Authors note: First off. Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. With my vacation finally arriving I've been busy dealing with finishing the projects I couldn't hand over at work and with spending time with the family as well as recuperating from work my writing suffered. Now though I have more time for my writing, so I hope that I'll be able to get our more chapters. Still with the family needing social time I might just be fooling myself. Who would have guessed that having more free time would mean you have less of it available to do your hobbies?
Chapter 13: Out of the frying pan.
The door to the briefing room slammed shut and all officers of the night shift straightened out. Normally there would have been the usual round of desk pounding to welcome the chief before he gave them their assignments. Now, however, there was eerie silence as all officers had seen the news before coming in. One of their own had been taken down, and it had not been at the mercy of the killer that she was still alive. If the double shot to the chest was not a clear indicator of his intent, then the fact that her shockgun was recovered still on the lethal setting sinched it.
The lab guys had found that it had probably been damaged during the initial struggle causing it to malfunction and thankfully unable to deliver a lethal shot. The techs, however, could not give conclusive evidence of the killer tried turning it to kill, or it was already there, but there was no way around it officer's Soniko's survival came all down to pure luck.
Bogo stood in front of his podium. Normally he would have a bunch of cases on the docket, but this evening he had none except one. "Good to see you all here. Time is short, and we have the clock running against us on this one so let's get down to business."
The meeting the chief had had with Hopps and Wilde had been short and while he secretly was glad they had ignored his order this time he still couldn't let them get away with it and was forced to chew them out. If he hadn't, it could have led to more officers thinking they knew better and going off to do their own thing. Therefore their behavior, while beneficial this time, couldn't stand, and the chief made damn sure that his officers knew that. Now, however, he knew one thing. The killer was working on borrowed time, and sooner or later he needed to remedy the situation he got himself in or die.
Bogo ordered several of his officers to secure the ZFD and hospitals, having sent out warnings to the other precincts to do the same. If the killer was going to try anything to save himself those were his only two viable options, and it would be a cold icy day in Hell itself indeed before the chief allowed the killer to escape custody again. As the first few sets of assigned officers cleared out, Bogo started assigning the remaining officers on specific patrol routes covering the homes of off duty anesthetists and the factories where the gas was produced on the slight off chance the killer would try for option number three. If he could secure the gas and the means to apply it, he could in theory still save himself. It would come at great danger to the killer himself seeing as the one using the gas could end up giving him too much or too little seeing as the anesthetist would be under an enormous amount of stress.
The last officers filed out, and the chief was glad the briefing was over. He had kept his emotions in check, but anyone that had known him for a time could tell that the buffalo's anger was just being restrained with the last strands of self-control the chief could muster. The happiness he had felt when his officer had awoken to the joy of her family had been replaced with deep seething ice cold rage when the lab boys had given their report.
The chief walked out of the briefing room. As of now, Bogo had multiple problems to contend with, and during his preparation for the night shift, he found the solution for several of them. Not only that, but a couple of the answers would tie up the officers that he needed to be occupied. This would take their minds of the investigation while performing the duties. As a bonus to them, it would be ones they had a personal interest in. As the chief smiled a humorless smile, he sat down at his desk and started to make preparations for the days to come.
When morning came around chief Bogo was feeling more relaxed than he had done the day before. The calls he had made assured him the cooperation of several individuals and the chief at the Bunnyborrow police department had jumped at the offer of having four of his officers over during the harvest festival. Now Bogo only had to make sure that his officers were kept busy and he knew exactly how he was going to be doing that.
He had already assigned the rest of the day shift their patrols and duties. The killer had not been seen that night, and the chief made sure to keep security details assigned to all likely spots he could show up. Now, however, he had reached the last of his officers, and it was time to appoint them, although the chief was sure they wouldn't like it one bit.
"Now for the last items on the docket." As he spoke, he saw the officers straighten up. All of them looking determined and there was no question in Bogo's mind they were raring to go chase the killer. "As you all know we've got a live demonstration coming up next week to determine the performance of the new uniform and body armor that's been developed the last couple of months. You all will help in the preparation of this test and take part in it."
