Chapter 14: Taking A Stand/Past Revealed


Alex came to and leapt off the floor, looking at his watch. It had been a half hour since he had started fighting Manchas. Where was Judy?! Struggling to his feet, he noticed his chest had been bandaged. It still hurt like hell though. That didn't matter at the moment; he had to find Judy. Limping out of the house, he saw the red and blue flashing lights of police vehicles in the distance. Hopefully he'd be able to find Judy there safe.

Walking slowly through the dark rainforest, Alex began to hear the angry voice of Bogo yelling, and Judy arguing. "You think I'm going to believe a fox?" Bogo's voice sneered. "Well, he was a key witness, and I-" Judy began, before Bogo cut her off. Alex got close enough to see what was going on. "Two days to find the otter, or you resign. That was the deal. Badge." Bogo hissed, holding his hoof out to receive Judy's badge. "But sir, we had-" Judy protested. "BADGE!" Bogo screamed at her. Several officers looked uneasy, as if they wanted to protest but were afraid of getting backlash from their chief.

Alex had seen enough, and staggered out into the light. "So, the great Chief Bogo shows his true colors… as a BIGOT!" Alex howled. Bogo glowered at Alex. "She's not fit for duty, Moon. She'll see any predator who's aggressive as savage." Bogo argued. "And you won't take her for her word, because she's a rabbit!? And you won't listen to her key witness because he's a fox?! You claim to be the head of the Zootopia police force, and yet you won't listen to someone because of their species!" Alex shot back.

"And what evidence do you have to back up their claims?" Bogo smirked, confident that Alex would have none. "MY BROTHER IS NOT A LIAR!" Blossom's voice shouted in anger. Alex signaled to her with a nod, locking eyes with her and silently informing her that he had this. "I present the evidence of battle, of blood!" Alex declared, removing his police vest to show the bandages wrapped around his chest, and tore those off to reveal the red streaks left by the savage jaguar's claws.

Collective gasps were elicited from the group of officers that were assembled. Even Bogo was visibly shocked by the injuries that Alex had sustained. "I was attacked by that savage jaguar, and fought it. Then someone tossed a flash bang and the last thing I saw was several tranquilizer darts sticking out of the jaguar. Next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor, and someone had bandaged me up. No sign of the savage jaguar." Alex explained.

Bogo sat silent for a few minutes. Blossom ran up to Alex. "I found this at the crime scene on his body, managed to get a sample. Blossom, can you analyze it?" Alex asked his sister. The skunk smirked and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Do horses have hooves?" Blossom snickered. Alex interpreted that as a yes.

The wolf turned to Bogo with a look of disdain on his face. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a big lead to follow, and a case to crack." Nick sneered as the three of them left, going to one of the gondolas. He opened the door for the two of them. "Officers Hopps and Moon." The fox courteously said.

Once all three of them stepped inside, Judy thanked Nick for standing up for her. Apparently he had made a speech for her pointing out how they still had ten hours left and Bogo hadn't given him any acknowledgement. "Never let them see that they get to you." Nick remarked. "So… things do get to you?" Judy asked. "Oh, not anymore, but I was small and emotionally unbalanced like you once." Nick answered.

"Har har." Judy sarcastically responded, rolling her eyes and looking away from him. "No, it's true. I think I was eight or maybe nine, and all I wanted to do was join the Junior Ranger Scouts. So, my mom scraped together enough money to buy me a brand new uniform, because by God I was gonna fit in, even if I was the only predator in the troop, the only fox. I was going to be part of a pack." Nick said.

The fox then went into detail about how he had been hurt and abused by the ranger scouts, and then how Alex had stepped in and got him to a hospital for his injuries. How he learned that if the only things that he was seen as was shifty and untrustworthy, that was all he would try to be. "Nick, you're so much more than that." Judy told him, placing her paw on Nick's arm comfortingly.

Nick looked at her and pulled back from the rabbit's touch, looking out of the gondola's window. "Boy, look at that traffic down there. How about we go up to Chuck in traffic central? Chuck, how're things looking on the jam-cams?" Nick imitated a reporter, trying to change the subject. Alex chuckled at this. That was the Nick he knew, using humor to try and shift away from sensitive topics.

"Nick, I'm glad you told me." Judy insisted. The fox didn't listen though, his eyes widening as he thought about something. "The jam-cams…" Nick breathed. "Seriously, it's okay-" Judy tried again. "No, no, shh! There's traffic cameras everywhere, all over the canopy! Whatever happened to the jaguar…" Nick explained, pointing to a camera that was hidden in the fronds of a fake palm tree.

"The traffic cams would have caught it!" Judy exclaimed. "Nice thinking, Nick!" Alex whistled appreciatively. Judy punched him in the arm playfully. "Pretty sneaky, slick!" She giggled. "Yes, however, if you didn't have access to the system before, I doubt Chief Buffalo-Butt is gonna let you into it now." Nick pointed out.

Judy looked at Alex hopefully, making him feel guilty. "Unfortunately, I don't have access to the traffic cams either. Not right this second. That takes a court order most of the time, or probable cause." Alex sadly said. "Don't worry, Alex. I have a friend at city hall who can help!" Judy proudly said.