ZOOTOPIA: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE EVIL
Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.
Chapter 09: The Return of Lisker
Date: Monday, July 16th, 2030
The Wilde Residence, 419 Evergreen Road, Savanna Central
Nick and Judy quickly exited the taxi as soon as it stopped outside their driveway. Nick put the money in the cabbie's paws before joining his wife in racing to the front door, holding the briefcase tightly to his chest. The taxi quickly drove away, its driver having been spooked when he'd learned that the briefcase was housing a disarmed bomb.
Stopping just shy of the front door, Nick and Judy both looked around at the front windows, seeing the drapes covering the inside. "I'll go check around the back," Nick said as he brought his taser out of his left holster. Judy nodded her head in agreement and brought out her tranquilizer gun as she slowly stepped forward and gently pressed herself against the door, peering into the bottom peep-hole to get a look inside the house.
Sucking in a breath, Judy gingerly took out her house key and inserted it into the keyhole, before slowly turning it, listening for any unusual sounds. Hearing nothing suspicious, Judy stopped and pulled out the key before wrapping her left paw around the door knob. Hesitantly, she turned the knob, discovering that the door was unlocked.
Slowly pushing the door open, Judy stepped inside and looked around the torn-up living room, before turning her eyes down at the floor in front of the steps. There was a white envelope laying on the second step. Carefully reaching forward, Judy picked up the envelope and held it in her paw, turning it over and holding it up above her head before turning on the living room light.
Judy soon heard the back door open and listened to the sounds of paw pads on the kitchen floor before her husband entered the living room. "Judy, I... what's that?" Nick asked her as he saw the envelope. Judy shifted her gaze over to the living room. "Judy... please, what's in the envelope?" Nick asked her, fear wavering in his voice.
"I don't know yet. I haven't opened it," Judy replied. "Have you seen any sign of Janet or the kids?" Nick asked her. "No. I haven't checked upstairs yet," Judy replied, shaking her head as she looked over at the destruction in the living room. There were cracks in the wall near the TV, which was laying face-down on the floor. A corner lamp had been knocked over, and pieces of glass covered the floor under it. The couch had been moved from its original spot, and it was lying on its back, with a large crack in the wall near the edge of the arm. Someone had lifted the thing up and thrown it.
The coffee table in the middle of the room had been flipped over, and some plastic cups and a jug of apple juice were lying on their sides on the floor, the carpet showing signs of being stained from the spilt juice. Also lying on the floor, catching Judy's attention, was a smashed cell phone. "Nick, look," Judy said as she carefully walked over to the smashed device on the floor. It had been broken in half, with pieces lying everywhere, and the battery having been ripped out and thrown onto the coffee table.
"Is that Janet's phone?" Nick asked Judy. "I think so," Judy replied nervously. Looking around the room, Judy and Nick both saw and soon smelled the blood stains on the carpet, as well as the kitchen floor. Following the stains, Judy and Nick saw them leading to the basement door in the kitchen. Nick looked over at the white hairs on the floor, along with orange and black ones, and carefully retrieved a pair of sterile gloves from his pocket before opening the door.
Using his natural night vision, the red fox carefully made his way down the stairs, before looking around at the untouched state of the large room. The basement freezer was untouched, and the small refrigerator was still turned on, as indicated by the light on the top of it. Over by the large circular table in the middle of the room, near the downstairs TV, Nick saw an unmoving form in the dark, which his night vision allowed him to make out as being a barely conscious Janet Clayworth, who was bound and gagged, while also sporting some nasty wounds around her maw and arms.
She had a black eye, and there were several lacerations on her arms, along with a few pieces of glass. "Janet!?" Nick gasped as he took in the sight of the bruised vixen. "Nick! Did you say Janet's name? Is she down there!?" Judy called from the top of the stairs. "It's her, Judy! She's down here!" Nick shouted up to her. The lights were quickly flicked on as Judy came running down the steps and into the basement, joining Nick before rushing over to Janet's side.
"Janet! Janet, are you awake!?" Judy asked the arctic vixen. There was a faint whimper from Janet's muzzle, before Judy tore the tape off of it. "Janet, speak to us," Nick implored as he crouched down next to the two females. "Janet, are you okay? Where are the children? Where are Ben and Victoria?" Nick asked her.
Janet merely groaned in pain and flitted her eyes open, looking up at Nick and Judy with tears. "I... I'm sorry," Janet whimpered. "Janet, come on. What happened?" Judy asked her urgently. The vixen merely whimpered in response.
"Nick, call an ambulance and get Chief Bogo and someone else here to the house. Now!" Judy ordered. Nick nodded his head and ran upstairs so that his phone would have better reception. Meanwhile, Judy stayed down with Janet. Judy suddenly remembered that she still held the envelope in her paws. Pressing a dull claw to it, she soon realized that the envelope wasn't even sealed. Opening the flap, Judy retrieved the letter from within and held it in front of her eyes.
You never appreciate what you have until it's gone.
You know what number to call.
Judy swallowed a lump in her throat as she heard Nick's panicked voice up in the kitchen while he called emergency services and their fellow officers. Thinking quickly, she took out her newest carrot pen and started recording before taking out the track phone and calling Simon. "Simon? We're home," Judy said, holding back her anger and fear as best she could.
