Chapter 19. Best Laid Plans. - First Part.
Don't look down, it's a long, long way to fall -
'High Flying, Adored' from the musical Evita.
Thank you all for the great reviews and feedback on the last chapter! Yes, the pace is picking up :)
Guest - I do not speak Spanish :) But perhaps the reviews are for your own amusement, so go ahead :)
Matt aka Brutus - you are very kind! I was huffy at the time but frankly now that sort of remark doesn't bother me much. The person was right in essence, it was out of character for Nick. It is strange that someone would get so offensive at us people trying to write fanfiction to amuse others in our sparse free time but... whatever *eyeroll* Glad you're caught up and enjoying :)
Gallowaychi - you make the best comparisons, grenades after smoke bombs indeed :)
WingedKatt - yes, kids very often have more faith than us adults!
FullTimeFangirl931 - Told you, more twists :)
AeonFeral - hope you're having a good day :)
I have to address a question I have received several times over after the latest developments. 'So, is Jack a good guy or a bad guy?' Well... First off, I doubt anyone is really 'good' or 'bad'. That being said, he is definitely more 'bad' in his morals than 'good', in general. Skye is also hardly the saint, as we will see when we know more of her. But you know... sometimes two people (or Zootropolis characters) can bring out the best in each other and build something together. This seems to be the case for the pair.
Consider also our two heroes - do you think they are good? Undoubtedly people are going 'of course!' Well, consider Nick's past, hustling and working the streets, the way he can hardly ever face feelings; Judy's disregard of rules and procedures when she wants to prove her point and get a job done, her working with Nick and Mr Big in the movie when she knew they were criminals. See? No one is good or bad entirely, or in any case if they were they would be very flat characters to read about or watch movies about. No person you meet has a fully black or white character either. Something to consider dear friends *sips tea impressively*
Ok, after that discussion, storytime!
No matter how much ordering pizzas had appeared as misplaced in Judy's opinion at first, it turned out that this had been a very good idea of Nick's after all. Skye's three present children were all understandably emotional at so suddenly finding their stepfather in the penthouse living room, that there had been rather a lot of poorly suppressed sobbing and incoherent muttering between them, until the prompt delivery mammal arrived with the steaming cardboard boxes. Having paid and thanked the morose tubby zebra in the 'PizzaHut' cap, Nick turned towards the assembled animals to find the teenagers eyeing him intently.
"Oh bummer," he said, immediately realizing his error in brandishing such a desirable cheesy prize in front of three pairs of young eyes. "See, this is why I liked growing up as a single kit," he added conversationally to Judy.
The children had exchanged a lightning glance and nudged Sage, the softest spoken of them all, forward, as their chosen representative.
"If you please," she addressed Nick formally, folding her paws in a begging gesture. "We've only had marshmallows to eat tonight, Mister, and we're really hungry-"
"You've had my marshmallows to eat, young vixen," Nick told her sternly, but the corners of his mouth were twitching despite himself. "Here you go anyhow, but don't down it too fast between you lot, you'll get squeamish."
"We'll order more," Judy added hastily, seeing the look of regret with which Nick surrendered the pizza cartons. "We'll get some for everyone; this is definitely a situation that requires sustenance."
"I thank you on account of the children," Skye told her wearily. "But don't bother yourself on my account, I doubt I could swallow a morsel at this time."
"Doubly true here Officer," Savage added from his seat. He'd sat down on the arm of the spacious sofa, watching the happy munching fox trio who were lolling on the rug and digging into the pizza, their moods apparently greatly restored.
Judy placed a hasty order for back-up pizza on her phone and pocketed it quietly, as she surveyed the reassembled family with Nick, a small lull in the air. Skye was sitting on the sofa armrest on the far end from Jack and the kits, but her eyes were also on them, her chin in her paw.
At length as the teens downed their first couple of slices apiece, they started chewing more slowly (joined by Nick who was in happy possession of a smoked salmon double cheddar that had been delivered by the bewildered zebra. The deliveryman had walked away for the second time muttering to himself about animals who couldn't make their minds up properly the first time around. Still, he'd been tipped both times, so he could hardly complain too much).
Scott, Skye's son, who had been to Judy's regret picking the rocket salad of his pizza slices before eating them, frowned a bit as if lost in thought and looked up at his stepfather from his cross-legged position on the floor.
"Jack?" the boy said hesitantly, his gaze rather earnest.
"Yes?" Savage's unfocused look was gone and he smiled down at the young fox encouragingly.
"How come you didn't find us earlier?" Scott asked, his tone a mix of confusion and appeal. "I mean, we were always waiting, we thought..." he trailed off, unsure of how to end his question, but both his sisters were flanking him supportively, Sage looking at her stepfather intently and Sabrina nodding so much that the strand of fur dyed black on top of her head was bopping up and down.
However lost in thought Jack might have appeared, Nick guessed immediately that the rabbit had mentally prepared for the onslaught of questions.
"There has been a terrible misunderstanding," Jack informed the kits who were listening carefully. "The result of a wicked plot against your mother and myself. You see, Mar-" Skye twitched at this and Judy guessed by the way Jack's ear jerked that he heard rather than saw her cue. He did adjust the narrative hastily though, correcting himself, "Somebody," he said instead, "has worked very diligently to convince me that the three of you had drowned along with your mother while crossing in that vessel you'd embarked on. They did an equally good job of convincing your mother in turn that I had had a complete change of heart and was abandoning you all coldly."
It was good of him to stick to the truth, Judy thought, raising her eyebrows at Nick as she absently picked some cherry tomatoes off his pizza slice and popped them in her mouth. There were many surprising things about Jack and Skye Savage though, not the least being that they seemed to be decent parents all things considered.
The trio of young foxes sat rather stunned at Jack's explanation.
"You thought we were gone?" Sage exclaimed, while her twin, Sabrina, added angrily, turning on her mother,
"You believed Jack was leaving us Mom? How could you-"
"Don't have a go at your mother," Jack snapped at her. "It was a carefully crafted plan, she is hardly to blame."
"Oh," Sabrina hung her head subdued. "Sorry," she added.
"It's alright," Jack reached a paw out and patted her unruly fur. "It's rather the topsy turvy night of discoveries as is."
"Do you know who's behind this?" Scott asked, his fists clenching involuntarily. He shot a suspicious look at Nick and Judy. "Do these animals have anything to do with it?" he asked his stepfather darkly.
Jack let out a sigh of exasperation, though he looked faintly amused.
"Scotty," he said sternly. "Please think for a moment. Would your parents be allowing you to eat food out of these mammals' paws if this were the case? No, these two animals are officers on the force and they have helped us very much indeed in wriggling out of this mess. They are kindly offering you your supper as well, so, show your manners and some respect my boy."
This was so entirely at odds with the way Jack was wont to speak to the two ZPD officers at any other given time that the two friends turned to each other and exchanged significant bemused looks. Clearly, Judy noted, one can have their own moral code and then the one they choose to teach their kids.
"You know who is behind this mess?" Sabrina probed, looking at Jack closely.
"Yes," he confirmed, meeting her gaze evenly.
"You're not going to tell us?" Sage volunteered.
"No," her stepfather confirmed.
"We're too young to be involved in this business," Scott suggested wisely.
"Precisely," Jack agreed, ruffling his fur in turn.
"But you'll get back at them?" Scott appealed, catching hold of Jack's sleeve.
