Chapter 29 „Tying loose ends"
On Friday, merely thirty hours after events in Watering Hole Port, Nick's alarm went off at 6.15 just as usual. He successfully ignored it for next twenty minutes before finally taking a long, hot shower. Then, a quick morning toilet and breakfast time. He made some breakfast and turned the TV on; the news channel was speaking about them, Donovan and Watering Hole Port, but he changed it quickly, setting for his favorite Channel 4. But even though the usual classic series was there this time too, he could hardly focus on it or breakfast. It was the first day that Judy would be back since they kidnapped her and the things were now slowly coming back to normal, or at least as close to as possible, given everything that happened a two days before. Nick was excited to the point, that he left the house much earlier than usually. He went to his favorite, moderately priced and good café vis a vis his apartment.
"The same as always, Blues?" The old tiger owner asked.
"Yeah, but for the two of us," Nick confirmed.
"Oh, Officer Hopps is back in action? Say, Blues, everyone says that she wasn't having vacation, but had been kidnapped and there, in the Watering Hole…"
"Sorry, I can't say much yet," Wilde interrupted him, realizing that all patrons pretended not to listen to him even too neatly.
"Of course, of course. See you tomorrow!"
"Bye!" Nick left the café with two hot drinks in a convenient carton box. Instead of going for the parking like he used to, he headed to the bus station, though; his car was still lying at the bottom of Mondgose River. The bus came early and he was at Judy's place long before schedule, but she was already waiting for him at the bus stop. She had something hidden behind her back.
"Hi, Carrots," he said, surprised to see her early. But to be fair, she seemed to be even more surprised than him.
"Good morning," she greeted him with a smile. She seemed so excited. No wonder she was up so fast.
"Your coffee," Nick handed her the drink and the two of them headed for the subway station. "Back to the normal?" He asked, grinning and then, she sneezed loudly. Whole that Watering Hole Port action probably got her pneumonia.
"Whatever the normal means," she agreed and noticed that Nick's paw wandered involuntarily around his belly; it still hurt him.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked just to make herself sure. "You took quite a beating there, you know. Donovan could have damaged something and…"
"Nah, it's nothing, just a little nausea. But I'll visit hospital tomorrow again if the feeling continues," he promised and it calmed her down a bit.
"So, since I caused your last aviators to break…" Judy said and something appeared in her paws; it was a glasses case. "Like I promised. I hope these make it up for your loss." She handed it to him.
"Ha!" Nick exclaimed, checking out his gift. They looked just like the ones he lost and he had no idea how Judy found them so quick. He put them on immediately and sipped his coffee. "How do I look like?"
"Like a hustler. Or a corrupted cop, given the uniform," Judy joked and he smirked.
"Good. I have reputation to uphold, you know," he noticed. "Anyway, I happened to lose the car back then, too. You didn't happen to…"
"Oh, I thought of it too," Judy assured and something clanked and flashed in her paw. A car key, was the first silly thought that crossed his mind. And then, he realized what it was.
"Second-hand red Hanza Yari just like the one you sank, all yours. In scale one to thirty," she handed him the keychain and then, laughed at his confused expression. "Oh, you should see your face right now!"
"For a second I though…"
"That the first thing I did after you got me back was buying you a car?!" Judy stopped and bent in half, laughing.
"OK, now that you put it this way…" he admitted.
"And what way would you…" she didn't even finish when she burst out with laughter again. Nick stopped and watched her with his arms crossed. He sighed deeply shaking his head, but he had to give it to her; the joke was on her.
"I'm sorry, I saw it in store and just had to…" Suddenly, she felt awkward about this joke, probably seeing his confused and disappointed face. Especially since it was her fault that he nearly died in that car. "If you don't want it…"
"Oh no, quite oppositely," he promised it, taking it away from reach of her paws. "I will cherish it, Carrots," he promised, while attaching to his home keys.
"I'm glad you like it."
"How could I not like something coming from you?" He asked.
"I can figure something out, trust me," she noticed teasingly.
"Yeah, I guess you can," he agreed reluctantly. They shared a weak smile and again, Judy sneezed loudly. They finished their coffees before entering the subway and took it to the Downtown. The road passed in usual silence, with the two of them constantly glancing at each other, whenever they believed the other one didn't see it. It was good to have her back. And so, it was good to be back.
To say that Judy's reception at the station was warm would be like claiming Clawhauser was your average fan of Gazelle. Everyone greeted her at least with a grin from ear to ear and major part of ZPD apparently had no problem with running up to her to hug the fuzzy wuzzy bunny, for a second completely forgetting she wasn't their mascot, but one of the most efficient police officers. Even Chief Bogo wasn't your usual thick-skinned, harsh grump. As many "cutes" she heard and spontaneous hugs she was treated to, Judy didn't mind it one bit; she was so happy to be back. But being back meant not only pleasantries; it implied duties, ton of which was already waiting for them. They started with the most obvious one; questioning Donovan Jacobs, but the raccoon didn't say much. In fact, he came to the interrogation room, sat face to face to officers and said nothing. He listened to their questions patiently, but didn't reply them. Both Nick and Judy saw that he wasn't as confident as usually, but it changed nothing. He had no point in sharing a word with them and no pleasing, encouraging or threatening were going to change it. He was quite aware they'd turn against him every single of his words and so, didn't let out a single one. After fifteen minutes of one-sided conversation, they gave up and took him back to his cell; they didn't need his confession anyway. On their way back to their box, Fangmeyer caught up with them.
"Welcome back, Hopps," the tigress greeted them. "It looks like things sped up quite rapidly. Some of the group started spilling beans already and we'll be able to connect other thefts to Donovan, it seems," she reported.
"What about the picture Rockfield dropped us?" Nick wondered.
"It's authentic, it seems, but Rockfield himself remains elusive as ever," Riley Fangmeyer explained. "Oh, and there's one thing more. See what IT section got us," she handed them some report and both Wilde and Hopps read it carefully.
"Are you sure about it?" Judy asked when she finished it.
"One hundred percent. I would have taken care of this myself, but I figured you'd love to do it personally. It is your case in the end," the tigress noticed.
"Oh, you can't even imagine. We'll do it right away," Nick assured.
"Thanks, Fangmeyer. We'll go there now," Judy said.
"Sure thing. See you around!" Fangmeyer waved them and headed her own way. Nick and Judy looked at each other. Time for a visit in TOs' office.
They visited office of Technical Officers quite regularly, even Nick whom hardly any of TOs tolerated due to an incident none involved was willing to talk about. The dark, a bit cold and quite spacious room with eight desks scattered around looked like always, except for a single empty desk; the one that belonged to Kaylee Crane. Judy felt creeps across her body.
"It's chilly in here, isn't it?" She noticed.
"Let's just get over with it," Nick suggested and they headed over to desk of the only Technical Officer that tolerated and even liked Nick's company. Except for Crane, that is. Cedric Tearson, a pig in his thirties, seemed in quite a hurry, as he was packing his stuff.
"Hey," Nick called him and Tearson startled and then, laughed nervously.
"Oh, hey. You're going to give me a heart attack, you know?" Cedric sighed. "Hey, Hopps, good to see you back!"
"You're leaving?" Nick asked curiously.
"Just taking a few days off. I wanted to clear the desk beforehand. And you, what are your plans?" He wondered.
"Tying the loose ends. You know, whole this Jacobs case," Nick stated casually.
"Oh, right. Congratulations on that one, by the way. It was a messy one, but there's no way Bogo won't make you detectives now," Cedric noticed, nearly done with his packing. "Anyway, before I go, I've got a new joke, Nick. A good one this time!" The pig promised.
"Shoot," Nick encouraged him.
"So, where did kittens go for a field trip?"
"I don't know," both fox and the bunny shrugged.
"To a meow-seum!" Cedric said and laughed hysterically, while Judy and Nick smiled at best. The pig realized it with disappointment. "Oh, come on, it was good one!"
"I have even better one," Judy promised. "What does the fox say?"
"I don't know, what does the fox say?" Tearson wondered, watching Nick curiously. And then in his paw, there appeared handcuffs.
"Cedric Tearson, you are arrested under charge of installing illegal wiretapping and assisting criminal group under leadership of Donovan Jacobs by intentionally leaking sensitive data of the case against them and wiping out sections of police database. You have the right to remain silent," handcuffs flashed in the air, as Nick locked them at confused pig's wrists. "We've got you, snitch," the fox gave him a predatory smirk.
"B… But it was Crane… I have…" He tried to argue.
"And trying to frame another officer. The try was nice. I mean, hacking into my mail just to send that recording to a non-existing and apparently fake e-mail address? Brilliant! But please, continue. The list is getting longer, Tearson," Judy added. Cedric looked around in panic. All Technical Officers were staring at him with the mix of shock of disgust. Nowhere to look for help.
