Chapter 6
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuuuuck!" I chant, running as fast as my legs can take me. I look over my shoulder, seeing Cameron bearing down on me.
"I'M NOT HERE TO ARREST YOU SHAWN!" He yells, jumping a table as we continue down the street, I duck into an alley, screeching to a hault when I realize it's a dead end.
I freeze, hearing Cameron come to a hault behind me. I slowly reach into my jacket, gripping the tranquilizer gun I'd 'found'
"Shawn, just turn around, I just want to talk." He implores, I glance over my shoulder to find his hands empty. With a sigh, I lower my hand, spinning to face him.
He rubs his face, walking slowly into the alley as he continues the massage. He stops about a foot infront of me, taking a deep breath and sighing. "Let's talk about Ximetz."
-0-
I take another sip of my coffee as I read the newspaper infront of me, deeply appalled by the story about a interspecies couple being tarred and feathered. I shake my head, lowering the paper a bit as I hear someone take a seat across from me.
"Cameron, how nice of you to return." I grin, letting my words do the rest.
"Yea Yea, sorry about running off like that, I just had to talk to Shawn." He explains, playing with the keys he has on a lanyard.
"C'mon, our lunch break is over anyways. What did you want to talk to him about?" I ask, folding the newspaper and putting it under my arm as I stand. I then lean forward and grab the coffee I was drinking before strolling towards the cruiser.
We walk in silence, the only thing spoken between us as we enter the cruiser and go back on patrol is an agreement on what the radio should be set to. We continue our shift, the only abnormally being Cameron texting someone, but I don't mind.
After an hour of doing our patrols and handing out a few traffic tickets, we eventually get called to act as first responders to an accident on one of the freeways. As we are pulling into the highway, Cameron says the first non-work related thing since lunch. "What's your opinion on vigilantism?"
I give him a questioning look as we follow the curb of the highway passing stopped traffic. "I mean, not the worst thing, but a crime is a crime, unless there is an extremely good reason, I wouldn't hesitate to slap cuffs on a vigilante."
He just nods as we pull up to the accident, a nasty roll over involving a few cars and two semis, one hauling a trailer labeled as hazardous cargo.
"Alright, is there anywhere traffic can get by?" Cameron questions, scanning the scene as he dons his high-visibility vest.
"Looks like they can get by in the median shoulder." I observe, a good space between one of the semis and the concrete barrier.
"You handle that, I'll check the vehicles." He commands, running off towards the wrecked cars.
I go back to the cruiser, grabbing a few cones and tossing one in each lane before directing the outermost lane to go around the scene.
I have to severely micromanage, needing to threaten several mammals with either jail time or a broken headlight due to them driving dangerously close to the cones I laid out. After one such tell off where only the fact that there may be someone with a dashcam kept me from kicking a headlight in I'm relieved to see the fire department and a few other police units arrive.
I direct the fire mammals to the wreck, and get assistance with the traffic from Wolford and Fangmeyer.
"ONE MORE FOOT FORWARD AND I'LL BREAK YOUR FUCKING HEADLIGHT!!!" I hear Fangmeyer yell, I turn to find a minivan quickly following her directions to bypass the crash.
I turn to go calm her down when I get pushed onto my back, looking up to find a sedan slamming on their brakes. I angrily drag myself to my feet, giving the teenage driver a death glare. I spot a cell phone in their paw and look to find Wolford already approaching, fire in his eyes.
I walk over to the driver's door, knocking on it as I resist the urge to punch the window in. The driver sheepishly rolls it down, beginning to utter an apology before I interrupt them.
"Pull over to the right. If you don't, I'll drag your ass out, and move the fucking vehicle myself." I utter through gritted teeth, my self control barely holding me back.
The driver pulls forward, and I once again return to their window.
"Out." I state, starring daggers. "Turn around... Paws behind your back."
