Transitional Spaces
The two officers left a building behind the wolf for the second time today. And for the second time, they were greeted by a large antique automobile and well dressed badger. Justin was reading a paper outside the car, this time actually placing one of his rear paws against the driver's door as he lounged. His nonchalant attitude to having a clawed paw against the classic brought a sharp breath of incredulousness from Judy. Until she looked closer, and realized it wasn't the same car. The lines were the same, but this one was taller, longer, and a bit broader. And it had a lot more chrome. Once sighted, the badger folded his paper and removed his rear paw to start toward the trio.
Nearly to the car, it dawned on Judy where she had seen the car before, the tickle of memory exploding her thoughts, like a brilliant firework display, forcing her to draw another, even sharper breath in excitement. "Nick, I remember where I've seen this car! It was on Gazelle's latest music video 'Drive me' and she danced on top with lights and smoke billowing out. I thought it was black, but I guess its deep royal blue!" Her bag containing her street clothes dangling precariously from her arm she was using to gesture toward the large vehicle.
Before Nick could respond, Justin started speaking. "Wow, George. They look great! Margery really did a good job with them, didn't she?" As Justin approached, he was appraising the goat's handy work, first looking over the chocolate fox, then lingering a moment longer on the cobalt dress of the shapely rabbit, his smiling face landing finally on George. Judy smiled and ran a paw between her lowered ears, shyly adjusting her bag to her shoulder afterwards, her feminine side enjoying the attention. Nick's eyebrows came up after the badger's examination of his partner, a look of obvious dislike running across his muzzle, his paw tightening around his own bag of clothes as his ears dropped to his head, dangerously.
George wore the closest expression to annoyed they had yet seen. He removed his ever present shades, his tail coming around, but pointed the tip at the badger rather than wrapping around him. "Justin, what is this? I asked for Mr. Card's car? Why the beast?" He gestured toward the showy vehicle as his gaze shifted to questioning, holding no malice, just pure curiosity tinted by disappointment.
Holding his paws up in a placating manner, "Hey, you said Mr. Card's car, so I thought you wanted this one." His smile wasn't as self assured as it was just moments ago. "Was I wrong?"
"Not exactly, but I figured you would bring something less conspicuous. I was hoping for more low key, like a Maserati in black." With a shake of his head, he knew he should have been more specific. With a slight sigh, his tail hugged his right side, like normal, "No worries, what's done is done. Let's get this back to the garage, I have a meeting with Mr. Card and Heather while you get them settled in." Without waiting for a reply, he made for the rear door of the car, opening it and gesturing for the tailing fox and rabbit to climb aboard in their finery. "If you will be so kind, officers."
As the other mammals got inside, Justin retreated to George, "Sorry George, I thought this is what you meant." His voice was just above a whisper, but Judy's phenomenal ears heard all. He looked down, and closed his eyes.
George reached out and grabbed his shoulder, like a brother. "You just caught me off guard, no harm Justin. I'm in a hurry, and this one doesn't maneuver as nicely. Let's go, I'm late. For the second time today." George added crisply.
"Oh! I didn't know you were late. I'll have you to the office in no time, boss." His grin returning from understanding, Justin made for the driver's seat. As soon as his rear made purchase with the seat, the key was turned, the start button pressed in the much more advanced control panel for the modernized vehicle. A display on the passenger side came up with several images of intersections in live feed nearest the vehicle showing traffic and lights. Several other gauges came online when the vehicle breathed to life, the howl of the turbo audible, despite the insulation.
"Don't break the law Justin." The return laugh brought a smile to the gray wolf, who had just sat on the seat running lengthwise in the passenger area. Justin fastened his lap belt, and flicked a button, making the privacy glass came up, obscuring the view from the curious Judy.
"What was all that?" Her eye's were wide with wonder, her short tail giving a flick of curiosity, the gray standing out against the sharp cobalt blue of her dress. "Even the ZPD patrol vehicles don't have anything like that." She asked as she found her own safety belt next to Nick.