"I want to speak to my lawyer," Tearson demanded quietly with his voice shaking.
"Of course, you can call him," Nick handed him his personal mobile and grinned. "But be careful, I've heard they eavesdrop your conversations these days. You know, the cops," the fox added jokingly, even if he was hardly in mood to laugh. He narrowed at Judy and saw this same expression of his; grim satisfaction of having done something they should have taken care of long time ago. The pig sighed with surrender acknowledging that he was done for.
Judy and Nick guided Tearson to an empty cell and then, headed back to their box preparing to question him and multiple other mammals and start filling the ton of paperwork they had to do now. The case was slowly reaching its end; now it was only the boring part they had left. They weren't given to sit down to their duties though; barely as Nick crossed line of their box, he felt rapid, sharp pain in his belly. Overwhelmed by it he yelped, bent up in half, fell to his knees and then, vomited. Judy kneeled by him, terrified.
"Nick, what is…" she asked, confused.
"Call the ambulance," he begged. He never felt this sort of pain and had a feeling that it knew that it was really, really bad. The rabbit shouted for help and then, grabbed her phone and called 911. Although her voice trembled, she explained her partner's state tersely and quickly. By twist of fate it turned out all ambulances were occupied at the time and they were supposed to wait for one, but Judy decided they'd deliver Nick to hospital on their own; at the time she couldn't know that this decision saved his life.
Eleven days later
Since the night in Watering Hole Port and arresting of Donovan Jacobs and his associates, passed nearly two weeks. Whole two weeks that Maximilian Reynolds spent first in Hopkins Private Clinic and then, in his mansion, slowly regaining strengths. He knew he still was hardly in state to serve again, but it wasn't his purpose of going to ZPD in the first place. He was there to meet certain someone.
His personal servant and the closest he had to a mother figure for last decade, a wolf named Tiana Kane, parked the car at parking just by the station.
"Should I be waiting for you, sir?" She asked.
"No, there's no need. Take a day off, Tiana," he assured, as grabbing his crutch. She used to try and help him with it, but Max immediately dismissed her, trying to save what remained of his dignity.
"Of course. Goodbye, sir," she nodded and, as Max closed the door with a kick, drove away back to Tundratown. Much to Reynolds' surprise, Wolford was already waiting for him. The wolf examined him carefully head to toes. His sight stopped first at the crutch and bandaged right foot, then at a high-quality arm sling and then, at his a bit weary face. And then, he punched him gently in the chest, right where he was stabbed. Not that Wolford looked much better; he still had bandage covering most of his snout after blows that Bayes delivered him.
"Welcome back, Reynolds," he greeted him with a grin.
"Hi. Were you waiting for me long?" He asked, as they walked to the station slowly. Max was still learning how to use the crutch.
"A few minutes. I figured we didn't want to start without you. So, how are you now?"
"Better. Lung pretty fine by now. I'll be back for the paperwork the next week," Max assured, avoiding the question about returning to more than paperwork and his friend knew better than to ask.
"That's quick. Given the state we found you at…" Wolford patted him at the back.
"Don't even start," Max just shook it off.
"So, heard about Wilde?" Wolf wondered, but Max shook his head.
"Only that he was hospitalized, but not many details. I've been in coma at the time and later, everything happenned rather fast," he explained.
"Yeah, I figured so," Wolford nodded with understanding. "Wilde started vomiting uncontrollably on Friday morning just after Watering Hole Port. Hopps called 911, but they told her that all their ambulances were occupied and it was probably just food poisoning combined with stress; tried to dismiss her. And they added we'd have to either wait or deliver them ourselves. Judy yelled on them, telling them it was deadly serious and honestly, if you'd see Wilde, you'd know it was, but that asshole from 911 told her that she was only holding up the line and hung up on her. So we grabbed Wilde and drove him to hospital with the siren going. Luckily, once doctors saw him, they knew the shit was real and diagnosed him immediately; gallbladder rupture. It turned out Wilde took quite a beating back in Watering Hole Port; Donovan slammed him multiple times in stomach and it must have caused the damage that medics missed at first. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, Wilde was already on the operating table. We'd have delivered him half an hour later and he'd probably be goner, said the doctor later. Anyway, they patched Wilde up and he was back on the next Wednesday, but it was a close call," Wolford explained.
"Wow," Max wasn't sure what to say. "That's… messed up."
"Yeah, it'd suck if he died just like that, wouldn't it? He faces Antiery thrice, survives being pushed down the bridge, and takes down whole gang only to die to a rutting gallbladder," he agreed.
"True," Max muttered. "But he's alright now."
"Alive and kicking like never. Saved my life, actually, but… we'll get to that," Wolford said, as they walked inside the station. They were greeted there by quite a surprising view; a crowd of journalists waiting before empty now podium, apparently waiting for some conference to start. And then, a few of them spotted Reynolds and Wolford, what was even worse, recognized them. They swarmed them in no time.
"Officer Reynolds, could you answer several questions?"
"What exactly happened in Watering Hole Port?"
"Will you continue your service after you return to full health?"
"What could you tell us about your cooperation with Officers Hopps and Wilde?" The avalanche of questions started.
"They're true professionals, both of them," Max answered the last one. "Now, if you please, I have an important appointment…"
"Officer Reynolds will answer all your question around 4 pm, right after the conference," Wolford promised. "And now…" he pulled Max forward, to the corridors where the journalists weren't allowed and several other officers informed them of it quite decisively.
"Will answer all their questions? What the hell was that?" Max asked angrily.
"I figured Reynolds knows how to deal with the media vultures," Wolford noticed. "Besides, they've been dying for news for a week now. Let's give them something," he explained a bit too cheerfully.
"Who's dealing with them? Chief?"
"No, Hopps and Wilde. He actually gave her the microphone. I mean, after her first press conference, I never thought…"
"Oh, come on, it was her first week. I know she said a fair share of bigotry back then, but…" Max excused her.
"I know, I know, a rookie caught bait. I'm just saying," Wolford shrugged off. After three years, he probably didn't really care anyway. He never seemed like a type to care.
"But, to the point. How is Olivier Antiery… or Shay Tarnau rather, doing?" Max wondered.
"Rather well, despite our best efforts and you have to know, we are trying hard. We've already had ideas to solve it like in times of our old, good, Barnes the boor, but you can't beat the hell out of perps anymore, it appears. Anyway, we found a way."
"Did you?"
"Mhm. He throws words at us like a machine rifle, half of them being completely unrelated to the questions and the other half utter lies, so we keep taking him for questionings and guess who is waiting there for him there," Wolford grinned.
"Shoot," Max shrugged.
"Wilde, Fangmeyer, me, Andersen, once we got Delgato, the other time Snarlov, next we're…" Wolford enumerated and Max already saw the pattern.
"All predators?"
"All predators. Predators bring him food, predators supervise him and question. He wears this perfect smile, doesn't even twitch, but you can see his fists clenching every single time he sees another one walking in. I swear, if he wasn't tied to the table, he'd kills us all. He tried to stab me once with a pen that he stole. Went straight for the throat."
"What happened?"
"I ducked and Wilde tranquilized Antiery, but not before giving him loveable black eye. Defense of necessity. Really," Wolford grinned and Max chuckled with grim satisfaction.
"So, you didn't allow even Hopps to him?"
"Dear God, of course, we didn't! After Crane?! She'd kill him right where he stands! And that's why we won't allow you to him either, by the way," Wolford said, deadly serious this time.
"What?!"
"I mean it. You can watch the show, but you're not invited. Wilde pushed it far enough and Antiery's lawyer is already making us troubles," the wolf explained. Reynolds sighed with disappointment, but didn't argue. He could see Wolford's point. They walked inside the dark-room and watched Antiery through the one-way mirror. Indeed, he had a black eye and was handcuffed to the table; with addition of broken leg, he shouldn't be much of a threat, but somehow, he seemed even more intimidating now, that he was calmly replying to another of Fangmeyer's questions. His voice was cool and composed, as he was swiftly trying to sell her another lie. He was charming, funny and seemed absolutely honest. The more they listened to him, the better was his illusion of an average citizen, inflicted in whole this case by a crude coincidence. For a second, he stared into the mirror and Max could swear that gazelle could see him. He felt creeps across his body and Wolford saw it.
"It gets creepy when you know what he has done, doesn't it?"
"Tell me about it," Max muttered, shaking his head slowly with disbelief. For a second the gazelle radiated with such vile energy like no other mammal he knew.
"A doctor ran tests for him, IQ and several others. It was the only time we introduced him to a prey, a camel, not to affect the results. Guess what we got," Wolford said, staring at the gazelle.
"I don't know, shoot," Max shrugged.
