"War or Peace"

The room was now silent as a tomb, only the chilling and calming jazz music playing in the background was heard.

It was a situation none of these mammals expected to really find themselves in, wondering how it all led to this. In a way, ALMOST every important and famous mammal was now sitting in the very same room, nothing both the smooth melody of jazz playing, snow falling outside slowly and calmly, the candles glowing warmly.

The only one really smiling in the room was Marcus, the black wolf wagging his tail excitedly and feeling like he was the only one who knew that this situation was going to come as if he had waited for it like it was his birthday. Most of the looks now were still aimed at only one mammal from the ZPD side. Everyone was looking at Garvia. The ram was sitting normally on his chair, looking back straight at Nick as the fox had nothing but hidden hate in his eyes for him. No one even said anything. Even Mr. Big was just looking at both sides repeatedly with Fru, the shrew finally thinking about speaking but backed down, just shrugging his shoulders to the equally confused daughter of his, wondering what the hell was going on. Because this talk was not really... Going anywhere. It was just mammals staring at each other.

But to everyone's surprise, Nick was the one who broke the silence.

"... Are we all just going to pretend that this man opposite of us wasn't to blame for almost killing thousands of mammals a few days ago?" The fox asked, just every second of looking at the ram making his blood boil.

Everyone now looked at Nick, the fox continuing to stare at Garvia who raised his eyebrows.

"Come on. Deny it. Say you had nothing to do with it." The fox urged.

"... Are you out of your fucking mind, fox? I am a self-respecting business man, not a terror-"

"You are seriously going to deny it," Nick said with a serious tone, not noticing as William in the corner gave an angry look to his associate addressing Nick as "fox".

"Of course, I am denying it, you arrogant imbecile. What kind of a monster do you think I am-"

"You are a monster. Everyone in this room knows it." Nick pressured, knowing he was already making Garvia boil from being accused of being involved in the biggest attack Zootopia had ever suffered, right in front of all these mammals.

Judy didn't really say anything. For now, she actually just listened to her boyfriend in surprise, studying Garvia's reactions at the same time. Bogo was looking right through Garvia with Oliver, both doing the exact same thing.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME-" Garvia started, raising from his seat in annoyance.

"Garviaaaaaa. Sit down and let's see where this is going." Marcus said with a smile, enjoying this way too much, but his tone had the doubt in it that actually wondered if Garvia was totally sincere. Especially after the huge fight there had been in the backroom before they arrived to dinner.

"ARE YOU GOING TO LET THESE AUTROCIOUS COPS JUST INSULT ME IN FRONT OF-" Garvia began, looking at the wolf for assistance.

"Garvia. Sit down." Marcus said with a serious tone, his smile now disappearing. Steve, William and Zed both looked at Garvia now, wondering what the ram was going to do.

Garvia looked Marcus straight in the eye for a moment, then gazing back at the ZPD officers, the ram slowly sitting back down.

"Theeere we go. Now, Nick." Marcus said, looking at the fox now and demanding his attention.

Nick didn't say anything, feeling his focus turn to Marcus along with the other officers. The wolf smiled, then talking calmly.

"My associate here is many things. Many, many things. A good bussinessmammal? Yes. Incredible at making money? Yes. Smart? I would even say that too. A high class pussy? Ye-"

"Fuck you, Marcus." Garvia said in annoyance, looking at Nick still, Roy snorting in the background.

"But terrorist... No. He was not involved in what went down at the hotel. He is not suspected of it. No. Someone else sent Simon and the others to do this. Not Garvia. I know this ram and I know NOW surely, that he had no part in this." Marcus explained carefully, trying to make his case very believable. Bogo then spoke up right away.

"A maniac mobster, defending another mobster. You really think we should believe anything you say?" The buffalo asked in annoyance.

"... Oh, hi, Chief. You look charming today. How is your hand?" The wolf asked with a smirk, reminding him of their little arm wrestle from back in the station.

"... How is your paw?" Bogo asked back in a challange.

"Sore."

"I can imagine. You squeeze like a bitch." Bogo shot back, making Oliver smile and Judy, but Nick wince.

"OOHOHOHOHOOOOOOO!" Marcus said, sticking his tongue out and shifting his position a bit, making Bogo just blankly look at him with an unimpressed look. Steve put his paw calmly on top of wolf's shoulder, urging him not to do anything stupid. The wolf bit his tongue a bit, settling back to his seat and tapping Steve on top of his paw as he continued.

"Mister Calf has a big mouth. I like it-" Marcus began.

"YOU ARROGANT LITTLE-" Bogo began, his confident smile going away.

"GENTLEMAMMALS... IN this room. Silence and behavior. NOW." Mister Big said loudly, making everyone quit their banter. After hearing Big, everyone settled down and took a second, Marcus still looking at Bogo and the buffalo at him.

As the silence went on, Judy now said something.

"So, we should just... Take your word for it then, Mister Weston? That Defluff had nothing AT ALL to do with any of this?" Judy asked, wanting to really know if the wolf meant it.

Marcus now leaned on the table slowly with a smile, always liking to talk with Judy.

"I already said, darling. Call me Marcu-"

"Answer the question, Marcus." Judy pressured, continuing.

"You are honestly saying that NONE... Of your associates had anything to do what happened in the Hotel Starline?"

Marcus was now quiet, wondering what to answer until he smiled, looking to his left side.

"James? Jones? Was it either of you?" Marcus asked playfully.

"PPFFFF, no!" The brownish antelope, James, said.

"Absolutely not, dude." The other antelope answered as well.

"HMMmmm.. Steve was it you? Were you so jealous of Nick that you decided to kill both and thousands of mammals just for the fun of it?" Marcus asked with a smile to the rabbit next to him.

"... I am not even going to answer that." Steve rolled his eyes, showing his middle finger to his friend. Marcus then chuckled, turning to look at William.

"OOOOAAAKSS! Willy, always loyal and my civil William! Did you burn down the building? Yooou can tell me, I won't be maaaaaad." Marcus said soothingly, just enjoying this far too much.

"Marcus, I assume Miss Hopps wanted an actual civilized and straightforwa-"

"AGH! You are all so boring!" Marcus let out, waving William's comment off. He then turned to look at the one-eyed lynx in the corner, just observing and standing there next to Kevin, the polar bear.

"ZEEeeeeeeeeed-"

"Easy there, young one." Zed Jackson chuckled back, always enjoying how full of life and different persona Marcus was, compared to other mobsters.

"Seeeeee, Judy? All this leaves is Garvia. And I already vouched for this ram right here, because-"

"And you just blindly believe him saying he had nothing to do with this?" Judy asked in frustration of this convo going nowhere.

"You know, it's hard to focus when you look so pretty out of uniform." Marcus began with a smirk.

"MARCUS. FOCUS." The bunny said, rolling her eyes and having enough of this.

"Fine, fine. I trust GARVIA, BECAUSE... I personally asked him the very same question before we came into this very room. We had a loooooong talk of me confirming..." Marcus drifted off, now looking at Garvia with a serious gaze, the ram not looking at him back.

"... Where his loyalties lie... Us mobsters... We have codes. Garvia has NEVER, broken one. He is a piece of shit, yes... But he is honorable when it comes to being one of us. He got on his knees and vouched that he had NOTHING...To do with any of this." Marcus explained, his tone sounding truly done with games, while looking Garvia the whole time as the ram looked very uncomfortable.

Big now began.

"... Weston, are you saying that Garvia made a sacred vouch to you under this very roof?" Gerald asked, even Fru looking a bit scared from hearing this. Even William shifted in his position, looking at Garvia in surprise.

"... HE did." Zed said from the corner quietly, nodding and still looking at Garvia.

"... Am I... Supposed to know what that means?" Judy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Judith... My darling. When someone makes a sacred vouch between mobsters, it means that he cannot lie. Mob families is ALL about trust, Judith. That is how it's always been. If Garvia indeed kneeled in front of Weston and made the truest of vouches to him, he is not behind whatever he was accused of." Big confirmed.

Now the ZPD looked at each other, everyone being quiet. Roy had no idea what these mobsters were talking about, knowing that he was way too new to this organization he was in.

Judy now looked at Big and Fru, both not saying anything anymore, this whole convo making Fru look a bit scared. Then Nick suddenly spoke again with a careful tone.

"... Aaanndd.. Uumm... What... Happens if you betray that... Vouch?" The fox asked.

Marcus slowly moved his paw on Garvia's shoulder, the ram tensing up and feeling like he was about to sweat. The wolf then smiled and spoke quietly.

"Well... I could tell... But that would mean that not one of us would have appetite to eat anything at this table." Marcus said.

The room was now quiet as a grave again, the mammals feeling like there was no need to push this convo further. It didn't seem pleasant to anyone here. Nick just looked at Garvia, wondering if the ram had just defied whatever the horrible fate was, just playing a part and convincing Marcus of his innocence. Because there was no way in world that he would trust this ram... But if Marcus trusted him this much... It only left him wonder... WHO tried to kill him and Judy then? Because now he had no idea, nor did anyone else.

AS the silence just continued, Oliver suddenly said something for the first time since he had entered this very room, just listening because he felt too unimportant to say anything, just like Roy felt.

"You forgot one."

Nick and Judy, along with Bogo looked at wolf, surprised that he had actually said something. Even if they didn't understand what the wolf had meant. The mob side now was looking at this new mammal, along with Marcus. Steve and others were looking at him as well, the male bunny asking the question.

"Ummm... I'm sorry sir, but who-"

Bogo then began to introduce Oliver.

"This is Oliver William Howlton. He-"

"Wait... Howlton? You mean like the... The actual Howlton?" Zed asked with interest, looking at the brown wolf.

"Yes, he is far relative of Chief Charlie Howlton." Bogo said, continuing as even Steve looked at Oliver with a fascinated look.

"He is one of my best proven officers, and he is part of my A-team, along with Hopps and Wilde. He was there at the Starlight hotel, fighting the tiger with Wilde and saving mammals from the building." Bogo said with a honored tone.

"Yeah, I saw him in the news. Interesting that he is invited to this occasion. I wasn't informed." Marcus said, studying Oliver and wondering why the wolf was looking at him so angrily.

"I... Believe we met in the station. During the medal sharing?" Steve asked himself, remembering the wolf from the row. Oliver then began.

"... I was there, y-yeah." He said, trying to hold his courage as he looked at the black, noticeably bigger and muscular wolf with defiance in his look. Only he knew why though, but the look Oliver had, made Nick and Judy soon realize why he was like that. Marcus began before Nick and Judy got to interfere.

"So, mister.. Officer Holwton. What did you mean by-" Marcus didn't even get to finish when Oliver swallowed loudly, mustering his courage to say it.

"I said one was missing. One suspect left."

"Who?" Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You." Oliver said, his heart hammering as he knew damn well he might have created a dangerous mood. But he just didn't like this wolf. Not at all. Anything about him. Not his personality, not his clothing, not his attraction to Hailie, his interest to Nick and Judy, and not his overall attitude to any of this.

Even as Nick was terrified for Oliver now, looking scared for his friend, Judy and Bogo actually looked at Weston now, wondering that Oliver might have had a point. Gerald now looked at Marcus with interest, but Zed and William looked alerted, knowing Marcus and his nature. Steve was terrified, looking at the wolf friend of his with a warning look that begged him to handle this accusation professionally. Roy was getting nervous, knowing Oliver had fucked up. Garvia... He just tried everything he had to not smile and like where this was going, even though he knew the accusation wasn't true.

Marcus was now looking at Oliver straight in his eyes, wondering if the wolf was serious.

"... Do you want to try accusing me of that again?" Marcus asked with challenge, seeing Nick wave his paw slowly and begging for Marcus to chill, along with Steve. Because they knew this could badly.

"You... You heard me." Oliver said defiantly, trying not to sound scared.

"... Yeah, I heard you very well. So you are saying in front of everyone here that I tried to kill Judy and Nick and burn down a building. Me. Who CAME TO FUCKING RESCUE AND SAVED JUDY, NICK AND YOUR UNGRATEFUL SELF FROM A SURE DEATH-"

"That you might have orchestrated from the beginning, just to get on ZPD's good side and make it look like you are not the bad guy." Oliver argued back, raising from his chair and trembling, not wanting to back down.

Worse thing was, both being wolves and having a primal spark still inside them, everyone could feel the situation in the room get heated.

"... Howlton has a point, like it or not... Mister Mayor." Bogo suddenly said from the side, rising from his chair as well because he was going to defend his officer no matter what.

Zed started to move on the corner, talking with a demanding tone.

"Everyone. How about we settle down-"

"Come on now... Oliver fucking Howlton. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here and now for disrespecting me like this under BIG'S VERY ROOF AND IN HIS TABLE?!"