Judy felt the fur at the back of her neck prickle at the slow smile Jack gave the boy, and at the way his pale blue eyes narrowed strangely.
"You can be sure of that," he told Scott sweetly. "Promise."
This promise seemed to satisfy the three children no end. They hooted and thumped each other on the back in satisfaction amid a chorus of, 'yeah, Jack'll get 'em, you wait-', 'the nerve! If I got my paws on-', 'they won't know what hit them! Messing with us-!'
Nick chewed the last of his crust up, his gaze wandering to Mrs Savage, who had followed the conversation without adding a word. There was a crease between her brows and she was kneading her knuckles nervously, her eyes on Jack. There could be no doubt that she, like her children, had complete faith in the fact that Jack would follow through on his words. What the teenagers would say if they'd known their mother's cousin was behind the scam one could only guess at.
"There is more you need to know," Jack added, addressing his stepchildren as he seemed to pull himself together with some effort. "We have secured your brother. The same animal has been responsible for keeping him away from us all this time, at an orphanage. He is in the countryside with my relatives at this time. He is in good health and I am sure he will be thrilled to see you all."
The youngsters literally jumped at this news but this time in shocked glee. There was another chorus of, 'No way!', 'Sylvester? He's ok?', 'When can we see him? Can we see him now?'
"Hardly," Jack answered to the latter, smiling at an exuberant Sabrina who had asked it. "He must be in his bed at such an hour. But come morning, of course you can go."
The siblings laughed and sighed collectively over this, exchanging stunned and happy looks. They lapsed into a short silence, that was broken by Sage after a bit, as she seemed to arrive at a remaining bit of the puzzle that still confused her.
"Uh, Jack?" she tried, facing him.
"Hmm?"
"So..." she looked up at him, her earnest face astonishingly like her mother's. "So now that everything is all cleared up... we're all going to go live together again?"
Her brother and sister's heads shot up at this and they looked at Jack intently as well, hanging on for his reply. However well Savage had handled the previous questioning however, this seemed to be one inquiry he hadn't reckoned on. His gaze faltered somewhat under Sage's unwavering look.
"That" he said finally, rubbing his nose with a distracted paw. "Is entirely up to your mother."
In unison, the three kits' heads turned in the direction of Skye.
"Mom?"
"Mommy!"
"Moo-om?"
Cornered in such a way, poor Skye shifted helplessly in her seat and seemed quite incapable of producing any coherent reply.
"Don't pester your mother," Jack told the kits sternly, inexplicably coming to her rescue. "She's been through quite the ordeal as is."
Clearly loathe to abandon this subject, the three subsided however at his command. Judy was torn between hesitant admiration of how seamlessly they seemed to obey and respect him, and fervent gratitude to the rare sensitivity Nick was showing, as he measured instant coffee out as quietly as he could in the corner, opting to ignore the noisy Nespresso machine.
The hour that followed was mostly filled with the three youngsters intent on catching up their recovered parent as much as they could on their various exploits,, from schoolwork to dance classes to field trips, until one after the other the exhausted brother and sisters finally dropped off, fast asleep, after their very emotional night. Sabrina and Sage fell asleep on the couch, their heads on either side, and their legs bunched one against the other, and Scott was curled up on the rug, his head on a sofa cushion and one paw over the pizza carton protectively.
A ringing silence fell on the living room as the adults surveyed this scene. Jack had indeed done nothing but look the three young foxes over since he'd laid eyes on them, as if he were intent on making up for lost time, Nick realized. It was strange, getting used to this Savage they hadn't yet seen. The rabbit paused over the sleeping forms now, his eyes on them. Skye stood on the far end, also watching them. A small frown appeared on Jack's face as he looked at Scott.
"He is very thin," he said, addressing his wife. "Does he go into any athletic clubs? Or is it only the Nintendo all the way?"
Skye sighed in exasperation.
"He won't listen to me," she complained. "I tell him he needs to spend more time outdoors, or at the gym... I told him, no video games before homework is done, but he has this portable thingy, he sneaks it into his room under his shirt.."
"Then why not confiscate it once and for all?" Jack asked her. His frown deepened as his gaze now rested on Sabrina, taking in her dyed fur and the many piercings in her ears. "You'll next tell me she has a tattoo on some unspeakable body part no doubt?" he shot at Skye.
The vixen winced.
"You just can't reason with them!" she exclaimed pleadingly. "She just goes on and on, everyone has them Mommy-"
"Anyone who's sitting in the back row of a classroom and smoking at recess no doubt," Jack suggested ironically. "I see you are as active about asserting your authority as ever Madam.." his gaze rested finally on Sage. She was indeed the one who resembled Skye the most, with the only difference being that her eyes were dark brown and not silvery grey. This was of course not visible as the girl slept, and, looking at her, Jack's frown was quite lifted and his face softened. He said nothing more, but carefully pulled the throw blanket Nick and Judy kept flung over the back of the couch down to cover the sisters.
Skye watched him, kneading her fingers nervously. She seemed to be gearing herself up to speak, but as she opened her mouth so did her husband.
"Jack, I-"
"The let-"
They both broke off hastily.
"Yes, what?" Skye said immediately. "What were you asking?"
Jack seemed on the verge of telling her she could make her point first. He reconsidered however and reiterated his question.
"The falsified letters," he said, looking evenly at Mrs Savage. "That Margaret had been sending you. You say you have kept them?"
"Yes of course," Skye snorted scornfully.
"You have perhaps some of them with you?" he asked casually. Nick rather disliked his tone somehow.
"As a matter of fact I do," Skye gave a short bitter laugh. "I always bring them when I go to the city, because I thought that if ever I did run into you I could throw them in your face!"
"Indeed," Jack inclined her head. "Please do so," he held a paw out to her.
There was a sudden hush.
"But... I mean I know they're fake now," Skye pointed out.
"Yes, and so do I," Jack agreed. "I would have liked to see for myself what lies Margaret has been feeding you though, if you please."
Judy saw Skye dart a quick look at her purse that was sitting on the floor by the coffee table.
"I hardly think Jack-" the vixen started.
He was having none of it.
"Madam, the letters," Jack told her quietly, his paw still outstretched.
Skye swayed a bit where she stood, giving Jack a look. She seemed quite aware that there was no getting out of it though. With a resigned look she bent over to her purse, fumbled with it for a moment and produced three plump envelopes that she handed Jack hesitantly.
The rabbit tore the envelopes open and proceeded to go over the paw-written pages silently. Judy and Nick, watching him from the kitchen counter where they'd retreated to for their extra coffee and primrose infusion, saw his eyes narrow and his jaws clench dangerously.
"How amusing," he muttered quietly, his gaze flying over the pages, and after a while, "She does sound like me, I will give her that."
No one spoke as he reached the end of his reading. Once he was done, Jack folded the letters without comment, and, to his wife's apparent dismay, instead of giving the envelopes back to her, he placed them carefully in the inner pocket of his blazer. Not seeming to feel like he had to explain this move in any way, Jack clapped his eyes on the coffee in Nick's paws at that point.
"Officer Wilde," he said, addressing the fox in a rather neutral tone. "If you would be so kind as to offer me some coffee as well, I will be exceedingly grateful. To the point of happily lending you my car for the drive back you must still undertake."
"You look like you need it Long Ears," Nick agreed, pulling an extra mug out.