"IQ around 150 and radiant sociopathic tendencies. Usually full diagnosis takes months, but it's a book example and further tests will probably only confirm it, doctor said. Arrant liar without a sign of empathy or conscience. It's not that he switched them off; he probably never developed them in first place. We showed him several photos of murders we've connected with them, some so graphic that poor Wilde nearly parted with his breakfast and I doubt if I'll ever un-see them either. Antiery-Tarnau didn't even twitch. He barely restrained from smiling," Wolford explained and Max cursed under his breath.
"Wow."
"Do you know how many murders we have on him?" The wolf asked.
"How many?" Reynolds wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
"Counting Harveys, sixteen this far and the list is far from being closed. All predators, obviously. Oh, and we finally know why he hates us so much."
"Why?"
"Wilde dug in the files and found an old case; thirty years ago some tiger broke into a house of Tarnaus, murdered the only kid and parents and started looking for valuables. But it turned out that a slashed throat wasn't enough to kill the kid. Little Shay grabbed two kitchen knives and shoved them up the burglar, one in his neck, the other between shoulder blades. Each blow was lethal. Shay ended up in orphanage with a curator watching over him, but once media lost interest, everyone forgot."
"Except for little Shay," Max noticed.
"And Skooba. Wilde's source claimed it was around that time that he grew interested in Tarnau. Can't imagine why else he would," Wolford pointed out and Max had to agree. A ten-year-old with his throat slashed killing a tiger with kitchen knife? Yeah, that's someone you'd want in your gang in the future."
"What did he say about Kaylee?" He finally asked.
"He speaks a lot about her and about how he protected her through years. He claims he loved her like brother and that he still can't forgive himself for what he was forced to do. He keeps telling us that she'd kill him, if he didn't do it first. Self-defense, he claims."
"What a…" Max snarled hatefully.
"We know, we know," Wolford nodded. "He's not getting away with it and he's soon probably going to learn it the hard way. Speaking of which," he pointed at the Fangmeyer.
"Now, there's someone that wants to speak with you," the tigress stated.
"The doctor, perhaps? I really enjoy our sessions," Antiery guessed.
"You won't be disappointed," Fangmeyer promised. She lifted herself from the chair and then, headed to the door. "He's yours. Call us when you're done," Fangmeyer told whoever was walking in. And as Fangmeyer left the room, Antiery froze where he was sitting, staring at the newcomer. A brown rabbit in Technical Officer's uniform walked in.
"Shay," she stood in front of him, seeing the gazelle speechless probably for the first time in her life.
"Kaylee? You're… alive? But I shot you! You fell! How did you…" Antiery was unable to comprehend what had happened. Max smiled weakly. Oh, he knew even too well.
Two weeks earlier
Max coughed and woke up to sudden pain in his chest. He had drifted away a bit, but it was this cursed knife that kept him from losing consciousness completely. He looked around slowly. He couldn't feel his left arm, but it seemed like it wasn't bleeding anymore, which was a good sign. Probably thanks to Kaylee's jacket he had wrapped around it.
"Kaylee?" He called, but she was nowhere to found. And then, somewhere in the distant, he heard her and Antiery's shouts. He understood the situation immediately. "You stupid, stubborn…" He cursed under his breath and lifted himself very slowly. He had to help her. To let her know that he was fine. Max stuttered slowly toward the voices, supporting himself with container walls and whatever divine power was pushing him there, it knew that he had to make it there. Then he saw it; Kaylee shot by Antiery and then, falling into the water. The gazelle turned his back on her as soon as she lost her balance and headed to his car. Max sped up, collapsed and crawled to the verge of the pier as fast as possible. He could still see her limp body being thrown by waves, disappearing under surface in that very moment.
"I can do it," he muttered. "I can do it," he tried to convince himself. He was a half-professional diver after all. Despite the arm, punctured lung, significant loss of blood and everything being blurry, dark and cold, he could do it. He had to, for her.
He was slowly leaning over, but then someone grabbed him by the collar and threw on the cold ground. These were Nick, Judy and Jason Wolford.
"Max, what are you…" It was Nick staring at him in confusion, as he crouched by him. Wolf tried to lift himself, but couldn't even do that much.
"Kaylee…" Reynolds muttered pointing at the water and they understood immediately.
"She's in the water," Nick stated. He tried to stand up, but groaned painfully and held his belly.
"You take care of Max, we're going down," Judy ordered him and jumped down into the water together with Wolford. Nick in meanwhile grabbed radio, updated medics that, as he assured, were on their way there, informing them of their location and state and then, he proceeded to tend Max's wounds; he checked improvised bandage on his arm, made one on his foot and tied a rope he found nearby for officers in water to have a way back up other than scaffolding. Max watched him carefully, as he was tying bowline. And when he was done, Wilde proceeded to scold the wolf.
"What were you going to do, jump down and drown? You wouldn't help Kaylee dead, you know?" He said angrily and Reynolds had to admit that he had every right to be so. Nick was in charge of this operation and it was his duty to make sure everyone would go back to their homes. And then Kaylee dismissed his orders and a minute later Max nearly killed himself in a desperate try to help her. Wow, he was an idiot.
"Sorry, Nicky," he muttered and coughed hardly. Nick lifted him so he'd sit and it made breathing a bit easier. Wolf coughed out some blood.
"Don't say a word," he suggested, still holding his own belly. Max wondered how much beating he took, because even if he was trying to put up his usual façade, he didn't look all that good. But none of this mattered, when he heard Hopps' distant calling and saw Nick throwing down the rope. He could see Kaylee being dragged up, all soaked and not breathing. With sirens roaring somewhere in the background, Nick put her on the ground gently and starting performing CPR. As Max's vision blurred and he drifted away once again, a single thought continued to echo in his mind.
"Please, live."
Now
"Yes, you did shoot me," Kaylee confirmed, sitting oppositely to the aghast gazelle. Only by clenching her fists she stopped paws from shaking. "But the same Max that you were trying to kill so stubbornly, saved me."
"You're lying," Olivier shook his head.
"You're the only liar in this room, Shay Tarnau. You never even told me your real surname. I know you for ten years and you didn't even tell me your real name. For whole this time I thought… I thought you were better than… that," she confessed.
"If you trusted me…"
"Of course, I trusted you! All those years, I trusted you blindly!"
"And yet, you stabbed me in the back," Tarnau accused her. "I protected you from the world. I took care of you, accepted you in my house when you had nowhere to go! I kept you safe and guided you. I taught you everything. And when…"
"You isolated me," Kaylee interrupted him.
"I had a plan for you!" Shay argued.
"But have you ever asked me?! Has the idea of asking about my opinion ever crossed your mind? Because I think I have a right to choose my own future," the rabbit stated. Shay just shook his head with disappointment, as he sighed deeply.
"You still don't understand. That is exactly why I couldn't ask you. You're soft. You'd get all those doubts and wrong ideas and end up so confused, you wouldn't make a choice at all. That's why I had to keep pushing you, protect you from influence of all those predators."
"Isolate," Kaylee corrected him. "There's a difference."
"You know what I mean, Kaylee. I always wanted you to be happy."
"No, you wanted yourself to be happy and you needed me for that," Kaylee sighed deeply. "Let me… let me ask you a question. Did you ever care about me not because you needed me, but simply because you wanted me to be happy? Did you ever care about anyone just because you wanted them to be happy, not because you had a plan for them?" Kaylee asked. Shay smiled weakly and stared deeply into her eyes.
"You," he whispered. It sounded so honest and coming from heart that for a moment, Kaylee actually doubted everything she had said thus far. Maybe it was her fault, being just a dumb bunny that pressed him to the wall and practically forced to shoot her? Maybe Shay really cared about her and she was just an idiot that couldn't appreciate it? It lasted only a second, though.
"No, I never was," she shook her head. "I was just a toy to you. Something to put on a shelf and admire. But you were right about one thing. I deserve way more than world is trying to sell me. And it was trying to sell me you," she stated. It was the time to leave, before he'd manage to actually get to her.
"This is probably the last time we meet, so I believe this is proper moment to say farewell," she stood up slowly. Antiery shot up from his chair and, if not for handcuffs and leg, would run to her.
"You can't! You can't leave me here!" He protested angrily.
"I can and I will," Kaylee disagreed.
"You're mine! You belong to me! You have no right to…"
"Farewell, Shay," the rabbit interrupted him. She knocked at the door and it opened letting her out. Antiery could only watch her walk out helplessly. He was so aghast that he didn't even protest when Fangmeyer dragged him outside. Kaylee, not wanting to see him anymore, went to the dark-room.
"Hey, Wolford, thanks for the chance to…" She started to thank him, when sight of the other wolf in the room struck her dumb. She stared at Max in complete silence for awkwardly long fifteen seconds. It was their first time since the Watering Hole Port.
