Hello everyone.
Thank you for being patient with me, the new chapter is here. I'd also like to express my gratitude to Cimar and Demotivation for their advice and suggestions about the chapter. Thanks, guys!
I do hope that I'll be able to write the new chapter faster than the previous ones. I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best.
IMPORTANT! - this chapter contains a very M rated scene, which could be disturbing for some readers. I have placed a trigger warning in the text, should some choose to skip it. Read at your own risk.
Also, to briefly mention some music that inspired parts of this chapter:
Monster - Skillet - The very beginning of the chapter.
Bring It On - Nathaniel Dawkins (Yuri Boyka edit) - For the part when Nick opens a certain door. (I believe you'll know when you see it)
And that would be all for the AN.
Let's get to it.
The fox beelined for the nearest street, crossing the tram rails in a blur. Savagery propelled him like rocket fuel, yet he could still hear a voice behind him.
"GET BACK HERE!"
It wasn't the matter of where he was going, the farther the better. The city before his eyes was becoming a blur. The screams behind him were morphing into an unintelligible string of noises.
A tiger came into his field of view. The predator stepped right in front of him, spreading his arms, apparently trying to stop him. Nick didn't even slow down when his shoulder rammed into his side, knocking the large mammal to the ground. Faces and shop signs became a smudge with his sight focused solely at the very front.
He took a sharp turn, using claws to avoid slipping on the snow, right into a narrow alleyway, traversing between trash piles. And he could still hear the relentless pursuer behind him. Nick considered shooting a brief glance over his shoulder to check if he wasn't paranoid. That moment of thought cost him half a second of focus. This resulted in bolting out of the alley right into the street.
A sedan rammed into the fox's side, sending him tumbling over the top of the car. He fell down on the road and after a few rolls got up to his paws.
Nick shook his head to disperse the ringing. His whole body was aching, but he didn't feel as if anything was broken. What would've crippled a regular fox, was only a slowing factor to the savage one.
"Nick!" Judy's voice called from nearby.
He couldn't even tell whether it was angry or worried. His paws made a decision for him and propelled him to flee. His feet tried to find a secluded place, but his mind was in complete disarray. In his blind escape a blur came up right in front of him. The fox skidded to a halt right before it and the image became clear enough for him to recognize a young rabbit.
Nick's senses screamed and his mouth salivated at the sudden meeting. With a strained grunt, the fox pressed his foot against the ground and launched himself back towards the street. His savage instinct signaled him to grab onto a lamp pole and he did so, effectively changing his trajectory to avoid another car. The fox abandoned the pavement in favor of leaping from one parked car to another. This allowed him to ditch the trouble of dodging the passerbys. Also, thanks to this he could…
Landing on all fours, he catapulted himself to the other side of the street.
...build some additional distance from his pursuer.
He bolted into a nearby alleyway, zigzagging between dumpsters by the walls. Once he ran for a while and took a few turns, hidden away from anyone on the streets, Nick grabbed the edge of the nearest dumpster and lowered his head. His heart was beating like crazy.
"Stupid… Stupid, dumb fox!" he exclaimed before slamming his head against the metal dumpster. The impact was enough to blur his vision, but not enough to stop his savagery.
The fox snarled and curled his fingers on the metal. He shook his head frantically, fighting for scraps of control. However, his savage side wouldn't obey. Nick jerked away, hitting something with his back. The fox spun around, swinging his fist at whatever was behind him. A metal trash can received a blow that sent it flying down the alley, spilling the garbage all over the place. His claws were still aching to sink into rabbit flesh. He grasped his head with one paw and used the other to grab the nearby metal ladder from fire escape stairs. Squeezing his eyes shut from the searing pain in his skull, Nick did not notice how his aching fingers began to slowly bend the metal in his grip.
"Nick…"
His eyes flew open and he snapped his head towards the source of the voice.
Judy was standing in the alley, panting.
Her eyes were wide open as she stared directly at his face.
What Nick didn't notice was the fact that he lost his glasses somewhere along the chase.
The bunny was looking straight into his savage eyes.
"You…" she gasped. "Those aren't contact lenses…"
His wild instincts flared up again upon the sight of a meal. The thought flooded his mind and it took just seconds for him to start salivating.
Meanwhile, Judy took a step in his direction. "This- You weren't pretending anything at the bank!"
He also stepped towards her. His uncurled fingers were slightly twitching.
"How did this happen, Nick?" she demanded.
But the fox did not reply and kept getting closer.
The lack of response and a tingling feeling at the back of her spine made her take a step back.
He leapt.
Judy had the reflexes to jump to the side, rolling on the ground.
Nick landed on all fours, claws scratching the concrete. He immediately launched himself at the rabbit again.
Being smaller than him, Judy managed to roll under the fox. Jumping to her legs, she stared at her friend with panic. That is, if she could call a friend the salivating, savage fox in front of her.
Nick growled as he approached her once more.
The doe did a quick sweep of their surroundings with her eyes. Just as the fox crouched for another attack, Judy grabbed a nearby bottle and threw it at his head. The predator only raised an arm and it bounced off it. But that moment was enough for Judy to scurry to the knocked over trash cans.
Her attacker jumped at her back.
The bunny spun around and swung her arms at him. The solid lid from the trash can hit the fox's face with metallic clang.
Nick stumbled back a step, but immediately growled and sprung back to attack her, claws firs-
He froze.
Judy did not waste any time and grabbed another lid. With one in each paw, the bunny slammed them both at the fox's head.
The savage predator let out a breathless grunt and collapsed to the ground.
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Nick's consciousness slowly emerged from the darkness and he groaned. His head ached like hell. Hauling his eyes open, the fox first saw blurriness, which soon focused into an image of a bunny sitting on a large metal garbage container.
Her face was like a blank slate.
She noticed his awakening and looked him in the eye. "Since when?" Her voice was emotionless.
"I-"
"When?"
He looked away, struggling to get the words out. "That night… at the museum…"
Judy stared at him. "You lied to me."
His heart got pierced with guilt.
"I trusted you, Nick. And you lied to me."
Shame joined guilt in stabbing his heart right through.
"I… I…" Nick moved his mouth, trying to say something. Anything.
Her eyes were as unmoved as her voice. "I'm sure you have some elaborate excuse at paw. Let's hear it."
Nick swallowed dryly. "Carrots, I-"
"Do not call me 'Carrots'."
If that was meant to hurt, he definitely felt it. Another spear straight into his heart. He wanted to speak, leaning forward, but that's when he realized that he couldn't move. His entire torso was tightly wrapped with rope. He was actually tied to something behind his back.
"Oh, you're not going anywhere." She slipped down to the ground and approached him, paws on her hips. "So? What do you have to say?"
Nick looked up, feeling his heartbeat accelerating while his breathing became shallow. Seeing her eyes looking down on him made it hard for him to not choke on his words. "I swear… I was going to tell you today."
"Really? And why should I believe you?"
He bit his lip in silence.
"Maybe I shouldn't, because you've been lying to me," she raised her voice, "for the past ten months!" At this point her voice began cracking. "You made me believe that you can do better than this!"
He raised his voice in panic. "I was scared!"
"Of what?!"
"That… That you'll hate me…" he muttered.
Judy shook her head. "Really? How do you think I feel now?"
Nick could only stare hopelessly at her face. One of his worst nightmares was coming to life right in front of him.
"Really, I was going to tell you!"
"Well, sorry, but I don't exactly feel like believing that."