"Jack!" Skye exclaimed, stretching a beseeching paw out at him. "You can't possibly plot to hurt Meg!"
"I don't take sugar," Jack informed Nick, ignoring his wife's remark entirely.
"Jack!" Skye stamped a foot on the floor with feeling. "She's my cousin! You can't!"
"Thank you," Jack said, accepting the mug he was offered and blowing some steam away from the rim. "Your requests are falling on deaf ears," he informed his wife, before taking a gulp.
"You can't!" She cried. Her eyes fell on the sleeping kits. "What would the children say?" she added.
Judy could tell that Skye had been on mark this time. Jack winced a little but his expression remained stony.
"What they don't know can't hurt them?" he suggested.
"They are bound to know, one day, when they grow up perhaps," Skye replied, throwing her paws up. "And then just wait and see if they'll still hero worship you as much Mister."
Jack looked at his wife speculatively over the brim of his mug but made no reply. This seemed to satisfy her to some degree at least though as she gave a triumphant little nod as if she had proven her point.
"They were jubilant about seeing you again Jack," Skye said sternly. "But they don't actually want you to go around getting blood on your paws for the sake of some sort of notion of revenge. They're just overexcited about being back in town; making ends meet out up north wasn't much to their taste."
Her words seemed to put Jack in mind of something. He put his coffee down and cocked his head to one side, observing her.
"How on earth did you make ends meet?" Savage asked. "You can't tell me you found any bits of business worthwhile out there in that hole."
Nick winced at the use of the word 'business' he was only too familiar with from his hustling days.
"Hardly," Skye snorted derisively. "Oh you know. It was pretty rubbish, but whatever. I worked some menial jobs... cash desk, cleaning, that sort of thing. Not much of a laugh, but it kept us above water. The girls did pretty well too," she added fairly. "They took babysitting shifts to cover their shopping expenses. Oh, and I had to sell all the jewellery I'd brought along," she added regretfully. "I'd brought the best pieces along... and just auctioned them off one by one when we were really strapped. Used a fake name and an online bidder's account. Everything went," she pulled a regretful face.
"Everything?" Jack echoed, his eyebrows raised.
"Well," Skye considered this. "I kept two pendant things. Rubies and emeralds sort of baubles, Christmas style. But they were Nana's and she'd always said they were for the girls for their eighteenth year. So I couldn't. But I sold every other thing," she shrugged.
As her husband continued to stare at her evenly, she blinked uncomprehending until the penny dropped. With a flustered start of remembrance and a flush visible despite her fluffy white fur, Skye's paws sprang up reflexively to the small diamond pendant and earrings she had on her person.
"I-" she faltered, putting her paws back down with some effort. "Well, I mean... force of habit..." she trailed off a bit foolishly.
"I see," Jack said seriously, as if agreeing on some highly relevant point. He broke his gaze and returned to his cup, but not before Judy had time to see him smile a bit in a way that gave the bunny cop a shrewd suspicion as to the origin of the pendant and diamond studs.
"This is all fascinating," Nick put in chattily, pouring his third cup of coffee (ignoring Judy's muffled protest). "But some of us have somewhere to be tomorrow morning - call that this morning by now. And there's still a lot of ground to be covered."
Judy jumped in realization.
"That's right Nick, what in the name of whipped cream are you doing here? You should be at Rocky Hills!"
"It was urgent Carrots," her partner replied, serious for once. "And I have quite the story for you."
In the briefest but most complete way he could, he relayed what information Jack had shared with him, with the occasional glance at Savage to ensure that he was remaining faithful to the story. Judy and Skye followed his story attentively, Judy's scowl growing as well as Skye's expression of dismay as the many crimes of Margaret Frost were further dwelled on.
"So the Night Howlers... an even more potent derivation... for the pop concert, to make an attack?" Judy ran her paws through her fur in agitation. "That Frost vixen! I knew it!"
"There's more Carrots," Nick sighed heavily, arriving at the bit of news he most dreaded to reveal but clearly needed to. He looked evenly down at Judy. "Carrots... the prequalification test."
"The- what?" Judy frowned up at him.
"You passed," Nick informed her. Jack winced, while Skye looked from one police officer to the other, rather at sea.
"What?" Judy blinked. "You know that's not true!"
"It is," Nick told her shortly, intent on dealing the blow as quickly as possible. "Frost switched your test with Taggart's, switched the folders with your names. You heard what she did with those letters, she's an ace on faking and mixing up documents. Taggart is the one who failed, you passed with flying colours - as we all should have known," he added bitterly.
Judy's eyes widened in shock and she gasped. Nick held his paws up, ready for her outburst. As it were, a myriad of conflicting thoughts and emotions raced through Miss Hopp's mind at the same time. A tiny triumphant voice that had always known and believed was shouting 'yes!' at the back of her mind. Disbelief and mainly righteous anger at the conniving vixen were boiling in Judy's chest. And then finally something made her pause as a cool, detached part of her brain noted that if she had never been left behind, she would never have felt lonely, never have gone into Nick's room and never have had the dream that made her realize her true feelings.
This last notion lade her breath out deeply and say in a voice that startled Nick with its coolness,
"I am outraged of course, but I see she has treated her own cousin even worse, so I can hardly be surprised."
"You... are taking this remarkably well," Nick told her, astounded.
"Don't get mad, get even," Judy told him sweetly. This earned her a sincere smile from Jack and a groan from Skye.
"That may be true," Nick agreed, glancing at his phone. "But I have to leave in... exactly twenty one minute if I am to have any hope of sneaking back into the training centre in time for class tomorrow morning, and we have no idea of how we will accomplish this 'getting even' thing partner."
"You have to go?" Judy's ears drooped for a moment in dismay before she rallied. "Of course you do! We can't have them knowing we're on to them, not when we're so close. Margaret Frost must think we're just going about our business as usual. And this means all of us," she added sternly in Jack and Skye's direction. "Which means she has to think she is still holding the upper paw over you with her blackmailing scheme Savage."
Jack shrugged.
"I will do anything in my power to aid the forces of justice Officer," he said nobly. Skye rolled her eyes at the ceiling at this statement. "Anything to help you get your paws on my cousin-in-law," the rabbit criminal admitted at that, his eyes gleaming.
"I don't doubt it," Judy muttered as Nick shook his head.
"I'm keeping my eyes on you," Skye told her husband heavily. "You're planning one of your tricks, I know you are."
Jack eyed her coolly.
"You had better follow the children to safety Madam," he told her. "Go and join Sylvester with them and wait it out."
"I'll go see Sylvester and drop them off," Skye shot back. "But they hardly need me to flock over them like they're babies. I'm seeing how this plays out, whether you like it or not."
There seemed to be little Jack could say to this. Judy could, however.
"Be discreet if you do stay then Ma'am," she told Skye sternly. "Your cousin can't know you're here or on to her either. We need her to keep following her plan, feeling quite safe."
Skye sighed and nodded her agreement.
"We need time," Nick was saying distractedly, hurriedly downing the last dregs of his coffee. "And there isn't any, for crying out loud. We need time for a plan."
Judy did some quick mental calculations.
"There's eight weeks till the concert," she announced. "If you behave well and get good marks at the centre, you will get another afternoon off. I'll come out and see you and we can decide how we'll act then."
"I can come back-" Nick started, but Judy shook her head.
