Calmly looking over at the fox how was now staring daggers at him. "Detective I meant no insult. I was simply making the observation that your daughter had a similar expression." Admittedly he wasn't simply making an observation, and he realized the fox beside him wasn't going to believe that excuse either. "Ok perhaps it was a bit more than an observation. However I … "

"Don't try to pull one over on me. I could con the best of them when I was younger, and I've been a cop far to long." The glint of sunlight through the windshield on his proudly shined badge seemed to punctuate the point. The fox leaning closer and closer to him as his eyes bore into the skunks. "You stay away …" His word were interrupted by a stack sound on the radio punctuated with a call from dispatch.

"All units, officer requesting backup 10-34 in progress. Sahara square little Rodentia station." After the transmission a distinct female voice could be heard. "109 Officer Wilde responding"

Nick's ear twitched as he pushed a few buttons on the panel between them lighting up the hidden lights in the grill and on the back of the vehicle as he picked up the radio. "110 responding, from down town"

"What's a 10-34?" Leon asked, looking around expectantly. Obviously, he had no idea where they were going and how long it would take to get there.

"It's a riot." Concentrating on driving through the vehicles as they pulled over to let him through. It didn't take long, a couple of blocks before he pulled the car over again, half of the vehicle up onto the curve as he through the door on his side open. "Stay here," Nick punctuated the point by pointing at the seat the skunk currently sat in, before slamming the door shut and walking with the full confidence of a well trained police office towards a mass of mammals in front of the train station.

There were mammals of all sizes in a tight mass shouting at each other as Nick approached. He could see a few other officers approaching from other streets as well in his peripherals. In the center of the mass were mammals holding signs and shouting slogans at those around them. Signs with large red circles and a hash through them over a pair of wedding rings, under which was written 'INTER'. This caused Nick a bit of an eye roll. It seemed no mater how far the city moved forward, some always insisted to be left behind.

"All right, time to move on everyone!" Nick yelled. This got a few of the mammals on the fringes to notice the officers approaching and slowly separate off. "Come on, disperse now!" He said again, this time another officer, with a louder voice than his own said the same. More of the crowd reacted and left. The core of the crowd was starting to be visible.

The chants from the protestors in the middle were constant. 'Marriage is for same species,' was the politest of the things being yelled. Nicks ear swiveled as a light footed officer joined him.

"I thought you had driver duty Detective Wilde." Came the female voice to his side.

Without ever loosing eye contact with the crowd of mostly masked protesters. "Oh well I can't let you do all the work detective Wilde," the beginnings of a smirk was wiped away as one of the protestors zeroed in on them and pointed to them.

"Its those cops!" the distinctly male voice of the what Nick thought was a wild dog, judging by the spotting on his fur. This however also got the attention of a number of the other protestors, and within moments there was a brick sailing through the air right for them.

Both Nick and Judy dodged to either side and the brick missed them without even coming close. That however changed the entire response of how the ZPD officers were approaching. "Dispatch, Judy Wilde, send the wagon. The situation has gone violent."

After the brick was thrown most of the mammals that were not of the protest group quickly moved out of the area. Some where pulled on by a protester and one was dragged to the ground by a zebra. The zebra was quickly pulled from his target and at some point pepper sprayed before zip tie cuffs were applied to his wrists behind his back by an officer.

Judy and Nick found themselves squared off against of all things another bunny and a fox respectively as the crowd spread out and more officers were arriving. While Judy had her hands full trying to subdue the other bunny, the concerned glance he made to her gave his opposing fox a chance to land a square punch on the side of his muzzle which started a scuffle to the ground between the two. This went on for a while, the fox he was struggling with obviously not unversed in a one on one struggle. That was until abruptly the fox went limp and fell on Nick.

Shocked he pushed the fox off of him and looked up to see Leon standing over him, leaning on his cane. "I thought I told you to stay in the car."

"Sorry Detective, but after all the things you're family has already done for me I couldn't very well let you get hurt if I could be of help." Smiling. "I'd offer you a paw up but well." Indicating the cane, he was leaning on.

As Nick started to get up he noticed three masked mammals lying on the ground, in a line from him to the cruiser where he had left the skunk. "Right." Staring at the mammals as he stood.

"Oh none of them are dead, but they will all likely have headaches." Chuckling as Judy noticing that Nick ok promptly went to put zip ties on their wrists after checking if they were bad enough to need medical attention. Nick did the same for the fox who was even now groaning into a state of awakening.

"Just …"

"Back to the car. Yes I know." Shaking his head, he limped his way back to the car.