"Just a few trinkets we added during customization. This vehicle serves mostly for dignitaries visiting Zootopia that the Black Fangs are protecting. Some, usually Kings or Princes, like to be carted around with more show than a limousine. This provides plenty of flair to suit their tastes." As the pair glanced around the almost cavernous interior, it did indeed seem fit for a king. Though it kept to the 30's character, the conveniences from video entertainment to voice activated audio services to the mini bar, complete with ice, seemed more like an executive's office than the back of a car, which was beginning to move swiftly. Nick had glanced and couldn't help but laugh at the corded car phone on the side, it looked a little newer than the rest of the decour.
"All this other cool stuff, and you still have a corded phone in here? Wow Georgy, really high class here. Is this thing from the 30's as well?" With a snorted half laugh, he pulled up on it, despite Judy's attempt to grab his arm and stop him. When he put it to his ear, instead of the dial tone, he heard…
"Yes Mr. Coldart, how can I help you today?" The phone toned with a decidedly feminine voice, there was even the hint of a purr.
His eyes shot wide in surprise. "Um, who the hell is this?" a confused Nick could only murmur. Without waiting for a response, he hung up, a little harder than strictly necessary.
"Well that was rather rude, Nicholas. I'll have to apologize to Heather when we arrive." George tsked.
"You keep your own operator on call?" a bewildered Nick asked, his eyes still wide, filled with questions.
"No, she only answers if you don't dial first. That is a secured line, completely untraceable. Heather can set the call to people you don't know the number to. Even a few that don't have numbers, just direct lines." George answered, a bit distracted, since his phone was back in paw for a moment.
"How can you possibly make a mobile line secure, George?" Judy asked, intrigued.
George finished whatever he was working on in seconds, put his phone down to look at the small rabbit. He smiled, his tone taking on a note of explanation. "It has more to do with disrupting triangulation and tapping techniques. I don't understand the precise way it works, the engineering is beyond me, I'm afraid. But I've tested it, and had others with similar resources test it. Believe me, it works. Anyone trying to listen in or trace just gets static, like a bad radio broadcast from the 30's." His grin broadened as his tail curled around, finding his idle right paw. George continued, "We even added some blocking technology based on the original research that the military found useful, blocking the frequencies of cellular devices to disrupt incoming calls or transmissions, adding a higher level of security if threats have been made." Offering no more information, he just watched, letting them piece it together, idly thumbing the last quarter of his fluffy tail.
Nick spoke first, "So no one can call and say you've left, or at least for a few moments, giving you a good lead on an attempt to tail you."
"Good Nicholas, that's part of it." George encouraged.
Then Judy spoke up, "I remember something about a bomb detonated by a cell phone, disrupting troops in a convoy, they called it something, but the name escapes me…"
"An IED. Improvised explosive device. Yes, that's the greater danger." He smiled, a genuine expression as he looked over the elegant interior. Like a proud parent explaining a child's trophy case to new visitors, he continued. "This vehicle has twin turbos, pushing the large seven liter engine to twelve hundred horse, we went to an improved 8 speed automatic that was armored up and beefed to take the power, after the armor was added for VIP protection. This thing is about as safe as any armored carrier in the military, capable of stopping most small arms. It moves well for a vehicle this heavy as well." The feeling of the car getting up to highway speeds was apparent, though there was little exterior sound.
"That's impressive, George. What else do you have up your sleeve?" Nick asked, truly appreciating the vehicle and the implications as his eyes looked over the interior with renewed understanding. His ears and tail perked with interest. "And why a copy of your other car? You could have just beefed up a much cheaper limo or something."
"Well, the clientele enjoys the style and unique appeal this vehicle gives. And the disguise is perfect. No one would expect something that looks like this to outrun average luxury sedans, let alone any production sports car. And the defenses from armor to signal jamming, which we've successfully tested with guided missiles, makes this formidable, even without the normally tailing car of security personnel. We are rather proud of it."
As George finished, the privacy glass dipped down two inches, and Justin's eyes fixed on George in the rearview mirror, "Sorry to bother you, but did you arm up? Your comment about the lack of a tail reminded me of the directive 'Transitional Spaces'." Justin asked, conversationally.
"Oh, damn. No, I hadn't thought of it yet. Thank you Justin."
"No problem, boss." Justin's gaze returned to the road, which was clipping by a little faster than strictly legal. The glass rolled back up, blocking the front view again as George put his phone in his suit pocket, and touched a small screen fixed to the side of the car with his paw tip.