"No, I'll come see you. You shouldn't break the rules like this anymore Nick, you'll get caught. Or at least don't go around breaking them until you really must. Which might be necessary at some point," she added darkly.
Nick let the air out of his lungs with a whooshing noise but bent his head, agreeing.
"I will come as well," Jack said unexpectedly. "I would very much like to be instrumental in any way that I can in your complot officers."
"Then I'll be there too," Skye said. She crossed her paws on her chest and ignored the sideways glance this earned from her husband.
"OK," Judy sighed. "So we'll have a conspirator meet-up in four weeks."
"We'll have a ball," Nick grumbled, checking the time again. "Well not to hustle you animals, but I would think you've intruded on our kindness long enough."
Jack and Skye both stepped forward, uncomplaining. They looked at the sleeping kits.
"We'll have to rouse them," Jack sighed.
"Yes," Skye seemed to have been doing some quick thinking. She cleared her throat and said rather flatly. "We've taken a suite of rooms at this place in Savannah. You had better come I guess - cause the kids'll bite my head off if I send you packing just now," she added hastily as Jack glanced at her.
He seemed surprised at this generous offer but merely said, in an equally offhand voice, "As you wish."
They both bent in unison over the kits at that and started nudging them awake. Some protests were muttered at this rough handling, but the kits quickly cheered up when they learned that they were merely heading back to their hotel, and that they got to bring Jack with them to boot. Skye marched them out the door one by one, making them say thank you to Nick and Judy for the pizza. Jack followed them, passing Nick the keys to his car at the door.
"Safe drive," he said. "We will be there as promised on your next leave Officer."
"Oh I don't doubt it," Nick muttered as the door clicked shut behind the reunited family.
"Some accomplices we've gotten ourselves," Judy agreed with him, shaking her head. "Think they can be trusted to keep their word?"
"That depends," Nick said, after thinking for a moment.
"On what?" Judy asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"Whether Skye takes Savage back," Nick told her flatly, grimacing a bit. "If she shows him the door, Savage'll tear old Frosty up. And he might do that regardless, come to think of it."
"That vixen," Judy huffed, the memory of her supposed 'failure' resurfacing.
"Carrots," Nick shook his head ruefully. "I... that was really a rotten piece of work."
"Yes. Well," Judy sniffed facing him. And all of a sudden she realized that they were finally alone with the whole rowdy bunch of the Savage family gone.
The pair faced each other in silence. Judy felt at the same time like there was a lot she wanted to say and that she hardly knew where to begin. As she finally opened her mouth though, Nick sighed.
"I have to go pronto Carrots," he said regretfully. "I wish I could hang - you have no idea what it's like at that centre. Consider yourself lucky to be staying behind. But I have to make it back if we are to keep our front up."
"Yes," Judy agreed hastily. "It's just.. Nick, I have to talk to you", she added in a rush.
"You do?" Nick sounded rather guarded as he contemplated this, "What about?"
"It's... never mind now," Judy amended. "You have to go and this can wait."
"Carrots," Nick frowned at her. "Is something up?" A sudden thought struck him. "Is your family ok?"
"Oh, they are all fine" she said quickly, waving a paw. "In a frenzy over my sister's wedding, but doing great. But never mind that Nick, you have to go!"
"Ye-es," he said finally, giving her another look. "Well... take care partner, particularly around Frost. And don't trust Savage or Skye too much either."
"I won't," she nodded. "You take care on the way back Nick. Don't drive reckless."
"Will do," he smiled briefly.
For another moment neither of them moved or looked away from one another. Finally Judy stretched her paw out to shake Nick's or punch fists, as a way of saying goodbye. He seemed to be entirely lost in thought though, for instead of doing either he took her paw in his, held it for a heartbeat without saying anything and then, releasing it, he said,
"Well take care!" with a deal of emphasis.
"You too," she nodded. The fox grinned and then he was off.
For a whole minute, Judy stood watching the door, in a bit of a daze over everything that had passed. She slowly took the paw she had proffered Nick into her other one and finally heaved a deep sigh.
Though the night had been crazy, her spirits had soared from the moment Nick had walked into the room and the hours had ticked by like seconds. All at once with Mister Wilde out of the house she felt very deflated and exhausted indeed. Judy shuffled over to her room morosely to snatch what little sleep she had left before her alarm went off.
Chapter 19. Best Laid Plans - Second Part.
Author's note:
Thanks very much for all your reviews and feedback dear friends! There has been quite a lot of action going on in the story lately, hasn't there? I really enjoyed writing the 'scene' between Savage and Skye out, what took place in the penthouse I mean (hahaha, Chez enjoys drama ;p) I think the only scene I will enjoy even more will be the one that will eventually take place between Nick and Judy ;) Excited now everyone? Well, we're not quite there yet, buckle up :)
Answering your various inquiries,
Guest (argh, I always prefer when you all leave and actual handle, but I get that some of you prefer to avoid registering one on each and every website you visit!) - I think Skye is one of those people (OK, mammals) who just stays loyal to family no matter what and can't imagine hurting them even if they hurt them first (particularly the kind of very serious hurt Jack Savage obviously has in mind for Margaret!) it's a question of character, whether people feel like getting revenge or not. Some folks are like this.
Imjustlikehumphery - you were right about Margaret Frost! Quite a few readers got the creepy vibe from her, good to know you all paid attention :)
Matt - hang in there, the drama will amp up before things settle down, but it will all turn out OK in the end, I promise.
FullTimeFangirl931 - more twists be coming up soon as promised :)
AeonFeral - thanks for your support as ever :)
General note - I am traveling overseas at this time for several weeks and my laptop access is somewhat limited :/ so updates might be sporadic, which is very frustrating. We will continue as best as we can and no worries, it won't last forever :)
Story!
Nick felt tense behind the steering wheel. The driving conditions were hardly to blame; there was hardly a vehicle to be seen at such a very late hour and Savage's sleek car zoomed along the highway unperturbed. Breaking the speed limitations was unnecessary as the integrated GPS screen indicated that Officer Wilde only had two hours eleven minutes left to go. He'd make it. Barely, yes, as he had to park the car down in the village and finish the way up by paw. He'd wriggle in by the side door and make like he was just coming down to breakfast along with all the other officers. Nick sighed irritably and rubbed his right ear as he was forced to halt at an inopportune red light, having exited the highway for a side road that led to obscure Rocky Hills more directly. Why they didn't disable these in the small hours was beyond him, he remarked wearily, as he drummed his fingers in the dashboard impatiently. He was literally stopping for no one's benefit whatsoever.
Nick hummed in annoyance as he restarted the car and whizzed off again once the traffic light finally permitted it. To be fair, he knew that no small part of his irritation was due to fatigue, coupled no doubt with the shadow of unease that had crept in at his last exchange with Judy. What had she been on about? The fox was still puzzling over this two hours later, as he dashed towards the entrance of the canteen, slowing down enough to enter the large dining area at a plausibly leisurely pace. He grabbed a tray, dumped a couple of pastries, a carton of orange juice and a huge instant coffee onto it and hurried over to join Taggart and McHorn who were already chowing down on their breakfast at a table in the corner.
"Wilde!" McHorn exclaimed, putting his plastic cup of tea down. "Where were you? We completely lost you at the bar last night."
"Catching up with an old acquaintance," Nick explained shortly. He took a swig of the inferior coffee and winced at the taste.