As Hopps and Fangmeyer stood up to argue the chief silenced them with a glare. "SHUT IT! I know you all want a shot at the killer, but I need able officers to see to it that this demonstration goes off without a hitch and you all are currently compromised due to your links with officer Soniko." The bunny and tiger sat down again, but it was clear that no one in that room was happy with the assignment.
Bogo looked them over again before continuing. "We've found a willing participant that will take the role of the arresting officer. He will be wearing the new uniform as well as all the body armor, and it will be your job to try to take him down. You will be armed with shock guns set to medium, and he will be armed with a paint gun. If he manages to tag the three officers taking part, it will prove the strength of the set and the department will be allowed to assign the new clothes to all small officers present and future. It will also clear the way for the continued development of the larger sets."
Nick chose that moment to get some clarity on what was just said. "Sir. Who of us have you assigned to confront the volunteer?"
"Thank you for asking Wilde. With the level of training, the volunteer has at the moment, he will need all the additional training we can squeeze in the five days we have left till the exhibition. So the assignments will be as follows. Wilde, Wolford, Fangmeyer you three will be the ones going up against him. This way a mammal of every size is present at the test. Hopps, Umbra you two will be in charge of getting the volunteer up to as high a level as you can manage. If officer Soniko is allowed to come in before the test commences she can assist you two, but make no mistake she is not authorized to do any work that would strain her mentally or physically until she's cleared by me to do so."
Judy looked at Nick and stood up with a questioning look on her face. "Sir might I ask why Nick is chosen to be on the team. When it comes to the training grounds, I always beat him."
Nick turned to his partner and stuck out his tongue. "Great job with sparing my feelings there carrots."
The bunny turned back to her partner and gave him a knowing smirk. "Not putting you down Slick just stating the facts."
"Ok, you two that's enough. As why I chose Wilde over you is indeed that you are the most skilled in your partnership, therefore, you have more to contribute to the training regimen. Also, it has been noticed several times that during times of emergency you tend to be the one to take the reins and control the situation until a higher ranked officer is able to reach you. Your abilities and the skills that you display to guide others make you especially suitable for the position of training new recruits. You might not have heard, but even major Friedkin has expressed some interest in the past for having you and your partner come back in to help train the new recruits."
Judy and Nick stood up to protest at the same time. While they liked Ursula and wouldn't mind working with her, it would take them away from the streets they had sworn keep safe. Bogo knew he could have phrased that better and put up a hoof to cut off the pair before they could start complaining. "Please understand that the position of a trainer at the academy would be a tempory one at all times and would only be allowed during times when I would be sure I could miss the two of you. Also while I will not force you to accept the position when the possibility will come up, it may be wise to do so. If the mammals that come in for training see what the two of you are capable of it will expand the minds of your future larger coworkers and if word spreads may even induce smaller mammals to try the academy even if it's just to train with you."
The pair mulled it over and saw that the chief was right. Even though several small mammals were enlisting, it was nowhere near the numbers the zpd needed to bring up the force to where it needed to be.
Umbra raised his arm timidly and as Bogo glanced at him spoke up. "Ok I understand that Hopps is ideally suited to train the volunteer, but where do I come in? And if you want the best of the small mammals to train the volunteer why not Hopps and Wilde together with me going on the team that engages?"
"The reason for that Umbra is that you are familiar with the volunteer and can assist Hopps with evaluating his progress."
At this Umbra could only look confused. "Sir, might I inquire who we'll be training?"
Bogo took the photo that was in the file laying on his docket and handed it to the hare. "Your old classmate from the academy. The one you might remember for being kicked out. One Joe Fragrance."
Max Improbus thought not of himself as being an unreasonable mammal, but sometimes one found himself having to make decisions that might be construed by others to be difficult to accomplish, some might well claim them to be unreasonably difficult.