"What did he mean 'Transitional Spaces' George" Judy asked, her ears intent and eyes focused on what was happening in front of her.
After the scan was approved, the portion of seat top next to George rolled forward, revealing several short rifles and magazines. Quickly selecting a shortened bullpup and accompanied gear, he touched a button and the seat returned and locked in place as he casually threaded a silencer to the end of the barrel after a quick inspection. A pair of shocked eyes followed as he popped the magazine off the top of the odd weapon, and returned it after finding the green tips of the tiny ammunition to his liking. The sound of a round being chambered with a short stroke of the charging handle made the pair of officers immediately aware of the well dressed wolf's familiarity with his choice of weapon. After a quick flick of the safety setting, George put the single point sling around his body, and checked the pull and line of the weapon. Finding his results to be satisfactory, he clicked a button on the optic, and turned his attention back to the bewildered pair. Mere seconds had passed since the badger had mentioned anything to the wolf.
Nick's tail had wrapped around Judy protectively, the slight shock obvious on their muzzles.
Noting their expression, George decided a little explaining might be in order. "To answer your question, Judith, 'transitional spaces' is what we refer to anywhere unsecured, like an open road. Company policy states that when there is no tailing vehicle and civilians are in this vehicle, the operatives inside are to be armed by a shoulder weapon of their choice. Transportation is always the most hazardous and hardest to defend from unforeseen problems. What kind of a leader would I be if I ignored Mr. Card's directives? My weapon of choice is always the FN Herstal P90, full auto with green tipped bullets, for maximum armor penetration. Are you familiar with the weapon?" George asked, genuinely curious.
Nick and Judy exchanged glances, both sets of ear up and at attention, focused on the wolf. Judy broke eye contact with Nick first, and started with a small voice, "We are familiar with normal weapons, but we haven't had much more training than with the tranquilizer guns." Her eyes fixed on the weapon in George's paws.
"The larger and lethal ones are more for swat use. The beat cops don't normally drill with much more than a handgun, and that's usually just to re-qualify every six months." Nick admitted, his natural curiosity apparent in his gaze, taking in the gear and well armed wolf.
"That will change with us. Expect to be trained in more lethal arms. We expect to defend our clients, and our assumption is that anyone attacking us means to be lethal, we will be lethal in turn."
Nick broke the uneasy silence that had followed first. His voice was quiet, like he was working the exact details in his mind as he spoke. "I thought Mr. Card dealt in information, not security. Why the armored car and military grade hardware?" His gaze and questions were direct, his finishing tone similar to the last ride they'd been on.
With his eyes locked on the fox, George held his eyes for three breaths before he responded, cold and professional. "Mr. Card does indeed deal in information. Information is hazardous. The first thing we learn in this business is the danger. Knowing something can make you a target, from a simple smear job with a small newspaper to a hired hit. Knowledge is power, and power always attracts danger, whether you wish it or not. Mr. Card has much knowledge, and therefore, much power. The security firm was built to defend that power, and make sure lesser elements don't wield power beyond their control. Like a child that finds dad's loaded gun, and inadvertently kills another. It's less about gaining more power, it's about balance. Balance and trust."
Judy gave a little head shake, her ears drooping as she wondered aloud, "What have we gotten into?" Nick's tail unconsciously wrapped protectively around her again, his gaze not leaving the wolf. And it was far from friendly.
With a sigh, George removed his shades, looking the pair over, as tension was nearly bursting the edges of their fine clothing. Summoning all of his substantial charisma, he spoke both quietly and reassuringly. "Judith. Nicholas. I am not your enemy. Mr. Card is not your enemy. We are working together for a greater good. I apologize that all of this information has been piled in your lap rather quickly. I also apologize that there are a few things I can not tell you at this time, but please take it in stride. And trust me, I am a friend." His easy smile was enhanced by his cool blue eyes. He held each of their eyes until they sighed and nodded.
The rear passengers felt the vehicle slow and turn left, followed by the feeling of descending. The privacy glass dropped again, revealing a parking garage as Justin pulled the car past a short row of slate gray SUVs, similar to the one tailing the previous car. After pulling into a designated spot, he slipped the powerful car into park, and shut down the machine. Looking back at George, he stated simply, "We're here."