"You are under arrest for distracted driving, vehicular assault, assault on a LEO, and interfering with an emergency scene." I say, clamping the cuffs a bit too tight. "Wolford read them their rights. I need a fucking break." I say, passing the driver over to Wolford before taking a long walk over to the side of the freeway, leaning against the guardrail as I take a cigarette out, light it, and try to calm my nerves.
I don't know how long I'm leaning there, but realise my cigarette is burning my fingers after a while, dropping it and crush it under my heel.
I stand up straight, walking towards the wreck, I smell the air, getting the taste of blood, asbestos, gasoline, and cordite. All the wonderful smells of a car wreck. I stroll around the site, eventually walking up to one of the vehicle collision experts.
"Sooo, what happened?" I ask, still slightly agitated.
"Well, Car A decided to cut off Car B, causing them to slam on the brakes, forcing Car C to swerve into the next lane, causing Semi A to lock his brakes, jackknifes the trailer, and Cars D through H run into that, followed by Semi B." She explains, pointing to vehicles as she talks.
"Where's cars A, B, and C?" I ask, noticing she didn't point to them.
"On the other side of the Semi, none of them hit anything." She says, waiving at the semi.
I say my thanks, walking back over to the traffic control which has slowly pushed back from the scene, creating a cascading barrier to the curb, finding Wolford screaming at a driver, who hurriedly gets out of the way.
"Any updates?" I ask, glaring at random drivers who may dare to agitate us.
"One other arrest, ran over Cameron's foot." He says, pointing at Cameron, who is seated on the trunk of a pickup cruiser, holding an ice pack to his left foot.
"It broken?"
"Nope, motorcycle, caused him to use some colourful words within earshot of a car full of children though." He explains, waiving two tow trucks through the barricade.
"Oh how much I would have loved to see that. What was he doing before he came over to traffic control?" I ask, watching a driver block two cars from merging.
Wolford remains silent for a bit, finally explaining with a sad look. "Kid in the backseat of first car that slammed into the semi, distracted her until medics arrived."
"Parents?" I ask, knowing I won't like the answer.
"Decapitated by the semi." He says somberly.
"What?!" I exclaim, expecting the worst, but not that bad.
"Clean off, kid survived because they were short enough." He clarifies, loosening his tie.
"Bugger me sideways with a teabag." I mumble, knowing that this could be worse.
-0-
"THIS COULDN'T BE WORSE!" Ivy yells, running into the room.
"What?" I ask, turning away from the lynx on the operating table.
"We're out of five mammals blood types, dangerously low on a few others." He explains, tossing me the blood bag I requested.
"Which ones are out?" I inquire, attaching the blood bag to the patient before getting back to finishing the work on their arm.
"Lynx, rabbit, sheep, coyote, and koala." He says, ready to take more orders as I begin to suture the wounds.
"Call Medowlands Children's for the sheep and rabbit, Rainforest District for koala, and find someone to get to the blood bank on thirty seconds for the other two." I command, catching him depart out of the corner of my eye.
"Alright, Caroline, this one is good to go, keep that IV on them until their blood pressure gets back to normal, Emma what's next?" I state, taking my gloves off and tossing them into the bin.
"That's it for surgeries, there wasn't too many major inj..." She replies, being cut off by a large bang that I recognize as a gunshot.
I flick into overdrive, grabbing my P226 from the back of my waistband and rushing out of the OR, seeing the outline of a Arctic Fox jumping into an ambulance, a second large bang shattering the window next to him.
I run outside, emptying my magazine at the back of his ambulance, swearing I hit a tire, I tuck my pistol back into my waistband, checking on the stretcher left abandoned at the enterance, finding the sedated patient alive and well.
I pull my mask off my face breathing a sigh of relief as I look across the street, the glint of a rifle scope visible on the roof. I waive off the mammal, turning to see several mammals staring at me.
"You think after that happened the first time I'd let it happen again?" I question the crowd, getting a few murmurs of approval back.