"I'll… be gone," Wolford said, clearly sensing the tension. He left quickly, making sure to close the door behind himself. Max and Kaylee stared at each other in silence.
"So, um… how's your arm?" The rabbit asked shyly.
"I'll be back to paperwork next week. About active service, then well…" Max chuckled nervously. "Doctors are rather optimistic that I'll return to full mobility in… six months? Maybe nine? I am coming back sooner or later, that's for sure. Father's more than willing to fund everything I need for full recovery, even if it only means I'll be back in ZPD."
"That's good," Kaylee nodded slightly with approval.
"Yeah," he agreed and once again, there fell awkward silence. Both of them relived this meeting in their minds a thousand times and yet, none of them knew where to start.
"So, about Hamada…" Kaylee started.
"I'm so…"
"No, I am sorry. I wanted to start a fight and I did. I was angry at you and it was my fault. I'm sorry for involving Autumn in it, calling you an egoist and all the other things. I just… I wasn't thinking straight," she confessed awkwardly, staring at her feet. She never was good with whole that eye-contact thing.
"Well, I was an egoist first. I always am an egoist," he confessed awkwardly, as staring at her, hoping that she'd look up. Even though she didn't, he continued. "I could claim it's because of FFI, that I am a ticking bomb. That even if I keep taking doxycycline regularly, if FFI doesn't get me, it could just screw my liver and kidneys finally. That because I can die any other day, I have a right to be an egoist; because I should take from life as much as I can when I still can. But screw it, it's no excuse," he laughed at his own naivety. "I had no right to do it. I forced myself on you. I kissed you out of blue and it was very, very wrong," Max confessed, staring at her. She lifted her eyes and their sights met.
"Because you didn't mean it?" She asked, trying to sound emotionless. Still, he knew what she implied.
"Because I didn't have your permission. I wanted you, saw a chance and I took you. That's why it was wrong. It never should… It shouldn't have happened at that place, that time and that state of mine," the wolf explained.
"But if… hypothetically, it was to happen here and now… If I was willing… Would you regret it?" Kaylee asked shyly. Max kneeled by her carefully, leveling with her. He smiled warmly.
"If that was what you wanted? Never," he promised. And then, she stole a kiss of his lips. It was a quick gesture, merely a fraction of second of pressing her lips against his and then already backing out, blushing like a rose.
"So, um… that's…" She stuttered. "That's what I want."
"Then I shall never regret it," Max confessed, smiling blissfully.
"Me neither," Kaylee managed to say and then, they kissed again. The rabbit felt so joyful, so fulfilled, like never in her life. As if she had been waiting whole her life for those words and this simplest act of love in the world. Max embraced her carefully, dropping the crutch and Kaylee inhaled his scent, realizing that she wasn't afraid of him at all. And then, she startled, as someone opened the door.
"Crane, Chief is…" Clawhauser froze in the middle of sentence, staring at the two of them in quite unequivocal pose. He squeaked joyfully. "Oh. My…"
"Hi?" Kaylee was all crimson now.
"Well, we're kind of in the middle of something…" Max started, certainly not ashamed of his actions, rather frustrated with the interruption.
"Oh, I am so sorry… I just wanted to tell you that chief is looking for you, Crane, he needs to speak with you. Behave like I never happened," the chubby cheetah suggested and disappeared, closing the door. Max and Kaylee stared at each other and laughed nervously.
"But this did happen?" She asked carefully.
"Yes. It did happen and I bet now whole station will know in a few hours," he kissed her on the cheek and she gave him a sad smile. "What's the matter?"
"Chief. I… It's not going to be an easy conversation," she explained and sighed deeply. Max patted her on the shoulder encouragingly.
"You can do it," he assured naively. He probably didn't even understand direness of her situation. She took a deep breath.
"Well, I have to," Kaylee managed to cover with smile her fear; fear what would facing the chief bring. After all, she had a long list of things that she had to answer for.
Agent Hornson of Zootopia Intelligence Agency, a moose in his early fifties, cursed under his breath as he hit the brakes barely managing to stop at the red light. He took a deep, frustrated sigh and narrowed at his associate, a vixen in a blue, long coat, matching trousers and an emerald-green shirt completing perfectly her sandy fur and the rest of the outfit. She was sitting in passenger's seat calmly, browsing through the files they had gathered this far.
"A red wave, isn't it?" She noticed, pointing with eyes at the lights.
"Yeah," moose muttered and moved forward one crossroad only to stop at the next lights. The traffic was as awful as always at this time in Downtown. "You really should think it through, Skye," Hornson warned her.
"I did," she protested casually.
"Not well enough, apparently," old agent muttered bitterly. "What you're planning to do is an… outrage. Offering such a chance to one of them, when you have dozen candidates willing to take any job you'd…" Hornson clenched his paws at the steering wheel.
"I don't need a lick-spittle," Skye interrupted him firmly.
"Then pick one that isn't!" Hornson burst out.
"But they all are! And since I can only choose anyone that was recommended…"
"The very fact that he was recommended is a grave mistake of a wolf that apparently spent way too much time undercover," Hornson muttered.
"Some of the directorate liked the idea," Skye pointed out.
"Some even encouraged the idea because they hope that you'll cause some catastrophe in result and they finally have a reason to kick you out. You stir things up, Skye, and some mammals like it when things in Agency remain nice and calm," the old moose warned her.
"He won't be a catastrophe," the vixen assured confidently.
"And how can you know that?"
"I wasn't a catastrophe, even though most assumed I'd be one," she pointed out and Hornson chuckled. He had to admit that she made her point. "And besides, it's my choice and with directorate's approval, you can't block it. Not even ZPD can."
"Oh, they have their ways, trust me," old moose muttered under his breath, but he had to admit he didn't really have much to say in this case, when Skye was already fixed on the idea. All he could really do was hoping that Officers Wilde and Hopps would get that stupid and suicidal concept out of her head.
When Agents Skye and Hornson came to the station, they passed by a crowd of news reporters unnoticed and then, almost fell at the two mammals they were looking for; Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
"Greetings, Officers, my name is…"
"Sorry but we'll answer all questions during the conference," Judy apologized. "It's at 4 pm and we're very busy at the moment! Bye!" Hopps apologized and before any of Agents managed to protest, both cops were already gone. They went to the dispatch officer then, some chubby cheetah, and introduced themselves, explaining that they wanted to see chief of Precinct 1. Officer Clawhauser informed Chief about their coming and explained them the way to his office, but warned that there could be someone coming in there any moment now. Indeed, when they reached Bogo's office door, they saw some brown bunny in TO's uniform just about to knock at it.
"Sorry, rabbit, but we have an important matter to discuss with your chief so be gone, if you could," Hornson stopped her and Kaylee Crane gave him a stern sight.
"Hornson, be more positive. You don't want them to see you as a grumpy grouch you are, do you?" The vixen suggested and turned to the rabbit. "Won't you mind if we come to the Chief first? We have a very important thing to discuss with him," Skye explained apologetically and rabbit just shrugged.
"Well, I don't hurry at own and if I could delay the inevitable…" Kaylee stepped back and showed them with gesture that they were free to enter. "Then I won't mind at all."
"Thank you," Skye sent her a kind smile and knocked at Chief's door. They came in closing the door behind themselves, exchanged pleasantries with Chief and sat on their chairs.
"Now, what brings ZIA agents in here?" Bogo watched them carefully.
"Two matters revolving around the same case, but we believe it would be for the best if Officers Wilde and Hopps were present when we start. We tried to catch them, but they took us for news reporters and fled," Hornson explained bitterly.
"Did they?" Bogo pressed button of the terminal. "Clawhauser, where are Wilde and Hopps?"
"Checking, sir. They're in their box," Clawhauser informed after a few moments.
"Send them to my office, then," he ordered.
"Of course, sir," the cheetah replied and Bogo finished the call.
"Now, they should be in no time. I apologize for this mess, Wilde and Hopps are in charge of the case and they are very busy tying all the loose ends."
"We can relate," Agent Skye assured with a warm smile. They waited a moment in silence when they heard knocking and Bogo invited officers. Judy peeked in curiously and she and Nick walked in, watching the guests curiously.
"Wilde, Hopps, these are Agents Skye and Hornson from ZIA. They have some business with us. Or you, rather," Chief explained, as they stood by his desk. They would sit, if it were not for lack of chairs.
"I told you those weren't journalists," Nick muttered.
"Hush," Judy quieted him. "You're the ones that requested access to data files, aren't you? How can we help you?" She asked.
"Like I mentioned before, there are two matters we'd want to discuss. Firstly, one of the wolves that have been arrested with Donovan was our agent and we'd want to retrieve him…" Hornson started.