There was no response, even though the phone had clearly been picked up on the other end. "Simon?" Judy asked again in frustration. "You have two very beautiful children, Mister and Missus Wilde," Simon said. "What have you done with our children, Simon?" Judy asked through clenched teeth. "I've kidnapped them. Isn't that obvious? I mean, you're a police officer, aren't you? Certainly, you should be able to recognize the situation for what it is," Simon replied smarmily.
"Where are our children, Simon? Where are they?" Judy asked, trying to restrain her desire yell and shout. "They're with me. Don't worry, they're still alive... for now. I don't know about their caretaker, however. From what I've heard, she had to be physically restrained after becoming violent," Simon taunted.
"What do you want with our children? Why are you doing this to us?" Judy asked him. "Oh, you'll find out tomorrow. For tonight... I'm just going to let you fret and sweat. I want you to let your imagination run wild as you think about all of the horrible things that could be happening to your children right now. Tomorrow, you'll get to see your children... if you follow my instructions. Disobey me... and you can let your imagination do the rest," Simon replied.
"You bastard!" Judy spat. "And then some. My dear Judith Wilde... wait, I haven't heard a peep from Nicholas. Where is he?" Simon asked her. "He's upstairs. Why?" Judy asked in response.
"I thought both of you would want to be present after learning that I've abducted your children... unless he's still searching for them. But, don't worry. I can assure you that they are indeed in my possession," Simon said. Judy heard foot steps coming down the stairs and turned her head to see Nick walked over to her with a first-aid kit. "The ambulance is on its way. Is that Simon on the phone?" he asked her.
Judy nodded her head. "Nick's here now," Judy said. "Oh, good. Nicholas, my boy, I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you. Are you ready? Your children have been abducted by a vengeful maniac who wants to make you suffer," Simon said before laughing. "You sick bastard! I'll rip your goddamn throat out!" Nick snapped.
"Threaten me again, Nicholas, and one of your children will be missing a limb when you see them tomorrow," Simon said in a cold warning tone. Nick felt as though he'd been punched in the gut. "Do you get the picture now? I have all the cards, and if you want to see your children alive, then you will follow my instructions with no deviations. Is that clear?" Simon asked them.
"Yeah," Nick said reluctantly. "Yeah. It's crystal clear," he spat. "Good. Now, I want the two of you to meet me at a secure location tomorrow, without any police presence. Any sign of police presence and your children die before you even get to look at them. Understand?" Simon asked forcefully. "Y-Yes. We... understand," Judy said shakily.
"Good. I don't need to say 'Simon says' at this point anymore. I trust that I have your attention and cooperation at this point. Anyway, you must both come to the meeting spot alone. Understand? Only-wait, hold on," Simon said as Nick and Judy heard a faint, muffled voice in the background. "Uh-huh. Oh, that's ridiculous," they heard Simon say to the other animal.
"Anyway, as I was saying-cut that out! Fine. But I doubt it will make a difference," Simon said in relent to the other animal. Nick and Judy both felt perplexed before hearing Simon's voice again. "Anyway, I have... changed my mind. You may bring one companion, just one, with you to the meeting spot, if you so desire. However, there is a condition to be met. First, they are not allowed to be a police officer, or military officer or government employee in any position or field, and that includes federal, state, and/or city government, not even if they're off-duty... unless they're retired and/or crippled," Simon said with a snigger.
"So... I suppose you could bring a prison inmate with you. Ha! For bonus points, they can be someone that one or both of you have put behind bars!" Simon soon erupted into laughter on the other end of the phone. "Oh, and for further fun, they have to be someone whose prison sentence won't be affected by helping you out! Good luck finding some who fits that bill! Ah-ha! Ha-ha! Oh, you know, your were right! This was a fun idea!" Simon said to someone in the background.
"I told ya!" replied a faint voice in the background. Nick and Judy both frowned in anger. "Just tell us what you want us to do, Simon. What do we have to do to see our children alive?" Nick asked him. "As I said to your wife, meet with me or my associates at a designated location tomorrow. I will call you later. Oh, Simon says you may now interact with your fellow police officers again, at least until I call and say otherwise. Bye-bye!" Simon said cheerfully before ending the call.
Judy and Nick looked down at the phone in Judy's paws. A tear drop soon fell onto the surface of the phone, followed by another. And another. And another. Judy's breath hitched as she began crying, falling onto her knees as she dropped the phone onto the floor, along with her carrot pen, prompting Nick to reach out and pull her into his embrace, hugging her tightly as she cried into his chest. He gently ran his paws down her ears in an attempt to soothe her.
"He [sob] has our children! That b-bastard has our-our children!" Judy sobbed in anguish. Nick felt tears stinging as they fell from his eyes as well, whining in conjunction with his wife's sobbing as they both held onto each other. "We'll get them back. D-Don't worry. We-We'll get them back," Nick said shakily after a few minutes, pulling his head up to look over at Janet's prone form on the floor. As far as he could tell, she was still breathing.
He then saw her open her eyes slightly, and she wheezed. "I... I'm sorry," she apologized again with a whimper. "I... I tried to-to stop them," Janet said, sniffling and coughing. "I... I really did. I just... I wasn't strong enough," she whined, blaming herself for the abduction of the Wildes' children. "No. No, Janet. This-This wasn't your... this was not your fault," Nick said to the younger vixen as he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.