A rusty knife slicing him sluggishly in half wouldn't hurt as much as her words.
"Ca- Judy… Please… It's still me."
She simply stared at him. "I'm no longer sure who you are…"
Nick's eyes widened.
It was the voice. An eerie mix of sadness and void, which he never heard before. He could feel that voice stabbing his body with a million needles. It wasn't about being upset. She wasn't simply angry. Nick felt tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
Judy Hopps has lost faith in him.
He could feel his chest burning from the inside, turning every intake of air into a torture. "Please…" he barely croaked. "I'm begging you…"
She simply shook her head again. "You kept lying to me...."
Nick saw a watery glint in the corner of her eye and he cursed his eyes for noticing it. In terms of physics it was but an insignificant droplet of water. For him, however… The fox felt as if another mountain of guilt fell upon him.
He failed her. He lost her trust. And now he made her cry…
Nick slowly hung his head in shame unlike any he has ever experienced.
"I'm sorry…" he barely whispered.
No words followed for a while and they were surrounded only by the sounds of the city.
Judy was the first one to speak again. "To be honest, I have a lot of questions..." She took a shaky breath. "But right now… I don't want to hear you talk."
Nick raised his teary eyes and opened his mouth.
"Don't!" She barked at him, causing the fox to flinch. The doe reached into the pocket of her pants to pull out her phone. "I am still suspended, but I will call someone who will officially detain you."
From searing pain, Nick's heart shifted into freezing terror. "Wait… You're not…"
"I gave you many chances so far." She tapped one of the contacts on the screen. "But it looks like you need someone to do it for you."
Nick struggled in his confines. "No! You can't!" Panic creeped into his voice.
Judy simply narrowed her eyes and raised the phone to her ear. "Hey, I know you're on patrol, but could you do me a favor?" Her gaze shifted back to Nick. "I have found a suspect that needs apprehending."
All life drained from the fox's face. "Judy… No…"
She said their location to the phone, ended the call and fixed him a glare. "You will stay right here until officers pick you up and bring you in for an official questioning."
"This… It's a trick, right?" Nick's voice clung to an illusion of hope. "Like in Bunny Burrow. You didn't actually call anyone…" He already knew it was a lie, right when the words left his mouth. He could faintly hear a voice in the speaker during the call.
All was lost…
Nick hung his head, staring mindlessly at the ground. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could say…
He was so lost in his dark thoughts that he barely registered footsteps in the alley.
"Wilde?"
"Nick?"
The voices made him drag his head upwards to see the surprised faces of his fellow officers.
Jackie's gaze jumped between Judy and her fox colleague. "Okay… What's going on here?"
Marcus said nothing, only crossed his arms on his chest, staring at Nick.
The doe faced the fox. "As I have just discovered, we still have a savage mammal on the loose."
As she had her back to them, Judy didn't see how the two predators exchanged a quick glance. Jackie was visibly fighting for words, with her face undecided on what it should express. As usual, Marcus took charge, stepping forward.
"Hold on… You called us here for a suspect." He pointed at the bound fox. "Are you implying…"
"Yes," Judy confirmed firmly. "Nicholas Wilde is a savage mammal."
Jackie glanced desperately at the tiger, hoping for a hint. The striped predator rolled his eyes and made an overdramatic, surprised face for a brief moment.
The cheetah nodded and adorned a seriously shocked expression. "Say what?! Nick is?!" She raised her voice, lacing it with disbelief. "How's that possible? When did it even happen?"
Judy kept glaring at Nick. "Before you met at the Academy."
Marcus let out a sigh. "So you're saying we've spent several months next to a savage fox?" He clicked his tongue and his voice became rough. At the same time his tail began swiping left and right in agitation. "You've lied to us." The tiger leaned down to the miserable fox and sent him a wink. "Anything to say, Wilde?"
The sly Nick would probably go along with the act, but the current one felt completely empty. He was hanging motionlessly on his bindings, with his ears flat against his head.
Marcus saw the blank expression on his face. "So be it…" The tiger straightened up and turned to Judy. "We'll take it over from here."
Jackie wasn't going to drag on her performance, so she simply approached Nick and reached for the rope. "Geez, where did you get this?" She directed the question at the bunny.
The doe shrugged. "A shop around the corner."
"Whatever." Marcus also stepped forward. "I'd rather not make this an official arrest, so I'm going to ask you to cooperate. Or do we have to cuff you?"
Nick did not respond, only stared at the ground.
Judy eyed the apathetic fox before turning to the tiger. "I should go back and check up on Will. Please deal with him." She indicated the tied up mammal.
Marcus nodded to that. "Yeah, you can count on that."
The mention of the buck's name ignited a spark back into Nick's eyes. *No… If I were to be detained…" His eyes shot up to see Judy leave. "Don't trust William!" he yelled after her.
The bunny stopped and turned her head.
The fox pulled at the rope around him. "He's a liar!"
She spared him an indifferent gaze. "Because it takes one to know one?" The doe shot a mocking reply and walked away.
Nick could only sit hopelessly, watching how her back disappears around the corner. *It's… over. She's- she's gone… She will never believe me again… She will never…* His mind kept sinking, casting his thoughts into a bottomless pit.
"We might need a solid knife to cut these," Marcus said, a little bit louder than necessary. "This rope is rather sturdy and it would take forever to claw through it."
Jackie was about to speak when the tiger put a finger to his mouth. Then he pointed at one of his ears.
The cheetah made an 'ah, right' face.
"Spots, can you go back to the car and bring one?" Marcus instructed his partner.
"Yeah, right away." She nodded in response before heading to their cruiser, which was parked right outside the alley.
The striped feline remained in the alley with the shadow of what once was Nick Wilde. 'Miserable' was a far too generous word to describe him. The large predator shook his head at this sight.
Jackie was soon back, holding a sheathed knife in her paw. "The coast is clear, Judy's gone."
Marcus let out a sigh. "What the heck did you pull off, Wilde?"
"Yeah," Jackie joined in. "How'd you get busted?"
They only received silence.
Seeing the lack of reaction, the cheetah nudged his shoulder. "Hey."
The fox blinked sluggishly and raised fogged over eyes.
"How. Did she. Find out?" Jackie delivered the words slowly and clearly.
Nick blinked again with the same speed.
"I…" he croaked, and for a while it was the only sound that left his mouth.
His friends raised their brows, waiting.
"I… couldn't...hold it in…"
They didn't say anything, in case there was more, but Nick fell silent again.
Jackie placed her paws on her hips. "What? The urge to punch someone through their face?"
This made the fox's ears twitch a little. "I… saw him… he smiled and… he... " With every word his eyes seemed to come back to life. "He smiled. He… smiled right in my face. That slimy bastard. That maggot, piece of trash…"
"Uh, Stripes…" Jackie sidestepped closer to the tiger. "Should his eyes be turning red?"
Nick's head snapped up, staring at them with savage eyes. The whites of his eyes were visibly riddled with blood vessels. He strained in his confinement and the rope creaked.
"Cool off, Rambo." Jackie's paw slowly headed to the tranq gun holster on her hip.
"And what do you think you'll do?" Marcus inquired of the fox in an unimpressed tone.
"I'll make him talk!" Nick hissed.
"By force? And make Hopps even more upset?"
The fox struggled more vigorously. "The female I love is with a guy who is a liar and definitely up to something!"
Marcus remained composed. "Then we'll investigate it."
