Seven
It took the rest of the day and well into the evening to walk enough of the Climate Wall that everyone was satisfied. Nothing was found on the security recordings, and by ten o'clock that night even officer Dill had to conclude that whatever was broken in the system had to be a software issue, or natural wear-and-tear somewhere in the hardware.
Judy, Fang, Dill, and Indri made their way out after wringing a promise from the possum that he would get some rest before resuming tomorrow—not that any of them expected him to keep it. He was on his tenth cup of coffee and already making a list of all the different areas that would need to be checked before resuming any cold climate adjustments.
"The whole of Zootopia depends on it!" he had screeched when Dill had suggested they take a break.
"He said that about sleet storms too, back when one of the frosters broke," said Fang. "But did anyone miss the bad weather? No. He's just overly paranoid. Been doing this too long alone."
"He can't be completely alone, though, right?" said Judy. It was just the three of them again, Indri having said goodbye a little ways back, heading off down a split in the hallway that would take her to the Rainforest District. "Surely someone will be coming to relieve him for a few hours?"
"Unfortunately, no," said Dill. "There used to be many more mammals working there—
you saw all the different stations, yes? But as time went on and the system became more automated, workers were laid off."
"Dill being one of them," put in Fang.
At Judy's surprised look, the goat said, "It was a long time ago. And I am much happier at the ZPD."
"Goats weren't made for so much indoor work anyway," said Fang. "Even a nerdy goat like you, right, Dill?" He gave his teammate a playful slap on the back. "Their loss is our gain anyway. Now we've got the best engineer in Zootopia keeping our equipment up and running. Dill invented half the vehicles in our garage, you know," he said to Judy. "Even the Commander's Snowflake."
"Some simple modifications only," demurred Dill. "In any case, Cuscus and a sun bear called Lou were the last two remaining after all the layoffs. When Lou retired a few years later, the government started giving Cuscus bonuses to run things alone while they looked for someone to fill Lou's position. But Cuscus was half-obsessed with the job already and liked the money, and his employers liked having only one employee since it saved them money, and so things have remained as such for several years now."
"That can't be legal," said Judy, "or healthy for Cuscus, whether he minds it or not. What will they do if something happens to him from overwork? Surely there would be a lawsuit. They wouldn't even have a back-up mammal to run things. Does Mayor Lionheart know about this?"
Fang barked out a laugh. "Who do you think keeps postponing things? Our dear mayor is nothing if not frugal with how he spends the citizen's money. Unless it's for a new lawn ornament. He sure never forgets to keep up his front yard."
"You'd be wise to keep those comments to yourself," said officer Dill. "As government employees, it is not our place to have an opinion on what the higher ups decide. Commander Stelmaria will have your hide if she hears you badmouthing other government departments."
"She does it herself all the time!" said Fang. "Remember when she threatened to saw off Moosestufferson's antlers and use them for a coat rack?"
"What she says and what you say are two different things. Don't embarrass our commander by putting her in a position where she'll have to apologize for you. You won't like what happens to you after."
Fang blanched. "Point taken."
It came as a great relief to all of them when they were finally able to step through the Tundratown maintenance exit and out into the dark, frost-bitten night. The temperature was cold enough to steal your breath and yet even Judy relished the fresh air and open space of the small employee parking lot. Stars twinkled above them. They were brighter here than in any other district, save perhaps the outskirts of the Savanna. The sharp peaks of Tundratown's snowy mountains stretched up around them like pale claws scratching at the crescent moon.
Almost in unison, Judy's, Dill's, and Fang's phones all chimed with messages.
Fang pulled out his phone and kissed it. "Sweet cell service, how I've missed you!"
Judy took out her own phone. She had a missed call from Nick along with a text message: Going to be home late. Sorry.
"Hey, how about we all go grab a bite?" asked Dill.
"Sounds like a good plan to me," said Fang. "How about it, Hopps?"
Judy gave an apologetic smile. "I think I'll take a raincheck tonight. Sorry."
Fang whined. Officer Dill shoved him towards their van. "Do not worry about it, officer Hopps. Can we drop you off somewhere?"
"I'll manage, thanks."
"Then we will see you bright and early tomorrow."
She waved goodbye as they pulled away. Then she called Nick.
"Carrots?"
Just hearing his voice drained away all the tension from the day. Judy smiled dopily up at the mountains. "Still working?"
"Unfortunately. Just taking a break for a moment. Is it just me, or are we working later than usual?"
Judy felt a pang behind her heart. "I don't think it's the hours that are different."
"Yeah," said Nick.
Judy started off down the sidewalk, away from the back streets that ran along the Climate Wall and back towards the main thoroughfare of Tundratown. "Your voice sounds echoey. Where are you now?"