"Hang on, let's establish one thing," Nick interrupted him. "You really had a snitch in Donovnan's group for whole this time, didn't you? When one of our officers had been kidnapped and could have been hurt, you had an agent in their base and didn't mention it even once?" The fox electrified old moose with sight.
"We had priorities, Officer Wilde," he explained coldly.
"And releasing Officer Hopps and arresting the group wouldn't happen to belong to your priorities?" Wilde continued, even more annoyed with such an answer. He was probably even more angry than Judy, in fact.
"We were trying to get to Jacobs' buyers, not just him," Agent Skye tried to soothe them. "And we apologize for keeping it secret, but our contact assured that there was no threat to Officer Hopps' life. Except for that accident where Mr. Bayes intervened personally that is, but no one could have predicted it," she explained.
"The point is that it is our agent and we're not even asking you for releasing him. We're informing you that we're taking him with us," Hornson explained insolently and everyone in the room knew it was the way it worked. "Now his name's…"
"Sirius Cerny, I suppose?" Judy asked and enjoyed both Agents' confusion, especially Hornson's. "The one we found tranquilized and handcuffed to a lamppost?"
"Yeah, that would be the one," Nick agreed, enjoying their little victory over the old agent.
"I hope Agent Cerny didn't confess his true identity or the fact that he works for Agency?" Hornson wondered.
"Oh, no, he didn't, but let's be honest, it wasn't very hard to figure it out. And Jack Bayes confirmed it later, probably just to mock you, guys," Judy explained. "You really should consider your background-forging methods. They are rather flawed," she warned politely.
"We'll keep it in mind, I assure," Hornson promised coldly. "So, I assume we can tick that off. ZIA will pick Cerny up in a few days. We'll take care of all the paperwork. Now, to the second matter. Skye, if you could," the old moose pointed at his partner.
"Of course. Trying to find Jacobs' buyers wasn't the only task of Agent Cerny. He also monitored carefully whole group hoping to find individuals with certain skills. Skills which certain mammal shown."
"You mean Bayes," Judy guessed.
"Precisely. Now, the thing is…" Agent Skye continued to explain what her idea was and Nick laughed at first, only to realize it wasn't a joke. Vixen elaborated on her intentions toward the rabbit for ten minutes and left them quite intrigued. Her case was rather… unusual.
"You are asking for our opinion in the case, then? If Jack Bayes could… fit your picture?" Nick summed up.
"Indeed," Agent Skye confirmed.
"And if we say no? Do we block it?" Judy asked.
"No," Skye shook her head.
"Yes," Hornson corrected him and everyone watched the old moose curiously; they could clearly feel tension between agents. "It's not only your choice, partner, and without ZPD's approval, I'll give my best to block it. For your own good, Skye," he warned. Vixen electrified him with sight, but he withstood it easily.
"Well then, officers, what will you say?" She asked. Nick and Judy looked at two agents. While Skye really wanted them to give their approval for this crazy idea, Hornson was begging them to deny.
"It may be Stockholm Syndrome, but I approve it," Judy decided after a moment.
"And I knew Bayes a bit. I believe it could work in his case," Nick agreed as well. Hornson rolled his eyes with annoyance while Skye grinned cheerfully.
"Wonderful, just wonderful. Now, could I see Mr. Bayes? I need to discuss it with him just as well, don't I?" She pleased.
"Of course, we'll organize it," Nick assured, as heading to the door. "Please come with us. Agent Hornson, would you like…"
"No, thank you, I'll pass. It's Skye's call," the old moose disregarded the idea. He clearly didn't want to have anything to do with the rabbit. "I'll discuss some details with Chief Bogo in the meanwhile, if you don't mind."
"Absolutely. Agent Skye, please come with us," Judy suggested and vixen followed the officers.
Judy didn't like questioning Jack Bayes. Not because she didn't like him; quite oppositely, Jack really grew on her during that week of her abduction. He was nice and charming and while he gave his best to keep her in check during her captivity, he also made sure she'd have everything she needed. He bought her special shampoo to wash off white paint and when they moved to a new hideout after Mondgose River incident, he made sure to get her clean change of bedclothes. He saved her paw from chopping off and probably life during whatever happened after she pressed the trigger of his rigged gun.
Judy didn't like questioning Jack because of the change she saw in him. Jack knew he was screwed. All the other members of group, except for Jacobs that is, decided to make a sacrificial lamb out of him, blaming him and accusing of nearly everything, hoping to push guilt as far away from them as possible. He had half a dozen testimonies against him and only his untrustworthy word to defend himself. Jack tried to remain this same cheerful, charming rabbit, but Judy clearly saw that something broke in him. The spark and the 'This is my town' attitude were gone. Now he was getting used to the thought of spending next few decades in a small cell and Judy really hated it.
Jack settled in his chair, as two officers and the ZIA agent sit on the opposite side of the table. He smiled warmly to Judy.
"Good morning, Wilde. Hi, Judy. For a second I worried that you wouldn't want to see me anymore, given you already know I did literary everything," he noticed and Judy realized that those questionings were now the only nice thing he had left. Suddenly, she pitied him even more than she'd want to admit.
"Mr. Bayes, I am Agent Skye of Zootopia Intelligence Agency," vixen introduced herself and Bayes watched her carefully. Her presence surely intrigued him.
"Jack Bayes, future penitentiary, at your service," he introduced himself. "Now, how could a lowlife like me possibly serve magnificent and omnipotent ZIA? Because I told Judy and Wilde everything I could without ending up strangled to death in prison shower on the first day of my stay," he asked derisively, as rocking in his chair. "And my business with Cerny is done just as well."
"Do you believe in second chances, Mr. Bayes?" ZIA Agent asked and Jack laughed.
"Oh, cruel irony…" He muttered. "For sake of prolonging this conversation, let's say yes, I do," he decided.
"Then I believe you've just been given a one, Mr. Bayes," Agent Skye said and Jack stopped rocking in his chair with quite a thud.
"I am all ears," he assured.
"That I can see," Skye smirked, making his ears drop with face of un-impression. "You've confronted our Agent in your ranks, haven't you? You knew him by name of Sirius Cerny."
"Yes, the one that was supposed to figure out our buyers. Well, he failed deliberately, although he made some brave and stupidly risky attempt in progress," Jack nodded. "But you probably know it from Cerny himself. What's the point in asking me?"
"Because Cerny's task wasn't only to identify Donovan's buyers. He was also profiling members of Donovan's group and you, Mr. Bayes, raised his attention particularly. You were Donovan's right hand, as much as we can speak of such a function, given that he hardly let even you to the most of his secrets and plans. Nonetheless, he gave you the hardest tasks. According to Cerny's reports and testimonies of your accomplices, you located the painting Number 3 in the National Bank and were responsible for planning the details of robbery. Up until the operations in Mr. Rouge's house, you continuously monitored activity of Officers Wilde and Hopps and saved Antiery and Rockfield after fluke with Paddington."
"It's true," Jack confirmed, watching her suspiciously.
"You also sneaked inside Mr. Rouge's banquet and avoided detection despite the fact that your alter ego, Timothy Fares, knew plenty of mammals in there. You took care of Agent Cerny himself. You managed to charm Officer Hopps, drug her and kidnap. You shot police car's tire while driving nearly 80 mph. I know a few that'd manage to land such a shot," Agent Skye sounded actually impressed. "And this all started with a humble rabbit genius skipping three classes," she reached for a copy of Bayes' high school grades. "Passed high-school exams with flying colors, completed university course of Criminology as valedictorian of his year and joined the Police Academy in age of nineteen only to be kicked out over a brutal brawl, join Donovan Jacobs and end up here, on the wrong side of the cell bars. Such a waste, isn't it?"
"Do you mean to either mock me or flatter, Agent Skye? Because you succeed at none," Jack stared at her curiously. He was certain she was laughing at him, even though her tone seemed to deny it. Also, a ZIA agent wouldn't probably waste her time to just mock an ordinary criminal and after confrontation in Cerny he was aware that ZIA was curious of him.
"None is my intent. What I mean, Mr. Bayes, is that you're rabbit of some particular talents. Talents that ZIA could use for greater good instead of letting them rot in prison," Agent Skye explained and he finally understood what she meant. Still, he could hardly believe it.
"You want to recruit me?" He asked carefully.
"Precisely. Here's the deal. To the public, Jack Bayes will die. Commit suicide, die in an accident, due to pneumonia, whatever we figure out. But to us, a few chosen ones, Jack Bayes will change his name, accept ZIA badge and finally start using his talents for righteous cause as my partner. What do you say?" The vixen asked.
"Where's the hook?" Jack demanded to know instead. "I'm a criminal. You wouldn't simply accept me into ZIA without guarantee that I don't do something stupid like run away."