"WOWOWOOWO!" Nick said, now standing up and waving his hands as he could see Marcus was truly hurt. Oliver was clearly scared, but he still was not backing down from his accusation. He fought right back as Bogo roared with Judy getting angry too.

"YOU DO NOT THREATEN MY OFFICERS UNDER MY-"

"No. Bogo. Let him threaten. He is ready to kill me over accusation. If you really think that you can... Run as a mayor and kill mammals because you feel insulted-"

"NO, I DON'T YOU-" Marcus had to yell back to Oliver, squeezing his fist as he had to really control his temper, that being what he was really bad at. Steve literally pulled Marcus back to his seat while talking.

"Marcus! Calm down!"

"Oliver, don't aggravate him buddy!" Nick begged, holding Oliver steady and not wanting this situation to continue.

"THIS WOLF BETTER HAVE SOME RESPECT ON MY NAME!" Marcus yelled, pointing at Oliver.

"You just threatened to have him killed!" Judy yelled back like the wolf was insane.

"I saved you, your boyfriend, this wolf and his brother and this is what I get back?! HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO YELL OR DO TO SHOW THAT I AM NOT THE ENEMY OF THE ZPD?!" Marcus huffed, losing his control until the point that even James and Jones started to move with William and Zed, in case of them having to hold the wolf down. Roy had no idea what to do, he loved fights, but this was a fight he didn't want to happen.

"Marcus! Mister Howlton! Both of you will settle down right now!"

Once they heard that, everyone calmed down once again. But it was Fru this time. She had yelled before her father, because the shrew actually wanted to see if they would dare to break the rules under his roof. But his daughter had enough of this, demanding attention.

"There will be no more threats of taking someone's life under this roof! Those are the rules under this roof and as long as I am in the same room! Am I understood?!"

Everyone looked at the female shrew now, being more than surprised how much authority she could have for being so small. Big then chuckled quietly.

"My daughter is one feisty Corleone. You will all listen to her. Weston. Sit down and control your temper, or test mine. And Mister Howlton... Respectfully as much as your accusation is always a possibility, I know that this wolf had nothing to do with burning down the building."

The silence continued once again before everyone calmed down, relaxing as a few exhaled from relief.

"How... How do you know?" Oliver asked, still looking at the huffing black wolf in annoyance.

"... Because if I heard or would find out that Weston tried to take the life of my god mother from my granddaughter, we would be in open mob war. As much as it takes me to bear myself to have him in my company, I know that he is mammal of his word. He has made it very clear that he is not going to fight the ZPD or try to harm its officers."

"... And we can take your word for it, Gerald?" Bogo asked now, raising an eyebrow and wondering that if it really came from Big, he wasn't going to argue anymore.

The shrew then nodded to the buffalo, Judy also giving a small but short apologizing look Marcus' way for thinking it could have been true for a moment. Oliver looked down and refused to look at Marcus in the eyes, as the wolf was looking right at him. Garvia felt a bit disappointed on how this had ended peacefully, but showed nothing in his expression.

"So... Now that Corleone here has said that he vouches for me, especially after everything I have done for the ZPD... I want an apology." Marcus demanded.

"... What?" Oliver asked, now raising his gaze.

"I want an apology from you about accusing me of being a terrorist who tried to commit mass murder in this city. Me, who is a mayor and risked my life to protect it-"

"You are not a real mayor, you are a mobster." Oliver said quietly, but still feeling like he had to give up on this one.

"Irrelevant. I won the elections-"

"By bribing or intimidating the grand council members-" Bogo pointed out in-between, but Marcus just continued and didn't care, even if he knew it was true.

"And I am now this city's protector, no matter if you like it or not, Holwton. So, I am going to need an apology-"

"What are you going to do with Hailie?" Oliver shot in-between, feeling the defiance coming back to him from just listening to Marcus. But now everyone looked confused about the sudden words from Oliver.

"I... What?" Marcus now said, his eyes widening and confused. Judy now looked at Oliver, the wolf knowing that the bunny was looking at him because Judy could hear the tone and started to see Oliver's road here.

"I asked you, what are you planning to do with Hailie? Why did you ask her out?" Oliver demanded.

Just like that, now that Hailie's name had come to the table without warning, everyone was confused, half not knowing who she was. But what made everyone more confused was how Marcus acted, his expression turning awkward and wondering what to really say. He had forgotten his need for an apology at this very second.

"I... Because... How is that any of your business?" Marcus shot back.

"Because you are a mobster. She is a cop."

"... SO, WHAT?" Marcus asked, getting frustrated of this same shit every time.

Even Steve now shifted, looking at Marcus with a bored face and asking. "I would really like to know a well, Marcus." Steve said.

"Who is Hailie?" William asked in confusion from Zed.

The lynx was just as confused, shrugging his shoulders. Garvia now asked as well, just as confused.

"Wait, what? You? Asking someone out?" The ram asked like it was impossible.

"What is this, Marcus?" James asked with an interested smile.

"Yes, I want you to tell to my face what do you want from my officer?" Bogo asked as well with a serious question.

Then even Judy even spoke too.

"I also want to know as her friend that what are you planning, Marcus?"

The black wolf was now watching everyone around him, feeling like he was going to explode from annoyance at the subject and everyone's expressions.

"I... Fuck you all! What the hell?! I just asked her out because I thought she was interesting! I am a mayor and a kingpin and I ask out whoever I please!" Marcus defied like a kit.

"Marcus, did you seriously ask a cop out on a date?" Zed asked with disbelieving in his tone.

"I... Yes, Jackson! So what?" Marcus mumbled.

"Marc, are you bloody blushing?" Jones, the other antelope asked like he was witnessing something very new and alien.

"You are trying to hurt her someway, aren't you? Torture her? Try to get inside info from her?" Oliver asked again with an angry tone, not caring for Marcus' reaction at all.

"I- I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO HER! ARE YOU INSANE?!" Marcus yelled, but not really angry, just truly hurt now.

"I don't believe you! You could go out with anyone else!" Oliver said. Marcus then thought his answer and looked at Oliver, then turning to look at Nick.

"So could have Judy... And she chose to go out with Nick." Marcus said.

Now Nick shifted a bit, wondering what to say to that as Judy looked at Oliver with a studious expression. That comparison came out of nowhere.

But Nick actually now cleared his throat, wondering what to say to that. He then spoke calmly.

"What I think Marcus is trying to say here, is that he just thinks that he deserves a chance to get one date with Hailie just to see how it would go, no matter how... Different... Theeeeirr... ummm... Lives are like. I had the very same thing with Judy but I still wanted her... So... I guess it's just... You know, fair to sometimes... Give a chance... I mean, I don't think that Marcus is trying to hurt... Hailie, and it's only one date after all so... Not much harm can come out of it... You know..." Nick explained, wondering if he even knew what he was saying. But ever since he had found love in his life, he had become so much happier if others wanted to pursue love as well. He just couldn't help it.

"Nick... I know what you are trying to say and it's very sweet but it's very dangerous, and I don't think Hailie knows just how-" Judy tried to explain, when suddenly Oliver spoke in-between.

"DUDE. I thought you were on my side here!" Oliver accused, looking Nick with a stunned look. Nick then waved his paws and backpedaled.

"OliverOliverwaiiiiit. I am on your side. But I just think that you are over exaggerating a little-"

"A LITTLE?" Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow but still thanking Nick for the sudden defense.

"I don't like this at all. He is planning something." Oliver argued, trying to make his case to Nick.

"Wait... I see what is going on here." Marcus suddenly said, realizing it and his eyes bulging.

"What?" Oliver asking and wondering the tone and expression. Suddenly Marcus started to smile and spoke.

"You. You like her too, don't you?"

Now the table went quiet as Oliver felt his attitude change, the wolf finally understanding and seeing through his game.

"I am watching her back, that is all." Oliver claimed.

"But she said yes when I asked her out." Marcus shot back defiantly, now taking whole new stance as he felt someone was going to come between him and his date with a female he thought he had fallen for in the first second.

"She did it to get information from you. SHE WAS THINKING THE ZPD-"

"OR, SHE JUST LIKES ME." Marcus shot back, wondering if he was even believing himself. The subject was just something so new to him, along with the feeling that he felt helpless when it came to this.

"You? Who the hell would like you?!" Oliver shot back with a mocking tone.

"Mister Howlton!" Fru scolded, thinking now Oliver was just being really rude. Fru saw many things that someone would like in Marcus. Even as colorful as his personality was.

"He has a point, Marcus." Garvia suddenly said, enjoying this little shot against his superior, along with Big smiling to this.

"Shut the fuck up, Garvia. Don't test me. And no, Steve, I am not going to change my mind about this-"

"I grow tired of these games, Weston. What are you planning to do with Officer Garnett? I am going to ask one last time." Bogo suddenly said, too frustrated to listen to this banter any longer.

"..." Marcus now gazed at the officers, clearing his throat and sighing.

"I will take her out... And show her a... Good time. I mean... I will try. I just... I don't have to explain myself to any of you. She wants to go out with me, and I want to go out with her. That simple." Marcus said, his tone saying that he was not going to discuss this any further.

"... No." Oliver said after a small silence. Even Nick now got frustrated, but he knew that Oliver had feelings for Hailie, and he could only wonder how this made his wolf friend feel.

"Oliver.." Nick said quietly.

"Listen to Nick and know your place." Marcus said with smile, feeling like Oliver could not do anything about this.

"No. She will not go out with you. She will change her mind." Oliver said with a confident smile.

"... And what makes you think that?" Marcus asked now, raising an eyebrow to this challenge.

"... Because I will change it. Right now." Oliver said, raising himself from his chair.

"Oliver... " Judy now spoke, touching Oliver's paw and nodding from side to side.

"Wait... Is she... In here?" Marcus asked, his eyes widening a lot as he felt himself get uneasy. He had no idea Hailie was at the party.

"She is." Nick said quietly, nodding to Marcus.

Judy then suddenly spoke to Oliver.

"Bad idea. You can't make her change her mind, if she has already decided." Judy argued, knowing the look Hailie had when she came to station, talking about Marcus. She wasn't going to backpedal from this. She was too interested about Marcus to change her mind.

"... I can try." Oliver said, now moving from his chair and having made his mind.

"Oliver, buddy." Nick said, knowing this was a bad idea.

"No. I am going to change her mind." Oliver argued.

"Please do, for the sake of all of us," Steve said with a bored tone, actually wishing Oliver would succeed.

"Fuck you, Steve. What a great friend you are." Marcus shot back without looking the bunny, focusing on Oliver as he felt his claws sink into the table.

"You know it's better for all of us that you as a mobster don't involve yourself with a cop. Your date idea was retarded from day one. She is a cop, you are a mobster. Besides, we have WAY MORE IMPORTANT things to discuss right now, then playing blame game about the hotel, or talking about romantic dates. It seems like every one of you have forgotten why we are here for." Steve reminded, feeling his eyes roll.

Zed now joined to talk from the corner.

"Indeed. Overall, none of this is leading anywhere. We are here to talk about the future of Zootopia, not this." The lynx reminded.

"Mhhrm. You are right, Jackson." Gerald hummed from his chair, knowing that it was time to start the dinner already so they could slide into the real conversation that was meant to be held here.

"Officer Howlton, sit down." Bogo ordered. But Oliver wasn't going to back down from his words. He actually spoke back to Bogo, because he wasn't going to spend another second with Marcus in this room.

"No, Bogo. With all due respect. Mister Corleone, may I excuse myself from this dinner?" Oliver said, ignoring Bogo and turning to the shrew.

Now Marcus looked at Oliver angrily, Judy and Nick worriedly and Bogo stunned, wondering if his own officer just spoke against his order.

"... Maybe that is for the best, Officer Howlton. Thank you for still honoring us with your visit in my table." Gerald said with nod, not minding the wolf leaving.

Oliver didn't know what to say, feeling Nick whisper to him about something but he couldn't hear. The wolf just swallowed, looking at Marcus, the wolf gazing at him angrily. He then turned back to look at Gerald, bowing to him as he then turned around, avoiding Bogo's gaze. Because he knew that he was going to get yelled at about this afterwards.

Oliver then gave one last look at a concerned Judy and Nick, both feeling a bit uneasy about him leaving. But they didn't try to stop him. The brown wolf started to walk away, passing the standing Roy by the door, the Rottweiler blocking the way. He was not moving. Oliver gazed at Roy, the dog giving shrug back, because he had to wait orders from Marcus himself to let him leave. Gerald now looked at Marcus, the wolf not saying anything but looking at Oliver with anger, knowing only one thing. He was going to fight this wolf as soon as possible. He had disrespected him enough under the eyes of the others.