"He saved your fluffy tail there slick." Judy gave him a quick jab to the shoulder as she walked up to him. Letting a pair of rhino officers start to load up the protestors into either ambulances or the wagon for processing back at the station. "Should have seen how he handled the other three. It was … well it was fast."

"Judy, who is this guy?" Watching the skunk stiffly climb back into the car. "He just shows up in the hospital, the ambassador acts like he needs to be protected, Meredith has already asked what we might have found out about him, that after they had dinner in the hospital last night … a" He rubbed his shoulder as he got punched again and looked at her with a 'what did I do now' look.

"Nicolas P Wilde, are you spying on our daughter," Judy asked with a serious look.

"Well I … might have heard from one of the cooks who I play poker with, you know on Fridays," giving Judy a smile that she knew full well meant he knew he was in trouble but thought here were good reasons.

"We'll talk about that later," Judy shook her head. "Get him where he needs to be going. I have to go back to the precinct. I'll clock us both out and meet you back home." Judy turned and went back to her cruiser as her mate and partner did the same.

When Nick climbed back into his cruiser the spared Leon on glance before backing out of where he had positioned his cruiser and continued on their way. Mostly in silence, that was until Nick's ear twitched to his right at the sound of a pop which grabbed his attention. Glancing to the side he watched the skunk pop a pill out of a orange container and then pop it into his muzzle and chewed on it. The sound of which was like claws on a chalkboard. "You're supposed to swallow it."

"Sorry, apparently it's a bad habit." Leon swallowed the remaining bits.

"You can remember a bad habit but you can't remember a few days ago now?" Nick asked annoyed.

"Yup," was Leon's response, though he kept his voice light.

After a few more moments of silent, Nick finally sighed. "Thanks, for the help. Next time though, stay put. The chief would have my ass if you got injured."

"You are welcome Detective." Sitting back in the chair. "For what it's worth I am sorry, I did not mean to cause any offense." Glancing over Leon noticed the fur on the fox's neck poof slightly before he got control over himself.

"Perhaps it is best, if we do not talk about that." Nick stated flatly.

"Understood," Leon looked out the window as they drove slowly through the streets. "What was that riot all about?"

"The remnants of the anti-interspecies organization. They are always trying to walk back the laws that were passed over the past twenty years allowing marriage and including interspecies relationships in anti-discrimination law."

"I see, two steps forward half a step back." Looking out the window as thoughts of home went through his mind. Like always they came on when there were comparisons to be drawn. "Back home, this wouldn't have even gotten this far. I have to say your police response was also a lot gentler then it would have been back home too." His voice distant, as he was thinking. "There would at least be a few body bags leaving that square, and they would not have been on the side of the protestors."

Nick listened closely, even continuing past their destination. The skunk was talking, and he wanted to hear more. "That sounds fairly extreme to me."

"To be honest, me too. There was a time I wouldn't have doubted it, but now." Sighing. "This has been eye opening. Detective, you asked me what I remembered earlier, and I was honest. I do not remember what happened. I am starting to remember who I was, however. Military trained to work alone, I remember being poor, my mother a worker in the coal mines I think, my father a clerk in the military." Pausing as he tried to recall more. "It wasn't a happy family, we existed." Breathing in and relaxing as some of the pain killer he had just taken started to take away the soreness that had begun to get annoying. The little skirmish had flared that up quickly. "Leaving home was pretty much one of the happier parts of my life. At least I was doing something worth while, I thought."

Nick listened intently. As he listened, he thought about his own earlier life. A fox that was only ever seen as just a fox. Someone to not be trusted, someone to be on the outcasts of society. Here was a mammal that lived in a place where keeping the general population down was part of life. "Why don't you come buy for a beer."

Leon looked over at Nick with a surprised look. "Detective?" Confused at the sudden change.

"Nick, just call me Nick." A sly smirk gracing his muzzle. "What do you say?"

Leon smirked and chuckled. "Well it beats driving past the hotel for, the fourth time was it? The different routs was a nice touch though."

"Oh you're good." Laughing as he took a left turn instead of the right he was planning on. "Tell me, do you like blueberries?"

*oOo*

In the north, deep inside a reclaimed mine that had once been the source of coal used throughout the country for power and even heat was a military unit waiting for the command to begin the trek south. They had not yet been informed that the facility they were supposed to go to had been destroyed. The unit was an escort unit, a train with two cargo cars, followed by a bunk car, followed by a flat bed car with anti-aircraft cannons mounted on it.