"Of course." Agent Skye put on the table what looked like a metal tether, similar to those used in case of home arrest, but more discreet. "You will have to wear this all the time. It will constantly send to me and ZIA HQ information on your location. And if you leave allowed area, that being for the starter my house, ZIA facilities and my proximity of around 300 feet, there will happen this," vixen pressed a button of a pilot she was holding and they heard a thud of powerful electrical discharge. "That's the hook," she explained.
"So, you'll fake my death which means no contact with family or old friends," Jack noticed.
"Yes," Skye confirmed.
"And I'll be under home arrest until I prove myself, which will happen probably never," Bayes guessed.
"Oh, no, I don't think it'd be this bad. I'll make sure it will last no longer than a few years," Skye promised, even if both of them were quite aware how much this type of promise was worth.
"And if I decide for something stupid like running away? Get rid of this funny tether, but a train ticket and so on?" Jack wondered.
"Then it's my task to make sure your death certificate is up-to-date," the vixen explained coldly. "Although I don't think it would ever be a case," she added after a moment of silence.
"And what happens to you, if it is a case? Or if I appear to not meet the expectations? You implied before that I'll live in your house, which makes it clear that I am only your responsibility. Will you be taking responsibility for my failure?" Bayes demanded to know. Skye of course didn't have to answer it and yet, she did.
"When I was ordered to pick a partner, I was presented with a list of candidates, most of them being police officers or ZIA employees more than willing to be honored with this position. But my first choice is you, Mr. Bayes. And if it appears to be wrong and you yourself a failure, I will face all of its consequences," she explained. Knowing that to him it meant one very important thing; that Skye would depend on him just as much as he depended on her. And that was the minimum of insurance that he needed.
"If it's such a trouble, why did you choose me, Agent?" Jack wondered.
"Because you're unusual and… I like unusual," she explained. "And to mock some of my supervisors," she added half-jokingly. "Cerny's reports combined with witness testimonies, even if gathered in rather short time gave some interesting details and let's be honest, we've been watching you carefully for long time. With Officers Hopps and Wilde vouching for you, I decided I should give you a chance. What will you say, Mr. Bayes?" The vixen watched him curiously. Jack sighed with surrender.
"I don't really have a choice, do I? Well then, I agree under three conditions. First, ZIA makes sure ZPD won't touch my family or money I gathered for them working with Donovan," he demanded.
"I can see to that," Agent Skye assured.
"Or rather, we'll see to that," Nick added. He knew that even if ZPD really wanted, proving illegality of Jack Bayes' recent income would be very, very hard.
"Second, however you make up my death, it won't be suicide," Jack continued. Seeing that Skye didn't protest, he proceeded to final condition. "And third, I keep the name and choose a surname. Or at least be presented with the choice. I am Jack and there's no changing that."
"I'll see to that," Skye promised. "Well, then, Mr. Bayes, I unofficially welcome you to ZIA," both of them stood up and shook each other's paws.
"When do I start, then?" Jack wondered half-jokingly.
"In a few days, I believe. I'll meet you then, Mr. Bayes," Agent Skye promised. "Now excuse us, but I need to look to your releasing," she apologized.
"Of course. If I could just have a few words more with Officers Wilde and Hopps," Bayes pleased.
"Sure," the vixen shrugged. "I'll go to Chief's office, pick up Agent Hornton. It's been pleasure meeting you, Officers. Goodbye, Mr. Bayes. Oh and obviously, none of this conversation is ever to leave this room," Skye bid him and left the three of them. Nick and Judy watched their culprit in silence. They could see that there was a lot going on in Bayes' head.
"So, you vouched for me?" Jack asked quietly. He could hardly explain how thankful he was.
"You're the rabbit of Happytown, Jack. Of course, I vouched for you," Nick smirked.
"I told you that you'd make a fine cop. Or… an agent," Judy added with smile.
"Agent Bayes… Well, not Bayes, really, since I'll have to change my surname, but still, Agent Jack…" Bayes watched the two of them carefully, as some idea appeared in his mind. "Given that I owe it to officers famous for the Nighthowler case…" He smiled. Yes, he had an idea. "But I'm not keeping you here to chit-chat about my new surname. You still are looking for that painting's buyer, aren't you?" Jack wondered.
"Donovan's as silent as a tomb," Judy confirmed.
"Obviously. And no one really knew who we were selling the picture to, because we weren't selling it, in fact. We meant to blackmail someone with it for at least triple the money we'd get from simply selling it. It's a funny story, but a few months ago I had a chance to in person see one of Haddock's early pictures, 'Moonlight'. And I don't know if anyone has ever spotted it before, but Haddock left there more than one signature," Jack explained.
"And just an additional signature was enough to find a mammal to blackmail for… ninety million dollars, or so?" Judy doubted. It seemed hardly imaginable to her.
"At first, it seemed nothing. But after I dug a bit, I found Haddock's identity and…" Bayes continued.
"Of course!" Nick exclaimed. "I know who he's talking about! Come on, Carrots!" He called her and sprung outside, probably to their box. Judy followed him with sight, a bit confused. And then, she saw the way Bayes was staring at her.
"And I kept deluding myself…" he muttered.
"What?" Judy watched him carefully.
"It's just…" Bayes hesitated and chuckled nervously. For quite a moment he didn't say a word. "You have no idea how many would kill for you just to glance at them the way you stare at that fox, Judy," he confessed. Judy blushed and turned away, glad that Nick didn't see her now.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered.
"You do and you shouldn't deny it," Jack disagreed. "But, who am I to give you such advices? Not even a friend, merely a captor. All I want to say is that… I'm glad our paths crossed, Judy, even if in such a twisted and unfortunate way. And I hope that one day, they will cross once again," he said, staring her deeply into eyes.
"So am I, Jack," she agreed, for the first time referring to him by his name. He loved the sound of it from her.
"Do you think…" Jack took a deep breath. "Do you think that if I finished Academy, joined ZPD and met you there, not as a foe, but a friend, do you think there could ever be… a chance…"
"I think there is no point in dwelling on what would be when you have such bright perspective on what will be," Judy answered and, seeing his ears drop, decided to add: "But I believe there would exist such a possibility." Now that caused a smile of his. He had one of those adorably charming ones that you'd want to steal, frame and hang on the wall.
"Good to know," was all that he managed to say, as he enjoyed her sight. "I probably shouldn't keep you here any longer. Your partner's on the way to solve this case on his own," he suggested.
"Probably," Judy agreed. "So, I guess it's a goodbye?"
"See you later, I'd rather hope."
"Well, then, I look forward to our paths crossing again, Agent," Judy smiled as lifting herself from the chair. "An officer will come and escort you back to the cell in a moment."
"Of course," Jack smiled to her for the last time. If only… No, she was right. There was no point wondering what would be. Not when you have so much to worry about what will be.
Judy found Nick, as expected, in their box sitting by his PC and browsing some old reports and Zoogle Graphics. She sat by him and watched him expectantly.
"Well, then, what do you have?" She asked.
"Do you remember that incident with defacing paintings in Savanna Square Art Gallery eight years ago or so?" The fox opened the case file from back then.
"The one you mentioned after our first visit to Mr. Rouge? It was an otter, Trevor Maverick, or so?" Judy recalled.
"Trevor "Red" Maverick, yes. He signed a couple of pictures with his initials, T.R.M., but case of Haddock's 'Moonlight' was a bit different," Nick continued, opening a big photo of the said picture in the meanwhile.
"He used white paint instead of red like with the others. Although he explained it with making his signature visible. It's a rather dark picture. What's so special about it?"
"There's one thing more. Look," Wilde zoomed in one of the corners of the picture and Judy could see it.
"There's only a single letter in here. T," she read, confused. And then, he moved it to another corner. "And there's R." Nick moved the picture again. "And here's M. It really doesn't look like it was signed by an artist. More like a kit wrote it."
"Especially when you compare it to other pictures," Nick agreed, moving on to show her an example of another defaced painting. It looked completely different, had a true artistic dash. "The thing is, Trevor Maverick admitted defacing Moonlight as well as other pictures, so police didn't dwell on it too much. But what if it wasn't him in fact? What if Bayes, who happens to know Maverick, as they're both from Happytown, happened also to… I don't know, overhear him bragging about having been framed into Moonlight too? What if this signature was there from the very start and they only noticed it then and blamed it on Maverick because it fit their story and he didn't argue either? What if in reality, fifteen to twenty years ago, some pup or kit signed themselves at their parent's work for fun and no one noticed it until then?" Nick argued and Judy had to admit that everything fit. Still, she couldn't quite nail what exactly he implied.
"Some other TRM, but who could it…" she said to herself and then, a thought struck her. She finally realized what Nick was getting at. "Or MTR."
"Yes. No one else than our dear friend Maximilian Theodore Reynolds. And mysterious Haddock was his deceased mother," Nick confirmed triumphantly. "Bayes knew and wanted to blackmail Theodore Reynolds, for otherwise, he'd destroy the picture."