"Thought So... ALICE! CALL ZPD SAY TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AN AMBULANCE RIDDLED WITH BULLETS!" I yell, hearing tires screech to my left.
I turn to find the apocalyptic fury of Jessica and Sydney walking up.
"Evening ladies, this time Ximetz didn't get what he wanted." I state, pointing to the patient being wheeled back inside.
"What happened?" Jessica asks, eyeing the bullet casings on the ground.
I pull out my pistol, letting it hang from my loose grasp. "I protected my ER." I say, the fire in my eyes as well.
"And the two rifle shots that were reported?" Sydney asks.
"My insurance." I state simply.
"What is you- Yea now I realise I'm not getting that answer." Jessica begins, giving up after she sees the look on my face.
-0-
"This is ZNN news at six, tonight's breaking news: Attempted Kidnapping at ZGH, stopped by hero Surgeon, more coming soon; Zootopia wide warrant issued for exptremely dangerous mammal; did you know your toaster may be a North Korean spy? ... Earlier this afternoon, a mammal dressed as a paramedic attempted to kidnap a mammal at ZGH, the attempt was stopped by the ER's Trauma Surgeon, Shawn Hagler, who shot at the kidnapper while still in the ER, causing him to abandon his attempted victim and flee... The ZPD has issued a public warrant for Joseph Ximetz, Ximetz is described as a white fox, who speaks with a Latin American accent. He is wanted in connection with two kidnappings, one attempted kidnapping, and the deaths of several mammals, he has been described by the ZPD as a serial killer, and if spotted, should be reported immediately as he is described as armed and dangerous... Now how one lepord says his toaster is a North Korean Spy, David Kennedy..."
I turn down the TV, signaling the bartender that I need another drink. The kangaroo stops infront of me, setting another can of cider down. "Shawn, you're taking advantage of my offer that your drinks tonight would be free."
"Olivia, you offer me free booze and you expect me not to take advantage of it?" I question as she leans on the bar.
"I expected you to have three or four beers, not half a bloody case of my most expensive cider." She chuckles, holding up a tally sheet, with 6 tallies under my name.
I raise my hands defensively, grabbing the can and taking a drink. I hear the door open and turn to find a gaggle of police officers wandering in. I spot Cameron out of the crowd, pushing Logan in the direction of the bar.
"Yo, Olivia said my tab is free, who wants drinks?" I announce to the two.
"Oi! Only your and my boyfriend's drinks are free, Cameron's 'otta pay!" Olivia whines before giving Logan a kiss when he reaches the bar.
"Spirytus, leave the bottle." Cameron grumbles, before wandering off to the bathroom.
"Bad shift?" I ask Logan who has a colourful drink infront of him.
"Ohhh yea. He comforted a traumatized kid for a good four hours until medics finally got the kid to trust them, then he had the fantastic job of looking for the shot up ambulance, finding it abandoned in one of the maintenance tunnels, Ximetz leaving a taunting note." He explains, downing his drink in one go.
"Christ. For me it was one DOA, one dead on the table, and Ximetz." I inform, taking another drink of my cider.
"How did he drive the ambulance, I swear I hit a tire or two."
"Runflats, as long as he doesn't go all out he can go for a good while."
Cameron wanders back over, downing the shot left out for him before he even sits down. "So... Who's your sharpshooter? I won't report them to the police consitering that they stopped Ximetz."
I turn around, nodding to someone before turning back to the bar. I see Cameron and Logan watching the mammal I nodded to wander over to the bar and sit on my other side, the Wolverine setting her drink on the bar.
"Paris Sampson." She says, looking at Cameron and Logan.
"Long time no see Paris, how have you been doing?" He asks, downing another shot.
"While you put in your leave after you finished college, I stayed in, been doing well." Paris says, taking a sip of her drink.
"You always were a good shot." Cameron mumbles.