"... Let him go." Marcus finally said, the silence getting tense. Roy then stood aside, opening the door to the hallway for Oliver. The Rottweiler smiled, thinking of saying something clever, but Oliver spoke quickly.

"Shut up." Before passing him and entering the hallway.

And just like that... Silence settled once more as Bogo stared after his officer with a disappointed look, the Rottweiler closing the door after the wolf.

Now the smooth jazz was once again the only thing heard in the room, everyone wondering if there was something that needed to be said.

Fru then started awkwardly, wondering how awkward the mood was.

"So... Umm... Time for dinner?" She suggested.

"Would be lovely dear, I am starving." Steve chuckled, feeling like this was a pleasant change of mood. And even if many didn't say it aloud, the hunger was hitting them. For the first time Nick was actually in the same mind with Steve, thinking food. But he still felt really bad for both Marcus and Oliver about this situation, feeling like he had made Oliver mad at him. And Judy was also wondering if she should had said something. But she felt like it was not her place to talk what Hailie wanted or not. Bogo then agreed, sighing and feeling annoyed by his officers' behavior, even if he didn't want this date to happen. But Oliver had been really unprofessional just now. Too emotional for his own good.

"We shall. We got things to discuss." Bogo agreed.

"Mhhh. Indeed. Kevin, visit the kitchen. Time to start the dinner." Gerald agreed.

Suddenly James talked, pointing something out as he called out the old fox in the corner.

"William. Be a gentlemammal and fetch Mrs. Wilde and Mr. Langford here from their tour." The antelope commanded.

"Oh, good reminder, James." Steve spoke out, nodding to William's way.

"Certainly." William said, bowing respectfully and walking to the door, Roy opening it for him as he walked to the hallway after Oliver as well.

Now that William was gone, Marcus was still looking at the door, just wondering if Oliver would really manage to ruin his only date he had ever had, sabotaging the whole thing. It was just driving him frustrated, and all he could do was to sit here and talk, trying to forget Hailie. But it was hard. But right now, he had to do his role as the kingpin he was and talk way about much more serious things.

"Now... Let's get ready for dinner." Gerald said, feeling himself smile as everything was going smoothly once more.

...

TEN MINUTES LATER

...

The tired panting of two mammals was heavy in the room, the warm and cozy orange light filling the walls with its dance from the lamps. Leon was still laying on top of Maria's frame, the dog just inhaling the scent of his partner's neck. Maria was looking down on the ground, all kinds of thoughts buzzing in her head as she was getting claimed. Leon still tied within her body, his member throbbing deep within her as he was still releasing his seed into her. The warm and soothing state both were in, was hazing them from the fact that time of dinner was arriving. Leon woke Maria from her hazy thoughts, the old dog clearing his throat after he finally was available to calm his breathing.

"Hey. Maria, you good?"

"MMhhhm." Maria hummed, looking at the corner of the couch with heavy eyes. She wasn't smiling, unlike Leon right now. The thoughts she had right now made her wonder... If she was a low female. Letting her natural instincts take over her rational sense, in a situation that just happened. Leon had never been this forceful before. Not this wild and uncaring about their surroundings. And it scared Maria. As much as she hated herself from the thought that had went through in her head most of the time... It was killing her from the inside as her blank gaze kept staring at the couch they had fallen off from.

She had thought about William. Her own husband, just... And it didn't make sense to her. She had missed her husband's company... Voice... Touch for long time... But now that she had seen him... The way William was now. Seeing what he had become... It fascinated her. She hated herself for it. She actually felt like... She should really talk with her husband... But what would be the point? Over tens of years... Only a few meetings along the way... Cups of coffee maybe. And then the visits got even less practiced. Maria distanced herself completely from her husband... But she couldn't stop what was true. Their love was pure for each other. From day one. He was so much like Nick when young. God, he... Nick was like living image of his young father. Well, William wasn't nearly as funny and a rascal by nature but... Still, Nick truly was William's son. And now Maria felt like she... She wanted William back into her life. Now more than ever. She wanted to scream to herself for being the dumbest female in the world for even thinking it. But sometimes the fact remains. We can't talk sense to our heart. All the words of William yelling at her in the hotel... They bothered her. They drove her crazy. "I can be here for our son now." "We need to talk." "You are still wearing the ring."

"Hey... I'm getting loose... Mmh.." Leon suddenly whispered, making Maria's ears twitch.

Sssshhlop!

The kinky sound of Leon untying from Maria was heard, the vixen exhaling in surprise as she felt the short, cold breeze. Freedom of their bodies, the absence from Leon sliding out leaving a pleasant tingle of just getting mated, her body speaking volumes of how it had enjoyed the act. Hell, her body still ached for a second round like always, but there was no time for that. She didn't have a death wish.

"Buuuuurrrhhh..." Leon let out loudly and chuckled, shivering from how good the act had felt. He could feel like his member was on fire, the dog panting.

"That was just... Amazing."

"Mmhhm. Great timing by the way, Mister Langford." Maria said quietly, smiling and rolling her eyes.

"Being my secretary, you should had adjusted the time of our needs by now." Leon chuckled, licking Maria's ear.

The old vixen couldn't deny a small smile from that, forcing her thoughts and strong emotions back like always and focusing on the present. Think about William and talking to him later. Right now, you need to-

"Leon... You did cover the mat with a napkin, didn't you? Before you pull-"

"OH, FUCK FUCKFUCK!" Leon started to curse, realizing that he had messed up. Literally. The dog rolled over from on top of Maria, starting to go through the pockets of the suit he had tossed on to the couch. Maria started to breathe calmly, feeling her naked back bristle a bit as she realized she was leaking Leon all over the mat. Not able to stop the large amount of warm liquid Leon put inside her from leaking out. She sat up very slowly, looking quickly as the dog was muttering and cursing by himself that he couldn't find the damn napkins.

Maria started to crawl a bit on fours, seeing her dress linger on the floor nearby floor. Just as she reached past the couch, she then saw it.

Feet. Someone was few meters away from her, and she felt like her heart stopped. Someone was standing right in front of her. She could feel the eyes on her right now, drilling into her... And she felt like she was about to faint, knowing that there was no explaining herself to whoever it was that was witnessing her, crawling bare naked and reaching for her dress.

She had to do it. She had to face up and see who it was. But either way, no matter who it was... She and Leon were done. All they could wish was that cops of the building would be able to safe from the fact that they had defiled, disrespected, and shamed the house that didn't belong to them. Whatever Big had to say about knowing his hosts were having sex under his roof... It couldn't be good. Maria knew that they had done the worst possi-

The moment Maria saw the eyes look straight into hers... She felt like she couldn't breathe. William. The fox was looking straight into her, Maria covering her intimate area and her breasts right away, feeling like she was going to have a panic attack. This was not happening. Anyone but William. She could have handled it being one of the polar bears... Cops... Hell, this could have been even something she could have tried to defend if her son had caught her. But worst possibility was now true. William was looking at Maria, his eyes glossy. The emotions that were going on inside William were just as wild as Maria's, just roaring like a storm as neither of them said anything. They were just looking at each other, wondering how this would escalate. William swallowed quite visibly, his paw shaking in a fist as he tried to get words out. He couldn't. Maria felt like her heart jumped to her throat the moment Leon muttered.

"Got it, Maria... Found the napkins... Mmh... Damn this mess... I was really pent up..." The dog said, giving an awkward chuckle, starting to clean the stain from the mat behind the couch, having no idea that William was in the room. Feeling pride from filling Maria with this much. The vixen was trembling, not even looking over her shoulder as her and William both heard Leon grumble something about the stain not scrubbing off the mat.

That moment. William looking at the couch, knowing Leon was behind it. The look of murder in his eyes, the sorrow and hurt in his eyes turning to anger. That moment struck a terrified look on Maria's face, the vixen knowing what went through William's mind. He was thinking of ripping Leon to pieces. Even if he didn't have the right. He truly didn't have any right to be mad about any of this. Sure, they had never divorced. Not by paper. But the marriage was over in spirit. Had ever since William cut off all communication to Maria for so long, ever since the mobsters escorted William out of the door.

The thing was... William didn't just leave them. He was taken. Maria knew it deep in her heart, that her husband had involved himself in something very messy, dangerous and life threatening that he had to leave his whole life behind, and his own son at the bare age of one. Ten years after that... Right around when Nick's accident with the junior scouts happened.. William came back. After all the years, he came home, telling that his... That he owed nothing to the mobs. He paid his debts. He said that now... He was somewhat.. Free. And that he wanted to see his son. Like nothing had happened. She had never fought harder with William in her life. The apartment filled with screaming, crying, and Maria throwing things. She thanked the heavens that Nick had not been at home, but with Mike and Finnick. Maria had yelled what William's own son had to go through when he wasn't there for him. How he was bullied and treated like how all the foxes always were. Finally, Maria had told that if William would step even a hundred meters closer to Nick or their house, she would get a restraining order.

It had broken William, but he had deserved it. All of it, at least in eyes of Maria... And now just in these few last days... All the emotions, thoughts of them seeing each other again... The regret on both sides was much larger than ever. They could see it so barely. The love was still there... It always was. They knew each other better than any other mammal in the world... Only thing was... William had clearly forgotten that just like every mammal... Natural needs are something no one can deny. He hadn't denied his own. So, he had no right to be angry of her moving on. So why was he? All he knew was that he still considered Maria as his. That no one else had a right to touch her.

Foolish, delusional... But just something that was very common about foxes and their genes. Just like when it came to Nick about Judy... Nick was truly possessive about his bunny. Just like William was about his fox... Who in truth was no longer his. Hadn't been a long time. So that was everything into it. Pure Jealousy. Anger. The disbelief of witnessing with his own eyes that Maria was no longer his... Him being stupid to believe that Maria would have preserved herself for him all these years. He hated himself right at this moment... But it didn't take away how jealous he felt for Leon.. And sad and angry for Maria. No matter if he had right to any of these feelings.

"Don't..." Maria whispered, begging for her husband with glossy eyes not to kill Leon. Because William was thinking it. William then swallowed again, shaking, looking at Maria in her eyes and the vixen even giving a defiant look at William, the look stinging him more than Maria knew. It was the look that reminded him of the harsh truth. "You left me."

At that moment, William did something. He didn't say anything, but he moved his paw to his other finger. Then Maria saw it. William was taking something off. His wedding ring. Just like Maria, William had kept it on, refusing to take it off, the object reminding him off her every day, and another way around. Both mammals getting high off each other's memories of better, love filled days of happiness. Now they were gone... And William felt this was, out of all possible timings and moments... Was the best time to forsake those.

He dropped the ring on the floor, right on top of Maria's dress. The vixen said nothing, her eyes trembling as she wondered what to feel, looking at William right now and seeing the sorrow and the decision he had just made. It was no small act... But William knew the truth. It was over. It had for long time... And now it truly was... The thing was... Did he really believe it... Was this just an act out of wild emotion for a second... Or was this something final?

"William..." Was only thing Maria whispered emotionally. Right after saying that, William tried to control his huffing, the fox then moving. He turned around, leaving the room and passing out of the glass door he had entered from.

Just like that, the vixen was left in the silent room, staring at the empty doorway after her soulmate. Now the ties truly broken in the eyes of William. And Maria... She was so emotionally overwhelmed... That she didn't know what to feel. But she cried. She did. And that emotional outburst of her finally being able to breathe, gasping for air as she took the ring from her fingers.. She felt them shake as she knew that William would not tell anyone.

She knew... But getting caught was the least of her thoughts right now... Because she just wanted to run after William, slap him harder than she ever had and then hug him harder than she ever had.

"UUmmh... Maria, I think I got the stain off... AAaand I.. Am getting hungry. See, I told we could make it by dinner? You should trust this old dog more, hehe. I'm sure they have sent someone to fetch us already, right?"

...

HAILIE POV

...

Meanwhile around the same time, there was three officers, standing by the windows, all of them in the corner of the room. The servant ferret came through them, passing the drinks to them and continuing on his way, heading to serve mob members on the other side of the large room. The moment the drinks were passed on their paws, the convo continued.

"Luke, are you saying that we should not be in this room, we should be there for Hopps and Wilde. They are our leaders and our friends and if anything goes wrong-" Hailie argued, this same conversation having gone forward with her two best friends for a long time now. Rasheed was sighing, knowing damn well how much he agreed, but they had to play their commanded part. Bogo was the one giving the orders, not Hopps.

"Hailie, NOTHING will go wrong. Foxtrot and Hopps have Bogo and Howler with them. You have seen Howler-" Luke argued back.

"Oh, use his real name. It's OLIVER." Hailie snorted, getting tired of nicknames under the current circumstances.