"Sweet cheese and crackers. If it really was her, if Max knew all along, then I swear…" Judy grabbed her phone and called the wolf immediately.
"Hey, Judy, I've got some good…" Wolf greeted her cheerfully.
"To my box, now," she demanded.
"Oh, um… OK? What's going on?"
"Come and see," Judy suggested and hung up. She had to give it to Max, he joined them in no time even despite wounded leg and crutch. He seemed rather troubled. It takes a lot of effort to annoy Hopps, after all.
"Hey, what's going on?" He wondered.
"Do you know this picture? Haddock's Moonlight," Judy showed him the said painting, but Max just shrugged after a moment of staring at it.
"I don't know, seems a bit familiar. What's so special about it?" He couldn't make anything out of it, or at least pretended to. For now.
"And do you recognize these?" Nick zoomed in and showed him three corners in a proper order. "MTR written with childish handwriting around twenty years ago. Because to me, Max, it looks like your signature," Wilde explained. He could clearly see Max's expression changing. Starting with complete lack of comprehension, continuing with confusion and then, proceeding into realization of what they implied. With no chair in nearby, Max sat on the floor, he was so awestruck.
"You say it's Haddock's? So Haddock is…" And then he laughed. "I always wondered what happened to mom's art. She never… she never showed it to us and I only saw it a few times when she worked on them in the nights. Looks like the answer was right under our noses, huh?"
"So it seems. Do you think your father's home?" Judy asked.
"Yes, I bet he is," Max muttered, still staring at the monitor.
"Good. Come on, Nick, we've got to pay a visit to Thomas Reynolds!" Hopps suggested. "Everything alright, Max?" She asked, concerned.
"Yeah, sure. I just need to… Sit down for a bit. Let it sink in," he muttered. In meanwhile, Nick and Judy grabbed their equipment and, leaving confused wolf in their box, headed to their police car. It was the high time to gather the final pieces of this story.
Judy, as excited as she was, didn't hurry to Reynolds' residence at all. In fact, she was driving the slowest she could without raising Nick's attention. She could see that something troubled her partner and she could easily name it; they were headed to residence of Thomas Reynolds, a wolf millionaire that caused Nick's father's death and got away with it. Slowly realizing how her partner was feeling now, or rather acknowledging that she could hardly even imagine what was going on in his head, her initial excitement was slowly vanishing to disappear completely by the time they arrived to Reynolds' residence. Judy introduced herself at the gate and she was let in without much of a problem. She stopped the car and killed the engine right before the residence, but neither of them hurried to leave the car. Especially not him.
"Nick? You don't have to do this," Judy advised him quietly.
"And what, I'm supposed to wait in the car?" Nick didn't like the idea at all.
"If… you feel like it. If you're not ready to see him, there's no shame in…" she hesitated.
"Because I'll pummel him to death on sight?" He asked angrily and Judy knew that as much as he'd surely consider such an idea, Nick would never do a thing. Unprovoked, that is, and it usually takes a lot to provoke Nick, even if Judy wasn't so sure about it now. Nonetheless, it never was a point.
"You know it's not Reynolds that I'm worried about," Judy argued, watching him carefully. Nick turned at her, locking her eyes at his and took a deep breath. And then, he smiled. But not with his usual grin of a sly fox that doesn't let anyone see that they get to him; it was a bitter-sweet smile of appreciation.
"Hey, it's been thirty years. I think it's the high time I finally put it back in the past, where it belongs," he decided. "Come on, Carrots, Mr. Police-pizza delivery must be getting impatient," Nick suggested while leaving the car, all at once reminding her the other reason why she shouldn't be too excited about this visit; because Thomas Reynolds was an arrogant, condescending jerk with little or no respect toward ZPD officers. Judy sighed deeply.
"Let's get over with it," she agreed as leaving the car as well. She locked it and they went to the door. Nick pressed the doorbell. They waited a few seconds until a servant opened the door for them.
"Master Reynolds is expecting you, officers. Please follow me," he suggested and guided them to Thomas Reynolds' office, this time by much shorter and less scenic route than on the first time. They saw the old wolf by his desk, finishing the call as the servant opened the door.
"Ah, Officers Wilde and Hopps. An unexpected visit, but if you insist, I can sacrifice you a minute or two," he stood up from his chair.
"Glad to hear so," Judy assured, as nicely as she only could.
"Now, since you probably want to talk about Haddock, why don't we take a walk and see his artwork for ourselves?" The millionaire suggested as approaching them. "Richard, make sure no one interrupts," he ordered the servant and turned to his guests again. "This way, Officers," he guided them.
"Of course," Nick complied, his voice suspiciously… neutral. They continued to walk a spacious corridor of Reynolds residence in silence.
"Congratulations on that Watering Hole Port action. I believe every art enthusiast will sleep calmly after the job you did there," millionaire congratulated harshly.
"So you did care. How cute," Nick muttered.
"I sense bitterness in your tone, sir?" Judy asked carefully, before millionaire would reply to his partner's words.
"I care more about my son's life and he nearly lost it back there. Honestly, officers, I thought you'd know better than take an inexperienced officer for such a dangerous operation," Thomas Reynolds blamed him.
"I thought it would be only fair to involve him," Nick replied coldly. Reynolds watched Wilde for a second and it gave him creeps. It was so subtle it was barely noticeable, but he was now unsure if fox meant it'd be fair toward Max and his efforts to involve him in big action, or rather toward Thomas Reynolds himself and his involvement in Nick's father's death to put his son's life at stake. Of course, Thomas Reynolds wanted to believe it was the former, but he couldn't be sure anymore.
"If… if you say so," was all that he managed to say. "I just hope you won't let him take his personal nemesis head-on next time, Wilde," he added after a while, a bit uncertainly.
"I wouldn't dare to," fox promised with smile. The don't-let-them-see-that-they-get-to-you-smile, as Judy noticed. She hardly approved it, but perfectly understood. Reynolds was cause of his father's death, no matter how you'd put it.
"Alright, here we are. Haddock's room," Thomas Reynolds opened the door before them and Officers stepped in carefully, watching around curiously. It was a giant hall with no furniture at all, just Haddock's pictures covering both walls, starting with Haddock's early works, Moonlight included, to the famous Numbers. Judy noticed one empty space, waiting to be filled with a picture.
"You already bought Number 3?" Judy noticed with surprise.
"I was rather gifted with it by Mr. Rouge under promise that I'd spend the money I'd use to buy it otherwise to support charities over Zootopia. An acceptable deal to me, I must say," Reynolds explained. "Now, Officers, what brings you here?" He wondered, as Judy walked over to Moonlight and watched it carefully. She could see a small, white "R" in one of the corners.
"Oh, yes, it was vandalized by that hooligan…"
"No, it wasn't, Mr. Reynolds, and we both probably know it," Judy refused. "We know it's Max's signature here and that he left it twenty years ago and probably forgot about. We are aware that Jackson Haddock was in fact your wife, Mrs. Ilya Reynolds, even if we still don't know who and where kept Numbers between time of her death and revealing of the pictures. Now this knowledge delivers us a perfect motive for stealing Number 3 and suddenly, this confession of yours sounds awfully awkward, doesn't it?" Judy drew her carrot pen and played the recording.
"I, Thomas Ezekiel Reynolds, of my own volition confess that I have hired the thugs to steal safe with Haddock's Number 3 from the National Bank in order to rebuy it from them for a lowered price," said Reynolds voice. The wolf listened to it with surprise. He probably didn't believe that she'd keep it for so long. And then, he laughed.
"Oh, so this is what it all is about? You want to accuse me of this theft in the end, officers? Or rather, is it what you want to do, Wilde?" He turned at the fox with amusement. "And I thought you'd be better than trying to conduct your petty and misguided vendetta, fox." Reynolds mocked him. Judy could see his fists clenching gently. He was on the very edge of doing something very, very stupid. Something that he'd regret to the end of his life. Reynolds saw it too and laughed at it.
"You over-interpret things, Reynolds," Nick snarled.
"Do I, Wilde? Or is it just you, too afraid to reach for the handcuffs because you exactly know what will happen next? Because you realize you'll not only fail to do slightest harm to me, but in retaliation, I will destroy both you and your bunny mistress?" Thomas Reynolds laughed at him and Nick snarled. Judy gasped, terrified. Not because he offended her, but because Nick heard it. Because to him, Reynolds crossed the line. And then, when Judy already feared that Nick would jump to Reynolds' throat and end his life with a single bite, Nick glanced at her. Seeing horror written all over her face, his expression relented gradually. Whatever his idea was, as tempting as it seemed, he was aware of all the consequences.