"None of us could have known. None of us... could have known that this would happen. You-You did what you could, right?" Nick asked her as he reached over for Judy's carrot pen. "I... almost clawed the tiger's eye out," Janet said. "T-Tiger? You remember their species?" Nick asked her. "They had masks, but... I tore the one off the tiger. Clawed him up real bad," Janet said with a chuckle before whimpering in pain.
"Check... my claws... f-for blood... samples," Janet said hoarsely. "We'll... do that," Nick said as he kept his eyes on the vixen's rising and falling chest, making sure that she was still breathing. Janet Clayworth may not have been involved in as many harrowing adventures and life or death situations with him and Judy as certain other officers, but she was still their friend and, when Clawhauser was unavailable, confidant.
Shortly Afterward...
Nick and Judy watched as the paramedics carried Janet out of the house on a stretcher before loading her into the back of the ambulance. They observed as one of the EMTs placed a breathing mask on the vixen's mouth. "She's still breathing! Let's move!" the head EMT shouted. Nick and Judy were drawn from the scene by a throat being cleared.
The couple turned around and saw Chief Martin Bogo standing behind them, looking at them with a hint of concern in his eyes. Behind Bogo, Lieutenant Eric Burns was carefully carrying the briefcase bomb over to the forensics unit vehicle. "Wilde. Wilde. What happened?" Bogo asked them. Judy took in a breath before letting it out shakily. "Simon... abducted our children," she said.
Bogo slowly nodded his head, his gaze softening. "This whole thing was a ruse to keep us away form home," Nick said. "How do you figure?" Bogo asked him. "Why else would he have us go on that bomb hunt? We're not allowed to receive help or make contact with any other officers, and we're kept on our toes so that we don't think about anything else," Nick elaborated.
"Why was Officer Clayworth at your home?" Bogo asked them. "She was babysitting for us. today was her day off, and she volunteered to watch the children today," Judy replied. "I see," Bogo said softly. "Chief, that monster has our children! What are we going to do?" Judy asked him.
"Has he made any demands in exchange for their return?" Bogo asked them. "I... he said that we have to do exactly as he says or we'll never see them alive again," Nick said. "What does he want you to do?" Bogo asked them. Judy took out her carrot pen. "Not out here," Nick said as he carefully eyed the rooftops and parked vehicles of the neighborhood.
"Let's go inside then," Bogo said with a nod. The couple quickly followed him into the house, where the crime scene unit was collecting evidence. "Alright, what has Simon asked of you?" Bogo asked again. "He wants us to meet him or his associates tomorrow at a location of his choosing," Nick said. "Are you to go alone?" Bogo asked them.
"Yes. Although... He did say that we could bring a friend, as long was they weren't a police officer, or someone in the military or the government," Nick said. "He even suggested taking an inmate out of prison to come along, as long as it was someone we helped put away," Nick added sourly. "A few animals could be willing to overlook your role in their incarceration if they were given a chance to reduce their sentence," Bogo said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, except that he said it has to be someone whose sentence won't be affected by helping us out. So, we're pretty much fucked," Nick said in defeat. "He didn't say that you had to bring such an animal along, did he?" Bogo asked. "No. He said that we're allowed, as long as those conditions are met. This guy is a fucking sadist. Who the hell is this Simon?" Nick asked.
"I don't know," Bogo said. "Simon isn't his real name either. It's just an alias. We don't know who he is or where he's from," Bogo continued. "He has to be someone we've met before. Someone who we've put away in the past. Why else would he target us like this?" Nick asked.
"I've had Clawhauser work with Glover on making a list of all felons who have been released from prison recently, specifically ones who you have both put away," Bogo said. "And?" Nick asked him. "It's still being worked on. There is an armadillo named Simon, but he's still in prison," Bogo said.
"Judy? You've been quiet for a bit. Is there something on your mind?" Bogo asked as he noticed the pensive look on Judy's face. "Huh?" she asked as she was snapped out of her thoughts. "Is there something you've been giving thought to, or would like to tell us? Maybe something in here that you've noticed? Something that Officer Clayworth said to you, perhaps? A clue to who this Simon fellow might be?" Bogo asked her.
"No, not that," Judy said. "I've just... I think there is one animal who fits the conditions that Simon gave us," Judy said. "What are you talking about? Judy, Simon was saying that just to mess with us," Nick said. "Nick, he did say that we're allowed, and he said 'Simon says' while saying it. We can use that," Judy said.
"Okay, so who is this animal?" Nick asked her. "Well... you're not gonna like hearing this, but... Milton Lisker," Judy said. Nick's expression quickly changed to one of shock, before morphing into disbelief and even anger. "N-No! No way! We are not letting that fucker anywhere near our children!" Nick growled.
"Nick, Lisker could help us," Judy said. "Bullshit! Judy, how do we know that this whole thing wasn't just some ploy to get Lisker out of prison!? Huh!? I mean, what are the odds that Lisker of all animals happens to perfectly fit the conditions set by Simon? Think about it," Nick retorted angrily.