"Well, you have seen Oliver fight. And Bogo is strong. They will be fine. And if we sense something is very wrong here, we just storm in there by force." Luke said, wondering if he had the guts to do that in a house full of mobsters.

"But anything could-" Hailie muttered.

"HAILIE. Sheesh, I don't like this anymore than you do. But I think there is another reason here why you want to be in that room." The red panda said, having enough of this already.

".. What was that supposed to mean?" Hailie asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"... Because that the damn wolf we are after is in there. YOU are about to date him. I think you just want to see him."

"... What?" Hailie asked, sounding angry but blushed, because she hated the fact how well her two best friends knew her.

"Oh, don't even try to deny it." The red panda said, rolling his eyes.

"I AM NOT! I MEAN, NO! That isn't why-"

"Oooh, makes sense now. Great." The brown lynx next to Rasheed muttered, looking at Hailie with a dissapointed look.

"You two are annoying! I am not after the mayor-" Hailie started raising her voice, feeling like she was being attacked.

"Yeah, then why did you act like he had cast some kind of spell on you the moment you came to the station after getting a lift from him?" Rasheed shot back.

"I... No he hadn't-"

"Hailie, the last time we saw you looking like that, was when you had your first crush on Th-" Luke then quit talking, his eyes bulging as he realized he had said something he shouldn't have.

Rasheed turned right away to look at his friend with a scolding look, even the name making his blood boil. Hailie went quiet at that moment, the name stinging her heart when mentioned.

Something that just doesn't leave. Being embarrassed the way she had, Thomas taking her virginity, filming it and spreading it all over campus, ultimately destroying her self-confidence and driving her into depression and never wanting to have sex again. And every time that name came up, it just felt like a knife. And the worst thing was, she wanted to get over it day by day. She thought she already had. And that is what she tried to convince herself right now, because she was already so much stronger as a person ever since she graduated as a cop.

"Luke, it's... It's okay. I know it was an accident... I'm over that whole thing now. You two helped me through it when no one else did... I'm okay." Hailie said, but still said it very quietly, looking at the floor.

Luke bit his tongue, knowing he had fucked up, earning a quick jab to the ribs from his friend, making him give a quick wince of pain as the red panda walked closer to Hailie.

"Hey."

Hailie then looked up slowly, rubbing her other shoulder and looking at them both.

"We both love you. You are a sister to us. Always have. Whatever has troubled you, EVER, we have listened. That will never change. We care about you, and if you really have feelings for the monster we are after, we DESERVE to know it." Rasheed said, taking her paw slowly and rubbing it to comfort her. Luke also stepped closer, talking.

"You know that he is going to jail. You know that he is a bad mammal-"

"Luke... Not everyone is always... What everyone else tell-"

"HE IS A KILLER." Luke pressured.

"... How could you say something like that?" Hailie asked, wanting to deny such an accusation.

"Because Hopps told us that he threw a mammal named Doug Ramses out of that burning building to his death. It was in her report." Luke argued.

"..." Hailie didn't say anything to that, wondering if it was really true. Because what she felt for Marcus only after knowing him for such a short time... Not even knowing him, just talking to him, looking at him and being around him... She felt something she couldn't explain to herself. The gentle hazel eyes of the black and tall wolf, looking into hers and seeing something in them. Something she wanted to know more. Because those eyes, the behavior of that person... Was not evil. Hailie thought that during that first very... Scary limo drive with them together, she felt like Marcus was adorable and such an interesting person that she couldn't get him out of her head.

(If you want to know what happened during Hailie and Marcus car drive, check the first chapter of my spinoff story of two against the world: "Sidelines".)

"You understand what you are dealing with now? Who you are about to go on a date with?" Rasheed asked quietly with concern, not even having heard what Luke just said.

"It's... Just one date-" Hailie tried to say back quickly.

"HAILIE." Rasheed groaned, the snow leopard's behavior driving him crazy.

"Why are you not going out with Oliver?" Luke suddenly asked, trying different approach.

"I..." Hailie then said, feeling herself get a bit anxious about being talked to like this. The lynx continued.

"He has huge crush on you, and you KNOW IT. Don't you feel something for him too? The first week you two met, I was sure that you had found the right one. One that even we would accept as your brothers." Luke said warmly.

"I... It's not so simple it's... I don't know what to feel for him..." Hailie muttered quietly, really wondering it herself.

"Uhhh, you got giddy every time he was around." Rasheed said like it was a fact.

"I... I have feeling that... I just don't know why but... I think... I think he doesn't like me as much as you two guys make it seem..." Hailie muttered. She just had strong female instincts, and something told her that as much as Oliver was after her... They just... She didn't feel the SPARK she had with Marcus from the very first minute. It was something so mysterious and magical that she couldn't explain it, even to herself.

"What does that even mean? He literally admitted to us before the warehouse operation that he likes you and might want to ask you out." Luke said, wondering what she was on about.

"I... I believe you.." Hailie said quietly.

"Then what is the problem here? Why are you choosing to give a chance to a freaking maniac mayor instead of Oliver freaking Howlton?" Rasheed asked, feeling so frustrated right now for his friend.

"Because... I just don't... I really don't know if I feel same for Oliver that he does for me..." Hailie whispered quietly, wondering if it was a hurtful thing to say.

"You mean that... You don't have a crush on him?" Luke asked, both males confused now.

"I... I think he has bigger crush on... Nick than me." Hailie suddenly said with faint smile.

"... Wait, what?" Rasheed asked, wondering if he heard right?

"... Female instinct." Hailie said quietly.

"Wooooa! Wait, are you saying that Howlton is gay?" Luke asked in total disbelief.

"Nonnono.. I didn't mean that.. I mean-" Hailie started to mumble, thinking if she was just thinking it wrong. She then continued.

"I mean... I kinda have seen the way he looks at Nick sometimes.." Hailie muttered.

"... I haven't noticed anything." Rasheed said, dumbfounded and looking at his lynx friend, wanting to know if he had noticed. Luke shook his head and spoke.

"Because if you are referring to that drunk behavior of Oliver's in the Blue Lagoon, the pictures him licking Nick's cheek and stuff, that was the ALCHOHOL."

"It makes you do dumb stuff. I doubt Oliver is gay. Many girls and guys when among their friends and being drunk, end up doing dumb and regrettable things when really drunk. You know that." Rasheed argued back.

"Maybe, but it just... I don't know."

"Like for example Luke here. He was once very drunk at house party with me and there was this guy who betted he wouldn't-"

"We don't talk about that." Luke said quickly, giving look at his friend red panda friend of "I'm going to murder you", making Coonway wince in fright.

Hailie then looked at both, shaking her head and not even wanting to know. She began.

"Look, that is not the point here, guys! I'm just saying that I don't know if I like Oliver that much, truly. I think he is an amazing friend and yes, he is incredibly handsome, gentle, and overall nice guy but he just-"

"HAILIE! Oh thank the heaven I found you all!"

Everyone turned to look who the newcomer was, skipping steps to their way. At that moment Rasheed, Luke and Hailie all looked very confused, the lynx raising an eyebrow as the familiar brown wolf was arriving to them, looking like he was on mission of importance.

"Oliver?" Hailie asked quietly in confusion, seeing the mammal of the discussion suddenly join them.

...

MEANWHILE IN THE DINNER

...

The dinner had been somewhat an... Awkward event. Funny enough, not much words had been traded during the meal, none able to deny their hunger. It had been a long day and everyone were starving. The food had been delicious. Deep fried carrots, grease and garlic covered bugs, fish steaks, fillets and sticks with mozzarella. All kinds of different cheeses. Molten cheese with onions and cucumber, delicious noodles serve with vegetables and shrimps. Caviar, mayo with fresh potatoes served with salmon and cucumbers... It was one feast alright. Needless to say, Big was more than happy to see everyone dine and finally shut up for the common cause. The actual talk was still ahead, but for now the eating was all everyone enjoyed. Even if the looks from side to side between the mammals made it... So much more awkward. Annoyed, intrigued, interested, but also confused looks. Judy was looking at Marcus, the wolf actually using incredible table manners with his ways of handling a fork and knife, the bunny next to him looking like a proud father of his son. It was almost endearing in a way, if Steve didn't have to ruin it by looking at Judy with flirty and dirty looks every single time Nick was looking somewhere else. Judy just wanted to strangle the chubby bunny, him looking at her like food, but mostly her almost visible breasts. Now Judy hated her sexy clothing choice.

Nick was focused on something totally else. He was looking at William. The old fox was not looking at him back and that was the reason why Nick was so focused on the old fox. William was looking at Nick's mother. Maria knew the eyes were on her, looking back and forth between Leon and her. Only thing was, Nick didn't know why William looked so angry. He just wondered that what on earth was going on between William and his mom, because clearly William knew her in some way. And Leon too. Well, whatever Leon had done to William, it must have not been pleasant. But truly, he just couldn't grasp what was going on. Leon didn't seem to even realize William was looking at him. He was looking quite happy, the old Shiba Inu occasionally wagging his tail and giving a quick look at Maria. And Maria just wanted to die right now, all this going around her. Her trying to focus on eating, when William was looking at her with a sad expression that wanted to say a thousand words, Leon giving an occational frisky rubbing on her leg with his paw under the table... Maria feeling the fullness of his warm seed inside of her. Making her feel dreamy and the pleasant tingle still present atthe worst time and situation possible. This felt so wrong on so many levels.

The dinner ended after a long hour, everyone getting their bellies full and thanking Fru and Gerald for the amazing meal. Leon, Maria, and Roy being the small visitors had to leave the event. Marcus signaled Roy to go and do his duty as a bodyguard, just keeping an eye on the situation in the other party held at the room full of mobsters and cops. Roy did as was told, escorting Maria and Leon out of the room at the same time and closing the doors behind him.

And after the servants came through, taking all the plates and other kitchen equipment along with the leftover food...

The room was quiet again. The dreamy jazz had turned into more of an opera sound around the room, but no one paid attention to music in the first place. The night was getting late and they knew that this was the time. Now it was time to lay all the questions on the table... And wish for the answers.

"Soooooo... How about we start to play the question game, since Officer Hopps looks so eager to begin?" Marcus asked with a smirk, seeing the bunny look at him with a serious and determined gaze, her indeed having waited for this situation for ages.

"... So, is that how this is going to be then? I just ask a question... Any question, and you will answer it?" Judy asked to confirm, looking at Nick.

The fox then started to dig his pockets after the look his girlfriend gave, Nick grabbing out a notepad and the very familiar carrot pen. Just what they didn't know... Was that the moment Nick took the pen out... He pressed the very same record button that lead to Judy hustling him eight months ago. No one seemed to notice.

Bogo did know about this... And he was more than glad that everything seemed to go as planned. So far at least.

"IIiiifff I can." Marcus teased, settling in his seat comfier. Every other mobster in the room now focused on Marcus and the three officers, knowing that this was going to be something alright. Steve was already giving warning looks at Marcus, having a bad feeling about the black wolf's attitude to whole situation.

"Alright." Judy said, taking deep breath as Bogo leaned on the table a bit more, looking at the wolf the whole time. Nick was looking at the notepad, wondering if they really were going to get any answers out of the wolf.

"So... What goes on in that mind of yours, Hopps?" Marcus asked with intrigue.

"... Today, around six o'clock the ZPD started to get casualty reports from the hotel. Not all of them but most. There was a mammal named David Snowy, found from the building." Judy said with quiet voice, looking at the black wolf carefully. Garvia shifted a bit in his chair, Zed and William both looking at Judy now. All of them knew David. He had been a loyal bodyguard of Garvia's for a long time.

"... So you found him dead from the building? Very unfortunate business. But I must say, Hopps.. We are aware that he was part of this very plan some way." Marcus said quietly, not showing any emotion on his face.

"How was he involved?" Judy asked, Nick also raising an eyebrow to that.

"Because we heard him on a line. During a phone call." Steve suddenly said in between. They had to play this right. As well as they could. They had to reveal some things, but not things that truly could hurt them.

"What call?" Bogo asked.

"... Before the explosion, Simon, the tiger who seemed to be in charge of the operation, was contacted by me personally. I asked, why was he not at work like he should have been. He then told me of his sudden intentions of burning down the whole building, along with killing Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde." Steve explained calmly.

"... He just told you that?" Bogo asked.

"Yes."

"And how do you know this... Mister Snowy was part of the operation?" Bogo asked.

"Because we heard him from the background. I asked Simon if it was indeed David with them... What it seemed from the tone and words of the husky, he... Didn't really seem to be fully on board with what Simon was planning." Steve said quietly.

"... How's that?" Judy asked.

"I think he started to change his mind about the act Simon was about to commit. David has always been many things, but not as bad as his other bodyguard friends. David was always different. Emotional. Not really that good with fighting either. The boy was very young and quite naive... He wasn't built for what Simon was about to do. And it was heard from the line. I think he didn't want to be part of any of it." Steve said.