"Locker room. I desperately needed a shower."
"Abandoned burrow?"
"Try sewer."
Judy bit her lip.
As if Nick could see her, he said, "You can laugh. One of us should."
"I'm sorry I missed out."
"Liar." There was a deep sigh.
"Did something happen?" Judy could hear traffic up ahead, along with the chatter of voices and the crunch of paws on snow.
"Got a missing mammal case today. Two juvenile mice. Haven't found them yet."
Judy's stomach lurched. "Oh, Nick, that's awful. Can I do anything to help?"
"Maybe. If we had any leads to go on."
"There's nothing there at all?"
"There was one thing… but it turned out to be a dead end."
"You mean the sewer?"
"That had no dead ends," said Nick. "Thing went on forever. No way to track anyone."
"Then what?"
Judy turned a corner and found herself outside the Fishtown Market. At least it was too cold to smell much. The streets were full of animals enjoying a late night out. There were lines outside Club Halibut and the Blubber Chef. Those tired after a long day were taking advantage of the ice flow conveyor. Judy was debating if it would be worth the frozen toes when Nick said, "Did you know that a lot of mice closed up shop in Little Rodentia?"
Judy pulled up short. "No, I didn't."
A walrus that had been walking behind her stumbled to a halt with an angry snort. She apologized and quickly hopped out of the way. To Nick, she said, "Why would they do that?"
"Got me. I had Stella look into it. There's over a dozen so far that she's found. They all closed up with little notice and left without any cause that she could find. Took their entire families with them, distant cousins and all. And none of them have been seen anywhere in Zootopia since they locked their doors. Sound like anyone we know?"
Judy's exhale was a plume of white. "Fru Fru."
"I'll keep you in the loop on it, but I'm not sure how much else we'll be able to figure out like this. I also can't find any connection to the young missing mice."
"You'll figure it out. I have complete faith in you."
"That makes one of us." Another big sigh. "I've got to go update Bogo in a few minutes. I probably won't be making it home tonight."
"I understand."
Judy spotted a bench out of the way from all the foot-traffic and darted over to it. It had been sculpted out of ice. She sat gingerly, grimacing at the immediate chill that seeped through her many layers. "By the way, do you know of a Musk Ox named Ortu?"
"I know that he's bad news. Please tell me you don't have a case on him."
"Actually," said Judy, and she told him about the rumors that Fang had heard. There was silence for a minute after she had finished.
"I'm not gonna say who I think is behind it—"
"Good."
"—Because we both already know who it is," said Nick. "If it becomes an official case, just make sure you don't get it. Make up whatever excuse you have to."
"What do you think he's doing with all that money?" wondered Judy. "I mean, it's not like he's living in a mansion or anything."
"Try not to think about it," said Nick.
Judy snorted. "Now I can't even think about it?"
"No. Because if you think about it, you'll figure something out. And if you figure something out, then you can't plead ignorance when he gets caught."
Judy laughed. The cold air hurt her lungs, but it felt good all the same.
Her phone chimed. "Oh, I have a message."
"I have to go anyway," said Nick. "See you tomorrow. Hopefully."
"Miss you," said Judy.
"Yeah," said Nick. "Miss you too, Carrots. So much."
She hung up, feeling wistful. She checked to see who had texted her. It was from a number she didn't recognize. It read: Yo, this is S. Got a lead on FF. Stop by my place if you want to discuss.
Judy stared at the screen for a moment. S and FF? Who was that supposed to be? But then she realized that "FF" must stand for Fru Fru, which mean the "S" was most likely Scarlet.
If Scarlet truly had information on Fru Fru, then Judy needed to find out what it was, the sooner the better.
Sending a silent apology to Nick, she texted Scarlet back. The fox replied almost immediately. The address she gave was across the city, all the way over in Savannah Central, along a river near Haymarket. Judy had to take two different transit lines to get there, plus walk six blocks. By the time she was nearing the location, her winter wear had gone from feeling barely warm enough to overly toasty.
Unzipping her coat, she checked her GPS. She was nowhere near residential housing. She faced the backsides of a few apartment complexes, but they were several streets over and she was heading in the opposite direction. Around her was nothing but closed up retail stores and cozy eateries, some of which still glowed with lights and carried the muffled sounds of conversation.
When her GPS announced her arrival to the location a few minutes later, she thought maybe Scarlet was pranking her. In front of Judy sat a wide, squat building made from adobe, with a singular wood sign on the door that read Nocturne Oasis. Warm yellow light illuminated the red curtains over its windows. A singular wood door stood wide in welcome. Judy could hear piano music playing and beneath that, the hushed buzz of quiet conversation.