Each car was marked on both sides with a single fading placard, a yellow triangle, with a black dot in the middle, extending out from the dot was three black fan like shapes. The unit had been ordered not to go into the cargo containers and were issued detectors that they were to sweep along the outside of the cars regularly and report the readings. One of the patrols walked by the cars looking at the ominous yellow placard as he listened to the slow ticking coming from the detector as the needle on the screen remained as it had for the past four days, down towards the low end. "Zero point zero 2 milliSieverts" He read aloud as he had been taught. The mammal to his right writing it down on a clipboard before they moved to the next car.

This time however the needle creeped up, and the clicking became more rapid. "Zero point one milliSieverts" Frowning, "That's a change from what we've been seeing. Anything in the notes from the last patrol?"

The mammal with the clipboard flipped through the papers looking over the recorded numbers. "No, all were the same until just now. I'll make sure that the change is noted during the report."

"Good, lets move on. I hate standing next to whatever this is." Moving on the rest of the scans remained as the first. No change from previously recorded readings. The unit was getting antsy. They were told this was a mission of utmost importance to the country, and that they were doing work that would secure them all for a long time to come. However being under ground in the mines for days on end took a tole on a mammal, being sedentary during the same made it worse.

As they finished the scans a female private came up to him holding a radio. "General wants to talk to you sir."

"Thank you private," he saluted the female skunk and took the radio, walking off up the tunnel towards the entrance to ensue a better signal. "Sir, this is lieutenant Robertson."

"Lieutenant," the general's voice was staticky due to their location and the signal bounce necessary to get the message through. "There has been an incident at site one. You are to proceed with your unit to site two immediately. The site has already been informed to expect your arrival in four hours. So get moving."

"Yes Sir. It will be done." Choosing not to mention the increased reading, figuring it was minor and the general needn't be bothered with something trivial if other things had happened.

"That is all Lieutenant." The signal went silent after that.

Turning around the Lieutenant yelled down the tunnel. "Pack it up and warm up the engine, we are moving out. Site two." As he spoke the soldiers were moving. Boxes being loaded back onto the bunk car with food and supplies, the lights in the engine came on as the engineer started the motor up. They would be moving in twenty minutes or so. He was thankful for that, he hated being underground.

Twenty minutes later, as predicted, the train was moving out of the mine shaft. Her armored engine pulling to build up speed on the open rail, the main guns on the back car were ready if needed, and they were on their way.

*oOo*

Once the Tod and the Skunk made it back to Nick and Judy's apartment Nick pulled out his keys and opened the door letting them both in. It was a cozy apartment, obviously well lived in with pictures on the walls of the Wilde's ranging from a vacation picture before their kits and then various pictures of vacations with Meredith, then with Judy pregnant, and the latest of what Leon assumed was their son's graduation from the Academy. The walls were light blue, wood floors, a couch and love seat for family and guests around a low table. A TV was mounted on the opposite wall.

"Nick, what do you want to do for dinner. Jason and Ali are out with friends, and Meredith will be coming over. Shes off for the next couple of days." Judy was talking from her and Nick's bedroom as she changed out of her work attire, having just gotten home herself. "And you and I still need to talk about your spying on Mer … " Walking out of their room in a bra and panties she stooped short as she noticed the additional mammal in the room. The shock didn't last long before she quickly ducked back in the room.

Leon had enough time to see Judy before she ducked out again, and Nick's tail drooped to the floor and ears laid back. "Should have called first." Loosening the tie around his neck more and unbuttoning the first button. "Why don't you have a seat while I face the firing squad." Walking over to the door that Judy had slammed shut and knocking. "Hunny I'm home." Swinging the door open and walking in, making sure to shut it behind him. Leon heard the yelp of the male fox shortly after, causing a small chuckle to escape him.

Leon did as was suggested and took a seat on the couch, making sure to not be facing the master bedroom's door. However, he did find himself looking around more. The pictures of the younger twins were definitively more bunny then their older sister. Gray fur, with the exception of light red highlights. Their ears were long like their mothers but pointed like their fathers, and tipped with black fur, as well as the shorter muzzles. One might even mistake them for being of a pure bunny line if it weren't for the k-9s and the longer bushy tails.

The pictures that took his attention most though were the ones with Meredith in them. None of them had her in a dress except for one, most of them had her in jeans and a t-shirt. Working on something with her father, riding a bike with her father, swimming in the ocean with her father. This realization caused him to chuckle. He had been so engrossed he hadn't heard the door open and a particular bunny come out, now fully dressed in casual clothing of jeans and a purple long-sleeved shirt. "Meredith was always a daddy's girl."

"You couldn't tell." He looked to her with a smile, though he noticed the blush in her ears which he assumed was the fact that she had almost shown him everything for a brief moment. Playing it off as if nothing happened. "You have a lovely family Detective Wilde."