"The very same reason I knocked him out with a bottle instead of... Giving him the treatment I gave to Saul. The boy fucked up and deserved what he got, but he wasn't as bad a mammal as Saul is." Marcus said.

"... You told me that you were going to leave them both alive... You told that David and Saul would not be harmed. You said you were going to talk to them and then let them go to surrender for the ZPD." Judy then pressured, looking at Marcus. Bogo then talked.

"Would you care to explain to us why Mister Snowy was at the hotel instead of our promised custody?"

"... Because he escaped. Simon released him from our... Base." Zed suddenly said from the corner quietly.

"... So your plan was still to give him to us?" Judy asked, wondering if it was even true.

"Yes." Marcus said.

"... And Saul? Where is he? I assume that he is going to be handed to us in these nearby days to answer for his crimes?" Judy asked.

"He already has. He is alive and well." Marcus said suddenly.

Suddenly Garvia looked at Marcus from the side in disbelief. There was no way Marcus had spared his bodyguard dog after what he did or was involved in. No way.

But it was nothing compared to Steve's look. The rabbit was totally confused, wondering what the hell was going on.

(If you want to know what happened truly to Saul, chapter 3 and 4 of "sidelines". He wasn't killed by Roy or Zed. He was released to bunny burrow as an exile from Zootopia.)

"I..." Steve looked at Marcus, wondering what the fuck had the wolf done. Marcus had promised Steve that he killed Saul at the very same time the garage fight went down, but Marcus gave a genuine look back at the bunny now.

Zed suddenly spoke up from the corner. "He is alive, Steve. It was for the better. Marcus made a promise to Hopps. You know how he feels about promises." Zed said. Marcus then looked at Judy, giving a faint smile and seeing the confused and wondering relief on Judy.

Because Judy expected to hear the worst. That Marcus had killed him. But it didn't seem so. At least by his words. Steve was totally confused, looking at Marcus angrily. But the wolf gave a look back that made Steve stop any discussion about this matter before it even began. Steve just had to swallow it for now and rage later for being kept in the dark.

"Well, how nice to hear that my bodyguard is alive and well. May I have him back into my service?" Garvia asked, actually more than delighted by the sudden news.

"No. I made Zed and Roy exile him." Marcus said bluntly.

"... What?" Nick asked, wondering what that had meant.

"I told your girlfriend that I will not kill him. But I didn't have to forgive either. I sent him away from Zootopia and told him to never come back. His brother has been informed and he is being taken care of, now that his elder brother is out of the picture. He has been informed where he lives now and everything. Made things complicated, yes. But now he is no longer anyone's problem, and he is alive. Sounds like good deal to me." Marcus said, feeling very satisfied with himself.

"... Marcus... What the fuck?!" Garvia asked, losing his temper.

"What are you yelling about now?" Marcus rolled his eyes.

"MY THREE BODYGUARDS WENT ROGUE AND DIED IN A FIRE AND NOW YOU EXILED MY LAST ONE?!" The ram asked in rage.

"Oh bohohoho look at meee, I am Garvia, now I have no friends, I feel so aloneeee bohohohoooo..." Marcus mocked with a snicker, Garvia feeling his blood boil. Suddenly, James, one of the antelopes spoke.

"Quit being an asshole to Garvia, Marcus. You know that this was a very radical choice you made. You didn't tell us about any of this. Not to me or Jones. Hell, not even your right paw."

"THANK YOU, JAMES." Steve said loudly, knowing damn well that Marcus was fucking up things badly now out of his blind respect for Judy and her wishes. Marcus then sighed and continued.

"Look, what is done, is done. Besides, Zac is still alive and in a hospital, Garvia. Once he gets out of Jail, he is going to return to your service. Oh wait, he is going to jail for life. My bad." Marcus snorted.

"... He deserves that." Judy said quielty, knowing that Zac was going to get a life sentence from terrorism, attempted mass murder, along with arson and many others.

"At least we can agree on that. Now, since all this is dealt... We can move on-" Marcus began, until he was silenced by Judy.

"Not yet... I forgot to tell you something. About David." Judy said, demanding attention.

"... I can pay for his funeral, if that is what is required of me. Dumb and foolish kid who made bad choices... But so have all of us. How much?" Marcus asked, ready to pay.

"... He is alive." Judy finished with a smile. Bogo smiled as well, knowing that this was something that Marcus couldn't expect.

Every mobster's pair of eyes widened, except Gerald's and Fru's, them just quietly listening to this conversation.

"... Come again?" Steve asked with wide eyes.

"David Snowy was found badly injured from the building... But we managed to save him. He is at an undisclosed hispital, going through surgery, and the doctors said that he is going to make it. He has ZPD protection around him and he is now ours to interrogate about everything that he knows." Bogo said with victory in his tone.

Marcus, along with Steve, Garvia, Zed, William, James and Jones... Now actually looked alarmed and even scared. David knew a lot. About things that had happened inside the organization... If David would snitch... And testify in court, when it would come to a final case against Marcus... It would be bad. Now Marcus was swallowing a bit. He was used to having things under his control. To be a King on the chessboard... And by hearing that the ZPD had David, ALIVE... It was a chess game against him.

"That is... Unexpected. I am glad to hear he is alive." Marcus said quietly.

"I bet you are." Judy snorted.

"I am." Marcus said, trying to sound genuine but he was far from it. Other mobsters around him now knew the damage David could do... They would have to come up with a solution.

"Now... Since all this... Is over and cleared." Marcus began, taking deep breath.

"Not really... I still have one question concerning events in the hotel." Judy said in between queitly.

"Shoot." Marcus said, leaning back in his chair again.

"... Did you kill Doug Ramses?" Judy asked with serious tone.

"... Huh?" Nick asked, now wondering if he had heard right. Judy then gave quick look at Nick and spoke.

"Doug was there... I guess there hasn't been time to tell you... A wolf named Zac attacked me in the penthouse with Doug. They tried to kill me and Mister Langford. They lured me into a trap." Judy explained.

"... Oh." Nick said quietly, not having heard any of this. He had all this time wondered who was this Zac that was mentioned, but now it made more sense. Maybe he shouldn't have been surprised that Doug was involved... But that he had tried to kill Judy himself?... It was hard to believe from the ram... And Judy had just asked if Marcus had killed the ram.

"Yes." Marcus suddenly said back.

"Huh?" Judy asked.

"I killed Doug. I threw him out of the window and watched him fall. Good riddance. He will not be missed. Well, maybe Bellwether will, but who cares about that maniac bitch, right?" Marcus asked with an amused chuckle.

... The room went quiet, but oddly even as scolding as Steve looked at Marcus, he knew that there was no point trying to deny it. It was obvious that Marcus had killed the ram, anyone could put that together.

"... Why?" Judy asked a while with scared look on her face, just like Nick... But unlike Judy, Nick was grateful. He knew better than to say it aloud, but if Marcus had killed someone who tried to kill his bunny... He was more than okay with it. He wasn't ashamed of it. Why would he? Bogo on the other hand, looked at Marcus like he was the craziest mammal in existence.

"Because bad mammals deserve to die. He was a bad mammal. And he met a bad mammal's fate. Just like Simon. The city and the world we know is better without them in it. Or can you argue against that, Officer Hopps?"

Marcus asked with a truly genuine tone and serious look, wanting to hear what Judy truly felt about that. Not one mobster said anything at the table. Everyone looked at Judy and Marcus now, and the bunny really couldn't get the words out. She didn't know what to feel from such a horrible statement coming out so coldly without remorse... And still feel like it held the undeniable truth in it more ways than one.

"I must say, Judith, my darling... There is rare amount of times that I agree with Weston, young, annoying and clownish as he can be... But he is not wrong with this one. Not wrong." The shrew said with a low tone, giving a small nod. Fru looked at her dad with a sad look, but didn't say anything. Bogo even looked at Gerald, just wondering if he should say anything to this at all. The subject was grim... But he just couldn't bring his mind to argue how the world would be better if Judy and Nick had been gone forever... instead of Simon and his partners in a terrible crime.

"Thank you." Nick suddenly said quietly to Marcus.

The black wolf raised an eyebrow to the fox, Judy now looking at Nick in question, as well as William.

"... For what?" Marcus asked warmly.

"... For saving Judy's life that day. Oliver's and mine... If you... If you saw for the best to... Do what you did... I... Killing is... And always is wrong. It is... But I understand what you did... For her." Nick said quietly, looking at Judy and seeing the bunny feel a bit overwhelmed and wondering what to say after hearing her boyfriend say what he just did. William even smiled in wonder... Proudly. Bogo didn't know what to feel or say, just like Judy.

"... Thank you." Marcus suddenly said back with an actual genuine smile... Because he could see the deep impact this had on Judy and Bogo... When it came from Nick instead of him.

And just like that... The room was a quiet again.

Until Marcus cleared his throat loudly, feeling that the mood was getting a bit weird as Judy kept looking at Nick emotionally and in question.

"So... More questions?" The black wolf asked with a new enthusiasm and feeling good about how this talk was going.

...

MEANWHILE/ OLIVER POV

...

At the same time, the argument was building into something even bigger the moment Oliver had opened his mouth. Hailie could do nothing but feel overwhelmed by the sudden arrival of the brown wolf, telling her that she couldn't go on a date with Marcus.

"Hailie... Just, listen to me!" Oliver argued, Rasheed and Luke standing by the side and looking at Hailie from the side.

"I'm doing it for the ZPD! During the date I can squeeze information out of him!" Hailie argued back, getting annoyed of this same convo continued, now led by Oliver.

"He just threated to kill me!"

"... What?" Hailie then asked quietly, her eyes widening. The two other officers next to them went a bit wide eyed as well, wondering what this was about.

Oliver was glad that he had finally gotten the attention of the snow leopard.

"Yeah. I told him that he was behind the hotel burning event, that he planned it. After that, he threatened to have me killed for disrespecting him such way."

"... Really?" Rasheed asked.

"YES. And he went all weirdo when I asked what his intentions are with Hailie. Believe me, all of you. He is crazy. The things he said in that room... He deserves to go to jail and it's only matter of time before we get him. You can't go out with him, Hailie. He is mad. HE WILL HURT YOU." Oliver pressured, trying not to sound emotional as he just wanted to shake Hailie to get some sense into her.

"Thank you!" Luke groaned, feeling like now that the obvious came from Oliver, Hailie would finally listen.

"I..." Hailie said quietly, just feeling like all of this was too much. She felt really scared now. To actually hear that Marcus had lost his temper that way and said that he was about to kill Oliver for his accusations. She then carefully asked. "I... If this all is true... And he really... is a KILLER, like everyone claims... Then we will... Get him to jail. So, he is dangerous. I get it. I understand. But can't you all see that if I still take this job, we have better chance to get him caught-"

"NO." Oliver said, raising his voice and now getting so frustrated.

"O-Oliver..." Hailie now muttered, feeling bothered by the way Oliver was now looking at her like a concerned boyfriend.

"Hailie, don't do it. Just don't. We find other ways to catch him. This date is a dangerous mistake, because we don't know what he is capable of." Rasheed reminded, now putting his paw on Hailie's shoulder and just wanting her to backpedal.

"... I just... I don't-"

"No more of that talk. Hailie, you are not going and that is settled." Luke said with a determined tone.

"If I am not going... I will hear it from Bogo. No one else. He decides if this operation is worth doing or not." Hailie suddenly said, feeling a spark of hope for that.

Now all of the other three officers went quiet. They knew that this was true. But then Oliver pointed out the obvious. "But... If you tell him that you don't want to do this, you know that Bogo would never force you to go on a date with a killer-"

"I... Look, I know, okay! But I want to do this for the ZPD-"

"YOU WANT TO GO OUT WITH HIM!" Oliver suddenly said, his eyes widening as he finally drove himself to the only conclusion he could find.

Hailie now went quiet, looking quite caught off guard by the tone of Oliver's. She blushed, looking for help from her two friends but both of them gave the same concerned and questioning look. There was no escaping this. Even Oliver now saw that Hailie was just plain attracted to this evil wolf under this roof.

For a moment Hailie wondered if she should just storm off, because she really couldn't take this anymore. She wanted to go out with Marcus rather than Oliver.

She knew it. She felt something for Marcus that she didn't for Oliver. The spark that made something inside her say that... This is the mammal I want to know.

This is the mammal I am destined to be with. Or maybe this is all just some foolish girls delusion. But she had made her decision. She liked Oliver, a lot... But she just wanted to give Marcus a chance. She wanted to know if after one date she would feel the same... Or not.

"... Maybe."