A shadow appeared in the doorway."There you are. I was wondering what was keeping you. Whoa, what's with the outfit? Did you come all the way from Tundratown?"
"Late night," said Judy.
"I'll say." The tall fox smiled. In an exaggeratedly husky voice she said, "I promise I'll make it worth your while."
She waved Judy in. Judy followed her down a short flight of steps which spilled out into a wide room filled with a dozen or so sunken seating areas, with squishy looking couches stuffed with pillows surrounding low, wood tables. In the dim lighting of table lamps and antique wall sconces Judy could just make out the heads of animals sticking up above their seats like cabbages in a macabre vegetable field. Carpets displaying intricate patterns covered the otherwise bare walls, and sheer, brightly colored curtains hung from the ceiling between tables, giving the barest illusion of privacy.
In the middle of the room, a serval in a sleek, black pantsuit played piano. A wide gold collar was draped around her throat, with matching gold bands around both of her upper arms. The color brightened her fur and made the black spots pop.
She was playing a beautiful, swooping melody Judy had never heard before. The notes would lift in a strangely slow crescendo before dipping downwards in a rush, over and over again, like someone being repeatedly coaxed up a hill only to reach the top and decide to race full-tilt down the other side. It made Judy think of running through endless fields, of the wonder and longing for places unexplored.
"She's good, isn't she?" Scarlet asked.
Judy jumped. She realized she had stopped walking and was just standing there, staring at the serval. She nodded, entranced.
"Her name's Ciara. She wandered in a couple months ago, asking for a job. Didn't have any references, but the skills speak for themselves. And I like her vibe. She's a bit aloof, but then she is a cat." Scarlet rolled her eyes. "At least she's polite to the patrons, which is what matters most, aside from her playing, of course."
"Do you own this restaurant?" asked Judy, the pieces finally coming together.
"Nothing so fancy. Marian's place is a restaurant. This is more of a bar with food. But, yeah." Scarlet shrugged as if it were no big deal. "You like it?"
"It's wonderful."
Scarlet beamed, actually looking a bit bashful by the praise.
Piano keys plinked, the tone dropping to something slow and deep and warbling, a musical warning of darkness and danger that raised the fur on the back of Judy's neck and had her instinctively sniffing the air for threats, despite knowing better. For several seconds the notes trembled there like an animal caught, the sense of dread building to an uncomfortable level. But just when the feeling of danger grew imminent, the music sprang forward, swift and nimble, to a higher plane, leaving the darkness far behind, and Judy found herself sighing in open relief.
"Come on," said Scarlet, "You haven't even seen the best part yet."
"What's the best part?"
"The drinks, obviously."
They wove their way past more sunken tables to the back of the room where an impressively long bar was being tended to by a camel and an antelope, both in fine, flattering suits. Even the camel's looked properly tailored, a feat that must have taken an experienced tailor and a lot of cash. Everything shined, from the glossy redwood countertop to the brass fixtures to the hanging rows of wine glasses, which glittered in the low lighting like it's own sort of modern chandelier. Behind the bartenders were shelves full of more liquor than Judy could ever name—or afford.
Next to the bar hung a long cork board overflowing with pictures of various patrons and employees come and gone over the years. Judy even spotted several of Scarlet, and a few more of a smiling male fox in a suit that matched Scarlet nearly to a whisker.
"My brother, Sawyer," said Scarlet with a wink when she saw what Judy was looking at. She gestured to a pair of swinging doors, through which meerkats in smart red vests were scurrying. "That's the kitchen. We mostly serve appetizers. I don't know how Marian keeps up with all that complicated cooking. Still, I promise what we have is edible. Would you like something to eat? Or drink, maybe? You're off the clock now, right?"
Judy knew the food would be better than just edible. Scarlet might downplay it, but it was obvious how much care she put into her place.
"Fru Fru would have loved coming here," said Judy, turning to take in the place with a sign. The shrew had loved going out to eat. A place light this would have delighted her.
"Drink it is then," said Scarlet. She signaled to the camel. A moment later a tall glass of something the color of amber orange was pushed into Judy's paw.
"You can drink it as we talk," said Scarlet, and looping her arm through Judy's led her to another flight of stairs, these also leading down. At the bottom was a closed door with a keypad into of a lock. It reminded Judy of the Climate Wall bunker. Scarlet entered the password faster than Judy could even think to steal a peek, and then she was being ushered inside a dark room.
"Sorry. Lights!" commanded Scarlet, and several lamps illuminated around the room, making Judy wince. It was by far the brightest place she had been in all day.