"The rabbit?" Taggart prompted. "Oh, someone Hopps knows maybe?"
Can you be more of a biased bag of stripes, Nick thought testily.
"Yup. Yes he is," he said out loud, shrugging. It was true after all, Carrots did know Savage. "I came back in a tad late and had to sneak up. Sorry I missed you guys last night."
"Oh, whatever," McHorn shrugged, apparently accepting Nick's explanation without further questioning. "There's always next time, we'll get the evening off again in four weeks' time."
"You will, to be sure," Taggart muttered morosely.
In a flash Nick realized that the young tiger would discover one day soon enough that he had passed into training on a falsehood and that he hadn't actually qualified. Officer Wilde chewed on his apple tart glumly, his appetite rather poor, as he cursed white furred conniving fox reporters inwardly.
Judy had slept restlessly after Nick's departure. She tossed and turned in her bed, drifting off only to be jerked awake suddenly and to grasp her bedside glowing clock fitfully. Finally, by five thirty am, when she was up, fully dressed in a pristine uniform and throwing some spinach leaves and soy milk into the blender for a quick and healthy breakfast, her phone pinged.
'Made it partner!' ran Nick's text, with a small fox smiley emoticon following the message.
'Well done you!' Judy texted back at lighting speed, her shoulders sagging in relief.
'Savage is a tool but his ride is smooth,' came the reply. 'Sit tight and keep your long ears open Carrots. Now that we know what's a-cooking.'
'You bet,' Judy replied out loud, laying her phone back down on the counter. So, Nick had made it! Which meant that so far they were safe from detection, provided Jack and Skye Savage stuck to their promise as well. Her mind greatly soothed at the knowledge that Nick was safely back at the training grounds, Judy sat down at the oval table to sip her drink.
The discarded pizza boxes piled next to the bin in the corner caught her eye and Judy marveled at the bizarre night they'd had. From Skye showing up with her kits, to the scene her reunion with Savage had provided. Judy wondered what the rest of the night had turned out like for the pair.
And of course there had been Nick! Judy's ears perked up at the memory of him rushing into the penthouse the previous night. If only those blasted Savages had not been there - Judy took a deep swig of spinach froth and wiped her mouth on her neat striped cloth napkin. The Savages were hardly to blame, she'd not expected to see Nick come waltzing in and she'd not prepared what she would have liked to say. It was no use hanging her nose over a missed opportunity. She would just have to make extra sure to have her words right and ready the next time. In four weeks.
With that, Judy Hopps pushed her chair back desicively. She'd need to be in the office bright and early this morning. There were things to be done once work was 'out'.
Hi everyone! Hope you have been keeping well :)
Still traveling here which is rendering my screen time limited, hence the somewhat short and erratic updates :/ very frustrating. Hang in there though, it won't last and one way or another I have decided that my objective is to wrap the story up by the new year. (You might say that's ages away, but a - it's just around the corner, and b - quite a few things still need to happen in the story l!)
AeonFeral - I hope you're having a great day :)
Guest - glad you're enjoying it and see above for explanation of the brevity -_-
FullTimeFangirl931 - pleasure chatting to you :)
Imjustlikehumphery - glad you're all caught up :)
Ta!
Nick felt jaded by mid-afternoon. This, given the extremely busy evening he'd had the day before, not to mention the white night and the dash to and from Zootropolis, was hardly surprising. He had downed more cups of coffee since 6am than he cared to count, his nerves were on edge and the tiny nap he'd snatched back in his room during the lunch break had done little to revive his sinking spirits.
This was indeed the main point of distress for our young red-furred hero. He felt he could have dealt with the physical exhaustion but not with the circles his mind seemed to be running in. He was constantly uneasy about Judy's being left behind in Zootropolis, now that they were starting to have a reasonable idea of the level of threat the city was imminently facing. Not to mention the degree to which they themselves seemed to have gotten tangled up in this whole affair. Damn Margaret Frost, Nick swore inwardly, but only to sooth himself somewhat. Whatever the arctic vixen had done, it seemed she was but the pawn in a much more powerful mammal's big scheme. The fact that they knew nothing of this mysterious employer did not alleviate Nick's worries in the least.
Added to these far from pleasant reflections was the remembrance of the last exchange he'd had with Judy. For the umpteenth time, twirling his pencil round and round between his fingers as he sat in class and Grizzlyfur droned on at the front of the room, Nick wondered what on earth the rabbit had been about to say. His gut instinct (which rarely failed Officer Wilde) told him it had little or nothing to do with the case at paw. She would have told him flat out if it were something else linked to the Night Howlers. No, this was something that seemed important to her somehow... she had tarried in a way that made him feel she'd wanted more time in which to have this one out.
Nick squirmed in his seat uneasily, letting the pencil clatter down onto his desk. Was something bothering Judy? An unwelcome thought sprang into his mind. Had she gotten weary of the whole bunking together gig? It had been a heavy load, taking on the debt, trying to get all the flats rented out, making a profit. FruFru and Finnick had helped out, but still.. Nick had been used to see rather huge sums of money being tossed back and forth between bank accounts in his more 'freelance' days, but he understood that it could be highly stressful for the less initiated. Suppose she wanted to call the whole thing quits and didn't quite dare say so outright yet? Nick's heart sank rather heavily at this notion. He picked his pencil up again and chewed on the dull end heedlessly, watching the instructor morosely.
'Insubordination in the ranks,' Grizzlyfur was pronouncing gruffly, 'is one of the worst things an Officer can encounter.'
Nick privately disagreed. He rather felt that one of the worst things he could personally encounter would be Judy telling him in a kind but firm tone that she thought they ought to move apart again.
Judy was pulling on her right ear in irritation, her left paw drumming incessantly on the floor. What she needed was time, and she had none. No time to sit down and think for five minutes straight, to try and piece things together carefully. She looked around the small office she normally shared with Nick in irritation. She'd come into work bright and early as planned and had gotten a good head start on all the paperwork she needed to go through for the day.
Francine the elephant had dropped by Judy's office mid-morning needing help on a case (since Judy had investigated the particular undercover watch-smuggling shindig over at Sahara that Francine now needed to delve into). Judy never minded lending a paw to her colleagues, but this particular day was already over-booked as far as she was concerned, and Francine had the annoying habit many elephants shared (not to sound species-ist) of forgetting what she was about half way through a sentence.
'The undercover brought in two loads of stolen gold pocket watches last week,' Francine said slowly, frowning over her notes. 'Along with the fake ones the crooks had planted in their stead at the jewelery shop they were trying to rob. Or was it three loads?'
'I hardly think it matters at this point, does it Francine?' Judy sighed, trying to keep the bite of exasperation out of her voice. 'You just wanted me to cross reference whether the watches in question were the same brand as the ones we'd recovered from the weasel band last month - is that right?'
'Well yes Judy, that's just it,' Francine beamed, her brow cleared. 'Do you have the information handy by any chance? Or do you still have any of those watches in evidence storage?'
Judy was already deftly riffling through the hefty pile of last month's reports neatly stacked on her precisely arranged shelves. She snorted at Francine's latter question.
'Hardly in storage here Francine,' she replied, locating the appropriate file and pulling it out. 'Me and Nick only have this minute wall safe to share between the two of us for evidence storing, so a crate of watches for large mammals would hardly ever...' she trailed off as her violet eyes alighted on the safe in question.