"Hailie." Luke said, his jaw dropping a bit with his friend.

"I don't know what I feel! Can you all quit bothering me about this! I have made my decision and I will help the ZPD. My life will not be in danger!" Hailie yelled, just wanting this to stop.

"Hailie, you are doing something very stupid here." Oliver finally said, just feeling hurt. She was really choosing to go with Marcus on a date instead of him.

"Just because I am not going out with you, Oliver, doesn't mean that I am stupid!" Hailie yelled back, making Rasheed and Luke wince. Everyone started to watch them now.

"Hailie... Can't you see that I... I... I would have... G-gone out with you..." Oliver suddenly said quietly with a desperate tone.

Hailie went quiet at that, looking at Oliver's now emotional and confused tone, feeling like she needed air. She was getting too much pressure from everyone and she felt like everyone was watching her...

She needed air.

"I... I'm sorry I need air!" Hailie gasped, breaking to cry and felt so sorry for Oliver, and the way the brown wolf was looking at her now. But she just couldn't take this all anymore. She was already feeling so uncomfortable, feeling the perverted eyes of the mobsters look at her in her dress, the other officers whispering, the waiters giving bad looks. She needed a break.

"Hailie!" Rasheed yelled after the snow leopard, her walking away from the three and shaking as she started to have a panic attack.

"Shitshit... This is bad... Oliver, maybe it's better that you don't... Follow her now... We'll talk to her." Luke said, giving an apologizing tap on Oliver's shoulder.

And like that, both males stormed off after Hailie, leaving Oliver to look after all three who went outside in the snow storm.

"..." Oliver just stared, quiet and feeling like the worst had happened. He had been dumped. His request to go out with her denied... The black wolf had won without even doing anything. No one could know why Hailie was acting the way she did... And Oliver felt so lost and confused, wondering what had he done wrong.

He thought this was going to work out... But instead it didn't. Hailie had decided to go on a date with Marcus... And there was nothing he could do about it.

He could always talk to Bogo about it... But it would only upset Hailie more. Oliver just felt so sad at this moment... And the solution was right at his paw.

He drank the full glass of champagne with one sip, downing it all as his fellow officer raised an eyebrow from the side.

"Waiter. Wait." Oliver begged, coming over to nearest waiter, a male otter who was serving the filled glasses of alcohol.

"Thanks." Oliver said quickly, taking a glass in both paws, starting to down them both like he was going to get drunk. The otter just chuckled, feeling a bit amused from this behavior coming from a cop and not a mobster.

"Nice." He just said, walking away and snorting as the wolf managed to grab another glass from the tray before he left to serve others.

"Uuhhh... Howlton.. Are you okay?" Delgato, the familiar lion suddenly asked, walking next to Oliver.

"Fine. Totally." Oliver said with a bored tone, downing the glass in one gulp again and making Delgato look at Oliver with a raised eyebrow.

"I... Can see that."

...

WAR OR PEACE

...

"Sooooo... NEXT ITEM!" Marcus shouted, giving a firm tap on the table as the awkward silence had continued enough for everyone's taste.

"You do understand that murder is still a murder, Mayor Weston? Taking Doug Ramses life wasn't an ultimatum. You could had handed him over to ZPD. That is just another murder on your record to add." Bogo still reminded firmly.

"Blahblahblah, if he had the chance he would have killed Hopps and Wilde. I just did something for the ZPD that they lack: Courage. To do the necessary... Uhhm, what was the word.. Ultimatum, yeah. Uuu, I like that word." Marcus chuckled, tipping the edge of his fancy crimson hat at cops.

"... Do you even understand that you have openly said that you are a murderer-"

"Yeahyeahyea and I'll be arrested for my crimes yadayada, I'll take my chances. I am steps ahead of this game of chess against the ZPD. I can say I did a murder and there is nothing you can do. I am the mayor-"

"The last mayor, Lionheart, was taken into custody easily during the Nighthowler-"

"But unlike Lionheart, I am not a pussy." Marcus pointed out with a smirk.

"Just... Let us get to next item, officers." Steve suggested, seeing Bogo get more annoyed by the second from Marcus' attitude. Judy began right away.

"We shall. Did you, Marcus Weston, try to bribe Officer Nicholas Wilde with five hundred thousand Zootopian dollars, the same night that the dance festival happened?" Judy questioned firmly.

"It wasn't me! It was Roy... Steve had the idea, arrest him!" Marcus yelled comically, taking both of Steve's shoulders and hiding behind the bunny.

"Wow, thank you, Marcus. Just spell it all out for them will ya." Steve said, rolling his eyes.

Nick then suddenly spoke, clearing his throat.

"Why would any of you even think that I would accept the bribe in the first place?"

"Because we wanted to see if you were dumb enough to take it. My bet was that yeah, the greediness of a fox is still somewhere in there and we can use it. Marcus betted that you have changed. He won the bet." Steve said bluntly.

Nick then glared at Steve in annoyance, grumbling.

"... I see." Wow. Why should he not expect the most obvious?

"Yyyyeeah, world is full of surprises." Steve snorted, both resuming their stare competition.

"Oh, quit both being like that. Hoooopps, my dear. Next item!" Marcus said, rubbing his paws together excitedly.

".. Don't call me, dear, you will address me as Officer Hopps." Judy reminded in annoyance.

"Whatever, Judy. It was hard enough to not see your cute when angry when in your uniform, but in THAT dress-"

"Be quiet. And don't call me cute." Judy said, rolling her eyes.

"But she is." Steve added with a flirty smirk.

"Very." Even Zed, the one-eyed lynx added with an amused chuckle from the corner.

"Have some manners, gentlemen. This is Hopps you are talking to." Fru pointed out from her seat, Gerald also nodding that no more use of spiciest wordings under this roof.

"Ehehehee, fine." Marcus added, still smiling and making Judy frustrated. Even Nick gave a small side smile and Judy whispered so quietly that only Nick could hear.

"Don't you dare, or we are not doing the thing ever agai-"

"Like you could." Nick whispered back with frisky smile, running his paw on Judy's puffy tail, the bunny feeling the shivers and blushing as her eyes widened, giving a look for Nick to quit right away as she gave a smooth punch to Nick's rib.

"Nooooow, what's the next queeeestiooon... OFFICER HOPPS?" Marcus asked and tried not to laugh.

"... Mister Briggs was released from Sahara Square station days before the dance festival... Did you extort the chief of Sahara square department into releasing Briggs?" Judy asked now.

"... No." Marcus said casually.

"...No." Judy repeated after the wolf, expecting the wolf say something to it.

"I did. But it wasn't extortion. Civil talk without hostility... And a little bit of money." Steve said with self-satisfied smile and wink.

Bogo looked at the bunny for a moment with Judy, both of them looking very angry at this... But more about the fact that one of their own was so weak minded indeed, if it was all true.

"I fired him this morning, by the way." Bogo said quietly, smiling himself as well.

Now Steve's smile was gone, along with Marcus' who gave a questioning look Steve's way.

"Why?" Steve asked.

"Because I knew that already. He confessed it all when I met him face to face. He is out of the office now, waiting to stand trial. And I also have a statement from him that you bribed him into releasing a prisoner from custody." Bogo said with victory.

"... I see." Steve said, trying to act like it was nothing.

"... He said that this wasn't the first time he had done this for you. And with a certain mentioned... Ram." Bogo finished, looking at Garvia now.

The ram finally woke up to the convo, having being quiet so far and deep in his thoughts about what to do now with his moves? He had no David, no Saul, no Simon, no Doug, His warehouse cut now absent because of the ZPD, and also, he felt under pressure from the mammals he had worked with for years, now more than ever. He had fucked up. Too sloppy in his emotions. Doing the mob vow under this roof had saved his life, and his lie of his bodyguards going rogue and taking orders from someone else, succeeded. He had gotten away with it and his own death today, but he still felt that not all the mobsters here were as naive as Marcus, the black wolf trusting he had honor and loyalty to Marcus more than anything. He hated the wolf from bottom of his heart. Just as he hated Zed. And he wasn't sure if Marcus and Zed still truly believed he had nothing to do with this... But Steve, James and Jones, along with William... They didn't seem to be on board with that. Everyone knew that Garvia was smarter than that, just sending his best bodyguards to kill Nick and Judy inside a burning tower... Except he was. And he knew that just by how Nick was looking at him... The fox knew. He fucking knew. And there was nothing Garvia could do... All he had to do... Was to wait for a new chance... New opportunity for his revenge, that was now more fueled than ever... But he needed to figure something out. Because he knew the whole mob family of his started to point fingers after Garvia was ruled out... They would start searches, interrogations, talks. Trying to find out WHO was the mammal, who wanted Judy and Nick dead, if it wasn't Garvia... Because it didn't make any sense. The mammal had to be very rich, powerful and so stealthy. Hidden in the shadows, that he had just bought Garvia's mammals and made such an offer that they couldn't refuse, working without telling their boss... This was all getting so complicated and Garvia's stress was getting higher by the minute.

"What?" Garvia suddenly asked, wakaing up from his grim thoughts of just wanting the bunny and the fox in the room dead.

"You bribed the very same chief of the Sahara Square department, to release your mammal, Simon Grims, out of the station on multiple occ-"

"Denied." Garvia added quickly, going on the defense mode.

"Oh, quit that attitude, Garvia. We lost a contact from the ZPD. Big deal. One chess move for you guys. He was getting... Unstable anyway." Marcus waved it off like it was nothing.

"Agreed." Steve added with a smile.

Marcus then streched in his chair, preparing again.

"NOooow... You've gotten quite a lot of info already. Hooow about another question-"

"The one you promised us." Judy then said, looking at the wolf and now really having waited the answer on this one.

"Let's hear it then." Marcus chuckled, knowing what the question was going to be. Judy took a deep breath and began like she had practiced.

"We all know that you are connected into the new blue stuff that is going around Zootopia's underworld. The blue stuff was confiscated from your right hand, Steve Levron-"

"Jack." Steve added in-between.

"... Yes, the howlers were taken from Jack Garlow, who is now under the ZPD's radar and being watched constantly, as he is under parole-"

"For snitching." Steve added.

Now Bogo, Nick and Judy gave annoyed looks at the bunny. Marcus adding that as he looked at Gerald.

"You do know that the jaguar that is working with you right at this second snitched for the ZPD to get out from there? I heard that you were going to ice him... And yet he works with you. Are you getting soft, Corleone-"

"HOLD YOUR TONGUE, You imbecile of a wolf. I did not ice Garlow out of respect and years of working with me... My driver, Manches is his brother-in-law... I had to give him another chance... Because I too, can be merciful... Jack always had his problems: ego and alcohol being the most dangerous... I have seen that within weeks, his behavior... Has gone different... A changed mammal even... I think it has something to do with him being in... An intimate relationship with our known friend of Nicholas here. Mike is important to me. As emotional and... Well, wild with his unspoken activities he could be." Gerald said, referring to Jack being in love with Mike.

Nick just shrugged his shoulders, wondering still how odd it was that one of his best friends was together with a mobster who was almost a foot taller than the dog himself.

Corleone then continued, looking at Marcus who just listened.

"So you don't have to worry about mammals who work for me, Weston... I trust Jack. You worry about yours." Gerald added, making himself clear. Marcus chuckled and spoke.

"IIiff you say so, Gerald... And you spared him because Judy told you, didn't you?" Marcus asked, grinning knowingly.

"...Yes. Judith had her say in the fate of the jaguar as well."

Gerald stated with a silent and serious tone.

"… So, I see that both of us like to keep promises to you, Officer Hopps." Marcus pointed out, feeling a bit amused by it. Judy just shook her head and continued.

"Now you keep yours. We are not here to talk about Jack Garlow. We are here to talk about the nighthowlers. We know you are making a serum out of it. THE VERY SAME serum that was found in the bloodstream from two mammals that attacked everyone at the dance festival. Making them go half savage. Nick also said that the very same substance was used by Simon, as the tiger tried to kill Nick and Oliver inside the building... Simon had been seen using the drug many times. That we can confirm." Judy said.

"Gaaaarrrviaa... Did you know that your most LOYAL AND TRUSTED bodyguard had started to inject that shit way too much?" Marcus asked with frustration.

"We did." James and Jones suddenly said together with a bored tone.

"I know I did. The bloody tiger just fell in love with that stuff and it made him even worse than before." Steve added from the side.

"Agreed. I many times counseled Defluff myself about Simon's bad habit. He said that he was going to talk to Simon about it." William suddenly added from the corner. Marcus, Steve, Nick, Judy and everyone gave a look the fox's way. William just nodding and adding it was true.

Marcus then sighed and turned to Garvia.