"Wilde," Bogo said firmly. "N-No! Not-not after what the bastard did! Have you forgotten about what he did to Furrero and Hooper!?" Nick spat in response. "Technically, Pelton murdered Hooper," Bogo said. "So? Lisker ordered him to do it. He's still responsible. And let's not forget that he ordered Blackwell to beat Cynthia into a coma, and he framed me for both incidents! Chief, do have any idea how it feels to see your fellow officers, animals you've put your life in the paws of, turn around and try to kill you without asking any questions first?" Nick asked the buffalo.
Bogo remained silent. "Yes," Bogo said quietly. "No, of course you-wait, what?" Nick asked him. "I said 'yes', Wilde. This was a long time ago, and it even involved John Bosworth and his family. Before Milton came along, back before I was a chief or even a lieutenant, a group of of my fellow officers had become corrupt with power. John Bosworth's sister was one of their victims after she witnessed them engaging in their activities one night," Bogo said.
"John tried to tell me about it, but... I didn't want to believe him. The only animal willing to take him seriously was... Conan Milius. Milius soon became a target, and then he dragged me into the conflict after showing me the proof of their corruption. Drug deals, taking money, coercing witnesses and bribery. But those animals? They were my friends, Wilde. They'd been my friends since I'd met them in the academy. I knew them, and discovering their corruption... it hurt, Nick," Bogo said solemnly.
"When they realized that I couldn't be swayed to join their side... they tried to keep me silent. That means they tried to kill me. So, yes, I know how it feels," Bogo said. "No. Because those guys had a logical reason. They were bad guys and you were a good guy. When Donner and the others tried to kill me, they had no evidence that I'd done what I was framed for. Nothing solid. They wanted to get rid of me, because I'm a fox. Because of who I am," Nick spat in response.
"They didn't even want to wait for a proper investigation. They just wanted me dead. End of story," Nick said. "And do you know who brought out at ugliness? Do you know who showed me how things hadn't changed, even after Bellwether? It was Lisker. I thought that I could change things in the world. I thought I could make some progress for others. Lisker showed me that I was living a lie. He showed me that the nice attitude and friendliness my coworkers displayed was just an act to mask their true feelings," Nick said, tears rolling down his eyes.
"He hurt me, and he did it without laying a single paw on me as well," Nick said. "He hurt Cynthia, and he killed Maes. I can't forgive him for what he's done, Chief. I can't. And I refuse to let that monster anywhere near my children," Nick said, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. "Nick," Judy said with teary eyes. "Please. He's our best chance. We've seen what this Simon is capable of," Judy said.
"She's right, Nick. Simon has mercenaries at his disposal. And you know what kind of mercenaries I'm referring to," Bogo said, catching both Nick and Judy off guard. "He... he what?" Nick asked in disbelief. "Bosworth told me at the viewing for his daughter, about the mercenaries," Bogo said.
"What did he say?" Judy asked him. "After their old boss was sent to prison, their new boss was killed here in Zootopia. I'm guessing their replacement was Arjun Rooter," Bogo said. Nick and Judy both nodded. "Anyway, Bosworth said that after the replacement boss was killed, some mobsters from India, led mostly by tigers, came down and took over. They've been working for them since then," Bogo relayed.
"How did Bosworth learn this?" Judy asked him. "He said that the mercenaries told him about it, apparently to intimidate him," Bogo replied. "Can we talk to Bosworth later, to find out-" "Judy, John died this morning when that bomb went off. Forensics have determined that the source of the blast was in Bosworth's office," Bogo said. "Plus... Simon already confirmed that he was the one who detonated the bomb anyway," Bogo added.
"So... if only the two of us go alone... there's no way we'll survive to see our children again," Judy said. "Nick, we need Lisker's help," Judy pleaded to her husband. "Judy, no. No, please! I-I can't let him get anywhere near our children! And did you forget about what I said earlier? Remember, Judy, Lisker fits Simon's conditions perfectly! This whole thing could be an elaborate ruse to get him outside so that he can disappear!" Nick replied.
"You don't know that. Besides, Lisker's burned all of his bridges outside of prison. No criminal would ever want to see him back on the streets, and no cops would ever want to work with him. Plus, he's sentenced to life without parole," Bogo said. "Which is why this is the perfect opportunity for him! He can come with us, and then get 'lost' in the crossfire or get taken away, only to disappear when everyone thinks that he's dead," Nick said.
"Nick, you'd make a hell of a screenwriter, but please return to planet Earth!" Judy said. "But, Judy, I-" "No! Look, Nick, if-if you value your hatred for Lisker m-more than your l-love for your f-family... th-then you can w-walk away and n-never speak to me a-again," Judy said shakily, with tears streaming down her face.
"Which is more important? Our children, or your hatred for Lisker?" Judy asked him at point blank. Nick looked into his wife's eyes, the eyes of his best friend, companion, confidant, lover, and the best thing to ever happen in his life. He looked into those eyes and saw a horrific pain and sorrow that threatened to literally rip her heart to shreds. He never wanted to see that pain in her eyes again.
"Okay," Nick said after taking a breath. "W-We'll go see Lisker," he said shakily. "Chief, is there any way that we can get a ride to that prison? And one that isn't an official police vehicle? Simon could still have someone watching us out there," Nick said. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, I want the both of you to return to the station, file a brief report on what's happened so far, and then clock out. You'll have the rest of today and tomorrow off," Bogo said.