Still, if his employees did bring up the difficulty of the task he would always see to it they were properly motivated to accomplish them. Sometimes a kind word was enough. Other times threatening to kill one's entire family was required to achieve the result. It was ghastly to have to do, to be sure, but sometimes one needed to stoop a bit lower on the social hierarchy to get through to the filth that had the privilege to serve him.
Now he was looking down of what remained of what used to be his hitmammal. The goat had only been given two orders. Get rid of his fellow student and use the wolf disguise to make it seem that an officer of the ZPD had performed the deed. As far as his orders went only the first had been achieved reasonably within parameters, but then the goat had gone rogue. "I'm sure you currently see the error of disappointing me and to think I had such high hopes for you."
The raspy breaths that came from the goat as he looked through his beat up face made it all too clear that the foam Max suspected was in his lungs was already destroying them. "It could have been so great. The ZPD would lose a lot of cloud and predators would again be seen as the savages they really are. A chance so grand it was like the holidays had come early, but of course, you found a way to screw things up." With those last words, the rabbit kicked the goat in his stomach with all the strength he could muster lifting the hitmammal of the ground a little while he coughed loader caused by the lack of air.
"No, you had to start a personal war with the ZPD! And if you had killed several of the nasty preds that pretend to be officers I could have been purs-wayed to let it go, but you couldn't even manage to do that!" Max grabbed the goat by his head and lifted it to his face snarling in the hitmammal's frightened face. "You can count yourself lucky that I still have plans for you, but don't think you will be let out without a leash."
The rabbit moved back to his chair and snapped his fingers. At the sound, the two boars which had taken turns beating the goat into a bloody pulp stepped forward while holding something in their hoofs.
"Bellwether was a genius. You might have heard of the TAME collar the former mayor envisioned for all the nasty preds to be wearing. Well, I had several mammals go through her belongings before the ZPD confiscated everything. Among the items recovered were the original blueprints." The rabbit smiled wickedly at the goat. "Luckily for you, it will allow me to have total control of your actions in the future otherwise I would have let you die in agony. Now you will be fitted with two lovely items. First will be the unique TAME collar I had modified for your personal use."
One of the boars grabbed the goat and pulling him up by the fur on his head lifted him off the ground while the hitmammal groaned in pain. "You see my dear. I can't use mammals that don't follow orders. Defy mine again, and you will find that that shock collar activates sending more volts to you than would be needed to cook you alive!"
The boar holding the collar put it around the goat's neck and activated it. A beep could be heard, and the collar went from green to red in an instant. Small shocks of electricity flowed through the goat and as he groaned again in pain was let go to fall on the floor where he lay barely conscious with the lack of oxygen.
"Now for the other problem. See your lungs have had it. If you had surrendered yourself, the ZPD would have been more than willing to save you. Without the gas needed, however, you are going to die. Again luckily for you, while the gas becomes useless when you are so far gone as you are, we found a way to keep someone alive even if the lungs started to fail. By mixing liquid oxygen with the liquid form of the gas, we are able to keep your lungs going. Now don't make any mistake you are completely dependant on our oxy-gas-liquid canisters if you wish to remain alive so even if you managed to get rid of your collar it would be a short victory as I would see to it your supply would be cut off immediately."
The boar that had held the hitmammal up of the ground turned the goat on his back and using his knees pinned the mammal to the ground. After that was done, he grabbed the goats upper garments and with a sharp pull ripped them apart. The boar that had moved away to grab something else came back with what looked like a disk filled with fluids.
"Now my dear friend let me explain what is going to happen to you. That sphere you see will extend two very sharp pins that will ram directly into your lungs. After that is done they will fill them up with the liquid gas/oxy mix, and you will be able to breathe normally again, but you might ask yourself if the liquid wouldn't just leave your body through your mouth. Now you don't have to worry your little brain over that. My employees seeing to you are going to seal your throat shut. Not only will you never have to breathe again through your mouth, but you will never have to bother eating again either. Don't worry though all of your nutritional needs will be seen to by our doctor's on staff. They will make sure you get injected with your daily needed dose of 'food.'" The rabbit smiled evilly and snapped his fingers again.