"See this? When even our most wisest and loyal councilor and servant, William Oaks, tells that your friend has a problem... Then you better believe it is true. Why didn't you tell Simon to quit?" Marcus asked with frustration.

"Because it is not my dealing what he uses. Simon was his own mammal. He made his own choices." Garvia defended coldly.

"And now he is dead." Marcus added.

"... Yes, he is." Garvia said quietly.

Judy now poked in-between, because this was not leading anywhere.

"Mister Weston, answer the question." Judy added.

"What was the question again, Judy? I forgot in middle of all this boringness." Marcus snickered, enjoying the annoyance on Judy's face. The bunny then finally continued.

"What is the reason of the blue stuff? Why are you making it? If you claim to be a good mammal, like you have many times, you are not doing a very good job... Because whatever it is used for, I know it is something monstrous and just as evil as Bellwether's-"

"Pit fights."

...

The room went quiet, every single one of the mobsters giving wide-eyed looks at Marcus as the black wolf just blurted out the answer. William slapped his face, along with Zed giving an angry look at his student. Garvia looked horrified.

Steve took Marcus actually from his collar, yelling.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, MARCUS?!" The rabbit yelled.

"Maaaaaybe." Marcus snickered, enjoying this more than he liked to admit. Judy then began.

"Wait... Could you... I mean, what do you mean by-"

"Pit. Fights." Marcus added again, sealing what he had just said.

Nick then suddenly spoke.

"... What do you mean by... Like... You mean like in the movies?" Nick asked with concern. Bogo just had hanging jaw, wondering if this wolf just literally admitted that he held such things.

Marcus snorted and looked at Steve.

"Steve. Off my collar. Expensive suit. Cha cha." The wolf commanded.

"YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD LIE YOU IDIOTIC-"

"MMmhhh, I lied about lying. If I tell someone that I will tell the truth, I keep my word. You should know that by now."

"Marcus... You have ruined us... YOU HAVE RUINED ME!" Garvia yelled, feeling like the wolf had lost last of his sanity.

"You are all overdramatic. I have not ruined everything." Marcus said, trying to make it sound like he had everything under control.

"Explain yourself, Marcus." Judy said, now really wanting to hear everything, just like Bogo and Nick. Even Gerald was wondering what was all this about pit fights.

The wolf took cozy position on his seat and began with a theatric voice, as Steve let go of his collar. None of his mobsters could do nothing but listen as Marcus laid it all on the table.

"I started pit fights years ago. That is how I made a lot of money first. It's not exactly a common way to build an empire through illegal sport... But I did. Along with several other bussinesses. It has been going on for a loooong time. I made the place run like a dream, and before you get alarmed, THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE DEATH inside my cages. It is all just a sport for males and females alike to enjoy. Fighting is what wakes up something primal in us. Especially predators, no matter if we deny it. The rush. That feeling of a roaring crowd, yelling and cheering as two mammals do what the crowd wants. Entertainment. No claws, fangs or anything sharp. Just gloves or band aids around paw, and you are settled. Bets are made, cash runs and mammals fight. Until the other one either gives up... Or gets knocked out. Wait, I finally get to use that nice word again... there is no ULTIMATUM in the act. No killing. Maybe broken bones and such, but that is far as it goes. Now you wonder where the blue stuff comes in. Well, some of the mammals have been tired, drunk, or otherwise felt like they want to skip the fight... So I do what I do, figure solutions. After the whole Bellwether thing, I saw the potential in the substance, but it was too wild, too uncontrolled... So, I got myself a familiar ram, Doug, may the piece of shit rest in peace... And made him to... Lighten up the substance, making it injectable and controlled by other substances, so that it didn't take your sanity and turn you into... Well, what we are truly inside. Animals. Now, the fighters fight even better, with more stamina, maybe might lose control in heat of it all until referee comes to end it before it goes to an ULTIMATUM... Aaand everyone stays happy as I make a lot of money. I guess Garvia here is just feeling a bit threatened by me telling this since he pays for the blue stuff and its manifacturing, but eh, what the hell. So, does that sound simple and nice? It doesn't bother the ZPD, city, or let alone US. Ain't I the genius or what?!" Marcus finished, giving a victory slam on the table and feeling like a king.

Every single of the mobsters had closed their eyes, controlling their emotions and the urge to strangle the wolf, as he had just laid the entire operation on the table, their most valuable thing. Had been for years.

Bogo and Nick were looking at Marcus with the widest eyes possible, not even finding words to this revelation. Nick had, in his former street life, heard of such thing... Because Finnick himself had said he had visited the pits to gamble. But Nick never believed the sand fox, thinking he was high and making things up. Bogo just truly didn't know, how such thing could had existed in HIS CITY and he never even had a clue.

Judy was the first one to say her word in the things Marcus had just said. "... You are crazy."

"Meh, I would consider myself quite sane. Crazy is talking to toasters. Crazy, is thinking that there is a third gender. Crazy, is thinking that Gazelles music is actually good. Crazy, is that-"

"Mister Weston." Bogo said sternly, cutting Marcus' rambling off, not wanting to admit that his last comparison triggered him a bit. The buffalo continued.

"You do understand that you are doomed by admitting what you just did? You and your whole empire are DONE." Bogo stated like it was something Marcus couldn't deny.

"... No." Marcus said, now turning serious.

"No?" Bogo questioned, wondering that this wolf truly was insane in the head.

"Yeah. There is nothing you can do about it." Marcus laid it out. But the look on his mob family's face screamed different. Marcus had fucked up.

"And how do you think that, Mister Weston?" Bogo asked.

Marcus just grinned, leaning on the table and saying everything he meant in most bold tone he could. "Because I am the leader of this city. I am the mayor. I am the kingpin. I am most important figure of this world we know along with Hopps, Gerald and you. And I have prepared for this for a loooong time. I am everywhere. I see everything. I hear everything. My influence in this city is bigger than it ever was. I own the city council, I own politicians, I own half of the underworld of this city. I own the hospitals, restaurants, schools. I OWN THE CITY HALL. I am the monarch of our time... And when it comes to war that you and the ZPD think you are ready of... Guess what, Chief Bogo. You have already lost."

...

Even Gerald was now impressed, raising an eyebrow at the attitude the wolf had. His mob family was now quiet, Zed looking surprised and proud, despite the wolf's foolishness. But he had just set the tone clear on the table, without making his words fancy. He had said his part... And right now... Bogo looked furious. He was literally trembling. Nick was scared, because Marcus was not fucking around. He had laid his cards on the desk boldly, and even Judy, now wide-eyed and silent, couldn't bring her mind to come up with a counter attack to this statement. Because it was true. This was huge. And it could take decades for them to defeat Marcus at his own game...

Except they had things to fight back with. The carrot pen, having recorder just everything... Zac and David in custody, in case they would witness... And the chief and his words still carried heavy respect in the city as they should.

But it was clear. Marcus was ready for war. And now he was calling the ZPD out on their bluff... Was the ZPD ready for war?

Judy definitely gave her answer now that she had thought it through.

"You are out of your mind if you think that after everything you just said, we wouldn't do our duty. You can't call yourself a good mammal after everything you said. I don't know how you could even think such a thing in the first place." Judy said, sounding genuine and really wondering what this wolf was on about.

Marcus was quiet for a moment, then answering back with understanding tone and nodded.

"That is your opinion, Judy. But you have to understand that this city is built on a crime. The hospitals out of my money, save lives... The schools out of my money, educate our kits... And the shelters out of my money, give home to homeless. That is what my empire created. Does that sound evil to you?" Marcus asked with genuine tone.

"..." Judy couldn't really answer to that. Because now Marcus was making point Judy hadn't even noticed.

"It doesn't make you any better. Just because you bought all these things, doesn't make a better mammal in my eyes. The things you did that bought are still founded by blood and crime and fights. And you deserve to go to jail for that, just like your whole mob family." Bogo said sternly.

"A negative way to look at it. I thought better of you, Chief Bogo." Marcus said with a bored tone.

"Looks like are in a disagreement." Gerald stated bluntly, not knowing what to really feel.

"Gerald... Did you know about this?" Judy asked quietly from the shrew in question. Now Fru and Nick looked at shrew as well, wondering if he did. Gerald looked at them all and stated.

"... Yes. I have let them do their business their way and I have my way. I have stayed out of making profit with violence." Gerald said.

Bogo felt some small relief, because if Gerald wasn't involved, they didn't have to go to war with two mobsters at the same time.

The buffalo now turned to Marcus and spoke.

"So, Mister Weston. We can end this all right now. I am giving you the option." Bogo said calmly.

"... And what is that?" Marcus asked.

"You can surrender. Along with all of you. Right now. And we don't have to do this. We will be hunting your organization, every phone call, every mammal around the clock. We will make it so that you can't even sleep without us looking at all of you... Or we can end this before it even begins and do this now." Bogo said. But Judy and Nick knew this was for nothing.

Marcus gave wide smile to Bogo, the mobsters around him looking Bogo like he was now the crazy one. Marcus was silent for a while, looking at the serious buffalo and spoke.

"I'll pass... But I do admit, Bogo. You got balls." Marcus smirked. Judy now just felt really uncomfortable. Because as young and ambitious a she was... She felt like this was something they were not ready for truly, even if their duty commanded it. This was all just too much. So she had to suddenly ask for assistance from the mammal next to him.

"Nicholas... You haven't said a word to this... What do you think about... All of this?"

The fox now looked at Judy, wondering if this was really his place to say anything. Because in the end... He was nowhere near Bogo's or Judy's status. He was just a regular cop among others.

"I... Umm..." Nick began. Judy's way of looking at him adding on the pressure.

"I would like to hear Nick's take in this, as well. I never asked how you felt about all this?" Marcus asked genuinely with interest.

Bogo now looked at his officer with serious gaze, because what Nick was going to say, meant something to him as well. Nick might have been a normal cop... But still, he was more important than he understood. He was the first fox officer and hero to many after all.

"I... I just think that we should take a... You know... I don't really know what to... I don't think we should do this. Neither of you know... Us." Nick said, trying to make his brain work and think how to lay his case here.

As he now had everyone's attention, he tried to offer a solution.

"I think we should... Take a break. I am not saying that we would drop the case. It's not even about how I feel, but ZPD will start this no matter what, unless you do what Bogo says. You know what this will all start, Marcus. I will follow Judy anywhere... And if she decides to do what she was born to do, I will follow her no matter what."

Judy now gave a longing look at Nick, meeting his gaze.

"Oh how fucking romantic, get on with it." Garvia suddenly said, almost puking. At that moment William wanted to go and give a nice punch to the ram's face, because he was really fascinated to listen to his son.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, GARVIA." Marcus said with a death glare at the ram, making him shut down the attitude immediately. As Nick also gave an annoyed look at Garvia's way, Marcus spoke to Nick gently.

"Go on."

"... I am not offering a true solution here. Nothing final. But let's make it this way. You let us willingly investigate your organization after ten days. No more or less. City is in chaos right now... The fire has been barely out for a day. Mammals are scared. Everyone is. Zootopia has never had something like this happen to it. Whoever it was who wanted to have us killed, is very powerful and crazy, because he was ready to kill a building full of mammals of all age for TWO mammals. Right now, I think Judy and I are being targeted for who knows what reason, and now on top of all the stress and fear, cops and civilians have alike. We should go to war and use whole force's resources and time to hunt Marcus and the mammals in this room, WHEN THIS CITY NEEDS US now more than ever? We have to patrol, keep everyone reminded that we are there for everyone. That nothing has changed. That this whole attack that happened, was something we all want to believe will never happen again. Something like this may happen again, who knows. It's possible. But shouldn't we do everything to stop it? Calming the citizens and showing the same or even more presence, holding more interviews and telling flat out truth about the events of the hotel would be a good start. But they should be reminded that we, us... The cops ended it before it truly got out of hand. MARCUS did too. His mobsters helped in saving lives that day just as much. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO. He could had let us burn or kill us in the building even. That was his chance. Perfect even. He could have gotten rid of all of us and city would have been truly his by the next day, no one there to truly try to stop him, because Bogo would be gone too. Marcus had that opportunity. He had mine, Judy's and Oliver's life in his hands, but he saved us! No matter his reasons, no matter if he is... So sure of his future... We are alive in this room because of him, whether we like it or not. It's all the same. We are not so different from each other, if we look at it. We all seem to have the same goal. We want the best for the mammals of this city. We want everyone to live happy and not in fear. We both need to work together in this. EVEN IT IS TEMPORARY. We have to now do what we know we can do. And after we have seen it is time... That we have settled the smoke enough to see that finally have time for this... Our differences together... Their time will come then. But it shouldn't come now. And you all should see it. So what I offer is, let's put this black smoke out together... And make a deal when the city is ready to even breathe."