"What was that Corporal Robertson?" She asks in a commanding tone, I look at Cameron to see him sitting a bit straighter in his seat.
"Ohhhh, I get it, Cameron joined the reserves and you were his commanding officer." Logan says.
"She was the same rank as me, it's just hearing that tone of voice again, jeeeeez, you know how punishments in the military are often medial pointless tasks?" Cameron asks rhetorically.
"Ohhh, I know where you're going." Paris says, her eyes going wide.
"Yea, well, Anyways lets just say Paris and I were... Close, that's how she met you Shawn, and after one instance of certain activities we got called out by a major, we had to mop the parking lot... in the rain..."
"I knew I set you two up, I just never realized you were both in the same regiment." I recall. She had texted me saying she wanted info on Cameron for soooome reason, so I happily provided it, eventually having to bring Cameron's attention to the obvious hints she was dropping. She said that she owed me one.
"You two shagged?" Olivia puts bluntly, refilling Logan's drink.
Cameron gives her a dumb look, rubbing his chin. "I don't know, I have a suspicion that we did, but I can't confirm it, it's almost like it was so obvious that I need to use this response."
-0-
I rub my forehead, my head spinning as I slowly sit up, barely holding back the feeling of nausea. My eyes slowly adjust to my surroundings, finding myself still in the bar, laid down on a couch in the staff room. The nausea suddenly jumps, and I quickly grab a trash can next to the couch, emptying my guts into the metal can.
After that display, I wince as I hear the door slam closed, I look up to see one of the bartenders sitting down on the couch opposite.
"Last thing I remember is Paris being introduced Meghan, what did I do?" I ask the coyote.
"You downed half the damn bottle of vodka is what you did, there was a betting pool on when you'd hit the floor." She replies, leaning back on the couch.
"How long did I last?" I swing my feet off the couch, rubbing the throbbing headache.
"Twenty minutes before you emptied your guts, then you hit the floor. Hard. Oz and yer partner dumped you there."
"What time is it?"
Glancing at her watch, she appears to do some mental math. "Just past midnight, you were out for six hours."
I stand, steadying myself on the wall for a minute, the gears still beginning to turn in my head. After another thank you I exit the room, I duck into the bathroom, washing my face with cold water to clean the vomit off and get me awake enough to get home.
I adjust my shirt in the mirror, thankful I adopted a policy of never drinking while still in uniform as I knew some of my coworkers did. Heading for the door I reach the door to find Nick and Judy in a liplock, appearing that they are fighting for dominance, I watch for a minute, unable to pass them and not suicidal enough to interrupt them, finally getting my chance when they finally stop to breathe. I quickly pass the bar, slapping a couple hundred bucks on the counter and head for the door.
Once outside I get a breath of the 'fresh' air, holding a fifty out for Oswald, which he accepts, tucking it into his pocket. "If I never hear about this incident again you can put one drink on my tab per night."
He nods with a smile, and I walk towards my car. Once I reach my car I look at the keys in my hand, realizing that although I'm not shitfaced, I'm not daring to drive. I shrug, beginning down the sidewalk when I find a Wolfords car, rocking back and forth.
Hopps and Wilde were still in the bar... This must be the other two lovebirds.
You should interrupt them.
Why?
Cause if you get a picture you can hold it over them.
Blackmail them?
Nah, just make fun of them.
Sweet.
I grin, my internal monologue ending as I pull out my phone and creep up to the rear window, catching a glimpse of the two in the back. I ready myself, snapping the photo and running. I stop at the end of the alley, finding Wolford jumping of of the back still pulling up his pants.
"Arron, seya at work buddy!" I yell, seeing the look of terror on his face.
"I though you were blacked out on a couch in the bar!" Fangmeyer informs, straightening her shirt.
"And just because I'm out cold means you two can go at it." I ask condescendingly.
"Don't tell the Chief."
"I haven't blabbed on WildeHopps, you think I'm gonna blab on you?"