"Th-Thank you," Judy said. "Both of you, get-what are those stains on your uniform?" Bogo asked as he took a closer look at Judy's uniform. "Oh, those are stains from the liquid from that bomb," Judy said. Bogo stared at her with a wide-eyed expression, before one of his eyes twitched. "You two have really been under too much stress to think properly, haven't you?" Bogo asked them.
Zootopia Maximum Security Prison # 01, the Meadowlands...
Milton Lisker looked across from the checker board as Dawn Bellwether planned her next move. "It's been two minutes, Dawn. Are you going to move yet or not?" Lisker asked her in a tired manner. Dawn frowned at him before grabbing a piece and moving it across the board.
"Finally," Lisker muttered before moving his own piece forward. The pair were soon interrupted as Warden Jasmine Swinton, a Domesticus Pig, entered the recreation lounge. "Ahem, Prisoner Milton Lisker?" Swinton asked. "Present and accounted for," Lisker said, raising a paw into the air.
"You have visitors," Swinton said as she leaned against the doorway. Lisker raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the pig. "I have... visitors? Are you sure?" Lisker asked her suspiciously. "I'm positive. They say they've known you in the past. I recognize them myself, sonny," Swinton said with a smirk. "You're being serious? This isn't something you're doing just to amuse yourself, is it?" Lisker asked her.
"Lisker, I'm serious. Besides, they also have some paperwork that I need to sign, but you need to go speak with them. Chief Bogo sent them here," Swinton said. Lisker raised his other eyebrow in surprise. "Well... that certainly is surprising," he said quietly. He then looked over at Bellwether. "Your win," Lisker said to the ewe.
The alpha wolf stood up and slowly walked away from the table, leaving Dawn alone to put the board game away. Lisker stood over Swinton, but he still respected her authority. "Who did Bogo send?" Lisker asked her. Swinton looked up at him and smirked in response.
In The Visitor Area...
Nick and Judy both sat in a single chair as they waited for the sound of paw pads and hooves on the floor behind the reinforced fiberglass windows and cubicles. Soon, such sounds reached their ears, and an orange-jumpsuit wearing gray wolf walked over to the cubicle in front of them before sitting down in his own chair, his eyes closed. Lisker soon opened his eyes, only for them to widen as he realized who he was looking at.
Sitting across from him, wearing jeans and T-shirts, were Nicholas and Judith Wilde. "Judy Hop-I mean, Wilde. And Nicholas Wilde," Lisker said after a minute of silence. "You guys look older," Lisker said as he noticed the more defined features of Judy and Nick's faces. "You look good," Lisker said. "I take it you're both detectives now? Plain clothes?" Lisker asked them carefully, putting his paws together.
Nick grabbed the phone on the side of the cubicle and held it up to his muzzle, prompting Lisker to do the same. "So... I heard that you two got married a while back. Conratulations. I also heard that you guys are parents now. Congratulations again. I... I'm being sincere," Lisker said. Nick and Judy were both silent, as Nick was trying to work up the nerve to speak.
"I... heard about Milius. I also heard that you guys nailed the bastards who killed him. I... I've been keeping up with outside events," Lisker said. He looked at the melancholy expressions on Nick and Judy's faces. "Okay... this isn't a social call, is it? What exactly is going on?" Lisker asked them curiously.
Nick finally spoke. "Someone... abducted our children today," Nick said. "You want me to... help you find them?" Lisker asked them. "Not quite. Judy... play him the recording," Nick said. Judy brought out her carrot pen and replayed the conversation between herself, Nick, and Simon. When the playback was over, Judy returned the pen to her pants pocket. Lisker looked at them both skeptically. "This... this is some kind of joke, right?" Lisker asked them.
"Lisker," Judy said, "I know that it may not seem right, but we need your help. This bastard kidnapped our children and beat Officer Clayworth within an inch of her life." "Who's Officer Clayworth?" Lisker asked her. "She's an arctic fox in Precinct Three," Judy replied. "Oh, so you guys are getting more progressive," Lisker said.
"Lisker, listen! Our children's lives are at stake!" Nick spat. Lisker looked at the fox, and he saw the hatred in his glare. "And... I'm the only one who can help? This doesn't add up," Lisker said.
"We already played the recording for you. What more do you want?" Nick asked him. "Well, it just seems odd that this guy's conditions would narrow down your selection to pretty much me, since I'm the only guy with the moral fiber willing to do this without expecting freedom or a reduced sentence in return," Lisker said. "Moral fiber? Define 'moral' you hypocrite," Nick spat at him.
"Okay. Poor choice of words. Still... I'll do it. I'll do it," Lisker said, remembering a young vixen who he'd failed to save decades earlier. "I'll do it. But... I have some conditions of my own," Lisker said. "Your sentence isn't-" "I don't care about my sentence. I don't," Lisker interrupted.
"But... if you want me to help you... I need to know everything that you know. I need information on this Simon guy, and all of his associates. I can't be kept in the dark. Being misinformed will lead to mistakes. Mistakes that could get ourselves and your children killed," Lisker said. "Okay," Judy said in agreement.
"Alright. When do you need me out of here?" Lisker asked. "Well, since you've agreed, Warden Swinton will have your papers processed within the hour. We have a lot to debrief you on," Judy said. Lisker nodded his head. "Do I get to wear something comfortable?" Lisker asked them.