The diamond samples they had taken off Mister Shady Walrus Jeweler from Aquatica (Judy was getting as bad as Nick with the nicknames) were still in there, along with the diamonds they'd recovered from the chocolate figurine produced by Savage and the minute Night Howler serum sample.
The sample she was sure Margaret Frost had snatched a smear of, thus fulfilling the secret mission she had produced the entire cover up of a ZPD centered TV program for. Judy had even indifferently decided on the moment Frost had gotten her paws on the serum at. Some time before the pre-qualification test results were known, Judy and Nick had unlocked the safe at one point to place a number of falsified ancient gold coins recovered during yet another case in there. As Judy was carefully putting them into ziplock bags and storing then away, Frost had made her appearance in the office, this still being the time she was endlessly dropping by the ZPD HQ for the wrap up of her TV show. Disliking any outsiders to be present when they were handling evidence (in particular this outsider) Judy had abandoned the coins in Nick's care, steering Frost away with a feigned show of helping her out with whatever the vixen wanted done. Nick had continued stowing the evidence away, but when Judy (tailed by Frost who would not be shaken off) had passed at the office again, Tabitha, Frost's sweet young tigress assistant was there with Nick, and the fox was helping her out with something on her recording equipment. Tabitha had obviously interrupted Nick before he had been quite done because, though the safe was ostensibly closed and all the evidence was out of sight, Judy noticed with a small frown that the digital code that opened the door was still the one visible on the round dials. She'd played it off, making a mental note to change it the moment they were alone with Nick. That moment had come, but only by evening when the two animals were already heading home. And Judy distinctly remembered bumping into Frost in front of the ladies' room closest to her and Nick's office (though the ground floor boasted a much more roomy restroom with ample space for touching up make up, something Frost was wont to do whenever she found herself in front of a mirror.)
The vixen had stolen a sample of Night Howler serum at that point, Judy thought dispassionately. It tied with how quickly she stopped showing up at the ZPD afterwards, leaving Tabitha to tie any loose ends up so far as the TV show was concerned. Frost's work for her private criminal customer (including separating Nick and Judy to make it that much harder for them to piece things together and fight back) had been complete. Judy hardly minded as the current plan was in any case to let the crooks carry on with their schemes and catch them red-pawed. But... had Frost seen the diamond samples as well? Granted, she'd have been in a rush, she'd have grabbed the serum and made a break for it. And the diamonds were buried under all the coins they had put in on top. Yet suppose she'd noticed them? Judy fidgeted uncomfortably, wondering whether Frost knew how far Nick and herself had gotten entangled in her case.
'Hello? Earth to Officer Hopps?' Francine was saying comically, waving a humongous grey paw in front of Judy's nose.
'Sorry,' Judy stammered at the exact time her desk phone buzzed. 'Yes?' she said, retrieving the receiver.
'Chief wants to see you Judy, asap,' Clawhauser's chipper tone sounded down the line. 'Who's a lucky rabbit, getting pulled into the bull pen bright and early?'
Judy groaned. Whatever Bogo wanted her for was going to eat away at her time even more and she needed to be off work early that night, for cream puffs' sakes.
'I'll be right there,' she muttered back at Clawhauser. 'Francine, everything you need is in the report. I have to go, Bogo wants to see me.'
'Really, all of a sudden like?' the elephant cop looked at her curiously. 'Are you in trouble?'
'Am I indeed?' Judy wondered as she knocked at the high door bearing the plaque that read 'Chief' not two minutes later and pushed it open following a curt 'Enter'.
'Hopps!' Bogo barked, looking at her over the top of his spectacles, lowering some papers he was going over. 'There you are!'
'You wanted to see me Chief?' Judy asked, stepping forward and attempting to look sharp. Please let this go fast.
'As a matter of fact I did,' Bogo confirmed, pushing his glasses back up the wide bridge of his nose as he consulted the papers in front of him again. 'I have the reports you filed last Friday right here. I was just reading what you concluded about those traffic stats and how the new regulations had impacted the pollution peak,' he tapped his desk for emphasis.
'Yes?' Judy raised her eyebrows, at sea. She had gone over that report twice. If Bogo found fault with it, she was prepared to defend her position. Cheddar cheese knew she had more than enough time to fine tune her end of the week case reports, now that her partner was away and she had no happily cheerful banter to distract her.
'And then here,' Bogo was consulting a separate file. 'You throw in your opinion about the population distribution in the western districts of town and how it has impacted the growth of teen crime rates we've been seeing.'
'Just adding the background information, Sir,' Judy shrugged, folding her paws behind her back.
'I can see that,' Bogo replied evenly. 'As I can see the consistent work you have put into your daily tasks from the moment you set paw in my precinct. This is exactly the kind of extra mile that I am always asking you all to put in but seeing so rarely. What I quite fail to understand, Hopps, is how one of my star officers, who quotes key figures and principles at the drop of a hat when writing a routine report, can have failed the pre-qualification test.'
Judy's heart skipped a beat. She gulped. Conflicting emotions flitted through her mind briefly; she was simultaneously jubilant for the faith Bogo was showing in her abilities and a bit touched, yet alarm bells were trilling at the back of her mind faintly. She quickly arranged her features into an abashed sort of look.
'It happens to everyone, I guess. I wasn't on top of my game that day. Sir.'
Bogo looked her over suspiciously.
'You were scribbling away when I checked the exam hall,' the chief said gruffly. 'I poked my head in the door half an hour in, you'd already written three pages.'
'Well... ' Judy coughed to cover up her confusion. 'There isn't anything to do now, is there Sir? I'll be luckier next year.'
'Luck has nothing to do with it, my tail!' Bogo barked, thumping a fist on his desk and making Judy jump. 'This is a case of species-ism if ever I saw one. I'm calling for an inquiry Hopps, is what I'm doing. I've brought you in to sign the appropriate consent form,' with that, Chief Bogo pulled a form forward and started writing away on it, his pen scratching furiously.
Judy gaped.
'No!' she blurted out hurriedly. 'I mean,' she checked herself, as Bogo looked up at her frowning. 'I am so grateful for your trust, Sir. Really. But there was a secure encryption process and our test copies were graded anonymously... I would hate to call wolf and have the examiners disturbed on a false case-'
'False case?' Bogo boomed. 'Hopps! I want to see that test copy you wrote with my own eyes before I'm to judge about that. It just doesn't sit right. You're signing the form and we're having this one out.'
Judy felt the perspiration break out on her forehead. The irony! Yesterday she would have gushed her gratitude and signed the paper pronto, but today... today she knew the reason behind her supposed 'failure' and she couldn't afford having Margaret Frost panicking as her trick became discovered.
'I can't sign that form Sir,' Judy said helplessly. 'I can't. Not at this time at least,' she held her breath waiting for the explosion.
Bogo surveyed her in silence for a moment before speaking, his voice unusually mild.
'Hopps,' he said. 'Give yourself some credit. Everyone else on the precinct does. We've got to get to the bottom of this.'
'I can't sign the form,' Judy mumbled mulishly, staring at the floor.
'Well,' Bogo snapped, irritation furrowing his brow. 'In that case, how about I keep it handy in my papers, and you perform some weekend duty till you see sense and decide you'll sign it after all?'