Nick ground his teeth and raised his voice. "Judy has to see the truth! And I can't even approach her, because she won't listen to me! Do you have any idea how it feels?!"
"Yeah, I sure do."
Their friend froze when the meaning behind the calm words hit him. *Right… He knows…* Nick suddenly felt like a very dumb fox.
Marcus held his gaze while folding his large arms. "Give her time. She needs to process it."
Jackie nodded. "Nick… It'll be okay." She crouched to place a paw on his shoulder.
The fox wasn't convinced that it would be the case. The smirk he saw earlier was making all of his alarm bells roar to the high heavens. *But what can I do…*
"For now," the tiger crouched down, holding the knife, "we will have to follow up with Hopps' request to take you in. And no arguing. This has been dragged long enough. You would need to face this one day, anyway."
Nick hung his head. "Whatever…"
Marcus eyed him cautiously and started slowly cutting the rope. At the same time he cast a glance at his partner. When he made sure that she caught his gaze, the tiger shifted his stare to the gun by her hip.
Jackie's eyes slightly widened when she understood his silent suggestion. She swallowed and put her paw on the holster again.
Meanwhile, the rope has been cut and the tiger officer unwrapped the fox.
"Nick… I don't want to do this the hard way."
The mammal before him was motionless.
Jackie undid the buckle of the holster.
Marcus tensed under his uniform. "Nick?"
The fox kicked the ground, catapulting himself upwards.
"No!" Jackie drew her tranq gun.
Their savage friend grabbed the fire escape ladder and climbed up with blurring speed.
"Shit!" Marcus cursed and jumped to climb after him. The striped feline was leaping from level to level, while Nick was using the stairs.
Jackie raised her arms to aim and let out agonizing hiss. A surge of pain was merciless in reminding her of the injuries. She clicked her tongue and looked up, just when the fox was close to the top.
Nick jumped over the edge of the building, but Marcus was persistently following and arrived at the roof as well. But that was only for him to see Nick already halfway to the other edge of the snow covered surface, running on all fours.
The tiger aimed his tranq gun and pulled the trigger.
The dart cut the air and was just inches away from the fox, when he jumped on the brick parapet and launched himself forward. The dart bounced off the hard surface.
Nick flew above the alley and landed, his paws sliding on the snow covered roof on the other side. He immediately scrambled back to his feet and darted forward, to the next roof.
Marcus lowered his gun and cursed under his breath. "Shit…"
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Judy headed straight for the precinct. Her mind was filled with a raging fire. The conversation she had with Nick didn't do anything to disperse the shock of discovering his secret. And it fit into all of his erratic behavior recently. The angry outburst in the bank, strange escapes, she even remembered the increased appetite…
How could he?
With all that they've been through together, all the situations in recent days, when he constantly apologized and promised to improve… The doe grit her teeth in frustration. She meant it when she told him that someone needs to sort it out for him. It was high time for him to answer for what he's done on his own. She won't be stepping in to help him with this.
How could he?!
And... Even amidst all that burning anger, her heart ached…
It felt as if something broke inside. A bond that was weaved for the past months… She couldn't feel it anymore. A gaping hole in her soul. One she didn't know whether it would ever heal...
This thought made her stop. Her small body was shaking, and she couldn't even tell whether from anger or… something else.
The doe shook her head and forced her legs to move again. After a few more minutes, her feet brought her back to the precinct and into the lobby.
Clawhauser raised his paw to wave at her as she approached, but he stopped after seeing her expression. "Uh… I saw how you got into an argument with Nick…"
She shrugged and screened the area of the lobby with her eyes. "Where's Will?"
"Um, I heard he went for a check-up at the medical office." Clawhauser shifted uneasily in his seat. "Judy… What happened with, you know, with Nick?"
Her eyes were already set on the staircase leading to the first floor where the mentioned office was located. "He'll be here soon, together with Marcus and Jackie. Sorry," she waved her paw, "I need to see how Will is doing."
The plump cheetah watched her march away. He scratched the back of his head. "Oh boy…"
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"Hey, Judy." The buck visibly brightened up at the sight of his girlfriend. He was sitting on an exam table.
"Hey," she showed him a small smile and waved her fingers at him. "How are you feeling?"
"Well, my neck hurts a bit, but nothing apart from that," he shrugged with a light face.
Nodding to that, Judy turned to the other mammal in the room.
"How is he, Gerold?" She addressed the lynx doctor.
The predator sighed. "He's got a bruised neck, so I did an x-ray, just to be safe. Fortunately, everything seems to be fine. And," he folded his arms, "he refuses to say who did this to him."
The doe shot her boyfriend an inquiring look, to which he shrugged with an innocent face.
"You are both aware that fights between officers are prohibited. I am required to report this," he huffed. "But you muscleheads never seem to care or feel like talking."
William waved his paws in front of him. "It's no big deal, really. We'll sort it out between ourselves." It wasn't exactly anything new around the precinct. Being a police officer was a highly stressful job and sometimes mammals could snap at each for trivial things. And the unspoken rule among officers was You Do Not Drop Your Fellows In The Cacky. If it's just something between colleagues, you deal with it yourself, without alarming the Internal Affairs.
Gerold pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Whatever… But you should know that you could've had your throat crushed, so you better really sort it out with whatever bear or tiger who did this to you."
Hearing his words, Judy turned her worried gaze to the buck. She jumped up on the tall chair and gently brushed the fur on the side of his neck. This revealed some of the reddish skin underneath.
"Uh, I'm fine, really," William reassured her.
Judy wasn't convinced. She saw what Nick's savage strength could do and she was grateful to Gerold for being extra cautious and doing the x-ray. It made her shiver just to think what those paws could do to the buck's neck.
Nick could have killed William.
She pulled her paw away and moved it to caress his cheek.
Will blinked and looked at her fingers. "Judy?"
The doe mustered a weak smile as she was looking into his eyes. "I'm just glad you're okay. I'd give you a hug, but maybe it's better if your body rests for a while."
"If you say so," he replied with a small smile.
"C'mon, let's head to get my things and we can go to your place."
"Ah, okay," he turned his eyes to the predator. "Doc, am I free to go?"
The lynx waved his paw dismissively. "Yes, unless you plan on doing anything reckless with your neck."
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Marcus was driving through the streets as quickly as the traffic allowed. He did not use the sirens, as he wanted to avoid unnecessary attention. Not to mention that it would simply alarm their savage colleague. For now their excuse was responding to a citizen's call. It wasn't a solid line of defense, should anyone question it, but it wasn't their priority at the moment.
A savage mammal on the loose, hell-bent on revenge was a far more important matter.
"Dammit! I can't see him anywhere!" Jackie whacked the door with a closed fist.
Marcus wasn't in a good mood either. "Honestly, it would take a miracle to find him now. Too many alleys, too many hiding spots."
"Shouldn't we warn Judy?" Jackie turned her head to the tiger.
Marcus clicked his tongue, "Not exactly a good idea. Plus, I doubt that he'll do anything to further piss off the female he loves."
Jackie raised a brow, "You sure about that?"
"I know I wouldn't." He took another turn, looking around. "Here's hoping that he's only savage, not dumb."
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The two bunnies went with their initial plan, stopping only to let William change from his uniform. Judy didn't have much to take with her. The suitcase she had with her when she got to Zootopia was enough to pack all her stuff. She wasn't a flashy girl like some of her sisters, and her wardrobe consisted only of a few comfortable sets of clothes. That, her alarm clock, and her family picture, all landed in the suitcase.