"My office," said the fox, and indeed there was a desk and several chairs that could pass as office furniture, along with a squat couch that looked either second hand or very old. But the rest of it looked more like some kind of computer repair store.
On the desk were four large monitors, plus two sets of keyboards and several computers that looked as if they had been built by Scarlet herself. Random equipment sat everywhere. Wires and computer parts, some Judy recognized and some she didn't. It spilled out of boxes and hung off the bookshelves lining the wall.
"You must be good with computers," said Judy.
Scarlet shrugged. "I dabble."
Judy fought a smile and took a sip of her drink. Her ears perked up.
"Good, isn't it?" said Scarlet, watching Judy's reaction. "Just don't ask how many calories it is."
"This is delicious." Judy had never tasted anything like it. It was like the creamiest carrot juice but with sugar and spices and rum. A lot of rum. Judy took a bigger sip, savoring it this time.
Scarlet flopped down on the couch, sprawling out so that her long body took it up end to end. "So, I contacted you because I stopped by Mr. Big's place today. Did you know he's got a security system hooked up?"
Judy nodded. She took a seat on one of the chairs, careful not to spill her drink. "It's one of the first things Nick and I looked into."
"It's still live, too. Which means that odds are someone is watching it."
"It's not run by any known company in Zoootopia, though, legal or otherwise," said Judy. "I already checked."
Scarlet nodded like she had expected at much. "That just means it's privately looked after. That's actually a good thing."
"How so?"
"Because it means the odds that Mr. Big is in direct contact with whoever is watching it is much higher. Possibly it's Mr. Big himself."
"But if there's no way to find out where they're watching from…"
"Leave that to me," said Scarlet. "A little tweaking with the feed, and I'll be able to follow it back right to the source."
"You sound very confident."
"I told you. I dabble."
Judy suspected it was more than that. She also knew what Nick would say if he were here. That it was a terrible idea to let one of Robin's friends help her do something that was so obviously sketchy. But Fru Fru could be in trouble, and this was the only plan she'd been able to find after weeks of fruitless searching. For her friend's sake, Judy had to try it.
She took a big fortifying gulp of her drink, coughing at the burn of it. "Okay," she said.
"Fantastic!" Scarlet bounded off the couch and into chair behind her desk, letting it spin her in circles. "Don't worry. I'll have your little friend tracked down in no time!"
"Just… please make sure that you're careful," said Judy. "We still don't know what happened to Fru Fru and her family. I'd hate for something to happen to you, too."
"Aw," Scarlet put a paw to her heart. "Your worry is sweet. And unnecessary. I don't get involved in dangerous stuff, ok? I just… research. From the safety of my desk. See? I promise I won't even leave this spot."
"But if someone notices you've messed with Mr. Big's security…"
Scarlet booted up one of the computers. All four screens flickered on like eyes blinking open. "I doubt that'll happen. And even if it does, that's what Will is around for. I have to admit he's a great lawyer, even if he is a buzzkill. And he never turns down Robin, and Robin would never leave me in a pinch, so you see? Nothing to worry about."
Judy wasn't so sure about that. But she needed Scarlet to help her and Scarlet wanted to help, so there really wasn't a point in protesting any further.
She sipped at her drink, trying to pick out the various spices. Cinnamon maybe, or nutmeg. The alcohol burned the flavor away too quickly to be sure. It filled her belly with warmth and sent tingles to her extremities still numb for her day spent in the cold inner walls of Tundratown.
Scarlet was typing away on her computer. Judy thought she could give even Cuscus a run for his money.
"So when did you get into computers?"
Scarlet shrugged without pausing in her typing. "I was always interested in it, but it wasn't until I got hired by Robin that I really started getting serious about it. Before that Will had been in charge of the, uh, technical side of things."
"He didn't mind you taking over?"
"The cat could barely figure out printing. No, he was more than happy to pass it off to me."
"So Will was already here when you got hired?"
"Yep. He's been with Robin the longest, besides Little John, of course."
"Do you know how Will and Robin met?"
The clacking of keys stopped. Scarlet looked up at her. "Why the interest?"
Judy shrugged and slouched back in her seat, a gesture she'd seen Nick do many times when he wanted to appear nonchalant. "It's just that they're a strange pair. To be friends, I mean."
Scarlet snickered. "Ain't that the truth. Honestly, I don't know how they met. But I can guarantee that Will stuck around because he feels indebted to Robin for some reason."
"Why so sure?"
"Because we all feel that way about Robin." The fox clapped a paw to her chest and said in a dramatic voice, "A gallant savior to strays of all stripes!" She dropped her paw with a snort. "Honestly, I'd find his constant chivalry annoying if it wasn't so deadly sincere."