"We'll see," Nick said tersely. "Yeah. Figures," Lisker said. "Lisker... why are you so eager to help us out?" Nick asked him. "I'm not helping just you, Nick. I'm helping your children," Lisker said. Judy looked at Lisker and heard the tone of his voice. The gears in her head turned before her memory kicked in.
"Thank you," Judy said. "Don't thank me until your children are safe. I haven't earned it until that happens," Lisker said. "No, I mean thank you for agreeing to help us," Judy explained.
"You're... welcome," Lisker said awkwardly. "So... do I just sit here for an hour and shoot the shit with you guys or... oh," Lisker said as he saw a certain female walking into the visitor area behind Nick and Judy. "Yeah... there's someone else who hasn't really had a chance to talk to you for a while," Nick said with a smirk.
Nick then handed the phone to the female coywolf standing behind him. "Hello, Milton," Cynthia Furrero said. "Hello... Cynthia," Lisker said, very awkwardly. "I... I'm sorry," Lisker said shamefully. "I should never have... I have no excuses for what I did," Lisker said. "I can tell you my thought process. I'm not defending myself, just explaining my, at the time, twisted logic," Lisker said.
"Okay, shoot," Cynthia said. "I saw what I was doing as justice. When you refused to join us and decided to oppose us, I... viewed that as an obstruction of justice. So... I had you incapacitated. That... was my reasoning. I... fucked up. I really fucked up," Lisker said with shame in his voice.
"You don't have to forgive me. I don't deserve it," Lisker added. "I wasn't going to," Cynthia said. "I mean, I want it, but, you know... I don't deserve to be... you get the idea," Lisker said in a ramble. "I thought watching you squirm would be fun," Cynthia said with a sigh. "Uh... so, what's your part in this... child abduction and rescue situation?" Lisker asked the coywolf.
"Well, this Simon character has made it pretty clear that any sign of official police presence near the meeting area will result in the death of both children, so... I have no part. This guy has already blown up a bank and killed dozens of innocent animals. We're not taking any risks, and he had multiple bombs planted throughout the city. None of them were duds," Cynthia explained.
"When we arrive back at the station, you'll be given more information, although... one of the kidnappers who fought officer Clayworth was a tiger, according to Clayworth's testimony," Cynthia said. "Simon is just an alias, right?" Lisker asked. "Yes," Cynthia replied, before handing the phone back to Nick.
"So, this guy planted bombs all over the city and blew up a bank. And he's after you specifically? You know that he's going to kill your children, right? Whether you cooperate or not. If you want them back, then you have to take them back," Lisker said firmly. "So, one more thing I need in order to help you: I'm going to need a gun."
A Bunker Somewhere In The Rainforest District...
Sitting in the corner of a large room, Victoria and Benjamin Wilde looked around at the drab and gray interior of their cell. Victoria slowly crawled around the room, looking for any way out that she could find, checking behind the old worn mattress and looking up at the grill of an air vent, scowling at how far away it was. There was a small storm drain in the center of the room, as the room itself was made of blue tiles, although it had clearly seen better days. Benjamin sniffled as he heard the door creaking open, and he and Victoria watched nervously as one of their captors, the tiger, stepped into the room.
Sherakh had a cold smile on his face as he stepped forward. Behind him, Komo walked into the room, followed by Phoenix. Spying Victoria crouching down near a far-too-small vent grill, Sherakh smirked. "Trying to escape already?" Sherakh asked with a chuckle. "But we've only just gotten to know each other," he quipped.
"Y-You hurt Miss Janet!" Ben cried as he pointed a finger at the tiger. "Oh, did I? Hm, oops," Sherakh quipped with a smirk. "Sherakh, step aside," Komo said as he walked forward. Victoria ran over to her brother's side before standing in front of him defensively. "How brave," Komo said. "M-Mr. Dom?" Victoria asked in confusion as she got a good look at Komo.
"Dom? Who's Dom?" Komo asked her. "He... he's a lizard who owns a restaurant in the Rainforest District. We go there all the time on our birthdays," Victoria replied. "He looks just like you, and he's almost as big... as-as... you," Victoria added slowly as Komo stepped closer, towering over the small hybrid. "Is that so? Interesting. Still, that's not my concern at the moment," Komo said as he pulled out a track phone.
"Anyway, my name is not Dom. My name... is Mister Domo. Mister... Komo Domo, and I'm afraid that, unfortunately, we have a problem," Komo said with a frown. "What did we do? Why did you hurt Miss Janet? What did we do wrong!?" Victoria asked him fearfully.
"Oh, no. It's nothing you did. It's your parents," Komo said. "Huh?" Ben asked, confused. "See, you two are... unfortunate victims of circumstance. Your parents, long before you were born, hurt me. They helped send me to prison, and while I was in prison for some... not-so-nice things I did, they also killed many of my friends and associates, including my best friend and blood-brother, Arjun Rooter. And when he died, my empire fell, and this... orange-furred dick-wad and his boss took over, killing more of my people," Komo said, earning a snicker from Phoenix and a glare from Sherakh.
"If he hurt your friends, why are you working with him?" Victoria asked. "Because he is useful," Komo replied. "W-What's gonna happen to us?" Ben asked fearfully. "Well... I haven't quiet figured that out yet," Komo answered thoughtfully. "However, I am going to kill your parents," Komo said with a smirk.