With her things packed, she was ready to move out.
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Nick stopped, crouching next to the edge of the roof. The building he chose was directly across the road from William's apartment block. His legs brought him here before he even had the time to think about any plan.
*Judy.*
That was all he could think about. Job, savagery, his own physical and mental condition, it was all meaningless. What was actually important, was the safety and well-being of the female he loved.
*Judy.*
And now he was waiting for… something. Nick had no idea whether they had already arrived, or not. Though he favored the latter option, as he couldn't feel any trace of the doe's scent in the air. It was a rare moment when he was thankful for his curse.
His head snapped towards the street on his left. Out of the corner of his eye, the fox noticed a small hatchback appear from around the corner. He knew that car.
After a minute, the vehicle parked in front of the building where Will owned an apartment. Two bunnies got out.
His soul was in turmoil.
It would take just a few jumps, one quick dash, and just one swing of his claws…
Nick clenched his fists.
He dreaded the result. The expression he would see after turning to the doe. Violence was not an option here.
While his body was raging to rush forward, it ultimately had no say in front of a crushed heart. This sensation was truly overbearing. A mixture of rage and helplessness, but also sorrow and guilt. He knew that he had lost any legitimacy in this matter. His own choices created this situation.
*If only I hadn't been such a coward… If only-* Nick hung his head.
And… What if he was wrong? What if his obsessive sense of territoriality overcame his rationale? Maybe he was seeing things just because he wanted to see them? *What he said... Was it real? Or… just my imagination?*
Either way, he had… nothing to lean on. There was… emptiness in front of him. It felt as if the future suddenly got obliterated.
He raised his head only to see two bunnies walking into the building.
Nicholas Wilde stared at the entrance in silence, before slowly getting to his paws. He turned around and started walking. It didn't matter where, as he wasn't going anywhere.
He was walking away.
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Once both bunnies entered the apartment, Judy took off her jacket and dropped on the sofa.
Will set her suitcase by the wall, looking at her sour expression. "Tea?"
She shook her head without a word.
The buck scratched the back of his head. "Um, how about a warm bath? Or maybe a nap?"
This seemed to stir some reaction in the doe. "Yeah… maybe." Judy hauled herself to her feet. "You won't mind if I…" she pointed in the direction of the bedroom. Being here a couple of times before, she already knew the place.
"No, no. Go ahead."
The doe couldn't settle down, no matter how hard she tried. Her feet carried her swiftly to the room and she rested both paws on the wooden frame of the bed.
William approached her from behind, gently wrapping his arms around her, "Is a hug okay?"
"Yeah…" she muttered, turning around to rest her cheek on his chest.
"Mhmm, then...how about we relax a bit today?" he muttered, and his paw slid downwards from her back, below her tail.
Judy flinched in his embrace while her ears jumped up. "W-Will?"
"Come on, we've been dating for a while…" He squeezed slightly, drawing a muffled groan from her. At the same time he softly nibbled on the side of her neck.
Though this sudden boldness shocked her at first, the doe recomposed herself and gently pushed him away. "This… Is going a bit too fast. And not really the best moment."
"Really?" His voice suddenly became coarse and his expression sharpened.
Judy squealed in surprise when he pushed her roughly. She landed with her back on the bed and he was immediately on her. The doe opened her mouth to protest, but she saw a knife right in front of her face.
"Shut up." he hissed, hovering the blade right above her wide-open eyes. "I've had it with all the waiting."
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***TRIGGER WARNING!***
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"Wha-" Judy tried to speak, but he clasped a paw over her mouth.
"I said shut it!," he growled, staring into her eyes. "Don't piss me off or my paw might slip." William moved the blade to her stomach and hooked it under the hem of her shirt.
The doe whimpered under his hold, shocked. She was looking up at him and couldn't find anything recognizable in his gaze. No trace of his earlier warmth or innocent humor. He seemed like an entirely different mammal.
"Don't you move a muscle, understand?" The knife started going up, slicing open the shirt. "This has dragged on long enough. If not for my orders, I would have done this much sooner."
Judy mumbled under his paw and tried shaking her head. This couldn't have been happening.
This caused him to show a smirk. "What? Don't tell me you thought that I was actually dating you? You dumb hick," he leaned closer to her face, "someone paid me to be your boyfriend."
Her eyes widened even more while her heart felt an icy pick spearing through it.
Seeing her reaction, William chuckled. "Haha! Did you seriously think that someone would be genuinely interested in you?! Have you seen yourself? A training freak with more muscle than most bucks! Are you a bodybuilder?"
One after another, his remarks hit at her heart, leaving more cracks with every strike.
"Face it, Hopps, if not for me you'd be single all your life."
The last hit broke it.
Tears began flowing from the corners of her eyes, as she stared up at the face of someone she believed was her boyfriend. All strength left her body and all muscles became limp. It was as if she became a lifeless doll.
"Much better," he huffed with a smirk, lifting his paw. His attention shifted back to her shirt and one final move of his knife cut it in half.
Judy winced from the motion, but otherwise remained motionless.
"Hmph, not much to see here," he grunted at the sight of her exposed stomach and chest, before grabbing her hip and flipping the doe to her stomach. "Maybe this side offers a better view."
Judy couldn't hold it in. A sob escaped her lips.
"Oh, don't worry," Will muttered to her ear while tugging down her pants, "I'll make sure you enjoy it."
The doe sobbed into the bedsheets as her legs got forcefully undressed. Now only in a cut shirt and her underwear, Judy felt more vulnerable than ever before in her life. She let out a muffled squeal when the buck grabbed her tail.
"Oh?" Will sniggered before leaning down to her. "So you like it this way?" He tugged with his paw, eliciting another whimper from the doe.
His fingers slid to the side and he hooked one under the hem of her panties.
And he stopped.
Judy wasn't fully aware of the time flow, but when she noticed the pause, the buck leaned to her ear again. "Or maybe… you would rather have that fox do it to you?"
The doe's eyes widened, as the image of her partner's face came to her mind. A picture of that smug, teasing grin plastered on his face whenever he would crack a joke at her expense…
Don't trust William...
An impulse overcame her and rallied her muscles to action.
Judy coiled her legs under her and kicked back.
She got a painful grunt in response and her attacker fell to the floor. Using the energy surge, the doe jumped out of the bed and fled the room.
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***END OF TRIGGER!***
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Judy half ran, half stumbled out of the building, not looking back. The adrenaline started wearing off and the gravity of what just happened began bearing down on her again. Her facial fur was already drenched in tears and fresh ones wouldn't stop flowing. She escaped the immediate danger, but she had no idea where she could go. Family? There was no family home here. Friends? The ones she knew from work lived so far away.
Friend…
The image of a fox's face surfaced in her mind once again. More tears spilled from her eyes as she dragged her feet forward.
Not watching where she's going, Judy bumped into an obstacle and fell to the ground.
"Whoa, what's the ru-" A young buck turned around to see a grey doe sitting on the snow. When he saw the state of her attire, his ears immediately dropped. "Oh gosh… Are you okay?" He held out a paw to her.
Judy's eyes shot wide open and her body recoiled immediately, shuffling back.
A male.
A buck.
A buck reaching for her body.
She shivered and not from the cold. The doe scurried back to her feet and ran in the opposite direction, hiding in the nearest back alley.