"Are you saying you feel pressured to work for him?" asked Judy.
"Pressured? No way. Robin would never pressure us," said Scarlet. "It's the exact opposite. Most of us had to beg for him to take us."
"But why would you do that?"
"Because we're just so darn grateful." Scarlet slouched back in her chair. "Anyone with half a brain cell can tell he's one of those rare breeds of decent. They just don't make 'em like him anymore. You'd give anything to work with a mammal like that. And after everything he's done for us, you can't help but want to try to and pay him back at least half as much—which is an impossible task, I can tell you."
"He really did that much for you?" said Judy.
Scarlet looked down at her computer. The four glowing screens gave her fox fur a ghostly glow, but the haunted look in her eyes all came from within. "I can't speak for everyone. But for myself, Robin saved my life, plain and simple."
"How?" said Judy, only belatedly realizing that might not be something the fox would want to talk about. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me to ask."
"No, it's fine. I don't mind taking about it so much anymore." Scarlet tucked up her legs so she could rest her chin on her knees. It made her look smaller, younger. "I'm sure you know that fox families usually have if rougher than most other species. But my family… I guess you could say they had 'made it'. They all had good jobs with decent pay, but more than that, they had managed to claw out of place of respect in our neighborhood using fear and money and sheer willpower. So of course, the thing that scared them more than anything was the thought of losing that respect. Every younger fox in my family knew you didn't draw attention to yourself. We had three rules—" She held up three claws, ticking them off. "Blend in. Stick together. Don't make waves. And the older family members, especially my parents, would enforce those rules ruthlessly."
Scarlet bared her teeth in a ferocious facsimile of a smile. "Of course, being the little trendsetter that I was as a kit, I hardly let that stop me from doing as I pleased. You saw the pictures upstairs."
Judy nodded, though it wasn't a question.
"I like to joke that it's my brother. But I don't have a brother, or a sister for that matter. Just a bunch of cousins who all expect money for their birthdays, the spoiled kits."
Judy, who recognized a deflection when she saw it, said lightly, "Try buying presents for a couple hundred siblings."
"Seriously?" Scarlet looked legitimately impressed. "I don't know how you bunnies get by as well as you do."
Judy smiled. "You learn to appreciate homemade presents, for one thing."
"That sounds nice, actually." Scarlet's tone turned wry. "My family wasn't so open to interpretation. About anything. And the more I dared to disobey, the worse the punishments got. That's how Robin found me, after a particularly bad blow-up." She laughed bitterly. "To this day I don't know if leaving me in an actual ditch was on purpose or if they just happened to toss me out of the car there, but I wasn't conscious for it anyway so I guess it doesn't matter. But Robin—he made sure I got proper medical care, and then he went with Will and somehow they managed to convince my parents not to argue my emancipation request. Will handled all the legal mumbo-jumbo. I barely had to do anything but sign the papers. He even arranged it so I could see the judge privately, without having to see my parents."
"That was very nice of Robin," said Judy. "And Will too."
Scarlet laughed again. It wasn't kind. "Oh, I'm sure Will got paid well enough for it. He gets more money than any of us combined. More than even Robin keeps from—" Scarlet gave an awkward cough. "Uh, you know, when he gets paid for his services."
"His philanthropy services?" said Judy, and Scarlet laughed like she'd told a great joke.
"You got it!"
Judy took another drink. She'd given up on identifying the spices and instead just enjoyed the way it all blended together in a warm, spicy, carroty goodness.
"How do you know Will gets so much more money?"
"Everybody knows," said Scarlet. "It's not like it's a secret. And I get it. He's a vital member of the team, blah blah blah. We need him to cover our butts when things occasionally go south, legally. And he's great at what he does. He might grumble, but he never says no. And he's kind to our clients. He always remembers to bring toys for any kits, and he's never condescending when he's explaining all those complicated laws and regulations. He's endlessly patient. Do you know? He once let a skunk cry on him for two hours without complaining."
"That was very sweet of him," agreed Judy.
"Right?" said Scarlet, "He can be. He can be so…" For a moment her gaze softened, a confused sort of wonder in her eyes, but almost immediately she pulled back. "Gah, but there's still a limit to an animals greed, you know? Ever if everything else about him is perfect."
"Do you know what he spends all that money on?" asked Judy.
"You mean besides suits and cars and expensive caviar?"
Judy stifled a smile at the fox's dry tone. "Yes. Besides that."
Scarlet looked down. "No," she admitted. "I don't know. I started to look into it once, years ago, when I was still considered the new kit. I wasn't as good at what I do as I am now, and Robin caught wind of it. He confronted me and… it wasn't fun."
