Chapter 2: Last Chance
"For the last time, I'm not interested, Nick," Judy said. It was the umpteenth time this week that Nick tried to persuade her to partner up with Mr. Big. Even if they tried, they wouldn't have a good shot at victory. A shrew was unelectable.
Mr. Big was going to run for office with the goal of repealing PERIL or expelling rabbits from Tundratown. The former had minimal chance of success, and the latter was laughably worse.
"Fine, fine." Nick threw up his paws in defeat.
The polar bears knew where to find them, and they were off to his mansion. Koslov directly went to the mansion instead of taking the scenic route. Mr. Big redecorated the walls that prominently displayed the anti-rabbit sentiment within Tundratown.
Nick and Judy stood in front of Mr. Big before too long.
"Have you decided?" Mr. Big sounded like only one answer was the right one.
"I refuse." Judy dared to defy him.
"I have a proposal. Bring it to her," Mr. Big said.
Nick fidgeted uncomfortably beside her. She could feel his fear when she held his paw.
Raymond left the room briefly. He returned with a piece of paper shortly after.
Judy blinked as she saw the paper in front of her. It wasn't what she expected at all. She read the paper in its entirety, several times in fact to make sure she wasn't missing anything. "Why would–"
"Give me that!" Nick forcefully took the paper from her. His eyes diligently scanned the page. Every time he looked it over, he started reading again as if there was some hidden meaning between the words. "She'll join you!" Nick declared.
Judy sighed with annoyance. "As I was saying, why would I care about you changing your name?" The paper was nothing more than a formal request to change his name from Silvano to Donald. She didn't even know his first name until now either.
"My mistake," Mr. Big said.
"He doesn't make mistakes," Nick whispered to her in a terrified voice.
"The right paper this time, please." Mr. Big didn't sound disappointed.
The bear loudly stomped out of the room once again.
"Why do you even have that?" Nick asked.
"Some refer to me as the Don. This provides me with an electable name, and cover."
"Please give me another week. I'll convince her."
"Not this again," Judy said. "I don't want to run for office." She wanted to be where she could make a difference in mammal's lives.
The thundering footsteps signaled Raymond's return.
Judy studied the paper placed in front of them then Nick had a closer look. Once again, Nick scanned the parchment for any hidden meanings. He brought it close to his eyes to search for the fine print.
The paper detailed that Mr. Big was going to continue to facilitate her family's access to medical services, and in return, he wanted her not to interfere politically. If she ever broke the agreement, he was more than willing to use everything at his disposal against her. That even included lethal force which didn't escape her notice.
"And what happens when you lose?" Judy hated losing and she didn't think that Mr. Big would take losing well either.
"We go back to being friends," Mr. Big said. "You can call me Donald by then."
Given their strange relationship, it was still unexpected to hear Mr. Big say it out in the open. Judy didn't expect that he would confirm their relationship was that amicable. At least, she hadn't had any run-ins with his totally legal operations yet.
"Donald Big. This feels weird," Judy said.
"Will you sign?"
"Can I talk to her?" Nick asked.
He led Judy just outside the room. There Nick went yet again to try to convince her to embark on a fool's crusade to nowhere.
"You should join him," Nick said.
"His campaign is a fool's errand. Changing his name won't do anything," Judy said.
"It's better that you lose with him than him running on his other platform. Just campaign for two months. I'll even join you. It doesn't matter if you lose. Just think about what can happen if you win."
The idea of winning did appeal to her but there was a snowball's chance in hell for that to happen. Judy was thinking of reasons not to involve herself in politics. Not to mention, she might end up saying something unintentionally again. "Does he even have a running mate?"
"You should find that out."
They returned to the room shortly after.
"I trust you came to your senses," Mr. Big sounded desperate for some reason.
'Who's your running mate?" Judy asked.
"It will take time to find one."
Judy laughed. "Are you joking?" Mr. Big didn't even have it planned out.
Nick failed to keep the worry out of his voice. "Don't underestimate him."
"Will you sign?" Mr. Big asked.
"And if I do not?" Judy knew what his campaign strategy entailed, and he didn't want her to interfere.
"I trust your family will be quite unhappy. That is your prerogative," Mr. Big said dismissively.
Judy knew that he was right. Her family now numbering in the three-hundreds greatly benefited from his generosity. She didn't want to disappoint them.
"Do you want my signature?" Nick asked.
"Go join the groups of rabbit's rights activists if you wish. I do not care what you do. What's one more voice of dissent?" Mr. Big said. "You are just a fox."
Nick's ears splayed backward. "You're right."
"I do work for the ZPD." Judy knew Mr. Big had tons of skeletons in the closet that she should be able to find. "I'm not going to disregard my duties for you."
"I'm not worried about that," Mr. Big said. "We do have an amicable relationship, do we not? I expect you to act the same as you always have."
In the past, she never pried too deeply into Mr. Big's criminal empire because ignorance was bliss, but a single skeleton shouldn't be that hard to find. There was no better way to doom someone running for office than a public scandal.
"It's a deal." Judy signed her name. The deal only prevented her from directly campaigning and protesting against anything Mr. Big did politically.