"Wilde and Hopps?" Arron questions.
"Yea, they're going at it in the bathroom of the Bog."
"How'd you know?" Fangmeyer asks.
"They walked in full make out mode, I walked out."
"Want a ride home?"
"Is the back seat clean?" I joke, walking back towards the car.
"Mostly."
I raise an eyebrow, getting over it as I do not want to walk home. I climb in the back, the door shutting behind me.
"Yea just drop me off at the bar." Wolford says, looking st his watch. "I want a picture of Hopps and Wilde."
Laura pulls the car to the curb, Arron hopping out and strolling towards the door, while I jump into the front, relaxing in the seat.
"Wait, this is Arron's Car..." I remember, looking between him and Laura.
"And he said I could drive it, what you going to do? Arrest me?"
"Only if I don't get a ride home."
-0-
"Thanks for the ride." Cameron exclaims, hopping out fo the car and stumbling over to the enterance to his apartment.
I pull away from the building, beginning down the road. I make it to the next light, when suddenly the passenger door opens and a Arctic Fox sits down, pistol leveled at my chest.
Welp, it's been a good life, if it comes to it I'm taking the fucker out and if I need to go with him so be it.
"Hey Ximetz, How you been?" I ask, sounding as if I'd known him all my life and he wasn't a serial killer.
"Let's make a left, the lights green." He says simply. I follow his orders precisely for the next few minutes knowing that the panic switch I installed near the pedals has been transmitting my location ever since he got in.
"So, plan on torturing me, or did you just want to go for s car ride?" I ask, eyeing a hole in the guardrail I know leads to a one story drop to the street below.
"No, I just wanted to inform you of how impressed I am in your actions, you have gotten further then any other police department in the America's." He compliments, in the rear view mirror I can see a black and red 1970 Challenger, Cameron driving and a rifle in the passenger seat.
"Yea it's mainly due to dumb decisions," I floor the gas turning the wheel towards the opening. "Like this." I brace myself back, barely registering the gunshot to my right and smashing window to my left before the car impacts the ground, and I go to sleepy sleepy land.
-0-
I thank my lucky stars I decided to watch Fangmeyer drive down the street, catching Ximetz walk out from an alley and simply hop in the passenger seat as Laura waited at a red light.
The alcohol taking control, I had immediately slid over the roof of my Challenger, popping the trunk to retrieve the SKS I kept in the trunk. I had followed them at a distance. When I saw the car abruptly turn off the guardrail I knew it was Laura's doing.
I slam on the brakes, grabbing my SKS and flipping off the safety as I step out of the car, the roar of police sirens encroaching from every direction. I run over to the edge of the bridge, raising my rifle at a white streak running down the edge of the canal.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
I lower my empty rifle, grinning as I see Ximetz pick himself up and limp out of view.
"Did you kill the fucker?" I hear from down below, finding Fangmeyer on her back, slowly and methodically rubbing her shoulder.
"No. You alright?" I ask, hearing the screech of tires behind me.
"Probably broke a rib or two in that stunt, totaled my car too." She begins to sarcastically laugh, quickly stopping as she embraces her ribs.
"ZPD DROP THE GUN!" I hear behind me. Knowing they most likely saw me empty the rifle into the canal, I promptly take two steps back and lay the rifle at my side, getting on my knees and putting my hands on the back of my head.
I wait for a moment, before my hands are roughly cuffed behind my back and am pulled to my feet to face Grizzoli and Delgado.
"Call a bus." I say simply as I'm lead towards the cruiser.
After a quick explication from me and assurances from Fangmeyer before she's taken to the hospital, I find myself sitting in an interrogation room, though uncuffed.
The door swings open and closes, and I slightly lean back as Bogo sits across from me.
"This interrogation is being performed by Chief Adrian Bogo to one Cameron Robertson. Are you Cameron Robertson?" He asks in a monotone voice.