Concern melted away some of Judy's happy warmth. "Was he angry?"
"No, not at all! I mean, he was upset, but it was like he was scared for me. He made me promise to keep out of the finances. And it's not like I can ignored a promise I made. Not to him." She let her head fall back. "I wonder sometimes if Will doesn't have something on Robin, to make him pay so much."
Judy didn't know much about Will. And she couldn't argue that he dressed well and drove a nice car, and was clearly living comfortably. But she also thought she knew enough about Robin to know the fox wouldn't stand for blackmail.
When she said as much to Scarlet, the fox's head popped up. "Right? I thought that too. That Robin isn't the type of mammal to stand for something like that. It's why he does what he does—his philanthropy, I mean. It's why that's so important to him."
"Exactly," said Judy. "Which means there has to be a reasonable explanation for why he gives Will so much money."
"Yeah," said Scarlet. "You're right." Her expression turned thoughtful. "I'll have to think about it some more."
Judy took another sip of her drink, disappointed when she found she'd finished it.
Scarlet was upright in her seat again. She grabbed the lip of the desk and pulled herself back so she could reach the keyboard, her knees still tuck-up to her chin. "Before I dig into Will, though, I'm going to find your friend," she said. "I promise I'll let you know the minute I find something."
"Thank you," said Judy. "It means a lot to me."
Scarlet sent her a quick smile. "Of course. What are friends for?"
The fox thought of her as a friend? Judy smiled, touched. And then had to hold back a laugh when she thought of what Nick would say when she told him she had befriended another associate of Robin's.
"Then, as a friend…" Judy raised her empty glass and smiled. "Maybe I could get another one of these to go?"
The meeting with Chief Bogo did not go well. The water buffalo spent the better part of an hour alternating between shaming, guilt tripping, and generally chewing Nick and Stella out for their incompetence before releasing them with dire warnings about their future careers should they fail to find the mice. He did not care about the closed businesses, nor did he see any correlation. The only thing he did find relevant about it was that a half-dozen closed stores meant that there were a half-dozen buildings in Little Rodentia that hadn't been searched. And since none of the officers could fit more than a paw inside any of the doorways, Nick spent the next few hours rounding up rodents who worked security for other establishments in the area to preform the searches. Stella stayed behind at the office, filling out the paperwork they would need to justify each trespass without owner permission, along with compensation checks for the four mice, two rats, and three voles Nick had managed to assemble.
Nick supervised from the street as they went through each building. They were a competent bunch who all seemed genuinely concerned about the young missing mice. Not a one complained as they carefully swept each building, each one stoic to the last whisker. Nick was the only one who grew increasingly agitated as, one by one, the properties were cleared with no signs of anyone having been there since the owners closed up shop.
Nick wanted to help with the search, but the most he could do was peer in through the windows, and that tended to startle the search team more than help them. So he paced, and forced rest breaks when he saw someone flagging, and ordered mediocre coffee from a 24-hour place down the road. When it stopped being late and started being early, he had doughnuts delivered, and more coffee, and when they all trouped out of the last building and declared it all clear, Nick did his best not to show his disappointment. He thanked them for their help and passed out the paperwork they would need to claim their reimbursement later, and then they were gone and it was just Nick, standing in the middle of the empty, miniature street in the predawn gloom, with nothing but a garbage bag full of used coffee cups and an empty doughnut box.
He stuffed the garbage bag in the nearest dumpster then returned to his car. He didn't know where to search next. Stella had texted him an hour ago to tell him she was off to take a much-needed cat nap, and to not contact her unless he had located the missing mice or had a fool-proof plan to find them.
Nick did not have a fool-proof plan. He had a muzzy head that no amount of caffeine could clear and a burning spot in his gut that he was sure was the beginnings of an ulcer.
He needed a break.
He started driving. It was still too early for traffic to build up, and he had the road as much to himself as was possible in a city as big as Zootopia. He knew he should go home and grab a nap like Stella. Instead he found himself turning west, towards the Rainforest District. The drainage system he had explored earlier had hundreds of offshoots, but most of the main lines had routed this way. It wasn't unusual. The Rainforest District took care of most of the city's water management. It certainly wasn't a lead. He didn't even have proof the mice went into the drain in the first place. And even if they had, the pipes broke off into too many directions to know where in the Rainforest District they might have come out. That is, if they hadn't gotten lost and drowned in one of the city's scheduled weather adjustments that sent millions of gallons of water down rushing through those pipes…
Nausea roiled in his gut, along with too much bad coffee. Nick pulled over to the curb and wondered how unprofessional it would be to get caught throwing up in a city-owned hedgerow.