"No! No!" Ben and Victoria cried. "Oh, yes," Komo responded, smiling. "Hm, now let's see... if we were in Reptaelia, I suppose that the less-bigoted locals might be willing to take you in, but seeing how the locals of this particular megalopolis treat others... you'll probably get thrown from foster home to foster home, orphanage to orphanage, or maybe left to fend for yourselves on the streets, only to be beaten and abused by some prejudiced bigot for not fitting in with their belief system or proving that their beliefs are wrong by virtue of your mere existence. Hmm... maybe you'd be better off dying alongside your parents," Komo said.
"No! We don't wanna die! We don't want our parents to die! Please, just let us go! Just leave our parents alone! Please, please!" Ben and Vicky shouted and pleaded. "No. I've waited almost ten years for this. I'm getting my revenge. I have nothing else, and, honestly... when a dragon is wronged, this is how we react. With brutality," Komo said.
"I don't know. I've seen Komod Dragons-uh, never mind," Phoenix said as Komo glared at him. "So... I've decided. I'll be merciful and let you die with your parents tomorrow," Komo said with a smile. "Oh, Sherakh? Make sure that they both use the bathroom at regular intervals. I'd rather not have a mess to clean up later," Komo said. "Of course," Sherakh said with a nod. "Come on, John. We have a busy day tomorrow. We need to get everything ready," Komo said as his two subordinates followed him out of the room.
"Hey, Komo? What was the point of this visit to the room?" Phoenix asked the lizard before the door was closed. Sitting on the floor in front of the mattress, Ben began to whimper, sniffling as his tears fell onto the floor. Victoria soon felt the dam burst as well, and she fell to the floor and pulled herself into a fetal position as she and her brother both cried out for the parents.
Zootopia Police Department, Precinct One...
Inside the firing range, Lisker put both a pair of ear plugs inside his ears and a pair of muffs over top, along with a set of goggles over his eyes, before grabbing his old Smythe & Weasel Model Z-29 .357 cal revolver. He set the target out to a distance of twelve yards before stopping it and aiming. He fired once, then two more times, then three times in a row, before hitting the return switch and bringing the target sheet back.
Lisker was wearing a blue muscle shirt and a pair of jeans. It was the closest he would ever get to wearing a blue uniform again. Nick, Judy, Cynthia, and Gibson were all standing behind him with ear protection and goggles. "Only one round hit the inner circle," he said to himself in disappointment. "I need more practice," he muttered before retrieving another target sheet.
He emptied his shells into a bucket and reloaded his revolver before sending the target sheet out again at the same distance. He repeated this process five more times before he was satisfied with his aiming. "I've got it again," Lisker said with a smile as he looked at the final target sheet, with all six shots in the center circle.
"Good job," Lieutenant Gibson said with a smirk. He was the only member of the group who hadn't been wronged by Lisker in the past, and so he was the only person in the room who could be truly objective when interacting with the wolf. "Thanks," Lisker said. "I don't know if I caught your name," Lisker said to the much larger lion. "Gibson. Roger Gibson," Gibson said, posing like a certain famous movie spy.
"Yeah. Not Savage? Jack Savage?" Lisker asked him. "I've got most of the movies," Gibson said cordially. "Who's the newest actor in the role?" Lisker asked him. "Uh... I'm not sure," Gibson said. "I only watched two of the ones with Bugs Warner," Lisker said as he leaned against the cubicle walls. "You'd almost forget he was a comedian when watching those movies," Gibson said with a chuckle.
"So... when this is over, I'd like to pay my respects to Milius before I go back to wearing orange," Lisker said, switching from jovial to serious. "You knew him?" Gibson asked. "Yeah, sort of. He killed three of my subordinates," Lisker said. "Of course... I'm sure you've read the report," Lisker said to the lion.
"I have. Cynthia is my partner now," Gibson said. "Well, I'm... I'm glad that she survived that... beating," Lisker said uncomfortably, still ashamed of his actions. "Well... that's... in the past, I guess," Gibson said awkwardly. "Uh, yeah," Lisker agreed, also awkwardly. "I wish... I wish that I could've learned how to put the past behind me decades ago when I needed to. Maybe... maybe things would have turned out differently for everyone," Lisker said.
"Although... I still probably would have sought out and had the Fasa Brothers killed," Lisker said. "I have no regrets over those two assholes. They deserved what happened to them. End of story," Lisker said. "I'll... have to look them up some time to figure out what you mean," Gibson said.
"Oh, they both drugged and raped a young female spotted hyena in full view of several witnesses, and yet they still got away in court," Lisker said distastefully. "Oh," Gibson said. "Yeah. They, uh... definitely got what was coming to them," Lisker said, with not a hint of remorse.
"So, you know, things have changed since that six-shooter of yours went into production," Gibson said, changing the topic. "I know," Lisker replied. "Yeah, but if you run out of bullets and have to use a different gun... maybe you should practice with something else as well," Gibson suggested.
Lisker looked at the lion. "Hm... that may not be a bad idea," Lisker said. "Alright, what've you got?" Gibson grinned and took out his Bearretta 92FS/L. "My, that's a big one," Lisker said, impressed. "Do you think you can handle something of this caliber?" Gibson asked the wolf.