"Please, call me Judy. You are in my home after all." Smiling as she looked over her family pictures with pride. "I honestly never thought I'd have children, let alone find myself with a mate like Nick."

Noticing at least when Nick came out of the bedroom, his ears high and attentive as he came up next to Judy, his arm naturally wrapping around his bunny and rubbing the top of her head with the underside of his muzzle, and her responding by rubbing her chin against his in an open display of sent marking. This brought a genuine smile to his muzzle at the obvious love for each other. Even more so when Nick's tail wrapped around Judy, who promptly took it in one paw and gently racked her blunted claws through the fur.

"Yah she's my little girl, and you're my bunny." Planting a kiss on Judy's head, Nick smiled. "So after being abused by my mate, we decided perhaps we should go out for dinner. We assume you'll be coming Leon, since I offered that beer I need to at least make good on that."

"I couldn't impose Nick, Judy, thank you but that would be far too much." Him painfully aware of having no sort of currency at the moment. He hadn't even met with the Ambassador yet to find out what was going to happen or needed to happen.

"Nonsense. Plus I already told Meredith you would be joining us so you don't have much of a choice." Judy smirked.

"You did?" Wincing as he earned an elbow to the side. "You know one of these days you are going to break a rib and … Owe .. ok ok." Laughing as he earned a look along with that second elbow. They both looked at Leon as he started to laugh, a near full body laugh.

"I'm sorry. Your both just … " he was going to say cute but he remembered the reaction Meredith had to that and quickly changed course. "Perfect together. I've .. never seen the like."

"I've heard stories." Judy's ears drooped a bit. "Arranged mating, designated work."

"Pretty much the way of it. Everyone in their place." There was a point in time where he knows he would have said that with conviction, now he said it with a tinge of loathing.

Clearing his throat Nick looked to Judy. "So where are we going then?"

"Oh I figured we would go to Scampo." Judy said with a smile.

"Aren't we a little under dressed? I mean Leon here isn't but we are." Nick protested.

"Just throw on a sport coat Dad." Meredith had slipped in while they were talking. Unlike in her pictures she was a little more dressed up. She wore a simple outfit, black pants and a beautiful deep green blouse that accented her eyes wonderfully. Even her father was caught a bit speechless. The neckline was lower to show off a little bit of her chest even if she was built more like her mother in that regard.

Giving Judy a glance. "You did this on purpose. You said we were just going to go somewhere close and to dress relaxed. You lied to me." Acting hurt but he had a smile that admitted she got him.

"I didn't lie to you, she did." Pointing to where nobody was standing as she ducked the other way and hoped off to the bedroom.

Nick laughed. "Oh I'm going to eat you rabbit." Giving a mock growl as he chased after her.

Meredith rolled her eyes at the scene that played out and then walked over to Leon while they went to change. "Well don't you dress up nice."

Leon couldn't help but glance over the beautiful woman in front of him. "Same could be said about you." Standing up with a slow movement as he leaned a little on the cane. "They always like that?"

Meredith couldn't help but smile. "Always, when not working at least. I mean growing up they had their fights. Generally, when I or one of my siblings did something and they didn't agree on how to handle it." Reaching out tentatively to touch his paw on the cane. "How you holding up?"

Breathing in deep with a long exhale. "Physically, about what one should expect. Hurts a little, but nothing I can't live with for now."

"What about, mentally." Her caring eyes capturing his as she asked.

"Confused, when your taught that things here are a mess because of the lack of control and discipline and then you find out different. Memories that I can't explain without context in my own head. And that blank spot of how I ended up here. So again, probably about what you would expect if you were a fish out of water." Chuckling.

Laughing at his analogy. "I guess you have a good point. You seem to be handling it ok."

"It helps when there are good people around you." The thumb of his paw on his cane reaching up to gently caress the side of the paw on top of his. This of course all came to a hault when her parents came out of their room.

Judy was sliding Nick's tie up into position where it belonged before turning around to face them. Nick wearing a pair of slacks, shirt and tie, with a sport coat left unbuttoned. Judy had dressed similar to her daughter, through wearing a violet shirt. "Ready to go?" Judy asked. "It's a short walk, and a nice evening so I figured we'd put foot paws to pavement."

Judy took her daughters paw and pulled her ahead to chat in low tones as they walked out of the apartment and down to the street. Nick however took a polite pace next to Leon, slipping his tie down to more comfortable position with a wink at Leon and a sly smirk.

The walk for the males behind was quiet, the walk for the females in front however was giggles and quite conversation. "That moment you feel entirely left out?" Nick said to Leon.