"Some things are better to be left in the past, where they belong, Mr. Reynolds," Nick stated calmly, putting on his fake smile. "Now, we came here for the truth and truth is what we want to hear. You concealed from ZPD Haddock's true identity. Why?" He demanded to know. His voice was calm and polite and this sudden change dumbstruck Reynolds. Judy barely stopped herself from sighing with relief.
"It was my wife's wish, Wilde. Ilya painted all those pictures in secret even from me. Even at her deathbed, she didn't tell us about them. She… must have had a reason and whatever it was; I couldn't just let it waste for sake of… your unnecessary curiosity. Your job was to get it back, you didn't have to know who made it," he muttered angrily.
"But it could lead us to motive and thus, to mammals behind it. Whole this case could be over much earlier and without unnecessary bloodshed," Judy argued.
"The only dead mammals were some two lowlife criminals. Not much of a loss, really," the millionaire replied arrogantly.
"I'm afraid it's not even for you to choose who's worth living and who's not, Mr. Reynolds," Hopps reminded him firmly.
"But, to the point. Donovan did contact you, didn't he? That's why you knew about the theft so fast," Nick accused him, crossing his arms.
"Yes, he did. He called me at the dawn after successful break-in, telling me that he knew about how precious this painting was to me and threatening that he'd destroy it if I helped police or tried to find them on their own," Reynolds agreed. "Hence my general reluctance to help you."
"Did your son know about any of this?" Judy asked, even if already knowing the answer.
"No, of course not. Max is short-tempered, he'd do something stupid if he learnt and I couldn't afford to lose the painting. It's all I have left after Ilya," he argued. It sounded sort of silly while in hall decorated sorely with Ilya Reynolds paintings, but Nick knew exactly what he meant. Thomas Reynolds couldn't afford to lose it.
"Did he contact you afterwards?" Nick asked.
"Yes, just before Watering Hole Port operation. He gave me the sum he wanted; one hundred million. I complied, obviously. He claimed he'd call me again with details of the exchange, but then you arrested them," the millionaire explained. "Like I said, good job there."
"It would have been easier if you trusted us. And Max probably wouldn't have to risk his life for the case, if it did," Judy reminded and that really hurt the millionaire.
"Maybe," Reynolds shrugged pretending not to care. For a moment, all three of them stared at each other in silence and the wolf checked the time a bit nervously. "Now, I will have to apologize you, officers, but I have a work to do. Farewell," he bided them as turning with his back on them and walking toward the exit.
"Mr. Reynolds," Nick called him and the wolf stopped, giving him merely glance.
"Yes?"
"Do not ever call seeking justice for my father's death a petty and misguided vendetta," he warned, deadly serious about his words. Thomas Reynolds turned back at him and watched him carefully.
"But of course. I'd… hate to have you become my enemy, Officer Wilde," the wolf assured.
"It is many years too late for such declarations, I am afraid," Nick declared. Reynolds smirked, but there was no mockery in it, only understanding. He realized that Wilde despised him not just because he caused the fateful car crash, but because he had never done a thing to make up for it when he had bountiful opportunities. For all the years Mrs. Wilde struggled to raise her son properly, all the months she barely earned enough money for the two of them, all the days she worked twelve to sixteen hours so her son wouldn't have to drop out of school and all the nights she spent crying in her bed and thinking of that night, Thomas Reynolds only watched. He earned for Wilde's hatred over years.
"Well… It is only fair, I admit. I hope our paths not to cross again, Officer Wilde, Officer Hopps," the wolf admitted with respect.
"So do I," Wilde replied, realizing that they had been acknowledged. Reynolds had undeniable influence on Zootopia with all the money and connections, but knew that Wilde and Hopps had quite a power themselves, even if much subtler. It lied in their spirits, in their ability to inspire and convince, in their undoubtedly superior morality. Reynolds' fortune could be estimated. Power of the people these two could inspire; not. And that was what, as much as he'd never admit it to them loudly, would make officers Wilde and Hopps powerful enemies.
Wolf replied with a weak smile and turned his back on them, leaving. Just as he disappeared, a servant came out to them and took them back outside. Nick and Judy got back into the car silently.
"Not half bad, was it?" Nick asked, as his partner started the engine.
"Not half bad? Did you see your face when he called me a bunny mistress? For a second I could swear you were going to jump to his throat and kill him right where he stood…" Judy could hardly agree with such a gentle description.
"I don't claim the idea didn't seem tempting, but…" Nick hesitated for a second. "I saw the way you were looking at me and it told me more than any of his words ever could," he assured and she smiled. That was relieving, knowing that she had such positive influence on her.
"And even if I did something stupid, you'd just stop me in time, wouldn't you?" Nick added.
"I was far from even considering it," Judy admitted shamefully, as they left the residence terrain and joined the city traffic only to end up stuck in a traffic jam. Nick watched his partner intrigued.
"And what were you considering?" He asked carefully.
"Well, the first thought was that if you really did it, then we'd be in trouble, because…" She took a deep breath. "Because today's Zootopia Express has already left and we'd have to find another transportation out of Zootopia," she confessed awkwardly. Nick stared at her blankly for long fifteen seconds. And then, he erupted with laughter.
"Escape route?! Your partner's about to kill a witness and you're thinking about an escape route?!" Nick continued to laugh. "Now, Carrots, I feel ashamed that it took me only two years to corrupt this pure little heart of yours!" He exclaimed, but Judy knew he wasn't ashamed at all. His eyes said it all; he was thankful to the point where words failed to express it.
"Of course, I knew you'd never do it. It was just a… millisecond of unreasonable fear," Judy reassured him completely honestly. As furious as he must have been, he wouldn't have hurt Reynolds and she knew it.
"I should have punched him in the face, though, even if for just the way he called you. Bunny mistress. Like father, like son and I didn't get to smack any of them in those stupid faces of theirs," Nick muttered angrily.
"It's fine. You shouldn't beat witnesses without a reason…" Judy hesitated. "A reason good enough, I mean. Even if they absolutely deserve… Wait, like father like son? Max called me bunny mistress?!" Judy realized. "Was it in Fox's Den? That was why you wanted to hit Max, because he offended me?!" She stared at Nick and could see him avoiding her sight awkwardly. She giggled childishly. "That's cute, you know? That you didn't even twitch when he trash-talked you, but nearly glassed him when he badmouthed me," she gave him the puppy eyes. He looked back at her and smiled weakly.
"Hey, they can say about me whatever they want, but no one will dare to badmouth you, Carrots. Not on my watch," he declared.
"Except for you," Judy added.
"Only occasionally. And tenderly," he assured with a charming smile. "Dumb bunny."
"I think we've already established that I'm the sly one in this duo," Judy noticed.
"The light's green," Nick reminded her, as a car behind them horned at them aggressively. Judy huffed; she didn't like when he'd do it. "Did we really? I mean, it was two years ago and given our recent actions, I believe we should consider revoking your 'sly' card in my favor," Nick suggested.
"What recent actions?" The bunny asked, confused.
"A sly bunny would never allow some other rabbit to seduce her, drug and kidnap, especially not with all the security she had in there," Nick pointed out.
"Yeah, blame the victim. You were a part of that security, I'd want to remind you," Judy argued.
"You can't blame me for your own failures, Carrots. I did my part well and I was very busy doing my job while you were intoxicating yourself with champagne and not only. And from the two of us, I'm the one that didn't nearly kill their partner," he noticed jokingly. Now that was a cheap shot.
"No, you'd only get her paw chopped off. How sly of you," Hopps mocked him, replying with an argument of comparable level. Nick wanted to argue, but he knew that she made her point. Fox sighed deeply.
"So this is who we are? Pride of ZPD arresting Zootopia's greatest criminals? Dumb fox and dumb bunny?" He asked with surrender.
"So it'd seem," Judy agreed sadly. "If we're a pride of ZPD, it doesn't speak well of police in general, does it?" She wondered half-jokingly.
"It speaks even worse about criminals, though. I mean, we still are catching them," Nick grinned confidently and Judy giggled in reply. She couldn't deny that one.
"And we will keep doing so. And if there come sly ones, we'll go sly too. Maybe even you, Nick," she joked.
"How generously optimistic of you, Carrots," Wilde assured sarcastically.
"Oh, I'm a merciful…"
"It's green again," Nick reminded her again, accompanied by angry horn from behind. She rolled her eyes and moved forward, already seeing she'd have to stop a few dozen feet further. "Do all rabbits drive this bad or is it just you? Because the last time you were about to tell me, I might have been busy hitting the glove box with my head."
"If you want to relive it…" Judy suggested, her foot nearing the brake pedal dangerously.
"No, no, thanks. Ignorance is bliss, they say," he assured.
"Yes, yes it is," Judy agreed giving him one of these smiles Jack Bayes would be ready to kill for.