The hitmammal looked with wide eyes at his captors as the boar with the disk put in on his bare chest. Then the boar grabbed what seemed like a rubber hose and rammed it down the goat's throat. Max had left his chair and was on his way out while the boars worked on the hitmammal. "Oh yeah boys when you finish with him, throw him in the standby room to recuperate, and then join me. Wouldn't want you to miss the lovely party going on upstairs." As the sounds of gagging and muffled screaming filled the office the rabbit closed the door and smiling wickedly ascended the stairs towards the ballroom. He had righted a wrong and gotten a new tool out of the deal to boot.
Near the park, another mammal had just finished up with the last of the camera placements. Everything was now ready for the live test that would in all probability take place on the weekend. He had been in the park when he saw his subject and her family coming towards him. As he listened in on their conversation, he had a tough time not screaming in joy as the mother told her daughter she would bring her and her siblings to the park again on Saturday.
Just a couple of days more and he would be able to see his work in action. If it all went like planned, he might be able to get some investors on board with his research and then his babies could finally go out to do the work they were designed for.
Now only to make sure the test would go off without a hitch. He had already ensured that there would be a distraction ready for the ZPD to be triggered when the subject finally decided to start the experiment. Hopefully, it would keep them busy long enough for him to reclaim her body when the trial was concluded. Having the samples, he could extract from it, ready to show to interested parties would be even better than just having the recorded footage.
As he moved back towards his vehicle, he nodded and smiled towards a young mother and her cub that were playing in the park. What he didn't see was how the mother frowned and grabbed her child to flee the park. There had been something in his smile that the mother hadn't understood, but had her senses go of warning her of immediate danger.
After the briefing, Judy was moving towards her cubicle. She had a training program to lay out as well as try to get access to the academy's training grounds. In a pinch, they probably could make due with precincts one exercise room, but for the training, she had in mind only the academies multiple eco systems simulated training courses would service. "What can you tell me about this Fragrance guy?"
Harris was following her currently busy reading up on file on his former classmate. "He was good. Kept up with Soniko even surpassing her for a couple of weeks before she got serious. After that, he kept on being a steady second place holder until they found drugs in his locker."
"Yeah, I heard something about that. Nick had a discussion with his friend about that drug incident. But the friend believed it had been a frame up job. What about you?" Judy looked back to see Harris his reaction.
Harris thought for a moment before answering. "I believe so. Joe looked as shocked as he could be and I don't see how he would have been able to get his hands on the drugs in the first place. The investigation should have convicted or cleared him, but..."
"There never was one." Judy finished for him. She frowned as she thought about the circumstances. There was no reason not to have an investigation. If he were found guilty, they would have arrested him and made him talk about where he had gotten the drugs from. Not taking any action to ensure no drugs would enter the academy again was a severe breach of protocol. Hell even if Fragrance was cleared of the suspicion they still needed to find out how drugs had entered the grounds.
Nick had been right they needed to do an investigation on the academy and now that she had time to think about it the sooner, the better. "Harris when was he kicked out?"
"We had less than a month left of training, and it was clear that Soniko and Fragrance would take the top two spots. Nobody could have caught up with them. I was in third place, and the margin between Joe and me was too wide to close in just a month." Harris still felt a bit bitter that the only reason he had been assigned to Precinct one had been the drug incident, but now he was here he would do everything in his power to prove that he deserved to be there.
"Hmm, for the time being, we have to concentrate on getting him back up to the level he needs to be to have any chance to hold out against three seasoned police officers working together. Don't worry though when the test is done, I'll ask Bogo personally to open up an investigation into what happened there."
Harris smiled, the time he had to spend competing with Joe and Cindy had been fun, and he still was shaken by how the skunk had been removed. Now, however, they might be able to clear him of the charges levied against him and get the skunk into the ZPD for real.