Tears were obstructing her vision, but it didn't really matter, as she had nowhere to go. In this state, it didn't take long for her to trip and land face first on the snow covered pavement. After a moment of stillness, the doe clenched her trembling fingers. She wanted to go home… She wanted to see her family, to run up to her mother and drown in her arms…
Mother…
Judy raised her head an inch. There was… one place she could go to.
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Jackie slammed the car's steering wheel with an open palm. " Damn it!" She clenched her teeth. "No way we'll find this idiot now! He could be anywhere!"
They went to observe Judy's apartment, but there was no activity in the area. Frustrating as it was, they had lost any trace of Nick.
Marcus let out a heavy sigh, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "We can't delay this any further. Hopps must hear about the situation."
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"Yes, yes, I'm coming." The voice behind the door replied to the anxious knocking.
A moment later, Vivian opened it to see the image of misery. Judy was trembling all over, clenching the cut shirt in a desperate attempt to cover her bare chest. There was nothing she could do about her exposed legs. But the worst part was her face - her facial fur was all wet under the eyes. And eyes… Eyes that radiated hurt.
"V-V-Vivian…"
"Judy!" The vixen immediately surrounded her shoulders with an arm and led her inside. "What happened?!"
The doe allowed herself to be guided onto the couch where she sat gingerly. Vivian could feel how much her body was trembling. She snatched a nearby blanket to wrap it around the bunny.
Judy's fingers clenched on the material of her shirt. "W-Will… he..." she struggled to form the words between shaky gasps. "He…"
The vixen's eyes widened. What's more, she noticed how the girl tightened her thighs when speaking. It was all too obvious to her. She immediately embraced the doe, hugging her close to her chest.
"I'm here, Judy. I'm here." She muttered next to her ear, keeping her paw on the back of the doe's head.
The grey bunny broke down completely, wailing and crying into Vivian's blouse. The vixen did not comment, nor make any statements. She simply sat there, embracing a crying girl and softly petting her head.
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Making sure that she does not make any unnecessary noise, Vivian closed the door to her bedroom.
Only then did she breathe out. But it didn't do anything to quell her anger. She has seen many victims of sexual assault, and it always burdened her. However, this time she knew the identity of the attacker. This only fueled her fury.
Her ears perked up when she heard her phone ringing. It was Rose.
Vivian took a moment to calm her breathing and prepared herself to sound as normal as possible. "Hello, Rose. How was the movie?"
"Hello. It was fun," the young vixen replied happily. "We were just about to book a Zoober and I thought that maybe we could do some grocery shopping on our way back? I think we ate the last tomatoes yesterday. Oh! And there isn't any rice left, so-"
"Ah, you're coming back…" she pondered for a brief moment. "Actually, I have an unexpected guest and she might stay for a while." The vixen shot a brief glance at her bedroom door. "Would it be okay if you two would give us a little more time? Um, maybe watch another movie or go for dinner?"
"Oh, of course. We'll find ourselves something to do, don't worry," Rose replied.
Vivian let out a silent breath of relief. "Thank you. It means a lot. I'll call you in an hour or so, all right?"
"Sure, we'll be waiting."
"Have a good time. Bye."
"Bye."
When the call ended, Rose kept looking at her phone. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but Vivian sounded... troubled.
"What's wrong?" Silver asked, noticing Rose's expression.
"I'm not sure… But something tells me that there is big trouble," she pondered out loud. After a few seconds she started rummaging through her purse.
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Vivian kept pacing around her living room, phone in her paw.
It took four calls and a bucketful of stress before she heard a bleak voice in the speaker.
"Hello."
"Finally!" she snapped. "Why didn't you pick up earli- Nevermind! I need you to come to my apartment. Now!"
After a second of silence, the same, colorless voice replied, "Sorry. I'm busy."
Vivian felt her fur bristling from the response. "Wha- Nick, this is no time for jokes! It's about Judy! You hav-"
"I gotta go." The fox sounded even gloomier than before.
Vivian gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. "Shut up and listen for once, you stupid son!" She exploded into the phone. "Judy is at my place and she just cried herself to sleep, because that boyfriend of hers tried to rape her! So stop being an insensitive jerk an- Hello? Nick? Are you there? Nick!"
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Nicholas Wilde didn't snap, snarl or even clench his paws. He simply stood in the middle of a plaza after cutting the call.
The savage beast within him smelled a brewing rage and raised its head in anticipation. Finally came the time when it will be allowed to cut loose, to spill blood, to-
The beast froze.
Indeed, there was a flicker of anger inside Nick's mind, but now the beast could sense another, unknown sensation. It was chilly and strange, unlike anything it has encountered in the fox's mind so far. And then the beast saw a shadow, looming over it. When it looked over its shoulder and noticed the darkness behind… It retreated backwards while whimpering miserably.
The fox stood completely still, staring straight ahead, when someone bumped into him.
"Ah!" The mammal exclaimed while the boxes she was carrying cascaded onto the ground. "S-Sorry! I didn't see where I was going!" The female crouched, trying to keep a pair of boxes in one arm while picking up the others.
"No worries, ma'am." The fox replied with a light voice. He crouched too and began picking the scattered packages. His paws were quick, helping the badger lady to collect the boxes in no time.
"Thank you. I'm so sorry for bumping into you." She nodded gratefully towards him.
"It's all fine, no need to apologize," he said with a warm smile. "Do you need help carrying it?"
"Oh, no, no. It's fine," the badger replied, also showing a smile. "Thank you for the offer but I'll manage."
"Of course." The fox bowed his head. "Then I won't be keeping you. I wish you a peaceful Christmas."
"Thank you. Merry Christmas!" And she walked away.
The fox's face swiftly abandoned the smile and adorned a completely blank expression. His eyes could be considered that of a corpse, if not for the tiniest spark of life deep inside. Without a word he headed towards the nearest, narrow back alley and disappeared within the shadow.
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Vivian was circling around her apartment while biting on her thumb. The circumstances were far from favorable. Judy was hurt, Nick couldn't be reached… She was perfectly aware how mammals could act when feelings would overwhelm their ability to think rationally. And the vixen dreaded what her son would be capable of after hearing about-
She groaned and dropped onto an armchair. Raising her paw, Vivian looked at her phone.
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Jackie clicked her tongue after the third connection attempt. "She's not picking up. What if-"
"Don't 'what if' me and try again." Marcus cut in.
The cheetah opened her mouth to snap back at him when her phone rang.
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Vivian kept mindlessly rubbing her phone's screen with a thumb.
This situation made her question whether she should've kept this from Nick. At least, there could have been a better moment to inform him about it. Vivian shook her head and got back up.
She slapped her cheeks with both paws. "Alright… It's a problem, so I need to deal with it."
The doorbell rang, making the vixen jump.
A muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "Vivian? It's us."
The female vulpine sighed with relief and hurried to let the guests in.
Marcus nodded as she opened the door. "Ma'am." The tiger said respectfully. "We got here as soon as possible."
"Come in, the girls went out to watch a movie." She invited them with a wave of a paw and the striped predator walked in.
"Yeah," Jackie said, trailing after the fellow feline into the apartment. "How… How is Hoppsy?" She asked with a quiet voice. Actually, the cheetah initially wanted to rush in and talk to her friend as soon as possible, but Marcus predicted that and strictly forbade her causing a ruckus. Now that her head was a bit cooler, Jackie could see the point of remaining calm. No need to add to the drama.
"She's asleep, the poor thing." Vivian closed the door behind them and gestured for the officers to go into the living room.
"But what happened?!" Jackie inquired as calmly as she could, sitting on the sofa.