Weekend duty? Judy balked. For how long? She had to have the weekend four weeks away off, she was supposed to head to Rocky Hills and see Nick with Savage and Skye, to discuss the plan, not to mention to see Nick to, to -
'I can't Chief!' she exclaimed, looking up at Bogo in horror.
'That's an awful lot of 'can't' for a ZPD officer,' Bogo stated humourlessly. 'You're on duty weekends Hopps. Till you see sense and sign this inquiry form. Now get to it. Dismissed.'
Judy, her paws feeling numb, could only mutter 'Sir' in stricken tones as she beat her retreat.
Chapter 19, part 4.
Last part of chapter 19 everyone :)
Still traveling, still erratic updates... will not last :)
Great week to all!
Nick's frown deepened as he read Judy's long haphazard text message over for the third time. The rabbit ultimately related the eventful morning she'd had following the night that had already been chock full of crazy adventures. Her message told briefly, but with sufficient urgency, both of her realization that Margaret Frost must have snatched the Night Howler serum sample from the friends' office safe at some point (possibly catching a glimpse of the diamonds within simultaneously) and now about Chief Bogo's bombshell of an ultimatum.
Nick massaged his brow irritably, his gaze drifting out the window and over the bleak training grounds of Rocky Hills. The sky was overcast and hung with leaden clouds that promised rain, the air smelled strongly of autumn already. Our hero seriously doubted that old Grizzlyfur, the bear instructor, would cancel the long afternoon jog that had been scheduled that morning based on the weather. He was the kind of mammal that would push the lot of them out in a downpour claiming that officers on the force couldn't be put out by 'a spot of a drizzle'. They were the same cut, Old Bearskin and Chief Buffalo Breath, Nick thought idly. It was fair of the chief to push for an inquiry, and his threat was his way of showing that he cared for Carrots even if she 'chose not to believe in herself' or some such rubbish.
Why did he have to come to so late in the day, Officer Wilde mused morosely. Had he told Judy to sign the inquiry a week in, maybe the results would have been corrected pronto and the rabbit would be sent to training to catch up with the others, while Taggart the tiger would be righteously sent packing. Something that was bound to happen sooner or later anyway and would only be more painful all around the more it was delayed.
That was no way to think, the fox decided, sighing and kicking a stray coke can towards the bin in the hallway. They had to consider themselves lucky that things were playing out this way. With any luck Frost had no idea that anyone was on her trail and would continue along with her evil schemes unperturbed all the way till the concert, where she'd be caught red-pawed.
Judy had asked Nick urgently at the end of her text whether he thought they should take Bogo into their confidence. Nick's immediate reaction was 'no way'. It was still the response he felt like shooting off after further reflection. On the one paw, Officer Wilde had a natural weariness towards authority. He had as high an opinion of Bogo as any of his teammates. But getting the Chief involved in this shindig... there were already too many mammals tangled up in this, what with Savage and Skye. Throw the Chief in and Savage would sniff it out and do a runner, this Nick felt certain of. Then, depending on their luck, they'd either nab Frost or Savage would get at her first - either way the 'big boss' would slip through their fingers and be free to carry on with their malicious plans. If not at the coming concert than at any other public event, of which so many took place in the big city weekly that the ZPD would never manage to secure all of them.
'Sit tight for now,' Nick typed finally into his phone. 'Do the next couple of weekend duties all nicely, like the martyr rabbit you know how to be Carrots. Maybe Buffalo Head'll relent and let you walk then. He can't keep you on the hook forever.'
Judy had obviously been waiting for Nick to text her back as his phone pinged almost at once.
'Bogo won't let me off,' Judy's text ran. 'You know what he's like! Why would he do me any favors?' A sad rabbit faced emoji concluded this hopeless inquiry.
Nick's lips twitched in a grin despite the circumstances as he looked at the emoji. It reminded him too much of the real Miss Hopps.
'He will Carrots' he muttered out loud, shaking his head. 'Cause he loves you, you know that, everyone on the team loves you, from Clawhauser Donut Face to Francine the Forgetful. I love you...' he leaned his aching brow against the cool window in exhaustion. The white night and all its impressions were definitely catching up with him.
'Let's sleep on it Fluff,' he texted finally. 'We'll figure something out.'
'One can only hope,' came the dubious reply.
Nick chuckled wearily then groaned as the bell pealed out the signal that his break was over.
'I have to go,' he told the phone out loud as if Judy could hear him, before pocketing it and shuffling off to join his comrades.
Judy heaved an almighty sigh as she finally left the ZPD HQ, her work day finished. What a day it had been, and what a night had preceded it! The rabbit felt like she had really been pushed to the limit of how many surprises she could take.
However, ZPD officers concerned for the safety of their fellow citizens were never truly off-duty, she reflected grimly. Which was why, despite the fact that all she wanted to do was to head back to the penthouse and crash on the sofa (perhaps after popping by the hair salon to see FruFru at closing time), Judy turned her paws in another direction entirely firmly and started walking. She had decided what she had to do that evening, and that was what she would do, Judy told herself, no matter how many sudden catastrophical interactions with her boss she'd had to live through that day or how many dramatic scenes unfolding in her very living room she'd assisted to the preceding night. Judy arrived at Savage's undercover chocolate shop not twenty minutes of brisk walking later and scrutinized the shop window under the cover of the gathering twilight carefully. The lights were still on inside, though the 'closed' sign was already displayed in the door. Judy caught a long-eared silhouette through the window and let out a sigh of relief she hadn't known she'd been holding in. So Jack Savage was keeping his word at least so far. He had remained in Zootropolis apparently going about his regular business. Good to know.
Judy tugged the hood of her grey tracksuit a bit lower - she'd changed into civilian clothing before leaving work, nondescript sportswear in a mousy hue, the wide hood masking her ears, ostentatiously protecting her from the few droplets plopping down on the asphalt here and there. Judy had her headphones in, though she wasn't listening to anything, and a pair of trainers flung over her shoulder. The typical office worker heading to a gym after a long day, if anyone cared to look her over.
Squaring her shoulders somewhat, Judy made her way decisively across the street and pushed the chocolaterie's shop door open, ignoring the 'closed' sigh completely. She walked into the warm boutique, its many round lamps letting out a muted cheerful yellow glow, and pulled her hood down gratefully.
'I'm afraid we are already clo-' Savage started, hearing the door click and the tiny bell tinkle and turning round in his tracks where he stood, behind the counter, as he was interrupted in his task of stacking jars of cocoa powder in a neat pyramid. 'Officer!' he exclaimed, his momentary expression of surprise switching to a small smile. 'What a pleasant surprise - a discreet one, I take it?' he indicated her tracksuit and hood.
'I took my precautions,' Judy shrugged.
'A wise move,' Jack praised her. 'Now just so we don't render it pointless,' he made his way from behind the counter towards the door, where he proceeded to pull the blinds down and to turn the key in the lock with a faint click. The key he left in the door, pointing it out to Judy with a small sardonic smile as if to reassure her that his gesture had been meant to keep any intruders from entering, not to lock her in against her will. Judy cocked a mocking eyebrow at the criminal in response, to make it clear that she was feeling anything but intimidated.
'Would you like some evening cocoa, Officer?' Jack asked Judy courteously, returning to his space behind the counter. 'On the house seeing as how you have freed me from the blackmail of my backstabbing cousin-in-law?'
Judy spluttered despite herself.