Now everyone looked most intrigued, not even knowing how good a speaker Nick was. So far, everyone started to wake up to the simplest, most forgotten fact. This was almost just as bad as Bellwether case had been, and right now they were at each other's throats when they were supposed to calm everyone down and work together. William actually smiled, feeling hate for himself from the fact that he never was there to have talks with his son, and to see he was just like him... Smart, peaceful and just so charismatic in his own right, he just felt all the times he had lost. Because he was so proud of this fox right now.

Marcus smiled and then spoke.

"You should be a chief rather than the buffalo you follow, Wilde. Just saying." Marcus said, looking at Bogo with a disappointed look. Bogo paid no mind to this, both him and Judy looking at Nick and wondering his words.

"... I... Nick is right. Chief, I agree-"

"What deal, Officer Wilde?" Bogo then asked, wanting Nick to clarify that. Nick then swallowed and continued.

"We will make a deal until we have to choose war or something... Else. YOU, all of you mobsters. Marcus. You will let us watch over Hailie and you will swear right here on your mob honor, that you don't have harmful intentions on Hailie Garnett. If you do, you force the ZPD to the choice Bogo wants here. That is the first part of the deal. Second, you will let us see your fighting pits. We have to see ourselves how the system works, the bookings, interview the fighters and interrogate them if must. Because if ONE mammal has accidently died during this, you are to blame. You say there hasn't been such... We will find out. Thirdly, you are going to turn in every single mammal that works for you in the force, by your word of honor. EVERY single one of them. I trust your word. But if we are going to start the chess game you are so eager to get, you can't cheat, Marcus. We have none of yours as an informant. That means you can't have one of us either. And it's simple, cops who take bribes and work behind our back, are not one of us nor deserve to be. I don't want a mammal behind me I can't trust, let alone Judy's or any of the officers in the station. We will do the same, even Bogo won't like this. Zac goes to jail, there is no other place for him... BUT DAVID... We will give him to you. I know you all think about murdering him. I'm sure he has lot to tell about your... Umm... Things you have done, just like the informants in our ranks have about our movements on the city. So David is yours-"

"Excuse me, officer Wilde?" Bogo asked like he was not hearing his ears.

Marcus had never looked as serious and interested as he did now, and Nick continued as others listened, everyone ignoring Bogo.

"David is yours, and you will NOT kill him. He will not tell us anything, but you will make sure he can go on with his life... IF he tells both the ZPD, and YOU, the name of who ordered this attack, IF he knows it... It is a fair deal that benefits both... And brings the truth out." Nick said quietly, trying to not look at Garvia. Nick spoke one more time.

"Finally... Last one. You will not make another bottle of blue stuff. Ever again. You will make no more money with it. Mammals will die to it, Marcus. Lose their sanity. It just goes slower than the real night howler. Simon was the living picture of it. If you are as good a mammal as you claim, you have to see... Whatever you try to do to keep up your... Fighting pits. THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER. It is not. So, all the possible amount of that stuff left that you have in your possession... You will dispose of it, under the ZPD's supervision. IF some mammals unknown to you still have it, there is nothing we can do. But it will be gone within a few months, because the main distributor is out of that business. This is the final thing to ask... If all these are met after within ten days of peace... The ZPD, Marcus and his mammals, have a cleaner table when we are having this discussion again. And hopefully much more trust in each other and common ground... Or maybe even a better future for Zootopia. Does this sound like deal to you, Marcus, Uncle? Nick asked with his hands in akimbo, exhaling as he had finished.

Now the room was quiet and even middle of silence, Gerald had to speak.

"I have to say, Nicky... I would have never expected such good terms of a deal come under this roof today, by you no less. That was wise. Only question is... Do you both agree to these terms? It would be my honor, to be witness in this decision of mutual respect by both." Gerald stated with a nod. Judy after hearing that from Gerald, just wanted to ask where did this all come from?

Nick was either the greatest negotiator ever, or Judy just hasn't realized how smart her fox actually was. The deal was even good for her tastes. And she knew that they might even turn this all into their victory, if they were smart.

"Deal." Marcus suddenly said, handing over his paw on the table, pointing straight to Bogo.

"MARCUS, WHAT THE HELL?! There is no way you have thought this through!" Steve yelled, even Garvia objecting. But William and Zed thought it actually sounded like a deal they could keep.

James and Jones saw Steve and Garvia turn their way, asking for assistance.

"We... We follow Marcus and his leadership. If he says it's a deal, it is. We can take this deal, because it means that we can still walk way as winners and dodge jail. This is like making the deal the ZPD has with Big now... Almost." James pointed out.

"Bogo?" Judy asked quietly, the buffalo looking at everyone and wondering truly, what he should say. Because he didn't like this at all, but the deal was good. He couldn't deny it by logic.

"I don't know if I can trust him." Bogo said, looking at Marcus straight in the eyes.

"You can." Marcus said with genuine tone.

"... Ten days." Bogo said, before handing his hoove over.

"... Ten it is. I will keep my promise. Blue stuff will be gone. Along with all the other promises."

"THE BLUE STUFF IS OUR BEST INCOME RIGHT NOW-" Garvia began in rage.

"So what? Garvia, you own restaurants. Hotels. You are rich. I am rich, Every single mammal under my service is a millionare. We have tens of millions each. Why bother risking it all just to have tens of millions more?" Marcus asked.

"HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS-"

"MONEY is not all this is about. We are making it. We don't have to be greedy. I am not willing to have an accident where I turn half of the teenagers and adults in our city into junkies and drive the city into chaos. The hell with that. The blue stuff will be GONE. Ten days. We will get rid of it ALL." Marcus said, his decision being final. But Garvia was shaking of anger, wanting to kill them all.

"Chief Bogo... Deal?" Marcus said, waiting for the response.

Bogo looked at Judy... Then at Nick, the fox begging for the buffalo to take the offer. Finally, the buffalo looked at Big... And made his choice.

"... Deal." He said, grabbing the paw. This time there was no hostile squeeze.

"What have you done..." Steve said quietly to Marcus, feeling like he was going to shout the loudest he ever had at this wolf after the dinner was done.

Nick and Judy exhaled with a relaxed look. William smiling and feeling like they did the best deal ever. Even for the mammals of the city. MAYBE.

After the pawshake, Bogo rose up right away, giving a snarky look at black wolf who smiled with a determined victory in his face.

"We will take our leave now. The discussion is over and the deal is made. That doesn't mean that I have to still spend time in the same room with this wolf no more than nessacery." Bogo grunted, looking Gerald's way.

"Excuse us, Gerald. Thank you for the evening." Bogo thanked respectfully.

"My pleasure." Gerald nodded back, allowing his guests to leave.

"Tata! I will keep in touch these next ten days." Marcus said, waving to Bogo with a smirk.

"Wait, Bogo!" Judy yelled, storming off from her seat as she had to run after the chief. Nick ran right after her, and as Bogo passed through the double doors, Judy turned around with Nick to give bows to their hosts.

"Thank you for the meal, Gerald!" Judy said, giving nod and earning chuckle from Big.

"No worries, darling. We shall do this soon again. Don't keep your chief waiting. Night is late." Gerald said warmly.

"Thank you." Judy said, giving a nod at Fru, with a quick look at the mobsters. She then just ran off after Bogo.

Just as Nick was about to leave with her, William spoke.

"Nic- Officer Wilde. Very well spoken." The old fox added proudly.

"Indeed, Nicholas. You saw a solution that none of us did. You would have been amazing as a mobster." Marcus added, giving a genuine smile to the fox as well. Marcus really admired Nick.

"... Thanks. I guess." Nick said with an uncertain smile, hearing Judy yell after him from the hallway.

"Nick!"

"Go. We will talk soon again, Nick. You will see me sooner than you expect. Tell that to Judy too." The black wolf said, winking at Nick.

The fox then gave hesitant nod, not really understanding and storming after Judy.

Just like that... After the door closed, room was quiet again. Until Garvia started yelling, but that wasn't heard by Nick and the ZPD anymore.

...

"Officer Wilde, you overstepped your position. You spoke on my behalf-" Bogo began right away with a disappointed look and strong voice.

"I know, Uncle! And I'm sorry, but-"

"I do not care. The deal is made and now we have to go with it, and GIVE them our only mammal who might have been possible-"

"Look, Bogo! I tried to-" Nick argued back, knowing how angry Bogo was.

"Chief, Nick made very good deal back there-" Judy began.

"Chief!" Someone yelled, coming to the hallway suddenly.

"What now?" Bogo began, all three turning to look who it was.

It was Oliver... And he was all ruffled, drunk as one can be. He was swinging from side to side and barely even walking.

"Iiii ah haveee feelingg that I ammhh... Drunk." Oliver said, giving a small laugh after.

"WHAT ON EARTH, OFFICER HOWLTON?!" Bogo roared, feeling like he was going crazy. His officer was reeking of wine as he came to them.

"Heeeyyy alll of yaahh... I... Faiillleed my.. HNG... Mission..." Oliver began, wobbling.

"Oliver... Buddy, how many drinks have you had?" Nick asked, looking at Oliver wide-eyed with Judy.

"Iii... Too many... I toolllddd... Hailiee that shee caaaan't... Go out with that assholee of a wolffhnn... And she madeee itt clearrhh... That shee... Ratherr chosee him than meeee...

That makessss meee... Well... I feel like shit." Oliver finished, getting balance from leaning against Bogo.

"She... Said that?" Judy asked, giving Oliver support as well and wondered if Oliver was talking truth.

"Sheee diiid.. Sheee sayss shee will go out with hiimm no matterrr what... I think... That I have worstt... Luck inthee wooorlld... I wiilllh... NEver find love... I suck... At everything... I am even... Hhh... Missing piece of uh earrr andd... Because of thatt thiggeer I am missing like... THree teeth.. Makes me really depressed... Can I sleep here?" Oliver muttered, looking like he was about to cry.

"Oh boy.." Judy whispered quietly, Nick feeling really bad just listening to Oliver right now because it could be seen that this drunk session was to ease the pain inside.

Bogo now sighed as deeply as he could, closing his eyes and suddenly talking

"Officer Hopps... Officer Wilde..."

Both knew that the tone was bad. Whatever he was about to say.

"Because of all this mess... And the fact that someone is targeting you two... I am going to give you two a deal as well, since this seems like a day everyone likes to do them for me. You two. You two are going to Bunnyburrow to lay low. You will take the first train in the morning, and you will be there as long as I want, until I get to hold on to our part of the deal. I will not have you two killed. Hopps, your team will handle everything here in the meanwhile. You are taking a vacation and you are taking it with Wilde. STARTING TOMORROW."

"... WHAT?! NO, BOGO NONONON YOU CAN'T!" Judy started yelling, her tone asking what had she done wrong. Nick went speechless, not knowing what to think about the sudden announcement.

But then Bogo roared. "THERE IS A MANIAC KILLER ON THE LOOSE THAT WANTS YOU TWO DEAD. We don't know who, but right now, he might try to attempt it again and we can't have that in the middle of these ten days, while ZPD is fully working with the mobsters! We need complete focus, and as much as I don't like it, I can't have you two in the middle of it all! You two are going to Bunnyburrow tomorrow by the first train, and YOU WILL DO AS I SAY-"

"Bogo, don't do this-"

"OR I WILL SEPARATE YOU TWO AS PARTNERS!" Bogo yelled.

Now Nick's and Judy's face went to horror, as Nick started to wave his paws, his ears pinned back.

"WOWOWOWOOWW, to the Bunnyburrow we go! TOMORROW. First train. Vacation. Lay low. GOT IT!" Nick yelled, making sure to Bogo that he understood.

Judy just looked at Bogo with a sad expression, but it was not going to work this time. Bogo had made up his mind. And there was no way that even Judy was going to separate from Nick. Not now. Not in the middle of all this.

"... F-fine... Chief." Judy said quietly, making Bogo nod and feel like he went too far. But he didn't take it back. Suddenly Oliver spoke.

"Waaiiittt... I'm feeling dizzy... ANd quite.. Bad." Oliver muttered.

"And you will take Officer Howlton with you. He looks like he deserves a needed vacation... Considering his recent days." Bogo said.

"WHAT?" Judy asked, wondering if Bogo was serious.

"We are taking... Oliver with us?" Nick asked, wondering if Bogo was kidding.

"Yes. He will be there to report to me on everything, and he will protect-"

BLUUUURURHHHHHhggghh...

Oliver suddenly let out, puking the red wine right onto Bogo's foot. Nick and Judy took a step back, Bogo's jaw dropping as Oliver muttered after making a mess on his foot and the mat. Oliver just chuckled.

"Shoorry, Boogooo... I think I need mooore wiiiine."