"Get me that on a smaller scale, and I'll try it out," Lisker said in response. "Hey, Furrero! Can you go to the armory and requisition one Bearretta Ninety-Two F-S, medium-scale?" Gibson called out. Cynthia glanced over at Lisker before sighing and nodding her head. She quickly marched off, leaving the other four alone. "Thank you!" Gibson called out.
"Oh, Lisker?" Gibson started. "Yeah?" the wolf asked. "Just because I'm being friendly to you doesn't mean that we're chums. You try anything with those three... and there won't be a body to take to the morgue," Gibson warned. Lisker looked at the lion's face before nodding his head. "Yup," he said in agreement. "I mean it," Gibson said darkly. "I know," Lisker said, staring Gibson in the eyes.
"Good. I'm glad we've reached an understanding," Gibson said with a smile. "So, how old is this particular model here? It looks a lot like Milius's old piece," Gibson asked. "This one? Well... lt's see," Lisker said as he and Gibson waited for Cynthia to return. Meanwhile, Nick and Judy merely watched the two males converse with both a sense of distrust and worry.
"I... Judy, I know that we need him, but I still don't fully trust him," Nick whispered to her. Judy grabbed Nick's left paw and squeezed it in her own. "I know, Honey. But Lisker is our best chance at getting out of this with the children alive," Judy whispered back. "I don't like it," Nick whispered. "I know," Judy whispered back.
"But, it'll be okay. I know that you don't trust him, but I... I do. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I wouldn't trust him to watch our children, but I would trust him to save them if we need him to," Judy whispered. "How? How can you trust him like that?" Nick asked her quietly. "That's... That's just who I am," Judy replied.
"Well... if you can trust him that much, then maybe I can trust him enough to let him out of my sight," Nick whispered reluctantly. "Not for too long, of course," he added. "Thank you for trying," Judy whispered before giving Nick's paw another gentle squeeze. Both mammals soon went home, while Lisker remained at the station overnight. As much as Nick hated to do it, he was going to give Lisker the benefit of the doubt. As much as Lisker had hurt him, Judy had healed him even more, and for her, he would trust Lisker to help them save their children.
Author's Notes: And that was the ninth chapter of the story. Anyway, the next chapter focuses on Lisker and the Wildes meeting with "Simon" and his subordinates, which means, you guessed it, they all get to meet Komo Domo in person for the first time. Also, Komo isn't done making the police jump through hoops just yet, in case you're thinking that the chapter will feature the police laying a trap for the mercenaries. He's got one more nasty little surprise in store.
As always, please let me know what you think of the chapter and/or story so far in your reviews. I'd also really like to know what you guys all think of Komo so far, and how you think he compares to the other villains I've featured prominently in the other stories. I've made Komo important to the plots of previous entries, but I've rarely made his impact on the other characters this direct. Id' really like to know what you guys think of this.
Oh, and here's a little bonus segment featuring Ben and Vicky, inspired by the one non-Disney animated movie that managed to beat a Disney-animated movie at the box office in the same year they were released.
Also, Disclaimer: An American Tail is Property of Amblin Entertainment and Universal.
A Bunker Somewhere In The Rainforest District
Victoria Wilde looked around at the barren room holding herself and her brother. They both had stopped crying after a while, and the clock on the wall showed that it was past nightfall. Victoria got up and slowly looked around the room for more possible exits, until she finally came to the conclusion that there truly was no way out. Feeling more anguish building up inside of her, Victoria looked over at her morose brother, and tried to assure him that everything would be all right.
"Remember that song? The one from that movie?" Victoria asked Ben. Ben nodded his head. "Which movie?" he asked her. "The one with that mouse and his family? A Zootopian Tail?" Victoria asked him. "Y-Yeah. Which song?" Ben asked her. "Some...where, out there. Beneath-come on, Ben. Sing with me," Victoria implored, trying to raise their spirits.
"S-Somewhere out-out there, be-beneath the p-pale moonlight. Someone's thinking of m-me, and loving me to-tonight," Ben began to sing. "Somewhere out there, someone's saying a prayer, that we'll f-find one another in that big somewhere out there," Victoria sang as well.
Meanwhile, at the Wilde Residence
Judy and Nick looked up at the moon. "And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be w-wishing on the same bright star!" she sang, causing Nick to raise an eyebrow at his wife's perplexing behavior. He then shrugged his shoulders and joined her in singing the song.
Back With The Children
"And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby! It helps to think we might be sleeping underneath the same big skyyyyyy!" Victoria sang loudly. She missed the foot steps in the hallway getting closer.
"Oh, somewhere, out there! If love can see us through! Then we'll find one an-" THWACK! The door to the room was unlocked and slammed open. "Hey! No singin'!" Phoenix shouted at the children, startling them.
"You're supposed to be whimperin' in fear! Now, get with the whimperin'!" he snarled. Ben and Vicky both started whimpering and cowering in fear of the angry dingo. "That's better," he said with calm approval before closing the door and locking it behind him.
"Lousy brats. Tryin' to get their hopes up with songs and shit," Phoenix muttered under his breath as he walked away. Meanwhile, back in the room, Ben and Vicky were shaking in fear, holding each other for support. "What an asshole," Ben muttered under his breath, prompting Victoria to nod her head in agreement. "Damn straight."