The vixen sighed, rubbing her forehead. She weighed the options in her head. "I'm not sure myself," she said eventually. "All I know is that she arrived in a horrible state, with her shirt cut open, crying, and freezing.
The cheetah clenched her fingers on the sofa. Marcus sat down next to her and placed an arm on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry for being blunt," the tiger said to the vixen, "but did you have any contact with Nick?"
Vivian gave him a sorrowful look. "Unfortunately… Yes."
Marcus frowned while Jackie raised her brows.
The vixen sighed. "I… Caught him on the phone and said that something happened to Judy. He cut the call and I couldn't reach him since then…"
Her words made the striped predator slump his shoulders. "We've screwed up…"
"...What do you mean?"
Jackie stared at the carpet, fidgeting with her claws. "He… Uh… Had a fight with Judy today. After she learned…" She went silent. Talking herself out of trouble was never her forte. Especially-
"About his savagery?" Vivian finished. "No need to give me that look, I know about it already. What else could have caused those two to quarrel?"
Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are right…" And then he proceeded to explain the events that took place in the alley earlier.
By the time he finished, the vixen had her face covered with both paws. "Nicholas… What have you done…" she said hoarsely.
All three sat in silence.
Which got disturbed by a knock on the door.
The tiger raised his brows. "More guests?"
Vivian had a surprised expression. "None that I would know of."
Seeing her reaction, Marcus tensed up. This, in turn, made Jackie alert, as well.
The vixen stood from her armchair and headed to the entrance while two felines quietly followed her.
She opened the door… and froze.
Alexander took off his hat. "Vivian…"
Her fingers clenched on the handle and her lip started curling up involuntarily.
The wolf raised his paws, one holding a cane and the other the fedora. "Rose called me." His voice was soft and had an apologetic vibe to it. "She said that you were greatly upset and asked me to see if I could be of assistance."
"Then call her back and say that I'm fine." This came almost as a growl.
He lowered his arms. "I know you're furious, but could you hear me out? Please."
Someone took a sharp intake of air behind Vivian and, suddenly, she was between Marcus and Jackie, who rushed to her side.
Volkov glanced at them. "Miss Spotters, mister Strigg."
Jackie felt the fur bristling on the back of her neck. "Vivian…"
"We'll take it from here," Marcus chimed in with a low voice.
But the wolf simply stood there, focusing his gaze on the fixen's face. "I only wish to help. Please."
The two friends glared at the assassin, stuck in an impasse. The air practically smelled of tension.
Vivian took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Jackie, Marcus… Could you give us a minute?"
Both felines stared at her, wide-eyed.
"What?!"
"I must insist-"
Vivian raised her paw. "It's fine. I know who he is." After a second she added, "I know what he is."
The friends exchanged worried glances before staring at the wolf.
Marcus relaxed a fraction of a tiny bit. "Then… Should we wait outside?"
Jackie snapped. "You seriously want to leave Vivian with-"
"It's fine," the vixen cut in, placing a paw on her arm. "Trust me."
It was clear that Jackie wasn't convinced. Still, she could see that Vivian had made up her mind. "Okay… But we'll be just outside the door. If anything happens-"
"I'll scream, I know," the vulpine doctor replied with a deadpan expression.
The officers obediently walked out of the apartment. As she was passing by the wolf, Jackie hissed at him, "I swear, if you hurt her…"
Volkov didn't take his eye off the vixen. "That will not happen."
Vivian simply turned around and returned to the living room. The wolf followed right after her.
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With the door closed and nobody to interrupt, the vixen stopped in the middle of the carpet and turned around to face him. "Make it quick."
He gazed at her for a moment in silence, resting his paws on the backrest of an armchair. Then he gently nodded. "Thank you. I only wish to know how I may help you. I'll do whatever I can. Just say the word."
She fixed him with a cold glare.
In return, he gazed back with a docile expression. "I can only imagine just how much you must hate me right now… But, I implore you, if there is anything I could assist you with…"
She held him under her arctic stare for a few more moments. "Can you find Nick?"
The wolf raised a brow. "Is he in trouble?"
"...Nobody knows where he is. Can you find him or not?"
Volkov slightly narrowed his eye. "That… depends. I would need to know the nature of his absence."
"What for?"
He tilted his head a bit to the side. "Because his location might depend on his circumstances. Is he hiding from someone? Looking for something? There are different paths to different goals."
Vivian broke eye contact, as she battled with her thoughts. Eventually, she looked at him again. "He… got into a fight with Judy Hopps. Apparently, she discovered his savage side and was furious about him not telling her."
Volkov observed her carefully. "So he's hiding out of shame?"
"That seems to be the case."
The wolf circled around the armchair and took a step towards her. "With all due respect, I sense that you're not sharing the full story."
"I told you what you need to know," she replied in a harsh manner.
He shook his head. "Knowing the truth is imperative if I am to locate him. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary."
The vixen remained silent.
"Vivia-"
"Do not call me that."
"...As you wish," he muttered. "Regarding Nicholas, you have mentioned that he had a fight with Miss Hopps. The simplest way would be to clear up the atmosphere at the source, however…" The wolf moved his cane to point it at the door to the guest room. "I can sense that she's in there. Therefore, the truth can't be that simple."
Vivian internally cursed his sense of smell. She struggled with the decision for a moment and let out a sigh. "This… Judy had some trouble with her boyfriend."
Volkov raised a brow. "Trouble?"
The vixen curled her fingers into a fist. She looked the wolf in the eye. "He tried to sexually assault her."
For a long moment, the wolf turned into a silent statue. When he eventually spoke, his voice was full of caution. "...Does Nicholas know about this?"
She rubbed her forehead and waved her paw. "I told him over the phone. He's been unreachable since then…"
The master of assassins gazed at her and then moved. His paw went into the pocket of his coat and returned with a phone. He tapped a contact icon. "Jolie. I would like for you to immediately dig through every single surveillance system in the city in search of a red male fox by the name Nicholas P. Wilde." He then cut the call and picked a different number. "Theo, it's important. Please make a list of all possible places where Nick Wilde could've holed up undisturbed by outsiders. We'll cross-check it with places I remember. Call me as soon as you're done."
The way he spoke, the urgency… Vivian frowned. "...What is going on?"
"We are dealing with a savage mammal, who is crazy over a female that got assaulted. This is no trifling matter. Now," he put on his fedora, "I need a fast driver. Can I borrow Miss Jaqueline?"
Vivian spread her arms in a do-what-you-want kind of gesture.
The wolf nodded and turned towards the door.
"... Why are you doing this?"
Volkov stopped, looking over his shoulder. "Pardon me?"
The vixen subjected him to a suspicious stare. "Why did you come here? Did you expect something?"
Hearing her words, Volkov sighed with a gentle smile as he turned to her. "The only thing I hope for is for you to be happy, as cheesy as it sounds."
Vivian's face scrunched up. "You expect me to believe that?"
"Of course not. You have absolutely no reason to trust me. And yet… " He took a few steps towards her. "If you ever decide that you need assistance, I will always come to your aid."
She only kept glaring at him.
Alexander let out another sigh. "As aggravating as it might sound to you, I consider Nicholas as close to me as a son. Therefore, even if you wouldn't ask me to, I would still do my best to help him." He gestured towards her with the handle of his cane. "As you are now, asking for my assistance, despite hating me to the core."