'Sounds like a fair exchange,' she quipped, sliding onto on of several tall stools lined up in front of the counter. 'Except that I'll only take some if-'
'Yes yes, I'll have some as well, fear not,' Savage grumbled tolerantly. 'Although I must say your concern is groundless Officer. I have never drugged or poisoned anyone; it is really not my style.'
'I'll keep that in mind,' Judy retorted derisively, watching carefully as he measured the cocoa out and mixed the drink.
'Your health,' Savage told her mildly before taking a swig from his own mug. He frowned thoughtfully into its depths and Judy heard him mutter, 'Too bitter for the classic blend?' before he turned his attention back to his guest. 'Is there any particular reason that I owe the great pleasure of your visit Officer?..'
Judy gulped some warm cocoa before answering. The drink was really rather tasty and a nice change from the fresh evening.
'Just checking you hadn't taken off and you were keeping your word,' she said, putting her mug down on the counter.
Jack Savage threw his head back and laughed merrily.
'You are always so refreshingly frank Officer,' he commented, shaking his head. 'Well, as you can see, I am still here and I have been going about my business as usual. Have no fear, I will not walk out on our deal... not until my dear cousin-in-law has been secured in any case,' he added as an afterthought, his eyes gleaming oddly in the lamplight.
'Secured by the police and placed behind bars,' Judy pointed out, just to be sure.
Jack raised his eyebrows in response and took another swig of cocoa. Judy rather supposed that that was all the response she would be getting to that particular inquiry. She let it go for the time being.
'You know Savage, the begonia,' she said, as the double agent unboxed a thin rectangular case of dark chocolates covered in almond shavings and placed them beside Judy's mug politely. 'That you gave us when you first visited us at the penthouse? What was that about?'
'Begonia?' Jack frowned at her. 'You are pulling my leg Officer?' as Judy continued to stare he elaborated. 'I do not know which of the burrows you are from yourself, but, given our species, I could rather be sure you came from a huge family of mammals close to mother earth (like myself). You can't possibly tell me you are unaware of plant significance and herbal language?... oh come,' he shook his head as Judy raised her eyebrows. 'I am not asking for a botanical dissertation Officer. But I have never met a rabbit who didn't understand the meaning behind a clump of basil, or lavender, or heather... Or known that a begonia speaks of imminent danger and indicates one is operating against one's will. I was taking a chance but I felt I could trust you enough to give you some fair warning.'
'The warning fell on deaf ears,' Judy pulled on her long ears for emphasis, with an apologetic grimace. 'I see what you're talking about. Some of my brothers and sisters were really into that, always composing secret messages in bouquets. And I had a grand aunt who'd bore the pants off all of us at family gatherings going on and on about shrubs and their Latin names. My parents have some huge herbal albums at their burrow. But I guess I was always an oddball. I never took any interest in the stuff. Even as a kid, when I wasn't reading up on how to become a police officer, I was trying to fight for justice, literally, in the playground.'
Savage looked stunned for a moment, before he doubled up again.
'You're one of a kind Officer,' he commented, wiping away tears of mirth. 'Your parents must wonder what hit them.'
'Oh they do,' Judy agreed easily.
Officer Hopps had one more thing she intended to find out during her visit, but how she was to go about it she had no idea. She had cast a discreet eye around the shop, which seemed in perfect order. She could find no clue as to how the situation with Skye and Savage had played out though. Asking outright seemed out of the question however.
'How are the children?' Judy asked diplomatically. 'Are they all ok?'
'Better than ok,' Jack replied, leaning his elbows on the counter and folding his paws. 'They are reunited and ecstatic about it. Their mother ran the three eldest out of town to join their brother early this afternoon.'
'How lovely,' Judy swished the remaining dregs of cocoa around in her cup, playing for time. 'And...' She cleared her throat. 'I mean-'
'Officer Hopps!' a voice exclaimed behind Judy at that precise moment making her jump and whip around in her seat. Skye had made a dramatic appearance in the cosy shop, striding in through an inner side door that revealed a flight of stairs leading upwards behind it.
'How kind of you to come by,' the vixen was chattering happily, sliding onto a stool next to Judy's lightly.
Jack, whose pale blue eyes had admittedly grown warmer at the arrival of his wife, snorted at her enthusiasm.
'Don't flatter yourself that this is a friendly visit, love,' he addressed Skye. 'Officer Hopps is here to check whether we can be trusted to keep our word twenty four hours into a bargain, no less.'
'You're such a brute,' Skye shook her head at him
, clicking her tongue. 'Oh, evening hot chocolate!' she added happily, spying the mugs. 'Me too!'
Savage lifted his gaze heavenwards as if to ask what he had done to deserve his current predicament. He accordingly reached under the counter for another mug though and started measuring more cocoa powder out.
Judy had been fiddling with her cup silently since the vixen's arrival. Her inquiry had been rendered unnecessary and her question was answered without being asked. She didn't need Savage addressing his wife as 'love' or Skye's buoyant smile to confirm that the pair had resolved their differences in this astonishingly short interlude. There was an incredible shift in the air between the two of them in comparison to the strain of the preceding night, that made it apparent that all was now well. Judy marveled at such a quick transition, then remembered that the two of them had been married for a number of years before their forces separation. Perhaps you figured things out fast when you knew someone that well, she pondered.
'Do you have anything new to communicate to us Officer?' Skye asked, accepting her mug from her husband and blowing a puff of steam away from the rim.
'Nope,' Judy replied, pulling herself together. 'If not that you for one should take extra care that no one sees you around town who shouldn't! Remember, you're not supposed to be in Zootropolis.'
'Never fear,' Skye chuckled. 'I will only head out at night - or in a car with tainted windows in the daytime.'
'My wife is joking around Officer,' Jack shook his head. 'I can assure you that she is very good at remaining undercover. It is how she managed her career for many years, a career that she was very good at I might add.'
'Ri-ight,' Judy agreed sardonically, with a twitch of the ear at the proud casual manner in which the Savages always seemed to refer to their criminal doings. 'I'm counting on it. And on you not hindering our capture of your cousin,' she added to Skye.
'Oh, I hear you,' Skye's laughing face grew sober. 'You need not be uneasy Officer Hopps. As for Meg, I could have forgiven her... things. But not the kids. No, not the kids,' she looked down into the depths of her cocoa broodingly.
'This will all be over soon enough,' Judy said, trying to sound reassuring. 'Just stick to your guns both of you.' She pushed her stool back and stood up. 'I'd better leave you, it's late.'
Both mammals moved to follow her.
'You know where to find us if you need us,' Skye volunteered, cocking her head to the side mischievously.
'She's unlikely to forget,' Jack agreed with her absently, laying a paw on his wife's shoulder as he held the back door open for Judy with the other.
'I won't forget,' Judy agreed, already out on the pavement, her hood pulled down low over her face again. She looked at the pair silhouetted in the doorway for a moment, bemused. Two things struck her.
On the one paw you could not overlook the species difference. A wolf and a fox for example, that might have been less conspicuous. In this case however...
The other thing was how well suited the two of them were despite this marked contrast (or thanks to it?) Judy had rarely seen a more harmonious pair.
'Well bye,' she said hurriedly turning on her heel as their goodbyes followed her.
'You should head to bed love,' she heard Savage say. 'You look done in...'
Judy heard Skye's tinkling laugh before the back door of the chocolaterie was shut behind them.