"Nick, on that you and I can both agree," Leon noted the rearward glance from Judy.

The front of the restaurant was built out of carved marble with the name of the placed carved into the stone above the entryway. From the outside the large windows showed a dimly lit room, with candles on each table, with warmly lit light fixtures keeping the room dark but still comfortable even for nocturnal mammals.

Once inside they were met with the smells of the cuisine and fresh bread. The walls were deep red brick. A horseshoe bar in the back of the room was filled with mammals of all sorts conversing over martinis or other cocktails, the gentle drone of their conversations greeting them with the warmth of the establishment itself. A smiling mink in a black shirt with pinstripe pants greeted them.

"Will that be four for dinner?" The mink smiled as she picked up four menus from the pedestal she stood behind. At Nicks nod she started to lead them into the restraint to a corner table. "Your waitress will be with you shortly. Please enjoy your meal." Placing menus in front of each before leaving.

Once seated Leon flipped open the menu and was surprised by the items on the list ranging from vegetarian to even fish. This caused him to glance around at the various mammals in the room before Meredith leaned over to talk to him quietly while her parents chatted. "The sword fish is very good." She knew his exposure was limited so she figured she would lend a helping paw. "Dad likes that here too, though he secretly loves the desert. Blueberry tart." Smirks.

Leon chuckled. "He mentioned his love of blueberries earlier today." Deciding to go with the recommendation.

"Did he now." Smiling as the waitress, a prong horn, came over in similar outfit to the hostess. "Good evening, can I start you all off with some drinks?"

Judy ordered a watermelon martini, as did Meredith. Nick ordered a stout and with Leon ordered a scotch. He might not have had the opportunity to experience a lot of things in life, but one thing they had back home was alcohol, and he did remember liking the rich if sometimes burning taste. While they waited the table resumed in general chitchat, some small stories about Meredith came about but nothing too embarrassing.

When the waitress returned with the drinks she asked if they were ready to order there meals. Nick ordered a fish pasta with a cream sauce, Meredith ordered something Leon didn't quite understand which she had picked up on with a smile. "You'll have to try it first, then I'll tell you what it is." She had said. Leon ordered the sword fish as recommended with an approving nod from the tod that sat across from him. It was when Judy ordered the same thing he was caught off guard, yet again by this family.

He waited until the waitress left to ask. "Um, Judy I don't mean to be rude but .."

Judy chuckled. "A bunny eating sword fish?"

"Well yes, exactly." The confused look on his face.

"Well maybe I've got a little predator in me." Flashing her teeth as if she were a predator on the hunt. Proving quite readily that she was not.

"I put a little predator in her," Nick said snickering.

"Dad!" Meredith exclaimed while maintaining a table appropriate voice.

"What I did, at least three." Nick retorted with a smirk.

Meredith's ears covered her face as they drooped forward in embarrassment, her paws holding them over her eyes. "Daaad stop."

Judy tried to keep her expression of a frown but couldn't hold it and laughed. Leon being lost for a moment before realizing the meaning couldn't hold back a laugh as well.

The evening continued through dinner much the same way. The food was good, the drink was good, and the company couldn't have been better. True to Meredith's word, Nick had to have the blueberry tart, while Leon refrained from anything further, having a simple coffee. Before they left Leon made his way to the bathroom, followed shortly behind by Nick. Both males taking urinals next to each other in the luxurious bathroom.

The bathroom was tiled in white with a black drop ceiling. Curiously to Leon at each urinal was a small TV. He was about to make a comment about this when the news story on the screen caught his attention. The audio was low but with the help of the captioning he was able to make out what was being said.

"ZNN Breaking news. Another incident has been detected in the country of Beyersdorf. Radiological satellite monitoring detected a spike in radiation in this area of the country."

The image changed to a forested area with a rail line passing through it. The image, though a little grainy, showed a train that had been halted. The light was still shining from the engine, and there were people around the train but not moving.

"Experts say this is not an explosion or weapon test and that it is more likely a leak. So there is no need for concern in Zootopia. However, they have been offered assistance in securing the site for appropriate cleanup. Stay tuned for more details as we get them on this developing story."

Nick had also noticed the news story. "Those poor people." Shaking his head.

Leon straitened up as he backed away from the small screen. "Enrichment facility." Was all he said before turning around.

Nick zipped up his pants as he turned to ask what Leon had just said only to see a familiar bunny in a suit. "Jack."

Jack looked at Nick "Ah hello again Detective." Turning his attention to Leon. "Leon I think its time you and I had another chat don't you?"