If she were a less dignified female, Vivian probably would've spat on the floor. "I will do whatever it takes to save Nicholas, even if I have to sell my soul to a devil."
This made him show a bleak smile. "This old devil will help you for free."
The vixen gritted her teeth as she gazed at the predator. "Why…"
Before he replied, Volkov took another step, getting closer to her. His gaze rested on Vivian's eyes, looking not at her, but into her. "You already know the answer."
"Don't…" The vixen's resistance sounded somewhat fragile, but she did not break the eye contact
"I promised myself that I will never lie to you again," he said in a warm voice and got even closer. "I love you."
Vivian's lips quivered as she stared at his face. She had an insult or a scolding on the tip of her tongue. However, the vixen only stood there, returning his gaze. It took probably several years for her to fold her arms and speak. "...Go to hell."
"I most certainly will. After all, I am a sinner." He nodded solemnly. "But... before the demons claim my soul, I had this dream…" he eyed her for a quiet moment. "That maybe I could see what heaven is like." The wolf gave her a tip of his hat and directed his steps towards the door.
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Out in the corridor, Jackie kept patrolling the very same line in front of Vivian's apartment, over and over again.
Marcus observed her from where he was leaning against a wall, keeping his arms folded on his chest. "I get that you're anxious, but-"
"I'm not anxious!" she huffed back.
Marcus kept a steady expression. "You're biting on your thumb."
She immediately stopped it. "I can't help it! Cheetahs aren't designed to wait!" Jackie groaned and spun around to face the door. "And it's too quiet…"
"We can only wait."
The slim feline rolled her eyes, snapping her neck towards the tiger. "How can you be so calm?!"
Marcus replied with a glare. "Do you think I like this any more than you?"
"But what if he-"
The door swung open.
Both felines instantly stared at Volkov.
The wolf walked out of the apartment, closing the door behind him. "I have not touched her," he addressed the two officers in his characteristic, calm manner. "With that out of the way, we are short on time. Miss Jaqueline, I need a swift driver if we are to help Nicholas. My car is waiting downstairs."
Hearing him address her directly, the cheetah frowned. "Hang on a second! I ain't going anywhere with you. What the slow hell is this about?"
Volkov folded his paws behind his back. "Nicholas is missing. We need to find him. I have already tasked my mammals with tracking leads that could guide us to him, but we must have boots on the ground," he nodded at her. "Which is why we need to be on the move. Now." Then he turned to Marcus. "Mister Strigg, a small request, if I may. Should Nicholas contact you for any reason, follow along with whatever he asks for and call me immediately." The master assassin held out a business card.
The feline officer didn't move, only eyed the piece of paper before gazing at the wolf. "You know something, don't you?"
Volkov breathed out. "Let's just say that I know him better than most. And I want to find him before he does something foolish."
"What for?" Marcus persisted.
Instead of replying immediately, the wolf walked up to the tiger to look him straight in the eye. "To deliver him, safe and sound, back to Vivian. Now, we can stand and debate all evening or start looking."
The striped predator narrowed his eyes.
Volkov raised the business card. "Shall we?"
"Marcus…" Vivian's voice reached them from the open doorway. "Please."
Marcus blinked, seeing the pleading look in the vixen's eyes. He then snarled and snatched the card from the wolf. "I don't trust you," he glared at him. "I am doing this solely for Mrs. Wilde."
"Fair enough."
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Two minutes later Jackie was speeding through the city streets, driving the black vehicle provided by Volkov. She couldn't exactly tell what brand it was. It had a logo, sure, but it wasn't one known to her. Plus, the engine sounded like something far superior from the kind one would expect from a car of this caliber. Putting that aside, she was driving towards western Savannah Central with Volkov in the passenger seat.
The wolf's phone rang and he picked up immediately. "What did you find?" There was a pause as he listened. "I know of the first three, we'll have to check the other two. Thank you, Theo." Another pause, during which the assassin sighed while rubbing his forehead. "I can't be sure, but we might be dealing with the case of the Scriptwriter again. I'll keep you posted." He hung up.
Jackie eyed him from the driver's seat. "Scriptwriter? What's that supposed to mean?"
The wolf gave her a long, calculating look. "He was… an extremely dangerous individual. One that was responsible for almost driving Nicholas to madness."
"...Okay?" She did not like the sound of that. "But what does that have to do with the current situation?"
Once again, Volkov's fingers tapped away on the screen of his phone in a blur. "Drive," he ordered without looking up. "We must hurry."
"Oh, aren't you talkative?" The cheetah huffed and took a sharp right turn.
"Focus on what's important right now, don't get distracted," Volkov told her.
Jackie nodded to that. "Mhm, right, focus, I need to focus." She held a serious face for exactly two seconds before bursting. "Which I can't! I'm driving to a place I don't know, with a professional serial killer as my pilot!"
"We're going to Silvergoose Apartments in Berry Lane." The wolf passed his instruction.
Jackie decided to question some more. "But what exactly is there? If you want my help then I can't go flying blind."
"We're going to see the mammal responsible for what happened to Judy Hopps," he replied while typing. "If we're lucky we'll find just a corpse," a momentary scowl flashed on his face, "though I wouldn't count on that."
The way he phrased that didn't brighten Jackie's mood. "Wait a second. You're saying Nick would kill that mammal?!"
At this point Volkov shot her a look of his single eye. "Young lady, since that doe means that much to Nicholas, then we must be on our guard."
"Wha- Alright, you almost got me. Haha, I get it, dark humor and all. Who would've thought you can joke like that," she rambled on but then caught his gaze and expression. "You're not joking..." Her eyes moved to the road again while the magnitude of Volkov's statement gradually sank in. "Oh slow hell.."
The wolf let out a heavy sigh. "You must remember that Nicholas used to be a completely different mammal in the past. I doubt that he'd go to such extremes right now, but still will, most likely, stop at nothing to get his paws on that mammal." His phone vibrated and he checked it quickly while continuing to talk. "And when he does, that individual will suffer beyond your imagination."
Jackie swallowed and her fingers shifted on the steering wheel, finding the current position somehow unpleasant. "Seriously, you're creeping me out here. Sure, we're going to kick that ass when we get them... but Nick isn't some kind of a psycho to do such stuff!"
Volkov put his phone back into the pocket. "I truly hope you are right."
.
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William was pacing around his apartment, phone in paw. "I told you already." His voice was a mix of anger and irritation. "She ran away, crying and with no remains of dignity."
The buck stopped by the window and his eyes surveyed the cars outside. His stomach still ached where he got kicked. "I've done what you asked for, so whe-" A scowl formed on his face. "That's not what we agreed on!"
The buck listened to the voice in the phone while his paw clenched the device till it creaked. "I swear if anythin-
A siren drowned the rest of his words.
Will instinctively dropped the phone and covered his ears from the noisy outburst. It took him a few moments to get acquainted with the sound, enough to take his paws off.
There were some chaotic screams coming from outside of his apartment.
Not wasting any time, the buck hung up and directed his steps straight toward the entrance to his apartment.
Will opened the door.
Nicholas Wilde smiled. With all his teeth. "Hello. I'm here to make you suffer. Is this a bad time?"
The buck slammed the door.
His ears dropped as he pressed his back against the solid wood. All blood drained from his face.
A fist broke through right next to his head, sending splinters flying in all directions.
William yelped and ducked to the floor when Nicholas pulled his arm back and peered through the hole. "Say your prayers, bunny boy," he stated in a horrifyingly cheerful voice. "The vulpine grim reaper is here."