He rolled down his window and let the damp morning air bathe his face, willing his stomach to settle. He tried to distract himself by watching the other vehicles as they drove by, most tapping their breaks when they spotted the police cruiser. On the sidewalk, his presence caused the opposite reaction, with pedestrians speeding up to get past his vehicle more quickly. Nick didn't take it personally. Back in the day, he would have given the ZPD the same wide berth.
A fox with a particularly laggy gate passed by his open window. Unlike everyone else, this fox didn't even glance at the officer parked at the curb. His tail dragged the ground, his pace so slow and lumbering Nick worried he wouldn't manage his next step. Then he stumbled. He caught himself on a half-turn, and Nick saw his face and realized he knew him.
Nick stuck his head out the window and shouted, "Hey!"
The fox either didn't hear or chose to ignored him. He straightened and continued on down the sidewalk, still at the same dragging pace.
"Hey!" Turning off the cruiser, Nick got out of the vehicle and followed after him. There was no need to run. Just walking normally allowed Nick to overtake him. He stepped in front of other fox, blocking his way, and had to catch him by the shoulder to keep the fox from continuing to walk right into him. "Craven, stop a minute, will you?"
The young fox stared up at him with such a distant and uncomprehending look that it set off every one of Nick's alarm bells. There was no recognition there, or care for being stopped. Nick dropped his voice to something softer. "Hey, buddy. Going somewhere fun? At this hour?"
Craven blinked at him. Very slowly, he shook his head.
"Okay," said Nick. "In that case, how about I give you a ride? I heard you've been taking morning classes up at the university. It's a pretty long walk from here. I'd hate for you to miss an important lesson, especially since you're heading in the wrong direction."
Nick waited. Judy had told him that Craven had been acting up lately, becoming aggressive at the drop of a hat, arguing constantly, picking fights. But the fox in front of him now showed no reaction to Nick's gentle poking. He blinked slowly, frowned, and looked down at his paw. Nick automatically looked down at it too.
He cursed and grabbed the fox's wrist. Craven's entire paw looked like it had been viciously lacerated, with multiple deeps cuts criss-crossing over the sensitive pads. Nick held it up, trying to make out the extent of the damage, but the blood wouldn't stop pooling up. It dripped between his claws and left bright red splatters on the white sidewalk.
"Change of plans," said Nick. "We're going to the hospital."
Craven apparently had no comment on this. He let Nick tug him back to the cruiser and dump him into the back seat. Nick grabbed the first aid kit in his trunk and pulled out a quickclot compress. He mashed it against Craven's paw. "Press down on this," Nick commanded him. The fox did. He didn't react like it hurt. Nick caught him by the chin and tipped his head up, getting a good look at the fox's eyes. His pupils were a bit enlarged, but nothing that made Nick think drug use. He'd make the hospital check anyway.
He noticed that Craven was shivering. Muttering a few more curses, Nick returned to the trunk and grabbed a blanket. He wrapped it around Craven then seat-belted him in. He texted Judy that he was taking Craven to the hospital for a hurt paw, then turned on his lights and pulled back into traffic.
"What happened?" demanded Nick as they drove. "How did you hurt your paw?"
Craven just looked at him in the rearview mirror.
"You weren't fighting somewhere again, where you?" The lacerations could be from claws… defensive wounds maybe. Craven didn't appear to be hurt anywhere else that Nick could tell.
Craven said something too quiet to catch.
"What was that?"
"The only way to learn it is to do it. Archimedes said that." The fox's voice was rough. As if he'd been crying. Or screaming.
"Who the heck is Archimedes?"
"A famous philosopher."
"Never heard of him."
"He was an owl, but not many mammals remember that. Over the years he's been misrepresented as a rat, a pig, a bull, even an elephant."
"Why an elephant?" Nick couldn't care less, but he wanted Craven to keep talking.
"Because elephants are considered one of the wisest animals."
"Wise, my furry behind," said Nick. "You know one almost sat on me last week? Couldn't even check to see if anyone else was on the bench first. A bench that wasn't meant for oversized animals, by the way!"
"What do you think happened to them?"
"Nothing. I wanted him ticketed but I was overruled. Didn't even apologize, the big—"
"I mean the owls," said Craven. His abused vocal chords were rough, but what unnerved Nick more was the distant, unemotional way he spoke. "What happened to all the birds? Did they all wake up one day and decide to fly away? Are they living somewhere else right now? Or did they really go extinct from an inability to thrive, as the textbooks say?"
"Sounds like a question you should be asking at the fancy university of yours."
"University is pointless now," said Craven.
"Why's that?"
