So, why am I here?" Arjun asked him. "Because... Mr. Albigul is still alive, and I may need someone to continue my operations in my absence in the event that my lawyers cannot get the courts to see things my way. However, I do believe that even if I am put away, it will not be for very long. I have many friends in high places, and not just here in Reptaelia," Komo said.
"I see. You wish for me to visit them?" Arjun asked him. "Yes. Nothing concrete yet, but I do believe that it is time to begin setting up our expansion. Nothing major yet, just small dealings outside of the country. Eventually, we will make our way oversees. But... one step at a time. One step... at a time," Komo said with a smirk.
"So..." Judy said carefully as she looked at Bogo's face. Nick and Judy were both covered in bandages. Nick was also using a crutch, while Judy had two smaller ones with her. "Officially, you two are on a well-deserved vacation for the next week or so. Unofficially, you are also on a form or probation as we investigate your connections to Mr. Big," Bogo said. "Look, I already told you about the skunk butt rug," Nick said. "Yes, but it isn't you who I'm worried about, Wilde. I have no doubt that Mr. Big would rather shove you into oncoming traffic than make deals with you. Officer Hopps, however, is on much friendlier terms with the family. This, unfortunately, makes you a liability until we can prove otherwise," Bogo said to Judy.
"Do you understand why I am doing this?" Bogo asked her. "Yes sir. To perform a background check and ensure that my records are clean and that none of my cases so far have used any ties to the mafia," Judy replied somberly. "Yes. Hopps, I know that your heart is in the right place, but legal matters can be very delicate, and we have to keep our hands clean as much as we can, especially when it comes to stuff like this," Bogo said in a firm yet gentle tone.
"If, hypothetically of course, it were discovered that a case you solved was done using connections to the mob, then many of your other cases could be called into question, putting your career at risk, and destroying your credibility. It can also call the department itself into question, should those kind of connections be discovered," Bogo explained. "Hopps, I know it may sound harsh, but while Mr. Big's daughter may seem friendly, I need you to remain out of contact with her for the duration of your... vacation. You may call her today and inform her that you and Wilde are on an extended vacation to some... I don't know, secret spa or something, and will have your communications turned off most of the time," Bogo said.
"After that... stay out of contact. I know it may seem overboard, but we have to be certain that you've followed procedure and haven't broken the law or used underhanded methods of gathering information," Bogo said. "I... I understand, Chief," Judy said. "Good. Now, both of you, get out of my office and start your probation-I mean vacation," Bogo said.
"Uh, Chief, out of curiosity, where is Mr. Albigul being kept now?" Nick asked. "He's staying in the custody of the Federal Marshals now. Officers Spencer and Matheson are still providing protection to Mr. Albigul until further notice. As for the current location of Mr. Albigul, even I am unaware of that," Bogo replied.
"Well, that's... that's good. Say, what does his therapy bill look like? Is it bigger than mine after I saw you in the showers?" Nick joked. "Wilde. Don't push it," Bogo said. "Right. Well... gotta go," Nick said as he and Judy left the room.
"So... where to?" Judy asked Nick. "Well, I guess we could go to the beach or just stay at my apartment," Nick suggested. "How about... our apartment?" Judy asked him. "Wow, that was quick. Sure we're not rushing things?" Nick asked her. "Nick, trust me. We've known each other long enough, and we've been through enough together. Besides, it's so much nicer than my old apartment, and it has a bathroom," Judy replied.
"That's true," Nick said with a smirk. "So... we'll just stay in the apartment," Nick said. "What? I thought you wanted to go to the beach?" Judy asked him as they stepped into an elevator. "Well, it'll be like going to the beach," Nick replied. "Yeah, and how does that work?" Judy asked him. "Hmm, we'll be wearing very little clothing, we'll be having fun, and we'll both get wet. At least, you'll get wet," Nick said with a smirk as the elevator stopped and opened on the first floor.
The duo walked out and passed Clawhauser, who was chatting away with Francine. The duo waved at the cheetah, who waved back, and walked out the front doors. "So, where to first?" Judy asked Nick. "Well, I was thinking first we'd go to bed. I'm still tired from all the running around we did last week," Nick replied with a wink. "Can I come with you?" Judy asked him.
"Do you snore?" Nick asked her. "Non-stop," she replied with a smile. "Then let's go," Nick said as they got into his car and drove away from the precinct. "Say... what happened to Finnick? I didn't see him at all on Saturday," Judy asked Nick. "Oh, he went back to his van after getting patched up. Don't worry, we'll see him again someday," Nick said. "You know, we could also go to Bunnyburrow, check on your family, and relax. Maybe introduce me to your parents properly," Nick suggested. "Let's go home first, and then start planning," Judy said. "Sounds good to me," Nick said with a smile as they drove home.
The End... For Now
Ending Theme: If You Asked Me To, by Patti LaBelle
This is the end of Reckless Endangerment, but not the end of the whole story. I have two other connected stories that I am now planning. The first one is a prequel of sorts which revolves around the corrupt police plot mentioned several times in the story. That story will be called Magnum Fur. The second story is a sequel or continuation of Reckless Endangerment, and it shall be called... The Scales Of Fear. It will revolved around the expansion of Komo Domo's empire into Zootopia and the resulting conflict between his and Mr. Big's empires.
I don't know which one I'll start on first, and updates will be a little sporadic at the start, since I still have some Daria/Sealab crossover stories to finish up, including a big epic story called When The World Ran Out Of Pudding, which I will be posting in late May and throughout June on the Paper Pushers Message Board.
And, for those interested, the characters of Chaney and Whittaker were named after actors Forrest Whittaker and Lon Chaney Jr. You can guess why the wolf was named after Lon Chaney Jr.