Nick put his arm through the hole again and this time reached to unlock the door. A moment later he swung it open, walking inside.
"I've warned you, Twicks," he stated in that same, creepy voice, approaching the laying rabbit.
Will squeaked and flipped around to escape on all fours but then felt a paw grabbing his ankle.
Nick spun around to throw him at the apartment's wall.
Will hit it with full force and grunted from the impact before falling to the floor. His lungs lost all the air from this hit and he was now wheezing, struggling to breathe.
He heard footsteps approaching. "I've told you what's going to happen if you hurt her." Announced the voice straight out of a horror movie.
William managed to lift his head and opened his mouth to speak when a blur from the side hit him in the face. The buck groaned from pain, but it was cut short, as the sheer power of the strike was enough to spin him around and smash his head against the wall again.
"I've heard what you did." Nick picked up the rabbit by the ears and threw him.
Will could only gasp as he flew through the corridor of his apartment and hit the footboard of his bed. The impact left him winded again, while Nick slowly walked in his direction.
"You've been a very naughty boy."
The buck managed to grasp the wooden top rail and hauled himself to his wobbly legs. Clutching the bed, Will inched his way to the nightstand nearby, disappearing from the fox's sight.
Nick took his time heading to the bedroom. "Come out, come out, wherever you are. I promise I will hurt you." He made the final step and heard a click, followed by the feeling of a sting.
The fox peered down at a dart stuck in his chest. Looking up, Nick saw William gazing at him over a tranq gun.
"Oh, you little…" The red-furred predator swayed slightly. "Trying to delay… you-r… fahte…" He mumbled before collapsing to the floor.
The buck breathed out the air he's been holding in so far. Struggling with the weakened legs, step by step, Will was making his way to the corridor. The fox was lying motionless on the floor, but that didn't do much to calm down the crazy heartbeat of the buck.
Once past the unconscious mammal, he directed his steps straight to his jacket and used trembling fingers to fish out his car keys. Not even looking behind, William got out of the apartment and headed for the elevator.
It took him a couple of minutes to get out of the building and head to his car. On his way there he touched his shirt where his recent gunshot wound was healing. The buck prayed that it wouldn't be damp, meaning that his wound reopened. Fortunately, it wasn't. He breathed out with relief, but also winced, as it caused a surge of pain in his face. Will also wondered if one or two of his teeth weren't loose. The force of the fox's punch was immense.
Reaching his car, the buck decided to leave those thoughts for later. He fumbled with his keys and managed to open the door on the third try. Will carefully, yet with urgency, climbed into the seat and put the key in the ignitio-
A mammal landed on the hood of the car, crushing it.
William screamed and jumped in his spot.
Through the windshield, Nicholas Wilde shot him a gaze of his savage eyes. "Hey there, Willy." He jerked his head to the side. "Miss me?"
The buck stared in horror at the apparition in front of him. The briefest thought flashed in his mind that his apartment was on the fourth floor. In a fit of panic, he tried starting the engine, only to realize that the jolt earlier was enough to break the key.
Letting out an unintelligible yelp, William Twicks jumped out of the car and ran. He ran as fast as his wound and pain allowed, which wasn't a lot.
Running into a back alley, Twicks could hear a singing voice haunting him. "Heeeeeere, bunny, bunny, bunny!"
.
.
Jackie took a turn towards the district they were heading to.
"Just... Tell me one more thing," she muttered to her companion.
Volkov raised a brow and directed his gaze at her.
"I still don't get how this... Scriptwriter guy is connected to Nick."
The wolf let out a thoughtful sigh. "This is a rather... delicate matter."
"What, a friend of yours?"
Volkov gave her a fairly cold look.
Jackie shrugged with a cheeky face.
The master of assassins pinched the bridge of his nose while closing his eye. "Remember this, the Scriptwriter was one of the cruelest members in the history of the organization." He gave Jackie a glare that made the hackles on her neck to rise. "We're talking about a mammal who was willing to surgically stuff random civilians with explosives to get his target via detonation. And he was the one who had a great deal of influence over Nick, during the fox's stay with us."
All traces of humor evaporated from Jackie's face.
"With that in mind, consider possible consequences of Nick getting into the circle of interest of such a mammal."
The cheetah stared right ahead without a single word. Then she accelerated.
.
.
William manoeuvred between snow covered containers and headed towards the alley end he knew to open up to a very busy street. He practically limped around the last corner... Bumping into a large wolf.
The canine predator coughed, choking on the beer he was holding. The excess beverage spilled on his jacket, making him jerk away in an attempt to avoid the splash.
"What the fu- You blind?!" he hollered, snapping his head around.
Will dropped his shoulders, cowering before the angry mammal. "S-Sorry! I was running awa-"
The wolf grabbed the buck's shirt and hoisted him up. "You ain't going anywhere, pelt!" the wolf growled right into his face.
Two more wolves, who accompanied their fellow predator, muttered their agreement.
Panic surged through the buck's veins as the canine trio headed deeper into the alley. The one carrying the buck threw him at a trash can in a dead end.
William grunted as he landed on the metal container which fell over, spilling its content on the bunny.
"You'll pay for wasting my jacket and my beer!"
Will rose on his elbows. "I'll pay, I'll pay! But, please, he'll be here any mo-"
"Heeey, Willeeers!" A frighteningly familiar voice resounded cheerfully in the alley. "New friends? But we still haven't finished playing."
All wolves looked at the newcomer, who turned out to be a red fox in a pawaiian shirt. One of them even approached him and leaned down to present his teeth to the vulpine.
"This pelt here your buddy?"
The answer came in the form of a blur that caught his face and pushed it aside. His head crashed against the wall and the wolf slumped down on the ground.
The other two canines spun around to face the fox.
"You fucker!" The closer one threw a quick jab straight at Nick's face.
The fox simply stepped aside, raising two fingers. The claws tore into the flesh of the outer side of the wolf's arm, using the attacker's momentum against him.
The canine dropped to his knees with a scream, clutching his bleeding arm. Which made it a perfect position for a strike to the head. He went down like a log.
The last wolf stepped back seeing this, but then remembered that they were in a dead end. Having no other choice, the predator snatched a two-by-four from a nearby pile of trash and cautiously inched towards the smiling fox. Once he was certain that his enemy was in range, the wolf raised his arm over his shoulder to attack. He actually feigned an overhead strike and went for a diagonal angle, aiming for the neck.
The fox was just a foot away from him.
The wolf's eyes shot down at the same time as he received a hit to the underside of his muzzle. The force was enough to lift him in the air a bit.
A second later Nicholas Wilde stepped over the motionless wolf on the ground, approaching William.
The buck watched the entire scene with blood curdling terror, as for the entire time the fox did not turn his eyes away from him or even blink. He tried crawling away on his back.
"Y-y-you're not a m-mammal! W-w-what the hell are you?!"
In one fluid motion Nick stepped forward and leaned down to grab the buck by the throat with a bloodstained paw.
Gurgling, as he was lifted off the ground, Will looked into the savage, yet empty, eyes.
"Now that you mention it, I believe a re-introduction is in order," the fox stated in his eerie voice while taking out an object from his pocket.
The terrified bunny simply stared, paralyzed, as Nick placed a syringe next to his neck. In the next moment, Will felt a sting, and, soon enough, his vision became blurry.
"My name is Nicholas P. Wilde. But..." The fox pulled him face to face "They used to call me The Scriptwriter."
The world went bla-