But the fox didn't answer, and Nick couldn't get him to speak again for the rest of the ride.
At the hospital, Craven was ushered off by a kind but efficient anteater nurse. An hour later, it was concluded that Craven wasn't hurt anywhere but his paw. The blood sample came back negative of everything but a standard anti-anxiety medication. The dose level of which was normal.
"Did he tell you how he got hurt?" Nick asked the nurse when she had returned.
"He didn't, though he's clearly in a state of shock," she said. "The cuts were inflicted with something extremely sharp."
"Not claws?" said Nick.
The nurse shook her head. "More like a small, very sharp knife. Actually, it look like…" She trailed off. Her long, whip-like tongue flicked out to lick at her snout nervously.
"Looked like what?" Nick prompted.
"Letters." The word came out fast and hushed. "As I was stitching him up, I could clearly make out the letters 'N' and 'O' carved right into his palm."
Nick's heart was pounding. He could still picture the N.O. he had seen scrawled on the side of the building that had housed the underground fight ring. He could hear the rhino's words at the exile as if the beast stood right beside him, whispering in his ear. "Long live the Natural Order."
"Are you positive?" said Nick.
"I am," said the nurse. "I'm worried he could be trying to send a message."
"Oh he's sending a message, all right," said Nick. "He's all stitched up now, right? If you could send him out, we've got some questions for him down at the station."
"No, you don't."
Nick turned. Robin stood there, looking confident as usual with that cocky smile pasted onto his face. Marian, Little John, and Will flanked him. Marian's eyes were red, the fur of her cheeks damp from tears. At the sight of her, Nick felt something like discomfort niggle at his stomach.
Little John leaned down to whisper something in her ear. She took a shuddering breath and nodded, shoulders relaxing slightly.
Will stood like a slick suited statue beside them, perfectly put together besides the striped cuff of a pajama top Nick could see peeking out of the sleeve of his blazer.
"Marian got a message from Judy that Craven had been injured and brought to the hospital," said Robin. "We're here to take him home."
"Do you always bring a lawyer to the E.R. with you?" inquired Nick.
"Of course, doesn't everyone?" said Robin, still with that grating smile that said he knew you knew better, and it didn't matter anyway. "Only me? Ah, well…"
He looked over at Marian. "Love? Why don't you and Little John go get your brother? We'll wait out here for you."
She looked over at Nick, as if she feared he might try and block her from going to her sibling, and Nick felt a stab of shame at that. But before he could think of anything to say, she had rushed passed him and into the back, Little John right behind her. The nurse followed after them.
"I need to take Craven to the station first," said Nick. "I have reason to suspect he has new information about an important case."
"I'm sorry, my friend, but I can't let you do that," said Robin. "Craven is a victim, nothing more."
"You just got here, and from what I've heard, Craven hasn't exactly been forthcoming to any of you about his activities lately," snapped Nick. "Frankly, you don't know what he is at this point."
"He's my fiancé's brother," said Robin solemnly. "That's all I need to know."
"That's all well and honorable," said Nick. "But denial won't fix whatever problems he's gotten himself into."
"Perhaps not, but that's what a lawyer is for," said Robin with an airy wave towards Will.
The caracal stepped forward and held out a business card. "In the future, I am requesting that you contact me first if you wish to speak to my client about any case you may be investigating."
"You can't be serious."
Will just raised an eyebrow and held the card out farther. Nick snatched it and stuffed it into his pocket.
Little John reappeared then. Marian was with him, her arm around a Craven who still wore that same hollow look as he stared down at his bandaged paw.
"We'll wait for you in the car," Marian told Robin, and with one last glance at Nick to see how he'd take that, she ushered her brother away.
"Be honest," said Nick once she was gone. "You know Craven is involved in whatever this Natural Order is. Don't you care about that?"
"I care very much," said Robin. "But I will protect my family."
"And if he's guilty?" asked Nick. "Do you plan to pay off the system using your recent windfall?"
Will gave a pointed clearing of his throat. "Unless you would like to be sued for slander, I would recommend you refrain from such strange allegations, Mr. Wilde. We do not know what 'windfall' you may be referring to, but unless you have any evidence—"
Nick ignored the cat. His focus was on Robin's reaction. The fox showed genuine surprise, but instead of looking worried or angry about it, that cheerful smile returned. "You and Judy never fail to impress me. Your concern is touching, Nick, but really, you don't need to worry about us." He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "And I promise, if there is anything I can do to help with the case, Craven aside, I will do my utmost to help you. You know that right?"
"Please, whatever you do, don't help me," said Nick with feeling.
Robin laughed. He clapped Nick on the back and said, "In that case, keep up the good work. Officer."