"Yes." I reply, slightly disturbed by his calmness.
"Between five PM and midnight, where were you?"
"The Bog."
"Did you get intoxicated? And if yes, to what level?"
"Yes, and blackout drunk."
"Did you drive home?"
"No."
"Did you witness an armed mammal get in the vehicle with the coworker who drive you home?"
"Yes."
"Did you pursue them in a personal vehicle?"
"Yes"
"Once their vehicle crashed did you discharge a personal weapon at the armed mammal?"
"Yes."
"Did you miss?"
"Unfortunately Yes."
"Are you still under the influence of alcohol?"
"Most likely yes."
"Due to subjects intoxication and actions being in the defence of a coworker from a known serial killer, the actions are deemed lawful, and the subject will be taken to sober up."
"Awww, I hate the drunk tank."
-0-
"She, says her love for me could never die,
But that'd change if she ever found out about you and I,
Oh, but her love is cold, wouldn't hurt her if she didn't know..."
I whistle, checking marks off a list infront of me as I check Fangmeyer, who is looking slightly peeved.
"I mean he has a rifle, ten shots, and he didn't hit once?" She complains again, still groggy from the anesthesia.
"He blew a 0.11 when he was arrested..." I remind her, checking off 'coherent thought' as I listen to her ramble I regret that.
"And how was Ximetz able to run down the canal after what I did?"
"Because he was probably wearing his fucking seatbelt properly."
I hear her grumble a few select words, I hear a knock on the door.
"Who's there?" I ask.
"Visitor." Comes the muffles reply.
"Only family members or Chief Bogo."
"It's Wolford."
"C'mon in."
"But I'm not family or Chief Bogo." He says, closing the door behind him.
"Well Yer her mate soooooo." I say, letting my arms do the talking.
"And how'd you think that?"
"I can smell you on her, she mumbles about you in her sleep, and Cameron told me." I say with a smirk, exiting the room.
"You talk about me in your sleep." I hear behind the door before I walk away with a grin on my face.
-0-
"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" Bogo yells, the bullpen instantly becoming so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Nobody had ever heard Bogo swear in the bullpen.
"Ximetz has been cornered in a 20 block squared area of Tundra Town. He is wounded, thanks to Officer Fangmeyer crashing her car with him in the passenger seat, and Officer Robertson for drunkenly shooting at him. Every department in the city is setting up sweep teams to begin crushing the pocket. Any questions?"
"What about the underground ways out of the area?"
"Metro and Sanitation workers have been given tranquilizer guns and told to shoot anything that moves, the subway is shut down and the tram lines are also stopped."
"How are we to deal with him if we see him?"
"Officially he is to be taken alive, but if any of your fingers accidentally slip I won't blame you."
"Sir are you asking us to kill him?" Judy asks, slightly tipsy.
"I'm saying if you accidentally shoot and kill him then it wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to this department."
"Soooo..."
"I don't care if he's captured dead or alive."
"Gotcha."
"Alright, anyone who has been drinking earlier tonight is to stay in this room."
The room clears out, leaving Fangmeyer, Wolford, myself, Cameron, Nick, Judy, Sydney, and Jessica.
"White, wake Robertson up."
I shove a Cameron, knocking him to the floor, where he raises his head.
"I'm awake mom..." He complains, still looking at the floor.
"All of you are to blow a breathalyzer, if you are below 0.08 then you are going to be allowed to join the search teams, if you're higher you wait with Clawhouser until you blow below 0.08"
Officer Higgins begins going from person to person with a breathalyzer, announcing the results as he goes along.
"Wilde... 0.09, Hopps... 0.08, Fowler... 0.01, Manning... 0.05, Wolford... 0.1, Fangmeyer... 0.02, Robertson... 0.06, White... 0.03."
"Wilde, Hopps, Wolford." Go talk with Clawhouser, eat a doughnut. The rest of you, let's get that fucker."
